sprouting wings

today was monumental for me as a homeschooling mother.
one of my students sprouted his wings as a writer.
you may have a student like this, he is the reluctant one,
the one who reads later than the rest.
he takes longer to learn
his multiplication tables and he pretty much despises any
kind of structured learning.
he is the middle child.
not the oldest, not the baby and not the only girl.
it has always been hard for him to find his place.
not just with regards to school, but in life.
he is the stubborn one.
the one who makes my blood pressure
rise every time we have some sort of confrontation about
not putting forth his best effort or paying attention.
he is the one that made me doubt whether or not i should
even be homeschooling at all.
he is the reason i searched feverishly for different ideas about teaching.
it is because of him that i found out that not all children are auditory learners,
which you'd think i'd know, because i am not one either.
yet he is the one with the neatest handwriting.
he is the first one to put his boots on and lead me outdoors.
he is the one with an artistic eye and a gentle heart,
he can quite often be seen following the shadow of another
small boy, his little brother.
he has his ears tuned to the birds that frequent our yard
and constantly comes inside with descriptive narratives
of things he has seen as he peruses the property,
pellet gun in hand and camera in his pocket.
the assignment was simple enough:
write me a paragraph about our day at nannie and papa's yesterday.
make it in chronological order, starting with breakfast,
which were yummy "mamacakes".
pay attention to punctuation and spelling and i will help you
with paragraph structure later.
he is in the sixth grade, this should be no problem you say.
well, not for my boy.
this is usually a most painful process,
ending with discouragement on his end
and disappointment on mine.
disappointment in myself because maybe i have
not been the best teacher.
maybe he needed special ed.
maybe i wasn't patient enough.
but in the end it was because
he just wasn't ready,
he hadn't sprouted those wings.
but today he did
and it happened so much like all of the rest of his
"learning", very out of the blue, quite naturally
almost as if he'd always written this way.
beautifully constructed sentences, colorful adjectives,
very well written feelings and emotions about what
he did, what he saw, tasted, touched and felt.
and all i can say is
i am one PROUD mama bird!

the ducklings have arrived

and they've brought chicks with them.

my kids have taken this project much farther then i ever thought they would.

i'll upload all of their birds on flickr when i get a chance, but i am so impressed

with the bluebirds, woodpeckers, cygnets, crows, hummingbirds

and yes, even a flamingo with sunglasses on, that have all come out of

their imaginations, with just a little felt, some pom-poms and glue.

this duckling and chick don't have eyes, but beads and glitter glue

work just fine in case you'd like yours to be able to see.

and if you love usborne books, like we do, the usborne books for beginners

are great. they have links here where you can look up the book you

are reading and play, read or watch online activities pertaining to the book.

you can watch a baby chick hatching here and this website has some

great pictures of baby birds.

simple abundance

i am loving my new book-which i got the other day at a thrift store for $1.00.
the back cover reads:
"in the past a woman's spirituality has been separated from her lifestyle.
SIMPLE ABUNDANCE shows you how your daily life
can be an expression of your authentic self...
as you choose the tastiest vegetables from your garden,
search for treasures at flea markets,
establish sacred space in your home for meditation,
and follow the rhythm of the seasons of the year."
does this sound like a good read or what?
well, we are off to the mountains to do some school.
hoping to enjoy some simple abundance.
a visit to nannie and papa's mountain home
always does each of us some good.
the little ones will be bird watching and doing watercolors,
me~i want to finish my
sunflower handwarmers
and my husband is taking the big boys on a hike.
they found a bedding area of a
deer family on their last hike.
they saw a mama, her baby doe
and a buck, all tucked in for the night
imagine that!
my prayer for you today is
that you'll find some simple abundance
in your little corner of the world too.
'bye.

the great outdoors

i can remember being a child

and sitting in a classroom,

the doors were open to let

some fresh air into an overwhelmingly

stale and stuffy room and my mind would drift.

it drifted so far into the p.e. field

that my concentration level was

practically zero.

all i thought about during those times

were the little flowers with heart shaped

petals that, when tied together, made the prettiest

bracelets.

they wilted quickly, usually by the time

recess was over, they were dead.

fast forward 20 years

and i am so pleased that often times

this

is our classroom.

the GREAT OUTDOORS.

and if anything wilts, well,

it doesn't matter,

because there is no rush.

