What I Loved About Last Week (49th Ed.)

1. Last Saturday morning, Kansas Dad made blintzes for us using a recipe we found in How Mama Brought the Spring (which we read in our Preschool Reading Around the World lessons). First Daughter wanted to make them, but we had to find the right time. Saturday was the feast of St. Bruno, one of our family's patron saints, so it seemed fitting to have a celebration (even if St. Bruno probably never ate a blintz).

Let me tell you something: they were fantastic. Heavenly! Definitely not in the P90X nutrition plan. All the kids tried them, but I think First Son was the only kid who really liked them.

2. First Son served Mass again on Sunday. I missed it, staying home with a sick Second Son, but I love how he loves to serve.

3. I love taking First Son to his soccer practice. Once a week, I lounge blissfully in the silence of the van, watching him run around and reading. Kansas Dad and the girls always make an effort to clean up the living room while we're gone, too.

4. Girls Night! The girls and I decorated Halloween and fall cookies with friends. Well, the girls decorated and the moms talked. Fun! I think we're going to try to meet up regularly, just us girls.

5. I taught my very first Level I Catechesis class by myself this past week. You would not believe how nervous I was about presenting the Sign of the Cross to ten 3-6 year olds! It was just fine, of course! Second Daughter did not behave very well during the class, but I was assured by the regular teacher that she doesn't usually have so many problems. I guess she was just acting out for her mom! (She does that all the time.)

6. I helped clean our church for the first time this week. First Son helped us without any complaining. Second Son sat quietly in the back room watching a movie on the Kindle. (He was so good! And cute!) I was reminded of the lovely story in this book often as I vacuumed. What a wonderful gift it would be to forget self entirely before our Lord!

7. Surviving a messy homeschool week. This week we had a physics experiment that involved flying flour, three presentations on volume in math that involved pouring cups and cups of water, and painting in art. It's a bit of a miracle that my children survived my stress relatively unscathed, but perhaps they were too distracted by all the flying flour. (And somehow, First Daughter and I both stepped in green paint. I never could find it and we didn't seem to track it everywhere, but if you come for a visit please don't look too closely at our floors.) Then, on Friday, I sent the girls out to play in the rain and the mist and the mud. I told Kansas Dad I deserved some sort of Charlotte Mason reward for that.

What I Loved About Last Week (10th Ed.)

1. Second Son's 15 month well child appointment. The appointment itself was uneventful other than the fact that it happened. Due to various circumstances, it had been rescheduled twice. Third time's the charm. He's healthy and on track (despite not saying Mama yet; I think he can and just refuses). He weights 25 pounds and some ounces (65% for weight and 50% for height). The other kids were remarkably good, thanks to the goodie bag I had left in the van stocked with dot-to-dots, coloring books, and boxes of crayons.

2. Geoboards. First Son made a pirate ship.

3. Second Daughter's creativity. This is a ghost she made for me; it's actually "You, Mom, when you are a ghost without arms." I'm not quite sure what to make of that, so I choose to be delighted in her creativity.

3. Second Daughter's hair styling skills.

5. Messy baby pictures.

6. Second Son reading the Sunday paper.

7. First Daughter's reading lessons, which took a dramatic turn for the better this week. Without whining, giggling, complaining, or dramatics, she read. Just read, and quite well. Let's hope it continues after our Thanksgiving break.

8. Our first week without choir, and anticipating the coming week without choir or Catechesis. In fact, we're taking the week off.

9. Our story hour Thanksgiving celebration, when all the families gathered for the full meal. We have such a wonderful community!

10. Dear friends, who watched our four kids on top of their own five so I could join Kansas Dad for a treat - dinner out with another university couple and a visiting professor. We talked about politics, culture, American and British comparisons, and theology (of course) and generally had a lovely evening. Nobody spilled anything. Nobody fell off his or her chair. Nobody refused to eat dinner. Someday soon we hope to return the favor so our friends can enjoy an evening out.

11. The upcoming Thanksgiving, when I have the opportunity to eat so many of my favorite foods, Kansas Dad's apple herb stuffing being very high on that list. If I'm not too overwhelmed by cleaning before the holiday, I'm going to try to make some cinnamon babka. Mmmm...

12. Christmas shopping. I picked a fun toy for my parents to give Second Son (with the other gifts left to choose). We've also picked some special gifts for Grammy and Paw Paw to give the kids. They are so very generous and our children are going to be thrilled!

Have a marvelous Thanksgiving! When I post "What I Loved About Last Week" next week...it'll be Advent!

She's At It Again

I thought to myself, She's buckled into her seat at the table...how much mayhem can she cause? and turned to tackle some dishes. Three minutes later, I find this:


In theory, it's washable marker. I'm seriously considering throwing away all the non-washable ones we have. I just don't think we can supervise her closely enough!

Of course, it could have been worse. She could have drawn on her face.

First Daughter's Facial

First Daughter has a habit of getting into stuff. Yesterday, while her brother and dad were occupied with shark endeavors, she was munching on some cereal. Kansas Dad didn't notice when she finished the box and then helped herself to a hamburger bun. Today, she was playing with her lemon cupcake instead of eating it, but I let that slide. Then she started to "paint" her sippy cup with lemon icing and I let that go as well. After all, maybe she'll be a great artist someday. A few minutes later, I turned to check on her and found this:



I guess she felt her skin needed some extra oil.

Don't Let the Kids Drive the Car!

Driving wasn't really the problem. Stuffing the tape deck full of pennies was a problem. We don't use the tape deck (who has tapes anymore?) but I'm a little nervous they might end up somewhere more important.

At least it wasn't the rental.

Another Rough Day

It's probably a misperception, but things always seem hardest when Kansas Dad isn't around (and for him when I'm out of town). This morning, First Daughter cried from 1 am to 4 am. She kept asking for her Daddy and pointing to our bedroom. I think she just missed him. So do I, baby girl, so do I.

After church (where the kids were reasonably well-behaved), we went to Grammy and Paw Paw's house, as usual. First Daughter cried a bit after she'd been in the crib for her nap for a few minutes and I went down to discover she'd thrown up. So she had a bath instead of a nap and poor Grammy had to clean up a messy crib. (I bet she thought those days were behind her long ago.)

I took First Daughter home early in the hopes I'd get her to nap there. We stopped at the drugstore on the way and she fell asleep in the cart! Poor thing. She did end up with a fairly good nap, though, which was a blessing.

Purple Mustache

Smoothie, yum! And, yes, she's drinking out of a regular cup. I try to give her one at every meal, even though many times I still give in to the sippy cup because it's so much less messy! (She's pretty good with an open cup, until the end of the meal when she starts to play more.)