Thankful Thursday

After my much prayed-over and heartfelt Thankful Thursday post last week, anything else I may be thankful for, I'm afraid, will sound trivial and material.  :-)  That being said, I am so, so grateful for the gift that my hubby gave me.  I laughed because we picked it up on January 6th and started singing, "On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...." 

My old and trusty camera has been starting to go.  The playback button only works when it feels like it and the flash is much the same.  That camera has seen and photographed so much over the past few years.  I am one of those people whose cameras are never far away.  As you have seen in my posts, I take pictures of the kids baking, reading, playing...  I take hundreds of pictures on a family vacation.  I try to capture special moments as much as I can, as they are fleeting and gone in an instant.

Well, hubby said he wanted to get me a "real" camera and a real camera it certainly is.  I am a bit apprehensive, just at the sight of it, but am in awe of all of the possibility that awaits in the photographs yet to be taken with this incredible piece of equipment.

So, I am not just grateful for the wonderful material gift (which is awesome!), but the wonderful, thoughtful person who picked it out for me!

Join me at Red Oak Lane today and let us know what you are grateful for on this Thankful Thursday.

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-up January 6th

Well, it was back to the grind this week.  We certainly were relaxed and informal-- just the way we like it!  :-)

In my life/homeschool this week: Monday was the legal holiday and hubby was off from work, so the kiddos were off from school!  It was fun to have one last day to relax and enjoy, especially after being up so late on Saturday night!  :-)  The kiddos had their music lessons and we all enjoyed watching the "Winter Classic" ice hockey game, even though our home team lost.

Tuesday found us getting some much needed organization done with our work and papers and were able to finish up some work that we had started before Advent.  We have been putting together lapbooks as a cumulative project over the course of our studies.  We also continued reading the next book in the "Little House" series and the next chapter in "Just David."  What an inspirational and heartwarming book.  It was actually free on Kindle because it has been in the public domain for some time.  I highly recommend it.

On Wednesday, we started the American Governmental System.  We talked about the 3 branches of government and the function of each.  We also talked about God's Law (the 10 Commandments) and how laws are made in our country, ideally, using God's moral law as a guide.  We also began our memory verse for the week: Isaiah 41:10. 

On Thursday morning, as I had promised them, we baked sugar cookies.  I also mentioned our cookie baking in my Thankful Thursday post. 

We also learned about the hypothalamus gland.  I didn't know that during a stressful time, blood is actually taken away from the surface of our body, not only to better oxygenate the "necessary" areas, but to prevent excessive bleeding if an injury was to occur.  I also wasn't aware that the stomach and digestive systems shut down.  If someone's stomach is "in knots," it is probably because there is gas trapped in there with the partially undigested food!  My boys got a kick out of that one.  Go figure!  :-)

Friday, the feast of the Three Kings, or the Epiphany, had us making special crafts, bringing the Wise Men to our Nativity scene and reading the story from the Bible.

I didn't know that in Germany, every year around Epiphany, children used to go from house to house dressed up as three kings to sing and collect a special offering for poor children.  Before they would leave they would mark the doorways of the house with a blessing which would remain on the doorframe for the rest of the year.  In the Middle Ages, the family would process through the house with the father carrying charcoal and a child carrying incense.  Each room of the house would be blessed.

So, we made our own signs to put above the doorways of our house.  They include the initials of the Magi together with the year and several crosses.  It stands for "Anno Domini 2012- Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar" (although many say that these initials stand for the Latin phrase: Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means Christ bless this house.  :-)

We asked God to bless those who live in each room with pure minds and loving hearts and the wisdom to follow God's will in all that they say, whether they're involved in work, rest, or play and to protect the whole family from evil and sin when they are in that room.

This tradition of blessing rooms and doorways symbolizes our family's commitment to welcome Christ into our home on a daily basis throughout the year.

What I'm reading: "Just David" with the kiddos, my Bible for an online study that begins next week (I am really looking forward to it!) and the founding documents of the U.S. for a weekly discussion on another mom's blog.

What's cooking this week: leftover turkey from New Year's Day, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, chicken with mushrooms and rice, pizza....

I'm grateful for:  the gift of a new year with unlimited possibilities and much promise.  Read my Thankful Thursday post for a whole list.  :-)

I'm praying for: my family, friends in need, those who are ill or who have lost their jobs....

