Late Spring Display

Our Seasons display with King Winter, Mrs Thaw and Mother Earth and the Root Children have now beeen replaced with:
Mother Earth and the Flower children along with some Spring looking trees; Poplar and Hawthorn Bush.
A wider view with the Spring Fairy as well.

Blessings,

Bookshelf Display for the month

Only as we come to the end of the month have I relised I haven't shared our Month of The Holy Rosary display.

It was a rather simple one this month as I couldn't get my mind around anything more creative.
Anyway this was it.

Blessings,

7 Quick Takes Friday - 30th October

I decided I liked the idea of listing 7 things form the week that just happened and did not necessarily need to blog a whole post on. This week I am just being a bit Random in my thoughts because well it has been very random.

So for my 7 Quick takes this week:

1. Today we went to Burnie for Moran's first Occupational Therapist session, this was to establish some background on how to deal with her Sensory issues.
Let me say it was an interesting exercise in the least. As Burnie is 45 mins away we left early but Arwen who has NEVER been carsick and not a sicking up baby at all was sick in a HUGE way. Of course I had not any spare clothes for her as she never needs them.
♥
2. After making sure Autumn, who came with me had money for the parking meter, as it was only a 1 hour parking meter and the appointment was for 2 hours.
After we finished and Autumn HAD been on time to refill the parking meter I discovered we had a parking fine of $50.
Needless I wasn't impressed and then I had to go to the Council Offices (after finding them and another parking meter cost) to protest this. The only course of action was to fill in a protest form and hopefully get the fine wavered.
♥
3. Chaos reins as the children start to prepare their costumes for our family All Saints Party. After a late night and tension due to emotional pressures from the trip out this morning, and little people crash because of this (I think we need some chocolate) I wonder why we bother.
♥
4. Having said that I am always impressed with the children's creative abilities in preparing for costumed events. With the exception of a very few pre-made costumes we do all our dressing up from play cloths and sheets. Cardboard and props.
♥
5. Part reason the children are tired is the fact Daylight Saving started at the beginning of the month. I find it is about now though as the days start to get longer that the children want to play outside longer on lovely Spring days. I lose track of the time and then discover how late it is and hustle everyone up. Consequently children go to bed later and are over tired.

Here is a poem Saxon wrote on the eve of Daylight Saving: He is adamantly opposed to Daylight Saving!

When the freezing Winter comes
I go to bed at night.
But in the Summer I go to bed
in the golden light.

In the 1800's
in the Victorian reign
every man, woman and kid
went to bed the same.

But when World War One came up
Some countries made a rule
and the actual reason that they started it
was to save on fuel.

Every man would wind his clock
up the normal way
but then he wound it back an hour
on a certain day.

So for about 100 years now
we have followed that crazy idea
and I believe the day time changes,
It's the day every kid should fear.

For the Parents just say "Don't worry about it,
it's just the way of life,"
But I believe we should stop this rule
and all this grief and strife

So we'll start a war about it
and drive out with guns and tanks
and by the time the war is finished
everyone will give us thanks

When it is finished we will think
of all the dangers we'd been braving
and we'd all be happy we'd finished the war
The war of Daylight Saving.
♥
6. Having visited some lovely new blogs over the last couple of weeks I have rediscovered my interest in soap making and home made cleaners. I have found some lovely recipes for these and am now trying to get the ingredients, hopefully locally. I don't know how hard these are to get yet.
♥
7. This will be a very busy 4 days ahead with Braedon's birthday and All Saints and All Souls preparations. Hopefully I will get some plans up before these two events. If not I will post the after posts, well after the 4 posts I have in draft waiting completion etc.
♥
Well that is all I have for this week. I Pray you all have a blessed and happy week.

For more inspirational 7 Quick Takes please visit Jen at Conversion Diary I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Blessings,

Small Successes 41

It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that.

1. I completely made over my Learning Blog with an entirely new look. I even made a new widget for it. This actually took longer than I thought it would, as I adjusted a 2 column blog to 3, readjusted the width of columns and the space inbetween and tried to get the header as I like it.
Well as close as I could anyway.

After much deliberation I have linked to it from this main blog. Please if you visit don't expect too much as it is just my thoughts and organisation for our Home Education. I often post education things from here anyway and didn't want to double post as I was sharing ideas.

2. We successfully cleaned and tidied the house for the Real Estate Agent to take new photos for the new add. Which haven't been updated yet though!
It took many hours of organising for 19 mins of photos. So all we need to do now is maintain it like this....well I can live in hope anyway.

