Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

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Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Christ.
May your salvation, Lord, be ever with us.

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ March 16, 2025

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Monique

Teaching Tuesdays~ Moses and the Red Sea

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Good morning and Happy Tuesday! We are getting close to the end of our lessons about Moses. This week we learned about Moses and the Red Sea!

We started class by praying the Our Father and Hail Mary. We then moved on to our saint and virtue of the week. This week's saint was Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. We read about Saint Elizabeth's life in A Saint a Day. The children colored a picture of Saint Elizabeth. 

Her virtue is Stewardship. Stewardship is returning to God the fruits of our time, talent, and treasure. 

Today, we read about Moses and how he helped the Isralites flee Egypt. I was going to read the story to the children, but many of them already knew the story. So instead, I had them help tell the story. I filled in the details as needed. but overall they knew this famous Bible story. I was pleased with how well they did. 

After the story, the students worked on a Moses parting the Red Sea craft. I found the idea years ago and honestly don't remember exactly where I found it. 

One students craft

Supplies Needed

Construction paper (red and blue)

Picture of Moses 

Glue Sticks

Crayons

Fish Stickers

Ocean Life Stickers

I use red construction paper as the base to remind the children of The Red Sea and blue paper for the water. We cut the blue construction paper in half and then cut strips almost to the edge but not completely. We then curl the blue strips back to show the water parting. I use a 5 x 7 size colringpage of Moses. We color Moses, cut him out, and then glue him in the middle. If I can find them, I have fish and sea life stickers so the kids can add them to picture. They always love stickers!

After our craft, we headed to the foam mats for snack and story time. This week, we read the book, Little Nellie of Holy God. After reading the book, we talked about Little Nellie and her love for God. 

We then added gems to our Children of God crowns. The children love this! We added good deeds to our jar and practiced our prayers. 

We ended class by praying the Glory Be and Guardian Angel prayers. 

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ March 9, 2025

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Monique

Ash Wednesday

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Monique

Teaching Tuesdays~ Moses and the 10 Plagues

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Good morning and Happy Tuesday! It's another addition of Teaching Tuesday. 

Our Saint this week was Saint Therese of Lisieux. Her virtue is reverence. Reverence is showing your deepest respect for things of God. We read The Little Flower. The children colored a picture of Saint Therese. 

We are still learning about Moses. We are about halfway through our lessons about Moses. This week we learned about Moses and the 10 plagues.

We read the story about Moses and the 10 plagues from our children's Bible. In class, we use the Jesus Storybook Bible.

I found a wonderful resource online that does an entire lesson for this lesson. It has coloring pages, activity worksheets, crafts, and games. You can find it here. I print out a few of the worksheets for the kids to work on. 

We then made a frog craft which the children loved.

We used the template included in the lesson and then used the following supplies.

Copies of the template on plain copy paper

Crayons

Scissors

Glue

Yarn 

Tape

Toilet Paper roll cut down to size

The kids then had fun trying to get the fly into the opening of the toilet paper roll. 

Once the children were done with their craft, we worked on our prayers and added more good deeds to our good deeds jar. 

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Monique

Happy Homemaker Monday~ March 3, 2025

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Good morning, dear friends. It's been a few weeks since I posted. We had busy weeks here. Monday's have been crazy. We had some beautiful temperatures last week. I actually got outside and got the Christmas lights and decorations down. I refuse to do it when it's freezing outside. I was able to be outside in leggings and a short-sleeved shirt. It was so nice. Unfortunately, the warm weather didn't last. When I headed to Mass this morning, it felt like 7 degrees outside. 

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

The Weather in My Neck of the Woods~

It's bright and clear this morning. It's been so cloudy here. It's nice to see the sun. I'm so ready for spring. I can't wait to get outside and work in the flower beds. 

