Mittenstrings: Chapter 3
” In stillness, we find our peace. Knowing peace at home, we bring peace into the world. “Peace is something I struggle constantly to find and create in our home. Like the author of Mitten Strings said, “I am forever seeking a balance in our family life between activity and stillness, sound and silence, society and solitude. For now, I still have a measure of control over the tenor of my children’s days, but as the actual amount of time we spend alone together inevitably shrinks, maintaining this balance becomes more important–and more challenging. “
I use to thrive on being overly busy, constantly on the run, and having “something to do“… Lately, it seems, through our current circumstances (gas prices, the distance to town, and five young home educated children), that God is telling me to slow down, cut back on our activities outside the home, and enjoy the stillness and this Ordinary Time!
As I was reflecting upon the combination of peace and home schooling, I remembered a line I highlighted in an article by Father Hardon, “Catholic home schooling is the planned and organized teaching and training of children at home, for their peaceful and effective life in this world, and for their eternal salvation in the world to come.“
I am so blessed to be able to home school my children. However, there has been many times, especially the past four months, in which I have considered putting my children into school. I don’t think that I have mentioned it here, but I have been discussing it with hubby and friends.
Growing up I was home-schooled from grade 5 on. Being the social girl that I am, I resented home-schooling, and would beg and beg my parents to let me go back to school. I was determined that when I was a parent, “I would NEVER home school my kids.” However, looking back, I am so grateful to my parents for persevering, and making the sacrifice to home educate us children.
Moving on, to when I was newly married, a friend of my mothers (who was considering home schooling her children) asked me, “What would be your reason for NOT home schooling?” I thought about it for 2 seconds and answered, “Laziness.”
It would be easy to send my children to school… and hard to teach them at home.
Now, don’t get me wrong… I love home schooling! I love being able to pick out all the books we use! I love knowing that my children are receiving an authentically Catholic education! I love being able to have the time to do crafts with my children and read lots and lots of books to them! I love not having to worry about whether someone is hurting them or bullying them. And most of all, I get to have the reassurance that I am fulfilling God’s will for my children’s lives and upbringing.
What I don’t love, is not knowing what to do when one of my children is struggling with learning, having a messy unorganized home, and having very little quite time for myself.
Now, if I am honest with myself, I don’t think I would actually put my children into school. A friend of mine recently said, “You’ll home school at least another year, since you are still planning on going to that conference.” She is right. This was just my cry for help. And help is coming! In addition to setting out on a major decluttering of our home, since I am finding that an organized home is key to my sanity, I had Captain tested. It turns out that he has a couple learning challenges. They appear to be mild, but it explains my frustration (as well as his!) with teaching him to read. With therapy, they can easily be corrected, and the tutor begins on Monday. I am so relieved to find out that I am not a total failure at home schooling!
Anyhow, I have totally digressed on this post! I am sorry… but these are the thoughts that this chapter brought about! 🙂
Well, I have spent too much time online this morning. Time for me to get back to enjoying this rare peaceful morning! I think I am going to go and cuddle on the couch with my girls and read a few more books about Butterflies!
Before I go, don’t miss Dawn’s post about this chapter. Like usual, she has given a wonderful list of questions to think about! Thank you Dawn! I am going to print it out to re-read and think about while the kids are napping this afternoon!
SNOW!!!
A Butterfly Lap Book
Twinkle Toes has been talking about Butterflies since our Caterpillar/Cocoon/Butterfly Holy Week Project.
I decided to take her interest a step further and have her make a lap book on Butterflies! She was very excited!
We began by reading a couple of our books:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Butterfly by Anna Milbourne
Today we picked up the following additional books about butterfly’s from the library–OH! It is SO NICE to have our library’s open again!– to read during the next couple weeks:
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco
Butterfly House
Where Butterflies Grow
Monarch Butterfly
Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk out of China
She began her lap book by coloring a picture for the cover… Like usual, Chiquita wanted to color one too!
Next she practiced writing the letters C for Caterpillar, and B for Butterfly, and then made alphabet mini books for those 2 letters.
After that she recited her numbers and then worked on practicing number placement for numbers 1-9 in addition to reviewing her colors using a Caterpillar Circles and Colors Activity. She then colored a beautiful Letter B for Butterfly. These were both added to the lap book next to the corresponding mini-books.
I also printed out the Painted Lady Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Cards which she colored and put in order. We then made an envelope for them inside the lap book.
For copy work, she copied–currently I create a word document, with the letters in light gray, for her to trace–the following poem from one of our favorite books, Favorite Poems Old and New:
Caterpillar
by Christina RossettiBrown and furry
Caterpillar in a hurry,
Take your walk
To the shady leaf, or stalk,
Or what not,
Which may be the chosen spot.
