Celebrating Ascension Thursday

We have been loving following the 50 Days of Easter by continuing to celebrate Easter and learning lots of new things.  Our kids have been so excited for Ascension Thursday and we have a few fun activities planned for today to help celebrate.  Ascension Thursday is the day that we celebrate Jesus rising to Heaven 40 days after Easter. 

First, we went to mass since it is a Holy Day of Obligation!  Next, we came home to complete this adorable Ascension Craft from Pulchra Doctrina.  What I love most about this craft is that Jesus can actually move and "ascend" into Heaven!  This really helps our little ones understand the concept of what happened.

We also always love all of Lacy from Catholic Icing's ideas for fun Catholic crafts and games and she does not fall short with ideas for celebrating the Ascension!  You can find all of her ideas HERE!  If you are looking for more ideas beyond these, the Catholic Toolbox also has a great resource list of Ascension Activities!

We also played the "Ascension Building" Game which is explained by the following:

"To both show the definition of ascension, rising up, as well as reiterate the fact that it took 40 days, challenge the children to build an ascending tower. Give each player 40 sugar cubes. Instruct them to build a tower out of all of the 40 cubes. The tallest tower that stands upright for at least 40 seconds wins the game. Set a time limit on the building process, such as 30 minutes."

We changed it up a bit to use building blocks since our little ones would probably have a hard time with sugar cubes, but either way it helps to teach the lesson!  It was also good to have them work on counting out 40 blocks!

The Ascension of Jesus serves as a kind of prelude to Pentecost (which is the 50th Day of Easter), when the power of the risen Christ came upon all believers through the Holy Spirit.  We celebrate Pentecost as the birth of the Church and it is truly a day to celebrate.  To get some great and fun ideas of how to celebrate Pentecost check out Catholic All Year.  Also, don't forget that you still have time to do some fun activities from the 50 Ways to Celebrate the 50 Days of Easter!

When Mother's Day Isn't "Typical"

My husband and I in general are not the biggest celebrators of "Hallmark" holidays.  Why do we need Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc to show love and appreciation to the people in our lives, when we should be taking time each day to show appreciation.  Although it was very blessed, my Mother's Day this year was different than years before for many reasons. 

My husband and I had just returned the afternoon before Mother's Day from a little get away (which was wonderful by the way), but our children were very clingy to Mommy and a little off from our daily discipline and structure.  I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to my parents for watching our crazy kiddos while we were away.  They got to deal with a lot between broken plumbing in the bathroom, water in the basement during a big storm and one of our kids waking up at 3am vomiting!  Yikes!  Thankfully my mom is a rock star and has been around the block with her own children so she handles it all with much grace.

Our view on our vacation!

 

The boys having fun at the new park with my mom while we were away!

Also, this was my first Mother's Day after the loss of our child Samuel through miscarriage.  We went to visit Samuel's gravestone after church, which is something that we go and do multiple times a week but this time was much different.  There were so many people in the cemetery.  It really hit me how many people are grieving the loss of their mothers, sisters, children and friends and how they remember them in a special way on Mother's Day. 

Visiting Samuel's Gravesite and leaving a rose from mass

 

Beyond that, being pregnant again on Mother's Day is such a blessing, but I have to admit it is also sometimes very difficult.  My thoughts are all over the place sometimes, and I try to let myself process through all of the excitement and grief that I experience as it comes.  I usually have each week of my pregnancies mapped out on my calendar, but after the loss of Samuel and having to go back and delete each increasing week I am not doing that this pregnancy.  I set myself these small little goals, usually weekly, and do not let myself think much beyond those.  I am hoping that as time goes on it will get easier, but maybe it won't.  I am in my second trimester and I think that hopefully feeling the baby move in the next few weeks will help me to have better clarity of this precious life inside of me.  I am taking each day and each week as a blessing, but still feel myself guarding my heart for any more potential loss.  As a mother it is heart wrenching to lose a child, but at the same time has truly helped me to appreciate each moment with each of our children. 

With my little loves on Mother's Day

So this Mother's Day, as I received the prayer for mothers at Mass, was given flowers from each of my children and sweet notes of thanks I also said many prayers to all women.  Women who are wonderful mothers and grandmothers in my life and my children's lives, women who have lost children, women who are praying for more children but battling infertility, etc.  We went to our parish prayer garden after Mass to say a quick prayer to Mary and say Happy Mother's Day to her and it really brought it into perspective that SHE is the Mother that we need to be so thankful for, today and every day.  Mary is there to hold us as mothers during our times of excitement, grief, confusion, exhaustion, laughter...each and every moment.  I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day, even if it was not "typical"! 



Making Time For Your Spouse

My husband and I were able to take time away last November to spend some time alone and we quickly realized how nice and how important it is to truly make time for each other.  We try to take time for weekly date nights out or even at home, but it was so great to really get away for a little while.  To be away from work, the children, homeschooling, chores, and busy life in general is very needed every now and again.  We had so much fun that we decided to do it again!  We are headed to the beach this week for some alone time to give some extra priority time to our marriage. 