we can just pick more!

they amaze me

by how astute they've

become

watching and listening

for different bird calls,

and then there is

the joy on a certain face

when he

takes notice for the first time

of the velvety stuff

growing on the rocks.

a discussion is sparked

about direction and moss

and how it looks like a little kingdom.

they bombard me with

"look at this mama

and this...",

and i am filled with such

joy because, much like them

i am constantly amazed

at the beauty and wonder

that has gone into

designing the great outdoors

and best of all

sharing with them

just WHO is in charge of it all

and the small talk which ensues

as we ponder over whether or not

what GOD has is like

having "the force".

shedding some light

O my Lord, how You are the true friend; and how powerful!
Oh, who will cry out for YOU, to tell everyone how faithful
YOU are to Your friends!
All things fail; You, Lord of all, never fail!
It seems, Lord, You try with rigor the person who loves You
so that in extreme trial she might understand the greatest extreme of Your love.
All fails me, my Lord; but if You do not abandon me, I will not fail You.
Let all learned men rise up against me, let all created things persecute me,
let the devils torment me; do not You fail me, Lord, for I already have
experience of the gain that comes
from the way You rescue the one who trusts in you alone.
~St. Teresa of Avila

making way for ducklings

and swans too.




i stumbled upon this site the other day while looking for some activities to do while we read these two books.
there is also a link way at the bottom of the page that seems like it could be useful.
as you can see one is for my pre-schooler and the other is for my middle kids.
but both of them seem to be appealing to all of my students.
i know the "content" standards are for california, but if you are not in a charter, those things won't matter anyway.
just thought i'd share the info.
it is kind of nice to stumble upon free lessons that have already been planned and use them to your advantage.
and it makes less work for mama, which means i can plan crafts and activities instead!
so off i go to make way for some pom-pom ducklings......

and mondays

i didn't want to write out the rainy days part because i am sure
you all know that song from the carpenters'.
rainy days and mondays.
and yes, they both tend to get me down.
especially if either falls on a day when the house is a wreck.
i don't know why, but when the house is a wreck i am a wreck.
even though my sinful nature fights against forcing myself to clean,
i am SO much happier when everything is well-ordered.
which is probably why i was so unhappy this cheerful, bright and sunny day.
i did actually do a lot on saturday but practically nothing yesterday.
so how could a woman, who woke up and spent some quiet time with her Lord,
her husband home from work today, all her children safe,
healthy and snug in their beds, be so grumpy and ungrateful, you say.
well, i guess that's just life sometimes.
so after feeling sorry for myself i got up from where i was sitting,
made breakfast, fixed my hair, dressed and left to my two favorite thrift stores.
i know you all probably went to mass.
i couldn't because my kids are still fighting colds and mass is over an hour-one way- away.
and so we will have to settle for a small candlelit celebration in our little domestic church.
i am particularly feeling drawn to the feast today because as you all know i have chosen the sorrowful mother as my patron saint this year and simeon's words are resonating in my ears...
"and a sword shall pierce your heart.........."
my mind keeps going back to yesterday and how i eyed an almost 15 year old boy, my boy, attempt to drink alcohol at the super-bowl party we attended.
i am trying to understand why he did it when he knew i was watching him.
what was he trying to tell me? help me.....stop me......set some boundaries for me.
he wasn't really being sneaky, yet he was.
and so i stopped him. i gladly set the boundaries.
but needless to say, a sword pierced my heart.
i know that it is not the same sword that pierced our Blessed Mother's heart by any means.
and unlike the mother of james and john
i am not even asking our Lord that my son sit at His right or left in the kingdom of heaven.
i am simply just wondering how i am going to manage to help my children get to heaven in a world gone wrong.
a world filled with temptations and lies calling out from every which way, attempting to lead these souls, whom I have been entrusted with, to an eternity where they might possibly be separated from God.
a phone call to one of my dearest friends, who also has a teenager, quickly made me feel better.
these are good kids, her daughter and my son.
we have raised them well.
i thought i did all the right things.
natural birth, breastfeeding, bed sharing, tons of stories,
laughing, loving, cuddling, nurturing.
he has been taught the faith, received the sacraments.
she wonders if it is because they have money and maybe the world is starting to creep in.
her husband is a faithful catholic doctor, he catechizes the children on a regular basis.
i wonder if it is because we haven't always had a lot of money and maybe staying with my
fun-loving-functioning-yet still-alcoholic husband has been a bad influence.
i have always been faithful, but maybe i haven't done enough........
i could go on and on, but i won't because the what ifs are endless.
my life, just as yours, is what it is.
if it were a recipe, it might read like this:
one ton of undeserved-pre-packaged blessings.
3/4 cups remnants of past mistakes
1/2 of which turned out for the better because there is a God and He loves me
1/4 part slivers from the Cross
(some of which seem so unfair and heavy at times)
1/4 temptations, emotions and struggles
(all sent to me from Him)
because He knows that if i continue to trust in HIM,
hands folded in prayer, heart pierced with a sword,
i just might make it to the "well done" part.
you know, the one where HE tells me well done good and faithful servant
and these mondays will go with me into eternity.
after a little time in the fires of purgatory of course.
i'll wear them as my badge.
and by now......
there is a checker tournament going on under the peppertree,
a wooden box that needs to be built for the pansies,
strawberries dying to get into the ground, if you know what i mean.
and i am just glad that it's not a rainy day!

