tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44215833987511736472024-02-19T18:28:39.412-05:00Simply, in the 'BurbsBecky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-38560141036895172762016-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:002016-08-29T06:00:20.464-04:00Advocating Pokemon PassionsEarlier this summer, Hawkeye discovered Pokemon, and it has been the ongoing theme of our summer. He saved his allowance and got a new (used) stack of Pokemon cards, and was just beside himself!<br />
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This has proved to be a real learning experience for <i>me</i>. I look down on Pokemon, as having little value and as just a pop culture phenom, but I raise up things like astronomy and ornithology (two of Hawkeye's other obsessions) as having real academic worth. It occurred to me that this approach of mine was not in alignment with the homeschooling values I created, during an online workshop with <a href="http://amongstlovelythings.com/read-aloud-revival-the-podcast/">Sarah Mckenzie, from Read-Aloud Revival</a>. I want to <b>advocate my children's passions</b>. And I was not.<br />
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Despite collecting Pokemon cards for a month or two, Hawkeye has yet to use the cards in a battle or play Pokemon Go. Instead he sorts or organizes them, by type, by number and by evolution stage (he is not a particularly organized kid).<br />
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He practices reading the names and strengths (he's a reluctant reader).<br />
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We have discussed evolution, health and strength, and the differences between the elemental groups (electric vs water vs magnetic vs Plant).<br />
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Add in the memorization! He has memorized a HUGE number of facts about his Pokemon cards.<br />
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Now he's moved on to dictating his own Pokemon fan fiction and poetry, designing Pokemon models and creating his new cards.<br />
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Which is all good stuff; great stuff, even. It is a good reminder that sometimes learning doesn't look like book learning!<br />
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<i><b>What have your children been learning this summer? What are their passions?!</b></i></div>
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<i><b>And am I the only one who finds discussing Pokemon for hours, well, a little tedious?!</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you! </b></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289533534834739722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-62954971258174442822016-08-26T06:55:00.001-04:002016-08-26T06:55:29.964-04:00A Year of (Homeschool) PlannersHere's the thing; I am not a big homeschool planner, I'll just say that right up front. I find rigid schedules a source of stress (what will I do when we inevitably fall behind? what if something that I've meticulously planned for does not go at the pace I've anticipated?) but I do like to have a rhythm to lean on, a spine to return to whenever we are able.<br />
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My plan though is fluid, flexible and I know up front, that the plan I make at the beginning of the year will not be the same as the plans I am making towards the end of the school year. And that is a-okay by me!<br />
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I start out by creating an overview of our year; on this I include birthdays, festivals and holidays, and some basic items that we want to look at each quarter, such as Artist Study, Composer Study and Shakespeare. (I use a basic composition book as my homeschool planner each year, which gives me so much freedom! I can create just the right planner for our needs, and can change it as and when our needs change. Perfect!)<br />
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I then create a monthly calendar, with the weeks numbered; this makes it easier for me to see, at a glance, how our curricula aligns with the month. Along the right hand edge I have a separate column for notes; here I include the basics we'll be covering, one off items and more sporadic items I want to make sure we get to.<br />
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Next is a two page spread for each week. I typically fill in the details for this each weekend for the week to come; on the left hand page I include our daily reading and items to cover, weekly reading items, and then specific chapters or lessons to do. And on the right hand page I make note of all the books we read. And yes! - I really do mean <i>all</i> the books. I often find myself returning to my old homeschool planners to look up books that we particularly enjoyed, to read again for a particular season or for my two younger children, Buttercup and Seal Pup.<br />
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And finally, I have a daily rhythm. This one aspect could be my biggest take away from the Waldorf method; to have a daily rhythm to lean on, rather than a schedule. My children find it very reassuring to know what is coming up next; to have a rhythm of our days. We don't follow this religiously, but like my other schedules, it is something for us to lean on.<br />
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I try to alternate busy periods with times of rest or unstructured time. We go for a walk most days, and have plenty of time for outings and fieldtrips. Also, we try really hard to finish off all our homeschool work by lunch time, to give ourselves the afternoons 'off' (although we all know that learning happens just as much, if not more, in those afternoons 'off' as it does during official homeschool time!)<br />
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And now you are probably wondering what we fill those days with! And how we fit it all in?! But enough for today; I'll share those details in another post or two!<br />
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<b><i>Do you homeschool? What does your planner look like? </i></b><br />
<b><i>Leave a comment and let me know; I'd love to hear from you </i></b><br />
<b><i>Or leave a link back to your own blog post! </i></b></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289533534834739722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-90632807075420486482016-08-22T15:19:00.003-04:002016-08-22T16:25:17.360-04:00Coming Home<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>{I think, hope, that you will excuse this somewhat stream of conscious style post. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>I decided that raw and honest is the way to go here, rather than polished and reserved.</i></b></div>
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<b><i> I'll fill in the gaps on upcoming posts, pinky promise!} </i></b></div>
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It is always interesting to me to see the wax and wane of my writing this blog; the times when I feel drawn to sharing what is happening in my life, and when I do not.<br />
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It occurred to me this past few weeks that the periods when I am not writing, sharing and posting are usually because I am not living simply. My days have felt rushed, stress filled, and to be frank, I would not feel authentic posting about living Simply, in the 'Burbs!<br />
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This past year has been one of those times. Although there has been so much good (deep, soul nourishing good!) there has also been some dark days, times of anxiety and chaos, both emotionally and within our schedule.<br />
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This is not to say that all is now perfect (news flash! Life is not and never will be, I believe, perfect), but I am certainly feeling that I am returning to a place of authenticity, to joy and a stillness that I haven't known for at least a year. It has, in short, felt like coming home.<br />
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Ironically, this shift was in large part nudged by a shift in our home education curriculum chooses. After a year or two of a more rigorous, albeit still unschooling-ish, approach, I recognized that my three young children would be best served by a somewhat dreamier, slower paced rhythm. and so, after a three year hiatus, we returned to a more Waldorf based curriculum. It has allowed me to reshape my children's days, and be more honest about what they need, and to let go a little of my own expectations.<br />
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That, alongside my own inner work (therapy! yoga! prayer! but more on that another day!) and the courage to be true to my own needs and my authentic self, have been massive game changers this year.<br />
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It feels so good to be back. Living our days with a slower pace, with more of an eye to my needs, and those of my family.<br />
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So good!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289533534834739722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-20252205142983522392015-12-24T19:26:00.001-05:002015-12-24T19:27:03.855-05:00Celebrate ... MAGIC!Hoping you are having a magical holiday season!<div><br></div><div>And if it isn't magical, I hope it isn't too terrible. </div><div><br></div><div>And if it is terrible, I send you extra love!! <3</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqmZwXFxEBvh375APF18Sm5sRe27ebNC19L3awQElQq1y-V4FpU_AMvDPKp0wTbq3DapFcro6ZzCAZ7jTcJKI2w2Aa4C1-DCvd4-xwdDzXKHD2xd271i0_PfPExEl1CYxmS67dfd0sVl/s640/blogger-image--221145301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqmZwXFxEBvh375APF18Sm5sRe27ebNC19L3awQElQq1y-V4FpU_AMvDPKp0wTbq3DapFcro6ZzCAZ7jTcJKI2w2Aa4C1-DCvd4-xwdDzXKHD2xd271i0_PfPExEl1CYxmS67dfd0sVl/s640/blogger-image--221145301.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Our holiday season has been messy, busy, glorious and full. As life with a young family should be!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-15206296013843166722015-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T07:18:55.997-05:00An Advent in BooksCan you believe that the Advent season is just around the corner?! I know, me either!<br>
