Lava River Cave

by | Jun 1, 2015 | | 3 Comments

On our way home from the Homeschool Family Camp (a new Catholic camp we attended for the first time this year over Pentecost) a few families decided to meet back up at Lava River Cave to explore the mile-long lava tube, one of the longest uncollapsed lava tubes in Oregon! 


Initial access to the cave descends 55 stairs to a combination of flat boardwalk, uneven surfaces and stairways.  Once we rounded the first corner you really couldn’t see anything in the pitch black cave without a flashlight and it was cold! The average temperate in the cave is 42 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Eventually Lena and I decided to turn back with four of the little ones. We thought we had gone so far, but just around the corner was the entrance to the cave!

It took at least an hour and a half for the rest of our families to make it all the way to the end of the cave and back up again.

Exploring the cave (and attending the Homeschool Family Camp!) was fun, but one of the highlights of our trip was getting to visit with Lena and her beautiful JOY{filled}family! My older girls have been pen-pals with her girls for years now and it was such a blessing and treat for them to get to meet in person and spend some time together over the holiday weekend!

{this moment}

by | May 30, 2015 | , , | 3 Comments

I didn’t mean to disappear after posting the review and giveaway of BENEDICTA… Our schedule has been so incredibly full and I’ve been too tired at night to spend much time at the computer. I’m hoping to carve out a little time this weekend (in between a graduation party this afternoon, the girls’ piano recital tomorrow, and then a Baby Shower of Love for sweet little Patrick Gabriel) to share some pictures from the Homeschool Family Camp we attended last weekend! In the meantime here is one of my favorite moments from the past week (a short video clip of my “baby” with his Little Prayer Book) in case you missed it over at Instagram. Hope you are all having a great weekend! God bless!

BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia {Review & “Win It Before You Can Buy It” Giveaway!}

by | May 18, 2015 | , , , | 62 Comments

The following review of BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia by the Monks of Norcia (De Montfort Music, 2015) was written by my husband. Thank you, Sean! 

“Seven times a day will I sing your praises.” – The Rule of St. Benedict

The simple beauty of Gregorian chant – the eternal beauty of chant is prayerful, rich, and necessary in our age. BENEDICTA is the Monks of Norcia’s first ever international recording. The Monks of Norcia, in the sincerity of their prayer are able to draw the listener into the mind and heart of the Church’s expression of faith. The mysticism of the chant, the serenity and timeless beauty of its ancient tradition, the meditative and celestial qualities of the recording transport the listener to a spiritual light. We are reminded that our eternal destination lies beyond the earthly allure. As the listener enters into the contemplative mystery of prayer they are reminded of the spiritual land that indeed awaits those who hope in the Lord. These are the transcendent thoughts that the official music of the Church inspires.

Pope Benedict XVI wrote: “The chanting of the Office continues to sustain the whole Church around the world.”

This album is particularly unique in that the music is not part of any mass settings as many other chant CD’s from monks have done in the past. As the title reveals, the chants recorded in this album are dedicated to the Marian Feast Days found in the divine office and devotional hymns outside of the mass. From De Montfort Music:

“Inspiring, beautiful music of Chant at it’s very best – from Italy by The Monks of Norcia. BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia is the title for this new recording of 33 tracks of Gregorian chant, including favorite Marian antiphons such as “Regina Caeli” and “Ave Regina Caelorum” but also previously unrecorded chant versions of responsories and a piece originally composed by the monks (“Nos Qui Christi Iugum,”) Some pieces are sung by the entire group, some by smaller ensembles of monks and others by soloists, imbuing ‘BENEDICTA’ with a variety of sound. Recorded on location at the monastery in Norcia, Italy, the album was produced by 11-time Grammy Award-winning producer Christopher Alder and engineered by Grammy-Award winning engineer Jonathan Stokes.”

Order your copy today.

“Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!” – St. Augustine

+    +    +

Today I have the privilege of being able to offer my visitors here at Shower of Roses a chance to WIN one of three copies of BENEDICTA before you can buy it! The giveaway will remain open through Monday, May 25th and the winners will be announced in this post and contacted by email on Tuesday, May 26th.  De Montfort Music will mail the CDs directly to the winners so that they can arrive just before the album is released!

