A Catholic Harvest

No more single digits….he’s 10

2012-02-09T07:20:00.001-06:00

Paula

Prayers Needed!

2012-02-06T10:19:00.001-06:00

A fellow Minnesotan blogger needs prayers. Please visit weheartminnesota.com with words of encouragement and support!

Paula

I’m Back!

2012-01-28T09:05:00.001-06:00

It’s been a long five months, lots of offline changes. Suffice it to say that I’m back online, and am enjoying catching up with everyone.

RIP Justice John Simonett

2011-08-10T16:19:00.004-05:00

My mom's cousin died almost two weeks ago. He was a past-president of the Knights of Columbus,and the rather large honor guard escorted the family into the church. The Presider was Fr. Joseph Johnson from the Cathedral of St. Paul, and concelebrants were Fr. Hipwell of Nativity and Fr. Wenzel of the St. Cloud Diocese.

Here is part of the obituary:
John Edward Simonett, died July 28, 2011. Survived by Doris (nee Bogut), his wife of 59 years, and by five children: Two daughters, Mary Wegerson (Edward) and District Judge Martha Simonett (Gabriel Graur); and three sons, John J., Paul E. (Julie) and Luke C. A sixth child, daughter Anne (Hank Shea, now married to Chris Shea), was Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and died in 1995.
Justice Simonett is survived by eight grandchildren: Paul (Barbara) and Sarah Wegerson, Catherine and Joseph Simonett, Henry Shea, S.J. and Claire Simonett Shea, and Tate and Robert Preston, and a great-granddaughter, Madison Wegerson.
Justice Simonett was born on July 12, 1924, at a Mankato hospital and grew up in nearby Le Center. He graduated from St. John's University (magna cum laude) in 1948, with time out for military service (November 1944 - September 1946), including time in the Philippines as a 1st Lt. Inf.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School (magna cum laude) in 1951. He practiced law for 29 years in Little Falls, Minnesota with Senator Gordon Rosenmeier. He was State Deputy of the Minnesota Knights of Columbus (1961-62) and a Charter Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He served as an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (1980-94), following which he joined the Greene Espel Law Firm until his retirement some 10 years later.
Justice Simonett was noted for his legal writing, appellate opinions and good-natured wit.

I don't think anyone will ever forget the bow ties.

My coffee-break-room- with-a-view

2011-08-05T11:50:00.004-05:00

Care to join me?

He's back

2011-07-05T13:45:00.001-05:00

...and he's big.

Uninvited dinner guest

2011-06-16T22:51:00.002-05:00

My. Fifty. Cent. Find.

2011-06-15T07:51:00.007-05:00

VINTAGE Catherine Holm Yellow Lotus bowls. BOWLS!! TWO of them!!

I was at a garage sale last Thursday, several hours after opening. I didn't think I'd find anything, but I was killing time in town so decided to stop and have a looksee. Only a few tables, mostly puzzles, games, clothes, and some knick-knacks. I spied these and wandered over to take a better look. Very good shape. VERY GOOD SHAPE.

Huh.

No price tag.

The seller was talking to someone else, so I patiently waited. And waited. And waited. (seriously, if I'm holding something and obviously want to buy it could you stop talking gossip and wait on me??)

Finally they wrapped up their discussion and I was able to ask her the price. I fully expected to have to write a check for the bowls.

She said, "fifty cents for both of them."

I could NOT get the quarters out of my wallet fast enough.

I’m linking up with Nester’s I {heart} Yard Sales party !

Mama came home

2011-06-14T08:31:00.002-05:00

can you see the babies?

I've got good grass

2011-06-13T08:40:00.002-05:00

Found while weeding...

2011-06-13T08:32:00.005-05:00

Fix It Up Friday is back

2011-06-03T09:44:00.005-05:00

...and I need help with (gasp) the master bedroom.

You can't tell from the pictures (time for a new camera honey!) but the walls are a very calming and relaxing green. It is important to note that Eric is happy with everything in the room.

I don't like the way the bed looks after I make it in the morning.

Yes, I am one of those women.

I make the bed every. morning. like. clockwork.

Even in a hotel.

OCD much??

Here are pictures I took a few minutes ago. I had to have the lights on because it is raining. again.

Don't 'cha love the headboard??? It's priceless...

I look at these pictures and I feel that both the bed and the bench need pillows, but I'm at a loss as to size, style, color, texture, etc.

Main colors in the room are off-white-ivory-cream, brown, and green. There is a lot of wood and tile, and a nubby rug (which you can barely see in the pictures).

I'm open to suggestions.

Oh, and here's the end result of the bathroom.....

Why are the colors coming out so yucky on my blog? It's a very beautiful coffee-kahlua-cream kind of color, not this barfy-diaper color.

New(er) Garage Door

2011-06-01T17:48:00.002-05:00

French Toast Toppings

2011-05-30T18:37:00.001-05:00

Thank you

2011-05-30T09:43:00.003-05:00

to my dad Jerry who was in the Korean conflict

to my uncle Larry who was also in the Korean conflict

to my grampa Charlie who was in WWI

to my great great grampa Morand who fought in our Civil War

to my nephew Jerry who protects us on the home front

to my cousin Paul who is headed to Kuwait

to all our veterans

My desk

2011-05-22T17:45:00.003-05:00

And yes, that is a carp hanging on the wall.

What does your desk look like?

Garage sale finds....LONG post

2011-05-14T16:26:00.006-05:00

This weekend was the city-wide garage sale in our town. It started Thursday, when the weather was much nicer than today. I hit two or three sales on Thursday and 10 or so on Friday.

Here's what I bought...I spent less than $80...

Cute as is, although I may paint it a different color. I'm planning on hanging in my laundry room.

Picture one letter on each of these tiny plaques, spelling out a name, then lining them up in one large frame.

I've been looking for one of these so I can quit borrowing from my friend, my sister, my church. This even has the optional 3-pan server!

I've been looking at different options for bedside lamps, but haven't liked anything. Until I saw two of these. Perfect!

I also found two bedside tables that will work much better for both of us. Here's mine...

and here's his...

I few weeks ago I found an oval frame, and the plan was to have a mirror made for it. Instead, I found this larger oval mirror. All I have to do is spray paint the frame. I'm thinking turquoise...

Not sure where I will put this scale, but I fell in love with the patina and the numbers!

An old baking powder tin from the K. C. Baking Powder company. Love the colors!

Ugly, I know. I want to spray paint it white and use old stencils for a personalized welcome message.

Call me crazy, but I LOVE this baby scale! It is sitting on my kitchen table filled with loaves of bread.

