Wow have we gotten a TON of feedback on our May Planners we released yesterday!!! The verdict is in and apparently you love them! Thanks for all the support!
That said, like all good things there are revisions to be made. We heard 3 main things from you in feedback:
1. You want a planner with more space to write.
2. You want a planner with 7 days instead of just 5.
3. You want a planner that is VERY Catholic.
We hope you like it because we put the pedal to the metal and gave it our best shot. The new planner being released today is a 7 Day Planner with room for 3 assignments on weekends of your choice. It also includes places for AM/PM chores M-F and "chores" on S/S. There is also a space for kids to make notes about the meetings they will have that day so now Co-Op, Scouts, 4H, CCD, and other meetings have a home. We kept the Virtue Practice because you loved it and added the Daily Mass Readings!
Girls 7 Day Planner
Boys 7 Day Planner
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
May Planners!
It has come to our attention that our family's favorite planner is sadly by a sedevancist family. While we would love to continue supporting them, we didn't feel comfortable continuing to use their products. We will, however, be praying for them to return home to Rome.
In the meantime, this left quite a void in our family. We LOVED the layout they used as well as the thought put into it and are seeking to create something similar, but for a family using the current Church's calendar. We hope to have a Mom's planner in the works in the next week or so, but we would REALLY like your feedback on the Boy's and Girl's Planners we created today.
Our entire family worked on this project together and is very excited about it. We tested both printed in color and grayscale and they worked well on our printer. Unlike the original planner, we omitted the pictures since our son has sensory processing disorder and said he found them distracting. This gave us a bit more space for quotes from Saints in a larger, easier to read font as well as room to write comfortably with his dysgraphia.
This is JUST the rough draft and I hope to be able to keep these free to all of you and available for your use. I really enjoyed researching the Saints and having fun with the project.
For the families out there, including the Dads, the Saints listed on the calendar are directly from the list at American Catholic. By clicking on that link you can subscribe to their Saint a Day emails and have pertinent information to share with your child and discuss over dinner as a family! We hope you enjoy these planners and are blessed by them and we greatly appreciate your feedback as you make try them out so we can make them better for everyone!
Boys Planner - PDF
Girls Planner - PDF
In the meantime, this left quite a void in our family. We LOVED the layout they used as well as the thought put into it and are seeking to create something similar, but for a family using the current Church's calendar. We hope to have a Mom's planner in the works in the next week or so, but we would REALLY like your feedback on the Boy's and Girl's Planners we created today.
Our entire family worked on this project together and is very excited about it. We tested both printed in color and grayscale and they worked well on our printer. Unlike the original planner, we omitted the pictures since our son has sensory processing disorder and said he found them distracting. This gave us a bit more space for quotes from Saints in a larger, easier to read font as well as room to write comfortably with his dysgraphia.
This is JUST the rough draft and I hope to be able to keep these free to all of you and available for your use. I really enjoyed researching the Saints and having fun with the project.
For the families out there, including the Dads, the Saints listed on the calendar are directly from the list at American Catholic. By clicking on that link you can subscribe to their Saint a Day emails and have pertinent information to share with your child and discuss over dinner as a family! We hope you enjoy these planners and are blessed by them and we greatly appreciate your feedback as you make try them out so we can make them better for everyone!
Boys Planner - PDF
Girls Planner - PDF
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
A Thought On Prayer and Your Time
Who remembers prayer time at bedtime? I do. I also remember occasionally praying before meals - usually because we were in the presence of people we thought we should pray in front of or people who usually prayed before a meal. I remember praying at church and I remember praying before meals when I went to camp.
How much of your daily time do you spend in prayer? Let's run through some "basics" and how long it takes to say them.
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep and if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen." ~ 9 seconds (this was the start of my bedtime prayers as a child)
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. May angels watch me through the night and wake me in the morning light. Amen." ~ 10 seconds
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen." ~ 20 seconds
"God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen." ~ 5 seconds
Okay - so since this is a Catholic blog we'll go with the Catholic option for meal time and the longest "standard" bedtime prayer you can get away with in public.
One at each meal and bedtime = 1 minute, 10 seconds
1/1440th of your day in prayer.
I will freely admit that fitting in prayer is hard, especially when you aren't used to it or fell out of the habit. I will also share that there have been days that the only addition to the above prayers has been "Lord, help me get through this!!!!" and that's okay too.
But outside of chaos and especially IN chaos, we need to be in prayer. The word "prayer" occurs over 100 times in the Bible, the word "pray" another 100+ - so one could easily surmise it should be something we take seriously. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to "pray without ceasing".
