Feast of the Archangels

Today is 29th September - the Feast of the Archangels

Danielle Bean has a great post about today's celebration - tootle on over and have a look. Angel Food Cake sounds wonderful to me!

Blessings,

Nissa

Homeschooling Thursday!

Boy, I'll tell you - it's been quite a week with Blogger... I'm trying to catch up from all of the hiccups that prevented posting.

So this week for homeschooling, I've decided to offer a list of living books especially for boys. It's not that girls can't read them , or wouldn't equally enjoy them. These are books with male main chracters and more male-oriented themes. It's often helpful for children to identify very closely with a story's characters, at least that has sometimes been the case with my own children. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but a lovely sampling!

If you would like any of these books for your own library, please email the titles to our bookclub with "Living Books for Boys" in the subject and we'll get you a pricelist. We don't charge for shipping!

In case you are not familiar with the term living books, I'll do my very best to explain as briefly as I can. Of course, if you are a Charlotte Mason devotee, you'll know just what we're on about. Living books provide an enjoyable way to learn 'subjects'. They have an object lesson or contain rich material for learning, such as science or history. Historical fiction is a great example of living literature. Books like "Summer of the Monkeys" and "Where the Red Fern Grows" contain science information - real science, but in an easily digestible format. The aim of living books is to get the information into the child's head while nourishing their natural love of learning and stimulating further exploration of a topic.

The following list is a compilation of recommendations from several homeschooling moms (and kids!):

My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George
Frightful’s Mountain - Jean Craighead George
The Far Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George
Johnny Tremain (Julianne W also recommended this book!) - Esther Forbes
Summer of the Monkeys - Wilson Rawls
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls
Shakespeare Stealer - Gary Blackwood
The Kitchen Knight - Margaret Hodges
Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn - Tom Sawyer
Little Men - Louisa May Alcott
Jo's Boys - Louisa May Alcott
My Brother Sam is Dead - James Lincoln Collier
Surprised by Joy - CS Lewis
Beowulf
Crispin - Avi
Something Upstairs - Avi

Anything by James Herriot


From Julianne W:

He Went with Marco Polo by Kent
He Went with Vasco de Gama by Kent
The Eagle of the Ninth by Sutcliff
The Silver Branch by Sutcliff
Guns for General Washington Seymour Reit
Fingal's Quest by Pollard

From Tina in OH:

Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome
Two Little Savages Ernest Thompson Seton

From Bridget G at Our Magnum Opus

Farmer Boy Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Freddy the Pig Series Walter and Freddy Brooks
The Tom Playfair Series Fr. Francis Finn
Bush Boys series by James Tierney
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
With Lee in Virginia G. A. Henty
In Freedom's Cause G. A. Henty

From Kym B:

Cleared for Action - Stephen Meader
Rolf and the Viking Bow - Allen French
The Lost Baron - Allen French
The Red Keep - Allen French
Redwall Series - Brian Jaques
Secret Agents Four - Donald Sobol
Encyclopedia Brown - Donald Sobol
Midshipman Quinn Collection - Showell Styles
Flying Ensign - Showell Styles
Endurance - Alfred Lansing
Lost on a Mountain in Maine - Joseph Egan
Gentle Ben - Walt Morey
The Bronze Bow -- Elizabeth George Speare
A Triumph for Flavius -- Caroline Dale Snedeker
Theras and his Town - Caroline Dale Snedeker
Hittite Warrior - Joanne Williamson
Beorn the Proud -- Madeleine Polland
Viking Adventure - Robert Clyde Bulla
Cat of Bubastes -- GA Henty (audio version by Jim Weiss)
Wulf the Saxon - GA Henty ( audio version by Jim Weiss)
The Young Carthaginian - GA Henty (audio version by Jim Weiss)
Little Britches Series -- Ralph Moody

Enjoy! Next Thursday - a booklist for girls!

Blessings,

Nissa

Managing a Family Centered Household: Get Set… Get Crafty!

My apologies, this article is a day late.

First thing’s first – you’ll need to choose a special task for each day of the week. You have to follow the rhythm of your own life, but here is how mine shook out:

Monday – Laundry, Deep Cleaning
Tuesday – Baking, Marathon Cooking
Wednesday – Office Day (bills, recordkeeping)
Thursday –Homeschooling
Friday – Sewing Day
Saturday – Shopping Day, Family Outings
Sunday – Scrapbooking, Family Crafting Projects

This will help you with the decorating of your dividers. Of course, if you prefer the minimal look – you’re going to be done much sooner! Now, I like pretty. If it ain’t pretty, I won’t use it.