Nice sturdy laundry cart with a shelf to hold up the bag when it is overflowing!

And the absolute BEST. GARAGE. SALE. FIND. EVER.........

From the Paramount Theatre....currently resting on my property....

SCORE!!!!!

Update...

2011-05-11T18:39:00.000-05:00

Feeling cautiously optimistic. Thank you for praying!

Begging Prayers

2011-05-11T07:22:00.000-05:00

Very important court hearing this morning at 9.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T11:54:00.007-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day, and it sounds like everyone else did too!

I want to share the gift from my son.

All the pieces were in a bag, and I had to put it together like a puzzle.

On the back of each piece are hand-written coupons, for things like a free hug, a free kiss, dish washing, etc.

All coupons have an expiration date of July 4, 2011.

The most heartwarming coupon? The one that brought tears to my eyes and laughter to my lips?

This one....

He knows me so well.

Mom?! There's a coyote in the garden...

2011-05-09T11:28:00.004-05:00

That's right, keep on walking.

Thrifty Thursday

2011-05-05T08:50:00.004-05:00

Do you ever buy something without having a place to put it?

No?

Never mind.

I spent $7 at a garage sale last week.

I don't know where to put them. I don't know if I should paint or stain the bench. Ideas??

Daybook 05-02-11

2011-05-02T09:12:00.003-05:00

Outside the window... It's cold and gray and dreary. The temperature is more than 20 degrees below the average. My gardening is so. very. far. behind.

Getting an earful of... peace and quiet.

Grateful for... my life and family. Every day.

Reading... Behemoth. Fascinating teen fiction about alternative events leading to WWI.

Home Learning... we've taken a break for the week.

Liturgical Year... St. Athanasius, Sts. Philip and James...

Hoping and Praying... we had to put a cherished family dog down, and the kids are devastated.

The Kitchen... leftover church hotdish. My son celebrated his First HOly Communion yesterday, and I always make too much food.

Favorite Things... garage sales. WAIT till you see what I bought!

Plans for the Week... cuddling with children, shopping trips, decorating...

Goodbye Ruby

2011-04-28T08:37:00.004-05:00

You were more than a dog or a pet, you were a friend.

We are all going to miss you very much.

Rest in peace.

Thrifty Thursday

2011-03-10T08:52:00.009-06:00

Okay, so I haven't posted one of these for a few weeks. I've been busy!

Today's item is something I made with finds from around the house.

BS....I've been playing around with my own perpetual Liturgical Calendar, and am really happy with the results. I like the idea of keeping a journal, but have never been able to write for longer than a week. I read something several months ago about a perpetual journal, and decided to try to make my own version. (I don't remember where I read about this, if I do I'll let you know!)

I downloaded some wonderful religious images, and printed them out on white cardstock - much sturdier than paper.

I pulled out my date stamper and index cards, and got to work. I cut all the index cards to fit in the basket, then stamped each one with the month and the day. I used my copper pen and wrote the month on the top of each image, in order to use the images as dividers. The basket is a leftover from a January DollarTree shopping visit, and the perfect size.

Every morning I pull out the card for the day, and on the first line I write the year. At the end of the day I jot down anything about the day I want to remember, and then I file it in the back.

I love having this perpetual, visual reminder of all the good things in my life!

(this post is part of the OHOJN T-WHO'S-DAY's Who's Creatively Living Out Loud Link-Up Party!)

Daybook 03-07-11

2011-03-07T07:51:00.002-06:00

Outside the window... we received another 3 inches of snow yesterday, and rumored to get up to 12 inches more tomorrow. What do you think the weather is like here?

Getting an earful of... Bones and laundry. Great combination.

Grateful for... my family.

Reading... one thousand gifts....

Home Learning... almost through with Term 3!

Liturgical Year... Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, busy week.

Hoping and Praying... my oldest and dearest friend whose mom died on Saturday, another friend and a successful pregnancy, my niece and a successful pregnancy, my mom's surgery tomorrow, a very special personal intention.

The Kitchen... leftovers.

Favorite Things... purging, cleaning and organizing

Plans for the Week...doctor appointments, school conference, Mass, dance class...

Daybook 02-28-11

2011-02-28T10:40:00.004-06:00

Outside the window... clear and sunny, but 12 below zero.

Getting an earful of... the washer and the dryer. I'm starting my spring cleaning early.

Grateful for... a special intention that was answered with a resounding yes!

Reading... one thousand gifts....

Home Learning... still plugging along with Term 3.

Liturgical Year... St. Katharine Drexel, St. Casimir, St. Ciaran

Hoping and Praying... my friend and a successful pregnancy, my niece and a successful pregnancy, my mom's upcoming surgery, another friend's wife and her treatments, several other personal intentions.

The Kitchen... steak. A big mouth-watering, medium rare steak. Yum.

Favorite Things... purging, cleaning and organizing

Plans for the Week... mystery reader at school, religious education, dance class, choir concert, Mother-Daughter luncheon, dance competition...another busy week.

Eagle vs. Dogs

2011-02-27T07:25:00.003-06:00

ETA: The fight was over a carp, which is what you see on the ground. It's not an Eagle. As stated in previous posts, no animals were injured during this photo shoot.

Prayers needed

2011-02-25T10:20:00.001-06:00

Please pray for my friend Suzanne.

Thrifty Thursday, updated

2011-02-24T17:30:00.003-06:00

Frames made years ago by my Grampa L.

Memories made by us.

Thrifty Thursday

2011-02-24T12:59:00.004-06:00

or-what-to-do-when-your-kids-are-sick-for-the-second-time-in-three-weeks-and-you-want-to-use-what-you-have...

more pictures shortly...

Daybook 02-21-11

2011-02-21T10:01:00.005-06:00

Outside the window... snowing...10 inches so far...cold

Getting an earful of... kids playing Wii on a snow day!

Grateful for... this life I'm living.

Reading... one thousand gifts....really, really good.

Home Learning... Term 3. We are all suffering burnout, even with the changes.

Liturgical Year... St. Peter Damian, Chair of St. Peter, St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows....

Hoping and Praying... my friend and a successful pregnancy, my niece and a successful pregnancy, my mom's upcoming surgery, another friend's wife and her treatments, my BIL, several other personal intentions.

The Kitchen...Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken - it's Monday!

Favorite Things... snow days!

Plans for the Week... watch Shoes of the Fisherman (it's a tradition), Catholicism 101, religious education, dance...another busy week.

Daybook 02-14-11 Happy St. Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T15:12:00.003-06:00

Outside the window... sunny and 40 - can you believe it?!

Getting an earful of... my husband teasing our daughter. Tomorrow she'll be 12 and way. too. cool. to hang out with her mom and dad.

Grateful for... my husband. again. always.

Reading... A Biblical Walk Through The Mass. Still reading. Wonderful book.

Home Learning... Term 3. Made a few changes last week. So far so good.

Liturgical Year... St. Valentine, Sts. Faustinus & Jovita, The Children of Fatima.

Hoping and Praying... my friend and a successful pregnancy, my niece and a successful pregnancy, my mom's upcoming surgery, another friend's wife and her treatments, my BIL, several other personal intentions.

The Kitchen... hmm. I forgot to thaw the chicken last night and we had errands this morning, so nothing in the crockpot. I think it'll be steak.

Favorite Things... winter vacation!

Plans for the Week... Planning Commission, wrestling, 6th grade Religious education, dance, basketball, choir practice, and a rather large sleepover birthday party!

Fix It Up Friday

2011-02-11T10:00:00.003-06:00

Today we are looking at the main floor bathroom. I took two pictures because I noticed the wall color changes in pictures depending on the lighting. I also see that when the lights are off the glass globes around the bulbs look like the rest of the fixture.

My questions today are (1) should I paint the light fixture an oil-rubbed bronze color and (2) should I paint the covers of the glass cotton ball and cotton swab containers and oil-rubbed bronze?

The towel hook, faucet, toothbrush holder, soap container, switchplate covers, magnifying mirror and all the drawer and cabinet knobs are oil-rubbed bronze. The mirror is wood, but very dark so it looks like everything else.

Thrifty Thursday

2011-02-10T11:28:00.004-06:00

Not a lot of BS on this one.

We've been looking for a couch.

We almost came to blows at one point, and are not afraid to admit it. We went back to one store three. different. times. to look at the same couch.

Then we bought it.

Thirty minutes later we returned it. I am not joking.

Furniture shopping stinks.

Two days after that fiasco, I saw an ad on craigslist. My hubs happened to be in town, so I emailed the seller, asked if the couch was still available and gave him my hubs cell phone number. Then I left to run my own errands.

My husband bought the couch and picked it up the next day.

I still hadn't seen it.

I think he did a pretty good job!

Daybook 02-07-11

2011-02-07T08:09:00.003-06:00

Outside the window... cloudy gray sky, cold air, good weather for hot chocolate-coffee and staying indoors!

Getting an earful of... Wii games. My youngest has strep throat and is living on the couch.

Grateful For... Urgent Care facilities less than 10 miles from home.

Reading... A Biblical Walk Through The Mass. Highly recommend! This is based on the new translation of the Mass beginning this Advent season.

Creating... a clean, healthy home. I'm trying!

The Learning Room... Term 3. We need to change things up a bit. Last week was horrid.

Liturgical Year... St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Appollonia, St. Scholastica, Our Lady of Lourdes. Lots of tea party material!

Hoping and Praying... my son recovering from strep, my friend and a successful pregnancy, my niece and a successful pregnancy, my mom's upcoming surgery, another friend's wife and her treatments, my BIL, several other personal intentions.

The Kitchen... plenty of leftovers from two days of birthday parties, so no cooking today!

Favorite Things... being home with my kids. I know I've stated this before, but it is at the top of my list.

Plans for the Week... Catholic 101 class, Parish Council meeting, wrestling, 6th grade Religious education, Homeschool coop, and dance. Of course, attendance is dependent on my sons recovery from strep throat!

Fix It Up Friday

2011-02-04T06:35:00.005-06:00

A new feature!

How would you like to help me redesign, redecorate, reorganize, re-anything my home? I have run out of ideas and I need inspiration.

I'll tell you what I like - warm autumn colors and clutter-free horizontal spaces. I like aspects of many design styles, but would not want a room filled with only one style.

So, here are a few pictures of our kitchen/living room/my office/winter homeschool room.

For reference, the room is 15' 7" wide by 25' long. The oven and sink are on the south wall, and there are sliding glass doors on the north wall of the living room.

Yes, that is a stuffed carp on the wall. It's a record. It can't be moved.

Have fun!

Thrifty Thursday, continued

2011-02-03T17:03:00.003-06:00

Because she asked... 5 large shelves!!

Thrifty Thursday

2011-02-03T10:56:00.004-06:00

So I thought today was Wednesday.

That's what happens when you are a family with two children and then one night you encourage six other children to come and stay for two nights and days. We are having a great time....

On to the BS.

I think my Father-in-law (FIL) wishes he had Caller ID so he would know when I'm calling. Our conversations usually start with me asking what he is doing, then asking if he'd like to help me out, and then describing the predicament/situation I'm in.

I could be stuck in a ditch during the day.

I could be broken down on the side of the road in the middle of the night.

I could be at a thrift store and need a truck to haul the fabulous but ugly cabinet I just bought super-duper-cheap....

He generally says yes, and then comes to help. Sometimes he gives me looks, and shakes his head, because he thinks I bought something completely ugly and useless.

But I ignore him, because I see the potential.

Kitchen Pantry Cupboard, purchased 2005

Daybook 01-31-11

2011-01-31T12:04:00.003-06:00

Outside My Window... snow. again. I love the seasons, but I'm getting tired of the constant snow.

I Am Listening To... the washer and dryer. I have massive amounts of laundry today.

I Am Wearing... black t-shirt, blue jeans, slippers. Just trying to stay warm.

I Am Grateful For... my husband.

I Am Reading... decorating magazines. I need inspiration.

I Am Creating... ideas. Lots and lots of ideas.

From the Learning Room... Term 3!

To Live the Liturgy... St. John Bosco, Candlemas....

I Am Hoping and Praying... for some very personal intentions. Still.

From the Kitchen... Crock-pot chicken, salad for me

One of my Favorite Things... reading

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... we have 6 children under the age of 8 coming to stay with us for several days. Fun!!

Clarification

2011-01-30T14:54:00.003-06:00

The item in my Thrifty Thursday post is truly a cookie jar. Here are a few more pictures...

Thrifty Thursday

2011-01-27T15:12:00.003-06:00

Sorry, no furniture this week.

Last August I happened to be driving through a town I worked in many years ago. I knew the grocery store was in the next block, and since I needed a few things, I decided to stop. It wasn't until I walked in the door that I realized it was no longer a grocery store, but a thrift store.

There were some very cute items, but the minute I saw this, I knew I had to have it, no matter the price.

I paid 2 dollars. And it's always filled with cookies!

Daybook 01-24-11

2011-01-24T16:33:00.005-06:00

Outside My Window... gray-blue sky, white blowing snow, same old same old

I Am Listening To... my husband trying to type

I Am Wearing... green fleece sweater, blue capri's, slippers

I Am Grateful For... repairmen

I Am Reading... The 17 Day Diet. Still.

I Am Creating... finishing my liturgical/family life perpetual calendar.

From the Learning Room... we start Term 3 tomorrow!

To Live the Liturgy... St. Francis de Sales, Conversion of St. Paul, St. Paula, St. Angela Merici, St. Thomas Aquinas - busy week!

I Am Hoping and Praying... for some very personal intentions.

From the Kitchen... Fish for the husband, chicken for the kids, salad for me

One of my Favorite Things... staying home

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... Catholicism 101 with Jeff Cavins, atHome Show party, wrestling, guitar lesson, religious ed, Homeschool Mass, haircut, dance, help my sister move...

Thrifty Thursday

2011-01-20T19:32:00.003-06:00

I've been so busy all day that I never had a chance to take pictures or write a post, so I'll save that item for next week.

Instead, I'll show you what I just bought this past Sunday. I made a donation and popped in to see what they had.

Score!

This is an Otagiri turkey platter. They've been discontinued for years and very hard to find. I recall seeing one on an online auction a few years back for over $90.

I paid $1.99.

Daybook 01-17-11

2011-01-17T08:49:00.005-06:00

Outside My Window... white snow, dead corn stalks, trees....looks very cold and gloomy. That's it, I'm staying inside today.

I Am Listening To... the dryer and the furnace. The fan motor for the furnace is on it's last legs. A new one has been ordered, but until it is installed the furnace is very loud.

I Am Wearing... black t-shirt, camo lounging pants, green fleece sweater, brown slippers. I'm practicing for hunting season.

I Am Grateful For... my faith.

I Am Reading... The 17 Day Diet. 'Nuff said.

I Am Creating... continuing to work on my liturgical/family life perpetual calendar.

Towards a Real Education... finishing up Term 2 this week, and we've got some fun things planned, like decorating clipboards and painting some canvas frames I found!

To Live the Liturgy... lots of Saints to discuss this week, St. Antony, St. Margaret, St. Agnes

I Am Hoping and Praying... for some very personal intentions.

From the Kitchen... I bought some whole chickens, already seasoned and in oven bags for roasting. I put mine in the crock pot. It smells good, we'll see how it tastes.

One of my Favorite Things... being with my kids.

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... ice-fishing (I'll take pictures)

Thrifty Thursday

2011-01-13T12:45:00.008-06:00

Okay, here's the Back Story (the BS, remember?)...

I believe it was the-summer-of-the-dresser, and we were in town one day with my future in-laws. As we drove past a storage building for the cement company, I noticed a sign in front of the door which read "Men's Garage Sail." That is not a typo, it was really spelled incorrectly.

We had to stop.

Inside were various items needed for a man cave, like thingamajigs and whachamacallits. There was a table in the back covered with hand tools ~ hammers, pliers, screwdrivers. The sign taped to the table said, "tabel $5." Seriously. I approached the saleslady to ask about the sign. She cut me off and said, "no, it's not for the items on the table, it's for the table itself."

SOLD!

My husband and his parents thought I was nuts.

It was missing a few drawers, but I knew it would be an easy fix. After a bit of pleading on my part, we loaded the table on their truck.

We swapped out the old legs because I wanted to make it counter height, as I planned on using it like a kitchen island. Along with making new drawers, my FIL also reinforced the new legs with framework (I call it the I bar). I stained it to match the rest of the woodwork in the house, and used the same knobs as the rest of the cabinets.

This is one of my favorite pieces, and we get many, many, many compliments on our kitchen island/table.

Daybook 01-10-11

2011-01-10T08:40:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window...cold, cold, cold. I don't think I'll be changing this line for several months.

I Am Listening To... my son playing Wii. My husband snoring. The dryer tumbling.

I Am Wearing... workout clothes. Really.

I Am Grateful For... today

I Am Reading... still savoring Home Comforts.

I Am Creating... still working on the liturgical/family life perpetual calendar. March and April are almost finished.

Towards a Real Education... almost finished with Term 2!

To Live the Liturgy... Ordinary time, a nice quiet week for us.

I Am Hoping and Praying... for an increase in my faith.

From the Kitchen... chicken in mushroom gravy, crockpot style.

One of my Favorite Things... staying home.

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... meetings, wrestling, dance, HS Coop....

Thrifty Thursday

2011-01-06T10:05:00.003-06:00

I decided to start spotlighting my thrift store treasures and garage sale finds. I don't get to shop them much in the winter, so right now I'll focus on previous treasures. Yes, I always find a treasure or two. And some even have a background story.

Here is one of my first purchases, and probably the favorite.

The Background Story

(I thought about using the initials BS in the future, but wasn't sure if you'd believe the stories!)

Seven years ago my husband noticed a garage sale ad in the local paper and drove over there. He was a day early because he didn't actually look at the dates. My husband is very friendly, talkative, and outgoing, and spoke with the woman for close to an hour before heading home. During their conversation he volunteered our services, and promised we would be at their farm the next morning at 6 am to help carry furniture out of their house and barn.

At the time we had been dating about a year and it was going to be the first weekend in months that I wasn't working. I'm not a late sleeper but I was really looking forward to not getting up early in the morning. And I lived a lot farther from this garage sale than he did!

We both showed up at their house at 6 am. No one was outside. We knocked on the door a few times and eventually woke them up. Their power had gone out during the lightening storm the night before so their alarm never rang. The men went out to the barn and she and I chatted over coffee, then got to work drying off tables and setting up for the sale.

As the men were carrying out furniture and farm tools, I saw this dresser. It was painted a hideous blue, but I knew I wanted it, and asked her the price. She was surprised, because she didn't care for it, but told me it would be free since we were helping them. I gave her some money anyway, because we weren't helping them in order to get free furniture.

You can still see the old blue paint if you look closely at the grain of the wood around some of the details. It took me three weeks to remove the paint and thoroughly clean the dresser, but it was worth every minute. It is in our living room, with the TV and VCR on top and all the movies and Wii games in the drawers.

Daybook 01-03-11 Lords A-Leaping!

2011-01-03T06:59:00.002-06:00

Yes, it's the Tenth Day of Christmas!

Outside My Window...it is still dark and clear and cold. Will this ever end??

I Am Listening To... silence. Strike that. I am now hearing ice falling off the house.

I Am Wearing... my jammies as I'm ready to step into the shower.

I Am Grateful For... working toilets. Finally.

