Taste of Summer

For lunch today, I made corn salad: cut some (boiled) corn off the cob, cut up some tomatoes, chopped some green onions, juiced half a lime, cut up an avocado, added some olive oil, salt & pepper. The topper--bacon, baby!

The kids liked it, but not as well as last time I made it. I should have put the avocado on the side so Sarah could have avoided it altogether, and the thinly sliced red onions I used last time were probably a better choice than the scallions. Still, it's a one of my favorite summer lunches.

Convenience Foods

Found another like-minded post: Convenience Foods

I've thought about many of these things, like the "instant" oatmeal, but it's the crumble topping for fruit pies that I never thought to make ahead, but now will definitely keep in the refrigerator. Dutch Apple Pie is Jeff's drop dead favorite, and this will be a quick fix. Not sure if I want to bother with freezing my own pie crust.

Gauntlet, Picked Up

One of my cousins is getting married next month, and my mom & stepdad are coming up for a visit. In fact, my stepdad is officiating the ceremony, which will be at Greenfield Village, where Jeff & I got married lo these many years ago.

The 'rents will be here for at least two weeks, maybe as many as three. They'll split their time between several family members. My mom has decided that they want an RV, so they can go wherever they want without having to unpack every other day.

In order for them to stay with us, they need room. Sarah's bunked with Lauren in the past, but there just isn't enough space in her room.

The only place with enough room is the basement. The basement, well . . . the basement is same old, same old. Full of toys, winter clothes, blankets, dress up clothes, desks, Christmas stuff, tools, a toy kitchen, golf clubs, books, etc.

It is amazing how motivated we all are, though. The girls have spent much more time than I have down there, and they really are getting a lot done, even throwing things away! There is still soooooo much to do: get the Fisher Price Little People all together, find a way to keep the dress up stuff organized (really want a rack of some sort, so we can hang most of it) Get all the kitchen stuff together, put all the books in one place, go through the clothes and sort out what needs to be kept or given away, and throw out the twelve metric tons of crap.

It's a big job, but the motivation is there, and the deadline helps, too. Will report progress back another day.

Thinking Ahead

Life is about to hit the fan after Labor Day. All our activities start back up again: dance, Scouts, Sunday School, and Classical Conversations--so excited about that!

Work will (hopefully) also start soon--making a phone call tomorrow to schedule classes. I'm also going to start an Etsy store to try to get rid of some of my sewing projects. More on that later.

So I'm faced with impending insanity, taking the form of very little time. One of the results of very little time is that we eat like crap. We get take out far too often.

I have a plan. The plan itself is very simple: fill the freezer with things that can be pulled out and heated up quickly and easily. A solid block of a pound of frozen hamburger does not fit this plan.

Things that do fit the plan:

• taco meat
• sloppy joe meat
• seasoned cooked ground beef (for chili)
  
• pasties
• meatballs (good for spaghetti sauce, bbq sauce, sweet & sour, or brown gravy)
• Salisbury steaks
  
• pizza roll ups
• leftover ham (spiral sliced hams don't go on sale for a while, but when they do, we get a lot of leftovers out of one)
• uncooked biscuits (haven't tried this yet, but looking forward to the experiment)
• dinner rolls
• chicken fingers (every time I've made chicken fingers in the past, the kids didn't really care for them, but I'm planning to give it another go)
  
• cooked rice (just saw this idea, looking forward to trying it)
• mashed potatoes

If I can get a full freezer, I really think that life will be a lot easier on all fronts!

Just Say No

I had what I thought was a really great idea for a fundraiser for our church: a craft show. Not only could we raise money by selling table space and charging a small admission fee, our youth group could sell dogs & bratwurst (we even have a lady who can make home made sauerkraut, always a crowd pleaser), as well as baked goods.

The problem is, I can't do it. I really wanted to take the lead on this, make it happen, make it successful. I'd even already mentioned it to a few people. Everyone was very enthusiastic, and one even offered to help me, although she didn't have time to take the lead on it herself.

But between homeschooling, Scouts, Sunday School, sewing club, and (hopefully!) working, I have no time. At all. I'm already maxed out. So I need to let go of this. Maybe find someone else to champion it. Maybe just let it go. It's already gotten rather late in the season to start something like this in time for this fall.

