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- Paco’s Curriculum and Booklist, 2008-2009
- Migi’s Curriculum and Book List, 2008-2009
- Yena’s Booklist 8/08-7/09
- Aisa’s Booklist ’08-’09
- Plan for High School, Paco 2010-2011
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- The HHS Mandate and The Catholic Response, A Compilation
From the monthly archives: August 2009
Mother’s Last Skin-to-Skin Goodbye Saves her 20 oz Baby
Bush Quietly Saved a Million African Lives
What Do You Want, an Engraved Dismissal?
Evangelization Training for Catholics: Learn to Share the Authentic Gospel Message!
license to exterminate our unborn
and this video — warning: may not be suitable for your children
– cute, but kind of pointless
– Verdi is our “Composer of the Month” for September, and this is a perfect rabbit trail book — the illustrations are just beautiful. I have a newfound appreciation of Aida. The drama of a love triangle may not be entirely suitable for the younger set though — my kids read it, but didn’t really like it.
– studying more Shakespeare this year. 13-yo has read/listened to Macbeth. We’ll be watching the movie soon. This is a gentler intro or re-intro to the Bard, for the younger ones.
– another cute book, about Chinese culture and imagination… not much substance though, or maybe I just missed it
– get this book! if just for the artwork. Lovely!! One word of caution: there is a page where Michelangelo is dissecting a cadaver. It’s not particularly gory or indecent, but probably not for sensitive or very young children. This one’s a read aloud aimed at older kids.
– an okay book, for kids who either don’t know what a library is or have no appreciation of it yet
– I’m not usually a fan of books that remind me of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (link to the book here
– classic book to teach your kids about good stewardship of the earth — if you like/love this book, perhaps you’ll like/love the next one as well. It’s also ecology, but more fantasy-style. I love the realism of the Kapok tree book, but something about the Florentine art in the other just captures and holds my affection.
– This book, of course, would be more suitably read in February, but we are on a Clyde Robert Bulla kick these days. I love that this book goes into the different legends/origins of Valentine’s Day, and doesn’t neglect the Catholic POV. Not really a fictional book per se, but entertaining and colorful enough to hold a little one’s attention.
– I *love* this book! Sooo sweet, but not saccharine sweet. Very very respectful and honest about sibling relationships and the rivalry that sometimes may come with it, balanced with a gentle (but non-preachy) emphasis on generosity and sharing. A great gift for a new big sister. Also a great reminder for parents to be sensitive to the needs of an older child when a new sibling joins the family.
– Very nicely done retelling of Russian folklore on the seasons of the year. I like books that present basic facts in a creative manner, and asks questions of the reader, or prompts them to ask questions, and come up with their own answers. The pastel drawings would be great for an art lesson or two!
– a pity the artwork isn’t available on Amazon. It’s a rather quaint book, with a myriad of characters all taken from well-known and common nursery rhymes and Mother Goose stories. Perfect lead in to many rabbit trails…. or use as the perfect ending to tie up and finish a collection of classic read alouds. Reminds me of Jolly Postman books
– great bio of Anna May Wong, written for kids. She was heretofore unkonwn to me. Every now and then it’s good to see new authors and illustrators tackling previously unknown subjects. Great springboard for discussing the film genre, stereotypes, racism, etc.
– i’m not a big fan of tall tales in general, and this one didn’t change my mind. reviews at amazon call it entertaining. i don’t know if it’s a personality thing. i’m not too fond of ghost tales for littles either.
– this is actually based on a true story of a cow. it’s a fun read; however, i don’t like the word “dadblamed” a euphemism for you-know-what
Every year, when their feastdays are here, I try to read more and learn more about them — whom I call, fondly, “the unbeatable duo”. More and more I am reminded by St. Monica’s example of how we should always pray for our children’s spiritual well-being. We often pray for our children’s safety, their health, their little successes here on earth. But more than all of these, our primary concern needs to be their souls. I sometimes mention to friends and family how our homeschooling goals evolved as we went on. From wishing for and working towards worldly success for our children in the beginning, we eventually came to understand that our purpose here on earth is to lead them to one goal, and one goal alone: life with Jesus Christ in His Eternal Kingdom. Having that as the goal changes SO MUCH — what we teach them, what we allow as influences into their lives, how we conduct ourselves as parents and as a family, how we try to infuse their lives with much love and understanding, the kind of knowledge that will last longer than knowledge of algebraic equations and lists of world leaders and global events, how to offer up suffering, how to live everything with joy (I’m still working on that one myself!) … I am grateful, on this day especially, for the examples of Mama Mary, who daily lived with Jesus the Great Sacrifice, and for saints like Monica, who tirelessly prayed for her son’s salvation. These two women practiced the virtue of holy detachment, and boy, do I need to look to them and learn this virtue as well. The learning is long 
From Confessions of Saint Augustine — in which Monica talks to her son a few days before she died:
“Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have even renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?”