I Am Reading... still reading Home Comforts. I'm reading this one slowly, contemplating all the ideas and choosing which to try and incorporate. This will be a long process.

I Am Creating... a new desk liturgical/family life perpetual calendar. I've kicked the idea around for awhile. I'd love feedback, so if you are interested in seeing it leave a comment and I'll send you a pdf of January.

Towards a Real Education... Back to school!

To Live the Liturgy... finish celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, Most Holy name of Jesus, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Neumann, Epiphany!

I Am Hoping and Praying... for friends who lost their baby this past week, and for other friends experiencing pregnancy after losing a baby; my step-father's knee surgery is today and I'm praying everything goes well.

From the Kitchen... would you believe we still have leftovers from WATT day? The roads were terrible so only my In-Laws were able to drive over, and they ended up in the ditch about 1/4 mile south of our driveway.

One of my Favorite Things... Mass.

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... Dentist visits, wrestling, dance...

WATT Day

2010-12-28T11:36:00.002-06:00

I forgot to explain about WATT day.

WATT stands for Walk Around The Table day.

A family tradition since I was in diapers! Basically, each person picks THREE things they want to eat. Those three things can be anything at all. There are no restrictions. Candy, treats, you name it. When I was younger I always picked M&M's, glazed donuts, and chicken.

Mom and Dad also pick more substantial food and beverages, like meats and cheese for sandwiches, gumbo, milk, that kind of thing.

The morning of WATT day mom gets up and puts everything on the table.

When you are hungry, you walk around the table, fill your plate, sit down in front of the TV, watch a football game, and eat. That's what you eat all day long. Nothing else.

It's a good way to get rid of leftovers, extra candy, etc. The kids have a blast.

Daybook 12-27-10 On the Third Day of Christmas...

2010-12-28T07:46:00.006-06:00

Outside My Window...it is dark and clear and cold. Sun is just starting to rise. Rumors of a blizzard or rain this weekend. Hmmm.

I Am Listening To... Walk Like An Egyptian on Just Dance 2 (way-o-way-e-o) My daughter received this for Christmas and loves the workout. I received Wii Fit Plus. Thanks honey.

I Am Wearing... lounging attire (snort!) and new slippers. Warm slippers that fit. Yippee!

I Am Grateful For... what we already have. Yes, we always want more and always ask for more, but I am eternally grateful for what I already have and for where I live and for the family I was given

I Am Reading... still into Home Comforts. I am highlighting like crazy, running around purging the house and making new lists. I also read A Little Bit Wicked and The Christmas Doll. Both are excellent and I recommend the second one be added to your Christmas collection.

I Am Creating... cleaning lists, cleaning schedules, menu plans, a new home-keeping notebook.

Towards a Real Education... Vacation week!!

To Live the Liturgy... celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas all week, and of course WATT day on Friday!!

I Am Hoping and Praying... for friends and families who've lost their mom this week. My Grandma died right before Christmas in 1976, Marion died last year on January 1, and close friends of my husband lost their mother on Wednesday.

From the Kitchen... Venison. Something with Venison. The menu says Tater Tot Hotdish but I'd rather have steak. Time to pull out the cookbooks...

One of my Favorite Things... Netflix. Watched the entire Pushing Daisies series. Great writing. I wish it was still on.

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... eye doctor, Mass, LHOTP show at our Library, Swimming, ringing in the New Year!

Daybook 12-20-10

2010-12-20T06:49:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... cold and snowy, snowy and cold, with more snow on the way

I Am Listening To...my husband and my daughter, both snoring

I Am Wearing... pj's and robe, ready to dash into the shower

I Am Grateful For... Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

I Am Reading... Home Comforts I borrowed this from the library last year and finally found my own copy yesterday at Goodwill!

I Am Creating... a plan involving dieting, exercising, cleaning, purging, you-name-it

Towards a Real Education... only three days of lessons this week, then Christmas vacation!

To Live the Liturgy... O Antiphons, Nativity of Our Lord

I Am Hoping and Praying... that everyone else in the house gets better quickly!

From the Kitchen... rotisserie chicken, rice, corn...I really like having a menu plan

One of my Favorite Things... early mornings when I'm the only one awake

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... I really want to go see the Christmas light display here

Daybook 12-13-10

2010-12-13T08:20:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... 20 below zero and piles of snow. Thankfully our roof stayed in place.

I Am Listening To...the hum of the furnace. I've never truly appreciated it until today.

I Am Wearing... pajama's. I'm still sick and have no desire to change into clothes.

I Am Grateful For... tractors and husbands who know how to use them.

I Am Reading... many Advent and Christmas books. Still.

I Am Creating... nothing.

Towards a Real Education... Term 2, week 6 - more Advent, less everything else

To Live the Liturgy... St. Lucy, St. John of the Cross, O Antiphons

I Am Hoping and Praying... to get better. Pneumonia has really thrown a wrench in plans.

From the Kitchen... rotisserie chicken, rice, cauliflower and corn, banana bread...I love our freezers

One of my Favorite Things... snuggling on the couch

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... get better!!

A Picture Thought... still no pictures...

Daybook 12-06-10

2010-12-06T06:44:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... cold and dark

I Am Listening To...GI Joe...don't ask

I Am Wearing... camo pajama's

I Am Grateful For... my husband

I Am Reading... many, many Advent and Christmas books

I Am Thinking... about our daily Advent activities

I Am Creating... a clean and healthy home

Towards a Real Education... Term 2, week 5 - more Advent, less everything else

To Live the Liturgy... St. Nicholas, Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Guadalupe

I Am Hoping and Praying... for a faith-filled Advent

From the Kitchen... Venison wraps

One of my Favorite Things... Vikings and Saints both won!

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... eye doctor visits...

A Picture Thought... no pictures this week - the camera is resting...

O Eve!

2010-12-02T07:14:00.004-06:00

I saw this at Charlotte's and I have to share.

My mother, my daughter, life-giving Eve,

Do not be ashamed, do not grieve.

The former things have passed away,

Our God has brought us to a New Day.

See, I am with Child,

Through whom all will be reconciled.

O Eve! My sister, my friend,

We will rejoice together,

Forever

Life without end.

~ Sr. Columba Guare

You can listen here.

Daybook 11-29-10

2010-11-29T13:33:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... it's snowing. Big, beautiful white flakes. We are supposed to get quite the storm today. Kids are excited!

I Am Listening To... the furnace kicking on. There is also an annoying high-pitched squeal coming from the large freezer.

