My Domestic Church

My Daily Domestic Clips 06/02/2012 (a.m.)

2012-06-01T20:35:00.001-04:00

High School Course Design and Record Keeping

tags: homeschool highschool

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

2012-06-01T15:50:00.001-04:00

A blast from my saved drafts - can't recall why I didn't post this:

I confess… that I “got” Catholicism better at age 6 than at age 26, and I “get” it better now at 47. Finally. It is a religion for the very young and the finally grown up. Little kids “get” mysticism and wonder. When you grow up, you seek it out. It is only when you are an adolescent, or a young adult that you are convinced that YOU are the wonder, and then you miss it.

My Grey Steak

2012-06-01T15:49:00.000-04:00

TS writes in my comment box:

There's a very nice woman at church who is probably late 30s, early 40s and has completely grey/white hair! Looks good & I'm impressed by her ability to withstand societal pressures to use dye to look younger. It's sort of counter-cultural. With your untreated streak of grey you remind me of her a bit.

Please browse my Amazon sales and eBay items!

Justin Martyr, my birthday, and Jazzercise

2012-06-01T10:28:00.000-04:00

"Justin is known as an apologist, one who defends in writing the Christian religion against the attacks and misunderstandings of the pagans."

"He was an earnest seeker after truth, and studied"

Something I wrote for this blog quite a few years back but still seems to fit:
Today is the feast of Justin Martyr. By some odd coincidence it is also my birthday. It wasn't until I reverted back to my Catholic Faith and started to get interested in such things that I discovered that I was born on the feast of a saint that I felt such an immediate kinship too. Of course it wasn't until I reverted back to my Catholic Faith that I felt the need to defend it, study it, and seek the truth from it. Isn't it funny sometimes how God gives us the role models that we need, and puts them in special places in our lives for us to benefit from, even when we aren't aware of it? How he designed this special date as a connection between this holy saint and me, born centuries later, is just awesome. It makes me even more aware that God really has a plan and is working it, every day, of every year, through the centuries and that I am indeed a part of it!

A few months ago, my former Jazzercise teacher died from leukemia. She was just a few months younger than me and I have fond memories of her jumping up on the stage and encouraging us through our workouts. She was so vivacious and full of a love of life. When she passed away her family shared pictures of her through the years and there was one in particular that stood out for me. She was sitting at the table, grabbing a big chocolate cake that someone had obviously made for her. She had the prettiest smile on her face and it was clear that she was going to love this birthday and she was going to eat some of that cake - carbs be damned! Because what is a birthday without a piece of birthday cake? I learned so much from that little picture - that hard work (like keeping fit) pays off with a little indulgence now and then, and that turning another year older is a good thing! and something to be celebrated. And I intend to do just that.

The thing about being your 50s is that while there some sadness and loss of loved ones, and many memories, there is still much to look forward to ahead. Last year on my birthday I kept remembering my mother on her deathbed wishing me a Happy Birthday! It was as if she just had to tell me that despite anything else. This year I think I am kind of taking that to mean that no matter what, she wanted me to be happy.

So I'm trying not to think too much about that birthday, and think back to some of the happier ones, like riding my bike with my kids, or being alone with Mr. Pete, or even my 10th birthday that my mom worked so hard to make fun for me. I think of those, and decide I'm going to add to them - for myself and for the people I love.

My Daily Domestic Clips 06/01/2012 (a.m.)

2012-05-31T20:35:00.001-04:00

Ordo Amoris: The Literature of Honor for Boys

tags: literature reading lists homeschooling

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

The Visitation

2012-05-31T08:25:00.002-04:00

Some good ideas and reading at Catholic Culture

We end this last day of May, Mary's month, with another example of Mary's loving nature and kindness. In the midst of early first trimester pregnancy herself, Mary thinks only of another, her cousin Elizabeth.

In the book The Year and Our Children, Mary Reed Newland talks about the little shrines she made throughout her house for the Blessed Mother. Today might be a good day to do that. (Check out this lovely homemade Marian shrine!) If you live near a Marian shrine today or tomorrow might be good days to visit.

It might also be a good day to plant some flowers around your Mary Statue and clean her up a bit, which is what we are going to do today.

The Mandate of Catholic Parents

2012-05-30T18:31:00.000-04:00

These are some more thoughts I am writing for a talk I am giving Saturday on an Introduction to Catholic Home Education. and you know how it goes - think it, write it, blog it!

Often times when the conversation turns to "homeschooling" the topic turns to, "do parents have the right to educate their own children?"

