this post, by my dear friend Mama Squirrel. We don't even celebrate Advent, or Christmas as a religious holiday, but this is something that has often bothered me about some aspects of Christmas in our culture. It's all about the pretty story, the charming and sweet baby in the manger, and that is such an unimportant part of the tale (not negligible, but by comparison with other details, unimportant) that there is never a single mention of Christians celebrating the birth of Jesus again for at least two centuries, possibly three (depending on which historian you accept- and even the earliest mention I know of two hundred years later is merely a comment that, oddly, certain Egyptians place the birth of Jesus in May, not a recognition of a Christmas celebration).
It's a question of balance- for the earliest Christians the Nativity was of importance primarily because it established the prophetic credentials of the Messiah, who came to ransom Satan's captives, and the birth is meaningless outside the rest of the story. Christians celebrated that ransom, the redemption, the more important part of the story on a daily basis, and certainly marked it weekly.
Yet today, we've flipped the story on its head, so its all about.... well, go read Mama Squirrel's post.
What we sang to my newest grandson seconds after he was born:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Equilibrium
I have a very fragile equilibrium thing going on. In the zone of that equilibrium when everything is copacetic, I know that every second with the little Striderling is an unexpected gift, a blessing, a benediction. Undeserved grace.
Here are a few of the things that I have discovered can knock that fragile equilibrium off kilter:
A kiss from The Dread Pirate Grasshopper.
a beeping oxygen monitor
The Cherub having a toileting accident.
a baby shower card
And here's something that shatters that fragile equilibrium into tiny pieces:0
A Walmart store manager who tells us over the phone that yes, they have Brewer's yeast, and she knows that's not bread yeast, they have both kinds, but when we arrive there, said manager cannot be found, nor can the Brewer's yeast. In fact, nobody has ever heard of Brewer's yeast, and they are rather bored with the suggestion that perhaps it would be best not to tell customers they carry things they do not, in fact, stock or even recognize.
And.... who knew that tiny pieces of shattered equilibrium were more flammable than Liquid Oxygen?
Here are a few of the things that I have discovered can knock that fragile equilibrium off kilter:
A kiss from The Dread Pirate Grasshopper.
a beeping oxygen monitor
The Cherub having a toileting accident.
a baby shower card
And here's something that shatters that fragile equilibrium into tiny pieces:0
A Walmart store manager who tells us over the phone that yes, they have Brewer's yeast, and she knows that's not bread yeast, they have both kinds, but when we arrive there, said manager cannot be found, nor can the Brewer's yeast. In fact, nobody has ever heard of Brewer's yeast, and they are rather bored with the suggestion that perhaps it would be best not to tell customers they carry things they do not, in fact, stock or even recognize.
And.... who knew that tiny pieces of shattered equilibrium were more flammable than Liquid Oxygen?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday Hymn Post
At all times praise the Lord;
His promises are sure;
What if thou doubt? His steadfast Word
Unchanging shall endure.
Praise Him when skies are bright,
And gladness fills thy days;
Heav’n shames thee with its glorious light,
And calls thee to His praise.
Praise Him when clouds are dark;
True faith waits not to prove;
Tho’ hope no bright’ning gleam may mark,
His meaning still is love.
Praise Him when drear and lone
The shadows ’round thee fall,
No eye upon Thy sins but One—
Fear not, He pardons all.
Praise Him when home is sweet,
As tho’ we ne’er should part;
But pray—while kindred spirits meet—
Pray for a thoughtful heart.
Praise Him when far away
On mountain or on sea;
Each place is home to them who pray;
The Father guardeth thee.
Praise Him when joyful songs
The saints on earth unite,
In sacred chorus, with the throngs
Of angels in the height.
At all times praise the Lord;
His promises are sure;
Fear not, doubt not; His steadfast Word
Unchanging shall endure.
His promises are sure;
What if thou doubt? His steadfast Word
Unchanging shall endure.
Praise Him when skies are bright,
And gladness fills thy days;
Heav’n shames thee with its glorious light,
And calls thee to His praise.
Praise Him when clouds are dark;
True faith waits not to prove;
Tho’ hope no bright’ning gleam may mark,
His meaning still is love.
Praise Him when drear and lone
The shadows ’round thee fall,
No eye upon Thy sins but One—
Fear not, He pardons all.
Praise Him when home is sweet,
As tho’ we ne’er should part;
But pray—while kindred spirits meet—
Pray for a thoughtful heart.
Praise Him when far away
On mountain or on sea;
Each place is home to them who pray;
The Father guardeth thee.
Praise Him when joyful songs
The saints on earth unite,
In sacred chorus, with the throngs
Of angels in the height.
At all times praise the Lord;
His promises are sure;
Fear not, doubt not; His steadfast Word
Unchanging shall endure.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Today was a good day
Today I got to hold the Little Striderling and watch his mama feed him, and work on his physical therapy.
And when I came home from holding the Little Striderling, I discovered the following on waxed paper cover trays on my kitchen counter:
My son, some other boys, and an older (as in, 20 or 21 years old) cousin of Strider's, brought it back from the woods. The 'boys' (Blynken, 6; the FYB, 12; the FYB's buddy, 14; Strider's cousin, 21; and Strider's sister's beau, 21) are staying the weekend with us, and they had an airsoft battle in the woods, which is where and when they discovered the above glories.
Meanwhile, my girls, a girlfriend of theirs (the flower decorator for the girls' weddings), Strider's sister, and her beau's mother stayed inside and had girl-talk and baked cookies. The boys helped clean up when they came in.
Now they are all gathered around the table playing Sequence
and eating the most appalling junk food.
The question of the hour is: What to do with this next?
And when I came home from holding the Little Striderling, I discovered the following on waxed paper cover trays on my kitchen counter:
My son, some other boys, and an older (as in, 20 or 21 years old) cousin of Strider's, brought it back from the woods. The 'boys' (Blynken, 6; the FYB, 12; the FYB's buddy, 14; Strider's cousin, 21; and Strider's sister's beau, 21) are staying the weekend with us, and they had an airsoft battle in the woods, which is where and when they discovered the above glories.
Meanwhile, my girls, a girlfriend of theirs (the flower decorator for the girls' weddings), Strider's sister, and her beau's mother stayed inside and had girl-talk and baked cookies. The boys helped clean up when they came in.
Now they are all gathered around the table playing Sequence
and eating the most appalling junk food.
Friday, November 26, 2010
diagnosis and update
The doctor says the new grandbaby has a mild case of Jeune's syndrome. Now, Jeune's is a very serious disease, so this is not like saying he has a mild case of the measles. But it is better than a typical form of Jeune's syndrome.
Essentially, his rib cage is bell shaped, and too narrow to let his lungs grow as they should, hence the respiratory distress.
You will look this up and you will be horrified. Please know:
*We trust that God is intimately involved in our lives as well as that of our children and our children's children. While I am weak and too depressingly human and thus have my moments of what seems like unbearable heart-ache, I know this.
*We know that He loves our children more than we do. He loves our grandchildren more than we do. He loves our grandchildren more than their parents do. We know this, even though it that is sometimes difficult to imagine- the amount of love I feel for these precious dear ones, multiplied by.... infinity.
*His parents are strong people who love the Lord and will seek to glorify Him through all.
*It is a great blessing that he has made it this far. There were some very scary moments early on. He was resuscitated twice in the first half hour or so of his life. This drives home the truth that we are not guaranteed anything, and every second with him is a blessing and a gift. In fact, we should remember more often that every second and every moment with *anybody* is a gift.
*And know that the doctor has stressed repeatedly that our new grandson has a mild form of Jeune's.
He also stressed to me personally (and I had not asked and, frankly, did not care), that 'your son-in-law is a smart man and so the baby will be a smart man, this does not affect cognition.' Naturally I responded with, "My daughter has a history degree from... (insert local university).
That was, actually, deliberate, but not oneupmanship. Realizing what impressed said Dr, I wanted to make an impression, and he was duly impressed. He smiled all over and said, "Yes, see, they are informed people and they will stay informed and will be good parents."
Yes, See, Dr. *I* already knew that. I just wanted YOU to know that.=) (I did not say that, but I did think it)
He, the doctor, is a very nice man, from what I can tell, btw. He has come in the grandbaby's room several times, introduced himself to me and to Strider's parents and is forthcoming with information.
Funny moment at the hospital- Strider was singing to the little Striderling and the nurse in the room was just ASTONISHED! And she mentioned that there had been ANOTHER parent in the NICU a while back who was a music therapist and SO she ALSO sang to her baby. I mean, TWO of them!!! SINGING to their babies!!!
