Homeschool Highlights: September

I realize that last year I didn't write much about doing school at home. I'm not sure why. Oh, now I remember. I was pregnant and nauseated most of the time and didn't enjoy much of anything. It's all coming back to me now.

Maybe this is why I am loving doing school with Sam and Sadie this year. I really am. Maybe it's because it's still early on in the school year, but I think there is more to it than that. I am feeling good, Miriam is cooperating with long naps and contented bouts of on-the-floor-playing and what we are studying is just plain interesting.

All this to say I am going to try to write a monthly post about some of our homeschooling highlights from the month before. For a complete list of all our books, click here. Maybe family and friends will enjoy this window into our school day. Maybe they'll see the titles of these posts and skip reading me that day. That's okay too. It is also for Sam and Sadie and myself to be able to look back on and reminisce about what we studied. Ready? Here we go!

In History, we've been studying Columbus and his voyages, the early interactions between the explorers and the Indians, geography and what early life must have been like for the settlers. We've made the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina out of foil, play dough, straws and paper and sailed them in the bath tub. We've read Pedro's Journal by Pam Conrad and Squanto: Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla. And, we've made maps.

Can I just say that it's a very good thing I am back in school? I did not know that Columbus died possibly never knowing he reached NEW land! Some believe he always thought he'd made it to Asia. And, the Santa Maria sunk before leaving the new land for home. Didn't know that either. Good thing I'm back in school. Good thing.

In science, we're studying birds right now. Sam made an awesome bird map to help him learn to identify birds and we've had fun playing a bird game. I describe a bird to him (from a picture- I am no birder) giving details about the color of the bird's crown or rump or nape, etc. Then, he has to find the bird in our bird guide book- practice for birding in our backyard.

Did you know that after 34 years I finally understand how birds stay in the air/fly? It took a second grade science book explanation for me to get it. In a very simplified nutshell...because of the shape of a wing, the air on top of the wing travels faster than the air below the wing. Air that is moving faster puts less pressure on objects meaning that the slower air underneath exerts more pressure- pushing the wing up. There you have it. Also, did you know that birds lay more eggs if they are living in areas that are infested with higher than normal amounts of insects? More baby birds help keep insect populations in check. I tell you. I am having a ball.

Right in line with our study of birds was a field trip to our friends' home to watch thousands upon thousands of some type of swallow (perhaps?) congregate above the corn field behind their house and then start churning, forming a funnel cloud and then dive into the corn field to nest for the night. Our God is an awesome God.

In art, we've been studying Michelangelo and Norman Rockwell- reading about them and trying to recreate the style of their work. A friend of the family came over and taught Sam and Sadie how to make pinch pots and sculptures out of clay. She will fire them and bring them back for them to glaze.

In spelling, we're spelling. Not too much excitement there. Except, if Sam spells all his words right after doing the workbook portion for that list, he doesn't have to write them three times each. Am I a nice teacher or what?

In Bible, Sam is looking up scripture passages that describe Jesus. Sam is getting tons of practice finding versus. This is helping me learn my way around the Bible better, too. The theme for the year- the different names for Jesus. Jesus means "the Lord saves". I didn't know that one either. Either I didn't pay attention in school and Sunday School or my memory is on it's way out.

Math has been review so far and therefore easy for Sam. This in itself is a highlight because Math is usually the subject Sam balks at the most.

For the first year, Sam is participating in a PE class for homeschoolers. He goes twice a week, one hour each time. He loves it. And I love watching him do sit-ups and push-ups. I cried. I really did. From laughing. Is that bad?

Then, there is Miss. Sadie. Sadie is learning her letters and numbers, doing a lot of coloring and cutting, having picture books read to her and then joining in on crafts, experiments and read-alouds. She flits from the school table to playing with her toy animals on the bench in the kitchen to changing outfits. She's a very busy three-year-old.

So, there you have it- the month of September. I rate it 5 out of 5 pencils. And, if you've learned anything from this post, I hope it's that you don't have to know everything to homeschool. I certainly don't.

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Blueberry Buckle

Maybe it's because it's getting cool outside. Or, maybe it's because we ate all the brownies Jamey made a few days ago. Whatever the reason, I craved something baked. Something baked and something sweet.