I don't know about you, but for us we have a really hard time getting away alone within the last few months of a pregnancy and within the first year of a new baby being around (mostly because of breastfeeding).  With a new baby arriving in November, we decided if we were going to go on another trip it needing to be NOW!  My husband and I are both pretty active people and pretty big planners so this trip is a little different than usual for us.  Guess what we have planned...NOTHING!  We plan on relaxing and just enjoying some quiet time together. 

What are some of your favorite activities or ways to reconnect with your spouse?  Even if you are not able to get away for a while, what are some special things that you can do at home to make time for your spouse?
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Counting on Faith - A Book Review

I am always looking for great literature for our children and to add to our homeschooling collection.  Counting on Faith written by Maurice Prater and Illustrated by Jason Koltuniak is definitely a fantastic addition that we will treasure for years to come. 

I feel like a lot of religious counting books are aimed at toddlers or young preschoolers who are just learning to count.  These are great and fun books, but for those of us who are looking for something more, Counting on Faith is it!  This book is perfect for someone who is not learning to count, but who is learning about the Catholic Faith.  It helps teach the basics of the Holy Family, the Days of Creation, Jesus's Death, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, important prayers like the Our Father, the Guardian Angels and the Ten Commandments. 

Beyond these important Catholic topics the other part of this book that we loved are the illustrations.  They are truly captivating and draw you into each page.  As a homeschool parent I also love that at the end of the book they include spiritual references to where each topic is discussed in the Bible and also definitions of words that might be new to younger children.  We truly enjoyed this book and know that it will not only help us with counting but also drawing closer to the beauty of our Catholic Faith!

May Crowning for Mary

 

In the month of May we celebrate Mary in a special way!  We decided to do a simple May Crowning for Mary by bringing our statue of Mary some simple flowers, and praying a Hail Mary together.  Simple and to the point for rowdy little boys who are loving the spring weather! 

 

 

We also started the Holy Hero's Spiritual Adoption Prayer Adventure today which is a beautiful way to pray for a baby from creation to birth.  We are praying for our sweet little baby who we are hopefully awaiting to join our family later this year, but you can also pray for any unknown baby, especially those who might be in danger of abortion!  It is a great way to help learn about the miracle of life and the development of a baby!  The simple prayer that we say every day is:

 

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you very much.  I beg of you to spare the life of (baby's name), the unborn baby I have spiritually adopted. Amen" - Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen

 

 

Supported by the Saints

Do you ever have those moments where you feel like there is someone or even a group of people helping you get through a certain phase of life?  The past 6 months have been a roller coaster for me as I found out that I was pregnant with our fourth child in November, was devastated as we lost our sweet saint by miscarriage in January, and then by the blessing of God found out that we were pregnant with our fifth child in February!  I know that God and my family have been here for me throughout it all, but I keep having this feeling that there is something more.  Finally as we were entering into the last week of April I figured it out, I feel like I am being supported by the Saints!  The last week of April we celebrate the feast day of St. Gianna Beretta Molla on April 28th and the feast day of St Catherine of Sienna on April 29th.  I truly believe that these two wonderful women have been helping me along this journey.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla has always been one of my favorite saints and is the patron saint of mothers and preborn children.  She was a wife, a mother a physician and while she was pregnant with their fourth child was diagnosed with a fibroma of the uterus.  She was advised to have an abortion to save her own health but she chose instead to have a surgery and prayed that her baby be saved.  Her prayers were answered and her daughter Gianna Emanuela Molla was born on April 21st, 1962.  Gianna Beretta Molla died days later on April 28th.  I remember when I first watched the video of her life called "Love is a Choice".  It was so wonderful to see such a modern saint who found the balance within her life as a wife, a working mother and also seeing the importance of her unborn child. 

A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms spends an entire week talking about St. Gianna Beretta Molla and includes these beautiful words of wisdom from her "The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day".  Yes!  Thank you St. Gianna, this is exactly what I am needing to do every day during this pregnancy!

I was introduced to St. Catherine of Siena as the patron saint of miscarriages when I was experiencing the loss of our sweet Saint Samuel in January.  I started reading about her life and was drawn to her compassion, always giving to others and teaching that people could be renewed by a total love of God.  In 1970 St Pope Paul VI gave her the title of Doctor of the Church, and she was one of the first women to receive this honor. 

My favorite quote from St. Catherine of Siena is: "Lord, take me from myself and give me to yourself."   Saying this over and over throughout my day has helped me to unite my fears, excitement and worries with God.  There is also this beautiful prayer to St. Catherine of Siena to pray during pregnancy to avoid miscarriage:   

 

Dear St Catherine, humble virgin and Doctor of the Church,

in thirty-three years you achieved great perfection and became the counsellor of Popes.

You know the temptations of mothers today as well as the dangers that await unborn infants.

 

Intercede for me that I may avoid miscarriage and bring forth a healthy baby who will become a true child of God. Also pray for all mothers, that they may not resort to abortion but help to bring a new life into the world. Amen.