Please help spread the word about this beautiful and unique new album, and be sure to enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia will be released on June 2, 2015 and is available to pre-order at Amazon. You can also order it directly from the monks and an extra portion of the proceeds will go towards assisting them in funding the many needs of their community!

Sunday of the Rose

by | May 17, 2015 | , | 7 Comments

These praises and prayers
I lay at your feet. 
O Virgin of virgins, 
O Mary, most sweet.

Be you my true guide
Through this pilgrimage here,
And stand by my side
When death draweth near.
Amen.

The feast of the Ascension of Our Lord was transferred to Sunday in our diocese. Early this morning, before Mass, I made Ascension Pancakes and bacon to serve Sean and the kids for breakfast.
Pancake :: The earth Jesus walked on.
Fresh Organic Strawberries :: The blood Jesus shed
Chocolate Syrup :: The roads Jesus traveled.
Whipped Cream :: The clouds our Lord ascended into.
(Unsweetened Whipping Cream, whipped in seconds using my ISI Easy Whip)  
Sprinkles :: The sweetness of life in Heaven.
(I used white sprinkles with gold stars this year.)

I went all out and enjoyed eating some bacon (representing roads?) and berries (representing the blood Jesus shed) for breakfast with a hot cup of Roasted Dandelion Tea (earth?) with some coconut milk for creamer (clouds?)… (All AIP approved!) My “sweetness of life in Heaven” was watching everyone enjoy their pancakes, hearing their rave reviews and “thank yous!”, and getting to take a few pictures! 😉  

Before the 15th century, the Sunday after the Ascension was called in the Roman books “Sunday of the Rose” (Dominica de Rosa). On this Sunday, the mass is centered on the coming Feast of Pentecost. At the church of Santa Maria Rotonda in Rome (the Pantheon), following the Pope’s sermon, a shower of roses was thrown from the nave of the church in token of the Lord’s promise that He would send the Paraclete soon. We can spiritually revive this custom by making an offering of roses to the statue of Our Blessed Mother in our home or parish church. ~ excerpt from my May 2015 Catholic Digest submission


(According to WDTPRS this now happens on the feast of Pentecost! Someday I would sure love to visit Rome!) 

After Mass we stopped at the store to pick up a little bouquet of roses…
It’s been such a lovely day!
I hope you all had a blessed weekend! 

A Day Trip to the California Coast

by | May 17, 2015 | , , , , | 5 Comments

On the last day of National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week (Monday, May 4, 2015) my husband was able to take the day off work and we went on a family road trip to the coast!
On the drive over we were able to take pictures for Task 448: Standing at the back of a train caboose (2 points)… 
… at the visitor center for the Oregon Caves… 
(We considered driving out to the actual caves – the Oregon Caves are one of the 113 National Monuments but, after a vote, we decided to continue on to the coast.) 
… Task 461: At a “Welcome to” your state sign.”(6 points)…
… Task 309: Standing with an entrance to a tunnel visible behind you (3 points)…

… and even Task 193: At a Zoo or Aquarium (4 points)…
… before finally arriving at the California coast, for Task 227: In front or inside of any of the 113 United States National Monuments (8 points).  
Did you know that the whole California Coast line is a National Monument of the United States? According to Wikipedia, “This monument ensures the protection of all islets, reefs and rock outcroppings from the coast of California to a distance of 12 nautical miles, along the entire 840-mile long California coastline.”
We headed south through the Redwoods National and State Parks, and past the wild elk at Elk Meadow, to the lovely city of Trinidad and the Trinidad Head Light for Task 180: Standing in front of a real lighthouse (5 points).

