Daybook~Beautiful Days Edition

***
Outside My Window ...
it's raining again. I'm so glad! there's much work to be done here at home today and if it were as beautiful as it was on Saturday, I'd be tempted to skip school and go back to Bull Run today.
 
***
I am listening to...
birds chirping. They are very loud for this area of the house. I think they might be nesting in the chimney.
***
To Live the Liturgy...
Today, we'll have a tea in honor of Mercy Sunday. We are also going to use Kimberlee's Stations of the Cross idea to make Stations of the Light. I think I will use Kathryn's pictures for this project. I'll make more cards to use as three-part learning tools.
 Bluebells4
***
To Fit and Happy...
Last week, I got lots of physical exercise outdoors. It's so nice to walk and lift and carry out in the world. Sarah Anne is blooming before our eyes as she discovers a big "playground" out there! We will return to bull Run when the weather brightens and hike the bluebell trail at least a couple more times before the flowers fade for the year. Rainy days will be double T-Tapp days--the Basic workout in the morning and the Walking workout in the afternoons.
Oh, and I'm happy to report that all the Easter candy is gone.
***
I am thankful for ...
a fat, happy, healthy baby
the kind souls who welcomed Sarah Anne and I back to our parish yesterday
a week or R&R in the woods last week
the promise of a beautiful new season in the life of our family
 
***
From the kitchen ...
I really need to go grocery shopping. There are more bluebell picnics to plan.

 Bluebells3

***
I am wearing ...
soft knit shorts and a big soccer t-shirt--standard summer sleeping attire.
***
I am creating ...
lesson plans. It's that time of year again and I'm shifting into creativity overdrive. some of my favorite collaborators are due to have babies in the early summer. They have nesting instincts that always includes curriculum. I'm all in for that. Let's get it planned!
***
  On my iPod...
Easter music from the Basilica.
 
***
Towards a real education ...
around this time of year, we always move into a new rhythm. We will have one or two nature days a week from now through the fall. This is when our nature study happens in a meaningful way. We'll go to nearby places and we'll also go to outlying farms in order to pick whatever's in season. Strawberries are up first in a few weeks.
When we are at home, we are working on our Native American unit, coming to the end of the Alphabet Path, and double-timing through math in order to finish up. 
 
***
Bringing beauty to my home ...
this time of year always makes me want to redecorate. I want to paint all the walls a soft wash (Waldorfs walls, anyone?) and replace all the fabrics with Heather Bailey pinks.
This year the urge is irrestible. I will redo a room around these beautiful photos of my favorite people in my favorite place.

***
I am reading  ...
Hold On to Your Kids.
Thanks, I think I will.

***
I am hoping and praying ...
that my poor husband feels better soon. Things are really no better for his back.Won't you say a quick prayer, too?
***
Bluebells2
Around the house ...
today will be devoted to cleaning out the van and the foyer and the mudroom--we seem to have brought a great deal of bluebell mud home with us. Oh, Lovely Mud! I think I'll play Mrs. Wishy-washy today.
***
One of my favorite things ...
the smell of my church during Easter week and the incredible visual feast of the altar after a barren Good Friday.
***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
lots of nature study; laundry; baseball and soccer practices; dance; a friend of Mary Beth's here to plan a little crafting; more soccer and baseball on the weekend.

***

Picture thoughts

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to Lori for mucking about in the woods with us and capturing my children in such beautiful images. I will treasure these photos forever.

Bluebells1  
 

Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

While I appreciate the beauty, the materials and some of the methods of Waldorf education, I am not a follower of Rudolf Steiner, his educational philosophy, or his religion. I am a practicing Catholic who is very clear in teaching the faith to her children. Please see this post for any further explanation of incorporating methods or materials that might also appear in Waldorf schools into your home. Take inspiration from what is good and what in in harmony with the true faith and leave the rest. If you can't discern, then leave it all alone.

