I like this painting

This is a painting by Norman Rockwell called The Land of Enchantment. I would love to find it to put in the kids room, but the only place I can find it online is at a protestant homeschool book supplier. You have to order their books in order to get the print...so I guess we will just have to look at it online!

Making Cheese!

I just ordered a Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese making kit from The New England Cheesemaking Supply Company. I will be sure to post pictures and let you know how it turns out. The kids have been asking how cheese is made. They also have kits to make hard and soft cheeses...maybe we will move on to those if this works out!

A Day for Beatrix Potter

Since it is Friday, and we have been working hard all week, today was a day I dedicated solely to studying Beatrix Potter. First, we read The Tale of Two Bad Mice, then The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, followed by The Tale of Johnny Town-mouse (this was a new one for me), and finally, The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. All three kids loved the books, and although we had read some of them before, we hadn't read them together in a group, nor had we talked at any length about Beatrix Potter herself. We talked about where and when she lived, and we put a small picture of her on our timeline we have on our living room wall. (I have found recently that the kids love seeing a timeline in front of them. It really puts history in perspective and then every time we learn about someone new, we can put them where they belong in history. It really puts things into context in a way I couldn't do by just explaining dates.)
I have to say that Jemima Puddleduck was my favorite today, as that story just has a lot of subtle humor. The boys got a lot of it and also thought it was funny.
After lunch, we watched Miss. Potter. It was a magical movie, although the kids though there were a few boring parts. I do think they enoyed it overall, however, especially Joey.
Following the movie, we all sat down to do a little artwork. It is always hard to get the boys to draw, so I am posting their results here. I have an interpretation of Mr Jeremy Fisher by Joey, and one of Peter Rabbit by Paulie. Enjoy and have a lovely day!

Nothing too political

I told myself when I started this blog that it would merely be about our family, with a few links of interest. Paul said I should stay away from anything confrontational, and besides the occasional link to Ron Paul, I have done that. However, this is something I can't just let go by, without a mention, because it just means too much to me to do so. A few days ago was the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in the US. During that time, something like 46 million babies have been aborted. That is a number that is inconceivable to me...utterly unmentionable. When I look at the smiles on the faces of my 4 children, it becomes even more unmentionable to me. Here is a video from the Pro-life March in Washington DC, with a very passionate speaker, who happens to be named Ron Paul, MD. By the way, he was the only presidential candidate to show up!
I have wished over the last few years that we could go to the march...hopefully one of these years we will be able to make it. Friends who have gone have said it is such an amazing experience. Here is a page with pictures from the march...check out the last picture of the rainbow...how amazing!
Here is another link...pictures from the Pro-life Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC...it does give you a sense of optimism to see this many people turning out to support what I believe to be the most important cause of all.
Ok, I will get off my soapbox now...back to your regularly scheduled show of pictures of my children!

Pope John Paul II's Pro-Life Prayer
Oh Mary, we entrust to you the cause of life.
Look down upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born.
Grant all who believe in your Son to proclaim the Gospel of Life.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, to bear witness to it resolutely, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and Lover of Life.
Amen.

More fun at home...

Fun at home...

This time of year, there isn't much to look forward to...Christmas is over, spring is still months away, and school is starting to get boring. Here are just some random pictures of our daily life over the past week or so. The kids have been having fun at least...maybe it is just me who gets depressed!!

Skiing Pictures

Here are some Pictures!!
A few weeks ago we went skiing for the first time since we had kids. We rented a condo and really had a great time. The snow was beautiful and there was so much of it. It was so nice to just rent a condo and not have to drive home after a day of skiing and the kids really liked having a home base, instead of just the stinky ski lodge!
Joey was the only kid to ski...he took a two hour lesson the first day and decided that he wanted a full day lesson the next day. Well, when Paul went to pick him up afterwards, he had to carry Joey home because he was so tired he could hardly stand. He actually laid down on the couch at the condo and cried. Poor guy! He did have a great time though, and wants to do it again soon. Paul skied the whole first day, but the second day he let me use his boots and skis and I got to go for a few hours. It was wonderful to do it again. Hopefully, we will be able to take another few days to go skiing again before the winter is out.

For those of you who haven't heard...

Just to keep you all in the loop, Joey is going to be receiving his First Communion in April. We have been working a lot at home, and he also goes to CCD each Sunday morning at church. He just did his first confession a few months ago. We can't believe how quickly he is growing up moving into the age of reason. It really is amazing. Please keep him in your prayers.

This is so funny

The funniest thing about this is the newscasters reaction...

10 Great Movies of 2007

I have seen 4 of these...I am adding the other 6 to a list of movies I want to watch soon! This is an interesting blog that I have recently found. Enjoy!

The Water Horse

New Years Day we thought about taking the kids to a movie. We drove by and saw what was playing...of course, everyone wanted to see something different. Paulie and I both wanted to see The Water Horse, and since no one else could really make up their minds, Paul and I thought it might be neat if I took him myself, along with Sophia of course.
It was really nice to go out alone with Paulie...I am going to try to do it with Joey one of these days too. He sat there the whole time, mesmerized. It was a good movie too...nothing objectionable and full of things that little boys like.
Paulie...oops, PAULY is how he likes to spell his name now. Pauly seems to be getting so big, but in front of that big movie screen he looked so little. He is so different from Joey, who wears his feelings on his sleeve. There were a few sad parts in the movie, and afterwards I asked him how he liked it. "Good," he said. "Did you think it was sad?" I asked. "Yes," he said. "What parts?" "Not telling," was his answer. A boy of few words, but I could tell the whole movie was in his mind, waiting to be replayed as he was falling asleep that night.