I've had this recipe in my binder for ages and I have no idea why I haven't made it before now. Does that happen to you? It happens to me all the time. I often hesitate to make something new because I'm afraid I won't like it. But, every once in a while, I'm willing to risk it and I am almost always glad that I did.


This is one of those times. This buckle is heavy on the blueberries in a good way. Don't taste the batter. You'll find yourself licking the mixer paddle, the spatula, the spoon you used to press the batter into the pan, the wooden spoon you used to mix the batter. If I could have thought up more utensils to use, I would have. The cake is soft and moist under the mild crunch of the streusel. This dessert is not overly sweet. I am a huge fan of sweet and while this is quite a bit less sweet than I usually prefer, it is still lovely and would pair nicely (I am guessing here) with a cup of coffee (not a coffee drinker).

Blueberry Buckle (from page 226 of a Martha Stewart Living magazine- issue unknown)
Makes one ten-inch round cake or two six-inch round cakes. This dessert is made in a springform pan.

1/2 cup butter, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
5 cups blueberries (I used frozen)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. butter, room temperature

Heat over to 350 degrees. Butter and flour springform baking pan, and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add egg and vanilla. When combined, alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to the mixer, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Remove from mixer.

Do not taste! I'm trying to help you out here.

Gently fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.


To make streusel topping, mix cinnamon, salt, brown sugar and flour together; cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until fine crumbs are formed. Using hands, squeeze together most of the mixture to form large clumps. Sprinkle topping generously over batter.


Bake for about 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing sides of pan. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.


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Making Room

I've mentioned that we are trying to make room in our chest freezer for the applesauce and chickens that will need freezing next month. One way of making space was to eat all the frozen meals we had tucked away in there for when Miriam was born. We're still eating them and it's been a wonderful gift as we've all been getting used to fall school schedules.

In addition to the freezer meals, we had our last two whole chickens from last year in there. We took a break from having chicken in our diet this summer. Not deliberately, but because there has been so much else to eat. Taking a break from eating chicken around here means taking a break from eating meat in general. We haven't missed it a bit. Cooked and shredded, those two chickens will take up a lot less space and will be ready for suppers next month when I have to start cooking again.

When we harvest our chickens, we skin them. This is an easy way to get the feathers off, too. To cook them, I place two skinned, whole chickens in my large cooking pot with about two inches of water in the bottom.


I put on the lid, turn the heat on high and once it's boiling, turn it down to medium.


Then, I set the timer for 10 minutes, checking the chickens then and every five minutes after until they show no pinkness.


I want them thoroughly cooked, but not over-cooked (they'll get tough). Once they are done, I remove the pot from the heat and let them cool a bit. I want them cool enough to handle, but still warm.

Then, I set up shop on the counter and with fingers and knife and fork, pull the chicken off the bones, chopping the larger pieces as I go. I store the meat in plastic bags and containers, allowing them to cool before closing and then back in the freezer they go- taking up much less space and ready and waiting to be thrown into meals.


We freeze our chickens in these giant Ziploc bags (two a bag). We wash and reuse the bags, but only for raw chicken the next fall.


In the bottom of the pot, I end up with a quart of chicken stock. I store this in the fridge and use it to make soup sometime that same week.


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When I Grow Up

When I grow up and my children have moved on, or at least can fend for themselves pretty well, I want to be one of those women who notices younger mothers with young children. In church, for example. And instead of just gazing off into the distance and remembering fondly those days with young ones (or shruggingly thinking, "Better you than me- I'm glad I'm not at that stage any more."), I want to DO something for them.

Take them a meal. Go over and play with her kids while that younger mother takes a nap. Or takes a shower. Or looks at the clock to see what time it is. Or goes outside the house for a walk or to get groceries by herself. Or, go to her house and teach her children a skill or do a craft with them.

Do you know why I want to be that when I grow up? Because I've been inspired by a woman and her daughter who have done similar things for me. This woman is not a relative, who may feel some duty to relieve me. She's a woman from church, a friend and a mentor.

Thank you, friends. Thank you for helping me figure out how I want to spend some of my time when I (one day...) have some more of it.

Here is said woman, teaching my kids to make pinch pots.

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The Best Caesar Salad

This might be my very favorite way to eat lettuce. I love this salad. I've been making it since before we had kids. We eat it for our main course. Every once in a while a spring or fall passes and I've realized I have completely forgotten to make it. So, I kick myself and make a mental note (this is likely why I forget) to make it next time we have lettuce. This fall, I did not forget. Good for me. Good for you.


