Amidst lots of babysitting, teaching (2nd & 3rd grade), my own family life, and spending time with/taking of Mrs KBL (all things I LOVE doing & am very grateful for), here is a bigger picture update of sorts...
Thinking about--- With another birthday in the family today I am wondering how is it possible that 3 of us kids are adults?!?! When we reached the 5 teenages milestone, that felt like a midlife crisis or something. But, this...I don't really know what it feels like. Sometimes its hard to imagine siblings getting older....
Recently our family was invited over for dinner at our brother's wrestling coach's house. We were all there. And to be honest, besides Sunday dinners, I don't remember the last meal we were all at together, or the last thing we all rode in the van together to.
Times have changed from our youth!
Listening to lately--- I'm still loving Spotify and I'm still LOVING my brother's beats. I added a bunch of classics to my playlist this weekend such as, "It's Tricky", "Take Me back to Tulsa, I'm too young to marry", "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" and "Jump Around". Still enjoying all of my old favorites as well! My YouTube playlist continues to get lots of use during the school day.
Currently Reading--- The Catholic All Year Compendium! It's really good! (I bought it at the Holy Family Bookstore in Kenosha Wi. I also bought a handful of medals and Holy cards). Last week, read "Off the Hook" by Tim O'Malley. He recently spoke at UW Madison's "Newman Center" so I bought his book there. I found the beginning to be a little vulgar, but the middle was really good. I picked up some inspiring and thought provoking quotes on love (in the general sense) so I am glad that I read it. I am also reading How Now Shall We Live? I am about 60 pages in. I am not sure if I will finish this one. Next, I hope to read "Loss and Gain".
Excited about--- I put in a request to the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison (diocesan Latin masses) for a Mass to be said on the night of 11/28 (the feast of St Catherine Laboure). (this is the saint who Mrs KBL is named after/her patron Saint. I was thinking and thinking of how we can celebrate this day with her. Innovative me came up with a spectacular idea!) My wish has been granted! (This is so crazy exciting!! This is going to be such a treat!) A Low Mass will be said at 6:30pm on that night (I can see it now--her and I sitting in the very front on the left). I couldn't be happier! I am extremely excited for this event on so many levels! It's going to be AMAZING!
My car is still working out very well!
Having steers again! These are the most gentle, calmest steers ever. And they LOVE grain! They are so eager!! I've got HIGH HOPES for these two to hit 1500lbs!! but, really, I'm happily back to feeding steers. We got hay yesterday, so that is also exciting.
I am wearing--- I went to 7AM low mass today, so this is the outfit I picked out last night: black shirt and long black skirt--nothing extravagant in this department. Also, I am wearing a miraculous medal.
Clipboard picture on my desk: Still savoring my "Sophie's squash" inspired image.
The Liturgical Year--- I printed off some more calendars (I have 5 liturgical calendars now). As I have already stated, I am excited for the feast of St Catherine Laboure. I am also looking forward to the upcoming feast of St Raphael. I am still super impressed with the Restored Traditions art prints. I really want to make some purchases from this website, but to be completely honest, I don't fully "get" how this website works...
Today, on the new calendar, it is the feast of Pope John Paul II. Last year on this day we had a family funeral in Kenosha and I did some nice copywork on the way down. Today I don't have anything special planned for this feast but may come up with something of some sort before the day ends. We'll see what happens between now and then.
Charlotte Mason---I've had a renewed eagerness for memory work. I am still keeping with copywork/commonplacing, lots of reading and lots of notetaking.
Today I went to 7am Low Mass, have been working on school, made a quick trek to Mrs KBL's, and am now back to doing school work. It's a rare day that I am not babysitting or teaching, so for excitement I am trying arm & hammer deodorant again. In about an hour it will be time to feed steers and on deck for tonight: a trip to Mrs KBL's (I hope it will be better than earlier today!) Life is good!
Monday, October 22, 2018
Friday, October 19, 2018
Year 4 Steers!
Yesterday, I rushed home from teaching and visiting, just in time for our two new steers to arrive. (I didn't exactly make it on time as the truck/trailer was already backed down the driveway).
They're here and they're plenty big! (625lbs and 700lbs) They are both percentage Gelbvieh. (and I think percentage Angus as well). It feels pretty good to be ripping open grain bags and using my red bucket again. :)
We have this little pen that we built for the first steers we had 2 years ago. This pen was basically destroyed by those steers with their big escape. Since then we have used the pasture, but I thought we should try this pen again.
Mostly, I'm hoping for no escapes this year.
