And if it isn't magical, I hope it isn't too terrible.
And if it is terrible, I send you extra love!! <3
Our holiday season has been messy, busy, glorious and full. As life with a young family should be!
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
An Advent in Books
Can you believe that the Advent season is just around the corner?! I know, me either!
I love this season for the magic, the lights, the coziness of snuggling in with blankets and hot cocoa and the family traditions built around the holidays.
I am not such a fan of the consumerism, the rush to get things done, the pressure to create a perfect holiday or the endless to-do lists. So much not a fan.
For the past few years we have started a few simple traditions for our family, but one of my favorite is our Advent Books.
During the Advent period I fill our reading nook bookshelf up with our holiday books, many of which we have had for several years, and read one aloud at bed time. I don't do this every night, and it is not all brand new books, but cozy-ing up on the sofa to read, makes for a sweet and simple tradition. Sometimes we read by candle light with cocoa and (vegan! - these are amazing!) marshmallows, and sometimes we don't!
It's lovely! It doesn't add undue stress to our days (nothing kills a moment than having a frazzled mama!), it's not a budget breaker (I think I added four new-to-us books to our holiday stash this year for a grand total of $10, and even have a few library books that I'm adding to our shelves and returning after they've been read) and it's centered around one of our very favorite things to do - reading aloud!
Perfect!
Here are some of the books that will be included in our Advent collection this year:
Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story, by Cynthia Rylant
The Christmas Day Kitten, by James Herriot
Morris' Disappearing Bag, by Rosemary Wells
Winter Story (Brambly Hedge), by Jill Barklem
The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer
The Story of the Snow Children, by Sybille von Olfers (This one is a particular favorite; the story is delightful and the illustrations are magical!)
The Cowboy's Christmas, by Joan Walsh Anglund
The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie dePaola
Winter, by Gerda Muller (Another absolute favorite, this is one of four part seasonal series. The illustrations are lush and detailed; my children talk about these books all year long).
First Snow, by Kim Lewis
The Night before Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett
The Tomten, and The Tomten and the Fox, by Astrid Lindgren
Dream Snow, by Eric Carle
The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
Silent Night, by Juliet Groom
Santa Mouse, by Michael Brown
Bear's First Christmas, by Robert Kinerk
The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs
I love this season for the magic, the lights, the coziness of snuggling in with blankets and hot cocoa and the family traditions built around the holidays.
I am not such a fan of the consumerism, the rush to get things done, the pressure to create a perfect holiday or the endless to-do lists. So much not a fan.
For the past few years we have started a few simple traditions for our family, but one of my favorite is our Advent Books.
It's lovely! It doesn't add undue stress to our days (nothing kills a moment than having a frazzled mama!), it's not a budget breaker (I think I added four new-to-us books to our holiday stash this year for a grand total of $10, and even have a few library books that I'm adding to our shelves and returning after they've been read) and it's centered around one of our very favorite things to do - reading aloud!
Perfect!
Here are some of the books that will be included in our Advent collection this year:
Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story, by Cynthia Rylant
The Christmas Day Kitten, by James Herriot
Morris' Disappearing Bag, by Rosemary Wells
Winter Story (Brambly Hedge), by Jill Barklem
The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer
The Story of the Snow Children, by Sybille von Olfers (This one is a particular favorite; the story is delightful and the illustrations are magical!)
The Cowboy's Christmas, by Joan Walsh Anglund
The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie dePaola
Winter, by Gerda Muller (Another absolute favorite, this is one of four part seasonal series. The illustrations are lush and detailed; my children talk about these books all year long).
First Snow, by Kim Lewis
The Night before Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett
The Tomten, and The Tomten and the Fox, by Astrid Lindgren
Dream Snow, by Eric Carle
The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
Silent Night, by Juliet Groom
Santa Mouse, by Michael Brown
Bear's First Christmas, by Robert Kinerk
The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs
What are your favorite Advent read aloud books for your family?
{This post contains affiliate links - thanks!}
Monday, November 30, 2015
A Year of Gratitudes
So much to be grateful for.
(Part one is here).
11. Chocolate. Obviously.
15. Found all three kiddos in our newly created homeschool/work office, busy busy busy with projects.
16. Podcasts. I can't tell you how much podcasts have changed my relationship with chores for the better. (I could do a post just on my podcast listening ... there are a lot of them!)
17. Homemade crumpets. With butter. And jam. So good.
18. Finding just the thing I wanted, on sale during the Black Friday weekend, without a lot of hunting and searching. And free shipping.
19. The Facebook Groups App, which has allowed me to remove the Facebook App from my phone and helped me take a big step away from FB.
20. Gilmore Girls. Don't judge; its the perfect fun, and not too heavy Netflix binge fodder.
(Part one is here).
11. Chocolate. Obviously.
12. Finding new tank tops, on sale no less, to replace some well worn camisoles. And! - I bought a couple that were not just black or white. V v excited!