Okay, it wasn't funny. It's kind of sad for all the other NICU babies, but nice for the little Striderling. IN fact, he was welcomed into the world by his mama singing to him- while the midwives were working him over trying to get him to breathe, his mama started singing to him. I joined in (standing in the bathtub, btw, as that was where I could be closest without being in the way). Then the midwives joined as well. And STrider, on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, explained to her when she asked that what she was hearing was his wife, mother in law and midwives singing to his new son.
"Oh, WOW," she said. "that is so cool."
Yesterday I e-mailed the following to friends and family:
Yesterday he was under the bili lights, on antibiotics, on an I.V. (in his head), being fed by tube, on oxygen, and getting only 1/4 of his sustenance from Mama's pumping.
Today he is under the bili lights, but his bilirubin levels are down to 12.6 (they only want them under 12). The IV is capped. He is eating via bottle and his mama will get to attempt to nurse if she hasn't already, and at least 3/4 of his sustenance is from her pumping- last night she got a dramatic volume increase- double at one pumping, and then double again at the next.
We know this as well: we are loved by Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. (Eph. 3:20)
Essentially, his rib cage is bell shaped, and too narrow to let his lungs grow as they should, hence the respiratory distress.
You will look this up and you will be horrified. Please know:
*We trust that God is intimately involved in our lives as well as that of our children and our children's children. While I am weak and too depressingly human and thus have my moments of what seems like unbearable heart-ache, I know this.
*We know that He loves our children more than we do. He loves our grandchildren more than we do. He loves our grandchildren more than their parents do. We know this, even though it that is sometimes difficult to imagine- the amount of love I feel for these precious dear ones, multiplied by.... infinity.
*His parents are strong people who love the Lord and will seek to glorify Him through all.
*It is a great blessing that he has made it this far. There were some very scary moments early on. He was resuscitated twice in the first half hour or so of his life. This drives home the truth that we are not guaranteed anything, and every second with him is a blessing and a gift. In fact, we should remember more often that every second and every moment with *anybody* is a gift.
*And know that the doctor has stressed repeatedly that our new grandson has a mild form of Jeune's.
He also stressed to me personally (and I had not asked and, frankly, did not care), that 'your son-in-law is a smart man and so the baby will be a smart man, this does not affect cognition.' Naturally I responded with, "My daughter has a history degree from... (insert local university).
That was, actually, deliberate, but not oneupmanship. Realizing what impressed said Dr, I wanted to make an impression, and he was duly impressed. He smiled all over and said, "Yes, see, they are informed people and they will stay informed and will be good parents."
Yes, See, Dr. *I* already knew that. I just wanted YOU to know that.=) (I did not say that, but I did think it)
He, the doctor, is a very nice man, from what I can tell, btw. He has come in the grandbaby's room several times, introduced himself to me and to Strider's parents and is forthcoming with information.
Funny moment at the hospital- Strider was singing to the little Striderling and the nurse in the room was just ASTONISHED! And she mentioned that there had been ANOTHER parent in the NICU a while back who was a music therapist and SO she ALSO sang to her baby. I mean, TWO of them!!! SINGING to their babies!!!
Okay, it wasn't funny. It's kind of sad for all the other NICU babies, but nice for the little Striderling. IN fact, he was welcomed into the world by his mama singing to him- while the midwives were working him over trying to get him to breathe, his mama started singing to him. I joined in (standing in the bathtub, btw, as that was where I could be closest without being in the way). Then the midwives joined as well. And STrider, on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, explained to her when she asked that what she was hearing was his wife, mother in law and midwives singing to his new son.
"Oh, WOW," she said. "that is so cool."
Yesterday I e-mailed the following to friends and family:
Thanks for all your prayers, please keep them coming. At this point, we would especially like prayers that:
The History Girl will be able to pump enough milk to satisfy all of the little Striderling's needs.
He will eat well on his own
breathe well on his own
gain weight
Yesterday he was under the bili lights, on antibiotics, on an I.V. (in his head), being fed by tube, on oxygen, and getting only 1/4 of his sustenance from Mama's pumping.
Today he is under the bili lights, but his bilirubin levels are down to 12.6 (they only want them under 12). The IV is capped. He is eating via bottle and his mama will get to attempt to nurse if she hasn't already, and at least 3/4 of his sustenance is from her pumping- last night she got a dramatic volume increase- double at one pumping, and then double again at the next.
We know this as well: we are loved by Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. (Eph. 3:20)
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Round Robin
The Four Moms would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and welcome you to a Thanksgiving Story in progress. The Martins, an older couple at their congregation, have invited a number of friends from church to their home for Thanksgiving dinner. They have just finished dinner and are sharing Thanksgiving stories. Each of the Four Moms has one of the stories.You've arrived just in time to hear....
“When I was a girl we had the story of the five kernels of corn every Thanksgiving.” Snowy haired Grammar Kate, as they all called her, volunteered. “We would pass around a glass goblet and each of us would
put in our five kernels of corn while sharing five things we thanked God for that year.”
“What a lovely tradition,” said the young mother who had been singing softly to comfort her toddler. She looked meaningfully at her husband, who nodded his agreement, and without a word, a new tradition was born at their house that moment.
"What else did you do for Thanksgiving when you were young?" asked Mrs. Martin.
Grammar Kate’s face shone with pleasure, even as she spoke with some embarrassment. “When I was a girl, we memorized poetry to recite at every occasion, and I believe I still know a piece or two.”
Grammar Kate cleared her throat, folded her hands in her lap, and looked off to a darkened ceiling corner on the left side of the room, as though she could see the words written on the wall there. She began:
Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of Harvest-home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come;
Raise the song of Harvest-home!
What is earth but God's own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield?
Wheat and tares therein are sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
Ripening with a wondrous power,
Till the final Harvest-hour:
Grant, O Lord of life, that we
Holy grain and pure may be.
Come, then, Lord of Mercy, come,
Bid us sing the Harvest-home!
Let thy saints be gathered in!
Free from sorrow, free from sin;
All upon the golden floor
Praising thee forevermore;
Come, with thousand angels, come;
Bid us sing thy Harvest-home
(by Henry Alford)
Raise the song of Harvest-home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come;
Raise the song of Harvest-home!
What is earth but God's own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield?
Wheat and tares therein are sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
Ripening with a wondrous power,
Till the final Harvest-hour:
Grant, O Lord of life, that we
Holy grain and pure may be.
Come, then, Lord of Mercy, come,
Bid us sing the Harvest-home!
Let thy saints be gathered in!
Free from sorrow, free from sin;
All upon the golden floor
Praising thee forevermore;
Come, with thousand angels, come;
Bid us sing thy Harvest-home
(by Henry Alford)
She finished, and then stood up and sketched a quaint little curtsy as the group clapped and cheered for her. Then she sat down again as Brother Martin stood up to speak.
"I don't have kernels of corn to share," he said, "But I think it would be lovely if we were to share our personal 'thankfuls.' Grammar Kate, would you mind?"
Grammar Kate nodded her agreement, and something about her demeanor made the room fall silent, as she said gently, but fervently, “I am thankful that though we mourn, we mourn not as those without hope.”
More than one mother and not a few fathers in the room blinked back tears as they remembered that ‘Grammar Kate’ was called Grammar Kate because that had been Joshua Greene’s childish mispronunciation of‘Grandma’ . A no longer childish Sgt Greene’s posthumous Medal of Honor hung on his Grandmother’s wall at home, along with the folded flag that had once draped his coffin.
Grammar Kate’s son, Joshua’s Uncle Joe, cleared his throat and reached out to pat his mother’s hand. She nodded at him, and repeated firmly, “Not without hope, Joe, not without hope. Josh loved His Lord and
Savior, and I am thankful for that, too,” and then she smiled a blaze of glory that was like a benediction on the room as she imagined what it would be like to see that Hope fulfilled one day. “I look forward to seeing my grandson,” she said, looking around the room again- but I look forward to seeing the God and Father we both served even more.”
Joe patted his mother’s hand again, this time to thank her for comfort given, yet again, rather than to extend that comfort. Somebody passed the tissue around, there were a few ostentatious noises of noses being
blown.
After a moment, Mr. Martin cleared his throat and looked around the room to see who would be the next person to share a story or something to be thankful for.
Grammar Kate was a hard act to follow, but somebody else spoke up....
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Baby Toes
You want updates? I got no updates.