We haven't named them yet and I still need to memorize their ear tags to remember which is which.
This is now my 4th year raising beef steers, so we'll see what these guys will teach me. :) Wish me luck!
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
The proud little caregiver
Saturday was her caregiver's birthday, and I knew weeks in advance the party and gifts that were being planned. We set a high standard for gifts for her caregiver this year! I wore my Fiji skirt for the occasion- it seemed like the thing to wear. We all--her, her caregiver, her caregiver's husband, her daughter, her son in law, six grandchildren and I--went to this restaurant and had other festivities with gift opening ( I wasn't there for that part) and cake/ice cream back at the house. Her caregiver, of course, was all blinged up (those of you who have seen her know what I'm talking about!) It was another great time with the Fijians--We learned about birthdays in Fiji and her caregiver's siblings, took lots of pictures & had a great night. I could tell that her caregiver really enjoyed everything! And, to my good luck, there was no cavva going around the table that night! (A relief for me! Our first experience with Cavva this summer got mixed reviews from us all!) At the restaurant (Hu-Hot Grill in Middleton for the locals--it was my first time there and it was kind of fun!) I hardly left her side. I sat right next to her and did everything that I could to help her out with her food, root beer and such (meaning, picking up food that she dropped on herself about every 45 seconds (that's not an exaggeration!), holding her glass while she drank every 5 minutes, positioning her bowl and thumb just so, getting her new food....) The whole night had gone so well! She was such a trooper! I was really impressed! For the second time, I put a jacket on her, and this was my first time by myself. (The last time it took 10 minutes with someone else doing it too) I was mighty pleased that I did it all by myself and was so efficient. (You try to put a jacket on someone who is wheelchair bound and has no use of one arm--its quite the challenge!) Then, I was steering her out of the restaurant, I took her through the doorways--why do they make those things so narrow?! and as I was doing that I was mighty proud of myself and how the night had gone with her. "I am the proudest little caregiver ever" is what I thought to myself. Once we were on the sidewalk the proud little caregiver got a swallow of humility, when the proud little caregiver ran over her foot twice in about 30 seconds. (Of course she has ran over my feet or smashed into them lots of times over the last months, usually when this happens my foot will hurt just for 10 minutes-a few hours.) but, days later, the proud little caregiver's foot is still hurting!!! (I proudly showed her my bruised up foot the next day.) (It seems to make my foot worse to wear shoes--like dress shoes, so the last two days I have tried to just wear flip-flops when not at home, but of course it has suddenly turned to winter in Wisconsin!) Back at the house when we had cake/ice cream, I put her and I at the head of the table and I was mighty pleased with myself that night! It was a late night for her (and especially myself!) but everything was such a success!
And, to top this all off, her caregiver and her husband might be taking a few hours off in the next week or so to go out and they are planning on having ME (!!!) come and take care of her while they are gone! What a thrilling treat that would be!! Just say the words guys, and I'll be over there in a flash!!
Today, I woke up with a sore throat (I think I got it from a kid I babysat on Sunday) and a headache (which is a common thing for me), so I texted her caregiver that I wouldn't come over today because I didn't want to risk getting her sick. And its basically killing me not being able to go over there today!!! I am feeling much better tonight already and am eager & anxious to see her again! We have so much to do together!
In a week it will be 9 months since we met and I have many reflections on our relationship swirling around my head. We've come such a long way, and who would have ever known that we would be such buds?
And, to top this all off, her caregiver and her husband might be taking a few hours off in the next week or so to go out and they are planning on having ME (!!!) come and take care of her while they are gone! What a thrilling treat that would be!! Just say the words guys, and I'll be over there in a flash!!
Today, I woke up with a sore throat (I think I got it from a kid I babysat on Sunday) and a headache (which is a common thing for me), so I texted her caregiver that I wouldn't come over today because I didn't want to risk getting her sick. And its basically killing me not being able to go over there today!!! I am feeling much better tonight already and am eager & anxious to see her again! We have so much to do together!
In a week it will be 9 months since we met and I have many reflections on our relationship swirling around my head. We've come such a long way, and who would have ever known that we would be such buds?
Thursday, October 11, 2018
This Week:: Fiji Day, Sultans of Swing & Sophie's Squash
Happy Fiji Day!! (Fiji Independence day!)
