Trick-or-Treat

Halloween used to be a lot of fun! We lived in a neighborhood so conducive to trick-or-treating, I believe they used to bus kids in from all over. One year when the weather was warm enough for my nephew to go barefoot (he went as Tom Sawyer). We sat out front in lawn chairs and handed out snacks and candy to 200+ kids.

Now, in Virginia, it's an entirely different scenario. Jacob and Haley have outgrown the trick-or-treat thing, but Faith can remember going in CT and is still young enough to want to go. Last year we closed on our house on Halloween, and the excitement of moving in took away from any ideas of trick-or-treating. We were able to appease Faith by letting her dress up in her costume to go to church and after mass there was a pot luck supper and the kids were given goody bags.

This year, we are all settled in, and there is nothing planned at church. Our closest neighbor here is a half mile away. We had to get creative. We decided to have a trick-or-treat hunt. Jacob and Haley hid 30 pieces of candy around the yard and Faith took her bag and went hunting. The coolest part was we did it on our own time table. When it was light out and dad was off of work to enjoy. Smiles were abound all around!

Guilt Free

Psalm 139:13 - For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

Read this psalm today. I've heard it and read it probably 100 times and it finally hit me this morning!God knits!!

I feel like a light has been turned on inside me! I've been given permission, by God himself, to knit away. Guilt free.

Here are pictures of my most recent Godly like activity. LOL!!

Leg Warmers finished for Faith

Socks started for Haley - She chose this crazy yarn.

I was able to capitalize on this beautiful wool at half price. Thanks to some of the money I've earned from the sale of socks. Also, thanks to Jen at Woolworks for the great buy.

Blog Giveaway

Shelley is having a giveaway on her blog today. Be sure to visit and read about her family and join in on the giveaway. Good luck! Should be fun!

A Thankful Woman

Each week Judy invites us to share the 5 things we are most thankful for.

My list for this week:

1. I'm thankful for the strength you give my husband to be the sole provider of our family. He is tireless in his work.
2. Thank you Lord for giving me strength to be the care provider of our family. Cleaning toilets is the worst part of this job, but I know it gives you glory and therefore I will do it courageously.
3. What wonderful Catholic home school friends you've put into our lives. Their friendship is a treasured gem.
4. For the beautiful home you provided us. It has served us well over the past year. Especially giving my father a place to spend the final days of his life surrounded by the ones he loves.
5. Thank you God for my mother. The strength you've given her has proven to be an inspiration I never expected.

I'm sure there is so much more, but for the moment these are the ones that are in my heart.

5mart Martha Monday

There were a couple of things from last week's list that didn't get completed. Empty a box from the move and cleaning the hall closet. However, to find space for things that are in the box I had to clean out another place. So, my energy was just redirected.

This week's list:

1. Work closer with Haley to be sure she is doing everything in her lesson plans.
2. Get the items in that box into the space I made for them.
3. Create a Christmas list including expected price to spend for each child.
4. Hang at least the dark loads of laundry on the line.
5. Iron "the pile".

What color are you?

BLUE

You give your love and friendship unconditionally. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

Knitting Accomplishments

Been busy knitting! Got the sore arm and shoulder to prove. Not to self: Remember not to sit for long periods of time knitting. Remember to get up and stretch!!

Finished another pair of socks for my sister to give to her priest for Christmas. She liked them so much she ordered another pair for her other priest! That will be 4 pairs of socks I've made for her to give as gifts! The coolest part is she has been paying me for them giving me more money to BUY YARN!! Note to self: Remember to take pictures of socks before putting them into the envelope to be mailed.

Made myself a felted purse. It turned out bigger than the last one I made with this pattern, must be because the yarn was different and felted up different. I'm happy with it regardless. I'll get used to its' size.

Now I'm working on a pair of leg warmers for Faith. She loves to wear skirts and dresses and with the cold weather coming I thought these would prove to be easier than pulling up tights.

All of this done, but I still have a few things from Monday's List of tasks yet to be tackled. I may opt for the knitting time instead! Tah hee hee! Can knitting be considered Martha like? hmmm?

Trust in God

God tells us to trust in him, for everything. Am I the only one who struggles with this? In my daily prayers I find myself constantly asking for help with this.

I'm a control freak! There I've said it. Wish there was a support group for people like me. If you trust in God you need to let the control go. It is so easy to get caught up in the worries about money, safety of your children, and health of your family. Or to be concerned with today's political fiascoes, news and causes.

But, I need to take pause and see my prayers are always answered. When I'm not trying to control everything, that is when God is there. He takes care of our needs, my children's safety and our health. He will prevail over the evil in this world.

Psalm 62:8, Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

God, I am weak. Help me every day to put my trust in you.

A Thankful Woman

Again, I've found my online, knitting,Catholic, home schooling friend's blog doing something that I'm going to join in on. Each week Judy invites everyone to share five things for which we are truly thankful to God! A thankful heart is a JOYFUL heart!

5 Things I'm most thankful for:

1. My strong husband. Who is the provider for our family, and my best friend.
2. My family. Although we don't get to be together often I know they would be at my side if a serious need ever arrived.
3. My children and the gift of being their teacher every day, both in academics and in life.
4. My personality.
5. My faith. Given to me by parents and the example they set forth was outstanding.

Thank you Lord for this and so much more!

5mart Martha Monday

One of my online, knitting, homeschooling, Catholic friends, whose blog I read periodically, does something called 5mart Martha Monday. It is a list of 5 temporal/practical work goals. Each week you make a list of 5 things you want to accomplish. Making you more like Martha from the bible.

