Blessed with Full hands: February 2013

When homeschooling is hard

It must be that time of year when families begin to discern if they should homeschool or not because I have gotten, "Katie, I would love to ask you some questions about homeschooling." a lot lately.

And, truthfully, I try to avoid the conversation. I usually laugh and say, "I am probably not the person you should ask." And I try to direct them to a more veteran homeschool who can give them some great information.

I do this because I am afraid that if I really share what I think about homeschooling and my experiences, that these families will not want to homeschool. Because if a homeschooler would have shared a typical day like mine with me when I was asking that question, I think I would have thought, "I am NOT signing up for THAT!" and forgotten all about the idea of homeshooling.

Feb

Day at the Derby

Yesterday we spent the day at the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. This was our third derby and the first in which K was participating as a scout too. When I say we spent the day there, I am mostly serious. Our Pack is huge so the derby lasted about about 3 1/2 hours.

All three of the boys made a car. J is a Webelo, K a Tiger, and there is an open category for siblings.

Up first was K.

Feb

7 Quick Takes - We're coming out of the fog edition!

Thanks, Jen for hosting!

1. Back to Life!

The illness that overtook us on Ash Wednesday seems to finally be coming to an end. Finally. I got hit with it Monday and slept almost all day Tuesday, thanks to my loving husband. The house is still full of coughs and sniffles, we have not been to most of our normal activities yet, and the boys are still sleeping over 12 hours a night, but I am looking forward to life getting back to normal.

2.

Feb

Keeping Love in Lent: Praise Him- part 1

"I’m participating in the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by

Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom and Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. We'll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.

Feb

The Drop Box

The Drop Box is a documentary. And although I have only seen the trailer below, it hits me right in my heart. It is about orphans, and one man in Korea doing what he can to give them life.

PLEASE, take a minute to watch the trailer, you will not regret it!

From its website:

The Film

Synopsis

In December 2009, a Korean pastor named Lee Jong-rak built a wooden "drop box" on the outer wall of his home.

Feb

Fundraiser to support!

Gayly over at Quilt-n-mama is hosting a fundraiser to help Anna's family raise the funds to cover a special surgery she needs in ITALY to restore her hearing. Anna is a precious girl, adopted from China.

They are selling these cute shirts in short sleeve, long sleeve and children's sizes to raise the funds . . .

The front says,

"Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what He did for me.

Feb

A view of our living room

Three down . .

. . .

Feb

Seven Quick Takes

1. Valentine's Day drop out

Wednesday night, with two kids incapacitated on couches, I told my husband, "let's not do anything for Valentine's day." And I held up my end of the bargain, except for a loving note. Last year I made heart shaped pancakes with strawberry sauce, a heart shaped pizza and strawberries in the shape of hearts. Small gifts were given. Love notes and heart shape crafts were the theme of the day.

Feb

A perfectly imperfect start to Lent

I have plans for Lent, you know. The ways I want it to look. The things I feel God is calling me to, things to draw me closer to Him. To order my days.

Two days into Lent and my days have been far from what I pictured.

Yesterday, I dragged lovingly got my kids out of bed to get ready for mass. I had to call my oldest down repeatedly. He finally came down stairs, layed on the couch and said, "I'm sick."

The "Mother of the Year" in me determined he must be faking . . .

Feb

Fat Tuesday - German Style

One of the things that I love about my family growing up is that we always had reminders of our heritage. Mostly though foods. My mom is 100% German and my dad is 100% Polish (pretty much). Growing up we were surrounded by ethnic foods. And the Lenten season was not exempt from these food traditions.

So, today, I was determined to remind myself, and my boys, of the hertiage from which we have come.