Catholic parents can rest assured that they not only have the right to educate their offspring, but they have a holy obligation to do so.

The Church has always affirmed the primary right and duty of parents to educate their children.

.you shall teach them to your sons (and daughters) when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deut. 11:18-19

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2221 The fecundity of conjugal love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend to their moral education and their spiritual formation. "The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute." The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.

2223 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited foreducation in the virtues.

2225 Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first heralds" for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church. A wholesome family life can foster interior dispositions that are a genuine preparation for a living faith and remain a support for it throughout one's life.

2229 As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental. As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing schools that will best help them in their task as Christian educators. Public authorities have the duty of guaranteeing this parental right and of ensuring the concrete conditions for its exercise.

The Charter Rights of the Family issued by the Vatican in 1983 makes this statement: “Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children.”

A little over 10 years later, the late, great John Paul II wrote in his Letter to Families for the International Year of the Family in February 1994: Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area: They are educators because they are parents.

And just a few weeks ago the Vatican’s delegation to the United Nations called on the world to respect families, the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children, and non-governmental forms of education. The Holy See’s representatives also called on governments last week to stop indoctrinating the youth.

“Parents have the right and duty to choose schools inclusive of homeschooling, and they must possess the freedom to do so, which in turn, must be respected and facilitated by the State.”

So parents have the obligation and also the God given grace to educate their children, primarily for the life after this one, but also for the things they need to know in this life. Parents can opt to use the public and Catholic schools available to them, to help with the education of their children, but they must do so with the understanding that this in no way relieves them of the responsibility of educating their own children. What their children learn, or don't learn, still fall squarely on their shoulders. In many ways I think this is much more difficult - being responsible for things outside of your direct control always is.

If we look at the great timeline, it's clear that some form of home education has been the rule and not the exception. Yet in our modern times it is considered to be somewhat odd. Public education is such an established party of contemporary society and held with such high esteem that sometimes people are surprised to discover that there is no school system mentioned in the constitution of the United States. The Department of Education was only formed under President Jimmy Carter - a mere 32 years ago.

Likewise, some folks speak of the "mission" of Catholic Schools as if spreading the gospel depended on their very existence! Of course the church did very well spreading the gospel message before Catholic schools as we know them today came into existence - about 150 years or so ago. After all, Jesus founded a church, not a school.

A small caveat here - pastors are still responsible for making sure that each candidate for a sacrament is prepared for that sacrament. That is his responsibility and it may mean taking the parish PSR classes, or taking a test or just having the child talk to the pastor. When we were concerned about our children attending the parish's PSR program, Mr. Pete went in to talk to the DRE about it - and came out the new 6th grade PSR teacher!! A job he still holds 10 years later. Since then our children also have participated in PSR and it has been a good experience for us, and I'm overall pleased with out it has worked out. My advice would be don't be afraid to share your concerns with your pastor. He may not even be aware that there are any concerns!

From time immemorial, children have learned how to love God and to be holy people and good citizens primarily from their parents. Jesus was taught the carpentry trade by his earthly father, St. Joseph.

For the most part at the beginning of the United States, folks that were literate learned at home, and they learned quite well - well enough to be able to read and understand the King James Bible and the Federalist Papers - something that some modern high schoolers and adults find challenging. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John and Abigail Adams and George Washington were all homeschooled. Even the patron saint of Catholic Schools, Elizabeth Ann Seton, was herself, homeschooled.

So from an historical perspective, homeschooling is the norm, not the exception and homeschooling parents should feel very confident that by homeschooling their children they are following a time honored, centuries old tradition.

Simple Woman

2012-05-28T12:21:00.001-04:00

Outside my window...

The Sweet smell of soccer success!

After many, many seasons - Mr. Pete finally one a championship - him and his pink fighting flamingos! And they did it in 90 degree heat with only 7 players against a team with a full compliment of players. He was so happy! and so were Izzy and Noah!

I am thinking...
about all the young men and women about to graduate from high school and college and praying that they all find an inner peace as they face the future. I remember that time of uncertainty, and it's not always an easy time.

I am thankful for...
all the brave men and woman who have served our country and fought for our freedoms, from the Revolution through our present engagements.

From the learning rooms...