3. I have started "D" week with the girls and almost finished getting the post ready for "C" week.
It isn't until I start to record these weeks I realise how much we actually do.
The older children have started their new unit studies and are going really well with them.

Bonus 4. We once again spent quite a bit of time outside playing together and enjoying the spring weather.

Well this is my list for this week. To enjoy some other wonderful Small Successes visit Faith and Family this week.

Blessings

Grocery Shopping

Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read "Heaven's Grocery Store".
As I got a little closer, the door came open wide.
When I came to myself, I was standing just inside.
I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere.
One handed me a basket and said, "My child, please shop with care".
Everything a Christian needed was in that Grocery Store.
All you couldn't carry, you could come back the next day for.
First, I got some PATIENCE; LOVE was in the very same row.
Further down was UNDERSTANDING, you needed it wherever you go.
I got a box or two of WISDOM, a bag or two of FAITH.
I just couldn't miss the HOLY SPIRIT, for He was all over the place!!
I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE to help me run this race.
By then my basket was getting full but...I remembered I needed some GRACE!
I didn't forget SALVATION, for SALVATION was free.
So I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started up to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
for I thought I had everything to do my Master's will.
As I wind up the aisle I saw PRAYER and I just had to put that in.
For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.
PEACE and JOY were plentiful; they were on the last shelf.
SONGS and PRAISES were hanging near, so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel, "How much do I owe?"
He just smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
Again I smiled at him and said, "How much do I owe?"
He smiled again and said......
"My child, JESUS PAID YOUR BILL A LONG TIME AGO!"

Another wonderful reminder of God's great plan.

Blessings,

Angel of God

Angel on my Shoulder

There's an angel on my shoulder,
Though I've never heard her sing,
I know she keeps me safe each day
And close beneath her wing.
My angel does not
Play a harp or rest
In clouds all day.
She's much too busy
Guarding me,
Keeping me from
Harm's way.
She rejoices in
My life's success
And weeps when
I'm in pain.
She picks me up
When I have failed
And helps me try again.
Tonight I'll say a prayer for her,
And thank the Lord above
For sending me an angel
To lead me with her love.

Every night I help our younger children say their Guardian Angel prayer. I found this so reassuring to read and I am thinking about how busy these special Angels are.

Blessings,

Hearts For Home ♥ ♥ 27th October

In today’s busy and aggressive society mothers at home are not given much encouragement to be committed to their role in being home.

In my weekly 'Hearts for Home' post I am encouraging myself and others to commit to thinking about what 4-6 things we can do each week to bring our thoughts, prayers and actions to keeping our 'Hearts for Home'.

I am praying that a spirit of gentleness, generosity in thoughts and time along with loveliness and grace would lead us to be all that God wants us to be.

I pray also that each person involved in 'Hearts for Home' would also pray for any others involved as well.

May you be blessed by this initiative. I pray it brings you and your family many blessings.

So each week list 4-6 things you will commit to that will keep your "Hearts for Home'.
Please leave a you name and a link to your blog (if you don't have one just leave your list in the comment box)and perhaps a comment so we can all see and encourage each other.

If you would like, add the 'Hearts for Home' logo to your side bar as a reminder of your goals.
God Bless you this week.

♥ Please leave a link to your Hearts for Home Edition on the Mister Linky at the end of the post, so we can all come and visit.
I would also appreciate you linking back here too.☺ ♥ ♥

I also have decided I need to print out my list so I can constantly refer to it and therefore keep it in my mind. I also need to have it put up where I can see it constantly.

My list for the 20th October is ♥ ♥

1. To live each day as it comes following this quote from Kung Foo Panda by Master Oogway:

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
BUT today is a gift ~
That is why it is called the Present

2. To enjoy the time with our children in the new lesson planning we have set up.

3. Be positive that everything is going to work out soon for us.

4. Actually work on my individual craft as well as craft with the children.

5. Enjoy the unfolding of the season with the children as we explore outside each day.

6. To create menu plans for Spring and Summer as well as the feast plans from now until the New Year.

Blessings,

A Simple Womans Daybook - Regrouping and Organising

A Simple Woman's Daybook 26th October~

Here is the link to Peggy's who is our Hostess for A Simple Womans Daybook. Hop on over and see what some others are doing this week.

Outside My Window ...
Overcast day with out much breeze so not a good drying day for the clothes.
***
I am listening to...
Children packing up lunch and getting organised to go shopping. Others are doing cleaning ready for tomorrow.
I am Praying about...
That the tact we have taken with the house,ie ~that we drastically reduce the price will lead to the sale of the house.
Please God allow this to happen soon, we all desperately want this.