Daybook~Easter Week

***
Outside My Window ...
it's cold and rainy and promises to remain so for the next couple of days. We've just seeded our lawn, so the rain makes Dad happy.
 
***
I am listening to...
Sarah Anne breathing in her sleep across my chest.
***
To Live the Liturgy...
It is Easter Week! We're off to a good start in the celebration department. We spent part of yesterday hiking the Bluebell Trail at Bull Run. I suspect there will be much more nature ahead of us this week, just as soon as the rain clears out. Nothing like celebrating spring with lots of mud!
We are praying the Divine Mercy novena this week and will take advantage of Mercy Sunday celebrations at our parish.
I am determined to celebrate 50 Days of Easter this year. I'm using Jessica's plans for the Garden of the Good Shepherd as a starting place.
 
***
To Fit and Happy...
Yesterday, I hiked more than two miles carrying a 15 pound baby and lunch and drinks for eight (it's a long story).I did it in pretty good time. I'm not sore today and I'm feeling pretty fit.Next time I go to the bluebells however, I'd prefer to plop down on a blanket and gaze upon the flowers for hours.
***
I am thankful for ...
a glorious First Communion Day for Katie. She was utterly beautiful. When it was time for the consecration, she looked at me and literally hopped up and down with joy. We'll do a picture post just as soon as I gather from all my different camera sources.
Katiefirstcommunion
***
From the kitchen ...
Hard boiled eggs for lunch
Easter Ham tonight. I didn't cook for Easter and we have a ham that was a gift. We'll have our Easter Menu tonight.

Honeybaked Ham
Corn Casserole
Mesclun salad with roasted beets and goat cheese
Roasted Asparagus
Strawberries and Cream
 

***
I am wearing ...
a bathrobe, pjs, very soft, baggy pink socks and a ponytail (that's exactly what I was wearing this time last week:-). I have gotten a haircut since last week, so the ponytail is shorter and perkier, I think.
***
I am creating ...
a list for our Garden of the Good Shepherd activities. Tomorrow, I'm going to drop a couple of bigger kids at the movies and then do a craft store run to stock up for the next six weeks. I'd like to stock my drawers and get my act together much like this lady. I want my learning room to serve us again.
***
  On my iPod...
Easter music from the Basilica.
 
***
Towards a real education ...
Nature drawing, botany, creeks and pond study...
Does that sound official enough to justify taking the week to hang out on the banks of the creek and watch flowers grow?
 
***
Bringing beauty to my home ...

Ever notice how beautiful a house becomes when Mama smiles? I have and I'm endeavoring to make my house so beautiful much, much more often.

***
I am reading  ...
The Anne of Green Gables series. Re-reading it and pre-reading it, actually. Did you notice that someone else is, too? We've got some grand ideas, we do! I have lots of wonderful literature choices to pre-read this spring and summer. I'm falling in love with my favorite books all over again as I relish the thought  of sharing them with the daughter-who-is-a-young-lady.

***
I am hoping and praying ...
that my poor husband feels better soon.He herniated a disk while working in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Then, he flew to LA to catch a red-eye and flew home all night long. Heroically, he made it the the Basilica in time for Katie's First Holy Communion. The man is in excruciating pain and has a whole week (or more?) of doctors and therapy ahead of him.
***
Around the house ...
the house is not so bad. We pulled a couple of long nights last week and made some progress on the Lenten Cleaning. I consulted with my favorite domestic inspiration, and decided it was time to switch to a more practical maintenance mode. I'm re-working my notebook system slowly, drawing Mary Beth into the process this time. I think that if I can think my way through re-organizing the learning room and re-working the housekeeping routines, we'll finally be out of the bedrest-then-postpartum domestic funk. If, if, if...
***
One of my favorite things ...
Bluebells. But you knew that, didn't you? Actually, my favorites are roses and bluebells. My dear husband tells me that he's made arrangements for some help putting in a proper rose garden this week. Roses and bluebells in the same week. I live a beautiful life.Sarahoneaster
***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
lots of nature study; a spring break visit from a favorite friend; Easter craft planning; soccer game at GMU on Saturday, followed by the Championship Ring Banquet; Little League Opening Day.