I have been immersed in the Fijian culture of late, because of this company. I've had cavva (not sure if that is spelled correctly)---it was a whole ceremony they did for us one day complete with everyone drinking the stuff from the oldest to the youngest there. I've had this potato tasting banana, I think it is called a "Plantain", plus other Fijian dishes. I have my Fiji skirt/shirt (which looks like a dress when I wear both), and a Fiji shirt which is too small, but I have been told I am getting a new one. So anyways, go Fiji! Happy Fiji Day! (also, If you are ever in need of in home care, turn to the Home Care Independent Company, I highly recommend them!)
Listening to Lately:
My Dad and I switched cars last weekend, although I didn't drive the truck around for long, I got re-hooked on "Sultans of Swing" and have been listening to it all week. I made some additions to my Spotify playlist such as....livin la vida loca and That's Amore sung by Bobby Vinton (I've been listening to this one a lot) I've got a 10 hour round trip road trip coming up and am going to need MANY additions to my spotify when that time comes.
Currently Reading:
I finally finished "The Sacrifice of the Mass Study Guide" from the Crusaders for Christ blog. It wasn't amazing or anything.
I have been reading a lot of Sophie's Squash and How to Train a Train. I have both of those mostly memorized now. Still reading a lot of Seton Religion (grade 2 and 3), First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, lesson plans, assignment sheets.... do Facebook posts count?
New Things:
I was searching around for some Catholic Art and I found these two websites: Restored Traditions and My Holy Cards. I have GOT to make some purchases from these places! I am so impressed! I might have to ask for a gift card or something from these places....
The steers are coming very soon!! The feed was delivered on Wednesday, its been raining too much to get hay + I've been slow on cleaning out the barn....I am so excited for my new steers!!!!
Well, Midterms are calling my name, so gotta go!
Listening to Lately:
My Dad and I switched cars last weekend, although I didn't drive the truck around for long, I got re-hooked on "Sultans of Swing" and have been listening to it all week. I made some additions to my Spotify playlist such as....livin la vida loca and That's Amore sung by Bobby Vinton (I've been listening to this one a lot) I've got a 10 hour round trip road trip coming up and am going to need MANY additions to my spotify when that time comes.
Currently Reading:
I finally finished "The Sacrifice of the Mass Study Guide" from the Crusaders for Christ blog. It wasn't amazing or anything.
I have been reading a lot of Sophie's Squash and How to Train a Train. I have both of those mostly memorized now. Still reading a lot of Seton Religion (grade 2 and 3), First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind, lesson plans, assignment sheets.... do Facebook posts count?
New Things:
I was searching around for some Catholic Art and I found these two websites: Restored Traditions and My Holy Cards. I have GOT to make some purchases from these places! I am so impressed! I might have to ask for a gift card or something from these places....
The steers are coming very soon!! The feed was delivered on Wednesday, its been raining too much to get hay + I've been slow on cleaning out the barn....I am so excited for my new steers!!!!
Well, Midterms are calling my name, so gotta go!
Sunday, October 7, 2018
A Wild Afternoon:: The Fruit of my work
"Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hands"-Esperanza Rising
This is going down as one of our best, most wild days together. She was in such a rare form. I have never experienced any thing like this before. This is a side of her that I don't know if I have seen before. She was cracking herself up so much and laughing so hard. This is a day that I want to remember. I took a picture of us together to commemorate this day. We compared our hand sizes, I showed her my stitches scars, I told her about how I singed off some of my thumb hair today, had many laughing fits, listened to the Beatles and we're entertaining each other with some comedy. There she sat, and I sat on a black stool next to her.You can't plan for days like this, they just happen and they are amazing. We had so much fun together! We are such comedians together! When I came home, I was telling my mom all of the things that happened and all of the things that she said in the 2 1/2 hours I was there. I was sitting in our kitchen and I was laughing so hard.
I can't really explain the joy or how grateful I am. I am so glad that she lives so near me. This was an amazing afternoon with her. I had already seen her this morning at Mass. I didn't sit with her but I hung around with her after Mass in the Narthex. I am always so proud to be hanging around with her! She told me that my jacket was "nice" and I helped her to navigate back through the Narthex and church and back to the car. I think she said "hi there" when I said "bye" to her when she was in the car. I wasn't able to do brunch with them all today since I had to babysit for some of the afternoon. On my way home they were watching the packer game. I can't just drive past her house with out stopping in. I hadn't planned on staying long since I wanted to clean out the barn today. But things were going so well, more than well really, and I just couldn't leave. We didn't do our average routine of a rosary, some reading, me telling her the feast day or even flicking through SmugMug on her iPad, but we had a beyond average day. It's not like she had a perfect memory, but it was probably as close to perfect as she can get now. and I still had to adjust things for her 80,000 times. and she still said things that made absolutely no sense, but, this was an amazing day. The dementia was still there, but its almost like it was a little absent for just a while. It was a really good day. I want more days like this with her. I will take every day and every moment like this with her that I can!
