Fresh Start for Schooling

Well we've had a nice long break from schooling or at least from floundering schooling. I think things will be back on track now. We're getting a strong start.

Math-Gabriel does his math during the day and I check it and he corrects it in the evenings therefore we can go onto the next lesson the next day instead of having one lesson drag over two days.

Language-We are using Mater Lingua- We didn't do this today partly because we finished week 9/day one yesterday. I think I'll go back to spreading one week over two weeks. I'll also use a bit of God's Gift of Language for grammar and we need to do something about spelling. We need to make dicatation a priority. In fact maybe we should do this before any other language for the day.

History-We are studying American History with the Catholic textbook Sea to Shining Sea. We'll go back to dividing this up into smaller chunks and perhaps just doing it every other day. Today I had son write a narration as we had done last year. It was good. We tried doing the questions at the end of the chapter a few times after reading the chapter at a faster rate. It felt too rushed. I think we might go back to putting narratives into book of centuries too. We were trying a timeline this year but I'm not sure we like this.

Science-Concepts and Challenges Series-We'll try for a lesson a day or whatever. I'm not so concerned about this as at this point science can be picked up here and there.

Son takes Spanish and Orchestra at the Jr. High.

Religion-Shame on me for really not having this as first priority. I bought Baltimore Catechism #2 at the beginning of the year but we can't find it. We listen to lots of EWTN radio which really provides a lot of catechism. Every now and then I look at Catholic Culture .org and we read about the saint for the day.

Well that's it in a nutshell.

FOR TODAY (December 23, 2008)...

Outside my window...There is snow and gray and bare trees
I am thinking...that maybe I should get away from my compueter
I am thankful for... having enough food to eat and the fact my husband has a job...
From the learning rooms...Son is helping me cook
From the kitchen...doing the prep work for tomorrows food so I can relax tomorrow
I am wearing...my husbands gray zip up sweater over a blue t-shirt with jeans and black socks
I am creating...A Christmas Eve Bash
I am going... for a walk later
I am reading...blogs
I am hoping...for peace of mind
I am hearing...The Catholic Radio station and the click of baby playing with toys
Around the house...I need to straighten
One of my favorite things...Cholate Mousse cake
A few plans for the rest of the week:Christmas Mass, play in the snow, practice more, do banking and grocery shopping

Here is thought I am sharing...Enjoy the simple things in life.

The new atheism

I have heard said that unlike past atheism where people really thought about what was true that the current atheism is a fad. I understand this as it seems that many people who push the anti-religion view point consider themselves to be more intelligent than those of us with faith. It almost seems that people call themselves atheists because it instantly makes them an intellectual without having to open their minds and really search for the truth, even in places that they would rather not look: traditional religion and especially Christianity. That would definately not be cool and intellectual sounding.

An example of this would be the atheists who put up their sign denouncing religion in the Washington State Capitol. They announce to the rest of us misguided fools (and I parapharse)that the natural world is the only one that exists and that religion results in the "hardening of hearts and the weakening of minds." What do they base this on? Really? Religion has done no good in the world? There are many non-religious people, even atheists, who would not agree with this. It seems that it is the need of this particular group of people to stroke their own egos and that is their ultimate purpose in putting up such a sign.

New Back Ground

Hooray! I figured out how to put a cool back ground on my blog. I never googled under the right search before. I searched under blog backgrounds and came up with so many good free options. This is the link I where I found this back ground. Simply Chic Blogs.


http://simplychicblogs.blogspot.com/search?q=blog+pictures

O Lord and Ruler

O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with outstretched arm.

O Wisdom

Today begins the O Antiphons. These go from December 17 to December 24. There is a link with some excellent information below. We are (rather casually) continuing to make our Jesse Tree ornaments that we started last year. It seems that there are different characters included in different Jesse Trees depending on which version you choose. We are using the version on CatholicCulture.org. This one includes the O Antiphons.
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http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/advent/o_ant.cfm

O Sapientia (December 17) O Wisdom (Eccl 24: 5), you came forth from the mouth of the Most High (Sir 24: 30), and reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly (Wis 8: 1). Come, and teach us the way of prudence (Isa 40: 14).

New Baby on the Way!

I am 11 weeks and 1 day along. Had an ultra sound today to make sure baby was alive and well. (I worry about this due to past miscarriages.) A miracle on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadaloupe.