Super Cool Side Effect of Homeschooling

I feel giddy. I feel elated. I feel ready to just role and revel in the festivity of the season. Why? Because our Classical Conversations group just wrapped up for the year! We have over a month off! I wanted to jump and skip on the way out to our van after the last class ended. Do I love CC? Absolutely! I do! But I also relish the opportunity to shift into vacation mode. I think I may be more excited than my kids are for Christmas break! Basically, we are now free to be random and less scheduled and we can fill our days a bit differently. If we want to watch a movie at 11 a.m. in our jammies-WE CAN! If we want to stay up late and sleep in-WE CAN. Well, hypothetically we could. I have a couple of early risers that have yet to discover the joys of sleeping in, so that probably won't happen. Sure, we will still do some school stuff, but we will also have extra time for lots of fun stuff. There is just something about a change in the routine that feels good. I anticipate that come January we will be ready for the structure and routine of CC once again, but for now, WHOO-HOO, it is Christmas break!!!

Only A Mother Could Love

You know that saying, “A face only a mother could love.” Well, I recently encountered the bibs only a sentimental mother would want to hang on to. I was cleaning out my towel and bib drawers. There they were. Faded, ripped and stained. The bibs that my babies wore. No longer used and taking up space in a drawer that needed to fit other things.

They needed to be weeded out. Most of them needed to go. Some were completely worn out. A few of the nicest ones could be saved, for visiting little people. Other than that they needed to be thrown away. As I looked at the soiled, worn out bibs, an ache filled my heart. Tears filled my eyes. I could recall each of my babies wearing these bibs. I could recall the outfits they came with. I could recall who gave me each one.

When M came into the room and saw my tear-filled eyes and the pile of stained, torn bibs in my hand, a confused look crossed his face. He obviously was not as attached to the bibs as I was. And just to clarify, I was actually attached to the memories that the bibs represented more than to the actual bibs. But actual items often trigger memories and in this case a pile of worn out baby bibs were a physical item that reminded me of sweet times when my babies were tiny and learning to eat. A time that is now past. A time that is sweet to recall.

It brings joy to me to watch my children grow older. I thoroughly enjoy each stage and welcome the next one as it comes. But every once in awhile, I recall memories with fondness and an ache in my heart. I remember the feel of my sweet babies in my arms or of feeding a baby and watching their happy food-smeared face. I remember those things with the knowledge that that time is done and gone. An ache and a nostalgia come into my heart. It is both a physical and emotional sensation, a mother’s love, that even a pile of used up bibs can trigger.

Bits and Pieces

Looking for a unique, hand-built in the USA, Christmas gift? Check out the goods at Red Rooster Trading Company.

Looking to learn about some awesome women of history? Read this!

Like music? Like free, or pay what you can? Check out NoiseTrade! Thanks to Noise Trade I now have a bunch of great, new Christmas music to start the season.

Not sure how to talk with people about homeschooling? This post has some great tips. Don't miss the comments. There are more good ideas there.

Today

Homeschooling can be draining. I am home all day and much of that time is spent teaching or doing necessary chores. The fun projects often get put off until another day. Teaching is fun to me, but it is also work. Hard work. It takes more discipline and patience than I posses.

But today. Today was a snowy, cozy winter day. We went through our typical school schedule and this afternoon I spent some time reading to the kids. As I closed the last book a thought hit me. I just got to spend time reading poetry and discussing theology with my kids. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. All the hours and struggles with teaching reading, writing and arithmetic are so worth the moments of poetry and theology!

The Surprise by Sylvia van Ommen

During quiet time I regularly direct the kids to, "Go get a book to read." L often replies, "I can't read." To which I reply, "Pick a book and read the pictures, honey."

I recently found this book at our local library's on-going book sale. There are no words, except for the title. This sweet story is told entirely through pictures. It is a story of kindness and friendship that is well told through the illustrations.

Books without words can spur a variety of creative approaches. They can be looked at as is. Children can create their own story to go along with the pictures. We often find ourselves discussing all sorts of potential story plots and twists that could accompany the pictures. Two of our other favorite no-words books are Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins and Pancakes For Breakfast by Tomie dePaola.

Empty-Handed

A-"Mom, when I get married I don't want to be left empty-handed."

Me-"Ummm, what do you mean, Buddy?"

A-"You know, not know anything. So that is why I want to help you cook and do stuff around the house. So that when I get married, I will know how to do stuff."

Good plan, future man!

