{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.
The boys channeled their inner-Alex this week and held this lovely rat snake. Eek! Even Katie asked for a turn…looks like I’m the only one over here who’s happier to see a snake on the other side of glass (no pictures of Katie holding it…she didn’t ask until the reptile man had already moved on…maybe next time!). The boys were truly thrilled to hold the snake (whispering to one another, “Wait til we tell Alex!”); I was truly thrilled when the reptile man pointed to Joseph’s sweatshirt and exclaimed, “Would that be Hanahan, South Carolina?” Down here in the depths of Texas, not many people have heard of Hanahan, my only claim to roots. Turns out he’s ex-military and had been stationed in Charleston at one point. Small world.
Outside my window…the rain has stopped leaving behind lots of perfect-to-jump-in mud puddles. So I bet you can guess what we’ve been doing.
I am remembering…William’s sweet and heartfelt prayer at bedtime recently, “And dear Jesus, I pray for a new baby boy…and a baby girl. Oh twins! Yes, I pray for twin babies for us.”
I am listening…to lullabies and enjoying the late night quiet.
I am wondering…how those Paleo people keep up with all the veggie prep…I feel like I’m spending lots of time in the kitchen (although turns out this Whole30 might just be worth it…I’m feeling great and have an abundance of energy these days!).
I am going…to try place our last order for this school year with Rainbow Resource this week. Joseph’s almost done with his Grammar, so to tide us over until next year, we’re going to add some more diagramming and start with IEW’s Fix-It book 1. William finished his first Italic book, so on we go. Plus my littles just love those sillly FLIP crayons, so I need to restock.
I am thankful…for the library and it’s collection of classic Walt Disney movies. This past movie night? The Lion King. The one before that? 101 Dalmations. All the classics from my childhood. And I can still sing along with every.single.song. (I amaze my children.)
In the kitchen…chocolate chili (from Well Fed), fried plantains (’cause I’m in love with those little suckers) and a whole lot of sweet potatoes.
I am wearing…black yoga pants (and I actually did yoga this morning!) and a pink Gap t-shirt.
I am creating…a list of things to do with Mom when she comes to visit. Just how many hours of sleep can the two of us sacrifice to get the list done? Maybe I’ll just toss the list and enjoy the visit!
We are preparing to celebrate…Saint Joseph’s Feast Day. Have I ever told you what a huge deal namesake Feast Days are around here?
Someday I am going to miss…being stuck indoors on rainy days.
I am reading…nothing noteworthy.
In our learning room…starting a few new books like Viking Adventure and The Matchlock Gun.
One of my favorite things…watching Katie get her baby dolls ready for nap each day. There’s an entire routine. First she lines them all up and lays them down on the pillow. Then she gives each one a kiss and a nosie-nosie. Then she covers them with the blanket and says “Ni-Ni, Bye!” Then she lays down for her own nap.
A peek into my day…
Please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook for more daybook entries.
Billy and Blaze. Three boys. Do I really need to say more? You can imagine. There’s Billy, wishing he had a horse. And then, he gets one for his birthday. It was bound to plant an idea in someone’s mind. And it did. William is positive he’s going to get a horse for his birthday. I am positive he is not. So in lieu of a real horse, we’re going to spend the next 6 weeks on a horse unit study…I know, I know…a horse unit study? Really? Doesn’t really compare to the glamour of a real horse. Well, let me repeat…there will be no real horse for this kid. But at the end of the six weeks, when William’s birthday arrives, there will be the surprise of horse riding lessons! So I figure the next 6 weeks Horse Unit Study will not only beef up our science (we finished our chemistry book and we’re just continuing with experiments throughout the year), but it will also prepare the boys for an exciting spring treat.
