Monday Refelections

One reason so many Christians today are worn out and faint is because their lives are complicated.  -- Joyce Meyer

And I begin this long time coming blog post telling you that my life is complicated. Yes. It is.  It's been more than 1 year since my last post, and frankly longer than that since I posted with any frequency.  For those that followed me at one time and have stuck with me, THANK YOU.  Thank you for sticking with me while life has been complicated and I adjust to new normals.  Not Homeschooling doesn't mean I have nothing to blog about because I am still tending my garden.

Later this week I will update in bits and pieces but today I will muse on how to embrace the seemingly disorganization that life has been for the last 3-4 years.  It really hasn't been any more disorganized than before.  Adding Gram to the mix changed things a bit, which I am sure to touch on how having your mother in your home can add its onset of complications, but that is for another day.  I pray your gentle friendship will allow me those times and these times.  :-)  

On the home front, we are currently moving things around and Gram has agreed to divest our home of many small items that stack up and create a big mess, of course, a family of four with the gene for hanging onto things long past their use is difficult.  I made the hard choice last night to toss all of Bear's old birthday cards.  Really, what was I keeping them for?  You would be very proud of my resolve.

I have been using Sunday's to mentally plan the big anchor tasks for the week and menu ideas.  This week we are having:

• Lasagna 
• Hobo Meal (Potatoes and Beans with Franks)--it sounded good.
• Goulash
• Breakfast
• Pizza--  Because Friday should always be Pizza right?

That is a lot of meal planning for me.  In the past, I have tried to create 4-6 weeks of rotating meals, and it has proven a headache and unsustainable.   I know my limitations! Instead of viewing this as a failure I decided to adapt and do what does work with my life, my abilities, and my family.  Welcome Sunday week planning.  I am not micro-planning, but planning my anchor tasks, and then each night I am planning the large things the next day and keeping my lists short.  This is working for me and if you are finding planing and keeping to task is proving to be hard this might help you.  I will try to post a VLOG post talking about this soon!  ;-)

For now, Happy Tending!
Kim

Fulfilled?

As I go forward on the quest for my "Mother Culture Sweet Spot" I am forced to examine a few things.  One of those things is "how do I take care of me?" 

BAM!  There it is.  Out in the open for all eyes to see.  The $100 question.  one of the most controversial topics there is in Mommyland. 

Ok, a little ranting on my part.....

We see mothers, as a society, as women who never think of themselves.  We see Motherhood as a "lot in life"....  Yes, we do; and we approach it far to often with an air of foreboding.  What we look forward to with anticipation and excitement when we first discover we are pregnant quickly turns to the idea that a little being has now attached itself to us and robbed us of our freedom along with draining us of all individuality. 

Oh Motherhood.... you dreadful lot in life...  Or at least society wants us to view motherhood as losing freedom, personhood, and individuality.  Motherhood is viewed as the end of a road and never would we tell a young girl it was a vocation she could do if she wanted.  When was the last time a highschool guidance counselor said a girl could be housewife and mother if she wanted to be?   Hang on....  we tell the young girl that she may will be a mommy one day, but we don't consider motherhood a viable "vocation."  We tell our daughters that they can be a mom AND something else... anything else but JUST A MOM. 

Does Motherhood rob the woman's soul?  Nope, and the mother that allows this to happen is doing a grave disservice to her family and herself.  The woman that looks upon her children as robbing her soul is a shell of a woman because she isn't allowing herself the room to find the joy in the "Mother Culture" that exists for each of us.

Society says that to gain control of her mind the mom needs to work; that a real woman must work to find fulfillment.  Lets look at this with open eyes..... 

Up at 6 am (or 4:30 am if you do shift work like I use to), rushing around, maybe bundling a baby or toddler up in blankets and rushing out into the frigid air to start the cold car (maybe scraping windows or removing snow).  Then you find yourself driving to a daycare or grandparents house and depositing the child.  While rushing back to the car you are surrounded by screams of "Mommy" and teary eyes haunt the rest of your drive to work.

