A busy week in pictures...

Here's a backwards look at our week, while we are often busy...thankfully we are not USUALLY this crazy....


Here are Jonathan and Madi working on their tests this morning. They both had History and Jonathan had Science as well. They've never actually taken tests until this year, but they are definitely getting the hang of it. Now after uploading all of these pictures, i better get off the computer and go correct those tests!!



Thursday was a calmer day with a few hours of babysitting, school at home, and PE. Jake is doing a Junie B Jones Time Pocket that I got free on currclick (Thanks Tiffany!) While he was cutting out some pumpkins for it he said, "Cutting is SO not my thing...riding my bike is my thing." He really has perfected his 2 wheel riding after being so squeemish about removing the training wheels. He can even stand up a pedal...when he showed me he said, "Don't freak out about this Mom!"

Wednesday Jonathan had an early orthodontist appointment during which I ran errands. Then it was more carschooling and the annual field trip to the symphony. On the way home the boys got haircuts, then it was American Kids' club at the library, a quick supper for the kids and time to drop them off at AWANA...Mike and I had a dinner date.






Tuesday we went to see Charlotte's Web, did school in the car, the kids had PE, we went to the park, took some sweaty pumpkin patch pictures so I could have a fall picture on my blog, (we helped unload all 4000 of these pumpkins the last week...thankfully it was much cooler that night!!) and then the kids had Theatre.








Monday we babysat all day, did school, made our first batch of homemade laundry soap...it came out good and makes a ton...this should last us a LONG time and costs under $2 for the whole thing! Plus we got Jonathan's 14 year old pictures taken and Madi had Church Choir in the evening.










Sunday between church in the morning and church in the afternoon (youth group and CCD) Meme and Grampa Carlie came over to celebrate Jonathan and Grampa Carlie's birthdays.

Daybook

For today...Monday morning October 5th.

Outside my window...The sun has come up, but I can still see the full moon from where I sit at the computer.

I am thinking...14 years ago today our three day old baby had high bilirubin, seizures, a stoke, and a low blood sugar level that was undetectable and was readmitted to the hospital in Pediatric ICU. 16 years ago yesterday Mike asked me to marry him. 64 years ago Saturday my Memere gave birth to my father (a one armed doctor delivered him). Two years ago Friday Mike had an ERCP which resulted in acute pancreatitis and almost died. 14 years ago Friday Jonathan was born.

I am thankful...that today everyone is healthy, and that we have so many family stories.

From the kitchen...I just grated a bar of Fels Naptha in an attempt to make our own laundry soap. I will get meatballs in the crock pot shortly.

From the learning rooms...the schoolwork is up on the white board, but no one has looked at it yet!

I am reading...the same books as last week...it was a very slow reading week!

I am praying...for health and financial stability for sooo many people.

Here's a quote to ponder...There are two ways to live your life. One as though nothing is a miracle. The other, as though everything is.--Albert Einstein

I am listening to...myself tell Jonathan and Madi to get out of bed and start their day (they, however, are not listening)

Around the house...we changed the "library" (front room) again, now the table is in the middle of the room, we can play games there and I think it is more functional.

In our yard...I really think the weeds are taking over and it frustrates me to no end.

One of my favorite things...all of the family stories we remember and share.

I am "googling"...homemade laundry soap recipes.

I am DVR-ing...Oprah for probably the first time in my life because Journey's new lead singer is going to be on today.

I am going...to be babysitting all day today.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a busy field trip week...Charlotte's Web on Tuesday and the Symphony on Wednesday. Hoping to have friends over for dinner on Thursday, an orthodontist appointment for Jonathan, Mike and I are going to a 50's dance with my parents on Saturday night, plus all the typical stuff...more babysitting, schoolwork, AWANA, Theatre, PE, and much more. (there may not even be a time to go to Disney this week...can you imagine?!)

Some picture thoughts...

Jonathan is 14!!

