Start of Second Grade Saints and Heroes

Sita and I started on her Saints and Heroes block. Well, actually we re-started the block, since I had work interruptions and then illness last week. Sometimes starting over is the best strategy. 

I am not great at memorizing and re-telling stories, but I am getting better. I have a number of resources for this saint block, but I have not been overly excited about any of them, so I decided to choose the saints that I think will be meaningful to Sita, learn their stories, and then create my own telling. I started with Saint Brigid and the cows. It's a lovely story about Brigid's kindness and generosity, adversity, and help from angels. I drew the picture last evening, and presented the story at bed-time.

For the drawing I used pastels, as I am frankly tired of the crayons. Everyone seemed quite impressed with my picture, but I have not been drawing much lately and as usual, I only see what I could improve upon. The important thing is they enjoyed it (all three of them), and hopefully it serves as an inspiration.

I told Sita now that she is officially doing "Second Grade Work", we will be doing more writing. She writes all the time with her own made-up spelling, and interestingly, her spelling is getting more accurate over time, naturally. She did a really good job of summarizing the story for me this morning. Here is the summary of the story we decided on together. 

I had an appointment with the acupuncturist this afternoon, and we were able to get our lessons done, eat lunch, put Alina down for a nap, and clean up the house before grandma arrived. That's always a plus :)

What's happening in your home these days?

What Happens With Warm Winter Days...

Dishes are abandoned...

Laundry is abandoned...

Lessons are abandoned...

And mud pies in the sun are made...

Michelle

Creating Home with Food

I have been spending a lot of time in my kitchen these days. A stack of cookbooks and the assistance of the Whole Food Kitchen Online program have inspired me.

I never used to enjoy cooking. Cooking was something that got in the way of eating when I was hungry. In other words, I wanted food and I wanted it to be fast.

I have come along way from those rotisserie chickens, instant mashed potatoes and frozen peas (although I still enjoy a good rotisserie on occasion!)

Now I enjoy the process of creating wholesome food for my family. Knowing the food I make comes from a small farmer, with organic produce and grass-fed animals makes it all the more valuable. I am creating for my family.

Here are some recipes and photos from my recent kitchen adventures.

Home-made Granola

This morning I made granola for my dear Husband. It is made with healthy medium-chain fatty acid coconut oil. Did you know virgin coconut oil is rich in Lauric acid which has antioxidant properties? This is why virgin coconut oil will stay well for so long, even at room temperature. After all, the tropics are hot, and that is where the tropical oils including coconut thrive and have been consumed (with ill health effects) for generations.

Although the recipe was inspired by Heather Bruggeman's granola, I added some of my own ingredients: Six cups uncooked rolled oats, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1 cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup sesame seeds.

I heated the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla while I mixed the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mixed it all up well and then spread over two cookie sheets. Baked at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. The bottom pan cooked faster and became a little burned on one side.

Very tasty and satisfying because I know exactly what ingredients are in my dear Husband's morning cereal.

I also made some fun and tasty chicken enchiladas from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Today was perfect for crock-pot cooking since my middle daughter Sita had gymnastics. I love coming home to a meal ready to eat.

The basic recipe calls for chicken cut into 2/3 inch pieces cooked with onion. (I made mine the day before while cooking dinner.) You layer green chile enchilada sauce, strips of corn tortillas, chicken, and cheese. Ending with a cheese on top. Next time I will add spinach. My son and enchilada-loving husband asked for this to be a regular weekly meal. Seems kind of heavy, but maybe I can get some veggies in there.

Almond milk

I also made almond milk and almond milk smoothies. When I first saw the photos and tutorial video on Whole Foods Kitchen, I couldn't wait to make some! It looked so beautiful, white and creamy, and well - wholesome. And it tastes that way as well. Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, and although high in fat (as most nuts), they are the healthy monounsaturated fats. They also contain phytosterols, with numerous potential health benefits.

These are some of the interesting foods coming out of my kitchen. What's cooking in yours?

Losing My Temper and Finding My Way

As I was laying in bed with my toddler, nursing her to sleep this afternoon, I had a head full of thoughts. I was thinking about how our morning homeschool went (not so well to start), and the hurt look on my son's face as I lost my temper and slammed the book down on the table while shouting.

