Little Flowers Girls' Club ~ Friendliness

Just before Christmas we had our second Little Flowers Girls' Club meeting for this year, as we study Wreath III.   Since this meeting fell just before Christmas, we decided to schedule the meeting for a little longer than normal so the girls could have a little Christmas Party and Gift Exchange as well!

Here is an overview of our meeting:

~ Coloring Pages and Copywork ~

The girls had two options for coloring pages in addition to the pictures in their Member Guides.  The first option was this beautiful coloring page of Ruth and Naomi from Curmudgeonry.   (I was very excited to find that Jordana has illustrated coloring pages for Wreath III!  The links can all be found in her sidebar.  The second option was a Ruth & Naomi Picture Search I happened to run across in one of my files. 

This year we are expanding on the virtue pages for our notebooks, and adding a bit of copywork using the Memory Verse for each month as well.  I am hoping this will help the girls get a jump start on memorizing the verse each month.   Here is the page I created for the younger girls (using Startwrite) for the virtue of Friendliness.

~ Meeting on the Virtue of Friendliness ~

Friendliness :: The quality of being pleasant and friendly.  Friendliness, like cheerfulness, is seen as a human virtue.    

Here is what was discussed:

• First I explained the virtue, expanding on the above definition with the help of the Wreath III Leader's Guide and then reading a poem from The Book of Virtues.  There is actually a whole chapter devoted to Friendship in The Book of Virtues! 
• I then introduced the flower, the Morning Glory, also using the examples Rachel provides in the Wreath III Leader's Guide. 
• We then read the story of Ruth and Naomi from The Book of Virtues.
• Next I passed out blank pieces of paper for an activity I found in the archives of the Little Flowers Yahoo Group:  "Who Can Be Our Friend?"  You can download the directions for this activity here.  (Another Option would be How to be a Good Friend from EduPlace.)
• We ended the lesson with the book The Friendly Beasts by Tomie dePaola.

I also had a "game" picked out for the girls to play, but we ran out of time... It actually might be a fun one to include at our Mother/Daughter Tea this summer! I am going to add the idea here anyways, in case any of you would like to use it with your groups.

"ALL MY FRIENDS"

Items Needed: Large Area to walk around in a circle as a group

Song:
My friends and I went to the store
So we could buy some candy!
Its so much fun with all my friends!
(Clap loud) Isn't it so dandy!

How to Do Activity: Form a circle with all of the children. Walk around in the circle singing the song (to the left) to the tune of "Yankee Doodle", clapping as you go. After each verse, stop and say the name of a child and ask, "Who's your friend?" They have to say the name of a person who has not been called. Help them to think of somebody if they have trouble remembering who has not been named. After they say the name, say "_____ is our friend too!" Continue on until everyone has been named.

~ Notebook Pages ~

For the notebook pages, I used the memory verse for Friendliness, A Guardian Angel Prayer for Friends, an image of Ruth and Naomi, and a border of Morning Glories. You can download my document here.

Here is a picture of the sample page I created:

I always love seeing the lovely variations that the girls create:

~ Craft ~

At first I had planned to either have the girls make Friendship Bracelets and Amish Friendship Bread, but when the meeting ended up falling just before Christmas, I changed plans... Instead I asked all the girls to bring 3 dozen cookies for a Cookie Exchange.   At the meeting the girls all made 2 trays each - one to take home to their family and another to give away to a friend!

Chiquita made Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and Twinkle Toes opted for St. Nicholas Miters.    

~ Wreath III Virtue Aprons ~

  

This year ELM came up with the darling idea of creating WREATH III Virtue Aprons.   For the virtue of Friendliness the girls will be ironing on a strip of all of their names to the ribbon/apron strap since "Friends hold us up!"  We will finish this up at the next meeting, since we didn't have the right type of iron-ons.  :-)

~ Snack Time ~

Since our meeting ended up being dinner time, I decided to serve a light meal along with the regular cupcake snack.   To tie in the virtue of Friendliness, I decided to try and come up with a with a "Best Friends Forever" themed menu.   So, naturally, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches came to mind, as well as Veggies and Ranch Dip.

I made these cute little sandwiches using my Pampered Chef Cut N Seal. 

(The Krustbuster would be another option, for square sealed sandwiches.)

I thought about making attempting these beautiful Morning Glories, but ended up opting for the easier alternative of letting the girls decorate their own, using Sparkle Gel, once again.

The girls just love decorating their cupcakes and were very focused on the task! 

We served the snack with Peppermint Hot Cocoa, topped with White (the color for this month's meeting) Whipped Cream!

~ Gift Exchange / Group Photo ~ 

The girls all brought a wrapped gift (that they had made) for a gift exchange.  It was so much fun and so cute to see the sweet and thoughtful gifts made by each of the Little Flowers! 

Naomi and Ruth help our hearts to see that a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, he who finds one, finds a treasure.

St. Therese, the Little Flower,  pray for us! 

Little Flowers Girls' Club ~ Eutrapelia

A few weeks ago we finally had our first Little Flowers Girls' Club meeting for this new year.

My girls were very excited and had really missed the meetings and seeing their Little Flower friends over the summer.   All day they couldn't wait for the meeting to start!

I didn't have time to prepare over the summer this year, in fact I hadn't even had a chance to order the materials, but thankfully a friend loaned me her Wreath III Leader's Guide and (I am sure with the help of St. Therese, and Shelly's post!) everything fell into place in time for the meeting.

