Winter's End

Eager for spring, though pretty disappointed that the big "Snowquester" was a weather bust, we are plodding along through muddy March celebrating every early daffodil we find. 

Here's just a little bit of life found on my camera...

"Please stop working and play with me."
Homeschooling with a puppy has been more of a challenge than I expected. 

But he is so sweet, and so loved. And SO patient with these two.

An engagement brunch for Regis and Lydia. These are the few that stayed to the very end...
and got to take home the leftovers... yum. We will make our first trip ever to Kansas City for the big event in May. The bride and groom are the tall, beaming ones in the center. 

This toy is always in someone's hands. 

Our current read-alouds. Really I just wanted a picture of that darling Robin Hood cover. I would buy that book just for the cover. The inside is pretty great, too.

This cutie lost his front tooth on his birthday and I failed to get a picture until recently.
That big tooth beat me to the toothless photo op.

  

'Round Here

Forgive me, but I've been soaking up the spring weather were having in DC. Daffodils are coming up in my yard. Seriously.

Blogger is telling me this is my 500th post! That's just crazy.

Um, there is just not much to report. So, here's a catch-up post about nothing in particular.

On my to-do list...

I think we may cancel cable. I've been trying to figure it all out... Roku, digital antennas, Netflix and Hulu on the TV. I am positive we are paying too much and we. never. watch. it. The reason we keep cable: Sports - football and soccer mainly. Pretty sure there is another way to get those games, I just don't know what it is yet. The only show we watch is Downton Abbey (you watch it, too, yes???) and it's on for a few weeks on PBS. PBS... why again do we have cable? Oh, and I have big concerns about no cable and the upcoming Summer Olympics. Anyone care to help me figure this out? Have you made the switch?

Also, I have picked up the phone four times to dial The Washington Post and cancel our subscription, only to lose my nerve and put the phone down. I can't let go. My husband has switched to reading the news online and keeps urging me to do the same. There is just something about having the paper on the counter every morning. Never mind the fact that I often have to keep it face down because the front page photo is so gruesome or just plain frightening. Oh, and there is that I only very occasionally read more than the front page headlines. Sigh... I really should just cancel it.

I've created a little 21-day challenge for myself. Today marked the first day. It's all about cleaning out and getting organized. It's embarrassing how much I love things like this. Stay tuned... I'll post more details soon.

AND I'm in the process of renewing my passport! My wonderful husband is whisking me away to Italy for our 15th anniversary! Just bought the tickets! Romanticismo!


What we're reading...

Just finished Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld. It was a library copy and I was tortured by not being able to write in it. I buying my own copy. Great, insightful read with many practical helps.

I'm reading Pinocchio to the kids at night. So there has been lots of laughter and "Please, just one more chapter!"

On my nightstand... an old, beautiful copy of Smoky House by Elizabeth Goudge and Girl Talk: Mother-Daughter Conversations on Biblical Womanhood by Mahaney and Whitacre (I can't believe I'm starting to read books like this!).

In the Word... personal - Judges (instead of a daily reading plan this year, I decided to go straight to the books I feel I know the least), for my women's group study - The Gospel-Centered Life.

Spelling Bee lists! My word-loving fourth grader is preparing to compete in the school bee. She is truly in heaven studying all these words. And I'm so very thankful for the dictionary/pronunciation app on my phone (which I have to pull out more than I care to admit while quizzing her).

Lastly, have you read this Newsweek article? Good stuff.
Why Urban, Educated Parents Are Turning to DIY Education

Credo Magazine Book Giveaway

My husband would love to win these three (and sweetly asked for me to help him). Perhaps you would like them, too?

Here is the link - Credo Magazine: This Week's Book Giveaways

From their site...

Reading Scripture with the Reformers, by Timothy George

Justification: Five Views, Contributors: Michael Horton, Michael Bird, James Dunn, Veli-Matti Kaerkkaeine, Gerald O’Collins and Oliver Rafferty

Galatians, Ephesians, by Gerald Bray

May B.

