Almost Here on DVD

Cant wait!  Got it on preorder

Fun Playing with Our Cousins

Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross

Third Sunday of Great Lent

Troparion - Tone 4

O Lord, save Your people,
and bless Your inheritance.
Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians,
over their adversaries.
And by virtue of Your Cross
preserve Your habitation!

Kontakion - Tone 7

Now the flaming sword no longer guards the gates of Eden;
it has mysteriously been quenched by the wood of the Cross!
The sting of death and the victory of hell have been vanquished;
for You, O my Savior, have come and cried to those in hell:
"Enter again into paradise."

Review of Applegate Uncured Chicken Dogs

Very good.  Lean, low sodium.  Hubby likes them but thinks they are a bit chewy.  But perfect with homemade chill and cheese.

Passed Out

Someone got up a little too early and passed out...well nursed back to sleep.. so I got to go to Liturgy without him today.  Marlee still came along but we got to sit in front and not in the cryroom.  It was so nice to sing and participate.  The sermon was just what I needed too.  Father talked about living your life for eternity and not to worry about the people of this worlds option....follow Gods word.  How reassuring.

Just in Time

A Little Way of Homeschooling-
Thirteen families Discover Catholic Unschooling
By Suzie Andres...Forward by Mike Aquilina



Are you blessed with one of those friends who just seems to know when your gonna need a little pick me up? I'm blessed with a few of them and one of them I think of as sort of like a mentor of sorts... someone who is a few years a head of me on this journey of motherhood and who is just so darn inspiring. She seems to understand most of what I'm going through and has been there and done that. Well, she blessed me the other day with this book and just seemed to know that I was going to be needing the inspiration and affirmation.

I'm doing the best I can here and I'm going to be always trying to do better but I do have a set of core beliefs that just aren't going to change no matter how some may feel about them. They aren't going to stand before God in judgement for my decisions.... I am. I do not believe in birth control.... the Church teaches its wrong...each and every child is a blessing.

 I practice NFP and I do my best. Am I activity trying to conceive right now..no. And if I was I probably would be. I am blessed with fertility not cursed! Why is it that at times others make me feel like it is a curse. Am I ever going to feel anything but fear and apprehension when it comes time to tell family members if God does choose to bless us again with another life...no and thats so sad but so true. Wont be any different than its been for years.
Okay, there is sooo much more I would like to say but I think I'm just going to hold my tongue and pray about it.... I dont want to go to Divine Liturgy this morning feeling like this....angry, sad, and disappointed. Man, now I feel like I need to go to confession for all the thoughts that have been swirling around in my head!
Blessed St. Anne pray for me and all mothers for peace, gentleness of spirit and acceptance.  In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit....Amen.

Enjoying Spring

Marlee is drawing the beautiful daffodils aka narcissus we picked and then she identified the type..."Ice Follies". They smell so good.

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Madison's Learning to Cook

Madison cooked them after Malree and I mixed up the batter.

Marlee helped me set the table

Yummy...

Manny sat and ate for about 30 seconds in his highchair before he climbed in my lap....needless to say we both needed a bath when we were done.

Always Getting into Something

So cute though....

More Signs of Spring

One of the best parts of homeschooling is being able to fully enjoy every season and take our classroom outside. Our children love to identify the birds and the emerging spring bulbs.

Crocus and tulips

I'm so happy to see buds on my raspberry canes.

Finally Manny standing still and Mason is the blur.

Madison and the boys enjoying the raindrops.

Manny Loves the Bath

Beautiful March Day

Today was the perfect day wheather wise.   Partly sunny, light breeze, and high of 74.  I could live with that all year long.  Thats warm enough for me even after a long, cold, and snowy winter.

Cheetos Surprise!

I ran to the downstairs freezer to get some ice and I heard what sounded like marbles or something dropping on the floor above...but I dont have any marbles around with a baby who might try and eat them... and then I realized my baby must have gotten into the snack cupboard.  So I ran- as fast as a person can run with a bum knee- up the stairs in the hopes of saving some of whatever it was being dumped all over the floor but I was just to darn slow.  Our whole bag of Cheetos were laying there all around my lil man who was happily eating them!  Poor kids, I hardly ever buy Cheetos and they love them.  I'm so mad at myself cause I'm always preaching to everyone about how we need to keep the clips on the bags ...it atleast buys us a few more seconds when he gets them.. and I forgot.  I was so far away it probably wouldn't have helped anyway.

Signs of Spring

Strawberry plants

Daffodils

We transplanted our bulbs in the fall and I'm so happy to see them emerging!  Looks like atleast some of the strawberry plants made it.  Now I'll just keep praying for my yellow raspberries.

