Fun While Learning Math

by CarolNo Comments
School's back in and if your child is anything like mine, math has and probably always will be one of the tougher subjects. While you were in elementary school, you might remember using colored objects to help with counting. These items are called math manipulatives, and they are still being used in schools. However, they are used in ways that don't always involve basic counting skills. There are various kinds of manipulatives that can be purchased for the classroom instead of small circles with a different color on each side or blocks that are used to learn how to count by ones and tens. Many teachers try to make using manipulatives into a game for students. This can sometimes be a benefit as it helps children learn how to count while they might not realize what they're doing. There are items for younger children who are in preschool and items for older children in middle school who might need a little more help when...
Read More

A Day in My Life

by Carol19 Comments
Trish, at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity, is hosting A Day in the Life event today. I somehow missed that it was coming up, but it's such a fun idea, I decided to go ahead and share my yesterday, even if I don't have any photos to share. 6:20 am - The alarm went off. I woke up my husband and he headed to the bathroom. We only have one bathroom to use between the three of us in the morning, so who uses it when is a practiced routine. When he came back in the room, it was my turn in the bathroom and then I woke up my daughter. I fed the lizard and had some cereal for breakfast. 7: 20 am - Drove my daughter to school. I'm one of the women who just throws a robe and shoes on. No one sees me anyway. 7:30 am - I'm back home. Yesterday I went back to bed for short...
Read More

St. Patrick’s Breastplate

by Carol5 Comments
Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I though I'd share my favorite prayer, St. Patrick's Breastplate. According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote it in 433 A.D. for divine protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. It's possible that it was written by someone else or possibly even closer to the 8th century, but in any case it's lovely and meaningful. St. Patrick's Breastplate I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of...
Read More

D is for Dog

by Carol18 Comments
We have one dog, Scrappy. He's about 7, now. He's friendly, cute, and a little on the dumb side. He's also a bit - high maintenance. He had knee surgery when he was about a year old, has a bit of hip dysplasia, and tends toward ear infections. The first couple of years we had him, he had trouble with allergies that made his eyes swell up. He's also always had trouble with hot spots, places that he would lick until all the hair was gone and they were red and raw. We tried lots of things, sprays, powder, prednisone pills, shots. It all worked for a little while, but eventually we got to the point where once we got rid of one hot spot he would start on another. It was driving him, and us, crazy. My mom had heard radio commercials for Dinovite for years, and she mentioned it to us. Now, I assumed it was a scam and at $75...
Read More