I lost it earlier in the week as well. I could blame it on hormones, on stress, or I could blame it on him. The eye rolling, the heavy sighs, the constant arguing with me, his constant and incessant need to taunt and pick on his younger sisters.

But really it is about me. We cannot blame our emotions nor our reactions on others. We choose how we respond.

I am not responsible for how someone else responds or even feels. We can only accept responsibility for ourselves.

Which brings me back to my loss of control. And finding joy. And keeping life simple.
First I have to ask myself why I was so angry that I would respond in such a harsh way, causing obvious pain to a child I love (and setting a poor example for all three of my children). I could see the look of hurt on his face. He flinched, as if I had physically struck him. Tears welled. The look quickly disappeared, but I know in my heart the hurt is still there.

I cannot seem to get my son to take part or cooperate or act in a responsible way toward his school work, toward me, and toward his siblings. Day in and day out we argue, fight and I threaten and dole out punishments. "If you don't stop picking on your sisters you will not have any computer time or be permitted to see your friends today!" And then he gets "punished", his behavior improves for a short time, and then we are back where we started again.

I have searched for answers to my current problems with my son. When I search deep enough, I realize it has to do with our connection to one another. He feels I am bossy and pushing him around, and always making him do things he doesn't want to do. But when things are going well with us, we are close, physically and emotionally. We are able to talk about all kinds of things, and we feel connected to one another, safe in our closeness. During these times, he is much more willing to do what I ask of him.

Although  I have every right to ask things of my son, and to have expectations as to his actions, behaviors, and even his attitude, I also have to maintain a secure and sharing relationship with him. I could simply make demands "Do it because I said so!" But I would rather he cooperate with me out of love and not out of fear of punishment or loss of privileges.

So I spent some time cuddling my tall, skinny, awkward eleven-year old. I read to him about Greek mythology - both an interest of his and part of today's lesson. I listened to him talk about his favorite x-box game and why he likes it so much and even went so far as to offer to play it with him. I saw the look of happiness, just as clearly as I had seen the look of hurt.

I listened with genuine interest to him. I praised him sincerely for his ability to monitor his electronic use - his computer time, his x-box time, his cell phone use. When I gave this praise, I saw yet another expression on his face. He knew he had been recognized, he had been truly seen and heard, and appreciated for something. These were fleeting expressions, and had I not been paying attention, had I not been watching, I would have missed them and might never have appreciated the impact I have on my son.

It was only a short amount of time, but I felt as though we had re-connected again. This connection is fragile, I know. But it is so, so important to our relationship.

He is growing, often wiser than he should be for his still young age. At the same time, he is still a boy. A boy who loves his mom and seeks her contact and approval. While I cannot always be the perfect mom I want to be, I can pay attention. I can look for what my children need from me.

I think most importantly, my children need my time, my attention, my unconditional love. Seems simple enough, but life can be so complicated, so distracting, so busy, that we forget how to pay attention to one another. Truly pay attention, not through a text, email or phone call. Not through a conversation as we multi-task.

Attention that provides for eye-to-eye contact. Physical contact. Listening with all our senses as our loved ones speak to us. I had a moment of this today, and it felt wonderful. Simple. Joyful.

Sambar and Idli

I have been trying hard to get out of the meal rut we have been stuck in. Here is a recent meal I prepared, an old forgotten favorite, learned from my Asian Indian mother-in-law from my first marriage. The kids still love their "dadi's" (grandmother in hindi) sambar the best though.

I made a lovely sambar - an Indian recipe with lentils, vegetables and spices. The only difficult part is washing and chopping all the vegetables. 

I have learned from my mother-in law and various Asian Indian friends over the years how important timing is to making proper Indian spiced dishes. In the old days, I would simply dump everything in all at once. Ahh, but that is not the way with Indian cooking.

First I heated the oil, then added spices slowly. The mustard seeds and cumin seeds were first, which only took several seconds before they started "popping" in the hot oil. After that, I added the curry leaves, coriander, red chili powder and tumeric, which was quickly followed by the chopped vegetables.

I had cooked the lentils the day before.

I added fresh water to the lentils, and when they were heated I added the vegetables. Then came the tamarind sauce and salt to taste.