Moments like these make me smile and remind me of how much I love being a mom.

Shoebox time!

H

Pictures are so great because they don't show the arguing and fighting that took place in preparing the shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. These pictures just show joyful children preparing a thoughtful gift.

This year the shoebox preparation was delegated to the kids. They used their own money, shopped and put together this box. But the fighting and arguing that went on in arriving at this beautiful last photo was ridiculous. The chaos is all part of the process though. Working with other people can be tough! Even for adults, or maybe I should say especially for adults...

So, I consider this task a success. Not only did they end with smiles and a completed shoebox, they learned a bit more about teamwork, compromise and a little bit about living out this:

[3] Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

(Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)

I hope they learned a bit about how even conflict and tensions can end well. I think the main benefit, for my kids, is learning to work together with love and grace. Sending off a shoebox is easy (easy, peasy, pumpkin squeasy-as we say in our house), but lovingly working with those you live with, now that is a real, daily challenge!

Bring on the Winter Holiday!

When I first heard that our Classical Conversations group would be taking off the entire month of December, I wasn't sure what we would do with all that time off. We typically work on school right through the month of December, taking days off here and there to take part in holiday festivities. So, having the entire month off...how would I keep everyone occupied and busy? Now that we are 10 weeks into CC, I have a list of "Things I Want To Do During My Winter Holiday."

CC has been fabulous, but also has made some fabulously full days and weeks. I adore that we are covering so many subjects. We are all learning a great deal. I feel we are making more progress than we ever have in our schooling journey. I am so grateful for our CC group. But I am also left with very little extra time. It is worth it. Yes, it sure is worth it, but now I am so thankful for the month off that I have to look forward to and to the long summer we will have. When life feels overly full and busy I start dreaming about the month of December.

My list for how I plan to occupy our time in December:

• playing some math-based games
• continuing doing math lessons
• continuing reading lessons
• watching some documentaries (we have a large number of documentaries in our Netflix queue that are just waiting to be watched)
• working on the old door that will...hopefully...be the headboard for my bed...some day
• continuing with The Story of The World
• reviewing our CC memory work
• oh yeah, it will be December, so we will also be decorating
• baking goodies
• and reveling in the joy of Advent
• organizing and cleaning out-another December tradition
• making some homemade gifts
• mailing gifts
• wrapping gifts
• hanging out and relaxing
• driving around to look at Christmas lights

What I am most looking forward to is the relaxed pace. As much as I thrive on a schedule, a bit of a break from the typical routine is wonderful!

Making Pasta

A couple of years ago, a friend passed on a pasta making machine to me. We recently dug it out and gave it a try. It worked very well! Homemade noodles won't replace store bought noodles in our home, but they are a fun treat every once in awhile. Maybe when the chickens kick into full gear with their egg production we will make more pasta. I have a feeling we will be looking for ways to use up all those eggs, but until then...

The Process of Saying Goodbye

I posted previously about my grandma passing away. In the days that followed the phone call communicating her loss to me. I grieved and reflected on some favorite memories of my grandma. Some reflection was very purposeful, my concentrated effort to recall sweet memories. Other reflections seemed to randomly float into my mind as I went about my daily tasks.

On the way to her graveside service, I had a rough spot on a fingernail. It reminded me of how my grandma ALWAYS had a nail file with her. They were stashed all around her house and she had them in her purse, in pockets of jackets. That simple memory made me smile.

The pillows on my couch spurred thoughts of Grandma since they were made with the sewing machine she passed on to me. They were made with buttons that came along with the sewing supplies I received from her. The day I found out she was gone, I opened my box of sewing supplies to get something and there were her baskets of neatly labeled and organized buttons.

I thought of the amazing pies she used to make. The best EVER. I remembered how I had asked her for the recipe and she told me she didn't have one, but that I could watch her make one. I did watch one time. But I couldn't capture the process into words. She made it by feel, by look, by intuition. And every one turned out perfectly. I conclude that those pies were her art. I could no more copy one than I could copy, by hand, a beautiful painting. What I could do was create my own. I could find what worked for me to make a delicious pie. I have to let go of her creations. They are now just a dear memory. But I move ahead and embrace the opportunity to create my own. I can't carry on her recipe, but I can carry on the spirit of desire to make something delicious for the ones I love.

Polyester. My grandma loved polyester. I mean her closet was PACKED full of polyester options. And she managed to look good in it. She made many of her own clothes and they lasted years and always looked nice on her. How did she manage to pull of polyester so well? I am not sure. But she did. And in spite of my grandpa's years of chain smoking (he passed away many years ago) she never ignited. That in itself is something of a miracle.

