Try try again

Going for the total removal of gluten and dairy again. L. had fit after fit today. Poor boy. Tomorrow will be better I’m sure.

St. Francis Xavier – a personal favorite

Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians..I have thought of going round the universities of Europe… and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!” ~ St. Francis Xavier (from Jean Heimann)

Trying, ever vigiliant

We are doing better with the schoolwork recently. I really love the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, but the horrid fighting with children to get them to concentrate was too much for me. I am able to work on CLAA work only 1 or 2 days per week, at most. And for that the planets must be aligned. I’m tutoring a few children on Wednesdays to make ends meet, and my own children work on CLAA during that time. It’s going well. J is making progress in Petty School, and R doesn’t outright and vocally reject anything CLAA if she knows that other children are watching. It’s really a shame because the unbelievable success they have when they do focus on CLAA is astounding, and it feeds success in the other areas of their school work.

The Seton lesson plans and workbooks are R.s favorite. She likes to check off a list, to see where she’s been and where she’s going. She is totally dedicated to getting into West Point, and has a plan to do it. I’m thrilled with her dedication. I’m not sneaky enough to figure out how to get her to CHOOSE for herself to work on CLAA, because I think that’s the only way she’ll accept it.

We have also fantastic success with Right Start – when I have the time to sit with them, which is about 3x/week. R. can zoom ahead, and J. can certainly keep up. L. thinks it’s all fun and games, which is fine with me because if he loves math now, it’s easier to keep him moving ahead.

The Seton math has been great to keep them working on the subject when I can’t really get to the sit-down stuff. We are adding a little Saxon for practice and Math-U-See for the explanations. Sometimes my explanations go over their heads and frustrate them, so Steve Demme’s work wonderfully.

Classical Conversations is a nice addition, for the peer-interactions in a controlled setting, for the science experiments, for the memory work and art. But I’m totally tired of being a tutor. So much work for me, for very very little ROI. Kind of like nice meals.

Mike is happy that they are progressing rapidly in mathematics, and likes to know what they are doing in science, but the rest of it he takes for granted. He’s such a brainiac himself that all these baby-steps they are taking in language arts, history, etc. often go unnoticed. Isn’t it all common knowledge, after all? He’s been great at backing me up when they are rude, disobedient, and ignore me. It happens less and less, but is still a daily battle to some degree.

I’ve taken to washing dishes by hand because the dishwasher is actually leaving them dirtier than when they go in and it’s gross. But, man, that’s a huge time siphon. The chickens are laying well, finally. And if we ever have any money we’ll be able to buy a side of grass-fed beef. As it is our dollars and few and far between, and gone weeks, nay, months, before they arrive in our bank account.

On a happier note, really a joyous one, this pregnancy is going along with ease. I have decided to have this baby in a hospital, mostly because it’s less hassle for me to get a sitter for all of them and not need to get all the supplies and room ready. Plus, after 4 great births, 3 of them at home, I’m not very concerned about going to the hospital. This ain’t my first pony ride, and I’m pretty sure of myself – at least enough to tell them all to leave me alone. I’ll be in the shower, thank you very much.

I might find out if this is a boy or girl. I really want to – for practical reasons as well as to try something different. And to hone in on a name. I saw an episode of the Duggars where they had the ultrasound office call a bakery and the bakery made a cake that was either pink or blue inside, but outside it was gender-neutral (just baby themed.) Then they cut into it with all their family in attendance, so everyone found out at the same time. It sounded like a fun idea. Let’s see if Big D goes for it. He’s still not sure about the hospital thing.

Exercise, diets, long life, or a bunch of ‘whatever.’

GAPS, SCD, Paleo, Primal, fail safe, GF/CF, and monastic living.
the soul and the body, although the soul is more important…that does not discount the body. It was made by God to work perfectly in a specific way. And then we humans went and took that nasty free will and messed it all up. So from that perspective, Paleo/Primal is the best way to go. Really , I know that it’s evolutionary biology and all that, but if you ignore whether or not believeing in evolution or creation is the truth…and I make no claims because I’m no scientist and I’m not sure it really matters anyway – so our bodies are designed to work best in a certain way.

No artificial Lighting,
No arificial Food.
Push heavy stuff around and play and swim and run.

Seems easy enough.