Gabe and Noah

New Testament Survey from Homeschool Connections was completed - now on to an Old Testament Survey also with Homeschool Connections
Rosetta Stone Latin 2.
Saxon math for Noah, Algebra I Gabe. Gabe is ALMOST DONE with Algebra I - on to Geometry probably in the next month.
Apologia Science General for Noah and Physical for Gabe. Big push now to get it done.
William Bennett America: American History. Which is hands down the best history book I've ever read for my kids! We need to now plow through the years after the revolution, including the Adams administration and up to Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark. Everything else we have covered up to Reconstruction. Then I'm signing up for Instacert.
Writing Institute assignments, Spelling Power.
Gabe is almost done with his Vocab book!
Also reading

Izzy

Saxon Math 67
Apologia Creation Science Anatomy and Physiology - nervous system.
Diane Craft right- brain training for language arts and reading.
History with Gabe and Noah

But we will probably finish that and start Farmer Boy this week!

Rosie

Pathway Readers
Saxon Math
MCP Phonics

From the kitchen...

Hamburger tonight, but I haven't figured out the rest of the menu yet - if it continues to be this hot I guarantee a lot of grilling!

I am wearing...
Black pants, red T shirt.

I am creating...
a very nice yard! We actually have grass on half of it and the other half is full out mulch and trying to grow some English Ivy!

FYI - the pentecost craft I made yesterday, cracked and broke during dinner! Apparently the candles got caught under the lip of the bowl and the heat weakened the glass. Mr. Pete and I think it will work IF we use a glass bowl without a lip. Even a flat glass pan would work.

I am going...
to work out every day this week because I want to prove to myself this week that I can. Birthday on Friday. I also preparing for the talk I have to give on Saturday and getting ready for Rosie's birthday on Sunday!

I am reading...

I am hoping...

to get the basement cleaned and my speech written today!

I am hearing...
the hum of the air conditioner

Picture I am Sharing
Could Mr. Pete look any happier??

Saturday Socer May 26 and Pentecost 095 [Flickr]

2012-05-28T09:15:50-07:00

elliemom posted a photo:

Saturday Socer May 26 and Pentecost 094 [Flickr]

2012-05-28T09:15:49-07:00

elliemom posted a photo:

Saturday Socer May 26 and Pentecost 093 [Flickr]

2012-05-28T09:15:48-07:00

elliemom posted a photo:

Saturday Socer May 26 and Pentecost 092 [Flickr]

2012-05-28T09:15:47-07:00

elliemom posted a photo:

Saturday Socer May 26 and Pentecost 091 [Flickr]

2012-05-28T09:15:46-07:00

elliemom posted a photo:

Memorial Day - We Remember

2012-05-28T11:19:00.000-04:00

7-Quick Takes

2012-05-27T22:57:00.000-04:00

Join Jen and the other Quicktakers over at the Conversion Diary.>

This is going to be a real quick take- lots to do this weekend.

1. Noah's recital piece - first time he has performed from memory!

2. Izzy's recital piece - she totally messed up the first song, but kept going and looked like, "This is how the song goes folks, deal with it!" She is definitely cool under pressure!

3. Rosie is going to be a hard one to homeschool this summer. When her little friends are out she gets dressed and runs outside, frequently without even stopping for breakfast. But more troubling is that I can't seem to keep her off the road. We live on a very short street without a lot of traffic, but it is still troubling to see her playing in the street. Last week I happened to look out the window and saw her whizzing down the center of the road on her scooter, big smile on her face and wind in her hair. I made her come in and told her that she was not to use her scooter to go down the street and if she did it again I was going to take it away from her. So Friday I look out the window, and she is on her 9-year-old friend's handlebars, whizzing down the center of the road, big smile on her face and wind in her hair. Apparently the lesson she learned was not to use the scooter down the street! I didn't say anything about riding on someone else's handle bars!

4. Mr. Pete's soccer team won their first EVER championship! They did it with only 7 players and no substitutes. They played smart and won the game. Mr. Pete's only regret is that he had to win a championship when the team color was PINK!

5. Remember that talk I gave to the confirmation class a few months ago? Here's the video.

6. Mr. Pete made plans for this three-day weekend that don't include me. He helped his friend roof his house on Saturday afternoon, and he has plans to help another friend put in a kitchen on Memorial Day.

7. But out of guilt he mulched the side of the house I want to overgrow with ivy!! So it worked out!

A Pentecost Table Craft

2012-05-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

I wanted to do something simple but pretty and meaningful for my Pentecost Centerpiece and this is what I came up with.

I took a plain glass bowl and filled it with water and floating candles. I got all of it from Pat Catan's for under $12.

Then I surrounded the bowl with a holy card for each of the apostles and Mary. And let me tell ya- some of those apostles aren't easy to find, particularly St. Bartholomew, St. Simon and Saint James the Lesser. Those I found on the internet and printed them out in color. Izzy reinforced them for me with that craft foam. Then we put them around the bowl, and lit the candles.

