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~Jennifer’s Thoughts: Extreme individualism has weakened our family structure over the last 5 decades. Busy families, which are too active in different directions to spend quality time with one another, uninterested fathers and/or mothers who get absorbed in on-line games, instead of reading or talking to their children or spouse, has contributed to an epidemic of broken families. More than 50 years ago, families did not have the distractions that families do today. Imagine no televisions, computers, game systems, Ipods, cell phones, no bi-weekly baseball practices coupled with dance, piano, and karate practices! These older families spent most of their extra time together, talking, singing, and just making their own fun. But after generations of families with a self-interested agenda, the problem of unhappy, stressed families has only become more rampant and the idea of a broken family is becoming the norm. Should we have our family chase after those things that the world thinks is good and fun? If all the family members become more family/God focused and less worldly focused, they will become happier and less stressed. The first step toward this happy less stressed filled life is prayer! Often, each day, pray together as a family, Mom, Dad and kids. And yes, both parents need to be included whenever possible! Kids need to see that praying is something important enough to draw the attention of both parents. The next step is to drop the extra needless stuff that your lives are centered around. It may be hard to discern if an activity is necessary and have the strength to choose to drop it. For example, you can make a decision to only check personal e-mails once a day, only carry a cell phone for true emergencies, limit the television and games systems to an hour a day, limit the family to one extra curricular activity (preferably, one you can do together), eat your meals together, and turn off the music/computer when your kids are around and talk to them. Another thing that can be a wonderful step to helping the family is to trash, trash, trash, and organize, organize, organize!!! Get rid of all that extra stuff that is all over the house. If you haven’t used it in the past year it’s not necessary. Trash it! Then, organize so you can find everything you need when you need it. Then do it all over again, it’s a never ending process. The less clutter in your life, the more you can focus on family and God. This entire process of simplifying your activities and house as well as praying will be a fight in the beginning but it’s worth it. In the end your entire family will be happier for it. The process is much easier for everyone if both parents can decide that it’s what they need to do to make their lives better. Isn’t your family worth it?

May, the month of Mary, is on its way! Here is a fun art project for the kids so they can honor Our Blessed Mother during the gorgeous spring months. Supplies: Sheet of Paper A Flower catalog Picture of Blessed Mother Scissors Glue Instructions: Have the kids cut out their favorite pictures of flowers from the catalogs and glue them on a sheet of paper. The pictures should overlap so the paper underneath is not seen. You may also add a few pictures of bunnies, butterflies, and birds, etc. In the center of the flowering collage add a picture of the Blessed Mother. This can be taken from a prayer card, printed from the Internet, or cut out of a religious catalog. My daughter Rachel, who came up with this wonderful idea, helped Elizabeth make this example:   Simply Gorgeous! Just be sure to save all those flower catalogs you’ve been getting in the mail! If you’re like me you get at least one a week during the spring months!! Mother Mary, pray for us! ~Jen-Marie

Since we have so many little ones running around the house it has been hard to display projects that the older kids make. The little ones often get into things and disturb them or break them. However, I discovered that an old fish tank can serve as a perfect solution to the display problem. It works very well! The tank is just the right height so all the kids can see what’s in it, and they can tell each other and anyone who comes to the house about the things they found or made without fear of it being destroyed. Plus, the light makes it nice to see the items and the glass makes dust less of an issue. Only one problem: I can’t fit the really big stuff in the tank, but most of the things the kids make or find are small, so that’s not often a problem.

This is a project to decorate a blooming tree for the month of May. Because the month of May is the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, decorating a flowering tree with images of Our Lady’s life and apparitions is certainly appropriate! Our kids had a grand time decorating the flowers for the tree! The tree turned out so lovely, but the my photos just don’t do it justice! Each flower has a center with an image of  Mother Mary, Mary portrayed in different nationalities, moments in her life, and her apparitions. The little ones loved learning more about Mary as we talked about each of the pictures. To make this tree you will need: small images of Mary  Flower shapes A tree to decorate ideas for a tree: indoor artificial or live tree, dead tree branches arranged in a flower pot or vase, tree shape cut out of colored paper and taped to a wall or bulletin board. Artificial flowers and leaves to decorate tree. (optional) Construction paper ~ purple, blue, pink, yellow, and orange for flowers (optional) Construction paper ~ Green for leaves (optional) Crayons, glitter glue, craft gems, and other craft items for decorating the flowers (optional) glue scissors thread needle Instructions: Once you have the tree to decorate and have added artificial flowers and leaves, if desired, decorate both sides of the flowers that have been cut out of construction paper using crayons, glitter glue, craft gems, etc. as desired. Then, glue a Marian image on both sides of the flowers. Use a needle and thread to make a looped hanger for each and hang the flower/picture on the tree. It so nice I’m not going to want to take it down after May!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God Bless. ~Jen-Marie

Elizabeth as “Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha”

Abigail as “A Princess Angel” I’m not sure what that is!?!? But she insisted!

Hannah as “The Angel Gabriel”

This is a popular game at our All Saint's Day parties! This simple game was made using 2 liter bottles with Satan pictures and a soft ball. You should never let Satan try to get you to do something bad. The kids rolled the ball and knocked the 3 evil demons down!

This game is fun for young and old!! The game players search through the beads in the container to find items, but they are not allowed to open the container!! It was addicting fun for everyone! I made this using a large clear container, melting craft beads, and items to find. You might be able to use a soda bottle, but a large jar with a wide mouth works best. The larger opening allows you to put larger items in. A large peanut butter jar might be good. I filled the container half full of beads and I added items to find. I wrote down what the items were as I put them in the container.  I used things like charms and jewelry pins, fancy buttons, stationary supplies, craft supplies, sea shell, etc. Once you have everything in, seal the jar shut with tape or glue.  I added about 60 items, some larger, some small.  I made a check list of the items so the kids could see if they found everything. This was a hit among the older kids!

I remember the days when Jon and I only had the two oldest girls. I was so stressed and overwhelmed. I understand how people feel when they ask “How do you do it?” It’s amazing how God gives you what you need. As I had each baby God gave me more patience and understanding. I’m not perfect and I’m still learning, but I’m less stressed with 8, going on 9, kids than I was with two!! Praise be to God for His wonderful ways!!

I made using a wooden sectioned crate (you could use separate boxes or buckets), plastic play fruit and veggies, and a basket. In this game the kids organized the produce by putting red produce in the box labeled red, yellow produce in the box labeled yellow…etc. Younger kids could take the basket of produce to the wooden crate and sorted them. Older kids tossed the produce into the correct box.

Naomi as “St. Helena of the True Cross” She is such a ham!!