Monthly Archives: September 2015

Crafts, cooking, and reflections

The pencil rolls. These are actually really handy for bringing places, having the pencils laid out on the table, and not having them spill in the art cabinet. Made from a 1960s fabric scrap and a thrifted pillowcase, they cost about $1 each!

Good foods this week: vegetable pie with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and other goodies from our garden and CSA. Dreena Burton’s No-Fu loaf (a tofu-free vegan meatloaf). Apple-pear crisp (our tree is dropping the apples right now; unfortunately the bigger trees around here don’t have any apples this year!) Dried pear slices. Homemade vanilla-peppermint ice cream from our cow share. Oh, autumn foods have just begun…

Lovely finds: a wool floor duster that is fantastic for quickly cleaning baseboards. It’s basically the original Swiffer, works way better, and doesn’t use disposable materials. A fairy dress and tiger costume for G and E, which saves me sewing them (sewing fake fur is a mess!) A stash of vintage aprons that jumped out at me at the thrift shop when looking for the costumes.

Emmett is slowly getting that it is in his best interest to try his best for tests. The first math test was today, and he did great.

Week of September 14

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A glorious week for being outdoors! Monday’s art was watercolors in the garden, with our new, grown-up brushes and Stockmar paints. They also had some sort of game in which Glory was a sea diver.

History was the Old Kingdom of Egypt, and the completion of papyrus making. Unfortunately the strips did not stick together. We will soak and roll them again. The history text for Emmett’s class is rather disappointing, so we’re focusing more on books we find and projects. Piano is going really well, despite the book progressing rather quickly. Glory played with a classmate this week for the first time.

Our house is painted, and we are taking apart the old front screen door to make a new back door, since it was so nicely constructed.

Wednesday was windy (which made for fun data for Emmett’s wind observations for science) so we flew kites. Wednesday Craft Day was making fall-inspired tutus for Horsie and Lavender Basil.

Nature Friday took place at the Sourdough Trail, where we were four weeks ago. It was neat to see the same trees in a suddenly different season. Sulien wanted to walk most of the way, which was a bit much for tiny legs. Horse riding was fun; Emmett and Glory traded horses this week.

Reflections on the last two weeks

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School stuff: the workbooks are a good level for both of them. Since we only do them four days a week, but they are designed for five days, we skip parts of some lessons, or an entire lesson. Emmett would rather not write out any sentences in his grammar lessons, but it is good handwriting practice, so we still do it. The first grammar test is next week! Spelling is not too challenging, but is another chance to practice writing, and gives them a weekly quiz with which they can feel successful.

Things to improve: I love mentoring them with art, but it is so difficult with a baby trying to grab things (like jars of watercolor, yikes). Lots of sewing projects, which will have to get done in bits here and there in the evenings (as if Sulien goes to sleep before us). Finding time for exercise (note: bringing Emmett on his bike is fun, and gets him some exercise). Getting a plan (menu, things in the freezer) for lunches, especially on Thursdays.

Kitchen efficiency: Successful meals included baked beans, having a daily breakfast plan (we soak the grains the night before): Monday (hot cereal with compote), Tuesday (fruit and yogurt and nuts/seeds), Wednesday (chia pudding, or other raw pudding), Thursday (hot cereal with fruit), Friday (see Tuesday), Saturday (baked oatmeal), Sunday (eggs and toast). Making dinner right after lunch, to cut down on cleaning up time. Making yogurt right after picking up the milk on Fridays, and separating cream out then too.

Repurposing/thrifting: redoing our sturdy screen door for another door (McGuckins has galvanized screen!), looking for thrifted winter boots and snow pants BEFORE winter, finding a wool sweater to turn in to pants for Sulien (except Matt snatched it up for himself, so doing this will have to wait), finding a backpack to keep stocked with hats, diapers, etc for trips to town, hiking, etc.

Week of September 7

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Week 3 has been more successful school-wise! Emmett was nearly enthusiastic about doing work some days. Monday we hiked the Ceran St. Vrain trail, with, apparently, everyone who had Labor Day off. It appears to be a heavily used trail, but I think this was exceptional. E and G loved their “dirt slide”, and Sulien kept wanting to go in the St. Vrain–brr! The trail is shady, and has large campsites, though they aren’t exactly secluded.

We went to the library and the Egyptian store, since we are reading about ancient Egypt, and got a kit to make papyrus. The process can take two weeks! I am not impressed by the history book Emmett’s class is using, Story of the World by Bauer, but the chapters are short, so we have plenty of time for other books on the subject. Glory lead Wednesday craft time, and we made paper puppets (her own invention). Piano is going well for Emmett; he seems to really like it.

I finished their art smocks, and used some scraps to make Sulien a reversible sun hat. Both projects are from Oliver + S: Things to Sew. This book doesn’t have any of their awesome clothing patterns, but the projects in it are as well-written as their single patterns.

Nature Friday was close to home, with a walk to Golden Ponds and the river. Emmett found some claws, and we saw the cutest frog in the world. Saturday had horse riding, and the finishing of the house being painted! Now we are taking apart our old screen door to use on the back door, and have gotten some lovely red oak to make a storm door. Three cheers for being able to avoid Home Depot.

Week of August 31

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Week three! Sulien is concentrating on P.E., walking all over, and trying out the bike trailer for our library trip.

We’ve begun history, now that Emmett has his book, and have started on Egypt. Piano is going well for all of us, despite an exuberant Sulien who likes to play along with whomever is practicing. Emmett would read books all day if he could (except the workbooks). Nighttime reading is My Friend Flicka, which I realized takes place just over the Wyoming border. APEX went well, though I’m still waiting for the week in which Glory will use the toilet there. Sulien and I stay close to the telephone on those days–sigh.

We celebrated Lavender’s third birthday (again?) with some banana bread

Other highlights: roasting marshmallows with a bonfire, and riding

Matt’s birthday party was a little picnic at Sandstone Ranch.

Nature Friday is moved to tomorrow (Monday)…

Crafty project: art smocks! Pictures to follow once I get the last parts of them finished.

Week of August 24

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Week two brings us the start of attending APEX once a week. Glory is doing kindergarten, which they require because she is five, and Emmett takes a day of classes: Ancient history, science, art, robotics, piano, and Passport to the World. The teachers are awesome, the classes are fun and give us a path to explore in more depth (for example, history). Once a week classes (there are no grades) are great for E and G, who like to self-teach and move along at their own pace.

The home part of home schooling has been a bit stressful. Emmett continues to hope for no school as his school. We continue to hope that he will stop protesting for hours to do work that takes a fraction of the time, and is actually useful. He does, however, greatly enjoy lunch, recess, art, field trips, silent reading, and stories.

We felted wool roving to make decorations for our nature table, went swimming, painted, rode horses, went for a short hike at Chautauqua Park, and visited the very fun annual tractor show–twice!

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Glory’s favorite vehicle at the tractor show.