Sea Glass Hearts

"Every moment of every day, CHOOSE.
Choose to do the right thing, the tough thing -not the familiar easy thing.
Choose the way of the warrior or the way of the coward.
Make your choice out of love instead of fear.
Choose from the heart.
Choose to live fully, not to sleepwalk thorough your life.
Choose to respond with the way you really feel, not the way you're supposed to feel.
Choose the mineral water over the soda;
Choose the lemon and olive oil over the blue cheese;
Choose the walk in the park over the ride to the mall.
Choose simplicity over extravagance.
Choose conversation over the television.
Choose to talk things out rather than stew in your anger overnight.
Choose compassion and generosity.
Choose to smile instead of frown.
Make your own choices in your own time and choose to stick with them."
-Rachel Snyder"

Our Lady, Star of the Sea

2011-08-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

Our Lady, Star of the Sea -

"In the twelfth-century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux wrote: 'If the winds of temptation arise; If you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation look to the star, call on Mary; If you are tossed upon the waves of pride, of ambition, of envy, of rivalry, look to the star, call on Mary. Should anger, or avarice, or fleshly desire violently assail the frail vessel of your soul, look at the star, call upon Mary.'[1]"

Past, Present & Future

2011-07-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

We passed the Chapel on our way into Yosemite. I was surprised it was there. I've seen photos where it looks like it is in the middle of a meadow, not off the side of the road with a small yard. I wanted to make it back and photograph it before we left. On our last morning there, Derek & I left to first go to the tree where I saw a tiny chocolate colored frog during my photography class. I knew he would like that frog when I saw it and told him about it. I promised I would take him to the tree to look for the frog. We rode the bus and walked back to the meadow to the tree. We didn't see the frog. We walked back to the road. I wasn't sure how to get to the Chapel but I had an idea.

I had to go to the Chapel for my dad. He worked in Yosemite for about a year and I know he had to have gone to this Chapel often. Not only for Sunday Mass, but knowing my dad, he probably went here other times. I felt the connection that he had been there.

We were waiting for the 2 ladies to leave the front of the Chapel to take a picture without them and the passing cars. But this angle with Derek in the shot would be a great memory. I'm so glad I was able to catch this moment in time.
To me it represents the Past: my father; the Present: our family here visiting Yosemite; and the Future: Derek loved being here, loved hiking with his dad and can't wait to come back again. (Unlike the other 2 kids & I we have no desire to return).
I love how he is casual, looking down, but determined with the hiking stick and the silent, still, groundedness of the Chapel and nature around it. I can't look at this picture without tears. My dad would have loved so much to share Yosemite with his grandchildren. The hiking, the nature, my dad loved all oft and all of it meant so much to him.

8 year old Hiker

2011-07-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

I was taking a photography class at Yosemite. We got lucky and it was a small class of 3 moms with our instructor. Another mom saw this "8" sign and said she liked to take pictures of numbers to put in the scrapbooks so that when she is very old she can have a photo of what age her child was when they visited a location.

While I was in the photo class Geoff & Derek, aged 8, were hiking down from the top of Yosemite Falls that is in the background of this "8" sign.

Little Mermaid ride Sneak Preview

2011-05-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

The Little Mermaid ride is brand NEW at CA Adventure.

We are so excited and cheering during the ride because it is a Preview Ride! The ride is not supposed to open until June 3rd and we are on it a week early!! We were so happy! I didn't think we were going to make it back up to the park until June 7th and that was if the kids didn't have anything else going on.

You enter your clam shell.
Scuttle is talking and introducing you to the story. It gets dark as the clamshell turns backward and you go downhill backwards as the ocean waves crash on the walls and the clamshell that was behind you is now in front of you as a screen.

Part 2 of the ride
Ariel singing in her Treasure cave, "Whozits and Whatzits Galore"
Then the "Under the Sea" musical with all of the underwater animals.

Part 3 of the ride
Ursula singing! Ariel transforming into a human.
The "Kiss the Girl" boat scene with Prince Eric.

END of the ride
King Triton, Fireworks, Wedding couple: Ariel & Prince Eric.
Scuttle saying "They lived Happily Ever After"

As you enter the line the gorgeous mosaics are on the ground.

This blue stone was so pretty, and it smelled so new!

Happy Birthday in the Happiest Place on Earth!

2011-01-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your kind birthday wishes!!!

We had a fabulous time. Actually we spent more time at California Adventure!!
I drove my 3 kids with Heidi and her 2 boys and met MaryBeth and her daughter.
So a total of 3 moms and 6 kids!

I got to see the "Happy Birthday" on the screen at the turnstyle, but didn't get a picture of it.
We got our Birthday pins (Heidi & I). I didn't like mine!! Heidi's was Black sharpie, mine was thin blue sharpie and hard to read. Plus I wore a pale green Tinkerbell shirt and the whole birthday pin was hard to see and I think it got missed a lot. Heidi's was on her brown shirt and was noticed easily by lots of cast members.
NOTE : Don't wear a pale blue or green shirt when you are going to get a birthday pin!

First we went straight to CA Screamin' and got right on.
3 of our group got in line for Toy Story so they were just entering the building when we got there, so that wait was super short.

The boardwalk to the Swings is CLOSED from that direction so we had to walk all the way back across the Boardwalk. But we stopped for Ice Cream because it was so warm out, such a warm beautiful day!

We took the short cut through Bug's Land to Tower of Terror. I don't ride that ride and 3 others in our group didn't either. We waited in the gift shop.
I bought a car sticker and a key cover ... THEY Changed the AP Discount to any amount (it was $10) for purchases... whooo hoooo!

Next: Soarin' over California and then Silly Symphony Swings

3:30 over to Disneyland

Got a FP for Space Mtn. for 4:35 and waited to ride the ride for about 20 min. When we got off the ride, we were able to go right back on with the FP. However, the ride shut down and there was a good 20 min delay with the lights on and adding 5 new cars. The second ride was smoother than the first and I liked it better.

Rode Matterhorn, girls went on the left side, boys on the right. That was terribly rough!!

Small world was closed.

Next The Haunted Mansion Ride. WOW it is so empty looking when it is Not Nightmare before Christmas!!

Dinner at French Market. First time having dinner there, had the Roast Beef dinner with mashed potatoes and vegetables... EXCELLENT. Next time I could share it with my husband. My son had a fruit box, the other 2 kids shared the chicken nuggets & fries from Stage Door cafe.

The rest of the group went to Indiana Jones and I walked back to Critter Country to Pooh Corner. There I bought my highly desired, anticipated Hunny Pot Caramel Apple!!!
Also a Tigger Tail for my daughter and Character Gummies for my son.

Met everyone at Indiana Jones and then back over to CA Adventure.
We walked back to CA Screamin' but it JUST Closed. booo hooo
so we rode King Triton's Carousel.
Then it was time to go. We were exhausted and I had a blister on my toe. yikes!

We did have tickets for the 8:15 Color of Wonder show, but we were all just too tired and the kids were still getting over colds.
We had a 1 1/2 hour drive home which was fun with the kids playing guessing games while Heidi & I had a wonderful chat.

What a Great Birthday!!!

Fiesta Island with kids & dogs

2010-08-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Took the kids and dogs out to get some fresh air and a fun walk on the beach. Derek was riding his bike.

The dogs love being able to run free and go for a ride in the car.

It was 73 degrees and very windy. We've had an odd summer here with cool weather. Which is better than having the heat.

Dressed up

2010-08-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Going to our first Bat Mitzvah for James' friend Eliana.

Masquerade Ball

We took the curlers out in the car after we arrived.
The curls fell out within 15 minutes. boohoo.

Adam's Happy Fault! Merits our Redeemer!

2010-04-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

The phrase is sung in the Exsultet of the Easter Vigil: "O felix culpa quae talem et tantum meruit habere redemptorem," "O happy fault that merited such and so great a Redeemer."
Theologian Thomas Aquinas cited this line when he explained the principle that "God allows evils to happen in order to bring a greater good therefrom."
Uniting Original sin and the Divine Redeemer's Incarnation. He concluded that a higher state is not inhibited by sin.
Saint Ambrose also speaks of the fortunate ruin of Adam in the Garden of Eden in that his sin brought more good to humanity than if he had stayed perfectly innocent.