I'm sad, knowing that it likely won't happen now. But I'm also happy and relieved to know that I won't do a crap job with it because I just don't have time.

I needed that

Yesterday really helped. We didn't stay home the entire day. We did run down to a neighbor's house to get the scoop on taking care of their cat while they're gone, and out for some cold meds for Sarah. But I do feel a little less stressed about all the running around we do.

I did get her Harry Potter scarf (part of her Halloween costume) done. Probably not the absolute best use of my time--Halloween isn't for two months, and I do have other projects to work on--but it's nice to have it taken care of.

I also went to work in Lauren's room. I usually make her do it, but I really wanted to get in there and go to town. There is still some stuff on the dresser and on the bed to go through (today), but the floor is cleaned off.

Today is the dentist and then the beach, yay!

Wish Fullfilled

I get my day at home today. Sarah has a cold, so she is also staying home, but my Dad is coming to get Lauren for a sleepover. So once she's gone, I am OFF the computer. Cleaning up, sewing, etc. is the order of the day. My goal is that when Jeff gets home tonight (late--he's going to see G.I.Joe with some of the guys) and asks me how my day went, I can use my favorite word: productive.

Being a Hermit

I am a very lucky person. I have lots of opportunities to do lots of fun things. My kids are lucky. They have lots of fun things to do, places to go, and people to see.

LOTS of things. Things like park, the other park, swimming, the boat, golf, VBS, bridal showers, sleepovers, Girl Scouts, birthday parties, church, the beach. Throw in the mechanic, the hair salon, and the dentist for good measure.

I have to admit, I'm a little tired of the social life. Actually, what I'm really tired of is spending so much time in the car. I'd really like to have a day to just stay home and do nothing. Well, not nothing. Maybe sew. Maybe clean the basement. Maybe just hang out.

Maybe not.

Cop Out

I bought fabric to make shorts for the girls weeks ago. I wanted them to have something to wear to golf with Grammy & Grandpa. Well, today was the last day of golf, and they finally had their new shorts.

My original plan was to make a pattern from scratch, using http://patternsthatfityou.com/frshortscl.htm as a guide. I think it would have worked, but in the end, I had neither the time nor the inclination. JoAnn's didn't have any patterns on sale, so I went for See and Sew 4161. Of course, I still had to alter it, making it smaller in the waist and longer in the legs. I'd still like to make a shorts pattern from scratch--maybe next summer.

Since the fabric is plaid (come on, they're for golf--what else would I use except plaid seersucker?) I tried to match up the pattern, at least the horizontal stripes. Didn't come out perfectly, but it was ok.

One of the issues I have with making pants & shorts is that it can be hard to know which is the front and which is the back. With little kids, it isn't always that much of an issue, but since I knew I had some tags, I decided to put them in. Sarah told me she really likes hers, but that it's itchy, so I might have to sew it flat or take it out or something.

Oooo, for the future I'm going to get fabric tape for my Dymo label maker! That would be awesome!

Ready to Roll

I finally got the two things I needed to accomplish two projects.

1. I found the Wonder Under left over from an applique project I was working on last summer. Now I can make the sandwich bags I've been wanting to do for a while. Snack Bag Tutorial I'm sick of wrapping sandwiches in plastic.
2. I got the green light to post flyers/promote the Resume Writing Workshop. This must be my big project for the rest of this week. If I don't get students for this, I have to find another way to bring in some income. I'm nervous. Excited, but really nervous.
   

Progress

I got the kitchen sparkling.

I made the water bottle tote. Found the cutest button, so now it's adjustable. I think this is a big design improvement, and is going to be standard on any I make from now on.

Made a bunch of phone calls, but still need to make more today.

Want to sew more today: coasters, and I'd like to cover the notebook I'm keeping in my purse with fabric.

And of course there's the strawberry jam.

I don't know what time the kids will get home (or leave again), but I've got plenty to do!

Day of Freedom

In a couple hours, my Dad is coming to get the girls for a sleepover. Jeff is going to see Transformers with some buddies tonight. I have the day to myself. So what will I do with myself? Oh, the possibilities, they are endless.