Now, I'm a HUGE fan of the Rosary and that's what prompted this post. I have family coming in 2 days to my home who are not Catholic and I was discussing with some other Catholic ladies how to approach our "Family Rosary" with them here and I began to muse on the amount of time it takes to pray a Rosary vs. the amount of time in a day.
For the record, it is 1/72nd of your day. That's it. Just 1/72 - less than 1 minute per hour of the day when it's all crunched out.
Is that really too much to ask? I 1/72 of time for the Lord and His Blessed Mother too much of your time? Can you think of a better investment for your soul you could make with 1/72 of your day?
How much of your daily time do you spend in prayer? Let's run through some "basics" and how long it takes to say them.
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep and if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen." ~ 9 seconds (this was the start of my bedtime prayers as a child)
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. May angels watch me through the night and wake me in the morning light. Amen." ~ 10 seconds
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen." ~ 20 seconds
"God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen." ~ 5 seconds
Okay - so since this is a Catholic blog we'll go with the Catholic option for meal time and the longest "standard" bedtime prayer you can get away with in public.
One at each meal and bedtime = 1 minute, 10 seconds
1/1440th of your day in prayer.
I will freely admit that fitting in prayer is hard, especially when you aren't used to it or fell out of the habit. I will also share that there have been days that the only addition to the above prayers has been "Lord, help me get through this!!!!" and that's okay too.
But outside of chaos and especially IN chaos, we need to be in prayer. The word "prayer" occurs over 100 times in the Bible, the word "pray" another 100+ - so one could easily surmise it should be something we take seriously. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to "pray without ceasing".
Now, I'm a HUGE fan of the Rosary and that's what prompted this post. I have family coming in 2 days to my home who are not Catholic and I was discussing with some other Catholic ladies how to approach our "Family Rosary" with them here and I began to muse on the amount of time it takes to pray a Rosary vs. the amount of time in a day.
For the record, it is 1/72nd of your day. That's it. Just 1/72 - less than 1 minute per hour of the day when it's all crunched out.
Is that really too much to ask? I 1/72 of time for the Lord and His Blessed Mother too much of your time? Can you think of a better investment for your soul you could make with 1/72 of your day?
Saturday, April 6, 2013
My Guardian Angel Wears Combat Boots
I am so blessed. There is not one single doubt in my mind that I have a Guardian Angel - I know who he is and where he came from. I know exactly what he is telling me and precisely when he is sending that message.
My Guardian Angel is the man who saved my husband's life in Iraq - and lost his own life in the process. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13 NRSVCE That passage meant so much to me, even before this happened. Now it is my very favorite Bible verse, and one that drives me every day of my life. This man sacrificed himself, and his future, so that I would have a husband. This man gave everything so that my son would have a father and that some day we would be blessed with another child. His love saved me from being a 24 year old widow.
Now, how do I "know" this is my Guardian Angel? Let me back up a minute here. In August 2001 a particular song was released on the radio and no one paid much attention - it debuted at #55 on the Billboard Country charts and even though I was a disc jockey at the time, I hadn't even heard it or if I did, I hadn't paid attention. The fate of that song changed drastically when the attack on America happened on September 11, 2001. This song spoke volumes and quickly rose to #2 on the charts. After the rush of songs hit the airwaves a few weeks later from artists across the country, this song quickly faded back into obscurity. It's rarely played and at times I've gone over a year without hearing it - and I listen to a LOT of radio.
Ever since my husband was wounded, when there is a time that I am struggling - when I am at my lowest. When I get in my car in tears and I don't know what I'm going to do. When I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the next hour, much the less tomorrow, this song comes on the air. I may not hear it for months between airings - but when I need to know that what I am doing is right, there it is. When I need encouragement so bad I could scream, it's right there. When I can go no longer, it "magically" appears on the air waves...
...and this sense of pure calm comes over me. I can't describe it, there are no other words. Someone in Fiddler's Green airjacked the station and there that song is.
I stop crying. I stop having a panic attack. I know, deep in my soul that whatever I was fighting with, whatever demons are out there trying to attack me it's going to be okay because he's still got my family's back like he has ever since that fateful day in Iraq.
My Guardian Angel wears combat boots. He still loves us from beyond the grave enough to reach out and help us through. I will always be grateful to him, and to that song and the peace it gives me.
