It Might Not Arrive Before Christmas

Does anyone else despise trips to the post office?  I put off mailing packages until it just cannot be put off any longer. I've hear there is a way to pay the postage online and print a label for the package. It sounds like a great alternative, but these packages will not fit in my mailbox.

Today is the day to build a bridge and get over it. Off to the post office I go with only 2 boys in tow. The lines are shorted than usual. I imagine most prefer to shop and ship online for out of town loved ones. I am bargain hunting too much for that this year. So we are at the post office. It isn't too long before we approach the counter and unload the gifts for inspection and postage. I decline to add extra postage to send the items express mail and the clerk almost goes postal on me:

YOU KNOW THEY PROBABLY WON'T ARRIVE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

That's fine, as long as they arrive before Epiphany. After all, Christmas is a season, not just a holiday. Did I just grow a third head? It doesn't go over very well with the post office worker.

Honestly, if it was up to me, we would let Advent be Advent and not even put up the tree until Christmas Eve. We would delay our gift exchange until the feast of the Epiphany. I am totally disgusted with the commercialism that has stolen our holy season. The girls are all on board with the idea of modifying our tradition. After all, we are unconventional homeschooling DIYers.  But the males in the family have other opinions. They like keeping our customs as usual. So we compromise. We do hold out until the pink candle is lit. After all, there should be some joy on Gaudete Sunday. Even then I drag my feet. This year my husband comes up to the class room to remind me that the house is not yet decorated and it just doesn't feel like Christmas. I remind him that it actually isn't Christmas, just yet. But it is the eve before we would light the pink candle so technically he is free to let the children have at the tree and decorations.  Everything comes down from the attic and the house is soon abuzz with excitement. I continue to grade papers, not because I am disinterested, but because I don’t want to ruin it. You know how I am. Every piece of tissue that hits the floor as each ornament is unwrapped will be scooped up and deposited into the nearest trash can. The furniture will need to be adjusted to accommodate the tree, but then there will be a mound of dust bunnies to sweep up and so on. Certainly it will be better for mom to cozy up with a cup of tea and a stack of essays while the family has at it downstairs. After an hour or so, Dear Husband trods back upstairs.

It just isn't the same without you.

I concede.  How long do you think it takes for everyone to drop the project and head to the future "man cave" in the garage to watch the football game? I will tell you. Exactly 15 minutes. I am left in the middle of a disaster area. It looks like the holiday isle at Wal-Mart blew up in my living room. So I reorganize the boxes, discard the trash, move the furniture, sweep the dust bunnies (and the crackers, and candy wrappers, and pencils, and unrecognizable food items), rearrange the room, decorate the mantle, wrapped garland around the stair rail, and display the nativity sets. 
See the light flash in the window? 
That was lovingly placed there by my angel, Gina. Regina came back inside to lovingly unwrap and admire each ornament. If only I could see this project through her eyes. Christ asks me, everyday, to be like this precious child. 


DH comes in at half time, in quite a huff. Is his team losing? Probably, but he is really upset that we didn't decorate as a family. OK. I know I should have ignored the mess and hid in the classroom with my hot tea and papers at least until the game was over. But my obsessive/compulsive Martha side would not allow it. Didn't I warn him?

New Art Medium

Her name is Kseniya and her passion is enthralling. Witness the magic here.

The Catholicism Project

Adding Fr. Bannon  to the Be Not Afraid Hall of Fame.
Support the Catholicism Project.

HT Creative Minority Report

Punished for Reading?

MOM!!!! She did it again!  Everytime I check out a book from the library she reads it in an hour, then starts to tell me what it is about.  

I suppose I should sympathize, after all she was supposed to be gathering her papers for me to grade. But I just have to laugh when little sister wipes out 2 novels in the time it takes us to go over the high school math and theology assignments. If she could only clean her room as fast! Probably could, if she wasn't hiding in a corner reading her brother's library collection.