Making the Binders …

Oh, so much fun! You have your binders – a 2” and a 1”. The 2” binder is for YOU, and the 1” binder will be used for your chore manual (we'll do the chore manual later). You will also need tabbed dividers or manila file folders. I prefer refashioning the manila folders, but you’ll do what works best for you. You’ll also want to gather pretty bits of scrap, images, stickers, and quotes. Get out your scrap-booking paraphernalia, making sure you have your three-hole punch if you are using the manila folders…

To start with you’ll want to take out 10 manila folders or tabbed dividers. We’ll add more as needed. If you are using manila folders, you’ll want to trim off the back covers (save them!) – make sure you’re careful to cut them neatly and accurately. Punch the cut edge with your three-hole punch. Label your dividers Sunday through Saturday, the remaining folders will be labeled “Correspondence”, “Book of Joy” and “Book of Celebration”. I love to write in calligraphy or pretty script, but you can use block letters and slim marker, if you’d prefer.

Now that you have your days’ tasks planned, you can choose quotes and images to illustrate that. If you are a gifted artist, you might enjoy painting or drawing original art on each divider. This is meant to be an enjoyable exercise for you – a bit of an escape. If these projects seem heavy to you, keep it much simpler. You can add things as you go as well – no need to do it all today! A great place to get beautiful images is through Dover Publications. Another idea is to use pretty fabrics to glue to the divider – be creative!

When you’ve finished with the divider decorating, apply hole reinforcements to the holes. You can get stiff paper and sometimes you can find copper ones. Either way, they have an adhesive backing to peel and stick.

If you already have your address book in your computer, you can make it look pretty and print it out on cover stock. If you haven’t got it in the computer – take your time over the next couple of weeks to get that done. If you have Publisher, you can make some really, really pretty pages! Last, you’ll want to print calendar pages (the kind with nice-sized blocks for each day) for one full year, you also want lined calendar pages – one for each month of the year. You can get some really nice ready-mades from Donna Young, or you can use templates in Publisher (or another similar program) and modify them to your tastes! I recommend printing them out on cover stock so they’ll hold up better – you’ll be using them a LOT. The first set of calendar pages are NOT for appointments, these are to be used for recording life’s little milestones and joys like baby’s first steps, the day your little one learns to read, the day you found a cardinal sitting on the back porch, etc. These will one day be treasures! The second set of calendar pages will be used to record birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, saint’s days, sacrament commemorations. Again, not for appointments – this is a reference for marking the special days through the year. Make this one extra pretty – it will be a pleasure to use!

The address book pages will go behind your “Correspondence” divider. The block calendar pages will go behind your “Book of Joy” and your lined calendar pages will go behind you “Book of Celebration” divider.

We’re going to do a fun sewing project on Friday that will make your binder even nicer!

Ta-Da! The Belly Picture!

After much wheedling, cajoling, needless name-calling… er, many kind requests and a VERY large bar of chocolate – I present to you… MY BELLY!

With just over 2 weeks to go, I thought I’d follow Danielle Bean’s lead and take up a pool. We already know it’s a boy… But you tell me what his birth date, time, length, and weight will be. The nearest guesser will receive the great honor of a mention here on the Family Centered Living Blog and… let’s see… I know – a copy of "Therese” - the movie about St. Therese of Lisieux! If you already have a copy, it makes a wonderful gift!

You’re lucky, the kids wanted to send the winner our beagle, Vincent…

Did I mention it took about 12 tries to get this shot?

Inside info on the dates, lengths, and weights of my other 5 babies has been requested. So, here you are:

Catherine: due date +1day, 7lb. 10oz, 20"
Andrew: due date +4days, 8lb. 12 oz, 22.5"
Caroline: due date!!! 8lb 4oz, 21"
William: due date + 14 days, 7 lb. 4oz, 21"
Sophie: due date +2 days, 8lb. 3 oz, 21"

Feast of St. Vincent de Paul

Today is 27th September - the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul.

Don't forget to take a little time today to remember the poor. Make a simple 'plain' meal today without dessert - plain meals here are soup and a slice of bread. Set an extra place at table to remind your family of your willingness to receive a poor guest to share your bounty. If your church has a St. V de P collection box, take some time today to drop off some warm clothing to share for the upcoming winter season.

