7 Quick Takes: Jam, Duggars, Vestments, etc.

--1--

Micaela's homeschool link-up & interview series!  I love it!  I'm so excited for more experienced homeschoolers to link up, because I'm just. so. fascinated.  Seriously, if you homeschool, will you answer her questions?  Or just tell me all the things?  Even if you feel like you write about it all the time on your blog, you probably don't write about it as much as I want to read.  Do it!  I love you!

--2--

And speaking of homeschooling, Andrew and I are going to the IHM National Conference next week (not because we're hardcore, but because it's only 45 minutes away...) - will you be there?  Do you have homeschool conference tips?

We don't have to *do* anything with John Paul this coming school year because we're "red-shirting" him, so we don't have to prove any progress.  But his behavior around the house improves DRAMATICALLY when he has some sort of structure, and he and Cecilia have been begging to go to school/do school lately, so I think we'll start *something* this year, we'll just see what...

--3--

How has it taken me this long to start watching 19 Kids and Counting?  It's on Netflix, but I've only ever watched an episode here and there when we happen to be somewhere with TLC.  I've started watching from the beginning and HOLY COW!  I dunno, I find it fascinating.  Particularly the whole bus-with-15-beds thing.  We need to get us one of those...

--4--

We went strawberry picking yesterday and managed to walk away with 11 pounds of strawberries!

8 jars of jam later:



And at that point we still had enough for a giant container living in the fridge and two huge cookie sheets full in the freezer.  Score!  Andrew pointed out that the organic strawberries at the grocery store are cheaper right now, since they're on sale for only $2.50/lb and these were $2.59/lb...  Buuuut I say we still win, because these are juicier and tastier and local and and AND strawberry picking!  Childhood memories!

I just made freezer jam because it's easier than regular jam, but considering the sugar:fruit ratio (2 cups sugar per cup of fruit), I'm thinking I should probably try regular jam next time...  But John Paul and Cecilia were "helping" me, so we were making the process as easy as possible!

--5--

It's hard to celebrate Mass when a toddler keeps stealing the chalice.  I feel like we should maybe invite more priests over to our house just so that they can appreciate the fact that when THEY are celebrating Mass, mostly they don't have to deal with someone trying to rip their vestments off, steal the Missal, run off with the Host, or any of the other issues poor John Paul has to deal with:

And even when he's left alone, someone's cramming her hands down her diaper...

--6--

Did I ever tell you about John Paul's set of vestments?  His alb required a tiny bit of sewing, but the chasubles and stoles?  Fleece!  No sewing required!  Not the highest quality, obviously, but if you have a little boy who loves to play Mass and is a little bit obsessed with the liturgical year, wait until Joann's is having one of their MANY 50% off fleece sales, grab a yard each in white, purple, green, and red, and get snipping!  So easy, and he absolutely adores them.  And the girls use them to be various ghosts and saints, too!

Elizabeth put his purple chasuble on and said, "Saint!"

"Are you a saint?" I asked.

"Mawwy!  'Wese!  Jo-fuff!"  (Mary, Therese, Joseph)

"How about St. Elizabeth?"

"Saint...  Eee-biff!  Saint...  May Care!  Saint...  Pah Paw!  Saint...  Sa-sih-ya!  Saint...  Dad!  Saint...  Mom!"  (Saints Elizabeth, Mary Claire, John Paul, Cecilia, Dad, Mom)

She was going well there for a while!

--7--

And speaking of saints, Cecilia put on this robe and belted it and asked me which saint she was.  "Maybe St. Teresa of Avila?" I answered.  "But you'd need a veil."

So she grabbed a floral veil and now she's pretty much in heaven because she's dressed like a saint.  But she FREAKED THE HECK OUT when Andrew guessed that she was St. Therese.  

Yikes.  3-year-olds are touchy about their saints...

Kathryn is guest-hosting Quick Takes at Team Whitaker this week and next - go check out her adorable blog and some other quick takes while you're at it!