Teaching Tuesdays~ John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus

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Hello again! It's been a few weeks since I have posted about our Sunday school lessons. Things have been a little crazy around here. We've had a few different illnesses come through our house and it seems like things are finally settling down just in time for Advent and Christmas. 

Our Saint~ Saint Jacinta, Saint Francisco, and Saint John the Baptist

We had three saints this week. 

Our first two saints were a brother and sister who were visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary when they were just 7 and 9. Saint Jacinta and Saint Francesco are wonderful saints to introduce children to because they were children themselves!

I read a brief summary of their lives. I found most of my information online. You can read about this brother and sister here.

The children were given a coloring page to work on why we learned about these young saints. 

Our other saint this week is an important one. It was Saint John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus! We talked about he was Jesus's cousin and why he was an important prophet. The children were given a coloring page of him to take home. 

Our Virtue~ Honesty & Zeal

We had two virtues this week to go along with our saints.

Honesty~ For Saint Jacinta and Francisco, the virtue was honesty. Honesty is being trustworthy and true. Even when they were doubted, they believed in themselves and told the truth. They didn't allow others to persuade them.

Zeal~ Saint John the Baptist is a fantastic example of zeal. Zeal is being driven by an intense love for God. Saint John the Baptist was an important prophet preparing the way for Jesus!

Old Testament Lesson~ Abram and Lot, Abraham and Sarah

We read about Abram and Lot in our children's Bible. We learned about how God chose Abraham. We learned about God's promise to Abraham and Sarah. You can find simple children's versions on the DLTK'S Sites for Kids.

After reading the Bible stories, the kids had some fun working on a few worksheets. 

Abram and Lot Maze

Abraham and Sarah Maze

Abraham and Sarah Word Search

New Testament Lesson~ John Baptizes Jesus

For our New Testament lesson, we learned about how John the Patist baptized his cousin, Jesus. We read the story of how Jesus asked John to baptize him. We talked about original sin, baptism, and the Holy Spirit. The children then worked on a cute shell craft about the Baptism of Our Lord. You can find the craft and the free printables at Catholic Inspired. 

Additional Lesson~ Honesty and the Spider Craft

When we learn about the virtue of honesty, I always include this cute spider story and craft. The kids love it every year. 

You can read more about this lesson here.

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                                                 Monique

Happy Homemaker Monday~ November 29, 2022

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

Can y'all believe it's the end of November already? It's been a few weeks since I've blogged but life again was a little crazy. We were hit with some illness in October, recovered, and then we were just hit again this past week. Happy Thanksgiving to us. It's a nasty little bug....cough, congestion, fever, headache, stuffiness, etc. I still have some congestion and a cough, but I feel better today. Now I get to play catch up and finally start to decorate for Christmas. I'm a little behind this year. I did have a few nice days in between the cooties floating around. My sister and I took a mini vacation together to the beach. It was beautiful, relaxing, and a wonderful time spent together. It was our first trip away together by ourselves...no kids or hubbies! Hopefully, it becomes a tradition. 

Let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday with our beautiful hostess Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Be sure to stop in and say hey there.

The Weather~

We had a few beautiful, warm days here and the cooler temps seemed to hit. It still hasn't been that bad yet. We haven't started the woodstove yet which Misty (mama cat) is not so happy about. The last few days have been overcast and cloudy. We have rain coming tomorrow.

Monday~ Cloudy, 48*

Tuesday~Cloudy, 49*

Wedenesday~ Rain, 56*

Thursday~ Mostly Sunny, 43*

Friday~ Mostly Sunny, 48*

Saturday~ Scattered Showers, 58*

Sunday~ Partly CLoudy, 45*

We did have a few flurries last week. It was crazy. Maddie was excited to see the snow falling. She loves to play in the snow. 

As I Look Out My Window~

It's overcast and a little dreary looking out. The tufted titmouse birds don't seem to mind. They are very active flying around. It seems like they are playing tag. The cats love watching them. We have lots of chattering going on. 

