movin' shakin' and tryin' to sit too.

Things are moving all around here. We're keeping things cleaner, I'm moving much of my vintage goods into a warehouse space, Drew is working steadily, the girls are changing and growing rapidly--particularly the babe, if I stop to think a minute I become completely overwhelmed by the list of things that need to get done. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, a place where things will calm and the restlessness I'm feeling right now will settle...it helps to read By the Shores of Silver Lake. 

Eliza goes to sleep around 6:30 every night. This was due to the advice of this book, which has also helped a great deal with reestablishing a sleeping rhythm for her. We had a few very trying weeks, moments of feeling like the worst mother on the universe, and days of delirium on account of her difficulty sleeping. BUT, after diligently pushing regular nap and bed times, the girl seems to have found her cycle and we are ALL better for it.

Anyway, back to the reading. After Eliza is in bed the other two need something to distract them from acting like wild gorillas playing king of the mountain. They need an activity that quiets their minds, and with the business that has filled our days lately, it's a difficult feat to convince them that calm is good, that peace does not equal laziness.

We've been reading the Little House series for years, particularly in the winter months they are the perfect evening family activity. Sometimes we mix it up with a little Roald Dahl or other book of Drew's choosing, but we all feel so comfortable with the Ingalls. Since Naomi has taken up violin, the descriptions of Pa's playing for everyone, the breaks in the story for introduction to old fiddle tunes is something we all look forward to. Not to mention the quiet. Their life was so quiet. It was so full, but of love and awareness. In this day and age it seems as though technology is such an interruptor. Often rudely it intrudes on those intimate moments that can only be achieved after some silence, some stillness...we are certainly guilty of letting it disrupt.

So, while I am thankful for the bounty of good things to-do we have in our lives, I'm also grateful for these books, and for the evenings we have to sit quietly, calmly, peacefully remembering these role models. I'm grateful for our weekly sabbath, which also is a great salvation in times like these, when the world seems to be spinning around us. It is an anchor, and these evening respites are little mirrors of it. I truly believe demanding rest in our lives is as important as nutrition, and I'm sharing that now because the blessing it offers has been at the forefront of my mind during these crazy days.

*photos are from our recent trip to Asheville where Drew had to take a certification class, and we took advantage and rode along. just one of the busy events in our life.

Routineishness

Nothing specific to say...

no matter how romantic it may seem--there is some amount of--ahem, poop that goes along with chicken keeping...but, at least they're laying!

from Martha Stewart, lemon-cornmeal sheet cookie

a little celebrating (the actual Tu B'Shevat dinner)

a little 'work'

Tonight's chicken curry and homemade Naan--yum. WAY cheaper than it comes at the restaurant, or even in those grocery store bags.

Birthday for the Trees

Tonight starts Shevat 15 according to the Hebrew Calendar, thereby making it Tu B'shevat.

"Legally, the “New Year for Trees” relates to the various tithes that are separated from produce grown in the Holy Land. These tithes differ from year to year in the seven-year shemittah cycle; the point at which a budding fruit is considered to belong to the next year of the cycle is the 15th of Shevat."

-chabad.org

We rounded up fruit yesterday and today has been a fun day of tree recognition around our home. Later we'll enjoy a dinner that revolves around reading scriptures, thinking about the trees and the providence we are offered. It's a less well known but enjoyable holiday that gives us a chance to take it easy and splurge on non-local, unseasonal fruits that we tend to avoid in these cold months of winter. It's about Israel's produce, the Land of Milk & Honey, not so much about here--though we are using one of our own Meyer Lemons!

click on the picture to see the directions.

To commemorate we created this tree decor. A simple project that started yesterday with the painting of the big sheets of watercolor paper. That was fun for everyone, we even had a chance to talk about mixing colors.  Now we're just waiting for Drew to trace and cut out his hand so the tree will be complete.

And, the table was prepared by the girls this morning. We use this guide to commemorate, and it calls for 4 plates. The girls sorted them well. 1. Fruit with a hard peel that isn't edible (mango, orange lemon) 2. Fruit with a hard pit (olives, dates, peaches, plums) 3. Fruit that is soft all the way through (grapes, figs) and 4. Things that come from trees that you don't necessarily eat but use (cinnamon, rosemary, bay leaves, cloves). And, for good measure we put a branch candle in the middle that Drew made a few years back. Seemed only fitting...

Math by Hand

Several months ago I stumbled across a math curriculum called 'Math by Hand'--I honestly don't remember where. However, I was intrigued. What caught my eye were the handmade manipulatives in the pictures--but then, I'm a very visual person. So. I found their website, joined their mailing list, checked out their blog and let it rest.
I should note, I'm not real big on curriculum. I like it as a reference, and usually I use it only for that reason. We are semi-unschoolers, unit-studiers and overall we follow each day where it leads us using the resources at hand and trying to make learning fit into the nitty-gritties of the daily routine.

However, I kept getting emails from 'Math by Hand' and they were great. Each one geared toward a specific grade level, I couldn't keep myself from reading the tidbits of wisdom about including math in a joyful way; a way that is bright, cheerful and sensible. So, with each email and craft idea I became more interested. Weaving, games, crafts, cooking, poems, stories, colors even. Math is everywhere, and doesn't have to be just flashcards and worksheets.

So, I now have in my possession the Grade 1 binder and I love it. Everything in it is useful and the ideas expressed within are so much like my own! If you want to win me over use this quote in the intro: "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world." --Einstein. I really had no idea how enjoyable learning math could be, how logical and seamlessly it could be added to our routine.

Based on Waldorf methods and through movement, form drawing, play, construction and more from what I can tell 'Math by Hand' is a thorough way to make math work in my kids' minds. And, even though we're doing grade 1 level activities, they are so enjoyable that Leviah (age 3) joins in and loves it too. And, as most homeschoolers with multiple children know, catering to different ages is tricky...

You may have seen the new ad in the side bar--I'm thrilled to be able to have 'Math by Hand' as a sponsor here, and dually thrilled to have found such a good match for our learning style.

Did I mention how fair I think the prices are? I'll say as a do-it-yourselfer I could probably round all the materials up myself, but the information is far beyond what I'd find on my own, and the gathering of the materials would take longer and most likely be more expensive in the long run. What a convenience to have it all together, a convenience that moms of 3 are quite willing to take advantage of ;)