Before I give you the recipe, let's get educated, shall we?

Caesar salad [SEE-zer] A salad consisting of greens (classically romaine lettuce) tossed with a vinaigrette dressing (made with Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice), grated Parmesan cheese, croutons, a coddled egg and sometimes anchovies. It is said to have been created in 1924 by Italian chef Caesar Cardini, who owned a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico.*

So, there you have it. Now, if you're like me, you need some further explanation...

Coddle A cooking method most often used with eggs, though other foods can be coddled as well. There are special containers with tight-fitting lids called "egg coddlers" made specifically for this purpose. Coddling is usually done by placing the food in an individual-size container that is covered, set in a larger pan of simmering water and placed either on stove top or in the oven at very low heat. The gentle warmth of the water bath slowly cooks the food. Coddling can also be done by gently lowering the food into water that's come to a boil and removed from the heat.*

Okay, now for the good news. The recipe I'm about to give you does not call for coddling anything and it also does not call for anchovies. Can I hear an Amen?

Chicken Caesar Salad (adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2001)

2-3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 large head of lettuce, romaine or otherwise, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup red bell peppers, sliced OR
1 cup diced roasted tomatoes

5 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice (bottled or fresh)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups plain croutons, optional

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, chicken and the bell peppers or roasted tomatoes.


Combine the remaining ingredients (minus the croutons) in a small bowl and stir with a whisk. Pour over the salad and toss well. Sprinkle with croutons and serve.


* Quotes taken from Food Lover's Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst. Pin It

What We Do

A friend posted this article below via facebook (thank you, Alexis) and I wanted to share it with you...to validate all that you do or to help you understand if you need help understanding.

Sometimes I need help understanding even though I am one of those moms that stays home. It's so easy to say "oh, not much" when someone asks you what you did that day. I can't say I "made a presentation to the board" unless I am referring to teaching my kids about Columbus. I can't say I "signed on a new client" unless I mean I had a baby a few months ago.

What we do consists of many projects that are never done. Dishes. Laundry. Cleaning. Making meals. Grocery shopping. Changing diapers. Wouldn't it be amazing if we did the dishes and then said, "Great! That's finished." and walked away from the sink forever?

When I worked I received all kinds of feedback from co-workers, my supervisor and families. My job was tough, but those words of reassurance stretched me further and helped me continue on. At home, who sees what we do? Pretty much just our spouses. This means that their praise (or lack there of) carries so much more weight.

This article does a good job of putting into words those things that we do that are often hard to put into words and that we often don't realize we are doing. They are not concrete tasks that can be finished, they are on-going things that contribute to the rearing of these little people that are at home with us.

Click on the image to make it larger and readable.

So, if no one has told you yet today (whether you stay at home or not)... You are AMAZING. You do SO very much. Thank you. Pin It

What September Looks Like

You never knew me to be so quiet, did you?

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The Sabbath

Sundays were our Sabbath growing up. We didn't go to movies on Sunday or go shopping or out to eat. Sometimes we had to stop for milk on the way home from church- there were seven in our family. The idea was that we did not wish to support businesses that required their employees to work on Sunday. My parents didn't do any chores, although they often had company for the noon meal.

I'm a grown-up now. How do I observe the Sabbath? Well, we don't shop or go to movies. We rarely eat out in general, so even rarer do we eat out on a Sunday. When we do, I feel guilty. I don't do laundry or clean or do yard work. Jamey and I have had discussions about what constitutes a "chore" or work on Sundays. If it is something that is enjoyable, is that a chore? Woodworking? Gardening? Is that work?

Having young children makes Sundays anything but restful. Somehow they sense that we have more free time and therefore become very needy. It ends up making us all grouchy. Maybe that's why we can think up "enjoyable" chores that need doing.

We need rest. We need rejuvenation. We need to acknowledge that the Sabbath requires respect and should be lived differently. It's the fourth commandment, for goodness sake. "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work...."

How do we do that during this life stage? What makes your Sabbath different from the other six days of the week? How do you set it apart?

Whatever I do, I must give credit where credit is due...

