First Communion

May Day 2008

To celebrate the month of Mary right, we had friends over and did ...

• a May crowning


• made May baskets with a "Mary" theme and took them to other friends


• listened to & sang Mary songs


• some of the kids made a clothespin Mary doll

Some of the inspiration for these things came from the ideas on these blogs:

Marian May Basket i.e. Paper Cup Challenge

May Day Baskets

The children did a lovely job!

Gingerbread houses in April?

A friend and I have been putting forth a great effort to get together since I was pregnant. Last week we finally got together. She'd been saving a surprise that she'd bought and saved for all the kids -- 2 gingerbread kits. We poured a cup of tea and went into the other room and let the kids have at it. They had fun and then the houses fell down.

Baptism Celebration

We had the baby baptised this weekend. It was exhausting to prepare for, but I'm pleased that we made the effort - everything was lovely! The readings this week and Fr. Tom's homily all seemed designed for our baby's baptism. God is sooo good!! It was just heavenly seeing all the faces of so many people who love us standing around the Baptismal Font. We made up Mass programs for those that may not be as familiar with the Mass - joining in prayer together. Friends and family came and we all feasted down in the church basement on a particularly cold January morning. We decorated for Scotland with red plaid (it's not our tartan, but just a red plaid that looked like the 'scotch tape' plaid - it was cheap and we made table runners out of it). We even found a fleece blanket to wrap the baby in and red plaid plates to accessorize the buffet table with. The other cake had a celtic cross and celtic lettering "God's grace upon" our baby. In the picture below, we added a crystal bowl of water to signify the waters of baptism. The table was below the crucifix behind the buffet tables. We laid out books about Scotland on each table (in case conversation was lagging), had bookmarks for friends & family to take home, scottish coloring pages & a bean-bag version of the Highland Games. Dave thought the truckload of decoarations we brought from home wasn't needed, but he was glad we weren't having it at our house. It's hard to "dress up" a basement, but we tried and were very happy with everything. Just as the angels in heaven were celebrating, so were we! What a WONDERFUL day!

4th of July in pictures

Here's a kewl link for patriots - http://sagebrushpatriot.com/america.htm

4th of July

Our 4th of July party is coming together.
This website helped get my juices flowing.

#1 on my "smart idea" list : We've invited friends who don't care how the house looks.

The house actually looks fairly decent, but I'd feel obligated to make it look great if we had a different crowd of people coming. Dave did TONS of yardwork last night. I think he was out there past dark! It needed done soooo badly. I'm just no help at all this summer. He said he only got about 20% of it done. I'm so thrilled for what he got accomplished, though.

We've got flags out everywhere. The dollar store was sold out when I checked, but Wal-mart had a good price on them (2/$1.86) for the hand-held ones.

A few activities for the kids planned (3-legged race, water balloons, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, sparklers). On the 3rd, I had them take the black styrofoam trays from the trayed corn on the cob and make fireworks by blowing red, white & blue paint through a straw. We hung them on the bathroom door. There's really no point in over planning -- they'll just want to run through the house screaming and chasing each other all day, anyway.

I thought I'd have them watch the America Rock portion of Schoolhouse Rock. That set of 20 minutes worth of cartoon songs tells the story as succinctly and memorably as about anything I can think of..."and the shot heard round the world, was the start of the revolution..."

The food is bought and prepped, including the Rocket Popsicles we made last night with Jello & Whipped Cream. I've come to LOVE Aldi's supermarket.

If we can stay awake that long, we're going to try and take the kids to the fireworks. Believe it or not, we've never made it to watch the fireworks since we've had kids.

It should be a relaxing, easy-going, flag waving, Sousa-playing day...of course, I'm awake at 4:30am, so I may be a tad-bit tired for 9am Mass on the 4th. It sounds rediculous, but I'll just go upstairs and take a short nap while our friends are here ... ANOTHER advantage to celebrating with good friends.

I pray for America that we may be made worthy to live out the freedoms and responsibilities we've been granted by God.