More lines from the Exsultet:

For Christ has ransomed us with his blood, and paid for us the price of Adam's sin to our eternal Father!

This is our passover feast, when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain, whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night when first you saved our fathers: you freed the people of Israel from their slavery and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!

This is the night when Christians everywhere, washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us! How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!

Of this night scripture says: "The night will be as clear as day: it will become my light, my joy."

The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride.

Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!

HAPPY EASTER!!

A New Catholic!

2010-04-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

Congratualtions to Katherine a New Catholic!!
I was her RCIA Sponsor.
Here we are at the Easter Vigil with Bishop Brom.

James' Birthday

2010-03-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

Derek, Chris & James

Grandma & James

cake by mom for his classmates at the learning center

Cookie cake by Heidi, Blake & Jackson! Thanks!

Baking Artisan Bread

2010-03-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

I mix the dough in the plastic ware, then let it rise for
about 2 hours. ... I used half of the dough for the 2 loaves.

Half way through baking.

All done! The cooling time takes forever!
Can't wait to break into and have some Lemon Curd on a huge slice.

Bread baking with the book "Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day"

Our Trip up the CA Coast.

2009-11-26T23:11:00.000-08:00

Grab a piece of pie and a drink .... I've uploaded our pictures from our trip up the California Coast last week.

Visit my shutterfly web site called “CA Coast Trip” to see the pictures.

You might have to be a member of the site.

http://cacoasttrip.shutterfly.com/

I'm working on the travel diary and will post it soon.

We visited:
Santa Barbara - The Mission, Natural History Museum & Pier

Mission San Buenaventura

Mission Santa Ines

Hearst Castle

Mission San Luis Obispo

Monterey - the Aquarium, the beaches, Dennis the Menace Park

Mission Carmel = San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo

Mission Santa Cruz

San Francisco - Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower

Mission Dolores = Mission San Francisco de Asis

Enjoy!!

Thank you God!! Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sunset in Monterey, CA

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody by the Muppets

2009-11-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

For fans of Queen and the Muppets.... What a combination! Hilarious and fun!!!

Sunset, Carlsbad Beach

2009-11-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

After Legoland, we had dinner. Then I realized it was sunset so we hurried out of the restaurant and down to the coast. I pulled over as soon as I could to park so we could catch the sunset. This is Carlsbad Beach.

These photos are moments apart. I'm not sure why one is blue/purple and the others red/orange.
I think I turned on the flash. I don't know how to get those bubbles out of my photos?

A man walked by so I had him take our picture. I am always the photographer, so seldom in the photo.
I'm so glad it turned out well.

Derec's 7th Birthday

2009-10-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

Oct. 30, 2009
First a little background: My son's birth name is Derek. While learning to read, he asked if he was correct that a "c" made the "k" sound. I said yes. Next he wanted to know, "if his name ended with a "c" would it still sound the same?" Yes I said. He asked if he could spell it that way. I told him it was His name and he could spell it however he wanted. So ever since then, to the confusion of others, he spells his name Derec. I go back and forth depending on if I'm writing for others or for him. So on HIS cake I spelled it his way.

Derec wants to light the candles on his cake.

The spider & web cupcakes for his birthday party.

Watercolor = Bird of Paradise

2009-10-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

Bird of Paradise

Photo from the zoo.

watercolor...a work in progress.... I'm deciding about a background.

Balboa Park, San Diego

2009-10-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

James had classes today so he was busy. Katie decided to stay home and with Geoff while he worked from home. So Derek and I went to Balboa Park and visited the Natural History Museum. We started on the top floor and saw a photography exhibit. Lots of photos of ocean animals: Whales, dolphins & underwater shots.
Next we spent a very, very long time in the gift shop, looking at every little thing.
He became fascinated with the minerals & gems. We decided on a box with 15 minerals and a separate large Amethyst stone.
We met up with friends and saw the 3d movie about Dinosaurs. It is a good movie. It explores how ideas and timelines change over time as paleontologists discover new fossils.

I like this shot of many people exploring the park while
the trees, buildings & the bell tower stand firmly in place - waiting
to be enjoyed and admired.

I thought this shot with the couple & their dog
would make a good watercolor.

Here I liked the bending tree, the bridge & blue sky.

kids on the roof

2009-10-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

My kids look for any excuse to go on the roof.
So they were more than happy to help hang lights to decorate for Halloween.

Flowers in the front garden

2009-10-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Flowers in our front yard.

I'm still learning how to use this camera.

Legoland

2009-10-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Derek chose this giraffe jeep, behind the zebra jeep, because he knows I like giraffes.

Look, my giraffe purse matches our jeep.

Coco playing

2009-10-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

Grandma's Birthday Cake

2009-09-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

Each child lit a candle. Her age ends in a 3 now, so I put 3 candles.

Singing Happy Birthday!!

Making her wish.

Coronado Beach

2009-09-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hotel Del Coronado

Point Loma

Catcher

2009-09-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

Playing Fall Ball on a Rookie team.
They rotate positions and he was catcher once today.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Discovery Cube Science Center

2009-08-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

This was a special trip for me and my youngest to go up to Santa Ana to the Discovery Cube Science Center.

My older 2 kids are at sleep away camp for the week so we took a trip over night also.

approaching the Cube!

It is carefully balanced!

Dinosaur exhibit outside. You get to walk through the belly!

Dino Quest is the interactive exhibit with life size dinosaurs.

One of his favorite exhibits was the tornado maker.

Climbing the wall while we waited to see the Dinosaur movie in 4D: “Dinosaurs of Patagonia”.

Dear Tooth Fairy... Here's my first tooth!!

2009-08-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

the two bottom teeth have already grown in... we've been waiting for the baby teeth
to become loose and now the first one has been pulled out.
Time for the Tooth Fairy. She is VERY generous with the first tooth.
(Mr. Tooth Fairy started that tradition)

Family Camp

2009-07-19T21:17:00.000-07:00

View Full Album

We had a fun time at Family camp again this year.

Except the heat.. yikes it was sooo hot.

Here are some pictures from when we did archery, rock wall climb and the zip line.

La Jolla Shores

2009-07-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

A very fun afternoon digging in the sand at La Jolla Shores.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

facebook tips

2009-06-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

Diving lessons start again

2009-06-08T20:30:00.000-07:00

First day back into the pool for diving lessons this summer.
She forgot how high the 3 meter board was. There was a breeze up there and it was cold.
Getting some coaching.
Practice off the 1 meter board.
Time for diving off the 3 meter board.

Old Town San Diego tourist

2009-06-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

James has acting classes on Saturdays for 2 hours. So I have time to act like a tourist in Old Town. I walked around taking pics to share.

This one is a store front with statues of Pope Benedict XVI, St. Francis, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Pope John Paul II. Along with some wrestling masks. Hmmmm. or how about piggy banks?
In the garden of the Immaculate Conception Church.

Immaculate Conception Parish Church, and its altar.
Lunch! Carne Asada taco, beans & rice. Yum.

This is a pottery store around the corner. We are looking at a statue for the backyard garden so I took a few shots to remember what they have at this store.

Some crosses for my cross wall in the entry way.

Some Seahorses for our ocean/beach theme bathrooms.

2000 Hail Marys

2009-06-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

The neighbors celebrated a day of 2000 Hail Marys.
Friends came and went all day, including me.
They prayed 1000, had Mass, had lunch, prayed 1000 more and then served dinner.

For every 100 Hail Marys they lit one of the candles. I was too late with the camera to get them in the shot.

My Tree Huggers

2009-06-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

If there is a tree.... Derek will climb it!

Katie wanted up there too.

friends + guitar hero = fun

2009-06-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

having fun playing guitar hero!

