Moments of Gratitude
::evening sunlight falling across my bed
::cooler temperatures
::open windows
::recovery for my grandparents
::kids and books
::the Mass
::Leo napping on the quilt made for him by his great grandpa Leo
Beauty in the Ordinary
I have made a very thorough cleaning list for this last week before school starts…room by room…chore by chore. We will be tackling jobs that are supposed to get done all the time as well as some jobs that get put off, like cleaning the ceiling fans. To help my pantry cleaning/organization, I bought an adjustable Door Rack 
From the Kitchen
My grocery budget is too big. I really need to create an inexpensive plan with a few treats thrown and STICK TO IT. I also need to:
A) go back to my old ways of, “I fix it, you eat it…or you don’t. Hopefully you like the next meal.”
B) give smaller portions and then 2nds if they need it instead of getting too much the first time around
Praying
I am praying for our new priest, whoever he may be. This has been a messy year and he needs all the support he can get before he even gets here. I’m praying for a great school year and myself. When I’m stressed (or a certain time of the year) I tend to revert to some bad habitual thinking…I’ve been stressed and it’s that time of year.
Meditating
“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt ans walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to them, “Follow me.”
†John 21:18-19
Pondering
There are moments recently where I am acutely aware of time. I am aware of the fact that my once first born baby is now 14. I am aware of the fact that instead of planning my days leisurely around the needs of a couple of toddlers and maybe a baby thrown in for good measure, I am living in front of a teen–who will sooner, rather than later, be making her way into the world–pre-teens, who are really still little girls in growing bodies with equally growing minds and souls, a young boy in a major developmental and spiritual growth spurt, a little girl growing between two boys, a toddler boy in a growth spurt trying to forge his own way and a slobbery, teething baby. I am aware of the fact that I am now 40. I am no longer the young mother with the new little family. I am supposedly the older and wiser mother…Time, I am pondering time.
Reading
We and Our Children: How to Make a Catholic Home
Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives
The Imitation of Christ 
Memorizing
I am going to start back up memorizing the Magnificat. If any of you girls feel like everybody memorizes or accomplishes what they set out to do in record time, please scroll through past CWA’s and see how incredibly long I have been wanting to/trying to do this.
Wandering the Web
Mmmm–Mini Fruit Pizza’s
Good Idea–You Tube for Kids (but like the author points out, there are still some holes.)
Words–If you need someone to listen…
Link up and share a peek into your life. If you don’t have blog, share in the comments. Then take a minute to go visit your sisters in Christ. Encourage each other…pray for each other…love each other.
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by Fr Jacques Philippe.
Oooh and yes, let’s do Imitation of Christ. I need to read that again!
Allrighty then, Imitation of Christ it is for September.
you are not alone in the Magnificat, Jenny…if I chant it, I have it. If I try to “speak” it, no go. Sigh.
I am with you on the kitchen part! I’ve just been trying to figure out how to streamline things more and how to eat healthy but a little more inexpensively! God Bless you in your new school year.
Ah, I haven’t even really tackled ‘heating healthy’ which to me means organic. I read blogs where families do it, but I have yet to see a large family, living too far away from a Whole Foods as their only source, making a reasonable budget.
Jenny, I’m constantly working on my grocery budget and it seems no matter how hard I try to trim it I’m always over somehow…even with a menu!
Thanks for the reminder to give thanks in everything.
Blessings and +
Caroline, when my husband started grocery shopping with a year or so ago, he could not believe how expensive food was and even now, he is still shocked by how much groceries have gone up in the last year.
I have been homeschooling for over 20 years. This year I have been cleaning out the unneeded things as my baby is going into 4th grade. Time flies. I need to start over with my 15 year old. Some how he slipped through the cracks, not learning some of his prayers. We will be doing some memorizing this year.
Prayers for a great year of home education!
I feel that urge to clean everything too although I am only homeschooling one child…but still feel a need to organize and clean. Haven’t done much in the summer heat and the dogs are killing me with their shedding! So, I pray for the energy and grace and time for all of us to accomplish what is most needed : )
Jenny…my oldest just turned 23 and I was married at 23 and yes…time really smacks you in the face LOL!
Oh Theresa, I think the break in the heat is what’s inspiring me to clean.
Ah, Jenny…you are a woman I can relate too. We are going into our 7th year of home schooling, but our family dynamics are very different. I have my oldest going into junior high school, my two after her not being so little anymore (9 and 8 years old), my son with special needs going off to school all day in Kindergarten…I’ve never done the “first day” at school with any of them except my first. And she only went half the day back then (although, the all day for my son is actually a good thing..he thrives on it). Then there is the “baby”. Who will be 3 on Feb. 1st. I find myself without another one on the way, and our school year being very differnt from previous years. My goal is more time together as a family, and more time at home. Home, home, home. Now…if I can tackle the school room, that would be a good start.
Prayers for you! Please pray for us!
Be assured of my prayers Jen. (Just sent a Memorare up.)