At work you might face, if you're lucky, a pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.  Maybe you have meetings to attend, letters to write, reports to generate, or maybe you have angry patients or customers ready to scream at you for problems you didn't create.  Yes, this feels like fulfillment....  If you do make a mistake someone is real quick to tell you.  Unlike your child who might say in a sweet innocent voice, "Oh well, accidents happen" you can listen, in your fulfilled woman way, to a LOUD boss bark and threaten your livelihood, or worse pass judgment and make innuendos about your inability to do what they want.  I mean, you read minds ... right?  In threatening that, not only are they attacking your job performance, but they are tearing down your sense of self.  Trust me, I know.  I was a full time working wife and mom.  (I could be again if God deemed it so I am not trying to be holier than thou.)  This is the face of the fulfilled mom...

Yeah, fulfilled.  The only way a woman can be fulfilled is to work and satisfy her need for intellectual stimulation outside the home.  She MUST only be stimulated intellectually by other grownups and working 8-12 hours a day...... She must only find fulfillment when working for someone else.  If a woman says she is fulfilled and loves being a wife and mom she is deemed dimwitted and socially inept.  Yep.....  I know its true.  I was there once.

Oh how wrong this is.  How degrading such thoughts are to "Mothers" and the culture of motherhood.  Why do we wonder at how we have lost the concept of the "Mother Culture" when faced with this? 

Thus, in the midst of this search for my "Mother Culture Sweet Spot" I am examining how I take care of myself so that I might be a better wife and mom.  How do I take care of me?  Being a good wife and mom doesn't not mean neglecting yourself.  You need to take care of yourself so that you continuing to be inspired.  Maybe you get inspired from reading a good book, or gardening?  Do it!  Maybe you are able to relax and refocus when you are painting or drawing during a quiet time.  Do it!

The first step we are going to undertake is taking a Sabbath day.  Sabbath was made for mankind.  God gave us the Sabbath day of rest so that we could relax, refocus, and reenergize. 

I am at fault.  I see a day off as a day to get caught up on blogging, sewing, cleaning, preparing for the week ahead...  How is the Sabbath a day of rest and calming a day of peace when I am busy trying to get caught up?  This is the first step we are taking as a family.  We might hike, explore, read, relax, putter doing something we enjoy, but it will be about rejuvenating our hearts and souls so that we can focus on God, family, and being better people.  It will not be about getting caught up.

When I take care of me, I will begin to find that path toward my "Mother Culture Sweet Spot." 

I plan to read for pleasure.  Besides my Bible, I want to have 2 or 3 books beside my bed.  Each evening I can read the one I feel like reading that evening, but getting back to reading for pleasure is a must. 

We already try to do 20-30 minutes of quiet time each day, and we will continue that.  I also want to continue to use 30 minutes or so early in the morning for me to have time reading my Bible and thinking about my day.  This means getting up early, but its a nice habit that I have missed being able to do. 

So here I am heading down a road that hasn't been traveled in a while;  this road to the "Mother Culture" and finding my sweet spot is important for each mother.  Maybe you work, maybe you don't...  regardless you can find your "Mother Culture Sweet Spot."  I hope that you enjoy traveling this road with me.   

Its on my side

Time that is.  I have time to change and refocus.  We all do; we just have to take the steps needed to get there. 

I struggle to get a handle on time.  Some days I seem to have it down pat and other days... well....  I seem to let it slip away but I do have some methods that generally work when I indeed follow through.

