We Went to the Circus!

I think everyone would agree that our biggest surprise for Christmas was that little Jack-in-the-box from Sara and Clark.

Sara had asked that we open this present last. Every eyes were upon me as I cranked up the handle. After the familiar music, out came Jack with a shower of shinny stars! In his hand was a slip of paper with the message, You are going to the Circus!

Concealed under the box were eight tickets for the biggest show ever, The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus! The children were so excited! They couldn't wait for the big day!

Febuary 9, came at last. We were so tickled that Sara and Clark could be with us, together we can treasure the memories of this fabulous day.

These guys were at eye level with us, and we were on the third level... frightfully high!

Thank you so much Clark and Sara!

Could you please keep Clark in your prayers. His mother was diagnosed with liver cancer a few days before we went to the circus. Sadly she passed away last Thursday.

Happy Valentine's Day

Please join me to congratulate Gabriel and Shannon on their engagment!

Our Learning Room

Here is a tour of our cozy learning room for Winter 2008.

Since we are studying Ancient Greece, I put up a small timeline on the wall near the maps. I use this room mostly for the three youngest, the oldest do their school work in their room or at the kitchen table.


The three magazine boxes on the shelves contain color coded notebooks, yellow for Laurence, green for Dominique, and blue for Matthias. Beneath the math gnomes, two wooden Math-U-See boxes neatly hold our wooden cuisenaire and base ten blocks. Beside is a basket with pattern blocks.




Over the table where Matthias and Dominique do their schoolwork are a few shelves for various supplies. The tins are adorned with Jill Barklem's wee Brambley Hedge world.

Hanging under the shelves is our homemade movable alphabet. On the table sitting in a wooden box are three clipboards with weekly assingments, ready to be consulted and marked off as each assingment is completed. Tucked inside the Flower Fairies tin box are Jan Brett's sign language alphabet flashcards. I made a few mats in diferent sizes to use with the movable alphabet, flashcards, and other sets of montessori cards, fold up they fit nicely in a napkin holder.

A basket on the wall holds items we use during our morning rosary time.

I like to have theme book baskets, here is our Fairy Tales book basket. Although you can only see a bit of the leg, Laurence's small desk stand right beside it.

Our Lady of Altagracia

Patroness of the Dominican Republic

Today, in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Altagracia, we had our first liturgical tea of the year.


During tea time I read Cay's Catholic Mosaic book suggestion, A Gift of Gracias. This warmly illustrated book tells the legend of Our Lady of Altagracia, or Our Lady of Thanks.


Our tea fare consisted of Bigelow White Tea With Tangerine, Dawn's orange snowball cookies, and blooming oranges (Lydia's idea)! The sweet aroma of the Orange Blossom candle from Le Couvent des Minimes and the delicate warm tea made us feel all cozy, despite being January. A sample copywork from Matthias

And a simpler one from Laurence

At the end of a fruitful school day I gathered the three youngest on the sofa in the school room, and as suggested in Catholic Mosaic, I asked them what they were thankful for. We casualy started our conversation, but within minutes I realized that I had to capture the moment with written words. I proceeded to write their thoughtful words just as they presented them to me. As I wrote my own heart was filled with thankfulness.

We are thankful for…

Laurence
Toys
Me
Saints
That we have a house
Baby goats

Dominique
We found Sara
That we are doing school
That I can pray to God
That I believe in God and not anything else
That one day I will be with God
That I can go to church every Sunday and some other days also
For living in this country

Matthias
The mother and father I have
That I like history and maps
For good food that keeps me healthy
For nature
That I have many brothers and I hope to have more sisters
I’m homeschooled
Snow
I could continue for a long, long time. ;o)

Children's mind truly absorbe what they hear and see. This morning we read the book Geeta's Day, From Dawn to Dusk in an Indian Village, one of the book suggested in the Mater Amabilis Prep Level. After reading this book Dominique had real, tangible reasons for saying that he's thankful for living in this country. We also read about St Agnes, who's feast day is today as well. Although, acording to St Ambroise, she went to her death more joyfully than some go to their wedding, hearing that she was beheaded for her belief insited Dominique to be truly thankful for his freedom to go to Church and pray to God. And studying Ancient Greece with is mydiad of dreadful gods and goddesses, surelly makes you glad you have one and only one true God! I am thankful for this little exercise that provided me the privilege of a glimpse into my children's precious minds and souls.

Serendipity

Elizabeth and Katherine have put their heads together to create a very imaginative rabbit trail; Along the Alphabeth Path. Soon gnomes and gnumbers came to share the fun and inspired by Ruth Heller wonderful language books a serie of creative lessons brought the world of language to life.

Last November we slowly entered the magical land of letters, numbers, and words with the company of wee fairies and gnomes.

December found me busy as an elf, knitting, sewing, and crafting dozens of present for my dear family. The school plans were put aside, at the exeption of Cay's fantastic Christmas Mosaic.

As you can see it was a lot of fun and oh, so yummy. Cay has included lots of recipes to make it all memorable. If you wonder why we were making spiders for Advent, have a look at the reading list.

But this post is not about the Christmas Mosaic as wonderful as it is. So let us go back to gnomes and such.

We can't wait to continue our math adventures with the rainbow gnomes this week. And so much more!

Here is a sample page of a Lively Language Lesson by Dominique.

And a botany page by Matthias.

Elizabeth should have a Serendipity-do-dah! post up tomorow to showcase how other families are using Serendipity. Come and join in the fun and add a bit of beauty, creativity and wonder to your school days!

A big thank you to Elizabeth and Katherine for taking the time to share their gifts with us.

Epiphany

A visit at Père Valère Dubé (the Benedictine priest who married us) is always a memorable experience.

How blessed were the children to be able to attend Holy Mass this morning in his small private apartment, a sacred place indeed. Putting it into the words of sweet Dominique, he is a saint!

I can't resist posting a few pictures from our trip last Fall.

Augustin, Kristie, Sébastien, and Lydia are in Canada!

And boy are they having a grand time!

Lydia, Sébastien, Kristie, and Grandpa Bellavance

Even Grandma is sledding!

Today they are going ice fishing, and tomorrow they will have dinner with their uncle Robert up north in the Laurentide Mountains. I can't wait to see more pictures!