It's the End of the World as We Know It...

Angel, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

No, not the financial or political kerfuffles silly, we actually did a CRAFT! (Thanks to Ana.)

All I really did was print out the pictures and give a few words of encouragement. They loved it! Here's one of Bernie's, which she decided to pose in the midst of our floral wreath.

Happy Feast of the Archangels!

The Archangels, originally uploaded by Dulcis.

This lovely painting can be found in Mission Santa Barbara.

I Think This Especially Applies to Curriculum Choices...

I stumbled upon this quote in Real Simple magazine (I pick these up occasionally at the grocery store because I like their organizational ideas and such . I thought Gretchen Rubin did a wonderful job of explaining something that I find very much worth thinking about:

There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they're satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can't make a decision until they've examined every option. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they're often anxious about their choices. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

The Agony of Loss

Finally, if there is anything that I've learned through our time with Elanor and our attempts to protect her, it is the simple but profound truth that true love is a gift that does not act with the desire to obtain something in return. If love worked like the stock market, we would be a very destitute and impoverished people. In a world distorted and disfigured by the need to control, own, and possess, it is the mystery of authentic, self-giving love that provides wholeness and peace, comfort and perspective. But it only makes sense and really exists in the light of the Cross, in the paradox of death conquering death. Or, in the shocking but true words of Adrienne von Speyr, "The only thing you can say about love of God is: it leaves behind scorched earth."

Please read this post by Carl Olsen of Ignatius Insight and pray for him and his family and especially for Elanor and her birth parents.

Another Funny Story

I can't believe I haven't posted in a week! We are up to our eyeballs in school and activities (and helping proofread the upcoming issue of mater et magistra magazine) and I'm doing some of my keeping up with friends and family over on Facebook.

Anyway, here's the story, before I forget it...

Last month our family went to Mass with my brother-in-law and his family as we were planning on going to brunch afterwards. They sat in the row immediately in front of us (along with the Van Hecke grandparents). As we had a very tight spot (we were a little on the late side), my little girls moved up to sit with grandma and grandpa (admittedly, they probably would have done this even if there was more room!) and Frank wanted to get in on the act.

He walked around the other side of the pew and sat down right next to Uncle David. David related this story to us afterwards: He had whispered to Frank (somewhat in greeting), "Did your family come, or are you here by yourself?" Frank simply looked up at David and said...


"Nice tie!"

:)

The Ignatius Press Meme

I couldn't resist this meme. Just to be fair, I'm not including the Bethlehem Books titles, which Ignatius Press co-publishes.

1. What was the first Ignatius Press book that you read? Hard to say. Probably A Map of Life (read it in high school), but it wasn't published by Ignatius Press until later. Does that count? :)

2. The most recent Ignatius Press book that you read? The Legacy of John Paul II: Images and Memories by Cardinal Ratzinger

3. What are your favorite Ignatius Press books?

Too many to name, but I should especially mention Cardinal Ratzinger, G.K. Chesterton and Fr. Schall.

4. What is your least favorite Ignatius Press book? Probably Hell and other Destinations, though I did like parts of it.

5. How many Ignatius Press books have you read? About 40, I think - a good chunk of these are from the Vision series. Probably at least twice that many that I've dipped into (chapters here and there as needed or even read half and felt done with it for the time being and/or are currently reading). Do you own? According to LibraryThing, 168. (I'm a big fan of the Ignatius Press sales and online clearance section.)

6. What book do you wish Ignatius Press would publish? An audio Old Testament (I think they presently only offer the New Testament).

7. What are the next Ignatius Press books you plan to read? The book on St. Philip Neri I recently purchased from their big summer sale.

Unexpected

Some of the funniest things I hear from my kids or hear myself saying are the unexpected ones, like:

To Frank:

"You're not allowed to put drinks in your back-pack."

Bernie to me:

"Mommy, can you sing the Soprano part for My Country 'Tis of Thee? The only part I can do by myself is the Bass."

UPDATE: Okay, I remembered more.

The other night, Frank, Gus, Ria and I were having a late night discussion about the meaning of the word "important". (Frank particularly likes late night discussions.). When that one ended, Frank very politely asked:

"Is it too late to ask about how airplanes fly?"

One day Kate came up to me and explained:

"I was just sitting on my bed and telling myself about all the nice things I'll do when I go to heaven."

Chef Kate

DSC_7494, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

The addition of a toaster oven, a quesedilla maker and nice oven mitts to our kitchen repertoire has really enabled the kids to get safely creative in the kitchen - and Kate particularly loves it (though it is possible, gastronomically speaking, to be a little too creative at times - think peanut butter-and-tuna melts specially made as a surprise for the whole family).

