Some Lenten Resources

Did I say I am ready for Lent? Yes, I am.  I've been "practicing" my Lenten fast(s) for a while.  As I wrote last year, it's hard for me to go from feast to fast between Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.  Cold turkey for me is always a recipe for failure. So here we are, three days before Lent and I am so ready for the hush.  As always, I will be off Facebook but don't worry this blog will be open as much as the writing muse will allow.

Let me share a couple of favorite resources today then I will continue to write about the rest of our Lent plans tomorrow.  You will be familiar with some of these, if not all.

Fr. Lovasik Stations of The Cross

this is not your average Stations of The Cross for kids, the language is not watered or dumb down.  It moves the hearts of readers over here, young and old alike. 

The Miracle Maker 

a beautifully-made animated movie about the life of Christ

Stations of the Cross Posters

these posters are large and beautiful I make sure to line them up on the wall within reading height

Laudate App

this app is packed! - from prayers to Scripture to Papal Encyclicals, if it's Catholic it is most likely there.  The prayer section alone is a gem, you will never run out of novenas and devotions and best of all, it's free

IBreviary

Liturgy of the Hours app - I am committed to praying at least one of the Hours each day, it's my favorite "me" time before the kids wake up in the morning

Divine Office

another Liturgy of the Hours app, this one isn't free but you can also read it on the website - http://divineoffice.org/ 

Okay, gotta catch the rest of our Lord the Rings marathon! More tomorrow.  Happy Sunday.

Catching Up With The Joneses

During a recent trip to a big box store (the nicer one LOL) the girl and I abandoned the boys at the camping aisle so we can look at tv's.  I've been salivating over flat-screen tv's for awhile which is probably unusual for someone who doesn't watch a lot.  Today I was researching it again because I just gotta have a new tv.

My husband was teasing me that we seem to be moving up in the world now that I am researching tv's which around here is considered a big ticket item. I have to burst his bubble by pointing out to him that flat screen tv's are not status symbols.  Everyone in the planet owns them including our favorite elderly neighbor who finally chucked her vintage wooden framed tv last year. I'm pretty sure we are the last living creatures in the world who still have old school tv circa 2001.  Lest you think I am being avaricious, let me make my case, in photos -

our lovely tube -in all it's vintage cathode ray glory, it doesn't do the Lord of the Rings widescreen format any justice

it has survived many a crayon mark

the missing power button is the perfect compliment to more crayon marks

 

but I see the potential  (source)

How does one joyfully watch Alaska: The Last Frontier and Larkrise to Candleford on that!?!?  Sigh.

My husband threatens to get first dibs on playing his Wii games once the perfect tv has been found and purchased. But I think the old tv will suffice for video games, don't you agree?

Happy Weekend. I will be at the tv aisle ;-)

A (Homeschool) Post Before Midnight

Well, this is a first, it's the fourth day of the blogging challenge and I haven't yet ran out of ideas about  what to write.  The only problem now is which one to write about first!  Since I haven't written about homeschooling in so long let me get that topic out of the way...

Today was a good day, we finished our Latin book way ahead of schedule (that's also a first!). I can smell Spring Break! That's of course after another round of snowfall this weekend. As much as I would like to say that finishing Latin early was out of efficiency it was really out of boredom LOL.  This winter has just been so cold that it wasn't always possible to shoo kids out of the house to play.  So when you can't play outside you conjugate and decline Latin. It may not be considered a delight-driven subject but in this home we delight in Latin and History.

If you are considering homeschooling let me tell you now it is a journey like no other.  It is like a love story - you fall in love, you fall out of love, you persist through the falling out of love phase then you fall in love again.  At least that is my story.  I was all starry-eyed as a young idealistic mother, I really wasn't very young, I was in my 30's.  Even then I had all the youthful passion necessary to take on such a huge vocation - staying home, teaching children at home.  It was fueled also by a fired-up faith and a little bit of pride ;-)  If you asked me why I homeschool at different moments of my life you would have gotten a different answer every time.  But with every different answer lies a simple truth - I teach at home because I love. We are all called to love in so many ways, each unique to our state in life.  Being at home with my children is where I am best able to fulfill that prayer promise - fiat voluntas tua - as a response to the One who first loved me.

Not everyone is called to homeschool.  Not everyone is called to homeschool every child, every school year or forever.  And like any other vocation, cooperation with grace is necessary.  And like any other vocation, the opportunities for holiness abounds.  I think I might use it as my excuse when St. Peter meets me at the pearly gates LOL.

For those of you who are discerning the homeschooling path there are two things you need to start with - pray...a lot! and then cultivate a home environment where your children will love being home, being home with you and being home with each other everyday, 24/7.  If you are able to do that you will be able to do anything and for those that you can't Google will be your bestfriend ;-)

It Takes A Village Link-Up To Clean My Purse

Today I'm playing with Kendra at Catholic All Year and other bloggers for the Big Purse Dump.  When I was telling my husband about it he thought I said "Big First Dump". I had to explain it wasn't a potty-training link-up. We have enough potty-training issues over here, TMI not necessary.