The idea is that the floating candles are like the tongues of fire that hung over the apostles head at Pentecost. Izzy also made me a dove to hang from the chandalier over the bowl tomorrow. I'll have the full effect then, but for a test run, this is what it looked like!

The idea is that the floating candles are like the tongues of fire that hung over the apostles head at Pentecost. Izzy also made me a dove to hang from the chandalier over the bowl tomorrow. I'll have the full effect then, but for a test run, this is what it looked like!

20 Reasons to Keep Homeschooling Through the Summer

2012-05-25T09:42:00.003-04:00

1. Good habits built up in the school year can easily go kaput during the lazy hazy days of summer! Why should we lose all that hard-earned ground!? Year round homeschooling helps to turn those good habits into a way of life.

2. Use it or lose it... and some kids do lose a lot over the summertime! Summertime homeschooling keeps those math, reading, writing and spelling skills sharp.

3. Reading new and different books might be a good thing to try over the summertime. Try some new titles or authors.

4. Two words - field trips. Summertime is a great time to work some social studies, geography, history and science into the curriculum in real life!

5. Summertime homeschooling need not be all drudgery! Learn how to make a pie or sew, paint a room, basic car repairs... all of that is educational and counts as homeschooling.

6. Summertime homeschooling is a great way to pull ahead academically.

7. It's a great time to play catch up too.

8. Summertime homeschooling keeps the family from getting too scattered from each other.

9. No law says you can't include the neighbor kids! In fact sometimes the neighbor kids enjoy the read alouds or other homeschooling activities and my kids enjoy having their friends see what their school day is like.

10. Having something to do keeps mom from hearing "I'm bored!" too many times in a day!

10. Dig deeper. So you studied the French Revolution and one of your kids is now fascinated with Marie Antoinette! Now is the time to really dig into her biography and follow all of those rabbit holes that you had to skip over due to time constraints during the school year.

11. Mess. As in, take the messy art project outside. Water colors, chalk, to clay - all if it seems a lot less intimidating outside where everything can get hosed done when we're done.

12. Science is more fun in the summertime! From planting and growing, to astronomy or simple tools. All of it just seems to lend itself to the long warm days (and nights) of summer.

13. Homeschooling in the summer gives mom some structure too!

14. We do movie day all during the school year, but we can REALLY ramp it up during the summer and have movie night to include dad and even the neighbor kids. It's a great time to introduce them to films and stories they might not have chosen for themselves and to get some discussions going.

15. For older kids, summertime might be a great time to introduce them to test preparation, how to take tests and test strategies. This is especially important for high schoolers who may not be use to taking a lot of standardized tests.

16. In the laid back summertime it's a little easier to practice those foreign languages the kids have studied all year. Take one day aside and have Spanish day or Latin day, or just use your American Sign language!

17. Summertime is a great time to try out new Curricula. If Saxon math doesn't work for one student, maybe trying Seton or Modern Curriculum Press would work better. Try it and see!

18. Summer camps and lessons definitely count as homeschooling. Take pictures and make sure to document!

19. Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July... all great times to set a day aside and talk about our country's history and heritage.

20. Time to look at the family's spiritual life and make adjustments. Older kids might be ready to add more bible study time. Maybe the youngest has never heard of Noah and the Arc and doesn't know how to say the rosary by herself yet. Summertime is a great time to evaluate everyone's spiritual needs.

My Daily Domestic Clips 05/25/2012 (a.m.)

2012-05-24T20:35:00.001-04:00

Artwork and Paintings of the Day of Pentecost

tags: Catholic pentecost
Pentecost - LOUVREBIBLE

tags: Catholic pentecost
Cherished Hearts At Home: Pentecost

tags: Catholic artsandcrafts pentecost

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

10 Reasons to Homeschool.

2012-05-23T23:49:00.000-04:00

In about ten days I have to give a presentation to new homeschoolers and potential homeschoolers, and people who don't really want to homeschool but feel they don't have any other choice homeschoolers about homeschooling. No doubt there will be some skeptics in the group there to see if this is a step that they should even consider, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some starry eyed idealists who can't wait to order that big box of curriculum and get started with that little wide-eyed three year old!!

Over the next few days I'm going to be writing my thoughts here as I prepare for the presentation and then hopefully I can get Sam or Gabe to record it for me so that I can share it here as well.
************

I totally understand skepticism when it comes to homeschooling - because 18 years or so I was skeptical too. In fact, I had never even heard of homeschooling back in 1995, and the first time I did hear about it I thought it was absolutely ridiculous! Who in their right mind would want to keep their school aged child home with them and attempt to school them!? Not me!! I was looking forward to sticking Calvin's little butt in school and Sam in a friendly day care so that I could go to a nice job, wear grown up clothes, and even take some classes. It was going to be time for me.