 

Right Now I Am ~

I'm typing up this post and eating some toast. With this crazy bug, my stomach has been a little off so I haven't been eating much and I've been eating some pretty plain food. Since I'm feeling pretty good today (so far), I don't want to push it. I did try to drink some coffee, but that didn't sit well. I think I may need to give up coffee. That's a scary thought not only for me but also for the fmailt. I gave up coffee for Lent one year and the kids asked me to never do that again. 

Thinking and Pondering~

Hoping and praying that this is the last of the illnesses to hit our house for a while. It seems 2022 started out crappy and it seems to be ending that way too. This is one year I'll be glad to see go. It's been a hard year filled with lots of changes. Some have been good while others have sucked. It's definitely been a year that we will not forget even if we wanted to.

How am I Feeling~

Pretty good right now. I still have some congestion. My fever is gone and my headache is as well. This cold/flu has not been fun, to say the least. 

What's for Breakfast~

It's nothing exciting! A half a cup of coffee and two pieces of plain gluten-free toast

Looking Around the House~

Ugh..it was clean and clutter-free since we did have my parents down for Thanksgiving. Now it's a little messy and I have the urge to clean the entire thing from top to bottom to get the germs out. I need to decorate for Christmas still. I haven't even started. I will admit, I usually have it done before Thanksgiving. This is a habit from those days when I was a manager in retail. If you have ever worked retail, you know life is crazy once Black Friday hits. If I didn't get the tree up before then, it wouldn't get up. 

On the To-Do List This Week~ 

Clean and sanitize the house

Decorate for Christmas

Laundry

Start Christmas Cards

Sew a few more tree skirts

Doctor's appointment for bloodwork

Library

Grocery store

On My Reading Pile~

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

How the Grump Saved Christmas by Claire Kingsley

The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

Do Something Beautiful for God

I just finished Holiday with the Angels by Debbie Macomber. It was a short story collection about angels during the Christmas season. 

I'm still working through Opening Your Heart for my weekly bible study class. You can find more about this bible study and the others offered at their website, Walking with Purpose.

On TV this week~

Netflix

The Good Witch

Dead to Me

Devil in Ohio

Christmas movies

Paramount+

Criminal Minds

On the Menu this Week~

Monday~ Toast for me while the family had take out

Tuesday~ Spaghetti

Wednesday~ ??

Thursday~ ??

Friday~ ??

Saturday~ ??

Sunday~ ??

I need to sit down and plan the next two weeks' menus. I had them done up until Thanksgiving.

If I Have a Few Minutes to Myself, I Will~

Catch up on my bible study lessons. With the craziness of Thanksgiving and this crazy illness, I have fallen behind. Finish the Christmas tree skirt I'm making for our tree.

One of  My Simple Pleasures~

Listening to Christmas music. I always start when I'm making pies for Thanksgiving. I love Celtic Christmas music!

Exciting New~

I finally have my shop open, Wildcat Hollow Quilts and More. I only have a few items listed so far, but my goal is to have plenty more. Check out the links below and explore some of the items I've created so far!

Etsy Shop Link... Wildcat Hollow Quilts and More

Instagram...happily_wildcathollow_quilts

Facebook...Wildcathollowquiltsandmore

From the Camera~

Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~

"It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the lonileness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start."

~ Mother Teresa

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ November 27, 2022

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ November 20, 2022

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ November 13, 2022

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ November 6, 2022

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ October 30, 2022

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Monique

We're Going on a Fall Book Hunt

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Hello there... Fall is in full swing! The temps have dropped. The leaves are showing off a kaleidoscope of reds, golds, oranges, and yellows. I love the fall colors. The golden hues and the way they glow in the sunshine brings a smile to my face. They just seem so happy. It's like it's their time to shine and show off God's amazing love for us. I will admit, I'm not a fan of all the leaves falling off but that's part of it. Too many leaves to rake up, especially since we live in the woods. 

I loved Fall when the kids were little. The hot temps of Summer were long gone and the coll breeze meant it was cool out. The breeze helped with all the pesky gnats too. We would go on long nature hikes through the neighborhood. We'd collect leaves, acorns, and mushrooms for further exploration. It was a peaceful time, a simple time. Things seemed to move a little slower at least until Thanksgiving. 