Bunco

I don't like Bunco. So, when it was my turn to host it -- I said we weren't going to play. My favorite part of playing Bunco with my friends is seeing my friends...and eating. So, on my night, I decided we'd just visit and eat. I asked everyone to bring a dish plus the recipe. I'll make copies of the recipes for everyone. And we'd chat. I told them they could bring a craft they were working on, if they wanted. These are the recipes I fixed :

Hot Beef Dip

1 – 8oz pkg Cream cheese, softened
½ Onion, minced
1 C sour cream
½ t Garlic powder
½ Green pepper, minced
1 pkg dried beef, cut in 1” squares

Mix everything together and bake ‘till bubbly, 30 minutes @ 350. Serve with crackers. When I bake this in my stoneware loaf pan, it stays hot on the way to a party covered with foil, even in winter.

Isaac, you do not bear
The wood alone,
For on your father’s heart
It weighs like stone.-Charles L. O’Donnell

Cheese Cake

4 – 8oz pkg Cream Cheese
Grated zest of 1 lemon, 3t dried or 1T fresh
½ C Heavy cream
Grated zest of 1 orange, 3t dried or 1T fresh
1 ½ C Sugar
1 t Vanilla
4 Eggs, lightly beaten

Mix cream cheese, sugar & cream until smooth. Add eggs & beat again. Mix in the zests and vanilla. Pour into a buttered 8x3 inch round pan (I use a springform). Place this pan in a slightly larger pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan to come two thirds up the side of the cake pan (I used tap water). Bake until firm, approximately 2 hours, adding more water when necessary. Turn off the oven, open the door, and let sit until cooled. Invert onto a platter. Garnish with strawberries.
[Her actual recipe calls for ¼ lb finely ground blanched almonds to be placed in the bottom of the cake pan before you pour in the cheese cake so that when you invert it, the almonds are on top. I don’t do this step.]
I bought grated zests in the spice isle just for this recipe – a great investment!

A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on. – Carl Sandburg

Crochet Headband

Using #3 cotton thread and an "F" needle, I whipped this up last night in preparation for the 4th of July. The main band is 2" wide (about 10 rows) and 10 1/2" long (about 50 stitches across). Each tie is 12" long (about 55 stitches). To make it just a little bit fancier (I know it's pretty basic), I took 5 stitches of the ties and made them into a "V". It would have been better if I tapered off the last 2 edges where the "V" comes together so that it's only 8 stitches wide, instead of 10 -- but it doesn't noticably pucker.

Romance is...

Romance is...

... my dear husband letting me throw a Pampered Chef party when he DOESN'T like parties (and he'd prefer I not spend more money).

... my dd#2 making me a huge bag of valentine's cards (when she was supposed to be in her room in time out) and so excited that she's tried to give them to me everyday for a week "...but not until Valentine's day, sweetie."

... my dear husband not complaining when he walks in the house and I'm on the computer, again, and the house is still a mess (and not nearly clean enough to have a Pampered Chef party) and he doesn't say a word!

... ds#3 running downstairs after getting ready for bed in his daddy's white t-shirt and throwing himeself on my lap "Mama, I just wanted to cuddle you."

... my dear husband putting 4 kids to bed (multiple times a night when needed) because I've had my fill of kids during the day.

... my ds#4 writing his name 40 times to make his valentine's and not complaining once when some of the bigger kids were whinning.

... my dear husband letting me watch the show I want to watch knowing that he'll miss his show.

... my dd#1 walking up to me silently to hug me 4 or 5 times a day. Why? "Because I like to hug you."

... my dear husband helping with all of the science expiraments so the kids can be in the science fair when he didn't even think they needed to be in the fair (this hasn't happened, yet, but it's slated for this weekend...isn't he GREAT?)

Never quit, never quit, nev....

Yup. I've got it. I'm sick. (Here's me whining like my kids) "I reeeeeealllly wanted to do 30 day shopping and cooking this weekend...." Last night I made a quick trip to the dollar store and was planning on hitting Wal-mart after that. I was too tired and couldn't make it. I guess this will be a sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-This Old House-weekend.

Yesterday, Dd#1 made lunch & the side for dinner. Dd#2 is still grounded from the kitchen for using the microwave without asking. Dd#2 is the first kid in the kitchen. She loves to "cook" creatively. The mess, the wasted ingredients - it all gets to me. However, Dd#2 is fairly good at it, as she is most everything - just overly eager, as she is everything. Dd#2 is a 'follow the recipe exactly' kind of girl. She's like her mama (who doesn't always follow the recipe but is lost without one).

Then, Dd#1, taught the boys to do the dishes. What a wonderful girl for a sick Mama. However...

