Baby brother receives lots of kisses from us all.
Happy little brother and baby brother
Baby brother
One baby brother's half smiles
Our precious little boys Baby brother is now two months old. He is doing well, full of sweet smiles and precious coos.
We are all doing well, my days are full with homeschooling, homemaking and being a wife and mama. Throughout the day, I will have thoughts and ideas for blog posts, but by evening, baby may be fussy, or I'm too tired to even think about blogging. This is a busy season, but I'm happy.
The Lord is good!
Tonight's lesson: Never, ever, ever leave a 2 year old alone in a room with a computer.
Biruk presented us this evening with a sight that would horrify anyone who depends on their computer (that is, most of us). Unfortunately, it was my sister's computer. Thankfully, it was fixable. But still, it was one of the more heart-stopping moments of my mothering career.
You have to know Biruk to get the full feeling of this story. He is obsessed with letters. At 2 1/2, he can tell us what letters are in his name, and in the proper order. He gravitates towards his letter puzzles, and takes them apart and puts them back together over and over again. He often pops around the corner to pronounce something like "O! O! Says ooooooo! Octopus!" or run through the list of words that start with B (Biruk, Baba, ball, Big Bird...) Simply put, letters thrill him, and putting them in proper order makes him happy.
So this evening, when I heard him talking to himself "Dat's a A...dat's a W...dat's a O..." I assumed he'd found his letter puzzle. Imagine my surprise when I went to get him, and found him standing over my sister's open laptop, with keyboard keys and related parts strewn all over the coffee table and the carpet underneath.
Oh yes.
"Uh...It bwoke", said he, innocently.
I still haven't figured out how he managed to pry out that first key, but the time I got to him, he was on a roll. Fortunately all the various computer people in the house managed to put it back together, which was a big relief to me. Nothing like having your kid ruin someone else's expensive, important piece of equipment.
Dad hypothesizes that Biruk saw the keyboard, saw QWERTYUIOP, and decided it was a letter puzzle which needed his attention. I tend to agree.
We're going to have to watch this one more closely.
Last week we participated in the creation of an article in the local newspaper, the subject being "avoiding brattiness" in children during the Christmas season. And that's a pretty easy, obvious focus to take. Children are still working out their inborn self-centeredness, and aren't ashamed to show it. At least, they don't try to hide it under more socially acceptable terms.
But the fact that adults regularly complain about high stress levels at this time of year tells me that some of us grownups are a little too focused on the material things too. If we were only celebrating the birth of Christ, there would be no stress. If that were truly all that mattered to us, and the one and only "reason for the season", we wouldn't be rushing around like madmen, risking our lives on snowy roads to go shopping, and snapping at our loved ones to leave us alone and let us get the cooking done.
Istanbul, Turkey
Now, I'm not saying celebration is a bad thing, even celebrations that are more cultural than Biblical. I'm a big fan of gift-giving, pretty cookies, family banquets, and the like. I love all of that! But I realized this week that those things have held way too much importance in my mind. For the 6 years I have been a mother, I have found myself stressed as Christmas approached and unsatisfied when it passed. Josiah and I deliberately kept Christmas simple, and asked our family members to be restrained with the gift-giving. But I have always felt like something was missing.
Persia (Iran).jpg)
It seems to me that over the years I have been thinking I should replicate the happy Christmas memories I have in my children's lives. But knowing that I couldn't (it's hard to replicate the kind of Christmases we had at the commune! For one thing, we lack about 350 people and unlimited acres of snowy beautifulness in the country), I still tried and inevitably felt like a failure. That was my wrong focus, even if we had the "reigning in brattiness" figured out early and didn't have a problem keeping the gifting thing to a minimum.
