Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Wordless Wednesday~ Sleepy Kitty
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Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Teaching Tuesdays~ God is Our Creator!
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Happy Tuesday, friends! I'm back with a new lesson! Sunday school has been a blast. I love getting to know our new little friends every year. Their personalities are hysterical. Little kids are the best.
Check out this week's class!
Prayer~
We continued to work on the Sign of the Cross and started learning the Glory Be. Since they are very similar, I group these together.
Saint~ Saint Martha
I read a short story about her life. I use a variety of resources for learning about a saint's life. The students are always amazed that Saint Martha knew Jesus. They think it's cool that she actually got to talk to him.
The kids worked on their coloring page of Saint Martha while I read about her life. We then added her picture to our Saint board.
Resources~
A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism
Book of Saints by Reverand Lawerance G. Lovasik- I have a few of these that I have purchased over the years for my kids. There are multiple books and they are numbered. I know I have 1 through 6, and number 10. I'm not sure how many there are. I keep meaning to see and get the rest.
Virtue~ Faith
Faith is believing in God, believing in all He has revealed to you, and trusting in God's plan. For our virtue study, I use a resource I found years ago to use with my kids. I saved it and added it to our Sunday school lessons years ago. It's called Virtues in Practice and is from the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia in Nashville.
After learning about faith and how to apply it to their lives, we added the colorful word to our virtue board.
Old Testament Lesson~
Paradise Landscape with the Creation of the Animals
Jan Brueghel II
So this week, we started at the very beginning. We learned about God being the creator of all things! We read about the story of creation. I like to use the Alice in Bible Land Series - The Story of Creation. The students seem to enjoy the story and it's written in simple terms for them to understand. It rhymes, so I think they like the sing-song pattern.
I have two worksheets that I used for this lesson, God's Creation Worksheet and the 7 Days of Creation Matching Worksheet.
We talked about who God is and how He created us in His image and likeness. We learned about God's love for us. He loves us more than we could ever know.
Catechism Lesson~
We learned about the Blessed Trinity. We learned how the Blessed Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I have a coloring page that shows this and a handwriting page too.
Our craft this week went with this part of our lessons. The students made a Blessed Trinity triangle. We took 3 large popsicle sticks, glued them together to form a triangle, and then labeled the three sides: God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. You can find directions here.
We shared a snack of apples. I use the apple to demonstrate the 3-in-1 meaning of the Blessed Trinity.
Skin, flesh, and seeds all make up an apple. It helps them understand it a little better, plus they enjoy a simple snack.
We closed class with the Glory Be and the Our Father.
Monday, September 26, 2022
Happy Homemaker Monday~ September 26, 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 Morning, y'all! I've missed the past two weeks. I was out and about last Monday, so I didn't get a chance to sit down and type a post up. We've had a busy weekend. We had family over for a cookout and bonfire on Saturday. Church and Sunday school on Sunday. After class, I went to lunch with my sister and ran a few errands with her. It was nice to spend the day together. I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend.
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~
Fall has officially arrived! The nighttime temps have been in the 50's. The windows are open and the fall breeze is so refreshing. The leaves here are starting to change and have been swirling in the wind. The sun is setting earlier and it just feels like fall!
Monday~ Sunny, 72*
Tuesday~ Partly Cloudy, 66*
Wedenesday~ Mostly Sunny, 65*
Thursday~ Partly Cloudy, 65*
Friday~ Mostly Cloudy, 64*
Saturday~ Rain, 63*
Sunday~ Rain, 64*
As I Look Out My Window~
I see a few hints of yellow and red. The Maple, Oak, and Dogwood trees have started to change color. There's just a hint of color in the woods. In a few weeks, the woods will come alive with shades of yellow, orange, and red. It will be stunning. It amazes me the beauty God surrounds us with.
Right Now I Am ~
I'm typing up this post. I'm waiting for the towels and shower curtains to finish in the wash, so I can hang them up outside to dry. I just finished the grocery list, since I'm heading to the store tomorrow.
Thinking and Pondering~
A few personal things that I'm hoping will resolve themselves. I'm also thinking about how I need to get out my fall clothes and put away the summer clothes. I think our tank-top weather is gone.
How am I Feeling~
Not too bad. My allergies have gone away. I've started exercising again, so I'm a little sore but overall feel good.
What's for Breakfast~
Dairy-free yogurt with granola and coffee
Looking Around the House~
A few things need to be picked up. I vacuumed and mopped before our company on Saturday, so I should be good for a few days.
On the To-Do List This Week~
Library
Grocery Store
Thrift Store
Laundry
Plant Iris Bulbs
Meal Plan
Finish 4 table runners for my shop
Get items listed in my shop
On My Reading Pile~
and for my Women's Bible study group Opening Your Heart. You can find more about the various bible studies that they offer on their website, Walking with Purpose.
