On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception...

This is what it looks like and sounds like at my house this morning:

A day Full of Grace.

Happy Holy Day!

 

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!

Jolly Old St. Nicholas!  He's been on our minds a lot for the past week.  We've been enjoying reading about him and putting together a St.Nicholas lap book.  Aren't they cute?!

I'd show you the inside, but we've only done one activity so far:)
We will pick up the pace today and the rest of the week.
The two youngest of my current students are doing the lapbooks, and the oldest will be reporting on the way St. Nicholas is celebrated in different countries.

Our Advent reading is going well. And we are enjoying our Jesse Tree.  This whole decorating early thing has enhanced our season.  It's much more peaceful and the kids are very excited. Especially the 6 year old.  Apparently, she is paying close attention to our studies and reading.  Her older sister took her shopping the other day, and big girl told little girl that "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" wasn't an appropriate Christmas song because it doesn't mention the birth of Jesus at all.  Little girl looked big girl in the eyes and said, "No, but it does mention Santa, and Santa and Jesus are BFFs!"  Of course!  Who do you think the saints hang out with anyway??? 

Now, take a look at this picture.  Don't you think that boys with ginormous feet (a 9 and 12 year old, who BOTH wear a men's size 10!) shouldn't have to put their biggest shoes and boots out???  Their regular shoes by themselves hold plenty of candy. Sheesh!

We will spend some time on this fantastic website today:
St. Nicholas Center
Check it out!  Lots of information, stories and activities for young and old!!

Then, later in the week we have a Holy Day of Obligation and the Feast of Juan Diego! It is an exciting week in the Church. 
I love the Catholic Church; her rhythms and seasons bless and order our lives, and her wisdom lights our way. Deo Gratias!

Happy Advent!

Advent Preparation

I love this season!  Even though, most years, I end up feeling very overwhelmed and stressed.  In order to alleviate some of my "bah-humbug" holiday stress, I decided to start earlier this year, and can actually say that I have 70% to 80% of my shopping done.  First. Time. Ever! So, when we pulled out the advent wreath, Jesse Tree, nativity sets and Christmas picture books on Sunday, I decided to keep on going.  You see, normally, I only put out Advent stuff at first and then 2 weeks later or so, I decorate the rest of the house. 
Years ago, a wonderful priest stated that it was not appropriate to "celebrate" Christmas before Christmas actually got here.  We should save Christmas for Christmas and use Advent to prepare; he encouraged us to hold off decorating until closer to the actual holiday.   Of course that makes sense.  But, I am ashamed to admit,  a lot of the excitement and anticipation disappeared for me.  Preparing for Christmas had become just one more chore to cross off  the enormous Christmas to-do list.

Waiting to decorate the house until mid-December(when holiday preps are ramping up in a big way) just made me more stressed out.  The decorating became a big burden; so much so, that one year I was tempted to only put the tree and stockings up and leave it at that.  I never did go that far, but I did cut waaaay back on decorations that year. 

So, this year, in my attempt to lessen my stress, I decided to put up most of the decorations on the first Sunday of Advent, leaving the tree and stockings until later (when college boy gets home). 

The younger kids were thrilled to see the house all Christmasy, and were so eager to help.  My oldest daughter, who is extremely fond of keeping traditions exactly the same as they are "supposed" to be, looked askance at me, wondering what I was doing.  She seemed to be pacified when I assured her the tree would go up at the "proper" time.
In the back of my mind, however, I questioned if I were doing the right thing and not jumping the gun.  I heard the excitement in the kids' voices as they exclaimed how "homey and cozy"the house was.  I had a lot of peace, also.  Then, it dawned on me.  Advent is a time for preparation and that is exactly what we were doing.  I wasn't celebrating Christmas early, but preparing for it!  We light our advent candles and read the Jesse Tree readings, all in anticipation of the birth of Our Savior.  We prepare a nursery before a child is born; and we prepare our homes, but especially our hearts, for the birth of the newborn King. 
If preparing early lessens the stress of it all, and increases our anticipation and excitement, it's all good, right?
Forgive me, Father, for I have decorated....