… and oh, this beautiful passage from St. Augustine himself, one of my favorites:
“Late, late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched fr you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.”
What lovely, lovely words to meditate on.
personalized zucchini muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used freshly milled
1 3/4 cups sugar (I’ve been working with this recipe for a bit and everytime I make it it seems I could still do with less sugar — next time I’ll try 1 1/2)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup silken tofu
2 tablespoons freshly ground golden flax seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons butter (I used Kerrygold)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
2 handfuls chocolate chips or coarsely chopped dark chocolate (optional)
handful of walnuts (optional)
Mix everything in a large bowl. It should look like cookie dough, just the teeniest bit thinner. Bake in a preheated 325 F degree oven for about 40 minutes. Makes about 20 regular-sized muffins.
I said “personalized” because I have one child who wants no chocolate chips and is allergic to walnuts, 3 children who want chocolate chips, 2 of whom are allergic to nuts, and me, who likes both dark chocolate and walnuts (aren’t they just fabulous additions to quick breads). If you want to do this, leave out all the optionals and just add them to each individual muffin before you bake them, as I have done above.
I recommend using local and/or organic products whenever you can.
Although this one is more sobering than funny. But sooo true.
1. for the yummy indulgence of Costco’s falafel balls…. which I scattered around my 4-hour roast chicken… and soaked up all that yummy seasoning and fat. LOL. I’m pretty sure they weren’t created to be that sinful.
2. kids who are obedient… most of the time. funny… most of the time. helpful… most of the time. “Most of the time” works for me
3. Aisa’s new glasses and coursebooks that came today in the mail!
4. DH coming home early so we can go to Adoration early!
5. faithful people who surround us. They are SOOOO inspiring, uplifting, encouraging. Makes me so thankful to be a Catholic in these tense, hard times.
and one whine…
on the healthcare bill that continues to polarize and confuse Americans everywhere. I almost want to wish that we could split up the US and the ones who want it go live on one side — we’ll live on the other. Is that un-American? Maybe. But how un-American is this health care bill anyway? More than I can explain in this here post.
Anne is so gracious to share with us her family’s pics of the building of the Dawn Treader. Narnia fans, get over there!!! The kids and I are *sooooo* envious.
Health Care, Health Care, and More Health Care (anyone feel their head’s going to explode yet?):
- Rep. Tom Price admonishes govt-takeover of healthcare — Rep. Tom Price is an MD and professor.
- Five Freedoms Lost Under Obamacare which references this article in CNN
- Section 1233 authors are major proponents of euthanasia, assisted suicide — people with aging parents, take heed!
- Archbishop Chaput: Act now to ensure health care reform respects sanctity of life, and American Papist’s comments are worth reading too
- Whole Foods CEO weighs in!
- And Sarah Palin too
- and the confusion continues: Catholic Charities, de Paul Society Supporting Abortion-Providing Health Care Plan — I really need a compilation of AUTHENTIC, faithful Catholic charities! Does such a list exist yet?
Monastic Whole Wheat Bread from the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity
Two new resources for learning and teaching about sexuality — in line with Church teaching: Dr. Wetzel’s books on Sexual Wisdom
Capital Punishment: Drawing the Line Between Doctrine and Opinion
Please pray for this faithful bishop!
With all the healthcare talk, thank you, Lord for people who are funny!
If Bible Had Been Twittered and Part II (don’t forget to check out the comments sections, there are funny ones there too! More from Roz
Really neat “Recycled Bottle Torch”adding it to the Project List!
on Submission: Why It Makes Sense to Me to Be Obedient — from Jen at Conversion Diary
Excellent project on the Reformation, headed by Fr. Mitch Pacwa
