Colorado

(I have loads of pictures to share, but Blogger is being touchy this afternoon. I'll try to upload them again later.)

Vacationing in Colorado was awesome. The Rocky Mountains are breathtaking, but also a bit scary. We started at Estes Park, camping at Long's Peak. Rob and the kids hiked up above the tree line where they had a snowball fight. (Yep, in June!) The four-year old and I had to stay behind as we had a touch of altitude sickness.

Then we moved on to Twin Lakes, near Leadville. Leadville is the highest city in North America at 10,430 feet elevation.

We drove up Independent Pass, which is the highest pass in North America (12,095 ft.) and crosses the Continental Divide. You need nerves of steel to drive this road. The 10 mile-per-hour hairpin curves are right on the side of the mountains. If you go off the road just a tad, you're dead. I don't think that they believe in guard rails in Colorado. Adding to the fun are the bicyclists sharing the road with you and the snowboarders hitchhiking to the top (then they snowboard to the bottom).

Pike's Peak is even more scary. They have pulloffs where guys check your brakes to make sure that they're not too hot.

I did pretty well driving in the mountains. (We took two cars and I wasn't about to let teen son drive in the mountains, so there was no getting out of it.) I made sure to use my lower gears and to pump the brakes gently. However, toward the end of the trip I had a bit of the mishap. We were coming down from the Black Canyon, which btw is absolutely breathtaking - I don't know how anyone can doubt the existence of God after seeing such a site. Anyway, I could feel the brakes getting spongy as we came down the mountain and it felt as if the brakes were about to go completely, so I pulled off the road. Black smoke was pouring out from under the front wheels and you could smell burning rubber. After Rob pulled my white knuckles from the steering wheel (I never knew that one's hands could sweat so much), we pulled out a blanket and had a picnic lunch while the brakes cooled. We prayed a family rosary before getting on the road again. I wasn't about to get back into that car until I prayed!

After that we backtracked and found a national forest on the side of Pike's Peak to camp. Everywhere we camped in Colorado there was always the danger of running into a bear. We were cautious and went over the bear precautions with the kids. But at this campsite, the danger was a little higher as they had two bear sightings just days before. And then there were the mountain lions. But we were reassured that the mountain lions would rather eat deer and elk than people. (Oh yeah, that made me feel better.) To make up for the scare, the hiking was the best of any of the other campsites.

I left Rob with five kids and the two bears while I went off to the conference with two of the older girls. We got to stay a night with my friend Kim on the plains. It was nice to be someplace with a shower after two weeks of primitive camping, but even nicer to be able to visit with a dear friend. The girls and I also got to spend a night at the Radisson Hotel, which was truly a treat.

The conference was amazing. They don't get a huge turnout, yet the organizers put on a conference that is just as good as any of the larger conferences. It's a two-day conference with loads of speakers and workshops. They also have a fancy sit-down dinner on Friday night, which was especially lovely. The girls loved all of the great door prizes and won a beautiful piece of stained glass.

About half way home to Michigan, Rob commented that he missed the mountains already. I think he enjoyed the trip more than anyone.

Nursing Mothers and the Early Church Fathers

Mike Aquilina makes the connection between the Early Church Fathers and breastfeeding. I think Mike could tie anything into the Early Church Fathers!

Mad Hatter Design

If you like my website, and you're looking for a web designer, you've got to check out Mad Hatter Design. The designer that I worked with, Kaleb, did a great job. He was so easy to work with and timely too. He even put up a temporary site so that I could check on his progress. In the end he delivered a website beyond my expectations. In fact, he delivered two separate website designs for me to choose from. I just can't say enough nice things about Mad Hatter Design. BTW - they also do logo and business card design.

Back to Blogging

Vacation is over, conferences are done for the year, and I've finished writing the literature book. I should be back to blogging regularly come Monday. Whew!

Catholic Woman's Daily Planner

I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Michele Quigley in Colorado. Some of you may be familiar with Michele through Mater Amabilis. She also publishes a very lovely series of planners for Catholic men and women. In fact, I am now the proud owner of a Catholic Woman's Daily Planner and I must share with you all that it is absolutely beautiful, as well as functional. It goes from August 2006 to September 2007, so it's perfect for the upcoming school year. I love it!

Each day has the day's saint and readings. It is filled with daily prayers and wonderful quotes from the saints, making this a truly Catholic planner. You can even order planners with lesson planning and record keeping for your homeschool. You can also order meal planning pages to help with home management, which I love.

To check it out, visit Michele's website: Family Centered Press.

Hello from Colorado

We've been camping in Colorado for almost two weeks and I have so much to share with you. But alas, no time. I've got to get my beauty rest for the conference tomorrow. I will tell you that it's beautiful here! Also, got to meet Rebecca Dussault today in real life person. Certainly one of the highlights of the trip. She gave a talk on both her Olympic and spiritual journey, which was quite inspirational.

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well, actually we're leaving in a van and a car. We're heading to Colorado this weekend for two weeks of camping. I can't wait to see the mountains up close and personal. While there, I'll be doing a speaking gig in Denver. I hope to meet a few Internet friends in real live person while there. If you're anywere near Colorado, you've got to check this conference out. I can't believe all the events they have planned. Awesome!

Upon our return, I'll have the Michigan Catholic homeschooling conference. That'll be an easy job as I'll only have one talk to give. My topic: Bringing History Alive through Literature. The Michigan conference is one of the best organized conferences that I've attended. We get about 900 people from all over Michigan, neighboring states, and even a few from Canada.

An administrative note: Unless the primitive camping sites in the Rocky Mountains offer wireless Internet access, I'll have very little access to the computer. So if you leave a comment at this blog, it may take a week or two for me to approve it.

PS Please pray for our safe travel!

Susie Lloyd Interview Postponed

With all the Da Vinci Code hoopla, Susie Lloyd's interview on EWTN was not aired. It's been postponed to the week of July 2nd. Mark your calendar!

Airing:
Sun 9:30 am ET
Mon 5:00 am ET
Wed 5:30 pm ET
Sat 9:00 pm ET

Catholic VBS

Every summer I teach Vacation Bible School (VBS) at my parish. My job is to catholicize the VBS program bought by the DRE. Now Ascension Press has a VBS program out just for Catholics, based on the wonderful Cat Chat CD's. Check it out here.

Blogging Hiatus

Blogging will be little to nonexistent over the next six weeks. I have a book to finish writing, two conferences to prepare for, and our Colorado vacation. See you all again in late June!

P.S. Blogger's spell check doesn't recognize blogging or blogger as legitimate words. Interesting.

First Holy Communion

Sparky made his First Holy Communion on Sunday. It was a very special day of course, but even more special, in a way, because he has celiac disease. Celiacs cannot digest wheat and so Sparky could not take Jesus in the form of bread. Instead, he took only the Precious Blood.

Our pastor did a lovely job using Sparky's special circumstances as a teaching moment. In his homily he spoke of how Jesus, Body and Blood, is present in both the form of bread and wine.

Below is an article that I wrote five years ago on this topic for OSV. It is interesting for me to reread it now. In it I mention how my heart ached. But on Sunday, my heart lept for joy. I wept joyfully as my son took the chalice into his hands. All that mattered was that Sparky really loves Jesus and was thrilled to be partaking in Holy Communion. The wheat thing didn't matter at all.

“Come into my heart Lord Jesus and stay with me forever.”

As I sit at my computer, my seven-year-old daughter is teaching this prayer to her 32-month-old brother. It is a prayer of spiritual communion; a prayer to be said when one cannot partake in Holy Communion. Although it is very sweet to see my little ones praying together, my heart is aching. It aches because I know that there will be times in my son’s life when he will not be able to take Jesus in the Eucharist.