On TV this week~
Netflix
In the Dark
Virgin River
Movie
Where the Crawdads Sing
Youtube
Crafting
Homemaking
On the Menu this Week~
Monday~ Ground Turkey and Rice Casserole
Tuesday~ ??
Wednesday~ ??
Thursday~ ??
Friday~ ??
Saturday~ ??
Sunday~ ??
I'm heading to the store tomorrow, so I'll be making my meal plan this week.
If I Have a Few Minutes to Myself, I Will~
I hope to start sewing a new skirt for church.
One of My Simple Pleasures~
Curling up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and my sweet kitty curling up with me.
From the Camera~
Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~
"I believe God loves the world through us- through you and me."
~Mother Teresa
Praying For~
My sweet girl, Therese
My family and friends
The wonderful ladies that are part of my bible study class
My adorable first graders
Our country and leaders
Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Sunday Inspiration~ September 25, 2022
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Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Teaching Tuesday~ Welcome to First Grade!
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Happy Tuesday, y'all! We had our first class and it went great! I have 15 students this year...8 boys and 7 girls. Pretty even, so it should be a good year. I always find the first class goes rather smoothly. The students are eager for a new year, are excited to be there, and are not yet comfortable acting up yet. I find their true personalities don't make an appearance until about week 3.
Our first class is always a busy one. We have to go over so many things in such a short time, plus I want it to be fun and not boring.
Once we are all seated and a little comfortable, we start introductions. We go around the room say our names and give one fun fact about ourselves....favorite animal, favorite color, do we have siblings, do we have pets, do we play a sport, etc. It's a quick way for the students to get to know each other since they come from different schools in the area.
Next is the boring part, but the important part. I go over the rules and expectations in class. These are the basic rules...raise your hand, be nice to one another, have no feet on the table, be sure to listen, keep your hands to yourself, etc. I do have a poster hanging in the room that I can refer to during the school year.
After the rules and expectations, we have a quick bathroom/water break. Once we are all settled back down, we go over the room layout. I explain our theme for the year, the Bible Verse, the areas in the room, what a saint is, what are virtues, and what we'll be learning. I hand out the prayer booklets I made for each student to take home with them.
Next, we get up and head over to the mats for storytime.
We have a short story from Little Acts of Grace 2. We read the introduction and Seeing the Lord.
After storytime, we head back to our tables for some learning. We start learning the Sign of the Cross. I have a coloring page that helps them learn this. We practice doing the Sign of the Cross a few times together. It's always an interesting time. I usually have about half of the students that know how to make the sign of the cross, a few who are almost there, and then a few who have no idea how to. Just for fun, I hand out a fun dot-to-dot Sign of the Cross worksheet. I have found my students love dot-to-dot pages and mazes!
Finally, we play a fun Ice Breaker Bingo! This gets the kids interacting with each other and they have fun. It's a great way to end the class.
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Sunday Inspiration~ September 18, 2022
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Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Wordless Wednesday~ Fall, Fall and more Fall!
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Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Teaching Tuesday~ Faith Can Move Mountains
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Happy Tuesday! CCD (Sunday school) is about to start and I wanted to share with y'all my room theme for the year and my room set up! A few things have changed, while some have stayed the same.
Let's jump on in shall we!
Therese suggested an outdoor/woodsy theme this year. It is a theme we have not done yet and it was something different, so off we went to search for ideas. We scoured Pinterest and came up with a few ideas to make our own.
Come on In~
For our door, we decided to do a leaf, tree, and acorn theme. The main background is blue with yellow and orange acorns. I added a few green leaves to fill in the door. The slogan I found to use is "Welcome to Our Neck of the Woods!
Inspirational Accent Wall~
For our accent wall, we went with mountains! We created mountains using paper and added the Bible verse, "Faith can move mountains." from Matthew 17:20. It's short and sweet, but packs a punch. Plus it's easy for first graders to read and understand.
Our Prayer Wall~
Next up is our prayer wall, here is where we keep track of the prayers we are learning. We check them off for each student once they have learned the prayer. I chose to use ladybugs for the girls and turtles for the boys. I created a patch of grass for each student and then added the 5 prayers we would be working on.
The following areas of our room have not changed. We still have the rosary and Mary section. I have beautiful images of the Hail Mary laminated and hanging in the room.
I have the PAPAL FLAG and pictures of the last few popes.
We have our saint and virtue boards to add to throughout the year. I have a WORLD MAP to show where the saint lived during their lifetime... just a little bit of geography for the students.
Last year, I added a colorful BIBLE STORY MAP to help go along with our Bible stories.
I have a section that shows Jesus and the Apostles. I have laminated pictures of the STATIONS OF THE CROSS above my whiteboard.
