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missionfamily
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Joined: April 10 2007
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 9:11am | IP Logged
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Well, we planned our get-together this weekend because we wanted to be one in spirit with you all. It seems we were all sweated, ate croissant sandwiches for lucnh, had tea, and had a blast, so I think we met our objeective!
We really did have a nice time, and so very southern...hot and sticky and with each event punctuated by food! What lovely ladies and sweet conversations.
Here are some things that made it all worth it for me:
One mom with a five year old and a little one and one on the way said she was so worried about what to do for kindergarten with a new little one coming. Catholic Mosaic was the answer to her prayers.
Another mom just decided to throw out her pre-packaged curriculum and change the way they "do school." Learning about CM was an anwer to her prayers.
One mom's sister from NC just sent her Elizabeth's book and was attending the conference in VA. She was sad not to be able to go and that same day got an e-mail about our weekend and came from Baton Rouge, LA to join us!
Finding out that all the illustrations in Alice C.'s new book are watercolors dome by her!!!!! They're simply delightful! (And she's ridiculously humble!)
Our kids (my hooligans leading the way) beat the heat Sunday by putting their toes in the fountain at the park...it quickly became a full-fledged swim in the fountain! (The police did not come!!!) On the way home, I looked at my soaked boys and declared, "I still cannot believe you went swimming in the fountain!" Quinn responded, "Oh come on mom, we were all like Mary Lennox languishing away in India and that fountain was our Secret Garden!" Nothing like a literary reference to make this mom forget her displeasure!
__________________
Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
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Cay Gibson
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Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 9:23am | IP Logged
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missionfamily wrote:
| Finding out that all the illustrations in Alice C.'s new book are watercolors dome by her!!!!! They're simply delightful! (And she's ridiculously humble!) |
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Ridiculously so!  This made my weekend too...though I did go to bed with the thought "Gosh, she can write and draw." I use picture books as my art work.
Alice's work is brilliant. Simply lovely.  I had no idea we had a professional artist in our mist. Her work is SO "Tasha Tudor-y" it's eerie. I cannot wait for this book.
missionfamily wrote:
| Our kids (my hooligans leading the way) beat the heat Sunday by putting their toes in the fountain at the park...it quickly became a full-fledged swim in the fountain! (The police did not come!!!) On the way home, I looked at my soaked boys and declared, "I still cannot believe you went swimming in the fountain!" Quinn responded, "Oh come on mom, we were all like Mary Lennox languishing away in India and that fountain was our Secret Garden!" Nothing like a literary reference to make this mom forget her displeasure! |
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I love it!!! Here are a few pictures of the way we beat the heat this past weekend.
I'd love to see who was hotter...the Louisiana group or the Virginia group. Speaking of which, our nature study and pond expedition got blipped and the town square with the lovely gazebo took it's place because the heat was  wicked. When we got in the truck on Saturday afternoon, the outside temp read 104 degrees. 
I wanted to say that Colleen gives one fantastic talk on the 7-steps to a CM education. (I forget exactly what she called it but it was terrific.) Sure has me reinspired about using a CM framework again. Well done, Colleen.
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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GraceandCoffee
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Joined: May 24 2007
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 10:31am | IP Logged
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The most amazing thing about the weekend to me was meeting fellow Catholic homeschoolers in person! I really enjoyed all the amazing families we got to spend time with, and our kids had a blast. They actually got to milk goats and chase chickens at Coleen's friends' house. (well, my 4 year old says they caught the chickens and threw them... but I kind of doubt that. I hope...) Such hospitable and generous people these were. And my husband enjoyed talking about the Catholic Church with other men who also love the Church.
Coleen's talk was great. I wish she'd make her 7 steps a sticky somewhere on the board!
Cay's talk about Catholic Mosaic helped me to see better how picture books are for fun, but also make such an impact on us and on our kids. And I've always been a lover of picture books. :) One of my great ambitions is to become an illustrator one of these days. (I know there's a reason I have an art degree, though I think home ec would have been much more practical. ) It was wonderful to hear that this isn't just a frivolous pastime, but a beautiful contribution enriching to our hearts and minds. Just hearing how many people said various books had brought tears to their eyes (myself included) shows what a powerful medium picture books are.
