Homeschool: co-op classes par excellence!

It's no secret we move often ... and have been involved in many different homeschool groups, co-ops, and activities.  Some have been great ... and we still are in contact with the parents that ran those groups.  Then, there were other programs that make my kids cringe/cry/generally shudder at the horror of attending those again.  There were also one or two that were just plain mediocre -- which is almost the worst kind!

Today, we have hit the big time -- a long-running co-op that not only has great classes but is amazingly welcoming to all the new families as well as the old.  This is an all-Catholic homeschool co-op that uses a Baptist Church free of charge for our all-day co-op.  The wonderful folks at the Baptist Church allow us "free run" of their education building ... with enough space to have:  infants, 1-2 yos, 3 yos, 4 yos, K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th-12th (4 or 5 classes to choose from) -- all in separate rooms.  We have a total of 30 families with 101 kids!  Yep, it's very, very Catholic.

Mine had a blast today:

• Lego Maniac's classes -- chess/logic; art/drawing (I help in this one) and liturgical calendar
• String Bean's classes ---- dance; drama; American History (I help in this one)
• BamBam's classes ------ pe/sign language (to get them ready to sit); phonics (I help in this one); math games; liturgical calendar (on a lower level than LM's class).  As you can see, the courses are a good mix of "real learning" and real learning ....

There are many other choices but the point of this post is the prayers of thanksgiving I offered up that this is such a wonderful spot for us to have landed ... and we're not planning on moving any time soon (please, GOD!).  Some of the families we "knew" thru my bro/sil who lived here 20+ years ago; some of the families we "knew" thru older siblings that go to dh's high school; some of these folks we actually KNOW from our VBS this summer ... but those with whom we have no connection, were just as welcoming as all those we "knew"!

My kids can't wait to go back next week.  String Bean's comment summed it up for all -- "I can't wait till next Tuesday ... that means co-op is the next day!"  We finished off the day with a Art Appreciation ... LegoManiac is enrolled in Seton Home Study this year (getting him ready for dh's high school in 4 years) and they have a GREAT art appreciation program ... we thought the whole family could benefit from the study, so we've made Wednesday evenings "art history night" with the Seton Art History program ... and it is GOOD!  The kiddoes than watched Pickwick Papers with dh while I computered ...

What kind of co-op or homeschool group are you involved with?  How does it work?  Are you active?

End of Summer, Start of Fall ...

... and school all the time and college football and cooler weather -- as my 6 yos says, "bring it on"!

Saturday, we celebrated the end of summer and beginning of Fall:  the opening day of college football party and the annual lighted-boat parade here at the lake.

We love college football games around here ... and this year, since we finally have cable, we actually can watch and SEE the games!  Unfortunately, the games weren't the best -- we were watching Nevada at Notre Dame and it was such a rout, that it got boring after the first quarter.  We switched around but all the games that were on seemed similar routs.  What to do?  Eat all the junk food String Bean and I prepared for the boys:  buffalo wings, taquitos, dilled cream cheese, pizza, chips, crackers, celery & carrots (for SOME nutrition), and just about every other kind of game-day food you can imagine ... with pride of place going to our traditional "game day menu": cheese whiz!  We know it's bad for us all ... but hey, we just buy it for college football games!

On Saturday evening, LegoManiac and I boarded a party barge and headed out into the lighted-boat parade.  This parade had been postponed twice due to rain ... but we couldn't have asked for a better night -- full "corn moon", clear skies and calm "seas".  Our "Mame" boat didn't win, but we had a great time and dh and the littles said we looked great.

Today, I attended the annual "hoa" meeting ... not alot discussed but good to get involved.  The rest of today was spent in true holiday fashion -- laying around, reading fun books and catching some smaller college football games.  Don't you just love Labor Day?  And yes, it's getting chillier here -- less than 75 degrees all day, kind of gloomy and a bit rainy ... leaves are starting to change and windows and doors wide open to bring in the fresh air!

