Some notes from coronavirus quarantine

Well, here we are about. a week into quarantining. The country, and the world is hurting right now, with the coronavirus rapidly spreading, hurting our citizens, the economy. Also are public masses have been suspended, so we've been trying to connect at home ..... Here we are hunkering down. Trying not to watch too much news but also trying to keep informed. Since being asked to stay home as much as possible, we been stocking, organizing, working on our garden and tiling kitchen backsplash.  Also knitting and watching a lot of tv, sticking to our menu plan of meat/something Monday, taco Tuesday, waffle Wednesday, thermos Thursday, fasting Friday, so many Saturday. and Sunday. Heres what we've been doing:

On. needles: Outlander mitts, washcloths and finishing projects

Watching: TV, finished the. Outsider+, lotsa Chopped, Halt and Catch Fire-
Movies: The Darkest Hour +, Dark Waters-, The Others-, Prisoners+, A Simple Favor-

Trying to read: Imitiation of Christ by. Thomas. A Kempis, Catholic book club selection Stranger in a Strange land

Looking forward to, planning, deciding: tractor or no tractor, chickens, and garden

Love to all .....

2019 recap and Christmas 2020

Well it's that time of year again, time to reflect on the old year and bring in the new. This past year has been one of real changes. Sam completed his first year of college, changing from nursing to media - Josie graduated and decided to go to Marian University, which we were very glad about because it was so close to home .... I guess best way is to go thru each of us and recap the year :-)

As for our year, (I have to use Instagram and calendar because I lost my phone)

Mostly the same things, with more drivers :-)) and phones :-) Highlights included: Thomas going to semi state in wrestling, Josie deciding on Marian, Sam switching to media, our trip to Panama City to stay at the Calypso, Easter at St. Johns, prom, Josie signing and graduation, KITCHEN AND BATHROOM rehab :-)) Josie graduation and our trip to Lake Wasatch, Thomas driver license, big van going bye bye, Sam and Josie move in, Jo Turing 18, running water after 10 weeks :-)) book club starts, Colts, banquet and Pacer work, and then Christmas :-))

Currently,

Dad, still at Decatur, ready not to be there :-)) valuing time watching Thomas play football and wrestle, worked so hard on the kitchen and bathroom this past summer. We both felt really good about our decisions and are so happy it's almost complete. In spare time, loves to sit with mom, me and watch good tv mysteries and drink our coffee drink :-)) We're all about tamping down all of the things going on this house, yard, kids, animals, cars, work etc :-))

Mom- still working with Unified and started working for papaw this past fall on mon tues Thursday am. all of the above with dad, everything, except on breaks much quieter with just Thomas and little girls, Abbey very self sufficient and working on her own. Really enjoy being able to try to go to daily Mass as much as possible and liking visiting Nativity. Also enjoying Catholic Sprouts, rosary podcast and noon quitting hour :-)) loving TV with dad (recent shows: The Killing, The Missing, Mindhunter, The Terror, Bosch, Game of Thrones finale, Dirty John, SVU, had kidney stone right before Christmas, not fun

Abbey, working and working, really self sufficient, talking about moving out, liking her D and.  D friends, babysits for Brittany,

Sam, at IU sophomore, media, loving movies and TV as well, just had surgery to help his sinuses

Josie, freshman Marian, running, dating Patrick, majoring in secondary education

Thomas, junior Scecina, started in football, wrestling, dating Reagan

Lucy, sixth grade Lourdes,   loves school, joined Indianapolis Children's Choir, Girl Scouts,  playing volleyball, recently switched rooms with Josie and Thomas to get. her own space:-)) liked watching Once Upon a Time and Stranger Things

Gracie, fourth grade Liberty Park, new teacher Mrs Keller, likes her, still loves. pizza, yogurt and her jammies, oh and Catholic Sprouts and rosary

That's about it for right now, really trying to nail down a regular form of journaling .... aren't I always :-))

Monday musings

Well, it's Monday morning, late actually, almost 10:45 a.m. and I am just about ready to wake kids, yes it's that bad. Blogging right now because I'm thinking about starting a public blog and I need to get some ideas down.

I don't know. I have such mixed feelings about blogging and all the social media. Sometimes, it just seems like so much noise, so much chatter, but then I have times where last week, all the prolifers at march were talking about reaching the younger generation. Also I have benefitted greatly from reading others' blogs and they have often been a real source of encouragement to me. Could God be calling me to join my voice to those others on the internet. I'm not sure. Also we could use the extra income for sure. And with Gracie I need a source of work at home.