Forgot to Water the Shamrock

Opps.  We forgot to water the Shamrock plant.  Luckly it rebounded with in an hour of being given a drink!

We are so Blessed

Not many 5 year old boys could get an awesome Lego set and just hold it in the box all evening and patiently wait till morning to build it without a fight.  Well, I'm proud to say our Mason is one of them!  We went out for a while on Sunday and found a Lego Indiana Jones set that all of the children have been wanting so we got it for them to share but told them that since it was getting late and we still had to eat dinner that they had to wait till morning-or early afternoon by time Morgan wakes up to help build it- to open it and build.   Mason cheerfully agreed and just looked at the box, loving held it, and talked about it all night but not once ever begged to make it.  I dont know if I could have been that patient.  He also did have to wait till about noon the next day till everyone had breakfast and I took the baby out shopping so that they could build it without Manny taking pieces and putting them in his mouth.  I'm so proud of him.  He is such a good and kind little boy.  Yes, he has his moments like all children do but I do pray that Manny grows up to be just like his big brother.

Some Books Are In

Pictures of God....A Child's Guide to Understanding Icons
by John Kosmas Skinas

Beautiful, helpful for adults too!

Saint Brigid, Abbess of Kildare
by Jane G Meyer
Great Saint for March to add to Saint Patrick

Kontakion of Saint Brigid

The holy virgin Brigid full of divine wisdom,
went with joy along the way of evangelical childhood,
and with the grace of God
attained in this way the summit of virtue.
Wherefore she now bestows blessings
upon those who come to her with faith.
O holy Virgin, intercede with Christ our God
that He may have mercy on our souls.

She is a patron of travels, healers and midwives, and the protector of flocks and herds and newborn babies. Some of my favorite things!

My New Books Have Shipped!!!

I'm so excited my new books have shipped. I cant wait to get them.

Here's a list of whats coming from The Orthodox Marketplace-

Children's Bible Reader
Divine Liturgy Illustrated
For to Us a Child is Born - Christmas Magazine
Heaven on Earth: The Divine Liturgy
Journey Through Holy Week - Children's Guide
The Bible For Young People
The Saturday Service of Great Vespers [CD]

And from Amazon-

The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare
Pictures of God, a Childs Guide to Understanding Icons
How to Pray with Icons

Morgan's 11th Birthday

Morgan wanted to go to TCBYwith me to get ice cream for her 11th bday so we finally got to go lastnight.  Everyone has been sick here so we needed to put it off a week.  She was very happy to get a dish of rainbow ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.  I just watched her because yesterday was the 1st day of the Great Fast for me and that means no meat or dairy.  I'm not a big fan of ice cream anyway so it really wasn't a sacrifice.  It was hard sitting in there smelling all the Subway sandwiches though.  Our Subway and TCBY are one store.

Beautiful Orthodox Blog....

Found an awesome blog with tons on info and support for the Orthodox family.
Check it out here-

http://evlogiaonline.com/

Sorry, but you'll have to copy and paste. I cant figure out how to insert the blog link and its making me very angry!!!!

I'm downloading and printing her childrens booklet of the Hours and can't wait to get started!

Forgiveness Sunday/Sunday of Cheesefare

Today is Cheesefare Sunday in the Byzantine Catholic Church.  It is the last Sunday before the Great Fast.  I spent over 3 housr at church today and the only part I didnt totally enjoy was chasing Manny around for part of it.  We went to Divine Liturgy this morning and then this evening to Vespers.  If you have never been to Vespers you should come.  They are beautiful!  I just love hearing the Psalms sung and Father Jay has a wonderful voice.  I have often though about asking if I could record him so that when I cant make it I could listen at home.  I do have a cd of the Divine Liturgy but its just not the same as what I'm used to singing along with.   I am the only one of our family who has remained Byzantine.  The others have all switched to Roman Catholic which is beautiful also but I just LOVE the Eastern tradition.  Instead of giving up something for the whole time I think I'm going to give something up   one week at a time and try doing something good  the whole time,  For example, this week I will give up meat the whole week and maybe dairy the next week but for the whole of Lent I will try to something good like read the children the bible everyday and try never to yell at them but lovingly correct them...quietly.  Is that possible???  I will try to remember to greet my hubby with a kiss and hug when he comes in the door even if I'm having a hard day.  That kind of thing.  Anyhow, today is Forgiveness Sunday and I have asked my family to forgive me for the wrong I have done them this year and I would also like to ask forgiveness from anyone who is reading this that I may have wronged as well.

AWAL?

We are all sick, headaches, coughs, fever and the like and my computer stinks so I probably wont be posting for a while again.  Boo hoo!