A very talented friend, Caroline Starr Rose, is celebrating the release of her debut book today - May B., a middle grade, historical novel-in-verse. Amazon named it one of the Best Books of the Month for Kids. Isn't the cover beautiful?!

Love Little House? Love poetry? Get this book.

Here's a description from Amazon:

I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return.
Something's happened.

May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.

And a few glowing reviews:

Heroes come in all sizes; my newest hero is a pint-sized girl named May B. Caroline Starr Rose tells May's story in simple, moving verse that captures the joy of family, the gloomy isolation of a dirt soddy, and the determination of one scared but indomitable young person. May B. is a girl you'll be proud to know.
- Karen Cushman, Newbery winner

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2011:
"As unforgiving as the western Kansas prairies, this extraordinary verse novel—Rose’s debut—paints a gritty picture of late-19th-century frontier life from the perspective of a 12-year-old dyslexic girl named Mavis Elizabeth Betterly… May B. for short. If May is a brave, stubborn fighter, the short, free-verse lines are one-two punches in this Laura Ingalls Wilder–inspired ode to the human spirit. (Historical fiction. 9-14)"

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2011:
"Writing with compassion and a wealth of evocative details, Rose offers a memorable heroine and a testament to the will to survive."

And more... Steady Mom posted about May B. today.

Ordering a copy for Hannah now...

If You're Local

This book sale will not disappoint.

"From the Word to the Heidelberg"

I love this. A rap about the Heidelberg Catechism to go along with Kevin DeYoung's book, The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism.

And another rap to go with the Westminster Catechism... featuring Dr. Don Carson as you have never heard him before.

Bookshelf

A sampling of books we are currently enjoying...


Hannah has recently discovered Enid Blyton and devoured the first book off top of a pile given to us by a friend. I had never heard of her, but from what I have learned she is a sort of English Beverly Cleary.

Hannah just finished Anne of Green Gables and has declared it in her top five. Caddie Woodlawn has been on the top of that list for the past year. Now she is on to Five Children and It.


Will is growing in fluency and beginning to become a more independent reader. The Magic Tree House series books are his books of choice these days. I have recently enjoyed having him read the Billy and Blaze series aloud to me (and Peter).

Hannah, Will and I have been beginning our homeschool mornings in the Proverbs accompanied with Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life by Peter Leithart. Hannah and Will give it rave reviews! Here is the publisher's description:

Following the tradition of Grimm’s fairy tales, these bedtime stories wander down stardusted paths, gallop to mountaintop castles, and tread through dragons’ lairs. At the same time, these eighteen adventures echo and illustrate the lessons of Proverbs in a manner sure to delight readers of all ages, especially those in their jammies.

I am almost finished with Ann's book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Doesn't it seem most everyone is currently reading Ann's book? Also, I am enjoying Debra Bell's Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. After hearing Debra Bell speak a few Saturdays ago (she was fantastic!), I decided to read her book which has been highly recommended to me by many. There was just always something about the title "Ultimate Guide" that turned me off... anyway, it is a pleasurable and inspiring read with chapters of practical advice. Now I highly recommend it!


Next on my list...


The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity
This has been on my list for a long time, I finally bought a copy. Even the cover blesses me.

and then...
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other
This Wall Street Journal book review pricked my interest.

Then I should make some time for a little Spring Break fiction. My Hannah pointed out to me recently that it's been awhile since I have read fiction. I'm afraid she's right.

Always and For Everything : 1000 Gifts

Monday is quickly coming to an end. I have been wanting to add to my joy list all day, but instead I have been busily preparing for my mid-year school board review. As I sort through the piles of their work and seek to type up all that we do here, I am reminded how much I love this life and enjoy the gift of these crazy days.

.... giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father. Ephesians 5:20

the list goes on...

0787
Crayon drawings on my church bulletin.

0788
An evening with a new friend.

0789
The safe arrival of a beautiful baby boy. A dear family's addition.

0790
Peter's prayer for this new little friend, "... and I pray you would give him a happy life."

0791
Violin solos.

0792
Passing the Peace of Christ.

0793
Early morning Bible reading, blankets, and coffee.

0794
"I have a dream."