• No computer in the AM.  It really helps.  I'd even go so far as to say no media days are needed in every home in America.  Now, do I always do this?  No, but when I do I find I get more things done.
• Keeping the house picked up.  This is everyone's chore.  It really is.  We have goals to do this and sometimes we do it and sometimes we fail.  our goal is picking it up at night before we go to bed so we wake up and can get about our business.  Do you have routines like this in your home?
• Plan meals ahead and make sure that all the needed ingredients are on hand.  Oh this can save hours!  Really.  Literally hours a week can be spent pondering the pantry shelves and wondering what to eat and planning even a week at a time helps.  Of course all the planning in the world does nothing if you don't actually do it.
• Pick one day each week to do the shopping and then combine errands.  If there is a doctor appointment, try to have all the errands (as much as possible) on the same day.  Its a big time waster to have a doctor appoint on Tuesday and a homeschool outing on Thursday and then still have shopping to do on Friday.  When possible combining a few things work wonders.  It might make for one full day, but then the other days are free at home for fun and play (hence keeping the house picked up --what works for us is pick up in the PM and do ay small things in the early AM). 
• Listen.  Listen, I mean really listen, to those around you and communicate with them.  Don't just assume that they know what's going on in your head.  Odds are it will be completely wrong and pain is felt all around when this happens. 
• Making a list.  I work well with  a list to keep on task and focused.  I get a great sense of accomplishment when I cross off that item on the list....  Try it.  I often have lists before big projects and especially before trips.  Knock on wood, but rarely have I forgotten an item, because I can look and see it has been CROSSED OFF my list!
• Try to have down time in your week.  You may have to schedule it, but I think if we cut out media time and focus on Loved Ones Time (LOT) it automatically happens.  Plan to eat together, play games together, have family nights together where there is no TV, no internet...  Cut out the scheduled events and live a little flying by the seat of your pants. 

A typical "To Do" list at our home

What do you do to combat wasting time?

 

Nettle Hunting

Stinging Nettle

Yesterday we went hunting for stinging nettle with friends.  Do you have urban forests near you?  Maybe you have an actual forest to explore and hunt in?  Before gathering foliage in your forest be sure you are allowed to.  Some places will not look kindly on removing foliage, and be sure to not over pick if you do pick! 

Miss, Heather led the lesson and it was a fun energetic group that set out yesterday mid morning.  We learned about the proper way to pick stinging nettle, different ways to eat it, a few ways to combat the sting when it happens, and what it was historically used for.

So, what is stinging nettle?  The leaves and stems of stinging nettle are covered with little silky hairs that contain three chemicals.  One is a histamine that irritates skin (many of us can attest to this!), acetylcholine which causes a burning feeling (mine are still stinging!), and serotonin. When brushing up against the plant with bare skin, a painful rash similar to poison ivy will result. Because the irritant is acidic in nature, it can be treated by counteracting it with some basic items which include mud, Broadleaf Dock plants, spit, rubbing alcohol (how many of us carry this in our nature walk pack?), and even baking soda (not something normally carried in our bag on a nature walk...). 

Stinging nettle plants are said to provide a cure for arthritis; helping allergies; relieving hair loss; treating Celiac disease; and more.  They are high in vitamins and often used as a spring tonic (much like dandelions).  Its really something everyone could benefit from drinking.  We had smoothies and ate/drank ours that way.  I also read that the following can be helpful.  f course as with all things, weigh it carefully and consult a doctor if you have any concerns. 



Learning how to remove leaves more safely. 
You might still get stung by the "nettles"
on the plant but if you are carful
you can limit it.

Nettle Infusion (for teas):   Place about 16 oz of boiling water on the stove and add in 1 tablespoon of dried stinging nettles. Cover the pot and let set and steep for about 30 minutes.
 Nettle for your baths: This is good for sciatica. Place a large amount of the herbs including the roots in cold water over night. The next morning boil the concoction and place in the bathtub. Soak ...in the herbs for as long as you feel comfortable. This may also be used as a foot soak. (I want to try this!)

Shampoo wash: Place one half cup of the dried herbs in a huge 5 qt pot/pan. Bring the herbs to boil slowly. Remove from the stove and keep covered for an additional 10 minutes. Add in some shaved olive oil soap and bring to boil. Cool to a warm mixture and wash your hair with this. 

The leaf of a dock plant is said to help take
the "sting" out the sting of nettle pricks.



Gathering Nettles!

 

From:  Stinging nettle health benefits for home remedies that treat just about everything.

So get into nature and gather some natural foods (never eat it unless you know what it is for sure and that its edible!).

Why our foods stink

The OVER processing of America.  Why we need to garden.

 

Did you ever wonder why our foods today don't seem to provide the same nourishment as they did say, 50 years ago?  Could it be the processing of our foods?  Could it be how our foods are grown?  What has changed in the last 75 years?  The last 50 years?  What is wrong with our food!?