13. Sitting at the window with my husband and all three kiddo's watching the birds at out bird feeder, with binoculars, identification guides and a song bird app. Perfect Sunday morning.
14. Spending time with My Good Man and having that sudden happy realization that I really really like him. More than love him; I LIKE him. He's a great person to be around.
14. Spending time with My Good Man and having that sudden happy realization that I really really like him. More than love him; I LIKE him. He's a great person to be around.
15. Found all three kiddos in our newly created homeschool/work office, busy busy busy with projects.
16. Podcasts. I can't tell you how much podcasts have changed my relationship with chores for the better. (I could do a post just on my podcast listening ... there are a lot of them!)
17. Homemade crumpets. With butter. And jam. So good.
18. Finding just the thing I wanted, on sale during the Black Friday weekend, without a lot of hunting and searching. And free shipping.
19. The Facebook Groups App, which has allowed me to remove the Facebook App from my phone and helped me take a big step away from FB.
20. Gilmore Girls. Don't judge; its the perfect fun, and not too heavy Netflix binge fodder.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Claiming Thanksgiving
I've felt a little vague about the big holidays since becoming an adult; in part I've known that this was because I did not live in the States as a child, and that the way of celebrating, the very holidays themselves, are not my own. Its always felt difficult to put my own mark on holidays traditions when the holidays aren't 'mine'.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and the kiddos and I had the morning to ourselves. Baby Girl asked what our plans were, and when I told her that I had planned to go to a local park for a walk, The Little Guy piped in with 'That's what we do to celebrate'.
And I realized that he is right!
It is what we often did to mark the big holidays when I was growing up: go for a walk as a family!
And that one comment helped me realize that we DO have our own family traditions around the holidays.
We do one big feast with friends and family, simple meals and snacks for the rest of the day.
We go for a walk as a family.
We spend our time together, slooooow down and enjoy each other's company.
There is usually a board game or two involved ...
We have FUN!
But more over we keep it simple. Not much hoopla, not too much fanciness beyond getting out the nice glasses and digging through the stack of cloth napkins for the nicer ones.
I'm realizing that we do have traditions throughout the year, but they are simple ones for sure.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and the kiddos and I had the morning to ourselves. Baby Girl asked what our plans were, and when I told her that I had planned to go to a local park for a walk, The Little Guy piped in with 'That's what we do to celebrate'.
And I realized that he is right!
It is what we often did to mark the big holidays when I was growing up: go for a walk as a family!
And that one comment helped me realize that we DO have our own family traditions around the holidays.
We do one big feast with friends and family, simple meals and snacks for the rest of the day.
We go for a walk as a family.
We spend our time together, slooooow down and enjoy each other's company.
There is usually a board game or two involved ...
We have FUN!
But more over we keep it simple. Not much hoopla, not too much fanciness beyond getting out the nice glasses and digging through the stack of cloth napkins for the nicer ones.
I'm realizing that we do have traditions throughout the year, but they are simple ones for sure.
What do you do to celebrate the holidays? Simple or fancy?!
Thursday, November 26, 2015
A Year of Gratitudes
I've been actively working this year, on gratitude, on being more grateful, and slowing down to say thank you more. All good things.
I recently heard about a different way of looking at gratitudes from Julie Bogart (the owner of Brave Writer, and all around homeschool advocate and Wonder Woman). Her advice was to look for the surprise of happy each day - the little things that make us happy. Isn't that lovely?!!
One of the things Julie Bogart mentioned was that finding things each day to be grateful for can start to be a burden ... "oooh! the stress of finding three things to be grateful for today ... "
So! It's Thanksgiving! Perfect time to be thankful, look for gratitudes, and start paying more attention to those Surprises of Happy!
1. Dinner ready in the crock pot at the end of a long and busy day.
2. Being invited to the museum that The Little Guy had set up in his bedroom ... it was pretty amazing! He set up different exhibits and artifacts, created a tour guide brochure and a map. It, and he, are pretty awesome <3
3. Sunday night with my Scholé Sisters; wonderful friends who amazingly share my love of things literary, cerebral, goofy, raucous and irreverent. They're wonderful.
I recently heard about a different way of looking at gratitudes from Julie Bogart (the owner of Brave Writer, and all around homeschool advocate and Wonder Woman). Her advice was to look for the surprise of happy each day - the little things that make us happy. Isn't that lovely?!!
One of the things Julie Bogart mentioned was that finding things each day to be grateful for can start to be a burden ... "oooh! the stress of finding three things to be grateful for today ... "
So! It's Thanksgiving! Perfect time to be thankful, look for gratitudes, and start paying more attention to those Surprises of Happy!