A homeschooling mother of 9 who I only know slightly but who Father John asked me to visit as she is dying of Advanced Cervical Cancer.
Another mother of 9 who is very ill also.
That I can concentrate on reading and learning about Moran's various issues and start to make a difference with her.
***
I am thinking about...
How tiring it is to constantly get the house ready for NON buying people to look at.
How excited the children were to be starting the new Mini unit studies from now to Advent.
Planning our Advent learning for this year.
Planning for Christmas presents on a depleted budget.
I am thankful for...
A God I know who cares even as I doubt the waiting for things to happen.
Loving and industrious children who can be relied on to pull together when needed.
***
From the Kitchen...
Breakfast is cold cereal and tea/coffee.
Lunch is sandwiches
Dinner sizzle steak on the BBQ (no stove again) jacket potatoes in the microwave and green salad.
Morning tea - none, again no stove.
***
I am Reading...
The Out of Sync Child and The Kings of Clonmel in preparation for the NEW book due out on the 2nd of November, only in Australia.
Not much time for reading this week.
I am wearing..
Navy Blue straight skirt and lilac jumper(sweater) and tights and brown boots.
***
Looking to the Liturgical Year....
All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day Plans for this to come. (Yes I had this last week, I completely missed a week somewhere)
Prepare for Sunday Mass with the reading.
Make a concerted effort with our Prayer pegs this week
***
In our learning spaces...
Finish up our Assigned Reading for the Month and Maths
Start the new mini unit studies that the children have chosen. (Plans soon)
Learn 3 Christmas carols in preparation for Christmas.
Geography around Australia. (Plans soon)
Do "D" week for the The Alphabet Path with Moran, Myffwyn especially and Corbyn if he wants too.
Work through some of the crafts in the October Lesson Plans
Making Christmas presents
Start Monthly Outlines for Month of November
Around the house...
To get the house in "show room" condition and try to keep it like that.
***
I will claim a moment for myself...
Do some creative sewing
Go on an exercise walk three times this week, the girls are going to babysit in the afternoon for me. I just can't get up early enough to avoid carrying a small one with me.
***
My favourite thing at the moment...
Singing Christmas Carols. I love singing, I don't know how good I am but I have always sung to our children and we sing together still.
Great memories.A few extra plans for the week... YES THIS IS THE LIST FOR THIS WEEK, not last week.
Remember I lost last week.
Moran's Baptism Anniversary
Braedon's 18th Birthday. I am not sure if he actually wants to celebrate now or when we move so he can have a "celebratory" birthday.
On Friday Stephen is coming home so travel to Burnie to pick him up after taking Moran to Burnie at 12 noon for her appointment with the Occupational Therapist. Lots of travel this day.
Visit to the lady Father has asked me to. Hopefully Wednesday.
Start to organise the All Hallows Eve party, All Saints and All Souls day activities and food.
Start to plan for Advent and ChristmasA Goal for Myself...
To organise a Prayer, Exercise, Nature Rambles and Crafting and Sewing plan that allows me time to do each of these each day.
How on earth will I fit this in?
***
Picture thoughts I am sharing:
Jesus caring for the children in his care. I must remember he does want our best interests and things will happen in His time not ours.
So easy to say much harder to do, now more than ever as time marches on towards 4 years of separation.
I pray your own week will be full of Blessings.

Blessings,

Home is Where the Heart is

♥ Where The Heart Is ♥

♥ Home is where the heart is, the soul's bright guiding star. Home is where real love is, where our own dear ones are. Home means someone waiting to give a welcome smile. Home means peace and joy and rest and everything worthwhile. ~ Author Unknown

I love these sort of images of Home.
I have a lovely old book that has a written message about home. I will share it next after I take a photo of it.

Blessings,

Prayer

When praying the Angelus today we talked about the attitude of prayer and how different postures can mean different attitudes to prayer.
We discussed how in times gone past the Church bells would ring at 6am 12noon and 6pm for this prayer and how at midday people would stop work in the fields and begin to pray.

I must admit I find it hard to stop what I am doing to pray. If it is my 'dedicated' prayer time I am alright but these scheduled stops we have chosen as a family to add to our lives is a little harder.
How quick we can be to skip it just this once because we are busy with something else. But if we really want to we can always find the time for other less important things.