Dear Saint, the mere mention of your name suggests a litany of your virtues: humility, zeal, mercy, self-sacrifice. It also recalls your many foundations: Works of Mercy, Congregations, Societies. And the Church gratefully remembers your promotion of the priesthood. Inspire all Charitable Workers, especially those who minister to the poor - both the spiritually and the materially poor. Amen.

Now We're Cooking... With Apples

Ahhh, the humble apple... isn't really humble. Did you know that it is a cousin of the rose? That's very exotic, to my mind. Downright romantic. Apples are crisp, sweet and come in a wide variety of subtle flavors from very sour to floral - some even have a distinctively rich wine flavor.

There's nothing quite as autumnal as a bushel of apples. Here is my offering to you with my hope that you'll take your children out to the orchard for a lovely afternoon and come home to preserve your bounty together. Many of these recipes can be easily doubles or trebled, depending upon the size of the crowd you're feeding. I haven't included an apple pie recipe since I figure that's one you have already. If not, let me know - I'd be glad to share mine! Enjoy! And join me again next week for EGGS!




Bread Pudding – Nissa’s Mum

This is a traditional fall-time treat in our little family. It’s one of those foods that really qualifies as Comfort Food. It’s dead easy to make and is delicious with heavy (double) cream, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. This will serve our family of 7 twice over.

4-1/2c (20floz) milk
4 eggs, slightly beaten
16 slices bread, diced (leave it out overnight, or use stale bread)
1c. organic brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. raisins (golden, black or combination)
6 apples, pared, cored and diced (Mum always used MacIntosh)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine milk and eggs. Pour over bread; add remaining ingredients. Pour into a large (really large), greased baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes until custard is well set. Serve warm.


Applesauce

From Jack’s preschool teacher Miss Marie, who was born and raised in France. She took special care to teach him (and us) to speak good French considering we rejoice in the surname Gadbois! Every good French housewife is supposed to have two apple trees in the garden. I’m not a good French housewife at the moment. We like this recipe so well that I no longer buy store bought applesauce. Served warm with dinner, it’s gorgeous. My mother-in-law Irene served homemade applesauce to convalescents – as a nurse, who can argue with that remedy?

3 lb MacIntosh apples (I also like Cortlands, they both break down nicely), peeled, cored and sliced
¼ -1/3 c. brown sugar (depending on sweetness of your apples)
1 tsp lemon juice (more if you apples are really sweet)
1 cinnamon stick
Water

Place all ingredients into a heavy pot over med-high heat. The water should be just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, not cover the fruit. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until apples are quite soft and almost translucent. Remove from heat, remove cinnamon stick. Using a potato masher, mash fruit to desired consistency, or put through a food mill. If you like pink applesauce, leave the skins on while cooking and run mashed fruit through a sieve to remove skins.


German Apple Pancakes (also called Dutch Baby apparently)

My family loves this for breakfast served with bacon or sausage (a rare treat). This makes a batch large enough for a family of 8. You can (if you’re feeling particularly ambitious) make these in mini pans to serve individually. For those of British descent, you’ll recognize this batter as being the same as for Yorkshire pudding. If you made this recipe with ‘bangers’ or sausage instead of apples – you’d have Toad in the Hole, which is a good teatime recipe. Serve with cream if you wish and for sure remember the homemade cocoa!

8 eggs
1.5 c. flour
1.5 c. milk
1 tsp salt
½ c. butter
4 medium apples, thinly sliced
½ c. sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place two large baking dishes (glass/Pyrex) in oven with ½ stick butter in each. Beat eggs, flour, milk and salt together for 1 minute – some folks like to use a blender for this part. When the butter is completely melted and HOT, add equal amounts of batter to each dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon and sugar, set aside. Divide the apples evenly between both dishes, sprinkle on cinnamon sugar and bake for and additional 10-15 minutes. The batter will have puffed way up the sides – very impressive! When you bring it to the table, it’ll still be sizzling – that’s the panache!


Hot Mulled Cider

This is so delicious after a football game – or during the football game if you’ve brought a Thermos! You can make the cider in your home juicer if you don’t own a press. Alternatively, if you are very lucky, you can find fresh, unpasteurised cider at some farms. A little brandy or whisky is nice for the grown-ups!

1/2 c. organic brown sugar
1 tsp allspice (whole)
1 tsp cloves (whole)
1/4 tsp salt
Dash ground nutmeg
3 inch stick cinnamon
2 qt fresh apple cider
Orange wedges

Combine sugar, allspice, cloves, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cider in large saucepan. Slowly bring to boiling; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove spices. Serve in warmed mugs with a clove-studded orange wedge in each. Serves 8.