Classical Conversations for Catholics

I have been involved in the Classical Conversations program for 2 years now. I somehow got involved as a tutor right from the start. I think i did it in order to avoid paying the money, not really because I knew about the program and wanted to do it. I often get myself involved in something before I really know what I’m doing. Fine, I’m a both feet in sort of person. I think God really blessed me with my husband because he’s the only decision that I’ve made seat-of-th-pants that worked out wonderfully. But I digress.
Classical Conversations cannot be “Catholicized.” Despite my attempts to formulate the history section, it’s just Protestant to the core. And not really helpful to those who are seeking the real truth of the matter. A bunch of proof-texting and that sort of thing. It is nice to be around faithful Christians, and so many of the Catholics that I know aren’t that, sadly, but it’s too difficult to make it all mesh without the backbone of the Church. Too many holes that they gloss over or worse, ignore altogether.

Anyway, there are two other Catholic families that are part of my group, and I think that they might be heartbroken that I’m not going to be able to do it again. I do think that there are wonderful aspects of the program, and perhaps I’ll change my mind again and re-up for another tour. I really don’t want to be a tutor, mostly because it’s too hard for me to get everything together in order to be out of the house on time and calm and prepared and the children well-fed and all that.

I’m finally admitting that I probably have ADD, and I need to deal with the fall out from that. It’s so hard for me to be physically organized enough some days, and so adding to the burden by being a CC tutor is tough. Plus next year at CC we’re going over the Reformation…which I really see as the rebellion and seriously believe that Martin Luther might have had bi-polar disorder…but again, I digress.

30 days-full steam ahead

I opened another blog today at blogger. I realized that when I upload the stuff I’ve written so far it will be too varied to work well on one blog. I suppose I could change my mind in the future but for now I think this will work out. Besides, I didn’t want any othe papist wives of mikes to get bloggy.

I will start the Jillian michaels 30 day shred tomorrow along with the whole 30 from the whole 9 (Dallas and Miss Urban- thanks for doing the podcast with Mr. Wolf. Always a good time). My goal is A pull-up by Trio’s birthday 6-19. Is 1 too ambitious? Dead-hang? We’ll see.
Also getting Trio and the gang on the GAPS diet soon. We were doing really wonderfully for a while and something happened and we all fell off the wagon and ate grains and dairy. Avoiding beans and legumes is easy. Trio is off the wall and i’m a little worried that if we don’t get him back on the straight and narrow one day he’ll scream so loud and long something will burst. Poor baby- I don’t think he even knilows how to stop himself.

Also I was invited to write for the blog Go Monastic! I’m not sure that it’s a public blog or not. It’s associated with families that are part of the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. We have committed ourselves to simplifying not just for the sake of simplicity but to create homes more like monasteries.

For me it will no doubt help the ADD to have that level of structure. The Amish live this way. Learn from the masters. There is no need to reinvent the way, only to walk it.

Angelus in Latin

We have been praying this consistently at lunch, noon.  I have added to the bedtime routine as well.  It’s not exactly at 6 pm, but close and always an easy time to remember to pray.  As we get more and more accustomed to praying at specific times I expect to be able to move to a proper 6 PM Angelus, as well as a 6 AM.  Usually the children aren’t up at 6 AM, and I’m at the gym, but as soon as I get them up, I’ll add it to the morning offering.  I know that it’s 6 AM/PM somewhere!  This logic also applies to the Divine Mercy prayer.  As long as we get it in, we can work toward praying on the hour.  And then, it’s three o’clock somewhere!

Now, of course, during Eastertide/Paschaltide it’s the Regina Coeli.

Regina Coeli
This prayer, said standing, is used to replace the Angelus during Paschaltide.

All		Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V		Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R		Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
V		Let us pray : O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R		Amen.

Latin Version:

All		Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
V		Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia,
R		Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
V		Oremus : Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.
R		Amen.

I don’t know where this came from, but I’ll try to remember it.

If a Child Lives with Criticism

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn what envy is.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident.

If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to find love in the
world.

If children live with recognition, they learn to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn to be generous.

If children live with honesty and fairness, they learn what truth and
justice are.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in
themselves and in those around them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn that the world is a
nice place in which to live.

If children live with serenity, they learn to have peace of mind.

With what are your children living?

I always wondered about how this sort of thing happened.

List of possible topics

Home Repair

Food – growing, harvesting, preserving, preparing, eating

knitting- failures and successes. Not everything looks like you expect it to.

Christ and all He does for us

Husbands/Children/parenting

Homekeeping

Home Education

What I’m reading, reviews, what I plan to read

Movie reviews

Politics (with kidd gloves)