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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.<br>
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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.<br>
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For the past few years we have started a few simple traditions for our family, but one of my favorite is our Advent Books.<br>
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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! - <a href="http://amzn.to/1XD8vMs" target="_blank">these are amazing!</a>) marshmallows, and sometimes we don't!<br>
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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!<br>
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Perfect!<br>
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Here are some of the books that will be included in our Advent collection this year:<br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1OnSWrs" target="_blank">Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story, by Cynthia Rylant</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1OnT5uO" target="_blank">The Christmas Day Kitten, by James Herriot </a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1OnTaPn" target="_blank">Morris' Disappearing Bag, by Rosemary Wells</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1OnTiyf" target="_blank">Winter Story (Brambly Hedge), by Jill Barklem</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1TeNF4R" target="_blank">The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett</a><br>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1TeNJl9" target="_blank"><br></a>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1TeNJl9" target="_blank">The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PpsaQX" target="_blank">The Story of the Snow Children, by Sybille von Olfers</a> <i>(This one is a particular favorite; the story is delightful and the illustrations are magical!)</i><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PpsiQr" target="_blank">The Cowboy's Christmas, by Joan Walsh Anglund</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1QQxbC2" target="_blank">The Legend of Old Befana, by Tomie dePaola</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PpstuR" target="_blank">Winter, by Gerda Muller</a> <i>(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).</i></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PpsUW6" target="_blank">First Snow, by Kim Lewis</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Ppt8fY" target="_blank">The Night before Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PptcMJ" target="_blank">The Tomten</a>, and <a href="http://amzn.to/1XD7eow" target="_blank">The Tomten and the Fox, by Astrid Lindgren</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Pptwet" target="_blank">Dream Snow, by Eric Carle</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PptCCQ" target="_blank">The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1PptNxQ" target="_blank">Silent Night, by Juliet Groom</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1XD7tQs" target="_blank">Santa Mouse, by Michael Brown</a><br>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1XD7vYN" target="_blank">Bear's First Christmas, by Robert Kinerk </a><br>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1XD7Cn9" target="_blank"><br></a>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1XD7Cn9" target="_blank">The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs</a><br>
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<b><i>What are your favorite Advent read aloud books for your family?</i></b></div>
<br></div><div><br></div><div><i>{This post contains affiliate links - thanks!}</i></div>
Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-79778754602742646732015-11-30T20:59:00.000-05:002015-12-17T09:09:03.561-05:00A Year of GratitudesSo much to be grateful for.<br>
(Part one is <a href="http://simplyburbs.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-year-of-gratitudes.html" target="_blank">here</a>). <br>
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11. Chocolate. Obviously.<br>
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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!</div>
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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.<br>
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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.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugJ3LwehHh4A4fmC6sK38egFl1XKSS9_8-ziV9DeMAioozgpdUjyd7SUudMMK1wwpblklS6-sDTWOHYl-XnhQZvj7HEh_E_USf_lUtPlcNa_BeuqEfbRpD-2JnJu82t7C9O6ChX8kPbhW/s640/blogger-image-1449158127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugJ3LwehHh4A4fmC6sK38egFl1XKSS9_8-ziV9DeMAioozgpdUjyd7SUudMMK1wwpblklS6-sDTWOHYl-XnhQZvj7HEh_E_USf_lUtPlcNa_BeuqEfbRpD-2JnJu82t7C9O6ChX8kPbhW/s640/blogger-image-1449158127.jpg"></a></div>
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15. Found all three kiddos in our newly created homeschool/work office, busy busy busy with projects.<br>
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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!)<br>
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17. Homemade crumpets. With butter. And jam. So good.<br>
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18. Finding just the thing I wanted, on sale during the Black Friday weekend, without a lot of hunting and searching. And free shipping.<br>
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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.<br>
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20. Gilmore Girls. Don't judge; its the perfect fun, and not too heavy Netflix binge fodder. </div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-83910803257405906022015-11-27T08:31:00.004-05:002015-11-27T08:38:28.790-05:00Claiming ThanksgivingI'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'.<br>
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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'.<br>
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And I realized that he is right!<br>
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It is what we often did to mark the big holidays when I was growing up: go for a walk as a family!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzQVLt0l5lx-r5mGb3BQWJpnDIO03T4OmaE9_xwiFtYo0DdPQct_9f03rjk5QHHSRRzyplU0FyTQ5yEslKjMscHIyG0fL8MwhkINIOSwIjDcmu0jWsDkexKUBQPAKzyYkNephZYkPGiV3/s640/blogger-image--380617106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzQVLt0l5lx-r5mGb3BQWJpnDIO03T4OmaE9_xwiFtYo0DdPQct_9f03rjk5QHHSRRzyplU0FyTQ5yEslKjMscHIyG0fL8MwhkINIOSwIjDcmu0jWsDkexKUBQPAKzyYkNephZYkPGiV3/s640/blogger-image--380617106.jpg"></a></div><br>
And that one comment helped me realize that we DO have our own family traditions around the holidays.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGuzUUSCKoILFVigPtFKSH8p0yGAktMUO-TOR0JyGfqzu4RBsM6-NuKrI2Ml0a50Zc2kodSL69ApWS1P-xEePh07Qty5D8UhqlAUpNXZay-h4TtsLGMbqEOeBS_GLko5kKBXkzJ_v7t33/s640/blogger-image-1320722159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGuzUUSCKoILFVigPtFKSH8p0yGAktMUO-TOR0JyGfqzu4RBsM6-NuKrI2Ml0a50Zc2kodSL69ApWS1P-xEePh07Qty5D8UhqlAUpNXZay-h4TtsLGMbqEOeBS_GLko5kKBXkzJ_v7t33/s640/blogger-image-1320722159.jpg"></a></div><br>
We do one big feast with friends and family, simple meals and snacks for the rest of the day.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhBiT0rh-Yd_K0rKhpTYrkc21Wmxd94AGQ-OETe7id7QGbC1e6wjvRc-P7-DoSJPe9qjti_11BmDaZc6KFH7BciNSpGnfT3iBEjocnjyvtpKThtbwS2QXNUv9pz2yAXVVUgfFt-koXg3S/s640/blogger-image--320444890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhBiT0rh-Yd_K0rKhpTYrkc21Wmxd94AGQ-OETe7id7QGbC1e6wjvRc-P7-DoSJPe9qjti_11BmDaZc6KFH7BciNSpGnfT3iBEjocnjyvtpKThtbwS2QXNUv9pz2yAXVVUgfFt-koXg3S/s640/blogger-image--320444890.jpg"></a></div><br>
We go for a walk as a family.<br>
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We spend our time together, slooooow down and enjoy each other's company.<br>
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There is usually a board game or two involved ...<br>
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We have FUN!<br>
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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.<br>
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I'm realizing that we do have traditions throughout the year, but they are simple ones for sure.<br>
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<b><i>What do you do to celebrate the holidays? Simple or fancy?! </i></b></div>
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<br></div>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-19924791912046108462015-11-26T05:30:00.000-05:002015-11-26T06:57:40.772-05:00A Year of GratitudesI've been actively working this year, on gratitude, on being more grateful, and slowing down to say thank you more. All good things.<br />
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I recently heard about a different way of looking at gratitudes from <a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/" target="_blank">Julie Bogart</a> (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?!!<br />
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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 ... "<br />
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So! It's Thanksgiving! Perfect time to be thankful, look for gratitudes, and start paying more attention to those Surprises of Happy!<br />
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1. Dinner ready in the crock pot at the end of a long and busy day.<br />
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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<br />
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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.<br />
