School Interviews:: 2012-2013

Once again the school year ends with some cool  pictures and a link up over at Amongst Lovely Things.  Sarah has started a trend with end-of-the-year folders.  We didn't get to do a 'yearbook' with our co-op this year so as a family we did elaborate a bit on our folders.  Here are the cover shots for my little brood.

Click on Sarah's blog to see some other great kids.

Send them a shout out too.

All kids deserve a congrats for their work.

~ Lucy ~

~ Max ~

~ Rose ~

~ Cecilia ~ 

O Heavenly Father, I commend my children unto Thee. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is wanting in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, to resist all solicitations to evil, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and confirm and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter.
Amen

Mexican Tissue Flower:: 411

  Scan the internet and you'll find a gazillion videos, DIY, & youtube videos on making tissue flowers.  I'm not going to join the swarm of tutorials, exactly.  But, I do want to have a little scrapbook of our flowers.  Just in case my kids want proof that I did make these.  

(with their help of course)

Our end of the year party for the home school group was themed 'fiesta'.  Fiestas are a visual feast for the eyes.  Tons of color everywhere. Perfect theme for making some of these beauties.

Pretty huh?

A comarde and I made these for Lucy's birthday once, like a hundred years ago it seems.  Sadly, I've never thought about doing it again before this occasion.  These are so easy to make, with so many options, that it's silly not to do more these...more often. 

The players are simple:

• a stack of tissue paper or crepe paper (colors of your choice)
• a good set of scissors
• twine or pipe cleaners
• a glass of wine  (this one is optional but, it made the folding more fun. Trust me.) 

The how:  Cut, stack, and fold

• First, cut down your chosen colors into the size your going to work with.  Most sites on the web give you dimensions (like here and here).  I just winged it.  I wanted a nice size flower so I went with a 6" across and 9" long cut.  Somehow I hope that measurement made sense LOL. 
• For a fluffy flower, nice and full, use a minimum of 6 sheets of tissue.
• Fold like an accordian from the short end up.  Example fold up one, turn the paper over and fold up again, turn the paper over, fold up again until you get to this point..

A nice long strip of paper

How wide the folds, depends on the look u want

The wider the fold the more flowery (that isn't a word, I know) the end result will be.
I went with 1".

• Wrap the folded tissue in the center with the pipe cleaner. Twist it around and you'll get: 

• Then clip the edge in a point or a curve (this will give your final flower some cool details)
• Start unfolding the top first tissue up and toward the center. Careful, tissue tear easily. 

Ask the husband to help.

The Lineman likes getting crafty with me.

final product..

Tah daaaah!

Now, decorate!!!

For Our Lady of Guadalupe

For Corpus Crisit

For St. Juan Diego

Think centerpiece
Think hair accessory

I did end up doing a tutorial after all.

Hopefully, the post will come in handy.

God bless!

7 Quick Takes :: SCHOOL IS OUT!

7 quick takes

(my very first)

-- 1 --

Well, kind of.  

Officially the kids are done.  No more assigned work in form of a schedule.  Our last ES meeting was this past Tuesday.  Per the charter school two of my kids are enrolled in, summer vacation is here.  That said, we still have some math to finish.  In fact, the kids will be plugging through more fun math, some historical reading, and music lessons.  

-- 2 --

A summer break with an ease of mind is desperately needed.  The kids are use to working through some subjects over the summer.  But, believe me this isn't going to be a summer school curriculum.  The fact is, we have a child who really needs to keep going over the break.  For this child, two and half months of NO MATH will mean hours of grueling reviews in September.  Did and done that! 

 It was horrible for me and horrible for the kid.

My SIL just shared a cool, and FREE, multiplication lapbook she found online.  It was super cute and looks like fun to do while we kick it by the pool.

See, fun math...

really!

(free lapbook is from homeschool share, love this site)

-- 3 --

My last week of school looked quite different than the kids'.  

As they were slowing down and having fun, I was gearing up for the fall.  

WHAT?!? Am I already planning for the next school year?  

Yep, I sure am.

All the shipping deals are happening right now.

There are tons of inexpensive, previously used items popping up at Cathswap.

The Southern Cali Catholic Education conference is just few weeks away.

My stuff needs to be sold and used.

So, I need to plan.  Have too.  Absolutely.

Plus, I enjoy the charts and notes I make.

And who doesn't like the postguy delivering new items for the school year?

It's great.

-- 4 --

Part of the end of the year excitement goes to planning and going to our

Co-op's last Mass and party.  A friend and I joined forces this time around.  We were in charge of the decorations for the dinner held after Mass.  Our theme this year was "fiesta"!  

How perfect, then, would banners of papel picado and Mexican tissue flowers be?

This one was my favorite.  

Now, If only the other pictures would download...

It all came out nicely.

-- 5--

Jen's #5 got me thinking about my own "About me" profile.  I remember agonizing over what to write.  I'm not a writer and I don't think I'm witty enough to come up with something catchy, quick, and descriptive.  In school (both high school and college) it would take my paragraphs to describe something.  I was, and still am, so long winded.  My goodness!  Just look at the quick takes on this post.  