How I want to be like this Millet painting and put the things of this world behind the important things of God and my relationship with Him

Please pray for me in this desire for holiness that I to can put first things first.
Blessings,

Orchard House Circle -Week 2 Meeting and Plans for Week 3

This was our second week and we are enjoying reading aloud together and discussing the chapter. We discussed what we liked character wise about the girls this week. I am always inspired by Marmee and our girls each have a favourite character.
Autumn loves Jo, of course. Eden loves Meg and Vellvin loves sweet Beth.
Perhaps the girls relate to the characters they prefer.
I would certainly love to have Marmee's gracious manner and loving personality. I can only try to improve can't I?

We finished felting the socks and now we are working on patching jeans, mostly for Saxon.
Here is our room set up for our meeting. Once again the other children were coveting the goodies. We did have some prepared for them as well, Eden spent ages making her two Caramel Pies.
Tea time for Orchard House Circle and Little Flowers Plans
Eden's Caramel Pie to have with the Iced Coffee and Iced Chocolate. This was a very, very sweet pie. In fact, too sweet for us even with our sweet teeth.
Finished Notebooking Pages to add to the Home Management Folder.
Thank you to Jessica for sharing her pages
The girls in their Aprons they made during the week as per the homework.
Eden's Apron from the back she modified the pattern herself to make these straps
Plans for Week 3
Homework consists of :
1. Read The chapter on Faith from The Catholic Girls Guide
2. Work on Home Management Folder
3. Make a spring Skirt
4. Plan an age appropriate lesson for 1 of the younger children and do it with them
5. Write 5 ways you and our family live our Catholic Faith
6. Plan and organise the shopping and cook a meal for the family.
7. If you haven't read If Teacups could Talk ~ do so

The Tea lady for next week is Vellvin and we will be having Strawberries and Cream, cheese crackers, dip and vegetable sticks.
Special Coffee for Mummy and English Breakfast Tea for Autumn, Irish Breakfast Tea for Eden, and Be Happy Tea for Vellvin.

Blessings,

Along the Alphabet Path........ Week B

As I have been quite busy I haven't had time to post about our "B" week activities with the girls.
Well as we had quite a few feast days during this time as well as Daddy being home and special medical visits for Moran it actually took 3 weeks and then 2 to get to posting about it.
I am sure we are going to travel this journey at about 2 weeks per letter.
there seems so many books to read and so many activities to cover.
However I am certain this approach is really helping and working for Moran especially who in the past has not been able to retain any of the Alphabet learning I have tried to do with her.
Mostly for the "B" theme we read and looked at a lot of books and did some activities the girls were not really interested in the pages of writing and colouring I had prepared for them so there really isn't a lot to share with you . I also did not get as many pictures of them doing their work this time around either.
Here are some of the things we covered.
The girls made Banana cake with Saxon
BOOKS are a B theme and Myffwyn has developed a habit of looking at a lot of books. This is a new thing for her as of all our children she hasn't been one to sit still and 'read' books to herself.
On the theme of BOOKS Moran created a Library that everyone had to come to and borrow books from. This can be a little tiring for the borrowers who are expected to be frequent customers.
Saxon as he gets his library card.
Corbyn with his selection to borrow.
The books were placed all around the Lounge Room which became the Library and the Librarian was very good at packing up the books at the end of the day.
One of the books we read was Blueberries for Sal. This has got to be one book all the children have loved over the years.
After we read the book , as we have no Blueberry Bushes handy, I put out some Gnome Jewels that we have for Gnomes and Numbers.
I scattered the Jewels out on the Lounge room floor and the girls picked up the jewels, I mean Blueberries and put them int their buckets saying "Kaplink, kaplank, kaplunk."
This actually went on for hours with Corbyn joining in and I had to 'replant' the Blueberries.

We did do some worksheets but I was unable to find them for photos
These are the books we had in our Book Basket. We had divided them into B Themes.
I am not going to link to each book this week other wise I won't get this done at all. ☺

Above we have the Bear themed books which we read all of.
The Bee books we read these as well.
Butterfly books some of which we read and some just looked at.
Bird books. Once again some we read and some the girls just browsed through.
The saints for B week
Other B resources. The composer books to read and artists to colour in along with the Bugle Fairy
Non specific B books that we read. So many different ones to choose from.
The various B pages from the Alphabet books we own. We looked at these and talked about them
Cutting and glueing of Butterflies onto coloured paper.
We are making an alphabet book/folder with all the work pages the girls (and Corbyn when he participates) do.

We have finished "C" week that I need to now post on.

Blessings,