Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Catholic Moms Summit

So grateful to be asked to join this team of fantastic women who are striving towards heaven!!! I am excited to share this interview with Danielle Bean

 


To get an All Access to this convention click here. I even get credit if you use my link. 

To join conference free click here


+JMJ+ 

THY WILL BE DONE!!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Be Not Afraid

Father Dan Leary from St Andrews Church in Silver Spring MD had online mass that just spoke to my heart!!! He said to get our of our Grief Bubble. Mary is Full of Grace, Not full of Grief. 

I accidentally fell upon this after online mass today. I am not musical but wow, it touched my heart so much!!!


Thy Will Be Done!!! +JMJ+

Friday, May 15, 2020

Stress, anxiety, depression...oh my! Covid 19 Pandemic

Day 60 of quarantine

In my lifetime I have never encountered such a time as this. What is happening in our world is so strange and unpredictable. As a well balanced homeschooling momma of 14, I usually have my act together. Not great but at least I could handle the day to day ups and downs with a positive attitude.

This is a difficult time in my life with my normal schedule ruined. I am a strong woman when I am on my schedule, but this has thrown off my grove. I used to be super active, OK that is a nice way of saying super spazzy, if I was born in the 90's they would say ADD. My dad called it "monkey glands," I call it my super power.

Being off my schedule has caused me to fall apart in many ways like gaining around 15 lbs and being ultra lethargic. My house is getting messier and messier. I don't have the energy to do much. Everyday I have been surviving on watching daily mass, doing morning prayer with parishioners, doing a light workout, face timing family or friends to see a face other than my darling family at home, getting outside, taking a candlelit bath with praise and worship music, and watching family movies almost every night.


Today a priest I have been following for daily mass, said today that we need to fight against spiritual sloth and mental stupor. "We need to engage, the Goal is not to just endure the virus but to make the choice to sacrifice, than love, than friendship with Christ."


I am really appreciating the slowing down of my super crazy schedule, God is bringing lots of blessings to many families by having time with their daddy's, and working from home with their babies. I am not enjoying trying to do zoom school. This is not the homeschooling I have been used to for 30 years! As you can see from the classroom baseboard my kids aren't loving it much either.


This time of year I am busy planning and hosting parties,now its all cancelled. How else is my home gonna get cleaned if I don't have a party to host? Easter, First Communion, my birthday, Mother's Day, my daughters baby shower, seeing my grand babies, two graduation parties, the Father/daughter dance, end of the year banquet, not to mention all the sports...so many things cancelled. My old month looked like this...so God has given me a gift. This month everything is crossed off.



For an extrovert this is hard to deal with. I get out of the house each day but I am used to more of a schedule and without one, I literally lay on the couch and wonder what I have the energy to do. It's also hard on my marriage. My poor husband, I am trying to keep up with the housework when I am not trying to miss one of the ten zoom meetings we have. My husband is an extreme introvert and his schedule hasn't changed except that we are all home now, ALL. THE. TIME. So, he hasn't had his usual time by himself when we leave for the home school tutorial. This makes us more edgy than normal. My poor kids long to see their buddies again, thank God for letter writing, they have really embraced that fun skill lately.

So, lets keep praying for our world to get through this time with prayer and fasting and hope our churches open again. We need each other. Remember to keep reaching out to others and don't let anyone get left behind. Many are struggling and need our support.
Menopause support supplements 

My old schedule looked like this: 
Get up at 4:30 am and go to the gym
Go to 6:30 am mass
Quiet time before the kids woke up
Do school
Have lunch
Do jobs
Get ready for dinner
Eat
Try to pray as a family
Get ready for bed
Pass out between 9:30-10:00 pm


My new schedule looks like this:
Get up around 7:00 am
Take large amounts of Menopausal supplements
Brush teeth
Try to put on makeup
7:30 am light work out
8:00 am listen to online mass
8:30 am Do morning prayer 
9:00 am online school
11:30 am lunch
12:30 get dressed if not dressed yet
1:00 pm put baby down for nap
Take a candlelit bath with praise and worship music
Lay on the couch and do nothing
5:00 pm Dinner
6:00 pm try to pray
6:30 pm watch TV
8:30 pm put kids to bed
9:00 to 11:00 Lay around usually watching TV
Try to go to bed before 11:00 pm

Thy Will Be Done!!! +JMJ+


Saturday, May 2, 2020

Ezra Jack Keats stories


Peter's chair and a letter to Amy


Thy will be done!!!
+JMJ+

Thursday, April 30, 2020

The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson, read by Pop

Pop is way more fun than me when he reads, he is so silly. Here he is reading one of his favorite books. The Gruffalo
Thy Will be Done!!! +JMJ+

Love you forever: Read by me...

Even though some people think this book is kinda creepy, all my kids have their own copy. Especially now that I can't be with some of my children during this pandemic, I totally want to hop in my car and drive across town and rock them back and forth, back and forth, and tell them that I love them forever, I like them for always, as long as I'm living my baby they will be. 
Thy will be done!!!
+JMJ+

Just Plain Fancy by Patricia Polacco read by me: Grammy

During this pandemic I have been reading some of my favorite books online to my Grandchildren. I hope you enjoy this. 

Thy Will Be Done!!!
+JMJ+

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Brown Bear, brown bear-Storytime

Grammy misses her grand babies 
THY WILL BE DONE
+JMJ+

The Little Engine that could- Storytime

During this pandemic when I can't see my grand babies I decided to start reading to them via my old iPad.

+JMJ+
THY WILL BE DONE!

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Peace in the pandemic

It’s been a long time posting,
I wanted to share a Holy Spirit thought- I had great holy plans tonight- after dinner we were going to say the stations and watch some of Jesus of Nazareth. By the time dinner was over kids were mysteriously gone--- when I went to look for them...Kolbe was playing legos by himself, Ray and Brad were making a fort outside, Eric in bed reading, Mary writing letters, Cecilia drawing in her journal, and rob writing our book...I thought I would give them a couple more minutes till the fights started but for the first time in years, everyone was at peace!!! Honestly, two hours past without conflict and I finally had to bathe and put the littles to bed! I think the slow pace of this pandemic is bringing back self-awareness and creativity back to our family instead of rushing around and running to activities and doing homework.so sometimes we just need to go with the flow of the Holy Spirit and rest in His gifts! +JMJ+

Monday, February 24, 2020

rules for dating our sons (nine boys yikes!)


RULES FOR DATING MY Son…(just changed some words around from this post)

1. Make sure he KEEPS His HANDS TO HIMSELF.
a) Hand holding and friendly hugs acceptable


2. MAKE SURE HE TREATS YOU LIKE A PRINCESS
a) have him hold doors open for you
b) pull out your chair
c) make sure he is kind to you

3. GUARD HIS PURITYa) DRESS MODESTLY
b) Be careful of the movies you watch
c) watch out for the music you listen to
d) don’t get in an uncomfortable situation


4. SPEND TIME WITH OUR FAMILYa) we aren’t as bad as we seem
b) we would like to get to know you


5. WATCH WHERE YOU GO TOGETHER
a) public places are great
b) group dating is better
c) don’t be left alone


6. BE CREATIVE WHEN YOU GO OUTa) watching movies is fun but try something different
b) There are tons of free public activities
c) Going for a walk is nice


7. DRIVE CAREFULLY
a) Make sure he drives carefully

8. BE His FRIEND FIRSTa) Make sure he treats you like his close friend

9. SUPPORT HIS FAITH
a) you are always welcome to come to church with us.


10. DID I MENTION TO MAKE SURE HE KEEPS HIS HANDS TO HISELF?