 

 

America is no longer the land of milk and honey.  Well, we are but our milk is ultra pasteurized, homogenized, and sold in plastic.  Our honey is some sort of mixture of sweeteners and flavorings that have little to do with real honey.  Is it any wonder with genetically engineered crops that our humble honey bees are dropping like flies? 

 

Our society is all about fast, now, and instant gratification.  We are a society of processes; from our food to our high-tech gadgets we desire one thing, speed.  Our carbon footprint mirrors bigfoot's jumbo sized appendages and we shop at Wal-Mart for our apples. Is it any wonder that we eat food but are never satisfied?

 

I just spent the last week on an experiment of sorts.  I discovered some things about our family food habits and changes are made and will be made in the coming weeks. The fact remains though that our food stinks.  Before it even arrives in  our stores and makes its way to our tables, it's rotten.  Its full of chemicals and oils are rancid.  Is it any wonder we are obese, stick thin, sick, and dying?

 

Some people contend that many of the practices used in the mega mono-agriculture farms of today actually encourage plants to not go deep into the soil pulling up needed nutrients, something heirloom or open pollinated plants once prevalent in our gardens readily did.    Plant diversity is important and when farmers plant hundreds of acres in one crop (MONO-AGRICULTURE) they not only are discouraging sustainability but they are spiraling themselves into a cycle of dependence.  Did you know its virtually illegal for farmers to save seeds today?  Farmers today are dependent on large corporations which own patents on plants forcing farmers to buy new seed year after year.  One study I read years ago even discussed that this dependence in developing nations like India were actually harming families by the droves.  What was so in developing nations in 2000 when I first started discussing this issue is seen today in our farm belts.  Large companies like Monsanto and Dupont own our farms lock stick and barrel, or at minimum they hold our farmers over a barrel.  Add into that our governments practice of subsidizing farmers we shouldn't be surprised that our food reeks.  Farmers no longer have the freedom to grow and become sustainable and they are discouraged from practicing bioregionalism.  One day our farmers were our life blood, but today they are struggling to make ends meet as regulations, stipulations, and obligations to corporations force them into bankruptcy court.  Our food suffers.   We suffer.  Our children SUFFER.

 

We need to garden in an effort to ensure a healthy food supply for our family.  We must garden to secure a healthier future and for heirloom seeds to continue on.  As we push onward to pesticide resistant seeds we lose long standard varieties which have a proven track record, proven taste, and proven ability to grow in our area, happily in our climate, despite too much rain or too little.

 

We must garden to preserve our health and our sanity.  Gardening provides two healthy things in our lives; food and exercise.  Gardening gives one a sense of calm and peace.  Plus, if you are mad at something or someone, pulling weeds can give you pause to think and reflect.  Yep, your garden is your claim to VICTORY!  Your claim to overcoming.  Your claim to health and peace. 

 

Seed saving is a lost art.    In recent years there has been a strong push to buy needed seed year after year as seed producers create seed which can't reproduce themselves.  One thing I want to discuss at a later time is seed saving and some tips I am learning.  Your Victory Garden can and should produce more than just food for this year. To that end I want to encourage you to purchase good quality seed.  Preferred open pollinated or heirloom varieties of some simple plants.  This year let's start with things like sunflowers, beans, pumpkins, marigolds, and a winter squash (I am going to discuss Hubbard Squash in the future).  Those are fairly easy and you can't really fail.  Most of us grow them or something similar.

 

Please write and let me know what kinds of seeds you are planting.  If need be I will ask seed saving friends or research it and give some hints if you are saving something else as well. 

 

Linking up today with Teacher of Good Things and her friends at For This Season, Vicki Arnold Blog and Walking in High Cotton.  Please visit each of these blogs and tell them Garden Tenders sent you!

 

Next, I'll discuss garden styles. 

 



Dinner Last Night

Last night we ate Chicken strips (marinated in garlic and baked), spring greens (organic), and Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa.   While the chicken was baking I made "Black Beans and Quinoa" and guacamole for the salad.  When I completed the quinoa and we were ready to eat I made a bed of organic spring greens and put the chicken on top, sprinkled with some white cheddar cheese, topped with the guac and then some sliced olives.  The quinoa dish I adapted to what I had on hand from this recipe here.   