“Trinidad Head, a large domed prominence rising to a height of 380 feet, is connected to the mainland only on its northern end, thus forming the beautiful and natural Trinidad Bay on its eastern side. On the bluffs overlooking the bay, Trinidad, the oldest town on the northern California coast, was founded on April 8, 1850. Early on, the town was a vital link between ships anchored in the bay and miners testing their luck in the Klamath, Trinity, Salmon River, and Gold Bluff Mines. As the gold rush slowed, Trinidad Bay, like most bays along the Redwood Coast, became home to multiple sawmills. To aid vessels engaged in the lumber trade, a lighthouse was proposed for the ocean-facing side of the headland in 1854.” – Source

A little history from Wikipedia:

The low, square, brick tower, painted white, was built in 1871.The light is only 20 feet (6.1 m) above ground, but the headland on which it stands gives it an elevation of 196 feet (60 m) above the sea. Despite the great height above the sea, heavy seas have been known to reach it. In 1913, the keeper made the following report:

“At 4:40 p. m. I observed a sea of unusual height. When it struck the bluff the jar was very heavy. The lens immediately stopped revolving. The sea shot up the face of the bluff and over it, until the solid sea seemed to me to be on a level with where I stood in the lantern. The sea itself fell over onto the top of the bluff and struck the tower about on a level with the balcony. The whole point between the tower and the bluff was buried in water.”

The wave he described was the highest recorded wave on the coast. After the sea struck the lighthouse and extinguished the light, service was restored in four hours by Lightkeeper F.L. Harrington, the keeper from 1888 to 1916.

Next we headed down to the sandy beach! 

We had some more tasks we were hoping to complete including…

… Task 229: Spell “LIFE” in sand with letters that are at least 4 feet in length (4 points).
… Task 426: Dancing in a puddle of water (3 points)…

… and Task 441: Next to a sand castle that is at least 2 feet high or 4 feet wide (5 points)… 
I almost purchased an inexpensive kite at Walmart a couple days before (Task 221: Flying a kite.) and really wish I would have! The beach would have been the perfect place to fly a kite and the weather was perfect… Instead we just spent the rest of the evening enjoying the sand and the beautiful views. 

We didn’t want to leave, but everyone was getting hungry and it was time to try and squeeze in a couple more tasks before the contest ended and then find somewhere to eat dinner. 
We noticed a couple restaurants on our way to the beach and decided to try The Lighthouse Grill. Thankfully we got there just before they closed! I didn’t expect to be able to eat out and packed along a few things for myself (I’m still on a strict Auto-Immune Protocol + Paleo diet. Today is already Day 75!) and was so excited to see the menu! They were so willing to work with me and I was able to order a Grass-Fed Beef burger wrapped in lettuce, topped with bacon, and some onions and mushrooms sautéed in olive oil! Yay!!! I want to go back to Trinidad just to visit The Lighthouse Grill again! 😉 
Sean and the older boys also had burgers. The girls and younger boys all shared fish & chips, made with fresh, local fish, and hand cut fries. Mmmmmm! 
The Lighthouse Grill is also home of the “Mashed Potato Cone!” Sean ordered one to share with the kids and it looked sooooo good! He ordered the “Savory Waffle Cone with Mashed Potatoes with Beef Gravy and added Cheese and Bacon.” Next time they want to try it “All the Way” with the Beef Brisket as well.
After dinner, and before starting the long drive back home, we stopped to watch the sunset at Patrick’s Point State Park near Wedding Rock. On the drive home we offered another rosary for an end to abortion. 

It was a beautiful end to our week of tasks for National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week and our efforts to learn, pray, and do more to protect and defend the sanctity of all human life from creation to natural death.

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” 
Mother Teresa

{pretty, happy, funny, real} :: NPLTW 2015

by | May 17, 2015 | , , | 16 Comments

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

The NPLTW Photo Contest is a weeklong event that took place from April 28 through May 4, 2015. This contest challenges participants to take as many photos of themselves as they can while wearing a pro-life T-shirt and completing the tasks listed on NPLTW.com. During the week our oldest three children completed as many of the 475 tasks as they could. (It was originally 500 tasks, but 25 went missing on the list.) Captain completed 351 tasks earning 1370 points, Ranger completed 350 tasks earning 1368 points, and Twinkle Toes completed 350 tasks earning 1366 points. I promise that I won’t post all the pictures, but I do have quite a few more “pretty, happy, funny, and real” pictures that I’d like to record here on the blog.