0795
Hearing it again.

0796
Mid-day fires. All of us huddled around it.

0797
Homeschooling.

0798
Afternoon quiet time.

0799
Singing the Doxology around the table.

0800
The Child's Story Bible.

0801
The song "My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness"... especially the second verse...

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev'ry promise is enough
For ev'ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.

Ann's book is available today...
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Organized Simplicity

I read Simple Mom Tsh Oxenreider's book, Organized Simplicity, over our Christmas break. It was a perfect get-ready-for-a-new-year read. Highly recommended! Full of inspiration for creating a simple, well-managed home, this book has really encouraged me to evaluate what living simply looks like for our family, "Living holistically with your life's purpose."

I plan to post more about the changes I have made and things I have re-worked, including...

• managing our family calendar.
• my home management notebook.
• my weekly to-do list and house cleaning schedule.
• organizing our homeschool week.

So, stay tuned. : )

Bible Reading Plans

Justin Taylor has a great post today highlighting several Bible Reading Plans.

For 2011, I plan to use the M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan along with D.A. Carson's For the Love of God, a daily devotional based on the M’Cheyne Bible-reading schedule. I have the book, but Carson's daily devotionals are available online at The Gospel Coalition - For the Love of God.


{happy new year, friends}

Simplicity Parenting

A few months ago I picked up a book at our local library, Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids. I found it thoughtful and refreshing. Kim John Payne, a Waldorf educator, writes of the "too much, too fast, too soon" attitude towards childhood. And as parenting becomes more of a competitive sport, we begin to view childhood as an ongoing enrichment opportunity, not an unfolding experience. He speaks throughout the book about the concept of less. Less toys, less stress, even less books (gasp!) and a general decluttering of our children's lives and spaces.

"Balance is what we’re after for in simplifying our family’s schedules. And once we cross our kid’s names off the “Race of Childhood” sign-up form, time opens right up. Time for rest and activity; time for contemplation and stimulation, moments of calm in busy days, energies conserved and expended; time for free, unscheduled play, for ordinary days, for interests that deepen over time; time for boredom; and time for the joy and infinite passion of anticipation."

This book has made me take second look at my children's surroundings and schedules. Are they overwhelmed with stuff? Do the toys they have invite creative play or are they fixed in what they can do? Is fun an idol in our home? Are my children experiencing the surprising benefits of occasional boredom? Do they know the thrill of anticipation? Am I guarding them enough against the too much, too fast, too soon in this overachieving society that tells me the more activities a child has early on the more opportunities for success? And how do I show them the value of open time in our lives in a place that translates busyness as importance even among children?

Following along those same thought lines, lately on my bedside table sits The Hurried Child by David Elkind. Much to think about...

Book Love

Just a few we are enjoying...

The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 Other Heroes of the Faith. Church history in nice sized bites.



Of course, this is the most important page in our house! My husband is wrapping up his PhD on the Covenant Theology of Zacharias Ursinus. Ursinus feels a little like a part of the family now. : )

The back pages give a bit more biographical information.


For our first composer study of the year we are reading this book. And loving it! Zeezok has several more titles in this Great Musicians series. Brahms is next for us.


During lunch, I have been reading Lois Burdett's A Midsummer Night's Dream while they eat. They are a captive audience and it cuts down on the silliness at the table. All three would beg me for just one more page. This series is just a lot of fun!


And for a good cuddle-up-before-bed book Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge is too sweet to miss. This little guy with a big heart and four names lives next door to an old peoples' home and adores the residents. Especially close to his heart is the woman who also has four names and has lost her memory. So, he sets off to find some for her.

It's out of print... we picked it up at the library.

This and That

This week is not really going the way I had planned. When does it ever? The boys are sick, so we're here at home and I'm just flitting from laundry to reading to school planning to cleaning to organizing photos. This post feels a little like my brain lately... all over the place.

