+J.M.J.+ After a long Advent full of anticipation and preparation, our family is so ready for Christmas come December 25th! In trying to make our home and domestic church mirror our actual church, we celebrate the Christmas season with full force, trying to make each day special. I find it helpful to map out Christmas [...]
+J.M.J.+ I had never been to a Christmas Eve Midnight Mass until just a few years ago; neither had Ethan. It had never been a part of either of our family's traditions growing up. When Ethan was no longer a teacher with a great Christmas break schedule and we were far from family living in [...]
+J.M.J.+ We use Mother of Divine Grace as the base of our homeschool, with just a few swaps. I discuss Mother of Divine Grace and classical education in this post found here if you are interested in reading more. Here is a roundup of what we are using for First Grade with Philomena this year. [...]
+J.M.J.+ Incredible memories don't have to come with exorbitant price tags. I think Instagram posts showing families headed off to a beach vacation a few states away, or some big Disney Cruise can make us feel like a really memorable summer vacation has to be long, far away, and expensive. While these trips may make [...]
+J.M.J.+ When you talk homeschooling, the first question usually asked is "What curriculum are you using?"Seton Home Study School is probably the most popular programs in the United States amongst Catholic homeschoolers. My mother used it for my entire education growing up, so when someone asks me the curriculum question now they are surprised I [...]
+J.M.J.+ Our family has made two major moves in the last three years. We went from Ohio to Nebraska, and then Nebraska to our now permanent home in South Dakota. I was asked what it has been like making friends - it seems like the older you get the harder it can be to meet [...]
+J.M.J.+Pulled pork is often incredibly dry, relying on copious amounts of barbecue sauce in the final product to try and compensate. I have come up with a delicious recipe that is incredibly flavorful and moist. Seriously, this is the best pulled pork we have ever had. First up will be the recipe, followed by step [...]
I have long wanted to make family photo albums - not fancy scrapbooks with all sort of fun stickers and notations - just plain old photo albums. My parents used to develop all of the film from the family camera once a year and do a massive sorting of the photos, putting them into albums [...]
+J.M.J.+ I am all for less-is-more with gifts. I'd rather find one or two quality items or experiences that actually bring joy or function to the recipient, rather than buying a bunch of random junk so there is "stuff" to unwrap. With inflation and instability rampant right now, remember that "things" may not be what [...]
+J.M.J.+ How to handle taking children to Holy Mass is often a challenge for parents to navigate, as well as a polarizing topic amongst Catholics. Obligatory disclaimer: I am not writing this judging other parents and how they handle their children at Mass, or trying to say this is the best way to handle taking [...]
The Natural Catholic Mom 