I love the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplication;

because he has inclined His ear to me whenever I called upon Him.
Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
How shall I repay the Lord for all He has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord,
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 116

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I Went to the Movies

Yes, I did. I can't remember when the last time was that I went to the movies. It's been a long, long time. I saw one, maybe two previews for this one and I knew I had to go see it. So, I asked my neighbor friend to go with me and leaving children and husbands behind, we headed out. Not to get groceries, or to run to the bank. We went out for fun.

The movie? Julie and Julia. It was wonderful. I laughed so very hard at times. I drooled over the food. I dreamed of going to Paris to learn how to chop onions at top speed. It was a very entertaining and fun movie. For those of you who haven't heard of it and don't feel like clicking on the link, the movie follows two women. Julia Child, as she learns to cook in Paris and writes her first cookbook, and Julie Powell, who decided to blog about her adventures making everything in one of Julia Child's cookbooks. Can you see why I'd want to see this?

I am telling you about this for two reasons. Reason number one is because I think you should see the movie (in the theater or on DVD, you pick) and two, because I recently discovered that someone is blogging about her pursuits trying many of the recipes in More With Less, one of my favorite cookbooks. So, follow along with me, if you like, and let Valerie try recipes for us. Note: You will need your own copy of More With Less. She refers to recipes and page numbers instead of writing out the recipes.

Happy viewing and reading, friends! Pin It

And So It Slows

The tomatoes are still ripening, but slowly. This means I'm having to save up the ripe ones in the fridge until I have enough for another batch to roast. I only have about half of last year's amount roasted and I had wanted more than that this year.

The red raspberries are still coming. We're still picking almost 2 quarts every other day- eating most and freezing some. The chickens and a groundhog are also enjoying them. I've seen them both jump up and pull down a cane so they can stand on it and eat the berries off.

Our fall lettuce in coming in nicely and we finally have green salads again. Don't forget this one. It's one of our all time favorites.

We are still enjoying our freezer meals (thank you everyone!). While I really enjoy cooking, I am really enjoying pulling wonderful meals from the freezer each morning to thaw. This means the only things I am making right now are baked oatmeal and yogurt. I do cook for company. I don't just feed them baked oatmeal and yogurt. Although, baked oatmeal with yogurt on top is pretty good. Leftovers and sandwiches are our lunch. Before long, though, I'll be taking stock and planning my fall/winter menus.

I haven't brought our chard in to freeze yet because it looks a bit sad. There is still new growing, but what's been there a little while is full of little holes. I should really get out there and cut back the old to allow more room for the new.

Our green bell peppers are straggling in. They are getting chopped up (thanks, Zoe and others, for the tip) and thrown into the freezer.

Jamey is having a hay day with his watermelons. They did really well this year and he has several more in the garden to bring in. He and Sadie polish them off real fast.

Our hens' egg production is slowing down a bit and they are starting to show signs of molt. Lately, the two roosters, other than Marv, have been getting chased out of the chicken yard. The larger one was one of Emma's chicks and the younger, one of Betty's. They are both crosses between a Golden-Laced Wyandotte (Marv) and an Ameracana. They hang out together.




The chicks don't look much like chicks anymore and we really must be moving them out of the tractor soon. The brown ones are meat birds and the others are Silver-Laced Wyandotte hens for laying.

It's a good thing the canning is over for this year. I just don't have the time. It's also a good thing I put up extra last year, anticipating this summer to be busier. It was. It allowed me to put up less. It scares me a bit to think of all that I will have to do next year once my reserves from last year and this year's bounty are gone.

Let's not think about that just yet. Let's just enjoy the slowness. Pin It

Minn

Given the title of this post, can you guess what our new pet is? Think Holling Clancy Holling. Yep, Minn is a snapping turtle. Holling Clancy Holling is the author and illustrator of the wonderful books...

Minn of the Mississippi,












Paddle to the Sea,












Seabird,












Tree in the Trail and












Pagoo












Click here to read more about Holling and these incredible books.

I completed our collection of the above mentioned books just last month, finding the last couple at a discount book venue. Sam was half way through reading Minn of the Mississippi when we went out of town for my sister's wedding. We came home with a baby snapping turtle. He's residing in our frog habitat for now and seems to be enjoying himself. Especially since he has worms and slugs delivered regularly to his little pond.

How long will he last? We're not sure. Goodness. We're not even sure he's a him. But, Sam adores him. So, I hope he lasts awhile. I'll let Sam tell you about him in his own words.... Note: the turtle is mostly under some submerged moss. Only the head and front legs can be seen here.

