I browsed the Home Companion magazine on the rack this month and saw this article about Amy Butler's home. If you are intrigued by retro anythings you likely know Amy's fabric line and books, particularly Midwest Modern She and her husband have transformed their 1969 home for the holidays. It is definitely cheerful and bright. : )
Monthly Archives: November 2008
early November notebook pages
Thought we would share a few school projects from this month. (the scanner is merciless and shows every minute smudge etc so bear with us. They look nicer in person)
We have continued our gov't. study. These pages cover the roles of the president. Moira made separate pages for each of the president's jobs (Chief Executive, Legislative Leader, Commander in Chief etc) while Aidan made two pages with a star shape for each role. 
Next came the president's cabinet. They studied the different folks who advise the president and made charts like these:
For copywork we have used the Presidential Oath and some bible verses about praying for our leaders.
We have also REALLY enjoyed the Art Projects for Kids blog/site. The kids have followed some drawing lessons there that are set up similarly to the Draw Write Now program. In Montessori style, they take the student step by step to recreate the illustration. It has been a big hit here.
Vintage Baby
I can't get enough of baby anything right now. Visions of vintage baby goods are dancing through my head. It started with Flea Market Baby.Actually it didn't. It likely started waaaay back when I couldn't resist pieces like this:
There is just something so wonderful about old baby things. So when I happened across The Baby Gardner I was drooling unapologetically. The blog is even more delightful complete with vintage patterns and more.
My Retro Baby is a must see too. The room decor in particular.
Lots of inspiration at Baby Goes Vintage. These are new items but they are great for ideas for showcasing flea market finds.
Dolly Dilettante is a delightful vintage style baby blog, as is Ophelia Payne.
We have a small collection of vintage baby items. Some are my own vintage lol. My aunt made these hip dresses in the 60's for your's truly.
A strong streak of sentiment prompted me to scour the net for vintage embroidery patterns which have kept my hands occupied as we wait, and breathe, and contract, and wonder which of these times is going to be the real deal. Heaven only knows and guessing makes a person jumpy so I just keep stitching! Here is a bib made for a baby shower I missed last week. I love vintage scotties patterns. Real live ones – not so much. ; ) I finished a little lamb but need to give it a backing yet. There is another scotty in the works for our baby. Will post as we go.
The gift of illness
Jewel is sick too. In her inimitable way she has identified some true blessings that flow from these trials:
"One of the priceless things that God has lovingly sought to teach me throughout the multi-faceted, ever-changing seasons of motherhood, is to quietly let go and flow with the inevitable upsets that occur in life. Things we don't and can't plan for, that of their nature replace other things that might be more pleasant and desirable and what we would have chosen if we had a choice."
Of course we don't have a choice as to whether or not we will weather these storms, only how we choose to respond to them. We choose to find a blessing or a curse. She challenges us to discern:
"if my desire is to make it through these times of sickness or sorrow or change, in the soft, gentle way of His grace. The way that nurtures and gives life, peace and rest, rather than the stress, anxiety, and unrest for everyone, that results if we pull and strive against what is, as though it isn't, wishing it were otherwise.
How very much there is for us to learn, and for each one that we love and care for to learn, in each and every situation that God lovingly allows. How very much can be done even when we're tired and weak, simply by way of loving words and tender affection."
Remember:
"We won't regret it when we move all around to create the time and space for allowance of whatever we find ourselves in the midst of. We can't do everything all the time. No particular situation lasts forever." Do go read the rest!
Our favorite remedies:
Netti Pot. I know. Don't tell me. It's gross. The very thought is appalling. Just saying, it's natural, it's cheap, it's non-toxic, it works. And fantastically well at that. It is also a blessing for those who suffer from allergies.
Zicam. Really does help if you get it at the very first sign. Not foolproof but we have had several 'almost' colds prior to this that were headed off successfully. The little bitties won't/don't use it though so if they get sick and cough on us there is no guarantee.
Grapefruit seed extract. LOVE this stuff. LOVE it. Kills just about any bad thing it seems. Tablets or capsules go down better than the drops which are astoundingly bitter.
Garlic. Raw is best. Don't plan to socialize while using this treatment. Upside? No vampire trouble.
Hydrogen Peroxide. A drop in each ear. I can't say why this works. Just does. And yes, some sites will warn you against it. We aren't deaf yet, if that helps, and no one here who is willing to do it has had an ear infection since. Still, I am not a doctor. I am not giving medical advice. Just sharing.
Piggy… Market
That's all we hear from Tess lately. She loves nursery rhymes and songs and apparently has no sensory issues with feet. Whenever there is a lull in the action around here she will announce to whomever is nearest, "Piggy! Market!" With foot in air she expects someone to come through for her. If you pause in between verses she will nod in agreement, "Yeah, rose beef. Yeah, none…"
It is almost funnier when she snags a little boy. They have come up with some innovative verses to replace those they forget. "This little piggy went to Walmart……. this little piggy ate some stuff….." Gotta love 'em.
This is about all I can wrap my stuffy head around this week. A cold is moving through the house and I am waging war as valiantly as I can. Mostly winning but feeling much like a truck hit me. I apologize for not answering mail in a timely fashion.
Saving time and money – in the kitchen
We have been putting our heads together in recent weeks about how to tweak our thriftiness even further. Part of the motivation is Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. As in, we are trying to have one. Food is a major expense here and it is always worth revisiting to see where we might have leaks in the budget.
I have done once a month cooking in the past but ran into some walls with my method as our family size increased. We can no longer easily triple a recipe since we are already doubling – at least – for each meal. The size of the pots etc needed aren't practical and it wasn't happening as often. At the thrift shop however I turned up a copy of the original Once a Month Cookbook and I think this will do the trick. Its many separate meals but the beauty of it is the shopping list because our new project is…..
Once a month SHOPPING. It seems that grocers count on some 6 of 10 items in the average cart being impulse buys. That's a ton of stuff. Even if we were accumulating half of that it still amounts to budget leaks. What we have been reading over and over is that the single most effective way to avoid those leaks is to enter stores less frequently. Fewer trips, fewer opportunities for impulse buying. It also just makes sense for busy moms of many who have plenty to do without more errands. Who couldn't use the extra hours each month?
The once a month cooking lists make it possible to know exactly how many cans of mushrooms and stalks of celery are needed to make ALL the dinners that month. The system won't work if you don't get what you need that first trip. A detailed list means no guessing at how much to buy. We can then add our own simple options for breakfast. Lunch is usually leftovers and/or soup made from same.
America's Cheapest Family swears by the system as do the famous Duggar's. You can read more here and here. Cook of the Month and other programs will also assemble a list for you based on the recipes you choose. Most people wonder about produce. We stocked up on frozen fruit and veggies. My guess is we will need a midmonth trip to restock salad greens and such. Since I have older kids I plan to send them for that one.
If you decide to experiment along with us please let me know how it goes!
Clementi Music Festival
Asher performed beautifully this weekend in the Clementi Piano Festival. The performers were accompanied by the Mercury Ensemble, a chamber orchestra from Denver. Our little camera records rather pitifully – I will forewarn you! Still, we are very proud of him. : ) Enjoy.
*the third movement is my personal favorite
Starry Sky Journal 