Today my Guardian Angel hijacked the radio again. I'd been struggling with my husband's migraines and various commitments I have made. I'd been concerned with doing too much and at the same time not doing enough and over the airwaves it came, the familiar opening chords immediately soothing my soul. Maybe today it can help soothe yours too. :)
My Guardian Angel is the man who saved my husband's life in Iraq - and lost his own life in the process. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13 NRSVCE That passage meant so much to me, even before this happened. Now it is my very favorite Bible verse, and one that drives me every day of my life. This man sacrificed himself, and his future, so that I would have a husband. This man gave everything so that my son would have a father and that some day we would be blessed with another child. His love saved me from being a 24 year old widow.
Now, how do I "know" this is my Guardian Angel? Let me back up a minute here. In August 2001 a particular song was released on the radio and no one paid much attention - it debuted at #55 on the Billboard Country charts and even though I was a disc jockey at the time, I hadn't even heard it or if I did, I hadn't paid attention. The fate of that song changed drastically when the attack on America happened on September 11, 2001. This song spoke volumes and quickly rose to #2 on the charts. After the rush of songs hit the airwaves a few weeks later from artists across the country, this song quickly faded back into obscurity. It's rarely played and at times I've gone over a year without hearing it - and I listen to a LOT of radio.
Ever since my husband was wounded, when there is a time that I am struggling - when I am at my lowest. When I get in my car in tears and I don't know what I'm going to do. When I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the next hour, much the less tomorrow, this song comes on the air. I may not hear it for months between airings - but when I need to know that what I am doing is right, there it is. When I need encouragement so bad I could scream, it's right there. When I can go no longer, it "magically" appears on the air waves...
...and this sense of pure calm comes over me. I can't describe it, there are no other words. Someone in Fiddler's Green airjacked the station and there that song is.
I stop crying. I stop having a panic attack. I know, deep in my soul that whatever I was fighting with, whatever demons are out there trying to attack me it's going to be okay because he's still got my family's back like he has ever since that fateful day in Iraq.
My Guardian Angel wears combat boots. He still loves us from beyond the grave enough to reach out and help us through. I will always be grateful to him, and to that song and the peace it gives me.
Today my Guardian Angel hijacked the radio again. I'd been struggling with my husband's migraines and various commitments I have made. I'd been concerned with doing too much and at the same time not doing enough and over the airwaves it came, the familiar opening chords immediately soothing my soul. Maybe today it can help soothe yours too. :)
Monday, March 4, 2013
On Her Side of the Bed
While the bedroom is the place we often "hide" our messes, or at least pay little attention to because "well I just sleep there - my eyes are closed, why does it matter?" it is the place that more than anywhere else in your home should be your serene haven, your special place. This week we're going to work not only on our bedrooms, but what contributes to the chaos and clutter that seems to reign in there despite our best efforts.
A study in 2011 showed that less than half of the people surveyed felt they got good quality sleep every night or almost every night. Now don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that as a parent every night or almost every night is nearly laughable. Many of us would give our left arm for once a week and those of us with children 2 and under would give both our arms and a leg for once a month! I get the problems - but hear me out!
Among the rest of these findings, people who made their beds were 19% more likely to get a good night's sleep (remember that being step 2? See why?) and 2/3 to 3/4 rated a cool room temperature, fresh air, and a dark, quiet, and CLEAN room as important for a good night's sleep. Last, but not least, 75% said they got a more comfortable night's sleep with freshly scented sheets!
Maybe you aren't one of these people. Heaven knows my husband can sleep wherever he falls. The Army trained him to do that. ;) But there's a pretty good chance that 1 of the 2 of you may be one of these kind of people. So, at least for the rest of Lent, let's try to keep up with the bedroom.
Here's another tidbit - we're all familiar of the Bible Story of Moses when he was hidden in the rushes to escape being murdered - but did you know he's not the only child in the Bible who escaped a death spree by hiding? In 2 Kings 11, the infant prince Joash was rescued from the killing spree of one of the other royal families in the palace in a bedroom where he remained hidden for 6 years before being revealed to a group of guards and then was revealed to the world as king.
Your bedroom is more than just a place to stick stuff and to sleep. It's a haven, quite literally in Joash's case. It's a safe place. It should feel that way to you.
This week we begin to tackle the place we often leave behind because no one sees it but us, the Master Bedroom. We're also going to take this Family Mission Friday and work on our family's bedrooms using what we've learned this week. So know that's coming up in the near future. :)
For today, since your bed is already made (right?), you're going to move onto the area directly around your bed. Concentrate on your nightstands, headboards, footboards, and other areas around your bed. Are they cluttered or clear? If they're cluttered, take care of it. If there's a pile of reading material there, pick ONE book/magazine to remain and put the rest somewhere else. Are there drawers? Empty them out and make certain what is in there belongs and what is not, isn't.
Here's my "must have" list next to my bed:
- Reading Book - usually not something intellectual but rather something to help me fall asleep when I'm having nightmares.
