...there is a Santa Claus!
...memories of when my big girls were little...
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
a priest's wife daybook
FOR TODAY
Outside my window..I see a picked up back patio with pretty roses and a rusty mini-trampoline ruining the view
I am thinking...that I really should start planning our menus
I am thankful for...the librarian who had mercy and waived half of our fines
From the kitchen...leek and potato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
I am wearing...teaching clothes...only 3 more classes until Christmas break!
I am creating...next year's Byzantine Catholic Jesse tree (we start Advent on November 15th, so the regular Jesse trees aren't sufficient)
I am going...to buy a new camera so I can post a windowsill photo as per Leila's instructions
I am reading...C.S. Lewis' Til We Have Faces - it just came in the mail
I am hoping...to get family photos taken and soon!
I am hearing...my stomach growl- forgot to have lunch
Around the house...there is so much work to be done, dishes to do, laundry to fold, bills to pay and yes- kids to hug and read books to- we have fresh books from the library- we promised to be more careful this time
Some of my favorite things...were given to me by St Nicholas yesterday- sweet and spicy pecans, Oregon Chai, Panda black licorice, dried blueberries- all from Trader Joe's
A few plans for the rest of the week...various church activities and gearing up for holiday baking for friends and neighbors
Here is a picture for sharing...
...memories from the summer in the old country- what a sky!
from splendoroftruth.com- click for bigger image
Monday, December 6, 2010
Singing with Saint Nicholas
Jolly old Saint Nicholas, lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul (except the Theotokos and Her Son) what I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon. Now you dear holy man,
this is what I ask of you; tell me if you can:
Grandma wants the CCHD stopped
I'd like a Douay Rheims
Bunicu wants an easy visa
so he can finally see the States
Father wants the monsignor
to return his calls
The kids should practice Latin-n-Greek
not run around the halls
Big Girl 1 would like a poodle
Big Girl 2 wants another cat
Boy would like more, more cars
who can argue with that?
Big Baby Girl would like a new
wooden kitchen from family far away
She'll have to wait for now
Uncle needs to hit the hay
Bishop & Saint Nicholas
We Byzantines adore
you were a champion of the Faith
We praise your works all the more
Although you're used for commercial gain
we remember your great life
through your intercession now
please help end this world's strife
(my apologies...try to sing to the tune of Jolly Old St Nicholas)
Kontakion of St. Nicholas
...You were truly a priestly worker in Myra,
for zealously living the Gospel of Christ,
you dedicated your life to your people;
you saved the innocent from death.
Therefore you have been sanctified
as one who has entered the mystery of God's grace.
for zealously living the Gospel of Christ,
you dedicated your life to your people;
you saved the innocent from death.
Therefore you have been sanctified
as one who has entered the mystery of God's grace.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Homeschool FAIL- 7 QuickTakes
Jen at Conversion Diary wrote in her first quick take today that she just starting homeschooling (as in on December 1st) her son. There must be a lot of prayer and perhaps drama that went into changing course (literally) in the middle of a semester. In any case, she inspired my quick take category- I just can't be random yet...
7 things my homeschooled kids cannot do:
1. Latin and Greek- We just aren't classical homeschoolers. Even though we live in Mother of Divine Grace territory and most of the kids' friends study through that program, Spanish and Dad's language take a much higher priority. They are dabbling in Greek in catechism and are signing a song in Latin for choir; I just can't see making Latin their language. Since Latin isn't the Church language for us Byzantines, it has less importance for us. We do need to start the text English from the Roots Up, however.
2. Typical Homeschool Semi-Genius Things- Once I sat in on a 'gifted' talk at a homeschool conference. It became quite apparent to me that my kids are normal, not gifted in intelligence or extraordinary in talent. And what a blessing! My kids are healthy in body and mind. If they put their mind to it, they could do anything (just about). But they don't play the lute professionally, they don't converse with each other in Swahili, and they aren't enrolled in accelerated university courses (my oldest is 11)- not that there's anything wrong with that. They are also nowhere near able to be champions at the national spelling bee.
3. Eat a Cold Sandwich- I suppose this is a bit of an exaggeration- but they usually have leftovers for lunch, so the concept of a boring, cold sandwich is foreign to them. Probably peanut butter and jelly on Fridays would be good to break them of the hot lunch habit. The problem? I don't like pb &j !
4. Go Without a Bathroom Break for Hours- In middle school, I had 4 minutes to get to my locker, change books, and the next class. There simply was no time for a bathroom break. I learned to 'hold it.' The longest my kids would have to wait would be a 1.5 hour ballet class or Divine Liturgy. My kids simply (first informing me) go when they need to go- no hall pass needed. The anarchy of it all!
