April Shower of Photos :: Day 4
Mittenstrings: Chapter 4
It has been a busy day. This morning we (our whole family) attended Mass & Benediction, followed by lunch with Father and a few other families, then we dropped by another friends home to drop of a few things and visited awhile before heading home. I was home for just a few brief moments this afternoon, then I headed out once again to grocery shop while hubby did some lessons with the boys. On to dinner, dishes and getting the children ready for bed. Which leaves me so ready for some peace and quiet!!!
It just so happens that this weeks chapter of Mitten Strings For God is on that very thing,
Well, our home is not exactly quiet…ever. Like the author, “Our home is filled with music and laughter and, yes, noise.” Lots of noise… Especially with 5 young children! “But it is noise of our own making, or noise of our own choosing–we are very choosy!”
Hubby and I try to be “conscious of all the different kinds of noise “ we allow into our life, since it is noisy enough as it is! Our children do not have battery-operated toys (other than their Leap Pads/GeoSafari that they use on occasion). We do not have TV reception, although they do watch occasional videos. Not having these things cuts out quite a bit of the unwanted noise.
Even still, I sometimes find it necessary to get out of the house for a little more quiet time.
During these times, I enjoy:
- Going to Mass & Benediction
- Making a visit to the Adoration Chapel
- Going for a drive
- Going to the library or bookstore
- Exercising, especially walks
- Sitting near the river reading
Tonight, during dinner, we all discussed our favorite activities to do at home, during quiet time. Hands down it was reading, or looking at books for the younger children. I would have to agree. Reading is such a peaceful way to enjoy and create quiet!
I ran across a website that has quite a few suggestions for quiet time activities for children. My favorite was:
Outdoor SilenceHelp children be better listeners and observers. This simple activity will develop listening, imaging, describing, and drawing skills. Find a place where everyone can sit down outdoors. Once all are seated, ask the group for 5 minutes of silence. Explain that animals and birds won’t resume their activities unless all are quiet. Once the time is up, have each student tell the group about something he/she has never heard before. You’ll be surprised at the answers you get-sometimes the quiet itself is something many kids have never encountered!
Dawn asks, “What does life sound like in your home right this very minute? Is the noise drowning out the sounds?”
- The hum of the dryer
- Hubby reading a book to the children
- Snuggles gently breathing as he sleeps on my lap
- The creaking of my chair each time I shift
- And last, the tapping of the keys as I type
I make room for our souls to grow.”
April Shower of Photos :: Day 3
Snuggles first time swingin’ outside!Movies I’m Not Supposed to Hate
So–I’m back! The nice thing about having a fairly decluttered home is that it really is getting quicker to clean up!! We’ve finished some lessons for the day, dinner is in the Crockpot, the laundry is going, and the kids are playing outside in this beautiful weather! I could get busy on my closet, but I think I could use a break too.
Amy tagged me for another meme, which I am going to attempt answering.
I am suppose to list the “5 crittically acclaimed movies I detest.” This is going to be hard… Well, hard to limit it to only FIVE!!!
While looking through a couple other bloggers lists of least favorites, I ran across this guy who said:
“May I suggest you make gutsy choices. Anyone can pick Atonement — anyone can choose easy targets no one will question — targets that may actually up your cool factor. What are those films that dent your cool factor? What films do cool people dig, you can’t, no matter how much you may want to?”
Here’s my list:
- ET — this was the very first movie I ever saw at the movie theater and it throughly freaked me out! Still can’t stand it.
- Wizard of Oz — My 2nd least favorite from childhood. Not sure if it was the movie itself, or the fact that every time I would get hurt as a teenager my dear sweet lovely younger siblings would start singing “Ding dong the witch is dead.” Yep, they loved me!
- Jaws — Don’t remember how old I was when I saw this. But after seeing it {without my parents knowing no less} I couldn’t even swim in a swimming pool without getting scared that a shark would come out of one of the filters, let alone a lake, river, or ocean! In fact, it still scares me.
- Scream, along with every other scary movie — wish I would have never watched it/them… ew, ew, ew!
- Napoleon Dynamite — I seriously do not get the humor in this movie. Well, okay, I get the humor, I just don’t find it humorous. Bleh! It was pure torture to watch the whole thing. I’ve been told to give it another shot… Bleh again. Bleh, bleh.
I’ve been tagging so many people lately that I’m gonna let you all off the hook.. Well, all of you except for Regina. Tag, Regina! However, I’d still love to hear what your 5 least favorites are, if you have a second!!! Leave them in the comments, or blog about it and leave a link. I’m curious!
