GO LADY ROYALS!!!!!

Our small 2 town high school girls basketball team WON STATE!!!!! 2 YEARS IN A ROW!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS HINCKLEY-BIG ROCK
LADY ROYALS!
BACK TO BACK STATE CHAMPS!!!!!

  

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

give-o and unschooling

This is our give-o board, played like bingo-o only when you have a number that is called you donate the item that is on that square. As you can see this one has been started, when you have a number that is called you can put a sticker on, after your item makes it in the donate box.

 

I used a piece of graph paper and labeled the squares with the items I thought each child had the most to donate or with things I know that they don't play with and it just hasn't made it out of the house yet. I also had some of the squares say "your time" you can do anything you want for this one as long as you are give your time in a way that is above and beyond. Some examples we gave the kids are, shoveling the neighbors walk, walking the dog with out being asked, helping with the quilt for charity. The ones that look like hands say "bigger" and "smaller" you chose something bigger or smaller then your hand. And so far the kids love it they are very excited to play each day, with makes me love it even more then I did.

As for schooling we have not done much lately, after deciding to try unschooling, I thought we might take a few weeks and work on life skills and chillin' out. Each day I try to work on 1 chore with 1 child to make sure they are doing it well and make sure they know the best and easiest way to do it. We have been playing give-o and helping mommy clean out closets ect... We all have been reading alot and talking about Lent and what it is all about. Our library has backpack kits, that have books and activities in them that are on 1 subject so I have been letting the kids check those out and of course they have been very busy playing with toys,  homemade play-doh, making more clay and play-doh and just being kids. All in all it has been a very calm few weeks, and sometime soon we will be getting into a more structured day, I was thinking maybe next week start with a morning rhythm and have free time in the afternoon so I can continue cleaning out and catching up with my sewing.

I will really try to post more often, after all that is why I started blogging!   

 Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

success

SUCCESS!!!  my new washer is hooked up and running, and my husband only broke 1 finger in the process! The washer slipped when he was bringing it down the basement stairs and he caught his pointer finger on his left hand and broke it. So other then the guilt from his finger I am really excited about the washer, it is super quite and the clothes come out almost dry. When it does the finial spin you can tell it is going super fast. I did a load of towels, it fits at least 2x as many towels, and then I only had to dry them for 20 minutes and they were dry, all of them! I am so excited about all the money I will be saving, it uses less water, I can fit in more in 1 load and drying time! WOW! I am super happy and will be saying an extra prayer of thanksgiving tonight.


These are some old pictures but thought I'd share them anyway,

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

washer update

 I guess I didn't really finish the other post. As it stands the washer will sit in the box in the garage until my husband can get it into the basement and hook it up.

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

washer

I am so frustrated,  we spent all last week trying to find a washer, each time we ordered one or found one we liked it was not in stock and we would not be able to get it for a while. And we need one now so we did not want to wait. We finally found one and it was getting delivered and set up today, the guy calls he is on his way!! And a hour early! When him and my husband were looking at the outside stairs that lead to the basement one of them broke! Luckily my husband broke it and not the delivery guy. But then we could not get it in because of safety. Which I understand but am super frustrated anyway!!!! I just want to do laundry. 

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

daybook

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...Snow!!! again it just snowed yesterday! ; )
I am thinking... how much I like to be at home with my family
I am thankful for...my new washer that will be here this afternoon
From the learning rooms... some reading, math workbooks and home ec.
From the kitchen...leftovers
I am wearing...long sleeve t-shirt, sweater, and my sweat pants. at least I am half way dressed, haha
I am creating...along with the kids a quilt for charity, I am hoping to have it a good way done today
I am going...to try and have a calm slow day, we have been running around the last week it seems that we haven't had 1 day, except Sunday of course, at home. I do not like being away from home so much. things just don't get done when no one is here.
I am reading...Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons
I am hoping...for a productive day
I am hearing...I am not sure, parts of it sound like fighting, but at the same time they might be having fun
One of my favorite things...my son, who turned 12 yesterday
A few plans for the rest of the week: finish rearranging the sewing and the learning rooms so we can get back to business.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

 

My birthday boy! Happy 12th Birthday!