I have posters hanging with the 5 prayers we are working on during the year. These are located next to the student's tracking charts.
I have a birthday wall, so we can celebrate each child's special day!
Well, that's it for now. We'll see y'all next week!
Monday, September 12, 2022
Happy Homemaker Monday~ September 12, 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 morning, friends!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had a rainy weekend here. We needed the rain, so I won't complain too much. We had our first Sunday school class on Sunday. It was fun getting to know our new little friends.
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~ Scattered Thunderstorms, 78*
Tuesday~ Sunny, 78*
Wedenesday~ Sunny. 79*
Thursday~ Sunny, 79*
Friday~ Sunny, 77*
Saturday~ Sunny, 78*
Sunday~ Mostly Sunny, 82*
Today is the last day of rain in the forecast. After a week of rain showers, it will be nice to see some sun. I can finially bath the dog. Her allergies have been horrible. She gets all itchy, scratched like crazy, and eats her paws. The poor girl!
As I Look Out My Window~
Cloudy, foggy, and just plain old dreary! There are light showers coming down right now. The ground is muddy and everyone keeps tracking in mud...fun!
Right Now I Am ~
I am typing up this post. I've already started a load of laundry. I've showered. I just put on some old jean shirts and a t-shirt since I'll be cleaning and sewing today.
Thinking and Pondering~
A lot! I have a few personal issues going on and I'm trying to figure things out. Life as an adult is never easy. I'm putting my faith in God and praying about it. I don't want to make any quick decisions or judgements. We'll see what time will tell.
How am I Feeling~
I have quite a few different emotions going on inside: sadness, fear, anger, resentment, etc. It's been a rough weekend. I'm trying to stay positive. Other than crazy emotions, I'm feeling pretty good. My allergies were doing O.K., but now they are starting to flare up again. I'm thinking it's the mold from all the rain and damp conditions.
What's for Breakfast~
Of course, coffee. I can't start any day without it. I had a coconit milk yogurt with some chocolate and strawberry granolia.
Looking Around the House~
The pet hair is out of control. The dog is shedding more now than when spring started. I'm hoping the bath will help with that.
I need to doa quick pick up and get things organized.
On the To-Do List This Week~
Clean the house
Laundry
Sewing some more pumpkins
Get items listed in my Etsy store
Library
Make appointments at the used book store to unload some old school books
Go through clothes and make an appointment at the consignment shop
Bible study class
On My Reading Pile~
Opening Your Heart (Women's Bible Study group at church)
Gin Fling by Lucy Score & Claire Kingsley
Sold on Monday by Kristina McMorris
Sweet Tea B & B by Rachel Hanna
On TV this week~
On Netflix
Virgin River
In the Dark
Amazon Prime
Making the Cut
On the Menu this Week~
Monday~ Roasted Chicken, Dairy-free scalloped potatoes
Tuesday~ Tequila Lime Chicken, Mexican Rice, Corn
Wednesday~ Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes in a Cream Sauce(dairy-free), Pasta, Salad
Thursday~ Left-over night
Friday~ Chicken Fried Rice
Saturday~ Hamburgers & Hot dogs on the Grill, Macarooni Salad, Corn on the Cob
Sunday~ Grilled Steak & Chicken, Potatoe Wedges, and Green Beans
If I Have a Few Minutes to Myself, I Will~
Finish up a few books, work on a few blog posts, and drink a cup of tea on the porch swing.
One of My Simple Pleasures~
Heading outside to talk to my girls
From the Camera~
Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~
Praying For~
God's guidance
Our country
My family, friends, and loved ones
My new students and that we have a great year together
Till Next Time,
Monique
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Sunday Inspiration~ September 11, 2022
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Friday, September 9, 2022
The River Girls by Melinda Woodhall~ BookSirens Book Review
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.
The River Girls is a great book that keeps readers on their toes. With all the secrets, twists, and turns, you never know what will happen next. The author did a fantastic job of weaving the storylines together. She had a cast of strong women that lead the show and amazing supporting characters that bring the story together. She did a great job of building the characters. You quickly understood why they did what they did and what their roles were. The characters worked well together and brought the story to life.
It's a wonderful thriller that deals with topics in the news today.
Paperback: 342 pages
Publisher: Independently Published (November 15, 2018)
Who's killing the girls of Willow Bay?
When the body of a missing girl washes up on the banks of the Willow River, the killing is linked to two cold case murders, and the investigation must uncover the twisted motive of a serial killer before he kills again. Still reeling after her sister’s brutal murder, grief-stricken Eden Winthrop has returned to Willow Bay, where she runs the Mercy Harbor Foundation, a safe haven for victims of violence. When a teenage trafficking victim disappears from a shelter run by her foundation, Eden is drawn into the search for the sadistic killer. The hunt becomes personal when Eden's niece is abducted just as the body of yet another victim is discovered in a local river. In a desperate effort to save her niece, Eden must partner with the small-town police force that had failed to save her sister. And to catch the killer, she realizes she must trust the one man she vowed to never forgive and summon the strength to face her deepest fears.