 

I am so thankful that as Catholics we have this amazing group of men and women to help guide and support us through life and show us in very real and tangible ways how to achieve holiness.  We truly are supported by the Saints.

 

Ponder:  Have you had moments in your life where you connected to different Saints and felt like they were helping you through a phase of your life?  What are you favorite books and resources to help get to know the Saints more?



Top 10 Reasons to Attend a Homeschool Conference

With Homeschool Conference season upon us I wanted to let you know the Top 10 Reasons that I think you should attend a Homeschool Conference this year if you can!

1.  Explore Homeschooling:

You do not need to be homeschooling to attend a homeschool conference.  Have you been considering homeschooling?  Wondering what it is about?  Not sure if you can do it or if it would work for your family?  A Homeschool Conference is the perfect opportunity to get some questions answered and explore the world of homeschooling!

2.  Used Book Sale: 

I laughed when I first read somewhere to bring a rolling suitcase to a homeschool conference, but then I went to one, and I went to the used book sale.  JACKPOT!  There are so many awesome deals and unfortunately they do not have shopping carts, so yes, bring a rolling suitcase to help you carry all of your awesome treasures that you will find!

Also, a quick tip that I learned is to make a budget list of all of the top books and curriculum items that you are looking for and the cheapest price you are able to find them with the publisher or on-line.  Keep that handy with you while you are shopping and you will easily know if you are getting a good deal or not!

3.  Inspiring Speakers:

My husband and I were able to attend the Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference last year and were able to hear Dr. Meg Meeker speak.  She has always been one of my favorite authors and it was fantastic to hear some best tips on parenting and living life to the fullest!  Check the nearby Homeschool Conference schedule to see what gems may be in your area this summer!

4.  Curriculum Booths:

I do not know about you, but getting into the world of homeschooling I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of different curriculums out there!  They all seemed so wonderful and all seemed like we could incorporate them into our family well.  It is so great to be able to go to the different curriculum booths at a Homeschool Conference and not only physically page through the books but also speak to someone who can answer all of your personal questions.

If you are planning on trying to go to a lot of speakers and also the Used Book Sales there is not always a lot of time to go to the Curriculum Booths.  I made a list of the booths that I made sure I wanted to go to Seton, Kolbe Academy, Catholic Heritage Curriculum, Mother of Divine Grace and a few others to make sure that I prioritized these booths first. 

5.  Talk to the Vendor Representatives:

Take time not only to page through all of the different books but to really talk to the Vendor Representatives at the Curriculum Booths.  That is what they are there for!  Ask them the tough questions about how things work, about what you do if you are having problems or concerns, how grading works, how you can teach multiple grades the same subjects, etc. 

When we were at the Seton booth we were able to sit down and talk to Ginny Seuffert, who is a veteran homeschool mother and grandmother of over 20 plus years.  Talking to her and asking her a lot of practical questions was truly what helped us decide that Seton was right for our family. 

6.  Visit and Support Other Organizations:

There are so many fantastic organizations that take time to come to Homeschool Conferences and you do not want to miss out on their great products and services.  HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) is usually at most conferences and typically is not only giving away a free membership by drawing but also sometimes offering discounts if you sign up at the conference.

7.  Sign up if you are Ready:

Most curriculum vendors have great deals going on at a conference if you are ready to sign up!  For example Seton will offer a $30 discount per child if you sign up at the conference and also waive the First Time Enrollment Fee of $25!  That can be a significant savings depending on how many children you have!

8.  Meet New People:

Depending on which homeschool conference you attend there could be hundreds to thousands of people there!  It was so wonderful to meet homeschool students who gave wonderful testaments about there experiences and parents advice about how they have made homeschooling work.  It is a fantastic place to network and meet new friends!

9.  Inspire Conversation with your Spouse:

When my husband and I went to our first homeschool conference we were pretty sure that homeschooling was for us, but we still had some pretty big questions.  By attending a conference together and by going to individual talks that spoke to us each personally about what our own experiences with homeschooling might be like we learned so much.  It is a great opportunity to come together with your spouse and decide what is best for your family.  My husband and I were able to go out on a date after attending the conference and talk to each other about all of our hopes, dreams and fears about homeschooling and really get on the same page.  I have definitely learned that having the support of your spouse is one of the most important things to make homeschooling a success.

10.  Have Fun:

A homeschool conference is really a lot of fun!  If you have felt burn out after a long year of homeschooling or just not really feeling too motivated to move forward and get ready for the next year, attending a homeschool conference might just be what you are needing.  It is really inspiring to see such a wonderful community come together to support a fantastic way of education.  You might be able to be inspired by speakers, get some new ideas or even just enjoy a day or two away! 

Reflection:

Are you planning on attending a Homeschooling Conference this summer?  What have been some of the best parts of attending a Homeschool Conference for you in the past and what are you excited about gaining from going again?  If you are not able to attend a conference what do you like to do to get ready for the next year?