Hello or Goodbye?

I had to say goodbye to a good friend whom I met when we moved here. It's only a been a couple years that we knew each other, but I really, really hated to say goodbye to her.  I will probably never see her again.  She was one of those people who could brighten a room full of dead people.  Just a beautiful person.  Saying goodbye was hard and I could say nothing but cry.

I am not even good at casual goodbyes.  I once read that it's a personality trait to prefer greetings to goodbyes and vise versa.  I don't know how it can be related, but ever since I read that, I have noticed how much I prefer to say hello and feel so clumsy and awkward when it's time to say goodbye. Isn't that funny?  Why should the two be so different, I do not know.

Greetings are so nice. They let people know they are welcomed, loved, cared for.

Goodbyes just stink. I don't care for them. I would rather slip out of the door unnoticed than have to go through an awkward goodbye.   Do you hug or not hug?  What do you say? How do you wrap it up nicely?  I can't seem to figure it out.  Maybe someday I will be the queen of finesse, but for now I'm hoping my hellos make up for my goodbyes.

How about you? Are you a hello or goodbye person?

When Kids Saw

"A prerequisite of any Practical Life activity in the Montessori classroom (whether polishing, cooking, or sewing) is that children master the skills involved before applying them to more sophisticated projects. Even in woodworking, children as young as three can have a successful experience if allowed to master one skill at a time. As their skill levels increase, they’ll create finished products." (taken from Montessori Services.com)

To follow up on the Montessori style of parenting I am sort of venturing into, my husband and I put together a simple woodworking table for my five year old.

To preface, I never would have thought of doing this for Liam, had we not gone to the Lowe's Build and Grow clinic where he got to make a wooden airplane with a real hammer and nails. He had such a good time, I thought- this is the perfect outlet for him, but these kits require too much parental guidance for a five year old.  He needs to time to play with these tools and materials before he put together lavish kits.

After doing a quick Montessori search for woodworking activities for kids, I found some great ideas. I got the children's hammer from Lowe's, but here's a link to a tool kit that would have been great too.  Whatever you do, do not buy fake plastic tools for kids!  I have a plethora of those laying around the house that are about as exciting as eating plastic food. The most they have gotten use is from my 18 month old, but only for a few minutes before they are laying on the floor.  REAL tools= real fun and learning.  Those plastic toys will be going to Good Will. 

Here's the list of resources/tools I ordered and recommend:

• Children Can Build Resource Book (has steps on what children should master first)

• Handy Hand Saw/Blades

• Adjustable Clamp Bench Vise

• Fiskars Craft Drill  

With these and a few things we had laying around the house, the woodworking table was ready to go!  (the table is an old nightstand with a piece of scrap wood screwed on the top).

So far, Liam has spent at least five hours sawing (yes, i know. horrible, grueling work and he loves it).  With his pieces of sawed off wood (from some other scrap wood we had laying around), he's made a couple of things he is very proud of. Here's Liam with the airplane/shooter jet he built with his friend. 

He also made a shelf and now he's working on a train track.  Best toy ever for Liam! (besides wooden trains and tracks he's played with for years).

Now he's asking for more wood and I think we are out of scrap wood.  Lowe's, you knew this was going to happen, didn't you?  I knew those free clinics were just a ploy to get parents to buy from them!  Oh well, it's worth it to see his smile and looks of satisfaction on his sweaty face. 

Priest Symbol Bead

A new bead to add to my collection for the multi bead rosaries: a symbol for priests! This bead will serve as a reminder to pray for priests every day.  I found this symbol off a google picture of a stained glass window from Methodist Church (how ironic).  The symbol shows the priest's stole- which is a symbol for the yoke of responsibility and the priest undertakes and the graces that flow from the sacrament. 

At the ordination of priests the bishop draws the part of the stole that rests at the back of the candidate's neck forward over the breast and lays the two ends crosswise, saying: "Receive the yoke of the Lord, for His yoke is sweet and His burden is light."

(taken from New Advent Catholic Encyclopidia)

The keys on this symbol are representative of Apostolic succession starting with Saint Peter and the symbol of the authority of the papacy and the Church's power to "bind and loose" (Matthew 16:19 and Isaiah 22).  Only in the Catholic Church, apostolic succession has not been broken, which is why the priest has the same powers that where given to apostles by Jesus Christ, himself- which include the power to forgive sins and change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.

This great privilege and responsibility make priest most in need of our prayers!

Back From Minnesota

We just got back from our annual trip to Minnesota to visit my side of the family.  Those 11 days were packed with celebrations and fun all around.  Eric was worried he would get bored, but I don't think he had a chance to!

Cousins! My sister, Julie's kids are at my parent's for most of the summer- which was nonstop fun for my kids!

The Lake- a must in a hot Minnesota summer.

A Graduation party, Baptism and a Birthday. Here's my sister, Christina,  at her grad party.

Grandma with new grandson, Mathias who was baptized.

My brother, Anthony and my sister, Katie

Even a stay at a hotel and a musical at the Guthrie to celebrate our 7th anniversary.

It was so much fun, my kids told me again that they want to live in Minnesota. Sorry- not gonna happen, but I do love a visit!

Shabby Chic Roses

This is the second of the two rose canes.  {Click here for the post on making the rose}.  I like the color contrast and the vintage look of the finished bead.

With these beads, I made a rosary for a friend's baby who is being baptised soon. Her middle name is Rose, so I put a rose after her name (attached to the rosary) and a shell charm for the sacrament of Baptism.

I also made a St. Therese necklace. This one will be in my store when it reopens in September.

Midnight Roses

Here is the first of the two rose canes I made with my new rose design.

The black clay makes these roses look very sophisticated and serious. These will be perfect for the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, or the Servite Rosary as it is also called.

I couldn't help making myself a necklace with these. It will go perfectly with my black dress!

I also made a special order charm bracelet with these beads and my music beads:

New Clay Roses

Restocking my rose beads! Out of all my beads, the roses are the most versatile and they are quickly used in a variety of products like chaplets, rosaries, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  There is no better bead for rosaries since the rosary is a bouquet of roses for Mary!

Here is my new rose bead cane in progress:

Mountain of red. First, many shades of red were mixed and rolled. 

Next, I flattened into one big slab, from darkest to lightest. (you can see it on the right in this next picture)

Then I shaped the shades of red into petals (on the left). Finally, I put the petals together to form the rose (center).

The rose is finished! I made some green leaves to add to the roses at this point.

I sliced the rose in half to make two bead varieties- midnight roses and shabby chic roses.  In the next two posts, I have show them- or you can click on the links.  I made some green leaves to add to the roses at this point.