Who Would You Be in 1400 AD?

The Prioress

You scored 5% Cardinal, 77% Monk, 56% Lady, and 38% Knight!

You are a moral person and are also highly intellectual. You like your solitude but are also kind and helpful to those around you. Guided by a belief in the goodness of mankind you will likely be christened a saint after your life is over.

You scored high as both the Lady and the Monk. You can try again to get a more precise description of either the Monk or the lady, or you can be happy that you're an individual.

Take The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test at HelloQuizzy

hat-tip Thursday Night Gumbo

Prayer Request

Please pray for my cousin's daughter, Sara, who was in a very serious car accident (this is from a message from my aunt and uncle):

Our granddaughter Sara was in a terrible car wreck last Thursday. She is on 100% life support in a coma with severe brain damage.

Today we were told that Sara moved her arms & that her brain stem is functioning. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Morris, that operated on Sara told us that these are very small baby steps, but we are grasping onto anything at this point.

From this morning's Magnificat

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

I Will Never Quite Understand Why...

after a day of things like this....

[The other kiddos helping Ria with a drafting project. She had to carefully measure and draw out our house for an outside class. There was a lot of great initiative and voluntary cooperation on this project even though they had to re-measure several times because of inconsistencies.]

and this...

[At that very same time, Kate and Frank set up their own tea party, complete with scrambled eggs.]

and other good things like a group Shakespeare reading with several other families and a very healthy mess in the living room from our school work this morning...

I still have a tendency to feel like we're not doing enough.

Teen Catechism Discussion Plans

Our local teen catechism discussion group is starting up again and I'm excited about the upcoming year. We'll be doing a lot of Bible study on two different tracks - 1. a study of some of St. Paul's epistles in honor of the year of St. Paul and 2. uncovering the differences between the Protestant and Catholic Bibles (with some background reading on the Reformation). Tonight we're kicking off in a celebratory way and watching Steve Ray's Footprints of God "Paul: Contending for the Faith".

Here's my list of what we hope to read this year:

How the Reformation Happened by Hilaire Belloc

Books of the Bible:

Tobit
Judith
Wisdom
Sirach
Baruch
Maccabees
Esther
Daniel
James

Romans
Hebrew
Corinthians 1
Ephesians
Galatians
Philippians
Philemon

I picked up several volumes of the Navarre Bible commentaries to assist with preparation for and discussion of these books.

Some other things we may or may not get to:

The Ball and the Cross by G.K. Chesterton
Lepanto by G.K. Chesterton
A Man for All Seasons (movie)

On the side, I'll be introducing one of the Fathers of the Church each week with the help of Pope Benedict's Wednesday audiences (as recently published by OSV in the book: The Fathers by Pope Benedict XVI). The students have a timeline notebook from last year (which we hardly used at all!) that I hope to use regularly this year.

A Little British History

We're rather quickly reading through H.E. Marshall's Our Island Story, a children's history of England (written in 1905). It's fascinating and a quick read, though the perspective is different and interesting at times (for example, it has the most positive view of Henry II I've ever come across). We especially noticed the contrast in views on King Henry II and St. Thomas a Becket since we read If All the Swords in England earlier this year and watched Becket (not for the younger kids, by the way). Next week we're planning on a dramatic read-aloud of T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral. Should be interesting!

Learning Notes Blog

I'm back to posting again over at Age Quod Agis, though as usual, the most consistent part will likely be the sidebars.

First Day of School

DSC_7098, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

We eased into school today with a morning in the great outdoors and some backpacks filled with a few books and some goodies. I emphasized (a significant change for me) our read-alouds and group study type things while the kids worked on various workbooks and such at will.

Frank woke up a little later than everyone else, but showed up very perky at about 8:30 rather well-dressed and eager to start. I had picked up several little preschool workbooks for him at a local store yesterday. He FINISHED two of them today. LOL!

Emerging Cicada

Cicada 2, originally uploaded by Chez VH.

A few weeks ago, Bernie took this picture of a Cicada emerging from its shell.

Too Fun Not to Share

A classic mystery challenger on "What's My Line?"



hat-tip American Papist

Our Storm Song

A partial re-posting from April 2007 because we're praying for all those on the Gulf Coast as the horrible hurricane makes landfall...

I always sang this to our children when we were huddled in the basement of our old house during a storm (it brought comfort to me as well) . It's an old song (and prayer) that was once used by those at sea for protection from storms, so it seemed very appropriate.

The song is "Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star."

Words, music and a midi file can be found at this link.

Baby Moose playing in the Sprinkler

hat-tip Jennifer's Favorite Links