My son has celiac disease, a lifelong disease with no cure. Fortunately, there is a treatment: a change in diet. Persons with celiac have an intolerance to gluten found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. As a result they must adhere to a strict gluten-free diet. Rice and corn are safe substitutes.

Recently, a Boston family made national news as they left the Catholic Church when they were told that their 5-year-old daughter, who suffers from celiac, would not be able to use a rice wafer when she received first Communion. The family instead chose to join the Methodist church, leaving the Real Presence behind.

I understand this family’s frustration, but leaving the Catholic Church is not an option for us.

This is not a disease to be taken lightly. Gluten damages the intestinal lining so that it cannot properly absorb nutrients. Even the smallest trace of gluten can lead to future illnesses, such as lymphoma.

At twenty months, my son was malnourished even though he ate a well-balanced diet and took a daily vitamin. He suffered serious weight loss, developmental delays, and cried constantly because of abdominal pain.

After he began the gluten-free diet, my husband and I saw wonderful changes in our son. We were thrilled. Then one day we realized that he would never be able to digest a communion wafer.

We asked our parish priest what we should do when the time came for our child to receive his First Holy Communion. In his forty years as a priest he had never encountered this situation and was unsure of how to proceed. So I sought the advice of Catholic adults with celiac. I had already begun networking through a local support group and the Internet, so I added Holy Communion to my list of questions.

I soon learned that a host made of rice flour was not a legitimate substitute for a wheat host. I am not a theologian, and cannot begin to lay out the theological argument for this, but 2,000 years of tradition appears to insist that the host must contain gluten in order to be a valid consecration.

The pastor of my in-law’s parish uses a low-gluten host, which is valid. This still causes some damage to the celiac priest, but he chooses to take the risk.

One woman told me that her husband receives Communion in the hand and brings it back to the pew, where he breaks off a very small piece to share with her, since even the smallest crumb is still in essence Our Lord. Most people that I talked to take communion under the species of wine and forgo the bread altogether.

Young children need only touch the wine to their lips. Since the particle of host that is dropped into the wine by the priest contaminates the entire chalice with gluten, a separate chalice is provided for the celiac individual.

Life is unfair, especially to little children who suffer from incurable diseases. My son will never share a pizza with his buddies, walk into a McDonalds to order his heart’s desire, eat birthday cake with his schoolmates, or take Communion under the species of bread.

As he will have to do with many other situations in his life, he will make special arrangements in advance in order to take Jesus into his body. When such accommodations cannot be made, he will ask his Lord for a spiritual communion.

Even when he cannot take Jesus into his body, he can take Him into his heart. And he can offer up his sacrifice in love.

2006 Colorado Catholic Home Educators Conference

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to speak in Colorado this year. We're going to make it our family vacation.

If you're anywhere near Colorado, check out the website at: 7th Annual Colorado Catholic Home Educators Conference.

Author Mary Ann Budnik will be there as well as Olympian Rebecca Dussault. I can't wait!

Homeschoolers on the Television

Susie Lloyd will be on EWTN starting Mothers' Day (May 15th). If you don't get EWTN on cable or satellite, you can stream it on the Internet.

Airing (Eastern time):
Sun 9:30 am
Mon 5:00 am
Wed 5:30 pm
Sat 9:00 pm

Go to Bookmark to check it out. Scroll down just past Mother Angelica.

If you're not familiar with Susie Lloyd, she has a column in Latin Mass Magazine's homeschooling section. She also wrote the hilarious Please Don't Drink the Holy Water. It's the kind of book that you give to a friend as soon as you're done reading it, because you enjoyed it so much. That's what I did.

PopeStNick5: The Grail Code

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: The Grail Code: Quest for the Real Presence
Author: Mike Aquilina and Christopher Bailey
Publisher: Loyola Press
Date Published: May 2006
ISBN: 0829421599
Price: 15.95
Comments: Just in time for the Da Vinci Code movie!

From the publisher:
The Grail Code is a lucid treatment of the Grail legends, based on real history. It satisfies the hunger that people have for knowledge of this mystery. The true Grail bears witness to a divine gift that exceeds even the deepest human longing. This book is unique and a great read.
Scott Hahn, author of The Lamb’s Supper and Hail Holy Queen

In Western literature, the search for the Holy Grail is a recurring and engaging theme. In whatever form it takes the spiritual overtones are compelling. While many authors have addressed the quest, Mike Aquilina and Christopher Bailey bring a fresh approach. The Grail Code: Quest for the Real Presence is both a good read and an invitation to experience a sense of spiritual journey holding the reader’s imagination in the context of faith.
Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl, S.T.D., Bishop of Pittsburgh

The Grail Code: Quest for the Real Presence is a much-needed book, immersing the reader in the richness of Grail lore through the ages. The book grounds the legends in their historical and theological context, giving a much-needed corrective to some of the more outlandish and unfortunately popular constructs of the legend we find today.
Amy Welborn, author of de-coding DaVinci

There is an accompanying blog: Grail Code

To read past library recommendations, or to join the email list, visit: Pope Saint Nicholas V.

Catholic Magazines in Public Libraries

One of PopeStNicholasV's goals is to get good Catholic magazines into libraries as well as books. For example, my library subscribes to First Things.

I came across an offer from NewsMax magazine that got me thinking. (I'm not familiar with NewsMax, other than Rob says it's a far-right political magazine.) They are offering a free subscription to the library of your choosing should you purchase a subscription for yourself.

Sometimes I come across buy one, get one free offers from my favorite Catholic magazines. I think that next time I'll buy one for myself and send the free one to my library. I hope that you will consider it too.

Da Vinci Resources for Teens

Angie left this link in the comments box and I thought that I should bring it out here to share: Da Vinci Outreach Teacher's Resource. It's a 47-page teacher's guide.

Also check out: Catholic Educator's Resource Center for articles and resources.

Catholic Homeschooling Resources

Michelle Grunkemeyer has a nice email newsletter that comes out quarterly. To learn more, click here: New Catholic Homeschool Resources and News.

Michelle also has a great website: Catholic Homeschool Support.

Adoremus Books

There's a new Catholic homeschooling mail order company in town. Check it out at: Adoremus Books

Radio Interview to Air Tomorrow

I just learned that my taped interview with Steve Wood is to air tomorrow (Thursday, May 4th) from 2:00 to 3:00, Eastern time. To find a local station, or to stream online, go to EWTN and click on Radio. To listen to a recording of the interview after May 5th, go to Faith and Family Center.

I encourage you to invite family members or friends to listen as Steve tried to ask questions that would come from non-homeschoolers and those considering homeschooling.

Amy Welborn Comes to Lansing

Teen son and I attended a talk by Amy Welborn on Sunday. The topic was, of course, The Da Vinci Code. I have to say that Amy is an outstanding speaker. Invite her to your city! I felt that I left her talk armed and ready to fight the good fight. I've read Amy's books, but hearing her speak really made me feel prepared for when all the DVC hoopla starts up again upon the movie's release.

Teen son loved the talk and really felt that he got a lot out of it. It seems so important to me that we get this message out to teens and young-twenty somethings more than any other group.

Thank you Amy for coming to Lansing!!

Archery Unit Study

Easy Fun School offers a free archery unit study at their website. I would add "Look into local youth archery clubs." To make it complete watch Narnia or Lord of the Rings!

Mother's Day Gifts, Part Two

I made an offer last week to Cathswap of a free sample issue of Heart and Mind ($5 value) with the purchase of The Catholic Homeschool Companion from my website. Plus the book is 20% off the list price. With Mother's Day around the corner, I'll extend that offer until Friday (May 5th). If you'd like the book personalized, let me know when you place your order.

Please feel free to share this offer with any email groups or Internet friends.

I mail the books book rate (3rd class) and it takes about a week to be delivered. If you want to order a book, but want it mailed first class, email me: mwittlans at aol dot com. It's such a huge book that it costs nearly $6 to mail first class.

