This week's feasts and festivals, plans and projects

This week is "Scout Week." I'm having each of my older kiddos go through their Scout handbooks and pick a badge they want to work on.

Monday, June 30
First Martyrs
Michael and Katie Grace are going to try to get two swim practices in today, since they missed practice all last week due to camp.
In the afternoon, I'm going to go get my hair done for the first time since I was pregnant with Nicholas!

Oh, and how could I forget? Michael's portfolio is due in the school district office today.

Tuesday, July 1
Canada Day- We don't actually do anything to celebrate Canada Day. I just thought I would note it.
Michael and Katie Grace have swim practice in the morning, and compete in their first swim meet ever in the evening!

Wednesday, July 2
Nicholas has Art Kids in the morning, and the older two will go to swim practice in the evening.

Thursday, July 3
Feast of St. Thomas
In the morning, we're going to see The Water Horse out at the mall. It's part of the free summer kids' movie program. I'll have to see if we have any errands to run while we're out there. Then in the evening, swim team practice!

Friday, July 4
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Independence Day- We'll have a cookout, but I don't think we have all that much planned.

Saturday, July 5
Blissfully, nothing planned this day except for church!

Sunday, July 6
St. Maria Goretti- I have a special place in my heart for Maria Goretti. She's my confirmation saint! I pray her intercession in the life of my own daughter.

And finally, a quote from my planner:

Where love is concerned, too much is not even enough. --Pierre De Beaumarchais

Book Day!

Since it's just myself and the little boys, we had a book day!

First, Nicholas chose five books from our bookshelves. His choices were:
More, More, More, Said the Baby, by Vera Williams
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr
The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci
Adelita by Tomie dePaola
Pelle's New Suit by Elsa Beskow

We took each story one at a time, and spaced them out throughout the day.

After reading More, More, More, Said the Baby--one of my all-time favorites, by the way, both for the text and the effortless way it portrays multicultural families--we had fun playing with the baby. We played lots of piggy toes tickles, including one of my favorites:

This little cow eats grass.
Wiggle little toe and make munching sounds.
This little cow eats hay.
Wiggle the next smallest toe, more munching.
This little cow drinks water.
Wiggle next toe and make slurpy noises.
And this little cow runs away.
Grab the next toe and then tickle your fingers up to Baby's head.
But this big cow does nothing
But just lie around all day.
Grab the biggest toe and make snoring noises.
So... we'll chase her and we'll chase her and we'll chase her away!
Tickle that baby!

Daniel, of course, had lots of practice making the "more" sign and Nicholas and I played with the Mmmmmmmm sound and found other words that started with mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Also, much toe tasting occurred.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear was fun. We made a "favorite color" collage. First, Nicholas painted the inside of a shoe box lid his favorite color-red. Then he added some red foam hearts, snippets of red ribbon, and red tissue paper.

Later, when we walked to pick yo the car from the shop, Nick had a great time echoing the chant from the game. "Nicholas, Nicholas, what do you see? I see a grey squirrel looking at me!"

The Talking Eggs is a favorite family fairy tale. It's a Louisana take on a tale about a sister who is good and kind and is rewarded, and another who is mean and hateful and suffers the consequences.

After we read it, we cut out some egg shapes. Nicholas is big into ovals lately (who gets this kid? Not me!) He decorated the eggs, some plain and some "jeweled" with stickers. Then he dictated a wish for me to write on each egg.

Adelita is another one of those books that I'm amazed he'll sit through. I mean, generally he has the attention span of a gnat, but he'll listen to a story forever.

Adelita is a Mexican Cinderella story. Nicholas loves this book, and we tasted some Mexican food for lunch today.

Finally, we had Pelle's New Suit. This is one of Nick's favorites, and we haven't done the activity yet. Hopefully we'll felt a sun for the nature table before the week is out.