And then a curious thing happened. After not hearing about homeschooling EVER, I started hearing about it all the time. I would turn on the radio or the television and there would be something about homeschooling. At the doctor's office I picked up a magazine and there was an article on homeschooling. And slowly I started to hear and understand the "pro"side for homeschooling. What turned the table for me was a trip to my pediatrician's office.

Calvin was a mid-summer a baby. He was also a rambunctious little boy, so as the September of his 5th year got closer I was more and more apprehensive about sending him to school. I decided to ask my pediatrician about it. So off we went for a check up and after examining my boy thoroughly the pediatrician pronounced him very fit, and "all boy." He also suggested that I might want to wait a year so that he would have a chance to mature a bit before attending school, but then he added, "But I'm a homeschooler so my opinion on that is a little out there."

I was shocked. All those years with my doc and I didn't even know he was a homeschooler. When I told him I had been hearing a lot about home schooling, he went back to his desk and brought me all kinds of information about it. As I read more and more about it, my heart and my mind opened to the possibility. I heard about an upcoming homeschool conference and I made plans to go. I thought it would be a few people gathering in some one's back yard or something like that. Instead it was in a massive convention center and there were hundreds of people there. I was absolutely stunned. The speakers there were encouraging and inspiring and I left there fully determined to go home and teach my son, myself.

Five more kids and more than a decade's worth of homeschooling later, we have persevered through births, deaths, sickness, and poverty. A lot of it has been fun, some of it was really hard, but all of it was worth it. So after all that, here is why I would recommend homeschooling.

1. Homeschooling is good for the family. It just is. All that time together makes kids grow a more deeper love and respect for their parents, and I would say the reverse is true as well. These shared experiences of field trips and lessons, laughing and learning together make strong bonds that will stand the test of time. Homeschooling also gives families more of the gift of time to spend together. Childhood is fleeting and homeschooling just helps to increase the number of memorable and special moments between parents and children.

2. Schooling adapts to the family, not the otherway around. If the family can only take time off in September when Dad gets some free time, it's not a problem. They can just take off time to be a family and make up the school work some other time. If Dad is off on Mondays, school can happen on Saturday instead. If the basement floods and there are no clean clothes- the pressure to get kids to school on time is off. Birth of a baby, death of a grandparent, weeks of strep throat - all of these are times when homeschooling can be shortened, lessened or postponed to a better time for the sake of the family.

3. The relationship with siblings. When I was growing up my sister and I didn't see much of each other during the actual school day. The school environment encouraged her to have her friends, and me to have mine and many times those outside friendships took precedence over siblings. In homeschool siblings become great friends to each other. Two of my older teens are each other's best friends - they even formed a band together because they actually like each other's company. Likewise my younger teens are also friends and even my girls, who are six years apart, find ways to play together. Sure they still fight and fuss with each other, but they have deep and important relationships with each other that I sure didn't see with siblings when I was a teenager.

4. Living the faith! In the home children can be surrounded by signs of the faith!! Crosses, rosaries, statuary and pictures... items that would never be allowed in a public school classroom are common place in the homeschool. They just change the atmosphere and make it a special place to live and learn. Holy days, feast days and the church year become a part of family life - and not just something to be read about in a book during a religion class.

5. Homeschooling allows for a customized education that fits each child's learning style. That rambunctious little boy doesn't have to sit still for five or more hours a day! He can make a map out of clay, or go outside and pretend he's General Custer or take an instant camera to the park and see how many pictures of birds and insects he can get and then come home and try to identify them! Kids can learn in a way that is best for them - which might be sitting quietly at a desk reading a book - but it might also mean listening to tapes, or working on a computer or going outside. The world is the homeschooler's classroom and there are many options.

6. Slow learners aren't stigmatized and gifted learners aren't told to slow down. Kids can go at their own pace without artificial deadlines. I've had two kids that didn't learn to read until very late in elementary school. I can't imagine how being one of the "slow kids" in school would have damaged them. But since we handled it at home my one "slow reader" now reads books for pleasure and is gainfully employed, and my daughter is a very accomplished artist.

7. Learning is real - it's done because it is interesting and because the child wants to learn the subject, not to pass a standardized test.

8. Homeschooling provides real socialization. It is not age segregated and peer dependent. In the real world we aren't all separated by our birth year!!