But the goals, while few, are large:

Sewing. I'm making another water bottle holder, this time for a toddler. Shouldn't take too long, but I'm making a major modification to the design, which will hopefully make the strap adjustable but still sturdy. We'll see how it goes. If it goes well, I'll modify another one that I already made. Warning: this involves buttonholes, which are seriously iffy for me, even with my automatic buttonhole foot. I also want to make some more fabric coasters. I love the one I made already, but we need at least one more.

Clean the kitchen. DEEP CLEAN. 'nuff said.

Jam. We got a huge bucket of strawberries on Monday. I bought more jars, more lids, more pectin. Sadly, I don't think we'll get many cherries off Kelsey's tree, but if the weather is good next week, might go to the U-pick place. I need my sour cherry jam!!!

So. Three goals. Not much, right? Hah. We'll see how it goes . . .

Addendum: I forgot that I also have several phone calls to make, about classes to teach, having the faucet on the back of the house replaced, our homeowner's taxes, and masonry repair work and food service laws for church.

New Favorite Blog

Don't get me wrong. The Pioneer Woman still rocks it out for cooking, and homeschool stuff, photography, and great stories.

But I recently discovered 500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter, and I love it. It's like that "Wear Sunscreen" commencement speech (which was not delivered by Kurt Vonnegut). Anyway, go check it out. There is also some art interspersed, one of which is mildly not safe for work.

A Hard Decision

We have a friend over for a SUPERSLEEPOVER (her dad dropped her off yesterday morning and is picking her up tomorrow night). Now, three girls can usually find plenty of stuff to do on nice summer days. As insurance, I loaded up the schedule a little bit. Yesterday, we went to a Detroit Shock (WNBA) game. The Shock lost, but we still had a good time.

We're supposed to go on my Dad's boat with him today. We thought about going yesterday, but today's weather was supposed to be better. Guess what? It's going to rain, probably all day. Not good boat weather at all.

We could reschedule for tomorrow (which would have the added bonus of giving me today at home to get some cooking and sewing done), but tomorrow is Park Day, where we meet up with bunches of (mostly homeschooling) friends.

So, boat or park? I'm going to leave it up to them, whenever they wake up (we got home laaaaaate last night).

Update: They chose the boat!

Buy American?

Yesterday, I got an email forward from a friend called "Read Labels, Buy USA." It was about companies such as Hershey's cutting American jobs while opening a plant in Mexico, and how the original author switched from Colgate to Crest for the same reason. The final exhortation was to read labels to see where a product is made, and to make a point of buying American.

So I did an experiment: I picked up various products around my house to see where they were made (I'm planning to recreated this as a math/graphing lesson, too). Here are the results of this very unscientific study.

China

• The cheap MdDonald’s toys—well, duh.
• My camera
• The can of compressed air that we use to get dust out of the computer
• Plastic dishes
• Land’s End fabric kid’s hat
• Scooby-Doo beach towel
• A pack of math flash cards

USA

• My computer paper
• Avon hand lotion
• An old German textbook
• SoftSoap liquid hand soap
• Thank you cards
• Geography workbook
• Raisins (Meijer brand)
• Canned chickpeas (Delallo)
• Bigelow tea bags
• Pasta (Meijer brand)
• Crayola crayons

Brazil: Fish beach towel
Canada: non stick cooking spray
Malaysia: china plates
Indonesia: TV remote control
Bulgaria: Land’s End pajama top

There were also many items that said "Distributed from" instead of "Made in." Some things I couldn't find even that much.

The thing is, how do you determine if you really are "buying American?" Take cars. American automakers have plants in other countries, and foreign companies have plants here, as well as dealerships, etc. So there are American jobs there.

When we say, "Buy American," what does that really mean?

Classical Education

Classical Education, as defined by Susan Wise Bauer:

Classical education depends on a three-part process of training the mind. The early years of school are spent in absorbing facts, systematically laying the foundations for advanced study. In the middle grades, students learn to think through arguments. In the high school years, they learn to express themselves. This classical pattern is called the trivium.

Susan Wise Bauer's book, The Well Trained Mind, is one of the best homeschooling books I've read, but it's a lot to implement on your own. The concept is very systematic, and well organized.

Classical Conversations is a program based on the trivium. We went to a meeting last night for a group that wants to start a local chapter. It was a fabulous, informative meeting, and it sounds like a great program, but I do have some reservations.

