So, here is how we use our advent calendar/Jesse tree. At the beginning of the season, all buckets have the numbers facing out. Each day, we read the reading of the day and one of the children turns the bucket over to reveal the image for the day. For each day, the children are to do something nice for someone else (but they cannot tell the person "this is my nice thing I'm doing for the day"). They then write down what they have done on a slip of a paper and place it in the bucket for that day. On Christmas day we will gather all the strips of paper as our gift to Jesus Christ for His birthday.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
An Advent Calendar for Orthodox Christians
So, here is how we use our advent calendar/Jesse tree. At the beginning of the season, all buckets have the numbers facing out. Each day, we read the reading of the day and one of the children turns the bucket over to reveal the image for the day. For each day, the children are to do something nice for someone else (but they cannot tell the person "this is my nice thing I'm doing for the day"). They then write down what they have done on a slip of a paper and place it in the bucket for that day. On Christmas day we will gather all the strips of paper as our gift to Jesus Christ for His birthday.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Daybook 12-7-10
Monday, November 29, 2010
Daybook 11/29/10
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Daybook 10/19/10
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Daybook 10-11-10
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Daybook 10-5-10
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Pain of Childbirth
Monday, August 2, 2010
Daybook 8-2-10
Monday, July 19, 2010
Daybook 7-19-10
Monday, June 28, 2010
Daybook 6-28-10
Monday, June 21, 2010
Daybook 6-21-10
Thursday, June 17, 2010
You See???
Monday, June 7, 2010
Daybook 6/7/2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Daybook 5/31/10
Thursday, May 27, 2010
A picture thought to share...
Sugar Cake lost her first tooth today at church...sigh...my baby is growing so quickly. I cried most of the way home. The tooth has been wiggly for almost a month now. This morning at church it seemed VERY loose. I was hoping for a few more weeks... but after church I felt it snap and then it started bleeding. I put some holy water on a napkin and told her I would put that on there to make it feel better and amazingly the tooth just "fell" into the napkin.
Now I'm going to do what any normal mom would do... grab a diet dr. p*pper and a box of tissues. I'll be in the bed if anyone needs me...
Blessings,
theresesophia
Monday, May 24, 2010
Daybook 5/24/10
Monday, April 12, 2010
Daybook 4-12-10
Monday, March 29, 2010
Daybook 3-29-10
it's dark, the day is almost over
I am listening to...
last week's American Idol and I am NOT enjoying it so far
I am wearing...
my #3 shirt, sweatpants and sneakers
I am thankful...
for my wonderful husband and his perseverance in face of adversity
I am pondering...
why God has chosen to bless me so abundantly
I am reading...
Seek First the Kingdom... a very sweet, beautiful book about living the orthodox faith
From the kitchen...
I give up on the vegan chocolate chip cake...at least this week...lol. There won't be a whole lot going on...between church, hockey and dance, we will be home very little
I am thinking...
that amidst everything else this week, what I need most is to find a few quiet moments to myself
I am creating...
more stress for myself by obsessing over some things beyond my control
Toward a living education...
we will be focusing on the teachings of the orthodox church during Holy Week
Beauty in the home...
we will be working to prepare our home for Pascha by doing lots of cleaning tasks
The domestic church...
will focus on Holy Week and the coming of Pascha
I am hoping and praying...
for my husband's success with a difficult trial
In the garden...
uuuggghhh...not going there this week
One of my favorite things...
is feeling like I accomplished something with my day
A few plans for the rest of the week...
lots of time at church this week, lots of cleaning, many dentists appointments, a doctor's appointment, hockey, dance, violin, a little schooling, probably a visit from my mom, and lots of praying!!!
Blessings!!!
theresesophia
Monday, March 22, 2010
Daybook 3-22-10
is a beautiful spring afternoon and a few leftover snowballs from yesterday.
I am listening to...
a TV show...Clean House...hoping for some inspiration
I am wearing...
a long sleeve STARS tee, a STARS ball cap, blue jeans, and sneakers
I am thankful for...
Stinkbug's dental emergency last week turning into a huge blessing...his tooth cracked while eating and it ended up being a baby tooth that needed to come out
I am pondering...
why there are so many things that need to be done to SIMPLIFY one's life
I am reading...
Worst Case by James Patterson
From the kitchen...
there will be pasta with marinara for supper and if I can get to the grocery store tomorrow we may actually be able to eat more than one meal at home this week. We will also attempt the vegan chocolate chip cake that we did not get to last week
I am thinking...
that I need to start preparing for Pascha...outfits, gifts, plans, food
I am creating...
lots of lists right now... errands, phone calls, homeschool plans, home repairs
Toward a living education...
I will be changing our science focus from physics to nature. I am hoping that the spring will bring us the opportunity for nature walks and gardening. We will be using Exporing Creation through Botany, at the suggestion of a very dear friend.
Beauty in the home...
will hopefully be accomplished this week by painting the master bathroom, cleaning the master bedroom, and cleaning out the pantry.
