Monday 29 September 2008

Spring Clean

Today is the first day of our holidays. I had a list of jobs to be done. I wanted to get the curtains and windows washed.
Well i never expected it all to get done on the same day. Dermot took an easy day with work, and we got in and took down, washed curtains, cleaned windows inside and out, and rehung curtains. I am completely exhausted but so delighted that My main job is complete. We can now relax and enjoy the holidays. And a busy one at that.

Huntington house

Once a year sometime, we are asked as a family to join with some other families and spend the weekend at the beach at Terrigal, at a huge 13 bedroomed house, owned by the Christian Brothers'. We love it, whether it is raining, freezing, hot or blowing a gale, its just the fun of being there and enjoying each others company.
This year we took Brid & Kristie with us. It was a great weekend. We swam in the unpatrolled beach, had coffee down the street, shared our meal on the Saturday evening together. We go to Mass at The Lady Star of the Sea together at 10am. We crawl out of bed with just enough time to get organised for Mass.
We always have a BBq for Lunch and as it was so hot for Spring, we had swims as well. We usually leave at the last minute because it is so relaxing, and as we have shared our lives with this group for 11years now, we have a general catch up.
Some weekends we say the rosary sometimes not, but we always have great conversation especially about the happenings in our churches- especially this year with WYD just been and gone.
Well it was another great one and especially as we got to spend time with Kristie and Brid together. Precious times.

Friday 26 September 2008

Mass today

It has always been a tradition since we started homeschooling to attend Mass on a Friday to end our school week. Today just as I received the Eucharist, I was reminded that when we receive Jesus we become the tabenacle. It just blew me away, and made my pray so much alive.
I then shared this with our 10 yr old, and continued talking about purity of heart and not defiling our bodies as Jesus lives in us. It really stirred up some thought and conversation in the car on the way home.
We then began talking about fasting and why I do not eat anything from Breakfast until Mass at 1205hrs. I would like to fast more, but this is a start. It was a great opportunity to talk about our Crosses and praying for others. Brid came back with 'it gives us a hunger for Jesus'. Such power in our messages to each other today.
I could not have taught it better if i had tried. It was definitely a God moment. Praise you Lord.

Wednesday 24 September 2008

The month of the Rosary




Next month is the month of the Rosary. I love this month. We are getting ready by decorating our home. Something wonderful happened today, our parish secretary rang and asked us to have the Lady of the Rosary statue next week. We were going to ask anyway, so of course we jumped at this opportunity.

It is such a blessing to have her come to our home and stay the week. we make a special place of Honour for her.


I love the fact that when we pray the Rosary we reflect on the life of her son. It is so scriptural.


We have a statue of the Miraculous Mary, but to have this statue who travels through our parish is special. All the prays of the parish. I could go on.
An Update: We will receive Our Lady next week now.



Tuesday 23 September 2008

history

I have been stressing. I don't know why, maybe the mess up in the middle of the year. I have not completed the History work I wanted to for the year. My expectations Only. Brid is going great guns.
So I now have a plan and I feel under control again- what did I just say, that word control. I need to let go and let God. He has it all in hand, not me.

My Blog

Well hello everyone. i thought I had really stuffed up. I accidently changed my template. well i lost my design. i have been dreading trying to fix it. Guess what, I fixed it easily. Praise God for Helping me tonight, and keeping me away from it over the last few days.
Its close to End of Term, we are busy arranging friends and things to do. I love school holidays.

Wednesday 17 September 2008

Fathers' Day And Our Anniversary


ANNIVERSARY
The week before homeschool camp, Dermot and I celebrated our 21st Anniversary. Brid wanted to make it special so she organized her grandma to come and help her cook dinner for us. She wanted to make a 3 course meal. It was a very Beautiful gift she wanted to give us. We decided, lets dress up and really make it special. so there we were all dressed up in our Dining room being served by our daughter and helped by my Mum. A Blessed evening.


FATHERS DAY
As we were heading up to Camp that afternoon, I thought we would have brunch. So we gathered the family together and we had a huge meal. All in honour of Dads. It was a wondeful few hours.

Our Rosellas


Again After cleaning up our bird seed we find these beautiful creatures pecking at the bird seed on the ground very close to our back door. They appear not to disturbed by our presence.

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Family Time







After our camp Brid and I drove up to the Gold Coast for some family bonding. mainly Dermot, Brid and me, but our eldest Louise surprised us by coming along as well.
We made plans to go to Dreamworld. that was the best day. Louise and Brid went on every ride they could together including the Tower of Terror- well they were both speechless when they got of it- but excited they had gone on it.
We arrived at Dreamworld just in time to view the Tigers and hear more about them. That was excellent. We seemed to be drawn to them all day, and at the end of the day we again were able to pat the baby tigers born at the park.
Our day was topped of by a visit to the Hard Rock Cafe'- a favourtie haunt of ours on our gold coast trips.
the whole trip was just so blessed. As we were coming up to our accomodation, we saw a Catholic Church- and the mass times, so we were organised there. It was odd to celebrate Mass in the normal manner, after attending Latin Mass daily- just seemed less reverent- I can't put my finger on it.
Sunday night rained, but it didn't stop us playing putt putt golf- we had umbrellas.
Anyway our little holiday came to an end and we are now back at home refreshed and more relaxed than we have been in ages.
Dermot & I decided that today Brid would just help me do chores and cleaning up and putting away after our trip. We worked outside sweeping leaves and cleaning seed up.
Brid continued to work on her blog. She is learning a lot about it and putting her thoughts down.
God Bless to all

Homeschool Camp


Last week Brid and I travelled to Lennox Head to attend a Catholic homeschool camp. It was great to be there amongst wonderful women of faith. It was also great to see familiar faces- sharing the experience with some of our hunter valley homeschool families.
Brid made some great friends, and we just relaxed and chatted.
Latin Mass was very serene and reverent. We had a beautiful Franciscian Franternity Priest as our spiritual director. It was a God incident that it was the same priest we see each month at our own Latin Masses here in our own Cathedral.
I learnt so much more about the richness of the Catholic Faith and again it makes me pleased that I am who I am.
I think the most important thing is that I learnt that we all homeschool the same but different. We all have the same goal
I liked that I could impart little snippots of wisdom onto more experienced mums, and in turn gain from them.
Brilliant we will return.

Thursday 4 September 2008

A Little Princess

This term we have read A Little Princess. She loved it very much. We surprised Brid by watching the dvd this morning for school. Brid's eldest sister has a set of Shirley Temple movies.
I remember watching them when I was a little girl. Bringing back memories.

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Family Presentation Evening

Last Night Brid organised a gathering of our family to listen to her present some aspects of her schooling this term.
It was a lovely night. Beforehand Brid helped set the table, placed an arrangement of flowers on the table and she practiced her speech.
We began cooking our baked Chicken Dinner, and I decided that I did have time enough for making an Apple Pie.
The scene was set for her. Her presentation was well received. the Olympic games were highlighted as well as a story she had written, and poem she enjoyed learning and a piece if music she liked. when she relaxed with her graandparents, she quickly started explaining more as she ate her icecream afterwards.
good work Brid- We are proud of your efforts.

Monday 1 September 2008

Old Blog

I am currently in the process of changing blog pages.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JESUSitrustyou/

bear with me as this occurs.
Have a wondeful and blessed day on this glorious day God has provided for us,
Leanne