In the meantime, I heated a large pot with a small amount of water to steam the idlis. This is my idli steamer:

I used my idli mix and let this sit for ten minutes.

The finished idlis were tender and ready to soak up the delicious sambar.

What's cooking in your kitchen these days?

The "RIGHT WAY" to Eat

I have been participating in Heather Bruggeman's Whole Food Kitchen program. It has been interesting and inspiring. It is wonderful to read through the discussion forums and learn from others as well as being able to appreciate how many of us are on this journey.

I have noticed that during our search for better health, we often feel like we should be doing something because it works for someone else. Perhaps it is switching to vegetarianism, or veganism, or a raw food diet, or the paleo diet, or any number of other ways to eat. We wonder if the choices we make are enough, maybe we are missing something, and so we continue to search out ways to improve our nutrition and that of our family.

While I am an excited life-long learner, I do believe we sometimes lose sight of the big picture when it comes to diet and finding the "Right Way" to eat. Here is my part in a recent conversation:

I love the amazing human body. It is extremely sophisticated, adaptable and when you look at all the ways humans have not only survived but thrived historically and around the world today, you will understand what I mean. We are fortunate that we have so many choices when it comes to our food, and are able to seek optimum health and nutrition.

As others have already pointed out - I truly believe healthy eating is a very personal and individualized thing. And I want to throw out there this thought - our bodies are ever changing. What I felt good eating as a teenager is very different than what I feel good eating now.

And how about activity? How do you use your body? Do you move every day, and if so, how much? What kind of activity do you do? Is is strenuous and if so how often? These are all factors that effect the balance of nutrition our bodies need as well.

Or maybe you are pregnant? Nursing an infant or toddler? Recently gave birth?

Or maybe you are ill or recovering from an illness? Been under a lot of additional stress lately? All of these affect our nutritional needs (obviously).

My point is, what works for us today will change with time. Even as we age, our digestive enzymes change, our bones change, etc. Just when we think we have it all figured out, things will change and we will need to adapt how we eat.

Being open and flexible and intuitive to our bodies is so much more important than finding the "right way" to eat. Because what's right today might not make us feel our best tomorrow...

Which is what brought me to this wonderful program of Heather's at Beauty That Moves- my eating has NOT been optimal for this point in my life. I am so, so grateful for Heather and all the contributors sharing their ideas and recipes, and for all of us here sharing our own journeys!

Caribbean Block

This is the final week of Sean's study of the Caribbean countries. As part of our geography studies, we always include the music and foods of the region we are studying. Sean enjoys cooking, so he prepared a Caribbean meal, beverage, and dessert for us.

He chose the menu selections himself, created the shopping list, and did the shopping and all the cooking himself. All recipes are from Food.com. Oh, and he told me he is aware these recipes are "Americanized".

The menu consisted of:
Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings

2 cups barbecue sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 6-ounce can crushed pineapples
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
jerk seasoning, to taste
18 chicken wings
Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients except wings and jerk seasoning. Heat in saucepan over medium heat.
Rub jerk seasoning into the chicken wings. Grill for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through
Brush generously with sauce and enjoy!

Beverage - 
2 ounces pineapple juice
4 ounces orange juice
2 ounces cream of coconut
nutmeg
2 ounces dark rum (for adults!)

Pineapple Pie from Barbados
1 14 1/2-ounce can pineapple chunks
unflavored gelatin
8-ounces cream cheese
graham cracker crust

Not bad for an eleven-year old! Um, have I mentioned how much I love homeshooling?!

Second Grade Math Lessons This Week

While the number gnomes were busy counting their gems, the math squirrels were busy counting their acorns. We met the squirrels last year with Donna Simmons' First Grade Curriculum. Now we are progressing to second grade math and the squirrels are learning how to use the trees for the four processes. This is Sita's first introduction to vertical math and she did great. The squirrels were a big help, even if they were a bit fidgety and tried to eat the blackboard chalk!

Ah, I wish I could have needle-felted the squirrels, but I bought these last year before I was "brave enough" to attempt needle felting. And they are darn cute!

My blackboard drawing for vertical math trees.

Sita's Main Lesson Drawing.