1. Dinner ready in the crock pot at the end of a long and busy day.
2. Being invited to the museum that The Little Guy had set up in his bedroom ... it was pretty amazing! He set up different exhibits and artifacts, created a tour guide brochure and a map. It, and he, are pretty awesome <3
3. Sunday night with my Scholé Sisters; wonderful friends who amazingly share my love of things literary, cerebral, goofy, raucous and irreverent. They're wonderful.
4. Children old enough to do painting projects without making a huge mess.
5. Moby Dick.
Yes - I'm reading Moby Dick (well, technically, I'm listening to it on Audible), and so far I'm enjoying it. Let's see if it lasts.
6. Being mostly caught up with laundry.
7. Half an hour at Target. Alone. It was pretty glorious.
8. Having friends who challenge me to think outside my box, push me to go beyond my own preconceived ideas.
9. Branston pickle.
10. Scalding hot showers.
And you?! What is on your Gratitude List these days?
I'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Birthday Interview: Baby Girl at Four
On
my children’s birthdays, I interview them, asking them the same set of
questions each year. It's fascinating to see how they’re changing and if
they have interests that remain the same.
I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the Sparkling Adventures blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling, travelling inclined folks).
A few weeks ago I posted Little Boy's Birthday Interview, and now here is Baby Girl's. She was so so excited for her interview!
What are you going to be when you grow up?
I don't know. Maybe I'll turn seven [years old].
What’s that going to be like?
I don't know.
Kitty toys and building stuff.
Ronan and Niko.
What makes you happy?
I love holding hands and hugging.
What makes you sad?
When people are hurting me.
When you dream at night, what do you dream about?
Kitties.
What do you like to do with Papa?
Hold his hand!
What do you like to do with Mama?
Sit with her and hold her hand.
What’s your favorite color?
Red.
What’s your favorite book?
The Pumpkin book.
What does Daddy do during the day?
Goes to work.
What does Mama do during the day?
Stays with me.
What do you do during the day?
Stay around and read some books. And play. I play a lot.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Birthday Interview: Little Boy at Four
On my children’s birthdays, I interview them, asking them the same set of questions each year. It's fascinating to see how they’re changing and if they have interests that remain the same.
I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the Sparkling Adventures blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling, travelling inclined folks).
Anyhoo, Little Boy and Baby Girl just turned four (FOUR!!) last week. And I'm finally getting around to posting part one of their interviews. Enjoy ... these guys are so cute! (I'll be posting Baby Girl's interview in a few days).
What are you going to be when you grow up?
A monster.
What’s that going to be like?
I'll probably be a funny green monster.
Race cars. And nothing else.
Feeny and Niko.
What makes you happy?
Building stuff and carving pumpkins.
What makes you sad?
When people hurt me.
When you dream at night, what do you dream about?
Riding my bike and pumpkins and that's it.
What do you like to do with Papa?
Hold hands and take a walk to the playground.
What do you like to do with Mama?
Work on things.
What’s your favorite color?
Red.
What’s your favorite book?
The Star Wars books.
What does Daddy do during the day?
Goes to work.
What does Mama do during the day?
Stays with us.
What do you do during the day?
Ride my bike and climb trees. I can climb trees now because I'm 4!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Little House in the Burbs
It's funny sometimes, the things that you wish for in your children. For me, one of my silent yearnings was for a child who had a love for the Little House books as deep as mine. I had always imagined that this love for LIW would come from a daughter, but I love that right now the child who is as passionate about all things Little House is seven year old Little Guy.
We are immersed in Laura and Pa and Baby Carrie and log cabins and sugaring and covered wagons and everything Little House. All day, everyday. And can I tell you that I am just loving it.
A few things we've been doing!
Although this is something that I do, I invited the children to help me make bread for the family, and then we made our own butter, which feels very very Ma. The Little Guy asked whether we would be shaving a carrot and adding a little boiled carrot juice to the butter so that it was a pretty yellow color as Laura describes Ma doing in Little House in the Big Woods; I replied that we wouldn't. Apparently Ma had a much greater need for 'pretty' than I do! (Here's a link to a post I did a while ago about making butter; it is so so easy, and the kiddos think it is just magical!)
We have been listening to a lot of early fiddle music, which has lead to lots of jigging-style dance parties and whooping in our home. Trust me, it is so much fun to spontaneously jig! I've got my eye on the Arkansas Traveler CD, but for now we are listening to the Pa's Fiddle station on Pandora.
We are working our way through listening to the Little House books on CD in the car; we have been completely enamored by the Cherry Jones narrations (here, here and here), and despite the dozens of times I've read the books, listening to these recordings has brought a new depth of understanding for me. The children have never been so eager to spend time in the car as they are these days - "just one more chapter? Pleeeeeease?"
We have been researching covered wagons, threshing, panning for gold, how to build a log cabin and breaking ponies. We have spent so much time researching these areas, that I think we will be making it official and be doing a Little House unit study this coming year as part of our homeschool curriculum. We'll be using The Prairie Primer by Margie Gray, which is out of print, but there often seem to be copies available on Amazon and eBay.
