My latest article

Read and enjoy!

(Don't forget to smile)

World Cup

I have been enjoying the games... and proud of the USA.

Praying for Maura and Matt

May their marriage be full of happiness! They are an inspiration and example to all young couples!

...and another winner in the family!

Number Five has been proud to have by now learned every single step to making my Brazilian Milk Flan to perfection, so that is what she made to enter our Homeschool teen Night annual Gold Spatula Contest. She won the Dessert category! A huge Thank You goes to hosts Mr. and Mrs. J.!

Husband, Photo Contest Winner!

Yesterday the last box from Husband's trip to Ireland arrived, bringing his framed, blown-up winning entries to the Conference's Photography competition.

This one is our favorite, and it was taken in February a few yards from the large window next to me.

Congratulations!

Ireland: birds

As promised, here is a collage of his birds pictures, during a boat field trip to the Eye of Ireland, a bird sanctuary. Yes, the birds on the bottom right are puffins, rare in North American waters.

Awesome South Dakotan clouds

Taken by Number Four!

Husband's trip to Dublin

He brought souvenirs and showed us so many nice photos. Here's a few I chose. I will post some interiors later.

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa Tom!

This goes to dearest Tom, who so willingly helped us put the garden in last month!

Happy Father's Day and thank you for being such an inspiration of love and hard work!

Brazil Game Day

This is what my desktop looks like these days... courtesy of Chrome which lets us pick our World Cup team.

Game against Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) at 1:30 PM Central Time.

Go Brazil!

If you give a teen girl a riding mower...

...you get a smiley face!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: trailer

This is my personal favorite of the Narnia books... can't tell much about the quality of the literary adaptation from the trailer.

Don Matteo, priest-detective TV series on DVD

Don Matteo, Italian production for television, 1999-2000. Read about it on Ignatius Press page and the positive customer reviews on Amazon.

Does anyone remember the Trinity movies? My family loved those when I was a teenager... I remember Mother laughing so much. Terence Hill was the main actor of those Western films, and he is back as a good Catholic priest in Don Matteo. Our whole family has been watching one episode at a time and we love it!

The priest has a funny housekeeper, and two policemen-sidekicks who make my kids laugh out loud! Together, and with Don Matteo's loving heart, good Catholic morals and excellent detective skills, they solve various interesting murder mysteries. Last night we watched Murder in the Library, where Don Matteo is called to Rome to solve a murder of a scripture scholar, all filmed in the Vatican!

This is an Italian production and it is not dubbed, but the subtitles are well-done and my kids can handle them well. We were all saying Italian expressions by the end of the show! Enjoy! Available from Ignatius Press, Amazon or Netflix.

First Brazil win!

And his shirt has my lucky number....

Numbers Three and Five's plays

She was a fashion-store owner, having to deal with mishaps caused by the UPS man and the security guard... and he was Hamlet in an off-beat version of the Bard's masterpiece.

Super-cool Interactive World Cup Guide!

Go here!

Our cute little dragon!

She tried hard roaring fiercely ... but to the audience, she was simply adorable! Number Seven's play Thursday night was about a dragon, a princess... and Saint George!

Ruth and Kevin's Wedding Cake

I feel as if with each cake I make I learn a bit more... when my turn comes to make our own wedding cakes!

Ruth and Kevin's wedding is an example and inspiration to us who have not had kids married yet. May their life together and their home, as the petitions read, be a center of religious and cultural renewal!

The Twin Saints

All went well last night!

First photos of my 2010 garden

I have been finding bits of time amids much rain and incessant activity... but the knowledge that the vegetables are growing in the garden is so comforting and joyful. The Romaine lettuce has been superb, and our salads and sandwiches are also filled with arugula leaves and fresh cilantro. Peas, onions, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, green beans, peppers, broccoli and potatoes are all in! I got Legend tomato seeds from Victory Seeds in Oregon, supposedlyblight-resistant. Crossing my fingers. We finally tilled the back field and will plant bush beans and sweet corn when the rain allows. Also in the back we have squash, garlic and sweet potatoes growing. The strawberry and raspberry patches are promising a nice crop!

SMF Homeschooled teenagers!

During Drama Camp lunch break!

Off Like the Wind

Off Like the Wind, The First Ride of The Pony Express by Michael P. Spradlin, paintings by Layne Johnson, 2010 Walker & Co. NY.

The Pony Express is a fascinating chapter of our history, and this book makes it very interesting indeed. Journal-like text, historically accurate information, illustrated with wonderful full-page paintings. This book is for anyone! I loved it, the young girls loved it and I caught my 16 1/2 yr old reading it as well!

Four piano students and a wonderful teacher

Mrs. S. brings the best out of her students! Their Sunday Chopin piano recital was a rich pleasure!

Number Six's Ballet Recital

We were only allowed to tape the dress rehearsal... not very nice video quality either. But gorgeous ballet!

Number Two, Africa-bound

Specifically to Mayotte, see map, to visit a friend...

Praying for safe travels!

Number Five

Last night the dress rehersal went late... but Number Five has a voice solo in one of her dance recitals and she sounds great! We just picked up ballet pictures. I am a proud mother!

Peonies!

National NAQT

The South Dakota kids... all from homeschol! Congrats to the teams, especially the seniors who were one round short of making the final round! Number Three's shirt says "Classics Guy" and Number Four's, as you can see, "Walking GPS".

A visit to an Organic Farm

The farmers had an open-house as they are expanding their businessand we brought home a gallon of raw-milk to try. We have never had milk allergies but we have different allergies and we are constantlylooking for ways to improve the quality of the family's nutrition. Besidesour own organic garden that supplies almost all of our tomatoes,potatoes, onions, garlic, applesauce, corn, green beans and many others, we have only only eaten grass-fed beef purchased directly from the farm for many years.

Number Seven was in her element, amidst animals, helping bring the cows, churning raw milk ice-cream and learning about the milking process!