9. Parents can regulate the curriculum and the resources used to teach the curriculum.

10. Family values aren't undermined by the school or the teachers.

Dewey's Treehouse: Carnival of Homeschooling #334: Floatin' Down the River Edition

2012-05-22T20:58:00.001-04:00

Dewey's Treehouse: Carnival of Homeschooling #334: Floatin' Down the River Edition

Well said! Planned Parenthood In Pennsylvania May Be Defunded

2012-05-22T20:15:00.001-04:00

Planned Parenthood In Pennsylvania May Be Defunded Can't believe this is actually a quote from someone on the Huffington Post! You don't know how shrill and hyperbolic you sound. Particularly to us Boomers. I'm older than Medicare, and insurance when I was a kid covered only emergencies. We Boomers paid for all our own checkups, tests, dental, eye, contraceptives and abortions - insurance covered none of it. Free medical care, drugs and contraceptives are not a right. Taxpayers should not subsidize PP. And we shouldn't pay for Viagra either - because ACA should not mandate drug coverage. People should pay for their own, like we do everything else. That's what keeps costs down, enlightened consumer choice. Someone who gets it!! Here here!!

Understanding Catholic Social Teaching - Part 2

2012-05-22T20:04:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about trying to understand Catholic Social Teaching, particularly how it is presented often in my local church bulletin.

Specifically:

First, the tax system should raise adequate revenues to pay for the public needs of society, especially to meet the basic needs of the poor.

Which begs the question, who are the poor? The guys in the video below are able bodied enough. They're also smart enough to figure out how to score some "Obama bucks."

Secondly, the tax system should be structured according to the principle of progressivity, so that those with relatively greater financial resources pay a higher rate of taxation. The inclusion of such a principle in tax policies is an important means of reducing the severe inequalities of income and wealth in the nation.

It seems to me that the "severe inequalities" in this system is that some folks get paid not to work!

I'd like to propose another bullet point - that those who can work should work! I think I tend to agree with one of my facebook friends on this - care for the elderly, physically and mentally disabled, and the families of our service men and women who sacrifice for our country. Everyone else, need not apply! Check this out (ironically shot by Nancy Pelosi's daughter!) and see if you don't agree.

Another reason to homeschool through high school

2012-05-22T19:53:00.000-04:00

Oh I so love cellphones in the class room - how else would we catch what is really going on in the class rooms!

This example of bullying (by the teacher towards her students) and indoctrination, is priceless!

The video shows a classroom discussion about the Washington Post hit piece about Mitt Romney bullying a kid some five decades ago. One student says, “Didn’t Obama bully someone though?” The teacher says: “Not to my knowledge.” The student then cites the fact that Obama, in Dreams from My Father, admits to shoving a little girl. “Stop, no, because there is no comparison,” screams the teacher. Romney is “running for president. Obama is the president.”
The student responds that both are “just men.”
The teacher yells -- literally yells -- that Obama is “due the respect that every other president is due … Listen,” she continues, “let me tell you something, you will not disrespect the president of the United States in this classroom.” She yells over the student repeatedly, and yells at him that it's disrespect for him to even debate about Romney and Obama.
The student says that he can say what he wants.
“Not about him, you won’t,” says the teacher.
The teacher then tells the student – wrongly – that it is a criminal offense to say bad things about a president. “Do you realize that people were arrested for saying things bad about Bush? Do you realize you are not supposed to slander the president?”
The student says that it would violate First Amendment rights to jail someone for such sentiments. “You would have to say some pretty f’d up crap about him to be arrested,” says the student. “They cannot take away your right to have your opinion … They can’t take that away unless you threaten the president.”
Clearly, the student should be teaching the class, and the teacher should be reading the Constitution more often.

Gee whiz - where to start.

First of all, if it was against the law to say something bad against the president, there would be a lot of unemployed and incarcerated political cartoonists! In fact many comedians would be doing some serious time!

But more troubling - this is one incident caught be one student in one school. It begs the question of what goes on in other public schools that the public is never privy to?

Yet another reason to continue home education into the high school years in my opinion.

What does homeschool look like? Noah reading his science book.

2012-05-22T10:55:00.001-04:00

Another Festival of Praise Song by the Youth Group

2012-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Feature Gabe on drums and Sam on guitar -

with special appearance of Noah as the first altar server and

My nephew Paul carrying the cross PLUS

A couple of my favorite holy guys bringing up the rear!

My Daily Domestic Clips 05/22/2012 (a.m.)