Feast of St. Nick

Dear Husband slips out the door to gather damp wood and  twigs for a surprise. Soon enough, the children are snuggled in sleeping bags next to a crackling fire. They strain to hear each sizzle and hiss until the fireplace sounds lull them to sleep. We began this tradition 3 years ago when I refused leave the living room until the last spark had died out. The kids gathered around to keep me company and we all rested in the quiet of night as the embers slowly dimmed into ash.  Shoes lined the hallway, awaiting treats from St. Nick. It would only be a small treat to prefigure the celebration to come.  But like the other feasts that we observe, it is a reminder of our heritage as Catholics. It is a reminder of the gifts of our faith. It is a time to celebrate our redemption. It will always define us. We are Classically Catholic, and we love this beautiful preparation called Advent.

God bless you all, and to all, a good night ;)

Need A Little Help?

The Khan Academy and Salman Khan have received a 2009 Tech Award in Education

This is the place to find answers to those pesky math, economics and science questions that make some of us want to farm out the tough subjects during high school. If you need an explanation or a short tutorial to supplement the textbook, this site is a lifesaver.  Hat Tip to Cathy, my new FB friend of a friend.

Happy New Year!

“Advent invites us to pause in silence to grasp a presence” 

Pope Benedict XVI

What is your * New Year's * Resolution?

Thankful For Safe Travel

Thanksgiving was a bit chaotic, a bit  unbelievably loud, and totally wonderful this year. Dear husband and the menfolk were overseeing the big turkey fry, while the kids took shifts in the kitchen preparing their favorite side dishes.
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My 13 year old reminded his younger brothers how awesome this feast would be and displayed his history lapbook on the buffet.

 My grandson arrived from Georgia with his mom Monday evening. Unfortunately, my son in law was grounded on the Army base, waiting to hear if he will be deployed again.  There is a prayerful chance that he will be discharged before Christmas (only 3 months behind schedule).

The newlyweds came in from Maryland and Texas on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.  One son was working on the boat for the holiday, but he spent the Feast of Christ the King with us and will hopefully be back in time for Christmas. It is nearly impossible to get everyone together for a meal, much less a week long get together these days. We practically need to host a wedding if I want a family picture.

My Mom, two brothers, a sister-in-law, one niece, and two nephews also joined us for the day. We cooked, ate, drank, played Bocce, ate more, played chess / checkers / Bananagrams / Wii, and ate some more. My Mom and brothers' families left around 10 pm, but we were up with kids until midnight just chatting, debating, and solving all of the problems of the world. The sensible ones went to bed while the die hards (all female) planned a shopping spree.

The house is quiet now and I am Thankful for this visit. It will be quite a while before we can all sit around the kitchen to share embarrassing stories about each other and laugh over a glass of wine or eggnog. I am thankful that everyone arrived safely and pray that they will return safely. I am also most thankful that next year we will need to set another place at the table because God is blessing us with a new grandchild!

Baby It's Cold Outside

The weather has been wet and chilly this week. We've been out in the damp cold most of the weekend and everyone is exhausted. Good excuse for a cozy fire and some indoor down time. Mom is a-blogging, the younger kids are finishing up their alloted time for video games, the teens are facebooking about the birth of Silvester TheTimewarp (don't ask), and Dad is resting a hockey elbow on ice while he watches the football game. Queena made an animated movie and the youngest, well he is a wii bit tired.

Here is the movie created by our girl, Queena:

Are They All Yours?

It is a constant battle to find a charitable response to that question that I've been asked at least weekly for the past 18 years:

"Are they all yours?"

Just this week, at the salon, my hair dresser was asking about our Thanksgiving plans when a customer in the next chair made a snide comment about how long it was taking her to cut my hair. His barber asked if he had any idea how many children I had- as though it was somehow tied to the number of minutes it would take to coiffe my hair. When the big number was dropped, he sardonically asked if I had a television set. My answer was "Who needs a TV when I've  got my own reality show?"  It was good for a laugh, but I would much rather have responded with the eloquence of the Philosopher Mom in my favorite post of the week: Hope Is A Thing With Feathers.


Hat tip to Jennifer at Conversion Diary.

What's New?

The weather has been more cooperative so the boys can now race around the yard like super heroes after lunch. This makes all the difference for homeschooling the high schoolers.  A quiet house with fewer distractions are both benefits of the nicer weather. It also makes it easier to get those grades averaged and recorded to mark the end of the nine weeks. As we end the first quarter (albeit 2 weeks later than everyone else) I can see more clearly what is working and what is not. It is always helpful to analyze and readjust periodically to keep us on track.