High on that list is cost. For both girls it could easily run over $1,000 for the year. That doesn't include Math, either. I could offset some of that cost by working as a tutor for the program, though I don't know how much. Also, I'd certainly prefer to be able to spend all my time with them in their classes so I can see more closely what the lessons are for that week when we work on them at home. It would be more work/stress for me, obviously, but that's what having a job and making money is, at least to some extent. Would I enjoy it? Probably, but it would also be nice to be able to take that time "off." I'm strongly considering doing no co-op of any kind next year.

Another reservation is the nature of classical education itself. I know, I really like that whole "building a solid foundation" model. But the parrot stage, with its rote memorization, bugs me. Memorizing terms that have no meaning (yet) irks me. I know that the classical answer to this is that the current education model is to expect kids to learn stuff before they're ready and to make judgments about stuff the don't fully understand. I also know that this style of learning flies in the face of the Whole Language reading method I strongly prefer. (I do not dispute the importance of Phonics--I think Phonics is important and useful, but without Whole Language, it lacks meaning.)

Whenever you use a "canned" curriculum, you relinquish some freedom for that convenience. In the past, I've loved developing my own curriculum. It's been one of my favorite things, in fact. Sadly, this past year I've done precious little of that and less follow up. A program like this has some accountability built in, which can be really helpful.

The last reservation is the strong literal Christian aspect. We're Christians, go to church pretty much every week. However, I'm not so interested in defending Creationism, which I know is a part of this. But it's also likely to be a part of any co-op we join.

So--I have a lot of reservations. So why am I even considering this group? Because it would give me quite a bit of structure and framework, which I like. I do see the value in the way it is set up. It does give me flexibility within that framework.

There is a lot to consider with this. And I'm considering it.

Happy Easter!

Easter outfits, completed just this morning. In fact, I didn't get the shirt done for Lauren, but did find a tank top in her closet that is the same color as the fabric she chose for the shirt, so it worked out fine.

I'd also like to make purses and fabric flowers. I have a fair bit of scraps left, so I have a lot of options!

Why my job is awesome

Two days a week, I teach Windows Vista to senior citizens. Most times, it's pretty fun. I'd love to be able to develop a mouse that doesn't move around quite so easily; many of my students have a lot of difficulty keeping the mouse in one place while they click.

That's not the awesome part (duh). Today, as I was packing things up after class, a man walked past the door and said, "How are you doing, young lady?" I gave him a big smile and told him I was doing great, thanks. Now, really--how often am I going to be referred to as "young lady" other than that?

Love it.

Blame Facebook

I got sucked into Facebook for a while, but it's changed recently, and it's more of a pain to use, so I'm not as interested. Fickle, that's me.

I did do a little more sewing lately. I have fabric for Easter outfits, but I spent a few days last week making a few outfits for one of Lauren's dolls as a birthday present.
I made:

• a tiered skirt in yellow, orange & red with a red tank top--very festive!
• a flowery tank dress with lace at the hem & neckline and a yellow bandanna/scarf
• a pair of jeans (complete with a hole for the poodle's tail) & purple top with a narrow ribbon around the neckline

I have a pattern for doll clothes for a 14" doll, but this pink poodle is from Build a Bear, and she's about the size of a newborn. The first skirt & pants I made were a little bigger than the pattern, but the pants still reminded me of the jeans I wore in high school, where I had to lay down on my bed in order to get them zipped up! I enlarged the pattern further still, which worked out pretty well, and I gave those first attempts to a friend, hoping they might fit one of her daughters' dolls.

There are a lot more things I'd like to make, but who knows when I'll get the chance!

Best. Seats. Ever.

Jeff & I got Red Wings tickets for Christmas from my parents. I've only been to a couple Wings games before, and they're generally nosebleed seats, because that's what we can afford. These seats though, were right on the ice. At first, we thought they were both second row, then realized that they were first and second rows, one right behind the other. For the first period, Jeff sat in the front--I wanted him to have the better view. But before the period was over, my knees were really bothering me and I realized I needed to be able to stretch. That's the beauty of front row, though--I did get that room!

Sadly, the Wings lost in OT--Osgood made some good saves, but let in goals within the first minute of each period, and the defense in general was lacking--but we still had a really good time.

Of course, the highlight for me was being close enough to get pictures like this:


and this: