Songs in the Rose Garden

Daybook 4-11-11

2011-04-12T00:08:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

It is dark, the day is over.

I am listening to...

the dog licking her paws...it is very quiet at last.

I am wearing...

brown socks, brown slacks and a brown sleeveless shirt.

I am pondering...

my schedule over the next few weeks...

I am reading...

Toys and Everywhere Present

In the kitchen...

it is clean...yippee...although that does also mean there hasn't been a lot of cooking done in there. I am hoping to try my hand at prosfora this week, without my nouno...we'll see :)

I am thinking...

that I will be very sad when all of the services for lent are over.

I am creating...

decorations for our new school room. We recently relocated our school room and now we are creating some things to go on the walls. Most recently completed was a board which displays the Prayer of St. Ephraim.

Towards a living education...

lots of math this week with Teaching Textbooks and lots of living books to read. Along with a few quick nature study trips.

Beauty in the home...

little by little we are working our way through our home decorating and adding personal touches. Although we will have been here one year later this week, we still have lots to do.

The domestic church...

we have attended many things at church this lent...6th hour, Compline, Pre-sanctified liturgies...God willing we will continue for the remainder of the lenten season. We are also reading From I-ville to You-ville.

I am hoping and praying...

that we will be able to make some progress on a huge project. Also for a dear friend's grandmother.

In the garden...

my dear husband has showered our bare beds with rose bushes. So lovely to see their blooms and remember my dad.

One of my favorite things...

confession...as strange as it may sound, I love confession and the lightness that it brings to my mind and soul.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

as many church services as possible, lots of dance classes, lots of hockey practice, lots of hockey games, piano, violin, cleaning, bills, and school.

A picture thought to share...

The beautiful view from our hotel room in California. We had a spectacular view of the Disney fireworks!!!

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Finding God in the Panic

2011-03-21T22:25:00.007-05:00

A few days ago marked an anniversary for me. Nothing to be celebrated...but a day that marked 10 years of having panic attacks. A whole decade. If you've not experienced a panic attack then be thankful. If you have, then you know where I'm coming from and I am so sorry you know this pain.

For years, I have been trying to find a root cause...

- too much caffeine

- too much sugar

- not praying enough

- too much going on in my life

...and the list goes on and on. But after 10 years of searching, I still have not found one magic answer that has relieved me of this thorn. A crippling thorn which prevents me from being the mom I want to be and the person I know I could be.

Sometimes, I manage to go for awhile without having one. The days become routine and I start to feel like I have a life. And then one day, without warning, the fear grips me...I know this is it...my last minutes on earth and there is nothing I can do about it. It would seem that after facing this for a decade now, I would know, know that this is just a feeling not a reality but these feelings are irrational, not to be talked away with rational words. And then for weeks, I struggle to maintain control in the face of constant stress and panic but an attempt to control a panic attack is like attempting to control the tide.

But the message I give today is one of hope. After a very difficult, panic-plagued month, I found a bridge to a less panicked day. Not a cure for panic attacks, but a way of dealing with a painful thorn. A combination of three things that helped me out of a pit of despair...

1. Sunshine/Fresh air... with the winter months, I neglected something that is so vital to creation. As I crept out of the cocoon of our warm, cozy house and began to spend time out of doors, I saw a dramatic decrease in my attacks.

2. Do something (especially for someone else)... if it were an option, I would hit the bed at the first sign of anxiety but that is not my life right now, so I would sit quietly and suffer through the storm. But what I have found is that if I can get myself moving, give to someone else, do for someone else, I am able to leave the storm and move past the destruction.

3. Give thanks... In the book, "One Thousand Gifts" the author talks about the "hard thanks." Giving thanks for those things we wouldn't really consider gifts - pain, destruction, illness and death. Could I really give thanks for a panic attack? Ummm...the answer to that would be NO. But what I did realize is that each panic attack brought me to God, praying, praying hard. And that brought me to thanksgiving... thankful that with each panic attack I turned to God, relied on Him. At first, relied on Him to take away the panic attacks but now I see that He was waiting for me to give the "hard thanks." Thanks for a pain that would bring me closer to Him. That even in the pain, God could make the blessing if I would but thank Him for the opportunity.

Are my days of panic attacks over? Unfortunately not. But I pray that if you do suffer from panic attacks that these things may bring you comfort. That these things may bless you as I have been blessed!!!

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

An Advent Calendar for Orthodox Christians

2010-12-15T15:00:00.014-06:00

I first saw this adorable project here. So I clicked over here for all the details. I just love crafty bloggers :) So cute I just had to try it!!! What I really love is that this project wasn't locked into the typical 25 numbers found on every advent calendar on the market. With an extra 15 buckets, I could create an advent calendar with the 40 numbers needed for an Orthodox Christian advent.

I wanted something super easy so instead of drilling holes, I decided I would look for a peg board. After a trip to the local chain lumber yard, I had this...

A can of green spray paint later...

After it dried we brought it inside to continue with the project...

I went to the dollar store and sure enough...look what I found...

While I was at the dollar store, I looked for stickers that I could use to number the buckets. Sure enough, they had alphabet and number stickers...in RED. I bought several packages and then each bucket received a number...

Now here is where I deviated from the original in a big way. See this advent calendar also serves as our Jesse Tree. By searching the internet for FREE clip art images, I was able to find most objects suggested by this group. I printed the small images and then used M*d P*dge to affix the image to the correctly numbered bucket...

And the buckets ended up looking like this...

Using pegboard hooks I purchased at a local hardware store, I arranged them in the shape of a tree and hung the buckets in order.

Ta-Da!!!

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.

Now, just so you'll know this was a fairly inexpensive project even with my changes. The pegboard cost about $1.75. A can of spray paint $3.50 and the hooks were $0.16 each, which came to about $6.40. 4 packages of stickers for $4.00 and 14 packages of buckets for $14.00.

Fun crafty project from a minimally crafty mom.

May God bless you abundantly this Christmas season!

theresesophia

Daybook 12-7-10

2010-12-07T22:23:00.005-06:00

Outside my window...

It is dark and cold. It is supposed to be bedtime :)

I am listening to...

my husband play PS3 and my son helping him

I am wearing...

socks, black sweat pants, and my favorite Stars "sweater"

I am pondering...

the power of prayer.

I am reading...

Safe Haven

In the kitchen...

still not quite sure where that is. Probably need to go to the grocery store before I get too excited about trying to make a meal :{

I am thinking...

about our school updates for the coming semester and the things that need to be done to bring about some positive changes.

I am creating...

a Christmas project that I will share here this week!

Towards a living education...

we have hit a major shift in how we need to do school. I have been teaching the way I wish I had been taught but that is not necessarily how my children learn. I am revising lots of our curriculum and am working towards creating the best learning environment for them rather than ME.

Beauty in the home...

we have been working on decorating our home for the Christmas season. Simple touches to most rooms to bring the season alive... a tin small tree in the washroom, a music box nativity with a few small ornaments on a shelf in the dining area, a festive bow and towels in the kitchen. The tree is up and the kids and I decorated it on St. Nicholas day... a wonderful tradition to continue.

The domestic church...

Liturgy yesterday for the feast of St. Nicholas. A reading each day to take us through the season, from the Children's Bible Reader based on the list found here. And the project I've been working on...

I am hoping and praying...

for a very close friend of Princess. Her name is Rachel and she and Princess dance together. She suffered, we believe, an aneurysm last Monday. She was doing well and improving quickly although she had lost movement on her left side. She had a horrible set back yesterday but appears to be improving today. If you could pray for her and her family, I know all prayers are greatly appreciated!!!

In the garden...

the leaves have been raked and it looks lovely. The husband and Stinkbug put lights out for Christmas and the lights make me smile every time I see them, even when they are not on.

One of my favorite things...

Princess's dance teacher. She has been such a loving example to all of her students. She has been at the hospital by Rachel's side, much of the past week. She has comforted the students that are hurting and calls to give us updates when there is news of setbacks or progress.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

dance and hockey of course, several trips to the hospital, a trip to the homeschool store, Christmas shopping, school, and definitely a trip to the grocery store.

A picture thought to share...

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 11/29/10

2010-11-29T10:20:00.002-06:00

Outside my window...

is a beautiful autumn day. A little cool, a little damp, and very windy.

I am listening to...

the clock ticking and the wind blowing the leaves.

I am wearing...

my favorite pj bottoms, a cami, and my favorite robe.

I am pondering...

how long I should let the children sleep after a very exhausting weekend.

I am reading...

2 books that I just started last night. So new I don't know the titles and I'm not going to walk to the bedroom and find out right now :)

In the kitchen...

WHAT KITCHEN??? This house has a kitchen? Hmmm...maybe I need to find it this week?

I am thinking...

that I need to stop thinking and just start DOING!

I am creating...

a gift for someone that I should have finished a year and a half ago. And if I can get to the store, I have a project I want to create this week that I will share here.

Towards a living education...

in between all the kids' activities this past week, I did some tweaking on our homeschool. I'm looking forward to getting it started. I've got lesson plans done and will update their binders as I meet with each of them today. Another post I need to share.

Beauty in the home...

I'm really looking forward to decorating our home for Christmas. So much to do though! On second thought perhaps this would be the perfect time to have a simple Christmas. Hmmm...that might make for a good post as well :)

The domestic church...

looking forward to liturgy on Tuesday with dear friends. We have been enjoying our advent time during school. Look for a post on what we are doing for that this year.

I am hoping and praying...

that I will be able to inspire my children this Christmas season to deepen their relationships with Christ and to share their love of Christ with others.

In the garden...

lots of leaves to be raked. As strange as this may sound, to me this is a blessing of fun because we've not ever had enough leaves to be raked before.

One of my favorite things...

being able to watch my children do the activities they LOVE. Nothing makes my heart swell like watching them (and I did get to do a lot of that this past weekend).

A few plans for the rest of the week...

school - lots and lots of school, liturgy, hockey, hockey, hockey, dance, dance, dance, raking leaves, cleaning up, cooking, shopping for Christmas decorations, and adding some Christmas spirit to our home.

No picture thought to share this week...I've been too busy living it :)

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 10/19/10

2010-10-19T09:04:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

is another beautiful day. The sun is shining and there is a slight coolness to the air.

I am listening to...

the tick of the school room clock and my fingers on the keyboard, the children are all still asleep.

I am wearing...

my favorite pj bottoms and a cami.

I am pondering...

so many things... routines, cleaning, homeschooling, parenting, marriage...the list goes on.

I am reading...

Water for Elephants (which so far has been surprisingly good...it was a recommendation and I'm not always too sure about those :) and A Beginner's Guide to Prayer (it's time for me to do some spiritual reading too).

In the kitchen...

I've actually cooked this past week and am looking forward to spending more time in the kitchen this week. A very dear friend introduced me to Relish and I am loving the ease and simplicity of having my grocery list prepared and having all I need on hand to create new meals for my family.

I am thinking...

that I am so very blessed to have a wonderful husband, 4 great kids, an awesome puppy, lots of wonderful friends, and a God who loves me.

I am creating...

a clean and organized home, and it feels really good. Maybe I'll get to that sewing desk before Christmas :)

Towards a living education...

I am loving the lesson plans I created which fit so well with our lifestyle. Lots of reading and math this week. We are really focusing on the Odyssey this week so hopefully we will all have a better understanding of it :)

Beauty in the home...

Still working on the kitchen this week, but it's almost done. And the washroom is better than I could have imagined...I almost don't mind doing laundry...ALMOST, I said.

The domestic church...

we celebrated the liturgy of St. Luke yesterday and Fr. Chris said some prayers for my dad. A beautiful day. I'm looking forward to resurrecting our prayer time, or at least MY prayer time.

I am hoping and praying...

for God's forgiveness.

In the garden...

the children planted some flower boxes to go in front of the kitchen windows.

One of my favorite things...

getting a book I have been wanting in the mail. Now I need to finish what I am reading so I can start on it... Remember thy First Love.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

trying to keep it simple again this week - school, hockey, dance, music lessons, rehearsals, cleaning, cooking and bills.

A picture thought to share...

Memory Eternal!!!

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 10-11-10

2010-10-12T00:22:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

a dark, cool evening.

I am listening to...

the hum of the tv and a "cop" show

I am wearing...

pajama bottoms and a cami

I am pondering...

how slowly the days pass while the months and years fly by.

Ia m reading...

Bag of Bones

In the kitchen...

looking forward to actually doing some cooking this week. The cooler weather has me anxious to do some baking as well.

I am thinking...

that I want to get my sewing machine desk put together this week and set up my machine...I'm ready to sew.

I am creating...

two blankets for hockey, actually Rosebud will be doing most of the work while I supervise.

Towards a living education...

we are back to hitting it hard after some light weeks while we had visitors. Focusing on math and reading this week and especially adding in more literature.

Beauty in the home...

kitchen almost complete. Hoping to finish up cleaning projects at our new home this week along with organizing our paper monster.

The domestic church...

is quiet this week.

I am hoping and praying...

that I will feel God's peace this week and next.

In the garden...

the roses are blooming.

One of my favorite things...

reading at night with my youngest.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

planning to keep our schedule simple this week - the usual hockey and dance, along with a focus on school, cleaning and cooking.

A picture thought to share...