It's Thanksgiving week, baby is still in NICU for observation and awaiting the results of tests and procedures related to that observation, and... it's Thanksgiving week.
NICU nurses are all incredibly nice, all but one, and that one is nice, but... rigid in protocol (Mamas cannot doze with babies in arms, they might roll over on them or drop them).
Both parents have been in the private NICU room the whole time and will continue that way.
Grandmamas are bringing in enough food to choke three horses, changes of clothes, toothpaste, and... cameras.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Prayers, please
STrider and the HG had their baby this morning at 5:00. I got to be there for most all of it, and was so impressed once more with my fabulous sons in law. STrider was amazing.
Grandbaby is amazing, too, but can use some prayers. He is nice and pink now, but both Mama and baby were transported by ambulance to the ER because for quite awhile he wasn't pink at all. He is now in the NICU for observation for at least 48 hours. This is standard when a home birth is transferred, but there are a couple of anomalies they want to look at more
Mama was not admitted (for a while it looked like she might be), andshe is staying there with baby(of course), and she is very, very tired. It's a nice NICU, and she and Strider should be able to get some sleep.
Thanks.
Grandbaby is amazing, too, but can use some prayers. He is nice and pink now, but both Mama and baby were transported by ambulance to the ER because for quite awhile he wasn't pink at all. He is now in the NICU for observation for at least 48 hours. This is standard when a home birth is transferred, but there are a couple of anomalies they want to look at more
Mama was not admitted (for a while it looked like she might be), andshe is staying there with baby(of course), and she is very, very tired. It's a nice NICU, and she and Strider should be able to get some sleep.
Thanks.
Monday, November 22, 2010
What To Do About the Holiday (or anytime) Gimmee-Gimmee Bug
Things to remove:
1. Turn off the television- at the very least, eliminate commercials. Either require that the sound go down and something else be done during commercials, or record their favorite shows and watch them commercial-free. You cannot ask for the latest, greatest, coolest, new toy if you don't even know there is one.
2. Stay out of the stores, or at least manage it so you can leave the kids at home while shopping. I am a big believer in taking kids out in public (Before I grew my own babysitters, back when I had five children with the youngest born in '90 and the eldest in '83) we used to do the grocery shopping with five little ducklings strategically arranged about the cart), but if yours have a bad case of the gimmes, you may find the most success through a cold turkey cutting off of their exposure to all the materialistic glories being marketed to them.
3. Guard your own language (and heart) Do not say things like, "I wish we could have ..." "One day I hope we can afford...." "I wish we could afford to go out to eat like the ...." Model what you want to see. You want to see contentment, 'being satisfied with what you've got, do not want what you have not' when it comes to stuff? That kind of change starts with you.
4. Do not give in to or foster self-pity. When your children ask for things that really are not in your budget, you can try three different responses (any one of them or all of them, it's up to you)- depending on the child and the circumstances. If the child is old enough to understand the value of money and is just careless about spending yours, tell her to save her own money for that item. If this shocks her because it is too much money to spend, point out that if she does not think it is worth her own time to work for that item. it is obviously not worth yours, either (you can be gentler about conveying this, for my part, I am usually laughing when I say this). If the child is too young to understand the value of money think of other reasons. Does he already have sixteen just like it and he does not play with them? Is it a cheap, gimcrack item that looks like it will break? Does he actually have enough toys? Is it made by a company you cannot support? Talk about having too much stuff- break out an old toy or game you have not used in a while, and play together with that. OR- simply do not engage. This is most appropriate for the child who can be a bit of a broken record, asking for the same thing multiple times, whining about not having the same goodies as all his friends, real or imaginary. Do not waste time arguing about it. Say no, and change the subject. Or just change the subject, possibly to the story of the fisherman and his wife.
5. Hide the toy catalogs, newspaper advertisements, rip out magazine ads. This works for grown ups, too. You do not suddenly yearn for some new gadget or doohickey you do not even know exists.
Things to do:
1. Read the Christmas section of Little House in the Big Woods
. The children get a stick of candy, a pair of mittens, and Laura gets a rag doll to replace the corncob doll she's had up until now, yet:
2. Find some friends who are also simplifying and encourage one another (and each other's children). If you can't find them in real life, look at some blogs (see below).
Share those posts with your children (and with us!) and talk about things you could do to simplify, and why. If you have a post of your own on this them, please share, and if you come across one, share that, too!
(second-hand is where almost all our presents come from every year- the few things that aren't 'pre-owned' we bought with swagbucks.=) )
3. Make something for somebody else for Christmas- muffins, cookies, a casserole that can be frozen, a Christmas decoration. Discuss the joy of giving with your family as you work together making something for others.
4. Participate in Angel Tree or a similar program if you can.
Talk about what you have that others do not and how you want to share.
5. Go together to a nursing home to visit the elderly there, do a puzzle with them, take treats to them, or call and ask if you can help deliver any Christmas packages they have on Christmas day. Talk about the meaning of sharing, of family. Others may prefer to help out at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
6. Donate used items: Call your local homeless shelter, crisis pregnancy center, or the contact person for a shelter for battered women and ask if there is anything they can use- collect up what you have, contact friends and tell them you are collecting donations of toys or toiletries or whatever, and which organization you are collecting for. It might be fun to do this with friends- cleaning up used toys, washing and ironing the clothes, folding them neatly. Make giving to others fun!
What are you doing to simplify your celebrations? Join in this linky coming up where you can share your family's simplified celebration ideas, swap tips, traditions, crafts, and stories, and encourage others:
I'm leaving this linky open until Wednesday, November 29. Then every Friday in December, starting the 3rd, I will have another linky where we can share links to posts with ideas for simplified celebrations, stories about appreciating what we have, easy recipes, simple gifts to make for others, ways to turn the holiday season from an expensive, consumer minded blow out into a way to joyfully help others, celebrate your family, and anything related. I hope you'll join in.
1. Turn off the television- at the very least, eliminate commercials. Either require that the sound go down and something else be done during commercials, or record their favorite shows and watch them commercial-free. You cannot ask for the latest, greatest, coolest, new toy if you don't even know there is one.
2. Stay out of the stores, or at least manage it so you can leave the kids at home while shopping. I am a big believer in taking kids out in public (Before I grew my own babysitters, back when I had five children with the youngest born in '90 and the eldest in '83) we used to do the grocery shopping with five little ducklings strategically arranged about the cart), but if yours have a bad case of the gimmes, you may find the most success through a cold turkey cutting off of their exposure to all the materialistic glories being marketed to them.
3. Guard your own language (and heart) Do not say things like, "I wish we could have ..." "One day I hope we can afford...." "I wish we could afford to go out to eat like the ...." Model what you want to see. You want to see contentment, 'being satisfied with what you've got, do not want what you have not' when it comes to stuff? That kind of change starts with you.
4. Do not give in to or foster self-pity. When your children ask for things that really are not in your budget, you can try three different responses (any one of them or all of them, it's up to you)- depending on the child and the circumstances. If the child is old enough to understand the value of money and is just careless about spending yours, tell her to save her own money for that item. If this shocks her because it is too much money to spend, point out that if she does not think it is worth her own time to work for that item. it is obviously not worth yours, either (you can be gentler about conveying this, for my part, I am usually laughing when I say this). If the child is too young to understand the value of money think of other reasons. Does he already have sixteen just like it and he does not play with them? Is it a cheap, gimcrack item that looks like it will break? Does he actually have enough toys? Is it made by a company you cannot support? Talk about having too much stuff- break out an old toy or game you have not used in a while, and play together with that. OR- simply do not engage. This is most appropriate for the child who can be a bit of a broken record, asking for the same thing multiple times, whining about not having the same goodies as all his friends, real or imaginary. Do not waste time arguing about it. Say no, and change the subject. Or just change the subject, possibly to the story of the fisherman and his wife.
5. Hide the toy catalogs, newspaper advertisements, rip out magazine ads. This works for grown ups, too. You do not suddenly yearn for some new gadget or doohickey you do not even know exists.
Things to do:
1. Read the Christmas section of Little House in the Big Woods
. The children get a stick of candy, a pair of mittens, and Laura gets a rag doll to replace the corncob doll she's had up until now, yet:"They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. They just looked with shining eyes at those lovely Christmas presents."
2. Find some friends who are also simplifying and encourage one another (and each other's children). If you can't find them in real life, look at some blogs (see below).
Share those posts with your children (and with us!) and talk about things you could do to simplify, and why. If you have a post of your own on this them, please share, and if you come across one, share that, too!
