Sonlight Garden

Pinning it Down {volume 4} the party edition

Joining Sarah and Pam again this week in Pinning It Down.

This party brought to you via pinterest! When I was looking around the internet for ideas for John Paul's birthday I saw so many cute ideas. I created a pin board labeled "party ideas".

Now, John Paul who turned three was not having a big party. It was just us, so I didn't use all of the great ideas I found out there. My main inspiration was the cake which I think turned out so cute. He loved it.

The cake stuck to the bottom of the pan when I was flipping it over to cool on the rack. It worked out ok though because that became our "excavation site".  I bought a pack of mini construction vehicles. I used Cocoa Krispies for rocks and raw sugar for the dirt road. 

I also found construction sign clip art for straw toppers and construction hat signs for the snacks. This made it a little extra festive.

He had such a great day and was so excited. So sweet!

and now he's 3

So our little boy turned three. We threw him a construction themed birthday party when his biggest brother and sister came home from school. He loved it. He asked all day if we were making his birthday. 

Another funny...When he woke up on the morning of his third birthday he found me sitting in my chair in the family room. He climbed up onto my lap, and we sat for a little while. I rubbed his hair and said, "John Paul, you're three! Where did the time go?" He climbs down, walks into the kitchen, stands in front of the oven for a moment and looks up at the clock. He then looks at me, shrugs his shoulders and says "I don't know Mom." 

He had a great day. He got a vacuum cleaner, broom and dust pan, a drill, and a construction dress up set. And of course a Tonka truck. He loves trucks and loves to help out around the house. So sweet this little guy.

We love you John Paul!

Growing in Virtue

If you want to grow in the virtue of patience cook in the kitchen with your children. I was reminded of this just this past Christmas. One afternoon when we had started baking some cookies, my little ones had gathered around. They were adding ingredients, all complaining about whose turn it was. "She got to crack the eggs." one of them said in a whiny voice. There was flour flying everywhere. It was crazy. I had dropped the spatula while using the hand mixer. I turned the hand mixer off, put it on the counter and bent down to pick up the spatula. As I was bent down the mixer comes crashing down on my head. "That's it!" I yell, "everyone out!" the two little ones run away crying. I stay bent low. I start crying. I failed again.

Every moment we have a choice. Acting patiently is a choice. I have to choose to smile. I have to choose to soften my heart. Not always, but sometimes being patient isn't easy and natural. When people find out how many children I have, and that I homeschool, I always here the comment, "you must be so patient?" Well, I'm not. I pray for it constantly. I want to be a wonderful example for my children. They also must know I am human, that I fail, that I struggle, and that I am humbled; for someday they will have their own babies to raise.

 I went and found those crying little ones, and hugged them and kissed them and apologized. I don't want their memories of baking with their Mama to be not so happy. It was humbling. Another virtue.

You know, I think about how as parents we are to teach our children to be virtuous, to know right from wrong. I then think about all they teach me.  God puts us together as a family to teach each other, to help us grow virtuous.  These 9 beautiful souls God blessed me with are helping me grow. I look around, the opportunities are bountiful, I am blessed. Lord, help me to make it so. 

 

January Daybook

Outside my window~ It is gray, cool, and breezy. It looks like winter out there as far as the grayness. There hasn't been any snow except for one little storm. The kids are bummed. Me, not so much. 

I am listening to~ The machines running and doing their job. Little girls talking over bowls of ice cream.

I am wearing~ Jeans and a long sleeve striped t-shirt. My hair is in a ponytail. I am thinking of cutting my hair. Again. For those of you who know me in real life you know this is how I roll. I cut my hair short, I let it grow long, I cut it short, I grow it long. Repeat. But, I always hate the growing out phase and always feel so "blah" through that. This is assuming I grow it out again. Terry and I were looking at some old pictures when my hair was in the short phase and he commented on how nice my hair looked like that. So, what to do?  

I am grateful for~ 

*the adoration and love in a baby's eyes when he looks at his mother. There is nothing like it. Pure love.

*Terry. So thankful he is the head of this household. I am so thankful for his wisdom and his willingness to handle the tough stuff. So very thankful.

*basketball games and a season that is almost over

*Mondays. The start of a new week. A fresh start.

I am thinking about~ 

getting organized and simplifying this year. I really want this to happen and not just say it. I want this to be the year. I have been reading and researching, I just need to start doing when I can carve out some time. I am just going to need to do a little at a time. I keep begging God to help me and to let this be the year it happens.

 

I am reading~ Have a New Teenager by Friday  by Dr. Kevin Leman (still, I put this down for a little while)

Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen. This is a long book where every sentence is packed and beautiful. I want to finish it by Easter so I am starting now. I think it will be a perfect read during Lent.

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider. Great read so far, has me thinking and planning.