One last thought! I mentioned that I had often imagined it would be a daughter who would share my love of LIW; but chatting to The Little Guy about the books, he is convinced that Pa is the hero of the books. He is strong, capable, kind and generous of spirit. What more could we want in a hero figure for our young boys! (Check out what Cindy Rollins, a well known Classical homeschooling blogger, says about the Little House books in her post about Books for Cultivating Honorable Boys ... it's all the way down at the end, but the whole post is a good one!)
We are immersed in Laura and Pa and Baby Carrie and log cabins and sugaring and covered wagons and everything Little House. All day, everyday. And can I tell you that I am just loving it.
A few things we've been doing!
Although this is something that I do, I invited the children to help me make bread for the family, and then we made our own butter, which feels very very Ma. The Little Guy asked whether we would be shaving a carrot and adding a little boiled carrot juice to the butter so that it was a pretty yellow color as Laura describes Ma doing in Little House in the Big Woods; I replied that we wouldn't. Apparently Ma had a much greater need for 'pretty' than I do! (Here's a link to a post I did a while ago about making butter; it is so so easy, and the kiddos think it is just magical!)
We have been listening to a lot of early fiddle music, which has lead to lots of jigging-style dance parties and whooping in our home. Trust me, it is so much fun to spontaneously jig! I've got my eye on the Arkansas Traveler CD, but for now we are listening to the Pa's Fiddle station on Pandora.
We are working our way through listening to the Little House books on CD in the car; we have been completely enamored by the Cherry Jones narrations (here, here and here), and despite the dozens of times I've read the books, listening to these recordings has brought a new depth of understanding for me. The children have never been so eager to spend time in the car as they are these days - "just one more chapter? Pleeeeeease?"
We have been researching covered wagons, threshing, panning for gold, how to build a log cabin and breaking ponies. We have spent so much time researching these areas, that I think we will be making it official and be doing a Little House unit study this coming year as part of our homeschool curriculum. We'll be using The Prairie Primer by Margie Gray, which is out of print, but there often seem to be copies available on Amazon and eBay.
One last thought! I mentioned that I had often imagined it would be a daughter who would share my love of LIW; but chatting to The Little Guy about the books, he is convinced that Pa is the hero of the books. He is strong, capable, kind and generous of spirit. What more could we want in a hero figure for our young boys! (Check out what Cindy Rollins, a well known Classical homeschooling blogger, says about the Little House books in her post about Books for Cultivating Honorable Boys ... it's all the way down at the end, but the whole post is a good one!)
Monday, July 20, 2015
A Day of Blurgh
I had a lovely post planned for today. It was thoughtful, sweet, well written, proofed and linked, that just needed a little last minute research and delightful photos added.
And then sometimes life just gets in the way.
Instead, I bring you this - a day of blurgh. A couple of weeks of poor sleep culminated in a truly awful night last night, so in a hope to bring a little 'real' here is what my day is looking like.
Children in pajamas, watching Octonauts, in nests of unfolded, clean laundry. And realistically this is what our day will look like, all day.
And that's okay. Because it isn't forever, it's just for today.
Sometimes you just have to know to quit while you're ahead, accept gracefully, and let it go.
Tomorrow, hopefully, we'll get back to our normal routine, the lesson plans and the to do list. But not today. Today is tea, toast, knitting and couch. And Octonauts.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
A Year of Books
Anyone who knows me will know that I read. A lot!
(I should add here that although I do read a lot, I also listen to at least a third of my books either on CD while I'm in the car, or through Audible or Overdrive via my smart phone . I tend to listen while I do chores around my home, washing dishes and folding laundry and such. I've never been so eager to do chores before!)
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
May B., by Caroline Starr Rose
Call the Midwife, by Jennifer Worth
News From Lake Wobegon, by Garrison Keillor
Blue Birds, by Caroline Starr Rose
Voyager, by Diana Gabaldon
Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson
84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881 - 1901, by Nancy Turner, by
A God in Ruins, by Kate Atkinson
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon
Non-Fiction
Learning All the Time, by John Holt
The Read Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease
My Life in France, by Julia Child
Notes From a Blue Bike, by Tsh Oxenreider
Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer's Life, by Pamela Smith Hill
[post contains affiliate links]
Although I am never without a book at my side, I was certainly reading less during the first years of mama hood; even I choose sleep over reading. But now that life has a little more down time, I'm enjoying being able to read more.
(I should add here that although I do read a lot, I also listen to at least a third of my books either on CD while I'm in the car, or through Audible or Overdrive via my smart phone . I tend to listen while I do chores around my home, washing dishes and folding laundry and such. I've never been so eager to do chores before!)
I've always loved to check out other people's reading lists, and thought it would be fun to post mine, both noting what I have read and plan to read, and updating now and then.