We unloaded between 4000 and 5000 pumpkins for the AWANA pumpkin patch fundraiser last night and my camera had dead batteries (so we have to wait for OBM to forward us some that she took). Today we celebrated Jonathan's 14th birthday at EPCOT...where he got a $79 gift card from Disney...and again, forgot to get new batteries (we aren't crazy enough to pay Disney prices for batteries, so I had to take pictures with my phone this afternoon). There is so much that I could say about Jonathan on the anniversary of his birth. He really acclerated us into parenthood with his seizures and stroke at 3 days old. We wouldn't be nearly the parents we are today without our "early days of Jonathan" experiences. This is the first birthday that he is taller than me, he has started shaving, and is talking like a man (most of the time)...we've all come along way. With his free birthday money from Disney, he bought himself a big coke bottle bank and used the rest for birthday and Christmas presents for others. I couldn't ask for a nicer son than that! Two years ago, he had his worst birthday ever when Mike had to be rushed to the hospital and almost died. One year later on Jonathan's 13th birthday, Mike and Jonathan had a great day at the first ever Tampa Bay Rays playoff game. This birthday has been a full one too, we started the day at First Friday Mass as a family (Mike plans to always take October 2nd off), enjoyed the beautiful weather and a Mexican lunch at EPCOT, got back in time for Theatre (where all 50 kids sang Happy Birthday to Jonathan), and now have a housefull of some of the nicest young men you'd ever want to meet. They've played chess, four-square, football, apples to apples, eaten plenty of pizza and cake, and are now relaxing with a movie. On Jonathan's 6th birthday (just a few weeks after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks) Jonathan collected money to donate to the Red Cross. In the 8 years since then Jonathan's heart and compassion for others has only grown stronger. I am so proud of the man he is becoming.




and here are Madi and Jake from EPCOT today...

Daybook

For today...Sunday night September 27, 2009. Our "Auntie" who we miss so much passed away 5 years ago tomorrow.

Outside my window...it is dark, by the end of the week we should be able to turn off the AC and open the windows.

I am thinking...about so many things not the least of which is what a fun and FULL weekend it was. Yesterday we met Meme and Grampa Carlie for lunch and because it was "free museum day" we went to an art museum and sculpture garden, then we went to 4:00 Mass, then came home to eat supper, then Mike and I had Theatre work to do including selling tickets and watching a funny play, in the middle of all that we also cleaned out and defrosted our refrigerator and got the fall decorations down from the attic, and Jake perfected his ability to ride his bike without training wheels. Then today we went to Disney and then to BJs on the way home...I am worn out!!
Never one to hide his feelings, walking into the museum Jake said, "Whose idea was this anyway?"

Eventually the kids decided to be statues themselves.







I am thankful...that we are getting 15 months of Disney for the price of 12, and with the amount of times we go it amounts to about $5 a day!!


From the kitchen...the delicious smell of bread baking if filling the house, the only reason I'm still awake doing this is because I'm waiting for the bread to be done. Lots of yummy meals to come this week, since we just made a BJs run!! Chicken cobbler casserole is on the list, vegetable soup, and much more.

From the learning rooms...Catholic book club tomorrow. Jake will continue a few more days of The Bee Tree for FIAR, then I think we'll do Ferdinand next over the course of a week and a half because we have some busy field trip days coming up. Jonathan's Algebra 1 arrived in the mail and if his other math isn't done by the fifth, he'll be doing two different math programs each day. Madi's science was about the sun this week and as I was reading some of it with her I couldn't help but wonder how people who don't have the comfort that comes from the belief in God actually get out of bed in the morning. I mean everything about the placement of the earth, the heat of the sun, gravity, is so specific, if something changed a miniscule amount everything would be different. I mean we know God made it all and is in control, but how to people who don't know that fuction each day?


I am reading...I put A Tree Grows in Brooklyn aside (even though I'm liking it a lot) to read The Prince of Tides for a bookclub that I probably won't attend anyway (I mean how many bookclubs can one person really be a part of?)...it is REALLY long, and I have a really LONG way to go, but I'm liking that too. As a family we are listening to the Trumpet of the Swan. I'm also thinking I should read Charlotte's Web to Jake before we go see that play next week.

I am praying...for many people and enjoying watching those prayers be answered.

Here's a quote to ponder...
Isn't that a perfect homeschooling mom's shirt?!

I am listening to...the kids laughing hysterically downstairs when they really should be getting ready for bed.

Around the house...the bread "beeped" and I can go to bed shortly.

In our yard...the raintree is full of yellow flowers.



One of my favorite things...Disney!!

I am "googling"...after the Journey concert I googled them and found out that they found this new guy (who sounds EXACTLY like Steve Perry) on you tube!! He was in a Journey cover band in the Philippines!

I am DVR-ing...still Dancing with the Stars and the Brady Bunch. We have a lot of Leave it to Beavers to watch too!

I am going...to sleep good tonight (I hope!).