Although she has taken it a step further and has made herself an additional list of 5 spiritual goals, making her more like Mary, I thought I would at least start with a Martha List.

5mart Martha Monday temporal/practical work goals:

1. Empty at least one more box from the move. Yes, the move a year ago.
2. Clean and better organize the hall closet.
3. Finish the felted bag I'm knitting.
4. Finish reading Lillies of the Field. So, I can discuss this with my son.
5. Hang at least the dark loads of laundry out on the line. (Hope the weather cooperates.)

Lord give me strength, I'm not good at lists!

Looks like we made it.....

Mike had to go away for work this week. He left Sunday and will return tonight. Woo hoo!

I realize there are some families out there that go through this on a regular basis, but ours just isn't used to this. It is pretty rare that we have to be separated, and have it be for so long.

When Mike and I were first married he was in the Navy so separation was constant. I think that is why when he has to go away now, I kind of twitch and something from the past comes back to almost haunt me. Bad, lonely, worrisome memories!

Also, it seems whenever he does go away, something either breaks or goes wrong. One time when he left for a hunting trip. Haley was young, and she locked a door in the house that had no key. Screw driver and some ingenuity I was able to rectify it.

Last week he was gone for one night, and I was woken up to the back door bell ringing. It had rained really hard that afternoon so it must have gotten wet. It was midnight and I was outside taking the doorbell apart.

This trip, after we dropped Mike off, on the truck ride home, the engine light came on. Pushed the button to On-Star and they ran a diagnostics test. Nothing to worry about some kind of a fuel sensor. Mike had filled the tank with a different brand of gas. This has happened before and thankfully I was aware of it.

So, here we are, the 6th day he has been gone and we are all still in one piece. The house hasn't burned down or sprung any leaks. (It probably helps it is a new house.)

Think it is safe to have the kids remove their helmets yet?

An Addition to the "Farm"

Not quite sure what possessed Mike and I to get another pet, but we did. We even discussed it first and still decided to go for it. Here is the newest addition to the "farm".

Mike has been really busy working and even doing some traveling for work so, the little guy/gal has been sleeping in a cat carrier on the deck at night. During the day we put him outside in a cage on the grass. As you can see from the photo, the kids have even taken to allowing him time in the house roaming around. (This is allowed when they agree to clean up after.) Due to the constant interaction he/she has with humans the little bunny has become really friendly.

So, I've justified our insanity to this new addition as an opportunity for a home school science lesson. Faith, the 5 y.o. can even tell you that bunnies do not hibernate. Now we need to figure out what sex "it" is. For now the name that has stuck is just, Bunny or Bun-Bun.

For Your 50th Birthday

(Joe or Susan if you have happened to log in to read this post, please turn around and leave, just this once. Don't want to ruin your birthday surprises.)

My brother and his wife both turn 50 next month, and I've knitted them each a little something. Well in advance of their birthday's I might add. This makes me quite proud and I hope they love them.

(that's my son modeling the sweater, he is too funny)

I made Susan another pair of socks, but knit those back in March, and the pictures are no longer on my computer. But, you get the idea.

Just One More Reason!

Home schooling is such an awesome opportunity all the way around. Just had to take this occasion to share one more reason I love it.

When we decided to home school one thing we knew we wanted to include was our Catholic faith in the teaching process. We found the best curriculum, for us to do that, was to use Seton Home Study School . The kids are completely enrolled, Seton maintains all the records and therefore transcripts and at the end of high school will receive a full diploma. Seton sends us our 36 week lesson plans and all the books each year. It is wonderful!

This morning Jacob was reviewing his lesson plans for Composition and was excited to share with me the suggested topics he had to choose from for this week's assignment. Here are some of them that really struck me:

1. Why our country should insist on legal immigration;
2. Why we should erect a fence along the Mexican border;
3. Why illegal immigrants should not receive free tuition at state colleges.

It really impressed me that they would include some really good hot political topics for our times. And do so without any predisposition of what my child's opinion should be. Even if he isn't going to choose one of them it gives us at home the opening for discussion and possible debate on such heated topics.

I believe today in public school it provides government, with a highly liberal agenda, access to our youth to steer them into their beliefs. More commonly known as indoctrination. If these subjects were to come up in that setting, away from my husband or I, we would most likely never know it, nor have the chance to share our views on the subject with our child.

Once again God has shown me today that although it isn't easy, and becoming increasing difficult, to raise a family on one income that we are making the right choice and the sacrifices are well worth the long term outcome.

As a footnote:

This week Faith, in Kindergarten, is learning the history and mysteries of the rosary. Here she is coloring, in her school book, a picture about St. Bernadette and Lourdes. Gotta love it!

A Trip to the Orchard

Ahhh fall in Virginia! A little different than what we had in New England, but it is our 2nd fall here, so I'm learning to understand how it works. One day you wear a sweater to go outside the next day you have the central air on. Well, it hasn't warmed up again that much, but if I remember correctly last year, it is just a matter of time.

One tradition that hasn't escaped us in the move is apple picking and yesterday we took our annual trip to the orchard.

Although the only apples that were available for picking were Granny Smiths, they allowed us to pick, and if we didn't want all we picked we could put them in the bin back at the barn. Free migrant help for them and a memory for our family, fair trade.

Thank you God once again for the blessings you've showered on me and my family.