A quote or photograph to share: "What is true is true, regardless of how many or how few subscribe to it.  Our duty is to adhere to truth, even if that means being odd man out."-- Paul Claudel

In honor of the feast of the Epiphany today, I am adding a second quote that I just got in an email:

"If the Magi had come in search of an earthly King, they would have been disconcerted at finding that they had taken the trouble to come such a long way for nothing. Consequently they would have neither adored nor offered gifts. But since they sought a heavenly King, though they found in Him no signs of royal pre-eminence, yet, content with the testimony of the star alone, they adored: for they saw a man, and they acknowledged a God".- Saint John Chrysostom (347-407) Feast of the Epiphany, January 6

I am linking up with the Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-up this week.

Thankful Thursday

Thanks to Theresa for hosting the linkup and inviting me to join in!

I think as this new year begins, I am most grateful for just that: a new year-- the opportunity and the gift of a new beginning, a clean slate with endless promise and possibility.

I am also especially thankful for my children and the blessing of homeschooling.  I love their smiles and how much fun we have had together.  I couldn't imagine now not being with them for 8+ hours a day and not sharing everything that we have shared and learned together.  It is wonderful how helpful (for the most part, lol!) they are to each other and how they are developing kind, servant's hearts.

I love when we can cuddle on the couch and read a book together, bake cookies when it behooves us

and even get down to work in their pajamas.  :-)

I am thankful for my husband, who has worked such long, hard hours these past few months, working 6 days a week, even through painful injuries.  He is a dedicated father and husband, for whom I am extremely grateful.  This enabled us to give the children a wonderful Christmas and pay off some bills.  I am thankful for my parents, who have been very helpful and supportive.

I am thankful to live in a country where we have freedom; freedom that certainly isn't free.

 As I get older, I think I appreciate even more the incredible sacrifices that have had to be made for us to live the way we do and take so much for granted.  I will be participating in a friend's weekly study of our founding documents.  I believe that we owe it to the founders, who gave and sacrificed so much to conduct an experiment-- a precious experiment in liberty.  It goes without saying that I am thankful for the soldiers who defend and protect that experiment every day, with no thought of the danger or risk.  My husband, my soldier, still remains my greatest hero.

I have been very blessed to "meet" some wonderful women in the blogosphere who share the same values and morals that my husband and I do.  I am thankful for their friendship, prayers, fellowship and support. 

And, of course, it goes without saying, that I am most grateful to God: for the incredible gifts I mentioned above that He has given me, the countless gifts I haven't mentioned and the most incredible Gift of all: His Son.

Happy New Year!

After our bowling on New Year's Eve which you can see here, we rang in the New Year with much merriment.  On TV, we watched the ball drop in Times Square, the fireworks on the waterfront in Philadelphia, and then had our own celebration out front with noise makers and poppers.  The kids had so much fun!  How wonderful that they could make as much noise as they wanted without being told to "ssh."  :-)  They literally were out there for a good 30 minutes or more.  Having mild weather was certainly a blessing.  The last two winters were record breakers in the cold and blizzard departments.  I, for one, am not complaining about this little patch of mild weather.

There was also Kiddo #4 decorating the bunk-bed that Pop-Pop and Kiddo #1 made her for her My Twinn doll (who she named Kira) and her American Girl doll (Rebecca).  One of her Christmas wishes was for a "modest doll."  :-))))

Kiddo #3 happily designed a zoo

 and Kiddo #2 played a new game with his sister.

 Kiddo #1, who is quite gifted with building and flying rc aircraft (some of them have wingspans of 6+ feet!), practiced on his simulator.  It is quite impressive how well he handles the aircraft.  He marvels the men in the rc club that he belongs to in how well he handles all of the aircraft (even the 6 foot one!).  They believe that the simulator time has been a great benefit for him.

As one could imagine, getting up for Church on New Year's morning was not easy for any of us.  :-)  The kiddos, at least last night, thought it was pretty special to go to bed around 2am.  I don't know how special it was when they had to wake up in the morning, lol!  Hubby and I were no better.  We decided to watch the end of a movie together after the kiddos went to bed, so needless to say, we were pretty beat, too.  We certainly don't have the stamina we did 20 years ago!  :-)  We will not be starting school until Tuesday since the hubby was off on Monday.  The kids and I really enjoyed the day with him.