The Works For Us category includes:

Science Co-ops - My 11th grader is attending a weekly Chemistry co-op with an amazing teacher. Not only is she learning the basics of high school chemistry, but also note-taking and study skills that will prepare her for college.  The junior high teens are just around the corner during the same block of time studying physical science.While they are attending Friday afternoon classes, I have time to work individually with the younger children.  And as icing on the cake: A dear friend has volunteered to take my younger kids to an elementary school science co-op on Tuesdays! I owe her BIG TIME! Finally, I have time to work with the teens without the usual distractions of bored and incessantly hungry siblings. There are no words to express my appreciation for the women who host these weekly sessions for the local home schoolers. The kids are loving the time with their friends and they are really learning more when all is said and done.

History Co-op-This is our turn to pay it back. The American History group meets here on Wednesday afternoons.  It is a small group but we are looking for extra participants for the upcoming Civil War Re-enactment.  I cannot wait till we begin preparation.  The boys are ready to scout the Good Will Store for Navy blue and Gray.  I will be online with my Maryland friends to get all of the details from their successful encampment.

Ballet Class- Three daughters are taking ballet this year and of course, they are scheduled on different days. Luckily for me, the library is across the street and the adoration chapel just a block away.  On Mondays while the younger girls are in class, my 16 year old babysits so I can have an hour before the Blessed Sacrament.  What a gift!  Then when the 16 year old has ballet on Tuesdays, I bring everyone else to the library.  My family LOVES the library.  This gives me an hour or more to grade papers without interruption. There is also the added benefit of a perfectly quiet house for the rest of the evening (since everyone has his nose in a book). Since dance classes are held in the late afternoon, we still make it home in time for dinner as a family. Another gift!

Piano lessons- My next door neighbor is a music instructor for the local schools, and offers piano lessons in her home after work. On top of the convenient location, she charges about half of the going rate. What a score! Unfortunately she only had room in her schedule for 2 new students.

Hockey-  The boys are not into ballet, but they certainly love to practice stick handling and deeking their opponents on the hockey rink. Dear husband takes the rest of the family to the inline rink, which is 40 miles away, while I connect with women at our parish for a Bible study. This is our crazy night out with no time for a real dinner together. But so far it has been great fun and worth the extra drive for the boys. I love my time with the women to discuss our roles as mothers, wives, and daughters of the King. Very refreshing for everyone. Then on Saturday mornings the boys have scheduled games and I get to go to the gym for a guilt free workout.

Kolbe Writing/Literature/Theology/History with Enhanced Evaluation- Now that's a mouthful. We are using the 9th grade writing program to develop basic rhetorical skills, and 12th grade Lit/Hist/Theology since they are better integrated with our American History Unit.  This is only the second time I have used a boxed curriculum in all my years of home education. By opting for the Enhanced Evaluation Service, my daughter has the opportunity to get another perspective on her writing.  She is learning very quickly that mom isn't the only one who will challenge her beyond her comfort zone. So far I am very pleased with the course selections, paper topics, and instruction she is receiving. Today she participated in an online symposium to discuss if man can truly be good without God. I was impressed by the student's comments. Socratic discussion rocks!

Crock pot meals- This morning our entire dinner meal was prepped in the crock pot in less than ten minutes. I switched it on and went to mass.  After mass, I simply lowered the cooking temperature and forgot about it for the rest of the day. Smells wonderful now.  A crock pot is, in my not so humble opinion,  indispensable for a homeschooling family. We have many favorite recipes on file for busy days.

What Isn't Working?

Ballet Lessons 4 days a week- had to drop the extra 2 days. The girls would benefit from 2 classes each per week, but the schedule was really crunched. Besides, we do not need more than 2 hours a week at the library. So I nixed it.

Hockey 3 days a week- We also had to drop the second day of hockey practice. Once a week practice with games on Saturday are enough for us. Maybe in the summer we can add the extra practice at the rink. For now the boys will have to practice skating and moving the puck around the drive way after school. I am a mean mom with too many pesky rules.  The boys actually do not mind. They love the freedom to play "unorganized sports" too.