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4. Children old enough to do painting projects without making a huge mess. </div>
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5. Moby Dick. </div>
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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. </div>
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6. Being mostly caught up with laundry. </div>
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7. Half an hour at Target. Alone. It was pretty glorious. </div>
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8. Having friends who challenge me to think outside my box, push me to go beyond my own preconceived ideas. </div>
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9. Branston pickle. </div>
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10. Scalding hot showers.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>And you?! What is on your Gratitude List these days?</i></b></div>
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<b><i>I'd love to hear from you! </i></b> </div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-82605198918763178012015-11-25T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-25T06:00:07.742-05:00Birthday Interview: Baby Girl at Four<div class="navbar section" id="navbar" name="Navbar">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the <a href="http://www.sparklingadventures.com/" target="_blank">Sparkling Adventures</a> blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling, travelling inclined folks).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few weeks ago I posted <a href="http://simplyburbs.blogspot.com/2015/10/birthday-interview-little-boy-at-four.html" target="_blank">Little Boy's Birthday Interview</a>, and now here is Baby Girl's. She was so so excited for her interview!</span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What are you going to be when you grow up?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I don't know. Maybe I'll turn seven [years old].</span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s that going to be like?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I don't know.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>What are your favorite toys?</i> </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Kitty toys and building stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Who are your best friends?</i> </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Ronan and Niko. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What makes you happy? </i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I love holding hands and hugging.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What makes you sad?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When people are hurting me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When you dream at night, what do you dream about?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Kitties.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you like to do with Papa? </i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Hold his hand! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you like to do with Mama?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sit with her and hold her hand.</span><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s your favorite color?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Red. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s your favorite book?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Pumpkin book. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What does Daddy do during the day?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Goes to work. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What does Mama do during the day?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stays with me.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you do during the day?</i></div>
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Stay around and read some books. And play. I play a lot.</div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-15334221310021676422015-10-29T07:03:00.000-04:002015-10-29T07:03:56.414-04:00Birthday Interview: Little Boy at Four<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the <a href="http://www.sparklingadventures.com/" target="_blank">Sparkling Adventures</a> blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling, travelling inclined folks).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcLMp5992HMIAJbW8IUpsJ9QhrpM9L5azkkIJnaks2W16CtKFPqLbYOc99j791ZKPUXv-dm2vB31wrcm4y_ykwTu_-DVXFBqSPmoYILQQMcie4kH5ps0ES3XJpeLIsXQwz9WUghh_B65M/s640/blogger-image-149557588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcLMp5992HMIAJbW8IUpsJ9QhrpM9L5azkkIJnaks2W16CtKFPqLbYOc99j791ZKPUXv-dm2vB31wrcm4y_ykwTu_-DVXFBqSPmoYILQQMcie4kH5ps0ES3XJpeLIsXQwz9WUghh_B65M/s640/blogger-image-149557588.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What are you going to be when you grow up?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">A monster. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s that going to be like?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I'll probably be a funny green monster. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>What are your favorite toys?</i> </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Race cars. And nothing else. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Who are your best friends?</i> </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Feeny and Niko. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What makes you happy? </i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Building stuff and carving pumpkins. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What makes you sad?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When people hurt me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Riding my bike and pumpkins and that's it. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you like to do with Papa? </i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Hold hands and take a walk to the playground. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you like to do with Mama?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Work on things</span><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. </i></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s your favorite color?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Red. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What’s your favorite book?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The Star Wars books. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What does Daddy do during the day?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Goes to work. </span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What does Mama do during the day?</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stays with us.</span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What do you do during the day?</i></div>
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Ride my bike and climb trees. I can climb trees now because I'm 4!</div>
Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-75164317168692403692015-07-28T10:07:00.000-04:002015-07-28T10:07:11.871-04:00Little House in the BurbsIt'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.<br />
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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.<br />
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A few things we've been doing!<br />
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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! (<a href="http://simplyburbs.blogspot.com/2012/10/buttery-goodness.html" target="_blank">Here's a link to a post</a> I did a while ago about making butter; it is so so easy, and the kiddos think it is just <i>magical!</i>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4LYMIH3ajTxaMgDt4_Hb57NmLbh7UMwvZXRvF487_wyTT9FoI_M6uHmq4VHkjHJw6lE6oGXAHYHOUcNQU1VsokAFSlH3ywrCto-ED1KJX7LkoYuzM-o-xl2gqJD_QO9RyHPC2jsTSX6Y/s640/blogger-image-1064696868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4LYMIH3ajTxaMgDt4_Hb57NmLbh7UMwvZXRvF487_wyTT9FoI_M6uHmq4VHkjHJw6lE6oGXAHYHOUcNQU1VsokAFSlH3ywrCto-ED1KJX7LkoYuzM-o-xl2gqJD_QO9RyHPC2jsTSX6Y/s320/blogger-image-1064696868.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDZHc_Anlr3jgsCF2GXMCCCQjHbr7SZsfRLB_af8mHDG1abLPbWqp9wAJyyJTr6Y9D8hREWH4moLpENEUjhodVkMHBTUzeNnDL2DoIarzZAs-nlcrZ9H020FyCozAVLHc-RqlDxlBuDgr/s640/blogger-image--1905241170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDZHc_Anlr3jgsCF2GXMCCCQjHbr7SZsfRLB_af8mHDG1abLPbWqp9wAJyyJTr6Y9D8hREWH4moLpENEUjhodVkMHBTUzeNnDL2DoIarzZAs-nlcrZ9H020FyCozAVLHc-RqlDxlBuDgr/s320/blogger-image--1905241170.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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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 <a href="http://amzn.to/1OpxY92" target="_blank">Arkansas Traveler CD</a>, but for now we are listening to the Pa's Fiddle station on Pandora.<br />
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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 (<a href="http://amzn.to/1KviW2V" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/1LPFQ3Z" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1ewMlLP" target="_blank">here</a>), 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?"<br />
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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 <a href="http://amzn.to/1LPG6zZ" target="_blank">The Prairie Primer by Margie Gray</a>, which is out of print, but there often seem to be copies available on Amazon and eBay.<br />
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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 <a href="https://www.circeinstitute.org/blog/books-cultivating-honorable-boys" target="_blank">Books for Cultivating Honorable Boys</a> ... it's all the way down at the end, but the whole post is a good one!)<br />
