Happy 8th Birthday...

... to our little Rascal! 

Last year he had a bowling party, this year it's hockey.  

So much for the Super Bowl...  ;)

40 Bags in 40 Days

A couple weeks ago, in one of my Daybook posts I mentioned that I was "looking forward to Lent and doing another 40 Bags of Stuff Challenge."

Here are the details from the original handout on vocations and family faith formation from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati :

Every day during Lent this year, empty one bag of 'stuff' that is no longer needed from your house, totaling a loss of forty bags of stuff!

1.) Taking a look at the size of your family and household, with an acknowledgement of how much 'stuff' is present, make a prudential choice on the size of bag to be employed during this challenge. Bag size should be small enough that the goal of 40 bags during the season of Lent is able to be accomplished, while not being too big that you are left with nothing. We must still live in the world, after all!

2.) If smaller children are a part of your family, a 'gauge' may be helpful to keep them engaged and help them keep track of progress. As part of your preparations, make a 'paper chain' of forty numbered links. As each new bag is started, place a new link in the bottom of the bag. This way, as the chain gets smaller, there is a greater sense of accomplishment.

3.) This challenge necessarily involves sacrifice. Each member of the family should be encouraged to give something to each bag, or there could be designated bags for each member of the family.

4.) Instead of just throwing things away, recycling is a great way to encourage good stewardship of the gifts we have been given, as it symbolizes that we are passing along our gifts to others. Families with children are encouraged to pass along clothes that no longer fit or toys that sit dormant in a closet to families in need instead of just throwing them away.

5.) Units of count need not necessarily be trash bags, either; however they should be equivalent. For example, a box of gently used toys or clothes could equate one bag off the chain. A stack of books donated to the parish library is another easy equivalent.

As the family accepts this challenge together, bonds will be created that will last a lifetime. Lessons are also learned not just by saying, but by putting it into practice. Here, the simple lesson will last throughout life that having fewer things can lead to a greater contentment in life.

I know Lent doesn't start until the 17th, but this year I would like to start decluttering early so I can finish by March 20th, a couple weeks before Easter. That way I can spend the week prior to Palm Sunday Spring Cleaning our home (last year I combined the decluttering and cleaning and spread it out over 5 weeks) and then not have to worry about any decluttering and cleaning during Holy Week.  It is busy enough as it is, and I want to have plenty of time to incorporate the Holy Thursday and Good Friday Liturgical Teas in addition to all our other plans and Rose's echocardiogram which is scheduled for March 29th.

SO, if I want to finish on March 20th, and still have a solid 40 days (not counting Sundays) I need to start TODAY!

To give myself a much needed jumpstart, I am going to count the bags I filled from the kids rooms the past couple days.  (I'm going to need all the help I can get with a newborn!)  I'm also going to keep a tally in my sidebar to keep me motivated.

Does anyone want to join me this year?

Small Successes :: February 4, 2010

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

This post really caught my attention, especially when I read "Once, long ago, when things were overwhelming me (and by things I mean 6, at the time, kids )"...  That is so ME right now!!  ;) 

Anyhow, I was completely inspired and have been busy cleaning and trying to get our home back in order... 

~ 1 ~

Does this look clean to you?

I took that picture after the boys "cleaned" their room yesterday...

I then found all this clothing crammed into every possible corner:

It got much worse before it got better!  

Is it just me, or does that happen to you too?

About four hours later we were all done and it's so much cleaner!

~ 2 ~

While cleaning the boys room I bagged up one bag of trash and three bags to donate,

and three more stacks to box up and save for Snuggles.

~ 3 ~

Today we worked on the girls room.
It didn't take near as long but still needed a good cleaning.

We filled another bag with trash as well as a bag of clothing to donate. 

That should make it much easier for them to keep their rooms clean.  

Now to catch up on the laundry and move on to the rest of the house!

What are your Small Successes this week?

Stop by Faith and Family Live to read more of this week's Small Successes.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Our Little Rose

*Because it has been one of those days, and she always makes me smile... Hopefully things will calm down and I'll be back soon.   Oh, and to those that asked how I get it all done, I don't!  

An Afternoon Tea on Candlemas Day

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.  And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,  he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,  "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;  for mine eyes have seen thy salvation  which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."  And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;  and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against  (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."  And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,  and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.  And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. ~ Luke 2:22-40

Here is what was included in our Candlemas Tea, inspired by Alice at Cottage Blessings:

~ White Cocoa with Pure Hearts ~

My children are not that fond of tea, though I do keep trying... :)  

However, for today, I decided to serve White Cocoa topped with Whipped Cream and Strawberry Marshmallow hearts, representing the purity of both Mary and St. Joseph.

~ Water ~ 

With a pair of turtledoves perched on the handle! 

~ A Pair of Turtledoves ~

Using a lovely Tasha Tudor Dove Cookie Cutter that my sister-in-law sent me for Christmas, I made Dove Shaped PB&J Sandwiches. 

~ Holy Simeon's Arms ~

These mini pretzel's symbolize arms folded in prayer. 

~ Piercing Swords ~

I couldn't seem to find the cocktail swords that I know I have around here somewhere, but swords can always be found in my boys bedroom! ;) 

~ Anna the Prophetess ~ 

Since I didn't want to go to the store to search for the Mallomars that Alice suggested, especially since I was already serving plenty of cookies, Captain suggested using Black Olives.  (The black symbolizes the fact that Anna was a widow.)