So here’s the plan (3 days a week for 6 weeks):
We’re using Amanda Bennett’s Horse Unit Study as a guide. We’ll use her copywork and vocabulary lists as well as her research points. They’ll keep all their horse related work together, which I had planned to bind at the end of the study, but today I found these adorable spiral notebooks at Walmart (okay, I realize the cow notebook is totally not related, but there was only one horse notebook and sweet Joseph said, “That’s okay, this one will work for me!”)
Research will be done with the following nonfiction books: Kingfisher Illustrated Horse and Pony Encyclopedia; Horses; Album of Horses; National Geographic Ponies; Usborne Horses and Ponies; H is for Horse; I Wonder Why Horses Wear Shoes.
Every day, each child will be required to choose a book from the fiction basket (lots of Billy and Blaze adventures; Cowgirl Kate stories; A Perfect Pony; A Horse Named Seabiscuit; Five O’Clock Charlie; Wild Horses of Sweetbriar; James Herriot Treasury) At the end of the week, they’ll be required to choose a book from the week to do a narration and illustration.
We’ll also be listening, as a family, to two audio read-alouds…Misty of Chincoteague and Black Stallion (this picture shows Black Beauty on my Kindle because the book and audio were free for the Kindle, but I plan to use an audible credit for Black Stallion once we finish Misty.) After each read-aloud, we have the movies to watch.
In addition to our reading, we’ve got lots of horse puzzles, a horse card game, Horse Crazy activities and some art lessons on drawing horses. And like I said, horseback riding lessons to finish it all up. So if you’ve got a horse question, give us 6 weeks and then surely someone around here will be able to answer you.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.
Outside my window…is where I am. It is sunny and so beautiful. A little tease by mother nature since tomorrow begins a new cold front with chilly days and lots of rain to come. So looking forward to spring.
I am remembering…this interview with William almost 4 years ago. Some things haven’t changed (at least he knows his name on the first try these days!).
What’s your name? “2.” No, not how old are you. Your name. (a look of ah-ha) “William.”
Very good. How old are you? “William.” No, sweetie, this time I want to know how old you are. How many years you are. (another look of ah-ha) “2.”
What’s your favorite color? “Black.” (he’s signing it as he says it)
What’s your favorite book? “Black books.” Okay.
What’s your favorite sport? “Baseball. They hit the ball with the baseball bat.” (he swings his arms like a bat as he says it)
What’s your favorite thing to eat? “Bread. Bread. Bread.” (frantically signing it as well) Bread? Got it.
What’s your favorite fruit? “Blackberries.”
What’s your favorite vegetable? “Raspberries.” That’s not a vegetable. Do you like vegetables? “No.”
What’s your favorite thing to do? “Go outside.”
What do you like to do outside? “Play in the mud.” 100% boy.
I am wondering…if I could make it through a GK Chesterton book. Sometimes I read a quote of his and am so inspired but I haven’t actually read anything of his. Any first time Chesterton suggestions?
I am thankful…for this treat that Daxson whipped together for me last night. As he handed it to me, he proudly proclaimed, “Whole30 Compliant.” I am absolutely thankful to have such unwavering support.
I am looking forward to…spring. Sunny days. Warm days. Play days. Beach days. Picnic days. You get it.
I am considering…what I am going to do with Andrew for school next year. I’m revisiting all of our old preschool curriculum, trying to find the right fit for him.
In the refrigerator…Day 10 of the Whole30. I am learning lots of things about food and myself. Redefining the definition of treat and waiting for the sugar demon to completely release his hold on me.
I am wearing…a black knit skirt and a blue fitted t. I’ve got this adorable hairband in (made my Mom, of course!). Andrew looked at me several times this morning and finally said, “Why are you wearing two hairbands (my hair is in a ponytail so he was counting the rubberband and the cloth hairband)?” I said, “So I look beautiful for you.” He replied, “Oh Mommy, you do. You really do. You are just so beautiful!”
I am creating…a pot of silky zucchini soup. Seriously, Melissa Joulwan has created a masterpiece with such simple ingredients.
