Sunday Mass Preparations

I have been pouring over Helen's posts for Sunday Mass Preparations have started doing a few new things. These posts are wonderful because they are so simple, yet so meaningful for small children.

Here is what we have been doing to learn about the Psalms.

• Three weeks ago we started learning the Psalm refrain beginning on Wed or Thursday. Before we did this, we re-read the story of David and Saul and looked at the Psalms in the bible.
• On Wed., or Thursday, the girls use the psalm refrain as copy work, and then someone pretends they are the cantor, raises their arms and we practice singing it.
• They are thrilled at Mass on Sunday when they recognize it.

First Fruits of Prayer

I have been reading First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty-Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew since last Wednesday. Here is a description of the book from the website of the author, Fredrica Mathewes-Green. I'm finding these concepts of sin from the Orthodox tradition very challenging and provocative. It's a very ancient way of approaching Lent, but very new to me.

Wed., February 28

I can't believe it's almost March. Caroline turns 1 tomorrow.

• I slept in. I read too late last night. Pete was with girls until 8 when I hauled myself out of bed. Cartoons this morning. Caroline screaming. NOT a good start. I showered and dressed and then got breakfast for them.
• Practiced greeting people after breakfast. "Hello Mrs. Asel" etc. and practiced shaking hands.
• Madeleine and Erika did copywork at table for about 10 minutes and then punched holes in their papers and hung them on their dining room table chairs. Ha! So lovely.
• A VERY large tea party then took place in our living room while I tended to Caroline and cleaning up the house from my absence during the morning hours.
• Talked too long with Cathy on the phone. Phone calls just CANNOT be part of my day EVER. Whenever they do, it's pretty much all down hill from there. Today was no exception.
• I sewed a couple skirts together while Caroline napped. We put a couple songs that we've been wanting to learn on repeat....and learned them! Dorothy played the Pouring Game.
• Read aloud from Devotional Stories for Little Folks and Little House.
• Lunch.
• Made peanut butter cookies.
• Girls played in bedroom. Caroline played in her crib next to them. I zoned out in front of computer.

Emily's Baptism Party

Emily came over this morning to celebrate her Baptism Anniversary. She doesn't have K on Tues. morning, so Kristina dropped her off at 8:30. We hadn't seen her in awhile so they were all excited to see her. We....

1. Colored Baptism coloring page while I read the story of Jesus baptized by John the Baptist and Today I Was Baptized.
2. Did 2 Atrium presentations about Baptism - light/candles & Trinity. They colored the Trinity page.
3. Built a Baptismal font with blocks
4. Played with Geo Boards
5. Brunch - Tea party. Baptism cookies for dessert and opened presents.
6. Outside play time until 11:30 when Kristina picked her up.

• Quiet time after she left - glory stories in bedroom. I fell asleep nursing Caroline. Surprise, surprise.
• ME played tea party and did atrium presentations with each other. Dorothy and I read some of her books and snuggled. She's bugging me lately, so I thought I better be with her when she's not annoying me.
• Girls outside to play.
• Pete held up - didn't make it home for dinner. Apricot/orange chicken in crock pot ~ new recipe from a crock pot cookbook from Pete's mom. It was really good.
• Normal nonsense after dinner.
• I caught up on ironing after they went to bed.

Back to "Normal"

...whatever THAT means. Our kitchen is put back together from the week-long-floor-escapade. So, it's back to business.

• Caroline up early, so she was back down to sleep when the others sat down for breakfast.
• After breakfast, reviewed Madeleine's sight words and she read a couple pages of "3 bears" reader. E-drew, D-played dolls
• Chapter from Little House on the Prairie while girls did stamping and made fingerprint-figures.
• Sat and talked on the couch. Read a couple picture books.
• Watched Signing Time video. Guy showed up to buy Pete's truck. I got dinner ready and cleaned up the kitchen.
• We all made Baptism cookies for tomorrow, Emily is coming over for her Baptism anniversary.
• Girls outside to play. Lunch outside.
• Quiet time: C-napping, E-lying on the floor, me, D,M on couch listened to Rosary CD. Madeleine kept scolding me b/c I was falling asleep.
• Play time for them. I worked on computer, made phone calls, did laundry.
• Amy over. Dorothy Jo and Amy played in Living room. Madeleine and Erika played in bedroom.
• Everyone outside to play for an hour until dinner.
• Dinner-calzones and salad. Madeleine quizzed Pete about the order of the pres of U.S - from the placemat. Read Dolly Madison story about the George Washington portrait during dessert.
• Clean up
• Lent reading.
• Jammies, storytime, bed.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Jemma over for an hour this am.
Math-U-See. Place value with madeleine. Erika did some building but doesn't want to say the numbers. she'll write them though. Dorothy did puzzles, sorted jelly beans by color, building with blocks.
Worked with D on sign-cross and the words for Hail Mary. Folding shirts, putting on socks. showed her how to put plates inthe dishwasher and how to wipe the kid's table.
Read from Lent bible stories - Jesus 40 days in the dessert. Took turn narrating paragraphs.
Madeleine did a few pages from K workbook....O, E vowels words.
Finished Raggedy Anne book. 2 chapters.
Girls played at Julee's in the PM.

Thursday, February 22

Kitchen is STILL in a shambles. Waiting for 2nd patch job.
Spent day decorating for Lent. Put up Stations Cloth, went through SOC-box, set up candles, bows, front door decoration, Lenten-paths for girls, candy box, prayers, lent/easter book basket.
Girls played outside, even though it was pretty cold.
Quiet time - Katharine Drexel Glory story.
Went to Aquarium with Grammy.
Started Lent Bible Stories. this is a gREAT resource. they LOVE it!