They broke my baking stone. All the while I'm thinking how much I didn't want to have to buy a new stone. I wanted to buy things that I want, not what I need. But, now I need a new stone. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I'm having a PamperedChef party...whatever. Dd#1 cried. "Don't cry, honey. It's just a thing, and you're so much more important than a thing." All this could pass away...her help and effort and self-image are so much more important than anything else.

Kitchen Desk er Craft Center

I figured it out!
A TURN-ABOUT!! That's what I need for my new craft center! I think there are 15 divisions.

• Grown-up sissors




• Kid sissors




• Paint brushes (I can never keep track of those)




• Pens (places for red, blue & black)




• Pencils




• Erasers




• Glue Sticks
  
  Woo-hoo!! This is EXCITING! Boy, am I glad I have a PAMPERED CHEF party coming up!!

Craft Center - the saga continues
I'm sure you're getting tired of reading about my craft center. So, don't bother reading this if you are. I've got one of these with all the kids' misc. crafts in them. What if I clear out the top cabinets of my craft center and put batteries, candles, extension cords, etc in my storage unit, which I will put under the desk. Then I can move the boxes under the desk to the top shelves and put the kids' craft stuff in clear shoe boxes on the shelves. I think they'll use them more if they're in the house instead of in the garage and if they're more organized.

This is what I've done so far...

Isn't this a cute ducky that Ds#3 made for me at the craft room on Vacation??

How to throw an easy Homeschool Party

I've learned that lots of people are happy for their kids to participate in parties a few times a year. I do everything as easy as possible utilizing all the help available and I don't stress about stuff. (Well, actually I stress about lots of stuff, but not kid parties. Perfection is impossible and not to be strived for.)

Valentine's Party Invitation
Wedensday, February 14, 2007
(Location) 10am -1pm
RSVP to (Name & Contact info)
by (Date)

Bring a dish to share for a potluck lunch.

Bring a game, activity or craft with a valentine's theme or join up with another parent.

Bring enough valentine's to pass out to each child. You can do this as a family or have each child do enough valentine's for every kid.

We'll let everyone know how many valentine's by the RSVP date.

Name : Jenn Bringing: Plates, Cups, Napkins, Lemonaide, Water Kids: Dd#1, Dd#2, Ds#3, Ds#4

.........................................

• I choose themes like All Saints Day, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, etc.
  Select a location. Our local library has a room we can reserve for free that fits 40 kids comfortably. A local firestation also has rooms for free. A park in nice weather can be ideal! Often my date is determined by availability of my location.


• Select a time that is good for YOU, the organizer of the party. If you want to check with 1 other family, that's fine. Trying to accomodate multiple families' schedules though makes a party never happen. If you build it, they will come.


• Select a reasonable ending time. I usually choose 2-3 hours including eating time.
• Let people know this is happening. I e-mail invitations with all the information on them including the RSVP date. If I don't get a big enough response, I ask people who have signed up if there's anyone they know who might want to come. These parties are also effective with just 1 or 2 other families besides ours. They can be done in a home.


• I provide water & lemonaide (I'm the one with the big cooler), cups, napkins & plates and I organize it. I like potlucks. If you wanted to make it easier on the organizer, have everyone pack a lunch or don't do it over a meal time.


• Then when it's happening, I'll watch the time to make sure we have enough time to trick-or-treat or pass out valentines and eat lunch. I don't tie myself down to a craft or activity, but float. Sometimes a parent needs more help and I have to grab someone off another place. Or someone needs a supply they left in their bag. The kids also need to know when to change stations. (Usually, someone has to remind me to watch the clock or I get chatty and forget there are 30 kids having a party around me.)


• Each family is expected to bring something for the potluck as well as a craft or a game or an activity centered around the theme. They are in charge of paying for & bringing the supplies for their chosen activity or craft. This way we don't have to have a cost for the party. The exception to this is it may be easier for 1 person to get enough, say, pie pumpkins for the kids to decorate faces than for each parent to bring one for their kids. We also don't have to worry about a parent forgetting that detail for their kids and having kids feel left out. Then we charge the parents $1 per kid or however much to reimburse that 1 parent who bought the pumpkins.