We are celebrating…a warm day. I just saw a kid run by in nothing but underwear.
I am reading…Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford and still working my way through The Little Oratory (such a wealth of awesome ideas!).
In our learning room…finishing up our grammar books already (how did we manage that?!). Trying to decide if we move forward or find a supplement to finish out the year.
One of my favorite things…helpers in the kitchen. Andrew asks to make applesauce every week. Very faithfully. And it’s oh so delicious. Just apples and cinnamon. (See, already we’re learning to appreciate nature’s sweetness…no sugar added!)
A peek into my day…Katie went through a Dixie Chicks phase. She kept asking to watch their video Ready to Run. Then she saw these ballerinas. Now she’s on a Taylor Swift kick.
Please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook for more daybook entries.
One day, after our picnic lunch, we all laid around watching the birds at the feeder.
Suddenly William was struck with an idea. “Where are you off to?” I asked.
“I think I can lure a bird to me with some bird seed,” he replied.
He waited patiently. No luck.
Then he had another idea. “I need a butterfly net, Mommy.”
William waited patiently with his net to see if he could catch a bird. “I’ve always dreamed of having a pet, Mommy. Today I’m going to catch one for myself.”
He eventually changed his mind. “I’ll try again later…Daddy told me I could probably catch a seagull at the beach if I drop some bread next time I’m there.” Gee, thanks Dax.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.
I know I already posted these plans in a Daybook not too long ago, but I wanted to repost our plans here now that Lent is underway…that way you can “see” how our Lent looks.
1. Bury the Alleluia…we do it every year. We have these beautifully painted wooden letters that spell out the word. The day before Ash Wednesday, we sing it, we say it, we chant it…we get it out of our systems. Then we bury it and we fast from it. For those of you who don’t know…during Lent, as a Church, we do not say the word Alleluia. At all. Alleluia is meant to be an Easter word. And so for 40 days, we bury it and we don’t let it slip…then on Easter morning, there is much rejoicing as we reclaim the missing word…we are literally filled with joy as we proclaim Alleluia on Easter!
Everybody grabs a few letters so we can bury our “alleluia!”
We bury our “alleluia” in our Lenten box.
Putting the lid on our “alleluia.” Time to bury it.
We replace the “Alleluia” with the word “repent” to remind us what Lent is all about.
2. Stations of the Cross each Friday. Sometimes we use the DVD to pray the stations, sometimes we pray the stations that line our hallway, sometimes we visit the cemetery and the stations there. We almost always use the book The Story of the Cross to aid us in our devotions. However we do it, we make sure we do it because it is a deeply rooted tradition that allows us the opportunity to meditate on the Way of the Cross and really, is there any better devotion than that during Lent?
3. The Good Shepherd Parable and the Jesus Tree.
4. Our family devotions…this year, we’re going to be using Bringing Lent Home with St. Therese of Lisieux by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle and as a read-aloud for the older boys, Amon’s Adventure.
6. Our individual sacrifices. We don’t eat meat on Fridays…that’s called for by the Church, but considering the fact that my kids eat whatever is served to them, it doesn’t feel like much of a sacrifice over here (not even to Daxson or I, who usually eat fish on Fridays year-round), so I also ask each of the kids to give up something that’s a big deal for them for the duration of Lent…it could be as simple as juice with dinner or syrup with breakfast. I like it to be tangible, though. (When they make sacrifices like “I’m going to quit whining,” it’s a little hard for kids to “see” that and therefore, they tend to forget about their sacrifice over the course of Lent and they lose sight of the purpose of making a sacrifice…which, of course, is rooted in the idea that Jesus willingly sacrificed his life for us…surely, we can suffer a little during the 40 days of Lent in our own small ways in an effort to grow closer to Him.) Making these small sacrifices is actually a big deal in the spiritual life of children…it forces them to call to mind how incredibly blessed they are each time their sacrifice is repeated. Even though it feels small, to us who are overindulged and spoiled, the act of giving something up…anything, no matter how small, rewires our thinking and makes us grateful for all the many blessings in our life…even the small things in life…juice with dinner or syrup with breakfast. I also ask the older kids to make one positive change in their lives during Lent (this is a sacrifice, too! Changing habits is hard!)…this is usually a little more intangible…maybe to commit to exchanging a good habit for a bad habit or making a commitment to do something that makes them a better person (or a better brother or a better son, etc.).