***

Picture thoughts

Easter was beautiful, glorious, despite the monkey wrenches thrown into the  machinery. We gathered with all our children and Mike's parents and his sister and her family at the Basilica and then we went to brunch. Mike was in terrible pain, but persevered through the day with astounding dignity and grace. Sarah Anne smiled though her first Easter, when she wasn't sleeping peacefully. Katie was a beautiful first Communicant and her day was everything she'd hoped it would be.
Cousins!
 
 

Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

Daybook~Holy Week

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Outside My Window ...
it promises to be another beautiful day. Yesterday, I heard it would be a rainy day today and tomorrow, but I'm not believing it. Looks like sunshine out there to me.
Lentpic  
***
I am listening to...
Nothing. It's very, very quiet. I wonder how long that will last?
***
To Live the Liturgy...
We'll bring the purple box up from the basement and present the Holy Week and Triduum presentations this week.We will all sit down to a meal that is representative of the Last Supper. Confession (which is like a warm hug) is a priority for those who didn't make it there last week. I won't attempt Holy Thursday Mass, as much as  I'd like to go. Mass at bedtime just doesn't go well. I do think we'll spend most of Friday in Church

8:30 am  Office of Readings, Morning Prayer
9:00 am  Confessions
12:00 Noon Stations of the Cross
1:00 pm  Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
2:00 pm  Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Seven Last Words of Christ
 
3:00 pm Celebration of Our Lord’s Passion
Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, Holy Communion

We'll see what Sarah thinks about that idea.
Holy Saturday will be about quiet preparation.
Easter Sunday we'll go to Mass at the Basilica, where Katie will receive her first Holy Communion, then to brunch at Army-Navy Country Club. This leaves me with no kitchen duties.
Lentpalmsunday
***
To Fit and Happy...
I firmly resolve to workout every single day this week and to stick closely to the allergy-avoidance food plans. I want to feel well for Easter.

***
I am thankful for ...
a day off.Mike will take one today. These are rare and precious. This one was a surprise.
***
From the kitchen ...
Greek yogurt and strawberries with raw honey for breakfast (Karoline's favorite).
McDonald's for lunch (not for me, but it's a Daddy treat on those rare days off)
Dinner's going to be a cross between this and this. Sounds strange but it works for us this year.
Lentlastsupper
***
I am wearing ...
a bathrobe, pjs, very soft, baggy pink socks and a ponytail
***
I am creating ...
memories. Last night, iIwas thinking about how right it feels to have a baby in my arms, how it seems as if it has always been this way. But try as I might, I have a hard time really remembering the infancy of each of my babies. It's hard to describe. With Sarah Anne, comes the recognition every day that I'm not likely to have another baby. And so, I try mightily to burn every detail of these days into my very soul. I don't ever, ever want to forget.
***
  On my iPod...
This version of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Lentcrucify
***
Towards a real education ...
Our focus will be Holy Week this week and next week: the Bluebells. We're going to hang out in the woods.
 
***
Bringing beauty to my home ...
Notes on Lenten Cleaning:
Coming up for Air
Holy Mission

Ever notice how beautiful a house becomes when Mama smiles? I have and I'm endeavoring to make my house so beautiful much, much more often.

***
I am reading  ...
Genuine Friendship

***
I am hoping and praying ...
one of my children is being protected by his guardian angel and will be comforted by his Savior.
***Lentshroud
Around the house ...
I'm going to keep on keeping on, trying to create and maintain a peaceful, ordered, pleasant place for us all to grow. I think sometimes that I expect that my house will look the way it did when I was growing up. But we were a family of four, with two little girls. We were all gone all day and a cleaning lady came in often enough to make things pretty darn near perfect. Homeschooling a big family is God's way of curing me of perfectionism.I'm a stubborn patient. He, thankfully, is the Great Physician.