“This was the funnest scavenger hunt I’ve ever done! We got to do so many things that we’ve never done before and meet people we never even considered meeting while spreading the pro-life message.” ~ Captain

“This contest was so exciting! Some of the tasks were fun, some were goofy, and some were difficult. It was really neat to meet and talk to our mayor. I also really enjoyed getting together with our friends to complete tasks.” ~ Ranger 

“I loved participating in this contest! I especially loved holding all the baby animals, holding my baby cousin, and learning about my great-grandma who was arrested and sentenced to jail just before she died for praying in front of an abortion clinic. I wish I could have met her! I also really loved sitting in the driver’s seat of that brand new white Miata!” ~ Twinkle Toes

{pretty}
Task 128: Helping a child plant a flower. (3 points)
Task 118: Laying down in your yard and make a heart shape with your friends. (5 points)
Task 123: Create a set of 3 pro-life Easter eggs. (5 points)
Task 57: Using peas, carrots and corn, make a pro-life message on a plate. (4 points)
(Note: The actual pictures submitted to the contest included my children wearing their t-shirts. These were just extra pictures I took of their creations. 🙂 
Task 155: At a store, holding at least 5 inflated, helium balloons.  (5 points)
Task 213: Setting a volleyball (volleyball net must be visible). (3 points)
While we were at the park I got distracted by the wildlife. So pretty! 
Task 451: Standing next to a sundial. (3 points)
{happy}
Task 481: Pushing a double stroller down a sidewalk or path. (3 points)
Task 8: Sitting with a set of grand parents. (2 points)
Oops! Everyone was standing in the original pictures I took of the children with my parents, so we got to drive out to their home the next day for more pictures, this time making sure they were sitting… 
(I really learned to pay attention to details and read the directions carefully during this contest!)  
…and then the kids all got a little ride in the bucket of their Grandpa’s tractor, just like my brothers and sisters and I did when we were kids! Fun, fun, fun! 
Task 420: Participating in a human wheel-barrow race. (3 points)
Task 421: Participating in a potato-sack race. (3 points)
Task 215: Running on an oval track and field track. (4 points)
Bonus for carrying baby brother all the way around? The smiles and giggles were worth the effort!
Task 226: The top person in a six person pyramid. (6 points)
On Friday afternoon we headed to town to hang out with friends! They were happy to help with many of the “with friends” tasks and also had lots of ideas on how we could accomplish some of the remaining tasks on the list! It ended up being a really late night, but we had such a blast! 
Task 119: Laying down in your lawn and spell LIVE with your friends. (3 points)
Task 192: Playing cards with three friends. (3 points)
Task 12: Being carried by two other friends. (3 points)
Task 244: Playing a game of corn-hole with friends. (2 points)
Task 63: Playing hopscotch with two or more friends. (3 points)
Task 429: Limbo. (2 points)
We also stopped by my brother’s house to borrow his baby, bamboo, and sunroof! 
Task 5: Holding a baby. (5 points)  • Task 197: Standing in a patch of live (green) bamboo. (3 points)
“Mommy!!! Can you pleeeeease born another baby?!?!?!”
(I’m not sure why my younger children say “born another baby” instead of “have another baby” but I think it’s cute!)  
Task 44: Holding a duckling. (3 points)
“Mom!!!!! Can we please take home a duckling?!?!?!”
Task 36: Holding an animal that is both black and white. (3 points)