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 10-5-10

2010-10-05T09:04:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

an absolutely beautiful, cool autumn morning

I am listening to...

the computer hum and a clock ticking...the rest of the house is still quiet

I am wearing...

my winter nightgown

I am pondering...

why some people can't enjoy life and be thankful for the beautiful blessings that God has given them

I am reading...

Bag of Bones by Stephen King. Not typically a Stephen King reader but I was encouraged to read Under the Dome and loved it. This one looks to be a pretty good read too.

From the kitchen...

the kitchen has been very quiet while we have had guests for almost two weeks. Now it is time for a major grocery shopping trip and time to get "cooking."

I am thinking...

that today might be a great day for a nature walk.

I am creating...

this blog post??? Not feeling very creative right now...just wanting to get outside and enjoy the day.

Towards a living education...

I have been really enjoying our lesson plans and weekly assignment sheets. I need to do a post soon to update our educational information and I need to update my sidebars as well.

Beauty in the home...

has been my main focus over the past few weeks. Visitors are always such a good motivator :)

The kitchen needs a little more work. The gameroom and "multi-purpose" room are last on the list and will hopefully be finished this week. Now that the weather is cooler, I hope to work on painting the school room furniture.

The domestic church...

has been very quiet lately. Definitely an area we need to focus on now that company has gone.

Not sure where to begin though.

I am hoping and praying...

for someone very dear to me who is experiencing some spiritual distress.

In the garden...

I have disassembled the four garden plots we had made at our other house and am trying to get the flowerbeds cleaned and planted for curb appeal.

One of my favorite things...

a clean and organized HOME. We are almost there and it feels soooooo good!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...

dance and hockey (of course), big hockey tournament this weekend, finish organizing the gameroom, multi-purpose room and kitchen and keep going with our cleaning, sort stuff for a garage sale and get things priced, lots of errands to catch up on now that company has gone, get cracking on our lessons and enjoy this beautiful weather.

A picture thought to share...

Let Hockey season begin!!! WooHoo!!!

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

The Pain of Childbirth

2010-09-13T23:27:00.005-05:00

As I think back sixteen years, I remember the anxiety of knowing that our first child was to be born in a few hours. Two weeks past my due date, there was no hope of this baby introducing herself to the world on her own. The fear left me breathless...how much is this going to hurt??? I know it will be worth it but what if I can't handle the pain??? As I think back now, I realize how foolish I was...

The physical pain was barely a blip on the radar of the pain I feel each year as the 14th of September approaches. My heart breaks, my eyes water, and my mind drifts back to that beginning. Each year her wings become stronger and I realize that each year, I am one year closer to watching her begin her flight away from the home she has known. She grows, she stretches and soon she will build her own nest. Each year, the pain of childbirth becomes stronger and more intense as I see her becoming the woman God has planned for her to be. No longer the child of my heart but now a being with a life of her own.

As the pain of birthing this young woman year after year overwhelms me, I now turn to the Theotokos. "Help me through this... Show me how you could bear this!" And she whispers to me... "Treasure these things in your heart!" And so along with all of the joy (watching her dance, hearing her laugh, seeing her smile, feeling her hug), I will also treasure the pain of watching her grow, knowing that it is through the pain that great things will come.

A very Joyous Feast to you all and a very Blessed Birthday to our sweet princess!!! Many years!!!

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 8-2-10

2010-08-02T14:18:00.005-05:00

Outside my window...

beautiful green grass even though the temperatures are over 100...my husband is doing a great job on the yard :-)

I am listening to...

the TV in the other room...hmmm...this seems to becoming the norm...maybe we should be doing school instead (or maybe the only time I can post on this blog is when they are watching TV...hmmm)

I am wearing...

summer pajamas...okay, it's after 2 in the afternoon but sometimes you just have to take a day off, right???

I am pondering...

when I should go to the grocery store. I'm out of diet dr. p*pper and that just should NOT happen at this house!

I am reading...

Divine Justice I haven't read anything by this author before so we'll see, not really getting into yet.

From the kitchen...

I actually have some menus for this week. Now I just need to make a trip to the store and actually COOK...lol.

I am thinking...

that a diet dr. p*pper would be really good right now!!!

I am creating...

a clean house, twenty years of photo albums, lesson plans, and menus...now you know why I needed a day off...lol!

Towards a living education....

the 2010-2011 lesson plan forms have been made. I need to complete the information on the forms and then all lesson plans for the year should be complete...WOOHOO!!!

Beauty in the home...

LOTS accomplished last week. The rooms for Stinkbug and Sugarcake are done. Master bedroom and master bathroom are done. This week will focus on the living areas.

The domestic church...

lots more praying this week.

I am hoping and praying...

for a very dear friend who came down with pneumonia while on a Boy Scouts camp out with his son. Hopefully he will continue to heal and will be able to go home soon.

In the garden...

the flowers keep blooming thanks to my husband (and my dad...wink, wink).

One of my favorite things...

an ice cold diet dr. p*pper... can you tell I'm a little obsessed right now???

A few plans for the rest of the week...

complete lesson plans for the new school year, clean and decorate family areas,

get old photos organized and in albums and the cd's uploaded to the computer, and of course, buy a case of diet dr. p*pper to get me through the rest of the day...lol. Oh, and did I mention hockey lessons and a hockey tournament this weekend???

A picture thought to share...

Ahhh!!!

Blessings,

theresesophia

Daybook 7-19-10

2010-07-19T16:16:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

another scorcher...yuck...I am so NOT a hot weather gal. Thank goodness for the trees and awning that make this yard almost tolerable.

I am listening to...

a children's show on the television and our dog chewing on one of HER toys :-)

I am wearing...

my "clown" outfit as my family so lovingly calls it... to me, they are called "work" clothes

I am pondering...

"Don't take it personally, even if they mean it that way." So sorry I can't give credit because I don't know who said. I read it in an email and have really been looking at how that applies to some hurtful things that someone told me. I'm not there yet so if anyone has words of wisdom, I'd love to hear them.

I am reading...

Facebook...lol...books have been set aside for the moment. I am really enjoying catching up with friends.

From the kitchen...

not much although I am looking at some recipes that don't require a lot of heat in the kitchen.

I am thinking...

this is going to be a tough week. Yesterday marked 9 months since my dad passed and this Friday would have been his birthday.

I am creating...

photo albums of all our old photos. 20 years worth is not an easy task. Luckily a local photo shop is having a sale on converting photos to cds. Going year by year, I'm getting them on cd then getting them stored on the computer. Photos go in an album and when all our done then I will make photo books online for each year.

Towards a living education...

my oldest has found a math curriculum...monumental!!! We've been doing a little science, math, and reading, and hope to add a little history this week.

Beauty in the home...

I am pleased with the master bathroom and hoping to do a little decorating in the master bedroom this week.

The domestic church...

will be pretty quiet this week...just lots of praying.

I am hoping and praying...

that my dad is enjoying eternity

In the garden...

luckily my husband has been tending and caring to the flowers otherwise everything would be straw.

One of my favorite things...

learning that my daughter will not just be on the girls practice team but will get to play at least 15 games with the girls AA team. I am so excited for her and so very thankful for her coach...who is the absolute best!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...

dance camp for my oldest, hockey for the other 3, lots of cleaning and decorating, some painting and cleaning at the old house, lots of praying for my dad.

A picture thought to share...

My dad and I in 1992

Blessings!

theresesophia

Daybook 6-28-10

2010-06-28T21:42:00.006-05:00

Outside my window...

It is dark, the day is almost over and it is wet after much needed rain

I am listening to...

My girls talk on the phone and my husband playing the guitar

I am wearing...

a necklace that my daughter received for playing hockey (she wanted me to have it).

I am pondering...

why my mother wants me to call her everyday

I am reading...

Coal Run...just started it so I'm not too sure about it yet but I'm trying to read some books I have around the house before I get any more

From the kitchen...

Absolutely nothing!!!

I am thinking...

that my lists from last week have really been helping me focus. I feel like I've been much more productive.

I am creating...

a clean garage at the house we need to sell. It's hot but in small doses, I've been able to clear some space. I hope to finish that this coming weekend.

Towards a living education...

Just a few items to order but most curriculum is in place. This week I'll be working on assignment sheets for the year and a weekly schedule.

Beauty in the home...

Won't be much this week as I try to focus on getting the other house cleaned out to sell.

The domestic church...

will be quiet this week as we spend some time with family.

I am hoping and praying...

For all who will be traveling over the next few weeks with vacations.

In the garden...

Rain, sweet beautiful rain.

One of my favorite things...

celebrating another year of marriage (20 years on Wednesday) to the best goofball this side of heaven

A few plans for the rest of the week,

some alone time with my husband, time with family, and lots of cleaning on that other house

A picture thought to share...

20 years!!!

Blessings!

theresesophia

Daybook 6-21-10

2010-06-21T17:18:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

it's hot. Period.

I am listening to...

my daughter practice the violin

my younger two watching tv

the dog's collar jingling

I am wearing...

clothes to work and sweat in (been working at the old house)...blue jean shorts, an old sleeveless shirt (that my family hates) and my stars clogs

I am pondering...

where I got off track with so many things. During the first part of our move I felt overwhelmed but somewhat organized and able to keep going. Now I find myself with many partially done things and not even sure what's been done.

I am reading...

well, I just finished The Lovely Bones and need some time to digest it before I move on to another book.

From the kitchen...

not much since that is one of the things that is partially NOT done. Meal plans have gone out the window as well as recipes. Definitely need to make this a priority over this next week.

I am thinking...

that I need to go back to basics...make my lists and tackle one thing at a time.

I am creating...

well, I guess I'm going to be creating lots of lists...lol.

Towards a living education...

goals for summer and next year are in place. I have a few items to purchase for next school year but most things are already here. I need to plug in lessons for this week and get the kids going.

Beauty in the home...

uuummmhhh, where do I begin???

The domestic church...

looking forward to attending liturgy this Thursday

I am hoping and praying...

I will be feeling better soon

In the garden...

it's just way too hot. Period.

One of my favorite things...

watching my youngest daughter smile with her whole body

A few plans for the rest of the week...

violin lessons, hockey lessons, hockey games, apparel day for my daughter (its a hockey thing), working on the old house to prepare it for selling, working on our new house for living, working on our menus and actually making a trip to the grocery store

A picture thought to share...

I hope ALL fathers had a wonderful day yesterday. To the best two DADs I know.

Blessings,

theresesophia

You See???

2010-06-17T23:28:00.007-05:00

You see this girl???

She made the ballet junior company!!!

You see this girl???

She made the training team for the girls' travel hockey team!!!

You see this boy???

He made the AA travel hockey team!!!

You see this girl???

SHE'S SEVEN!!!

So now YOU SEE why I haven't been posting much!!!

Blessings,

theresesophia

Daybook 6/7/2010

2010-06-07T13:49:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

are many beautiful roses to remind me of my daddy and my husband

I am listening to...

the washing machine and my youngest daughter laughing

I am wearing...

pajama pants and a tank top

I am thankful for...

my children loving ice hockey - it's such a great place to be when the temperatures are already over 100!!!

I am pondering...

when I'll be able to do a post that is NOT a daybook...lol

I am reading...

the same stuff I was reading last week...haven't really had an opportunity to read at all last week

From the kitchen...

fasting dishes this week, using lots of recipes from evlogia. Definitely need to get the grocery list in order and make a trip there today.

I am thinking...

that I really need to send my mom some flowers this week...my parent's wedding anniversary is midweek and I would imagine she will be pretty sad

I am creating...

new schedules for schooling and cleaning

Towards a living education...

we will be schooling this summer to make up for time off during my dad's illness and death and also during our move. This week we return to math, reading, science and history.

Beauty in the home...

the master bathroom and bedroom are complete, both are really simple and relaxing. I've been working on the extra bedroom and the school room. This week I will continue to work on those as well as help the children finish their rooms.

The domestic church...

plans to attend liturgy this Thursday and youth group on Friday

I am hoping and praying...

that I will be able to be abstinent from overeating this week for more than 3 days

for friends and family with health issues

for friends and family with job issues

In the garden...

we've been able to enjoy the beautiful flowers my husband planted

One of my favorite things...

a daughter who didn't give up this weekend when things felt hopeless - she tried out for an all girls hockey team and although she didn't make the team, by not giving up, she impressed the coaches so much they want her to practice with the team so she will be ready next year

A few plans for the rest of the week...

hockey, hockey, hockey, violin, time with friends, lots of cleaning, lots of schooling, hockey tryouts for stinkbug

A picture thought I'm sharing...

A view of our entry towards the front door...I love our icon wall and the table was my mother's day/birthday gift this year.

Daybook 5/31/10

2010-05-31T09:36:00.007-05:00

Outside my window...It's already promising to be a hot one but I have beautiful rose bushes to see... 2 from the previous owners and 4 that my dear husband planted

I am listening to...

quiet...ahhh

I am wearing...

a white nightgown with faded pink flowers

I am thankful for...

a husband who got up early on his

day off to go get me coffee and has been out working in the yard to get it looking awesome!!!

I am pondering...

grief - the complexity of emotions that seem to spring up from nowhere

I am reading...

Discovering God

Mrs. Meyers Clean Home

The Well Ordered Home

Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education

From the kitchen...

the fast begins. I will create our menus this evening and plan a trip to get groceries on Tuesday. Hopefully we will be able to have at least 4 meals cooked at home again this week.

I am thinking...

that a trip to visit my mom definitely needs to happen in the next few weeks...God willing, of course :)

I am creating...

a fun and comfortable school room...still painting that furniture. My guess is about 8 weeks to get it all done.