I Am Wearing... comfy t-shirt, pink fleece pants, wool socks

I Am Grateful For... so many things, family, friends, ability to homeschool, full freezers

I Am Reading... many, many, many Advent and Christmas books

I Am Thinking... about our daily Advent activities

I Am Creating... a clean and healthy home

Towards a Real Education... Term 2, week 4 - incorporating Advent and Christmas into all lessons this month

To Live the Liturgy... Advent! St. Andrew, St. Francis Xavier, start Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe Novenas

I Am Hoping and Praying... for a faith-filled Advent

From the Kitchen... Chicken in Mushroom Gravy in the slow-cooker

One of my Favorite Things... winning football teams - Go Vikes!!

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... more dentist visits...

A Picture Thought... Choir Christmas Concert this weekend

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-24T12:53:00.003-06:00

Daybook 11-22-10 Thanksgiving Week!

2010-11-22T06:36:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... dark, windy, 10 degrees.....COLD!

I Am Listening To... the local weather, the dryer, the coffeemaker

I Am Wearing... pajama's

I Am Grateful For... a working furnace

I Am Reading... Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief...much better than the movie

I Am Thinking... about travel plans

I Am Creating... well, I am trying to create a warm and loving home

Towards a Real Education... week 3 of term 2

To Live the Liturgy... St Cecilia, beginning of Advent

I Am Hoping and Praying... for our family

From the Kitchen... Rotisserie Chicken in the slow-cooker

One of my Favorite Things... football

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... visiting family

A Picture Thought...

Quote for today...

2010-11-22T06:25:00.001-06:00

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself....St. Teresa of Avila

Quote for today...

2010-11-21T06:33:00.002-06:00

No man has ever lived that had enough of children's gratitude or a woman's love...William Butler Yeats

Quote for today...

2010-11-20T06:51:00.003-06:00

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it...
William Arthur Ward

Quote for today...

2010-11-19T08:21:00.001-06:00

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Thought for today...

2010-11-18T09:18:00.002-06:00

What would you attempt to do...if you knew you couldn't fail?

Daybook 11-15-10

2010-11-15T07:22:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... c-c-c-cold and snow

I Am Listening To... the washer and dryer

I Am Wearing... camo pajama pants and a t-shirt

I Am Grateful For... the opportunity to make online friends IRL friends

I Am Reading... Clockers...sorry, Simcha, I don't like it

I Am Thinking... about Thanksgiving plans

I Am Creating... Advent plans

Towards a Real Education... week 2 of term 2

To Live the Liturgy... St Elizabeth of Hungary, St Rose Philippine Duchesne

I Am Hoping and Praying... for friends and babies

From the Kitchen... Beaver Stew

One of my Favorite Things... babies at Mass

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... dance class, french class, blood tests

A Picture Thought...

Daybook 11-08-10 Birthday Week!

2010-11-08T15:26:00.002-06:00

Outside My Window... sunny and 60!

I Am Listening To... the rice cooker

I Am Wearing... pj's and robe - about to dash into the shower

I Am Grateful For... my husband filling his deer permits, and the Vikings win

I Am Reading... nothing at the moment. Library run tomorrow.

I Am Thinking... about my soon-to-be IRL friends coming to visit.

I Am Creating... a clean home

Towards a Real Education... week 1 of term 2 - yippee!

To Live the Liturgy... St. Martin of Tours, St. Josaphet, Mother Cabrini, St. Stanislas Kostka

I Am Hoping and Praying... for a man we met this past weekend...story here

From the Kitchen... Rotisserie Chicken in the slow cooker with rice on the side -- YUM!

One of my Favorite Things... girls weekend (with Bret, of course) Next year Vince may be there!

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... cleaning, cleaning, cleaning...oh, and my birthday.....

A Video Thought.... It brought tears to my eyes....

I voted!

2010-11-02T11:16:00.000-05:00

Did you?

KidSing 2010

2010-11-01T17:49:00.003-05:00

This past weekend my daughter was fortunate to be invited to participate in KidSing. For those of you in Central Minnesota, KidSing is an annual event co-sponsored by The St. John's Boys Choir and the SCSU Cantabile Girls'Choir.

From the website....

The St. John's Boys' Choir in collaboration with the SCSU Cantabile Girls' Choir will invite 100 area school children to spend the day with them - singing, playing games, having fun, and making new friends. All children will spend the day in workshops and activities with conductors André Heywood, Sarah Cohen, Betsy Eickhoff and Brandon Nordhues. The day will conclude with a concert for the community at 4:00 pm in Ritsche Auditorium.

My daughter loved every minute of her day. So much so that she has asked to audition next year for the Cantabile Choir. They spent the day learning how to sing in a choir, which I have not been able to teach her as a homeschooler.

If you are able to have your kids participate next year, do it.

All Saints Daybook 11-01-10

2010-11-01T17:34:00.003-05:00

Outside My Window... 28 degrees

I Am Listening To... Stormbreaker (the book is better)

I Am Wearing... pajama's. I hurt my back so I'm using the heating pad.

I Am Grateful For... my husband

I Am Reading... Writing with Ease (still)

I Am Thinking... about the elections tomorrow

I Am Creating... a warm and inviting home

Towards a Real Education... week 9 of term 1

To Live the Liturgy... All Saints today, All Souls tomorrow

I Am Hoping and Praying... for voter turnout and sensible election results

From the Kitchen... church hotdish

One of my Favorite Things... skype

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... painting, cleaning, purging

A Picture Thought...

Daybook 10-26-10 A day late...

2010-10-26T12:13:00.003-05:00

and yes, a dollar short....

Outside My Window... 38 degrees, pouring rain, creek and fields flooding

I Am Listening To... rain and wind beating on the house

I Am Wearing... red t-shirt, pink polka dot sweats...LAUNDRY DAY!

I Am Grateful For... friends and family

I Am Reading... Writing with Ease and The Handbook for Catholic Moms

I Am Thinking... about the upcoming mid term elections

I Am Creating... a warm and inviting home

Towards a Real Education... week 8 of term 1

To Live the Liturgy... Homeschool Mass this week, then All Saints Party!

I Am Hoping and Praying... for so many friends and family members

From the Kitchen... soup and hot chocolate

One of my Favorite Things... vacations with my kids

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... cleaning and purging

A Picture Thought...

Love the band, love the website

2010-10-24T10:07:00.004-05:00

Visit Draw the Dog to make your dog nearly as famous as OK Go.