Welcome FALL!

Family: anniversaries and birthdays abound!

Happy 49th Uncle Jim!

Happy 59th Anniversary Nanna and Poppy!

Happy Anniversary Uncle Tom and Aunt Steph!

and a very, very Happy 50th to Gma and Gpa B!

We love you all very, very much!

Making lemonade out of the lemons we've been dealt lately ...

God in His infinite mercy loves us through the times of sorrow.  And we've had many sorrows this last month or so ...

• a baby died shortly after child-birth
• a 14-yo boy drowned
• my brother, six weeks before his 50th birthday, died
• a 3-month-old little boy died of SIDS during his afternoon nap

There are many other sorrows hitting our online community recently -- sickness, accidents, troubles -- and we all "know" each other and feel the pain for each other ... but what else can we do?  Some set up funds to help the grieving families .... some put together wonderful memorials ... some just stay busy and pray and try to help out as much as possible ...

But, God is Love and helps us get through these days ... we band together ... we cry and pray and remember ... and we love those at home just a bit more ... hugging our babies, children, husbands and fathers just a bit tighter ... praying for their safety and sanctity.  And we pray for all those hurting and grieving and mourning their loved ones ... but God will comfort and they are in a better place.

 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:5

Books: never too early to start planning for Advent

You probably don't want to hear this ... but it is just 87 days until the first Sunday of Advent and 89 days until the first day of December!  Advent is coming soon ... are you ready?

Here's a book I just finished that we'll be using this year ... and for years to come ... to help us on our Advent journey.  Destination: Bethlehem – A Family Advent Adventure, steeps the reader in this idea of a journey, a pilgrimage we undertake each year to understand more completely the event that occurred in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago.

Mother and daughter authors, Sharon Altman and Christine Winkelman, teemed up to write this book which they say is a gift “for the children in their lives”. And it is a gift that gives every day of December!  Broken into 24 bite-sized chapters (each only taking 10-15 minutes to read aloud), the book tells the story of 10-year-old Isaac, who lives west of Bethlehem, and his cousin Jediah, who lives near Zippori north of Bethlehem. The story begins the Advent journey with Isaac traveling to Jerusalem with his neighbor, Zachariah. The ensuing events of Zachariah being struck dumb in the Holy of Holies, of Elizabeth conceiving John the Baptist, and of Mary’s visit to her cousin are all told from Isaac’s perspective.

The story than shifts to Zippori and Jediah’s family hearing about the Roman census. Jediah's father is of David's family, so they must return to Bethlehem to “be counted”. For Jediah’s family, this is a long, arduous journey that includes meeting up with fellow carpenter, Joseph and his wife Mary, a shepherd family (where the reader gets a very good idea of what a shepherd must do to protect his sheep), meeting Simeon  and finally arrival at Bethlehem where they connect with Isaac's family and help Mary and Joseph find shelter.

I love how the authors kept the chapters light, but meaningful, so that each night of December, the chapter can be read, discussed and we can join in the journey. The book is packed with information about the social mores of the time, the cultural ins and outs that are so different from today.  I learned so much reading the end notes!  I highly recommend this book which you can get from Hillside Education.
I’m excited to use this with my own family as part of our Advent celebrations this year (and many more after). The authors suggest 24 items, one for each chapter, that can be used to reinforce the events of the journey. I think we’ll use this list (with slight changes), to fill our Creche as we near the birthday, using the book almost like an Advent Calendar or Jesse Tree.  For instance: when we read the chapter about the shepherd family, we'll add shepherds and sheep to our Creche; when we read about the Roman soldier, we'll add a horse to our scene. 

How are you going to do Advent this year?