No toad spy you,
Hovering bird of prey pass by you;
Spin and die,
To live again a butterfly.
We had some extra room on one side, so we added a Caterpillar that she colored, and then she learned about symmetry through the use of finger paint!
Painted Symmetrical ButterflyFold a piece of construction paper in half and cut out a butterfly shape. Open it up and allow the student to dab different colors of paint on one side. Fold the butterfly back up and smooth it down with the palm of the hand. Open it up and you have a symmetrical butterfly.
For the Back of the lap book, and to tie in our Easter butterfly, I printed out a Butterfly Dot-to-dot followed by, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I made a list of possible activities for the girls to do:
- Any of these Caterpillar Crafts
- Put together a Butterfly Puzzle
Play Butterfly Go Fish- Watch Signing Time! Volume 8: The Great Outdoors and review the signs for Caterpillar & Butterfly
- Online Butterfly Puzzle
- Play Butterfly Dominoes
- Butterfly Color-by-Number
- Color a Butterfly Online
- Any of these coloring pages
- Make an Origami Butterfly
We have only done a few of these so far… I hope to do a few more of them the rest of the week.
Anyhow, here are a few pictures of her completed lap book:
Before I go, has anyone ever had a Butterfly Garden or made your own? It sounds so neat! I’d also love to hear any suggestions you have on any other Butterfly themed picture books!
This is seriously getting ridiculous…
In case you were wondering…
…just what my children were doing last week while I crazily spring cleaned our home for Easter, they did get a little school work done, as well as watch some educational and religious videos since cartoon/movies were off limits for Lent.
The rest of the time, they spent many hours outside staying out of my way and burning off energy enjoying the beginning of Spring!
At one point, while the girls were napping, I thought it was just way too quite out there, so I looked out to see what they were up to. This is what I found:
When hubby got home that night, they asked him, “Daddy, can you get out your chainsaw and cut some more branches for us… We can’t find any more!”
And here I was wondering just HOW I picked up Poison Oak!
Kindness and Flowers
Kathy over at The Daily Grotto has kindly sent this award my way. Don’t you just love getting flowers?!?! Thank you Kathy!
One of the greatest things about blogging is making new friends!
This past year I have “met” some wonderful new “blog friends.” You have truly been a blessing in my life. I treasure these new friendships, and thank you all for the friendship, support, inspiration and ideas that you have shared with me!
I want to give this award right back to you Kathy, and also pass it on to:
Ruth at Just Another Day in Paradise
Elizabeth at Real Learning
Meredith at Sweetness and Light
Matilda at Waltzing Matilda
Cheryl at My Thoughtful Spot
Christine at Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Christie at Tis’But a Season
Christy at The Happy Hunting Ground (currently a private blog)
Michele at Decrease to Increase
Jamie at Lord, Make me a Saint
As well as a couple of my real life friends that I have gotten to know so much better through blogging: Regina & Amy. You two are wonderful!
I could go on and on, but I had better stop there.
Anyhow, thank you TO ALL OF YOU that stop by and visit, often leaving comments that add an extra bit of joy to my day! Isn’t blogging great?!?
WoW…
…or rather, Whew!!
I was really dreading this weeks Weight on Wednesday check in. However, I am relived to say, “I have nothing to report!”
Yep… Even after all that Easter candy, desserts and Easter Salad, a couple heavenly mochas, all the chocolate my dear children keep sharing with me, Hubby’s birthday cake, that delicious HUGE burger with sweet potato fries I had when Hubby & I went out to dinner Monday night, and the yummy Crunchwrap I had for dinner last night, I didn’t gain anything!!!
The bad thing is I didn’t lose anything either, and my measurements are exactly the same, buy hey, I’ll take it!
I had just better straighten up my food choices this week! To see every one else’s Week 4 results click here.
Vote Pro-Life
I wanted to share this video containing a few highlights from a protest that took place last Saturday:
My hubby has a thought provoking post on Barack Obama’s Positions.
In addition, did you know that:
Barack Obama is the most pro-abortion presidential candidate ever. He is so pro-abortion he refused as an Illinois state senator to support legislation to protect babies who survived late-term abortions because he did not want to concede — as he explained in a cold-blooded speech on the Illinois Senate floor — that these babies, fully outside their mothers’ wombs, with their hearts beating and lungs heaving, were in fact “persons.”
Read the rest here.
How appropriate!
Did you know that tomorrow is National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day? I didn’t, but thanks to Dawn–she is always on top of this kind of thing–I do now!
Dawn has a couple of great ideas of things to do with the kids that I think we will just have to try!! Thank you Dawn!
