Confirmation.

During May, Tom started his confirmation preparation with our parish priest. Tom and I have been for lessons for the last three Thursdays. We are working our way through the book Sacrament of Confirmation Catechetics by Fr. Peter Murphy. It is a great program and is preparing Tom for the sacrament really well.

Today we also watched this video:



For his saint, Tom has chosen St. Dominic Salvio.

This weekend, Tom and I will go to Whyalla to buy fabric for some new pants, a good shirt and jacket to wear. Maybe just this once, I can finish them before the day he is confirmed. It has become tradition for me to be putting finishing touches on outfits just a couple of hours before they are due at the church.

He will be confirmed on the 16th of June by Bishop O'Kelly. Between now and then, we will be praying this prayer each day for Tom.

I have also added the Prayer to the Holy Spirit to my sidebar.

What has happened at our house in May?

Life has been busy busy busy during May for us and I have been reliant on my diary more so than any other time in my life. June is shaping up to be just as busy but I am feeling pretty confident with my diary usage been much better than it has been at any other time, that it will be manageable.

In May, Amelia turned 11. We had a Saturday afternoon party. She had about 10 friends over. It was a great afternoon.

Brigette also had a birthday. She turned 15. She decided she didn't want to have a party this year because she wants to have a 16th. I hope she doesn't want anything too big.

Joseph has been doing lots of therapy for his leg. We had a trip to Adelaide for him to see the Rehab specialist. Joseph is going to have botox treatment for his left hemiplegia in June. We are having another block of physio with a couple of physio students this month on Fridays.

Christopher has also started speech therapy. There is still a lot of sounds that he doesn't seem to be able to say clearly. At the sessions, it is really obvious that he is progressing well but I still have to remind him often at home when he doesn't say words correctly. If he has a second shot at them, he can usually say them very well.

I have meet a couple of home school families in Port Augusta. We have started to get together fortnightly for the children to socialise and the mums to have a chat. It is great to have some other families here for support. Sometimes home schooling can seem like you are all alone in the world so this group has been a gift from God for me.

Thanks for visiting.

Therese.

I'm back.

Hi Everyone,

Been away for just over a month. I wanted to take a break and pray about social networks and where they all fit into my life.

I love blogging and keeping up with other people's blogs. I think that since Joseph was born though, life just seemed to busy to keep up with all the blogs I was before and I felt a bit torn between not posting enough or not reading other people's blogs enough.

Since I love it so much though, I do want to continue doing it. I also want to have more contact with friends that I have made through blogging and keep up with their news too.

After a month away, I have decided to try and post three times a week. This is not too big a commitment and gives me time to still keep up with other blogs.

I have also started a facebook page for my blog here:

http://www.facebook.com/AussieCoffeeShop

I will post links to all my posts and write updates about our family too.

Therese.

Tasty Tuesday: Fruit buns.

This is a recipe I use often. The children and Steve love them and they are pretty easy to make. This recipe is a hot cross bun recipe I just don't put the crosses or glaze on and call them fruit buns.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups milk
7grms yeast
1 tspn caster sugar
1 egg
60grms butter melted
4 cups flour
1.5 cups mixed fruit.
1 tbspn all spice
1/2 tspn salt
2 tbspns caster sugar (extra)

Method:

Heat milk in microwave for about 50 seconds.
Add yeast and 1 tspn of caster sugar
put to the side until foaming.

Put flour, mixed fruit, spice, salt and extra sugar in bowl.

When milk has foamed, add melted butter and lightly beaten egg.

Mix dough together and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead dough for about 20 minutes. put into a greased bowl and leave in a drought free space for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Put oven onto 200 Celsius when dough has doubled. Turned dough out onto a floured surface again and punch down then knead again. Break dough into 16 even pieces and put into square tin. Put aside for 20 minutes till they are 2 cm higher than before.

Place in oven for 10 minutes and then turn temperature back to 180 c. Cook for a further 20 minutes until buns sound hollow when tapped.

Serve hot or cold. These taste great with butter.

I have also made the dough in our bread maker but the dough comes out stickier and needs more flour added before you punch the dough down.
Therese.

Joseph's new overalls.

He made it hard to get a good shot with all the running around so I took one while he slept.

Thankful Thursday.

Yesterday it was Steve's 20th anniversary of being a Catholic. He was baptised, confirmed and received Holy Communion for the first time at the Easter vigil in 1992.

Over those 20 years, Steve's and my faith have both grown. We have come to appreciate so many good things about the church and all she teaches.

When Steve first joined the church, I knew faith was something I wanted to pass onto our children, but I think I was more motivated by the culture that I had been brought up in than a commitment to God.

One of the things I love about Steve is when he takes on something new, he takes it on 150%. He did this with his new found faith. For a long time before I meet him, he had been reading the bible. He didn't really know if it was true in  his head but he hoped it was. He was waiting for someone to prove to him that it was true.

Hearing about apparitions and hearing about some of the saints that have had miraculous things happen was the proof he needed. He took on following God and the teachings of the church with the same zeal that he took all other things on.

At first I was worried. I didn't want to be to committed to God. It was okay to believe in him and go to church each week but to take on everything the church taught was just too legalistic and extreme.

Steve was a great example to me though. I realised over time, just how much happier he was within himself and how he was a better husband because of his faith and his commitment to God.

So today I give thanks for Steve and his faith in God. I give thanks that he took on the teachings of the church with such zeal and encouraged me too as well. I give thanks for all the church teaches and that she tells us what is right and what is wrong.

Happy anniversary Steve.

Therese.

Wordless Wednesday: Joseph in new bed.

He looks naked but I'd does have a nappy on.

Smart Martha Monday.

On my list last week, I had do Christopher's home school curriculum and to cut out Joseph's overalls.

I cut out Joseph's overalls today but forgot about doing the home school curriculum. I guess I will have to get it done this week since school starts next week.

So this week I am going to do Christopher's home school curriculum and also give Amelia a few sewing lessons.

I hope you all have a great week.

Therese.

Thankful Thursday.

It is Thursday again and time to stop and give thanks for the good things in our lives.

This week we are on school holidays. I am thankful for the extra time with the family. I am thankful that Daniel is here with us and that he bought two of our nephews up to visit.

I am thankful for the extra time to do sewing and baking. Today I made hot cross buns and meat pies. I also sewed some leggings for me.

What are you thankful for today?

Therese.

Wordless Wednesday. Having fun with the cousins.

Smart Martha Monday.

On my list last week, I had to pray the Stations of the Cross each day and to trace some patterns for winter.

I prayed the Stations of the Cross every morning up till Friday

I have traced this kwik sew pattern for Joseph. Going to make him a few denim pairs and if I get the time, may try to get one sewn in corduroy for mass.

I want to get this pattern for him too to go under the corduroy overalls:

 On my list this week, I am going to prepare Christopher's home school program for term two and cut out Joseph's denim overalls. I really hope I will be able to get them sewn too but I don't want to put it on my list incase I run out of time.

I hope you all have a great week.

Therese.

Weekend Wrap Up with the Triduum.

Alleluia. Jesus has indeed risen. 

We have had a wonderful and holy Triduum. 

Thursday night, Steve and I went to Holy Thursday Mass. We took Tom with us but the other children stayed home. Tom processed in with the Chrism oil since he is going to be confirmed this year. 

After mass, I took Tom home and then went back to the church for Adoration. I stayed until 11.00 and it was great to sit in the quiet and be with Jesus. 

Friday morning we were up for Stations of the Cross at 10.00 and then back for the 3.00 service. Catholic's do not celebrate mass on Good Friday. We have the readings, veneration of the cross and communion. The hosts are consecrated at Holy Thursday mass. 