I like witty.

I like...

Dwija

Margaret

Sarah's

There are more, I'm sure.  But, this is supposed to be quick take #5.

So, let's move on...

--6--

Got mulch?

Oh yea, 

we have lots of mulch.  Guess what we'll be doing on our first weekend of summer vacaaay?

-- 7 --

Sending my prayers for Dwija!

All my prayers and intentions!

Okay,

That was my quickie post

Jen has more for you over at

Conversion Diary.

{PHFR}:: Confirmation and stuff

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{Pretty}

Lucy was confirmed in her faith this past Friday.  The Sacrament of Confirmation was especially important for her.  Not that her baptism or First Holy Communion weren't, but she views this sacrament as the 'next' step in her faith.  As she sees it, her journey with and towards Jesus was sealed, significantly, with her saying yes to Him and to what ever He wills for her.

I wish I had her courage and piety.

The week before her sacrament I found this piece of material.

As a 'surprise' gift I cut out a new veil for her.

It was a light, white, flowery piece.

Very pretty.

And very Lucy.

Cutting around the edges of the roses was a bit unnerving.  

But, it did look lovely on her.

More, importantly she really liked it.

{Happy}

I was a happy camera clicking Momma the evening of her sacrament.
More pictures to come...

Thankfully, she was okay and 'happy' about the camera in her face every few seconds.

At least, I was happy.  The Lineman and I are realizing quickly that our first daughter is young lady now.  She is growing up faster than my heart, or mind, want to admit.

 {sigh}

{Funny}

There she blows!!

Way back in November, when we moved into our new home, I had bought The Lineman a blower for the yard work.  It has sat in it's box, next to our bed since I bought it.  That was SIX MONTHS AGO.

You see the box made for a very nice nightstand; of course after putting a sheet on top of it. 

And, we really needed a nightstand.

We finally took it out of the bedroom this past Monday.  

Now, it's become Cecilia's very own hair and body dryer!

Just kidding.

It'll be used for the yard work, promise.

Though, now we really need a table for our books and alarm clock.

{Real}

A fun group of friends;

all celebrating our kids' Sacrament of Confirmation.

Each teen sporting a cool new Holy Spirit T-Shirt.

And the girls standing together in faith.

Don't mess with these girls

They are 'On Fire'!

Another {real} moment occurred 

when these yummy cupcake were devoured 

within minutes of being set up.

Crumbs! Crumbs were the only thing left for us adults.  

Thanks for checking our our little moments!

Finally, a science textbook

Awesome news!

  Just fabulous!!

  Homeschoolers, there is a GIFT for U!!  

Many moons ago a great friend of ours began to venture into the teaching and writing world of science.  She had always been a scientist at heart; 

her mind just worked in the way of botany, biology, and organisms.  

This friend had an idea; that idea has been gifted to the home educating world.

Discovering Intelligent Design

by

Gary Kemper, Hallie Kemper and Casey Luskin

available here

Yes this is a TOTAL PLUG, absoluetely!  

Why?

Because, I took her course, I was one of many guinea piggies homeschooling parents that was asked to teach and study this book, and finally because this is a factual, evidence packed, science book that has inspired our kids to ask real questions about the science behind Darwin, evolution, and through investigation come to their own conclusions, that "life is complicated".

Our kids took this course in the 8th and 9th grades.  Which was, I think, a great starter point before they hit biology and chemistry classes.  They are there now and I can tell you by my own Lucy's experience, this book and course totally prepared her for those heavier classes.  

 "Discovering Intelligent Design is a comprehensive curriculum that presents both the biological and cosmological evidence in support of the theory of intelligent design. It equips young people and adults to critically analyze the arguments in the debate over evolution and intelligent design, and it encourages them to follow the evidence wherever it may lead."

From chapter 10

"... the biggest head-scratcher in evolutionary biology would have to be the origin of the holometabolous insect larva"

Why?  There is such a large jump in complexity for an organism to survive and complete metamorphosis that the theories explained in Darwinian evolution just don't cut it.  The book explains whys in laymen terms.

By the way,

There is also a workbook!

Also available here

*DISCLAIMER::

Yes, I personally know two of the authors.  Though, I was gifted the textbook and workbook I am not affiliated with the publishers and am NOT getting a single cent from this plug. 

 Honest!  

♥ May is for Mary ♥ (UPDATE)

UPDATE:
Boy, when I say that my head is split in a zillion ways I MEAN it!  

Kimberlee in NOT hosting an ATC swap this May.  When I went to Kimberlee's blog to check if she was hosting the Marian ATC swap; I didn't look closely at the dates.  Sorry folks, my apologies for those who saw my blunder.  

Still, I'll leave this up for the pictures of the girls.  And, have it too provide a good laugh at myself when my head gets too big.  {{insert BLUSH here}}.

I hosted our Little Flowers group last Friday; at the end of a very busy week.

Hasn't this word, busy, become a theme of this blog.  Any who...