**************

Edward Hopper is one of my favorite American painters, so I was thrilled to find this book. It's beautiful and written at Hannah's level. A great summer artist study.

**************

I finally purchased something on Etsy! I have been wanting a chalk board in the kitchen for over a year now... for verses, fun messages, school stuff. It was a great shopping experience. And I love that it's not from Pottery Barn.

"Delicious Summer" is a message to 3 kids that are less than enthusiastic about the amount of new-to-us vegetables on their dinner plates this summer. Hannah asked the other night if we had to get a CSA share every summer or could this please be the only one. They will thank me later.

**************

Nailing the chalk board on the wall led to this backyard fun. A board, a hammer, and some nails is serious fun for Peter.

**************

We are praying today for this little girl, and for her family boarding a plane to China, eager to hold her and bring her home. Her much older brother is a dear friend of ours.

**************

And just to bless you...
(I love this song)

Pizza Night

Friday nights are pizza nights around here.

For over 10 years, I have been making homemade pizza almost once a week. I have tried several homemade dough recipes, and have used Trader Joe's pizza dough here and there, but this past year I finally found a recipe that I LOVE. I will never try another again.

It's from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which truly has revolutionized home baking for me (just like the cover said it would). I halve the olive oil dough to make the perfect amount for two "large" pizzas.

pizza dough for 2 pizzas
adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

1 1/4 cups + 2 T lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons granulated yeast
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

I use my stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for this. Combine the first 5 ingredients, then add the flour and stir (lowest speed) until just combined.

Cover (not airtight - I just sit a too-big, plastic lid on top of the bowl), and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours. Then stick it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Chilled dough is easier to handle, so allow for some fridge time.


easy, fresh-tasting pizza sauce

a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
15.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

Heat olive oil and garlic in saucepan. Add can of tomatoes. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates and is more of a "sauce" consistency. That's it. Seriously, it is good.



friday night pizza

Preheat oven and pizza stone at 450.

Dust the surface of the dough and divide in half. Dust the countertop and dough with more flour and flatten the dough to produce whatever shape pizza you would like. (I often need a rolling pin for this.)

Generously cover a pizza peel (or wooden cutting board that is not too heavy) with cornmeal and shape your dough on top. Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, toppings. I usually add a little oregano, crushed red pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan to the top.

This is the tricky part... getting the pizza off the peel and onto the stone without sliced peppers flying all over your oven. Flouring the dough so it is not sticky, a generous coat of cornmeal, and a flick of the wrist *should* slide the pizza safely to the stone in the oven. My husband often complains that my mushrooms encroach on his side of the pizza at this point. He's not a mushroom fan.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes (the more toppings, the longer it takes).

Leave the pizza on the stone or let it cool on a cooling rack slightly before cutting. I find if I transfer the pizza directly to a cutting board the crust loses a little of its crispiness.

I forgot to get a photo of the pizza before we dug in. I was hungry I suppose, and I needed to hurry up and join the rest already watching Toy Story 2. We are a little behind in the Toy Story trilogy. : )

Summertime Picture Books

A summer day ends and they come pool-tired, sun-kissed, pajamed, and wet-headed to the couch for books. These are a few of our favorite, ready-for-bed reads that carry the scent of summer.

Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Will and my favorite. Set at a coastal summer house in Maine. The art and language is just dreamy.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Another McCloskey favorite. We love all his books.


The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
This book is so loveable and fun.


The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks
I'm not sure why this book seems summer-y to me. The cat is trying to make it back to her home on the coast. I could look at the art in this book (by Georg Hallensleben) all day! And If the Moon Could Talk is another beautiful book by Banks/Hallensleben that we all love.


Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone
The boys (and I) love all the Tim books.


The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow
Someone always seems to add this one to the bag at the library.


The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
A sweet story told through letters written home.
The Library is another Sarah Stewart favorite of ours.


Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
Truly a book for all seasons of outdoor, imaginative play.
I love the ideas this book generates.

Good summertime chapter books are for another post, but I'll mention just one.