“Mom!!! Can we please get a kitty?!?!?!?!”
Task 33: Holding a basket of kittens. (4 points)
“Please!!! Please!!! Please!!!”
Task 24: Standing with your pastor. (6 points) • Task 283: Holding a book by Judie Brown. (4 points)
Task 37: Sitting with a solid black and a solid white dog at the same time. 
When we initially stopped by the parish office to see if we could see our pastor he wasn’t in the office. Our conversation with the secretary led to her calling the Pregnancy Care Center for us (and talking the administrator into meeting with us real quick before she left town!) and the suggestion of stoping by the recruiting offices to find a member of the U.S. Armed Forces in uniform. Perfect! She also said if we came back right before 4pm we could catch Father on his way into another meeting! 
When we got back Father asked if we needed his dog, Benny, for any pictures… We mentioned task 37 and needing a black dog too. He said, “Natalie (the youth leader) is here and I think she has Mercy with her!” Sure enough Natalie came over with Mercy and we were able to check off another task! In the meantime Captain noticed that the book sitting on the table in the corner was written by Judie Brown. What luck! 🙂 
This is just some of the people we met throughout the week including: Our Mayor, Hibachi Grill Chef, Burger King Manager, a member of the US Armed Forces, Pregnancy Care Center Administrator (caught her just as she and the rest of the staff were headed out of state for a pro-life convention), Taco Bell Manager, Animal Shelter Manager, Park Ranger, Walmart Manager, YMCA employee, Target Manager, 7-11 Manager, Red Lobster employee, Fire Chief…
We met so many people during the contest! We live in a very liberal state and it was always interesting to hear their reactions when we would explain the scavenger hunt. Usually, after the photo, they would say something along the lines of now what is this for again and we would respond “National Pro-Life T-shirt Week!” There was usually a long pause and then “Ooooohhhh….” Occasionally we’d get a thumbs up (Target manager!), a “glad to help!” (music Store), or a “keep up the good work!”  I had been especially nervous going into Target since the boys still had their faces painted with pro-life messages and everyone was staring… My oldest said God was testing me! I love their courage, dedication, and perseverance! 
{funny}
Task 402: Sitting on a park bench wearing flippers, scuba mask and snorkel. (6points)
Task 129: Using three hula-hoops at the same time. (2 points)
Task 389: Take a bit out of an onion. (2 points) — The things my kids will do for a contest! 
Task 191: Gangnum-style 4 friends.
What my friend and I wanted to know was “what on earth is “Gangnum-style?” followed by “How on earth do our children all know what it is?” 
Task 405: Pretending to play tug of war (with no rope) with at least 3 of your friends at the mall. (5 points)
Task 173: Riding an escalator going down while looking through a paper towel roll. (3 points)
Task 172: Riding an escalator going up while holding an open umbrella. (3 points)
Task 146: At a clothing store standing next to a mannequin. (3 points)
Task 298: Jumping rope in an elevator (floor buttons should be visible behind you). (5 points)
Task 382: Exemplifying the phrase: “Forced Perspective.” (making something look different in size) (6 points)
Task 102: Sitting on a full-sized boat (at least 12 feet long). (3 points)

I don’t usually approach people at gas stations and ask if I can take a picture of my kids in their boat! 😉
Task 249: Thumb-wrestling one of your parents. (3 points)
Bud: “My turn, Mommy! . . .  I gotchu!”
I mentioned in one of my other NPLTW posts that we still needed to find one more person with braces so that he could get his own picture taken for Task 401: Standing next to two people that have braces and are smiling. (4 points) After the sweet employee at the Grange helped us get pictures holding baby chicks and the little ducklings pictured above she asked if there was anything else we needed…. Ranger looked at me with a big grin and I smiled back… “Why, yes! Actually, would you mind taking a selfie with us? He needs a picture with two others with braces!” Thank you, Kayla! 🙂 
Task 165: At a car dealership, in the drivers seat of a new, import car, with the door open.
Yep. . . We had to come back the next day and retake these pictures “with the door open.”
I’m wondering if that was intentional! 😉 
Twinkle Toes: “I love this car! I could totally see myself driving this when I’m 16!!” 
Mom:  “Hahahaha! Right….”
Twinkle Toes: “It’s only 5 years away!” 🙂
{real}

Task 416: Make a LEGO creation with a pro-life message. (4 points)
Task 287: Holding a sign that says “Abortion” under a STOP sign. (5 points)
Task 484: Holding a sign that says “Defund” in front of a Planned Parenthood so that it appears to say “Defund Planned Parenthood” (20 points)

Prayer to End Abortion
Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, 
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, 
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death 
by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. 
Today I commit myself 
Never to be silent, 
Never to be passive, 
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, 
And never to stop defending life 
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, 
And our nation once again becomes 
A nation with liberty and justice 
Not just for some, but for all.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

(Note: You’ll need to scroll through this post again before clicking “older posts” or you can find them here: A Day Trip to the California Coast, Seven Quick Takes (includes winner announcements), Decorating Cookies on Mother’s Day (Life is Precious cookies), Instagram Recap: National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week, and Getting Ready for National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week.) 