My recipe.... 


Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa
Olive oil
1/2 of an onion--diced
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 a habanero pepper
1 cup of organic rinsed quinoa
1 pint jar of tomatoes (1 can)--chopped
2 cups of black beans (1 can)
1 t Chili powder
1 t Cumin
2 cups of chicken broth

Directions:  In a large skillet sauté onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil.  Add diced pepper after about 2 minutes add rinsed quinoa, mix up and then add tomatoes and black beans.  Add chili powder and cumin.  Lastly add chicken broth.

Cook/simmer about 15-20 minutes and then remove from heat and allow to set and rest for 5 minutes.  Fluff a bit and serve.

It tasted almost exactly like spanish rice. 

Cravings are starting.....

Morning smoothie

Saturday did not go at all like I planned.  I should have never started our pledge when we have so much going on!  *SIGH* 

For new readers; we are taking a 10 day pledge to see if we can eat more real food and how its goes for us.  Read about it here.......(eta fixed link--thank you!)

I will soon begin to try to post what we are eating and fun recipes as we go through this along with our thoughts and if we notice any changes in behaviors (all of us), cravings, etc.  Saturday things were very simple for our meals.  Too simple.

Today I am planning green salad topped with chicken tenders (actually sliced chicken breasts that I will marinate and bake) and I think I will try my hand at Quinoa and Black beans with some canned chilies from our pantry. 

Our day started with a smoothie this morning.  I use coconut milk, carrots, spinach, mixed berries, coconut oil and flax meal. Then I added some yummy blackberry honey from Puyallup.  I seen the honey man last week at the Proctor Farmers Market.  I knew we needed some more honey so even though we weren't out, I bought a quart and I am so glad I did!  Its pure nectar!

After church I stopped by the store and bought a few things to create some dishes.  I will attempt homemade "cliff bars" this week and healthier for you peanut butter cups.  I made some peanut butter after church this afternoon.  Bear tried it, we will see how she likes it on a sandwich tomorrow for lunch.  Our bread today is an Indian bread called Naan, pretty easy to make and reminds me of tortillas, well my homemade tortillas anyway.  *grin*. 

Bear and I both are experiencing some cravings.  Well I know I am for sure.  I drink soda pop, more than I care to admit, and I want one!  I am missing things I don't even normally have that often, like candy bars!  Why is this?  In an effort to combat this so we don't fail I am finding recipes for healthier for us "sweets". 

More to come....

Just some little things....

Five little things, not so big really, but man oh man, can they seem insurmountable. 

Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.  Micah 7:7

Five tiny things, things which will be revealed as God sees fit; that if it be His will, will happen in His timing, not ours.

We would love a small little farm.  Ok, seriously, Bear and I would love a small farm, Hubs goes along with us as long as there is enough land to roam a bit.  Not sure we would get a milk cow, but I know a goat or two, a few turkeys, a dozen chickens, a dozen or so fryers, a beef calf, an apple tree or two, a walnut tree or two, and room to roam, and a wonderful root cellar..... 

A house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.  Or three bedrooms and a good sized bonus room.  Grammie is going to be living with us at some point and extra space would be nice.  We can do ok in two bedrooms--we just have to make some changes, but three would be much nicer and four even better.  *Dreaming*  Yes, my husband is 100% ok with Grammie living in our home.  He knows that family works together like this.  While he might not have signed up for it, God made him the wonderful man that he is and made his heart big enough to care.  And really, it would be a blessing in many ways.  Grammie would be eating better and the stairs at her place are very hard for her.  BUT, I am happy and feel blessed in our current home.  Its perfect in many ways.  It is a happy house with a happy vibe.  Ok, I know that sounds awkward, but our house has a loving feeling to it.  Like it has seen a whole lotta happy moments that have far overshadowed any heartache it might have witnessed in almost 115 years.  Our house has seen generations raised, and for that I love it. 

Go back to work, or work hard at staying home with my baby Bear.  Those are some thoughts facing us in the months ahead.  I want to work harder at finding ways to supplement our small income and still be at home full time with my wee babe.  Its important to us, and I pray we are given this peace, and some means for this.  Pray that I wait upon God and not blindly go down a path I think is best for our family.