Mother Day Gifts

If your husband and children are just dying to know what to buy you for Mother's Day, how about suggesting a gift subscription to Heart and Mind!

It's so important the we, as professional educators, keep up on our chosen vocation. We should make sure we're reading all the right books, subscribing to the right magazines, and going to conferences. As mothers we sometimes forget about our own needs, but these things also benefit our children. We don't need to feel guilty about buying Catholic homeschooling books or magazines since these things help us be better teachers to our children.

If you're not familiar with Heart and Mind, it's a nice independent Catholic homeschooling magazine. It comes out quarterly and is small in size, but it still packs a punch. Every single issue has a pull-out unit study that alone is worth the subscription price. There are regular columns by Laura Berquist (Classical Education), Cay Gibson and Ana Braga-Henebry (Literature Alive), and me (Thrifty Homeschooler). Nancy Brown edits one of my favorite columns: A Student's View which is written by a different homeschooled student or graduate each issue. Alicia Van Hecke edits the product reviews. You can't have a great homeschooling magazine without loads of reviews on the latest books and curricula.

Now, I'm a bit partial as a contributing editor, but then I believe so much in this magazine that I donate my time. I don't get paid for articles or editing services other than a free subscription and the satisfaction of offering something of value to my fellow Catholic homeschoolers.

PopeStNickV: The Man Who Never Died

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: The Man Who Never Died: The Life and Adventures of St. Peter
Author: Gerald T. Brennan
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Date Published: Sept. 2005
ISBN: 1933184094
Price: Paperback $8.95
Comments: My children loved this as a read aloud


From the publisher:
The adventures of St. Peter, the first pope — for children.

Most kids think of popes as old men who live quiet lives in the Vatican. In fact, danger stalks every pope. From John Paul II (who was shot) all the way back to the first pope, the men God places in charge of His Church have been hated and attacked for their goodness and for the good the Church does. These pages recount the adventures of Peter, the first pope, whose troubles began just days after Jesus returned to Heaven. When Peter preached, baptized three thousand people, and cured a lame man, soldiers threw him into prison. Set free by a judge, Peter preached again, won more converts, and got jailed again . . . and again.

Finally freed by angels, Peter traveled throughout Asia, setting up many new churches. Then he went to Rome, the capital of the Empire, where he converted many and, doing so, angered the pagan emperor Nero. Nero’s soldiers threw many Christians to the lions. They arrested Peter, led him before a jeering crowd, and crucified him.

Today, on the very spot where Peter was crucified, stands the most important Catholic Church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica. Nearby is the Vatican, the Church’s worldwide headquarters, and for centuries home to the popes — men who are now known not merely by their chosen names but are also called “Peter” (to remind us that Christ Himself has placed them, too, in charge of His Church).

Yes, as you’ll read in these exciting pages, Peter, the first pope, died (as will all who ever take his place). But each will be replaced by yet another pope, who will also be known as “Peter.” In this way, Peter became the man who never died, fulfilling the promise that Jesus made to him: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,” the Church whose origins are told here, and which will also never die.

About the Author:
Fr. Gerald T. Brennan (1898-1962) was a pastor in New York, beloved by the children in his parish, to whom he told delightful stories. At the urging of friends, he published many of his tales in numerous popular books, including Angel Food, Angel City, and The Man Who Dared a King.


To read past library recommendations, or to join the email list, visit: Pope Saint Nicholas V.

NRA Mom

I never thought the day would come when I would be driving my 14-year-old daughter around town searching for black powder gun supplies, but that's how I spent my one of my days this week. Yep, my sweet little girl, along with her 16-year-old brother and 12-year-old sister, are involved in muzzle loading.

It all started several years ago when the oldest two expressed an interest in archery through 4-H. I loved the idea for many reasons. It's a sport that all the kids could participate in together - no toting them to five different soccer fields. I also like the emphasis that 4-H puts on safety and sportsmanship.

As the years went on, the younger children began to participate in archery too. Six of my seven children now shoot (The four-year old has to wait a couple of years yet). Teen son has even competed on the national level.

So, what does that have to do with muzzle loading. Well, in order to get more archery practice in, we joined a second 4-H group: Sharpshooters. As soon as the children learned that Sharpshooters offered BB and pellet gun practice, there was no stopping them.

That led to joining YHEC (Youth Hunters Education Challenge) through the NRA. If your kids have a desire for shooting sports, I highly recommend YHEC. It goes way beyond shooting bows and guns. It even goes beyond sportsmanship and safety. They learn all about nature science too. So much so, that I consider it part of their science studies for school. They have a competition every summer that includes 3-D archery, skeet, trap, muzzle loading, hunters safety trail, and animal identification. And the animal ID is not easy. They have to know the subtle differences between species, identify their skulls and tracks, know about their habitats, etc.

So from May to August, I'll be lugging kids to two to three practices a week in order to prepare for the 4-H county shoot, the 4-H state shoot, and the YHEC competition. I thought I chose shooting sports to cut down on drive time?

The Intellectual Pursuit of Chicken Jokes

Dr. Thursday blogs: More on the Chicken/Road Aphorism

Catherine and Karen came up with funny answers to: How many homeschoolers does it take to change a lightbulb? Can you top them?

Family Life Radio Interview

I had my radio interview with Steve Wood today. It was taped instead of live. I'll let you all know the air date when it's set.

I had a nightmare last night that I wrote down the wrong time for the interview and missed it. I double checked the interview time as soon as I woke up this morning!

I think I did okay. I was pretty nervous but Steve said that it was a great interview. He was a very gracious interviewer. Also, his daughter Stephanie was on the air with us which was very nice. Stephanie is not only a homeschool graduate, but a Ave Maria University grad.

Review of Companion

Beth Yank wrote a very informative review of The Catholic Homeschool Companion over at Love2Learn.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should let you know that I occasionally contribute to Love2Learn.

G. K. Chesterton and Chicken Jokes

Check out Dr. Thursday's blog entry: The Chicken/Road epigram: a rough analysis. Thank you Dr. Thursday!

Princess Rose Goes to School

Yesterday was Bring a Friend to School Day at our parish's school. So, Princess Rose went to away school for a day. She reports that they went to recess four times, ate pizza, took a nap, and
the teacher was real nice.

How Many Homeschoolers . . .

Everyone did such a great job answering the question that is on all our minds (Why did the homeschooler cross the road?) that I have a new question for you all.

How many homeschoolers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Here is one answer, but I know that you all can come up with something even funnier!

P.S. I still want to hear from Dr. Thursday on why the chicken crossing the road is an important form of joke.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Warning: This is NOT a low fat dessert! However, I think it's okay to indulge every now and then, as long as it's not too often. I only make this twice a year - for Easter and for teen son's birthday. (He requests this over birthday cake.) It's labor intensive, and needs to be made well in advance, but it's so worth it. I took a couple of slices over to my neighbors on Easter and they're still raving about how it was the best dessert that they ever tasted in their whole entire lives. In fact, they mentioned it again just yesterday. So, next time you have a special event, consider giving this recipe a try!

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
5 Tblsp. real butter
2 Tblsp. sugar
1 package of Keebler Almond Sandies (You could substitute graham crackers, but why? I use a gluten-free version of Sandies from the health food store for my son with celiac disease.)

Filling:
15 oz. white chocolate (I just use white chocolate chips as they are way cheaper than the blocks and easier to melt. I buy 2-12 oz. bags, use one full bag, and then take a handful from the second bag.)
3-8 oz blocks of cream cheese (1-1/2 lbs. altogether), softened
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 C. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350.

For the crust: Put Sandies in the food processor to make 2 cups of crumbs. (This won't take the whole box.) Set aside. Melt butter and then mix in the sugar and crumbs. Press into a 10-inch springform pan. (Invest in a springform pan. They're inexpensive if you look for sales.) Set aside.