Monday~ Sunny, 44*

Tuesday~ Partly Sunny, 57*

Wedenesday~ Rain, 59*

Thursday~ Partly Sunny, 45*

Friday~ Partly Sunny, 52*

Saturday~ Partly Sunny, 51*

Sunday~ Partly Sunny, 50*

As I Look Out My Window~

The chipmunks are scampering about. They are enjoying the warm temps. Our friendly Pileated Woodpecker is finding his breakfast in some of the decaying wood in the woods. I love seeing him fly from tree to tree. 

This first flowers of spring

Thinking and Pondering~

I can't believe that it's almost Lent. It doesn't seem possible. I'm thinking about ways to make this Lent more focused. I plan on adding some daily prayers to my day. I'm trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. I have a few days left to get it figured out. 

Since I've been sewing more lately, I've been in the front room that was once our homeschool room. It's weird to be in there. As I sit there, I'm reminded of all the learning and crafts we did... The laughs, the triumphs, the tears, and the struggles. I miss those days so much. When we were in the thick of it, it never felt like it would end. Now I look back and realize that it went by so fast. They grew up so quickly. One minute they were learning to read and write and now my son has graduated college and my daughter is studying to be an RN. I cherish those memories and always will. I'd love to go back for just one day to experience it again. I'm so grateful that I got to experience all of that with my kids. I was truly blessed. 

Right Now I Am ~

I am typing this post up.  I'm sitting on the couch. Maddie and Ruby are curled up on the loveseat sleeping. They're tired since they got up at 5 this morning. All the animals have been fed. Their bellies are full, so they are happy and content at least for the moment. 

How am I Feeling~

I'm doing better now. I've been having more migraines lately so that's not been fun. I had a gallbladder flair-up. It was pretty bad. I'm trying to avoid surgery, so I've changed my eating habits and added a few supplements so far it seems to be working. I plan on doing a liver cleanse in the next few weeks. 

What's on My Nightstand~  

My Kindle, a bottle of Tums, and my wax warmer. I currently warming Black Raspberry Vanilla. I have my Bible and Discovering Our Dignity. 

What's for Breakfast~

Two eggs (the girls are laying again), gluten-free toast, strawberries, and blueberries.

Looking Around the House~

The house needs to be vacuumed and mopped. I need to clean the bathrooms. I need to change out the Valentine's Day decor for Saint Patrick's Day. 

On My To-Do List This Week~ 

Monday~ Hair appointment

Wednesday~Vet appointment for Maddie (she needs her nails trimmed)

Thursday~ Chiro appointment for my shoulder

and when I find the opportunity...

Baths for the dogs

Repot my Violet
Normal cleaning for the week~ change the sheets, dust, etc.

My hubby and I went to see Shen Yun at the Kennedy Center. 

It was amazing.

Happening This Week~

I have a Beach trip with my daughter, sister, and niece planned. Both girls are on spring break from college so we're doing a girl's getaway for the weekend. It should be fun! It won't be too warm, but we should be able to see the wild ponies that are on the island. 

On My Reading Pile~

I just finished the Winter Street series from Elin Hilderbrand. I highly recommend it. It's a good book about families and why they are so important. Family is everything. 

I'm currently reading Hour is Come by Victoria Tait. 

I'm still working through 52 Weeks in the Word and Discovering Our Dignity. 

On TV this week~

Netflix

The Resident

Call the Midwives

The Night Agent

Designated Survivor (almost done)

YouTube

Crochet Videos

Quilting Videos

Exercise videos

On the Menu this Week~

Monday~ Tacos, Rice, and Corn

Tuesday~ Waffles, eggs, and bacon ( it's a tradition in our home)

Wednesday~ Meatless Baked Ziti

Thursday~ Portuguese Chicken and Rice

Friday~ Beach Trip 

Saturday~ Beach Trip

What I am Sewing, Quilting, and Creating~

I started the RBD 2025 quilt block challenge. I am having a blast making the squares. 

My Simple Pleasures~

Going to Mass and having my daughter there with me. I'd love to have both of my kids there. I pray my son will return to Mass, but I know it's in God's hands. You can bet this mama is praying hard though. 