Towards a living education...

a day off to spend with dad, a day off to get lots of errands done, a day off to get SugarCake moved, hmmm...it looks like there won't be a whole lot of education going on this week

Beauty in the home...

I got sidetracked thinking about some very cool projects for our extra bedroom. I did manage to tackle our "formal dining room," aka gameroom, aka sorting room (until we finish moving). It is a lot less stressful to not see it piled with things to unpack.

The domestic church...

plans to attend liturgy with other homeschoolers on Thursday.

I am hoping and praying...

that friends and family will have peace as they await news on some stressful situations. That I will be able to return to Overeater's Anonymous this week as I attempt to come out of relapse...St. Michael pray for me!!!

In the garden...

my dear husband has been working so very hard. He's cleaned out the beds and planted new flowers. He's been working on some rough spots in the grass and it looks like he plans to put down mulch in the beds.

One of my favorite things...

going to liturgy and then lunch with dear friends (my daughters' godfamily). May God bless them abundantly for all the blessings they bring to our lives!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...

hockey, NO dance - except for Saturday, liturgy, time with SugarCake to sort her "stuff," lot of errands, lots of unpacking, lots of cleaning at the old house and new (okay, I think I need a nap just thinking about it!)

A picture thought I'm sharing...

THIS is the picture thought I've been wanting to share. This was found (or rather this found me) in a Half Price Bookstore in Dallas,TX. I'm still speechless of the beauty of this icon not to mention finding it in a used bookstore!!!

Blessings!

theresesophia

A picture thought to share...

2010-05-27T14:21:00.004-05:00

As promised, I now have a picture thought to share. Not the one I had planned, I'll save that for another post. But this one is pretty special too...

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

Daybook 5/24/10

2010-05-24T21:16:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

It is dark and there is a different backyard than the one I was looking at last month when I did my daybook :-)

I am listening to...

the air conditioner, a children's television show and my husband frying some bacon

I am wearing...

sandals, jeans, a black and white print top and my prayer bracelet I just got in the mail

I am thankful for...

a very special friend who loaned me her prayer bracelet until I could get mine in the mail (I lost my previous prayer bracelet on Mother's Day... boohoo!!!)

I am pondering...

how long it will take me to finish painting all the homeschool furniture (at my current rate they may all graduate before I'm done!)

I am reading...

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home

From the kitchen...

a full week of meals this week, ham and potato salad in the morning, homemade burgers the next day, mac and cheese casserole with leftover ham the next and a homemade lasagna this weekend

I am thinking...

that my children need to go to bed a LOT earlier than they do!!!

I am creating...

a new HOME.

Towards a living education...

a huge focus on math for all and reading for the younger two

Beauty in the home...

that's pretty much all it has been about for the last few weeks. The older girls are pretty much set. The bathrooms look good but need a little tweaking. Probably focus on the rooms for the younger two this week

The domestic church...

our icon wall is in place. Joyous Feast to you all!!!

I am hoping and praying...

that friends and family going through stressful situations will be blessed with positive outcomes.

In the garden...

we no longer have our vegetable garden and although our new house has beautiful grass, we haven't had the opportunity to do much other than plant a rose bush in memory of my dad

One of my favorite things...

trees... our new home has lots of beautiful trees

A few plans for the rest of the week...

the orthodontist for Rosebud, helping Stinkbug and Sugarcake finish the moving process and set up their rooms, ballet and hockey, math, and, God willing, paint lots of the school room furniture

A picture thought I'm sharing...

you'll have to watch for my next post for that...lol.

Blessings!!!

theresesophia

Daybook 4-12-10

2010-04-12T09:41:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...

Is a beautiful spring day and bikes that weren't put up from the night before

I am listening to...

Rosebud playing with our dog

I am wearing...

My usual, my favorite Stars tee, light-weight sweats, and tennis shoes

I am thankful for...

So many things, beautiful children, a wonderful husband, a sweet church family, very dear friends, a caring priest, Bright Week, Diet Dr. Pepper

I am pondering...

Why I am sitting here blogging instead of working on my long list of "to do's" for the week

I am reading...

contracts, consumer reports, and reviews of refrigerators and electricity providers

From the kitchen...

not much except for cleaning... well, maybe carrot cake

I am thinking...

about the house we may close on, on Thursday and all the things that need to be done

I am creating...

lots of lists, people to call, things to do, cleaning...

Toward a living education...

back to school after a break for Bright Week, focusing on math and reading

Beauty in the home...

lots of decorating ideas floating in my head for the new house and lots of cleaning, painting and remodeling to be done in our current home

The domestic church...

will take a small break this week, with the services for Holy Week and attending daily liturgy during Bright Week, we need this week to focus on some school and home tasks

I am hoping and praying...

that my husband continues to be successful on his journey to end his addiction and that I will be able to be successful with my return to Overeaters Anonymous (it's time)

In the garden...

In spite of the neglect, Princess found onions in her plot and Stinkbug found carrots. Looks like strawberries are coming soon too.

One of my favorite things...

fan appreciation at the Stars game, Stinkbug was given a stick by the captain (Morrow #10) and we all had a blast, with the exception of knowing that it might be Modano's last home game

A few plan for the rest of the week...

buying a house, and all that goes with that

A picture thought I'm sharing...

Don't

Daybook 3-29-10

2010-03-29T21:18:00.002-05:00

Outside my window...
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

Daybook 3-22-10

2010-03-22T17:46:00.007-05:00

Outside my window...
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

Updated Core Curriculum

2010-03-20T00:58:00.007-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post, there has been some serious overhaul to our homeschool. I've begun with updating the 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

Daybook 3-15-10

2010-03-15T10:01:00.013-05:00

Outside my window... the sun is shining, there are birds singing, I can see garden plots which need to be cleaned.

I am listening to... a few precious moments of silence, even the birds are quiet at the moment.

I am wearing... my favorite night gown, slippers, and a denim jacket (I'm still a bit chilly from taking the dog out...lol).

I am thankful for... my children getting to play hockey at the American Airlines Center...what an incredible opportunity for them and quite a thrill for their mama too.

I am pondering...the necessity of daylight savings time.

I am reading... I, Alex Cross (the latest James Patterson book).

From the kitchen... not much, although I am ready to try some vegan recipes from Alicia Silverst*ne's cookbook. And the younger crew and I will be trying a vegan chocolate chip cake.

I am creating... a baby gift that might be done in time for her first birthday.

From the school room... weekly plans have been revised. Our schooling now looks nothing like our schooling from September. Post coming soon on our revised plans.

Towards beauty in the home... plans to donate our fish tank and paint our master bathroom this week.

The domestic church... I've been enjoying reading the Psalter with Orthodox Mom's group and I'm looking forward to a presanctified liturgy later this week.

I am hoping and praying... that a large project my mom has been working on goes smoothly.

In the garden... there is much to do. Each child's plot needs to be cleaned out and seeds need to be started. We also need to get some color in our front yard for curb appeal.

One of my favorite things... a shirt Stinkbug bought me on Sunday, I may never take it off!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week... watch some hockey, look at houses with our realtor, visit with friends who are on spring break, continue with our homeschool revisions, finish updates to our master bathroom and update this poor, tired blog.

A picture thought I'm sharing...

I never tire of seeing pictures of my daddy!!!

Thanks to mary at evlogia for the daybook idea.

Blessings,

theresesophia

Dealing with Grief - Tear Soup

2010-02-28T22:16:00.003-06:00

When my father-in-law passed away, I looked for a way to help my children deal with their grief. I checked out every book our library had on the topic, mostly those I could read to them. Of all the books we read, Tear Soup was the one that touched us all. But I probably benefitted most of all.

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

Finally

2010-02-26T20:23:00.004-06:00

Okay, I know so many of you have been eagerly anticipating my return to the blogging world (well, maybe NOT...lol). But here I am!!!

Coming this weekend... the first installment of Dealing with Grief - Tear Soup Lessons.

May the Lord Bless You!!!
theresesophia

Dealing with Grief - intro

2009-11-22T23:06:00.004-06:00

Although I'm not exactly sure how to begin this, I have really felt called over the past few weeks to write a series of posts dealing with "dealing with grief." I am certainly no expert but I do hope and pray that by sharing my process, someone else might possibly be able to deal with their own grief or help someone that may be grieving.

I will start by saying that the process of grieving for my dad actually began two and a half years ago. We found out he had colon cancer only six short months after my father-in-law passed away after his battle with colon cancer. The blessing that came from this very sad time is that I was able to see that I probably would not have my dad much longer. I was able to spend time with him, laugh with him, and ask his forgiveness for my adolescent years (among other things). I realize not everyone has the opportunity to do that, but more on that in a different post.

When my father-in-law passed away, I found a book on grieving written for children. I would say that in addition to prayer and loving, supportive friends and family, this book helped me much more than I would have ever expected. Not sure what my children got out of it, but I am a totally different person because of it. It is called Tear Soup and it has helped me understand grief so much better than any "grown up" book I've ever read on grief. More on this in future posts as well.

May the Lord Bless You!
theresesophia

Prayers of Gratitude

2009-11-02T18:33:00.010-06:00

When I last posted (almost a month ago), I had no idea that my dad would pass away only two short weeks later. While this has been a heartbreaking time for the whole family, we have been carried in prayer.

I want to thank each of you who posted here and prayed for us. I also want to thank Mary at evlogia for this beautiful post that united orthodox christian women from several countries in prayer for my dad. At one of the darkest moments of my life, I was shone the light of Christ through this wonderful gift. Unfortunately, I have found no words which can express the depth of my gratitude to Mary, and to each of you who prayed and have been praying for my dad and our family.

To each of you, my prayer is that God may bless you abundantly for your commitment to prayer. I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you, and I pray that, regardless of your struggles, you will receive Christ's peace, which surpasses all understanding.

And to my sweet daddy, may your memory be eternal!!! I love you!!!

St. Nektarios, Pray for us!

2009-10-06T00:00:00.002-05:00

For those of you who don't know, my dad has been battling cancer for two and a half years now. He has fought long and hard. With God's blessing we have had him for at least a year longer than what we expected. He has been able to play golf and work in the rose garden he loves so dearly. Unfortunately, his body is tiring and hospice has begun.

I come before you this evening to humbly ask for prayers on behalf of my dad and my children. I would be so grateful if you would pray that we all experience Christ's peace at this difficult time.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Homeschool - The High School Edition

2009-09-17T23:52:00.000-05:00

This year of homeschooling presents me with a new challenge. My challenge... to homeschool a high schooler. YIKES!

We began by looking at a list of typical high school offerings from which Princess indicated her preferences. Although her list has changed some since our initial meeting, here is what we ended up with for her freshman year...

Math - Pre-Algebra/Algebra using Singapore and Keys to Algebra

P. E. - This credit will be met through ballet classes and a local co-op class

Science - Astronomy using mostly "living books" such as The Right Stuff, John Glenn, and A Brief History in Time (to name a few). We will also use some texts, such as Apologia's Astronomy to supplement her studies.

Literature - World Literature using "living books" such as The Good Earth

The Poisonwood Bible, and Night (to name just a few).

Social Studies - World Geography using Geography Songs and the internet, she will be responsible for creating a notebook/lapbook of each country documenting the most important information of that country.

Social Studies - World History tied in nicely to World Geography and World Literature. For this course, she will add to her notebook/lapbook of each country by documenting the countries' history timeline.

Foreign Language - Will either be Greek or Swedish... it's still a toss up at this point. Hopefully she will decide by Monday which is when she will begin her foreign language study.

Elective - Fine Arts Study, not a "formal" class but will incorporate our study of artists, musical instruments, nature journaling, co-op, and a variety of other things we will be doing such as knitting.

Writing - Creative Writing will be the focus of study this year. Princess should be able to demonstrate different styles of writing to express her knowledge gained in the "world studies" and astronomy.

While 9 credits does seem to be a zealous undertaking for a freshman, so much of it works nicely together. We may postpone foreign language until next year but for now, we will give it all go. Say lots of prayers for us!!!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Priceless!

2009-09-16T23:05:00.002-05:00

For those who know Sugar Cake in person, you will understand how truly priceless this is.

We have joined a homeschooling co-op this year which consists of an enrichment period followed by a physical education period. During the first class of physical education, Sugar Cake's teacher discussed the importance of coordination, making sure eyes were working with hands, feet were working together, and so on. For about 20 minutes, they discussed the importance of coordination. At the end of the discussion, the teacher asked for examples of coordination, Sugar Cake is about to come apart she is raising her hand so high to be called upon. The teacher, excited by my baby girl's eagerness, calls upon her and Sugar Cake explains "My shirt is coordinated with my shorts!" ...Well, yes, of course!!!

In love, recovery, and laughter,

ThereO

Many Years, Princess!!!

2009-09-14T22:57:00.002-05:00

Our beautiful Princess is 15 today. What a wonderful honor it is to be your "mama". I love you more than life itself!!!

Many blessings to you on this very special day. And may your year be filled with blessings every single day. Many years, dear one!

And a blessed feast day to all!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Homeschool - The Weekly Curriculum Edition

2009-08-09T23:50:00.029-05:00

Our schedule is set and we've reviewed the core (daily) curricula. Our weekly studies will be done once a week following our core studies.

Here is what we will be doing on a weekly basis...