2012-05-21T20:35:00.001-04:00

Typical new priest: 31-year-old cradle Catholic who comes from large family, prays Rosary : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

The typical member of the ordination class of 2012 is a 31-year cradle Catholic who prayed the Rosary and took part in Eucharistic adoration before entering seminary, according to a survey of 304 of the 487 men slated to be ordained to the priesthood in the United States this year. The survey was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

Among the survey’s findings:

the median age of ordinands is 31; the mean age, 35
the typical diocesan ordinand lived in his diocese for 16 years before entering seminary, though 12% had lived in their diocese for less than a year
71% of ordinands are white, 15% are Latino, 9% are Asian, and 3% are black
6% are converts
37% have a relative who was a priest or religious
in 84% of cases, both parents were Catholic
47% attended a Catholic elementary school, and 45% attended a Catholic college; 3% were home schooled
6% have served in the US Armed Forces; 21% had a parent who spent his career in the military
68% regularly prayed the Rosary, and 65% participated in Eucharistic adoration, before entering the seminary
ordinands typically first began to consider the priesthood at 17
68% were encouraged by a priest to consider a vocation; 41% were encouraged by their mother, and 31% by their father
29% are foreign born, with the most typical foreign countries of birth being Vietnam (5% of all ordinands), Colombia (5%), Mexico (4%), Poland (3%), and the Philippines (2%); on average, foreign-born seminarians have lived in the United States for 12 years and arrived in the US at age 22
28% have five or more siblings, 10% have four siblings, 17% have three siblings, 25% have two siblings, 16% have one sibling, and 4% have no siblings
45% had earned their undergraduate degree before entering seminary; an additional 16% had earned a graduate degree
53% took part in a parish youth group
22% took part in a World Youth Day, and 11% took part in a Franciscan University of Steubenville summer conference
75% had served as altar servers, and 57% as readers, before entering seminary

tags: priesthood

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Simple Woman

2012-05-21T15:34:00.000-04:00

Outside my window...
Great soccer weekend!!

I am thinking...

I can't help it - I just love watching Gabe's long hair flow behind him when he runs.

I'm also thinking about this speech I have to give in two weeks about Catholic Home Education - I have no idea how many people will show up and I have no idea how receptive to home schooling they are going to be. I already had a mom ask me if I was going to speak about other online schools like OHDELA or K12... sigh - no I am only speaking about actual homeschooling.

Interestingly, Mr. Pete and I have a disagreement about that. He thinks any education done at home is homeschooling. I keep trying to talk philosophy and tell him about Charlotte Mason and Raymond Moore - but he is convinced that it is home education - even if all the parent provides is the electricity to plug in the computer!!

Still, those schools have great presentations that they give themselves and I'm sure I wouldn't be doing them any favors by trying to cover them too. I'm sticking with what I know.

I am thankful ...
that my oldest son started work today. In six weeks he will receive all of his unemployment pay too - so I'm very happy for him.
I am also happy we made it through another busy weekend! It went something like this.

Soccer playoffs on Saturday morning.

Gabe and Sam get over to church to practice music for mass.

Noah shows up 20 minutes before mass to serve.

Get everyone home after mass to get ready for the dance.

Dance until 11:00.

Sunday attend the last PSR class for the year. Woot!!

Piano recital at 2:00

Plant Garden

Collapse!

From the learning rooms...
Gabe and Noah

New Testament Survey from Homeschool Connections was completed - now on to an Old Testament Survey also with Homeschool Connections
Rosetta Stone Latin 2.
Saxon math for Noah, Algebra I Gabe. Gabe is ALMOST DONE with Algebra I - on to Geometry probably in the next month.
Apologia Science General for Noah and Physical for Gabe. Noah took a test yesterday and moves on to Chapter 5 (noting that he already did the end of that book last year). Gabe will hopefully take a test today after he wakes up from last night's gig.
William Bennett America: American History. Which is hands down the best history book I've ever read for my kids!
Writing Institute assignments, Spelling Power.
Gabe is almost done with his Vocab book!
Also reading

Izzy

Saxon Math 67
Apologia Creation Science Anatomy and Physiology - nervous system.
Diane Craft right- brain training for language arts and reading.
History with Gabe and Noah

But we will probably finish that and start Farmer Boy this week!

Rosie

Pathway Readers
Saxon Math
MCP Phonics

I am reading...

The Righteous Mind - Why Good People are Divided on Politics and Religion

From the kitchen...

Chicken Pasta Salad
Meat Loaf
Hamburger Helper

I'm stumped for the rest of the week! I'll come up with something though - hopefully some grilling?