We keep practicing our two times table with movement including beanbags, snapping, and clapping. Snap, snap - two is - CLAP CLAP CLAP - one times two! Snap, snap - four is - CLAP CLAP CLAP - two times two! She is doing so well, enjoying herself and I can see her confidence growing. She proclaimed at dinner "I love math!"

I am so grateful to be a homeschool family.

What are your lessons looking like this week?

An End to Public School for Sean

Some have been wondering how Sean has been doing at public middle school (he started after Christmas break)...

Sean wanted to experience middle school, since he has several neighbor friends going. I was really proud of him and the independence he showed - he set his
alarm, got up early, got himself ready (including a nutritious breakfast!) and walked to school each morning. He came home every afternoon and immediately completed his homework assignments. Even on Fridays (!)

He tried to get into it, and expressed admiration for some of his teachers. But
all in all, he (and I and his father) felt it was a waste. Much of what he was
doing he has already done, the materials seemed dumbed down, he was earning
"A's" pretty effortlessly. The counselor explained that the advanced placement
classes would be covering essentially the same materials, only they would be
working more independently.

So Sean is again a homeschooler, and he seems happier about it. I asked him what
his one biggest reason was for wanting to come back home - he missed being with
us, especially Alina. And since he has come home again, he has been spending so
much more time with her, I have seen their relationship grow.

He is also more rested, and has more time to participate with the family. His
days away seemed so long!

We had many interesting conversations about his school experience, including
daily discussions about the food choices offered at breakfast and lunch. I
missed him a lot too, and I am glad we are a complete "homeschooling family"
once again. Homeschooling really is about so much more than education isn't it?

Poetry Block

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost

I first read Robert Frost in high school, and this has always been a favorite of mine. How true this poem has been for my life. And I am ever so grateful for the paths I have taken. Ah, but before I get all philosophical, let me get to the point of this post - POETRY!

I am making Tuesdays our poetry day. Fifth grader Sean and first grader Sita will experience a new poem each week, hopefully with an illustration such as the one I created last week.

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt - he falls.

The Eagle, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

This poem was perfect for introducing metaphor and simile. I created my own version of the poem without the metaphor and simile in order to contrast the language and imagery created with the metaphor and simile. I saw that "look" in Sean's eyes as he understood the importance of creative language. For the rest of the day, I attempted to use as much metaphor and simile as I could muster, and would then follow it with the exclamation of "SIMILE!" or "METAPHOR!" each time. I thought I was pretty funny, but of course my eleven-year-old only rolled his eyes.

For our resources we will be using Donna Simmons' Living Language, Joseph Bruchac's The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet, Native American Poems of the Land, and The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems.

Looking forward to more poetry.

A Day in the Kitchen

Today was a cooking day, and it It was a good day to be inside a warm kitchen, as the weather changed from spring-like to a coming winter storm.

 
I started this morning with shopping at my favorite grocery, MOM's Organic Market. They have an interesting history and they are earnest in their beliefs. I feel good shopping here.

Once I had all the food ingredients needed, including kale, broccoli, leeks, dried black beans, unhomogenized milk, dried beans, some spices, apples, cheese, local pastured ground beef, and yogurt among other items, I began my food prep and actual cooking. On the menu for the week - broccoli and cheese soup with fresh tomato and herb bread; whole roasted chicken with garlic and rosemary, served with winter squash and sprouted lentils; slow-cooker black beans with corn bread; homemade cottage cheese with homemade herbed crackers and fruit; miso soup; and kale chips to snack on.

First was the broccoli soup.

4-5 cups of broccoli
2 leeks, washed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2-3 small potatoes
Water just to cover the tops, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the broccoli becomes soft
Allow to cool, then blend til smooth
Add 1 cup of cream, salt and pepper to taste
Add thinly sliced or shredded cheese of your choice just before serving

Great served with fresh bread and a little red wine.

Today I also made some kale chips for the kids to snack on. The kale was absolutely beautiful, husband and I marveled at its freshness.

The blurry fingers are Sean's as he ate the chips as fast as I could make them.

To make, simply wash the kale, dry it carefully (I used a clean kitchen towel), spread it out on the baking sheet and add plenty of sea salt. Bake at 350 until the "chips" are dry. Mine took about 45 minutes.

