Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real 8

This week was all about working on the Atrium (making materials for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) and potty training Alleluia.

Pretty

In making the Map of Jerusalem, I'm trying to use some old wooden blocks from Russia.  They actually fit pretty well!

Here's the Cenacle (Upper Room) background in process....

Happy

Every time Alleluia filled in a chart with 25 stickers for going potty she earned a trip to a nearby toy store and could pick out something cheap.  We've lived 5 minutes from this place for 9 years now, and every time we go the kids discover something I've never noticed!  Since I'm a toyaholic I enjoy going, too!

They sell Ducky AND Ladybug lockets!

In the end we got some robot stickers for $1.99.  Sure beats buying diapers!

Funny

The funniest line this week is something I don't have a photo for.  After getting some school supplies for Peel and Chop (going into 3rd and 6th grade), Chop said, "I LOVE new school supplies.....I just hate going back to school!"  I remember feeling that way.  It's been a good summer!

Everything--from half-eaten food to popcorn to clouds in the sky--looks like something these days.  I think this was supposed to look like a hedgehog?!?  (according to Alleluia)

Real

The Atrium is coming together and I'm finding things I've collected or made over the years to put in the space.  Calligraphy and copying the psalms is part of the work children do in an Atrium, so I made something at a workshop last year as an example.

Can't go wrong with the psalms!

Can't go wrong with awesome stickers!

The Good Shepherd box was given to me by a Montessori teacher a few years ago.

The Bible was a gift for our wedding, the icon is from Russia and the prophet statue was recently carved out of a large piece of wood by our Taekwando teacher.  It truly takes a community to put together an Atrium!

Baptism materials.  This potty training doll is being re-purposed....

I bought these praying children figures years ago at a garage sale and the brass bell was a gift from my Montessori mentor at Belmont University.