"C" is for Cookies, Corn, Cowboys, and The Church!

Cocoa and Constellations on Columbus Day, Catastrophes, Canonizations, Costume Parties, Costume Contests, Corn Maze Confusion, Carving Celtic Crosses, Crowded Celebrations (with more Costumes), and the Cemetery...  It's been crazy around here Along the Alphabet Path but we finally completed the letter C!

..............

I wrote the above and started this post back in November... Months later, right when we were about to Continue it was time for a Conclave!  After that we just Didn't get much Done Along the Alphabet Path for the Duration of the school year.  We are hoping to continue this fall...
In the meantime here is what we Completed for Cc!

.: Letter Introduction & Formation :. 

"C" is the happy letter!  Start at the top and circle around, but don't close it up! This is the happy cookie because somebody took a big bite!  /c/, /c/, cookie. - Primary Arts of Language: Reading

Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Cat drinking Cream

 Snuggles colored this picture from My Book of Letters last school year...

I pulled out the rest of the activity pages for the letter C...

He sounded out the names of four pictures and figured out which three began with the sound "c."  He also made the letter C with Wikki Sticks and our Wooden Letter Pieces.

We also read Cowboy ABC and B is for Buckaroo: A Cowboy Alphabet
(while wearing Cute new "Cowboy Clothes of  Course!") 

.: A, B... Seas & Storybook Science :.

A, B... Seas Ocean Box :: C is for Clownfish
For the letter C Snuggles crafted a clownfish for his Ocean Box.
(The Ocean Box is one of the things we aren't planning on continuing for the rest of the Alphabet since we are adding in a complete Science Course for Chemistry and Biology this coming year.  We will continue the coloring book and Apples, Bubbles and Crystals Science)

C is for Clingfish

Sea Life Alphabet Coloring Book

C is for Crystals :: Crystal Creations

The suggested experiment in Apples, Bubbles and Crystals: Your Science ABCs was all about Crystals.

C is for Color

Color By Design Pattern Play Block Set 

What Color is Camouflage?  
and Why Do Leaves Change Color?

C is for Corn

Corn is Maize by Aliki
Corn by Gail Gibbons
The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola

We also went on a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze...

... and Choose pumpkins to Carve

Crazy Cowboy!

.: Arts, Crafts & Additional Activities :. 

Create a Car 

For the letter "C" I pulled out this little lego set for Snuggles to Create a Car!

.: My Catholic Faith :.

C is for Church

It's A Joy to Go to Church Catholic Coloring Book

The Caterpillar that Came to Church

Manners in Gods House

C is for Church 

Christ's dwelling place here

I will visit Him, talk to Him 

feel Him draw near.

~ God's Alphabet

Play Church Windows

Show Compassion

Show Compassion is the theme for this week's Writing ABC's on Little Hearts by Pondered In My Heart. Snuggles colored the picture and added it to his book.

C is for Chalice

A is for Altar, B is for Bible and Chalice

C is for Christ Child

Continuing Snuggles' Bible Narrations and Picture Study for this year...    We read about the Christ Child from Classic Bible Stories: A Family Treasury.   After I read the story to Snuggles' he narrated it back to me and then illustrated a page in his book based on the picture provided.

C is for St. Christopher

I converted the image from Picture Book of Saints into a Pencil Sketch and added text:

St. Christopher Coloring Page

In addition to reading about St. Cecilia (An Alphabet of Catholic Saints), St. Christopher (An Alphabet of Saints), and St. Charles Borromeo & St. Catherine of Siena (S is for Saints)  we also read a few picture books about these saints:

Saint Colum and the Crane

Legend of Saint Christopher

Christopher: The Holy Giant 

St. Christopher

Peter Claver: Patron Saint of Slaves

Clare and Francis

Saint Clare of Assisi (Glory Stories)

.: A to Z Recipes :.

Cheesiest-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

We made Cheesiest-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
 from My A to Z Recipe Box: An Alphabet of Recipes for Kids.

... and also read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!

Cut out Cookies

Cloud, Car, Crown, Church, Cat, Cupcake, and Cross all Coincidentally begin Commence with C! 

Indian Corn Cookies

... to Celebrate St. Kateri's Canonization!  I posted the directions here. 

Well that is finally Done!   I do plan to simplify for the rest of the Alphabet, if I hope to complete the Alphabet Path before Snuggles graduates high school! ;) 

An Alphabet of Saints :: B is for Blocks

Snuggles' Alphabet of Saints Blocks

I mentioned back during "B Week" that Snuggles and I began Brushing Paint on Building Blocks!    Since the girls and I made an Alphabet of Painted Saints to go along with their journey Along the Alphabet Path I wanted to come up with something for Snuggles that was just for him, but also tied in the saints from the book An Alphabet of Catholic Saints.   I thought a set of Alphabet Blocks would be perfect!  

Cupcake's Alphabet of Saints Blocks

Originally I had hoped to make eight sets in various colors/designs to give as Christmas gifts, but ended up with just three, Snuggles' set plus sets for two of our dear godchildren, since my "extra" time was so limited in November and December. I do still have a fourth set in progress for Rose since she loved these blocks so much! In fact, one day she snuck into my bedroom, snatched a few blocks while I was on the phone and then hid under Captain's desk with them until I found her... Yes, I'm hoping that she will find her very own set (made with rosy pink-uh paper of course!) inside her Easter Basket this year.

Supplies:

• 1 1/2-inch square wood blocks (I used 13-16 blocks for each set)
• Sandpaper
• Scissors
• Acrylic paint
• Mod Podge
• Paintbrush
• Decorative paper
• Alphabet Letters
• Sponge

Directions:

1. Sand the wooden block with sandpaper to prepare them for painting.

2. Paint the blocks with the color(s) you've selected. Allow to dry.

Snuggles' and Cupcake's sets were painted white

Bear's set was painted in multiple colors

3. Cut the Alphabet Letters and Decorative Paper to squares measuring just under 1 1/2" each.

Note:  I used the alphabet saint letters from Catholic Artworks, using a CD that they no longer carry.  I've been told that all these letters and much more are included on their updated CD titled Teach Me to Discover the Saints which is also available from Sacred Heart Books and Gifts. Unfortunately they are not a free printable.  Also, the images are very large on the CD.  I resized them to the correct size that I needed for these blocks in Word, creating the document that you see in my supplies picture.  I am sorry that due to copyrights I am not able to share it with you all.  However you can customize this idea with any letters, stickers, or embellishments of your choice!

4. Glue the paper to each side of the block using all-purpose Mod Podge. Allow the glue to dry.

Note:  Using 13 blocks I started with letters A-M on the fronts and then continued with letters N-Z on the backs (in order with N on the back of M and Z on the back of A).  Since I had room for three extra blocks in the box for Cupcake's set I added a few extra vowels and consonants for her to use in creating her names.

5. Very carefully, to prevent the printed alphabet paper from smearing, paint another coat of Mod Podge all over the block to seal. Allow to dry.

Note:  After having plenty of blocks stick to my work surface I finally started placing them on top of my paint bottles to dry, which worked nicely.

This is what my husband patiently put up with on our bedroom dresser most of Advent!  

6.  All Done!   I also found a nice little wooden box at Michaels which held the completed blocks beautifully... I was only able to find one so I'm hoping that I can find more the next time I make it back to the craft store.  

The picture book An Alphabet of Catholic Saints to go along with these blocks is available from Amazon!