Legoland visit before school's out

2009-06-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

The Boat ride. Katie has a new little friend who loves her.
Their first ride on the new airplane ride.

Finally we made it on the Log Ride.
Everytime we go it is closed or the line is soooo long.
It was fun. We didn't get too wet.

the last t-ball game

2009-06-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

It has been a great t-ball season for Derek. We met some great boys and very nice families.
No homeschoolers, but good to know some more boys that live nearby who are Derek's age.

His team was the River Cats! I don't know who came up with the names but there were the River Dogs, Sea Dogs, Lugnuts, Sand Gnats, (glad we missed those 2) the Volcanos and the Mets.

For the last inning Derek was the catcher.

The last trip to the snack bar.
Sometimes is seems the kids show up to play just so they get
to go to the snack bar after the game.

We are hosting the end of the season BBQ party at our house.
We are looking forward to a fun filled afternoon.

Pentecost Mass with the Bishop

2009-05-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bishop Brom, Fr. Matt
Pentecost Sunday and Confirmation
at the Immaculata

my fav... Saffron Chicken

2009-05-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

This is how you balance a box of Salad Rolls on your lap, in the car, while you use the camera phone....

My favorite take-out in San Diego
down near Old Town off Washington
(a block from El Indio) is
Saffron Chicken
You must go and try their Salad Rolls.
filled w/ romaine, rice noodles, carrots, chicken, cucumber, green onion
You choose 2 sauces to go with.
I get salsa & sweet pepper

their flame broiled chicken is delicious
so is the cambodian salad & cucumber salad
ummmm, time for lunch???

ding dong .. lunch at the door!

2009-05-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

my wonderful neighbor brought me lunch!
she picked zucchini blossoms from my garden and
made a veggie saute with her garden veggies
& purple rice
specially imported from Phillipines

My Book Stack ... waiting to be read

2009-05-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

My waiting to read pile.
Between the library and my amazon order I have
a lot of reading to do.
Guess I better let homeschool out for the summer, this teacher
is ready for a break.

Since the photo :
Read "The Rosary: Keeping company w/ Jesus & Mary"
I bought 4 copies on Friday. One for me and 3 for gifts.
One Came quick from Los Angeles to my mailbox on Tuesday!
Mary & Jesus were working overtime!

I'm 3/4 thru Life of Pi

Started Fruitless Fall

That (FF) and Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
are recommended by Lissa.

Wicked & Ugly Stepsisters I put on hold w/ library and they were available too quick.
Darn that fast service!

I enjoyed Stephanie Meyer's 4 Twilight Vampire books So Much I ordered "The Host"
It is about aliens. I hope it is good. SM said on her website she thinks
it is better than her Twilight series. We'll see.

Ok off the blogger and get the reading glasses on!.

wordless wednesday

2009-05-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

homeschool yearbook photo day

2009-05-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

the kids were getting their homeschool yearbook portraits done
they had serious individual poses and then some silly group shots
I took a couple w/ my camera and my focus is off

library is bad bad place for bookaholics .......

2009-05-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

We went to the library to p/u reserved books and there are piles & piles
of withdrawn books.
I got all of these (39) for $10
I can't pass up Books.
BookAholic Am I.

I just ordered Jeannie Fulbright's (Apologia) Botany and am waiting anxiously for her
Exploring Creation w/ Anatomy coming this summer.
That's why most of these books are on Botany and Plants.
Dinosaur & spider ones chosen by Derek.

wordless wednesday

2009-05-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

Coco

Apologia Notebooking Journals for Astronomy & Botany

2009-05-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available. You can see samples on the Apologia website here:

jeanniefulbright.com

These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal.

Each of the notebooking journals include:

A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own
Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
Review Questions
Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice
Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.

See the sample pages here:

Botany: https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=128

and

Astronomy: https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=127

Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on their site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest: www.jeanniesjournal.com

webkinz on treadmill

2009-05-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

don't forget to excercise your webkinz!
healthy pets are happy pets

the dugout

2009-05-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Derek is waiting his turn to bat in the t-ball dugout.

garden progress

2009-05-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Our garden is growing

I harvested 2 heads of Romaine lettuce for our Mother's Day salad

The corn is getting big and the zucchini is flowering.

cute quip

2009-04-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

We were out to dinner and sitting close together in a booth.

Derek fluffed my bangs and said, "You look different."

Me: "I cut some more bangs, do you like it?"

Derek: "You look like you are in college!"

Well I just laughed. I don't know what that means, but I'll take the compliment.

Mission Trails Park & Dam Field Trip

2009-04-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

Field Trip to Mission Trails Regional Park.
See the Old Mission Dam (formerly called Padre Dam) Built by the Kumeyaay Indians for the Missionaries and the San Diego Mission. Completed in 1815.

From the Mission Trails Website (click above)
"While all of the California missions had some sort of water delivery system, the dam and flume constructed for the Mission San Diego de Alcala was by far the most ambitious. Built across the head of Mission Gorge, the 244-foot long, 13-foot thick, 13-foot wide dam was constructed of stone and cement on exposed bedrock, creating a permanent reservoir behind it. Water was released through gates and spillways into a 6-mile long gravity fed tile lined flume, down the gorge and Mission Valley, ending in a settling basin near the Mission. Construction was completed by 1815 and the padres had the water they needed."

T-Ball pics

2009-04-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

Rosary Coloring Pages

2009-04-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Rosary Coloring Pages

3 Mysteries

I got this link from a message list.

They are very beautiful.

I hope you and your children enjoy them.

http://familyfeastandferia.wordpress.com/living-the-liturgical-year-at-home/rosary-coloring-pages/

tiny garden

2009-04-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here is our tiny garden. One tomato plant, 5 corn, 3 zucchini,
5 romaine lettuce, 1 pepper, 1 rosemary, parsley

Happy Birthday Shakespeare

2009-04-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today, April 23rd, is William Shakespeare's 393rd birthday.
Imagine the candles.

Interestingly, Shakespeare had the courtesy to die on his birthday.

Which helps high school students, during English tests, to
easily remember April 23rd as both his birth date AND his death date.

what school looks like

2009-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Katie is working on spellingtime.com or bigvocabtime.com

James is working on Teaching Textbooks Math #7

Derek is doing Seton Math 2

online site helps you know how to Keep Food Safe

2009-04-04T17:40:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder if that pizza is still good? How about storing leftover veggies in the same can they came in?

Check out www.StillTasty.com

Tells You How Long Your Raw Foods Will Last

StillTasty.com is a brand new online (free) resource that gives you information about how long each fruit, vegetable, nut, seed, herb, spice (and more!) will last before they go bad. The site has an easily searchable database that will tell you (in a clear graphical format) how long something will last in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

Not only that, but StillTasty.com gives you tips on how to purchase the best produce, the most effective way to store it and even the best temperatures to store them at.

I like the Fruit & Vegetable section the best. I'm always buying too much or storing it in the wrong place and it goes bad.

Movie Premiere-Hannah Montana The Movie

2009-03-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

Just got to see the Hannah Montana The Movie Special Advance Screening!

It was with a crowd of girl scouts. We went with some friends that had extra tickets from her troop.

It was very good.

I wasn't expecting much, just a long version of her show.

But I must say that the acting was better than on her show and she sang several songs that were new and very good.

Billy Ray had a song so did Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift!

It had a good story line too. The theme is "The Climb is Hard, but the View from the Top is Great!"

It is about making choices in life, having goals, and the hard work and hard decisions you have to make along the way.

The brother "Jackson" provides comedic relief with animal antics, tripping, falling, etc.

There is also a British rag magazine reporter on her trail that gets into quite a few spills - slipping & sliding around and getting banged up.

I'm a sap and anyone on TV or movies that get tears in their eyes makes it happen in mine.

So there are a couple emotional scenes with the grandmother that had me welled up with her. aww geeee

The best part was the theater full of all the girls clapping, cheering, waving their hands, oohing & aahhing.