Lesson Learned this Week~

What you put in your body matters. What you eat and how you eat are important to your health. after focusing on eating better~ fresh fruits and veggies and whole foods I feel so much better. I can tell a huge difference in my body and mind. 

From the Camera~

Praying For~

My dad and his health

My Aunt Betty

Pope Francis

My health

Our country

Friends and family

Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~

“Seek a relationship when you pray, not answers. 

You won’t always find answers, but you will always find Jesus.”

 – Father Mike Schmitz

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ March 2, 2025

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Monique

Sunday Inspriation~ February 23, 2025

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ February 16, 2025

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Monique

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Wishing y'all a wonderful Valentine's Day!

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Monique

January 2025 Books

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Good Morning, y'all! I hope you've had a fantastic week. Are y'all ready for the weekend? I know I am. I do think we're supposed to get some snow though and I'm not happy about that. Today, I'm sharing my January reads! 

Here's how my book recap goes. 

~I have included pictures if I have them and have provided links to them on Amazon so you can find out more about the books before you buy or check them out at your local library. 

~ If I left a more detailed review for a book, I'll include the link under the book so you can check it out. I leave reviews for books I really like or have received for reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, and this blog. 

~If I receive a preview book, I'll include the release date for you.

~ Each book will have a rating in bold. I rate each book with a numbered star.

The rating system I use is as follows ~

*5 This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. I loved the book so much that I either bought the book or planned to buy it to add to my ever-growing collection so I could reread it. 

*4 This means the book is definitely worth reading. I really enjoyed the book. I liked it, but not enough to buy it and add it to my collection. 

*3 This book was good. It wasn't the best book I read, but I did enjoy it. I wouldn't need to read it again. 

*2 This book was okay. I finished it but had to force myself to. I probably didn't like the plot or the characters. The story just didn't work for me. 

*1 This means I didn't like the book at all and I couldn't finish it.

This month, I read 10 books. 

1. A Seaside Bookshop Christmas (The Turner Family of Bluestar Island #3) by Jennifer Faye *4

2. Sanctuary by Nora Roberts *5

I love Nora Robert's books, so I'm probably biased on this.

3. Hard Hart (The Harty Boys #1) by Whitley Cox *4

4. You Are Special by Max Lucado *5

5. The Story of Baby Moses (An Alice in Bibleland Storybook) by Alice Joyce Davison *5

This is a whole series of books about different stories from the Bible. My kids loved them and now I share them with my Sunday school class. I highly recommend trying to find them all.

6. Asunder (Iron Bulls #1) by Phoenyx Slaughter *3

This is an MC series. If I start a series. I feel like I have to finish it. This series is considered erotic/romantic/risky. Just a little FYI.

7. A Secret at the Cottage (Loch Cameron #2) by Kennedy Kerr *4

8. Disconnect (Iron Bulls #2) by Phoenyx Slaughter *3

9. Entwined (Iron Bulls #3) by Phoenyx Slaughter *3

10. A Verry Merry Nanny (Very Merry #2) by Lyra Parish *5

I'm a sucker for Christmas-themed romance stories.

11. Brigid's Cloak by Bryce Milligan *5

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Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ February 9, 2025

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Monique

Go Outisde, Young Ones, Go Outside!

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It's been a few years since we've homeschooled, but boy do I remember those long days of winter. January, February, and March seemed to drag on forever. The cold temps, the windy days, the rain, sleet, and snow affected so much. There were plenty of days plans were canceled due to being snowed in or events just canceled because of the weather. Being cooped up often means boredom. 

But it doesn't have to be that way! I promise. 

The kids don't have to be restless, unfocused, moody, gloomy, or just plain old grumpy. They can get outside! They can get some much-needed fresh air and some sunshine (vitamin D). The sunshine can help brighten their mood. The fresh air can give them a new perspective or clear their minds. They can explore nature right in their own backyard. 