Days like this, moments like these with her, make me feel like I could fly. I have more confidence. I beam. I feel like I am on top of the world. I feel refreshed. encouraged. renewed. full of joy. the pain and memories of the bad days, the difficulties, the discouragement all melt away and I think "I want to do this more". "Let's do this again!" , "I want to do so many things with her!" I am on an upbeat. I feel like I've conquered the world. I re-claimed a lot of much needed sanity this afternoon with her!
What is the fruit of my work?
-when she says, "I am so glad that you came today" when I hug her goodbye.
-when she says, "I love you" to me and kisses me on the cheek.
-when her caregiver says, "she was asking for you"
-when I walk in and she gets so excited to see me.
(and, yes, I am already planning what we will do tomorrow...maybe some magazine reading... I won't have too long to stay there but we're going to pack it in. I told her caregiver to text me when she is awake. So I will be awaiting an ever important text. I can't wait to be with her again! I love her so much!)
This is going down as one of our best, most wild days together. She was in such a rare form. I have never experienced any thing like this before. This is a side of her that I don't know if I have seen before. She was cracking herself up so much and laughing so hard. This is a day that I want to remember. I took a picture of us together to commemorate this day. We compared our hand sizes, I showed her my stitches scars, I told her about how I singed off some of my thumb hair today, had many laughing fits, listened to the Beatles and we're entertaining each other with some comedy. There she sat, and I sat on a black stool next to her.You can't plan for days like this, they just happen and they are amazing. We had so much fun together! We are such comedians together! When I came home, I was telling my mom all of the things that happened and all of the things that she said in the 2 1/2 hours I was there. I was sitting in our kitchen and I was laughing so hard.
I can't really explain the joy or how grateful I am. I am so glad that she lives so near me. This was an amazing afternoon with her. I had already seen her this morning at Mass. I didn't sit with her but I hung around with her after Mass in the Narthex. I am always so proud to be hanging around with her! She told me that my jacket was "nice" and I helped her to navigate back through the Narthex and church and back to the car. I think she said "hi there" when I said "bye" to her when she was in the car. I wasn't able to do brunch with them all today since I had to babysit for some of the afternoon. On my way home they were watching the packer game. I can't just drive past her house with out stopping in. I hadn't planned on staying long since I wanted to clean out the barn today. But things were going so well, more than well really, and I just couldn't leave. We didn't do our average routine of a rosary, some reading, me telling her the feast day or even flicking through SmugMug on her iPad, but we had a beyond average day. It's not like she had a perfect memory, but it was probably as close to perfect as she can get now. and I still had to adjust things for her 80,000 times. and she still said things that made absolutely no sense, but, this was an amazing day. The dementia was still there, but its almost like it was a little absent for just a while. It was a really good day. I want more days like this with her. I will take every day and every moment like this with her that I can!
Days like this, moments like these with her, make me feel like I could fly. I have more confidence. I beam. I feel like I am on top of the world. I feel refreshed. encouraged. renewed. full of joy. the pain and memories of the bad days, the difficulties, the discouragement all melt away and I think "I want to do this more". "Let's do this again!" , "I want to do so many things with her!" I am on an upbeat. I feel like I've conquered the world. I re-claimed a lot of much needed sanity this afternoon with her!
What is the fruit of my work?
-when she says, "I am so glad that you came today" when I hug her goodbye.
-when she says, "I love you" to me and kisses me on the cheek.
-when her caregiver says, "she was asking for you"
-when I walk in and she gets so excited to see me.
(and, yes, I am already planning what we will do tomorrow...maybe some magazine reading... I won't have too long to stay there but we're going to pack it in. I told her caregiver to text me when she is awake. So I will be awaiting an ever important text. I can't wait to be with her again! I love her so much!)
Friday, October 5, 2018
This week: World Dairy Expo, Teaching again & feast of St Francis of Assisi
This has been another crazy week!
First up: new things!
I got a bunch of binders, florescent post it flags (which I am really liking), and page protectors (some rather practical things). and best of all, I was gifted a $200 Amazon gift card. I am going to (try to) hold off until November to spend $150 of it and save the rest (not sure what for. A bad day or something probably). I am super excited about this gift card! So many possibilities!