(second-hand is where almost all our presents come from every year- the few things that aren't 'pre-owned' we bought with swagbucks.=) )
3. Make something for somebody else for Christmas- muffins, cookies, a casserole that can be frozen, a Christmas decoration. Discuss the joy of giving with your family as you work together making something for others.
4. Participate in Angel Tree or a similar program if you can.
Talk about what you have that others do not and how you want to share.
5. Go together to a nursing home to visit the elderly there, do a puzzle with them, take treats to them, or call and ask if you can help deliver any Christmas packages they have on Christmas day. Talk about the meaning of sharing, of family. Others may prefer to help out at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
6. Donate used items: Call your local homeless shelter, crisis pregnancy center, or the contact person for a shelter for battered women and ask if there is anything they can use- collect up what you have, contact friends and tell them you are collecting donations of toys or toiletries or whatever, and which organization you are collecting for. It might be fun to do this with friends- cleaning up used toys, washing and ironing the clothes, folding them neatly. Make giving to others fun!
What are you doing to simplify your celebrations? Join in this linky coming up where you can share your family's simplified celebration ideas, swap tips, traditions, crafts, and stories, and encourage others:
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I'm leaving this linky open until Wednesday, November 29. Then every Friday in December, starting the 3rd, I will have another linky where we can share links to posts with ideas for simplified celebrations, stories about appreciating what we have, easy recipes, simple gifts to make for others, ways to turn the holiday season from an expensive, consumer minded blow out into a way to joyfully help others, celebrate your family, and anything related. I hope you'll join in.
Menu for Thanksgiving Week
BreakfastsCottage Cheese pancakes made with our homemade apple butter
egg casserole (I have grated zucchini in the freezer)
granola
muffins
Gingerbread Oatmeal casserole
Lunches
leftovers
Parsnip Cheddar soup or blender broccoli soup
more leftovers
broccoli and water chestnut casserole
Onion and pepper focaccia bread
Crockpot Mac'n cheese
Suppers
Monday: leftovers (we really need to clean out the fridge)
Tuesday: Hamburger Curry (Pakistani Kima) and turnip slaw
Wednesday:
TVP patties
Thursday: Thanksgiving Dinner- we're having it with several friends over at Granny Tea's, and these are some of the recipes I know will be there- including some others are bringing:
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Granny Tea's impossible to duplicate incredibly delectable Gravy
Stuffing
Granny Tea's famous burp bread
Cranberry orange relish
Beet Salad (which I am going to try to alter, using unflavored gelatin, lemon juice, and a touch of honey instead of sugary pre-flavored lemon gelatin)
Sweet Potato Citrus Yum
Coconut pie
Pretzel Salad
Crockpot Pumpkin Pie Custard
Broccoli Salad
pumpkin pies (made from pumpkins Pip bakes, and then prepares the pumpkin goodness)
Friday:
Turkey broth soup
Saturday:
Turkey enchiladas, salad, spanish rice
Sunday:
Easy Chicken Crouton Casserole (like poppyseed chicken, only cheaper and better)
Linked at Organizing Junkie
A Bibliography
Several years ago, when we first started blogging, there was a kerfluffle when a public school teacher made some imprudent remarks about homeschooling, and homeschoolers responded in kind, and he responded once again, and, actually, a very interesting conversation ensued.
At one point there was quite a long discussion about The Underground History of American History, by John Taylor Gatto, writings the teacher dutifully read and actually much agreed with. He wrote:
I think that's a brilliant idea. All of us, blogging or not, should provide a bibliography of books that informed that our thinking on our favored topics.
Y'all start.=)
At one point there was quite a long discussion about The Underground History of American History, by John Taylor Gatto, writings the teacher dutifully read and actually much agreed with. He wrote:
It's funny: I had never heard of Gatto until this weekend, when I ran into a contemporary of mine from college who is working with Gatto's Odysseus Group to raise money for a documentary. I immediately went to the library and picked up his book. Suddenly, his name appears all over the place as a result of something that I had posted on my blog. In some sense, it's an illustration of a weakness of the blogosphere- I would have loved to have heard about Gatto earlier, but it seems that what is common knowledge or old news to many is simply not blogworthy. It would be great if every blogger serious about a particular subject could provide a bibliography.
I think that's a brilliant idea. All of us, blogging or not, should provide a bibliography of books that informed that our thinking on our favored topics.
Y'all start.=)
When Family Members and Friends Seem Hostile to Homeschooling
It needn't be homeschooling. It can be anything that is not the way our parents did it.
When we do things in a radically different way from our mothers and grandmothers, they often take it personally as a direct reflection on what bad parents they were. For some this is true, they were bad parents, but it isn't very constructive to point that out now. For some of us, it's simply a matter of different life styles and preferences. In still other cases our mothers were doing absolutely the best they could and that included following what they thought was expert advice- and sadly, the experts failed them. However, for them to admit the advice was wrong is, to them, to admit they parented wrong. It's a purely emotional subject, they can't deal with it dispassionately.
My husband was primarily raised by his grandmother because of the instability of his parental units. We won't go into details, but let's just let it be understood that we really mean it when we say his early childhood was unstable. So his grandmother was his 'primary caregiver' when he started school. When it was time for him to go to kindergarten, he freaked out and wouldn't get on the bus. It was apparently a pretty bizarre scene, and it took them thirty minutes to get him on there, screaming and kicking all the way, and they spanked him again and again because they thought he was just being pig-ugly-stubborn. In fact, he thought they were sending him away. Forever. That is a heartbreaking story- but it is important to remember that his grandparents loved him with all their hearts and they meant well. They didn't know what he was thinking, they didn't know, in fact, a good many things that we smugly think we know all about, and which our children will dismiss as old fashioned when they are parents. He didn't know it, but that ate at his grandmother probably for the rest of her life (his grandfather died that year). She told me about it when I married her grandson, and she mentioned it often afterwards.
So- here we are, and we homeschooled our children. We did this because of the good things we saw that it did for our family- not because of the bad things we see public schools doing to somebody else's family. If every public school were perfect and every child in them was perfect, we would still homeschool. Still, there are times when we simply mention that we homeschool, and based on the reaction, you would have thought we were out in the streets with uzis looking for wicked people who public schooled! The hostility is not a common thing, but it does happen, and it is always incredible (as in not credible to me).
However, I've learned, because of talking with the Headmaster's grandmother, that just as she has always felt guilty about putting him on that bus, other people have something they feel guilty about. Just as she meant well, but didn't realize how emotionally vulnerable his parents had made him, didn't know he thought they were sending him away forever, and now she feels awful, other parents have regrets. I have regrets of my own- it comes with the territory.
Sometimes the mere fact that we homeschool is a reminder of those regrets, and people react defensively when there is no need. It might help to remember that sometimes they're reacting so strongly to what they think they're hearing, not to what you're really saying.
When we do things in a radically different way from our mothers and grandmothers, they often take it personally as a direct reflection on what bad parents they were. For some this is true, they were bad parents, but it isn't very constructive to point that out now. For some of us, it's simply a matter of different life styles and preferences. In still other cases our mothers were doing absolutely the best they could and that included following what they thought was expert advice- and sadly, the experts failed them. However, for them to admit the advice was wrong is, to them, to admit they parented wrong. It's a purely emotional subject, they can't deal with it dispassionately.
My husband was primarily raised by his grandmother because of the instability of his parental units. We won't go into details, but let's just let it be understood that we really mean it when we say his early childhood was unstable. So his grandmother was his 'primary caregiver' when he started school. When it was time for him to go to kindergarten, he freaked out and wouldn't get on the bus. It was apparently a pretty bizarre scene, and it took them thirty minutes to get him on there, screaming and kicking all the way, and they spanked him again and again because they thought he was just being pig-ugly-stubborn. In fact, he thought they were sending him away. Forever. That is a heartbreaking story- but it is important to remember that his grandparents loved him with all their hearts and they meant well. They didn't know what he was thinking, they didn't know, in fact, a good many things that we smugly think we know all about, and which our children will dismiss as old fashioned when they are parents. He didn't know it, but that ate at his grandmother probably for the rest of her life (his grandfather died that year). She told me about it when I married her grandson, and she mentioned it often afterwards.
So- here we are, and we homeschooled our children. We did this because of the good things we saw that it did for our family- not because of the bad things we see public schools doing to somebody else's family. If every public school were perfect and every child in them was perfect, we would still homeschool. Still, there are times when we simply mention that we homeschool, and based on the reaction, you would have thought we were out in the streets with uzis looking for wicked people who public schooled! The hostility is not a common thing, but it does happen, and it is always incredible (as in not credible to me).
However, I've learned, because of talking with the Headmaster's grandmother, that just as she has always felt guilty about putting him on that bus, other people have something they feel guilty about. Just as she meant well, but didn't realize how emotionally vulnerable his parents had made him, didn't know he thought they were sending him away forever, and now she feels awful, other parents have regrets. I have regrets of my own- it comes with the territory.
Sometimes the mere fact that we homeschool is a reminder of those regrets, and people react defensively when there is no need. It might help to remember that sometimes they're reacting so strongly to what they think they're hearing, not to what you're really saying.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sunday Hymn Post
With thankful voice praise ye the Lord,
Jehovah’s praise in song record;
Yea, all ye people everywhere,
Jehovah’s worthy praise declare.
For loving-kindness ever great
Toward us and all who on Him wait,
For truth to endless years the same,
Praise ye Jehovah’s holy Name.
Midi file here
Jehovah’s praise in song record;
Yea, all ye people everywhere,
Jehovah’s worthy praise declare.
For loving-kindness ever great
Toward us and all who on Him wait,
For truth to endless years the same,
Praise ye Jehovah’s holy Name.
Midi file here
Friday, November 19, 2010
Potluck Saturday- Broccoli with cheese and water chestnuts
The Progeny all pretty much detest water chestnuts, and I love them- in recipes, not all by themselves. I think this is dandy recipe- it makes a great, and very filling side-dish, a festive one, even, suitable for holiday brunches and dinners.
It can be a main dish for a vegetarian, or omnivores can make it a meat - eaters dish by adding bacon or shrimp. Or both, if it's really a celebratory occasion.
Ingredients:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups of cottage cheese
2 cups of grated cheese (cheddar, or your choice)
6 Tablespoons of flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon minced, dried onion
4 Tablespoons of yogurt
20 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted
2 eight ounce cans of water chestnuts, drained and sliced
Herbs and spices (the recipe doesn't call for any. I like thyme and a dash of nutmeg and pepper, or a spoonful of mustard, or dill and snipped green onions)
Combine all ingredients. Pour into one oiled 9X13 pan, or two oiled 9 inch baking dishes.
SPrinkle with paprika, or if you like more zip to your dishes, red pepper.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes for the two 9 inch pans, or about 50 minutes for the larger pan. It's done when it's firm.
As a side dish, this serves about 15
As a main dish, it serves 9 to 10 people, depending on how much they like water chestnuts.
Share your recipe below!
It can be a main dish for a vegetarian, or omnivores can make it a meat - eaters dish by adding bacon or shrimp. Or both, if it's really a celebratory occasion.
Ingredients:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups of cottage cheese
2 cups of grated cheese (cheddar, or your choice)
6 Tablespoons of flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon minced, dried onion
4 Tablespoons of yogurt
20 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted
2 eight ounce cans of water chestnuts, drained and sliced
Herbs and spices (the recipe doesn't call for any. I like thyme and a dash of nutmeg and pepper, or a spoonful of mustard, or dill and snipped green onions)
Combine all ingredients. Pour into one oiled 9X13 pan, or two oiled 9 inch baking dishes.
SPrinkle with paprika, or if you like more zip to your dishes, red pepper.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes for the two 9 inch pans, or about 50 minutes for the larger pan. It's done when it's firm.
As a side dish, this serves about 15
As a main dish, it serves 9 to 10 people, depending on how much they like water chestnuts.
Share your recipe below!
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EXCUSE ME?
A Professor Fisher and a couple other women appeared on a panel with Joy Behar to discuss being child-free.
It's veddy veddy interesting that they begin by discussing choice and how people shouldn't be stigmatized for their choices and then end by stigmatizing.... women who have children, and especially large families, of course.
And, of course, they haul out the tired nonsense about overpopulation, when most of the world today is looking at the opposite problem- a birth dearth. Overpopulation is, in fact, a myth.
I think not.
No, Professor Fisher, having lots of children is NOTHING like littering. Cruising the shrillest of talk show programs to spew your air pollution over the sound waves, THAT is like littering.
Children, contrary to your charmingly stated opinion, are not bits of trash strewn about the landscape, blighting your view.
I have seven of them, and they are precious, rare individuals, each of whom make the world a better place in their own inimitable ways. Calling other human beings so much garbage is NOT one of the ways to make the world a better place.
I have seven children because they are blessings and we couldn't wait to meet each and every one of them, whether they came to us by birth or adoption.
I did not have them because I couldn't think of anything else to do with my time, Joyless Behar.
Isn't it hilarious that the CNN video segment is introduced by a charming Pampers commercial with pictures of adorable babies?
You might also want to read...
about the Feminist columnist who suggested forced abortion and sterilization as viable ways to Save the Earth (whose demise, we now see, was greatly exaggerated)
There is somebody in the White House in an official capacity who has advocated the same thing.
Overpopulation part I, hmmm, inconsistent, much?
Overpopulation part II Paul Ehrlich made an important, and little publicized, bet with Julian Simon about overpopulation
Overpopulation part III Guess who won? (Hint: the media would certainly have publicized it if the results had favored their bias)
Overpopulation part IV fear mongering
Overpopulation part V Ehrlich and the scary brown people
It's veddy veddy interesting that they begin by discussing choice and how people shouldn't be stigmatized for their choices and then end by stigmatizing.... women who have children, and especially large families, of course.
And, of course, they haul out the tired nonsense about overpopulation, when most of the world today is looking at the opposite problem- a birth dearth. Overpopulation is, in fact, a myth.
I think not.
No, Professor Fisher, having lots of children is NOTHING like littering. Cruising the shrillest of talk show programs to spew your air pollution over the sound waves, THAT is like littering.
Children, contrary to your charmingly stated opinion, are not bits of trash strewn about the landscape, blighting your view.
I have seven of them, and they are precious, rare individuals, each of whom make the world a better place in their own inimitable ways. Calling other human beings so much garbage is NOT one of the ways to make the world a better place.
I have seven children because they are blessings and we couldn't wait to meet each and every one of them, whether they came to us by birth or adoption.
I did not have them because I couldn't think of anything else to do with my time, Joyless Behar.
Isn't it hilarious that the CNN video segment is introduced by a charming Pampers commercial with pictures of adorable babies?
You might also want to read...
about the Feminist columnist who suggested forced abortion and sterilization as viable ways to Save the Earth (whose demise, we now see, was greatly exaggerated)
There is somebody in the White House in an official capacity who has advocated the same thing.
Overpopulation part I, hmmm, inconsistent, much?
Overpopulation part II Paul Ehrlich made an important, and little publicized, bet with Julian Simon about overpopulation
Overpopulation part III Guess who won? (Hint: the media would certainly have publicized it if the results had favored their bias)
Overpopulation part IV fear mongering
Overpopulation part V Ehrlich and the scary brown people
News and Views
The unseen damages of the Chrysler/Gm bailout:
Obama admits we'll be in Afghanistan well beyond the end of his first term, something I believe surprises nobody except those who voted for him.
We live in a time when a powerful senator can speak with a straight face about taking a broadcasting network off the air and the rest of the media doesn't even blink an eye. Senator Rockefeller, that's fascisim. Own it.
The government should not be in the Media business at all- and that really should include subsidizing it.
Hey, hey, hey- Fred Phelps and his hate-mongers want to picked the Dearborn Islamic center. That should be interesting.
Gitmo detainee Ghailani confessed to murdering over 200 people. Holden and Obama chose a civilian trial for him. I supposed it could be as a success that he was found guilty on one of the 280 charges brought against him and has been sentenced to serve 20 years in prison. Attacking two overseas embassies should never have been pursued as a civil crime.
It is ridiculous,and an embarrassment, that our media cares more about multiple voting in a silly venue such as telephone voting for people on Dancing with the Stars than about genuine voter fraud and multiple voting (and voting without ID) in real elections. This Palin hatred seriously has turned their brains to mush. Or maybe it's the other way around. (P.S. I have never SEEN DWTS, and I don't care if I ever do, but CNN and MSNBC faux outrage makes me want to vote on it anyway. For about five seconds).