One of our favorite past times was curling up on the couch with a good book about Fall. I loved reading out loud to the kids when they were younger. It was a time to sit quietly and spend quality time with each other. I loved seeing their love of books come to life. 

With so much time to reminisce about times gone by, I thought I'd share a few of our favorite books we would read during the Fall months.

1. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves 

This was Therese's favorite. She loved Fletcher.

2. We're Going on a Leaf Hunt

We loved this book because we would often go out and collect leaves to study, create art with, or do a science project with. 

3. Too Many Pumpkins

4. Leaf Man

5. Why Do Leaves Change Color?

This is great for a science lesson!

6. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

We used this as a book study. We found a unit study guide at Homeschoolshare.com

7. The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks

This is one of my favorites. I love the Berenstain Bears. They were a favorite from my childhood. 

8. Thanksgiving is For Giving Thanks

9. Thanks for Thanksgiving

10. The Night Before Thanksgiving

This is a funny story that reads like the Night Before Christmas. If you cook Thanksgiving dinner your family can definitely relate to this story. 

11. Bears Says Thanks

This was a favorite of Michaels. He loved anything relating to a bear.

These were just a few of the books we kept on our bookshelf. We checked more at the library, but these were a few of our favorites. It's funny how certain books become a part of us. When we see their cover or reread them later on in life, they just bring back wonderful memories of family, love, and a happy time!

Do you have a favorite book about fall from your childhood or your children's childhood? I'd love to hear about them.

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                                                  Monique

Teaching Tuesdays~ Noah's Ark and Made in God's Image

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

It's Tuesday again~ can y'all believe October is almost over? This month flew by. We had a great class, even though I had quite a few students missing. We have all types of bugs going around here (strep/stomach bug/colds). Over half the class was out. With such a small class, we had lots of interaction.

Our Saint~ Saint Bernadette

Saint Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France. When she was 14 years when a beautiful lady appeared to her. The lady in blue told her that she was the Immaculate Conception. She asked for a chapel to be built at the grotto. We read about her life from the Saints for Young Readers for Every Day. They colored in their coloring page of Saint Bernadette. 

Here are a few other great books to learn more about Saint Bernadette...

Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes

Yellow Roses on Her Feet: The Story of Bernadette of Lourdes

Bernadette, Our Ladies Little Servant

Our Virtue~ Fortitude

Fortitude is being brave and strong in the face of trials. Saint Bernadette showed great fortitude when no one believes her about the beautiful lady appearing to her. She kept going to the grotto and doing what the lady asked of her. 

Old Testament Lesson~ Noah's Ark 

Noah's Ark by Edward Hicks

We read the story about Noah and how he built the ark after God asked him to. I read On Noah's Ark by Jan Brett. I love the illustrations in this book. The kids colored a picture of Noah's Ark while I read the story. 

The students then worked on a Noah's Ark maze and they were given a crossword puzzle to take home if they wanted to do it. 

We had a cute Noah's Ark craft to work on. 

                                

A tasty snack to enjoy while teaching this lesson is animal crackers. Everyone loves animal crackers. 

Catechism Lesson~ Made in God's Image

We did a scavenger hunt looking for things that God had made or man had made. We talked about how God made us in his image. He made us in the image of God in our moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature. It means that we are different from the other creatures God created. We can know and learn things. 

We talked about why God made us. He made us because he loved us. He made us to know Him, to love Him, and to Serve him. 

We made a craft about being made in God's Image.

You can find the craft here.

Prayers~

We are still working on the Sign of the Cross, Our Father, and Glory Be.

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                                                 Monique

Happy Homemaker Monday~ October 24, 2022

Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

Good monring (on Tuesday), dear friends. Yesterday was a busy day. I startred this post yesterday, but didn't get a chance to fnish it. So, I am this morning. 