Down sizing even more to make space and really take away unneeded distractions, all while waiting for God's answer.  We need to get on the wagon because we know that our best course is to prepare the field for the rain we are praying for.

I think I have found a name for our little "urban farm" and while my husband lovingly obliges my whimsy for growing and sustaining more of our food source by our own hands.  Dandelion Garden.  Its kind of wild, denotes a small plant that may not seem like much and is in fact considered a weed by many, but has some many wonderful uses and is a flower much beloved by children who see the real beauty in the bright yellow petals. 

So, do you have some little things on your mind this morning? 

so life isn't cooperating you say...

Every plan you have made is falling through.  Your bucket has so many holes in it you can literally see your plans slipping away.  My husband tells me often that life happens when you're busy making other plans. 

I'm being truthfully and painfully honest here. Despite efforts, and even some headway into the waters, some things continue to be suckers of time in my life. They suck up time like the old gas hog we had when I was a kid. In fact I bet "Old Besty" ate less gas!

In the days before Internet and smart phones we did less multitasking, and in many ways I think a lot of times wasters come from doing too much and not focusing on one thing.  The projects we worked on got more of our attention before we had more technology; we had less time to waste, but we got more done.  We were happier, healthier, and finished what we started, as a general rule.

Today, as I promised, I am sharing what some of my biggest time wasters are and a little bit about why. 

Some of my time wasters are:

• Facebook:  While I don't play games, I see facebook as a big time waster in my day.  If I neglect checking it in the morning, my day goes much better.  Why is that?  Me thinks I need to refrain from checking Facebook in the morning.  After the first check, I end up needing to check often.  What did so and so say to that comment, what thread did so and so post....  Yep, its a downward spiral.  I am told that there are good aspects to facebook, and I do agree it can be good, but it sure can whittle away at the time.
• Traffic or driving to places:  To get anywhere I feel like I am in the car 15 to 20 minutes.  I'm not sure why but I do know it just seems to take forever to get to the store, to the bank, to the doctor.... 
• Saying yes to often:  To many activities.  To much to do, which really wears down my resolve to not get on facebook to try to unwind.  Multi-tasking, contrary to the now popular notion, is not good for us, our bodies, nor those who love us.  Forbes magazine, and several other sources have written articles on how it actually isn't good for us or our productivity, some major companies have even asked employees to focus on one task at a time in meetings, etc.  On one web site, LateralAction, an author even goes so far to say that "multitasking can reduce your performance level to that of a drunk?"  Wow.  Sobering thoughts as we multi-task ourselves into an early grave.  How many of us, have projects littering our desktops, to do lists, and education goals.  Now these aren't really bad things, when done with the right mind set and in moderation, but I am convinced that doing, doing, doing is hurting our families. 
• Not finishing up a task before starting another/procrastination:  This kind of goes with multitasking.  Its hard to really complete one task when you have 6 other pots on the stove.  When we have many things to do our mind can't focus, in fact studies have shown that most of us can only focus on 5-10 items at a time.  We really can't even do that much if we are doing something that asks for significant levels of brain power.  Just the other day I started cleaning about 3 things at once.  I started off picking up my coffee table, went into the kitchen to to get a rag and some lemon oil and ended up doing something else I seen and was on my short list for the day as well.....  am I alone?
• Not having everything I need in one place (i.e., where I can find it):  Looking for things take a lot of time and when you are in a hurry or not wanting to do something you end up frustrated and buying it again.  Not effective at all!
• Not communicating effectively:  Sadly, yes.  Arguing, pouting, etc. waste my time.  It generally comes from not effectively communicating.  I get so stressed from trying to multitask effectively (trying to keep up with everyone else) and keep my focus on XYZ that I get tired and worn out, and then I lash out.  Poking at the specks in others eyes takes a lot of time, especially while tripping over the beam in my own.  Its a cycle, and I hate that treadmill. 

It seems that a lot of it really boils down to putting my focus in the right place.....

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

Philippians 2:3-4

 

Are we doing this?  The better question is, AM I DOING THIS?