Classics
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers, by Ralph Moody
Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott
Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis
Kristen Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
The First Four Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings), by J. R. R. Tolkien
Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers, by Ralph Moody
Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott
Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis
Kristen Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
The First Four Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings), by J. R. R. Tolkien
Fiction
84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881 - 1901, by Nancy Turner, by
A God in Ruins, by Kate Atkinson
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon
Non-Fiction
Learning All the Time, by John Holt
The Read Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease
My Life in France, by Julia Child
Notes From a Blue Bike, by Tsh Oxenreider
Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer's Life, by Pamela Smith Hill
[post contains affiliate links]
So, what are you reading? What does your to-read stack look like?
Any highlights of your reading year so far?
I'd love to hear from you; feel free to leave a comment below!
Friday, July 3, 2015
A Salad for the Summer
To be honest, I often have a hard time shifting culinary gears when the seasons change. The soups and stews which are our mainstay during the cooler winter months, just don't feel as nourishing during the hot and humid summers of Virginia.
The fab thing about this dish is that it lends itself to substitutions and using what you have on hand. And it's delicious. And quick. And delicious!
My go-to summer meal is a big salad, but the three kiddo's ... and My Good Man (if we're being honest!) are not fans. But I've think I've discovered my new quick and easy, summer supper - Confetti Salad.
The fab thing about this dish is that it lends itself to substitutions and using what you have on hand. And it's delicious. And quick. And delicious!
Confetti Salad
(Makes four hearty servings)
Approximately 2-3 cups of cooked grain, such as quinoa, bulgar wheat, rice, couscous, amaranth etc
Veggies of your choice.
Current favorites are cucumbers, broccoli, bell peppers, raw shredded spinach and red onion. I prefer my vegetables for salads to be fairly finely chopped, about half an inch.
A few luxury add ons.
A small handful of something to add a bit of pizazz, like chopped green olives, pistachios, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries or feta cheese.
Salad dressing.
1/4 cup or so of your favorite dressing. This almost deserves a post all on its own; I love making salad dressings, although I rarely follow a recipe. Which can make it tricky to reucate a particularly good batch!
My current favorite is a Greek-inspired salad dressing with EVOO, lemon juice, a splash of maple syrup, garlic, salt pepper and oregano. It's fabulous!
Method
Mix everything together well in a large bowl, then let sit in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.
That's it! Couldn't be easier, and I love how versatile this is.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Birthday Interview: The Little Guy at 7
On my children’s birthdays, I interview them, asking them
the same set of questions each year. It's fascinating to see how they’re
changing and if they have interests that remain the same.
I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the Sparkling Adventures blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling,
travelling inclined folks).
What are you going to be when you grow up?
Well, I have to think about it. I'll be a person with a few
jobs. I'll work at a power plant, I'll be a papa (that's a job!), and I'll be a
scientist.
What’s that going to be like?
Oh man! Well, taking care of my children, and I'm not too
sure what it's like in a power plant. And working in a lab with chemicals.
This is the hardest question yet! But ... my Legos!
Alex, Liam and Sufyan
What makes you happy?
Mama! And Papa! You can tell it makes me happy to be with
you!
What makes you sad?
When I can’t play in the pool, and having to clean up my
room.
When you dream at night, what do you dream about?
Just all kinds of stuff.
What do you like to do with Papa?
Run errands and fix stuff. I love fixing things.
What do you like to do with Mama?
Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle!
What’s your favorite color?
Aquamarine. (I think that’s how you say it).
What’s your favorite book?
Oh man! These questions are so hard! [He really had to think
about this one]
My DK Eyewitness books on Eagles and Dogs.
What does Daddy do during the day?
Well, that’s a hard question. Work at work I guess.
What does Mama do during the day?
Takes care of us.
What do you do during the day?
Play, play, play. [I pressed him a little to expand his
answer, but apparently all he does is play. Fair enough!]
Monday, June 29, 2015
The Simple Joy of Blogging Simply
The thing with blogging is that, these days, there are so *many* blogs out there. And so many blogs out there about everything you could possibly imagine, from travel to writing, from parenting large families to 'what I'm wearing today' blogs.
It can be hard to find a niche, something fascinating that an audience will want to read about day in and day out. And how to write, with content rich blogs, easily searchable by Google, for higher rankings and what-not. And there was a time that those things were really important to me, when I read the books and learned all I could about creating content rich pieces, driving search engine optimization and reaching a larger audience.
Fun for some folks? Maybe! Fun for me? Not so much.
So now I blog much more simply. I write for fun, because I enjoy it, on things I want to share.
A much better fit for me and my simpler lifestyle!
Which is why you won't see posts from me everyday, or even every week. And why I don;t run give-aways and ad campaigns, links to eBooks and online groups. All great things ... but not for me.
And honestly, there is enough content out there; I do not need to be another of the voices here in internet land contributing to the daily in-box clutter of unread emails and blogs!
