Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #30: Share a memory

I have recently realized that my kids know nothing about my past and our family's past that I know and take for granted: my childhood, my wedding day, my cousins, my grandparents, etc. Sometimes they ask me to tell them a story (like Little Red Riding Hood or something...) and I have decided to tell them a story about me or my family instead. 

There is barely anything I still have from my childhood (unfortunately!), but one strange possession I saved and value so much is a little pack of pictures of my barbies and biographies I wrote to go along with them on yellow lined paper. I wrote it in pencil. I went through the painstaking effort of typing it up also so I never lose it and I have copied the PDF link in case anyone is interested (can't imagine... except for my mom ;)... but you never know). 

I thought of this one day during this quarantine because I've had these barbie pictures and stories stored in a box for years and I realized I have a six-year-old daughter who might be interested. She was. She framed the barbie group picture and keeps it in her room. 

I don't remember when I wrote this, but probably when I was about 12 years old. I remember I didn't play with barbies anymore and wanted to remember their stories. I can't remember when I last read it. It was suuuuuuuuuuch a surprise when I read them again with Adelaide. 

What most surprised me was that I had a dream of having a lot of kids. People often ask me if I always wanted to have lots of kids and I always answer no because I didn't know any large families. Apparently God placed this dream in my heart as a child! 

The second most surprising thing was that the husband of the family was... dum dum dum... Daniel. (my husband's name) How creepy is that? 

Third most surprising thing was how many dreams the barbies had that I STILL have: one was an author and one liked giving speeches. 

And I still like Laura Ingalls Wilder and Anne of Green Gables. 

20 years later... some things... a loooot of things!... don't change. 

PDF file here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CLXXQ42gjDrKjGNoJe7ETsHGdLDhpGE0/view?usp=sharing

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #29: FFR Shade Series

Have you heard of Franciscan Friars for the Renewal? I think the first time I saw one was years ago at a TOB symposium and he had a beard before beards were cool. They live the Franciscan spirit in very poor neighborhoods. One called Brother Isaiah is especially musically talented. Look up his song "Struggler" on Youtube, it's one of my favorites. 
Brother Isaiah came out with this new "Shade Series"during this isolation period. They are nice for listening to and praying with. They also started their "Poco a Poco podcast". I listenened to an episode and it was awesome. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #28: Treble clef dot painting

Yesterday Adelaide and Davy had their violin class on zoom and their teacher suggested this activity. We're going to make musical notes (=circles) out of felt and Davy learn two notes and Adelaide a few more through games. 

PS Davy did his with a lot of help from me and Adelaide preferred painting with a paintbrush instead of q-tips. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #27: Be available on the couch

This is the thing I most have difficulty with: just sitting down. Doing what they want to do. Especially if it's playing. Oh Lord, save me from pretend playing! But I do it very rarely and they love it. It's what they most love. 

Luckily, this day they asked me to read to them. That's my favorite. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #26: Photo shoot at home

We had planned on having a special photo shoot at our friend and family photographer's house for Adelaide being 6 years old and Rosie being 6 months old at the same time. Thanks Coronavirus for cancelling our plans. So I tried to take some pictures of Rosie at home. It's not the same thing. But I needed a picture of her without teeth (they are already coming in!) to put on the wall where we have the others of her siblings. Which one do you vote for, #1 or #2? #3 is Adelaide's photo shoot. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #25: Invest in Sunday

So if it weren't for this isolation thing, we wouldn't have tried to make our Sundays more special by dressing up (besides the extra activities we have) .
I am now trying to put on makeup and wear a skirt or a dress on Sundays. Every Saturday night I offer to put Adelaide's hair in rag curls. Have you tried them before? Super easy. Use on damp hair with some gel in it. I have strips cut our if old shorts I've been using for years.

PS I'm planning on continuing this "isolation" series until the end of May. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Article

My first article written in Portuguese!

https://observador.pt/opiniao/uma-tragedia-grega-para-o-8o-ano/

Article

Hello! 

I have an article up: 

Scientism, where is your god now?

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #24: Cloud dough

Cloud dough is like playdough, but it's softer (hence the name) and comes apart more easily. Mix together:

7 cups flour
1 cup oil
(or until it comes together)

I added some chocolate powder to make it look like dirt and hid the bugs underneath. These bugs are one of three safari toobs I bought from amazon.co.uk with Christmas money and I am so glad to have them up my sleeve, especially during this time. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Happy Mother's Day

Today is Mother's day here in Portugal. 

I am thankful for our Mother in Heaven. (our prayer corner above)

I am thankful for my own mother, who was open to having me! Who moved continents and gave me one of the biggest blessings of my life: being born and spending a childhood in the US of A. I am thankful for all the other things she gave me (hardworkingness, love of reading, sensitivity, etc) and continues to give me. See pic above of me as a baby with my mom and sister. 

I am thankful for my mom being a grandmother to her four grandbabies: 

(my mom with Adelaide above)

(my mom with Davy above)

(my mom with Tommy above)

(my mom with Rosie above) 

I am also thankful for the spiritual mothers of our family, my childrens' godmothers. 

Happy mother's day!