What's on My Work Desk

Besides reducing, slicing and poking hundreds of beads, I've been putting together a few things...
Sorry for the poor quality of these photos... hubby was messing with the camera and I don't know how to put it back to the original settings.

Personalized rosaries...maybe someday I'll have this option in my shop, but for now, it's just for those special orders and friends.  These names are attached to the centerpiece of the rosary are not actually beads to pray on. I like to keep it that since it's kind of weird to me to be praying on one's own name!

Tree hugger bracelet complete with wooden beads! Tree of Life hugger, that is...

My personal rose necklace got a makeover.  I took it apart and added some pewter beads and made it much longer so now I can wrap it twice like this for a shorter necklace, or leave it a one stranded long necklace. I love the weight of the pewter beads too! This goes with so many of my outfits. This picture doesn't do this necklace any justice!

The Spirituality of a Four Year Old

My paper-wasting-lover four year, decided to make a prayer book today for which I was happy it wasn't going to end up a cut-up, scribbled on, stapled, taped and cut up into many more tiny pieces and left on the floor piece of garbage.  He tells me to write down what he says.  Oh, boy, I thought, this is going to be fun. What is going to come out of this kid's mouth?

He's been hearing a lot of psalms lately, so this one's harsh undertone is no indication that we talk or think this way in our day to day conversations!

God is holy for you are the one that is holy.
Throw the bad into hell
You are the holy one
Blessed God, Blessed God

It's not bad theology, but this next one was just wrong and I had to scratch it out after I realized where he was going with it:

Oh Lord, send the bad out of Hell that are good

We had to have a little talk after that one...

This next one was heavily inspired by today's feast day; the Assumption of Mary into heaven.  It cracks me up.

God, you are the holy, holy one.
You can lift heavy things
You can lift Mary up to heaven
for you are holy

 I'm not sure that Mary was that heavy, but whatever.

This next one I was very happy with after he said some bad stuff the other day, for which he received time-outs.  We talk all the time about how big God is, so he knew it was wrong when he said, This train is bigger than God! I laughed and said, No Liam, you know that's not true. God is bigger than everything. Don't say that again.  TWO seconds later: This train is bigger than God. A short timeout was issued. Afterward, he comes back to play with his very long train and shows his sister. He whispers very softly so I could barely hear: This train is bigger than God. Timeout, round two.

This time, I think he learned his lesson. He dictates to me:

Oh, how big God is.
He's bigger than the house,
He's bigger than the shelves,

He's bigger than the windows...

(many more bigger's were said too fast for me to write down)

He's bigger than a long line of trains
He's bigger than the sun

He's bigger than the clouds...

(many more bigger's I couldn't write down fast enough)
He's bigger than a longer line of trains ever
He's bigger than a pile of trucks.
Amen.

This last one was just sweet.

Oh, you are nice, nice, nice, nice, nice... (a zillion more nice's that I didn't write down)
 You are nice
You are nice
You are nice... (a hundred more that I didn't write down)
(I'm wondering where this is going and when it's going to end...)
 You are very, very, very nice

(after two more minutes of this:)

Please help me to be nice.
Amen.

awwww...my heart turned to mush and I finished the last sentence with a tiny tear in my eye.  I said we were going to send prayer book entitled, "Every Person's Prayer Book" to Grandma and Grandpa, but this one's going in the scrapbook. I'm plan on taking it out and reading it 10 years from now when I'm pulling out my hair during his teenage years. I think I'm going to have to make an extra copy for him to read then too!

The Cat Stretch

Jude didn't want to crawl on the spiky grass, so this is what he did:

Tips/Thoughts on Making a Spiritual Communion?

Spiritual communion was not taught to my generation and I only learned of its existence after finding some good prayer books in high school.  But I never did figure out this concept and have forgotten about it until this morning when I really wanted to make one.  Sometimes it would be nice to do make a spiritual communion if I can't go to Mass and receive Jesus in the true communion, or I just really need Him (which I'm experiencing  more and more these days!). 

So, please bestow your thoughts on making spiritual communions- how to do it, what the blessings are- why it's different from other prayers. 

God Bless You!