We all spent weeks (literally) thinking of what we wanted to sacrifice. Then on Ash Wednesday, we sat down together and wrote out our plan.
After coming up with a plan, we wrote our individual sacrifices on slips of paper and did a bit of a sacrificial ceremony. Each child read out their sacrifices, then folded their paper and placed it in our black sacrifice bowl where they will remain for all of Lent.
A few other things I wanted to share: Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. Since I have lots of littles, I’m a bit nontraditional in that I prefer to celebrate our Ash Wednesday as a family at home in our Domestic Church. We have a container of blessed ashes that we use each year and we follow the readings by using the MagnifiKid!
We also set our Lenten altar on Ash Wednesday. We replace our green ordinary time altar cloth with a purple cloth. We add the Station of the Cross tree and the Station of the Cross eggs to the altar. We place three big nails in the plain wreath (wrapped with a purple ribbon) and place a purple candle in the center. We keep our Bible and rosary box on the table and add a rosary mediation book. Last year Dad made us a beautiful Lenten cross that we fill with six purple candles and each week we light another candle (yep, just like our Advent wreath). I love this addition to our Lenten traditions.
Outside my window…it’s cold and wet, again but the boys have donned their coats and are out there regardless.
I am reflecting on…Joseph’s sweet comment last weekend when Trammie (my parents’ neighbor) came over. She was showing them how to do cartwheels and back flips. As she was leaving, William said, “Check out my cartwheel!” and then he did a perfect cartwheel. Trammie responded, “Great job! Now you just have to work on your back flips.” Joseph said, “And I just need to work on my courage…being that high off the ground scares me!”
From the learning rooms…our horse unit study has begun! Lots of talk around here about breeds and horses in history.
From the kitchen…the Whole30 has begun! Lots of veggies around here!
I am wearing…black pants, a gray long sleeve Gap t-shirt, and these awesome slipper boots that Mom gave me. Nice and cozy.
I am creating…a list for curriculum ideas for next year.
I am laughing…about our visit to the petting area at the Snake Farm. Those were some seriously aggressive (or maybe just really hungry?!) petting zoo animals. Before we even made it through the gate, the llama grabbed Andrew’s entire bag (bag and all) and went off to devour it, a goat tried to snatch the bag out of my purse, and two goats made it through the entrance gate (Uncle Dustin had to herd them back into the petting area). Even once we were in, a sheep grabbed Joseph’s bag (as you can see in the picture where he’s running from the sheep!) It was pretty entertaining!
I am going…to try my hand at making bone broth soon. There’s a whole bag of bones in the freezer just waiting for me.
I am reading…The Little Oratory.
I am remembering…our trip to the Snake Farm for Alex’s birthday. Everyone enjoyed it…especially the birthday boy! He’s such an expert on all animals…it was like having our own personal tour guide!
I am hearing…Joseph’s voice on the Sparkup as Andrew listens (seriously, for a pre-reader, this thing is awesome! You can record ANY book on it…we’ve filled our Sparkup with lots of our favorites, all read by us!).
Around the house…you know, laundry, cooking, cleaning, playing, reading. All the usual.
One of my favorite things…filing taxes…not the whole process, just the completed product.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Joseph wants to start sewing again…Mario characters. This should be interesting.
Here are some pictures I thought worth sharing…from our trip to Pioneer Farms (these donkeys were much nicer to feed!)
Don’t forget to visit Peggy’s blog for more daybooks!
With Every Intention 