Next week (give or take) I will share my plan for combating these and the steps I have taken to address them.  What are some of your time wasters? 

Confessions

Of a neglectful homeschool mom.  I admit it.  Sadly I have neglected to spend enough time sharing the classic Nursery Rhymes with my child.  This idea smacked me in the face the other evening as I discovered a book called Crafts From Your Favorite Nursery Rhymes by Kathy Ross.

This week we have embarked on rectifying this tragic injustice.  Poor Bear has but a basic knowledge of classic Nursery Rhymes. 

Tuesday we created a Old Woman in the Shoe magnet. I adapted the pattern from the book. It was fun!

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread;
And spanked them all soundly and put them to bed.

Bear was not overly impressed.  Maybe if we had discussed this poem a year or so ago but when we got to the point that she spanked them all soundly and put them to bed she thought that was a really rotten idea. 

Materials needed:

• Light weight poster or soda pop carton cardboard (we opted for the recycled stuff!)
• Brown, yellow, or orange construction paper
• Black marker
• Scissors
• School Glue/stick glue works too
• Magnet

Directions:

• Cut out a boot from the lightweight cardboard.
• Trace that shape onto your brown construction paper.  Cut out this shape and then glue it, carefully, onto the cardboard boot.  I found it worked best to have cardboard or thick card stock to put the magnet on and stick it on the fridge. 
• So after you have glued the paper on, cut out little squares for your windows and doors.  Glue these on and then use the marker to make window frames.  Next you can use your marker to also make the eyes on the boot.  If you want to get fancy you could add string for laces, but we didn't have any string handy.    Lastly, glue on your magnet and when its dry put it somewhere to enjoy!

Next we played a geography game of sorts.   We drew a plan of the house and then drew pictures of what went in each room, kind of. She hurried, as she often does when she wants to move on to the next thing.   I tried to relate it back to the old woman with a shoe and all her children.  Some questions I asked were:  How many rooms do you think she had for all her children?  How many children do you think she could fit in a house the size of your shoe?  Daddy's shoe?  I did this to engage her in the rhyme but also to make her think about what ifs....  if x is y then what if z is done?  Does it change at all? 

Later in the week we drew a picture of the state of Washington and put a picture of a house where we live, one where her BFF lives, A space needle where Seattle is, where Longbeach is we put a beach ball, a house where her cousin Toby lives, and whale where Orcas Island is.  We discussed how we live in houses not old shoes.

This is before she had trees and oceans on it.

Another activity we did is stitching a pillow.  We decided we would begin work on making a pillow for grandma's bed and we began work on this project this week, so we picked out some fabric and cut it out.  Over the next few weeks we hope we can carefully hand stitch it and put it together for a gift for Grammie.

We practiced lessons 4-7 in one of our reading program books, reviewing 1-3 from the week before.  We talked about bubbles.  We learned how to blow bubbles with bubble gum and I think I created a monster!  WOW!     For science we talked about weather and even started work on a weather related project. A weather station.  This is a Daddy and Bear project together to daily record findings on a calendar.  So far no rain, and the temperature every morning has been 25 degrees, and 28 degrees.  We check it at the same time each day.  This will be our January and February Science.  In mid March we will begin talking about plants and bugs. 

Next week, Jack and Jill.  I wonder what fun projects we will do with that!?

Linking up today (1/24) with:

Time to make time

I have discovered on this road of Simplification, that time and how I spend it is a key.   

Time is what we make of it.  I waste a lot of time that God has given me and I am making a plan to better harness the time He has given me.  I can use this time to focus on my family, I can use this time to focus on Him, or I can use this time to focus on Facebook (or other social media outlet).  How do you spend your time?  To be honest, my time is not often spent wisely; focusing on Him.  When I have my focus centered on Him, Yahweh God, who created the Heavens and Earth, I find my mind is better focused on my family. 

The Bible has a few things to say about what we do with our time. 