Hannah and I loved reading The Penderwicks together last summer. And, like the summer, we didn't want it to end. We went into the fall with The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, which is a fun back to school/autumn read.

Our Homeschool : Year 3

About a month ago, I spent two days at CHAP (Pennsylvania's Homeschool Convention). It was a fun time away with a few friends. And then there was all the book shopping, which may be one of my *favorite* things to do. I'm such a nerd.

Next year, Hannah will be in 3rd, Will in 1st, and Peter in Pre-K.
And almost daily, I beg them to stop growing.

I did a lot of research before I arrived, so I had my choices narrowed down. There is just so much out there I would love to do with the kids.

Here's the plan so far...


Hannah : 3rd grade

Math:

• Saxon 5/4. This works well for us, despite the dryness. She is excited about doing it more independently next year.

Language Arts:

• Grammar: First Language Lessons 3
• Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing. This was a big decision. I camped out at their booth and asked a zillion questions. Very excited to get started with this!
• Spelling: Sequential Spelling 3. This is a change for us. It just makes sense to me... more so than other spelling programs we have used.
• Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3
• Poetry: pulling from many beautiful books on our shelf.
• Cursive: A Reason for Handwriting D

Latin:

• Hannah will continue to meet with her Latin class weekly (taught by a homeschooling mom/former high school Latin teacher).

Will : 1st grade

Math

• Saxon 2. I already had it, so I went with it. If it's not a good fit, we'll go back to Horizons.

Language Arts:

• Grammar: First Language Lessons 1
• Explode the Code: starting with Book 2 1/2
• Spelling: I am going to wait on buying something separate for spelling. We will use his Explode the Code words to start.
• Copywork/Poetry
• Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting B

Character through Literature: Beautiful Feet Books (we have all the books, I only bought the study guide)


Everyone

History/Geography:

• Sonlight World History (1+2)
• Geography thorough Literature, Beautiful Feet Books.

Science/Nature Study:

• Apologia's Exploring Creation : Botany
• Hikes, Nature Center programs, and exploring in the afternoons.
  

Bible:

• Bible Study: I'm not settled on what we will be studying.
• Scripture Memory
• Catechism

Music:

• Composer studies starting with these books on Brahms / Schubert and then continuing on in this series.
• Hymn studies
• Piano lessons
• Choir at church
• Kennedy Center field trips
  

Art:

• I will put together a schedule of artist studies and projects before the year begins. And hopefully I will stick to it.
• Homeschool co-op art class.

Still thinking about... how to incorporate Shakespeare. And maybe Spanish....


Peter : Pre-K

This was a hard decision, but Peter will be going to a morning preschool program next year. It is a wonderful school with two fantastic Pre-K teachers. A couple of his buddies will be in his class. He is thrilled!

A Beautiful Book

Will asks, "Mom, WHERE did you find this book?!"

"I ordered it from Amazon."

"Well, you need to send them a hundred extra dollars. This book is SO cool."

I added this book to my cart on a whim, thinking it would be a nice book to close out our study of birds. All three of them crowd around it, dragging it to ever corner of the house. It is a lovely book.

The Tiny Seed : Eric Carle Inspired Art

I did this project with a group of Kindergartners in our co-op as a part of an Eric Carle author study. We spent some time looking through his books, talking about his collage technique using painted sheets of tissue paper, and seeing how he does it in his studio (in The Art of Eric Carle - great book from our library). Then we tried our own version of the flower that grew from The Tiny Seed.

First, we needed to paint several sheets of paper. I used acrylic paint on copy paper to have a sturdier paper for the kids to cut. Will and I did all the painting beforehand because there wouldn't be enough time during the class.

We brought the painted paper to class and starting cutting. A few kids added bugs, butterflies, and grass to their collage based on the pictures in book. Then we glued our flower to the white paper. This was my example...


Will's finished collage...
I used the leftover paper to make a "mat" behind Will's paper. And now I have his bright and fun flower hanging in the kitchen.

More Eric Carle resources:
The Official Eric Carle Site
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art