Monday - History... Story of the World (4) We will read one chapter, complete one activity

and there will be a selection of additional reading from which the kids can

choose one to read later in the day.

Physical Education... Although the credits for this subject will be met through the

physical activities (ballet, hockey, etc) we will also study the rules for a

different sport each month and we will be learning an exercise a week (for

example - sit ups, jumping jacks, and such).

Grammar... our main spine for grammar will be First Language Lessons (3). We will

complete one lesson each week. Additionally, the kids will be responsible

for one lesson a week in their Grammar Practice work books. We also have

games that we will add to the agenda this year.

Tuesday - Physics... Christian Kids Explore Physics. We will complete one lesson each week.

We also have a physics lab kit that we will complete.

Geography... for geography, we will focus on countries and where they exist on the

earth. Using Geography Songs as our main resource, we will add in books and games to each country.

Computer... we will also be learning about computers and programming. Since I

know absolutely nothing we will all be learning to together. The main

books we will utilized will be Computers Simplified, Alice Chapter, Scratch Programming for Teens, and Lego NXT Zoo.

Wednesday - Nature... for this topic we will be using Nature in a Nutshell, which consists of 10 minute nature activities. We will also be using the Christian Liberty Nature Readers. Each will be assigned a reading passage in the appropriate level reader which will then be narrated.

Logic... Each week we will do one lesson in The Fallacy Detective.

Thursday - Art... we do not have a specific curriculum for art although we will be using "What Makes a _____ a ______" as a spine. Each month we will look at an artist's work, read about the artist, complete a lapbook about the artist and color/paint a replica of the artist's work.

Citizenship... although our previous studies have focused on characteristics of good citizens, I purchased "Citizenship Activities" which is full of activities about voting, elections, and other citizenship responsibilities.

Friday - Music... This year's music curriculum is one I have made for studying muscial instruments. We will look at a different instrument each week, listening to a recording of that instrument.

Life Skills... Each month we will focus on a different life skill. Some things we will be learning include - knitting, finances, cooking, sewing, woodworking, auto upkeep (I do have one that will be learning to drive next year...YIKES!!!), gardening and home maintenance. Obviously, we won't be able to cover any of these topics in depth but my hope is that they will learn enough to spark their interests in these areas.

That wraps up our weekly topics. Next homeschool post will focus on the plans for my HIGH SCHOOLER!!! YIKES X3!!!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Homeschool - The Core Curriculum Edition

2009-08-03T20:57:00.028-05:00

Our core studies this year will be Orthodoxy, Vocabulary, Math, Writing, Literature, and Foreign Language. These are the areas that will be studied every day. My process this year was to develop a basic outline of what I hope to cover in these areas. Although I am hoping that this year will be a little more consistent on a day-to-day basis, it has been proven that life happens and rarely is one day like the next, much less one week to the next. To assist my weekly lesson planning, I have completed a list of 180 assignments for each core area. When we "officially" begin school, I then plug lessons 1-5 into the first week. As assignments are completed, the grade will be recorded and then the next set of lessons will be "officially" assigned. If for some reason we are only able to accomplish 3 of the 5 assignments for that week (for a legitimate family reason), then the remaining 2 will be assigned for the next week along with the next 3 new assignments. If the assignments are not completed because of student issues, they will have to be completed on the weekend as "homework." I don't have an end date for the school year, that will happen when the assignments are completed.

The 180 assignment plans have been completed for Vocabulary, Math, and Writing.

For Vocabulary, we will be using Word Study developed by the makers of Singapore Math. We used these some last school year and I found them to be enjoyable for the kids to use on a daily basis. Simple enough to be completed in 5 minutes or so but complex enough to strengthen their vocabulary.

For Math, we will be using Singapore Math. I've been very impressed with Singapore. Our math journey has included several different math curricula. We have tried Saxon, Ray's, Keys to..., and MCP ( and there may have been others I'm not remembering at this time...lol). While all of these programs had much to offer and several strengths, I have found Singapore to be the best fit for all of us. Nearly all of the math is taught as mental math. I have seen a huge difference since we have switched, mostly, when I ask a math question, my children are able to answer without using their fingers (which is really good since one of them is about to start algebra...LOL!!!) I can't say enough good things about this program but it does have to be right for the student using it or it will be very frustrating.

For writing, we will continue to work our way through Understanding Writing. I love this program although I have found with our homeschool, we have been able to skip some things. This curriculum is for grades 1-12 although my daughter in kindergarten was able to work along with us. My plan is to cover several years this year by skipping those lessons which are repetitious.

For Orthodoxy, Literature, and Foreign Language, I will be working off of my yearly plan.

In our study of Orthodoxy this year, we will be taking a look at the New Testament. Using the Children's Bible Reader, the Law of God, and our family bible, we will study the books of the New Testament, along with the parables, and other significant passages. My goal this year is for the children to become familiar with the teachings of Jesus as expressed through the gospels and epistles.

My approach to foreign language is a little bit different from the other core courses in that I really don't have goals set because of the nature of foreign language. I see these as being similar to music lessons, at the end of the year, I want to see progress but the amount of progress made is dependent upon each child. As long as I can document 180 days of foreign language practice for each child, then their goal will be met. Princess will study Greek, Rosebud will study French, Stinkbug will study Spanish, and Sugarcake will study American Sign Language.

Literature seems to be our family favorite. I read aloud a chapter from the selected book while the children follow along in books we have borrowed from the library. Following the reading of the chapter, the kids either have an activity to complete taken from a study guide, can illustrate the chapter in some way, or we discuss what was read to make sure all understood the passage. Our selections for this year are...

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The Railway Children by E. Nesbitt

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

That wraps up our core studies. Next homeschool post will look at our weekly study plans.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Homeschool - The Schedule Edition

2009-07-27T01:35:00.003-05:00

Although it's been quiet here at the blog, it has been anything but quiet on the homefront. The few minutes that have not been spent shuffling the family around to various activities and camps have been spent pouring over books trying to plan our homeschool subjects and activities. Although there is a little bit of tweaking left to do our basic weekly plan will look something like this...

Monday morning - Piano Lessons, Cleaning, Life Skills, Schedule Review

afternoon - Orthodoxy, Vocabulary, Math, Foreign Language, Writing, Literature

History, P.E., Grammar

evening - dance

Tuesday morning - Park time, Appointments, Orthodoxy, Vocabulary, Math

afternoon - Foreign Language, Writing, Literature, Violin

Physics, Geography, Computer

evening - dance, hockey

Wednesday morning - Co-op

afternoon - Orthodoxy, Vocabulary, Math, Foreign Language, Writing, Literature

Nature, Logic

evening - dance, hockey

Thursday morning - Liturgy, Orthodoxy, Vocabulary

afternoon - Math, Foreign Language, Writing, Literature

Art, Citizenship

evening - dance

Friday morning - Community Garden

afternoon - Orthodoxy, Vocabulary, Math, Foreign Language, Writing, Literature

Music, Life Skills

Monday and Tuesday are more intense because we tend to be able to get more accomplished on those days. As the week continues, we tend to not get as much done, therefore, I have eased the schooling classes on those days. We will also have weekly hockey practices and games which are not accounted for in this schedule.

Coming soon... chosen curriculum and plans, garden updates, and book reviews.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Garden Update

2009-06-19T10:59:00.004-05:00

Princess's zucchini has taken over. I'm thinking we need LOTS of recipes... if you have a good one, let me know.
Rosebud's corn is ready for pollination. Did you know that when you only have a small amount of corn that pollination is done by hand? I'm thinking that is something she will need to take care of this weekend. Her watermelon looks good also but it has some strange looking bug that needs to be investigated and eliminated... another project for the weekend.
Stinkbug's plot has some good looking corn too but it is not ready for pollination. And you almost can't see his corn because of his potato plants... what is up with those things??? The tomato plants he began from seed are almost as big as the ones we bought. He is quite attentive to his plot and it shows.
And of course, we can't forget Sugarcake. The big monster of a thing in her plot is pumpkin... that's A (singular) pumpkin plant. I didn't use a wide angle but it is over on the right side about 3 or 4 feet and over on the left side 1 or 2 feet. All she wants from it is pumpkin pie, but I'm thinking we may have to start selling them... lol... she's been trying to figure out a way to make money...

I can't believe it has been almost a month since my last garden update... what a difference a few weeks makes!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

My "Not So Baby" Baby...

2009-06-18T23:22:00.002-05:00

is 6!!!

A Special Day

2009-06-18T22:28:00.002-05:00

For many, June 14th is Flag Day. For me, June 14th marks the day my cousin's son would celebrate a birthday. This is the second of many times that this day will pass without candles and cake and celebration. Last year, I filled a basket with items (a Saint Nicholas icon, candles, books, etc) to mark the day. This year, I made this little bracelet with pictures of her husband and 3 children. A tradition I hope to continue, giving her a token of remembrance, because for me, his memory is still alive and I still want to celebrate his birth and the blessing of his life. May his memory be eternal.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

The Week in Review

2009-06-08T00:08:00.002-05:00

What an exciting, CRAZY week this was!!!

Along with the usual this week...

- I had a doctor's appointment... just a check up and everything was good.

- Princess auditioned for the ballet company and made it.

- Stinkbug had a hockey game Saturday (June 6) and scored his first goal.

And looking ahead...

Sugarcake has a name day on Monday (June 8)... St. Melania pray for us!

Sugarcake and Stinkbug have Vacation Bible School - and Rosebud is a helper.

Princess begins ballet camp.

Rosebud begins violin lessons.

Princess has several babysitting jobs.

Stinkbug has another hockey game.

The newspaper is doing a piece on the community garden.

My dad is having a procedure done on Monday morning and a doctor's appointment on Tuesday.

I guess that's it besides the usual... LOL!

Of course, it would be nice if a dear friend would have her baby on June 8, especially since that is MY guess.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

And the Fat Lady Finally Sang...

2009-06-03T21:09:00.003-05:00

...IT IS FINISHED!!!

Only 9 months in the making...LOL! The grandbaby of my husband's boss finally has her quilt. At least I finished it before her first birthday (can't say I did that well for her sister :-)

In love and recovery,

ThereO

First Fruits...

2009-05-29T15:51:00.003-05:00

Okay, well, actually... FRUIT (singular...lol) Princess celebrated the Ascension by picking her first strawberry.
Perfectly red... perfectly beautiful.
And perfectly tasty!!!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Garden Update

2009-05-26T15:50:00.004-05:00

YEA! We have tomatoes!!! The only thing more exciting than seeing things growing in the garden is seeing the look on the kids' faces when they see things growing! These two were found on Princess's tomato plant.
The potatoes in the picture above are in Stinkbug's plot. And below is Rosebud's corn and watermelon looking so much bigger than last week.
Below is Sugarcake's pumpkin. She has watermelon too but it is not quite as thick as Rosebud's.

Stinkbug's potatoes have gotten so tall we are going to have to add some boards to his plot so we can pile more dirt in. They are only supposed to have about four inches of growth showing so we've got lots of dirt to get on those babies... and soon!

More weeding and watering to come. Hopefully we can keep the ants at bay.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Singing the Blues...

2009-05-23T01:36:00.009-05:00

...now that we are home from Memphis. My darling husband took me on a mini-vacation to Memphis for my birthday. Pretty sweet, huh? Yep, I think so!!!

First stop...

Rendezvous...known far and wide for their BBQ ribs. But just between you and me, if you are in the area, get an order (or 2) of the BBQ nachos and skip the ribs!
Our room was at the Peabody Hotel, known for the March of the Ducks. At 10am these precious little ducks come down from their suite (yes, they have a suite at the hotel) on the elevator and walk the red carpet to the water fountain, where they hang out all day. At 5pm, they march back to the elevator and up to the suite... sweet!
Probably my favorite tourist-y thing to do was the Sun Records/Studio tour. Truly a step back in time. For those of you not familiar with Sun, they first signed Elvis... and Johnny Cash... and Jerry Lee Lewis... and LOTS more...
What an incredible learning experience. I can see a field trip with the kids in tow in our future! Towards the end of the tour, I felt my hip going and my knee shaking... no wonder!!! I was standing on the 'X' where Elvis stood in the recording studio... thank you, thank you very much!
And would any trip to Memphis be complete without a trip to Graceland? Pictures were difficult because they don't allow flash. This was probably my favorite room... the billards room.
And in case you are wondering, that is fabric on the walls, and the ceiling, and the windows. 250 YARDS (yes, yards) of fabric. I'm on the hunt now for a similar retro fabric to make some cute kid clothes. Next up, "the Jungle Room." Fun! Fun!
And a view from the front.
We also did the BBQ Cook-Off (don't bother), the Cotton Exchange Museum (a must, especially for homeschoolers), a Red Birds (minor league/farm team for the Cardinals) baseball game (very nice), a tour of the "arts district" (this was about 6 or 7 shops, about 5 of which were not open when we went... heehee), and several trips to Beale Street.

A wonderful trip! A wonderful husband! I am too blessed to "sing the blues."

In love and recovery,

ThereO

A Natural...

2009-05-21T23:24:00.003-05:00

... at least that is what the owner and prima ballerina at the performing arts school says. Of course, this mama couldn't be more proud!

Now... if my photography could do her justice we'd be set...

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Fruits of our Labor

2009-05-15T21:52:00.003-05:00

Okay, well, I'll be honest... God's the one doing all the work. He's sent the rain, He's sent the sunshine, and so far He hasn't sent too many bugs or weeds... so this is how some of our plants are looking this week.... The first strawberry for Princess...

