7 Quick Takes Friday

1.

This has been a quiet week, as the children were in good spirits and feeling mostly fine, but were contagious with hand, foot, and mouth, so I cleared our entire calendar to keep us away from other children.

I put thought into how to occupy them . . . I spent 97 cents each for five paint brushes and $3 each for plastic buckets from Aldi's so the kids could paint the hot, sunny deck and watch the water evaporate.

I also purchased some fun little sponge balls that one can soak in the bucket of water and chuck at each other.

Or, if you are sisters, use them to play 'hair salon.'

2.

My dream of an organized utility closet has been realized. I feel a moment's happiness every time I step in there, and a relaxation that I'm not tripping over everything.

3.

Meals of the Week 

. . . shared to show that "My career is homeschool mother, not gourmet chef!"

• Tuesday, home from Buffalo
• homemade mac and cheese . . . yup, that was it.
• Wednesday
• Homemade chicken tenders, corn on the cob, (frozen) curly French fries
• Thursday
• Hot dogs, Wendy's chili, strawberries, green salad, leftover mac and cheese
• Friday
• Make-your-own cheese pizza, green salad

Aldi's prices are so fantastic! We happened to tally up the cost of Wednesday's dinner . . . 

• package of chicken tenders (raw): ~$4
• 6 ears of corn on the cob at 17 cents each: ~$1.20
• bag of frozen curly fries: ~$2
• didn't tally the minimal cost of two eggs, flour, bread crumbs, spices, BBQ sauce

Total $7.20 to feed three adults and five children!

4.

Along the drive home from Buffalo, Chris purchased me a beautiful, sturdy basket. I am not sure where I want to use such a lovely item, so for now have made it my basket of morning holy reading (which before was in an ugly container). My basket contains my morning devotions, journal, pen, and rosary, and I can easily grab it and carry it to the couch with the cup of hot coffee.

5.

Family Books of the Week (in progress or completed)

We barely read anything while in Buffalo.

• Read-alouds
• "Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints" (Loreto Publications, originally published 1894)
• "Daniel Boone, Wilderness Scout" by Stewart Edward White (1922)--quite interesting so far and highly academic, e.g., 20 pages written on the mechanics of rifles
• "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls (1961) (audio CD)--finished
• "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling (1894)  (audio CD)
• Mama
• "Guidance to Heaven" by Cardinal Giovanna Bona (written in the 1600s)
• "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1938)
• "Cold Comfort Farm" by Stella Gibbons (1932)
• John
• "Simon Brute and the Western Adventure" by Elizabeth Bartelme (2012)
• Mary
• "Pat of Silver Bush" by L. M. Montgomery (1933)

6.

The inmates rebelled against Quiet Time one day, as if they had never heard of this daily practice in which we do not play with each other, but all go to separate rooms and do something quiet. A riot began and I thought I might have to bring in extra guards, but the prisoners subdued and went to their cells. These two old-timers were discovered later to have set up a pulley system between their two cells so that they could play a game of cards.

7.

The children's latest trick on the swing . . . 

For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.