{SQT} Thanksgiving Week 2019

1. Big Music Week

This was one big week for music in our family! Click here to read about Mary winning third place in a concerto competition and click here for reading about her orchestral performance--and getting to speak on stage!

2. Confession Preparation

Joseph (6) is doing his catechism at home, instead of at the parish program, so he went in for an interview with the priest to ensure he was ready for his First Confession in two weeks. He passed with flying colors!

3. Moments with Family

This has been a lovely week (and I get a few more days!) with my aunt visiting and then her son joining us, too.

She brought many books to give our family, quite a few of which are fine tomes that have been in our family for many decades.

She also passed down one of her good harmonicas to Joseph and gave him lessons (which he took quite seriously).

A special treasure for me is the pair of my great-grandmother's bookends she gave to me. This great-grandmother was a school teacher and the bookends show a student in graduation cap climbing a stack of books, which I find so delightful given my being a homeschool teacher.

The children have so enjoyed having new adults with whom to play board games or to read them stories. Also, one afternoon we watched the original "Cheaper by the Dozen" movie (1950), which is quintessentially Catholic and so charming.

4. Thanksgiving Day

Click here to read all about what was probably the best Thanksgiving we've ever hosted in our marriage.

5. Shooting with the Fellas

On Friday, Chris, Ethan, and John went shooting at a beautiful, state-owned outdoor shooting range (which was packed!) so we ladies could have an afternoon to ourselves.

Ear protection for shooting

Then I put David down for nap and gave Joseph and Thomas the big treat of eating a few goodies in a living room picnic while watching "Milo and Otis"--that kept them occupied!

6. A Ladies' Tea

Erica, Mary, Margaret, and I enjoyed a lovely ladies' tea during that afternoon, something which I threw together very quickly in my bleariness the day after Thanksgiving. It doesn't need to take a lot of planning to have a tea! My aunt made sandwiches of egg salad, cucumbers, and PBJs, and I put out store-made mini-muffins and cream puffs.

Nothing matched on the table, but we didn't mind one hoot.

Erica presented the gleeful girls with vintage Infant of Prague statues with outfits handmade by Carmelite nuns.

7. Family Hockey Game

I cleaned up the tea just in time to make four homemade pizzas, feed the gang dinner, and get us to cheer for John at his hockey game--where he scored a goal!

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