Our Calendar

I thought I would share what we do to learn more about the saints of the Orthodox church. I got this pocket calendar from a teacher supply store. Then each month I go to this calendar site and choose which saints I want to focus on for that month. I find an icon online and print it off on cardstock. I also have a packet of pocket icons I use. I type labels with the saints name and date of commemoration, label the back and laminate the icon. Then I insert the icons into the pockets on the date that saint is commemorated. Each morning part of our school routine is to go over the calendar information, so we always talk about which saints we are commemorating. I review with them the date of commemoration as part of our calendar review, and they spend a month looking at those icons, so they quickly come to recognize a multitude of saints. There are no number cards in the pockets yet because we do that each morning - talk about what day it is, the date, and then one of the kids puts the number card in for that day. By the end of the month all the dates are filled in. To make it still a learning experience for the Crocodile Hunter (who thinks telling the date is a bit beneath his level :) we also learn the months, days, date and weather in Spanish. Finding the icon images took some time in the beginning, but you can start small, just selecting 2 or 3 per month. Then the next year add two or three more, and in a few years you will have 10-15 saints on your calendar. I also mark all the church feast days with icons so we always have the reminder of the feast we are approaching. To keep it organized, I have a manila folder labeled with each month on the outside, and the icons stored in the appropriate envelope. Then all the envelopes are stored in a filing cabinet. This has been such a great visual way to teach the saints, and has become the focus of our morning "getting school started" routine.

Overheard

My niece is 2 years old and is enjoying many hand-me-down dresses. Most of those are dresses I made for my girls. Well, my sister each time has proudly told her little girl "aunt anrie" made it. So she often goes around to strangers announcing "aunt anrie made it!". Last night, when my sister was tucking her little one into bed, she looked out the window and nervously announced, "getting dark". Her mom gently reassured her, "it's okay, remember, God made the dark," to which my precious niece replied "nuh, uh mommy, aunt anrie made the dark".

I could never do that!

How many times have you heard that response when you tell someone you home school? I cannot count the number of times! And often it is followed by "I would go crazy if I had to stay home with my kids all day." I am always shocked by that statement, and I think that few who say it realize just what they are saying, or how bad it sounds. They decided to have kids, but have no desire to be with them, and in fact are horrified by the thought of spending the whole day with their own children. Yesterday at the crocodile hunter's soccer practice (it's that time of year again) I got one of the most refreshing and insightful statements from a mom who asked me where my kids went to school. She did not say "wow, you must have a lot of patience", or "you must be really organized." What she said was, "That takes a lot of self-discipline." I thought a moment, and agreed. Self-discipline. You do not have to be an organized person. You do not need to be a natural teacher. You do not need to have a degree. You do not have to be supermom. What you need is the dedication to do the job, even on the days you don't feel like it. The self-discipline to get up in the morning and raise your children in the way they should go. The self-discipline to not get distracted by the unimportant throughout the day. The self-discipline to keep working with your child until he understands the concept, no matter how many times it takes. The self-discipline to set your own routine for the day. The self-discipline to follow that routine! If you believe in your decision to home school, if you know that it is the right thing for your family, then what it really requires is self-discipline. You will learn what you need to teach them, you will learn patience when a child is struggling, you will learn that sometimes what you want to do has to be put on hold while you educate. But that is part of being a parent. That is part of raising the next generation. And if there is one thing the next generation will need in a world of instant gratification and endless possibilities for mind-numbing entertainment, it is self-discipline.

In My Garden

Okay, I am really excited because I finally took the time to figure out how to upload pictures to my blog (like I said, I am a little behind the techno train.) So until I have time to blog about a few things I wanted to share pictures of (like my school room!) I thought I would share a picture from our garden. Last year our lilies struggled along, this year they have spread all over the little pond, and finally, we have blooms!

Six Random Facts About Me

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you (i.e. me)

2. Post the rules on your blog

3. Write 6 random things about yourself

4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them

5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog

6. Let the tagger (me) know when your entry is posted


Six Random Facts About Me:

1. I was voted most likely to color code my coat hangers in high school (pretty sure Jen had something to do with that :) Not only do I color code, but all hangars face to the right.

2. I married at 19 - a sophomore in college, I married my guy after a one year courtship - against the advice of all of my college buddies who were convinced I was ruining my life. Well, nearly 15 years and four beautiful children later, I would have to disagree :)


3. I was home schooled - back before homeschooling was cool! My parents were part of the movement to legalize homeschooling in our state - and we were all prepared with passports to relocate to New Zealand if the government tried to stop us! As a child, a small part of me always kind of hoped we might have to do that :) it sounded like so much fun.

