Vocation of Motherhood

Are you Going?

2009 Homeschool Mother's Day of Renewal

 

Saturday, January 24th

Holy Family Catholic Church

5900 West Lake Street

St. Louis Park, MN

 

8:30 am- rosary in church

9:00am- mass (celebrant Fr. Kasel)

10:00am- confessions & light breakfast

11:00am-12:30pm- speaker Anne Bielejeski

1:00pm- optional lunch

 

Everyone welcome!

Registration Fee $15

Lunch Fee $10

 

Mail registration form and payment (checks to: Mother's Day of Renewal) to

For more information or if you would like to help with this event

email trobbins5@comcast.net

Country Study: North America (Native Americans)

We just completed our study of Native Americans, and it was a great presentation. This time we kept it very simple and didn't even make a lapbook! Well, truth be told, Daddy spent a lot of time building a "longhouse" (our family studied the Iroquois) but otherwise we read some books, watched a couple of educational videos and compiled a folder of drawings and resources we used. Our biggest contribution to learning was visiting an Indian Museum and a Trading Post. The boys learned a ton and had so much fun, especially at the trading post during our tour (led by a "real" Objiwe woman, who played the part well!). Our tour guide completed some "trades" with them (via some beaver pelts) and showed them how to play with the typical Indian toys of the day. Later at home the boys also made their own "toys" that the Ojibwe children would play with.

Nature Boy learned two things at the Indian Museum that stuck in his mind:

1) The Ojibwe (Chippewa) actually migrated from the east (I think from the same tribe as the Iroquois?) way back when....

and

2) They used moss in the cradleboard for the baby to use as a diaper! (For some reason he and the other boys thought this was hilarious!)

Here is a slideshow (with a very short video!):

Country Study: China

Last May we started a study group with a couple other families (also known as a homeschool co-op). The kids learned a ton and in the process had a lot of fun! Here are pictures of the celebration:

Visit to Pinewood Castle

Wow! Can I roll one visit into these categories? Art of Blogging, Friends, Fieldtrips, Catholic Living, Homeschooling, Hospitality, etc.??

This week we took a much-planned for trip to Pinewood Castle. This trip has been cancelled in the past, so I was glad to finally make it. What an inspiring time I had (not to mention the kids, too!).

I'm still trying to put into words how I felt after leaving. (Well, actually I felt horrible and just found out that I have strep throat, so I'm still feeling guilt about exposing Tracy's family to strep!). Anyway, being around Tracy really gave me some motivation and incentive to live out my vocation in a fuller and richer context, especially with homeschooling and family life. Their family is so kind to one another, they speak softly and live very purposely.

I think the main blessing I received from my time with Tracy is the awareness of establishing a routine in the day and week. Their family really embraces the "learning as living" concept (with regards to the Alphabet Path, nature walks, weekly Saints study, etc.). I am so excited to get back into a learning routine here. Yesterday I wrote a new scripture on the chalkboard for us all to learn (especially the youngers ones):

Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. -Proverbs 4:20-21 (We seem to have the need to concentrate on listening skills around here lately).

And the nature walk! Wow, I learned so much and so did the kids! I took some amazing pictures. Tracy shared with me how since leaving the big city she and the kids have been forced to concentrate on the smaller (richer?) things... like the wildflowers on a their neighborhood path.

Speaking of building good habits, I need to spend more time developing them with the kids. Today looks like a rainy day, so there's no time like the present! Here are some pictures before I leave:

Eating a delicious lunch... complete with fresh-picked strawberries and blueberries!

Babies having fun!

Our lunch- is this straight out of a magazine or what? She had salads sprinkled with toasted almonds, blueberries, mozzarella cheese and a homemade vinaigrette. We also feasted on bowls of berries and the famous backup sandwich, PB&J!

Kids having fun playing in their beautifully-landscaped backyard!

(Notice the Mary garden in the background?)

I have more pictures from our nature walk, but will post those later.

Thanks again for the visit Tracy, it was heavenly!

Summer Plans 2008

• Afternoons at the pool and on the river with the rope swing
• Spanish Camp
• Agate Day
• Blue Knights Feast
• Summer Reading Program @ the library
• Baseball
• Book club retreat
• Plenty of fishing
• Get-together with Tracy and her brood
• Old Tyme Country School
• Visit to Split Rock Lighthouse
• Native American Study (Iroquois Indians)
  
  • Create a longhouse 
  • Make a lapbook or other notebook
  • Craft Day with other families: make possible bags and water drums
  • Fieldtrip to NW Fur Post OR Mille Lacs Indian Museum
  • Celebrate with festival/children's presentations (building a teepee and canoeing!)

And around the house:

• Landscaping
• Finish painting the house
• Start staining the deck (I power-washed the porch tonight to get ready for book club next week!)
• Put up clothesline

Here is a sign of future things to come....