You could hear the girls all around saying "How Cute!" about the boy is that Miley has a crush on.

sshhhh don't tell anyone on boy patrol, but my boys were there too. James (12 in a couple days) was quite embarrassed in the long line of girls waiting out side. "Gee mom do we have to wait right here?"

He was hesitant to give his opinion of the movie. He was so overwhelmed by all the girls screaming and cheering at the end of the movie. He couldn't get over the waving of lit up phone screens in the room.

The theater was packed so the boys sat in front of us 3 moms, right next to 2 girl scouts we didn't know. Hey they shared their Sweet Tarts!

Our 5 girls were in the second row across the aisle from us. At least they were seated together.

If it didn't end so late, 8:45, we would have stopped to buy the new soundtrack.

SO we are off to the store today...........

Vegan blogs & cook books

2009-03-24T22:17:00.001-07:00

some awesome blogs and books about living Vegan! I have to share......

Green & Crunchy - Raw food Mom of 5 blogs exceptional photos & meals for her family.

I can't wait to hear how to make her energy bars.

Vegan Lunch Box - Jennifer shows cute & functional alternatives to the brown bag and plastic baggies!

Her blog full of recipes: Shmooed Food (named for her son and the meals she makes him)

Her NEW blog = "This is Why You're Thin!" the name says it all! Write in about your vegan life.

She has a book too............ see below Vegan Lunch Box.

2 Cookbooks just arrived from Amazon. I've borrowed the Italian one twice from the library, so I decided I should just buy it!!

I'm far from being vegan, but I'm trying hard to work on it. Mostly I eat vegetarian foods all week long. But the occaisonal chicken sneaks in there and oh my we had steak once last week.

I Gave up milk on Feb 18th!

I'm WAITING for the pounds to come off. My face seems clearer for sure.

I don't eat eggs. Not all alone (fried, boiled, etc.) If they are in something though I still eat it.

Drat those girl scouts!

Gave up coffee on Feb 25th! - started out for Lent, but I've made it this far and I will continue.

Yes I switched to soymilk (really like Silk's Very Very Vanilla!) and I've been drinking chai lattes, and herbal tea instead.

*Watch out for 8th Continent brand of soy milk .... it is made with sugar and/or corn syrup.

Sugar is the next thing. But that seems impossible to me at the moment. (those cookies again)

I mentioned earlier in the month how much I liked the "Skinny Bitch" book.

From the library I've borrowed "Skinny Bitch - Bun in the Oven" and "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch". Both of those books were good too. Not as Hilarious as the first one though, also watchout for the cursing - but it is funny.

"Bun" Had a great chapter on the evils of artificial sweeteners and how they were approved with very little testing and some interesting legislation going on behind the scenes.

Now I'm hungry--- time to whip out the Vita Mix and make a Strawberry Pina Colada Smoothie!

with spinach & carrots mixed in (you can't even tate them), and don't forget the flax seed!

I finally joined Twitter

2009-03-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

I've been following the Twitter of others for a while and finally joined.

I'm seaglasshearts........ of course.

come follow me.... I'll follow you.....

NEW Web browser by Google! "Google Chrome"

2009-03-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Finally another option away from dreaded I E.

I was so happy to switch away from that to Mozilla's Firefox months ago.

It is so much easier to use and look at.

My dh just hasn't caught on though. He has a terrible time in Firefox in the msn hotmail window opening up any documents that he gets in email for work.

I don't have any trouble at all with it. Opening pdf files and word files. I think it is an msn problem not firefox. (could be dh, oh that's not nice)

While setting up my new laptop I was downloading the Picasa 3 - which I LOVE to use also.

It makes organizing pictures so great and easy. It sends pictures right here to my blog

(I Hope they change it sometime soon so that you can upload more than 4 pictures at a time.... hint hint..)

And checked out all of the NEW Flags in the Google page. There it was ... A New Web Browser called Google Chrome.

I've loaded on my laptops already and here I am using it. The tabs are so easy to use. You can move the tabs around and even drag one out and it stays open in it's own window.

There is a book mark line, a star to click in favorites and easy to open new tabs!

I'm so glad to get away from IE and all its hangups and constant updates. I know that is what blew out my laptop a couple times and the kids' computer crashed after an I E update.

(Which I figured out yesterday is because that computer only has XP and has not updated to service pack 2 .... IE7 requires service pack2)

OH WOW now I remember, that's how I learned this...... Google's Chrome requires XP Service Pack 2 also! So that computer can't get this browser yet either. Hmmmm.

Time to go back to work updating the XP on that computer.

Happy Googling. By the way did you see the Google made for Eric Carle? It was so cute with the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Yeah I found it for you.

busy setting up new laptop

2009-03-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

While on our trip skiing, my laptop got the dreaded blue screen of death several times. It was happening before I left, so I was not shocked. Both of the other husbands tried to help me out but it seemed to get worse. (my dh can turn a computer on & off)

It was time to get a new laptop. I've been looking at them since Nov. But with the holidays and money tight, I’ve been putting it off. They were having a March madness sale and I was in a shopping mood.

My warranty on the old laptop is up on 3/31. I’ve been on the phone with my now good friends & buddies in India for several days. Finally a very nice young man in New Delhi asked his supervisor to send me a new hard drive. :)

So a new hard drive, empty, came on Wed and I had to load everything on there. I got an external hard drive and did a a backup. Little did I know until yesterday that it only backed up files, NOT programs. Well at least my pictures and documents are safe. I don’t think it saved my email addresses or old email though. You’ll have to email me so I can put you in my address book. I’m trying to be positive and see it as a Lenten Purge. Out with all those unknown email addresses and start over this Easter with a clean neat contact book.

And while still working on that on Friday, with a nice Indian man on the phone for over an hour, my new Dell laptop arrived.

It is pretty!

Well time to go work on my bookmarks, favorites and read some blogs. Thank goodness for Google Reader. Everyone is still there and I don’t have to keep the info in my laptop.

Rattlesnake!

2009-03-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

The neighbors caught a Rattlesnake in their back yard.

warning! not for the queasy at blood & dead snakes……..

They put it in the bottom of a trash can while they cut it’s head off.

I came to see it when my husband called but after a quick glance into the trash can I backed away. Then stood far away as they were killing it and left when they were done. I don’t know, I felt bad killing an animal but it is so dangerous that we couldn’t let it live in the neighborhood.

The kids had the camera and took plenty of pictures. And a video of getting ready to slice it open (it is headless)

This video is short it shows the headless snake moving.

Later (not in the video) they sliced open the belly of the snake and took the skin off.

The kids got to see it’s heart & last meal and other entrails.

We can call it homeschool science for the day!

After they skinned it they pinned the skin on cardboard. Very interesting. Amazing to see & touch the skin.

Novena to St. Joseph

2009-03-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Unfailing Petition to St. Joseph

Holy St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary, be mindful of me, pray for me, watch over me. Guardian of the paradise of the new Adam, provide for my temporal wants. Faithful guardian of the most precious of all treasures, I beseech thee to bring this matter to a happy end, if it be for the glory of God, and the good of my soul. Amen

NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH
O glorious St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining
from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore (state your petition).
O Guardian of the Word Incarnate, we have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
(Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph.)
V. O Glorious St. Joseph! Through thy love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name,
R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
R. Assist us!

books books books

2009-03-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

Just finished Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

Student's Go Vegan Cookbook

VegNews Magazines

Perusing:
Raw The Uncook Book

Vegan Italiano

Having a Mary Spirit

Waiting pile:

Cluny In Seatch of God's Lost Empire

Strange Heaven - The Virgin Mary as Woman, Mother Disciple, and Advocate

With kids

The Bronze Bow

Half Magic

Just signed up with Daily Lit to get daily emails of The Enchanted Castle

it was mentioned in Half Magic and we have been bugging our friends to borrow a copy.