Back in the day when I would read all those glossy magazines about what Hollywood stars have in their purses I thought wow, who cares?!  But in the spirit of cooperation and purse-cleaning I will play along because, darn it, if Hollywood stars are free to empty out their purses for the world to marvel at, so am I!  And no you don't have to care LOL.  Are you ready? (no snoring allowed!)

The Purse - from Charming Charlie

this is a photo re-post from Christmas, present from the husband and he even bought a statement necklace to match, he's a good man

this insert from Amazon keeps things from getting lost in the abyss

the usual contents - a nappy, keys, wallet and store coupons/receipts- I know, exciting! Unlike my covetousness for purses, I am a wallet loyalist, I've had this same one for about 14 years

medicine for the allergic child(ren)

the shopping list, mom notebook, tissue and store coupons

a broken candle from the Candlemas procession, devotional papers/bookmarks

vanity-needs, writing implements, the checkbook and of course a toy car, no mom purse would be complete without it

a mini-flashlight and a spare camera battery, just like Diogenes I use the flashlight to look for honest human beings ;-)  okay, I really don't know why I have it in my purse

spare gloves, because someone is always missing a pair - I will explain the crud on it....

here is the primo reason why I joined this link-up - to clean out the crud that once was the delicious coconut topping on a donut, note the cruddy spare gloves.

Okay kids, go over and visit Kendra for the rest of the fun.  See you here again tomorrow! I promise no dirty laundry will be aired out ;-)

A Momentary Escape From Winter

As I type this my kids are playing outside while the snow flurries dance it's twirly dance.  I'm sooooooo over Winter, there I said it! My husband may now stop badgering me to admit that Winter and I are officially over.

To combat the blues I've been trying to entertain myself on Pinterest looking at Spring fashions, Spring projects, Easter ideas, Lenten devotional ideas...anything, anything to retain my sanity and sense of hope that there will be light.

And then I remembered that trip we took to that warm old country where Winter is unknown. Perusing through the pictures bring back so many happy memories and the presence of light (at the beach!) is enough to help me out of my Winter slump.

I never did post the pictures on this blog contrary to my promise to those of you who loathe being on Facebook. So in your honor I am finally sharing it here albeit almost three years late.  Let's get out of this Winter funk together, shall we?  -

paradise found

one for me, one for me! LOL

now I'm hungry

getting ready to parasail - this was my "you only live once" moment as I conquered my fear of heights - I figure God loves me enough not to take my life away in a far-flung country while my five kids wait at home. I was right.

here we go!!! see the look of terror?

the boat in the distance is pulling us like a kite, I didn't throw up and yes, I would do it over again...tomorrow if I could

mango shake and coffee after a little bit of retail therapy, this is breakfast people!

the rain did start to dampen the vacay

a lunch date overlooking Taal volcano, it didn't erupt while we were there - another proof that God loves me

and because we're a little crazy we just had to zip line...after lunch...me in a dress, not very smart

that's us over the trees tempting God's mercy

and of course you don't go anywhere in the Philippines without bumping into religious sisters

more food

catching our plane back out of paradise into the jungle of the city

There's a ton more pictures that I could post but let's leave it here for now.  My faves are those with my family and friends and visiting my godparents. I might do a second post.  But for now I hope you enjoyed the pictures with no snow.

Spring Hopes Seem Eternal

With much of the snow all thawed out, the dead of Winter is still ever present in the brown grass and lifeless plants. Having gotten used to freezing temperatures, these last few days of sunny 40 degrees weather felt like a tropical relief. As this month comes to a close we come closer to Spring. Sigh.

As much as I love the thought of Spring, the reality of it in this household is allergy-related suffering. Not my favorite season for that reason alone.

We are milking this Winter for whatever joy we can get out of it. This past weekend, we went on a quick hike in one of our favorite haunts. The trails were empty which was a shame for such a beautiful afternoon. The fresh air is always a lovely treat as I think about the dreaded Spring allergies and Summer heat advisories that are to come.  But I will ignore that thought for awhile to share some pictures:

stopping for birds

the woods all to ourselves

viewing ducks and geese

my cheeks were numb!

it was a glorious afternoon for a hike

I hope you are able to get out of the house this Winter, not just to run errands but to bask in what (little) joy Mother Nature has to offer this season. There's only 23 more days before the first day of Spring.

Seven Day Blogging Challenge

Yay! This week I will be joining Jen Fulwiler and a throng of other bloggers in the 7 days 7 posts link-up.

When I joined last year I was grieving the sudden death of my dad while planning a trip back home to Canada. It was a hazy moment in my life as all times of grief are and as usual writing was my saving grace. It was painful, both the grieving and the writing.  I wanted to write something meaningful but my brain wasn't cooperating. I managed to complete the task but it felt like a sixth grade writing project, difficult and uninspired LOL.  Come to think of it I probably wrote better stuff in sixth grade!

This year should be a little bit better, maybe seventh grade writing level at best ;-) The one difference is that this time around I'm writing for the fun of it. Looking at the weather this week I have every excuse to hide in my winter cave and blog to my hearts content.

See you here everyday this week, k?