So, since it was busy, I was less then ready eagerly prepared for the girls to show up.  Luckily, Jessica's idea for her own girls gave me an added project (and lift) to have for my young flock.

~ Cheerfulness ~

We started with a prayer and a discussion of this month's virtue; we also did a recap of all the virtues we've worked on this year.  On a side note; there is something quite wonderful when little girls tell you how each virtue has effected them.  All of the girls had a least one virtue that has been a little cross for her to bear.  They shared how in these months after our meetings they've tried their hardest to do better and sought out examples among the saints to help them.  How sweet these little girls!

~ Crafts ~

Now, what I had wanted to do with our extended Catholic home school co-op in the past, is join the Marian ATC Swap; hosted by Kimberly of Pondered in my Heart.  

What is an ATC swap?  Art trading cards that can be traded among each artist who joins the swap.  This is a whole family affair that is awesome.  Each card is an individual expression of our love and devotion to Our Blessed Momma!  And the kids get 'down' in their mini masterpieces.

We've joined in her Saints ATC Swap a couple of times (here and here) as a family.  But, the timing with the other families never quite seemed to come together in the past.  May is the (here's that word again) busiest time of the year for the co-op.

So!!! What a cool treat it was for our LF girls to join this time.  I didn't even know if Kimberly was hosting a swap this year, luckily for us... she IS!

This is a little peek into what our little ladies began working on last Friday...

I'm always excited to see what Rose comes up with.  

She is the 'artist' of the family.

 Our Cecilia fretted a bit about how to draw Momma Mary's eyes, 

but she got it together to produce a lovely card.

My niece's creation was equally as charming and she took care in creating her piece.

In addition to the ATC cards the girls completed their little gifts they started last month.  Little painted flower pots for their mommies this Mother's Day.  A gift of patience practiced by each girl.

I also made prayer cards for each girl to have and use this entire month of May.  I used the image of the Most Holy Name of Mary that Charolotte used on this post on her blog.

On the back of each card I printed the following prayer that Jessica mentioned and used from the Mondays With Mary A Celebration of Marian Feasts Throughout the Year:

“My Queen, My Mother, I give myself entirely to Thee, and to show my devotion to Thee, I consecrate to thee this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my entire self, without reserve. Wherefore, good Mother, as I am Thine own, keep me, defend me as Thy property and possession. Amen.”

Our families have been through the preparation prayer using the Total Consecration to Mary by Fr. Louis-Marie De Montfort.  It was a blessed 33 days of devotion and self giving.  But how much of that stays with a young child?  Rose and Cecilia didn't really go through the preparation like Lucy and myself did; the focus was really for Lucy.  

So using this beautiful prayer of consecration, shared by Jessica, was perfect!  The younger girls can totally use this short prayer.  And it's easy enough for them to get the meaning of what they are saying to Our Blessed Mother. 

"I give myself entirely to Thee"

I've asked them to pray this each morning for the entire month of May.  When we gather together again, in June, we hope to talk a bit on what differences they saw in giving themselves to Momma Mary each and every day.

We hope a big difference was noticed by both the girls and their families.  I'm personally hoping to see many fruits from their efforts :-)

You may use the document I made by clicking onto this site

(Download Consecration Prayer Card HERE)

{P, H, F, R} Washington D.C!

~ capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

Every Thursday a group follows along with 

the ladies of Like Mother, Like Daughter

Click on over and check it out

{Pretty}

Lucy and I tagged along with my SIL and her two eldest daughters to Washington D.C.  The trip was extra special because my niece had a very important  interview @ Christendom College in Virginia.

I know my camera didn't capture the beauty of this place.
Starting with the chapel @ Christendom early Friday morning.  It was absolutely breathtaking.  The chapel itself is cozy, the stain glass windows were a piece of art, & the smells of incense lingered well after the Mass was celebrated.

Upon the altar was Jesus in the Monstrance.
Patiently waiting for the students that were in attendance, adoring Him.

The other  two pictures were taken in Great Falls National Park.
Can I just say that George Washington was just the coolest president, ever!

The man was a genius.

To think that he looked out at the raging Potomac River and thought,
"Hey, we should use this river as a gateway to the west and truly unify our nation."
Perhaps he didn't say 'hey' but, you get the idea.
The place was awesome and we were impressed!!

{Happy}

Lucy and I @ Great Falls National Park

{Funny} 

You know you are a free spirited kid when you still skip to the tune of;
...We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz....

{Real}

The memorials of Washington D.C left us speechless.  

It was, though, a bit unnerving when we encountered several groups of teens (and even some families) goofing around. 

 One family thought it was a good idea to play a game of soccer in the middle of the World War II monument.  

Now, I get that kids will be kids.

I get that for many, these periods of American history are hard to connect too.

I get that for some, they are there because of a school group or family vacation.

And perhaps many just don't care.

But, for goodness sake!

Soccer?

This was one of a many quotes around the monument.

We all thought it spoke volumes

& 

deserved our respect.

We LOVED our trip

and hope to return very soon with the whole family.

Especially, now that we will have a relative in Virginia :-)