Poland
I can't give my children the same memories I had. We don't have the resources, or the community, or even a real desire to live that way. And as my kids have a heritage that is doubly rich, they need to develop some memories that include their Ethiopian side. Although one of my recent posts was full of the things we've done recently, all of that is a result of me "pulling back" from my list of "Things We Must Do At Christmas", and sticking to simple, enjoyable projects that didn't require a long attention span and wouldn't end with me hollering at the kids and shooing them out of the room. What's the point of "making memories" if the memories made involve a cranky, stressed out mother? I am done "doing" stuff. We have a little more than a week until Christmas, and I want to fill that time enjoying relaxed meals with my family, loving on my children, walking in the snow (if we get any), sitting by the fire, listening to beautiful music, and celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world. I mean, really, shouldn't that be enough?
Italy
I'm tired of wanting ideals and wanting perfection and never feeling satisfied. This year, what I want for Christmas is contentment.
Axum, Ethiopia
The house is decorated! My Christmas cards are sent! And it snowed about 6 inches last night and there is suppose to be more coming!
School is done on Friday! We have family coming this weekend!
Ten more days until Christmas!
May God richly bless you during this season of remembering the birth of Jesus!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
.
A Tip To Make Using Milk In Baking And Sauses Cheaper
.
I have been trying to recall ways or habits that I do without out really thinking to make our dollar stretch further. One thing I have done for years in my baking is it to dilute 1/4th 2 % milk or whole milk to 3/4ths water of what the recipe calls for.
.
for example.... if the recipe calls for 2 cups milk I use 1/2 cup of milk( what ever type you want) and then 1 1/2 cups water.
.
Also in soups I use 6 parts of chicken broth to about 1 part of cup of milk or in my white sauses. I don't miss anything b/c the broth is so flavorful.
.
for example.... 6 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk.
.
I hope the examples make it more clear.
.
.
Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
.
Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
.
example of a URL ...
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
.
Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's.
.
Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
.
"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."
(to join the fun head on over to Carol's by clicking the graphic)
.
From the Heart:
.
Ohhhh it feels sooooooooo good to be putting up a Weekly Wrapup ! It has been sense August 22 sense I have writen one. My life is getting a bit more managable. My craft faire is done and went really well. I will still show pics but I have to get them from my 1ds' cell phone. Now what is on my heart ? I have been wanting to get my home to be running more like a smooth ship. Is that possible ??? I am starting to wonder, lol. This winter break I am going to TRY to read Simply Charlotte Mason's "Laying Down The Rails" a Charlotte Mason Habits Handbook and Sue Patricks's "Workbox System". I am not a very organised person and I am praying these will help. The other book I want to order is" How to Organise (just about) Anything" by Peter Walsh and his DVD "It's All Too Much". I am praying that if I apply these I will start getting things under control !
.
I have been keeping my head just bearly above the water with the basics but I know my little homeschool can be so much more life giving. I am praying that with the help of the Lord we are going to be there in 2010.
.
On the Homefront:
.
We are seed cleaning time and I am refocusing on our studies.
.
In The Garden:
.
The garden is put to bed and we are cleaning seeds for 2010 seed sales.
.
In the School Room:
.
On Sunday the boys are in a play " The Prince and the Pauper". This paticular play has the slant of the King is God and the Prince and the Pauper are Jesus and how he came to earth to save us and one day we will be brought home to the Kingdom (heaven). It is a wonderful play !
.
We are refocusing and reading lots. I am trying to get my boys to write more. This is not a natural thing for them and I am trying to get to a space where it is more natural for sure ! Going to find natural ways for the boys to express themselves in writing.
.
Nature Study:
.
This is one area I am going to get going again.
.
In The Craft Corner:
.
I am crocheting fingerless gloves and want to get back to knitting socks. The boys are making wonderful paper snowflakes, making a boat from popcicle sticks, getting ready to sew up felt pencil holders, and flannel pj bottoms. The other goal I have is for the boys and I is to learn how to sew up ripped jean knees.
.
In the Kitchen:
.
Going to be making all kinds of goodies. Fudge, gingerbread people, short bread, sugar cookies, and more. We will get to taste a little but most is saved for New Years Eve Family get together.
.
Weightloss Wednesday:
.