Online Curriculum Review

2010-10-22T09:58:00.002-05:00

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Daybook 10-18-10

2010-10-18T09:06:00.003-05:00

Outside My Window... 40 degrees, no clouds....brrrr

I Am Listening To... eagles and crows

I Am Wearing... orange oxford, jeans, slippers

I Am Grateful For... a winning football team

I Am Reading... finished the Grimm Sister's series, starting Stormbreaker

I Am Thinking... about my friend and her struggle with her teenage daughter

I Am Creating... holiday plans

Towards a Real Education... week 7 of term 1...we will continue with French

To Live the Liturgy... planning our first Homeschool Mass

I Am Hoping and Praying... for so many friends

From the Kitchen... crockpot rotisserie chicken...yum

One of my Favorite Things... visiting with family

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... more ultrasounds this week.

A Picture Thought...

THANKS MAGGIE!!!

Daybook 10-11-10 The day after 10/10/10

2010-10-11T11:25:00.003-05:00

Outside My Window... 70 degrees and the sun is shining

I Am Listening To... crows

I Am Wearing... black shirt, jeans, slippers

I Am Grateful For... IRL and online friends

I Am Pondering...

I Am Reading... just finished The Grunt Padre and Fairytale Detectives, on to The Unusual Suspects

I Am Thinking... about my teaching role in the RE classes at church

I Am Creating... holiday plans

On my MP4... nothing

Towards a Real Education... week 6 of term 1...we are unhappy with French

To Live the Liturgy... planning and All Saint's Party

I Am Hoping and Praying... for so many friends

From the Kitchen... the BEST. EVER. CHOCOLATE. CHIP. COOKIE. RECIPE. I am not kidding. And you make them with olive oil and wheat flour. TRY THEM.

One of my Favorite Things... baking (and eating the results)

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... ultrasounds this week.

A Picture Thought... yesterday's bear

Not Just for Boys

2010-10-08T09:14:00.006-05:00

Recently, Alice asked for reviews of her latest book. My son and I jumped at the chance. You see, we have her other books. We adore them. The illustrations are so charming and appealing, and my daughter much preferred Alice's gentle sewing tutorials over mine. Also, Alice and her family only live a few miles away from the rest of our family in Louisiana. How could we go wrong?

A week later, the book arrived. Luckily, I'm a fast reader. I had the book for the first two hours, and since then my son hasn't let it out of his sight.

We can tell you that Tin Cups & Tinder: A Catholic Boy's Little Book of Fire, Food & Fun by Alice Cantrell is everything we hoped for, and more.

Written by Alice and her boys, the book is chock full of recipes, sewing advice, Bible quotes, Saint stories, and nature. In her introduction Alice states, "The purpose of this little book is to casually introduce a few domestic survival skills to our boys using useful recipes and other projects all lightly seasoned with the rich flavors of our Faith."

She accomplished her objective. Plus some.

Written in an easy, flowing style, the book makes everyone, not just boys, want to start baking and sewing and camping. My son is making his own plant press and sewing his own haversack, using the simple and clear instructions. I can't wait to get my hands on it again so I can make the potholders ~ genius idea!

Buy the book. You won't be disappointed!

ETA: Alice has a giveaway on her blog, and her Etsy shoppe is open...

Daybook 10-06-10 First time for everything....

2010-10-06T08:42:00.005-05:00

Outside My Window... the sun is shining, the corn has not been cut because of the rain and a broken tractor axle

I Am Listening To... laptop keys, bathroom fan, pages turning

I Am Wearing... pajamas, robe, slippers

I Am Grateful For... a husband who works very hard

I Am Pondering... "The other way to cut down the whining is to stop your own. This means getting enough sleep and avoiding stress. In my experience, full-time jobs interrupt sleep to an insupportable degree: there is no siesta time." ~ The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson

I Am Reading... just finished the above, on to Cherry Ames

I Am Thinking... about this blog. It needs a change, and so do I

I Am Creating... plans for upcoming house guests

On my MP4... Convoy by C. W. McCall. Aah, the memories...

Towards a Real Education... we are starting week 5 of our first term - it's all good

Towards Rhythm and Beauty... I want to paint the bathroom

To Live the Liturgy... we'll have a tea party tomorrow for Our Lady of the Rosary

I Am Hoping and Praying... for Lisa

In the Garden... bad gardening year for me. Next year will be better.

From the Kitchen... 6-week muffins this morning, chicken mole for dinner

One of my Favorite Things... my kids laughter

A Few Plans for the rest of the Week... physical for me. Ugh.

A Picture Thought...

on the way to Madeline Island

For Dawn...

2010-09-29T07:45:00.002-05:00

1. What's your middle name? Jeanne

2. What's your favorite magazine? Country Home

3. What are you wearing right now? T-shirt, sweats, slippers

4. What color are your bed sheets? brown

5. Who was your third grade teacher? Sr. Gertrude

6. What is the weather like right now? Clear, sunny, cold

7. Do you know how to ski? yes

8. What was the last thing you drank? coffee

9. Dream vacation? Italy and Australia

10. Favorite article of clothing? jeans

11. Do you prefer baking or cooking? baking

12. Is your hair above or below your shoulders? below

13. What drink do you order when out? diet Pepsi

14. What book are you reading? Currently? The Cherry Ames series

15. What did you dream about last night? exercising

16. What was the last movie you went to? Eclipse

17. Any injuries at the moment? no

18. What color is your bathroom? green

19. What's the state of your laundry right now? done

20. Do you take vitamins? no

21. Where do you love to shop? Amazon

22. How often do you buy groceries? weekly

23. Do you have a pet/pets? dogs

24. If you are married, when is your next anniversary? Saturday is the anniversary of our first meeting/date - 7 years!

25. How do you take your coffee and/or tea? coffee black, no tea

26. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop? Laptop

27. Favorite month of the year? never thought about it, maybe February

28. Do you have a hobby? reading, organizing, singing

29. What salad dressing do you prefer? none ~ I don't do condiments

30. Live or fake Christmas tree? either

31. Did you walk or take a bus to school? bus

32. Do you have any phobias? snakes, mice, dark

33. What's your favorite snack food? chocolate

34. When do you take your shower/bath? before 6 am

35. What time did you get up this morning? 4:45 am

36. What's your favorite animal? horses

37. Have you ever broken a bone? yes

38. Do you wear makeup? yes when going out

39. Do you speak any foreign languages? Si

40. Have you ever played a sport? yes

41. Your last UPS package contained ... a pizza paddle

42. What's on your computer desktop? hay bales

43. What is your home page? personalized google.com

44. Extrovert or introvert? both at times

45. Favorite board game? I don't have any

46. What class did you like best in high school? In college? Spanish, all business classes

47. What would you do with an extra hour each day? play with kids

48. Do you have allergies? About 6 weeks ago I found out that I do have a medical allergy - very scary experience

49. Are your nails painted? no

50. Where are you right now? In the living room

Will you be voting? I will...