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

Gratituesday

Boy do I need to take a few minutes to stop and be grateful. It has been a rough couple of weeks, but we have made it through and that alone is something to be grateful for. But I am most grateful for my wonderful loving husband, not only because I am waiting for the Lowes delivery guy with my new front loading washer. But because he loves me and always tries to please me even when I am not so nice. He is a great man and I am truly blessed to have him.

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

Wow, it's been awhile

Well it's been something like 2 weeks since I posted last. I have been a combination of busy and sick. We are having our new church dedicated this Sunday and being lead Sacristan I have been to many meetings and doing a lot of planing these last few weeks. And this week I felt horrible. Today is the first day I have felt good. Which is good because tomorrow will be busy. My oldest 2 serve the early Mass and then we will stay to set up for the dedication Mass. I am excited about the dedication but also very nervous, I hope I don't forget to do something. I have been Sacristan for about 3 weeks, which is how long we have been planing the dedication Mass. I wish I had other Masses to prepare for before this. And we did not have a Sacristan before this so I am learning as I go. Not to mention that Ash Wednesday is only 3 days later.
Speaking of Ash Wednesday, we started our Lent activity early this year so we would sort of be done by Holy Week, that way we could fully enjoy that week. We are signed up forHoly Heros Lenten Adventure. And that will start Fat Tuesday, we are doing a bingo game of giving, I will post pictures later. But it is basically bingo but when they get a number, like i-7 then they give up whatever is on that square. Somethings are, a stuffed animal, your time, something bigger then your hand. And each week we change the board. They get up each morning, "can we play give-o" supper excited about giving up there things. Who would have guessed. We are doing this in place of the usual giving up candy, ect... So everything they give up has to be in good condition so it can be donated. We will also do a Lenten Cross. It is similar to the Jesse Tree. It is in the shape of a cross and each day you add a picture to it, and it follows the Old Testament prophecies and their fulfillment in the New Testament. I think we will get pretty in to this considering the age of my kids. I also want to focus this lent on clearing out the junk from the house, all that stuff that you look at and think why do I still have that, and then just move it out of your way.
Needless to say a busy/sick as I have been we have not done much in the way of "school" we did manage a trip to the library. And the kids did read quite a bit, and spent a lot of time on their educational games for the computer. I am hoping to get some new shelves this week so I can finish reorganizing my school and sewing rooms. I think it will help me to get sewing projects done and help to do some schooling if everything is more accessible and organized. 

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

daybook

Outside my window... snow is starting to come down, and it's 21 degrees. Only 20 cooler outside then inside.

I am thinking... about getting the furnace fixed and wondering if my landlord will call about the furnace, hoping it's soon, but I am also thinking "I wonder how much this will save us on the next bill."

I am thankful for...shelter and warm clothes, our furnace stopped working and boy is it cold in here, but at least we have warm clothes to layer on and shelter from the wind.

I am wearing... tank top, thermal shirt, fluffy sweater, and my husbands old sweat shirt. Sweat pants under my heaviest jeans skirt, knee socks, fuzzy socks and thermal socks. and a scarf!

I am remembering... To praise God in the bad times as well as the good. And to offer up my suffering for those who are truly in need.

I am going...to get our taxes done today, at least they have heat.

I am currently reading... what about collage, how homeschooling leads to admission to the best collage and universities and other home / un-schooloing books.

I am hoping... our taxes come in soon

On my mind...weather or not to do this home school group or not, it is about $200 and will cost about $300 in gas to go back and forth if not more. it sounds like a great group and they do great things, and its all Catholic, but that is a ton oh money!!!

Noticing that... it's really not that bad with out heat if you bundle, bundle, bundle.

From the kitchen...Jesus bread, sour dough starter, sweet potato bread and for dinner pot roast veggies and biscuits.

Around the house... the girls decided to make a fort in the basement, so they are sweeping and dusting. my son is collecting boxes form the little store on the corner to use in  making a race car track.

From my picture journal...

 

she really wanted a seagull to come eat out of her hand, she sat there trying to get one to come to her for about an hour.

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi