7 Quick Takes

~1~

I've been crying repeatedly this week reading the news about Haiti.  My heart breaks for everyone there, but especially all the children who are now orphans and are lost and alone.

Our homeschool group had decided several weeks before the earthquake to do a lenten fundraiser for Haiti.  Everyone participating will have a Haiti Jar to keep and add their change to it during Lent, sort of like a Lenten Rice Bowl.  We did this last year for a pregnancy center in Jamaica and it raised a nice sum of money.  Our family went ahead and started our jar early, instead of waiting until Lent.

Of course, our family will be donating long before Easter, and if you're looking for a place to donate, here's a good list of options.

Yarn Harlot has mobilized Knitters Without Borders

May God be with the Haitian people in this time of intense suffering!

~2~

I'm very excited about Melissa Wiley's news that Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace will be republished soon!  I read this one last fall for the first time.  It was definitely one of my favorite books ever.  Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart are being republished also in a two-volume edition, like the most recent Betsy-Tacy books.  The added bonus to this news is that Melissa gets to write the forward to the new edition.  She's such a wonderful writer----I've never read anyone else's book reviews that make me feel as if a book is a friend before I ever pick it up.  Everything she has recommended, I have loved.

We have Carney's House Party, but I've never read it.  Winona's Pony Cart has been out of print for a while, so I'm looking forward to that one.  I think I'll wait until they come out to read Carney since I already have a list a books Melissa recommends.  Plus, I'm working my way through the Anne of Green Gables series.  Oh, how I love these books!

~3~

I've started working out this week with my Personal Fitness Coach for the Wii.  I'm kind of liking it.  I'm still kind of lazy (I'd rather NOT workout), but I like the way the workouts are structured, the little bars at the bottom that tell me how much longer I'll be doing a particular segment, the bar that tells me what's coming, the timer that tells me how much more time I have, and that there are lots of different workouts.

It was also way cheaper than Wii Fit.

~4~

Last night, TMax won our homeschool group spelling bee!  It was an exciting night---I was afraid he wouldn't have any competition since he happened to be the oldest one there.  He did have a serious competitor, though, who was only 11!  The next step is to go to another spell-off among homeschool groups.  There are 4 homeschool groups; the top 3 spellers from that spell-off move up to the district bee.

I think he needs to start studying.  Spelling Bee competition is serious business and this is his last year of being eligible for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.  I don't think I can take the strain, however.  I was a nervous wreck last night and just wanted to come home and eat chocolate!

Have you seen Akeelah and the Bee?  It's one of our favorite movies.

~5~

Not much knitting going on this week!  We've been working on staying on track with our school routine and cleaning up stuff around the house.  Like Christmas decorations and the schoolroom.

~6~

I still have these some snowflakes up, and my garland and icicle lights on the banister.  They make me happy; I love the way they light up the early mornings and evenings!

~7~

Somewhat busy weekend ahead---dropping off kids for a party tonight, confession tomorrow morning, Mass and First Reconciliation meeting tomorrow evening for my Little Princess, football banquet for boys.  (Hey, quiet time for Mom while they're all busy!)  LP has her First Reconciliation on Monday!  And I think we'll have quiet, family time on Sunday.  That'll be nice.

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