I started a new notebook. It feels great to be back to my classic red 70 paged college ruled notebook.
I bought this book: Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating and Marriage in a Hook Up World by/from Timothy O'Malley. He came to speak at UW Madison Last night.
The Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles are coming to Madison!!!
I am back to teaching a 2nd grader and 3rd grader. (I taught them last spring as 2nd and 1st graders). Back to Seton Religion books, reading seasonal/fall picture books out loud, and reading old catechism books for me. It's great! Its good to be back doing that.
Currently reading: The Catholic Hearth Magazines. Adventure Lands (Abeka grade 6 reader-a copy from 1954). blogs. texts. and 2nd + 3rd grade level home school curriculum.
I printed off a "Latin Mass Study Guide" from the Crusaders for Christ blog. I haven't started it yet but its in a binder and ready for me to read.
Feast of St Francis of Assisi
I don't know what it was but this feast day seemed different this year than in other years.... Maybe because I have been to Assisi (including San Damiano and other magnificent "st Francis places" in Assisi)? (I will have to -read my notebooks on my adventures in Assisi)
Fr gave a really good sermon yesterday. I took lots of notes. Random thought of yesterday: I was thinking about how people often comment how "generous" I am and I was thinking about how much I appreciate other peoples generosity to me and I was thinking of how I want to be "more generous". and that was the basic extent of my thoughts.
This week is the world dairy expo, and I am so glad that I have been able to go twice! for what ever reason, I have collected ZERO freebies. But I did get to look at nearly all the venders and had two grilled cheeses so I think the week was a success! I am now even more jazzed up for our new steers (only a few more days! + lots of work before then)
I did my first set of observational hours at a 4K class. It was an interesting experience.
This week we went to a funeral for a girl/woman who died from drug overdose. We knew the girls parents, one of her sisters and her brother so that's why we went. Wow, was that ever a depressing event. Don't do drugs, kids.
Listening to lately: its the end of the world as we know it. the Beverly hillbillies theme song. the creed in Latin (I am trying to memorize it) and still a wide variety of songs on my Spotify playlist and on my YouTube playlist.
Life is good.
First up: new things!
I got a bunch of binders, florescent post it flags (which I am really liking), and page protectors (some rather practical things). and best of all, I was gifted a $200 Amazon gift card. I am going to (try to) hold off until November to spend $150 of it and save the rest (not sure what for. A bad day or something probably). I am super excited about this gift card! So many possibilities!
I started a new notebook. It feels great to be back to my classic red 70 paged college ruled notebook.
I bought this book: Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating and Marriage in a Hook Up World by/from Timothy O'Malley. He came to speak at UW Madison Last night.
The Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles are coming to Madison!!!
I am back to teaching a 2nd grader and 3rd grader. (I taught them last spring as 2nd and 1st graders). Back to Seton Religion books, reading seasonal/fall picture books out loud, and reading old catechism books for me. It's great! Its good to be back doing that.
Currently reading: The Catholic Hearth Magazines. Adventure Lands (Abeka grade 6 reader-a copy from 1954). blogs. texts. and 2nd + 3rd grade level home school curriculum.
I printed off a "Latin Mass Study Guide" from the Crusaders for Christ blog. I haven't started it yet but its in a binder and ready for me to read.
Feast of St Francis of Assisi
I don't know what it was but this feast day seemed different this year than in other years.... Maybe because I have been to Assisi (including San Damiano and other magnificent "st Francis places" in Assisi)? (I will have to -read my notebooks on my adventures in Assisi)
Fr gave a really good sermon yesterday. I took lots of notes. Random thought of yesterday: I was thinking about how people often comment how "generous" I am and I was thinking about how much I appreciate other peoples generosity to me and I was thinking of how I want to be "more generous". and that was the basic extent of my thoughts.
This week is the world dairy expo, and I am so glad that I have been able to go twice! for what ever reason, I have collected ZERO freebies. But I did get to look at nearly all the venders and had two grilled cheeses so I think the week was a success! I am now even more jazzed up for our new steers (only a few more days! + lots of work before then)
I did my first set of observational hours at a 4K class. It was an interesting experience.
This week we went to a funeral for a girl/woman who died from drug overdose. We knew the girls parents, one of her sisters and her brother so that's why we went. Wow, was that ever a depressing event. Don't do drugs, kids.
Listening to lately: its the end of the world as we know it. the Beverly hillbillies theme song. the creed in Latin (I am trying to memorize it) and still a wide variety of songs on my Spotify playlist and on my YouTube playlist.
Life is good.
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