Now, I think I am going to go start working on my closet–don’t hold your breath for pictures though… It’s quite the project! I will be back later to post a picture for the April Shower of Photos… I’m leaning on tagging along with Dawn’s theme, things that make me smile, since that is what I usually take pictures of anyways. See you soon!
So worth the time!
If you can only read one long post today, this is the one!!! Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your wisdom with all of us once again! I needed to read this. So, I am shutting the computer off this morning and attending to the things I need to get done for my family!
Hopefully, I will get everything done, and be back to visit with you all later!!
April Shower of Photos :: Day 2
{We stopped by hubby’s work while we were in town today and had a picnic on the grass! So glad I had my new handy dandy little camera with me!! OH! And tooth #4 broke through today in Snuggles mouth–top left.}
OH, o-KAY!! I can’t stop there… I HAVE to share JUST one more with you all…
Happy SPRING!
April Shower of Photos :: Day 1
Inspired by Jennifer at S/V Mari Hal-O-Jen, I’m going to play with my camera… Not that I ever need any extra encouragement to play with my camera! 😉 You all know how much I love taking pictures, and that I can hardly create a post without adding one, or ten!
Some of the other bloggers that are joining in the April Shower of Photos challenge have chosen themes. I am not that organized going to focus on any one thing in particular, just my life. This should be a lot of fun. Won’t you join us?
Before I begin… I’ll tell you a bit about my camera. It is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. I bought it after I broke the lens for my 35mm Rebel. This happened on Twinkle Toes 2nd birthday, right before she blew out her candles, no less! Actually, I also have a new Canon PowerShot A580 that I just purchased with our Costco Rebate. I love it, especially since I can carry it around me in my purse. I don’t know how to work all the features on either camera, so it will be fun playing around with them this month!
Since I am actually a day late starting, you are going to get two posts tonight.
I didn’t know I would be participating in this, so I have very few pictures that were taken yesterday to choose from. Here are my favorites:
Now, about these pictures… All I can say is, THANK YOU Christine!!!!
WoW ~ Week 5
This has really been hard lately… I guess I have just been doing too much baking! 🙂
Nevertheless, I am down this week, if only by half a pound. I really am making slow progress. But it is indeed progress, so that is encouraging.
My goals for this week:
- Walk at least 3 days. (I just checked out a dvd from the library to use.)
- Get RID of the rest of the Easter Candy.
- Head out to my parents to use their sauna at least once. (Suppose to be really good for detoxing.)
- Look into being tested for Food Allergies.
Summary:
- Week five progrss: -.5
- Summary: -3 pounds
Alrighty then, time to go. Captains first lesson was rescheduled to today and it’s almost time to head into town. I hope you have a wonderful day.
How did you do this week? If you’d like to see others results, click here.
Do you use PaperBackSwap?
I do, and I LOVE it!! It is absolutely AMAZING… At least for a household of home schooling book lovers like us!
I signed up last Fall, and have been very pleased with the club.
It is absolutely free to sign up, and if you post 10 books (hardcovers too) you automatically receive 2 credits to use right away for FREE!
The books you list go into the system, and if someone requests one of your books, you mail it to them (it usually costs $2.15 approx) and earn another credit.
For each credit you have you can request a book of YOUR CHOICE ABSOLUTELY FREE!! In fact, if the books that you are looking for aren’t in the system, you can even create a wish list and you will be notified when the book is posted!
It is SO cool! I have been very happy with all the books I have received. So far, they have all been in like new condition. For Christmas I got hubby a book
In fact, here is the book I received today:
Can you believe it? An out of print copy of the Christmas Mosaic
Anyways, the following link is coded so that if you use it to sign up, I will get a bonus credit on my account. Although, I would be telling you about this club even if that wasn’t the case… I am that pleased with it!
A Butterfly Box
Lots of Butterfly thoughts and activities are still floating though our home…
I am always on the look out for craft ideas, and new books, especially books filled with recommend crafts for the Liturgical year. So, this morning, I was excited to see that Ann Ball just published a new book called Crafty Catholic Kids
What perfect timing!!!
It is a pdf file, which you can print out or save for later!
I modified the directions slightly. Instead of tracing the paper, I printed the pattern right onto a piece of card stock. Twinkle Toes choose pink, of course. She cut along the solid lines, and I helped her cut around the butterfly’s wings.
Next she folded on the dotted lines, and added a bit of glue.
You can decorate it however you’d like. We decided to use a gold paint pen to color the butterfly and then add a few brads. We kept it simple, but this is where you could really use your imagination.
This is such a fun craft for little girls, and perfect for the Easter season since Butterflies have been a symbol of the Resurrection since ancient times.
Looks like I just might have to order Crafty Catholic Kids
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