Our weekend was a busy one. We worked on things around the house. The boys did some work on  Michael's truck. I hemmed some pants for my nephew. He has a couple of job interviews, so if you could keep him in your prayers that would be great. On Sunday, we had church and then Therese and I taught sunday school. It was a good class. We got another aid to help out, so this is great with 16 active students. It will come in handy when we do our crafts and play our games. After class, I headed to my sister's house. We went to lunch and ran a few errands. We found some cute Christmas decorations at Big Lots. It's been years since we'd been in there and they had so many cute items. They have some nice looking Christmas trees for a very reasonable price if you need one.

Let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday with our beautiful hostess Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Be sure to stop in and say hey there.

The Weather~

Monday~ Sunny, 64*

Tuesday~Partly Cloudy, 70*

Wedenesday~ Scattered Showers, 69*

Thursday~ Partly Cloudy, 61*

Friday~ Mostly Cloudy, 58*

Saturday~ Partly CLoudy, 58*

Sunday~ Cloudy, 58*

Temperatures are not that bad this week. We just don't have much sun. The days are getting shorter. The leaves are really changing colors. So far, most are still on the trees. 

As I Look Out My Window~

A soft misty fog is swirling around the trees. The vibrant colors are peaking through the mist. I love the oranges and golds... rich jewel tones that bring fall to life. The colors are exceptionally bright this year. It's definitely on the the prettiest falls we've had in a while. 

Right Now I Am ~

I just did one of my bible study lessons. I'm now finishing up this post and drinking a lukewarm cup of coffee. 

Thinking and Pondering~

Oh my goodness, so many personal issues are on my mind. Why didn't they tell you mothering in the teen and early adult years is hard. Harder than the little years. Whoever said the terrible twos is the worst obvisouly didn't have older children yet. You want to treat them like the adults they are becoming, but at the same time protect them from the path they are on. It's hard to sit back and watch at times. 

How am I Feeling~

I'm feeling pretty good. My allergies are dying down a little. I just have itchy eyes, so I've been using my eye drops. My shoulder is still messed up. My plan is to look up some shoulder stretches and exercies to make it stronger. Hopefully that will help with the pain. 

What's for Breakfast~

I have no clue. Probably eggs and some toast.

Looking Around the House~

The floors need mopped again. I vacuumed yesterday. I'm trying to follow a weekly cleaning list that helps me keep everything on track. My goal is to stay on top of everything.

I need to plant the 2 mums we bought a few weeks ago. 

On the To-Do List This Week~ 

Laundry

Finish my neice's tree skirt

Alter 2 skirts for Therese that are too big

Get a few tree skirts listed in my shop

Grocery store

On My Reading Pile~

One Thousand Gifts Devotional by Ann Voskamp

Never Meant to Meet You

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz 

Meetings with Mary- Visions of the Blessed Mother

Do Something Beautiful for God

and I'm still reading Opening Your Heart for my Women's Bible study group. You can find more about the various bible studies that they offer on their website, Walking with Purpose. 

On TV this week~

Netflix~

The Good Witch

The Vatican Girl

The Unforgivable 

Hulu~

Criminal Minds

What I'm Listening to~

Taylor Swift Midnight

Lighthouse A Piano Album by Jay Stocker

Whisperings David Nevue

On the Menu this Week~

I actually sat down and wrote out our meal plan all the way up to Thanskgiving! I feel so accomplished. It's such a relief to know what's for dinner and not have to panic at the last minute. 

Monday~ Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole from the Pioneer Woman

Tuesday~ Chicken Sausage, Potaoes, and Broccoli Sheet Pan Supper

Wednesday~ Maple Pork Chops, Potaotes, Green Beans

Thursday~ Spaghettie and Meatballs, Salad, Bread

Friday~ Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples, Sweet Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots

Saturday~ Easy Crock Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Beans

Sunday~ Cheeseburger Mac, Salad, and Bread

If I Have a Few Minutes to Myself, I Will~

Sit outside and enjoy the fall colors. Of course that's if the bees have gone away. They are always so aggresive this time of year and since I have a bee allergy it's not fun to be outside too much. 

One of  My Simple Pleasures~

Sitting quietly spending time with God reading the bible and praying. Having a warm cup of tea with me is always good too.

From the Camera~

Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~

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Monique