Block by Block by David!

David Joseph is doing Lego-type blocks here 

Building blocks!

David Joseph is imitating his brother, Gregory. He is putting some small blocks together!

Legos and other work

Steven is at a G.K. Chesterton conference up in Minnesota. So, missing some great moments of children's innovations and discoveries, I videotaped yesterday. I should have taken ephotos, too!

I have not sent out letters to the family lately with all the children's art or photos of them or what we are doing. I've been hoping to keep family updated via this blog.

Katherine has started drawing on her own, such as our bread machine, complete with labelled "stop" and "go" buttons, time display, and three-dimensional sides to it. She used sidewalk chalk yesterday to make train tracks down the sidewalk leading up to our steps. David, of course, very interested in any vehicle (he calls them all "toot-toot"s), had a lot of fun using it. It had curves to it and was a whole little system in itself! I've been practicing drawing myself to pass that on to her.



Gregory really has started to like Legos. We have got some erector-type sets and are building things with him. During Quiet Time (also know as "Down Time", "Mommy Time", "David Naptime"), he uses them. He still likes Spiderman a lot and has commented that he isn't interested in Veggie Tales or Tigger anymore. Gregory has let David "take those over." And David has!

David's favorite DVD is the classic Pooh Bear. He even says "Poo Ber" and he also likes Larry and Bob now. Since David likes tools (and anything that takes him outdoors!), Bob the Builder is fun for him, though we haven't done much with that lately. However, we have been using the stroller a lot for David in the evenings. We take walks around the block and David thinks it lots of fun to get a ride. Of course, he gets out after awhile--there is too much to explore and do--but while he is in the older two have fun pushing the stroller with my help. This extra walking worked out well when it began raining and we had to run home. Katherine said it was easy for her since she's been out on stroller walks with David.

Gregory and I built a functioning crane with some construction set about two weeks ago. It has a great booklet with instructions for 24 things one can make--400 pieces--and it was a great find: a $75 value for $4 at a garage sale Steven noticed down our block! Following the directions was really a good experience for me to see how things are put together and work together. Seeing the sewing machine, the bulldozer, the mixer one could make, I just had to jump in and figure it out!

I wasn't the type of child to take things apart, think something through logically. I would frustrate my father by asking "What do I have to do with this word problem: just tell me if it is division or multiplication or what, and then I can do it!" I didn't want to think it out. Now I am thinking in terms of how things are put together. Drawing has required me to see things in terms of shapes and building requires going step by step. It's fun learning with the children--staying that one step ahead of them to pass on what I am catching onto!

Ready to go!

Here we were at the first day of the local two-day Diocesan Summer Institute in Peoria at Notre Dame High School. Steven was vending for Bridegroom Press, our family business. Amidst keeping up with my Three, I noticed Steven interested a bookstore with his products. They gave him three videos (including "Chariots of Fire"!) in exchange for reviewing his items.

There was Mass and later breakfast--food for the soul, as well as the body :-) One reading was on how we are earthen vessels and the other was on how even looking at a woman lustful is adultery. I see a link in that we can choose what we fill ourselves with and He hopes it is life-giving and sets us going toward Him, not off track. That got me ready to go.

Here the children are full of energy and moving about, ready to go out for a walk! They reminded me the body needs exercise and made tracks out the door!This is all part of my vocation, living it out on step at a time, literally. ;-)

"Step"ping out!

We were at a conference for catechists. The children all received free backpacks. I was so grateful for a practical gift! Katherine was thrilled, as well, and got talking ("we are home educated"), and got smiles!

The other picture shows the backpacks sideways a bit--they are huge compared to David--but he jumps in of course to do what he sees them do! And they have gotten used to that (not that they always like it).

These are the fun "staircase years" when the children's height is in noticeable "steps." I'm so proud they stopped for moment for a photo... then off we went for a walk outdoors. It has finally gotten summer-hot and we explored around shaded trees for a while.

Fun in the Sun!

I set up a little "beach" in the backyard for them and Gregory Michael was really having fun! (Steven, he's got that look you did when we were dancing at our wedding reception. In that photo you like of yourself.)

My author/speaker husband, Steve

Today our calendars of indulgences for next year came in and show gorgeous shots of the church in this photo! Check them out at www.bridegroompress.com and let others know :-) about our family business.

Here, on Easter, Steven is with the children after the Mass.

Bread Machine for our Cooking Class

One of my great garage sale finds this summer was a bread machine. It wasn't even a "find" but rather an "offer." The person holding the garage sale asked if I'd be interested in it! I didn't know if this "toy" would be ignored after an initial bit of novelty, but I got it as a homeschooling aid for "Kellmeyer Cooking Class."


I have had a great time making bread. I made my first loaf when my father was in Peoria at the end of May. The house has smelled wonderful and slowly I try new variations. The children are getting good at measuring cupfuls of flour and teaspoonfuls of yeast. With the machine, they'll be making bread themselves some months from now :-)

David and David!

After the Mass at the church where Steven and I were introduced by David eight years ago, David and Rosie invited us to have some ice cream.

We got a chance to talk before heading over to the BBQ that some of David's friends had arranged so David and Rosie could see a lot of their old friends while in Champaign over the weekend.

Here I took a moment to get the two Davids' picture together!

Such pride and joy -- and my boy!

David and Rosie are expecting their first child around the end of October. I had not seen them since their wedding in El Paso January 1st, 2005.