I am wearing...
Blue Shorts that I actually had to go out and buy on Saturday because my laundry didn't get done in time- $10 bucks on sale though at Walmart! Pink work shirt!

I am creating...
a cute craft idea I have for Pentecost Sunday!!

I am going...
I am going to do this

Once

and

Twice

Plus some Calorie Killer and maybe Karen Voight - That should make for a great week of workouts!

I am hoping....
To be faithful to workouts the next two weeks - because I have a birthday goal!

I am hearing...
Humm of the air conditioner

Around the house...
Laundry, plant some kind of ground cover that likes a lot of light because all of that ivy died!

Picture I am Sharing

Izzy the soccer player turns into

Isadora ready for the ball!

My Daily Domestic Clips 05/21/2012 (a.m.)

2012-05-20T20:35:00.001-04:00

15 RIGHT Reasons to Homeschool

tags: homeschooling

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Feast of the Ascension

2012-05-20T17:18:00.002-04:00

Today in the Diocese of Cleveland, this is the Feast of the Ascension! (I'm convinced we do that so that after we help the kids count the days from Easter to Ascension Thursday, we can then get into a discussion about the authority of the local bishop!)

Links for the Feast of the Ascension!
Catholic Culture

Lilacs are the Ascension Flower!

Ascension pancakes

Ascension Thursday Centerpiece

2012-05-19T14:48:00.001-04:00

Join Jen and the other Quicktakers over at the Conversion Diary.>

1. I am happy to report that despite a few set backs this spring, my oldest son starts a new job on Monday! His hourly rate is higher than what he was making before and there is a lot of opportunity for overtime pay. In addition to that, he will be getting some of the unemployment he appealed for AND he will be able to work as an EMT once a week at a local community EMS department so he can keep his skills up. So for that son, life will be good for a while!

2. Encouraged by his past in the U.S. History I CLEP test, Sam has earned 4 more college credits this week by taking these FEMA tests. He said they are very interesting and easy credits to get. Sam has also been enhancing his work at the pizza shop by taking pizzas out to the local car dealerships and work shops three days a week. He makes a percentage of the pizza and subs he sells and last week he made close to $200 extra! That's pretty good work for him. So for that son, life is busy but good too.

3. and then there's Gabe - the son that is not sure what he wants to do after high school and is in no hurry to find out. Then I heard him practicing his drums this week and he absolutely nailed the Samba which is something like this...

and the Bassa Nova.

I really think this kid needs to do this after high school.

4. Fascinating great article here entitled, "Why You Don't Have to Use NFP. Since I am past childbearing it is interesting for me to watch younger Catholic women still arguing this stuff - only when I was having babies it was NFP vs. artificial birth control (although I think that debate will always exist!) Now the argument seems to be between women who are trying to be faithful to church teaching and trying to figure out whether or not to use NFP at all. It has always bothered me that it seemed to be expected of couples that they absolutely would use NFP, and I didn't see how that was any different from non-Catholic couples being expected to use artificial birth control. At the same time I knew that because we are fighting a culture that looks very favorably on contraceptives, getting couples to use NFP instead was a victory of sorts. For the record, Mr. Pete and I did take NFP training before we got married and then we practiced it for probably a few years or so and then very sporadically thereafter mainly just to figure out what was going on with my body. Eventually we weren't using it at all. That was very freeing.

5. A very sad story from the New York Times about our students being hobbled by debt. I keep finding articles like this and share them with Sam and Gabe - and at least Sam becomes more determined to double down and take his College Plus! education seriously.

6. I had everyone else's laundry done today but my own! I literally had nothing to wear to the soccer field today! SO I pulled on this dress I bought last year as a last resort. I bought it because it has a denim top with a little pocket and a high waist with a flowing skirt, but when I got it home it made me look pregnant - ugh. But this year It didn't! It still fit a little snug across the chest and arms, but I can tell that I have definitely made some progress this year in reshaping my body and I was happy about that! I ended up wearing it to Walmart where I quickly bought some shorts and a shirt on sale and was able to wear that in comfort around the soccer field today.

7. Long-time readers might remember that I have a special interest in breast and ovarian cancer since both of those have struck close to home over the past three years. So when I saw this video by Suzanne Somers on regrowing her breast from her own stem cells, I was absolutely amazed! I don't think this would work for everyone, but it certainly could work for a lot of women and might be preferable to TRAM Flap reconstruction and even implants. Incidentally, Ms. Somers, who had her cancer diagnosed in 2001, did not have chemo but opted for surgery and radiation. She also continues to take her bio identical hormones. So far, so good I guess.