Apple Pumpkin Dessert

Oh this recipe is so good. Make a big ole batch of it and serve with a nice drizzle of heavy cream. If you don’t put up pie fillings, store bought fillings would also be fine. I like them packaged in glass jars for the flavor. You could also substitute mincemeat filling for the apple if you like it!

1 qt homemade pumpkin pie filling
1 qt homemade apple pie filling
1 box graham crackers, crushed
¼ c organic sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
1 c. finely chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, pecans and butter. Blend well (should still be crumbly), reserve 1 cup crumbs. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Bake crust blind for 8-10 minutes. Pour apple filling over crumb crust and spread evenly. Spoon pumpkin filling over apples and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs over all. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until pumpkin pie filling is set and crumbs are golden brown.

***NOTE: You can also make these individually in ramekins for a special buffet dinner.


Apple Seventh Heaven

This recipe is from Julie G. – one of my best friends for 20 years! She says it is “to die for!” I say it’s a great reason to add a little more vanilla ice cream to my diet! My husband Brian loves apple crisp – this is a variation on his fave.

½ c. butter
1 c brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1/3 c. flour
1 c chopped walnuts
7-12 apples

Peel and slice apples thinly. Butter the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, place apples evenly in dish. Cream butter and brown sugar together; add nuts, cinnamon and flour. Spread over top of apples. Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Apple Cider Donuts

Available at farmers markets all over in the fall time!

1/2 c. Organic sugar
2 tbsp. butter
2 beaten eggs
2 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. apple cider
1 c organic sugar
1T cinnamon

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Mix the sugar and butter together; Add the beaten eggs and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Stir in the apple cider until blended. Heat oil to 350 degrees F Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the hot oil. Turn to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Let cool. Meanwhile, combine 1c. sugar and 1T cinnamon in shallow bowl or baking dish. Roll slightly warm donuts in cinnamon sugar and serve! Makes about 3 dozen 1 1/2" donuts.

Please submit your favorite EGG dishes for next Tuesday!

Organic Babies

These grow pretty well around here. Sophie would like to offer you a nice Old German Tomato from our garden (which also grow well here).

Unfortunately, you waited too long and she's bitten into it already...

Cleaning House: When Life Hands You Lemons...

After composing some pretty long, complex instructions for major cleaning projects, I had to take a nap... When I awoke, I decided it was better to start this Monday Cleaning segment with something simple.

You know you've had your husband come home with a raunchy coffee mug from work. Several years ago, my own dear husband sheepishly presented me with his prize mug - which had been living in his office for at least a year, having been used faithfully on a daily basis. You're sure you don't want to ask whether or not he ever cleaned it. You stop for a second to genuinely admire the strength of his immune system since he's never been sick a day in his adult life.

But then you realize that his good fortune may not hold forever and it's time to work out how you're going to clean this vile thing. You consider throwing it out, but it's a special mug (or Thermos, travel cup, etc). It was the grungiest, most foul mess I had ever seen. I washed it with dish soap and water - HOT water - wearing rubber gloves. I scrubbed. I sweat. Nothing worked. As a last resort, I poured lemon juice up to the top of the cup and left it to sit on the counter. And I prayed. At the time I was cleansing my own body with straight lemon juice shots and it certainly was doing it's job. I was inspired, I was desperate. I forgot the mug existed for two whole days...

When I remembered the mug, I dumped out the juice in the sink and gazed hopefully into its depths. My heart sunk. The grime was still there. Tentatively, I stuck my finger inside and ran it up the side of the mug. To my great astonishment and joy, the crud disappeared! Like a mad woman, I grabbed the dishcloth and began wiping. I was in ecstacies! I finished by filling the sink with more hot, soapy water - just as a finishing touch. When I finished tenderly drying my dear husband's special mug it was as NOT the same filthy article he'd brought home. It was exactly like brand new!

Now I know you know the vinegar trick for the coffee pot. Forget it. Use straight lemon juice. let it sit and brew. There is a lot more acid in the juice than the vinegar. It would eat the stripes off a tiger. You can also use it for old pans with baked on stains (grandma's enamel dutch oven). Combine lemon juice and Kosher salt for the best metal scrub ever invented. You'll go crazy cleaning everything in site - including those gorgeous stainless appliances you've learned to hate and your sinks. You can use the same formula in the toilet and tub. Best of all- you won't swoon from fumes or ruin your septic system.