Ode to Common Things by Pablo Neruda

I have a crazy,
crazy love of things.
I like pliers,
and scissors.
I love
cups,
rings,
and bowls -
not to speak, or course,
of hats.
I love
all things,
not just
the grandest,
also
the
infinite-
ly
small -
thimbles,
spurs,
plates,
and flower vases.
Oh yes,
the planet
is sublime!
It's full of pipes
weaving
hand-held
through tobacco smoke,
and keys
and salt shakers -
everything,
I mean,
that is made
by the hand of man, every little thing:
shapely shoes,
and fabric,
and each new
bloodless birth
of gold,
eyeglasses
carpenter's nails,
brushes,
clocks, compasses,
coins, and the so-soft
softness of chairs.
Mankind has
built
oh so many
perfect
things!
Built them of wool
and of wood,
of glass and
of rope:
remarkable
tables,
ships, and stairways.
I love
all
things,
not because they are
passionate
or sweet-smelling
but because,
I don't know,
because
this ocean is yours,
and mine;
these buttons
and wheels
and little
forgotten
treasures,
fans upon
whose feathers
love has scattered
its blossoms
glasses, knives and
scissors -
all bear
the trace
of someone's fingers
on their handle or surface,
the trace of a distant hand
lost
in the depths of forgetfulness.
I pause in houses,
streets and
elevators
touching things,
identifying objects
that I secretly covet;
this one because it rings,
that one because
it's as soft
as the softness of a woman's hip,
that one there for its deep-sea color,
and that one for its velvet feel.
O irrevocable
river
of things:
no one can say
that I loved
only
fish,
or the plants of the jungle and the field,
that I loved
only
those things that leap and climb, desire, and survive.
It's not true:
many things conspired
to tell me the whole story.
Not only did they touch me,
or my hand touched them:
they were
so close
that they were a part
of my being,
they were so alive with me
that they lived half my life
and will die half my death.

Ode to Common Things by JohnMcCutcheon


Each evening as the sun glows red
And all creation tilts toward bed
While food is in the kitchen yet
Three things are on the table set
A bowl, a cup a humble plate
And in that instant as we wait
Our bounty�s praise we sit and sing
The poorest man, the richest king
These three reminders in my home
How man can turn the earth to stone
Water, fire, earth and wheel
The hand of man, the evening meal
With promise, patience, luck and heat
We each shall toil, we each shall eat
From cupboard shelf to table grace
Everything is in its place

Ah, bowl! Two cupped hands raised in prayers
No other dish with you compares
You fit securely in our palms
For feasting and for begging alms
The first and last we each will use
For soups and grains and steaming stews
Puddings, rice, ice creams and tarts
You fill our hands, you fill our hearts

This cup the earth rose from its mud
Now skin of grape, as red as blood
It�s curve as soft as woman�s hip
I raise it nightly to my lip

The plate is both the sun and moon
Rising at my place each noon
The Angelus, the sacrament
And supper when the day is spent
A perfect disk in soapy sink
On these small things I often think
This trinity here at my place
I bow my life and offer grace

I sing an ode to common things
To napkins, razors, balls of string
I sing of fountain pens, of chairs
Of ribbons in a lover�s hair
Of things so simple, small and good
I might forget them if I would
Not pause each day and thus attest
I am a man uncommonly blest

Treasure Hunting!

Today Nicholas, Daniel, and I were supposed to do the marketing, but decided to go "Treasure Hunting" instead. That's Mama-speak for hitting the thrift stores.

We scooped some awesome deals.



Map of US: 5 cents
Books: 5 at 5 cents each
Emergency Candles: 3 at 50 cents each
Waffle Maker (we've outgrown using justone): $1
Skip Bo Game: 50 cents
Little basket strainer for the rice table: 25 cents
Egg Beater: 50 cents
Baby toy to keep him quiet in the car: 25 cents
Desk everything is sitting on: $1

So, this picture was $6.55


Juicer: $2
Black portfolio: 5 cents
NIP Crochet kit: 10 cents
Lunastix: 25 cents
Playskills kit: 10 cents
Math cards: 25 cents
Size and Shape Game: 25 cents

TOTAL: $3


Geosafari with $99 price tag still attached: $3
(This also included 8 sets of cards that have 14.95 pricetags still attached. Not Waldorf, I know, but it keeps them busy while I'm working with another kid)


I found this World Book Electronic Game with a bajillion cards before I found the Geosafari. It was a buck.

The little butterfly was a quarter. I thought it was a finger puppet, but isn't.

And the puzzle was 50 cents.

TOTAL:
$1.75

Not bad for $14.30!

And a cute baby, for free!

This week's feasts and festivals, plans and projects

Feasts ALL WEEK: Chip is pastor-in-residence at Camp Mt. Luther, and the oldest two are going as well. That leaves just me and the little boys! Luckily, my good friend down the week will be flying solo this week as well, so we're making some plans to hang out together.

MONDAY: Marketing day! It will probably be an all-day affair. We need to go to the surplus outlet, the grocery store, the natural foods store, and the dairy. Then we're going out to dinner with friends--kids eat free at TGIFridays!

TUESDAY: St. John's Day/Midsummer In the morning we're going to the free kid movie downtown--Veggie Tales, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. We're going out Tuesday night with friends as well. I want to try to felt a sun for the nature table today as well.

WEDNESDAY: We have art class in the morning!

THURSDAY: Feast of St. Palageus

FRIDAY: Feast of St. Cyril Daddy and Big Brother and Big Sister come home!