Holy Face of Jesus Feast Day

2009-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here we are in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City
Lighting candles at the Holy Face altar.
Sept 30, 2008

Jesus, covered in blood and much sadness, said to Mother Pierina: "See how much I suffer.
I am understood by so few. What ingratitude on the part of those who say that they love Me!
I have given My heart as a sensible object of My great love for man, and I give My Face as a sensible object of My sorrow for the sins of man.
I desire that it be honored by a special feast on Shrove Tuesday.
The feast will be preceded by a novena, during which the faithful make reparation with Me, uniting themselves with My sorrow."

This year, the feast occurs on February 24th, 2009 (Shrove Tuesday).

many months behind on this Blog

2009-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

Helloooo family, friends and fellow bloggers….
I’m home alone on a Saturday.
YEAH I'm loving the quiet.
Geoff took the boys out on our boat to look for whales. They migrate by San Diego on their way to Mexico.
Well, actually, Katie is home but she is being a Mom’s helper at the neighbor’s house and they come and go from our house.
The kids are 1 & 3 and our house is “THE PLAYGROUND”.
She brings them over to slide, swing & trampoline for a while and then they go back to their own house.

SO I’m having lots of time to catch up on months of entries on my blog.
Really, months & months!
If you are a regular reader… I think there are a couple of you out there.....
You might want to back-track a couple pages to check out some of the highlights of our months.
Please leave a comment just to say Hi… pretty please.

Derek’s birthday 10/30
11/5/08 to the Audubon Bird Sanctuary.
Katie’s birthday on Dec. 3 and her party pictures.
12/5 Field trip to Wolf Center Encounter
The Christmas Play 12/14
Christmas pictures.
Field trip to the Point Loma Light House. (a partially failed one)
New years @ Lego Land
Field trip to Cabrillo Monument. ...success with the park ranger!
Ski trips in January and February to Big Bear Mountain.

Thanks for sharing our Family & Homeschool Adventures with us on our Blog.
Come Back Soon.

tip for the day: hug your kids

2009-02-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today draw a small heart on the back your hand.
Every time you see the heart give a child a compliment, tell them "I Love You", give a loving glance, a hug or kiss.
If your spouse or one of your children is not around give yourself a compliment or hug!

Ski Trip videos

2009-02-18T13:26:00.000-08:00

We were able to go skiing again on Wednesday.
California had a huge rain storm over Fri - Tues and we knew Wed was going to be clear so Geoff wanted to go up and ski. This may be the last time we go this winter. We had a fun day.
When went in January James took snowboard lessons while the other two did skiing. This time both boys did snowboarding and Katie did skis.

There was so much snow that it took 2 hours to get up the mountain road. Luckily our truck didn't need chains but other cars did and it slowed everyone down.

It was a beautiful clear day and the snow was so pretty on the trees and it sparkled in the sunlight on the ground. It was very good skiing snow. A little bit of powder and not much ice.

Video of Katie skiing. You can see Derek a couple times in the background in the tan jacket.

Here is Geoff helping Derek learn to Snowboard.
My perfectionist 6 year old strapped on boots & a snowboard for the first time in the lift line and rode the lift up the "bunny hill" and expected to be able to snowboard down.

He did so well!! But you can see him hitting his fists when he falls down in frustration. We couldn't convince him how awesome he was doing on his Very First try on a snowboard. We did this 2 times and then it was time to go to take his lesson. Unfortunately the lessons ended at 4 and the lifts closed at 4 so we were not able to take him up after the lessons to see what he learned.
Hopefully we'll make another trip this season.

skiing pictures

2009-02-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

Katie on skis

Geoff gives Derek his first lessons.

Derek's first time on a snowboard.

On the way to Ski

2009-02-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

View of the mountain snow from the freeway in Redlands, Ca.

Stopping to put on chains picture.
There was a place to pull over and put on chains. A man in a snowsuit and orange vest came right up to us
and said, "Hey Mr. Denali" (bet he thought we were rich just because we drive a GMC Denali, Ha ha! no money here - just 3 kids)
His sign said $10 to put on chains. Geoff said NO thanks.
Then he said OK how much? The man said, "For you $30."
What!??
Geoff says '"NO thanks". Then after struggling with our chains for a while... laying them out, me backing up and pulling forward a couple times.... The vest guy asks if our truck is 4 wheel drive. Yes it is.....
Well, he says you'll be OK on the roads without chains. Why didn't he say that at the beginning? He was hoping for $30, I"m sure.

The kids had fun on the pile of snow while we tried to put on the chains.

what's for dinner

2009-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Caught the Martha Stewart show today and saw this: Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

While Katie was at Little Flowers and James was at Boys' Club
Derek & I went to the market for fresh veggies and bought the ingredients.

I used button mushrooms instead - that's all they had today.
It turned out OK. The chicken was a little dry and I think I used too big a roasting pan.

I want to cook, I try to cook, my kids abhor the idea.

My dear husband thinks he is allergic to mushrooms so that may have been cruel of
me to make a dinner based on them. He skipped them and boldly ate the
squash (I think) and the chicken.

I also made quinoa. Derek really liked it. Hallelujah.
Geoff made chinese yellow mustard paste and drizzled it on top to eat it. Hmmmm, not sure his true feelings.
Derek ate Katie's quinoa and She fed her chicken to the dog.
I think James ate the chicken only.

Next we'll try the Green Beans & Pine nuts they made on the show.

And Derek & I bought Brussel Sprouts. I have NEVER made them Ever!
But I found "THE Best Brussels Sprout recipe" on The Vegan Lunch Box blog.

I'm working on being vegetarian. Which I've wanted to do for probably 13 years.
If you look in my cookbook collection......... I look like a vegetarian that does food combining.
But am I?? NOPE
Granted we don't eat meat every meal, and I try new veggie meals all of the time.
But serious effort is being made over here in my kitchen.
I'd even like to move into being vegan. Giving up milk, cheese & eggs.
Actually I think I may have become lactose intolerant and I've cut back on the milk.

IF you want to read the most HILARIOUS book (yes there are bad words in it; namely the f word and more) you have to read "Skinny Bitch".
See even the title is bad.
I laughed out loud and was cracked up. Most of the book is totally serious. Talking serious about how animals are treated so badly and how contaminated their food is, making the animals contaminated and thus their milk & eggs also full of poisons, chemicals and gross deadly stuff.
I've read most everything in this book before but they make it personal with their real look at things and their curt language.

Since I read SB I've been looking through my vegetarian cookbooks, a bunch of online sites and I ordered vegan books from the library.

I checked out an Italian food vegan cookbook a couple months ago and I just reserved it again because it is really good... . "Vegan Italiano" by Donna Klein.

I also got "Students Go Vegan" cookbook. by Raymond.

(I can't do underlining in blogger? So I have to put book titles in quotes)

A Cute website I like to check out is www.veganlunchbox.com. Its a mom and her adventures w/ a boy and a hubby that won't give up meat. She wrote a book - "Vegan Lunchbox".
It is on backorder @ library. Hopefully I'll get to see it soon.

Back in October I saw those videos of the poor animals on www.GoVeg.com when we were deciding on voting for Prop 2. I was the one voting, but I did research with the kids so they would understand why and how I chose my vote. Oprah did a few shows with Lisa Ling on the treatment of animals on farms too.

I have thought that cow's milk is for baby cows, not people, for a long time.
When James was born his birth mother said she was lactose intolerant and the didn't keep the formula down very well at the hospital. So I was very happy to switch him to soy based formula.
My other two I was able to breast feed for over 2 years. After breastmilk I gave both of them soy milk for a long time, and then eventually they moved to milk and that's what we have in the fridge. We've been going through a lot of it lately. I don't know how becasue only Derek drinks it, but I think he makes his chocolate syrup with some milk in there. Katie doesn't drink it and James rarely does either. None of them put it on their cereal. Only Geoff & I do that. But I have started drinking a lot of Lattes.
SO this week I got soymilk at the market and have my lattes made with that instead.

cool video about advance of technology

2009-02-16T14:13:00.000-08:00

this is a great video about the advance of technology with statistics about the world

2008 Latest Edition - Did You Know 3.0 - From Meeting in Rome this Year

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

Geoff took the kids up to the local mountains to sled.
I stayed home all alone. All alone, even the dog went with them. Oh the quietness......