• I usually end up having 5 or 6 different activities. I set up tables around the perimeter of the room and divide the kids by age into groups of 5-10 kids each. Then each group rotates around the room to a table. I allow about 20 minutes per table, then holler for everyone to switch.
• If it's Valentine's, the parents need to bring enough for each child - the same with treats for Halloween.

The schedule I use is:

• 15-30 minutes to set up (everyone helps set the room up). Tables for each activity that needs a table, tables for food. I let everyone eat on their lap on the floor - see how I am?
• 1 hour for everyone to get a turn at each activity or craft table


• 20 minutes to do a group activity (either pass out candy or Valentine's or a group activity based around the theme of the party. It helps settle everyone down because they have to be quiet to hear me give instructions on the activity.


• To pass out Valentine's or candy, I either have the kids line up and let the parents move kid to kid or have the parents line up and have the kids go parent to parent. The other option is to have the kids line up and the last kid in line passes out candy to each person in line until they're the last person in line. Once the 2nd kid gets theirs from the 1st kid, they can go down the line behind him until he's the last one. It take some time, but is orderly.


• 30 minutes to eat & chat (you may need a little more for a potluck)


• 20 minutes to clean up.


• I usually try and give myself about 20 mintues wiggle room that isn't scheduled. That way I'm not pushing the kids to go faster to pass out Valentine's, etc. because I'm stressed.

Birthday greetings

My oldest daughter turned 11 this week. Having 4 children, we only have "public" birthday parties for years that are derivatives of 5 (so 5, 10 & 15). At our "public" birthday parties, we invite whole families rather than just a kid here and there. No one feels left out of their family or ours (often a younger child of ours is friends with a younger sibling in their family). The kids get an opportunity to celebrate their sibling's birthday without thinking of themselves and everyone has a good time (and we don't end up spending tons on birthday parties and don't have to cart home tons of presents each year the kids don't really need).

Since it was an 11th birthday, there was no "party." A cake (icecream cake that she made herself!) and rollerblades. Our local homeschool group sponsors quarterly rollerskating parties and one happened to fall on her birthday. We don't always attend, so I sent out a secret e-mail letting many of our homeschool friends know that our family would be there (in case they were on the fence about going), and that if their children wanted to surprise our daughter with a homemade card, it would be joyous thing to do! The response was overwhelming. I think she got around 35 cards! She occasionally tells me she doesn't have many friends, so I will definately be using this for amunition of how loved she is. Our homeschool friends and community have been such a source of wisdom, encouragement and joy for our family. If you haven't found a homeschool group that fits your family, keep looking. The reward is well worth the effort!!!

Pamper Yourself

I'm having a Pampered Chef party. If you know me, even remotely, you're invited. Thursday, February 15, 2007 @ 6:30pm.

It's a Valentine's Theme (a day late - the day after Valentine's - and a dollar short - I can get those conversation hearts 1/2 price, then! )

The special for attending a party in February is All Stoneware 20% off.

If you want to book a party, the February hostess special is 60% any 2 stoneware items. (I think January is cookware.) That's why I'M hosting a February party - I really want that New Traditions Cranberry Stoneware - at right. I've wanted them since they first came out, but they are REALLY alot. I also couldn't see spending the $$ when they weren't big enough for my family. I went to a party this fall (thanks, Julie) and MY consultant, Kim was doing the party. She said they came in bigger sizes, now. She also REFUSED to let me buy any cranberry at full price - she knows Dave really well, too. She told me if I wanted it, I had to have a party in February when I could get it at such a discount.

I won't feel bad at all if you don't come to my party, but want to book a party off my invitation. E-mail me and I'll get you my consultant's info to book a party. (See how altruistic I am??)

If you want to take a look at some products before the party, either stop by to look at the catalog (but not the cleanliness of my house), or go to the Pampered Chef website www.pamperedchef.com If you don't want to come to the party - because you're having major surgery that day, or really don't like me THAT much, I can take orders ahead.

REALITY : I LOVE throwing any kind of party, so you can come feast, maybe win a door prize and not buy a thing -- and I'll be thrilled that I even have friends. I like throwing parties so much that I'm even MAKING little door prizes... so I hope some people come who don't order ANYTHING, so they can just enjoy the door prizes I'm doing. That's what I call a PARTY - food, friends, and I don't have to cook!

Don't forget that Kim has a little something if you bring a friend (that I didn't already invite).