Saturday, July 15, 2017

{This and That} :: Announcements!

I actually have a bunch of posts in drafts almost ready to go, but for now, you get back-to-back {This and That} posts so that I can share some happy announcements!

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First and most importantly for me: Baby Damien Ambrose arrived on Sunday!


Six days late, after a few days of prodromal labor, he arrived with one push and much relief at 9:53am on the 9th!  We decided on his name a couple hours after he was born and entrusted him to two favorite saints: St. Damien of Molokai and St. Ambrose of Milan.  Thank you so much for your prayers.


We got home Monday, had the baptism Wednesday, and spent the rest of the week resting -- as much as one can with nine kids in the house!



Well, some of us spent the week resting. Some of us spent the week bickering over whose turn it was to hold the baby.  At least it's a worthy issue to fight over!  I tried to point out that he isn't going anywhere and that there would be many days, weeks, years to hold him. They didn't seem to think that was any reason to stand down.

 




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More exciting news: early registration is now open for CM West :: Conference in Old San Juan!


Our 2018 Northern California event will be February 8-10, at a peaceful retreat center nestled in the rolling hills of old San Juan Bautista, just a few miles from the Mission.

This early registration window is your chance to either put down a fully-refundable deposit to secure a spot before general registration opens in October OR complete your full registration at a discount.

This conference sold out quickly last year, so if you think you'd like to join us this February, click on over for more details!

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Last but not least: my good friend Dawn Duran has published a new resource for Charlotte Mason families and groups.  It's called Swedish Drill Revisited, and it's the work of years of research into Miss Mason's methods combined with Dawn's own experience as a physical therapist and educator.  She has implemented Swedish drill with her own children and in a co-op setting, and has shared her thoughts on the method as well as many how-to resources at Afterthoughts over the past year.  Now she has turned all that information (and more) into a user-friendly, hyper-linked e-book!  I'm hoping to do a thorough review once I have had a chance to try it out with my children, since drill is something that has always looked like fun but has never gotten off the ground here.  Now with Dawn's guide, I'm thinking I can make that happen.  If you're interested in reading more, head over to Afterthoughts Shoppe and take a peek!

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I told you how excited I am about In Memoriam last week; this week, I'm excited about all the posts people are writing in response to the perspective it sheds on Miss Mason and her work. A couple great examples so far:

The Delightfully Casual Element of Nature Study by Naomi (so pleased to read this since our own studies are quite casual but, so far, quite wondrous and valuable too!)
In Memoriam: Fellowship and Common Ground by Karen Glass (one in a series -- and I couldn't agree more!)

I'm hoping to write about some juicy tidbits I have discovered so far in In Memoriam...when I get the chance. ;)

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Have a great weekend!

12 comments:

  1. Congratulations! What a delightful family. <3

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  2. Congratulations, he is another jewel in your family! Lots of love x

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  3. I absolutely love all the pictures of the kids holding Damien!! And I really think that someday you should make a wall collage with the pics of the kids in front of the door. That would be so much fun to stare at!

    I am also really looking forward to Dawn's Drill ebook. I've never gotten anywhere with drill either, but I sure would like to! I think it'll have to wait just a little bit though... :-) But maybe for Term 2??

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    1. Yeah, I'm not planning on attempting this for Term 1. I have a feeling a lot of things are going on my start-in-Term-2 list. ;)

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  4. So glad to hear Baby Damien Ambrose has arrived! Such sweet pictures! Congratulations! And I have to admit, Swedish Drill is something that I haven't looked much into...we do some other things for physical education. But I do hope to read more of what Dawn has written about Swedish Drill on Brandy's blog. Probably more of a Term 2 thing for me too. ;)

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    1. Thanks, Karen! And yes, same here -- we do other things for PE, which is why I haven't look into it very carefully in the past. What intrigues me from my conversations about it with Dawn is how drill has to do with attention and precise action more than with activity -- like with everything else, it ends up being more character forming than anything. Anyway, I'm going to look through this resource and see whether it's something I think we can incorporate. And I think it would be *particularly* fun in groups!

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  5. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you all! He is just beautiful and oh my goodness, that picture of the nine of them! What an incredibly sweet and beautiful family. Praying for you for a smooth recovery and transition into a family of eleven :) ((Hugs))

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  6. Congratualtions Celeste & and family! Lovely photos.

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  7. How did you end up liking Sweedish Drills Revisited?

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    1. It is great! We are working through the second volume now. All my kids enjoy it!

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