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but
as wise making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
~~Ephesians 5:15-16 (NASB)~~

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

~~Psalm 90:12 ~~

God isn't telling us to number our days by making lists of all the things we can fit into them.  He isn't telling us to have "TO DO LISTS" as long as your child's list of excuses for not cleaning their room when you told them.  Nay, He is telling us to use time management, but to do so wisely;  To do first what strengthens our walk in Him, and the rest will fall into place. If we look at it like we have to fit more into the day, will that make us wise? Nope, it will make us stressed, weaken our immune systems, and make us short tempered.  None of those things make us happy, healthy, and really it hurts our family and relationship with Him.  No one can sustain constant activity.

Much of our day, much of what we do, does little to edify and glorify God. 

Read Psalm 39:4-5.

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.

Life is short. This is what we are being told here.  Life is short and we need to be after God's heart.  Being after His heart doesn't mean being constantly busy with something.  They say idle hands are the tool of the devil, I disagree.  Idle MINDS that are not seeking Him are tools of the devil. Our Mind and Heart control our deeds.  When we fill our days with "STUFF" we lose focus and direction.  The Father's business is not stuff, and His business will never make us neglect being focused on Him and caring for our family, or ourselves.

Do you think you fill you days full of stuff?  Look within your heart and examine what kind of stuff are they full of and who is the time really for?  God doesn't expect that we never have down time, He did give us a sabbath after all,   What we need to do is use our time wisely.  I know I can use more work in that area.  How about you?  What steps do you think you can address to this end?  Next week, I will explore how my time is ate up by unwise decisions or time wasters and then address how to make my time matter. 

A homemade Christmas

At least a few things..

 

This is a "Tabby Blanket" for babies.  The ribbons and soft flannel are something babies love to chew on and touch, providing great sensory exploration!

 

 

 



 

 Dress Number 1: For Bear's new AG Doll Felicity.



Rosie's Dress:  For Adelle's AG Doll

 

Jumper for Felicity

 

Pants for Felicity

Top for Felicity

 

 

Felicity and Rosie each have a similar dress:  This is Felicity's

 

 

Little skirt made out of a scrap for Felicity

 

 

 

So these were a few of the things I worked on for my Homemade Christmas.  What did you do?

 

 

Oh Christmas Tree

Sorry gentle friends, there is no giveaway today.  Instead we had a link up scheduled with Veronica at Adventures of D&V.  Check out all the Christmas trees.  Thursday is a giveaway from a magazine you might find interesting and Friday we have a giveaway from the hubs.  But today we are focusing on Christmas Trees and Ornaments.  Do you place a new ornament each year on the tree?

 

Here are the winners so far:

• Monday Enchanted Home school Mom Giveaway: Misty R
• Tuesday The Christian Home school Hub Download club giveaway:  Kim U

I need you to email me you name and a valid email address!  Thank you!!!

 

 O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

How steadfast are your branches!

Your boughs are green in summer's clime

And through the snows of wintertime.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

How steadfast are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

What happiness befalls me when oft

at joyous Christmas-time

Your form inspires my song and rhyme.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

What happiness befalls me

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

Your boughs can teach a lesson

That constant faith and hope sublime

Lend strength and comfort through all time.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,

Your boughs can teach a lesson.

 

and in German

 

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur
zur Sommerzeit,
Nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich
was lehren:
Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
Gibt Trost und Kraft
zu jeder Zeit.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum!
Das soll dein Kleid
mich lehren.

 

Today I am joining with Veronica at Adeventures of  D & V and showing off our
Christmas Tree 2012

 

 

  Here is our 2012 Christmas Tree.  

 

 We have an artificial tree, hubs is allergic.  That being said, our tree is very real looking and many people ask each year if it is real.  We place a special ornament on tree every year.   

I am also linking up today with Heather over at Cook Family Chronicles.

A few weeks ago I signed up to do an ornament swap with another blogger.  I was matched with Vivian from Louisiana.  She is originally from Mexico and the ornament she mailed to me was a handmade ornament from Mexico.  It is a beautiful, colorful flower, that can brighten the winter just a bit more.  My photos don't do it justice.

 

 

Thank you Vivian and your wonderful homeschool family!  Let me know when your blog is back up and I will link to you. 

 

Heather, thank you as well.  It's a wonderful blessing you have provided us; allowing us to meet a new friend and family in Louisiana.  Thank you.