p.s. i hope you find happiness
and peace wherever you are.

guaranteed to grow

these strawberries

are guaranteed to grow and

i hope they do

because i hate to disappoint my helpers when the

things we work so hard to plant

aren't successful.

so please wish us luck!

chicken little

here is the link

which will inspire you

to make a few little dishtowels

of your own

because i know y'all

have nothing better to

do than sit around and sew.

happy saturday!

buona lettura

aka good reading.

of course we love

ALL of his books.

but this just came last night

and as you know

most of our reading

right now

is for the birds.

still my baby

early this morning he woke up coughing.

he couldn't sleep and neither could i.

he touched my face gently and gave me a kiss

even though he was obviously not feeling well.

i know he is the cause of my sleeplessness,

even though he gave up nursing long ago.

he is the reason most mornings i wake up sore because

i have either been wedged between him and my husband all night

or him and the wall.

but i cannot get it out of my head that he is still my baby.

i have been drowning his cold in fresh squeezed o.j.

hoping he'll be over it soon.

but at the same time enjoying and relishing the snoring,

vicks' stinging my eyes because he is sleeping so close

for next week his big brother turns 15

and soon enough he'll catch up

and i'll long for the days that he wanted to be held so close

and in a few weeks we'll remember his other brother

the one i never got to hold close at all.

so just for today

after he wakes up from his robitussin + a bit of benadryl

induced sleep

we'll have blueberry pancakes and read jamberry

a million times

because he

is STILL

my baby.

shelter from the storm

with much concern for her new pansies,

which haven't been planted yet,

she brought them inside to give them shelter from

a windstorm that came out of nowhere.

i hadn't actually noticed until she asked, "mother",

(she always calls me this)

"is it ok that i put my pansies there on the sink?

i don't want anything to happen to them

and they look so pretty there,

don't you think?"

well, what could i think?

don't you think that they look pretty there?

THE BAG and me

i wasn't really crazy about this meme because right now i am hating myself in pictures.

however, i willing complied and gave my children "impromptu-paparazzi" freedom,

hence the annoyed look on my face while i am sitting at the computer. i know i sort of look like owen wilson in zoolander (that is a really horrible movie, so if you don't know what i am talking about, you are probably better off). i am really a very cheerful person. unless of course it is a moment when my cheerfulness will manifest itself in my puffy cheeks.

i said i'd like to title this a hag and her bag, but i am actually showered, eye-make up and all.

so it isn't classic hag style.

as for the bag, it is from marshalls.

i've had it since last december and i put it away for a while because it is itchy.

and because i got a big, new bright yellow bag from target with a converse star on it,

but it became grungy looking pretty quickly.

so i took this one out of hiding and have been using it for a while.

i don't do expensive purses because i figure if i don't have-on hand-the same

amount of spending cash-that the purse costs-then i have no business carrying such an expensive purse. my most expensive purse was probably $60-

and i got if off ebay because my husband got really aggressive during the bidding.

i think he was feeling like we were in vegas and he was going to "win" me that purse-

a pink furry, suede UGG purse that i have never even used.

it is still in the dust bag that it came in.

i know i shoulda confessed that.

anyway, surprisingly this is roomy.

as of right now, it is holding my big, ugly wallet,a guide to confession,

3 hot wheels, 2 sets of extra keys, my compact mirror, a pen,

a pad of paper-sticky notes, espresso flavored lip-gloss, 2 rosaries,

sombra gel, my camera, loose change, batteries and a few white pom-pom balls(?)

go figure......i guess i really am a pack rat. even in my purse. what a character flaw.

ok. so for this wonderful meme. thanks jaimie=)

i tag:

michelle, meredith, kimberly, nina and jenn.

