Preparing for Lent

We have been very busy preparing for Lent this year. We have decided to make a Lent Calendar and Lent Folders to help my girls (and myself) in an effort to strengthen our faith! Our Lent calendar marks the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and continues through the end of Lent (evening of Holy Thursday) and through the Triduum and Easter! Since Lent is a time for Prayer, Giving Alms and Fasting these are our plans for this Lenten Season: Each day we have items we must count and we will put the corresponding # of pennies in our rice bowl to be given to the needy at the end of Lent (our church will collect these). We are also picking one item from our pantry each day and putting those in a box (haven't gotten around to setting one up and decorating it) and those will all be donated as well. We have specific prayer intentions we will be making each day during Lent as well. To add to our traditional fasting we have decided to give up candy and sugar items every Sunday (which for us will be quite a sacrifice). I have included pictures of our Lent Calendar and the girls Lent Folder they are in the process of creating (these are called lapbooks or flapbooks). My girls have recently began making these in our homeschooling (history mainly) and they are similar to scrapbooking so it's right up their alley! Well, I must get them some "late" lunch so I will end for now.

Cookies, cakes or sweets anyone???

What a better way to earn some money, but to have a bake sale right? Well, we got together with some friends and decided to have a small bake sale on Valentine's Day. We did great, we earned over $300 and the girls had a great time! We are planning another one just before Easter and maybe will be doing a car wash in March. Hey, we have to find some way to earn the money to keep our kids in gym and horses!!!! Looks yummy huh?

Our latest project!

Well, the sad part about this post is unfortunately we lost poor Bec's goat. Losing an animal is always tough, but we try to take everything that happens in our lives and use it as a learning experience for our kids and this was no exception. We have lost hamsters, birds and even a cat but this was the largest animal we have lost thus far. I think the toughest part was just not knowing what caused it. Unfortunately the more animals you own, the more you will lose...that goes without saying!

Sooo, as if hubby and I don't have enough projects around here this experience gave us the opportunity to take our projects outside and work on something different. We (I say we, but it was really HE) built a nice "bed" for our little goat friends! Yes I said friends, as in plural because they can't be alone; well at least that is what we were told....I think it's a conspiracy to get us to get more animals!!!! Anyhow, yes we took on another goat so our little one wouldn't be lonely (I guess the 2 horses aren't very good company). Sooooo, here is a little pic of our new addition and their "addition"!