Going outside is so important in our daily lives. It's good for the kids and it's good for us mamas too. The fresh air and sunshine can improve our moods, help keep sickness away, and allow us all to blow off some steam while getting active. Too often during the winter months, we are stuck indoors. The kids start to struggle with their schoolwork. They lose focus and sometimes their behavior can take a turn for the worse. A bored child can be mischievous. Siblings can start to grate each other's nerves. Heck, they can grate our nerves too with all that bickering. 

So what can they do?

Go to the park

Go to the park and meet up with friends. Every child has fun at the playground. 

Talk a walk 

We would often take a walk after lunch so it would be slightly warmer. We'd walk to the mailbox and get the mail. It would take us about 45 minutes. 

On other days, we'd drive to local walking trails and explore something different. 

Play fetch with the family dog

This would solve two problems... bored kids and bored dogs.

Go on a scavenger hunt

When my kids were little, I found a fantastic British educational site that had all types of ideas for a winter-themed scavenger hunt, especially outdoors. I can't remember what the site was, but I did find a cute one for little kids over at The Crazy Outdoor Mama blog. I found this one too. Of course, you can

 always create your own. 

Build a snow fort

If you have snow and a lot of it build a snow fort. My kids loved building a fort and tunnels the few times we got snow deep enough. 

Go bird watching

Now is the perfect time to go bird-watching. The leaves are off the trees and it makes it so much easier to spot all the different birds living in your area. My kids loved doing this. We would keep a bird journal about all the birds we'd see. I'd find a coloring page online, we'd record a few facts about the bird, listen to its call, and then keep an eye out for them every day. The winter months are perfect for seeing all kinds of woodpeckers, at least in our area. A great site to help with this is All About Birds.

No matter what you do, just have fun. Take the kids outside and enjoy the beauty. 

Be sure to dress according to the weather and bring plenty of water and snacks.

I promise it will help with the winter time blues!

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Monique

My Book Goals for 2025

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Good Morning, friends! I'm a little late getting this post up, but I wanted to share my reading goals for 2025. My goal is to share what I read each month and a few book reviews along the way. I keep track of all my books on GoodReads. 

Here are my reading goals for 2025~

1. Read 125 books. This includes regular books, eBooks, and any new books I've added to my Sunday school lessons. 

2. Read 25 faith-based books. This includes my Bible study books, books about the Saints, and any other book about my Catholic faith.

3. Read 25 books from my To Read list on GoodReads. It is currently at 379 books. I just keep finding more books to add. It's like the old saying, so little time, so much to read.

4. Read 10 books from my own bookshelves. I keep adding books whenever our library has a used book sale. I need to start reading through them. 

5. Read/reread 5 classics. 

Do you have any reading goals? Any good challenges that you're doing? 

I'd love to hear about them!

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Monique

Wordless Wednesday~ Where's Breakfast? I'm starving!

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Teaching Tuesdays~ Moses and the Burning Bush

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This past Sunday, we continued our journey with Moses. We picked up with Moses when he was a young man. He sees his people suffering, He sees an Egyptian kill a Hebrew man and Moses does the unthinkable. He gets so angry, he beats the Egyptian to death and buries him in the sand. Moses flees in fear and settles in Midian. Years passed and Moses rebuilt his life until one day God speaks to Him. God decides to speak to Moses through the burning bush. He asks Moses to free his people. He asks Moses to return to Egypt. 

This story always shocks the kids. They can't believe that Moses killed someone. They also know that Moses would be afraid to head back to Egypt. 

I give each child a coloring page to color while I read the Bible story to them. 

After we finished the story, the kids worked on their burning bush craft.

Supplies Needed~

Blue construction paper

Red/Orange/Yellow tissue paper 

Markers

Crayons

Moses coloring page

Each child colored Moses and then cut him out. They traced one hand onto the blue construction paper to be the burning bush. We used brown markers for this task. They glued Moses next to the bush. To make the bush look like it was burning, the kids glued pieces of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper to the bush. This is the fun part.

Next week we'll learn about Moses and the 10 plagues!

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