Morning Piano lessons-  Since our neighbor did not have room for extra students, two of my younger children began lessons with a very talented homeschooler on Friday mornings. She is wonderful with her students and they are learning very quickly. But- and this is a VERY BIG BUT- once we leave the house for an activity it is almost impossible to get everyone back on task. Fridays are especially difficult since we have to finish schoolwork early enough to get everyone to Science co-op by 1:00.  I dread cancelling these lessons, but sometime you just gotta do it. I am a VERY MEAN MOM.  There has to be another way but we haven't figured it out, yet.

Boxed Curriculum- Let's face it. I am a do it yourselfer. It is very difficult for me to follow someone else's lesson plans. I like to coordinate all grade levels to cover the same basic time period and literature unit simultaneously. But for various reasons I did choose to use Kolbe for my high school junior. Overall I am pleased with the materials, especially since Kolbe follows the classical approach emphasizing primary sources. However, there were so many frustrating mix ups with our lesson plans and textbook order that dear daughter was unable to begin school on time. The staff was very apologetic and did work diligently to rectify the mix up, but it was a time consuming and expensive experience.  Dear daughter is now 2-3 weeks behind the syllabus and I am wondering why I spent so much money for this "service" that was supposed to make my life easier. Hopefully the kinks have been worked out and classes will run smoothly from now on.

Rain- I must complain to those in charge about weeks of continuous rain. How am I to keep order in the homeschool when my bouncy tiggerish boys are wrestling around the living room and using the sofa as a trampoline? Mean Mom was on call for too many days weeks in a row.  I am however, grateful for the reprieve of the past couple of days.  I would like to put in a request that it only rain on days when we can schedule time at the gym or hockey rink. Otherwise, please let the skies rumble at night. We do not mind being lulled to sleep by a gentle storm, as long as the sun shines in the morning. After all, I do have a reputation for being solar powered.

Their Inheritance

Rain, Rain, Rain! What's An Active Family To Do?

What do you do when it rains, and rains and rains with no end in sight? I planned the weekly menu, then cooked something yummy to make the house smell delish and cozy.

Dad used his time to review those pesky math lessons with one not so enthusiastic student.

                                           

After a few days of rain we begin trying to put a new spin on old craft ideas to make the time inside more bearable. We tried three different recipes before finding the perfect Koolaid scented dough.  Cornstarch and salt worked much better than flour concoctions.

Combine 2 cups table salt with 1 cup cornstarch in a saucepan.Add 1 cup water.

Stir constantly while cooking over low heat until the mixture is stiff.Add 1 package of powdered drink mix (the colors will be more vibrant and it will smell good enough to eat).Allow to cool a bit and then knead.

                      

  

 But tutti-fruiti clay didn't excite the older kids, so they cheered us up with a little music. Queena perform a puppet show for Uncle Nick and the dog. The 12:45 show was "Noah's Ark."  How appropriate.

Perhaps a Bionicle movie is more your speed.  How many still life pictures does it take to make a 5 minute movie. Apparently more than the battery life in our camera.

   

After days and days of rain we just had to give it up. Are you ready for some football? The school uniform color for today: Muddy Brown. Maybe I should just Oxyclean everyone on the patio before allowing re-entry.

 Boy oh boy- Whatcha gonna do?

Refreshing - Affirming - Made My Day!

Sometimes I need to be reminded of the goodness in this world. Today especially. This was a gift.

Simple Victories

• Victory #1: I recently discovered that a foil wrapped potatoes and a frozen roast can be seasoned before breakfast and placed in the oven to be auto roasted at 4:30 pm using the delay start timer. Results:  DH comes home to an amazing meal instead of a wife who says, "Is it really 5:30? I'd better start dinner."  
• Victory #2: If  you use the oven stop time function, you won't forget the bread.  There is a running joke around here that the smoke alarm is our dinner bell. I always put in a loaf of Italian bread or rolls to reheat, just before someone REALLLLY needs my attention. And then it goes off, reminding me that there is only a 2 minute difference between the aroma of baked bread and the stench of charcoaled rolls. 
• Victory #3: Spent $135 at the grocery store this morning, but since I took extra time to plan the meals, write a grocery list, and cut a few coupons, my savings were more than $95. Three of the items were free. Score!  I am set to feed a family of 10 for a week.