In our school room/play room I have a couple of pillows that my grandma crocheted. I also have a small blanket that she made of scrap yarn. It is multi-colored and covers the footstool that goes with the chair in that same room. It certainly isn't the most stylish blanket, but I love it. I know that my grandma's hands created it.

My mind swirled with memories and reflections. My dad asked me to go to the funeral home to finalize the funeral details with him. I love that he asked me to go. I meant so much to me to be able to do that. It also made me grateful that Grandma's funeral was preplanned. What a blessing! It made the process so much easier to have all the major decisions made. I came home and told M, only half jokingly, that we should pre-plan our funerals. Although, since M deployed recently, we had to go over most of that prior to his deployment.

As hard as it was to loose Grandma, her death was expected. She had lived a long full life. The thought of having to make all the funeral decisions in the midst of a tragic loss or unexpected death would be overwhelming. And the cost of a funeral can be huge. It was wonderful to have those major decisions already made. When we arrived at the funeral home we were able to give information for the obituary and finish up a few other details such as times for the viewing and graveside service. It was so simple. And simplicity is a blessing during a time of loss.

In preparation for the viewing, I explained to the kids how the part of Grandma that laughed, talked, smiled and held them was gone. L, wide eyed, questioned, "Her arms are gone?!?" Ummm, no, not exactly. How to explain the soul? It is not an easy concept to explain. But we worked on it. And the kids still ask questions about that even a couple weeks out. I guess understanding the concept of the soul is a lifelong task. I am still working on understanding that one.

The evening of the viewing M was caught in traffic on his way home from work. Which meant we were in the viewing room, which was really like a comfortable living room, except that it had the coffin with my grandma's body in it, for almost two hours. When M phoned to tell me about the traffic situation we had already been at the funeral home for good while. I wasn't sure how the kids would hold up for much longer, but they did great. The boys read a book with my mom, L played with some toys on the floor, occasionally pausing to go peek in the casket. At one point she peeked and said, to no one in particular, "She's still dead!" And then she went back to playing. They were able to process and say their final goodbyes in a slow, relaxed way.

I recall M commenting on how good it was for the kids to be a part of that process. And he was right. It was good for them. And it was good for me. It was a good reminder that kids can handle hard things. They just need to be able to process hard things in a loving, patient environment. My first reaction would have been to hurry them in and out. Since M was delayed, that wasn't an option. The waiting allowed the kids to say goodbye in a relaxed way. They weren't rushed through it.

When I was growing up, death touched our family a number of times. I recall the losses of both grandpas, two uncles and two great grandmas all before I was 14. Some deaths were tragic and unexpected. Others weren't entirely unexpected. Death was a very real part of life. Painful and real. My parent's, wisely, opted not to shielded me from the reality of loss. There is a delicate balance of including children in difficult realities in a way that protects them from realities that are too big and painful from them, but also equipping them so that they are able to grow and cope with difficult things.

The day after the viewing was the graveside service. It poured rain, but the service went well. Afterward we went out to eat Chinese food at a restaurant we had often eaten at with my grandma. The kids are still asking occasional questions about Great-Grandma. We answer the best we can. Often facing the inadequacy of our answers. Some things in life just don't make sense. Answering all these questions is easier in many ways because my grandma was elderly. Her body was worn out. I dread the thought of having to face these questions and emotions if we were to face a tragic death. It is easier to face all of this in light of a death that is sad, but not debilitating. Yet I hope that striving to face this present situation will strengthen us and help us to face whatever God sees fit to bring into our lives.

Written October 29, 2010.

It’s A Wrap

This was first posted on October 2, 2007.

Well, really it is just the beginning of my posts on Christmas, but I am writing about gift wrap. Up front, I must acknowledge that I really enjoy a beautifully wrapped package. It is almost a gift in and of itself to get a beautiful package. I will never fully give up using gift wrap with extra goodies for decoration. That said, this post will focus on alternatives to wrapping paper.

Why? As much as I enjoy a beautifully wrapped package, each December when I see the load of gift wrap that goes into our garbage can, I can’t help but think that I would like to reduce the amount of gift wrap that we use. I also like to save money and gift bags and gift wrap can cost as much as a container, or other alternative wrap, that the receiver of the gift can actually use instead of tossing. Plus, alternative coverings for gifts can be lots of fun. I enjoy seeing items successfully used for things other than their intended purpose. It puts a smile on my face to get a gift that is wrapped in an attractive and unexpected way.