The Domestic Church...
we will begin our preparations for Pascha, we will be listening to some podcasts from Under the Grapevine if I can figure out how to download podcasts.
I am hoping and praying...
that very dear friends of ours will see improved health over the coming months. My friend just received a pacemaker and his daughter is very ill. The doctors are unsure what is causing her illness so I am praying that the doctors in Houston will not only be able to give them a diagnosis but also a cure as well.
In the garden...
there is still everything to do, luckily we did not start on our garden or the snow would have destroyed it.
One of my favorite things...
going on a date with my husband to the STARS game...even better when they win (which they did)
A few plans for the rest of the week...
a celebration of my husband's birthday, a hockey playoff game for Stinkbug and Rosebud, back to dance and rehearsals for Princess after a week for spring break, back to hockey and ballet for Sugarcake...in other words, mom is back to living in the suburban (sigh!)
Blessings!!!
theresesophia
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Updated Core Curriculum
Previously, we were working on Word Study by Singapore for our vocabulary. As much as I liked the layout and activities, it really did not provide enough background (word lists) for individualized work. I often found that I didn't have enough information to complete the assignments. We dropped Word Study and have switched to Wordly Wise 3000. At the beginning of each lesson, students are given a list of words with the definitions. What follows are several activities to practice the vocabulary words. Very traditional workbook format...we don't do much that has the traditional workbook format so I don't mind having this one. Additionally, we will use the word lists as our weekly spelling test.
While I love the intensity of Singapore Math, I have had to admit that it is not a good fit for all my children. While some will continue with Singapore, others will switch to Teaching Textbooks. Both Rosebud and Stinkbug are excited about the idea of doing math on the computer. Hopefully this will be a good switch for both of them.
I was recently introduced to Tapestry of Grace. There are many things to like about Tapestry of Grace. First of all, there are four levels which correspond quite well to the four children in the household. It incorporates history, literature, and fine arts with a strong emphasis on gaining knowledge through living books. We attempted the first 3 weeks with a free trial and all seemed to enjoy the format. It's also been nice that although each student is on a different level, they are all covering the same topic so they have been able to share with each other and engage in activities together.
Handwriting Without Tears is our handwriting curriculum. Although we have been using this all along, I failed to add this to the blog list. While updating, I figured it would be best to go ahead and add this one in.
Writing with Ease is a new addition to our writing curriculum. Although we were using Understanding Writing, it just was not working for our family...a great curriculum just not right for us. I am hoping Writing with Ease will be a better fit. Writing with Ease is from the authors of the Well Trained Mind. It looks very simple to use and I'm hoping to get it started this week.
That completes our core curriculum. Very soon I will be updating the weekly curriculum as well as our high school studies.
Blessings!!!
theresesophia
Monday, March 15, 2010
Daybook 3-15-10
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Dealing with Grief - Tear Soup
Tear Soup is the story of an older woman facing grief. It is never mentioned exactly what has happened but she works through her grief by making a pot of tear soup. As time goes on, she continues to make tear soup but it changes as time passes. What touched me most was the emphasis that everyone's tear soup is different.
As each of my children dealt with their grandfather's grief differently, I was able to comfort them according to their individual needs instead of being alarmed when one child didn't cry as much as another. What was most important to me was to keep the communication open and let them know I was here to support them and not judge them in their grief. Having read this book I was better able to accept the way a family member chose to deal with the death of her son. Instead of judgement, I was able to offer comfort.
The shocker came when my own father passed away. It was easy to grasp how my mother was making her tear soup. I was able to see how my husband was making his tear soup and how my children were making theirs. But I was blinded by my own grief. I struggled greatly with why my feelings weren't what I thought they would be. I felt certain that I knew myself well enough to know how I would grieve. Shouldn't I be crying more, shouldn't I feel stabbed when I heard his name, shouldn't I behave a certain way? When it didn't work out that way, I couldn't accept it. In fact, it wasn't until a few months later that Tear Soup clicked with me in a different way. If I could be understanding of how others' made their tear soup, couldn't I afford myself the same acceptance...that perhaps my own grief would not be what I thought it would be. As I began to accept that the grief I had was different than the grief I thought I would have, I began to move past dwelling on how I was grieving and focus on the love I have for my dad and how that doesn't change just because I can't talk to him on the phone.
Lessons learned...
Everyone grieves differently and the best thing I can do is offer them acceptance and understanding of their grief.
I may or may not grieve the way I think I will, that doesn't mean I'm not grieving.
As understanding as I am of others' grieving process, does not mean that they are in a position to be as understanding of my grieving process. I need to make my own tear soup and not be concerned if others do not think I am "making it the right way."
May the Lord bless you!!!
theresesophia
Friday, February 26, 2010
Finally
Coming this weekend... the first installment of Dealing with Grief - Tear Soup Lessons.
May the Lord Bless You!!!
theresesophia