Save a little slice of lemon for later - you'll want to garnish your celebratory iced tea!

And my husband's mug? I forbade him ever to use it again. It stands as a memorial to my genius - and to the saving power of lemon juice.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

During a group discussion on courtship v. dating

William (5): Mom, I'm never going on any dates.
Mom: Really, why?
William: 'Cause I'm gonna be the Pope

Excellent. That's settled then.

The Long and Short of It...

Hair, that is... What to do about my hair? I've worn it long, I've worn it short. I am only ever happy with it for a little while and then I want to change it. Seems I can’t make up my mind which way to go. I just get it grown out when I get the itch to cut it.

I love those chic moms with short coifs. They always look so pulled together. They look like they are capable of handling anything that comes their way. Cool, breezy, no worries-I’ve-got-my-act-together. The trouble, for me, is that I always have trouble finding the time to make a good cut look nice every day. The short cut I liked the best on me took 30 seconds and a dollop of pomade to make little spiky quiffs around the back of my head. You know, the ‘do’ that looks like a bird who has been backwards through a windstorm. (How on Earth THAT should look pulled together is still a mystery to me…)

I love those moms who can make long hair look gorgeous. Mine just… well… hangs there. I don’t have lovely thick locks. I do have a small crop of curls – just one row at the nape of my neck. You can see them when I pull my hair up in one of those infernal hairclips. I love those curls. I wish they were all over. But they are not. Permanent waves are an extravagance I can’t justify given the numbers of pairs of shoes our family requires.

I mentioned the infernal hairclip. I have a love-hate relationship with it. It’s dead convenient, but it’s a one-trick pony. Gather, twist, clip. So I walk around looking like I have a hair fountain growing out of the top of my head. Worked for me when I was a mere babe – I’ve got pictures. Putting my hair up in most other ways is just pathetic. Buns come out looking like those mini snack things rather than the Cinnabon sized beauties my daughter (*my daughter* UGH) gets. My braids look like a pitiful piece of brown twine compared with the luxurious rope some *others-who-shall-remain-nameless* have. If I have lovely long layers cut into my hair, I’ll look less like Mrs. Osteen and more like Billy Ray Cyrus. I know, I’m coveting what isn’t mine. I’m bitter, you’re right.

I have been seriously considering keeping my long hair covered in a snood most of the time. They look very nice indeed. I love hats of all kinds. But sometimes I just want to have HAIR, nice hair to look at. I love variety – I don’t want just one look. I’m in a quandary.

Then again, perhaps a wig collection would be best...

Worship: The Lord Upholds My Life

Truer words were never sung.

Unfortunately, it took me a long time to fully realize this fact. And James, lovely plain-spoken James offers a wake-up call. He tells us that we must cry out to the Lord properly. That we too often let our own selfish passions get in the way of letting the Lord uphold our lives. And we get caught in a nasty cycle of asking for help incorrectly, not receiving and then trying to 'go it alone' under our own power, allowing our passions to cause harm along the way. Basically, we're behaving at times like toddlers with a temper tantrum.

It's a good thing that God is a patient parent. He waits for us to calm down and speaks to us gently. Eventually we may understand. Just let Him take care of things, trust in Him, don't fight with your siblings over things you want... If He wants you to have something, to achieve something, He will bless you with it. And that will be a better blessing than you ever could have imagined.

This Week's Feasts:

St. Vincent de Paul - 27th September

Born to a peasant family, educated by Franciscans. He later became a priest and teacher. He loved the poor. He is a fine example of someone who took seriously Corporeal Acts of Mercy. He fed and clothed the poor, nursed the sick - and even help people find work. He is probably best known for the Society named in his honor.

Did you know? St. Vincent was captured by pirates and made a slave. He was released after converting his master to Christianity!

How to celebrate: This Wednesday, visit a food pantry with a donation, take clothing to St. Vincent de Paul Society, or visit a shelter near you where you can volunteer to visit with homeless, read stories to homeless children, help with repairs, or serve a meal. Visit someone in hospital, bring some work clothes to a local bank, volunteer to teach someone to read or gain a skill so that they can find work.

Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael - Archangels - 29th September

Michael - the warrior, protector

Patronage: Against temptations; against powers of evil; officers; radiologists; sailors; the sick; security forces; soldiers; against storms at sea; swordsmiths; those in need of protection

Symbols: Angel with wings; dressed in armour; lance and shield; scales; shown weighing souls; millstone; piercing dragon or devil; banner charged with a dove; symbolic colors orange or gold.