(i am sorry jenn, i know you hate being tagged, but i'd love to see your sweet face!)

a long, yet quick note

sorry the last two posts were sort of thoughtless auto posts. i don't know why i do that. i guess i set it up that way in case i neglect this space for too long. i don't know why it matters so much, it is not like the world will stop if i don't write something.
well, in order to keep myself from rambling, here goes:
1. sorry i haven't completed the tote meme, but i went to that retreat monday and tuesday night, then yesterday morning i went to mass and was blessed to receive the apostolic blessing, which felt exhilarating.
2. i have 4 sick kids. nothing too serious, but 4 runny noses and 4 different coughs equal lots of vicks, tissues, stories, chicken soup and well, i am sure you all know.
3. i am still struggling with this pain in my back/neck and i truly feel sorry for people with chronic pain.
4. for christine- i don't capitalize my "i" because this is sort of like my diary. there aren't any grammar rules here. it is funny that you said this because that is the first thing my kids noticed when they saw me writing here and they know what a punctuation psycho i am. i do, however, worry about the Good Lord's name. i don't mind reaching for caps lock for HIS sake.
5. yesterday at Mass i couldn't help but think about the people who don't kneel for the consecration or for Holy Communion. the church i attended for the retreat is a novus ordo church, not a chapel, like i usually go to, but it does have the indult Mass and is very reverent in every way. the communion rail is still in place and most every one kneels for the consecration, however, i am curious about those who don't participate, those who'd rather lean forward in a truly awkward manner, to receive their KING. i don't want to step on toes if you don't do either of these things, but my feeling on this is, it is common courtesy to bow to a king, is it not? then how could we do any less for OUR LORD? is it a matter of preference? something decided by the bishops? or is it something that has to do with the individual? i know that just because the very thought of HIM coming to me brings me to my knees, it might not be that way for everyone. i sort of imagine the magi and how they fell down worshipping the infant in the manger. and if we truly believe that the Host contains the same infant, why don't we ALL do the same thing.
so how is it for you? how do you receive HIM? you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. but i won't judge you, i promise.
6. i am very excited about doing a little planting around here. i've been itching to get my hands dirty. the soil is nice and soft from the rain and i think it is calling to me.
7. i am having trouble ending this unit on birds. there is so much to learn, so many beautiful books and projects, but i do wish we could move on to california, i can't wait to do the missions. not just because of the field trips i want to take, but because this state does have some great history.
8. i am in a cooking rut. i really need to plan some meals and go to the store with a written list. yesterday i felt so lost, wandering around without a plan. as hard as it is to plan all the details of my life, when i don't plan, i always regret it. even if i don't stick to my plans.
9. i have to mail the flowers for the craft swap. i heard yesterday that yoda is on his way. they are finished, but just need to get packaged and sent off.
10. well, i have much to do today, so this is me, signing off, for now anyway.

ps. sarah(JOT) i am not posting the pretzel recipe, but king arthur has the greatest recipes. i love their flour and you can choose from many types of pretzels there. we prefer soft pretzels, but you many not.

the heart rag is coming along very nicely, i decided just to tie the ends together. somehow the huge ball of rag yarn i had isn't going very far and i don't know when i'll have a chance to cut more strips, though.

barb, i'd love to try a basket. i've had a basket or a bowl in my mind for quite some time, just haven't found the right twine i'd like to use, maybe the rag strips would be better-in browns and neutrals...........

jenn, my daughter has a little rag rug for her doll house that my mom made and it is adorable. of course she has everything in a vintage/cottage style. and i forgot to ask you if you've gone to see swan lake yet. i am such a dummy because i told you i'd never seen it and i just remembered yesterday, on my way home from ontario, that i HAVE seen it. i saw it last summer at the redlands bowl, performed by the santa barbara street ballet. i also saw a midsummer nights' dream and madame butterfly as well. all were spectacular productions. i am glad that i was reminded of those memories. sometimes i..........wonder where my brain goes! maybe that's what i'll change my blog title to!! =)

after the rain

don't you love it how after the rain

everything seems so clean and green.