4. I climbed Pikes Peak. As a teenager I attended Summit Ministries two week worldview camps (highly recommend them!) and on the last weekend of camp those who wanted could attempt the hike up Pikes Peak. It took me most of the day, and it began to snow as we hit the Peak, but it was such a thrilling experience.

5. I had a crush on Bo Duke and Remington Steel. Still think Pierce Br*snan is one of the best looking actors out there (check out Thomas Crown Affair if you don't believe me!)

6. I have always been terrified of dogs. I was chased by a huge one while riding my bike and have never been able to stand to be around them. In 1998 my husband announced he wanted to get a black lab. I said okay, all the while thinking, I can't own a dog! We went and picked one out (I kept my distance as best I could without looking like a chicken). I got over my fear only after my husband dumped this new puppy in my lap for the drive home. I think my whole body was shaking for the ride, but after 45 minutes of being forced to hold this black mass of fur, I decided dogs weren't all that bad. We still have that lab, and now have a second one (third really - our current puppy's mom we had for 2 years before she had to be put down). I feel like I have come a long way!

I am not very good about doing these things, so I am going to refrain from tagging anyone else. If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged if you want!

yum! Summer goodies just in time for the fast

The fast for the Dormition of the Theotokos is quickly approaching. It is a short fast, only two weeks, and it is a beautiful one, if you are able to attend the Paraklesis services throughout the week. I love that it falls at the peak of summer vegetable production, making it hard to even think about breaking this quick fast. Our tomatoes are coming in, juicy and sweet, the cucumbers are plentiful and crunchy, and we have corn coming out our ears :) So, here is a favorite summer recipe of mine, adapted from a recipe Kh. Martha used to make in the summer at our old parish. It makes great use of all the wonderful garden vegetables, and hits the spot on those hot summer days. It can be served as a soup, or eat it like a salsa, scooping the vegetables up with corn tortillas. For a full meal, just add some Spanish rice and black beans on the side. Perfect for summer fasting!

Gazpacho

garden fresh tomatoes

3-4 carrots

as many cucumbers as you like (or have) - slice in half length-wise and remove seeds before chopping

3-4 stalks celery

1 large bottle of V-8 juice

1-2 bell peppers - red or green (we have some beautiful red ones right now!)

1 red onion (I am trying to use mostly vegetables from our own garden or CSA, so I have substituted a white onion in a pinch)

juice of 1 or 2 lemons

salt and pepper to taste

Chop all the vegetables into bite-sized chunks, add the V-8, lemon, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for several hours (even better if you can leave it overnight before serving, but I rarely can wait that long to eat it). Serve cold. If you cannot get fresh tomatoes - you can used canned - but it's just NOT the same :)

Kh. Martha's recipe calls for olive oil, tabasco and jalapenos - I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy, so I leave the peppers and tabasco out. And since it is a fast, I also leave the oil out.

NOT an apology (see BWO in sidebar)

I have not posted in a while for several reasons. One, if you don't have anything good to post, don't post anything at all! Not that things aren't good around here, but it has been chaotic, and that combined with me being sick with a nasty cold/allergy thing, I have not been very productive . Second, my internet has been spotty over the past week or so, which has been a huge frustration. It makes me realize how much I rely on the internet for little things - like earlier today, the kids brought in a bucket full of green apples they picked from the yard, and wanted me to cook them for dessert tonight. My first thought was, oh, I'll just go*gle a recipe for an apple strudel. Oops, can't, internet's NOT working. I have to actually get out a cookbook and look it up, or call mom and get her ideas. Last night I was trying to make plans for vacation - we are heading to the beach in a week with my husband's family (10 children under the age of 9 all in one condo :), not to mention the adults. I thought I would look up local photographers to see about having some pictures done on the beach - oops, can't, internet's NOT working. When did "go*gle" become a verb? And when did I become so dependent on the ability to instantly get what I need (want)? I love internet access, and have quickly come to rely on it for everything from recipes and party ideas to directions to get anywhere. It shows the generational divide too, I think. My mother (who has a master's in physics) couldn't go*gle if her life depended on it. The idea of finding something out by looking online is completely foreign to her. It makes me stop and wonder, when will my kids pass me up in the technology march?