Author(s): Sharon Altman and Christine Winkelman

Copyright: 2008  ISBN: 978-0-6152-1800-7 

Publisher: Bella Maria Books

Binding: Softcover

Number of pages: 187 pages

Subject(s): Advent

Grade / Age level: Grade 4-High School, Adults, Family read-aloud

available at Hillside Education

Review: Christians Courageous

I’m always on the look-out for well-written stories of the heroes of the Catholic Church. Our heritage is packed with men and women, lay and religious, young and old who gave their lives literally or figuratively for the love of Jesus. This is a big deal. This is important for me to share with my kids. I want them to know that there is someone whom the Church has declared sanctified, someone to whom my kids can turn in a similar circumstance.


The problem that often occurs, however, is that many of the stories of saints tell the same stories about the same saints. Which doesn’t lessen the saints’ sanctity, but my kids want to hear about others … in other situations … who were tested in the fire and succeeded in upholding the Catholic way.

I’d like to tell you about a volume that has just been reprinted by Sophia Institute. Msgr Aloysius Roche (1886-1957), an English parish priest, wrote a book back in 1955, that tells the tale of Christian saints. Christians Courageous contains 14 biographies of saints that are not usually mentioned in anthologies. Told for a young audience – although the writing style precludes allowing younger children to read without help – these stories are dramatic and exciting.

The biographies include stories about: Ardalion, the Roman actor who converted while trying to make light of the early Christian Church; Didymus, the 4th century blindman who not only learned to read but was made head of the Cathechetical College in Athens; Athanasius, the 4th century bishop exiled three times for fighting against the heretical teachings of Arius; Telemachus, the 5th century Roman who gave his life to stop the barbarism of old Roman ways; Pope Leo’s plea to save Rome from the Mongol hordes; the story of St. Brendan the Navigator; Columba’s fight against 6th century Druids in the Highlands of Scotland; Caedmon of 7th century England who praised God and finally was able to speak and sing at Whitby; 14th century Franciscan missionary Odoric and his travels in Asia; Don John’s victory at the Battle of Lepanto; 16th century Jesuit missionaries to India; Fr. Joseph LeCaron’s work with the Hurons and other tribes in 17th century North America; Fr. Andrada’s work in 17th century Tibet; and Fr. Damian’s work with lepers in 19th century Hawaii. These are stories of official and unofficial saints – men who made their way on the strength of the promises and sacrifices of the Son of Man.

This is a great read.  I especially love the fact that most of these folks are not the typical saint-biography fare.  But as I mentioned earlier, for the younger ones (anyone younger than middle school) I think the reading style requires that the book be used as a read-aloud. I’ll be using this book during November for our annual study of saints and holy people of the Catholic Church.

* - * - *

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Christians Courageous and to purchase your own copy of this soon-to-be thriller classic.

Roche, Aloysius – Christians Courageous – Sophia Institute Press (Manchester, NH). 2009. ISBN: 9781933-184548 (paperback, 179pgs)

Books: amazing books for girls reissued!

Thanks to Melissa Wiley and her book-filled blog, I've heard wonderful news! The powers that be at Harper Collins have realized the importance of bringing back good, traditional books for girls and have decided to re-release the high school years of Betsy-Tacy books.

I love Betsy-Tacy ... Betsy-Tacy and Tib ... Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill ... and Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. For a long time, those were the only ones in print ... but soon, as in the 28th of September, Betsy and Tacy will be back in high school and on book shelves!  I'm so excited to introduce my 9yo daughter to these.  The stories are so lovely ... all about being a girl and friendship and growing up!

Not only are the books coming out, but Jennifer at Book Club Girl has announced a Betsy-Tacy Convert Week to coincide ... go check out her blog and join in the fun and comraderie of being either a Zetamathians or a Philomathians!  But hurry as sign-up for the fun ends on September 4th!  BTW, while you're over at Book Club Girl ... stay a bit and browse around.  Jennifer has great suggestions for books for girls and has dedicated the site to sharing great books, news and tips with girl book clubs!

Here's a link to a great article, Betsy Tacy Books Have High-Profile Following,  about the reissue and why these books are so well-loved!