Corn stalks for Rosebud...

Stinkbug's potatoes are looking good...

And it looks like Sugarcake may get some pumpkin...
Most of our other plants are looking good also but these are the best looking of the plots so far.

May God continue to bless our garden and have mercy on us city dwellers that haven't done this before.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

It's Official...

2009-05-14T23:11:00.003-05:00

... I'm a HOCKEY MOM! Watch out Sarah Palin (heehee)

While 3 of my 4 kiddos have been taking hockey classes for a few months now, my Stinkbug has taken the next step and is playing on a team. Tonight was their 4th game and it was a blast, especially since they won 8-3. Go, baby, go!

Growing a Garden - Update

2009-05-08T13:48:00.004-05:00

After our planting session last week, we ended up with some pepper plants and blue boys that did not have a home. Today I cleaned out some pots and planted our left overs. Below is a picture of our garden storage. I'm not a big Walmart fan but I did manage to find this there for $4 and several pairs of garden shoes for $1 each.
Princess's garden plot... eggplant, zucchini, strawberries, onions
Rosebud's garden plot... okra, watermelon, corn, stevia
Stinkbug's garden plot... potato, corn, tomato, carrots
Sugarcake's garden plot... pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, beans
I can hardly believe it has been less than two weeks since we put these babies in the ground! I'm amazed at the growth. Today, we added dirt to each plot and watered. I finally managed to stake the tomatoes plants purchased from our community garden... another Walmart purchase - bamboo sticks, a whole package of about 25 for $2.37.

Time for a shower NOW!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

How a Garden Grows

2009-05-05T01:06:00.010-05:00

In the middle of February, God graced our family with the opportunity to participate in a community garden. We joined about 5 other homeschooling families in this project. From the first moment, we were hooked. We have had the opportunity to plant seeds and seedlings, pull weeds, water, feed worms, pull bugs off plants and a variety of other things. As we approached spring, we decided to try our hand at raising a few vegetables ourselves.

We purchased some packages of seeds, some dirt and some starter containers. Within a few weeks, our seeds had sprouted and we were ready to get them in the ground.

We constructed four plots. Each child helped to construct their own plot... we did 3 sides and dad finished up the fourth side of each one.

Next came paper and then organic soil. None of the kids seemed too excited when they found out what was in the soil... lol!

Within a few short days, the beds were built and filled with dirt. And the planting began...

God blessed our garden with LOTS of rain... so much rain that we were beginning to wonder if our little garden might wash away. Not only is the garden still in place, all of the rain seems to be just what it needed and our sprouts are lush and green. We'll replace some of the washed away soil and my hope is to post a weekly update on "how our garden grows."

In love and recovery,

ThereO

A Lenten Reflection

2009-04-18T00:12:00.002-05:00

My Sugarcake is 5. She asks the hard questions and she makes comments that can send this mama to the brink of tears from laughing. She also has a gift for saying things which make me think that she is so much wiser than most adults I know (myself included).

After giving her bedtime hugs and kisses one night this week, she smiled and said, "You smell like church." I know what she meant, the incense that lingered on my clothes and in my hair. But in my heart, I felt something deeper. The smell of church - the aroma of Christ. That is truly what I want to have!

To exude the aroma of Christ, I have to completely absorb Him. He has to fill me so completely that there is no where else for Him to go but back out into the world around me. And as we approach the end of lent and the resurrection of Christ, I can see that I am much more filled of Him than I have ever been before and because of that, I know this lent has been fruitful. But will His aroma still linger when lent has passed? My prayer is that it will be so.

And so as I approach this Pascha, I pray that Orthodox Christians everywhere will not only experience the resurrection of Christ, but will also be filled with His aroma. And I pray that in the weeks and months to come that others will not only be able to see Christ in my actions and hear Christ in my words, but that when I am near they will be able to say, "She smells like church!"

A very blessed Feast to you all!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

You Know You Have A House Full of Homeschoolers When...

2009-04-07T16:32:00.002-05:00

You know you have a house full of homeschoolers when, in the morning, after a sleep-over, you hear, "Hey, let's watch the Discovery Channel!"

Book Review - Cross Country

2009-03-15T22:42:00.003-05:00

I was wanting to leave my fiction reading until after lent but when I had the opportunity to read this book for free, I decided to go ahead and read it. Since it only took me a few evenings to read it, it didn't seem to be too distracting.

This book is the latest in the Alex Cross series. If you've never read James Patterson before and are interested in "thriller type" books then he is a definite read. He's a little more gruesome than John Grisham but not too much. It is possible to read the latest book without having read the rest of the series but a lot of things really make a whole lot more sense if you've followed the character throughout. If you love Alex Cross... keep reading because most likely, you'll like this one as well.

Well, I'm off to begin something a little more "lent worthy," The Ascetic of Love. A blessed lenten season to you all.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Daylight Savings Change

2009-03-09T22:19:00.002-05:00

After 14 years of dealing with children and daylight savings time, I've come to a conclusion. Whoever created daylight savings time, did NOT have children!

Book Review - Mom, Jason's Breathing on Me!

2009-03-05T16:14:00.003-06:00

I have to admit I was really drawn to this book by the title :-) With 4 children, someone is always breathing on someone else and if they aren't breathing on someone else, they are just breathing. My oldest in particular has a hard time with the fact that her brother "breathes." I definitely learned some interesting things. Some things I was already doing and some things I have been adding to my bag of tricks since reading the book. If you have more than one child, I would definitely read this book. Although I do recommend this book, it does have a lot of "fluff." I enjoyed the author's vignettes but after awhile, they did get to be a little irritating, so if you are reading this book, you may want to start "skimming" after awhile.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Lent on my Mind

2009-02-26T15:26:00.005-06:00

Although I am an Orthodox Christian now, I was raised as a Roman Catholic. For lent, we were always encouraged to "give up" something. My understanding was that we were "giving up" something as a sacrifice for all Jesus had sacrificed for us. While that is somewhat true, what I have learned after coming to the Orthodox Church is that lent is a time for us to withdraw (of sorts) from our earthly world and focus more on our spiritual world. Most Orthodox Christians I know observe fasting... fasting from meat, meat products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc), fish, and oil. Before I had a clear understanding of the importance of the fast, I participated in lent the "catholic way." My first year I gave up Oprah, the next year I gave up watching soap operas (I know!). What I found was that the things I gave up were distracting me from my walk with God. I was given so much more than I "gave up."

So this year, I'm preparing to participate in the fast. This week is preparation for the weeks of lent ahead. During this week, Orthodox Christians abstain from meat. Monday begins the Orthodox fast. So while I am participating in the fast, I will also be "giving up" something as well. There are so many things that distract me from my walk... so where do I begin finding "that thing" that will have the most impact. Well, prayer is where I find "that thing." So this year there are 3 (LOL) things that I have been convicted to practice... I will be "giving up" going out to eat during the week (although this means I'll be spending more time cooking, I have found that cooking actually consumes less of my time overall than going out to eat), I will be giving up "sleeping in" during the week as well (this means that I'll be setting the alarm clock and making sure I start my day before my kids are in full force... ooohh that one's going to be tough) and I will put a very strict limit on my internet time(ouch!). But I know that if I am faithful in this pursuit, that God will bless me beyond measure (who knows... maybe He'll even let me win the Night Out with the Stars...LOL!!!)

Okay, so what about you? If you are Orthodox, do you participate in the fast? Do you "give something up" to spend more time with God? If not, is there something you feel God asking you to do this lent in addition to the fast? If you are Catholic, what do you do to spend more time with God during lent? And if you are someone who doesn't DO lent, why not... just because your faith may not participate in a lenten fast doesn't mean you can't...

I would love to hear your lenten thoughts.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Power of Less

2009-02-25T20:16:00.002-06:00

WOW! Probably one of the best words I can use to describe this book. As you might have noticed from my previous reviews... I'm pretty picky... lol! But I have to say I learned an incredible amount from this book. The author lives what he suggests and gave a lot of insight in just a few pages. The premise of the book is to live a more powerful life by doing less. Yes, you heard me correctly... by DOING LESS. I've already put some of his suggestions into practice and have been amazed at the things that have occurred in our household.

There is peace and simplicity in his ideas. And you know I'm ALL about SIMPLE. Now, his book is written to the professional but I found at least 95% of what he wrote being applicable to a stay at home mom. I think as moms at home, we have special challenges, but really, how different is an emergency diaper change from an interruption from the boss??? (I've had diaper blow outs and they are much less stress than an angry boss!) Of course, there are some things he suggests that I really don't want to do (get up earlier...yuck!) but as with everything (thank you OA) I'm learning that there is a choice to make. Hmmm... I guess I'll have to let you know about MY decision in my next post... don't you just love cliffhangers ;-)

So, my recommendation... if you are looking to live a life of peace and simplicity, and be more efficient while doing it, read this book. I saw it at our library (our tiny library) so if you have a library in your community, they probably have it.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Senator's Wife

2009-02-24T16:55:00.002-06:00

Well, I've been busy reading again. I suppose the cooler weather has made me want to curl up with a book (and not do much else...lol).

This book is another fiction book. I've read another of Sue Miller's works, "While I Was Gone," and I like it so I thought I would give this one a try. Her characters truly come to life. I was captivated by their lives and was able to read this book fairly quickly because it really did draw me in. Even so, I don't know that I would recommend this book to others. I'm at a lost as to how to explain this... I can't say I didn't like the end, I would have preferred another conclusion, but I didn't write the book. But that's not the reason I wouldn't suggest this book. A situation in the book, closely tied to the conclusion, was, well, strange and embarrassing. I know, that doesn't make sense... let's see if this does it... two characters engage in a behavior that leads to the conclusion of the book but I thought that the author could have come to the same conclusion without including some of the details that she did. Okay... that's as much as you'll get out of me. If you need more details, you can email me... LOL!

All righty! Next post will be a book review as well, "The Power of Less." I need to "sit" with it a little bit longer before I write my review though. Look for it in the next few days... I'm sure you can't wait... LOL!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

NOT a book review

2009-02-18T20:37:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it? I have something to say other than a book review? Well, not really but I thought I would post any way...LOL!

Things have been busy here... aren't they always? Dentist appointments and birthdays, trips out of town and visits to the Stars. Homeschooling and Homecleaning. The list goes on and on.

Separating the literature reads for the older two and the younger two has NOT been working. I'll be looking for something interesting we can read all together. We were all spoiled by the richness of Narnia series so this is going to be tough.

I'm looking forward to a seminar on homeschooling for high school. We've made lots of progress on the garage so I'm hoping to get some specific areas more organized if we can squeeze that in, because there is some hockey going on this weekend too :-)

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Associate

2009-02-16T22:06:00.002-06:00

Okay, I really have been doing things besides reading... LOL! Since my other favorite author, John Grisham, released a book recently, I was anxious to read it. My mother likes to read him as well, so I was aiming to finish so that I could leave it with her when I went for a visit.

I did complete it and I must say... it was a huge disappointment. It didn't flow. It had exciting parts but for the most part it seemed that he had 5 different story ideas and tried to incorporate them into one story. There was a love interest but it didn't fit with the story line. The friendships didn't fit. The end was a disappointment. I was totally bummed!

As much as I enjoy his books, I'm afraid it is time for him to either retire or at least take a break for awhile and recharge. Sorry, Mr. Grisham, this one did not meet "the bar."

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Whipping Boy

2009-02-03T23:51:00.002-06:00

Although this was a very cute story, it lacked the quality that I expect from a Newberry Medal book. The kids didn't seem too impressed either. The story traces the adventures of a prince and his whipping boy. Some nice reflections on friendships.

We do have a fun project planned and I'm excited to see the results. Over the next few days, the kids will "adapt" the book to something I will video tape this weekend. I'm very anxious to see their creative minds at work.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - 3:16 The Numbers of Hope

2009-01-30T22:14:00.002-06:00

A much faster read, obviously, than the last book I reviewed! I had some reservations about reading a book from a non-orthodox Christian writer. During the months following our family's conversion to Orthodoxy, I was involved in a bible study from a non-orthodox writer. It felt odd, like I was betraying my faith. It's been almost 4 years since our conversion and I was given this book for Christmas so I thought I would give it a try. Keeping in mind that Max Lucado was my very favorite Christian author before my conversion, it is worth the read.

I did feel somewhat awkward at times... would the early church fathers agree with this? But when I keep in mind that this is one man's take on the verse, I was able to read and enjoy. This book is a focus on the verse of John 3:16... For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Max Lucado brings a warmth and humor to his writing that makes reading his writing a pleasure.

Now, as an Orthodox Christian, I'll review it this way... With Jesus as the cornerstone, the teachings of the early church fathers would be the structure of the building. To this, Max Lucado would be the paint. He definitely has earned his place among Christian writers and what he gives to me through his writing is fun, energy, and a joy in the teachings of Christ. However, if I ONLY read Max Lucado then I would be stunting my growth. I need the "meat" of the early church fathers but it's good to have "the sauteed mushrooms" (Max Lucado) to enjoy also.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Hour I First Believed

2009-01-29T13:24:00.002-06:00

Oh my! Let me begin by saying that in regards to current fiction writers, I have two absolute favorites. One being John Grisham and the other? Wally Lamb! Now, take into consideration he only has two books out (now 3) and that says a lot about him.

