Diary of a Worm- a nature project

Diary of a Worm is the favorite book of our youngest kids right now. I don't know if it is the gardening we have been doing or the fishing, but we are definitely on a "worm kick". This very fun book is written in diary form, featuring the writings of a young worm as he learns about the trials of being a worm.
Our favorite entry is June 15
"My older sister thinks she's so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. Spider thought that was really funny. Mom did not." The illustrations are also just wonderful.
Of course an activity had to be done. So, none other than me (Mommy), reverted back to my childhood when my family and I would catch nightcrawlers my the bucket fulls to sell to fishermen. We were good--it takes a special skill to catch nightcrawlers, they are super fast and hard to pull out of their holes--but we would get hundreds on a rainy night--this night I caught 6--I am losing my touch.

We took a big pickle jar and filled it loosely dirt. We then wrapped the jar in black paper (worms like the dark) I love Gracie's face in the picture above---priceless....

We added a little brown sugar for food, and then some lettuce leaves. We put the worms in the jar, popped holes in the lid---and waiting.

You can see one little worm peeking out of the dirt at the top of the jar.

After three days, we peeked under the black paper. We saw all sorts of worm tunnels around the edge of the jar, but the darn worms were too fast when "blinded by the light"
and you could just catch sight of them running for cover.

It was a real neat project. After three days, I would like to say we let the worms run free, but I have to admit---we went fishing---we are county folk after all........

Along our path to heaven

sometimes something comes along that can help us on our journey.
I was blessed to receive the month of May's Magnificat magazine. I am sure most of you are familiar with this pocket sized "daily prayer companion", but if you are not, it contains the daily Liturgy along with many inspirational daily prayers and meditations.
In a very busy family such as ours, it is nice to be able to find, in one spot, very beautiful morning and evening prayers.
Each day contains a medition and also a look into the lives of a saint. Some of these saints we have read about are men and women we hadn't "met" before--so through the Magnificat, we have learned about some new lives of which we can strive to copy on our path to Heaven.
I, myself, love the intersessions offered in both the daily morning prayers and evening prayers. I use these intersessions as my personal prayers during the day, trying to keep them in mind as I go about my day, trying to offer small trials to God.

It is a little expensive, but well worth the money for the amount of information and inspiration contained within its pages. You can order it for the same price from the Catholic Company as from the publisher.

A New Leader

in the Collins' family finch feeder challenge.

Amy is now in the lead by catching 12 goldfinches at the new feeder at once. (She claims there were 13 there but one flew away as she took the picture. That's what the ALL say!)

Look carefully, there ARE definitely 12 on the feeder. Good "catch Amy! I will keep you posted if someone new takes the lead. :-)

Inchworm-Inchworm -Measuring the Marigolds

We Made It: Friday Showcase

Bugs, bugs, bugs!! It's all about bugs lately around here----and music----so in honor of this weeks inchworm craft I would like to direct you to one of my favorite old songs

The Sesame Street Classic: Inchworm Inchworm

You really should go watch it with your children before you continue reading this post.

And in honor of the "inchworm measuring the marigolds" we planted some marigolds!
Very few supplies were needed for our inchworms:
empty toilet paper rolls
green paint
wiggle eyes
stapler
pipe cleaners

We didn't have any green paint, so I used white tempra paint mixed with green food coloring---it ended up a pretty light green, but the kids didn't mind.

They had fun mixing!

I cut several toilet paper tubes as seen above, leaving one tube in a circle for the head.

Staple the pieces together to make your inchworm, and then add a round head.

paint, paint, paint

Everyone got into the fun.

While our inchworms dried, I read some of our favorite "bug books". I recently discovered a new series (to me) of books: Backyard Books. Each book describes the life of one particular bug. They are written perfectly to keep the preschoolers attention, but also provide enough information that the elementary aged kids are able to learn new facts.

After the paint in dry, add wiggle eyes and pipe cleaner antennea.

Enjoy "measuring the marigolds" with your inchworms!