it is as if the whole world has had a bath.

the rag heart before

i have always wanted to make a rag rug,

but as i've said before, patience is not a virtue

that i possess when it comes to sewing or crafts.

not to mention that i have a hard time picturing

something that i have worked so hard on,

being trampled by five pairs of muddy feet.

so i decided to try a rag heart and i'll use it for a table centerpiece.

i have most of the strips cut, but since it will be crocheted together,

i might find myself needing more. i'll keep you posted.

have you ever done anything like this?

did you sew it together or just tie knots?

i still haven't decided which route to take.

i am just afraid if i don't sew the ends it will

come undone once washed.......

night 1

because i know i am preachin' to the choir

ten quick things from last night:

1.who do you say that HE is?

the faith of peter and the appointment of him as the ROCK is vital, for the pope IS THE VICAR OF CHRIST. the mark of the church's CREDIBILITY is in her UNITY.

so that we may be ONE, as JESUS and the FATHER are ONE.

2. why are you a catholic?

ethnicity, the faith of your parents?

good answers, but not good enough.

your faith needs to be more INCISIVE.

3. our faith should hinge on the the HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS, HOLY EUCHARIST and the leadership we receive from THE POPE in his position as the APOSTOLIC SUCCESSOR.

4. we should feel saddened at the way the HOLY EUCHARIST is trivialized, minimalized and ostracized. the EUCHARIST is EVERYTHING. IT is the solution to all the problems in the world.

"unless you eat the FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN, you shall NOT enter the kingdom of heaven."

5. history speaks of man's quest for food, religion of man's quest for GOD. in the Holy Eucharist, we are given BOTH.

6. HE feeds us with HIS FLESH so that we may feed others.

7. "whatever you do to the least of my bretheren, you do to ME."

ESPECIALLY THE UNBORN.

life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness FOR ALL.

8. JESUS fulfilled AT LEAST 125 of the hebrew prophecies.

some say as many as 400, depending on how you count them.

9. FAITH + CONVICTION> willingness to LIVE the faith and even to die for it.

10. our destiny is HEAVEN!

ps. i was blessed enough to go to confession last night, after the retreat with this very holy priest and i don't know why, but i am always just so blown away by the power of what happens when you walk in the confessional and shut the door. last night, i felt sort of like lucy, when she opens the wardrobe door to go into narnia and she has already been there and seen aslan, felt his gentleness, beauty and peace. the church i attend is very old world looking, the confessional doors are big, solid wood and the handle is iron and since i, too, have been before, i know that wonderful things happen in there, the scales come off, you are made whole again, the burden is gone-the lure of the turkish delight doesn't fool me anymore. but then there is that small part of me anyway, that knows i'll be back, daughter of eve that i am, always forgetting that i am a child of GOD. but at least i know it is there, that wonderful sacrament of penance. the sacrament which restores the relationship between me and my heavenly FATHER. so if you've never been or it's been a while, you should try it (confession, that is-not the turkish delight)!

3 nights

i am giddy that i've been blessed
to have this priest just close enough
to go and listen to his talks
every night for the next three nights.
you may've seen him on EWTN before.
he is the one with those penetrating sermons
that hit you where it hurts.
and believe me,
i need to be hit where it hurts!

a love note

a little love note

on a flour sack dishcloth.

copy this design

if you'd like

and make one of your own.

i got the idea from this free

vintage clip art.

i have a thing for embroidered hand-towels.

i usually make them for my mom because she won't use them.

she hangs them in her kitchen or bathroom

and they stay perfectly white and pristine.

here, well, you can imagine what happens

to them here.

the boy to girl ratio

isn't in our favor

and the boys don't appreciate the

feminine goodness of these little towels.

anyway, i'll show you some of the others.

just not all at once

or else you might not come back and see me!

happy monday.

enjoying GOD's providence

...how happy we are to be thus constrained

and held short by our heavenly Guardian!

And what we are to do is quite certainly nothing

more than we are already doing,

which is to adore the lovable providence of GOD

and to throw ourselves into His arms and into His keeping.

~St. Francis de Sales