Here are some pictures from the afternoon:

~ Coloring Pages & Copywork ~

The girls had three options for coloring pages:

This beautiful picture of Mary and Martha,

Mary and Martha with Our Lord,

or Mary and Martha from Catholic Artworks Faith Keepers Combo CD

This year we are expanding on the virtue pages for our notebooks, and adding a bit of copywork using the Memory Verse for each month as well.  I am hoping this will help the girls get a jump start on memorizing the verse each month.   Here is the page I created for the younger girls (using Startwrite) for the virtue of Eutrapelia.

~ Meeting on the Virtue of Eutrapelia~

Eutrapelia = /yoo trap el EE ah/ Aristotle's word for pleasantness in conversation: wit, repartee; liveliness; urbanity.

Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas describe this virtue as "pleasantness," "good wit," and "pleasantness."  Rachel refers to it as "modest relaxation" in the Wreath III Leader's Guide.

Following Shelly's lead and suggestions (thank you, THANK YOU Shelly!) here is what was discussed:

• First I explained the virtue, using the above definitions.  
• I then introduced the flower.  The common dandelion.   I pointed out that to grown-ups this flower is a weed, but to children this weed is a flower.   Usually the first flower children bring to Mom.   And children love to blow the 'puffballs' - this brings great joy, aka EUTRAPELIA!!   Eutrapelia = Seeing weeds for what they are... FLOWERS!!  
• At both Shelly and Rachel's suggestion, I downloaded Mother, You Are Worried from Marie Bellet's Lighten Up CD (I thought I had this CD, put apparently I just have all of her other cd's) and played it for the girls.
• We then discussed ways or situations where we could be pleasant.  
• I told the girls about how St. Therese had hard times with some of the sisters in her order but she was always so gentle, kind and pleasant to those who were a thorn.  She always offered up these little sufferings.

We finished up by reading and discussing a story about St. Martha from More Once upon a Time Saints. (This is an excellent series of books and very worth having in your home library!)

~ Notebook Pages ~

For the notebook pages, I used the memory verse for Eutrapelia, a prayer, an image of Martha and Mary, and dandelions. You can download my document here.

Here is a picture of the sample page I created:

~ Craft ~

"Candles are a good symbol of Eutrapelia -- they banish the darkness, add to a celebration, and are generally associated with peacefulness and good cheer." ~ Little Flowers Craft Companion  

Since candles are a good symbol for Eutrapelia, the girls each choose a sheet of beeswax and rolled their own candles!   I purchased my kit from Magic Cabin, but Amazon also has a similar kit available as well.

~ Apron ~

Since St. Martha is the patron of Housekeepers, the girls also made aprons!  

I mentioned wanting to make, or decorate, aprons to one of the very creative moms in my group, and she came up with the greatest idea!!  Not only did she help the girls make super cute dishtowel aprons, the girls will continue to add something to their apron at each meeting this year, incorporating each of the virtues for Wreath III!    Doesn't that sound fun?!?  Here is what ELM came up with for each virtue:

WREATH III VIRTUE APRONS

MAKE APRON :: Eutrapelia and St. Martha, Patron of Housekeepers - Eutrapelia comes from the Greek for 'wittiness', referring to pleasantness in conversation. It is one of Aristotle's virtues, the "golden mean" between boorishness and buffoonery

IRON ON FRIENDS' NAMES TO APRON STRAP :: (Since "Friends hold us up!") Friendliness - the quality of being friendly, ie. characteristic of or befitting a friend; "friendly advice"; "a friendly neighborhood"; "the only friendly person here"; "a friendly host and hostess"

IRON ON A RECIPE CARD WITH A FAVORITE RECIPE :: Initiative - enterprise: readiness to embark on bold new ventures, first step: the first of a series of actions

FOLD UP BOTTOM OF APRON TO FORM A POCKET :: Orderliness - the quality of appreciating method and system, a condition of regular or proper arrangement

IRON ON IMAGE "NO LICKING SPOON":: Self-Control - the ability to control one's emotions, behaviour and desires

SOMETHING TO CLEAN UP WITH - A DISH CLOTH ATTACHED WITH A BUTTON/VELCRO TO CLEAN AS YOU GO :: Responsibility - refers to a person attempting to meet the expectations others have of them, a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct, the state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable; A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable

IRON ON OR SEW ON A TIMER TO THE APRON :: Patience - good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence, patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way

IRON ON PATCH OR TRANSFER IMAGE OF A CHEERY CUPCAKE OR COOKIE OR CHERRIES :: Cheerfulness - the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom, Noticeably happy and optimistic; Bright and pleasant

SOME KIND OF MATCHING OVEN MITT :: Fortitude - strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage, determination, or sticking to what you know you should be doing, forbearance, endurance, and ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation, courage, bravery, fortitude, will, and intrepidity, is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger,uncertainty, or intimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition,shame, scandal, or discouragement.

~ Snack Time ~

Pumpkin Cupcakes topped with Cream Cheese Frosting

 and decorated as Common Dandelions

Served with "Dandelion Yellow" Punch

The girls enjoyed decorating their cupcakes with "dandelions" while wearing (or waiting to make) their new Little Flowers' aprons!

~ Games ~ 

The girls love playing Memory with the Memory Cards.   I don't have a set of the Wreath III Cards yet, so they set up two games, one with the Wreath I Cards and one using the Wreath II Cards.

Martha’s sister Mary, pray for us.   As you spent your time at Jesus’ feet, unlike your busy sister Martha, help us to love our Lord as Thee and practice eutrapelia.

St. Therese, the Little Flower, 
pray for us!