If this is a new idea to you, consider using alternatives for a portion of your holiday gifts this year. Try it and see how it works out!

Here are some ideas for reducing or even eliminating the use of wrapping paper:

• Use a reusable shopping bag to place a gift in, click on the links because I am not talking about tossing a present into a plastic produce bag. The receiver of the gift can use the bag when they shop for groceries. I love these bags, I may order one for my dad, they would also make a great stocking stuffer. Here are some other shopping bags that are worth looking at.
• Reusable gift bags are a good option. Paper ones are great to reuse and I don’t know of anyone who does not reuse theirs. But, consider fabric gift bags. You can buy them or make your own (if you sew, I don’t, but hope to at some point in the future) out of a favorite fabric. If you do make your own, you may want to consider using them for gifts within your immediate family so that you have them to reuse. Making gift bags would be a great project to involve the kids in and they may be more enthusiastic about it if they are involved in making the bags.
  
• Consider making the package or container part of the gift. For example place a gift inside a purse or bag, lunchbox (maybe a great vintage find, or a cute new one), toolbox, bucket (anything from plastic to stainless steel, to an attractive painted one would work), flowerpot (if a person gardens, they can always use another terra cotta flower pot, or there are lots of other options available and many are on sale this time of year), or use a dishtowel tied with a ribbon to contain a gift.
  
• Even very practical containers like a storage tote, garbage can (think of a cute one or a vintage one that can be used by the receiver of the gift) or a mixing bowl can work well to contain a gift.
  
• Baskets are a wonderful for holding presents. They come in all shapes, sizes and styles. And, even an ugly basket can be spray painted a fun color.

Whatever container is chosen, be sure that it is attractive when given as a gift. Tie up the gift with a great bow or with twine or with a scarf or… It is not good to give a junky looking gift. And that leads to my second point, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” Some people just would not appreciate a gift given in a reusable shopping bag or other alternative container. Be thoughtful with that and make sure that the gift suits the person it is for. Maybe a person who would not appreciate a gift given in a reusable shopping bag, would be delighted with a gift that is neatly wrapped with a beautiful kitchen towel and tied up decoratively with a bow.

Be on the lookout for interesting, inexpensive containers that can hold gifts. New items can be purchased for this purpose, but try Goodwill, Craig’s list and garage sales as well. It is sometimes amazing to see the great things that can be found.

This may not be appealing to some people because it is different. But, consider for a moment that decorated wrapping paper was once different. Remember when gift bags were just becoming popular? The point is, all new ideas are “different” at first, but over time they just become normal, the way things are done. If you want to reduce your use of disposable wrapping paper, go for it! Try some alternatives! After awhile it will feel really normal to not use so much wrapping paper.

5 Hours Later!

Each year, around August, sometimes even a bit earlier, I start to think about Christmas gifts. I begin to mull over what gifts I would like to give to my loved ones. My desire to simplify Christmas has grown right along with my desire to give truly meaningful gifts. My ambition is to give gifts that suit the individual or family receiving it. I want to put thought into it and do away with the, "Oh, I will just get this since I have to get something." Starting early helps prevent my feeling pressured and ending up just picking out some random gift as opposed to a well thought out gift.

In years past I have purchased Christmas cards, often bought in an after-Christmas sale and saved for the next year. What can I say, I like a bargain. And I like nice things. If I am savvy and make the sales at the right moment, I can often pick up quality cards at a bargain price.

Last year, for the first time, I bought and sent out photo cards. Why had I not done this sooner? They are economical, attractive and oh-so-simple to send out! Photo and card all in one! Plus photo cards are some of my favorite cards to receive. They look great in my card holder. During the month of December (and slightly beyond) I can quickly glance at my card holder and see the faces of friends and family. Love it! So, I joined the photo card ranks.

Today I sent in the order for our Christmas photo card. In October*. I know, I can't even believe myself. I feel so on top of things. We will see how soon I get them addressed. That may take awhile.

A couple days ago I was browsing photo cards in an attempt to find the cutest card at the best price and I discovered the other photo gifts. Calendars, stickers, stationary, mousepads, oh my! So many choices! Photo gifts can be a great way to give a personalized gift to people who don't need much else. And the options are so fun! The tough part is narrowing down what to actually get. What is practical and useful and what is just, um, not really practical or useful. It is easy to get swept up in the photo gift tide and to start to think some item that isn't such a good idea, really is the best thing I have seen in ages.