This latest book confirmed how I feel about him as a writer. He brings something to the pages beyond the written word, he brings art to the page. Now that I've given him such a glowing analysis, let me say that this is not an easy book to read. At over 730 pages (and 4 children in the house) it's not something I was able to rip through quickly. In fact, it took much longer than I expected. Not because of the length but because of the topic. A word of warning, this book is not for the weak of heart. A main focus of the book is the horrific occurrence at Columbine. And while this is a work of fiction, he did so much research that I found myself reliving the sadness and horror as if it had happened 9 days ago instead of 9 years ago.

This one goes on the keeper shelf. Right next to my favorite book of all time... "This Much I Know Is True." And one last comment I must share... Thank you, Wally, for sharing your talent with me... your books inspire me.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Book Review - The Tale of Despereaux

2009-01-28T12:49:00.002-06:00

We finally finished the book. It was a very sweet story.

We saw the movie. It was okay... not as good as the book of course.

The author uses some beautiful imagery. She weaves a beautiful tale but by jumping back and forth amongst the characters, it made it much more difficult for the children to follow (I thought...LOL).

Princess - I thought it was adventurous and not just boring. It had funny characters as well.

Rosebud - I like how she developed the characters. I liked how she wrote the book because it was easy for me to understand.

Stinkbug - I liked it because it was really interesting, there was lots of different stuff in the movie from the book, and I liked all the characters because they were really good.

Sugarcake - My favorite was Princess Pea because she was really, really nice and she wasn't rude to anyone. But there were things in the movie that weren't in the book.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

May her memory be eternal!

2009-01-27T22:56:00.002-06:00

I'm having a very difficult time with this post. To be honest, I really don't want to write it but I feel I must. A very dear friend passed away on Sunday. I have no idea how old she was, it never really mattered. My best guess would be late 50's, early 60's.

We shared a love of sewing. We shared a love of smocking. We shared a love of cross-stitch. We shared a love of Bernina sewing machines. We shared a love of children. We shared a love of smiling and laughing. We shared a love of the Orthodox Church.

She wasn't my first introduction to the Orthodox Church but she did clue me in to a lot of things I did not know about the church. I seriously considered asking her to be my godmother when our family decided to convert to Orthodoxy. She lived out of town so I asked someone local. I know it was the best decision but I say that to let those reading know how close I felt to her.

I don't ask for sympathy. I only ask for prayers on her behalf... "Lord, may her memory be eternal!"

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Ponder This...

2009-01-11T21:28:00.005-06:00

The dear hubby shared this with me...

One day a man was feeling depressed so he went to the pet store. The clerk asked him what he was looking for and the man said his doctor recommended a pet to keep him company. The clerk said "We have a great bird here that will talk your ear off... he'd be great company!" The man buys the parrot and goes home. He returns a week later and informs the clerk that the bird has not said a single word! The clerk says "Oh, I know what is wrong... the parrot doesn't have a swing... he loves to swing and he'll start talking." So the man purchases he swing, only to return a week later complaining that the bird still has not said a word. The clerk realizes the parrot does not have a ladder and says, "What you need is this ladder... the bird will climb the ladder, start swinging, and then talk your ear off." So off the man goes, only to return a week later and the bird STILL has not said a word. "I've got just the thing," says the clerk, "here is his mirror... he'll see himself, climb the ladder, start swinging and then he'll talk to you for sure." So off the man goes, again! A week later, the man returns. The clerk asks about the bird. "Well, the bird is dead!" the man replies. "Dead!?!" the clerk exclaims, "Well, did he ever talk to you?" The man replied, "Right before he died he spoke one sentence...'Don't they sell bird food at that store?'"

And now I share this with you...

How often can we apply this to our spiritual life? Depressed and alone we search for Christ. We easily find Him!!! We bring Him home, let Him reside in our heart. But then we search for ways to please Him, only to find that all the "stuff" is not what He asks of us. Does Christ really want for us to volunteer in the nursery, teach classes, and be on the parish council when we are not feeding our soul with His Word? In the Book of James we find that "faith without good works is dead" but what is works without faith? How long can we continue to bring home toys (or do good works) without feeding the parrot (living in God's Word)?

Just something to ponder...

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Too Funny

2009-01-10T18:26:00.002-06:00

Okay... I'm always being told to write down all those funny things my children say (and I haven't ever done it). Why??? Because as much as I want to remember all these funny things...there just aren't enough hours in the day now that we have Sugarcake.

However, this is one for the books...

A little history... when we met the J.'s they had 4 children similar in age and gender. Since then, they have added another child to their crew and Mrs. J. is now pregnant with their 6th child. It has been sometime since we have visited with the J.'s.

We went to visit the J.'s on Friday and later in the day picked up hubby from work. We went to eat supper. While waiting for our food, the children begin telling hubby about our visit with the J.'s. One of the children tells hubby that Mrs. J. is pregnant. To which Sugarcake (who is 5) states...

"That woman needs to get a HOBBY!"

Ummm... apparently she already does.

In love, recovery, and laughter,

ThereO

On the Road Again...

2009-01-07T22:33:00.002-06:00

On the road to recovery again, that is. I've been drifting farther and farther away from the tools of Overeater's Anonymous. Oh, I'm still an overeater... but for some reason, I thought I could just coast. I mean, the millions of people who've been helped by 12 step programs are much worse than I am...right???? And they say you have to use the tools, who do they think they are????Um...well... I can choose to be one of the millions that have been helped or I can coast.

Coasting... an interesting concept isn't it??? I can only coast so long before I'm standing still once again. Or, I can coast quite awhile... if I'm going downhill! Ewww, that's not good. Heading the wrong direction AND picking up speed!!! And how many of us have coasted uphill??? I don't want to coast anymore... I want to live.

Thank you, Nick, for reminding me AGAIN!!! May your memory be eternal!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Starting the Year with a Struggle

2009-01-05T20:38:00.002-06:00

My heart is aching. I knew this was coming but I wasn't prepared. Not that you can really be prepared for the anniversary of a death in the family. Especially when that death is of a young person (14 to be exact). A tragedy that will forever be engraved on my heart. His mom is more than a relative, she is a friend. A friend whose family will never be "complete" on this earth.

When our fourth (and last) child was born, my husband and I both commented on how our family had never felt complete before. It was like something was missing, but we didn't know what or who it was until she was here. My friend knows what is missing, what will always be missing... when they take a family picture, when they sit down to a family meal, when they go on a family vacation... her middle child will always be missing.

My consolation is what is said in the orthodox church... "May his memory be eternal." That is my hope and my prayer. But I want his mom to have more than his memory... I want her to have her son. I suppose Mary felt that way too, when she saw HER son on the cross, when she had to put him in a grave. The Theotokos (the Mother of God) has brought me much comfort over the last year. I've had a glimpse into her pain and she has comforted me through that pain and she's also shared with me that "Gone but not forgotten" is a falsehood. Nick is certainly not forgotten but he is not GONE either. His spirit is ALIVE, alive in those who love him and alive in those he loved. We miss his physical presence but he is still smiling from his heart and his energy still moves through our family.

As deep as our sadness on earth is, I can't even imagine the joy in heaven at having such a beautiful soul among the angels. With all my heart I pray "May his memory be eternal" and may his mom find comfort in the arms of the Theotokos.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Welcome 2009

2009-01-01T22:21:00.002-06:00

Welcome 2009! So glad you are here!

Actually, I found this new year's celebration very different for me. Perhaps it is the ONE DAY AT A TIME mentality that has become my way of life in the past 10 months. In years' past, the change of years has always been a big deal for me. I loved being able to put a close to the stress and difficulties of the old year and look to the promise of the new year. However, usually by the second week of January (and 2008 didn't even take that long) I could see that the new year was no different from any of the ones before and the grind would continue. Becoming a part of a 12 step recovery program opened my eyes to see that I DAILY have the opportunity to put an end to the stress and difficulties of the day and look to the promise of a new day. Every evening is "new year's eve" and every morning is "a new year." And I don't have to worry that I won't have kept my "resolutions" by February... I need only work on myself for TODAY.

Or maybe I'm just getting old....

In love and recovery,

ThereO

New Year's Resolution

2008-12-28T19:49:00.002-06:00

What's your resolution for the new year? My resolution is not to have new year's resolutions any more...LOL! Seriously...I want to be a person who grows ALL year long, not just the first two weeks of the year. That's why this year I'm focusing on the S.I.M.P.L.E. plan.

It's gearing up over there so join us for a S.I.M.P.L.E. New Year!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T22:00:00.001-06:00

May you all have a very blessed Christmas. Enjoy this special time with those you love most and be thankful for all the blessings... I know I am!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

The Mommy in the Mirror

2008-12-18T16:53:00.003-06:00

For many years, I wanted to be the perfect mom. Then I had kids... and what I wanted most then was just to survive the day. Not one single desire to be the perfect mom came even close to preparing me for all the details of real life. And just when I think I've survived the diapers and bottles, along comes the teen years. Now my prayer may have to be that MY KIDS survive having me as a mom!

Why does it seem that things are rolling along, life is being lived and then BAM! God decides maybe mommy needs a wake up call. My wake up call came today in the form of a teenage daughter (and you have no idea how I struggled to type that!) who is just a little bit too much like her mom.

The reflection I saw in my daughter today was that I...
...really want to do the right thing, I'm just not so good about putting that into action.
...find it much easier to do the things "I" prefer to do, not necessarily what has been asked of me.
...want to please my parent (God) but I just really don't like doing some of the stuff He wants me to do.
...think maybe God doesn't notice if I take the shortcut but He does (DARN!).
...find it really easy to lose my purpose and direction.

My heart is heavy. I want to reflect the love of Christ and if my children are to reflect me, then that is what I want to see in them. But I am human and unfortunately I reflect my human-ness pretty well. So my prayer as I close this post is that, as we draw closer to the birth of our Lord, the mommy my children see will be one of the ACTION of LOVE. That what they see in me will draw them closer to Christ and not farther away from Mom.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

So What Is S.I.M.P.L.E.?

2008-12-14T22:13:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm glad you asked. I had this great post planned about our "SIMPLE" Christmas, even had most of it written but that wasn't what was on my heart. Guess I'll have to save that one for later this week... I'm sure you can't wait...LOL!

The dear husband and I have had many talks over the past two years or so about developing a "simple" lifestyle. We live almost in the center of a city that whole-heartedly endorses a "More Is Better" philosophy (the more activities your kids are in the better, the more rooms in your house the better, the more toys you have the better... you get the idea). Well, we've been down that road and it is just not OUR philosophy any more. So what do we do??? We work on making things S.I.M.P.L.E.

Somewhere along the path, I began to see that "simple" was more than a lifestyle I wanted, S.I.M.P.L.E. stood for the areas of my life that I want to focus on. And amazingly enough they line up in order of importance. So let's take a look...

S - Spiritual... this would include my prayer time, bible reading, learning more about my faith, spending time with God, time at church.

I - "I" (well, that would be me...LOL!)... this includes hygiene, health, hobbies, activities that I enjoy.

M - Marriage... these are goals that I have for my marriage, improving my relationship with my husband, activities with him.

P - Parent... these are the goals I have as a parent, ways to improve my communication with my children, activities I want to do with them, discipline, and habits I think they should have regarding hygiene, health and hobbies.

L - Living arrangements... this is the one that includes cleaning, paying bills, menu planning (if I ever did that), laundry, vehicle maintenance.

E - Education... this is important to me because I educate my children at home, but as they grow older, it will probably evolve to my own education or to a career of some sort. If you do have children, but don't school them at home, then this would be for the "Extras" like sports, homework, and things like that.

I've already begun working on these this year but am just now beginning to give this idea a voice. If you read this blog, I hope you will follow me over on S.I.M.P.L.E., as well. And I'd love for you to give it a try and comment on your S.I.M.P.L.E. plans. My hope is to have some planning sessions before the new year and then begin with a more formal S.I.M.P.L.E. plan in January. Hope to see you there!

In love and recovery,

ThereO

This is my brain... on overdrive!

2008-12-08T19:10:00.002-06:00

The good news... my online time has decreased. The bad news... it still needs to decrease a lot more.

The good news... without being online so much, my brain has had time to think about things. The bad news... now my brain is on overdrive thinking about too many things... LOL!

So since this is MY blog, I'm going to use a little piece of it to share what is now clogging up my brain cells (those who are squeamish may want to look away NOW...LOL!)

Thankful Project - This is a project I started because I desire a family focused on Thanksgiving (the act not the holiday). It's a nifty little idea and I can see a big difference after only a week. My thoughts are here wondering if I'm going to be able to do this another 358 days! I know, I know one day at a time.

S.I.M.P.L.E. - Another blog??? I know... why have 2 when I can have 3??? Actually, I've had this brain child spinning around in my head for about a year now. I just decided to get it out there and see what happens. It's hiding out in my brain right now because even though I've started it, I can't quite decide what I want to do with it now... LOL!

The Homeschool - I've got so many plans but that seems as far as they get. Putting it into action has just not been my strength. So how do I move from the great plans I have to activity? Hmmm, that's what I've been wondering too!

The House - There is a phrase in Overeater's Anonymous... "ACTING AS IF." Friday after I posted about my depression, I decided to try it and "act as if" I was in a cleaning mood. Surprisingly, it worked!!! Okay, I'm not done, but this weekend was amazingly productive. In fact, I'm really stunned at how wonderful the kitchen looks... one of my major trouble spots. Of course, I still have much to do and hence, more brain clog.