~ Edible Candles ~

These were really quite easy and fun to make, 

not to mention delicious! 

All-powerful Father, Christ your Son became man for us and was presented in the temple. May he free our hearts from sin and bring us into your presence. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

My Daybook ~ February 2nd

Outside my window... it is raining today, and looks like it will be raining the rest of the week...  Thankfully the sun came out for a but this past weekend and we were able to get out of the house a little bit.   Here is a picture taken just outside our window Sunday evening:

I am hearing... my children singing Caledonia.  According to my children, it is one of my Dad's new favorites.  My Dad's birthday is coming up on the 18th, so I think I might just order him Celtic Thunder's newest CD which is going to be released on the 9th.  Perfect timing!

I am thinking... about the plans for our remodel/addition, still, and probably will be for awhile!  I made a number of changes to the last rough draft and here is where we are at now:

Basically our plans are to make the kitchen both wider and longer, remodel the laundry room/bathroom, and add on a Living Room and Dining Room.  (Right now our big table takes up most of our kitchen and we outgrew it quite some time ago.)

Overall I think this is probably the best layout we will be able to come up with, with the limited area we have to work with.  (We have many restrictions from the county on which way we can add on, as well as a big hill behind us which we'd rather not excavate any further.)

I am still trying to decide just what appliances I'd like in the kitchen... Since we moved here 10 years ago, we've just had 3 working burners and an ancient oven.  A dishwasher is at the top of my list followed by a duel-fuel range/oven (with an additional wall and convection oven), which means we will need to put in a small propane tank and run gas to the kitchen, but I think it will be worth it!   Just to be able to move our table out of the kitchen will be wonderful!

I am thankful... that our little Rose is doing so well!  Her echocardiogram has been rescheduled to the end of March so we can be seen locally and not need to travel so far away.

I am praying... for the Pope's intentions for February, and especially for a particular family member who has lost his faith which has been heartbreaking to witness:

"For all scholars and intellectuals, that by means of sincere search for the truth they may arrive at an understanding of the one true God."

From the kitchen... We will definitely be making some Edible Candles this afternoon, and, if I can pull it together, we may just have a Candlemas Tea.  Looking through Alice's suggestions, I could probably come up with everything except for the Mallomars.  Does any one have any other ideas to symbolize Anna the Prophetess?

From the learning rooms... We finished "P" week and I will try and Post Pictures soon!  This week we are focusing on the basics and celebrating a few feast days.  We will move on to "Q" next week.

Living the Liturgical Year at Home... Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Brigid, today we'll celebrate Candlemas, and tomorrow the feast of St. Blase.  I had hoped to make it to Mass this morning, and again tomorrow, but Rose was up most of the night, and it just wasn't possible this morning.  A friend called and said she had a Candle blessed for me though.  Wasn't that thoughtful?!  Hopefully we can make it tomorrow morning so we can all get our throats blessed.  We'll see!

I am creating... a post for "P" week.  I really need to start working on these posts as we work our way through the week.  They take so long to put together!

I am wearing... a nursing cover.  I've always just used blankets in the past, but this time I purchased a black and white one ( the "Yoko" pattern) and was given one with a beautiful rose pattern which was made by a friend.  I love them both!

I am going... to try and take a nap today.  Last night was HARD!  Rose slept most of yesterday afternoon, which did allow me to catch up on a bit of housework and a few other things, but she made up for it last night.

I am reading...  P Is For Palmetto: A South Carolina Alphabet with the boys, since they have finished studying Maryland and are moving on to South Carolina.

Pondering these words... of St. Augustine, quoted by Fulton Sheen in a talk of his which we were listening to on the way home from Mass on Sunday:

"Our hearts are made for Thee O Lord, 

and they are restless until they rest in Thee." 

I am hoping... that my sweet little Rose's tear duct gets better soon.  It has been blocked since she was just a couple weeks old.

Noticing that... even though the boys are doing well with Right Start Math, it is so hard for me to find the time each day to work with all the children individually.  Is it awful that I am considering yet another switch in Math Programs for next year?  I would like to continue using Right Start with my younger children, but I am looking into switching Captain to Teaching Textbooks...

Around the house...  the computer is in the living room right now since we've been watching some movies online.  This evening we are planning on watching the next episode of Emma!

One of my favorite things... looking through old family photos.  Our children are growing way too fast!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

• Hockey Lessons for the Boys on Saturday (I think we'll all go this week!) 
• Celebrate Rascal's 8th Birthday on Sunday

Here are a few snapshots of Rose from the past week or so:

~ January 21st ~

With Daddy!

~ January 23rd ~

The very beginnings of a smile... 

I haven't been able to catch her big beautiful smile on camera yet.

~ January 30th ~

See the beautiful rose nursing cover in the background? :) 

Wearing a darling hat, handmade by a sweet little girl! 

~ February 1st ~

Dreaming about her plans to keep Momma up all night! ;) 

In Honor of St. Brigid of Ireland...

...whose feastday is celebrated today!

St. Brigid's Bread... YUM!!

Organic Irish Breakfast Tea

Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story

St. Brigid Coloring Page (Thank you Charlotte!)

Colored by Captain (9) and Rascal (7)

Colored by Twinkle Toes (6) and Chiquita (4)

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell. Bless every fireside, every wall and door. Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof. Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy. Bless every foot that walks its portals through. May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.

St. Brigid of Ireland, Pray for us!