This week I hope to get back on schedule with my Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone
.
Mother Culture:( for definition go HERE )
.
I mentioned in "From The Heart " what I am reading. Other than that I am reading the bible to enrich and give tools for my life.
.
Things are still trying to set aside 15 minutes a day to read. As the flylady says .... you can do anything for 15 minutes. So I just need to set my timer. [0=
This year all my kids are at ages where the can participate and enjoy crafts and baking in some way, so we've been able to do a lot more than we did when I had a disinterested toddler or two running around.
There actually are quite a few things to do that are small-kid friendly. Here's what we've been doing, in no particular order.
Glitter ornaments:
The easiest ever ornament to make. Cut out construction paper circles (or any other shape). Hand the kids glue and glitter and let them have at it. Let dry. Punch a hole, string a ribbon through, and it's done. I cut down on the mess by covering the table with news paper and supervising well. It wasn't nearly as horrifying as I'd been anticipating, and the kids had loads of fun. We used these to decorate their room. With the Christmas lights on, they glitter and sparkle and delight little eyes.
Gingerbread cookies:
Tons of great recipes on the web. The boys helped me make the dough, roll it, and cut it. I baked the cookies and froze them, and when we had need of a project, I laid the cookies out on a tray for the boys to put icing on. For the icing I just mixed powdered sugar with enough water to make it slightly drippy, and showed the boys how to use a fork to drizzle it over the cookies. Delicious!
I used these along with ribbon to decorate a grapevine wreath, which we gave to some friends, and it turned out beautifully. If it's hung on an outside door, the cookies can stay on and will stay fresh because of the cold weather.
Cinnamon Ornaments:
This was just like the cookies only you dry them instead of bake them, and you're not technically supposed to eat them. They're supposed to look rustic and emit a beautiful fragrance. We succeeded on both counts.
Here's a non-toxic recipe (in case your two-year old, like mine, decides the "dough" is delicious)
1 c. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
1 t. allspice
1 c. applesauce
enough flour to make the dough workable (it'll still be pretty tacky, though).
Mix, roll out, cut out, and dry for several days, turning halfway through the drying period. Don't forget to make little holes in these before you set them out to dry, so you have something to put a ribbon through for hanging.
The angels were especially pretty, I thought. But it really felt wrong to be poking holes through the heads of "angels". Same for the gingerbread men.
Russian Teacakes and Bon-Bon Cookies.
See links above for recipes. These are both great because there are no eggs involved in the making, so a little dough-nibbling isn't worrisome. Russian Teacakes, fresh out of the oven, rolled in powdered sugar, are just heavenly. Bon-Bons are just fun. You can make the dough any color, and put inside them any treat or surprise you like. We think they're great with chocolate kisses as the "surprise inside".
Buttermints
These are extra special, and safe and easy for children to help with (unless you consider copius amounts of sugar, butter, and food coloring dangerous, in which case they'd at best get a 'non-toxic' label).
6 T melted butter
4 T heavy cream
1 t. peppermint extract
5 c. powdered sugar.
food coloring (optional)
Knead together (and add food coloring if desired), and then roll out into "snakes" on a tray. Cut into small squares. Set tray in a cool, dry place so the mints can dry out.
Wrapping Paper
This one's a mess but the kids love it. We used thin newsprint and tempera paints. I cut several potatoes in half, and cut into them to make several simple shapes. Those were our stamps.
Michael is helping at a fund raiser this afternoon with youth group. This weekend he and Paul are in a Christmas choir that is part of the churches Christmas production. They have practice tonight and Saturday morning and then Dessert theater performances Saturday night and Sunday night and they are doing both services Sunday morning.
We hope to get the house decorated for Christmas this weekend, too. So it will be a busy weekend.
We will have family coming in the following weekend so Christmas is coming quickly!
I still have lots on my to do list.
We watched Miracle on 34th Street last night. It was not the old version but it was still good and has successfully gotten me in the Christmas mood.