For the filling: Melt the chocolate. You can do this in a double boiler, but I just use the microwave. The key is to do it slowly. 20 seconds and stir very well. 10 more second and stir very well. That should do it. If not, melt at 10 second increments after that. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese and then slowly add the sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, on low speed. Add vanilla and white chocolate. Gently fold in sour cream by hand. Pour into crust and bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Turn off oven and open the door a crack. Let cool for 30 minutes. Remove and set on a cooling rack for another 30 minutes. Cooling it slowly like this will keep it from cracking. Refrigerate for 10 to 12 hours.

I like to serve with sliced strawberries. Raspberries would be good too.

This cheesecake serves a lot as it is so rich that a small slice will satisfy you.

Nazis from Minnesota Invade Lansing

This weekend the Nazis had a rally at our state capital. We live just a couple of miles from the capital, so we were witness to a few of the goings-ons. There were 75 Nazis, 600 police officers, and 800 counter-protesters from all over the state. We watched the 3 buses that held the Nazi organizers drive past our house along with the 12 highway patrol vehicles guarding them. Helicopters were abuzz the entire day and roads completely closed off. All of the downtown businesses were asked to close their doors for the day. Acts of violence on behalf of the counter-protesters lead to 16 arrests. Yep, the violence came from the counter-protesters, not the Nazis. It was quite the spectacle. I can't help but wonder whether or not the citizens of Michigan would have sent a stronger message to the Nazis by staying home. Would that tell them that they are insignificant? Or would it be ignoring a clear evil? But then is shouting expletives, creating violence, and spewing hate toward the evill-doer any less evil?

Taking the Tube Underground by Ann Marie Waters

We are still TV-less at our house and so found this article, from one of my favorite magazines, interesting.

Rachel Watkins and Her One-Woman Show

Rachel Watkins, homeschooling mom and Companion contributor, has an article at Catholic Exchange this week: And Now, Starring... Me! Check it out.

The Moral Child is the Socialized Child

Over the years that I have been homeschooling, I have often been challenged about my children's socialization. I used to become defensive and point out that my children are involved with 4-H and sports and drama club and community work and so on and so on. This argument left the non-homeschooler with the impression that my homeschooled children have to be toted all over the city in the family van in order to be with lots and lots of other children who will somehow prevent them from becoming social misfits.

This could not be further from the truth. I have come to appreciate the very real social benefits of homeschooling. I have come to understand that "socialization" is something that my children are learning in the same place where they have been learning to read and write, to say their math facts, and catechism.

The truth is that the moral child is the socialized child. Our children cannot become an integral part of our society without learning basic rules of conduct. Do not steal. Do not lie. Treat others as you would have them treat you. Christian values will teach them how to play and share with others. The Ten Commandments will help them to regulate their behavior so they will be able to fit into society and to rise above it as leaders for the Third Millennium.

When asked how I deal with "diversity," I ask, "what about tolerance?" My children do socialize with a diverse group of children, but that is not the point. The point is that as Christians, my husband and I teach our children to love their neighbor, just as Christ loves all people no matter their age, color, sex, or creed. This is the example that we must put before our children.

Our Catholicism should permeate every part of our lives. Whether dealing with my bank, the neighbors, or my ederly grandmother, my Catholic education is evident. The moral upbringing I received is a vital part of me and my position in society. As home educators we have the awesome opportunity to weave the beauty of the Church's teaching into every subject. This is why I believe that home education can be superior in socializing children.

Low Fat Barbecued Pork

My family loves my crock pot barbecued ribs, but Rob and I are to the age where we really need to watch our diets a wee bit closer. So I made a couple of adjustments to my recipe to cut down on the fat, and it's still just as delicious.

First thing to do is salt and pepper country style pork ribs on all sides. I like to use kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Then put them in the crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours.

There will be a nice pork broth in the crock pot, but also a lot of grease. Take out the ribs and put on your cutting board. Pour the liquid into a fat separator. While the fat is rising to the top, shred the pork with two forks while disposing of any bone or fat. The meat is so absolutely tender that this is a breeze to do.

Put the pork back into the crock pot along with the pork broth, leaving the fat behind. Add your favorite barbecue sauce. You could also put in some thinly sliced onion and/or celery. If you like your barbecue pork thick and robust, don't put in the broth. Use it instead to make gravy for mashed potatoes.

Cook another 2 hours on low, or 1 hour on high.

I like to serve it on French bread, slice and toasted, as open face sandwiches. Also good on hamburger or sub buns. Great to take to a potluck.

Amy Welborn's DVC Page

I'm very excited that Amy Welborn is coming to Lansing at the end of this month to speak on The Da Vinci Code. Check out her newly-updated De-Coding Da Vinci page.

Clean Up Crew

Since I have out-of-town family members who read my blog daily, I've decided to occasionally blog pictures for them. This pic, of my three oldest, is from yesterday. The kids volunteered to help spiff up the playground at one of Rob's charter schools. Yep, homeschooled kids doing their part to better public education.

Week 16 of the Homeschool Carnival

Check out this week's Homeschool Carnival at About Homeschooling

PopeStNick5: Parish Priest

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism
Author: Douglas Brinkley and Julie Fenster
Publisher: William Morrow
Date Published: January 2006
ISBN: 0060776846
Price: 24.95 Hardcover
Comments: Fr. McGivney, a Connecticut parish priest who helped to transform American Catholicism, is under consideration for sainthood.

From Publishers Weekly
Fr. Michael McGivney (1852–1890) is under consideration for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. So why has almost no one heard of this Connecticut parish priest who helped to transform American Catholicism? McGivney entered seminary when he was just 16 and studied there until his father's unexpected death forced him, the eldest child, to abandon his studies and support his family. Although the diocese eventually came through with a scholarship, McGivney never forgot the devastation of his family's sudden poverty and devoted much of his priestly life to helping the Catholic poor. He founded the Knights of Columbus, an organization that simultaneously met two critical needs of Catholics in the late 19th century: it was an insurance policy for the indigent, and its devotion to America and patriotic ideals helped to assuage anti-Catholic prejudice. Brinkley and Fenster offer a popular history that is accessible in style and respectful, albeit at times hagiographic, in tone.

He is Risen!

Sonya Romens sent this to me via email and I would like to pass it on to you all:

Christians, to the Paschal Victim,
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;

Christ, who only is sinless,

Reconciles sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:

The Prince of Life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring

What you saw, wayfaring.

"The tomb of Christ, who is living,

The glory of Jesus' resurrection;

Bright angels attesting,

The shroud and napkin resting;

Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;

To Galilee he goes before you."

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.

Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

Amen. Alleluia.

(11th century hymn Victimae Paschali Laudes)

Blogging Holy Days

See Mike Aquilina's blog, The Way of the Fathers, during these holy days.

JP2 On Writing

Why I write:

Those who perceive in themselves this kind of divine spark which is the artistic vocation — as poet, writer… — feel at the same time the obligation not to waste this talent but to develop it, in order to put it at the service of their neighbour and of humanity as a whole.
Pope John Paul II

Hat tip to Mary G.

Easter Reading: Living the Mysteries

Now that Easter Season is just around the corner, it's time to pull one of my favorite books off the bookshelf, Living the Mysteries: A Guide for Unfinished Christians by Mike Aquilina and Scott Hahn. For surely, I am unfinished and I certainly need all the guidance I can get!

This book is like a devotional for the fifty days of Easter. A selection to read each day from Easter to Pentecost. It's deep stuff, but given to the reader in bite-size morsels to be savored.

Living the Mysteries is the perfect book to give a friend or family member who will be coming into the Catholic Church on Saturday. It should be easy enough to find at your local Catholic bookstore or online.