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-25315648845854487702015-07-20T08:12:00.001-04:002015-07-20T08:12:48.460-04:00A Day of Blurgh<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">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. </span></div><div><br></div><div>And then sometimes life just gets in the way. </div><div><br></div><div>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. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwucgUL0lGTT1AyfABgEMFhzPGpkQqJdvTT31mAVZktzo66qrwKbyyi1WzsOzvHeP1mGmL6ecXtfr6c3BWVhjI-H-GMqep9YJRYXDnDnJf4RNTyz7yl4-SE__wBu17SsKrzfR4JpObMffd/s640/blogger-image--1821179007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwucgUL0lGTT1AyfABgEMFhzPGpkQqJdvTT31mAVZktzo66qrwKbyyi1WzsOzvHeP1mGmL6ecXtfr6c3BWVhjI-H-GMqep9YJRYXDnDnJf4RNTyz7yl4-SE__wBu17SsKrzfR4JpObMffd/s640/blogger-image--1821179007.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Children in pajamas, watching Octonauts, in nests of unfolded, clean laundry. And realistically this is what our day will look like, all day. </div><div><br></div><div>And that's okay. Because it isn't forever, it's just for today. </div><div><br></div><div>Sometimes you just have to know to quit while you're ahead, accept gracefully, and let it go. </div><div><br></div><div>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. </div>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-22824993883881938152015-07-07T05:32:00.002-04:002015-07-07T06:08:37.917-04:00A Year of BooksAnyone who knows me will know that I read. A lot!<br />
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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.</div>
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(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!)</div>
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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. </div>
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<u>Classics</u></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1JJcMfp" target="_blank"><strike>Ruth, by Elizabeth Gaskell</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1S2FtmK" target="_blank"><strike>Lorna Doone, by R.D. Blackmore</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1JJcWTV" target="_blank">To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1172995100"></span>Jane Eyre, Emy Brönte<span id="goog_1172995101"></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1H52KPA" target="_blank">Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen</a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1HbO0Rb" target="_blank">Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen</a> <br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CilrCP" target="_blank">Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CWIwpn" target="_blank">Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers, by Ralph Moody</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1Thy3OK" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1Thy3OK" target="_blank">Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CilIWg" target="_blank">Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1CilNsV" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1CilNsV" target="_blank">The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1S3XDnZ" target="_blank">Kristen Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset </a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1H53BzM" target="_blank">The First Four Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CWIP3E" target="_blank">The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings), by J. R. R. Tolkien</a></div>
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<u>Fiction</u></div>
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<u><br /></u></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl0JrW" target="_blank"><strike>Small Blessings, by Martha Woodruff</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBzCrB" target="_blank"><strike>The Wild Truth, by Carine McCandless</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CXGtRW" target="_blank"><strike>Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Blallerina, by Michaela DePrince </strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1JLayMq" target="_blank"><strike>The Reading a Promise, by Alice Ozma</strike></a></div>
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<strike><br /></strike></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl0RI6" target="_blank"><strike>All There Is: Love Stories From Story Corp, by David Isay</strike></a></div>
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<strike><br /></strike></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBA2OL" target="_blank"><strike>Adultery, by Paulo Coehlo</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBAaxu" target="_blank"><strike><br /></strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBAaxu" target="_blank"><strike>The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness</strike></a></div>
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<strike><br /></strike></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1LPLkvV" target="_blank"><strike>Wild, by Cheryl Strayed</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl13al" target="_blank"><strike>What I Know For Sure, by Oprah Winfrey</strike></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Tiu98h" target="_blank"><strike>The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBAQ65" target="_blank"><strike>May B., by Caroline Starr Rose</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBARXI" target="_blank"><strike>Call the Midwife, by Jennifer Worth</strike></a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1S5cfDK" target="_blank"><strike><br /></strike></a>
<a href="http://amzn.to/1S5cfDK" target="_blank"><strike>News From Lake Wobegon, by Garrison Keillor</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1RhTdPs" target="_blank"><strike>Blue Birds, by Caroline Starr Rose</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1eBBn8b" target="_blank"><strike>Voyager, by Diana Gabaldon</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1RhTmlM" target="_blank"><strike>Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson</strike></a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl1mSB" target="_blank">84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl1v8q" target="_blank">The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Mafzf3" target="_blank">These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881 - 1901, by Nancy Turner, by</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Mafzf3" target="_blank">A God in Ruins, by Kate Atkinson </a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1CXJimj" target="_blank">The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon</a><br />
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<u>Non-Fiction</u><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1gl1PEj" target="_blank">Learning All the Time, by John Holt</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Maglsv" target="_blank">The Read Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease </a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1MagtrQ" target="_blank">My Life in France, by Julia Child</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1MagtrQ" target="_blank">Notes From a Blue Bike, by Tsh Oxenreider</a><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1RhUDcD" target="_blank">Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer's Life, by Pamela Smith Hill</a><br />
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<i>[post contains affiliate links]</i><br />
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<i><b>So, what are you reading? What does your to-read stack look like?</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Any highlights of your reading year so far?</b></i></div>
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<i><b>I'd love to hear from you; feel free to leave a comment below! </b> </i> </div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-186637320956430492015-07-03T06:00:00.000-04:002015-07-03T06:00:00.896-04:00A Salad for the SummerTo 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.<br />
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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. </div>
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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!</div>
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<u>Confetti Salad</u></div>
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(Makes four hearty servings)</div>
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Approximately 2-3 cups of cooked grain, such as quinoa, bulgar wheat, rice, couscous, amaranth etc</div>
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Veggies of your choice. </div>
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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. </div>
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A few luxury add ons. </div>
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A small handful of something to add a bit of pizazz, like chopped green olives, pistachios, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries or feta cheese. </div>
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Salad dressing. </div>
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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!</div>
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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!</div>
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<u>Method</u></div>
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Mix everything together well in a large bowl, then let sit in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. </div>
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That's it! Couldn't be easier, and I love how versatile this is. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-34313429127110125322015-07-01T08:08:00.000-04:002015-07-01T08:08:43.163-04:00Birthday Interview: The Little Guy at 7<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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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.</div>