Gabriel - the messenger

Patronage: Ambassadors; broadcasting; childbirth; clergy; communications; diplomats; messengers; philatelists; postal workers; public relations; radio workers; secular clergy; stamp collectors; telecommunications

Symbols: Archangel; sceptre and lily; MR or AM shield; lantern; mirror; olive branch; scroll with words Ave Maria Gratia Plena; Resurrection trumpet; shield; spear; lily; symbolic colors, silver or blue.

Raphael - the guide, healer

Patronage: Blind; bodily ills; counselors; druggists; eye problems; guardian angels; happy meetings; healers; health inspectors; health technicians; love; lovers; mental illness; nurses; pharmacists; physicians; shepherds; against sickness; therapists; travellers; young people; young people leaving home for the first time

Symbols: Staff; wallet and fish; staff and gourd; archangel; young man carrying a staff; young man carrying a fish; walking with Tobias; holding a bottle or flask; symbolic colors, gray or yellow

Prayer:

Heavenly King, You have given us archangels to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth. Saint Michael is our protector; I ask him to come to my aid, fight for all my loved ones, and protect us from danger. Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News; I ask him to help me clearly hear Your voice and to teach me the truth. Saint Raphael is the healing angel; I ask him to take my need for healing and that of everyone I know, lift it up to Your throne of grace and deliver back to us the gift of recovery. Help us, O Lord, to realize more fully the reality of the archangels and their desire to serve us. Holy angels, pray for us. Amen.

Camping in the Rain...

Today was to be a very busy day. The forecast was for seasonably warm sunny weather. But we live in New England. Meteorologists come here to get paid to fib... We woke this morning to the unmistakably splashy sound of cars treading water.

Weeks of planning down the tubes. This morning Brian was planning to take Catherine, Caroline, William and Catherine's friend Chelsey to Old Sturbridge Village for the morning, then out to lunch. Chelsey has only ever been one time, by contrast, we seem to live there, having purchased a family membership several years ago. We love to go visit the animals and see what's cooking in 1830's America. On the way out, we always stop for some warm, soft chocolate chip cookies or a dish of ginger ice cream. The kids were looking forward to showing Chelsey our favorite getaway... No dice. It's cold. It's wet. It's YUKKY.

Jack was to stay home with me and the baby waiting for their return so that he could go camping with the Boy Scouts and attend the Big MOE. We checked the forecast for overnight and Sunday. Warm and Sunny, right? No, wrong again. Dangerous thunderstorms... Bother. The first campout of the year and it's literally and figuratively a wash. Brian regretfully sent an email to the troop leader to let them know that Jack would not be there.

But wait! We get an email back letting us know that they have alternate accommodation for the boys - there is a lodge! They'll be going after all. So 150 some boy scouts have packed enough gear for a year-long expedition with the requisite provisions (consisting of hot dogs, chips, Gatorade, and trail mix), and descend upon the campsite. heaven knows what hijinx they'll get up to in this filthy weather. Heaven knows what their uniforms will look (or smell) like tomorrow for the demostrations they're offering... But that's the fun of childhood, right? Camping in the rain... Not the first time, not the last time. Memories for a lifetime.

We'll hit the Village next week!

Blessings,

Nissa

Fashionable Friday!

Welcome to Fashionable Friday!

I've been sewing, knitting, crocheting for most of my 35 years. I've made wedding and christening gowns, curtains, costumes, hats, shoes, bedding, sweaters and hats, mittens and socks, and some crafty bits and pieces... If it will sit still long enough, I'll find a way to sew, knit, or crochet it. I've also been known to employ hot glue on occasion.

I'm into making jewelry with my oldest daughter and my mom. I love making my own knock-offs of what we see out and about. I adore vintage (as you will have seen if you've been with me for a while). I love my family to look funky, or expensive by turns, but I'm also a fan of modesty. I mean, who wants to look at a woman who has inflated and deflated as many times as I have? Blehk! BTW, my DH is legally blind - it's one of his best features! I certainly don't want anyone looking 'that way' at my lovely little girls. We've shunned mainstreams stores as a result.

I love to haunt Sally's and the local Recycled Resource Center for things I can use. I can't resist a free stash of yarn, fabric, notions or sparkly things.

My all-time favorite refashion was Mother's Poitiers and rooster feathers made into a ravishing go-to-town costume for Mizz Scarlet (pictured above). Here's what is on my refashion/needlework list of things to do:

- Old gold brocade curtains and mauve moire stash into totes
- Flea Market fab jeans remade with cool fabric scraps and crocheted sprigs for the girls
- Peasant tops and waistcoats to match the girls' new jeans (I've seen these ensembles going for around $300 at some online boutiques!)
- Matching ballet flats made from that 1/4" cork I've had hanging around and more fab fabric scraps... This'll be a great time to dive into the bead stash, too!

What's on your list?

New Blog Schedule

Drum roll please...

In an effort to be more organized, and since I have nothing better to do, I have decided to create a weekly schedule of feature posts! So without further ado:

Mondays: Housekeeping. This will include cleaning tips and tricks. Some of you who know me well will wonder what on Earth I know about this topic. I assure you that once upon a time, I was fastidious in the extreme. And if you don't believe me, just ask Brian. I used to drive him insane. He tried over the years to corrupt me and very nearly succeeded. It's the bedrest that has given me strength to fight back!

Tuesdays: Cooking My friends knowthat this is my favorite subject. FOOD IS LOVE! My Nana taught me how to cook as soon as I could stand on a stepstool and hold a spoon. Spending time with her in the kitchen was treasured time indeed. I hope you'll feel that warm fuzzy feeling each week as we sip coffee and talk food. In addition to the regular feature, please submit your favorite recipes - The theme for the following week's recipes will be posted every Tuesday. NEXT WEEK: Apples

Wednesdays: Organizing, Bookkeeping Oh, don't groan... I know it's a tedious task, but we'll make it fun, I promise! This is where you'll find my Household Management Series each week. We'll take it nice and slow and get through it together. OK?

Thursdays: Homeschooling I'll talk about curricula, approaches, books we're reading, outings and projects we're planning. At our little Home School, we have combined Classical and Charlotte Mason philosophies. It works beautifully for a big group of children of mixed ages. Now I know there are others of you who favor other approaches, so let's hear your suggestions, I'm sure there's room for some new ideas for all of us!

Fridays: Needlework and Crafts Another of my favorite topics! I'll talk about projects I'm working on and dreaming about, resources, and techniques. I'll also share some of my patterns accasionally. And if the camera co-operates, I'll post photos. Ooooh, ahhhhh! I may also post some of my daughters' projects.

Saturday: Outdoors and Fun Stuff Our Saturdays are normally spent outdoors, whether at a ballgame, camping trip, or in the garden. In the winter, you may find us sledding or snowshoeing. The children often find little critters - and are darned good at chatchin' 'em, too! Saturdays are also good days to report on other outings we take during the week, because you've nothing better to do than spend the afternoon looking at our vacation photos!

Sunday: Worship I'm going to try to post my thoughts on the day's readings, discuss ways we can bring the sacred into our everyday lives and celebrate feasts for the upcoming week.

Please pass the word - the more the merrier here every day!

Blessings,

Nissa

Managing a Family Centered Household II - On your Mark!

So this bedrest thing isn't so bad. I've had a lot of time to work on organizing my schedule - and everyone else's - for after our little one arrives (just 4 weeks away!). I'm feeling much better about managing a busy, busy household with 6 children (2 under 2), family businesses, farming, homeschooling, and life in general.

I have been a student of large-family and organizational management, monasticism, military logistics, and general crowd control for many years. I often joke that I have ADHD – but it’s true - and extreme organization is how I cope with the chaos. The fewer distractions or occasions for on-the-spot decision-making I have, the better.

I have drawn great inspiration and strength from the Rule of St. Benedict in planning our days and our roles in the home. We are striving every day to perfect our monastic way of life and I always find something new within the Rule that I can work on! I am also ever grateful to my friends at Magnum Opus for encouragement and advice and for sharing their daily joys and trials. I have also learned so much from other moms of many who have been kind enough to share their strategies, especially Kim at Large Family Logistics (beautiful new site, Kim!). I have snitched, modified and tailored ideas from many other people to create a system that works for our family.

I’m going to serialize my organization process since it’s a lot to bite off all at once. It IS a lot of upfront work – but in the end, your life should run more smoothly, whether you have 2 or 20 children. We’re going to make Mama’s Personal Organizer, Chore manual (you’re going to love this!), Chore Board, and Cards for Chores, Duties and Virtues (which I snitched from the lovely ladies at MO!). Along the way, we may add in some more projects, who knows? We’ll start with material gathering. Grab a cup of tea, put on some music and make your shopping list!