From the publisher:

The early Church had a process in which a teacher guided seekers through stages of inquiry and purification, culminating in a final phase called "mystagogy" — MIST-a-go-gee — "the revelation of the mysteries."

The instruction the early Christians needed is what we all need, no matter when we were baptized, no matter how much theology we’ve studied. That’s because God’s mysteries are inexhaustible and, until we get to heaven, we’re all unfinished Christians.

Spirit-Led Mystagogy from the Ancient Masters

Now eight of the early Church’s greatest teachers can be your guides as Living the Mysteries presents the wisdom and insights of:
St. Ambrose
St. Augustine
St. Basil
St. Clement of Alexandria
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
St. Gregory of Nyssa
St. John Chrysostom
St. Leo the Great

The Blogosphere Discovers PopeStNick5

I stumbled upon this blog entry today:
http://ducinaltum.blogspot.com/2006/04/recommending-books-through-pope-st.html

He gives a wonderful description of who Pope St. Nicholas V was and why I named the Yahoo Group after him. In fact, a better description than I could have written!

It would be great to see word of this little apostolate spread. Catholic books in public libraries -- it's a revolution!

The Spear: A Novel of the Crucifixion

A few years ago I read The Spear by Louis de Wohl as part of a magazine assignment. It just so happened to be Holy Week that I read it. It turned out to be a wonderful coincidence. Reading The Spear helped my Holy Week to be truly holy, truly spiritual.

The de Wohl historical fiction books are reprints from the 1940’s and 50’s. This title tells the story of a hardened Roman centurion named Longinus. Tradition tells us that Longinus is the one who pierced Christ’s side at the crucifixion.

The Spear could also be given to a teenager. Teen son loooves the de Wohl novels, as much as his mom.

PopeStNick5: No Price Too High

My husband and I had the pleasure of having dinner with Alex and Donna Jones, along with about ten other people, several years ago. I sat next to Donna and we had the loveliest conversation. I can't wait to check this book out from my library!

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: No Price Too High: The Conversion Story of Alex Jones
Author: Alex Jones
Publisher: Ignatius
Date Published: March 2006
ISBN: Price: 15.95

From the publisher:
Book Description
Alex Jones was an "on-fire" Pentecostal minister in Detroit who was a completely dedicated shepherd of his flock. He greatly loved his people and they loved him. In seeking to give his flock the most genuine experience of the early Church prayer and worship services, he carefully read Scripture, the Fathers of the Church and writings of the early saints. The more he read, the more Alex came to the startling conclusion that the present day Catholic Church - and the Holy Mass - is the same exact "worship service " from the very early Church. Alex began to share his findings with his parish, and eventually Alex, and most of his parish, joined the Catholic Church. This is his incredible story of a black Pentecostal minister's challenging and dramatic spiritual journey, and the flock that followed him. Today he preaches with his usual passion about Christ - as a Catholic deacon! This book tells the story of Alex's life from his childhood all the way to his conversion to Catholicism in 2001. It simultaneously tells the story of his wife, Donna, and her spiritual journey as well, which shows how they were not always on the same path during Alex's preparation for entering the Catholic Church. Each had to be personally, deeply convinced that this momentous, life-changing and career-changing spiritual decision was God's will for them. Illustrated with numerous photos.

About the Authors
Alex Jones grew up as a devout Pentecostal, became a devoted Pentecostal minister, and later converted to the Catholic Church. Today he is a Catholic deacon who speaks at many conferences each year around the country.
Diane Hanson is a free-lance writer from Michigan.

Interesting Blog

A new blog is in town: The Rob and Phil show.

Rob is a conservative Catholic, Libertarian, and Blues fan. Phil is a liberal Catholic, Democrat, and Black Hawks fan. Phil has yet to post, but I'm sure that once he does it'll be quite interesting.

Why Did the Homeschooler Cross the Road?

The blogthing has gone to my head and I'm working on a comedy routine with another homeschooler. For real!

So, if you were a comedy writer, how would you finish this joke:

Why did the homeschooler cross the road?

Carnival of Homeschooling

What is a Carnival of Homeschooling you ask. I was asking the same question last week. Click here to check out this week's Carnival.

Here's how it works. A different blogger hosts the Carnival each week. This week's host is Why Homeschool.

In the week leading up to the Carnival, the host searches for cool posts from other blogs to feature. For example, there is a link at the Carnival to my post about Beautiful Teens.

Go check it out. It really is fun!

Remembering John Paul the Great

Yesterday was the anniversary of JP2's death. I'll never forget the date because it falls on the day before Rob's birthday (Happy Birthday Honey!).

Anyway, I've been reflecting on John Paul's life these two days and the thing that stays in the forefront of my mind is all of the gifts that he left for the rest of us. The CCC, Theology of the Body, the fall of Communism, the Luminous Mysteries, and so much more. Thank you John Paul!

Heart and Mind magazine has a free unit study available at their website based on the life of JP2. I cowrote it with Cay Gibson and Nancy Brown. It's a pretty fun unit, with recipes, quizzes, and literature recommendations, if you want to check it out.

Awesomely Cool New Blog

Mike Aquilina has a new blog: The Way of the Fathers.

I love Mike's books on the Early Church. He has a way of making it understandable to us lay folk, and so interesting too. One of my favorites is The Mass of the Early Christians. I wrote a review of it a long time ago for Catholic Home Educator. I'll have to dig it up and blog it.

He has a cool new book coming out in May, The Grail Code.

In the meantime, make sure to check out Mike's new blog. It's sure to be one that I'll check often!

Spring Forward

Don't forget to set your clocks up an hour when you go to bed tonight. Otherwise, you'll be mighty embarrassed when you walk into church tomorrow morning as all the other parishioners are walking out!

My Son the Writer and Eucharistic Adoration

Teen son wants to be a professional writer (remind me to tell you the story someday of how he HATED writing). He is currently writing a fantasy trilogy. Yep, three novels. He's not ambitious or anything.

But fantasy isn't all he writes. He helped me with a teen book that is soon (prayerfully) to be published and he is the student columnist in the current Heart and Mind issue (spring). Look for him, his pen name is Christian Ohnimus (rhymes with anonymous.)

Here is something that he wrote for the newsletter of the Holy Adoration Eucharistic Chapel:

After a fast-paced week full of school, work and extra-curricular activities, the quiet peace-time of holy adoration early Saturday mornings has been a wonderful way to tone it all down for me, and has been for years. With the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the constant contact with sounds and noises that go along with it, there really is no better way to relax than to spend time with God, and chapel is the perfect place to do that. With the soft glow of lights, flickering candles, and most importantly, the very presence of God in the Eucharist looking down on the bowed heads of those at prayer, a quiet atmosphere ensues the moment one enters the chapel.

But holy adoration is more than a way to relax, it is a special time set aside to commune with God in ways that really are not the same when at prayer even in the comfort of one’s own home. One seems to discover a content and quiet peace of mind the moment the door closes behind them, shutting out the busy world outside for a time; for chapel really is its own little world, detached from the material things just outside its doors, in the world, but not of the world.

Time should be set aside in prayer every day, of course, but attending chapel once a week gives one the chance to incorporate prayer into our lives in a way that really keeps us focused on prayer, placing God at the top of the list and just letting the rest of our lives fall into place around Him. Time spent talking to God through prayer, reading scripture and in meditation becomes even more potent when directly in the presence of the Eucharist and our awareness of the presence of God and the impact he has on our lives is enhanced beyond previous degrees to new levels that help to develop our spiritual lives so that we may come ever closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

This article brought me to tears.
Hope you don't mind a little mom bragging.