We saw them this weekend on the 5th of June up here in Illinois. They were in Champaign-Urbana (where David and I both met our respective spouses) for the wedding of a friend. It was really good to see them and talk about life, living out what we believe.

This is the home of the BBQing friends :-)

Tumble-curls!

Out in the open, we were visiting a pumpkin patch last year. Katherine is with her wind-swept look and this close-up helps to show family resemblances.

Gone fishing!

Reading aloud to the children and not having a TV has helped enormously in their being able to sit still for good periods of time. Now add fishing to the list of activities which require patience! I enjoyed the fountain very much, as I enjoy water, not having grown up with much around me.

Worms wiggle and are funny!

Steven is a fisherman and grew up fishing hours with his father, brothers, and relatives. This past year was the first year we went fishing as a family. I was told that part of being a fisherman was to hook one's own worm and didn't like that idea. Seemingly Katherine was going to be OK with that ;)

The Little Fisherman

Gone fishing to a local area in Peoria, mostly to cast, rather than to catch! Gregory had his new Tigger fishing pole and was so excited! It was July 2004 and I was making sure mostly that David Joseph did not head toward the water. Katherine and Gregory enjoyed the squirming worms in the container in the background and I had such fun just seeing them with their father. :-)

Beatrice, Humberto, Rachel

I love the stories my mother tells of the brother that was closest in age to her and was her playmate when small. Time passes quickly and it is hard to all stay in touch. This is a photo my father gave me, taken at my parents' house.

With President Lincoln of Ilinois fame

Going downtown Peoria as if we were tourists gave me a whole new perspective of our city! It was as if blinders had been taken off. Now I see how Charles, my brother, does it to take photos... he sees with those eyes of a photographer, capturing images that appeal, resonant, and tell a story.

Feast of Corpus Christi/bending the knee

Just scant days ago, at a nearby parish, at Communion time, I was told--with the Eucharistic Lord held from me--that I did not need to kneel before Him, "just do a bow of the head."

I am well aware that the norm is standing, yet this does not make kneeling an obsolete or bad option. After the "explanation," I was given our Lord (since my genuflection couldn't be undone, but what if I had been on my knees as I used to receive. Would He have been denied me until I got up...).

I am valuing Him much more after this.

Our whole body is called to worship Him, now and into eternity. Personally, I need practice and
a genuflection is a good reminder of "bending the knee before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God and we are His people, the flock that He shepherds." I have too much pride and this has helped enormously to turn to Him, to stop and think of His sacrifice for a moment with a small one of my own. Our bodies are called to help us live out our faith and strengthen it. (Or, as we sadly know, they also help us live out our lack of faith.)

In a beautiful rendition of Fra Angelico's painting of the Magi, I see how those who came to adore the Christ Child did not just bend their head to acknowlege Him. There is kneeling down AND bowing the head. Some people reverence Our Lord so consciously that one is left in amazement...

This incident has made me reflect on how we treat Him...

At my parish church (not where I was reprimanded), on May 28th, after a Mass offered for a niece's 11th birthday, I took e-photos of the Stations of the Cross. (I'll use them to quiz my children on the Stations.) The Stations are in full relief; they pop-out at you.

In getting so close to them, I noticed that twice someone was raising the hand high to strike Jesus... I pray that we respond to Him who fell on His knees for us, by making reparations for offenses against Him, using our knees in bending to Him.

Why kneel? Haven't you heard all the arguments? You know, about not showing off, having uniformity, not slowing down the line or causing people to trip--how bowing is just as good as kneeling.

What will glorify God? That is the issue, not what is the minimum, the standard, what everyone does. Yes, we all should sit and kneel and stand together during the Mass where it says so in the missalette. In receiving the Son of God, there is no "you cannot kneel" in the book.

So, go ahead and reverence Him! This is about giving Him all that you are. This isn't a comfortable bread line with us all milling up there casually. This is a crucifixion where we accept to follow Christ all the way. He is equiping us to be courageous!

Children are edified by kneeling. Young children often don't "see" in abstract ways. Tell a child "Jesus is really there" and accompany it with true awe and reverence. Or just go out of habit, without a recent confession, and without thinking about opening up to Him more than you did yesterday. Children learn by example and body language. Show that He is the summit of your life :-) We are our children's teachers.

Kneeling and genuflecting are privileges. Are they being taken away?

Even priests can be edified by seeing kneeling. When I was at Cherry Creek Park in Denver for the World Youth Day Papal Mass on August 15, 1993, I knelt (as was my custom). The priest mentioned "Not many people kneel anymore. It is a good thing."

Let us worship the Lord our God!

Rejoice that He is with us until the end of time!
And we are with Him now... may it we rejoice in that this Feast of Corpus Christi!

Value Him much more after this :-)

Christ struck

Very striking when one sees the pop-up Stations of the Cross from St. Mark's (no pun intended). I mentioned them in the May 29th article on valuing Jesus more. When one does the Stations, one longs to do more for Him.

The Bread Tester!

After he had asked for some... and we went to go get ingredients, and I read up on how the machine worked, we had our first hot, fresh loaf of bread in an hour and a half, right before my father left...

 

Merry-go-round Abuelito

My father came to visit and we went to the one park I know which has a merry-go-round! Here Katherine is giving her Abuelito a ride on it :-)