So I guess I will practice public blogging for a little while (privately)

my focus,

my favorite blogs, ones of beauty, lots of nature pictures, crafts, knitting,

maybe something recurring weekly, to give myself a deadline

possible names, Bits and Pieces, Our Saving Grace, Here and Now, There and Back Again, Five Acre farm, With a thankful heart

This past weekend has been

my favorite history books
our favorite movies
recipes
our favorite children's books
knitting
ravelry
living liturgy

Wooly Wednesdays

Our team

Scott, the

Hello,

So you've clicked on the about us page, have you??? Are you sure??? Are you sure you want to know more about this wild and wooly crew  :-) Just kidding, well, the about us page is one of my favorites to read on others' blogs .... so here I go ....

First, there is Dad, an academic dean in an inner city high school. He loves working with kids (teenagers to be exact), and he loves all his kids, the ones at school and at home.

Speaking of the ones at home, there are six of them.

Number one is our oldest (of course) - she is sixteen and a sophomore at our diocesan high school. She loves to read and is a huge help to me around the house.

Number two is 14, a boy, can't wait to go to high school, ahem, enough said. (He does love football and wrestling and can make a mean sandwich and three-egg omelet).

Number three is 12, a girl, loves to draw, read, and be with others. She is also a huge help to mom.

Number four is 11, a boy, also very active in sports and is super helpful as well.

Number five is 6, a girl, super special in a six kind of way, loves all things girly.

And number six is our special gift from God. She is four and a half. At six months, we found out she had some delays. She has recently been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder Schinzel Gideon Syndrome. It's been a journey and one I know we'll be on for some time with each day being new, challenging and wonderful at the same time. We are so grateful for her.

And then there's me, I'm a forty something mom and really just trying to get from here to there, there being heaven that is. I'm so grateful for our shared Catholic faith (we're both converts) and for the gift of homeschooling in our lives. I'm grateful for other bloggers out there who've inspired me with their words and pictures during some tougher times. On a personal note, I do love to knit, read and take pictures. I can only hope some of these blessings (if there is such a word) and loves translate well in this place. Thank you for taking this time to get to know us a little better. Thank you for being here.

Just for me

So I've decided I want to record our days just for me, and I know I will do it best typing ... so here goes ....

This past weekend, lovely, Friday, worked a Chris Stapleton concert. I am feeling very good about pulling back on my schedule. Right now, it's just two times a week and never two nights in a row. That feels very good, and I am going to keep it up.

Saturday, hopped over to New Pal to watch Josie at her sectionals, she qualified for regionals. Then went to Js for some catch up talk time. Ended up staying six hours :-)) it was a nice time.

Sunday, slept in the morning, yeaaaa us, then dad put up our bed rail above our bed. We watched GOT all afternoon and then went to evening Mass. Afterwards, me being all dressed up, I went to Walmart to get some goods to turn our garage attic into a love nest for the upcoming wonderful fall season :-)) watched more GOT and took advantage of our non fertile time :-))

Monday and onward, G off for two weeks, we took J to DePauw yesterday (Monday) and then today was spent mowing and more relaxing. Tomorrow off to IU to see Patrick for his bday and say hi to S:-) Fall break coming up for dad very happy.

Watching: GOT --- season 3, very good story, too much you know what, but we're hooked

Reading: not much, need to pick something

Knitting: same ole pair of socks, hmmmm

Dieting: yes, and trying to get cardio in everyday

Been having fun working on wardrobe (tunics and leggings and high heels), and decorating - bed rail,  bathroom frames and hallway frames,

Just finished: hallway, so beautiful

Next up: front inside windows, bathroom

Kids walking in -- later

Catching up on a lovely spring

Some pics from our spring :-) A prom, J confirmation and our visit to Notre Dame and St. Francis convent in South Bend, G last day of school, and then Wright Patterson Airforce base so awesome  (and free :-). Life (with all its ups and downs) is good, and we are so grateful for you. With love, Katie

Some new pics, hope all well

Here are some new pics ... hope all well ...

Happy Fourth of July

Happy birthday Dad

Yeaaa relish from the garden

first day for the freshman

A helping G

Happy bday J

first day of school