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I first heard of these Birthday Interviews on the <a href="http://www.sparklingadventures.com/" target="_blank">Sparkling Adventures</a> blog (which is worth checking out, for free range, unschooling,
travelling inclined folks).</div>
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<i>What are you going to be when you grow up?</i></div>
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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.</div>
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<i>What’s that going to be like?</i></div>
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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.</div>
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<i>What are your favorite toys?</i>
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This is the hardest question yet! But ... my Legos!</div>
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<i>Who are your best friends?</i>
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Alex, Liam and Sufyan</div>
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<i>What makes you happy? </i></div>
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Mama! And Papa! You can tell it makes me happy to be with
you!</div>
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<i>What makes you sad?</i> </div>
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When I can’t play in the pool, and having to clean up my
room.</div>
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<i>When you dream at night, what do you dream about?</i></div>
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Just all kinds of stuff.</div>
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<i>What do you like to do with Papa? </i></div>
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Run errands and fix stuff. I love fixing things.</div>
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<i>What do you like to do with Mama? </i></div>
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Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle!</div>
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<i>What’s your favorite color?</i> </div>
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Aquamarine. (I think that’s how you say it).</div>
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<i>What’s your favorite book?</i></div>
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Oh man! These questions are so hard! [He really had to think
about this one]</div>
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My DK Eyewitness books on Eagles and Dogs.</div>
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<i>What does Daddy do during the day?</i> </div>
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Well, that’s a hard question. Work at work I guess.</div>
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<i>What does Mama do during the day?</i></div>
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Takes care of us.</div>
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<i>What do you do during the day?</i></div>
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Play, play, play. [I pressed him a little to expand his
answer, but apparently all he does is play. Fair enough!]</div>
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<![endif]-->Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-43876880353756074072015-06-29T06:10:00.001-04:002015-06-29T06:16:15.073-04:00The Simple Joy of Blogging SimplyThe 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Fun for some folks? Maybe! Fun for me? Not so much.<br />
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So now I blog much more simply. I write for fun, because I enjoy it, on things I want to share.<br />
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A much better fit for me and my simpler lifestyle!<br />
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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.<br />
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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! <br />
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So, I'll just be over here, simply blogging at my own pace about things that I find interesting, simply! Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-88136032054355261732015-05-11T06:00:00.000-04:002015-05-11T06:00:06.540-04:00A Round Up of BooksWe read. We read a lot.<br />
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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!</div>
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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 <a href="http://www.livingbookslibrary.com/2015/04/whats-in-living-book-or-why-we-collect.html" target="_blank">this article'</a>s explanation on what makes a book a 'living' book). </div>
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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. </div>
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<b>Fiction Picture Books</b><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1IZHoHD" target="_blank">The Treasure, by Uri Shulevitz</a><br />
Beautifully written and illustrated, a great moral tale set in Russia.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1QwrDtI" target="_blank">Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain, by Edward Ardizzone</a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1KTwJ06" target="_blank">Thy Friend Obadiah, by Brinton Turkle</a><br />
I loves this book; the art, the story, the unexpected social lesson.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1dU4nIf" target="_blank">Old Henry, by Joan W. Blos</a><br />
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!<br />
Beautifully illustrated, a gentle story about accepting others.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1IZNIij" target="_blank">Each Peach Pear Plum, by Janet and Allen Ahlberg</a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1JyCE9N" target="_blank">The Little Airplane, by Lois Lenski</a><br />
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.<br />
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<b>Non-Fiction Picture Books</b><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1JyCOhw" target="_blank">Sky Boys, by Deborah Hopkinson and James E. Ransome</a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1dU3uiY" target="_blank">Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles, by Greg Tang</a><br />
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.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1IZNZBI" target="_blank">One Small Square: Cactus Desert, by Donald M. Silver </a><br />
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!<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1IZPwYx" target="_blank">Wolves, by Gail Gibbons </a><br />
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!<br />
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<b>Chapter Books and Audio Books</b><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1KTzKxs" target="_blank">A Bear Named Paddington, by Michael Bond</a><br />
A recent audio book for car rides, this was a firm favorite with all three children; funny, silly fun with Paddington!<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1Em0Sk8" target="_blank">Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White</a><br />
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.<br />
Added bonus, I found an audi version read by the author himself, which was amazing - worth finding.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1dU5dok" target="_blank">Olga da Polga, by Michael Bond</a><br />
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.<br />
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!<br />
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<b><i>What have you been reading with your children recently? </i></b><br />
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{This post does contain affiliate links}</div>
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-55700767930123418732015-05-06T09:15:00.002-04:002015-05-06T09:22:18.808-04:00My Weekly DashboardSo maybe it is just me, but I find it very difficult to live 'simply' when my life is disorganized.<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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?!'<br />
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My meal plan is a really basic affair, and one that I received as part of a bundle from <a href="http://waldorfish.com/" target="_blank">Waldorfish</a>, 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!<br />
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And before I go any further with my homeschool plan, I should add a humongous caveat.<br />
Yes! - I make a plan each week.<br />
No - I don't expect us to do this each week.<br />
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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.<br />
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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 <a href="http://largefamilymothering.com/2014/07/11/how-to-make-a-homeschool-planner-for-under-a-dollar/" target="_blank">this post</a> 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!<br />
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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?! <br />
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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.<br />
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I use a lovely <a href="http://amzn.to/1EgkxRv" target="_blank">Moleskine notebook</a> 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).<br />
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-61977645917744389602015-04-29T06:00:00.000-04:002015-04-29T06:00:08.429-04:00A (Homeschooling) AdditionAh! - the irony of blogging about living simply, is that life often isn't!<br />
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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.<br />
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Some weeks are better than others; heck, some YEARS have been better than others!<br />