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My Little Sister's Wedding

Do you know that even to sit here and write this makes me weepy? I am weeping for joy because my little sister is married. She's with her husband as I write...at some sunny, warm destination. Just the two of them. This makes me happy.

My sister planned an outside wedding. The heavens decided to weep for joy as well. Despite the rain, it was beautiful. My sister has this incredible gift for detail. Thoughtful detail. And her wedding day was full of these thoughtful details. Here are just a few...

My mother grew zinnias for the centerpieces. Here we are, the day before, arranging them.






There are a couple things I want you to notice in the next photo. First of all, isn't my little sister gorgeous? She's sitting with her husband listening to my other little sister and I give a toast. I'm the shorter of the two. The one with the muddy bare feet. I didn't care. Not one bit. Those big orange puff balls were something my sister made with the help of others. Made from tissue paper, they hung all throughout the tent.






Above is one of the centerpieces and below is my bouquet. Note the Ball canning jar it's in:-).

My sisters and Mom tied ribbons and tags on all the jars of jam I made. Each person's name was on their tag. The jars were place card and favor.


For each child that attended, my sister made an activity bag that had their name on it. Inside each one was a coloring pad she designed with wedding-themed pictures and activities, crayons, jelly beans and glow sticks. Here is Sadie enjoying the coloring book while sporting her glow sticks. She was the flower girl. Sam read a verse.

There were so many other details I didn't capture. My sister's husband has a four-year-old daughter. They included her in the ceremony by reading special vows to her and presenting her with a ring as well. They also used different colored sand to represent the three of them and poured the sand into a large glass decanter, representing each of their uniqueness as well as the joining of their new family.

In the center of each table was a homemade book and on the front of the book was the table number- in fabric. These books had a pen with them so we could write messages to the bride and groom. Woven through the tines of each person's fork was a business card, beautifully designed, which held instructions on how to upload wedding photos onto their website for sharing. The wedding programs were designed in the shape of a hand-held, old fashioned fan to keep each guest cool and free from pesky gnats. The weeping heavens took care of that.

Sister, you are amazing.

Your wedding was amazing.

I am so lucky to have you for a sister. I love you. Pin It

Possibly the Longest Car Trip of My Life

I'm accustomed to long car trips. Growing up, we regularly traveled 9 and 21 hours (by car) to arrive at our family vacation destinations. But, last night felt even longer. We were coming away from a wonderful weekend celebrating my sister's wedding (more about that later). It was such a fun weekend and Sunday (yesterday) was a relaxing day of cleaning up from the wedding and visiting with family until late afternoon.

We packed up and headed on our way in good spirits. I was especially in good spirits. Everything was right with my world. I had just spent the weekend with so many of the people I love and my little sister was happily married and on her way to a sunny destination with her new husband. That warm and fuzzy feeling was temporarily interrupted by four hours of major stomach cramping that reminded me of labor pains (This is actually a fairly regular occurrence for me. It just usually doesn't happen while we're traveling). The rest of the car trip involved a series of stops...

Stop #1: A potty stop for me at a food mart. No public restrooms.

Stop #2: A potty stop for me at a CVS.

Stop #3: Gas station stop to fuel up the van and I nursed Miriam.

Stop #4: A potty stop for me at a family restaurant and bar in who knows what little town.

Stop #5: A potty stop for Sadie along the side of the road, literally one minute after the last stop. At this point, Sam says something like, "Again? It's just you girls that keep making us have to stop!"

Stop #6: A potty stop for me at a truck stop. Lovely.

Stop #7: A potty stop for me at a McDonald's. There, I also nursed Miriam and Jamey bought the kids yogurt parfaits and himself some ice cream. You know he wasn't going to feed me anything. I was surprised he didn't come out with all the hamburgers and french fries that had in stock the way this trip was going.

During the course of these four hours riddled with seven stops, the kids tried offering some advice to their sick Mommy...

"Maybe you need a doctor." -Sadie
"Maybe you need some medicine." -Sadie
"How about some dinner?" -Sadie
"How about some drink?" -Sadie
"How about a nap? A looong nap?" -Sadie
"Maybe your pants are too tight." -Sam

The last two hours were fairly uneventful. My stomach stopped retching and I felt well enough to sing a couple lullabies that put the children to sleep. I rode the rest of the way home in a daze watching the clock and stunned over the fact that a trip that can take four and a half hours without potty breaks and traffic took us almost seven.

