Lena {JOYfilledfamily}

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

August 11, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: {phfr}, Picture Recap

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

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{pretty}

8.8.11 – It was hard for me to part with these custom creations. I’ve finally shipped them out, after several months of delay. It’s time that they bless someone else.

{happy}

8.10.11 – We celebrated Dad and Dragonfly’s namesake day with a yummy treat. It was a slight deviation from last year’s treat.

{funny}

8.9.11 – We loaded up the car on a hot afternoon. Everyone had a cool treat. Papi was too tired to finish his. He fell asleep within five minutes. The girls tried, on several occasions, to remove his popsicle but he put up a fight each time. He held his prized possession for the entire twenty min. car ride.

{real}

8.9.11 – Praise God! This was a nice consolation for me as I enter a new season of homeschooling. My children are ignited with a burning love of learning. Sparkles enjoys science. She orchestrated her own lab. Who would have thought that pond scum could be so interesting?

She Did It Again

August 11, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: New Look, Rose

Dad and I set a precedent in our home in regards to the girl’s hair. This year we left the decision up to Rose. After all, she is sixteen and it’s about time that she starts standing for her own convictions.

I scheduled a long overdue hair cut for Rose and myself. I had a coupon, of course. Rose had expressed interest in going short but I never was able to discuss styles with her.

When we arrived at the salon, she insisted that I go first. I knew that I was not going to take off major inches. I’m not ready for short and gray hair. Long and gray, maybe, but not short and gray-at least not now.

Rose prayerfully scanned the very immodest magazines and couldn’t find a suitable haircut. I pulled some images on my phone and she immediately honed in to a simple style. (I’ve since discovered that it’s very similar to her last hair cut.)

She shared the style with the stylist and informed her that she needed to make a ponytail and take off at least 10 inches. She looked at me with a smile—ALL FOR!

Rose is officially a hair donor. She has been blessed with the ability to grow beautiful thick hair and is willing to endure it’s weight on hot summer days so that another young girl can be blessed. The ponytail will be shipped this week to Locks of Love.

God, in His infinite wisdom, endowed the maiden
with beauty and power to please. He desires to
teach her that, as she was externally adorned with
beauty, she ought to beware lest her soul should not correspond to her physical attractiveness, but be, on the contrary, a wild and desert place. Your
external charms should be a mirror in which the
beauty of your soul is reflected.

~ Father Lasance, Catholic Girl’s Guide

{Home} School Room

August 8, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Homeschooling, Not Back to School Blog Hop, Schoolroom 14 Comments

Here is my formal dining room turned school room. These pictures were taken last school session. The schoolroom hasn’t changed much since.

This picture was taken right after I added my new find. I found the Pottery Barn unit on Craigslist. I now have the shelves filled with school supplies stored in these fun containers. I found 7 of them at the thrift store for $2 ea.

The Little’s enjoy working on their own desk but I prefer the table.

I hang selected school work above the red armoire. I use fishing line and clothes pins. It’s my favorite system–easy, cute and cheap.

I love having everything school related in one room. I added the metal garage storage units (found at Costco). I put magnets on wall charts and hang them on the metal frame. It’s the prefect height for the Little’s and covers the storage.

Above the storage units is my week at glance system – cork boards and magnetic/dry-erase boards. The system never worked as I had intended but served as nice display for school work.

The black shelving unit is a recycled piece that my mom picked up from a local convent. I love that it is solid wood. It serves as a room divider from the hallway. I mounted a felt board, cork board, dry-erase board and chalk board to the back side of the unit. It keeps the boys busy.

The black desk is mine!

Here’s the high school room/office/craft room that Rose and I share.

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I’m linking my post to the NOT Back-to-School Blog Hop. Join the school fun!

Friendship Bracelet Giveaway

August 6, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Crafts, Giveaway, Summer

We wrapped up our summer list with an impromptu activity, friendship bracelets. The girls create these colorful wrist candies on a regular basis but I’ve never joined in. They were beyond thrilled when I announced that I would join the fun.

We made family bracelets, bracelets for friends we even joined a friendship bracelet swap. We knotted and knotted. Rose mastered some new designs. I dabbled with new designs and mastered none. Sweetie was in charge of organizing and cutting the floss. Sparkles cranked the bracelets out. In fact, we had to limit her production. It was a blast.
We still have a few more designs to try and some orders to fill. I look forward to letting this activity run it’s course. ALL FOR!

FRIENDSHIP BRACELET GIVEAWAY

Sparkles asked if she could host a giveaway. She would like to send a young girl one of her creations.
To enter: a young girl must first answer these questions.

Who came to Mary with wonderful news?

Name the mystery of the Rosary that goes with this answer.

Submit your answer into the comment box along with your (blog) name and age.
Sparkles will draw a name out of hat on Thursday, August 11 – the traditional feast of St. Philomena.

St. Philomena is a patron saint of children~Children of Mary.

We will announce the winner on Friday, August 12 – the traditional feast of St. Clare of Assisi.

St. Clare of Assisi is a patron saint of embroiderers and needle workers. (I’m sure friendship bracelets is covered in there somewhere.)

St. Philomena and St. Clare of Assisi ~ pray for our young girls

UPDATE 8.12: Thanks for participating. Sparkles was so excited to host her first giveaway and decided to give you each a bracelet. Please email me (JOYfilledfamily{at}gamil{dot}com) your contact info and wrist size. Sparkles will send you one of her creations as soon as I receive your info.

An Online Curriculum Swap Blog Hop v3

August 5, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Curriuclum Swap

You set the price for the items listed below.* I want to offer someone who may be tight on budget, the option to purchase any one of these texts. I know how challenging it can be to base your school year around a tight budget. Please do not hesitate to submit any offer.

No additional shipping cost will be added.

Saxon Math 54: Incremental Development Second Edition ~~(Hardcover)~~ TAKEN

$Math 87$

Saxon Math 87: Incremental Development Second Edition (Hardcover)

McDougal Little Algebra 1: Concepts and Skills Volume 1

McDougal Little Algebra 1: Concepts and Skills Volume 2

Prentice Hall Pre-Algebra Text (Hardcover)

Prentice Hall Pre-Algebra Solution Key (Paperback)

Harcourt Math Practice Workbook Grade 6 (several copies are available)

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Email me your contact info, price and desired method of payment. I’ll accept check, MO or Paypal.

JOYfilledfamily{at}gmail{dot}com

*Dad and I desire to help those (in any way we can), who have chosen the way of private home education. We pray that this small offering will bless another family. Please, only respond to this offer if you are not accepting government subsidies (resources that can include cash, stipends for extracurricular activities, computers, textbooks, other instructional materials, etc…) for any part of your home education, by way of Charter school or any other publicly subsidized educational program.

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