The rest of New Year's Day was spent with our family enjoying good food, watching football and watching some of the Mummers' Day parade.  The incredible productions put together by ordinary, everyday "joes" never ceases to amaze me.  They put some broadway productions to shame.  :-)

I pray that your day was special and that after spending some time with the Lord, that you shared it with those who mean the most to you, as well!

Getting ready to welcome in 2012

Our local bowling alley offers a "Family" New Year's Eve celebration from 6-9 pm.  There is unlimited bowling, a buffet, noise makers and much fun to be had.

(Kiddo #4 bowls with her "Pigie" and told us that we each had to take a turn with him for good luck!)

 

It is always a challenge to try to find family-friendly celebrations on New Year's Eve. 

(Our bowlers: me, hubby, my parents, the kiddos and a dear friend of mine who actually was Kiddo #3 and Kiddo #4's pre-K teacher)

I have fond memories of a house full of family and friends to welcome in the New Year.  My parents would host a celebration filled with delicious food, games, music, reminiscing and counting down.  It was always something I looked forward to each year.  Everyone was there-- family from both sides, friends from Church and the neighborhood...  My mom started it as a surprise in 1977, the year we almost lost my dad.  He was in a bad plane crash the beginning of December and was home with us, thank God, by Christmas.  She thought having all of the special people in our lives celebrate New Year's Eve with us would not bring a smile to my dad's face as he recovered, but would allow everyone to be grateful together and thank God that he had made it out alive.  It was such a success that it continued for over 20 years.  My parents moved out of the city to be closer to us 8 years ago and the tradition ended there.  Many in the older generation have since passed away, some of the younger generation have married and moved.  It is sad that one tradition has ended, but now we have begun a new tradition with our children.  We have gone to the bowling alley the last 3 or 4 years and end the evening with some games and seeing if anyone can stay up until midnight to enjoy a festive countdown with some noisemaking.  :-) (I'll post those photos tomorrow!)  :-)

May God bless us all in the New Year and with His Grace, may our best day in 2011 be our worst in 2012!

Some Christmas photos

There isn't an official "weekly" post this week since we are on Christmas break.  :-)

I haven't been on the computer much this Christmas since I feel it is really a time to spend with family, but I did want to post some random photos.

The first few are from Christmas Eve right after Church.  Kiddo #3 had already torn off his "Sunday best" and put on his pajamas (can you say he was just a little bit excited?  lol) and hubby had already taken off his Christmas tie (I did get a photo of it, though), so it was just me and the three kiddos who were still in their outfits!  :-)

The next few are just some shots of the kiddos and some of their favorite gifts.  Of course, I had to include Kiddo #4 in her Christmas dress. 

While I was making pizzelles a few days before Christmas, my 13 year old son comes over to tell me he wants to make a cake.  I tell him that he is more than welcome, but that I can't, unfortunately, offer any assistance because pizzelles are extremely labor intensive and I only have about 30 seconds while each set of two are on the iron.  He sets off with my recipes and I try to advise as I can during that short window.  He told me that he wanted to make a cake because Jesus deserves a birthday cake.  Wow.  I had only made various Christmas cookies up until that point.  I hadn't made a cake.  He made a delicious, moist chocolate cake from scratch and also made my homemade vanilla frosting.  By himself.  And it was delicious; tasting just like a chocolate brownie.  :-)  On Christmas, we found candles and sang "Happy Birthday" to the Lord.  It gave me chills.  :-)

I hope that everyone has had a beautiful and blessed Christmas!  I will "see" you all in the New Year, which I pray that the Lord will bless abundantly with much happiness and love for you, your family and friends!

The Joy in giving....

Every year, we take the kiddos to "Five and Below" and allow them to buy something for each other and for us.  It is truly amazing how much care each of them takes in trying to pick out something that the recipient will truly like. 

They took some time tonight and wrapped each gift.  If the recipient was in the room, he/she was kindly asked to step out for a minute.  (including the adults, lol!)  :-)

I really love how much joy they each get in picking out and wrapping gifts for their siblings and parents.  I hope it reinforces that it is truly better to give than to receive. That is what the season is all about: the giving of the most incredible Gift of all: our Lord and Savior. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful few days before Christmas!  God bless!  :-)