The Kids - Well, I'm a mom, they are always on my mind. Four kids, four times the brain traffic... need I say more???

The Husband - My dear husband has many things on his mind, therefore, I do too.

ME - Oh gosh, where do I begin??? I'm really wanting to get into digital photography and digital scrapbooking. I want to learn languages. I want to read. I want to play hockey (okay, that one even throws me for a loop... might actually be a good blog topic). I want to play the piano. I want to travel. I want to write. I want to start cooking nutritious meals for my family (I really do, dear husband). I need to make use of the tools of Overeater's Anonymous and get rid of the weight that is keeping me unhealthy. I want to spend time on the hobbies I already enjoy... knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing, smocking, scrapbooking, cross-stitch, music and singing, crafting, painting, I guess the list goes on and on. And some new hobbies... the digital photography and scrapbooking, play station games, bread baking, green products, Russian history, lots of computer stuff (programming and blogging and design, oh my!), and it seems that list is ever-growing as well. And the two biggies on my list (for those of you that didn't doze off by now), I desperately want to start a business of some sort that I can do while I continue to homeschool yet raise enough money to put us in a position so we can do missionary work. Whew!

The Church (God) - This one is pretty much covered in the mission work...LOL! I want to hold those babies in the orphanages in Romania. I can't think about it too much because it just breaks my heart but every time I see a baby, I think of those sweet, unheld babies in orphanages around the world. I want to hold them. I want to let them know that they are not alone, that God loves them and will always be there for them even when we humans fail them. I want to teach our children the blessing of loving those that others have abandoned. I am very fortunate to be part of the community of saints known as the Orthodox Church... I want to not only teach my children the blessing of being an Orthodox Christian but to share that blessing with others.

Oh, did I also mention that I've got Christmas and travel plans and gifts on the brain. Wait, it may have exploded!!! Nope, I think it's just EMPTY now that I've gotten it all out on the blog

:-)

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Rhythm Song - Week 3

2008-12-04T00:09:00.002-06:00

It has not escaped my noticing that the third week of moving towards a rhythm has begun. I've been occupied with the NEW project but I'm still plugging away at this one. This week's focus is some parenting issues that I need to get in place.

I have definitely not succeeded this past two weeks as I had hoped. I still have some things to do before the homeschool list is complete. And, let's just say, in regards to the house stuff... ewww, not enough time in a year to get that one done...lol! So I will keep moving on with my weeks but still try to wrap those up as well.

I know many things have not been accomplished because, well, there are just too many things to be done... LOL!!!! But I've really been struggling these past few weeks with depression as well, and let's face it, who wants to do something(or anything, for that matter) when it takes every ounce of energy to get a diet dr. pepper? I have realized however, that I have the desire to get things done, just not the physical initiative to get going. My OA program is lacking, my spiritual fire has fizzled, my joy and peace are non-existent. So now what? So now I pray and I ask God to show me how to find that joy and peace. I hear Him already but do I want to obey? And what if disobedience just leads to more depression... probably shouldn't go that route.

Oh, I just hate it when God wants me to spend less time on the computer...LOL! But, yep, that's what I hear. Darn! And improve my emotional connections with the kids... geez, how convenient... on parent week :-) And of course, God wouldn't forget HBD - perhaps I should listen more and talk less? And I definitely know he wants me to find some quiet time.... HELLO? Do you know what time of year this is, God? Do you know what my to do list looks like??? Hmmm, yep, You probably do... on all accounts.

If I honestly listen, it really sounds like God wants me to listen to the music before I try to set a rhythm. May the songs of your life bring you joy this week.

In love and recovery,

ThereO

Thanksgiving-Inspired

2008-12-01T18:28:00.003-06:00

I've been busy working on my "Thanksgiving" project. It's not exactly as I want it yet but I'm almost there.

But first I want to share my plans for helping my children to keep "Thanksgiving" in Christmas. I've been busy finding ornaments for the kids to make. In fact, I've got one ornament planned every day from now until Christmas. 24 ornaments...yikes!... but before you head for the anti-anxiety medicine (or perhaps guess that maybe I've had too many of mine...LOL) let me share that most of these are very SIMPLE. Most need only a few items that I found at the dollar store. So where does "Thanksgiving" come in? As we create our ornaments, each of the kids will have to pick one thing to give thanks over and then explain why they are thankful for that particular person or thing. I want them to dig deeper than "I'm thankful for the trees." Then each ornament will be hung on a tree in their room. SIMPLE (some of you may not know that is one of my very favorite words).

Now, on to the project. I have created a second blog. For the next 365 evenings, I am going to post what each member of our family is thankful for and why. I'm hoping I can get the "old folks" to participate as well. I'm hoping there will be a difference in my family next December 1st that I will be... well... THANKFUL to see. Please join me and the family as we make 2009 the Year of Thanksgiving. Hope to see you over at the Thankful Project.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

A Song of Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T12:08:00.003-06:00

So while the rest of mainstream America celebrates Thanksgiving with the traditional turkey and ALL the trimmings, our family has opted out of the custom. Why you may ask? Several reasons... 1-my dear sweet husband is a vegetarian-wannabe vegan, 2-our family is orthodox and we are in a time of fasting, 3-I'm a compulsive overeater and this day FEEDS (pun intended) into that, 4- we are quickly moving away from being a "traditional" American family, 5-I'm wanting to create a family life that celebrates "thanksgiving" every day!

Soooo... I've already begun looking at ways to keep the family focused on thanksgiving on a daily basis. One of my ways to incorporate this will be to begin posting "A Song of Thanksgiving" on Thursdays... beginning today of course. And my hope is to post very soon on my plan to keep "thanksgiving" happening during the Christmas season.

My Song of Thanksgiving...
1. For my God, who loves me and has given me this beautiful life on a daily basis (whether I am thankful for it on a daily basis or not).
2. For my dear sweet husband, who challenges me and who wants to show me on a daily basis that the "road less travelled" is usually the one worth following.
3. For princess, who teaches me WAY more about myself than I really want to know.
4. For rosebud, who has shown me how to be enthusiastic.
5. For stinkbug, who STILL likes to hold my hand and sit by me, even though he is 8.
6. For sugarcake, who keeps me younger than I should be while making me feel REAL old!
7. For Overeaters Anonymous, who has taught me what this disease does to me AND has also shown me what true thanksgiving is.

And my bonus verse...
8. For the Dallas Stars, who won last night....YEA!!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

TIME to get real

2008-11-24T15:09:00.003-06:00

Okay, I'm coming clean. The TIME for school post is just NOT me. Well, not what I'm wanting from this life, at least. Reading back over it (and thanks for your comment Pres. Kathy) I realize that it is just not realistic to get all of that done this week, nor does it lend itself to the rhythm that I'm seeking. It's basically a to do list. I'm always going to have a to do list but it is HOW I accomplish the to do list that I did not address and that is where I am wanting to find the rhythm.

So back to the drawing board. The time slots for school activities went well today and I definitely want to continue with that. It really seemed to give us a rhythm and although the kids really balked at first, by the end of the day, they did seem a bit more joyful knowing what to expect. I'm tossing the plan for the week in yesterday's post and instead I will focus on papers and finances until those are done... then I'll worry about what to tackle next on the HOME list. Just as with the SCHOOL week, I'm hoping that once that area is complete I'll be able to see where that component of my life fits into the rhythm.

So for now the rest of the house will just have to be as it is (sorry dear husband...LOL) until the papers are done. But I have a feeling this will all be worth it.

Blessings to you all!
In love and recovery,
Therese

TIME for School

2008-11-23T22:14:00.003-06:00

One week down... five to go...LOL! So how did school week go? Let's just say the inside area is awesome. The outside area... not so much! But I feel organized going into Monday for the first time since beginning this journey. Schedules have been made for the children. Books are sorted and organized and papers for our history unit are in their notebooks. Our schooling lately could best be described as "unschooling" but I'm hoping this past week will move us more towards a happy-medium eclectic.

So as I embark upon the next week of tasks, I'm so wishing there were 12 weeks until 2009. This week finds me at the "HOME" area of my life. And probably the area that needs the most attention. This area consists of not only the actual house but also finances and papers. So the plan for this week...

Monday - finances, bedroom, bathroom, living area.
Tuesday - papers, bedroom, bathroom, living area.
Wednesday - finances, bedroom, bathroom, misc areas (washroom, hallway, etc)
Friday - papers, bedroom, kitchen
Weekend - garage and yard

This is where things already begin to get tricky. "Scheduling" the tasks of the coming week within the schedule developed from this past week. So with that thought, I should move on to bed and get a good night's sleep. It sounds like a busy week... LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

An Idea for Christmas

2008-11-19T13:25:00.002-06:00

(Click on the title above to see what I'm talking about)

How cool do these games look? I'm hoping to win one for Christmas but if I don't, I might have to get one anyway! I'm sure someone on my list would want one of these.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Finding a Rhythm

2008-11-17T17:46:00.005-06:00

As I've struggled with making sense of time and how to use it wisely or efficiently, I find that I'm moving toward wanting a RHYTHM. It makes sense, doesn't it? Our days have a rhythm and we can tap into that or fight against it. I've been fighting against it. Why... back to the drawing board... didn't really know about rhythm or how to create it, too much to do before I can even see a rhythm, distracting children,...hmmm, I bet you get the idea.

We've got 6 weeks left of the year. Eeewwww! But the good news is, I'm making my resolutions now so I can begin 2009 with a rhythm in place. I'm very encouraged and motivated. Wouldn't it be great to start the new year in a good place instead of feeling so behind on January 1? Will it be easy??? Heck NO, I'm already feeling exhausted and it's only Monday of the first week...LOL! But I can see this being good for me and for this family. What if our 4 little darlings were to learn this now? What if our little darlings found the rhythm to their days and got started now... they wouldn't have to deal with excess and not enough time. They wouldn't have to deal with the struggles of "time."

So where does this six week journey begin? Our Homeschool! I'm only 2 and a half years late in doing this... but hey, I know what it's like now... right? So this week will focus on organizing, planning, cleaning and creating the homeschool that all of us in this family dream of... Well within the confines of our home. Our homeschool is divide into two areas. The breakfast area is the heart of our homeschool. This is where the children keep their assignments and I keep planning materials and supplies. This is also where we do our table work. Our storage area is in the garage. That's where we keep last years books and activities and future books and activities. Monday's task consisted of moving everything out of the breakfast area into the den. A very thorough cleaning job was done and now the big furniture has been cleaned and moved back into the area. Okay so I would have loved to have gotten more done but this is where I stopped. I do have supper in the oven so that's a major difference between this week and all the weeks before.

The plan for Tuesday...
Do the supper thing again. Find all notebooks, books and activities that the children will be using for the rest of the school year. Put those away in the breakfast area. Update lesson plans and grading. Basically get that area complete. The rest of the week will be devoted to the storage items in the garage and making decisions on selling/donating items and/or organizing and documenting all the items we keep. I'm also hoping to get our library books organized and finding a rhythm to that process.

I'm feeling the "rhythm" already...LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Oh Yeah, Baby!!!

2008-11-10T21:46:00.006-06:00

This is Mr. Turco... Dallas Stars goalie

Modano... nuf said!

My #3 man... Robidas (oh, and my #2 man is in the picture too)

#2 Grossman... Sugar Cake just faints every time his name is mentioned!

This is actually my second attempt at this. The first failed miserably and didn't make it to a post. My "STARS" I think I've got it. Took the pictures... downloaded them to the computer... found them on the computer (LOL) and posted them here. YEA!!!

I Agree

2008-11-06T23:42:00.002-06:00

Yep, you heard it here first... I agree, Louis. In fact, I was thinking about it today as I was going about NOT doing what was on the list. After writing it down, it really sounds silly to try and accomplish THAT much. Especially with all the "day to day stuff" NOT written down. Soooo.... just like the food, I need to cut WAY back.

The plan for Friday....
HOPE - group school, organize, update lessons for all 4, library
HOME - return cabinet, find game cabinet, papers/mail
OTHER - get pictures developed, quilt baby blanket, the old folks

I would still like to cut the list a LOT more. In fact, here is what I am aiming for...
HOPE - group school, princess school, rosebud school, stinkbug school, sugarcake school, ONE THING
HOME - supper, laundry, ONE THING
OTHER - the old folks, ONE THING

So my goals for this weekend are to do some organizing of school, meals, and house so that I can begin my new "time diet" on Monday. Wish me luck!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time Update

2008-11-05T20:11:00.003-06:00

So how did I do??? Well, considering it was a trial, I guess it would be worth continuing. I ended up accomplishing about half of the list. Now, I'll be honest... there are two things on the list I haven't done but will be doing after my update... when those are done then I'm at about half. I know I would have been able to accomplish more if the family outing had not taken longer than expected. But that is a part of life... some things take longer than expected. On the other hand, I was able to finish assembling the cabinet in NO time because a piece was broken...LOL...which in the long run will take MORE time because now I have to return it. Arrrggghhh!!!!

The plan for Thursday...

HOPE - group school, organization, Princess school, Rosebud school, Stinkbug school, reference books
HOME - papers/mail, glue puzzle, return cabinet, get seasonal decorations
OTHER - sew/quilt baby blanket, Ipods, sew pillows, digital camera, visit the "old folks", get pictures developed

We'll see if being home more will be helpful or if I need to look at cutting down what I'm hoping to do in a day. Only TIME will tell...LOL!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time... again!