So, I'll just be over here, simply blogging at my own pace about things that I find interesting, simply!
It can be hard to find a niche, something fascinating that an audience will want to read about day in and day out. And how to write, with content rich blogs, easily searchable by Google, for higher rankings and what-not. And there was a time that those things were really important to me, when I read the books and learned all I could about creating content rich pieces, driving search engine optimization and reaching a larger audience.
Fun for some folks? Maybe! Fun for me? Not so much.
So now I blog much more simply. I write for fun, because I enjoy it, on things I want to share.
A much better fit for me and my simpler lifestyle!
Which is why you won't see posts from me everyday, or even every week. And why I don;t run give-aways and ad campaigns, links to eBooks and online groups. All great things ... but not for me.
And honestly, there is enough content out there; I do not need to be another of the voices here in internet land contributing to the daily in-box clutter of unread emails and blogs!
So, I'll just be over here, simply blogging at my own pace about things that I find interesting, simply!
Monday, May 11, 2015
A Round Up of Books
We read. We read a lot.
Fiction Picture Books
The Treasure, by Uri Shulevitz
Beautifully written and illustrated, a great moral tale set in Russia.
Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain, by Edward Ardizzone
Oh my goodness - this the first book in such a fun adventure series, perfect for early elementary adventurers. We have been reading our way steadily through these books and enjoying them greatly.
Thy Friend Obadiah, by Brinton Turkle
I loves this book; the art, the story, the unexpected social lesson.
Old Henry, by Joan W. Blos
I'll be honest, that when I started reading this book aloud to my three Little Ones, I was a little unsure about it. By the time I was half way through though, I was smitten. Later I went back and re-read it by myself, it was that good!
Beautifully illustrated, a gentle story about accepting others.
Each Peach Pear Plum, by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
Something for the Preschoolers, I remember this book from my own childhood, and was delighted to find that it had lost nothing in the intervening years. Fun rhymes, lovely illustrations and a fun i-spy through the nursery rhymes.
The Little Airplane, by Lois Lenski
Another one for the younger set, this is part of series about Small and the different adventures he gets up (Cowboy Small, The Little Sailboat, etc). Very sweet, and gently informative.
Non-Fiction Picture Books
Sky Boys, by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome
Stunning art, and a wonderful combination of fictionalized story and facts about the building of the Empire State Building, this book proved to be a wonderful springboard for all sorts of construction, architecture and demolition conversations.
Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles, by Greg Tang
Can I just gush for a moment or two about Greg Tang's books?! They are wonderful! Fun and engaging, with math fun on every page; we adore these books. Great for early elementary children.
One Small Square: Cactus Desert, by Donald M. Silver
We have now read several books in the One Small Square series, and they are all great. Really informative, great for zoology and geography studies. Each book studies a different geographical location, and shares such information as weather, animals that live there, annual life cycles, plants and habitats. Fabulous!
Wolves, by Gail Gibbons
I found this book for my six year old Little Guy, feeding his current wolf obsession - but also, it's by Gail Gibbons which really is enough for me! If you aren't familiar with her books and you are homeschooling or parenting young ones, you must must check them out. Between the factual information and the illustrations, her books are winners. Run, don't walk!
Chapter Books and Audio Books
A Bear Named Paddington, by Michael Bond
A recent audio book for car rides, this was a firm favorite with all three children; funny, silly fun with Paddington!
Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White
Another book on CD for the car, I was a little hesitant that this might be a little too intense for my sensitive little ones, but they LOVED it! We finished this one about three weeks ago, and are still talking about Wilbur and Charlotte.
Added bonus, I found an audi version read by the author himself, which was amazing - worth finding.
Olga da Polga, by Michael Bond
Another one by the author of Paddington Bear, this was a firm favorite of mine as \a child, and we have been giggling and chortling our way through it. A sweet book about the funny tales a silly and sassy guinea pig - not to be missed.
Although popular in the UK, this is harder to find in the States, but worth looking for. The original illustrations were done by Hans Helweg and are just wonderful!
What have you been reading with your children recently?
Between my personal reading and reading aloud I do with the three kiddos, it constitutes a significant part of my day. More about my reading another though. Today - let's talk children's books!
Our homeschooling approach draws from lots of different influences, but I am particularly inspired by the Charlotte Mason approach, which has a large emphasis on 'living' books. (I really enjoyed this article's explanation on what makes a book a 'living' book).
It's always fun to have a little look back at what we've been reading, so here's a quick look at a handful of children's books that we have been particularly enjoying just recently.
Fiction Picture Books
The Treasure, by Uri Shulevitz
Beautifully written and illustrated, a great moral tale set in Russia.
Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain, by Edward Ardizzone
Oh my goodness - this the first book in such a fun adventure series, perfect for early elementary adventurers. We have been reading our way steadily through these books and enjoying them greatly.