Seven Quick Takes :: Instagram Recap & More

by | May 15, 2015 | , , , , , , | 4 Comments

It’s time for another Instagram Recap in Seven Quick Takes! 
— 1 :: NPLTW —

#NPLTW Second and Third place winners in the National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week 2015 photo contest. #prolifegen (and our oldest daughter came in at Fourth place, just a couple points behind her brother!) 
First place went to Melody’s son, Peter!  No… I’m not going to start using their names on the blog, but I do think it’s pretty awesome that the winner’s of the recent National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week contest were Peter, James and John, and in that order! 😉

Captain was actually holding one of his own sonogram images (Task #6-Holding a sonogram image of a baby.) in this picture. He pulled it out of his baby book!

— 2 :: Another Win! —

On Tuesday morning Ranger found out that he had won last month’s clean teeth drawing at the orthodontist for $50 in Baskin-Robbins gift certificates!
— 3 :: Baptisms and Birthdays —

Last Saturday we attended the Baptism & reception for a sweet baby boy. 
Welcome into the Body of Christ, little one!

Afterwards we headed to my brother’s house to celebrate his 29th birthday that day, and my brother Kevin’s 21st birthday which is this Saturday! Of course… Lighting candles turns into a lighter fight.
— 4 :: Curriculum Plans —
  
I know it’s already the end of the school year… but I finally got around to posting our 2014-2015 curriculum plans. Better late than never, right? 
If you missed it you can find it here:


— 5 :: Ascension Thursday —

I posted all the rest of the pictures from our annual Acsension Thursday picnic here and a little video over at Instagram. The feast of the Ascension has been transferred to Sunday in our diocese… We will continue our celebration with Sunday Mass and Ascension Pancakes this coming weekend!
 “Getting ready for a family game of soccer!”
“It’s crazy out there! We decided to watch {or rather dodge balls!} from the sidelines. Almost bedtime… Everyone should sleep well tonight!”
— 6 :: Art for Our Lady —

Bring flow’rs of the fairest, 
Bring flow’rs of the rarest,
From garden and woodland
And hillside and vale;
Our full hearts are swelling,
Our Glad voices telling
The praise of the loveliest
Rose of the vale.

— 7 :: Feast of St. Dymphna —

May 15th is the feast of St. Dymphna, Lily of the Emerald Isle. In honor of her feast Regina Martyrum Productions just released the audio story of St. Dymphna! It’s over an hour long and I’m looking forward to listening to it later this afternoon with our older children. (Note: The subject matter of this story can tend to a mature theme.) 

Right now Regina Martryum Productions is having an 18 HOUR FLASH SALE!
You can purchase two audio stories and get one free with coupon code DYMPHNA15 at checkout.

Our Annual Ascension Thursday Picnic

by | May 15, 2015 | | 2 Comments

And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God.
Mark 16:19

In Cooking for Christ, Florence Berger writes about the tradition in some areas of picnicking on hilltops to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. You can pack the picnic basket with some symbolic Ascension themed foods to enjoy including chicken or chicken salad sandwiches to represent birds, fruit or fruit salad for the “first fruits of the Holy Spirit,” cream puffs representing the clouds, and a bubbly carbonated beverage for the “rising” bubbles!

.: This Year’s Ascension Picnic Menu :.
Chicken Deli Meat, Cheese and Crackers
(It is traditional to eat some sort of bird since Jesus “flew” to heaven.)
Grapes
(The fruit represents Christ, the first fruit of all men.)
Cream Puffs
(Symbolizing the clouds that were in the sky.)
Sparkling Pink Lemonade
(Chosen for the “rising” bubbles.)




 
The feast of the Ascension has been transferred to Sunday in our diocese… 
We will continue our celebration with Sunday Mass and Ascension Pancakes! 
Happy Feast of the Ascension! 

Our 2014-2015 Curriculum Plans and Checklists

by | May 13, 2015 | , | 35 Comments

We are already nearing the end of our school year and I am finally (finally!) getting around to sharing my curriculum plans. This post has been in my draft folder since last summer, but since some of you are still interested to hear the details, and since I always love looking back at what we have studied over the years, I’m going to try and finish it up real quick. 