While waiting for the soup and kale chips, I started preparing ahead the roasted chicken for the oven tomorrow. I will be working, so husband will need to start it before I get home. I also starting preparing the slow-cooker black beans by chopping the onion and garlic and grating the carrot. The night before, I will wash and soak the beans, then in the morning throw everything into the crock pot.

I love to prepare ahead of time, as the days can be hectic and busy, and I find it easier to have things ready to go. Being prepared is the only way I can have the home-cooked food consistently, without relying overly on packed and convenince foods. Although there were many other things I could have been doing (knitting, playing with kids, preparing lessons, hanging out with husband!) spending the day lovingly preparing wholesome food for those I love is a satisfying way to spend a day.

I still have a long way to go on my whole foods journey. If you are interested in learning more about whole food cooking, may I suggest you check out Beauty That Moves' Whole Food online Workshop. It looks to be a beautiful and nourishing event, with a wonderful chance to connect with others on the same path of wholesome eating. I'm looking forward to it.

What good things are you cooking?

The Power of Gratitude

Sometimes it seems like every day is HARD. Being a mom, we can be pulled in so many directions. What I really want more than anything is a simple life with my family. To slow down, observe my children, sense their needs and help them become the wonderful adults they are destined to be.

I have also learned that to feel joyful, I cannot focus on what is missing in my life, what needs changing or improving, or focus on the past or future. I learn from the past, and I set goals for the future. I have plans for the direction I want my life to take. But I cannot wait until tomorrow to be happy. Today, this moment, is the moment and time to be happy. 

After I wrote this post, I came across an inspiring post from Carrie's Parenting Passageway on gratitude. I love the quote by Steiner she includes, it expresses exactly what I am feeling.

I have been trying to slow down and observe more, be present more, notice more. Instead of feeling pressure about all the things I should be doing, I want to appreciate the life we are living. And to share this feeling with my children, family, friends, and even strangers.

These are some of the wonderful moments I have experienced lately.

Big brother reading and snuggling with sisters.

The sisters enjoying a bubble bath together.

Alina in her own imaginative world of play at home.

A simple family meal together.

We have a verse we say each meal for blessing, but sometimes I surprise them with a "gratitude" moment. I will tell them something I am grateful for. Maybe the extra help I had cleaning up that day, or perhaps something I especially love about each of them. Or maybe our good health, good neighbors, and good friends. I do it for them, but by focusing on what I have here and now, I find more joy in my life.

How do you feel and express gratitude in your life? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Michelle

New Sweater!

I finished it! In less than a month. It was a super easy knit on circular needles from the top down. There are no seams, so no finishing. Of course I am conscious of the small errors I made, but Alina doesn't seem to care.

The pattern is available at ravelry. Now I am feeling antsy, looking for my next knitting project. Some ideas I am considering (like a kid in a candy store!)...

ribbed knit vest

children's vest

And check out this knitted basket! This might make a cute Easter basket.

And I have some incredible patterns in my Knitting Green book, just waiting on the shelf for me.

I have been slowly improving my knitting skills and confidence with each new project. Perfect or not, I am loving the knitting.

Another Reason I Love Being a Homeschool Family

A 60 degree day in February, northern Virginia. While everyone else is stuck inside at school and work, we finished our lessons early and were getting ready to head outside. Sita had the great idea "Why don't we make mud pies?" So we headed to our creek...

Sita hard at work being creative.

Two "chocolate" birthday mud pies.

The sound of moving water.

The song of water dancing over the rocks made it perfect for an afternoon nap...

She took my spot!

The sweet lullaby of nature.

Alina making her own creations.

But she didn't miss out on the mud and water play.

My muddy girl.

Sita happily proclaimed "getting muddy is awesome!" That's my girl! 

Recent Main Lesson Artistic Work

Here are some photos of our recent main lesson work. It's been fun!

Form drawing notes for myself. We have covered all these and are ready to move on.

This is for my first/second grader's work. We have been practicing working all the four processes with our friends the math gnomes. I didn't have a chalkboard at the time we started this, so I presented the work in my sketch book for her to copy. Here is hers...

And some of the watercolor I have planned for this week. I will be telling a story from Main Lesson.com about stars.

And another story I created myself about violet and rainbows...

Hope you are enjoying!