For me that meant starting some projects and then waiting a day or two and looking at them again. Having a little space and time gave me perspective. It helped me to see that some items that initially enthused me, really weren't such a great idea. I will refrain from listing actual items that seemed a waste of time and money to me, because maybe someone else really likes them and I don't want people to feel all weird if they have that item. And maybe an item just doesn't work with what I was trying to do, but really is a good quality gift item.

Today, I sat in front of my computer for over 5 hours, not counting picking up kids, miscellaneous interruptions, stopping to set out a snack for the kids..., creating personalized gifts. My back aches from the chair I have sat in and my mind is trying to absorb how much time I spent creating the "perfect" gifts I was working on. But those gifts are still a great deal. Had I gone shopping at the mall or some other place, I could have easily been gone 5 hours, spent more money and still not come away with nicely personalized gifts. For me this was a great way to get some Christmas shopping done.

*This was written on October 29th. My cards were ready for pick up at my local Costco the next day! Talk about fast!

Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit…

This was posted almost two years ago, but cooking dried beans is the One Change Per Month topic for November! So, here it is! This is still how I prepare out beans. I did add a bit more, such as more detail on how I rinse beans.

Alison asked how I do beans, so I decided to share how I prepare them. It is all very unscientific and doesn’t involve much measuring, so hopefully it will still be helpful. Comments are welcome on other tips and ideas! But here is what I do and why…

I prefer to buy organic, so that requires creativity to stay within the budget we have set for food. Staying in budget and buying organic is what motivated me to start buying dried beans and using them instead of canned-it is waayyy cheaper to do it that way. But, convenience is also a necessity. A few years back, I heard a lady mention that she cooks up dried beans until they are half cooked and then freezes them. That motivated me and I began experimenting.

I buy dried beans (obviously), rinse and sort (this removes and dirt and pebbles that may be in with the beans-don’t skip this, usually there aren't pebbles in my beans, but a chipped tooth isn’t worth it, so rinse and glance over the beans as you rinse them.) and then soak them. To rinse, I placed the beans in a colander and run water over them. I scoop up a handful, rinse them well and put them in the container to soak. I continue to do this until all the beans are rinsed.

After the beans are in the container they will soak in, add fresh water. Cover the beans well because they will absorb a good deal of water. I soak my beans in the fridge overnight or sometimes for a couple of days-if something comes up and life gets busy. They do just fine. Then, before cooking, I drain them, fill a soup pot with fresh water and put the beans in there.

The amount of beans and water used doesn’t matter too much, just make sure that the water covers the beans well and that the pot doesn’t run out of water. Water can be added while cooking, but it is a bit easier to just add plenty of water at the beginning. By now I eyeball it. I also add salt to the beans and water. I used to not add salt, but they are much better tasting with salt. Again, I don’t have an amount. Maybe a teaspoon or more to a pound of dried beans? That is a guess. Play around see what works. Salt can also be added to recipes later if more is needed.

Bring the beans to a boil, once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer until the beans are soft-this can take a long time. I cook mine until they are all the way done. This makes it easier to use them in salads, on nachos… It is just as easy to soak and cook up two different kinds of beans at the same time, but in different pots. To test for doneness, take a spoon and press bean between the spoon and the side of the pot to see how soft it is. Or eat one and see how it is. Remember if they taste bland, they need salt.

When the beans are done, drain in a colander, rinse with cold water to cool off the beans. Then put into a container. Freezer bags work really well with a fairly thin layer of beans in them. If using a freezer bag, make sure the beans freeze with the beans laid out flat throughout the entire bag and not all clumped together in the bottom. The bags can be stacked in the freezer and don’t take up very much space.

To use, thaw beans on the counter but, make sure they don’t sit out too long at a warmer temperature, beans can cause food poisoning if not handled properly. Or thaw in the fridge or by rinsing with warm water. Sometimes only half a bag of beans are needed, if that is the case, the bag of frozen beans can be banged on the counter to break up the beans. Then just pour out what is needed. Since my beans are all cooked, once thawed, they are all ready for salads, burritos, soup, quesadillas… Bean dip can even be made by running the beans through the blender or food processor and adding spices.

Black beans, pinto beans and red (kidney) beans are the types typically in my freezer. White beans are new for me and they are very good. Beans are inexpensive, delicious and healthy. My kids love them. And when stored in the freezer, they are a convenient food that can be prepared quickly.