The gripping first book in the page-turning Mercy Harbor Thriller series will keep you up at night.
About Melinda Woodhall~
Melinda Woodhall is the amazing author behind the page-turning Mercy Harbor series. She is also the author of the Veronica Lee series. She writes women's contemporary fiction under the name of M.M. Arvin. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, chauffeuring her kids around (like many of us), and working on her vegetarian lifestyle website. She currently resides in Florida with her family and is a proud mama of 5 children.
My Thoughts~
A thriller filled with suspense and intrigue!
This is the first book in the Mercy Harbor series. In this book, we are introduced to Eden Winthrop, who runs Mercy House, in honor of her dead sister who was murdered by her husband. Eden is drawn into a world of abduction, sex, drugs, and abuse when a young girl running from trouble shows up on the steps of the shelter house. Before Eden can help the young girl, she disappears. Eden is determined to figure out who this mysterious girl is. In the process, she is drawn into a world filled with lies, deceit, and secrets. Will Eden discovers the identity of the young girl? Will the police be able to help?
The River Girls is a great book that keeps readers on their toes. With all the secrets, twists, and turns, you never know what will happen next. The author did a fantastic job of weaving the storylines together. She had a cast of strong women that lead the show and amazing supporting characters that bring the story together. She did a great job of building the characters. You quickly understood why they did what they did and what their roles were. The characters worked well together and brought the story to life.
It's a wonderful thriller that deals with topics in the news today.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sunday, September 4, 2022
Sunday Inspiration~ September 4, 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.
Friday, September 2, 2022
Goodbye Summer~ Hello September
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.
Well, hello there, September! You kind of snuck up on me. I swear it was just May. Oh summer, where did you go? I feel like you ran away a little too quickly. Does anyone else feel that way?
Don't get me wrong, I like fall and I'm ready for it. It just feels like summer disappeared a little too fast, but then again doesn't it always. And yes, I know fall doesn't "officially" start until the middle of September but we all know we're transitioning to fall.
So I thought I'd do a summer recap! I'm starting with May, even though it's still spring) because that's when our summer started.
May~
Therese finished up her first semester at college.
We took a beautiful, relaxing, and much-needed vacation to the Florida Keys. We did a college in NC on the way down. We visited Saint Augustine and the Everglades National Park, a request from Michael.
We spent a week in the Keys soaking up the sunshine. We finished off our trip visiting with some family in northern Florida.
We came home and visited the Iris garden. We bought a few bulbs too!
The kids worked on completing their lessons.
June~
Michael and Therese finished school for me. Michael graduated and we had a graduation party for him. We had a few other graduation parties that month 3 others..busy.
Therese had the SAT test.
We started construction on our porch (and it's still being completed). It's a slow process when you're doing a lot of the work yourself.
The kids had their work camp for our dioceses. This was Michael's last year for being able to go. Michael received an award from the Knights of Columbus for being an outstanding youth.
The kids had their State Championship for shooting. They both did amazing!
Therese and I went to a Kenny Chesney concert with my sister and her daughter.
July~
Celebrated the Fourth of July with the kids and their friends. Our church had a picnic and we could watch the fireworks from the parking lot.
We headed to Ohio for the National Championship for shooting. The kids did well. We then visited family that lived nearby. Therese dog sat for a neighbor when we got back.
The kids went to two amusement parks with friends. We celebrated the 1st birthday of an adorable little guy.
I worked on my lesson plans for Sunday school and cleaned my classroom.
We continued work on the porch, We added 9 new chicks to our flock, They were adorable.
August~
The kids had their team party so they could receive their awards for last year's State Championship, a Regional Competition, this year's State Championship, and this year's National Championship. They both walked away with a ton of awards. I'm so proud of them both.
We completed one section of the porch. The contractor that worked on that section did an amazing job.
We helped my hubby build a new fence for the chickens and started fixing up a shed for their new coop. (The girls actually moved in last night.)
We celebrated my niece's birthday. We visited my parents and visited Amish country. I bought some beautiful fabric.
Maddie had a vet appointment. She's getting older but is in great health. She dos have some stiffness in her back legs.
The boys went on their annual fishing trip. We had a week full of doctor's appointments...check-ups and dental.
The kids started classes at the local community college and I started a new quitling business. I'm still working on a few projects before I actually open the shop online. So stay tuned!
So that's where we are. It was a busy summer with lots of stuff going on. It's nice to sit back and relax a little now.
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