She even recommended a little quiz–and you all know how I can’t pass up one of those! So…
You Are Easter |
 You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person. Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched. You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly. For you, every day is a new chance – no matter what happened yesterday. What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations. At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out. On a holiday, you’re the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone |
So, which holiday are you, and what holiday would you create if you could?? I’d love to know!
Well… I am off to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet, tuck the little ones into bed, and then watch a movie with hubby. Now that lent is over, it is so nice to watch movies again–hubby & I went out to dinner and a movie (for his birthday) last night too!!! 🙂 Anyhow, have a wonderful night!
Our Holy Week and Easter
We had an absolutely wonderful weekend! Our plans had to be slightly modified in places, but isn’t that always the case? I always seem to plan slightly more than I can physically accomplish! Anyhow, I thought I would share some of the highlights from the past week.
On Thursday night, we met up with some of my family for dinner at a local Mexican Restaurant.
After dinner, since the Mass of the Lord’s Supper didn’t begin until 7pm, we decided that it would be best for me to take our 3 youngest home and put them to bed, while hubby and our oldest boys went to church. It was a good thing too, since they didn’t get home till well past 9pm! One of these years it will work out for us ALL to attend all of the Easter Triduum, but once again this was not the year.
For breakfast on Good Friday we had the traditional Hot Cross Buns, followed by our Story time reading/craft and Stations of the cross. Hubby was home, so he read to the kids while I filled Easter eggs with way too much candy. This was NOT an easy thing to do on Good Friday, let me tell you!
We then headed to Church. I really wish I would have taken a few pictures at church, but I always feel funny taking pictures inside…
As usual it was very touching. It always brings tears to my eyes when the Priest enters in silence, and then prostrates himself before the altar. I also just love seeing the children venerate the cross. Even Father couldn’t help smiling when Twinkle Toes got on her little tip toes to kiss the cross herself. It was so sweet & precious.
Afterwards, when we came outside I couldn’t help seeing all the beautiful blossoms, and get a bit excited that Easter was so near!
When we got home, the kids placed our Caterpillar into his cocoon, and finished their Lenten activities.
We all had a lovely Holy Saturday. The weather was absolutely beautiful–after much rain– so the kids were able to play outside!
Then, my twin sisters, my youngest brother, and my cousin Juliana all came over to help us prepare for Easter! The kids were SO EXCITED! And I was very happy to have help with all the crafts so I could work on preparing clothing, baskets and food for Easter!
We started with coloring eggs. Thankfully, I had remembered to have them pre-cooked and ready to go!
After we were done coloring eggs, we got started on the candy kit. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to find any cross molds, like Dawn used… But the kit I ended up buying had a Spring theme, which worked out too. However, it was much more work than it had appeared, especially trying to make multi-colored candies. The boys quickly gave up and went outside to play with their uncle. Thankfully JoAnn didn’t mind, and she stuck with it!
The girls had fun watching, or so I thought!! As I downloaded my pictures to the computer for this post–this is what I found:
They were having more fun than I was aware of… And so was my sister!
I came in to help for a little while, but quickly gave up on making colored candy, and stuck with solid colors. Now THAT was very easy!
The kids were very excited to show Grandma the eggs when she came back to pick up our helpers!
After dinner, I came back to the computer to find a comment that walked me through watching EWTN LIVE online!!! I tried it out, and sure enough the Easter Vigil Mass at the Basilica in DC was just beginning! I couldn’t believe it!! Here, all along, I didn’t think we could ever watch EWTN without a TV! Thank you so much Elizabeth!!! We all were amazed, and then gathered around the computer to watch the Mass! It was beautiful!
We then headed back to the kitchen to make our Resurrection cookies. I especially loved the kids reactions to smelling and tasting the vinegar! Twinkle Toes exclaimed, “Ooohhhh! Pooor Jesus!!!” after recovering from the taste.
There wasn’t enough time in the day to make our Easter Candle together, so after the kids were in bed, I quickly decorated our candle. I then got busy filling Easter baskets, making and then replacing the caterpillar with a butterfly, and setting the table–till hubby finally sent me to bed!
And finally, Easter Sunday arrived!!!
The kids got dressed for Mass, and then had a quick peek at their Easter baskets as we headed out the door. Thank you again to my dear sweet cousin Juliana who once again sent the girls a couple beautiful dresses to wear!! They fit perfectly, and looked so darling!!!!
Mass was beautiful, and Father Carmello’s sermon was wonderful!
Once home, our dear friend Joan and I got busy making breakfast while the kids dove into their Easter baskets!
Snuggles LOVED his first Easter!
A Blessed and Happy Easter to you all
for the 50 days and beyond!!
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