2010-09-23T11:57:00.001-05:00

Could you belong to the Missionaries of Charity?

2010-08-21T05:50:00.002-05:00

From Mother Teresa's rule...

::Speak as little as possible about yourself;

::Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others;

::Avoid curiosity;

::Do not interfere in the affairs of others;

::Accept small irritations with good humor:

::Accept censures even if unmerited;

::Give in the the will of others;

::Accept insults and injuries;

::Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded;

::Be courteous and delicate, even when provoked by someone;

::Do not seek to be admired and loved;

::Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity;

::Give in in discussions even when you are right;

::Choose always the more difficult task.

Dr. Seuss has a way with words!

2010-08-20T08:47:00.002-05:00

I do not like this Uncle Sam,
I do not like his health care scam..
I do not like these dirty crooks,
Or how they lie and cook the books.
I do not like when Congress steals,
I do not like their secret deals.
I do not like this speaker Nan ,
I do not like this 'YES, WE CAN'.
I do not like this spending spree---
I'm smart, I know that nothing's free.
I do not like your smug replies,
When I complain about your lies.

I do not like this kind of hope.

I do not like it. Nope, nope, nope!

HT: TotusTuus

Happy Birthday Dad

2010-07-26T06:01:00.001-05:00

I really miss you.

Wrinkled Ladies

2010-06-10T14:34:00.002-05:00

All The Wrinkled Ladies

We Con the World

2010-06-04T06:38:00.000-05:00

I've been busy....

2010-05-30T12:36:00.004-05:00

Swagger Wagon

2010-05-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

One more Saint in Heaven...

2010-04-05T13:42:00.004-05:00

some very dear friends of mine delivered a full-term stillborn son earlier this morning.

Please hold all of them close in prayer.

She's right...

2010-04-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

they do rule.

Congratulations!

New Favorite Video

2010-03-08T09:22:00.001-06:00

HT: Lissa

Please pray

2010-02-19T15:15:00.003-06:00

Please, please, please pray for a very dear friend and their family over the next few days.

Pro-Life Video

2010-02-14T08:19:00.001-06:00

HT: Erin

For Gardenia...

2010-02-09T10:46:00.003-06:00

because she asked, too...

At the time of the pictures, they all played for the Minnesota Vikings. This was before the Mall of America, before the Dome in Minneapolis.

The Vikings used to practice at Midway Stadium off Snelling Avenue in St. Paul, not even a mile south of the State Fair Grounds. I took a city bus to school, and would watch them practice every day. Many times we would get off the bus, hang out at the field and take pictures, and then take a later bus home. On this particular day the players were in a great mood, and not only did we get pictures with them, but we got autographs.

I've been a fan a LONG time....

Because Jamie asked…

2010-02-08T15:25:00.001-06:00

ME….and Ahmad Rashad

ME….and Bobby Bryant

ME….and Chuck Foreman

ME….and Jim Marshall

ME….and Nate Wright

ME….and Tommy Kramer

All of Them….

September 1979

2010-02-01T14:27:00.002-06:00

Proof of how long I've been a fan.....can you guess who?

Top 10 Reasons why Public School is better than Homeschool

2010-01-21T09:42:00.001-06:00

1. Most parents were educated in the under-funded public school system, therefore they are not smart enough to homeschool their children.

2. Children who receive one-on-one homeschooling will learn more than other children, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. This is undemocratic.

3. Children need to learn to defend themselves by fighting off bullies on a daily basis.

4. Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.

5. Children need practice “Just Saying No” to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.

6. Fluorescent lighting may be found to have significant health benefits, along with limited exposure to the weather due to global warming.

7. Asking permission to use the bathroom teaches students their proper place in society.

8. The fashion industry depends on peer pressure that only public schools can generate.

9. Public schools are able to foster cultural literacy, passing on important traditions like the singing of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg…”

10. Homeschooled children may not learn any ever-important office career skills, like sitting still for 8 hours straight.

Conversation Hearts...

2010-01-20T06:15:00.001-06:00

What would conversation hearts look like if the saints wrote the slogans?

St Therese of Lisiuex

St Augustine

St Lawrence

St Thomas Aquinas

St Benedict

St Francis de Sales

St Thomas More

St Padre Pio

Add your own in the combox. And if you want to make some yourself, click here (clean site).

From LarryD at Acts of the Apostasy

Prayers Answered!

2010-01-18T18:21:00.001-06:00

Bob made it through surgery, only requiring a triple bypass and not a quadruple.

The doctor said, “he needs to get religion.”

We’re working on that!

Pray for Bob

2010-01-17T06:34:00.001-06:00

Bob is a very dear friend of our family, and he is currently undergoing a quadruple bypass. He had chest pains yesterday and called 911. He is a lapsed Catholic. Please pray for him.

Thank you.

One Word Comment

2010-01-10T05:34:00.001-06:00

As suggested by Sarah .....

Leave a ONE word comment that you think best describes me.

It can only be one word.

No more than one word.

Then copy & paste this post on your blog so I can leave a word about you.

This should be very interesting...

Do you think someone is trying to tell me something?

2010-01-08T06:09:00.003-06:00

For several years, I have participated in various blogs offer to pick a companion Saint for me for the entire year.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, has picked me.

Again.

For the third year in a row.

Review: Annulment

2010-01-07T08:44:00.005-06:00

Have you ever received an Annulment?

Do you know anyone who has?

Are you or a loved one contemplating pursuing an Annulment?

Do you know what an Annulment is? Really?

If you've never been through the Annulment process, it can be grueling. Trust me, I've been through it.

Annulment: 100 Questions and Answers for Catholics is a wonderfully short book about the entire process. Written by Canon lawyers, it answers questions like:

are annulments only for Catholics?
is it a Catholic divorce?
do I need a lawyer?
how much will this cost?
if I do this, are my children illegitimate?

I wish I had read this book before going through the process. It makes the entire process less of a mystery, and really explains the reasons behind decisions. Whether you are contemplating this for yourself, are currently going through one, or want to be supportive of a friend or family member, I highly recommend reading this gem of a book.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Annulment: 100 Questions and Answers for Catholics.

RIP Marion Katke

2010-01-03T04:17:00.003-06:00

Our thoughts and prayers are with her entire family.

Unfortunately, this accident happened at a very dangerous intersection. Consequently, there are many articles floating about. Here is one. Another . A third. A fourth.

Visitation is Tuesday evening, and Funeral Mass is Wednesday morning.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.