Check out the other We Made It crafts that were created this past week.

What I found in the bathroom sink....

I believe this was inspired by the fishing earlier in the week.

A Wonderful Gift From a Generous Giver

Roxie was soooo gracious offering this wonder giveaway at her blog a while ago, and we were the very blessed winners. The Kateri Tekawitha doll is beautiful and my little girls have especially been loving her (A LOT). There was also a little wooden cross, and a sage stick (the native American inscense.)
What great joy the very lovely Roxie has given us and we are sending her many prayers in thanks.
Blessed Kateri now is in a very special spot in the living room!

What Roxie doesn't know is that we share a love of this Blessed Mohawk Indian Girl. We live in the Mohawk Valley of New York State and about 1 1/2 hours from the shrine on Blessed Kateri and the North American Martyrs. The wooden statue of Blessed Kateri is from inside the
Colliseum, one of the first circular churches in the USA. Built in 1930 it holds about 6000 people.

Another statue of Blessed Kateri and a prayer for her canonization at the Auriesville Shrine.

You can see the full post about our last trip to the shrine here.

Thanks again Roxie, for your beautiful caring heart.

If you have a Facebook account

you can check out Danny's performance of Lit'l bit of Luck from My Fair Lady.

What she said.....

Elizabeth Foss writes that she and her family are often compared to Jon and Kate Plus 8. She has 9 children. I have 10 children, and I have heard this more times than I can count, "you're just like Jon and Kate Plus 8 plus 2." Elizabeth writes so eloquently about the fact that her life, IN NO WAY, resembles this show---if I could write beautifully like she can, I would write exactly the same thing. Thank you Elizabeth, for putting this into words!

Almost-Wordless Wednesday

Babysitting---Amy and her Ipod

Goin' Fishin' on Mount Hope

Our great outing starting with Luke discovering this beauty, a while admiral butterfly. It hung around for a while, so I got quite a few photos of him!
Time to get fishing. "Hi Dad!" we called as I and the two littlest took a little hike.

Gracie's first ever fish!!!

In honor of Grandpa Hesler, who always had us kiss our fish good-bye before we threw them back, I asked Luke to kiss the fish---this is as close as he would get. (Although he did touched it)

Waiting and waiting for a nibble....

The waiting paid off. Another fish for Grace. She was the ONLY one to catch a fish today.

pink fleabane

There were fish looking at Kimmy's hook, but they just wouldn't bite!

The only other creature caught today was a 2 1/2 foot long Black Rat Snake.......and

it was caught by Mommy!!!!

If you have a Facebook account

you can check out Danny in My Fair Lady singing Get Me to the Church on Time.

You don't want to miss it!

We have been blessed with a 9 foot gift

Wendy and Walt, from the Cukierski Family Apostolate, and our neighbors, graciously gave us a beautiful 9 foot table today. I never expected anything so lovely. You can see above that 5 of the kids can sit comfortably at 1/3 of the table.
Mark measuring, "Yep, it's 9 feet all right!"
We haven't been able to all sit at our table for quite a while. We sure can now!
It has 2 leaves that store inside the table to make it it's full 9 feet. It is soooo easy to slide the table apart and put in the leaves, I will be able to store them during the day, so we have more room in this "little house", but will easily be able to put in the extra length for dinner.

Kimmy has even decided she wants to make her bed under the table--it is a perfect size for her!

Make sure to visit this amazing family of 15's website, featuring many, many beautiful and rare Catholic Sacramentals.

I Heart Faces-Kids

This may not be a great photo in artistic terms, but it is a photo I will always cherish.

It is Luke and his 4th birthday cake-a train cake with a real working train. His joy in this cake will always be remembered.
Check out all the great entries in this weeks IHeartFaces contest.

Makes my Monday

I went to my first 3D movie ever this weekend: UP

I took these monkies with me(and Daddy and Mark) and we all had a wonderful time.

We were amazed at the 3D effects and we all give this movie 2 thumbs up!!!

Everyone needs to grab all the kids and head to this movie!