It's good to be home. Pin It

No Twaddle Allowed

I love books and I love reading books to my children. When Sam was quite young, it was so fun to sit him on my lap, him helping to turn the board-book pages. As he got older, we started reading books with real pages and while the length of the books and total number of words per page increased, the content did not improve. They left me wanting more and I felt he could handle more. There are so many silly, (dare I say?) dumb children's books out there. The children's books I am speaking of would probably be included in Charlotte Mason's definition of "twaddle". My (humble) definition of twaddle is books and speech that insult a child’s intelligence and interest.

Finally, it occurred to me to move away from the picture books. We started reading books like Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle, The Enormous Egg and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This was certainly an improvement. He was entertained. I was entertained. He always begged for me to read more. We were happy.

Fast forward a couple more years. I can hardly stand to read picture books to my children anymore. I do it, of course. Any love of books will serve a child well and Sadie is still a little bit young to follow lengthy stories and plots, although I know she's listening while she plays. Every once in awhile she pipes up with a question or comment. There are some well-written children's picture books out there, but they are hard to come by if you ask me. It seems that the sillier they are, the more popular they are. And, this trend seems to be continuing with books targeted at late-elementary school age children. My goodness.

Thankfully, there is so much wonderful (real) literature for children out there I feel as if I'm a child in a candy store having to choose only a certain number of pieces out of thousands of choices (all chocolate, mind you).

Two books we recently finished which go along nicely with the subject of early American history (which we are studying this year) are The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (thank you, Kimberlee)...

and Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (thank you, Cinde).

These books are full of rich adventure, history and language. You do not need to be studying early American history to enjoy these. In fact, even if you are reading them for history purposes, you won't feel like you are. These books are wonderful. We highly recommend them both.

I want to read living books to my children. I want them to see a larger picture, to think beyond themselves and their little worlds. I want to read them stories that show courage, honor, ingenuity, perseverance and, most of all, compassion. Instead of them pretending to be animals that can ride bikes or children that are forever messy, I delight when I hear my kids pretending to build a claim shanty (and refer to it as such) or when I see Sam fashioning a bow and arrow from tinker toys (to hunt animals for survival).

Sam heading off outside with his tinker toy bow and arrows (it really worked). Lacking a quiver, he used his back pocket.

We need to give our kids some credit and leave the twaddle behind. You and your children will enjoy reading so much more.

Some other books we've enjoyed this past year are...

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (I cried)
Julie of the Wolves also by Jean Craighead George
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (I cried again)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (abridged version) original by Jules Verne This was Sam's choice. This abridged version's language was dull as all get out to me, but Sam evidently didn't mind it and loved the book.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I'm open to suggestions, folks. What books do you recommend? Pin It

(Please Sit Down) Lemon Bars

I didn't ask you to sit because of the lemon bars, although it is easier to close your eyes and swoon with a mouthful of them if you're sitting down. The reason I asked you to sit is because I made something with lemons. And, we don't grow lemons. If you've read this, you know that we only cook with produce (vegetables and fruit) that either we've grown ourselves or that has been grown locally. So, lemons?

The lovely family that buy eggs from us gifted us 4 lemons the last time they came by. Do you know what I did after they left? I stared at those beautiful lemons. I held them in my hands and I smelled them. I love lemons.

Well, when someone gifts you lemons, you cannot say no. That would be rude and ungrateful. So, when someone gifts you lemons, you graciously accept them and after they've left, dance a jig in your kitchen.

Then reality set in. What recipe is worthy of my four precious lemons? I wanted something that was intensely flavored. None of this trying to make them go farther by using them sparingly in several different recipes. And, I knew I did not want something healthy like lemon chicken. No way. I wanted pungent lemon flavor. I wanted lemon bars.


I browsed a few of my favorite food sites and came across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. One look at her bars and I knew how I was going to use my lemons. And! A bonus was finding out from several other food sites that lemon bars freeze nicely. I was going to be able to enjoy these beauties over time. Perfect.


The bars are delicious. With all that buttery lemon goodness, how could they not be? Julie, did you have any idea what you are doing when you give me lemons? Thank you:-). Pin It