Thursday Tea: Crafts and Crumbcakes

Wow, is it Thursday already? This week is flying by!

I admit I was a bit unprepared for our lessons this week, including our weekly tea. This past weekend was so busy with the holiday and all, I didn't do my usual planning ahead. Throw in a short week and a doctor's appointment and I was really off! But, enough excuses ~ between today's feast (The Visitation) and Sunday's (Trinity Sunday), there was much to discuss and celebrate!

Right after lunchtime, I prepared the table for our special craft/snack time - otherwise known as Thursday Tea:

I opened our Marian storybook to the pages about the Visitation, and I also opened Bookworm's Magnifikid for Sunday. I grabbed some supplies and showed the boys how to make construction paper shamrocks - symbols of the Holy Trinity.

Silly me, I had only set out green paper for the shamrocks. Crackerjack wanted red and Bookworm thought purple was a neat choice. All three boys set about tracing, cutting and taping, as I read aloud.

And before long we were ready to hang our colorful creations:

That's a branch I brought in from outside; I livened it up with a silk ivy vine.

We talked about the Visitation, and I asked the boys how it feels when we visit their Damee - more importantly, how they thought those visits make her feel? We thought maybe we could plan to do that more often, say once a month after Mass. We can plan ahead and make something nice to bring her, too - a craft or some goodies.

And speaking of visiting, we have our first house guest arriving this weekend! Bill's sister, fondly known as Aunt Ami around here, will arrive by suppertime tomorrow. The boys are quite excited - so excited they haven't even minded cleaning their room, which will serve as guest room for the weekend.

I was going to print out some of the neat activities I found here, but our printer is not working just now. That's all right, by this point we were ready for snacks:

I read in one of my favorite liturgical idea books that coffee cake is a nice treat to enjoy on the Visitation. It so happened we had three small crumb cakes on hand - and placed together on an Irish plate they looked quite like a shamrock themselves. (Not for long, mind you.) Just behind them is the small vase of freshly picked clover from our yard.

As we finished up our crafts and snacks, I thought about the very kind post that Cindy wrote today at Homeschool Blogger's Community blog, in which she linked to my learning displays. I resolved right then to wipe and polish the table, and put it all back in place for the morning. As you can see we're beginning a dinosaur study just now.

I'm trying to be better about keeping this table neat looking when not in use (and right after use) because lately we've had to take our meals around the kitchen island due to an overrun dining area. Plus I really like having it all arranged and (hopefully inspiring) with books and simple decorations that reflect the season or holiday hand. Above the dinosaur encyclopedia (a gift from Uncle Matt this past weekend) is our liturgical masterpiece for May (to be replaced tomorrow with June's selection). Off to the left and right along the windowsill stand the books we are using this week (as well as a few dinosaur toys - CJ's contribution). Also hanging up on the window at left are some newspaper clippings - I don't normally hang them up in this way, but they did get the boys attention.

For Sunday, I hope to make an upside-down pineapple cake, an idea I got from the book I mentioned above. I've never made one before, but I found an easy recipe here (we'll nix the cherries and use an organic vanilla cake mix). The three pineapple rings placed together will symbolize the Trinity - and the cake will serve as a delicious after-soccer treat. :)

Well, thanks for stopping by, my friends. I hope you had a wonderful Thursday!

Comments

[Cici]

I don't know how you do it Dawn. Lovely again.

[Meredith]

Wonderful!! We had Coffee Cake too, what a beautiful day for a Marian Feast!!! Thanks for sharing your lovely day! Blessings!

[clarice]

Dawn, I love the bird. Did you make it ?? Clarice

[Dawn]

I wish I did, Clarice, but I think I bought it at a craft store for just a dollar or two! :)

[Dani]

Another inspiring post...I wish you would write a book (including all of your photos) or maybe some type of monthly magazine?!!!

[betty]

"Cindy" is absolutely correct! I am proud that she sees and appreciates the time and effort you put into your learning displays. They are AWESOME! I know that we, your visitors, appreciate the love and time and talent going into these projects and thank you for sharing them with us! I love seeing how your little boys seem to enjoy them as well! That's a good thing!

Blessings!