I spent Saturday doing house work and cooking. We made coconut ice and chocolate crackles. 

Today we went to Sunday mass and celebrated the Resurrection. Tom and I did some more cooking in the afternoon and made some pound cakes for the Asylum seekers that are living here in Port Augusta. 

We have two weeks of holidays now and I am looking forward to having some relaxation time. 

I hope you all had a great weekend. 

Therese. 

How to make hot cross buns

How to make hot cross buns: Learn how to master the technique of making hot cross buns for Easter or anytime through the year.

Going to have a go at these buns. I have made them before but this recipe has more spices and fruit in the last one we did.

Holy Thursday.

Can you stay awake just one hour?

Holy Thursday. The day Jesus gave us the Holy Eucharist and was betrayed by Judas. I really love Holy Thursday mass and adoration after.



I hope you all have a blessed Triduum.

My favourite type one diabetes videos.

Smart Martha Monday.

My list last week was to get a control journal together.

I have started one on our computer. I really want to get a folder together sometime though that has all our routines and lists that I have written in to it.

This week I am going to start working on winter sewing. I have an overall pattern for Joseph and some simple knit patterns for Amelia. I want to get them all traced. Amelia is nearly 11 and I haven't really given her any clothes sewing lessons. We have sewn cushions, pillow cases and pencil cases. These holidays I am going to give her a few lessons so I want to get the patterns traced this week.

Since it is Holy Week, I am also going to try and get up early and pray the stations of the cross each morning.

I hope you all have a great week.

Therese.

Weekend Wrap up.

This weekend daylight savings finished so today we had a bit of a sleep in. It was a good weekend to have it. The weather was perfect. It was nice and sunny and not too hot so I got a lot of washing done.

Last night we had a birthday party for Madeline. The day was spent getting ready and doing shopping. Because we had the party, we went to Sunday mass. We usually go on Saturday night so it was a bit of a change to our weekend to go this morning.

This weekend was also 11 years since we started living with type one diabetes. It is time for us to give a donation again to The Faustman Lab to help them in finding a cure for this. Over this week,

There is a lot of differences between type 1 diabetes and type 2.

This link has a lot of information on the differences.

I am hoping to get some posts up this week on the differences and myths that a lot of people believe about diabetes.

This week is Holy Week and the last week of term. I am looking forward to only having 4 days of school and spending extra time at church. I hope you all have a great week.

Therese.

Thankful Thursday

Today I give thanks for Madeline and the blessing she has been to our family for the last 17 years. Happy birthday Madeline. We love you.

Smart Martha Monday.

On my list last week, I had to get  more schedules written up and make my morning routine a hard to break habit.

I did write schedules for morning, school day and evening. I only did  morning routine on Monday and Tuesday since I wasn't well for the rest of the week.

One thing I was thinking about last week, while I was doing my schedules, is Fly lady's control journal.

Even though I have taken on many of fly ladies recommendations, I have never had a control journal. I really need one for me to get everything done that I need to do.

So on my list this week, I am going to start putting together a control journal. Since I have my daily routines written, I am going to start with each different room and what needs to be done in each one.

I hope you all have a good week.

Therese.

Thankful Thursday.

For the last two days, I have had flu symptoms. I didn't sleep that well last night so decided to have a day off today and try and get over it.
My friend Ellie came and picked up Christopher and took him out for the morning.
I jumped into bed with Joseph. I didn't really expect him to sleep but he did so I did too. By 1.00 I was feeling much better but still stayed in bed. I got up at 3.00 when Madeline needed to be picked up from school. After coffee with Steve I was feeling like I could cope with everything again. Steve and I went to pick up Joseph's glasses and then I cgot the children cleaning up while I cooked tea.
So today I am thankful that Christopher had a morning out and for Ellie taking him. I am thankful that Joseph had a sleep and that I did too. I am thankful for Joseph's new glasses and that so far he seems to like wearing them.
What are you thankful for today?
Therese.