The Secret to Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mother in law shared this secret with me. It's not in the butter or how much flour you use, or any ingredient. The secret to long lasting chewy chocolate chip cookies is to refrigerate the dough after it's made.  I'm guessing the reason must be that when the butter is re chilled the inside of the cookie doesn't get the same amount of heat and the butter doesn't have a chance to harden the cookie as much. 

You don't need to refrigerate a very long time- this time the dough didn't even have a chance to harden in the fridge, but they still came out a little crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. These are going to be gone by the end of the day, so I to snap a quick picture.  They are made with whole wheat and I could have even went with a little less sugar.  Maybe even substituted some applesauce for some sugar (then they might not have come out quite so perfect!) Here's the tried and true Betty Crocker recipe that I use:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter softened- not melted (margarine is bad)
1 tsp. vanilla (I always use more like a tablespoon of this)
1 large egg
2 1/4 flour (use whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag semi sweet choc. chips (12 oz. or 2 cups) More is always better!

1. Heat oven to 375
2. Beat sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. *refrigerate dough for at least 45 min*
4. Spoon cooled dough onto cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 min. or until slightly *very, very slightly* browned.
5. Enjoy with tall glass of milk.

Still soft the next day and for days to come- if they last that long (mine never do!)

My Philosophy of Education

One of the projects I had to complete before I graduated with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, was to make a portfolio with my philosophy of education.  Just for a chuckle, I went back to reread my old thoughts on education.  This is what I  wrote before I was a real teacher in a real classroom, before I started homeschooling, and before I've decided that modern education has failed us and we should reconsider the tried and true classical approach.   I was certain I had done a 180 on my philosophy of education, but to my surprise, this is what I read:

....the essential ingredients for a good education are: a loving a teacher, a parental involvement, hands-one learning, and good classroom management.

I certainly couldn't disagree! These are spot on- even in regards to homeschooling and the Classical approach.  I went on to read and laugh at this:

Everyone knows how important a loving teacher is to education because everyone has had one who has touched his/her life.  There is no substitute for a teacher who has the students' best interest at heart.  It's no wonder why home schooled children are so successful with their own mother as their teacher.  Hand's down, a loving teacher is the most important ingredient to a good education.

How funny is that especially when the very thought of homeschooling my kids made me shudder! I had no plans whatsoever to home school until years after I wrote this. 

I go on to talk about parental involvement, classroom management and hands-on-learning.  All of it, I still agree with.    I conclude with saying: teaching is no doubt- a work of heart.

How true it still is- a parent or teacher who cares, is the best teacher.  Amen to that!

Teenagers Think I'm Old

Today I turned thirty and my sisters (17 and 14) kindly inform me that teenagers, the world over, think I'm old.   While this is true, when I tell people who are older than me that now I am feeling old, they roll their eyes.  I don't care what people say-30 is not the new 20; thirty is the anti-age! I can't say I'm young, I can't say I'm old- I just don't win, so I keep my mouth shut (except when it comes to telling the cyber-world!).  Apparently there are rumors circulating in my homeschooling group that I am 26. haha! I'll keep them guessing.  And just a month ago, in a certain Mexican restaurant, I was carded, then re-carded with a credit card verification because they thought I was lying about my age. I don't have to tell how good that felt! (even though it was only because I was with my little sister who makes me look young).  Afterward, there was much apologizing by the waitress, but I kept saying, "No, really, thank you!"  When I'm with my kids,  or my husband, on the other hand, I rarely get carded.  They don't bother with this old lady!

In the end, after living three fulfilling decades, I can honestly say, I don't feel old.  God has blessed me generously- despite the many ways I failed Him.  I don't deserve my amazing husband and three spectacular kids, and many new friendships blossoming in our new area, but I'll take 'em all! 

Before I was old. (the day of our engagement- my early twenties) Thinking, "30 is really old!"

If the decades to come are as rich in blessings as the first three, I look forward to growing old(er). But today, since I'm not old and not young, I will continue to call my self: The Clay Rosary Girl" and have parties late at night when my kids are asleep. 

Almost 30. Old ladies doing oyster shooters at Old Emmit's with babies in tow. See, people over 30 have lots of fun!