5. Stay Quiet When Around Adults- We are working on this. I was really proud of them the last time we had guests over. Homeschooled kids tend to be (overly?) confident when they are around adults, and my kids are not the exception. Sometimes it is good (singing for the hospital foundation, contributing to a conversation, volunteering independently); sometimes it is not so good (can't a mom talk to just adults once in a while?).
6. Prowl the Library Alone- I know the statistics. Crime is way, way down. I just cannot allow my 11 and 10 year old big girls to prowl around the library on their own. In the old country, my husband would do just about everything alone when he was their age. I suppose communism had some advantages. There is something so beautiful about getting a stack of books and reading them in the library; everything is so quiet that your imagination can run wild. But our typical library routine is to get the two littles into the double stroller to contain the three-year old as long as possible and then run around the library, filling our baskets before the baby starts squawking. It's not very romantic, but that's where we are now.
7. Tell the Difference between Justin Biber and Hannah Montana-They've never seen the Montana show, so they don't know that she is really named Miley. They know the Hannah Montana name from seeing it on fruit snacks packages and the like. They know a singer named Justin Beiber (spelling?- I refuse as a music snob to google it) exists, but they don't have a radio and I don't listen to Top 40. I'm sure that when they are older, they will have some Top 40, secular favorites. I believe that at 11 and 10, they are still quite young enough to enjoy music for their ages- and all ages. I admit; I do smile smugly when other moms are frantic over their pre-teen's latest role model who is in rehab (Demi Lovato) or has a nude photo scandal (Miley Cirus). My biggest problem right now (Thank God) is explaining why we have to do- yes- more math today.
Our time with homeschooling has been good for my kids and the family. But remember fellow homeschoolers, the vast majority of children are in schools- parochial or public. No matter what- parents are the primary educators of their children. How can parents stay strongly and positively involved with their schools and their kids in schools? Put your ideas in the comment box if you are so inclined.
3. Eat a Cold Sandwich- I suppose this is a bit of an exaggeration- but they usually have leftovers for lunch, so the concept of a boring, cold sandwich is foreign to them. Probably peanut butter and jelly on Fridays would be good to break them of the hot lunch habit. The problem? I don't like pb &j !
4. Go Without a Bathroom Break for Hours- In middle school, I had 4 minutes to get to my locker, change books, and the next class. There simply was no time for a bathroom break. I learned to 'hold it.' The longest my kids would have to wait would be a 1.5 hour ballet class or Divine Liturgy. My kids simply (first informing me) go when they need to go- no hall pass needed. The anarchy of it all!
5. Stay Quiet When Around Adults- We are working on this. I was really proud of them the last time we had guests over. Homeschooled kids tend to be (overly?) confident when they are around adults, and my kids are not the exception. Sometimes it is good (singing for the hospital foundation, contributing to a conversation, volunteering independently); sometimes it is not so good (can't a mom talk to just adults once in a while?).
6. Prowl the Library Alone- I know the statistics. Crime is way, way down. I just cannot allow my 11 and 10 year old big girls to prowl around the library on their own. In the old country, my husband would do just about everything alone when he was their age. I suppose communism had some advantages. There is something so beautiful about getting a stack of books and reading them in the library; everything is so quiet that your imagination can run wild. But our typical library routine is to get the two littles into the double stroller to contain the three-year old as long as possible and then run around the library, filling our baskets before the baby starts squawking. It's not very romantic, but that's where we are now.
7. Tell the Difference between Justin Biber and Hannah Montana-They've never seen the Montana show, so they don't know that she is really named Miley. They know the Hannah Montana name from seeing it on fruit snacks packages and the like. They know a singer named Justin Beiber (spelling?- I refuse as a music snob to google it) exists, but they don't have a radio and I don't listen to Top 40. I'm sure that when they are older, they will have some Top 40, secular favorites. I believe that at 11 and 10, they are still quite young enough to enjoy music for their ages- and all ages. I admit; I do smile smugly when other moms are frantic over their pre-teen's latest role model who is in rehab (Demi Lovato) or has a nude photo scandal (Miley Cirus). My biggest problem right now (Thank God) is explaining why we have to do- yes- more math today.
Our time with homeschooling has been good for my kids and the family. But remember fellow homeschoolers, the vast majority of children are in schools- parochial or public. No matter what- parents are the primary educators of their children. How can parents stay strongly and positively involved with their schools and their kids in schools? Put your ideas in the comment box if you are so inclined.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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