Derek returned and asked, "What did you do today?"
Well I sat on the sofa and went through hours of shows on the DVR, cleaned the kitchen and ate." That's about it.
I needed to clear out the DVR of old Oprah shows, a couple weeks of ER and some Larry King shows. One was with the pilots, crew & passengers from the Miracle on the Hudson airplane.

Here's the project I brought to Katie's Little Flowers group earlier in the week.
Oh and a picture of the heart shaped cupcakes. They didn't come out as nice as I'd hoped.

Michael Dubruiel, support his family w/ his books

2009-02-07T19:48:00.000-08:00

Follow this Link to the LOVE 2 LEARN Blog with the post about the passing of Michael Dubruiel.

"The best place to purchase Michaels' books for the sake of helping the family is directly through Our Sunday Visitor, who are doubling the expected proceeds from each book in order to help the family. "

The Burj Dubai - worlds tallest building

2009-02-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

Kids & I had fun looking up Dubai on Google Earth for the tallest bldg in the world The Burj Dubai and the new "Palm" communities.

I Recommend the Piers Morgan set of 7 videos on utube to learn more about the area.
Not really for the kids, they didn't watch, I watched them all. There's nothing bad in them
but kids under 12 will probably be bored.

helping with math

2009-02-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the kids just don't want mom to be the teacher that day.
They might go off alone and do their work, or enlist the help of another sibling to help with the subject.
I was in the other room and took the picture of the kids on the sun porch doing math together.
What a great memory. Learning Sharing Growing.

One Heartfelt Hail Mary ....

2009-02-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

I found this post on a Catholic board by a seminarian.

PS. Let's all pray a heartfelt Hail Mary for everyone who reads this and their special intention.

Hail Mary,Full of Grace,The Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,and at the hour of death. Amen.

Millions of Catholics often say the Hail Mary. Some repeat it hastilynot even thinking on the words they are saying. These following wordsmay help some say it more thoughtfully. They can give God's Mother greatjoy and obtain for themselves graces that she wishes to give them.

One Hail Mary well said fills the heart of Our Lady with delight and obtains for us indescribably great graces. One Hail Mary well said gives us more graces than a thousand thoughtlessly said.

The Hail Mary is like a mine of gold that we can always take from but never exhaust. Is it hard to say the Hail Mary well? All we have to dois to know its value and understand its meaning.

St. Jerome tells us that "the truths contained in the Hail Mary are so sublime, so wonderful that no man or Angel could fully understand them."

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Prince of Theologians, "the wisest of Saints and holiest of wise men," as Leo XIII called him, preached for 40 days in Rome on the Hail Mary, filling his hearers with rapture.

Father F. Suarez, the holy and learned Jesuit, declared when dying that he would willingly give all the many learned books he wrote, all his life's labors, for the merit of one Hail Mary prayerfully and devoutly said.

St. Mechtilde, who loved our Lady very much, was one day striving to compose a beautiful prayer in her honor. Our Lady appeared to her, with the golden letters on her breast of: "Hail Mary full of grace." She said to her: "Desist, dear child, from your labor for no prayer you could possibly compose would give me the joy and delight of the Hail Mary."

A certain man found joy in saying slowly the Hail Mary. The Blessed Virgin in return appeared to him smiling and announced to him the day and hour that he should die, granting him a most holy and happy death. After death a beautiful white lily grew from his mouth having written onits petals: "Hail Mary."

Cesarius recounts a similar incident. A humble and holy monk lived in the monastery. His poor mind and memory were so weak that he could only repeat one prayer which was the "Hail Mary." After death a tree grew over his grave and on all its leaves was written: "Hail Mary."

These beautiful legends show us how much devotion to Our Lady wasvalued, and the power attributed to the Hail Mary devoutly prayed.

Each time that we say the Hail Mary we are repeating the very same words with which St. Gabriel the Archangel saluted Mary on the day of the Annunciation, when she was made Mother of the Son of God. Many graces and joys filled the soul of Mary at that moment.

Now when we say the Hail Mary we offer anew all these graces and joys to Our Lady and she accepts them with Immense delight. In return she gives us a share in these joys.

Once Our Lord asked St. Francis Assisi to give Him something. The Saint replied: "Dear Lord, I can give You nothing for I have already given you all, all my love." Jesus smiled and said: "Francis, give Me it all again and again, it will give Me the same pleasure."

So with our dearest Mother, she accepts from us each time we say the Hail Mary the joys and delight she received from the words of St.Gabriel.

Almighty God gave His Blessed Mother all the dignity, greatness and holiness necessary to make her His own most perfect Mother. But He also gave her all the sweetness, love, tenderness and affection necessary to make her our most loving Mother. Mary is truly and really our Mother. Aschildren when in trouble run to their mothers for help, so ought we torun at once with unbounded confidence to Mary.

St. Bernard and many Saints said that it was never, never heard at anytime or in any place that Mary refused to hear the prayers of her children on earth. Why do we not realize this most consoling truth? Why refuse the love and consolation that God's Sweet Mother is offering us?

Is it our lamentable ignorance which deprives us of such help and consolation. To love and trust Mary is to be happy on earth now and afterwards to be happy in Heaven.

Dr. Hugh Lammer was a staunch Protestant, with strong prejudices against the Catholic Church. One day he found an explanation of the Hail Mary and read it. He was so charmed with it that he began to say it daily. Insensibly all his anti-Catholic animosity began to disappear. He became a Catholic, a holy priest and a professor of Catholic Theology in Breslau.

A priest was called to the bedside of a man who was dying in despair because of his sins. Yet he refused obstinately to go to confession. As a last recourse the priest asked him to say at least the Hail Mary after which the poor man made a sincere confession and died a holy death.

In England, a parish priest was asked to go and see a Protestant lady who was gravely ill, and who wished to become a Catholic. Asked if she had ever gone to a Catholic Church, or, if she had spoken to Catholics,or if she had read Catholic books? She replied, "No, no." All she could remember was that------when a child------she had learned from a little Catholic neighbor girl the Hail Mary, which she said every night. She was Baptized and before dying had the happiness of seeing her husband and children Baptized.

St. Gertrude tells us in her book, "Revelations" that when we thank God for the graces He has given to any Saint, we get a great share of those particular graces. What graces, then, do we not receive when we say the Hail Mary while thanking God for all the unspeakable graces He has given His Blessed Mother?

Cabrillo Monument Field Trip

2009-01-30T16:59:00.000-08:00

As bad as the last trip was to the Point Loma Lighthouse .... today was GREAT!!!
The movie was pretty good. I had no idea about all of the Spanish explorers, conquistadors. I couldn't keep up with the narrator and all of the names of the sea Captains, their ships, the cities they left from, the cities they went to in Mexico and the Kings of the time.
A whole new area of History to add to a long - long list.
Of course there were a LOT of spanish names, way too many to remember, especially for the kids or me for that matter.
But the gist of exploring North from Mexico city was very interesting.

The irony is that we had the SAME Park Ranger lady that turned us down last time. Whoa!
She was quite nice this time! She did a great presentation and was really good with the kids.

Except at the very beginning where she wanted them to all walk in a straight line... which they did and it was hilarious
to me.

I feel like such a non-conformist, rebel.... why make kids walk in a straight line???
Oh well. The kids were awesome, like trained soldiers. he he I had to take a picture!!

See just above Katie's head (in the pink) there is some land (brown) jutting out into
the bay. They believe that this is the bit of land that Cabrillo and his men landed on
when they came to (now called) San Diego Bay.

So as bad as we felt last time, this time makes up for it and we had a good time.

in Spanish explorer costume

2009-01-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

Derek was chosen to wear the chain mail and helmet of a Spanish Explorer.
She described each piece as she put it on Derek and Katie held the sword.

It was pretty heavy and he wore it for quite a long time. I don't know why he didn't smile?