(Yes, this is the same as last week. This is my Daybook and I really do use it to organize my thoughts for the week and to remind myself of the things I find noteworthy. This housecleaning thing is a work in progress for me and I need to keep reminding myself...)
***
One of my favorite things ...
thunderstorms.  When I began this post it was sunny and quiet. Now it's dark and thundering.

***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
anticipation

Lenttomb
 



Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

Daybook~a Burst of Spring & a Beautiful Dance to Start the Week

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Outside My Window ...
spring is bursting into bloom. It's truly beautiful in Virginia in the springtime.
 
***
I am listening to...
Karoline telling Sarah Anne that she's her "best friend forever." I'm sure Sarah Anne wonders if that means she destined to spend her life being awakened by Karoline so that Karoline can play.
***
To Live the Liturgy...
this week will be focused on preparing for Holy Week. I want to be certain that I've gathered what I need before Holy Week begins.
***
To Fit and Happy...
Mike has started working out with me. At first, I  wasn't sure about having him in "my space," but it's actually kind of romantic:-)
***
I am thankful for ...
a grace-filled weekend where God gave me a beautiful glimpse at how He is working in lives of my children.
***
From the kitchen ...
Greek yogurt and strawberries with raw honey for breakfast.

***
I am wearing ...
 new pjs that just so happen to match a new mug a sweet friend brought me yesterday. Life IS Good and it's nice to have friends who remind me.
DSC_0443
***
I am creating ...
a book (or two or three)! Have you heard the happy news My Dad came up this weekend to help me tri-locate and he brought a new-to-me-laptop. It's his contribution to the book-writing effort. Now I'm not tied to this desk. I'm sure Danielle will be happy to know that.
***
  On my iPod...
Taylor Swift's Fearless. I spent the weekend ferrying Mary Beth around and listening to this album with her.
You Belong with Me made me laugh until I cried--only friends from high school will understand why.
And this one is just a very sweet mom-and-daughter song.
***
Towards a real education ...
I've got some thoughts on celebrating van Gogh's birthday--it's today, but Friday is our art day so we'll save it until then.
National Gallery of Art notes
Starry Night shaving cream idea that Mary Beth really wants to try
Sunflower Art

Books to read:
Camille and the Sunflowers
Vincent's Colors

Van Gogh Activity Pack

***

Bringing beauty to my home ...
I think I'll just go back to this thought, from October, when I truly could not move about my house at all. Right now, my hands are so full, literally, that I need to remind myself of this pretty much all day, every day:
Ever notice how beautiful a house becomes when Mama smiles? I have and I'm endeavoring to make my house so beautiful much, much more often.

***
I am reading  ...
Genuine Friendship

and

I'm reading through my Google Reader using this very cool new Google trick. I know some people prefer "just the text ma'am," and read through their blogrolls right on Reader. But I'm really visual and I appreciate the look of each individual blog. This feature is lots of fun and makes actually visiting the blog so easy.

***
I am hoping and praying ...
one of my children is being protected by his guardian angel and will be comforted by his Savior.
***
Around the house ...
I'm going to keep on keeping on, trying to create and maintain a peaceful, ordered, pleasant place for us all to grow. I think sometimes that I expect that my house will look the way it did when I was growing up. But we were a family of four, with two little girls. We were all gone all day and a cleaning lady came in often enough to make things pretty darn near perfect. Homeschooling a big family is God's way of curing me of perfectionism.I'm a stubborn patient. He, thankfully, is the Great Physician.

(Yes, this and the "beauty" note are the same as last week. This is my Daybook and I really do use it to organize my thoughts for the week and to remind myself of the things I find noteworthy. This housecleaning thing is a work in progress for me and I need to keep reminding myself...)
***
One of my favorite things ...
the smell of spring right after it rains. 

