Sanctus Simplicitus Giveaway!

Hello! It is time for my annual post! : D

This one is for my friends at Sanctus Simplicitus. They are having a giveaway of their wonderful daily planners! Visit them here for your chance to get one of these beautiful books:

http://www.sanctussimplicitus.com/1/post/2013/04/its-almost-the-end-of-the-school-year-how-about-a-planner-give-a-way.html

 

I have used this planner for the last 2 years, and it is my favorite Catholic one for both homeschooling and daily non-academic planning. The articles and artwork inside are beautiful and inspirational.  I hope you will support this Catholic family endeavor by subscribing to their newsletter and using their planners!

Dwija’s Request

My awesome Sister-In-Law Dwija (aka Dweej) is having a giveaway today, and one of the suggested things to do to get a chance to win is to blog about this:

“What’s your favorite tip for teaching your littlelest littles? If you don’t have a favorite tip yet, what makes you nervous?”

So,  let’s have some fun with it, shall we?

Here is a list of my favorite tips for teaching the littlest littles:

1.  No paint.  Unless they are wearing already-stained clothes and are at someone else’s house, and that someone else likes cleaning paint off children.

2.  That’s pretty much my favorite right there.

That was easy!  Now for the “What makes you nervous” part.

1. Paint near littlest littles.

2. Littles near paint.

3. Littles on or near ladders and paint.

4. Painting the back room on a ladder with paint, while no one is watching the littles. (True story).

The Adventures of Mini-Mike, part 1: The Great Commission(ing)

Last weekend, we drove to Dallas to celebrate my brother-in-law’s graduation form the University of Dallas, and his commissioning into the United States Air Force.  We decided to have a little fun, so we made a “Mini-Mike” doll and dressed it in a scholar’s gown.  Here are Mini-Mike’s adventures for your viewing pleasure:

 

It was the night of Real Mike’s Commissioning into the US Air Force as a Second Lieutenant.  Real Mike looked handsome in his uniform, and we all were so proud of him! Dad (a USAF Lieutenant Colonel) Swore him in, and Mom, together with Aunti Mimi and Aunt Barbara pinned on his new rank insignia.

After the ceremony there was a little reception with snacks and cake, so we took Mini-Mike over to the bar to see what there was.  First, Mini-Mike took a ride in Ian’s shirt pocket with the silverware and napkins.  He had a great view of everything there was to eat.

Mini-Mike decided that the Chex Mix looked good, but he wanted a closer look.

Wow, what a big cake!  No, Mini-Mike, you may NOT jump on it or lick the frosting.

After the long ceremony and all that cake, Mini-Mike was tired.  He had a good sleep in the camera case with the camera, and was ready to tour Real Mike’s Alma Mater the next day.  Stay tuned for Mini-Mike’s next adventure!

I Guess I Have a “Warm” Kitchen

Oops!

And then, once I had the bread in the oven and turned on the timer, someone turned off the oven!  I had to guess about how much time to leave it in the oven to bake.

Another oops!

 

It still tasted yummy!

 

Finally, we got some pretty sandwich loaves!

Yummy!

 

I found a cute mouse in the kitchen, so I gave him a cookie.

Squeek! Squeek!

Your Late-Pregnancy To-Do List

My Sister-In-Law (Dwija over at House Unseen. Life Unscripted.) asked her blog readers for ideas for her Late-Pregnancy-List-Of-Things-To-Get-Done-Before-The-Baby-Comes.  Instead of the usual, almost cliche things that are usually listed, like “get some rest,” or “take a shower while you still can,” I decided to give her this supremely useful list.  Because I love her enough to think these things up.  For FREE!
List:
Get lots of school done so you won’t feel guilty taking a break after the baby comes. (who am I kidding? Of course you’ll feel guilty no matter how much school is done)

Put cooked meals in freezer so you won’t feel guilty about not feeding your family after the baby comes. (You’ll still feel guilty but that’s ok)

Paint a room or two so that hideous (groovy?) wallpaper does not haunt you and make you feel guilty (I don’t know why it should make you feel guilty, but I have to fit guilt into every item on the list).

Organize all of your children’s art work AND baby books. If you don’t have baby books for all of your children, make some now before it’s too late! Don’t forget to include the lock of hair from their first haircut! Use acid- and lignin-free everything so you don’t RUIN EVERYTHING!!!!!

Sew, knit or crochet a Christmas stocking for each of your children. You may not use glue of any kind.  If you have a gold-plated needle, use it for this project.  Have the gold re-plated because it will rub off.

Hand-dip a baptismal candle from beeswax from your own bees, and decorate it with hand-dyed wax. The design on the candle should depict our Lord’s baptism in the Jordan, or at least the central panel from the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling. If you didn’t do this for the other kids, get crackin’, girl! (Note: You cannot use the same picture on different candles. Each child needs his or her own picture, preferably with a Biblical theme.  Scenes from LOTR are acceptable too)

Hand-write invitations to baby’s baptism, using your best calligraphy. If you don’t know how to do calligraphy you are a bad Mommy. Organize a reception for after the baptism. Make sure you have painted the walls in your reception hall to match the 3-tier cake (handmade) and invitations. What? You don’t have a reception hall? Tsk, tsk!

Go to confession (all that guilt, ya know).

And finally, enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy!   You will not have a good excuse to eat that entire box of Ding-Dongs after the baby comes.

 

God is Good

We’ve been out here in our little house on the windy prairie 12 years this month. When we moved out here, we only had Lucy (who is now 13) and I was pregnant with Margaret. The drive into town seemed so long, and we were all alone out here. We had a land phone line, but every phone call was long distance, so there was no one to talk to except each other. That is not a complaint. I loved the solitude that allowed us to get to know one another without too much distraction.

The years have passed quickly and quietly. We now have 10 children, and something between 12 and 20 hens. The closest Walmart is closer than it was 12 years ago, and the drive into town doesn’t seem that long any more. Still, it is a quiet life; a good life. A few chickens, a few kids, dreams of a cow and feeding our family from our bit of earth. I wish everyone could experience this kind of peace, even amidst worries of paying the mortgage on time. It is quiet enough to hear God’s voice and lively enough to keep us young (or insane. I can never tell which). God is good. We have what we need most of the time, and we learn to trust in Him when we don’t.

New Kitchen Sink, as Promised!

Here is the sink, all installed and working!

You can see, beyond the sink, that the wall painting is incomplete. That is where the new pantry will go.

Here is the old pantry, in a new corner for now.