February 11

• Morning routine.
• Breakfast. Caroline went back to sleep before we were done with breakfast, so I started reading Raggedy Anne. Raggedy had breakfast with us too.
• Read Joseph's story. They LOVE this book. I think it's really good, but wordy. They love every word and can tell if I'm changing the words. going to egypt is the favorite part. Drew Joseph pictures and more hearts.
• Had fun with some silly poems. Went through lots of Flower Fairy poems, discussions about the pictures. St. Valentine's day poems. talked about the weather. lots of questions about the weather and sharks. Had to call pete for an answer about some of the shark questions, though. they were some tough questions.
• Read Saint Valentine book and Bernadette book while ME drew and D did blocks.
• Lunch
• Madeleine drew Mary on a donkey while E,D played in liv room.
• Talked about Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart. Got pictures down and looked at them. they tried to draw the hearts but it was too hard. NEXT!
• Walk outside
• In for drawing time. Rosemary twig, budding cherry tree branch, pinecone, catkills. I drew too....rosemary. Madeleine was very impressed.
• Watched Song of Bernadette while I prepped dinner.
• Dinner. Pete gone
• Jammies. sat in their room onthe floor and said rosary and litany of the saints.
• Madeleine and Erika slept together in Erika's bed. They were so thrilled with themselves....they came out to tell me at about 8:00 that they said the Rosary together! And to think I was about to "blow it" with them for not going to sleep. Thank goodness I didn't. Erika said she prayed for people who were sick and sad and for people who didn't have homes. Madeleine prayed for people who didn't have any friends. (how's THAT for a typical "sanguine" temperament?) LOL!
• Took Caroline to Bob's for 20 minutes so that I could ZIP around the house and get a few things done quickly! It's such a big help that my neighbors LIKE to hold my baby for 20 minutes at night when Pete's gone!
• I stayed up late reading and planning for Lent.

Straight from Madeleine's Mouth

• convinced
• tragic
• doomed ("I'm doomed," as Caroline knocks over her block-castle)
• strolling
• redeemed

Grandpa Gord will be so proud. Now she just needs to put "utensil" in there somewhere, and we'll be all set for a true Grizzly-bear-grand-daughter to carry on the verbal traditions of the family!

Sunday, February 11

• An actual smooth morning of getting ready for Mass. Amazing.
• We learned about Psalms this week: reading about David and King Saul and talking about what the Psalms are and the place they have at Mass. Memorized the Psalm refrain throughout the week and M and E were tickled pink when they heard it this morning! Sang right along with it. So, all that work was NOT in vain!
• Madeleine went with me to Wendi's, while I got my hair cut.
• a bit of cooking in the kitchen with mom
• Pete ran errands with Madeleine (it's her lucky day!) D,E read with me on the couch and then we all had quiet time there too.
• Meat loaf, potatoes, beans for dinner
• Girls playing in our bed for an hour while Pete got ready for work and I cleaned up kitchen.
• I eventually joined them, and we finished Little House in the Big Woods.

Misc. and What I'm reading

We've been all a bit under the weather lately. Nothing major. Just can't seem to shake the gooby-goobies for the past MONTH! And it seems like it's catching up with me during the past week. I have been purposefully NOT writing down what we've been doing, and of course, I don't remember by the end of the day if I don't write it down. So much for my memory.

I've put a hold on working on pictures/scrapbooks lately, and been reading a bit more. I miss curling up in bed at the end of a long day and shoving my nose in a book and losing myself. Hmmm, couldn't be that BLOGGING has something to do with this, now could it? Anyway, my nose is a bit more content lately, having found itself in front of books instead of a computer screen. So, here is what I've been reading:

Beatrix Potter Biography ~ after seeing the movie a few weeks ago, I've been totally engaged in this book. Fascinating.

Book of Exodus. Chapter/day. Along with my study guide.

Woman Clothed with the Sun. 1 more chapter left. This was an EXCELLENT book. Loved it.

True Devotion to Mary. St. Louis de Montfort. ~also follwing along with the 4real discussion, although it's been hit or miss. I've wanted to read this book for years.

Real Learning - going through for the second time.

Sharing Nature with Children

Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6. A Philosophy of Education. Also trying to follow along on the 4real boards. This first chapter has me hooked.

Managers of Their Chores - I have been trying to make my way through this book for the past 6 months. Blogging sort of interrupted it. There is A LOT in this book. Who would've thought there was so much to say about children and chores!

Saint Philomena: the wonder worker

Flame and Shadow. Poetry by Sara Teasdale

Anne of Green Gables.

Monday, February 5

• Breakfast. Had to be quiet, as Caroline was still sleeping in "her box" in the living room. Although, a "quiet" breakfast is NOT what I would call what we had!
• Girls played dolls and dollhouse and barbies in living room while I cleaned up, fed C and made NFP calls.
• Everyone at table. Colored Valentines while I read chapt of Raggedy Ann and St. Valentine book. Lots of discussions about shapes, colors, and random art-stuff.
• Madeleine drew. E,D sat on floor with me; read poems. C down for a nap.
• Lunch
• Snuggled up on couch for picture books. Cinderella, Papa Gatto, Rumpelstiltskin, etc.
• We all watched MUS video.
• M,E watched previous MUS lessons while Dorothy Jo and I napped on couch.
• M,E quiet time on couch also.
• Caroline up. Draw-cut-paste-more Valentines at table. I prepped Atrium
• Dancing and craziness to Nursery Rhyme CD.
• M,D worked with Mass kit. E still making very colorful hearts.
• Anne over. I left for an hour.
• Dinner
• Early jammies, hung out in our bed. Read chapt "Little House". Pete came home. everyone in bed. i'm going now too, to ward off another cold.

Candlemas - February 2

If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter has another flight

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain
Winter will not come again.

~ English Proverb ~

• Read flower fairies at breakfast and "Mary's story" - Presentation section and then they wanted me to keep going. Helen Caan's pictures do that to ya!
• Dorothy played with blocks/dollhouse while Madeleine and Erika colored Presentation coloring pages and did "Candlemas" copywork. Memorized above poem.
• Girls brought up all our candles from downstairs and set them up on the altar. Not going to Mass this morning cuz M and C are still a bit sick. And, I don't want to look at catholic school girls in extremely short skirts.
• Read lots of books on couch once Caroline went down for a nap.
• Floor lady came over to measure kitchen floor and discuss installation.
• Lunch
• Games in living room as I coordinated a change up in the afternoon plans cuz Pete wouldn't be home.
• Left for Caroline's doctor appointment. She's still not growing. Ugh!
• Home to furnace guy.
• Girls quiet time in living room with Miss Pattycake while I veg out on the computer.
• Dinner by candle-light-only. Girls told daddy all about Candlemas and the Presentation. Recited poem. Said 4th decade of the rosary after dinner.
• Pete did Jammies / Books while I cleaned up kitched and fed Caroline.
• we'll watch a movie while I scrap tonight.

Thursday, February 1

• Madeleine is sick. Fever, sore throat.
• D,E eat breakfast, then do play-do at table while I tend to Caroline and sick-Madeleine.
• Dorothy and Erika were pretty much on their own for the day: dollhouse, cut-paste, downstairs, outside, rice bin, coloring, blocks. They did pretty well....except for the part where they kept asking for food, thinking that I wouldn't remember that they just ATE 30 minutes ago!
• Phone guy out to fix line.
• Pete had to take car in.
• Lots of sitting with Madeleine and chasing after Caroline.
• leftovers for dinner.
• Pretty depressing day.