You will need the following for the entire project (at least in order to do it MY way! LOL). You may choose to have additional arts and crafts supplies if you are a crafty person (glass paints, FIMO clay, etc):

- 2” Looseleaf binder (I like the kind with clear pockets on the outside)
- 1” Looseleaf binder
- Artwork, quotes, poetry and scripture that inspire you
- Scissors, glue, hot glue gun (with glue sticks!), markers, pens, paints, etc.
- Plenty of looseleaf paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Business card paper
- ID Card holders for laminating
- Lanyards
- Full sized laminating sheets
- Laminating Machine
- Pouches for holding chore cards
- Three-hole punch
- Tabbed dividers (for binders)
- Hole reinforcements
- Cork board
- Push pins
- Fabric, vinyl, sturdy paper for making chore board
- Plenty of printer paper
- Dry Erase markers
- Marbles (also a separate stash of single color marbles – I like gold or silver)
- Jars (2 for each child you have, plus one)– peanut butter jars are PERFECT and glass ones make a nice ‘clink’
- Computer with Word, Publisher
- Printer
- Copious amounts of tea (or your favorite drink, though I would dissuade you from anything alcoholic for this project considering the number of potentially dangerous tools!)
- Good music
… and don’t forget your creativity and patience!


Put these all in a box or storage bin so that they are set aside just for your use. That way they won’t grow legs and wander off! You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?

Up Next... Get Set - Get Crafty

Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother!

Today we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady! The children have made decorations, picked fresh sunflowers, and they'll make a cake later with their father. We'll say our weekly family Rosary and enjoy a lovely birthday dinner.

From the Litany of the Holy Name of Mary:

Mary, Mother of the Living God, pray for us
Mary, daughter of the Light Eternal...
Mary, our light...
Mary, our sister...
Mary, flower of Jesse...
Mary, issue of kings...
Mary, chief work of God...
Mary, the beloved of God...
Mary, Immaculate Virgin...
Mary, all fair...
Mary, light in darkness...
Mary, our sure rest...
Mary, house of God...
Mary, sanctuary of the Lord...
Mary, altar of the Divinity...
Mary, Virgin Mother...
Mary, embracing your Infant God...
Mary, reposing with Eternal Wisdom...
Mary, ocean of bitterness...
Mary, Star of the Sea...
Mary, suffering with your only Son...
Mary, pierced with a sword of sorrow...
Mary, torn with a cruel wound...
Mary, sorrowful even unto death...
Mary, bereft of all consolation...
Mary, submissive to the law of God...
Mary, standing by the Cross of Jesus...
Mary, Our Lady...
Mary, Our Queen...
Mary, Queen of glory...
Mary glory of the Church Triumphant...
Mary, Blessed Queen...
Mary, advocate of the Church Militant...
Mary, Queen of Mercy...
Mary, consoler of the Church Suffering...
Mary, exalted above the angels...
Mary, crowned with twelve stars...
Mary, fair as the moon...
Mary, bright as the sun...
Mary, distinguished above all...
Mary, seated at the right hand of Jesus...
Mary, our hope...
Mary, our sweetness...
Mary, glory of Jerusalem...
Mary, joy of Israel...
Mary, honor of our people...
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception...
Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption...
Mary, Our Lady of Loreto...
Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes...
Mary, Our Lady of Fatima...
Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa...
Mary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal...
Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel...
Mary, Our Lady of the Angels...
Mary, Our Lady of Dolors...
Mary, Our Lady of Mercy...
Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary...
Mary, Our Lady of Victory...
Mary, Our Lady of La Trappe...
Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence...

Sometimes You've Just Got to Have Chocolate

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

This recipe requires cornstarch. It's delicious - you can serve it with sweetened raspberries, strawberries or cherries. My mother used to serve it still warm with milk or cream poured over the top. It's guaranteed to put you to sleep!


INGREDIENTS:
1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in margarine and vanilla. Let cool briefly, and serve warm, or chill in refrigerator until serving.

Serves 8

Happy Hunting Steve-O

We're all shocked and saddened about the death of Steve Irwin. His was one of the shows we enjoyed regularly. Catherine is very interested in wildlife - in part because of his show. He loved God's creatures so much - especially the ones most people consider un-lovable. He helped us to see the beauty in every animal and always pointed out their goodness.

I can't imagine the shock and sorrow his family and friends must be feeling. My kids keep saying that it feels like a nasty joke someone is playing. Truly sad.

The Australia Zoo site is down. We've been trying to get there to leave a condolence message all morning.

Blessings,
Nissa