We're Debt Free!!

In the spring of 2006, while absolutely drowning in debt and in desperate need of getting our finances under control, I read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, which I HIGHLY recommend.

On behalf of our family, I am proud to say that as of today WE ARE DEBT FREE*! (*minus our house)

We are now working on Baby Step 3, which is saving up 3 to 6 months of take home pay for a fully funded emergency fund.

I'd like to thank God for his blessings on our family and for helping me control my shopping habits... mostly by staying away from one particular store! (Any guesses which one?!?)

 I'd also like to thank Dave and his staff for their ministry as well as my hard-working husband for taking on extra wildfires this summer to help make it happen!

If you'd like more information on Dave, and his AWESOME program, check out his website.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Our Mother Teresa Feast Day Celebration was a hit!

After finishing our tea in the kitchen (which I missed getting a picture of) we moved to our craft table and brought the remnants of our Indian Sweet Bread which was delicious!

Our oldest son really enjoyed his copy work that he choose from Demi's book Mother Teresa. Although it did take him a couple days to complete it as he was set on quite a long prayer that he wanted to copy.

All in all it went wonderfully -- however we didn't quite get to making a time line on her life... 

Maybe next time.

Our First Tea-and-Craft Day!

We are so excited to start our Liturgical Year Notebooks using the Catholic Mosaic program as our guide!

Today is the feast of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and I have almost everything ready for our Tea-and-Craft time!! We are making Indian Sweet Bread for our snack, and we will be having milk or Chai tea with it! Yummy!!

We started reading Mother Teresa by Demi last night and we will finish it up during our tea, and then we will color the picture of her from Fenestra Fidei while we listen to The Gospel on Five Fingers put out by Glory Stories.

For copy work I have a list of quotes for the children to choose from, and we will add these to our Notebooks as well. If we have time we may even make a time line of her life using free note-booking pages we found online!

It is not how much we do
But how much love
We put in the doing
That makes our offering
Something beautiful for God.

-- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Tea-and-Craft Days

If you have a minute go and check out this article by Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight. It is a transcript from the speech she recently gave at a Real Learning conference. I found it very inspiring and would love to incorporate some of her ideas into our schedule this coming school year... 

I think a weekly Tea and Craft time would be perfect to incorporate our Catholic Mosaic: Living the Liturgical Year With Children curricula into our schedule! 

Also, It looks like I am going to have to breakdown and re-purchase Elizabeth Foss's book Real Learning. I am regretting selling it and would love to have it back on my bookshelf to use as a reference. 

I am really starting to get excited about this school year!

Does this sound like my family?

I'm going to have to re-read the book... I can't remember! Sounds pretty accurate though.

You scored as Mansfield Park.

Your family is most like the Bertrams of Mansfield Park. Though seemingly respectable, your family has had its share of scandal. However, there are some members in your family who are rational enough to pull the family together and avoid ruin.

Jane Austen Family Quiz created with QuizFarm.com

I'm Cinderella... Which Disney Princess are you?

I always thought I was just like Cinderella growing up... 

Now it's official! Ha! 

You scored as Cinderella.

Which Disney Princess Are You Like

created with QuizFarm.com

NFP vs. Contraception I

Update: Video no longer available. I removed the link from the post. 

This is the first of a series of videos on NFP vs. Contraception.. They are great!

NFP vs. Contraception IV

Update: Video no longer available. I removed the link from the post. 

 I just loved this video... SO TRUE!! Good job guys!

And MORE progress!!

Posting these pictures is REALLY helping me stay focused and motivated!! I should try this with the other projects I would like to accomplish!! WOW!!

My son & I just hung up our maps, and now there is not much left that needs to be done.. Hooray!!

I would still like to find a nice big area rug and my husband is planning on getting us table & chairs for art projects and such, which will be VERY nice!!

Progress...

After HOURS of work, my school room is starting to come together! I still have a couple maps to hang up and a few more piles to sort and put away, or throw away -- along with the other 5 bags of trash that have already been disposed of :) YAY!! There may actually be an end in sight!