I am creating~ My goal is an orderly, simple home so I can have time to knit and sew and bake and read and run. I feel as though I have no time for any of the "good stuff" because I am constantly moving things around this house. I wonder how many years I have been saying this? Like I said, this is the year.

From the learning room~ We have hit the books hard. We are halfway through. I am going to take Fridays for Science and History blocks so that we can have the time to really work on these subjects. 

To live the liturgy~ Ordinary time. The deacons homily yesterday was about ordinary time. How the altar is bare, the vestments are green. Green means growth. I like that.

Around the house~ Potty training, for the seventh time. He has so far been my easiest. I am taking a laid back approach, acting as if it no big deal. It is working. I wouldn't trade my mothering experience for anything. That poor first child (aka the guinea pig.)

From the kitchen~ I have started using e-mealz and wow, what a difference. Thank you to my Florida peeps who recommended it. Worth every penny. It feels good to have a plan every week.

One of my favorite things~ celebrating birthdays. Julia's was last week. John Paul's is this week. I must get up some birthday posts.

A few plans for the rest of the week~ Basketball practices and games, ballet, drama. Clean out the foyer closet and the pantry.

Picture thoughts: 

A freebie

Just thought you'd like to know the kindle edition book Organized Simplicity Is available for FREE on Amazon! Just for today though. I just downloaded it. I would link to it but I am posting this from my phone.

Go ahead, sing along...

Our church choir played this song today with the organ and harp and trumpet. It was just beautiful. I have been humming it all day long. I think Alison Krauss did a lovely job with this version. I hope you are having a restful Sunday. Someone in my house is. Oh, to still be able to crash like that.
Be well and rest in Him. That is the only rest we need.

and so it has begun

The first snow fall really is very pretty. Time to break out the boots and gloves and hot chocolate. The kids are hoping for enough snow to have a "snow day" tomorrow. We'll see. Say a little prayer for me as I drive the back country roads to go pick up by big kids!

Pinning it Down {volume 1}

 

I love the idea of pinterest. I really do. I just seem to never have the time to get on there. So my "boards" are a little... lame. When I saw Sarah and Pam were hosting a link up of completed pinterest projects I thought this would be the perfect time to post about a writing caddy that I had pinned and had made this past summer.  

  I first saw this writing cadding at the Playful Learning Shop. She has so many great ideas for learning centers or spaces for little ones. I thought this caddy would be great for Amelia who is just starting to explore letters and writing. She loves it. I frequently find her sitting at a table with the caddy right along side her.

I found the wood caddy at amazon. It is very sturdy, and you can change the size of the compartments. You can personalize it, but I chose not to. That way I can change its purpose if need be. I found the soy crayon rocks  on ebay (cheap). The alphabet stamp set I scored at a consignment shop. They are from Melissa and Doug. I put in some colored pencils, envelopes, index cards, paper and alphabet stickers, and voila! 

Here is my pin. 

new year notes

I am still in holiday mode. I am still mulling over resolutions. I am still not ready to start this new year, although it seems the new year has started without me! There are so many things I want to change and do better at. Just praying about how to get there. Maybe I'll figure it out by the end of this year!

On another note, the dear Lord has been so kind to me. We have had some beautiful weather. It is reaching a high of 60 today and the sun is out. It is not wintry at all. I LOVE IT! I almost feel like I am in Florida. We did have some snow earlier this week which was fun. Sort of. 

I took the kids to the park to enjoy the beautiful weather. We went on a little walk in the woods also. Trying to soak in as much as we can. 

My little man is 3 months old today. I would not be lying when I say I kiss his cheeks all day. Oh I love him so much!!!

New Years Eve

So how was your New Year's Eve? Ours was a ton of fun. We had a fondue party. I say party when it was really just the 11 of us, including my Dad. Amelia kept saying "Mom this isn't a party!" But hey, like I said. There were 11 of us. That is a party. I read about the Foss family's traditional New Year's Eve feast in the latest issue of Faith and Family magazine and thought it would be fun to give it a try. We had a good time. We went to the vigil Mass at 5 and came home and started to prep the food. We turned on some music, broke out some puzzles. Hung out in the kitchen and cooked and dipped and laughed and talked. The kids had Shirley Temples. It was a nice relaxing evening.

John Paul had one to many Shirley Temples and maybe a little to much chocolate fondue! Ha!

Henry didn't get to have any chocolate fondue, and he was sad about it.

So we put a party hat on him instead and that made him happier

Here is a picture of Julia. Who loves to have her picture taken. 

We followed the recipes in the magazine. 

We had beef and pork with a horseradish dipping sauce. Terry also made a curry dipping sauce which was so yummy. We had three cheese dip, beer cheddar dip and of course chocolate fondue. 

I think we have ourselves a new tradition!