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/18/un-ipcc-official-we-redistribute-worlds-wealth-climate-policy#ixzz15fboGzWS
Those unseen costs include:
* the added uncertainty that pervades the private sector and assigns higher risks and thus higher costs to investing and hiring (whom might government favor or punish next?);
* the diversion of resources from productive to political purposes in the business community (instead of buying that machinery to churn out better or more lawn mower engines, better to hire lobbyists to keep Washington apprised of how important we are or how this or that policy might be beneficial to the national employment picture!);
* excessive risk-taking and other uneconomic behavior that falls under the rubric of moral hazard from entities that might consider themselves too-big-to-fail (perhaps, even, the New GM!);
* growing aversion to—and rising cost of—corporate debt (don’t forget what happened to Chrysler’s “preferred” bondholders in the bankruptcy process!);
...
Obama admits we'll be in Afghanistan well beyond the end of his first term, something I believe surprises nobody except those who voted for him.
We live in a time when a powerful senator can speak with a straight face about taking a broadcasting network off the air and the rest of the media doesn't even blink an eye. Senator Rockefeller, that's fascisim. Own it.
The government should not be in the Media business at all- and that really should include subsidizing it.
Hey, hey, hey- Fred Phelps and his hate-mongers want to picked the Dearborn Islamic center. That should be interesting.
Gitmo detainee Ghailani confessed to murdering over 200 people. Holden and Obama chose a civilian trial for him. I supposed it could be as a success that he was found guilty on one of the 280 charges brought against him and has been sentenced to serve 20 years in prison. Attacking two overseas embassies should never have been pursued as a civil crime.
It is ridiculous,and an embarrassment, that our media cares more about multiple voting in a silly venue such as telephone voting for people on Dancing with the Stars than about genuine voter fraud and multiple voting (and voting without ID) in real elections. This Palin hatred seriously has turned their brains to mush. Or maybe it's the other way around. (P.S. I have never SEEN DWTS, and I don't care if I ever do, but CNN and MSNBC faux outrage makes me want to vote on it anyway. For about five seconds).
If you needed any more evidence that the entire theory of manmade global warming was a scheme to redistribute wealth you got it Sunday when a leading member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change told a German news outlet, "[W]e redistribute de facto the world's wealth by climate policy."
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/11/18/un-ipcc-official-we-redistribute-worlds-wealth-climate-policy#ixzz15fboGzWS
Vintage Fabric Pieces
Most of these are fairly small, except for this first one- it's really big because it was originally something like a duvet cover for a double bed. It has some holes in one side, and some fading in several places, but since it was so large, there's a lot of fabric to use:
The rest are mostly very small pieces- about a foot or so.
This one is my least favorite, although it looks kind of neat here:
Nobody much likes this one-
But this one, well, it makes me smile:
The Equushick and Jenny like this piece best. It looks like little squares, but really, it's parallel lines of blue stripes and then tiny black polka dots. Click to enlarge:
The above pieces are all a light cotton. This is a bit of upholstery fabric- thick, heavy duty. Jenny looked sideways at it and said, "Of course, Mother, you like this one." She said it as though it were an indictment, not a good thing. And of course, I do like it.
This is the other side of the same fabric, and I like it, too:
Now this one- well, I think it's a wonderfully fun piece, but, again, it's very small:
Jenny says she likes the dark blue flowers, but not the rest.
The Equuschick doesn't like any of it.
As you can see, I like all of it. It makes me think of the Lily dresses back in the sixties.
This is a dresser scarf (I think that's what they are called). I love the color and pattern, but it's very stained.
It's got splotchy orange, rust colored stains all over it.
I can either figure out how to get those stains out, or I can cut off the ends iwth the fleur de lis and figure out something to do with those.
This is most of the fabric from this particular tote- it was largely used to wrap up the china that was also in the tote. There were also a lot of white cotton scraps and several cotton pillow cases. I also have a few other pieces to show you, including an unbelievable orange and green skirt. I thought the FYG might like it, but she was shocked at the very suggestion.
I love shocking my Progeny.
Linked at My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday
Linked at My Favorite Things
Linked at Friday's Favorite
The rest are mostly very small pieces- about a foot or so.
This one is my least favorite, although it looks kind of neat here:
Nobody much likes this one-
But this one, well, it makes me smile:
The Equushick and Jenny like this piece best. It looks like little squares, but really, it's parallel lines of blue stripes and then tiny black polka dots. Click to enlarge:
The above pieces are all a light cotton. This is a bit of upholstery fabric- thick, heavy duty. Jenny looked sideways at it and said, "Of course, Mother, you like this one." She said it as though it were an indictment, not a good thing. And of course, I do like it.
Now this one- well, I think it's a wonderfully fun piece, but, again, it's very small:
This is a dresser scarf (I think that's what they are called). I love the color and pattern, but it's very stained.
I can either figure out how to get those stains out, or I can cut off the ends iwth the fleur de lis and figure out something to do with those.
This is most of the fabric from this particular tote- it was largely used to wrap up the china that was also in the tote. There were also a lot of white cotton scraps and several cotton pillow cases. I also have a few other pieces to show you, including an unbelievable orange and green skirt. I thought the FYG might like it, but she was shocked at the very suggestion.
I love shocking my Progeny.
Linked at My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday
Linked at My Favorite Things
Linked at Friday's Favorite
The Walk
Repost from about five years ago:
It takes about fifteen minutes to walk the one mile distance from our house to Granny Tea's by the paved road.
As the crow flies it's probably only half a mile over pasture, woods, and cornfield.
I am not a crow. I do not fly. My gait is more like that of a three legged elephant on drugs.
Today a few of the Progeny walked to Granny Tea's to practice the piano. I decided to follow behind them to sort some books we have stored in my parents' basement. I was dressed properly for a walk on the paved road. I had on a gray skirt of some sort of thick, knit material, a white turtleneck sweater covered with lovely deep rose colored flowers, and clogs to match. Clogs without straps. I like them because they have thick, cushioned soles and I can just slip my feet into them and go.
So I stepped outside and on a sudden whim instead of turning right out of the drive and going by the paved road, I turned left and went by way of field, woods, and corn field. Crows do not have to maneuver under, over, and through barbed wire fences. I did. In a skirt. The barbed wire maneuvered through me in two spots on my hand. Twice I had to crawl under the fence. I got a cramp in my leg and then was not sure how I was going to get back up. It was not a graceful or creditable performance. I was grateful that nobody could see me (or hear me), living as we do on a large piece of property with no close neighbors.
The grass in the fields is about three feet tall. This is bad enough, but in most places it has collapsed under its own weight, leaving a ropey undergrowth that binds itself around the ankles and makes it complicated to keep on the clogs. Shoes that you can just slip your feet into and go are shoes that your feet can slip out of all too easily.
It's fall, which means the mosquitoes were gone, but the burs, stickers, thorns, and all manner of pokey things were out. Mostly on my skirt. Denim is really the only thing to wear in the woods. Lili and Leo, our adult cats, joined me for part of my walk. They liked to walk directly in between my feet. Eventually Zeus joined me as well. He kept eating something on the grass. I think it was caterpillars. It didn't agree with him and he narrowly missed my shoe.
I stumbled along through the tall grass jungle, in between the corn rows, along the edge of the woods, beneath the oak trees, in between the thorny osage orange trees, whimpering, whining to myself, and hitching my shirt up to scratch my back (I am allergic to something out there), glad, again, that nobody could see me. I must have appeared utterly deranged and idiotic out there slipping in and out of my shoes, stopping to pull the burs from my socks so I could walk.
I finally stumbled out of the wilderness onto the old stage coach road my parents keep mowed (bless them)- a smooth path at last. I was so thankful to see it. I thought of all sorts of spiritual analogies.I thought of Pilgrim's Progress. But mostly I thought of getting to Granny Tea's house and taking a shower.
I only turned a fifteen minute walk into a 90 minute whine fest. As I limped into the house I asked Granny Tea whose truck was in her driveway.
It belonged to the friend who has permission to hunt occasionally in our woods. He'd decided to come out and camp for the night- and he was out there, somewhere in the woods, watching for deer and setting up his tent. Somewhere in the woods I'd just walked past. I only hope he was looking the other way.
Linked at Company Girl Coffee
It takes about fifteen minutes to walk the one mile distance from our house to Granny Tea's by the paved road.
As the crow flies it's probably only half a mile over pasture, woods, and cornfield.
I am not a crow. I do not fly. My gait is more like that of a three legged elephant on drugs.
Today a few of the Progeny walked to Granny Tea's to practice the piano. I decided to follow behind them to sort some books we have stored in my parents' basement. I was dressed properly for a walk on the paved road. I had on a gray skirt of some sort of thick, knit material, a white turtleneck sweater covered with lovely deep rose colored flowers, and clogs to match. Clogs without straps. I like them because they have thick, cushioned soles and I can just slip my feet into them and go.