- Bible - for reading when I want something more challenging or need to look something up that is on my mind.
- Notebook and Pen - for taking notes on other things I am reading and for emergencies!!! PLEASE keep a notebook and pen by your bed so if you ever get that dreaded midnight call, you have it available to take notes so your recollection is what actually happened and you know what you need to do next.
- Lip Balm - a necessity as I live in a very dry climate
- Foot Lotion and Hand Lotion - same reason as above - plus I find a happy smell on my hands helps me sleep.
- Nail File and Clippers - for when I'm on the phone hiding from people and talking on the phone. Talking on the phone is an excellent time to file your nails. :) It's also excellent to have a nail file/clippers so when you have nails catching on the sheets you can file them down right away before they create a snag and/or drive you crazy when you're trying to fall asleep.
- Phone - for me, this comes and goes with me as I only have one cordless phone at the moment (the other shall be located during this Lenten Activity if I have anything to say about it).
Now for the rest of it. Take a damp rag (not too wet!) and wipe down or dust your bed and bedside furniture. If you have a dresser right there, it can wait until tomorrow. Otherwise, tackle it now! Give it a nice wipe down and give the dust bunnies names. Really, it's the least you can do after all these years of them spending such intimate time with you. ;)
Friday, March 1, 2013
Mea Culpa
Well, let's suffice it to say that this past week hasn't exactly gone as planned...at all.
I set up Friday's post and figured I'd be back on Sat/Sun to give you your weekend list...
and then...
Life Happened.
From Saturday to Wednesday I drove 1040 miles, did 3 major Cub Scouting events, and generally lost my head.
Mea Culpa.
This week was originally to be dedicated to your bathrooms. Since I'm SO far behind, the good news is this week was light anyway (because I knew what I was going to have going on - well, 180 miles of it and the 3 events). So we can definitely catch up on Family Mission Friday by doing it as a group. :)
So, everyone take a bathroom!!! You will need the following supplies:
1 toilet brush
1 rag
1 cleaner (your choice!)
1 scrubbie
1 laundry basket
1 trash bag
and if your cleaner of choice doesn't do windows, window cleaner!
Now, I call this the 5 minute fly in my home. I can clean almost any bathroom in 5 minutes.
First step - Flush toilet. By allowing it to completely cycle through to clean water and be wet, but not running before adding your cleaner, you have a better chance of your cleaner staying where it belongs and doing it's job instead of sitting in the bottom of the bowl. Turn on the shower to the hottest it can go and let it run for a few minutes.
Then start grabbing everything that needs to be washed, linens, clothing, mats, everything. Into the laundry basket it goes. Take off your socks now and place them in the laundry basket.
Next, trash. Get all the trash off the counter, out of the baskets, and if you have people in your home who think empty toilet paper rolls fall wherever, now would be the time to corral them. (note: for homeschoolers/teachers/CCD Catechists - those empty toilet paper rolls can be used for THIS fun actvity!)
Now go back to the toilet. If you have a favorite toilet cleanser, knock your socks off. If you're cheap like I am but go through tons of shampoo trying to find the right one, those "extras" make awesome toilet cleaner. :) Squirt, swish, and let it sit.
Now back to the shower. Turn off the shower (learned that one the hard way! ;) lol) and grab your scrubbie, rag, and cleaner. Toss all the bottles, gadgets, and doo dads into the bottom of the shower so the places you put these things are now empty. Now spray the cleaner right onto those spots and let it sit.
Back to the sink and clutter attack. Get everything where it belongs. Spray the sink with your cleaner. Let it sit.
Go back to the tub and start grabbing bottles. If they're empty, pitch. If they're not being used, make a line up to go to the closet. If they are "active duty", wipe them down (scrub bottoms if necessary) and put them back in their homes. Last step, turn the shower back on and rinse out the tub. Voila! One more down!
Back to the sink. Any crud is now loose BUT wait a minute and clean the mirror first with your window cleaner. Then go down and clean the sink and counter. Then go one step further. Take that cloth that just cleaned the mirror and wipe down your faucet so it's nice and shiny!
Quick, go back to the tub and wipe down the shower's "parts" (the shiny metal stuff) with your mirror cloth to shine.
One last step, spritz the toilet with cleaner. Then open it, swish, and flush. Then wipe it down and grab that mirror cloth one last time to wipe the handle and then the door knob and light switch on your way out.
DONE!
I set up Friday's post and figured I'd be back on Sat/Sun to give you your weekend list...
and then...
Life Happened.
From Saturday to Wednesday I drove 1040 miles, did 3 major Cub Scouting events, and generally lost my head.
