Something New

It cannot hurt to try something a little different to shake things up! Welcome to my first friday Weekly Wrap-up...

In my life this week…

We are finally getting ready to settle down after weeks and weeks of upheaval. Bill began a new job over a month ago, but we have yet to take advantage of his ability to be home every weekend. This week we did a lot of activities out of the house and just played catch up on some of the household basics after being gone or gearing up for so long.

In our homeschool this week…

I have been doing planning and reading, getting ready to start our first project. I discovered the world of lapbooks, and we are going to do our first one centered around Trains because we are going as a family to the Day Out with Thomas event in August. I am excited about this project.

An idea, resource or activity that was a big hit...

I have been dreaming of having a piano, a recurring dream that grips me like a Ghost.

(Indigo Girls: "And I start to feel the fever of the warm air through the screen; You come regular like seasons shadowing my dreams.")

But I have a lovely guitar that I have twice started learning how to play but never seen it through. Now is the time. I know I still want us to have a piano, but I really love my guitar and it will suit my purposes just fine. All the other instruments that I play cannot be played while also singing! And I want to play and sing for and with my family.

So I got out the guitar today, and Nico was thrilled. Music adds so much to our lives!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

I am new to lap books, but here are some of the links I looked at:
Lapbooking

Mini-books to get you started!

Lapbooking 101

Trains Lapbook

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We were so glad to have had a wonderful visit with Uncle Kent and Aunt Linda!!

My favorite thing this week was…

My husband coming home for the weekend. It may be a while before that is Not my favorite thing each week!

Things I’m working on…

Getting a better handle on a planning our time so that I get enough rest and work!

I’m grateful for…

Supportive family and friends

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Cyril and Bill rocking each other to sleep.

Here I Am

Nobody's worth comes from their job. Not from the money you make, nor the things you have. Not what you do with your day or from the people that you serve. Not what you create, buy, or sell. Not your awards, or your family, your husband, or your children.

Your worth comes from God alone, and you know it by doing what God calls you to.

Salve, amici.

A great deal has happened since I started this blog. It is too bad I did not keep up with writing about my writing, but probably for the best. Now, dissertation all but behind me, I have returned to the study of Latin. There was a lot of translating in my dissertation, and I read and translate much better than I did two years ago, but I still have not conquered the task of being able to to JUST READ and JUST WRITE in Latin. This is my goal. To be truly comfortable. I have that in German and French, and I speak them well. I am pretty comfortable in texts with Italian and Spanish. In comparison to many people, my Latin is fine, but in comparison with comfort, I am just not where I want to be. So I am going back to the beginning, using Adler's text and the aid of Evan Milner's Latinum podcast. In addition, one technique I have learned as both student and teacher of languages is aimed at the invaluble skill of writing. It is imperative to move the learned language from the left side of the brain to the right, and WRITING in it is the key to doing this. After that, the possibility of becoming a fluent speaker is attainable. I think, in the end, this is what I desire for Latin. To have speaking fluency. Why? I just want it. I just do. So many of the texts I want to read and work with are in Latin, why not be able to "converse" with the author and with other people who like such texts? While the days of my being able to go off to Latin groups or weekends is in the future because of my life and means, now is the time to begin to prepare. And whether or not I find a local Latin circle to connect with, beginning to write is Imperative. So for a while, this blog will be the recipient of my Latin, such as it is. Just like I did for German and French and Italian and Spanish, both as student and teacher, I assign myself a daily journal requirement. It will no doubt be ridiculous at first, but hopefully after a few weeks will get better.

Angels We Have Heard on High

The Eucharistic Prayer during Mass has always been the occasion for powerful encounters for me. When I altar serve (or have done, since my current parish doesn't make room for adult servers) it is always with great difficulty that I don't pass out. Of course that could be the acrylic talking, as in the hot robes, but I never experience that anywhere else. Some of my best revelations/conversations with God happen then, even when I am completely focused.

Today was Nico's turn. Right in the middle, just before the Epiklesis, he whispered to me, "Look, Mommy, here they come." He waves his hand in the air in an arc above the altar. "They're here," he said, "the Angels." I repeated, in our custom, "They're here, the Angels." He was pleased, and hugged me close.

They're here, the Angels.

The Ice Cream Truck Cometh

So this has been the status of things around here since last Friday when the ice cream truck made it's first appearance for the season:

Thank God we do not actually have this many cats.

Just Kidding.

Actually this is probably closer to the truth:


Survival Skill 101: The Scream: "When I scream like this, all humans, animals, plants, and even aliens are struck with fear."


This is a picture of Nico last year at the zoo when a sheep said, "baa." Nico must speak sheep, and whatever that sheep said so offended him that he let loose with Freak Out.

Apparently, Nico can also decipher the hidden messages in the creepy music of the ice cream truck, because he's been putting on his Freak Out whenever he hears it, bless him. On Friday when it came by we were outside on the front porch and our neighbors were visiting. He Freaked. So the neighbor actually bought him a popsicle. But it probably didn't help that the worker was missing most of her teeth.

