{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

{pretty}

This pretty little ladybug wanted to come home with us from the nursery along with the Red Riding Hood (Penstemon schmidel) and Pincushion flowers (Scabiosa) we picked up for the garden. 

{happy}

I was so happy to complete Track C of Meet the Masters before the end of our school year!
(Our high schoolers needed to turn in one more artist unit study/project to earn their credit for art.)
The kids were very happy that I pulled out donuts to celebrate! 

{funny}

Bud: "What are you using the soap for?"

Ranger: "I'm washing the car." 

Bud: "(Ranger), what are you using the soap for?!" 

Ranger: "I'm washing the car!" 

Bud (yells): "Eeeerrrt!"

Dad: "(Bud), he is washing the dirt off of the the car with the soap."

Bud: "I want (Ranger) to tell meeeee!"

Ranger (laughing): "I'm washing the dirt off the car!"

Bud: "CHA-CHING!" 

{real}

Everything is fine now, but our week got off to a rather traumatic start, just after midnight on Sunday morning, with a call to 911... My husband was one of the three who were sick on Saturday. He spent most of the day on the couch. Late that night, while (attempting) to walk from the living room to the bedroom, he leaned against the foot of the bed, said he thought he was going to pass out, and immediately fell to the floor. I'd never seen someone pass out before. He was pale/ghostly white and non-responsive. His eyes were wide open but motionless. It scared me to death. I yelled for the boys to bring me the phone while I tried to revive him and get him to breathe. I thought he was dying... My heart still hurts from the stress and anxiety! Thankfully he regained consciousness while I was on the phone with emergency services and seemed to be ok, but when he started to look like he was going to pass out again in the morning I drove him to the hospital. The vasovagal response was most likely triggered by dehydration and the stomach issues we were fighting. They hooked him up to an IV and kept an eye on him for most of the day. He went back to work today. I'm so very grateful that everyone is finally feeling better!

Thank you all for the prayers last Saturday... 

I had no idea how much we were going to need them later that night! 

{this moment}

Late Wednesday night I saw a light coming from the boys' room and peeked inside.
I quietly took this photo with my iPhone, shared it over on Instagram, and went back to bed. ❤

It's been a little overwhelming around here lately and I have been fighting burnout... Long hours at work for both my husband and I, writing deadlines, doctors/dentist/orthodontist appointments and bills, way too many assignments due for the children (especially our high schoolers who have been working non-stop to catch back up following golf season), the final week of school along with required state testing (including a question we were not happy to hear about on one of our 9th grade sons tests), the resignation of our amazing tutor from the local home-based charter we have used the past five years (we have lots to pray about and some decisions/changes to make for next year), a big rattlesnake right outside the front door, and a slow moving stomach bug which has been working it's way through our family the past two weeks and has claimed another two three this weekend. Sometimes it all seems like too much, but moments like this make it all worth it. God is Good!

On the Feast of St. Joan of Arc

French Vanilla Fleur De Lis Cake (baked in this pan)

Recalling St. Joan of Arc's banner, "bearing at her request, the words, "Jesus Maria," along with a figure of God the Father, to whom two kneeling angels were presenting a fleur-de-lis, the royal emblem of France," we decided to bake a simple French Vanilla cake in my favorite Fleur de Lis pan for today's feast of St. Joan of Arc!  The kids also spent some time reading The Story of Joan of Arc. 

The Story of St. Joan of Arc by Maurice Boutet De Monvel • St. Joan of Arc from Naturally Catholic

Our son was given this beautiful book (an unabridged republication of the edition published by the Century Company, New York, 1912) following his First Holy Communion last summer at St. Joan of Arc Parish where his uncle is currently pastor.

"Maurice Boutet de Monvel's simple but moving retelling of her story features a series of imaginative illustrations that won the artist international fame. All forty-five of the images from his 1896 deluxe picture book appear here in full color, reflecting the saint's enduring symbolic power as well as her deep humility." - The Story of St. Joan of Arc

According to this picture book St. Joan of Arc and I share a birthday ♥

It's worth purchasing this book just for the captivating illustrations. So beautiful and inspiring! It's such a lovely addition to our collection. You can find the rest of our books about St. Joan of Arc listed in Our May Book Basket.

In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as you, St. Joan. I ask that you ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely. Amen.

St. Joan of Arc, pray for us! 

Meet the Masters :: Rembrandt van Rijn

"Practice what you know, 

and it will help to make clear what now you do not know." 

~ Rembrandt

It's been quite awhile since I've shared pictures from any of our "Meet the Masters" unit studies and art projects. The kids look so much younger in that last post on Claude Monet! I'm sure I will think the same thing when I look back at this post in a couple years... I have pictures to share eventually from the past seven or eight artists we've studied, but I'm going to start with our most recent which focused on highlights and shadows inspired by Rembrandt. 

Rembrant is the fourth artist featured in Track C. We used the lesson for ages 10-Adult, which worked well for all but our littlest ones. I ended up helping Rose with her art. So fun! 

.: Master Artist Introduction :. 

Rembrandt van Rign (REM-brant)

Dutch Painter (1606-1669)

Rembrandt developed a painting style using light and dark that is unlike that of any other artist. This "Rembrandt Lighting" creates beautiful contrasts in his etching and painting. He painted more self-portraits than any artist in history - a visual autobiography of his life in 17th Century Holland.

Art Activity Emphasis: Highlights and Shadows

Media: White Chalk, Black Oil Pastel, White Oil Pastel

Vocabulary: Light, Dark, Highlight, Detail, Portrait, Self-Portrait, Background, Shadow, Composition, Etching, Profile, Luminous

.: Art Supplies :.

One 12"x18" sheet of newsprint (placemat)

One 12"x15" sheet of black construction paper
White Dustless Chalk

Black Oil Pastels

White Oil Pastels
Q-tips

Glue

.: Practice Technique - Shadows, Highlights & Rooftops :.

.: Art Project - The Mill :.

.: Additional Reading :. 

Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs

Chiquita also pulled out her Rembrandt card from her set of Usborne Famous Paintings

(The cards are currently overpriced at Amazon but you can order them directly from one of my current sponsors who is an independent consultant here if you are interested.) 

You can scroll through all of our completed Meet the Masters unit studies here.

Burning Down the House

A historic house in the heart of our little town was used for a "Burn to Learn" training this weekend. We headed into town to spend some of each day watching the burn.

The back, left, upstairs window was where my desk was located once upon a time, when I worked preparing taxes as a young pregnant and then nursing mother (with our firstborn rocking in his swing right next to my desk!) over fifteen years ago.

Downstairs was our favorite local restaurant. They had the best Grilled Burritos, Pesto Chicken Wraps, Raspberry Chipotle Chicken, amazing salads with homemade Cilantro Pesto dressing, and so much more.

Yesterday firefighters from a number of districts took turns lighting small fires inside and then more crews went in with hoses to put them out. Later in the afternoon the engines pulled up to the house and treated the training as if it was a real 911 structure fire call. Today it was burned down completely. It was sad to see it go but neat that it was used to help train firefighters!

"I want to be a FIREMAN when I grow up!!!" - Bud, age 4

I'm hoping I can find some extra time this week to pull out our fire themed picture books and maybe create some new Fire Safety Lap Books with my little ones.  It's been almost 7 years since I made those with the older children... Time flies!