Review of the Companion

Karen Edmisten wrote such a lovely review of The Catholic Homeschool Companion Wednesday that I am still blushing. It's a very detailed review if you're wondering whether or not the Companion is worth a purchase. I'd like to share the part of Karen's review about the Dad chapter:

The entire chapter on dads, for dads and by dads (with essays by Steve Wood, Frederick Cabell, Jr., Ed Rivet and Dan McGuire) is terrific. I almost called this chapter "dessert" but on reflection, it's more like having strawberries after a meal: absolutely delicious, and most certainly a treat, but as healthy and nutritionally necessary as the rest of the meal ... because a healthy homeschool is one that not only acknowledges dad, but also relies on him, recognizing his place as the spiritual head of the family and thus of the homeschool. I'm reminded of the old saying, "The father is the head of the household, and the mother is the heart." Or, of another observation made by a priest friend: "The father is the head, and the mother is the neck that turns the head." The team effort that's necessary shouldn't be a sweet extra.

Thank you Karen!

Get the Companion 30% Off

If you're dying to own The Catholic Homeschool Companion, but almost passed out when you saw the sticker price (24.95), it's available for a limited time at All Catholic Books for 30% off. They have lots of other great books too at a very nice discount.

I'm So Excited, I Just Can't Hide It

I just got an email from my public library and they're ordering the complete Alton Brown's Food Network Show video series. Ask and you shall receive!

I've got them on hold already. To tide me over until they're delivered, I checked out Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen.

Ummm, I wonder if they have I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking or any of his other titles. I'm off to check my library's website!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

I got this Blogthing from St. Athanasius Academy who got it from Cay's Cajun Cottage. Try it for fun. Ida never thunk me to be a joke writer.

You Should Be a Joke Writer

You're totally hilarious, and you can find the humor in any situation. Whether you're spouting off zingers, comebacks, or jokes about life... You usually can keep a crowd laughing, and you have plenty of material. You have the makings of a great comedian - or comedic writer.

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Addendum: This is a grownup site. Several of the quizzes are definitely NOT for kids. Anyone know of a kid-safe version?

Prayers Please

Please pray for my brother-in-law Tom who is having cataract surgery today. He'll be having a second surgery later. He is only in his 40's. So make sure that y'all are getting your own eyes checked regularly!

PopeStNick: De-Coding Mary Magdalene

With the upcoming Da Vinci Code movie, this is an important title to get into public libraries.

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: De-coding Mary Magdalene: Truth, Legend, And Lies
Author: Amy Welborn
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor, Indiana
Date Published: March 2006
ISBN: 1592762093
Price: 9.95 Softcover
Comments: Go beyond the Da Vinci Code and learn the real story behind St. Mary Magdalene.


From the publisher:
Recent bestsellers and upcoming movies have popularized a historically and spiritually false view of Mary Magdalene. In this new book, learn the truth about the extraordinary woman who was one of the earliest disciples of Jesus and a powerful witness to his death and resurrection. Be the first to inform your friends and family about the TRUTH behind the fiction!

Teen Driver

Yesterday I drove teen son to the Secretary of State to get his driving permit. Then he drove me home. Up until then, only Rob and the driving instructor had driven with him. He did a great job. I didn't do too bad myself either. I only screamed, "Watch out!" once, though my foot was tired when we got home from pressing on the imaginary brake pedal.

Homeschooling Is Cool

A to Z: Home's Cool Homeschooling Website is featuring The Catholic Homeschool Companion on its homepage. This website has helped me a ton in the past. Lots of great homeschooling articles and links. Check it out!

PopeStNick: Heavenly City

I like to occasionally recommend books of different genres: biographies, crafts, art, music, historical fiction, etc. Let's get good Catholic books not only onto our library's Religion shelf, but other shelves as well. It is good to make purchasing requests for books that find themselves into other categories of the Dewey Decimal System. Today's recommendation is an architecture book.

Check to see if this title is already in your library's catalog. If it is, put a hold on it and check it out. If not, fill out a patron request form right away. This can usually be done online at your library's website.

Title: Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago
Author: Denis R. McNamara
Publisher: Liturgy Training Publications
Date Published: October 2005
ISBN: 1568545037
Price: Hardcover 59.95
Comments: A well researched book that is also eye catching. Full-color photographs and architectural descriptions of Chicago's most beautiful churches and chapels.

Pope St. Nicholas V

A while back, I started a Yahoo group called Pope St. Nicholas V: Catholic Book Lovers Influencing Library Purchasing Decisions. Nancy Brown wrote an article about it in This Rock Magazine: Evangelizing Your Library.

What I do is send out an email, about once a week, that features a Catholic book to suggest to your public library. I plan to also post the featured books here on the blog from now on.

I have a 75-90% success rate with my library. Additionally, I'm requesting books for my homeschool.

If you'd like to give this a try go to your library's website and see if you can make purchasing suggestions online. If so, make a suggestion! If not, next time you visit the library ask for a patron request form and then fill it out. Get your library, and your tax dollars, working for you!

Nancy Brown has a similar Yahoo list for homeschoolers: Homeschool Library Connection.

Cancelled the Cable

Speaking of the degradation of television, Rob and I cancelled our cable television. I've cancelled the cable 6 or 7 times over the years, only to reinstate it at the beginning of hockey season. But this time it's for good. Gosh, hockey season is still going strong and Rob was the one to suggest pulling the plug.

I thought that I would go into Food Network withdrawal, but I'm holding up pretty good. I just need to convince my library to buy all of Alton Brown's Good Eats episodes on DVD!!!

Degradation of Television

Teen son is working on an essay for his Regina Coeli class and is having trouble with his research. I'm hoping that one of you can help. He is writing about the decline of television since it's inception. In searching the Internet, he's found commentaries on the phenom, but he's looking for research. Something that he can cite as a resource that lays out the shift from wholesome family fare to low-life scum fare. (Am I showing my prejudice against TV?) Perhaps a study or two not only on the shift but its affect on our culture.

More on Unity of Truth

The Unity of Truth blog continues to pick up steam. Alicia has given it a new look and is very busy adding lots of very neat math and science links. We can all use a little help in teaching math and science. Tell all your friends about Unity of Truth!

Steve Ray and The Footprints of God

I first heard Steve Ray speak at the Michigan Catholic Home Educators conference a few years ago. He graciously stepped forward when our previously scheduled speaker, Fr. Groeschel, was hospitalized after being hit by a car.

I went to his talk on Church history thinking that I had already heard it all and I didn't expect to really learn anything new. Boy, was I wrong! (God has a way of humbling me over and over again.) Steve had a whole new way of looking at the history of the Church. He brought it alive for his audience through the geography of the Holy Land. Yes, geography. He had been to the very places where the Prophets, Jesus, and the Apostles had walked and Ray enthusiastically shared his experiences with us. Enthusiasm: that's what makes a great speaker. If you're enthusiastic about your subject matter, so will your audience. And that day, everyone in the audience was enthused about Bible history!

More recently, this last weekend to be exact, Steve came to the Lansing area with his friends Mark Shea, Roy Schoemann, Gary Michuta, and Rod Bennett for an apologetics conference. I missed it because I was 400 miles away at a homeschooling conference in Pittsburgh. All my friends tell me that I really missed out. (800 people showed up; twice as many as were expected!) Fortunately for me Chuck, the sound guy, is a dear family friend and he dropped off CD's of all the talks for me this morning.

If you would like to hear Steve's talk, Chuck uploaded it to: http://www.glorybe.cc/CA/SteveRay.mp3. It's large (68.3 meg) but well worth the band-width!

On a similar note, we absolutely love Steve's video series The Footprints of God! We're collecting them one by one and can't wait until more are released! Rob uses them in his CCD class (confirmation students) and we've used them in our homeschool. I encourage to not only check this series out yourself, but get your public and church libraries to buy the series. This is something that should be shared with the masses!

To learn more about Steve Ray's ministries visit his website, discussion group, or blog.