Thy Friend Obadiah, by Brinton Turkle
I loves this book; the art, the story, the unexpected social lesson.
Old Henry, by Joan W. Blos
I'll be honest, that when I started reading this book aloud to my three Little Ones, I was a little unsure about it. By the time I was half way through though, I was smitten. Later I went back and re-read it by myself, it was that good!
Beautifully illustrated, a gentle story about accepting others.
Each Peach Pear Plum, by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
Something for the Preschoolers, I remember this book from my own childhood, and was delighted to find that it had lost nothing in the intervening years. Fun rhymes, lovely illustrations and a fun i-spy through the nursery rhymes.
The Little Airplane, by Lois Lenski
Another one for the younger set, this is part of series about Small and the different adventures he gets up (Cowboy Small, The Little Sailboat, etc). Very sweet, and gently informative.
Non-Fiction Picture Books
Sky Boys, by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome
Stunning art, and a wonderful combination of fictionalized story and facts about the building of the Empire State Building, this book proved to be a wonderful springboard for all sorts of construction, architecture and demolition conversations.
Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles, by Greg Tang
Can I just gush for a moment or two about Greg Tang's books?! They are wonderful! Fun and engaging, with math fun on every page; we adore these books. Great for early elementary children.
One Small Square: Cactus Desert, by Donald M. Silver
We have now read several books in the One Small Square series, and they are all great. Really informative, great for zoology and geography studies. Each book studies a different geographical location, and shares such information as weather, animals that live there, annual life cycles, plants and habitats. Fabulous!
Wolves, by Gail Gibbons
I found this book for my six year old Little Guy, feeding his current wolf obsession - but also, it's by Gail Gibbons which really is enough for me! If you aren't familiar with her books and you are homeschooling or parenting young ones, you must must check them out. Between the factual information and the illustrations, her books are winners. Run, don't walk!
Chapter Books and Audio Books
A Bear Named Paddington, by Michael Bond
A recent audio book for car rides, this was a firm favorite with all three children; funny, silly fun with Paddington!
Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White
Another book on CD for the car, I was a little hesitant that this might be a little too intense for my sensitive little ones, but they LOVED it! We finished this one about three weeks ago, and are still talking about Wilbur and Charlotte.
Added bonus, I found an audi version read by the author himself, which was amazing - worth finding.
Olga da Polga, by Michael Bond
Another one by the author of Paddington Bear, this was a firm favorite of mine as \a child, and we have been giggling and chortling our way through it. A sweet book about the funny tales a silly and sassy guinea pig - not to be missed.
Although popular in the UK, this is harder to find in the States, but worth looking for. The original illustrations were done by Hans Helweg and are just wonderful!
What have you been reading with your children recently?
{This post does contain affiliate links}
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
My Weekly Dashboard
So maybe it is just me, but I find it very difficult to live 'simply' when my life is disorganized.
Knowing what is coming up and how I am going to get things done, really gives me the confidence to let go of those aspects a little bit. If I have a plan, I don't have to THINK about it all!
Along with my monthly wall calendar where I keep track of the bulk of my day to day events (classes, meetings, trips, birthdays), and my smart phone calendar where I keep track of the day to day minutiae (library books due back, subscriptions and bills due) I also take time each weekend to create to plans for my upcoming week - one for meals and the other for our homeschool plan.
Before I go further I should add that I am not a natural planner. I don;t feel a strong need to map things out like this, but that doing so stops the daily panic of 'what ARE we going to eat tonight?' and 'WHAT did we do for school last week?!'
My meal plan is a really basic affair, and one that I received as part of a bundle from Waldorfish, but I really like the simple layout, and that there are blocks for breakfast, lunch and grazing platters (affectionately known in our home as monkey platters!) I've written before about how I tend to go about creating my menu plans, here. It's still working for us!
And before I go any further with my homeschool plan, I should add a humongous caveat.
Yes! - I make a plan each week.
No - I don't expect us to do this each week.
Again, I've found that if I make a plan, it frees up a little extra brain space for me. When we are ready for our next 'school' project, I can just check my book for inspiration. I'll write more on how we homeschool another time, because honestly that's a huge multi- post project all by itself.
After struggling to find a homeschool planner that I loved, that had the flexibility I wanted for our family's schooling needs, I created my own out of a 50 cent composition book. I used this post as my inspiration, but honestly my planner has evolved so much since I first started doing this at the beginning of the school year. But that's the beauty of it! - now it's my own creation,a nd it perfectly fits my needs. Joy!
And lastly, my To Do book. This is a newer addition for me, and was borne from the need for me to write out to do lists and random notes. Am I the only person who finds that physically writing something out with pen and paper helps me remember it better?!
This one is still a bit of a work in progress, and I know it will be evolving over the upcoming months, but it's good to have a collected place to jot everything down, and a beautiful book at that, rather than the countless scraps of paper.