Tangrams some links

2009-01-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Tangrams booklet & links

Freebie Today http://www.wholesomechildhood.com/Jan/29.html

I like the link to the University's online Tangram game best

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_112_g_2_t_4.html?open=activities

History of Tangrams
http://www.logicville.com/tangram.htm

Make your own Tangrams instructions
http://www.logicville.com/tangram1.htm

PBS Kids
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/area/area.html

For iPhone or iTouch a free game from http://www.theembassyinteractive.com

Tangram -by Archimedes-lab.org; printable tangram, different tangram puzzles, more links http://www.archimedes-lab.org/tangramagicus/pagetang1.html

A Google search on "tangram" shows lots of pictures
http://images.google.com/images?q=tangram

OLD history texts for Catholic Schools links

2009-01-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

Online Books for History of the United States for Catholic Schools

One by the Franciscan Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration published in 1914
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZBgYAAAAYAAJ

The other by Charles Hallen McCarthy published in 1919
http://books.google.com/books?id=tnkAAAAAYAAJ

I have not had a chance to read more than the table of contents.
I thought they would be interesting resources to see what "History"
was being taught in early 1900's.

High school musical on ice

2009-01-28T23:05:00.000-08:00

I surprised Katie with tickets to see HSM on ice.
A homeschool mom arranged the great ticket prices way back in October. At the time January 28 seemed a Loooong way off.
But time goes by pretty quick.
We had pretty good seats close to the floor, but there was that space between us and the actual ice rink.
It was a fun girls night out.

Took a couple pictures with my phone.

They showed movie clips from HSM 3 on a video screen for the first few minutes.
Then the ice show started. The show was the HSM #1 for the first half. After intermission they did HSM#2.
Pretty amazing that the boys were out there on ice skates, singing, dancing and playing basketball at the same time.
Made we wish I would have brought my 2 boys. I like to have them see young men enjoying their job that may be considered "girly"... singing, dancing, ice skating... you never know what their passions and talents may be in life.

Saint of the Year 2009

2009-01-27T17:50:00.000-08:00

I sent my email to Marianne and was chosen by

St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Aug 20

To be chosen by a Saint, email mare54n@bellsouth.net

She has a blog too http://yourpatronsaint.blogspot.com/

May God bless you and grant you many blessings in this new year!
You will be so happy that you are participating in this beautiful devotion!

What's UP??

2009-01-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

A few days before Christmas I decided to throw a Surprise Birthday party for my husband’s 50^th birthday in January. I borrowed the plans Suzanne used for her husband’s party. (We missed their party because we were in DC the end of Sept.) She told him some friends were coming for dinner and surprised him with a lot of people for a party.

So on Christmas Eve I used Evite and sent out 60 invites to all kinds of friends new & old for his party.

Then the cleaning began!!

Everyone has been checking in on Unschooling Catholics Yahoo group about Flylady and believe me there was an enormous amount of cleaning going on around here!

The weather for the first 2 weeks of January has been in the high 70s and even over 80 some days. It was very nice for opening the windows and letting in fresh air.

I was worried my husband knew about the party when even he helped clean and he painted the family room! It had been on the “honey do” list for a while and now it looks great.

The party was on Friday the 16^th. His birthday was actually the 24^th. Mine was the 20^th.

The Surprise worked! We disguised the evening & dinner as Suzanne’s daughter’s birthday which was the 15^th. Our families do everything together so it was not out of the ordinary.

When he arrived home a few people were here and we yelled surprise!!

He says he didn’t know until he was in the driveway and my oldest was acting weird and was dressed nice in a polo shirt – this made him suspicious.

Over the evening we had over 45 people arrive. Neighbors, friends from church, from old jobs, from law school and I was able to email a few of his clients that came.

I went and picked up BBQ shredded pork from a restaurant and bought lots of appetizer trays from costco.

We had a chocolate fountain and brownies.

The party was a lot of fun and a huge success.
And my House is so clean! Of course the normal chaos of 3 kids is quickly cluttering it up but when you start with a good clean base, it is easier to keep up. Flylady… tell them to have a huge party so the house gets cleaned!

Saturday I woke up and was sick the whole day. I drank a tiny bit so I was not hungover. I think it was a migraine mixed with the let down of all the adrenaline I had pumping for the few days before the party. I never left the sofa and sweet Katie stayed by my side all day helping with the bucket. My poor husband had to help too and also had to do dishes leftover from his party. Luckily I did most of the cleanup for an hour after everyone left at 10:30 the night before.

Monday we met Suzanne and 2 of her kids at Legoland and had a great time. (See we do lots together)

Tuesday was my birthday and I got to go to the DMV for 2 hours to renew my license.

I did get up in time to watch the Inauguration and then hoped no one would be at the DMV, but I think it was closed Monday and everyone had the idea I did, so it was really crowded. I took a book I’ve had for a couple years and was able to read 60 pages – The Two Women of Galilee. That was a good novel to pass the time. I stopped for a coffee & scone on the way home. Relaxed the rest of the day and then we went out to dinner. We used a gift card a neighbor gave us at our birthday party and we had the most delicious filet mignon!

I have been reading several (6) books about Padre Pio. I wrote in to Sabine & Beate to let them know I was reading a praying after Michael’s accident of my prayers and devotional time for his healing. Now I’m picking up “Revelations of the Divine Mercy” and doing research on my Saint of this year: St. Bernard of Clairvaux. I emailed in and that was the Saint who chose me this year.

Friday we left early in the morning and drove up to Big Bear in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is about 3 ½ hours drive. We put the kids in lessons, James was in snowboarding, Katie & Derek in skiing. Geoff & I were able to ski together for a couple hours. Then we skied with the kids. The hotel was nice and the restaurant in the hotel was very good Italian. Plus 2 kids ate free.

On Saturday Geoff got to ski for free because it was his birthday. James & Katie took 2 lessons and Derek took one. I had already paid for one lesson and a second lesson for them was only $5 more. They were having fun there, wanted to do it, and they could only go on beginner lifts.

For Derek it would have been $20 to take an afternoon class and his lift pass let him go on all lifts -- so we took him to the top of the mountain and it was incredible to ski down with him. I got some video of them in the next entry on my blog.

SO what else is up??

I struggle with the balance of do we homeschool or unschool. I let them play a lot (they are all on the Wii right now) but I try to get them to do spellingtime, vocabtime and the geography lesson on the internet.

James is good about doing it almost everyday, but Katie hides under my radar. She goes off on the porch or outside or into her room and "reads". Mostly she listens to music & sings. Whenever I mention doing some kind of lesson I just get huffing & puffing.

I have both of them doing Teaching Textbooks for math. It is level 5. James is finishing up the lessons. I let him skip a lot and just do the Quizzes for each chapter. If there is something, like adding fractions that I know he needs to know I have him do that lesson to make sure he can do it.

Katie is just starting TT and is on lesson 9. She is scoring 90-100 on the problems so it is at her level so far.

Derek is on lesson 78 of "Read in 100 easy lessons". He started on lesson 19 in Sept and zoomed to about lesson 60 before we left on our trip the end of Sept. After we returned it is worse than pulling teeth to even mention trying to do a lesson. He can read the lesson just fine, so I don’t know where his hesitation comes from. I see it from the “you’re almost done with this book” perspective and I just want him to finish this book.

But I also see that he is doing great and just turned 6 so there’s no hurry and I do let it go for days at a time.

We took a break and did a few booklets from the "Little Stories for Little Folks" Catholic Phonic series. That went well for a couple days break from the other book.

Today he opened up to lesson 79 and the first word was new. "I hate new words". I said try to read it. "Fast" Well he doesn't have any problem and we both laughed. He was interested in the story because it was "part 1" and tomorrow we'll read "part 2" He just stared doing CHC "My very First Spelling Lesson" He's done 3 lessons, one a day. To me it is more for handwriting. He is practicing 3 letter words that he can read and working on handwriting.