Or see his books:
Crossing the Tiber (I have an autographed copy!)
Upon This Rock
St. John's Gospel (No, of course, he didn't write the gospel. He wrote a commentary.)
The Papacy Learning Guide

And to check out tapes of his talks: Defenders of the Catholic Church

But more than anything, I recommend the videos/DVD's The Footprints of God.

Literary Mystery

Go to Cay's blog to guess the Mystery Literary Location. Hope she makes this an ongoing game!

Unity of Truth

The Unity of Truth blog has been picking up steam. There's a very cool post by Hedgemaker on infinity numbers and God.

I recommend sharing this blog with your teens. The archives are rich in information.

If you do pay a visit, please leave a comment. It encourages the bloggers, gets the conversation going, and lets us know what you like to read about.

Kids and Lenten Regulations

In going through my saved email folder, I found an exchange of emails from Lent 2005 between myself and canon lawyer Pete Vere:


Pete,

I made veggie soup for the kids Friday and they accused me of being a heretic for using chicken broth (they're soooo holier-than-thou ;-)). I explained that broth is made from bone marrow and not meat and that surely God will not send me to h-e-double hockey sticks for using meat broth instead of vegetable broth on a Lenten Friday.

A discussion then ensued on why the meat of a fish is not really meat. I again assured them that we will not face eternal damnation because we enjoyed a little cod on Friday. (Where in the world did these kids come from?) That then lead to a bizarre discussion on exotic meats. If say we lived in Arizona, could we eat snake or lizard on Friday? What about snails? (Really, these aren't my kids . . . they were mixed up with someone else's kids at the hospital!)

Finally, I was quizzed on whether or not Sunday is really part of Lent. After all, our wonderfully holy friends, a family in our homeschool group who wear only dresses, and wear lace head coverings to Mass, feast on Sunday. (I should clarify, the dad and sons don't wear dresses or head coverings.) Surely, our friends know better than me, who dared once to wear blue jeans to weekday Mass! It was even debated as to when Sunday started. Surely, could we have chocolate ice cream after dinner on Saturday since the Sunday vigil Mass starts at 4pm on Saturday?

Life is so interesting at the Wittmann house! Just wait until you have teenagers !

Maureen :)


> then lead to a bizarre discussion on exotic meats. If say we lived in Arizona,
> could we eat snake or lizard on Friday?

Yes. Interestingly enough, this issue came up on radio with Karl Keating and Jerry Usher the last time I happened to be visiting Catholic Answers. As I explained to the caller, abstinence applies to flesh (mammals) and fowl, but not to fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, or other invertebrates.

> What about snails?

Insects.

> Finally, I was quizzed on whether or not Sunday is really part of Lent.

No. This is easy to prove. Count from Ash Wednesday to Easter using the full week, then do it again excluding Sundays.

> It was even debated as to when Sunday started. Surely, could we
> have chocolate ice cream after dinner on Saturday since the Sunday vigil Mass
> starts at 4pm on Saturday?

Of course. And due to special indult, 3pm in the Diocese of Venice!

> Life is so interesting at the Wittmann house! Just wait until you have
> teenagers .

LOL!

Pax,
PJV


Pete,
Okay, one more . . . I forgot this one -- If Lenten abstinence begins Saturday at 4, does it end at 4 on Sunday. Therefore, shouldn't we have our dessert before dinner on Sunday in order to save our souls from tarnishment? There's gotta be a way to squeeze cake and ice cream in twice! Kids are soooo legalistic!
Maureen :)


> Okay, one more . . . I forgot this one -- If Lenten abstinence begins
> Saturday at 4, does it end at 4 on Sunday.

No. It's called canonical magic. It begins Saturday at 4pm and ends Sunday at midnight.

Pax,
PJV

While I'm Away . . .

. . . why not check out some of the blogs to the left of your screen. Pick one that you haven't visited before and click on it. You just may find a gem!

Pittsburgh Here I Come

I'm walking out the door in just a few seconds to drive to Pittsburgh. I heard that they filled the building capacity with pre-registration, so if you're planning on going to the conference without a reservation, it's too late.

I'm taking the laptop with me, but blogging will be light to non-existant until Monday.

Praise for CHC from Homeschool Veteran

Sonya Romens, of RC History, wrote recently in an email to The History Place:

I received my copy of the book in the mail two days ago and I'm so pleased with it. After 15+ years of home educating, reading book after book on home educating, and going to countless talks at conferences all over the country I had little desire to read another book on "how to homeschool". But this isn't. It truly is a companion. The articles are diverse, intelligent, and cover an excellent range of topics (definitely something for everyone!). The articles I've read so far each had at least one nugget of information that I has inspired me at a time in my life when I've been feeling very ho-hum about homeschooling. Thank you, Maureen and Rachel, you've done a beautiful job!!!!

Thank you Sonya! To order an autographed copy of The Catholic Homeschool Companion ay 20% off, go to my website.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This is a favorite at my house, even though I never quite make it the same
way twice. The key, in my opinion, to making good potato soup is to boil the
potatoes in broth instead of water.

potatoes
celery, chopped
onion, chopped
red bell pepper, chopped
chicken or vegetable broth
Milk
salt and pepper to taste
Velveeta

Scrub potatoes well (I personally don't peel them) and dice. Put potatoes, celery, onion, red bell pepper into soup pot and just cover with broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Boil until potatoes are tender. Add milk and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Dice Velveeta, put into soup, stir well. Serve once cheese is melted.

Variations: Great with breakfast's leftover bacon or pork sausage added right at the end. Also good with chives sprinkled on top. If you like spicy, add a little crushed red pepper or Tabasco. I sometimes add finely chopped carrots at the beginning with the other vegetables.

Meat on St. Pat's Day

Here in Lansing, our bishop has given us special permission to have meat on this Friday even though we are smack dab in the middle of Lent. The reason? So that we Irish folk, and those who are Irish one day a year, can celebrate St. Patrick's Day properly. Of course, we are to pick another day during the week to make our Lenten sacrifice.

An interesting aside, I will be travelling to Pittsburgh on Friday so I wrote to Pete Vere, canon lawyer, with the following question:
St. Patrick's feast day falls on a Friday in Lent this year. Our bishop here in Lansing lifted the no meat restriction for St. Pat's Day. But I'm going to be in Pittsburgh. If the Pittsburgh bishop hasn't lifted the restriction, can this Irish lass still have corned beef?

And Pete's response:
Yes. But your friends in Pittsburgh can't. On the other hand, if your friends
in Pittsburgh were visiting you in Lansing, they could! Basically, as a traveller from another diocese, you come under whatever law is less restrictive.

It's nice having a canon lawyer for a friend. Thanks Pete!!!

St. Patricks Day Menu

If you haven't yet planned your meal for St. Patrick's Day on Friday, I have a few suggestions.

First you just got to have corned beef. When you pick it up at the store, the cooking directions should be right on the package. If not, ask the butcher. Just make sure to plan ahead and read the directions that morning or before as it has to boil for several hours.

For your side dish: colcannon. Yum, one of my favorite dishes! Just click to this previous post for the recipe.

For your bread, there is no other choice than soda bread. Very easy to make as there is no yeast involved. It's the baking soda (hence the name) that gives it its rise. Or add a few extra ingredients for sweet soda bread.

For a shepherd pie recipe and craft ideas, check out Menus4Mom.

And for lots more authentic Irish dishes, and online instructional videos, see Food Network.

Online Rosary

Got this cool link from Lisa of catholicmom.com:

Here is a online rosary we are using for Lent, your kids might like it's pictures from Africa. They go pretty fast . . . I can't quite keep up!
http://www.missiondoctors.org/rosary/intro.html

A Catholic Homeschool Treasury

A Catholic Homeschool Treasury (Ignatius Press) has been out of print for a few months now and I occasionally get emails from people looking for a copy. I just discovered that you can still get it from St. John Fisher Catholic Bookstore and Stella Maris Catholic Books if anyone is interested. I've seen used copies for sale for as much as $40, so it may be an investment to buy one or two. Or maybe not.