I use a lovely Moleskine notebook for this; it had all the features I wanted; a ribbon for marking my place, an elastic strap for holding it closed, and a pocket int he back for any random scraps of paper that may just need to be contained (ahem).
Knowing what is coming up and how I am going to get things done, really gives me the confidence to let go of those aspects a little bit. If I have a plan, I don't have to THINK about it all!
Along with my monthly wall calendar where I keep track of the bulk of my day to day events (classes, meetings, trips, birthdays), and my smart phone calendar where I keep track of the day to day minutiae (library books due back, subscriptions and bills due) I also take time each weekend to create to plans for my upcoming week - one for meals and the other for our homeschool plan.
Before I go further I should add that I am not a natural planner. I don;t feel a strong need to map things out like this, but that doing so stops the daily panic of 'what ARE we going to eat tonight?' and 'WHAT did we do for school last week?!'
My meal plan is a really basic affair, and one that I received as part of a bundle from Waldorfish, but I really like the simple layout, and that there are blocks for breakfast, lunch and grazing platters (affectionately known in our home as monkey platters!) I've written before about how I tend to go about creating my menu plans, here. It's still working for us!
And before I go any further with my homeschool plan, I should add a humongous caveat.
Yes! - I make a plan each week.
No - I don't expect us to do this each week.
Again, I've found that if I make a plan, it frees up a little extra brain space for me. When we are ready for our next 'school' project, I can just check my book for inspiration. I'll write more on how we homeschool another time, because honestly that's a huge multi- post project all by itself.
After struggling to find a homeschool planner that I loved, that had the flexibility I wanted for our family's schooling needs, I created my own out of a 50 cent composition book. I used this post as my inspiration, but honestly my planner has evolved so much since I first started doing this at the beginning of the school year. But that's the beauty of it! - now it's my own creation,a nd it perfectly fits my needs. Joy!
And lastly, my To Do book. This is a newer addition for me, and was borne from the need for me to write out to do lists and random notes. Am I the only person who finds that physically writing something out with pen and paper helps me remember it better?!
This one is still a bit of a work in progress, and I know it will be evolving over the upcoming months, but it's good to have a collected place to jot everything down, and a beautiful book at that, rather than the countless scraps of paper.
I use a lovely Moleskine notebook for this; it had all the features I wanted; a ribbon for marking my place, an elastic strap for holding it closed, and a pocket int he back for any random scraps of paper that may just need to be contained (ahem).
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
A (Homeschooling) Addition
Ah! - the irony of blogging about living simply, is that life often isn't!
With three young children, a hubby with a demanding job which requires long days, my WAH-business and now homeschooling, life is often hectic. But despite how hectic our days and weeks often are, we still strive to live simply.
Some weeks are better than others; heck, some YEARS have been better than others!
But we still go in for home cooked meals, long afternoons with books and tea, puddle jumping and backyard mud pies, local hikes and expanses of time at home for the children to fill as they wish.
And now - homeschooling!
My eldest kiddo, known around these parts as The Little Guy, or TLG, is coming up to 7 years old, and although I try to keep our learning approach as 'simple' as our lifestyle, there is a fair amount of teaching and learning going on. The twins are coming up on 3 and a half and they tag along, learning effortlessly as we go.
I was considering starting another homeschooling blog, to keep track of what we are doing, our plans, our adventures and projects, but it occurred to me that I might just segue this blog a little, and incorporate what we are doing for 'school' here (I use that word very loosely!)
One more note, before I go!
Know that I don't have all the answers. That sometimes homeschooling terrifies me, that the prospect of failing looms pretty large sometimes. That none of my children are gifted or geniuses - just averagely bright. That my way is not THE way.
But, it is fun!
With three young children, a hubby with a demanding job which requires long days, my WAH-business and now homeschooling, life is often hectic. But despite how hectic our days and weeks often are, we still strive to live simply.
Some weeks are better than others; heck, some YEARS have been better than others!
But we still go in for home cooked meals, long afternoons with books and tea, puddle jumping and backyard mud pies, local hikes and expanses of time at home for the children to fill as they wish.
And now - homeschooling!
My eldest kiddo, known around these parts as The Little Guy, or TLG, is coming up to 7 years old, and although I try to keep our learning approach as 'simple' as our lifestyle, there is a fair amount of teaching and learning going on. The twins are coming up on 3 and a half and they tag along, learning effortlessly as we go.
I was considering starting another homeschooling blog, to keep track of what we are doing, our plans, our adventures and projects, but it occurred to me that I might just segue this blog a little, and incorporate what we are doing for 'school' here (I use that word very loosely!)
One more note, before I go!
Know that I don't have all the answers. That sometimes homeschooling terrifies me, that the prospect of failing looms pretty large sometimes. That none of my children are gifted or geniuses - just averagely bright. That my way is not THE way.
But, it is fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)