Mea Culpa.
This week was originally to be dedicated to your bathrooms. Since I'm SO far behind, the good news is this week was light anyway (because I knew what I was going to have going on - well, 180 miles of it and the 3 events). So we can definitely catch up on Family Mission Friday by doing it as a group. :)
So, everyone take a bathroom!!! You will need the following supplies:
1 toilet brush
1 rag
1 cleaner (your choice!)
1 scrubbie
1 laundry basket
1 trash bag
and if your cleaner of choice doesn't do windows, window cleaner!
Now, I call this the 5 minute fly in my home. I can clean almost any bathroom in 5 minutes.
First step - Flush toilet. By allowing it to completely cycle through to clean water and be wet, but not running before adding your cleaner, you have a better chance of your cleaner staying where it belongs and doing it's job instead of sitting in the bottom of the bowl. Turn on the shower to the hottest it can go and let it run for a few minutes.
Then start grabbing everything that needs to be washed, linens, clothing, mats, everything. Into the laundry basket it goes. Take off your socks now and place them in the laundry basket.
Next, trash. Get all the trash off the counter, out of the baskets, and if you have people in your home who think empty toilet paper rolls fall wherever, now would be the time to corral them. (note: for homeschoolers/teachers/CCD Catechists - those empty toilet paper rolls can be used for THIS fun actvity!)
Now go back to the toilet. If you have a favorite toilet cleanser, knock your socks off. If you're cheap like I am but go through tons of shampoo trying to find the right one, those "extras" make awesome toilet cleaner. :) Squirt, swish, and let it sit.
Now back to the shower. Turn off the shower (learned that one the hard way! ;) lol) and grab your scrubbie, rag, and cleaner. Toss all the bottles, gadgets, and doo dads into the bottom of the shower so the places you put these things are now empty. Now spray the cleaner right onto those spots and let it sit.
Back to the sink and clutter attack. Get everything where it belongs. Spray the sink with your cleaner. Let it sit.
Go back to the tub and start grabbing bottles. If they're empty, pitch. If they're not being used, make a line up to go to the closet. If they are "active duty", wipe them down (scrub bottoms if necessary) and put them back in their homes. Last step, turn the shower back on and rinse out the tub. Voila! One more down!
Back to the sink. Any crud is now loose BUT wait a minute and clean the mirror first with your window cleaner. Then go down and clean the sink and counter. Then go one step further. Take that cloth that just cleaned the mirror and wipe down your faucet so it's nice and shiny!
Quick, go back to the tub and wipe down the shower's "parts" (the shiny metal stuff) with your mirror cloth to shine.
One last step, spritz the toilet with cleaner. Then open it, swish, and flush. Then wipe it down and grab that mirror cloth one last time to wipe the handle and then the door knob and light switch on your way out.
DONE!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Family Mission Friday: Meal Planning
Meal planning isn't just for moms - it's a whole family activity. There are a few different ways to tackle this. If you have a small family, I recommend each member that eats be responsible for one day of menu planning - then Mom and Dad take the extra days. If you have a larger family, consider using a 2 week or more "plan". Start with just planning dinners and then let it grow to the rest of your day's foods.
Even your youngest children can plan. If they're able to express what they like, they get a vote. For "the smallest among you", try this.
Supplies:
Index cards
Markers
Photo Album
Glue/glue stick
Family artist and/or Google
Take a set of index cards and get your computer ready (or your artistic skills if you're braver than I!) and a set of markers. You're going to have 4 categories of cards. Starches, Veggies, Proteins, and Desserts. Pick a color for each and "edge" the card by making lines around the outside so it can be quickly identified by category. Attach a picture (or draw one right on the card) of the item and write the name. So, for example, a card may look like this:
Once you have a wide variety of the ingredients your family loves, you start what can actually turn into a game. Everyone gets "dealt" 2 proteins, 2 starches, 2 veggies, and 2 desserts. They can then swap, trade, etc to create the meal they're aiming for. So, if a child had the above "cards" he/she could make his/her meal Beef with Broccoli over steamed rice.
Take the photo album and slide the index cards into the day so you know what day is which. Block out 5-6 "spots" per day based on your album's layout. That gives you room to slide in a card with the recipe, a list of other ingredients you will need, etc.
From this list, you make your grocery shopping list and then just go through the book and compile the meals. :)
As children get older, you can change the cards to have the meals on them and have them actually make the meal that they've chosen. Cooking skills never go out of style!
Get the whole family involved with meal planning. This fun activity helps everyone feel included and reduces the chaos of trying to get dinner on the table every night.
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