Clearance Sale!

There is a clearance sale over at RC History. Make sure to check it out!

Steve Wood Interview Postponed

Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, my appearance on Steve Wood's radio show Faith and Family Live has been postponed. I'll let you all know when a new date is set.

Prayers, Friends, and Stem Cells

I'd like to ask you all to pray for two friends of mine, Ed and Ann, who will be testifying on March 21st before the Michigan House Health Policy Committee. The testimony is on H.B. 4900, a bill to repeal Michigan's prolife ban on human cloning and fetal stem cell research. This bill is being pushed hard by our governor.

Ed will be testifying as the representative of Right to Life of Michigan and Ann as an MS patient who rejects the idea of destroying human life to cure her disease. Both Ed and Ann are wonderfully articulate and know their stuff, but they still need our prayers. Prayers that they will not be intimidated and prayers that the representatives will be moved enough by Ed and Ann's testimony to have a change of heart

If you live in Michigan, sign an online petition here. Please take the time to forward this petition to Michigan friends and family. Cures can be found without treating human life as if it were a mere commodity to be created and destroyed at any researcher's whim. To support the life-affirming work of Right to Life of Michigan, click here.

Perfection Parenting

As I was sitting in the doctor's waiting room today, I was enjoying the stockpile of Reader's Digests. One declared, right on the front cover, that a perfect childhood is bad for children.

Whew! That's a load off my shoulders.

The Real Da Vinci Story

Check out Da Vinci Outreach for all kinds of great free resources. The website is a frame, so make sure to look for the scroll bar in the center of the page to view all of the free downloads: Parish Action Plan, Homily Helps, Parish Discussion Guides, Youth Group Guide, posters, flyers, and bulletin announcements.

The Da Vinci Deception can be bought in bulk at Da Vinci Outreach at a deep discount. If you're just going to buy one, get it straight from the author.

More CHC Buzz in the Blogosphere

Melissa Willey wrote a lovely review of The Catholic Homeschool Companion at her blog: Here in the Bonny Glen. Give Melissa a visit, especially if you're a Charlotte Mason fan, and leave her a comment.

Melissa writes those lovely Little House prequels. You'll also see her in the spring 06 issue of Heart and Mind.

ALL's 4th Annual National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day

I received the following email from American Life League yesterday. My kids love the ALL apparel. They own several of the hoodies, T-shirts, and hats. In fact, the girls recently bought a bunch of the patches and sewed them to their blue jeans. Check out their online catalog. You can't beat a their prices . . .


American Life League's fourth annual National Pro-life T-shirt Day

Every year in America, the plague of abortion takes the lives of more than 1,200,000 human beings. On April 25, warn the world. Wear a shirt with a pro-life message. And join thousands of kids, teens and adults in the fight to cure abortion!

Official shirt of National Pro-life T-shirt Day
April 25, 2006
$5 each / plus shipping and handling

Adult shirts (military green) available in S / M / L / XL / XXL
Youth shirts (sand) available in YS / YM / YL
Order online or call toll-free — 866-LET-LIVE
Last day to order is April 17!

For specials offers at clearance prices, see our CLOSEOUT page!

Comments? Suggestions? Please let us hear from you!

God bless you and your efforts on behalf of God's innocent preborn babies.
Ed Carroll
ALL Resource Manager

©2006 American Life League, Inc.
This is the ALLResources list from http://www.prolifegear.com,a division of American Life League.
To subscribe: ALLResources-subscribe@lists.all.org

Please Don't Drink the Holy Water

Please Don't Drink the Holy Water: Homeschool Days, Rosary Nights and Other Near Occasions of Sin (Sophia Institute Press) by Susie Lloyd.

I love this book. It is not a how-to book or a book about homeschooling philosophies, it's just pure fun. And you don't even have to be a homeschooling mom to get it. Anyone with kids will totally crack up reading Please Don't Drink the Holy Water.

I have to admit that this book sat on my shelf for a few months without being read. Then Drama Diva picked it up and started reading it. She told me, "Mom, this lady sounds just like you. You've got to read this!" Maybe that's why I love this book, I can so relate to Susie's funny stories.

Susie also has a column in Latin Mass if you'd like the opportunity to read her work elsewhere. In fact, here is an online article: The Successful Homeschool: Some Key Ingredients.

Riddle Me This

Q: How many radical feminists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: That's not funny.

Anti-choice activists on ABC News: Mommy Wars: To Work or Stay at Home?

It's okay to choose death for your unborn child, but if you choose life you best not choose to stay home with said child. That's BAD.

And, btw, if I was as sensitive as my radical feminist friends, I would be extremely insulted by ABC's headline. Believe it or not, SAHM's do work. You wouldn't believe the calories I burn getting my bon bons out of the fridge and turning on the tube to watch Oprah and Dr. Phil.

A Townhall.com column in response to the ABC piece: A Duel in the Mommy Wars.

Hat tip to Kevin Miller.

CHC Authors on the Web

There are a whopping 43 contributing authors to The Catholic Homeschool Companion. If you would like to find any of them on the Internet, I've put up links on left. You'll also find several CHC Authors in the Blog Roll.

The Da Vinci Deception

Hot off the presses is Mark Shea's The Da Vinci Deception: 100 Questions About the Facts and Fiction of The Da Vinci Code. Go to Mark's website to get an autographed copy. You can't beat the price and it's so cool to have autographed books on your shelf. (Make sure to tell Mark who to inscribe it to.) This is important reading, especially with Ron Howard's movie version about to be released.

Also email your library and ask them to buy it. (See PopeStNickV to become a library evangelist)

Other titles on this topic:
De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of The Da Vinci Code by Amy Welborn
The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel

Update: If you would like to discuss The Da Vinci Code, visit Da Vinci Outreach.

Prayers Please

This week a beautiful soul was taken from us here on earth. Missey Gray, wife and homeschool mom of five, died about an hour after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. The baby, Melissa Kate, is 5 lbs. 1 oz. and healthy.

Some of you may know Missey through Ambleside Online, or her blog Heartschooling, or the Yahoo group Basically Beechik.

When Missey went in for a stress test it showed that she was loosing amniotic fluid at an alarming rate. They decided to go ahead and take the baby. After the the baby was lifted from her body, some of the amniotic fluid got into her blood stream and caused a blood clot. This in turn caused her death. She never came out of surgery. Apparently this can happen once in 200,000 births.

If you would like to help Missey's family with a financial gift, click here.

Please keep Missey and her family close in prayer.

Update: The Gray family asks that you also keep the doctors and nurses who assisted Missey in your prayers.
Update: There is a memorial at Homeschool Blogger.

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

Found in my fortune cookie tonight: Fail to plan is to plan to fail.

How did the guy at the Chinese restaurant know that I'm behind in my lesson planning?

Faith and Family Live

I'm going to be interviewed by Steve Wood on his EWTN radio show Faith and Family Live about The Catholic Homeschool Companion, Thursday, March 16, 2:00 to 3:00 Eastern. It's an hour long show. The first half hour will be discussion about the book. Steve will pick a chapter or two and we'll chat. The second half of the show is listener call in.

I have two favors to ask of you all. First, please pray for me. It's been a few years since I've done a radio interview and I've only done one live. Pray that I don't get too nervous or say anything too incredibly stupid. The second favor is to call and toss me a softball question. It would be lovely to hear a friendly voice on the other end of the phone line.

Phone number for calling is 1-800-994-2050 (U.S. & Canada). International callers: 011-941-743-0767. Or you can email a question to be read over the air at: Ask the Host.

Go to EWTN and click on Radio to find a local station or to stream online.