7 QT's - Instagram recap of our week

Joining in with This Ain't The Lyceum for 7 Quick Takes Friday via an Instagram re-cap style....

---#1---

A week ago, we had a nice rain and I decided that I would be nice enough and let the kids go outside in the rain to run around in, splash in, and get all wet.  Not everyone took me up on this offer.  But 5 of the 8 young'uns did!!  What's one more load of laundry, eh?  

---#2---

This little guy has now been crawling for just over two weeks now and can get everywhere he wants.  Including the laundry basket!!!  Isn't he the cutest laundry helper ever??  

---#3---

Sams trip stocking up on groceries for the week - only hubby, these two little cuties and myself...

---#4---

Pope Francis arrived in the US on Tuesday, and like I mentioned, we had to celebrate his visit from afar.  Flat Francis has been hanging out with us and has come along to some activities with us this week.  Poor sweet Flat Francis hasn't made it to all of our events and was left at home or out in the van.  It's been fun though, for sure!!  We've especially enjoyed watching EWTN all week.  And, I can't wait to read this post with link-ups from many of the ladies from CWBN (Catholic Women's Blogging Network).  

---#5---

Who needs a toy drum, starring our little guy, Yoda??....

---#6---

Both Melody and Mario have been cast to star in Hansel and Gretel, that our local junior theatre will be performing next month.  So, we've been trucking here at least three times a week for play practices, not to mention the other two acting classes our kids are in!  Thank goodness the grounds are beautiful and there is so much room for our kids, not in practice/class, to run and play.  

---#7---

Tired momma with baby who doesn't sleep very well..... yeah, that's me.  In this picture, I had just got nursing lil Yoda and got him to sleep.  He sleeps only after being rocked, nursed, or traveling in the van.  Never falls asleep on his own in his crib.  No schedule whatsoever.  He'll be one in a couple of weeks.  Still doesn't sleep through the night.  Wakes/nurses at least twice.  I'm okay and love him to pieces, but man, am I tired.  I've never had a baby with sleep patterns like this.  And, I just can't lay him down and let him cry it out.  That's just not me.  Funny with him being my 8th, things are just so different.  Silly guy!  

***Please join in on the fun and stop and take a look at all the other Quick Takes by clicking the image below***

A mess-up turned into beauty

A lesson for us all:

Pookey comes to me with the saddest face ever because he "messed up the card" that he was making for his Aunt when he drew a "horrible heart" and then he scribbled all over it because he hated it.

Oh boy! Teaching moment.... 

Our messes can be transformed into something beautiful. 

It is never too late. 

There should never be any giving up. 

Sometimes you just need to show your messes to someone who love you. 

Someone who will not judge or put you down. 

And then they can help you make them into something beautiful.

This lesson can point us to Above as well.  Our Lord can take our weaknesses and mess-ups and turn them into strength and something beautiful for Him.

Look at this transformation.  Afterwards he said it was "the most beautiful heart ever". All it took was a little love. A little encouragement. A little help.

++Thank you, God!!++

“Behold, I make all things new.” 

~Revelation 21:5

Your turn!!! Share some messes that have been turned into something beautiful....

Pope Francis visits the US - activities for kids!

Oh yes!!  He'll be here on Tuesday.  Well, "here" meaning the United States!!  And, we *know* he'd be visiting us personally if he had some spare time, eh?  ;)   But since we know he's a busy man and we couldn't swing out to visit him, we had to celebrate these days nonetheless.

When I saw this Flat Francis idea, I jumped on it!  We couldn't go to see him, he couldn't visit us, so why not bring him to us in a special way - as Flat Francis!!

I printed out a schedule of his visit, so that we can refer to it throughout his stay, and a couple more print-outs.  And, I'm sure we'll be watching EWTN plenty as well.  Can't wait!  :)

Stay tuned - we are planning on taking lots of pictures of Flat Francis during his stay with us and sharing them here on the blog!

