Gloria in Excelsis Deo: 7 Quick Takes Friday

Thomas had his one-year well-baby check. He weighs 26 lbs 6 oz (97th percentile) and is 31.5 inches tall (94th percentile). No surprises there!

Thomas is increasingly a Little Person. He jabbers like he's actually saying something conversational.

On Thursday when I had a sitter, I decided to squeeze in our weekly grocery trip with only two children in tow and trying to fit it into one grocery cart instead of two (which left Thomas quite squished).

We were at Aldi's, where one must bag one's own goods. As Thomas saw Mary and I unloading the purchased items onto the special bagging counter, he began methodically reaching in, grabbing an item, and placing it on the counter, over and over. It was so cute!

This week, I tried putting Thomas in a play pen in the school room so that I could sit and teacher longer than twelve seconds before having to pull the baby down from the latest height from which he had climbed.

Thomas did not like this new arrangement . . . not even for a few minutes, not even with good toys in his cell.

Day 1 in prison

Day 2 in prison

We've wrapped up our third week of the new school year.
1. This is really hard.
2. I'm experimenting with the best way to present daily to-do lists.
3. Anything on the computer is too fun, so it needs to be completed last (e.g., math).
4. Insomnia has struck me again these last two weeks, so any patience I have remaining is basically a miracle from God.
5. This is really hard (again).
6. I wouldn't have it any other way, though.

Miscellaneous Moments

In case you missed it, we went to the Carolina Panthers' training camp.

Writing a weekly letter

Margaret (5) looking so pretty and growing-up big before Mass

Mary volunteered to teach Josey to draw while I taught Margaret a lesson.

We are really liking IEW composition!

Reward after having one's hair trimmed is to vacuum up the clippings

Musical Interludes

Mary enjoys an audience when she must practice violin, so she strolls about the house seeking one . . . and always finds a willing listener in Thomas.

Margaret (5) has taken to giving Josey (3) little lessons on the piano. Sweet and useful!

Family Books of the Week (in progress or completed)

Read-alouds

"Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints" (Loreto Publications, originally published 1894)
"The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare (1961) (audio CD)--Finished
"Bold Journey: West with Lewis and Clark"
"The Family Under the Bridge" (1958) by Natalie Savage Carlson--Finished
"The Hundred Dresses" (1944) by Eleanor Estes--Finished reading to Margaret
"Clare's Costly Cookie" (2013)--Reading to Margaret

Mama

"Guidance to Heaven" by Cardinal Giovanna Bona (written in the 1600s)--daily holy reading
"The Holy Mass" by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1805-1875)--daily holy reading
"The American Martyrology"--daily holy reading
"Captains Courageous" (1897) by Rudyard Kipling

For Connecting with History:

"Ship's Boy with Magellan"

John

"The Story of Inventions"
"Call of the Wild" by Jack London

Mary

"Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson
"Caddie Woodlawn" by Carol Ryrie Brink (1935)

The children received from Grampa Neil a care package in a big, cardboard box: a slew of wonderful coloring books! This is such a good pastime in the blistering July heat.

Meals of the Week

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

Saturday

Papa Murphy's pizza

Sunday

Fuel Pizza with friends after Mass, homemade apple pie

Monday

Trying out Aldi's frozen Asian foods: sweet and sour chicken, vegetable fried rice, sticky white rice, chicken egg rolls, vegetarian egg rolls. Amazingly, our children liked this chicken (including most kids desiring the sauce), and were asking for multiple servings! The adults liked the Asian food as well, especially at the low price point.