So I stepped outside and on a sudden whim instead of turning right out of the drive and going by the paved road, I turned left and went by way of field, woods, and corn field. Crows do not have to maneuver under, over, and through barbed wire fences. I did. In a skirt. The barbed wire maneuvered through me in two spots on my hand. Twice I had to crawl under the fence. I got a cramp in my leg and then was not sure how I was going to get back up. It was not a graceful or creditable performance. I was grateful that nobody could see me (or hear me), living as we do on a large piece of property with no close neighbors.
The grass in the fields is about three feet tall. This is bad enough, but in most places it has collapsed under its own weight, leaving a ropey undergrowth that binds itself around the ankles and makes it complicated to keep on the clogs. Shoes that you can just slip your feet into and go are shoes that your feet can slip out of all too easily.
It's fall, which means the mosquitoes were gone, but the burs, stickers, thorns, and all manner of pokey things were out. Mostly on my skirt. Denim is really the only thing to wear in the woods. Lili and Leo, our adult cats, joined me for part of my walk. They liked to walk directly in between my feet. Eventually Zeus joined me as well. He kept eating something on the grass. I think it was caterpillars. It didn't agree with him and he narrowly missed my shoe.
I stumbled along through the tall grass jungle, in between the corn rows, along the edge of the woods, beneath the oak trees, in between the thorny osage orange trees, whimpering, whining to myself, and hitching my shirt up to scratch my back (I am allergic to something out there), glad, again, that nobody could see me. I must have appeared utterly deranged and idiotic out there slipping in and out of my shoes, stopping to pull the burs from my socks so I could walk.
I finally stumbled out of the wilderness onto the old stage coach road my parents keep mowed (bless them)- a smooth path at last. I was so thankful to see it. I thought of all sorts of spiritual analogies.I thought of Pilgrim's Progress. But mostly I thought of getting to Granny Tea's house and taking a shower.
I only turned a fifteen minute walk into a 90 minute whine fest. As I limped into the house I asked Granny Tea whose truck was in her driveway.
It belonged to the friend who has permission to hunt occasionally in our woods. He'd decided to come out and camp for the night- and he was out there, somewhere in the woods, watching for deer and setting up his tent. Somewhere in the woods I'd just walked past. I only hope he was looking the other way.
Linked at Company Girl Coffee
Of Books, Boys, and Jokes about Bodily Functions
If you have sons, Read. This. Now.
If you expect your daughters to marry somebody else's sons, Read. This. Now.
If you know any boys, Read. This. Now.
If you might meet some boys some day, Read. This. Now.
If you might meet somebody who has any influence on any boys, Read. This. Now.
Excerpt:
If you expect your daughters to marry somebody else's sons, Read. This. Now.
If you know any boys, Read. This. Now.
If you might meet some boys some day, Read. This. Now.
If you might meet somebody who has any influence on any boys, Read. This. Now.
Excerpt:
Education was once understood as training for freedom. Not merely the transmission of information, education entailed the formation of manners and taste. Aristotle thought we should be raised "so as both to delight in and to be pained by the things that we ought; this is the right education."
"Plato before him," writes C. S. Lewis, "had said the same. The little human animal will not at first have the right responses. It must be trained to feel pleasure, liking, disgust, and hatred at those things which really are pleasant, likeable, disgusting, and hateful."
This kind of training goes against the grain, and who has time for that? How much easier to meet children where they are.
One obvious problem with the SweetFarts philosophy of education is that it is more suited to producing a generation of barbarians and morons than to raising the sort of men who make good husbands, fathers and professionals. If you keep meeting a boy where he is, he doesn't go very far.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Disgraceful
As Thomas Paine explained, the governors have formed a class distinct from the governed:
Americans were losing money while they were stuffing it in their pockets, freezers, and prime island real estate.
Members of Congress personal wealth collectively increased more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009, according to a Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) study. Americans household net worth fell by more than a fifth over roughly the same period, according to estimates by the Federal Reserve and others.
Americans were losing money while they were stuffing it in their pockets, freezers, and prime island real estate.
Four Moms Talk Thanksgiving Prep
It's another Four Moms Thursday, and this week, we discuss Thanksgiving Preparation- which could mean ideas for food, could be about prep, could be about decorations, or...?
Here's our family Thanksgiving History:
Thanksgiving the First: we actually spent it with my husband's mother, which is very hard to explain since she did not raise him, and we've probably seen her five times since then. She's never seen most of my children. Surreal, and I don't remember much about it.
Thanksgiving the Second: Husband was technical school with the military, he was one of two married guys in his class, and the other guy's wife was not there. Husband invited the class of 18 or so guys home to our trailer for Thanksgiving, and I fixed the whole shebang by myself- pies (three kinds), salad, turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and home-made rolls. I was 21 and we had a baby. I did not realize that most people would think that was a big deal.
Thanksgiving the Third through the twenty something or otherth- with one exception, our house, with tons of people invited over to participate. That one exception was bizarre- I was basically guilt-tripped into agreeing that our family would be the guests rather than hosts for Thanksgiving. Seriously guilt tripped. Lots of stuff about giving and receiving and being willing to receive, and needing to let others have the holiday at their house (guilt-tripper in chief was not a relation, just a friend)- and so I agreed. We did not invite our usual crowd over for Thanksgiving. I madea couple side dishes and a dessert. Did not even buy a turkey. On Thanksgiving morning the friend called to say she just could not face company that day, emotionally speaking, so she was cancelling.
We stayed home and roasted a small chicken.
Last few Thanksgivings- usually at Granny Tea's. She has a more open floor plan and it's easier on my Dad to be in his own familiar space where he can go lock himself in his bedroom when he gets overwhelmed, and he will be overwhelmed because we still invite a bazillion people over. They don't all come, naturally, and because we invite, um, random people we meet at the library who seem like they need a place to go, and that sort of thing, we get stood up a lot.
Sometimes we have dressed as pilgrims and Indians for Thanksgiving. There was the memorable year my husband answered the door in a loin cloth and warpaint and it was his boss... (yes, the HM was really wearing more than a loin cloth. There were feathers.)
So... our traditions alter a bit, and our planning is rather slapdash. We also fix way too much food and then we have leftovers for days.
At first I made the turkey and everything that guests were not making and I also did the decorations and printed out George Washington's Thanksgiving Day proclamation and posted it in the bathroom and elsewhere, then for a few years my husband did that and I did everything else, and then my girls did everything else and I printed out a few Thanksgiving poems and things, and put my feet up and harvested the reward of years of training. Then we moved it to my mother's house, and she does the turkey, mashed potatoes and rolls.
We exchange emails amongst ourselves, my mother, my daughters and I, discussing what we will make and what we want to have. Sometimes we invited guests to make something too- usually I ask them if there is one dish that they really love to have at Thanksgiving, and they make that. On Thanksgiving day I suddenly decide we have to have _____ and either make it, too, or instruct one of the Progeny to do so.
Granny Tea likes to have a sort of a talent show where guests volunteer to sing a song, play something, recite something, perform in some way. most of the guests, including my Progeny, have been disappointingly unenthusiastic about this.
She sets the tables with real table cloths, my grandmother's dishes, bits and pieces of old china and we mostly serve ourselves buffet style. Pickles, olives, bread, butter, and gravy will usually be on the table.
Here are some of our favorite recipes for Thanksgiving:
A beet salad/relish sort of side dish that probably only I truly love. Very piquant.
This sweet potato dish is a new favorite
Many favorites are reposted here- some quick breads, pretzel salad, and our cranberry orange relish.
This ginger pear crisp would also be good at Thanksgiving
We do have the ubiquitous Green Bean Casserole
Granny Tea will make her burp bread (it rises in a tupperware bowl, and her famous gravy which I can never duplicate.
At midnight on Thanksgiving, we are usually back at our house and we put in the first Christmas CD of the season. Then we commence the eating of leftovers. and more leftovers and then some leftovers.
What are some of your traditions and recipes? Preparation tips?
Kimberly,
Kim,
Connie
And ME!
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Visit the other four moms to see what they're cookin', and come back some time next Thursday- we're each sharing a Thanksgiving picture. What will the bashful Common Room family do about that?
Linked at Finer Things Friday
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Baby Shower Gifts
A lot of women at church are pregnant. Most of them aren't crunchy, to be honest. But I am not adverse to giving crunchy gifts anyway since many of them are welcome even to the non-crunchy, and two of them are my daughters and they are used to my eccentricities.=)
Toys: I'm looking at:
Sassy Earth Brights Wooden Cherry Tree Rattle
- it's adorable.