2008-11-04T22:43:00.002-06:00

I must say, I have a very exciting post planned. But I just can't post it until I have figured out how to download my pictures to the computer. DARN!!! Guess, I'll have to post on time... again!

It occurred to me this afternoon that using the tools of OA has really helped bring about a huge change in which foods I eat. The number one tool I use is turning in a food plan to my sponsor. So, I'm going to turn in a "time plan" to my blog. Not sure if it will work out the same way but I hope to find that by giving myself a sense of my day on the night before that I will be able to use my time in a more efficient way.

So what's on the agenda for tomorrow...
HOPE (our homeschool) - group school, Princess school, Rosebud school, History book list, History craft list, some organization
HOME - papers/mail, laundry, put cabinet together
OTHER - sew and quilt baby blanket, Ipods, Digital camera, visit the "old folks," a family time field trip

Okay... we'll see what happens.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

I Had A Dream...

2008-11-02T17:28:00.002-06:00

I really did! And I somewhat remember it. It was about how I spent my time. Hmmm.....

I was given an assignment... sort of a school type thing. And we had to use some clay materials. I spent all my time on trying to design the clay stuff for a very unique cover and did absolutely nothing on the assignment. By the time the project is due, I'm still trying to finish up the clay part and have done absolutely nothing on the actual assignment.

So, while I'm no dream analyst, I did have some of this type of stuff in psychology classes. And even if I didn't, I don't think the implications could be more obvious. I'm not focusing on the important stuff when I use my time. Well, I'm working on stuff, just not the right stuff. I'm wanting to look at the details. I'm wanting to do the creative stuff. It's a matter of putting the rocks in the jar first and I'm just not doing that now. The assignment probably would have taken 15-20 minutes... so why spend 8 hours on "designing" the cover? Why spend my days on reviewing all of my lists to do instead of just "doing" what needs to be done? Not that lists aren't important... many days I would have completely forgotten important tasks if not for lists. But why so much focus lately??? Perhaps my way of feeling in control???

And let's face it, our kids do WAY too much. Not that it's a bad thing but with everything else going on, the time away from home was constant. So, we are taking a break for awhile... no basketball, no theater. We'll see where we are after the new year... and how the old folks are doing.

And it could be I just didn't have a productive week last week because I was recuperating from the past three months! It's amazing how different I feel after a hot date with the hubby. And what I didn't learn from the dream, was something discussed on our date... it's not a matter of time, it's not a matter of desire/motivation, IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE. Let's be real... even in the dream... I had time to complete the assignment, I had the desire and motivation to complete the assignment, what I didn't do was make the best CHOICE.

To be continued.... again......

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Time

2008-10-31T23:58:00.002-05:00

Okay, so Louis has been doing some pondering and so have I. My ponderings have to do with time. Lately I find myself frustrated by the lack of time to do things that I really want to do. So my question is... why? Doesn't everyone have 24 hours? Doesn't everyone have 7 days in a week? If this is so, then why does it seem that some are powerhouses for getting everything done?

Is it just me, or do some people always have a clean house? How come some people cook supper for their family every night? How come some folks are really dedicated in their homeschool schedule? How is it some people have the time to do things they enjoy? AND my biggest annoyance??? How come some people seem to be able to DO IT ALL?

So I'm pondering this and perhaps you can help... here are the reasons I've come up with so far (besides the obvious... they have fewer kids, they don't have parents living with them)...

1. I spend too much time on stuff that doesn't matter.
2. I'm still playing "catch up" from not really being that good at all this "life" stuff.
3. They have some secret I'm not aware of.
4. They don't do as many activities as we do.
5. They don't enjoy doing as many things/hobbies as I do.
6. They stay home more.
7. I have too much "down time."
8. I don't have enough "down time."
9. I don't get up early enough.

For awhile there, things seemed to really click. Now they aren't. Not that it was great when it was clicking... I still had a messy garage, I still had piles of papers to sort through... So, I'm putting this out there... what are other reasons you can think of??? I know I can't fix the problem if I don't know what the problem is... so for now, what are the reasons YOU struggle with time crunch? Or what do you think my reasons are?

To be continued...

In love and recovery,
Therese

Pictures

2008-10-30T18:20:00.003-05:00

OMG! I did it! How about that picture in the header??? Well, I'm not ready for a career but I'm totally pumped about figuring this out. Now I just need to get all my pictures downloaded to the computer...LOL! Where are you, hubby???

In love and recovery,
ThereO

WHEW!

2008-10-26T21:58:00.002-05:00

Ahhhh! I can say that now because "hell week" is over. No, I'm not in college but I do have 4 kids in way too many activities. This week/weekend was the play of our oldest (well, 4 performances of the play). We also wrapped up soccer, soccer, and football. Guess I'll have to update the sidebars again...LOL! My dad returned to the hospital this week and the variety of other things that occur in a week are wrapping up.

I had hoped this weekend to have a little bit of "mommy time" as we call it at our house. No such luck. No problem... just a set back on my chance to get my thoughts in order. As much as I want to live SIMPLE, it just isn't happening right now. And I need to think about that and figure out how I am going to turn this CHAOS of a life into a PEACEFUL existence... regardless of how many people are squeezed into our house right now.

So, I'll use my opportunity to blog for a little free thought... the first step is to recommit to the Overeaters Anonymous lifestyle. Strengthening my almost non-existent spiritual life. Committing my food plan to my sponsor each night. Delete those things in my day to day life which are keeping me from strengthening my almost non-existent spiritual life. Second step is to commit to my husband that we will follow our new homeschool schedule... and then do it. I say this bearing down on a week of complete unknowns, because I won't be able to determine when my dad is released from the hospital or if I will need to be there for any CT scans. But regardless, I guess the second step is not so much commitment to the schedule but commitment to the commitment to homeschool. Third step, perhaps, should be getting the house in order. I feel so out of sorts when the house is chaotic and that is definitely contributing to the chaos now. But where does that time come from??? Duh... the higher power... in my case, God.

Which I guess should clue me in on why things aren't clicking along in my life at this time... I'M trying to do too much, not giving it over to God to work it out for me. Oh yea, I pay great lip-service to the big guy... lots of thanksgiving, lots of SAYING "lead me day" just not allowing Him to do it. I guess saying it first thing in the morning isn't enough... perhaps I need to do that more often in the day. Perhaps that will be my game plan for Monday... well, if I remember... LOL! Going to bed... still trying to catch up on sleep after a night with dad at the hospital. Oh, and if God does a good job getting all my stuff done this week then perhaps next weekend I'll learn how to download those pictures... LOL!!!!

In love and recovery,
ThereO

Hmmm...it makes me wonder

2008-10-23T15:39:00.002-05:00

Well... it makes me laugh a little bit too. Trying to find ANYTHING to do so I wouldn't have to do the 9 million things I NEED to do, I decided to post to this little blog here. As you can see, things are fine now but when I went to write my post, I kept getting a message that blogger was down. What are the chances??? It's not like I'm blogging ALL the time!

School was a bust today. Some cleaning did get done but there is soooo much more to do. Haven't been to the grocery store either but a very dear friend is in town and came to visit. That was a very pleasant surprise amidst the chaos. Reminds me that way too much of my life is spent doing things that don't move me along MY path. But then I begin to ponder exactly what that means... because realistically, if you know me at all you know that I don't like to do laundry. It is just a drag... especially with a 5 year old that thinks changing clothes is an hourly event. But is the quality of my life better for not doing the laundry??? Hmmm... things take on a different perspective when I look at them that way. So perhaps living the life I want is more about doing things that improve the quality of my life, not just doing things that I enjoy.

I did a good job procrastinating... I'm very good at that by the way. So I guess perhaps I should go and improve the quality of my life some more. Or I could look at houses on the internet since it looks like the "old folks" will be here LOTS longer, or I could read some blogs, or I could call my dear husband, or I could work on the puzzle, or I could....

Update

2008-10-15T13:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, all the sidebars have been updated.
The "old folks" should be heading back to their home in less than a week.
Perhaps I'll be able to post more often than every 6 months :-)
And one of the days I'm gonna learn to post pictures.

In love and recovery,
ThereO

I'm back

2008-03-06T22:52:00.002-06:00

Hard to believe that it has been 4 months since I've posted. I've been hard at "work" at the simple lifestyle. I've learned a LOT but there have been a few huge bumps in the road. Number one on the list is that we lost a beloved family member in January...only 14! We are all still struggling. Through all of the pain something amazing is happening though. Through all of this, I was introduce to Overeaters Anonymous. It has literally saved my life. It is definitely not just a diet...tried all of those! This is about so much more. It's already been a lot of work. But I guess saving my life IS a lot of work.

I guess I need to do some work on this blog as well...lol. Perhaps now that some pieces are falling into place I will be able to spend a little more time here....sharing some of the songs we've been singing :-)

Blessings,
ThereO

Simple Ain't that Easy

2007-11-04T22:31:00.000-06:00

Not really sure how else to say it....SIMPLE, well, it's not really SIMPLE. I never realized how much work goes into being SIMPLE!!! I don't guess it's really that difficult, just hard to break old habits and replace with new ones. But that is the work of any change, right?

So far, simplification has greatly improved our living conditions. One-third of the house has received its makeover and what a tremendous difference it has made. I can see all of our moods improving. And I actually feel like cooking in the kitchen...LOL! It is just the whole process of simplifying that is not quite that easy. It's a LOT of work. But for now, FOCUS is the key word. The other thing I've had to come to terms with is what is under my control. As hard as it is for me to admit, I cannot do it all......gasp!!! So in simplifying our living areas, I've had to put things on the list for dh and realize that those things are not my responsibility. Believe me, I have plenty of things to concern myself about so why I have felt for all these years it is necessary for me to carry the burden of everyone else's concerns I don't guess I will ever understand. But for now I need to focus on leaving other people to take care of their responsibilities and for me to take care of MY responsibilities.

Things are slowly coming around for homeschooling as well. I have a set of Ray's Arithmetic and McGuffey Readers. Tomorrow we begin those in the hopes of simplifying our education process. I am also reading a book that I wonder if it was written just for me. It is called Easy Homeschooling Techniques and it is just amazing how parallel it is to what I have been thinking and wanting for our life.

I will check back in when I've got a few days of homeschooling under my belt and a few more chapters of the book read :-)

For now....
In Christ,
ThereO

Simply simple

2007-10-24T22:14:00.000-05:00

Things have not been going very well lately. My dad has been sick and this week he went for a follow-up procedure. He actually cried on the phone with me...that's huge. He's depressed.....I'm depressed.....uuuggghh. Considering that dh lost his dad just a little over a year ago, he's not really in a postition to deal, if you know what I mean. Even before my dad got sick we were considering a move to their town and made some serious attempts to do so, but to no avail. Then things got kind of weird with my parents because of some of their health decisions and dh decided that was the last place we needed to be. So you might say I've been riding the roller coaster on that one. Of course, I'd still love to move close to my folks. Then a few days ago dh rides my case because I want to buy something for the house and that's not necessary because we need to move anyway??????WHAT?????? Now he's talking about moving there again????? Oh geez! We are all totally on edge. The kids are wiggin out because they have no idea what to expect. They stay up way too late and have way too much time on their hands.

So after taking a breather today and thinking about things I realized this life has become WAY too complicated and that is not what God asks of us....is it??? Nope, according to Jesus, it is REAL SIMPLE...love God, love your neighbor. Okay, well we can apply that to everything else as well.....soooo....today we began our SIMPLE life. Two choices for breakfast, two choices for lunch, two choices for supper. SIMPLE. The new flooring needs to be finished and then each room receives a SIMPLE make-over. Declutter extreme! For the kids, that means a week's worth of clothing and a handful (or less) of toys. For me, that means a week's worth of clothing and a FEW books (e-gads!!!! maybe this isn't such a good idea afterall...LOL!). For homeschooling that means math and reading. Perhaps we will add back a few things as we get better at this but for now....SIMPLE! LOL! The kids are already tired of hearing me say it. Of course, it also means that instead of giving them a lengthy speech about stuff, they get a SIMPLE "you should/n't do this because x." It also means they are told ONE time...so far so good....we'll see when it has been in practice a full 24 hours....LOL!

But for now, our definition of life and it's approach is, well, SIMPLE, really!
Simply in Christ,
ThereO

Cowboy win?????

2007-10-08T23:44:00.000-05:00

Well, I must say after the stressful day today I was quite ready to relax and watch MNF. Definitely watched the game....but relax????? Whew....not with the nail-biter I saw tonight. It is unbelievable that DC could win after ALL the mistakes but they pulled it out over the BB in the last second. Now I can look forward to a game of the unbeatens...DC and NEP.

The stress....let's see....it started off with a shot to the still-painful ankle. Dh and Princess went to a funeral for an aunt of dh. And if that wasn't enough, my dear dad and mom are not doing so well. One thing I can say....the game definitely got my mind off of all that :-)

Blessings,
ThereO

A New Start

2007-10-06T17:37:00.000-05:00

All right....this isn't technically a "new start," not blogging-ly-speaking that is. This is my first attempt at blogging. This is a new start however at MOVING FORWARD. I am definitely not a literary genius but I've long wanted to create a blog and so here it is. As part of moving forward in life, I am creating this blog to help in documenting the songs of our family.

Blessings to All!
ThereO