A few plans for the rest of the week...in addition to the usual, we will be celebrating Mike and Jonathan on Friday...Mike because two years ago on that day he almost died, and Jonathan because 14 (yes FOURTEEN) years ago that day he was born!!! Mike's not working that day. We'll go to EPCOT for Jonathan to get his Disney birthday money, then home in time for Theatre. Then Mike and I will prepare for the onslaught of a bunch of big boys here for pizza, cake, football, a fire, movies, games, and lots of laughs.

Some picture thoughts...
I've kept my haircut a secret from my blog and facebook because I wanted to surprise my mother in person, but now that she's seen it, I can put it here. Keep in mind I hate pictures of myself and I think I have "hat head" in this picture.

Thoughts and pictures

I like fall as much as the next person, and I'll be thrilled when the high temperatures are about 10 degrees cooler than they are now, but I get very tired of the argument that Florida doesn't have a change of seasons. You just have to know where to look. Granted we don't have the vibrant colored leaves of New England, but for that beauty, Northerners also have to endure 6 months of grey. I'll take the few kinds of Florida trees that gradually change color and lose their leaves continuously from November through February. Especially because during that time most everything else stays green, and different flowers continue to bloom. Green is better than grey anyday!! The kids have been spending countless hours over the last few days riding bikes and scooters outside...they didn't do this in June, July and August during the day, it was too hot. They can do it now though, and for the next nine months and be quite comfortable.




Diwali is an Indian Hindu New Year celebration. Followers of the Hindu religion hang beautiful sand art paintings on their door to welcome visitors during this celebration. Interestingly enough, these are very similar to the saw dust carpets that we learned about and made last year, that Roman Catholics in Guatemala make and lay out as part of Palm Sunday celebrations.





Buddhist Monks in Medieval India painted "frescoes" on wet plaster on cave walls.




Last week while studying the Byzantine Empire, Jonathan and Madi made mosaics.




Not only just Jake use accents and intonations when he reads aloud...he does it upsidedown!

Daybook

For today...Sunday night September 20, 2009.

Outside my window...it is dark, there was some far off lightning before, but I don't think it's going to rain.

I am thinking...about the the girls in the CCD class that I am teaching.

I am thankful...for the opportunity to homeschool.

From the kitchen...Mike made yummy chicken on the grill with rice and corn tonight. We are trying to clean out our refrigerator because the water on the door is frozen and the only way to defrost the freezer is to defrost the refrigerator too.

From the learning rooms...Jake is going to do The Bee Tree for FIAR this week and we're also setting up a science basket with bee books that I got from here. Jonathan and Madi are moving right along, we are in chapter 5 of Story of the World vol 2 and will be learning about the Medieval Indian Empire. Jonathan had some cool science experiments of Friday in cluding making boats out of cardboard and giving them different motors (one made our of gum, one made with a tissue and one with soap) the "soap boat" cruised through the bath tub because soap breaks the surface tension of the water. He also did my favorite experiment with the pepper sprinkled on the water and when you touch it with soap the pepper moves away.


I am reading...A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, I just started it today. I'm reading the same books as last week with the kids.

I am praying...for Mike's mother and a lot of other people.

Here's a quote to ponder...Do It Anyway
Sign In Mother Teresa's Office

People are unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered,

LOVE THEM ANYWAY


If you do good, people will
accuse you of selfish,
ulterior motives,

DO GOOD ANYWAY


If you are successful, you win
false friends and true enemies,

SUCCEED ANYWAY


The good you do will
be forgotten tomorrow,

DO GOOD ANYWAY


Honesty and frankness
make you vulnerable,

BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY


What you spent years building
may be destroyed overnight,

BUILD ANYWAY


People really need help but
may attack you if you help them,

HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY


Give the world the best you
have and you'll get kicked
in the teeth,

GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY.


From a sign on the wall
of Shishu Bhavan,
the Children's home in Calcutta

I am listening to...Jake calling me into his room to read to him.

Around the house...everyone's getting ready for bed.

In our yard...we see the hummingbirds every night now!!


One of my favorite things...fall.

I am "googling"...an image of a palm tree for out "symbol" for the football pool that Mike is invloved in.

I am DVR-ing...Dancing with the Stars which starts tomorrow and the brady Bunch which we never get tired of.

I am going...to read to Jake and go to bed.

A few plans for the rest of the week...out with friends tomorrow night, Mike and I are going to see Journey and Night Ranger on Wed night, we might make an offer on a pop-up camper, and in between lots of school work, babysitting, driving kids, etc...

Some picture thoughts...