SATURDAY: Feast of St. Ireneus

SUNDAY: Sts. Peter and Paul and Chip's parents anniversary

Some day this week we'll go spend the day at camp, probably Thursday. Also, my friend said she'd watch both the littles so I could go get my hair cut. I haven't gotten anything done with my hair since I was pregnant with Nicholas. I'm probably a little past due!

Our Lady of Charity, Pray for Us

One of my favorite Scripture readings (OK, one of everyone's favorite Scripture readings) is 1 Corinthians 13, also known as "The Love Chapter".

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

It's actually our family's "mission statement." When there are questions about what to do, how to act, we go to this chapter. Are we being patient? Kind? Are we keeping a record of wrongs done to us? Are we acting in a loving way?

And it's always interested me that in the King James version, love was translated as charity.

Now, I'm sure there's a really logical reason for this, and I bet I could google it and find out, but I'm not going to. Because it the midst of an absolutely horrendous week that had me despairing of not only my ability to love but also to be loved, a thought popped into my head-- all love is an act of charity.

None of us can earn it.

None of us deserve it.

And when we give it away, it's still not anything we've done of our own power, but as an act of grace.

And so, not by my own power but solely by grace, I'm making a choice to be loving, to be charitable. I'm choosing to be patient and peaceful, to trust, to hope, and not to be angry.

For "charity suffereth long, and is kind."

Mother of Charity! We place ourselves under your mantle of protection. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus! To Him be the glory and the power now and forever. Amen.

Bubbles!

Jamming in Berry Land

15 quarts total = 4 quarts sliced and frozen, 6 quarts made into freezer jam, 3 quarts given away, and 2 to make ice cream and snack on this week.

Rainforest Adventure

Phew! Another year, another vacation church school over and done. Michael was asking everyone what their favorite part was. He seemed a little insulted when I told him my favorite part was dropping everyone off and leaving with the baby. 'Tawsn't necessarily the way it was, though. Several days I ran some errands for supplies and visited with the staff. Plus youth group kids kept stealing Daniel, which made it difficult to get away. One morning, I actually left him there with Chip for a couple hours so I could come home, do laundry, the gardening, supper prep, etc. It's amazing how relaxing even chores can seem when you're doing them child-free!



Sunday night while we were getting ready was a night of firsts for Daniel-- first steps, first pizza!


Chip sent me out to buy decorations. His idea was fake greenery, but good gravy, that's expensive! I bought lots of 77 cent a yard netting instead. Here are the guys fixing up the Amazon River.



And the girls making fishies for our river.


The centerpiece of the room was a paper chain rainforest" canopy." I don't know how well you can see it here, but it was pretty neat!




Nicholas's group singing at the final program.


Katie Grace in the role of Ruth as her class acted out the story of Ruth and Boaz.




Everyone singing with Michael front and center.


A poorly-lit picture of Chip showing off his t-shirt the kids made for him.


Daniel and Bethany.


Daniel trying to tear down the rainforest.

Seeking to Please God with All of my Heart

I've really been enjoying Sally Clarkson's book The Mom Walk: Keeping in step with God's heart for motherhood.

The Clarkson's keep showing up in my life in weird ways. First, I came across their book Educating the Whole-Hearted Child. To be honest, I still haven't read it, but the title just really appeals to me.

Then I heard Clay Clarkson speaking on our local Christian radio station about his book, HeartFelt Discipline. The DJ seemed shocked that a Christian was saying spanking wasn't mandated in Scripture. Clay Clarkson takes apart the book Proverbs and shows (very conclusively, IMO) that the book was never intended to a guide for parents of small people. And while he doesn't come right out and condemn spanking, he does make it quite clear that it's not a Biblically-mandated practice.

Then I discovered Elizabeth Foss's blog, and she often links to Sally's blog.

So... when Mother's Day rolled around and I was giftless, I decided to treat myself to three of Sally's books. I'm so glad I did! The Mom Walk is very inspiring.

Go, then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. (Ecclesiastes 9:7)

This chapter really inspired me to seek joy in my everyday life with my children. Sally wrote:

I need to remember that I am to lead my children in being a person who celebrates the joy of life. I am to model what it looks like to enjoy God and His creation. Often, in the midst of the duties of life, moms can become focused on the right thing to do, correcting the immaturity of childre, and inadvertently portraying God as a strict moral judge just waiting for them to fall short.

It is vital we realize we are a model of God to our children and we must take care that we present His light, beauty, humor, love, and joy...

Or, in the words of Marie Bellet

'Cause mothers dance while folding clothes,
And babies thrown their cheerios,
Kids lie awake nights just to suppose.
There are signs and wonders everywhere,
Joys and sorrows enough to spare,
And glorious mysteries in the air...

'Cause hearts were made to love and lighten up!