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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.<br />
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And now - homeschooling!<br />
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<br />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. <br />
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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!) <br />
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One more note, before I go!<br />
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.<br />
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But, it is fun! <br />
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<br />Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-33762333593080124512013-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-31T06:01:47.930-04:00Food Waste Friday: A Slip, A Recovery and A Save!<center>
<a href="http://thefrugalgirl.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="FoodWasteFriday " src="http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/food-waste-with-leaf-v2.1.jpg" /></a></center>
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I just love <a href="http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/" target="_blank">The Frugal Girl blog</a>. Really - just love!<br />
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Each week (well - most weeks) she blogs about her food waste, a kind of public declaration, aimed to reduce her own food waste. And she invites the rest of us to join her!<br />
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I didn't blog about my Food Waste last Friday, in no small part because I knew I had some food waste, and just couldn't face writing about it! I felt pretty awful about slipping up after four zero Food Waste weeks in a row.<br />
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So last week I lost half a bunch of kale, some watercress, and about a quarter of a tub of cream cheese. I was upset about each of these, because all of these would have been easy saves (kale and watercress could easily have been thrown into a salad, and that small amount of cream cheese could have disappeared in a single lunchtime meal of cream cheese and jam on toast). But I got busy, and a little overwhelmed and the items all went way past their good-to-eat stage.<br />
<br />
But, this week, I picked myself back up, dusted myself off and got back in the proverbial saddle, for another zero Food Waste week - yay me!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWstT4J1SCUjn-BVUoyWvOmkngZvXrxscBv6fUhjAE2hs-oYup48Kocrr2JNlhct3SNVzGU84TIkCTuWX_eiYKNgceS6i-oMhYDY3w2ZxiyDVTUAcprQR1OsYxYpGAgR5uRtlCYLm-2ZP/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWstT4J1SCUjn-BVUoyWvOmkngZvXrxscBv6fUhjAE2hs-oYup48Kocrr2JNlhct3SNVzGU84TIkCTuWX_eiYKNgceS6i-oMhYDY3w2ZxiyDVTUAcprQR1OsYxYpGAgR5uRtlCYLm-2ZP/s640/010.JPG" width="376" /></a></div>
<br />
Also, I had a huge food save, which I was really proud of. We were prepping for a picnic dinner last weekend, and My Good Man helped out by hard-boiling a dozen eggs for some egg salas. He decided to experiment with a new cooking method, which went a little awry, and we were left with a dozen cold, soft boiled eggs. We tried re-boiling them, but they just started to get tough outer whites, but still soggy inner whites and yolks ... not so good for egg salad. I put them aside, and hard boiled a new dozen eggs for the salad, which worked out fine.<br />
<br />
But what to do with the dozen soft boiled eggs?! I peeled a couple of them the next morning, mashed them up a little, and just cooked them in a skillet, making a sort of chunky scrambled egg. Served on toast, no one batted an eye! I served the rest of them on subsequent mornings, until they were all gone - total save! Double yay! (I really felt bad at the prospect of wasting a dozen fresh-from-the farm eggs).<br />
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<b><i><br />
</i></b> <b><i>So how was your Food Waste this week? Feel free to share, or add a link back to your own Food Waste blog post; I'd love to hear from you!</i></b><br />
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</script>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-64049278729205366282013-05-30T06:00:00.000-04:002013-12-22T17:29:34.400-05:00A New Grocery Shopping RoutineI have a couple of big factors when it comes to grocery shopping.<br />
<br />
1. buy healthy food<br />
2. shop within a budget<br />
3. get food that everyone in the family will eat<br />
4. shop in a way that minimizes waste.<br />
<br />
This didn't seem so difficult, but honestly our grocery budget was creeping higher, as was our food waste each week. We always seemed to have plenty of food in the pantry and fridge, but I was always met with deep sighs when I suggested meals or snacks.<br />
<br />
Something had to change!<br />
<br />
A couple of months ago I inadvertently adopted a new way of grocery shopping, that has seemed to meet all of my criteria. Now this new method is not hugely dramatic, more of a subtle shift, but it has really made a big impact on the way we eat, our budget and our food waste. We are not buying LESS, but shopping and eating with a different focus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Uhsj0N6YXVRabWT9yAS86PgfQpUq0XTXFSg6lv37rcDd2NdOfFP5dCcj-AWT1J1L4I6CNUtn7mAwLbrICjbGkkobLZrQ1sFJlcvnqH9D3TI9hyphenhyphenAtLATyuMSCZffVt56f32NZ8Jrq87CC/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Uhsj0N6YXVRabWT9yAS86PgfQpUq0XTXFSg6lv37rcDd2NdOfFP5dCcj-AWT1J1L4I6CNUtn7mAwLbrICjbGkkobLZrQ1sFJlcvnqH9D3TI9hyphenhyphenAtLATyuMSCZffVt56f32NZ8Jrq87CC/s400/002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the past, like most families I would have a look at our pantry and take a few requests for evening meals, and make my menu plan for each week accordingly. Then off I would trot to the grocery store to buy whatever I needed for those meals.<br />
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What I eventually found was that I was buying items specifically for meals. There was invariably some of the item left over, and it would sit at the back of the fridge until it went bad.<br />
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I also found that despite my plans to use up leftovers for subsequent meals, the family would protest ... and so the leftovers would invariably sit until they wound up on the Food Waste Friday list.<br />
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All round not good :-(<br />
<br />
So my big solution?! Bulk shopping for everything!<br />
<br />
Everything!!<br />
<br />
I buy all our pantry items in bulk, keeping them either in the freezer or in airtight canisters. This includes items like pasta (regular and gluten free), beans and pulses, flour and grains, and a few canned items like tomatoes and black olives. I replenish these as I need them, but it saves me buying small quantities each week, at a higher cost. I also found that when I use smaller packets, I have a tendency to prepare the entire bag, creating those leftovers that get wasted.<br />
<br />
Our week to week shopping is now centered around perishables only, such as fruits and veggies, cheese, tofu, and dairy free milk (we drink rice and soy milk). And our meals are then focused around these weekly perishables, rather than around recipes.<br />
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For example, in the past we would have burritos, with a package of tortilla wraps, a tub of guacamole and a jar of salsa. Now we have rice and beans, on a bed of spinach, with fresh avocado and tomato.<br />
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Before it would have been a specific bean chilli recipe, now it is more likely to be beans cooked in seasoned (homemade) pasta sauce, with roasted veggies and quinoa.<br />
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For me the difference is in focusing more on elements of a meal, rather than the meal itself. And, with all of those veggies it is healthier to boot. (When you buy spinach and romaine lettuce in 4 lb bags it takes a real commitment to make sure they get finished each week!)<br />
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We are now doing almost all of our shopping at Costco and our local health food store (we buy all of our grains, beans, nuts and flour from the bulk bins at our local health food market).<br />
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The photo at the top of the post is of our recent Costco shop, which is fairly typical (save the eggs, which we usually have delivered from a local farmer, along with our milk). <br />
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As I said, a subtle shift, but one that seems to be the right fit for our family!<br />
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<br />
<b><i>How do you grocery shop? Daily, weekly, monthly? Do you focus on bulk, packet, or a combination of both? Feel free to share; I'd love to hear from you!</i></b><br />
<br />Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-6205780854899031062013-05-29T06:03:00.000-04:002013-05-29T06:03:19.520-04:00A Cocoon DayOur weekends tend to be quite busy, between errands, swim lessons, catching up with friends and what not. I often find that the first day of each week, in contrast to the busy weekends, needs to be slow paced and quiet. We call them Cocoon Days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68KBwzitcwrUX7WxcGrItE58k_sm4RCtX3OK1t4FwGlscL4S_RYIrFtCmu8E357U1h-T21rLaluhbvyw374yfSarVOsLVq5B6PJh5MVmGGyrkQD921iyfR6AgM8LzO-_bUVyiXyfv7_FE/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68KBwzitcwrUX7WxcGrItE58k_sm4RCtX3OK1t4FwGlscL4S_RYIrFtCmu8E357U1h-T21rLaluhbvyw374yfSarVOsLVq5B6PJh5MVmGGyrkQD921iyfR6AgM8LzO-_bUVyiXyfv7_FE/s640/040.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yesterday was just such a day for us; the three day Memorial Day weekend was filled with adventures, fun and busyness, and I could see that all three of the Little Ones were needing some time to just play at their own pace, read books, lay around for spells of time doing nothing. Perfect!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmxR7fwz-amsWwMMSJVHsydXpn2JOxJncze96QjkL1IldEIC-KVJ-0-1qzqurFDeQByBD8m9JXDIiOrRF1ar9K5TAoJewjhY1nNhWPrTf8DjdKFdpFc5x17uPR6wGYFetAjt3ZAmF1fgS/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmxR7fwz-amsWwMMSJVHsydXpn2JOxJncze96QjkL1IldEIC-KVJ-0-1qzqurFDeQByBD8m9JXDIiOrRF1ar9K5TAoJewjhY1nNhWPrTf8DjdKFdpFc5x17uPR6wGYFetAjt3ZAmF1fgS/s640/010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I often find myself getting a little caught up in the 'busyness' mindset; so much to see, so much to do, and the slippery slope of over-scheduling both myself the the kiddos. But, I am reminded time and again, by my own Little Ones, just how much they need the time to to do their own thing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPgGeBkyZo2JXC_4Mm6BNBQCwcx3gmN-FQHOhQf-Lha-LPStk2C8DTpKMiMcEfp2X7dzPYjYBbyL7A1ZRQA7_cuAu7VW-uHFStpa7EYqHza1sWXnAnE6uKjfotqI8fmPSJP8XLVFB87n3/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnPgGeBkyZo2JXC_4Mm6BNBQCwcx3gmN-FQHOhQf-Lha-LPStk2C8DTpKMiMcEfp2X7dzPYjYBbyL7A1ZRQA7_cuAu7VW-uHFStpa7EYqHza1sWXnAnE6uKjfotqI8fmPSJP8XLVFB87n3/s640/013.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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A few years ago, I had something on the schedule everyday for The Little Guy and I; our days were full, and honestly, both he and I were feeling the stress of it. The constant rushing and the anxiety over being late were big issues for both of us. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r6ZVqjrqzfVvr45JSN2pTHzcjb79GN3c0sDM0bh_HMDwRgiJUWtYyizS0Hv2L4nPe1_bclBz_J5NTZYlxhduzNlaVFdrLI11AXNluKQa9PcE-Qp4CWyMTaSs90ibkPoKocIupYDC32wT/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r6ZVqjrqzfVvr45JSN2pTHzcjb79GN3c0sDM0bh_HMDwRgiJUWtYyizS0Hv2L4nPe1_bclBz_J5NTZYlxhduzNlaVFdrLI11AXNluKQa9PcE-Qp4CWyMTaSs90ibkPoKocIupYDC32wT/s640/014.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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Even though on an intellectual level I realized how stressful all this rushing was for us, I had not quite anticipated just how freeing it would be to move towards more days that are made up of free time, rather than appointments, play dates and places to be. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp2wGn9wS3_p_IGA3oQGITpkQOOCSof1HO901DuE2j06FUAyPSJbNZLeEAxMFfiWUfOc858pAalnLnc0NUqBlvekvK96Rt3GVU6uGCoK41n44wr5egeyo7zTAZFUkfvSEVjWft_nBkWQ/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp2wGn9wS3_p_IGA3oQGITpkQOOCSof1HO901DuE2j06FUAyPSJbNZLeEAxMFfiWUfOc858pAalnLnc0NUqBlvekvK96Rt3GVU6uGCoK41n44wr5egeyo7zTAZFUkfvSEVjWft_nBkWQ/s640/015.JPG" width="204" /></a></div>
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So for now our weekly schedule hangs on just one or two events, with plenty of time left over for long conversations, building projects, walks and bicycle rides in our neighborhood, cooking and baking, reading, pottering around, craft projects, playing in the yard, getting muddy, having fun, and all the other 1001 things a child will find to do when given the time and space to do it!<br />
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<i><b>What does your weekly schedule look like? How do you balance appointments versus home time? Feel free to share; I'd love to hear from you!</b></i><br />
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</script>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-89577077542995509512013-05-28T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-28T06:00:03.405-04:00Twinning Tuesday, Planning a Multiple Birth When I was pregnant with our first (singleton) child, we had a pretty clear vision of the birth that we wanted to have. We took Bradley classes, read lots of books, and planned to deliver with a midwife at our local Birthing Center. Everything went to plan, and I was able to deliver naturally and uneventfully.<br />
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As soon as we learned that I was expecting twins with my second pregnancy, we started to run into road blocks when it came to having the same sort of birth the second time around.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbUEuQb-ugD7rwWC8m9lhlt0rtNWgkXCfgfMWQ5hN5m9QDm3xD969aeHB_0hGXgP3FpS-1rsDJ06XpDGuSPiDCDSa-FRrV2cWALKC_u2Ns6OB4gMd9butG5xSWra-5_kMK9eDQra3ofVO/s1600/085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbUEuQb-ugD7rwWC8m9lhlt0rtNWgkXCfgfMWQ5hN5m9QDm3xD969aeHB_0hGXgP3FpS-1rsDJ06XpDGuSPiDCDSa-FRrV2cWALKC_u2Ns6OB4gMd9butG5xSWra-5_kMK9eDQra3ofVO/s400/085.JPG" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little Guy listening to the babies' heart beats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Between our health insurance company, and our local midwives balking at delivering twins, we found ourselves somewhat reluctantly planning a hospital birth.<br />
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Please, don't misunderstand me; I understand that hospitals do wonderful work every day, but I am not always convinced that they are the best places for women to deliver a baby, in the event of a normal, uncomplicated delivery.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2G8HmWv7DviZGnXYcNBmaw7CLO0kyIif3zEDhGqVKIXQRdvPlgXh6FqdDDW9-ZZZRef50YIaG36Nbtiq-ph8VBtViEaiKKCQ-wq3XRsOWcRR_VLUdWztuWZg2Cdq2liUnzy-jW4JWfvE/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2G8HmWv7DviZGnXYcNBmaw7CLO0kyIif3zEDhGqVKIXQRdvPlgXh6FqdDDW9-ZZZRef50YIaG36Nbtiq-ph8VBtViEaiKKCQ-wq3XRsOWcRR_VLUdWztuWZg2Cdq2liUnzy-jW4JWfvE/s400/033.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thirty six weeks pregnant!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That being said, we did a couple of things that I think really helped us have the best outcome possible when it came time for us to deliver at our local hospital.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>We hired a Doula, who worked with me throughout my twin pregnancy, and then came to the hospital with me when it came time to deliver. She really helped keep me in the best health possible, ask the right questions, and question unnecessary recommendations.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>We took a tour of the hospital when I was about 30 weeks pregnant, and made a point of meeting the head nurse on the Delivery and Post Natal Wards. We asked lots and lots of questions (where am I allowed to labor? when do I have to move to the operating room for delivery? how much freedom of movement will I be allowed to have during labor, and can I choose my own birthing position? can my newborns room in with me? what will happen in the event of an emergency?) Asking these questions ahead of time helped My Good Man and I develop a plan, and it gave us a better sense of what we could do at the hospital, the limits we could push, and those that we could not.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Even though we had taken Bradley Birthing classes for our first baby, we took a refresher course for the twin pregnancy. It helped remind us of the work ahead, and get my body ready with the Bradley exercises.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>We found a Obstetrician who we loved! I had an OB/Gyn doctor who I had seen for many years; but when he began the asking when I was going to schedule an elective cesarean section for the twins, I knew that I was not in the best hands for my personal care. I changed doctors, at 35 weeks pregnant, and was so, so happy I did. I was fortunate to find a new doctor who I trusted without reservation.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>We made a birth plan. We took some aspects of the plan that we used for our first birth, and then added multiple specific details. It included labor, delivery, postpartum, and what we would like to have happen in the event of an emergency cesarean section. We were very thorough, asking for as few inventions as possible. I made plenty of copies, and gave them out to everyone on our prenatal, delivery, and postpartum team. I think it really helped! I am happy to share my plan with any interested readers; please feel free to either <a href="mailto:simplyburbs@gmail.com" target="_blank">email me here</a>, or leave a note in the comments below. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I read. A lot! I reread my Bradley birthing books, I read books by Ina Mae Gaskin, and I read several books specifically on nursing twins (see below for links to a selection of the books I enjoyed!)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I am fortunate to live in the suburbs of a large urban area, where there are several multiple/twin groups, (like Moms of Multiples), including a La Leche League group specifically for multiples. Talking to other mamas who had delivered twins helped me as I walked the same path.</li>
</ul>
A multiple pregnancy can certainly have higher risks; it can not only be grueling physically, but can be emotionally stressful as well. This is such an important time, the months during a multiple pregnancy, to treat yourself well, to look after yourself and your babies. <br />
<br />
And the outcome of my own multiple pregnancy? Well, I started labor two days shy of my forty week mark, then my Baby B flipped from head down to full transverse. After talking to my doula, my doctor, and My Good Man, and weighing all out options, we had both of our twins via non-emergency c-section. It was not how we had envisioned having our babies, but we were able to make the best out of the situation. I nursed them both while in recovery, My Good Man was able to stay with them both during the immediate postpartum phase, and they roomed in with us for our entire hospital stay. They were both happy and healthy, and both came home with us after a three day stay. Truly, we were very blessed.<br />
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And those books? Here they are!<br />
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<i><b>How was your twin or multiple pregnancy? What advice would you give to a friend expecting twins, or more? Feel free to share; I'd love to hear from you!</b></i></div>
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<i><b></b></i></div>