I was also blessed and amazed by Alice's gift for drawing, sewing, and her eye for beauty and design. SO often I feel I can admire the work of others better than I can rise to their level. The afternoon tea was simply beautiful.
And all this wasn't without hard work. Coleen put this together and had a nursing baby along, and her husband had just left on a trip overseas. You're a much stronger woman than me, Coleen! This was a blessing to all of us.
I was under the impression that this was to be a specifically CM event, and I was surprised when many of the attendees were completely unfamiliar with her. I wonder who it was that dropped her boxed curriculum in favor of CM? That's rather amazing. Well, actually it's sensible when you start to "get" CM's philosophy.
Thank you for putting this on! It was a fantastic kick-off to our year, in spite of the horrific heat!
We actually missed the fountain thing. I wish we hadn't left! We left partly because of the heat, and partly because I felt it would be foolish not to allow myself the time to prepare for today, which has been our very first official day of homeschooling. It was much easier than I thought it would be. :)
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Wife to the most wonderful man in the world, and mama to 4 beautiful children: meteorologist age 7, naturalist age 5, ballerina age 4, and baby boy age 19 months
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Land O' Cotton
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 10:47am | IP Logged
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I would have loved to come to this, but had a family duty this weekend. Please post if ya'll have another one anytime soon!
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Vicki
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ladybugs
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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Sounds like a great time with great ladies and families!
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Cay Gibson
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Joined: July 16 2005
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 11:18am | IP Logged
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Land O' Cotton wrote:
| I would have loved to come to this, but had a family duty this weekend. Please post if ya'll have another one anytime soon! |
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Remember, there's a campout coming up on Labor Day! Janette just posted the campsite information. We need to all start calling in our reservations. Including me...
Alice just posted some nice pictures from this weekend.
GraceandCoffee wrote:
| Coleen's talk was great. I wish she'd make her 7 steps a sticky somewhere on the board! |
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Good idea! If anything, I hope she posts it in all its glory.
GraceandCoffee wrote:
| And all this wasn't without hard work. Coleen put this together and had a nursing baby along, and her husband had just left on a trip overseas. You're a much stronger woman than me, Coleen! This was a blessing to all of us. |
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Colleen does deserve a special hug and recognition. Many hugs  She's a domestic goddess, I tell ya!
GraceandCoffee wrote:
| I wish we hadn't left! We left partly because of the heat, and partly because I felt it would be foolish not to allow myself the time to prepare for today, which has been our very first official day of homeschooling. It was much easier than I thought it would be. :) |
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I'll keep you in my prayers as you begin school this week. We're starting next week and, after this weekend, I am so inspired about the new CM year, I'm dizzy.
Blessings to all!
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Alice C
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 2:49pm | IP Logged
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Cay Gibson wrote:
| Alice's work is brilliant. Simply lovely. I had no idea we had a professional artist in our mist. Her work is SO "Tasha Tudor-y" it's eerie. I cannot wait for this book. |
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Oh my goodness. Now come on! Using my name in the same sentence as Tasha Tudor is going too far! LOL!!! You gals are too kind. Really!
Both Cay's and Colleen's talks were SO inspiring! (I am really looking forward to incorporating some of their ideas into our "schooling" this year.) It was also wonderful to get to meet Cay! Such a sweet and gentle soul. Truly. 
Let's do it again soon!
__________________
~ Alice C
a number of things
gardens of grace
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missionfamily
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Joined: April 10 2007
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Aug 13 2007 at 8:36pm | IP Logged
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Okay, I posted the beginning of a series of posts at my blog based on the talk I gave. I had nothing written down, so transferring it from my brain to cyberspace is a bit of an endeavor. I'm taking it two steps at a time for the rest of the week. Enjoy.
__________________
Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Real Learning Southern Style