This school year (2014-2015) our children are in 8th, 7th grade, 5th, 4th, and 2nd grade. Rose (age 4 at the beginning of the school year) and Bud (age 2 at the beginning of the school) love joining the fun! We are currently using Saxon Math with all the children, as well as courses from Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) and All About Learning (AAL) for Language Arts, Focus on Science Biology and Physics from Real Science for Kids, Latin from Memoria Press, Connecting with History from RC History, Maps Charts and Graphs, and Meet the Masters for Art. It has been a great school year and I feel like we have finally settled into a curriculum and routine that works well for all of us, at least right now during this particular season in our family.

Mama’s Notebook Weekly Planner & Organizer, The Catholic Daily Planner, 2015 Saints Calendar

Captain :: 8th Grade

Religion:
Preparation for Confirmation (continue with Dad)
Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 2 (continue with Dad)
The Soldier of Christ: Talks before Confirmation (independent reading)
Christ 101 (just getting started with this program, will continue in high-school)

 Created for high school students and adults, Christ 101 is a welcome addition to my homeschool curriculum for our teens! The convenient and easy to follow format is perfect for me as a home educating mother of many. I look forward to learning how to better defend my Catholic faith alongside my students. Thank you Dr. Scott Sullivan for creating an engaging, fun, and effective way to teach apologetics.


Math:
Saxon Math 8/7 with Teacher DVDs

Orbiting with Logic

The boys completed their Saxon Math 8/7 last month and have moved on to Saxon Algebra 1 for the rest of the school year.  Switching back to Saxon, and hiring a tutor for extra help with Math, was definitely one of the best decisions I made in 2013! You can read more about our past Math struggles here and here. 

Language Arts:
Student Writing Intensive Continuation Course: Level B
Phonetic Zoo, continue and complete Level B

Fix It! Grammar: Robin Hood

Latin:
First Form Latin with DVDs
Memorize Server Responses for Latin Mass

Our three oldest are working their way through the first half of First Form Latin this year and will continue with the second half during our next school year. It’s been slow going, but at least we are making some progress! 

History & Geography:
Connecting with History Volume 2: The Arrival of the King and His Kingdom
New Testament and Early Medieval History 63 B.C. through A.D. 1066

Maps Charts and Graphs Level H: United States, Past and Present

Ranger :: 7th Grade

Religion:
Preparation for Confirmation (continue with Dad)
Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 2 (continue with Dad)
A Child’s Book of Warriors (independent reading)
Christ 101

Math:
Saxon Math 8/7 with Teacher DVDs

History & Geography:
Connecting with History Volume 2: The Arrival of the King and His Kingdom
New Testament and Early Medieval History 63 B.C. through A.D. 1066

    Maps Charts and Graphs Level G: The World

    View Ranger’s Weekly Checklist

    Twinkle Toes :: 5th Grade

    Religion:
    Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 2 (continue with Dad)

    Math:
    Saxon Math 6/5 with Teacher DVDs
    Logic Liftoff

    View Twinkle Toes’ Weekly Checklist

    Following the release of the updated version of Fix-It! we have returned to using this grammar program for all our older children. The new program includes 33 weeks of daily passages, 132 vocabulary words, and much clearer notes for the teacher. Each week the children learn a grammar concept, locate and fix errors in four short passages, discuss how the grammar applies to the passage, and rewrite the corrected passage into a notebook. Love it! 

    Chiquita :: 4th Grade

    Religion:
    The New Baltimore Catechism No. 1 (with Dad)

    Math:

    Language Arts:
    Student Writing Intensive, Level A (complete then move on to Continuation Course A) 
    Phonetic Zoo, Level A
    Fix It! Grammar: The Nose Tree
    Pictures in Cursive

    Latin:
    Prima Latina (second half of book, continued from 3rd grade)

    History & Geography:
    Connecting with History Volume 2: The Arrival of the King and His Kingdom
    New Testament and Early Medieval History 63 B.C. through A.D. 1066

    Maps Charts and Graphs Level D: States & Regions

    Snuggles :: 2nd Grade 

    Religion:
    First Communion Preparation
    St. Joseph First Communion Catechism

    Math:
    Saxon Math 2

    Language Arts:
    Primary Arts of Language: Writing and Reading
    All About Spelling Level 1 and Level 2
    Faith and Freedom Readers
    Supplementing with Explode the Code and All About Reading Readers

    From the archives: All About Reading or Primary Arts of Language? 