He ate the popsicle willingly enough of course - he's never met a dessert he didn't like - but that did not serve to remove any fear. All weekend long - even at lunch today (Monday) - Nico has spontaneously asked, "Ice cream truck, it's okay?" and then he repeats it to himself several times (It's okay Ice Cream Truck) for further reassurance.

Today it came by, I was upstairs and Bill and the boys were downstairs. The ICT came by. A few minutes later Nico bursts into tears, sobbing. Bill finds him in his room, distraught, and he won't say why he's crying. Bill says to him, "Nico, the ICT is gone. It's okay." Nico: "Ice cream truck, it's okay?" B: "Yes. It's gone." Nico stops crying, but repeats "It's okay Ice Cream Truck." When I come downstairs, he cries out again. I pick him up and he talks to me about the ice cream truck. I assure him it is gone, it is not in the house, it just drives by.

It's tough being a kid sometimes.

I'm sure Nico is simply exhibiting an awareness of the danger of ice cream trucks, and their probable connection to clowns and mall Santas. He is ahead of his time, as this oh-so-very-true article from Avant News indicates: "London, August 29, 2009 -- Ice cream trucks, the ubiquitous roaming purveyors of frozen dessert products that infest suburban neighbourhoods around the world, announcing their arrival using strident, uniformly irritating off-pitch melodies, have been found in a recent study to be a leading international cause of insanity." (you can read the rest of the, ahem, "article" here.) :-)

Good Times, y'all. Pass the popsicle.

About Medieval Mama

Happy New Year, Cats and Kittens! It has been a while. Pregnancy and new baby and dissertation, Oh My! So lots is happening and I am excited about sharing. I'll start the new year with a little update to the blog: the About page. Here 'tis:

I am a medievalist, an historical theologian, a wife and a mother. My husband works in the fields of education and ministry. We are Christians, the straight-not-narrow kind. I became a mother in April 2008 and again in November 2010. My darling husband (DH) and my two boys, pumpkin (approaching 3) and mango (in his first months), are part of my soul.


We currently live in Springfield, IL. Besides being a stay-at-home-mother, I am writing my dissertation and plan to have finished in August 2011.


My hobbies include cooking and baking, knitting, crochet, and sewing, singing and playing the flute and french horn. I also love to read. I enjoy learning and using multiple languages, and I love computers and technology. I also enjoy sports and find myself being converted into being a fan with actual sports knowledge who watches, listens to, and talks sports. I watch little television and few movies, but Netflix has become a friend. I like swimming and walking and dancing.


In short, I am both a geek and a nerd.


As for lifestyle and parenting philosphy, my husband and I strive for simplicity. We aim for fiscal responsibility, not spending money we don't have and spending what we do have according to budget based on our values. I breastfeed, and we cloth diaper and enjoy cooking most of our meals and snacks from scratch. We don't believe in spanking but do believe in consistent discipline. We enjoy attending Mass every week and being involved in our parish.


But all that being said, I firmly believe in idea expressed in the following quote from Jennifer Garner from an interview published in Parade on Jan 24 2010: "I will tell you what I can’t abide—and I think the Internet has really created a space for it—women criticizing other women and mothers criticizing other mothers. It just makes me crazy, whether it’s between staying at home, going to work, how long you breastfeed, if you use formula. I feel like we should just assume everyone is doing the best they can. Women should take care of each other, not tear each other down."


I hope this blog is a place where we may inspire each other.

Pax, Shalom, Salaam: Peace to you all!

************

Blessings upon this new year! Party on, y'all!

Baby Burrito - Bear

I love knitting.

And knitting is much more fun when I get a chance to share it.

I am expecting baby #2 in November, and I recently realized it was time to begin some baby crafting, and so I chose to make Baby Burrito - Bear. Eventually this post will contain the complete pattern and pictures of my progress, and a demonstration with new baby when he arrives.

The Baby Burrito is like a swaddle for the baby without all the swaddling. It is a body sock. And I'll be making this one with a matching hat with little bear ears, and bear paw stitching on the body.

Please follow my progress on Ravelry: Burrito Baby - Bear Project Page

Speaking of Ravelry, I have only just found this on-line communtiy for Fiber Arts Lovers, and it is great! If you like to knit, crochet, dye, spin, weave, etc. this is a great resource and a great way to meet others. Plus there are themed groups ( I joined one for medievalists, Harry Potter fans, and Doctor Who fans today) and groups by location to help put you in touch with people in your area!

Pattern So Far:

Burrito:

Camus helps with the first stage of Baby Burrito

16" Circular needles size three

Trim color: left-overs, I'm using multicolor white/lt blue/darkblue

Body color: 1 skein ?, I'm using beige.

In Trim Color, Cast On 79

K2P2 (except for last three st in round which wind up being k2p1) for 8 rows

Change color to body Color.

knit every stitch for 1 row

Seed stitch (k1p1) every row (if you knit the stitch in the row before, purl it the next time and vice versa) for 18 inches...... [I'll get there....]