Our Catholic Homeschool Gathering

In our area we are blessed to have several homeschool families.

Some months ago we set up a group to interact about Catholic stuff. I would periodically post as would some others, but I kept saying to Our Lord, if we are to use this email group, you will make it possible. Latin Mass started monthly and posting was at least to let everyone know what date Mass was on.

Tricia, my dear friend and I were talking one day and thought, we need to gather more often.

We posted this excitedly, on our group, and chose a date. That date was today.

We had 5 families attend, and we were blessed to be able to use the Convent across the road from our church. We were also very blessed that our Parish Priest was more than willing to say Mass as well as a teaching for our children afterward.

We brainstormed over a cuppa the varied things we could do, and of course between lightning bolts from our excited brains, watched the little ones.

We have quite an array of events and feasts to celebrate every month.

I pray that Our Lord will bless our little group, and we can continue the enthusiasm we had today.

Catholic Homeschool Camp

The Chapel down the path in the bush. The girls all wore white and many wore veils.



The Play- Cinderella

Last week we went to Fitzroy Falls for a Catholic Homeschool camp. I have taken all week to digest the camp. It was lovely to be among Catholic families sharing similar ideals. I really enjoyed the talks given by many parents and our spiritual director Fr Casanova.
He really spoke well on areas not covered usually- apparitions of Our Lady, Funerals, death, wills.
The children really got into the team work of the coloured teams they were placed into. Each team was marked on there performance for cleaning of dining area and kitchen areas. Brid enjoyed the kitchen the best, because she could push the trolley with all cleaned items on it.
I hardly saw Brid at all. She just played with a group of girls, who she just adored. They were very welcoming to her.
It was lovely to have Benediction and the Rosary in the Chapel everyday. It was a blessing to be part of a community for the week, and share in Our Lord's Supper.
It was a very cold drissly Camp. Very cold for me, but we soldiered on, even kneeling on concrete floors in the Chapel- we used books, and bags under our knees.
One afternoon the fog just descended to the ground before our eyes. Eary and Beautiful all at the same time. The fire kept us warm as toast, and did my porridge in the morning.
The book stall was amazing. I couldn't contain myself. I just shopped. I could have been in a clothes shop for the excitement I felt. I had to be discipled. I could hear Dermot say- its OK, its for School.
Each day the children had lessons- religion, and another according to there age group, and as the camp progressed, the children put on debating for us in the evening, Ballroom dancing, The concert- Cinderella, and the littlies put on a song or two- just beautiful. Don't know which was better.
Anyway Brid beamed all week and I was at times thinking 'what shall I do'. This camp really got us all think about keeping together with other Catholics in our own area. More on that..........

Marriage

Recently Dermot & I went on a Marriage enrichment weekend. As we are part of the Celebrate Love community within the Catholic Church, we were excited to see what we could bring into our marriage from this weekend.
The Weekend was run by Family Life today at resort that was an old Convent, attached was a Catholic nursing home and a Church. All on the same grounds. We were excited. We prayed for openness to receive what ever gifts God was wanting for our marriage.
We willingly participated and enjoyed much of the content.
Since this weekend, we have really been able to minister to each other and celebrate in our differences. This weekend was truly a God-given gift for us.

Holidays nearly over.......

Well its nearly time to return to the books and general day to day stuff. We have had a great holiday, very tiring.
We have had so many great days. Caught up with so many friends.
Yesterday a friend and I took our children on an adventure to Sydney's Rocks area. It was fun pointing out historical sights and looking at different convict quarry work. Explaining in simple terms to kids about the area and showing them the arrows on the bricks.
We found a great park under the harbour bridge and when we walked back to have lunch, we were dished up a treat of watching a personal trainer take his clients through there routines. It kept us all occupied.
We finished our day with a visit to St Patricks' near the Rocks. It was perfect timing because there was exposition. So we took the children to the front of the church and they all kneeled reverently for a short while. Long great day, and a wonderful way to finish it off.
Brid was printmaking today. We made 3 different printings. We had the pleasure of being taught by a homeschooler Mum, who owns her own studio. We printed the creations with a 200 year old printpress.
Another great day.
But it wasn't finished yet. Dermot had packed a picnic for us, and was waiting for us to return so we could go to the foreshore.
In the afternoon when we returned home we were welcomed by several Crimson Rosellas pecking at our bird feeder and playing in our weeping bottlebrush tree. It was certainly a God moment. Just a private show for us. Brid got up real close to the birds before they got spooked.
Amazing!!!!
In all of this we have had our parish Statue of Our Lady, so we could pray the Rosary in front of her. It has been a very blessed time
Thank you Lord for this Beautiful day and a truly wonderful break.

Precious Moments

Yesterday Louise and I made a date to spend some time together, doing her favourite thing- shopping. It didn't matter what we were doing really, it was our time together.
I needed to get some house type items, so Louise helped me make my decisions, and then we had lunch- breakfast for some!, and chatted. that was priceless.
Louise had been trying to get me to a particular shop to get her Mum some eyeshadows that suited me. She is a typical 20 year old, loves make-up and dressing up to go out- where!! just out with friends. Anyway I had my 'colours' chosen and she placed her stamp of approval on each colour. It was fun.
We both came to the same conclusion at the same time -we needed to leave, we were shopped out- only after 3 hours.
At the same time Dermot took Brid to the movies. They also had some priceless moments together. Brid loves one on one time with us both, and now with our change in living situation she can.

St Therese of Lisieux

This is our cake and table setings
Brid dressed up as St Therese last year for a saints party.

Today is a special feast day. St Therese is Brid's and My Mums' confirmation saint. So we wanted to celebrate this day. Brid wanted to do something special, so we baked a cake and set a table for a feast dinner. Brid chose her fav. meal- spaghetti bolognese, and a cake made with vanilla icing and roses. We set the table with roses and Brids' St Therese doll. Fun night was had. Great cake.