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<i><b>And don't forget to leave a comment if you are interested in receiving a copy of my Twin Birth Plan - I am happy to share!</b></i></div>
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</script><br />Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-4001499411076914922013-05-27T07:47:00.001-04:002013-05-27T09:18:58.324-04:00Menu PlanningI had a difficult time with my menu plan last week; I planned my meals for the week, blogged about it ... and then pretty much ignored it. Which led to some food waste (which is very annoying) ... but! - the cause of the menu plan ignoring, the food waste and the unplanned non-blogging (I haven't posted anything in nearly a week)?! I was suddenly compelled to do some major spring cleaning around the Simply Burbs home. I am not a cleaner by nature, so I know better than to interfere when the mood strikes me! I got lots of sorting, cleaning and organizing done around here, which was well worth falling off the meal plan for the week!<br />
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But - back to this weeks plan!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWfSnn06zrXliRK_F6cOIzcYqdWF076EVKX0addQiTCxWGj-7QnHtvBjqj8eVtbRKWRsvXMNbV_J7MzT9Qi_eSXFpTxLu2KTCN4XSF1oeE0fooB3XP11xk4j_NUC2wEw9CXjZwAdRiyYL/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWfSnn06zrXliRK_F6cOIzcYqdWF076EVKX0addQiTCxWGj-7QnHtvBjqj8eVtbRKWRsvXMNbV_J7MzT9Qi_eSXFpTxLu2KTCN4XSF1oeE0fooB3XP11xk4j_NUC2wEw9CXjZwAdRiyYL/s400/034.JPG" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSZpUM_hT7HcC8mv0jHOCHY4LJopeP6J7iFNWS9Q4VM1P3X7pcAXECK7_OZbVm3VawVwKBQ_ac04pwZZhW8ypNiaKY4bsMoP81LJsP_N0xf_qHBU0I1icK84GBkKOmnAZdItOjsGcMw6u/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSZpUM_hT7HcC8mv0jHOCHY4LJopeP6J7iFNWS9Q4VM1P3X7pcAXECK7_OZbVm3VawVwKBQ_ac04pwZZhW8ypNiaKY4bsMoP81LJsP_N0xf_qHBU0I1icK84GBkKOmnAZdItOjsGcMw6u/s400/038.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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Little Boy, very proud of 'helping' mama with the menu plan.</div>
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We are still eating down the cupboards and freezer, which is certainly making for some interesting meals. I am also experimenting more with some gluten free baking, thanks in no small part to the encouragement of my GF friends, and my intense cravings for anything sweet and baked!<br />
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Monday<br />
Spinach and Mushroom Pizza (with an almond flour crust, from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook, by Elena Amsterdam)<br />
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Tuesday<br />
Veggie and Brown Rice Stir Fry <br />
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Wednesday<br />
Pasta and Homemade Pasta Sauce, with Roasted Beets <br />
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Thursday<br />
Rice and Pinto Beans, with Avocado and Tomatoes <br />
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Friday<br />
Pasta Salad, with Sauteed Squash <br />
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Saturday<br />
Homemade Black Bean Burgers, with Quinoa and Roasted Corn <br />
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Sunday<br />
Quiche and Salad (quiche made with almond flour crust, from Elena Amsterdam's cookbook!) <br />
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<i><b>How is your menu plan looking this week? Feel free to share or add a link back to your own menu plan blog post;</b></i><i><b><b><i> or join us over at <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2013/05/menu-plan-monday-may-2013.html" target="_blank">Organizing Junkie</a>, for her Menu Plan Monday blog link-up.</i></b> I'd love to hear from you!</b></i><br />
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</script>Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4421583398751173647.post-15663364880596701512013-05-21T06:00:00.000-04:002013-05-21T06:00:09.289-04:00Twinning Tuesday: Mama GuiltI don't think there is a parent who doesn't have feelings of guilt over something ...<br />
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- not enough time<br />
- work<br />
- the food they are serving to their family<br />
- what they want to do versus what should be doing<br />
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Guilt certainly isn't a special experience for parents of twins, but I think there is a special kind of guilt for parents of multiples. The guilt of trying to meet the needs of both twins, particularly when they are infants.<br />
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I think any parent who has more than one child gets a taste of this as well; both children have wants and needs, and you cannot always meet those of both children at the same time.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA30ZnX-7FJADf0QRDzkqWL2Pz7Bk4fstCv72lIxElRXEP20j2XWFKS1siJm0Q8XMSuMLBF3wDV0C3PR57kGrJWpijJ-MXu6F7rCq_xFLM4lEaGu0SruUbGHqeT9vkAEAlMc72bn_s1ghm/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA30ZnX-7FJADf0QRDzkqWL2Pz7Bk4fstCv72lIxElRXEP20j2XWFKS1siJm0Q8XMSuMLBF3wDV0C3PR57kGrJWpijJ-MXu6F7rCq_xFLM4lEaGu0SruUbGHqeT9vkAEAlMc72bn_s1ghm/s640/014.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Guy helping Baby Girl with her pacifier </td></tr>
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I remember when my own twins, Baby Girl and Little Boy, were infants, I went through much the same thing. Baby Girl was the needier of the two; she cried more easily, wanted to be held more, was more sensitive to her environment, and to physical needs. Little Boy on the other hand, was always more placid, more easy going.<br />
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Baby Girl would cry, so I would pick her up to comfort her. If she had her own way, she would have been held. All. The. Time!<br />
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And although Little Boy would have the same needs as Baby Girl, he didn't vocalize them as readily.<br />
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Despite wanting to treat them the same, to give them the same newborn experience, they didn't. It was easier to theorize all of this while I was pregnant with them, but once they were born, and the reality of having two babies set in, it was near impossible to treat them the same.<br />
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I've read about similar situations on plenty of forums for
multiples; one twin nursed longer than the other, one twin co-slept
while the other didn't, one twin was worn more, carried more, cradled
more etc etc. <br />
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Thus the Twin Guilt.<br />
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I would love to say that over time I found a magic formula, a way to be able to fulfill the needs of each child. The truth is a little trickier though.<br />
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I gave what I could to both of them, and worked on the guilt. (I won't say "I did my best"; I have always had a difficult time with that phrase. No one is capable of 'doing their best' all the time. We do what we can, and that has to be okay).<br />
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Of course, it would be dreadful of me to leave you with no light at the end of this tunnel, aside from the acknowledgement that you are not alone in your mama-guilt. So, I offer you a couple of things that I found did help:<br />
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~ take any help you can! When friends and family come over to visit, and offer to hold a baby, ask that they hold the more demanding twin, giving you some one on one time with your less needy baby. Or, ask them to take both babies, and take ten minutes by yourself. Alone. A little alone time will help with just about everything!<br />
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~ wear your babies. I wore Baby Girl on my back a lot, once she could hold her head up (at about 3 - 4 months). This kept her close and happy, so I could focus more on Little Boy's needs.<br />
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~ remember that different children WILL have different experiences. My eldest child Little Guy was an only child for his first three and a half years; his infant and toddler years were shaped by our undivided attention. Comparing his experience with that of his younger siblings, is really different. Different is not necessarily bad, it is just that - different!<br />
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~ remembering that I am not advocating neglecting one of your babies, but that if you are giving them both what you can, while still leaving a little left over for yourself, then you are doing fine.<br />
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~ find a balance that works for you and your family. That might mean using tools that you may not have considered as an Attachment Parenting family, such as baby swings, bouncy chairs, sleeping alone, pacifiers, or supplementing with formula. You can still be an AP parent and use one of these! Work to release your expectations, or even the expectations of others, either real or perceived.<br />
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~ I first heard this advise from Melisa Nielsen, writer of the <a href="http://waldorfessentials.com/" target="_blank">Waldorf Essentials</a> curriculum, and I love it so much, I have it written out and tacked above my desk ... save guilt for sin. Parenting is a tough gig, and parenting multiples can be an extra challenge. Do what you can. Love them as much as you can. Hold them as often as you can. Take some deep breathes ... you're a great parent!<br />
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<b><i>Have you found good ways to move past parenting guilt? What advice would you give to a friend in the throes of mama guilt? Feel free to share; I'd love to hear from you! </i></b><br />
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Becky Peak-Marquez, Post-Partum Doulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116272380103190900noreply@blogger.com0