Wee dolls
Wooden whale rolling toy
Wooden Teethers
Manhattan Toy Skwish Classic
Books- I usually give the same gift- Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt., and then some of my daughters each pick out a book to include- the titles vary. Our customary basket of books might include a nice boardbook of Mother Goose rhymes, A Child's Garden of Verses, and, if we very flush with funds or the recipient does not object to used books, a set of Winnie the Pooh books ( the real Winnie the Pooh-never Disney, which is anathema) Beatrix Potter
, Sandra Boynton
, The Little Engine that Could
, Mrs. Mustard's Beastly Babies (Mrs. Mustards)
, Flip-o-storic,
Kid-O Animal Homes Wooden Book
, it's a cross between toy and book.
Clothes:
Gerber 4-Pack Long Sleeve Onesies Brand One Piece Underwear
Jefferies Socks Organic Cotton Turn Cuff Sock, 3 Pack, White
The Miracle Blanket Swaddler formerly known as the Amazing Miracle Blanket - Green w/ Blue Trim
Kiddopotamus & Co. Organic Cotton SwaddleMe - Ivory
Other crunchy presents I can think of (but the applicability for individual recipients would vary):
slings
boppy pillow
(When she was pregnant, I found one at a thrift shop with animals all over the cover, perfect for the Equuschick. That was exciting)
nursing mom tea
cloth diapers and diaper covers (both my girls are covered here, thanks to generous friends)
lanolin
nursing pads
BabySteps Hand Crank Food Mill
nursing cover
Books for Nursing Mom:
Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby's First Foods
Medications and Mothers Milk: A Manual of Lactational Pharmacology (MEDICATIONS AND MOTHER'S MILK)
Mother Food For Breastfeeding Mothers
So... what's out there that you got at a baby shower and loved, or wish you'd gotten at a baby shower, or saw at a baby shower and were delighted by and wished was around when you were having babies?
And... how crunchy are you?
I scored a 152- Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy, Granola Earth Mama, but I really think I don't deserve that score. I think I'm more along the lines of a 129-90 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
Toys: I'm looking at:
Sassy Earth Brights Wooden Cherry Tree Rattle
- it's adorable.Wee dolls
Wooden whale rolling toy
Wooden Teethers
Manhattan Toy Skwish Classic
Books- I usually give the same gift- Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt., and then some of my daughters each pick out a book to include- the titles vary. Our customary basket of books might include a nice boardbook of Mother Goose rhymes, A Child's Garden of Verses, and, if we very flush with funds or the recipient does not object to used books, a set of Winnie the Pooh books ( the real Winnie the Pooh-never Disney, which is anathema) Beatrix Potter
, Sandra Boynton, The Little Engine that Could, Mrs. Mustard's Beastly Babies (Mrs. Mustards), Flip-o-storic, Kid-O Animal Homes Wooden Book
, it's a cross between toy and book.Clothes:
Gerber 4-Pack Long Sleeve Onesies Brand One Piece Underwear
Jefferies Socks Organic Cotton Turn Cuff Sock, 3 Pack, White
The Miracle Blanket Swaddler formerly known as the Amazing Miracle Blanket - Green w/ Blue Trim
Kiddopotamus & Co. Organic Cotton SwaddleMe - Ivory
Other crunchy presents I can think of (but the applicability for individual recipients would vary):
slings
boppy pillow
(When she was pregnant, I found one at a thrift shop with animals all over the cover, perfect for the Equuschick. That was exciting)nursing mom tea
cloth diapers and diaper covers (both my girls are covered here, thanks to generous friends)
lanolin
nursing pads
BabySteps Hand Crank Food Mill
nursing cover
Books for Nursing Mom:
Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby's First Foods
Medications and Mothers Milk: A Manual of Lactational Pharmacology (MEDICATIONS AND MOTHER'S MILK)
Mother Food For Breastfeeding Mothers
So... what's out there that you got at a baby shower and loved, or wish you'd gotten at a baby shower, or saw at a baby shower and were delighted by and wished was around when you were having babies?
And... how crunchy are you?
I scored a 152- Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy, Granola Earth Mama, but I really think I don't deserve that score. I think I'm more along the lines of a 129-90 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
Colloquialisms
"....But when Barbara Restle and Kay Turner, both New Englanders, told me significantly at a summer picnic, "It's snowing down South," I had no idea what they meant. It means your white slip is showing below the hem of your skirt. If my slip had been black or dark blue, I suppose they could have said, "The smog is simply terrible in Los Angeles this evening.""
Pipsqueak and I read this in the book 'Speak to the Earth' by Rachel Peden. We found it extremely funny.
Pipsqueak and I read this in the book 'Speak to the Earth' by Rachel Peden. We found it extremely funny.
Auditory Processing Issues
Many years ago my brother and his family were here visiting, and as small girls will do, my then 8 and 9 daughters and my then 7 and 6 year old nieces got in a bit of a tiff. The end result was that three of them ganged up on one, leaving her out, snubbing her, which naturally ended with the victim coming inside in tears.
I called in the apparent ringleader, my 9y.o., and had a "little talk." I ended by telling her to apologize and saying that *if* it happened again she would have to stay in her room for a little while. I told her to wait for her younger sister to get her shoes on and go out together and play together nice.
TWO HOURS LATER, I'm putting on my shoes to take my s-i-l to a homeschool bookstore, this child comes out of her bedroom, trying to maintain some calm, and asks me if she can go outside and play with her sister and cousins now. I asked her what she was talking about. Turns out she didn't listen to what I said properly, thought she had to stay in her room until I said otherwise, and while waiting for me to come commute her sentence, had even cleaned the room, hoping to
please me . When I told her she didn't have to stay in her room and that I thought she'd been out playing this whole time, she burst into tears. Must confess to a large lump in my own throat.
I felt sooooo bad for her. She went on outside to play, I went to the hs bookstore and bought her a guilty mom present.
When she would say things like "utstencils" for stencils and bird-winged black-reds for red-winged black birds, that was funny and charming. When her problem with listening and understanding causes things like this, it's sad.
The best advice I ever received, was to have her repeat back to me what she heard me say. Not "did you understand me," which can cause defensiveness and a "yes, I understood, I'm not stupid" response or hurt feelings, but an even toned, matter of fact, "would you mind repeating what I just said just so that I can make sure I said it right and made it understandable."
Another helpful tool was a little booklet called 'In One Ear And (hopefully) Not Out the Other.'
Do you deal with similar issues? What worked for you?
I called in the apparent ringleader, my 9y.o., and had a "little talk." I ended by telling her to apologize and saying that *if* it happened again she would have to stay in her room for a little while. I told her to wait for her younger sister to get her shoes on and go out together and play together nice.
TWO HOURS LATER, I'm putting on my shoes to take my s-i-l to a homeschool bookstore, this child comes out of her bedroom, trying to maintain some calm, and asks me if she can go outside and play with her sister and cousins now. I asked her what she was talking about. Turns out she didn't listen to what I said properly, thought she had to stay in her room until I said otherwise, and while waiting for me to come commute her sentence, had even cleaned the room, hoping to
please me . When I told her she didn't have to stay in her room and that I thought she'd been out playing this whole time, she burst into tears. Must confess to a large lump in my own throat.
I felt sooooo bad for her. She went on outside to play, I went to the hs bookstore and bought her a guilty mom present.
When she would say things like "utstencils" for stencils and bird-winged black-reds for red-winged black birds, that was funny and charming. When her problem with listening and understanding causes things like this, it's sad.
The best advice I ever received, was to have her repeat back to me what she heard me say. Not "did you understand me," which can cause defensiveness and a "yes, I understood, I'm not stupid" response or hurt feelings, but an even toned, matter of fact, "would you mind repeating what I just said just so that I can make sure I said it right and made it understandable."
Another helpful tool was a little booklet called 'In One Ear And (hopefully) Not Out the Other.'
Do you deal with similar issues? What worked for you?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
What Would You Do With....
Still cleaning out totes in my garage, and I've only gotten one done today because of items like this:
The entire island in my kitchen is covered with various china pieces that need to be washed before I can even think about what to do with them, but none of them are quite so outlandish as a porcelain bedpan.
So.... suggestions? I'm thinking flower pot.
The entire island in my kitchen is covered with various china pieces that need to be washed before I can even think about what to do with them, but none of them are quite so outlandish as a porcelain bedpan.
So.... suggestions? I'm thinking flower pot.
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