***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
the weekend left us with one knee injury and one shoulder injury so we'll start the week at the doctor.We absolutely need to get out in the garden--I'm still lamenting that the pansies didn't get planted last fall. Is it worth it to do it now? Saturday is Little League baseball Opening Day.
***
Here is a picture video thought I am sharing~

This brought tears to my eyes this weekend. Mary Beth is in white.It's worth clicking to get to youtube and clicking "HQ" to watch in high def.
 



Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.

Daybook a Day Late

***
Outside My Window ...
It is bright and beautiful and promises to be a glorious spring day.
 
***
I am listening to...
Nicky and Stephen and Katie and Mary Beth discussing the state of their NCAA brackets, following the weekend. Nicholas is ahead of some pretty big names in the ESPN Washington office pool. Not sure what that means about his education, but I'm thinking it might be heavily weighted in the sports stats department.
***
To Live the Liturgy...
We are going to be focused on First Holy Communion notebooks from now until Easter. Katie (who has decided to be called her given name--Kirsten) will receive her first holy Communion on Easter. Nicky never finished his book in all the hubbub of last fall. It's so incredibly hard to do scrapbook style narration with a babe in arms. This is going to take a good deal of effort.

I'm feeling the need to be ever more silent as the second half of Lent begins. I reviewed my resolutions and I recognize that I will need to be more dependent and obedient in order to bring those good things to our Lord.
***
To Breathe Deeply...
I think we'll go outside a good bit this week. It's so hard to stay indoors when the spring beckons.

***
I am thankful for ...
good test results following a serious medical concern for one of my children. I'm so relieved. And so very, very grateful.
***
From the kitchen ...
The focus will be on fruits and veggies that sing "spring": strawberries and cream for breakfast, asparagus instead of green beans in the dinner menus, artichokes with melted butter for dipping.

***
I am wearing ...
 new sunglasses. Well, not right now--but I will be later today:-).
***
I am creating ...
a revised spring cleaning list. We got very behind last week. 
***
  On my iPod...
George Winston Gulf Coast Blues.
***
Towards a real education ...
I've got some thoughts on celebrating van Gogh's birthday;some plans for a spring nature walk; some ideas my children had for some game boards after they read the first few books on the Native American reading list.
Here's a fun basketball-themed math drill game.
***
Bringing beauty to my home ...
I think I'll just go back to this thought, from October, when I truly could not move about my house at all. Right now, my hands are so full, literally, that I need to remind myself of this pretty much all day, every day:
Ever notice how beautiful a house becomes when Mama smiles? I have and I'm endeavoring to make my house so beautiful much, much more often.

***
I am reading  ...
Genuine Friendship

and

The Gift of Faith, recommended on Faith and Family Live! This book very well may be the best book on faith I've ever read (I'm not finished yet).It's written simply enough to be readable even in translation. It incorporates Scripture,sacrament, Tradition, and the wisdom of the saints to offer a fresh perspective on the spiritual life. I started it during Advent and then lost the book. It "just appeared" on the theology shelf in my library closet yesterday when I was looking for something else. Perfect timing for Lent!

***
I am hoping ...
one of my children is being protected by his guardian angel and will be comforted by his Savior.
***
Around the house ...
I'm going to keep on keeping on, trying to create and maintain a peaceful, ordered, pleasant place for us all to grow. I think sometimes that I expect that my house will look the way it did when I was growing up. But we were a family of four, with two little girls. We were all gone all day and a cleaning lady came in often enough to make things pretty darn near perfect. Homeschooling a big family is God's way of curing me of perfectionism.I'm a stubborn patient. He, thankfully, is the Great Physician.
***
One of my favorite things ...
Watching my big girl snuggle my baby girl. Mary Beth is growing into a lovely young woman and it's a privilege and a joy to watch it happen. 
***
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Baseball season starts tomorrow.There's soccer all weekend long. Mary Beth is dancing at a local church. Mike begins his soccer travel. My dad is going to come up to help me be everywhere at the same time.
***
Here is a picture thought I am sharing~
DSC_1233

Be sure to visit Peggy for links to more daybooks.