Catholic Icing to the Rescue

Well, Lacy at Catholic Icing has created a beautiful printable children's book with the new Mass Translation responses.  It's great and will be more attractive for the children than the pew cards, I think.  Having their own book will, I hope, get them more involved and thinking about the Mass and its new wording.

So, follow the link above to print out your own!
Thanks, Lacy!
By the way, be sure to bookmark her blog, Catholic Icing.  She's always sharing something great!

I suppose...

I suppose when you live in New England and a big, surprising October snowstorm has pummeled the region, you should blog about it.  I mean, it's kind of expected, right?
It was big news around here. 
Record-breaking, even. 
So, here goes:

It snowed. A lot. Eight and a half inches here.  It's cold, messy and wet.  And. Much. Too. Early.

There.  I did it.
Now, could we please get back to autumn for, oh, say 7 weeks or so???
Pretty please?

60 years

"Pit" is my dad's nickname...it is some sort of French Canadian word that means "little one" or "baby."
I studied French in high school and college, but I can't figure it out...it must be slang or something

The anniversary party for my parents was quite nice.  They knew about it, but still seemed so pleased to celebrate with their family and friends.  My dad even played his guitar!  Funny, when I was young and living at home, he would play and sing in the basement every Sunday...all day.  It became something I...ummmm...didn't look forward to.  But, after a space of about 24 years, it was really nice to hear him play and sing again:) 

Sadly, we have lost some of my parents' siblings since we celebrated their 50th anniversary.  Dad has lost 2 brothers, and my Mom has only one sister left out of 5 siblings.  Even sadder, was the fact that one of my uncles got married the week after my mom and dad. He died 6 years ago.  My aunt, his widow, came to the party tonight...my heart hurt for her.  Their 60th anniversary would have been this Thursday.

Mom and Dad with 3 of Dad's remaining 4 siblings



One thing I have experienced is the feeling of awe when I see the legacy these long marriages have trailing along behind them.  Whether it is the funeral of someone who has been in a long-term marriage, an anniversary celebration or what have you,  seeing the families and the lives these two people, this married unit, this "one flesh" have touched over the years impresses upon me a sense of responsibility and wonder.
Marriage is so much bigger than the two people it unites.  When marriages last, their influence on the people around them extends out like ripples in a pond.  Love, commitment, endurance patience, persistence, stability...these virtues spread out to the surrounding community.  Similarly, when a divorce occurs, the qualities that characterize divorce are spread also.  Divorce, also, is bigger than the two people in the marriage. 
I look at my parents, aunts and uncles and know that their lives and marriages have not always been easy. But, they stuck with each other, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and the rewards have multiplied exponentially over the years.  Good begets good, virtue begets virtue.  And it is beautiful.

7 Quick Takes: The "Getting-Back-On-My-Horse" Edition

--- 1 ---

I have just about abandoned my blog, and that makes me unhappy.  Writing helps me to process my thoughts, and not writing means that my thoughts swirl around in my head, around and around, until I must expel them by yakking my husband's (or nearest unfortunate friend's) ear off.  It's better for all if I take some time to write.

--- 2 ---

I have many thoughs swirling in my head (see #1 above) about the experience of going from homeschooling mom, to full-time teaching-in-a-school mom, back to homeschooling mom.  Working outside the home provided a certain regularity in our schedule.  There was no question that we needed to be at school by 8:30 every morning, and my three youngest children and I were washed, dressed, fed, packed, and out the door every morning.  There is a certain satisfying feeling of accomplishment in that.  I like routine, and I felt "on top of things" and productive.  I liked that. A lot.