***click on the image below to take you to a beautiful post on praying a Novena during the Papal visit***

School is in session!!!!!

Today, Young Family Academy was in session for the first time for the 2015-2016 school year.  Our line-up of students and grades are:

Fone - 9th grade

Mario - 7th grade

Melody - 6th grade

Ariel - 4th grade

Max - 2nd grade

Pookey - 1st grade

And, we do have two sweet tag-a-longs, Rose and Yoda!!  Going to be participating in an activity bag swap soon to have activities on hand for miss Rose who needs something to keep her busy, rather than her interrupting us every 30 seconds. I am thinking about making these and these for the swap and getting two sets back.  

With 8 young ones and all activities they are in, and knowing how important it is to maintain a huge sense of peace, we use quite a bit of computer curriculum.  We mix-and-max what works for our family.  Some of our choices include:  Saxon Math, My Catholic Faith Delivered, AOP Switched on Schoolhouse, Abeka, Seton, Catholic Heritage Curriculum, and Homeschool Connections.  So, a little bit of everything, I guess.  We pick and choose the "best of the best"!!  :)

School days, school days

Dear old Golden Rule days

Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic

++Thank you, God, for calling us to homeschool.  Please bless our year as we learn and grow in faith, academics, and bonding with each other!!++

Another year gone - 14 things we love about Fone...

I am once again amazed that I have a teenager in the house.  It seems like just yesterday we became parents for the first time, but today marks the 14 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of that day!!

Happy 14th Birthday Fone!

To celebrate your 14th year, here are 14 things we love about you...

1. He's funny and likes to play video games. (from Ariel)

2. He sometimes plays Legos with me and Max. (from Pookey)

3. You are responsible, smart, helpful, and an all around good kid.

4. You are handsome, our Mr. Prince Uncharming.

5. You are a reader like me. (from Melody)

6. He's my cuteness and I'm his cuteness. (from Rose)

7. He nibbles and smooches on my head. (from Yoda)

8. He is my older brother. (from Max)

9. He makes YouTube movies with me. (from Mario)

10. He is my best "fwend" (from Mario)

11. He has a great sense of humor.

12. He is an excellent and driven student.

13. He is great at showing love to his little brother and sister.

14. You are great at acting and improv!

Happy Birthday to our first son and our oldest child!  

We love you very much!

11 Wonderful Years!

11 years have gone by since God gave us this girl - our first daughter.  Having had 3 sisters myself growing up, I knew the closeness of girl friendships, and I am blessed to say that I love the closeness Melody and I have together and hope and pray it will only continue in the future.  (I know the teen years are ahead of us, so it will take much prayer and grace to keep it during those times - oy!!  My first teen girl in a couple years.  One day at a time....)

To celebrate 11 blessed years with Melody, we wanted to share 11 things we love about her....

#1 ~ Her tickling me and playing with me 
(from Max)

#2~ Her being my sister and playing Barbies with me
(from Ariel)

#3~ Her being my "other mother" and all the snuggles and lovin's she gives me
(from Yoda)

#4~ she's beautiful and nice
(from Rose)

#5~ she likes some of the things I do (like acting and video games)
(from Fone)

#6~ her good sense of humor
(from Mom/Dad)

#7~ how reliable, responsible, and grown up she is becoming

#8~ she's nice and makes us food (recently - cake pops!!)
(Mario)

#9~ she's a good student and does her work without complaining
(from Mom/Dad)

#10~ she tickles me and does criss-cross-applesauce
(from Pookey)

#11~ what a joy and pleasure she is to be around
(from Mom/Dad)

Happy birthday, sweetheart!!!

We love you SO much!!!!!

++Loving God, you created all the people of the world and you know each of us by name. We thank you for "Ariel", who celebrates her birthday today. Bless her with your love and friendship that she may grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. May she love her family always and be faithful to her friends. Amen. ++