For math he just started a Math 2 by Seton book I had laying around that Katie didn’t use. He’s on page 16 and able to do the double digit subtraction so I know that book is not above him. Today it was Greater than >, Less than<. First I drew a sign and turned it into an alligator. I said the alligator always wants to eat the bigger number (of fish) so he always turns his head that way. He got thru 2 pages of work. "Wait! I only need to do one page a day!" So it wasn't so bad he kept going without knowing.

I’ve been having other troubles with Derek. I think it is developmental. Separation anxiety?? Wanting to be with mom and that pull to become independent. He's my most snuggly child. Still wants to snuggle and fall asleep right next to me on the sofa every night. The issue is : He is my only child that says he’s BORED. My other kids find things to do and would rather be left alone and finding their own things to do. But He will get into a tantrum and become angry when he is bored and can’t find anything to do. Of course I try to give him ideas or offer to give him all my attention with a book, movie, game, craft or legos or something. But it usually makes him more irritated that he can’t think of it himself and he turns it all down.

I think part of it is that he has boundless energy -- because it usually starts when he want to go outside in front of the house to ride bikes or something and I say that it is not a good time right then.

We just enrolled him for t-ball which starts in a couple weeks. I think that will help a lot with his energy and giving him an activity and an outlet. I also emailed about a homeshcool Karate class for both of the boys 2x a week.

Next Issue: Show me the Money!

My husband is a lawyer and has maintained his own office downtown (since '93) while also working the past 4 years in a salary position with a Mortgage company.

That company had dwindled down over the past year to nothingness. So we knew it was coming, but the actuality of not having a job & salary this month is scary.

I spent a few hours the other day looking into health insurance for next month. We thought we would be OK because the Mortgage company owner’s family and our family make a group medical insurance plan. The business has also gone under because the owner developed Stage 3 colon cancer this year. They found the tumor in Sept and he was on chemo for a couple months to shrink the tumor before they took it out in Dec. We thought we could stay with insurance with him, but it is not working out that way.

Geoff had a client interview on Friday with a restaurant that may file bankruptcy. He is trying to build up his own law firm again with clients to support our family. Otherwise he is also looking into joining another law firm. He has an interview with a firm this week.

We are all so “into” unschooling that he dreads punching the clock and working for another firm.

He set his own hours with his own firm and even with the Mortgage company. He would work some from home the past few months in the morning after exercising and then go in when he needed to.
I told him to do what makes him happy. I’ve really come to learn that we can agonize over a decision and lose sleep over it when really all decisions can be changed -- If you try something and don’t like it then move on to the next thing. You don’t have to call it quitting.

So I am leaning toward a law firm job because we have 3 kids that need medical insurance and dental work and braces. He could try the law firm if they offer him the salary we need and if he doesn’t like it then he can try something else.

But I also really like our free schedule and having him home with our kids during the day. So having his own firm and own hours would be great too.

Snow Summit Ski & Snowboard

2009-01-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

We were off to Snow Summit for 2 days skiing/snowboard.
They have free ticket on your birthday, so Geoff was free on Saturday.
We drove up Friday morning and arrived around noon.
Just in time to rent equipment for the kids and get them into lessons.
James took snowboard lessons, Katie & Derek took skiing.

I used my phone to video the kids on the slopes.
The beginning of this one shows Katie skiing between Geoff's legs *in blue.
then she comes near me in the black w/ pink hat.

kids at the ski slopes

2009-01-24T17:07:00.000-08:00

Candy Bar 50th Birthday Card

2009-01-17T17:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks PAM for Geoff's birthday card.

Happy BabyMoon Lissa !!

2009-01-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

Best wishes and Blessings to Lissa & Scott for their Baby Boy.

Scott hacking into L's acct to say: healthy boy arrived 11:04am.
9lbs 12oz. Mother, child doing great, baby nursing as I type. My wife rocks
2 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

Annual Lighthouse & gutter picture

2009-01-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

It is getting to be an annual tradition to have the kids sit in this "gutter" in front of the
Point Loma Lighthouse and take their picture.
We are a couple months early this year but here it is:
January 2009

March 2008 April 2006

Field trip to Cabrillo Monument

2009-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

Field trip to Cabrillo Monument in Point Loma.

The lighthouse up on the hill covered in foggy mist.

ewwww. It is so cloudy and smoggy and overcast that we can't even see downtown
or the inland areas of San Diego today.

Derek noticed this HEART shaped cactus. So cute.

This was supposed to be a field trip, arranged by a homeschool mom,
to learn about the Lighthouse and the family that lived out there in the 1850's.
However, it was geared towards 2nd graders. Which we knew, but she had said that if you had kids a year or two before or after it would be fine. When the Park Ranger came out she asked for the 2nd graders to form a group.
Well there were about 10 families there with over 24 kids and none were really 2nd graders. Which we honestly admitted up front.
She wouldn't take any other kids that were not 2nd grade.

We tried to explain that we were all there, standing in front of her, eager and ready to learn..... nope, she says she's been there 8 years and tried it before and it just doesn't work. Her prepared paperwork and speech was for 2nd grade "State Standards" We tried to explain that we were homeschoolers, many of us unschoolers, we don't follow "state standards" by grade levels and our kids study subjects like science and history together no matter what their age.
She just walked away.
Well OK there.

It turned out OK. We looked around the lighthouse and then went to see a movie about whales.
I don't recommend that movie though........... I'm afraid I was NOT impressed.
The movie spent a long time about the mother whale in labor and trying to have the baby.
They don't show the whale being born just "here it is".
The filming is quite old. Not very good quality.
Then they moved onto the mating season.
Quite a few minutes are spent on the males searching out the females and the mating information.
Then it gets very dramatic when 3 males are trying to mate with the
new mother whale and almost drown the new baby whale.
A little more than I was hoping the children would see.

There are other movies i hope are better. One about Cabrillo and one about the tide pools.
We are coming back in a couple weeks to hear about Cabrillo and see the movie.

Dinosaur Birthday Cake

2009-01-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

I volunteered to make Thomas' 4th Birthday cake.
I asked what he wanted..... Dinosaur.... a T-Rex! Luckily I already had the cake pan for my 2 boys. Here's the baked cakes... I made the extra flat cake in case the formed cake was a disaster and I needed a plan B backup cake. I was going to carve a flat T-Rex shape. But you'll see that the cake works out. The 2nd cake was covered w/ chocolate frosting and came in handy for the parents & siblings at the party. Plus we got to take home some leftovers. My family was happy. It was pure torture to bake 2 cakes and they didn't know if they would get any more than a slice of one of them.

This is the Wilton cake pan. It's from like 1999 and not sold anymore.
I used the reverse like this to lay out the rolled out fondant and shape it and cut it to fit the cake.

Photo credit: James. Me coloring the white fondant with dark green gel coloring. Use lots of powdered sugar so it
doesn't stick to the counter or your hands.

The finished result. Derek helped make the teeth. Katie made the driver's head.

I said "It's Mr. Bill". The kids said "Who?"

The birthday boy was very happy with his Dinosaur cake.

Lego Land for New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T22:54:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve 2008/2009 we are at Lego Land.
It will be a short night. The fireworks are at 6:30 and the park closes at 7.
The park is fairly crowded. We decided to get membership passes so we can come back all year.

Legoland Mini land New York & Las Vegas

2008-12-31T21:57:00.000-08:00

Lego Land Time's Square for the New Year's Eve Ball Drop

Legoland's mini Las Vegas. We stayed at the MGM Grand when we were there in May. The Excalibur is our favorite place to go and play the "Kiddie gambling"games. Treasure Island is where to go to see the pirate show out in front of the hotel.

Legoland Mini land SanFrancisco, NYC & Los Angeles

2008-12-31T20:01:00.000-08:00

Legoland Mini San Fransico. Derek at miniland Pier 39 of San Francisco.

Miniland New york city. Lady Liberty is out in the middle, but she is tan, not green? And that is what the Freedom Tower is supposed to look like in place of the World Trade Centers.

Miniland Los Angeles Observatory and The MissionVentura (i think)