--- 3 ---

Coming back home has been an adjustment.  One of the biggest frustrations is my/our lack of ability to stick to a similar morning schedule.  Life seeps in and I make choices that throw off my "schedule" every. stinkin. day. When I knew I had to be out of the house every morning, I would see something that needed to be done and ignore it.  I didn't have time to deal with it at that moment.  I made a mental note, however, that if I was homeschooling, I knew I would make the decision to deal with that issue and thus, we would start school later.  I could clearly see how these constant small choices would sabotage my best laid plans. Oh what a learning experience for me! I had such clarity!  I could see those small details that make such a difference!  I will never again fall victim to this insidiousness! Yet, here I am living it out, beautifully organized plans in tatters, day by sabotaged day. 

--- 4 ---

Working outside the home meant that I was, time-wise,  just less available. Period. I was less available to run errands, make phone calls, appointments, and connect with people other than those I saw everyday.  I tried to come up with a word to describe the difference I felt.  I felt more productive, but less....recollected.  It was not a thoughtful, recollected life.  There was no time for introspection and little time for nurturing relationships.   I spent most evenings grading papers and planning, while my family went about its business without me.  My house stayed clean, since there was no one home all day to mess it up. Which was good, since I had little time to clean. Despite its cleanliness, however, the house did not feel like a home, but a pitstop where we kept our "stuff."

--- 5 ---

Returning home to homeschooling means that my house gets dirty.  Really messy.  But, I have more time to clean (and helpers who are not too busy with homework in the evenings:).  Our life, in general, is messier.  There is less a sense of productivity; of being able to start a project and see it through to its orderly completion.  My life is a series of interrupted half sentences, a mish-mash of thoughts and ideas tumbling over and crashing into one another, lessons interrupted by "important" phone calls, phone calls interrupted by arguing children, arguing children interrupted by an angry mom.  It's a messy life.  At first, I fretted and worried (which also interrupted lessons).  "Have I made a mistake?"  "Am I doing a disservice to my children?" I was a train wreck. 

--- 6 ---

Then, I began to notice things. The kids were happy. There was a lot of laughter (which also interrupted lessons, but, still it was laughter). The house felt like a home. I was having time for the little things that make "home:" baking, lighting candles, reading books, prayer, special touches that say to my husband at the end of the day, "Welcome home!  We've missed you." Special moments sprinkled through the day that make my kids feel loved, that build relationship.    Best of all, a new friendship was blossoming between my two youngest boys that was a joy to see.  The opportunity to share the Faith with my children is a huge blessing.  Even though this life feels less "productive" and quite disjointed, it is a much more meaningful life.  This messy life is frustrating, but beautiful.

--- 7 ---

To prove how "unproductive" my days are, we are taking today off from school!  We will be preparing for my parent's 60th Wedding Anniversary party, which is tonight.  Nope, not productive at all, but definitely meaningful.  We will just have to buckle down next week and stick to our plans...well, mostly...

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Steve Jobs Commencement Address Stanford University

Poignant and full of wisdom.  Well worth the 15 minutes.
May God Rest His Soul.


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Blueberries, blueberries

Since Blogger is refusing to embed this video, I will link to it instead:

You forgot the blueberries

My family and I have been enjoying this video for a few weeks. (I hope the little cutie didn't get hurt!)

Anyway, so that we don't "forget the blueberries" I think I am going to take my little berry pickers to the blueberry fields today. Perhaps we will score some raspberries (my fav!) while we're there.

My other option from my summer to-do list is to wash windows and curtains...yeah, berries...no brainer

Food for thought

“If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him.” --John Holt

Freshened Up

Although I still haven't found the key to making time for my poor, neglected blog, I couldn't stand the winter pictures any longer!  Here in New Hampshire we still have a good amount of snow, especially at our house because we live in the woods and don't get a lot of sunlight in here.  Many places in town are down to bare grass.  In fact, when visiting my in-laws last weekend, my five year old excitedly exclaimed, "I HAVE to get out and see their grass!!"  I agree with her!  Grass is very exciting after the long, cold winter we have had.

So, I've updated the blog with a new spring look, and I hope to be able to come spend more time here soon.

Have a fruitful, peaceful Lent.
Happy Spring.