Wordless Wednesday (taken on Wednesday, posted on Thursday)

My Multitudes

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).

We reached our half-way point to our 1000 Gifts this week.  God is in all aspects of our life...  the good and the bad.  We are fully aware and thankful when all is going well.  But, what about when things take a turn for the worse??  Do we draw nearer to Him or do we question His presence?  One of the beauties of the Catholic Church is the emphasis they place on redemptive suffering.  Our sufferings here on earth unite us to the cross and if accepted with faith, they can have redemptive value!  He has left room for us to add to His afflictions.  Our pains.  Our crosses. Our complaints.  Our bothers.  Let none of them go un-wasted!  Bring them to the foot of the cross with trust and faith and leave them there.  For God....  "makes everything work out according to his plan."  (Ephesians 1:11).  This coming week, I will strive to quietly and prayerfully draw nearer to Our Lord when things are not going perfectly with my plans....

Here's a peek at the gifts and graces that God has blessed us with this past week.  Thanks be to God for his continual presence with us!!

#479 - many opportunities throughout my days to grow in patience and holiness
#480 - a constant prayer and reminder for myself....  bite my tongue, put on a smile and pray!
#481 - red stickers
#482 - first sweet corn of the season

#483 - Pookey's first time eating sweet corn

#

#484 - good talk with a friend
#486 - date night to celebrate my twin niece and nephew's 14th birthday - dinner, adoration/benediction, painting pottery
#488 - my prayer group
#490 - playing outside 'til "midnight"
#491 - Fone's giggles that are just like his daddy's
#492 - two sleeping babies in my lap during family prayers
#493 - dinner and house blessing with Deacon John and Father Tom
#494 - sharing dinner with my sister
#496 - a leaf flower gift for me made by Mario

#497 - fun at John Deere Ag Days

 

#498 - pretty girls in pretty bonnets
#499 - little boys who love and cling to their momma so much, even to the point of pulling her shirt down too far and exposing her out in public (the latter is one of those hard Eucharisteo's....)
#500 - kids greeting at Church
#501 - a mountain of waffles made using our double waffle maker

#502 - Pookey playing with bigger kid toys and "neighing" like his horse
#503 - my handsome, handy husband working on mudding and taping in our basement
#504 - cute, chubby baby hands grabbing and eating mouthfuls of popcorn at the movie theater
#505 - the biggest laughs at Winnie the Pooh were from the 3 biggest boys (Neil, Fone and Mario)
#507 - 2011/2012 school curriculum planned and ordered
#510 - bumping into old friends
#511 - peace
#512  - an offer to babysit kiddos to go out on Neil's birthday
#513 - brothers who share their tools
#515 - lots to pray for and to remind us of our need for God
#516 - Melody who is always ready to clean
#517 - Fone and Mario's decorations for a special themed birthday party coming up in August

#518 - Usborne books that have a beautiful way of attracting readers to learning
#520 - brothers and sisters who can play so well with each other
#521 - rocking babies to sleep
#522 - Melody picking out clothes for herself and the 3 littles to help prepare for VBS in the morning
#523 - humble hearts
#524 - there's always room for improvement
#526 - answered prayer and a 2 day old baby girl placed into a loving, faith-filled home
#527 - no raccoon attacks at the lake
#528 - my sister-in-law and I wearing our matching skirts
#529 - my family
#531 - outdoor water play
#533 - leftovers making easy lunches

Won't you join in on the counting of your blessings and/or stop by and encourage these moms who are??  

2011/2012 Young Family Academy Homeschool Plans

Yeah, yeah, I know it's only July, but the school teacher inside of me is just screaming with excitement for our upcoming school year.  New books, new plans, new schedules, excitement of new learning and new grades to teach!  Fun, fun, fun!!!  This year we are taking a break from our normal SonLight studies and are putting a little more excitement in our year with some new activities and plans.  We are also moving towards more computer and independent-based learning for our oldest learners to free up more time for me to play with and goof with the littlest ones and also keep up on normal housekeeping. 

I know that as the year goes on, we will may add and/or subtract from these plans, but here's a look at our starting base....

Fone - 5th grade

• Religion - Faith and Life online, Catholic Mosaic, Angel Food and Baltimore Catechism readings, Living the Liturgical year celebrating the Church's feasts and seasons (I like to borrow ideas from Jessica and Catholic Icing)
• Math - Teaching Textbooks 5
• Language Arts and Literature - Intermediate Language Lessons (part 1) and Total Language Plus (we are planning to study Charlotte's Web, Shiloh, The Sign of the Beaver, The Cricket in Times Square to start our year and will follow the suggested schedule for 5th grade)
• History/Geography - this year (and next) we will be doing unit studies, activities, and scrapbooks/lapbooks on the Presidents and all of the Unites States (I will share more resources and links on this one later)
• Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears Can-Do Cursive
• Science - SOS 5 - Life Cycles:  Balance in Nature
• Music - piano lessons
• PE - Tae Kwon Do

Mario - 3rd grade

• Religion - Faith and Life online, Catholic Mosaic, Angel Food and Baltimore Catechism Readings, Living the Liturgical year celebrating the Church's feasts and seasons (I like to borrow ideas from Jessica and Catholic Icing)
• Math - Teaching Textbooks 3
• Language Arts and Literature - Primary Language Lessons (part 1) and Total Language Plus (we are planning to study Charlotte's Web, Shiloh, and The Sign of the Beaver and may do more as the year goes on)
• History/Geography - this year (and next) we will be doing unit studies, activities, and scrapbooks/lapbooks on the Presidents and all of the Unites States (I will share more resources and links on this one later)
• Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Handwriting
  
• Science - SOS 3 - Plants, Animals, and Energy
• Music - piano lessons
• PE - Tae Kwon Do

Melody - 2nd grade

• Religion - Faith and Life online, Catholic Mosaic, Angel Food and Baltimore Catechism Readings, Living the Liturgical year celebrating the Church's feasts and seasons (I like to borrow ideas from Jessica and Catholic Icing), plus the books for First Holy Communion preparation....  The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism, First Communion, Patron Saint of First Communicants, First Communion Days, First Confession, and The King of the Golden City
• Math - MCP B
• Language Arts and Literature - Primary Language Lessons (part 1) and SonLight Readers 2
• History/Geography - this year (and next) we will be doing unit studies, activities, and scrapbooks/lapbooks on the Presidents and all of the Unites States (I will share more resources and links on this one later)
• Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears Printing Power
• Science - pretty informal at this level - we will do simple lapbooks, activities, and books from the library
• Music - piano lessons
• PE - Tae Kwon Do

Ariel - Kindergarten

• Religion - Leading Little Ones to Mary, My Jesus and I, Catholic Mosaic, Living the Liturgical year celebrating the Church's feasts and seasons (I like to borrow from Jessica and Catholic Icing)
• Math - MCP level K
• Phonics - Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
• History/Geography -very informal, she will listen in and take part in the 3 older kids' studies here and there
• Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears Letters and Numbers for Me
• Science - pretty informal at this level - we will do simple lapbooks, activities, and books from the library
• Music - piano lessons
• PE - Tae Kwon Do

There ya have it!! We will begin full time after Labor Day and hit and miss on the hottest days between now and then, when no one wants to go outside.  

Please join me in prayer for a blessed school year for the Young Family Academy!