Copywork

Happy First Week of Advent!

I spent all of yesterday (Monday) sorting our Christmas books and reading lists and I'm almost to the point of being organized. yay!

We started off reading "Country Angel Christmas" by Tomie DePaola and our copywork was:

"Just be yourself and you will make a fine Christmas."

We will also be reading "The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey" and taking copywork from that as well. Netflix has the movie too. Very delightful and a wonderful treat after studying the book. Don't forget the molasses cookies!

Here it is:

"He unpacked Mary wearing a rough woolen shawl, looking down, loving her precious baby son. Jesus was smiling and reaching up to touch his mother's face.~From " The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey"

Here's my favorite recipe from Cooks.com. Yummy, suppppaaaa easy and delish. Enjoy!

Molasses Cookies:

• QUICK AND EASY MOLASSES COOKIES

  12 tbsp. sweet butter 1 c. sugar 1/4 c. molasses 1 egg 1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Melt butter. Add sugar and molasses, mixing thoroughly. Lightly beat egg and add to butter mixture. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture mix well; batter will be set. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on cookie sheet. Drop tablespoons of batter on foil, leaving 3 inches between the cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until cookies start to darken. Remove from oven while soft. Let cool on foil. These are very large and very soft. Yield 24 cookies.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Many Blessings!

So What Is "Epiclesis"?

Do you know what it means? Do you know how to say it? Have you ever heard of it before?

I am finding that the Mass is being taught less and less. Oh sure. There is "Sunday School" and there is "CCD". But if you notice in these classes, hardly anything is taught on or about the Mass. This is a tragedy. Shouldn't we be in love with the Mass? Now, I know many will say-"well, I'm in love with Christ." This is good. We are all in love with Christ. But if the Mass is a "re-creation"; if the Mass is a celebration and if we are in love with Christ-then how is it that none of these things in the Mass should be important? They cannot be separate. That is, Christ and the Mass.

I have watched children in Mass. I have watched my own children in Mass. Are we teaching them the names of the articles used at Mass? Some of us may be, but surely not all. I wonder what a difference it would make if we engaged our children just by naming some of the items. "See the beautiful chalice?" Or, "Look how the altar looks!" Or, "I wonder why Father is wearing red today?" We need to educate our kids!

So what does epiclesis mean? Have you googled it? The word itself is a Greek word meaning "to call upon". Many time in the Mass, Father calls upon God. One time in particular though, he uses the words "Let your spirit come..." and as he does this, he brings his hands over the bread and wine. This is a moment in which no one should even move!! Parents, this is the time to pray for your children! This is a time of thanksgiving! Do not miss this marvelous moment of the Holy Spirit coming down on the bread and wine. Do not allow your children to miss it. What happens if you do? Well. You've missed it.

Learn your faith. Really learn it. Fall in love with it. Then, you will also fall in love with Christ.

Thanksgiving Week

Hello friends! Here is the list for this week of all our things to do to prepare for the big day. We will be having all of the family over~what fun! There is so much excitement in the air!
Although we are taking a break from our formal bookwork, we will still be reading, practicing writing with copywork and playing lots of logic games! Have you seen this?

This is a great single player game to stretch the brain. Takes some patience and it's been a great addition to our day.

*Here is our copywork for the week from Psalm 100:

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

worship the LORD with cries of gladness; come before him with joyful song.

Know that the LORD is God, our maker to whom we belong, whosepeople we are, God's well-tended flock.

Enter the temple gates with praise, its courts with thanksgiving. Give thanks to God, bless his name;

good indeed is the LORD, Whose love endures forever, whose faithfulness lasts through every age.

*Math-Sudoko games. We are working towards doing a 9x9 puzzle

*Reading-Three chapters of assigned reading/Free Reading

*Cooking Fun-Lots to get ready for Thanksgiving Day. We are trying to get ahead and make a few things to freeze. We'll see if we can get to that!

*Old friends are going to come visit on Monday. Pizza, friends and lots of outdoor time-Yippeee!

I hope your week is lovely and that time spent with family will be joyous. Many blessings to you and yours!