    History & Geography:
    Connecting with History Volume 2: The Arrival of the King and His Kingdom
    New Testament and Early Medieval History 63 B.C. through A.D. 1066

      Maps Charts and Graphs Level B: Neighborhoods

      Science:
      Focus on Elementary Biology with Laboratory Workbook, and Teacher’s Manual
      Focus on Elementary Physics with Laboratory Workbook, and Teacher’s Manual
      Life Is Precious: A Culture of Life Unit Study for Elementary Students

      Art: 

      Rose & Bud :: Pre-Kindergarten 

      In addition to lots of picture books, family field trips, educational games, and religion lessons with Daddy for both of our little ones, Rose has also started Saxon K and All About Reading Pre-Reading. She also loves participating in our family art classes. She will officially begin Kindergarten in the fall!

      Despite the fact that I haven’t been able to keep up with my own hopes and personal expectations for our younger children (i.e. Little Saints and The Alphabet Path), they are still getting an incredible education. It must be pretty awesome to have so many older siblings!

      Now I need to get started planning our 2015-2016 school year which includes HIGH SCHOOL!

      Decorating Cookies on Mother’s Day

      by | May 11, 2015 | , , , | 4 Comments

      A long time ago in a {garden} far, far away… 
      God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 
      Genesis 1:27-28

      These cookies, cut with 3″ Alphabet Cookie Cutters and leftover from one of the tasks during National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week, made a perfect treat for today! 
      Happy Mother’s Day! 

      Lava River Cave

      Lava River Cave

      by | Jun 1, 2015 | | 3 Comments

      On our way home from the Homeschool Family Camp (a new Catholic camp we attended for the first time this year over Pentecost) a few families decided to meet back up at Lava River Cave to explore the mile-long lava tube, one of the longest uncollapsed lava tubes in...

      {this moment}

      by | May 30, 2015 | , , | 3 Comments

      I didn't mean to disappear after posting the review and giveaway of BENEDICTA... Our schedule has been so incredibly full and I've been too tired at night to spend much time at the computer. I'm hoping to carve out a little time this weekend (in between a graduation...

      Sunday of the Rose

      Sunday of the Rose

      by | May 17, 2015 | , | 7 Comments

      These praises and prayersI lay at your feet. O Virgin of virgins, O Mary, most sweet.Be you my true guideThrough this pilgrimage here,And stand by my sideWhen death draweth near.Amen.The feast of the Ascension of Our Lord was transferred to Sunday in our...

      {pretty, happy, funny, real} :: NPLTW 2015

      {pretty, happy, funny, real} :: NPLTW 2015

      by | May 17, 2015 | , , | 16 Comments

      ~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~The NPLTW Photo Contest is a weeklong event that took place from April 28 through May 4, 2015. This contest challenges participants to take as many photos of themselves as they...

      Our Annual Ascension Thursday Picnic

      Our Annual Ascension Thursday Picnic

      by | May 15, 2015 | | 2 Comments

      And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God.Mark 16:19 In Cooking for Christ, Florence Berger writes about the tradition in some areas of picnicking on hilltops to celebrate the Feast of the...

      Our 2014-2015 Curriculum Plans and Checklists

      Our 2014-2015 Curriculum Plans and Checklists

      by | May 13, 2015 | , | 35 Comments

      We are already nearing the end of our school year and I am finally (finally!) getting around to sharing my curriculum plans. This post has been in my draft folder since last summer, but since some of you are still interested to hear the details, and since I always...

      Prayer of Mothers

      Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.


      Our Family

      Sean & Jessica, Captain-25, Ranger-24, Twinkle Toes-22, Chiquita-21, Snuggles-18, Rose-16, Bud-14, Grace-8 and Joy-6 (blog nicknames)

      A Little About Me

      Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

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