Chunky football crayons!

This morning the older kids all made a gift for Daniel, who is obsessed with football. First, we peeled and broke up little bits of crayons, being careful to keep crayons in the same color family. We used a silicone football mold, but any mold or muffin tin would do. Spray with cooking spray first!
We turned the oven to 275 degrees and baked the crayons until they melted, about 10 minutes.
We put them into the freezer to cool them down. We didn't quite wait long enough--the red and pink crayon got a little boogered up-- but we just couldn't wait to pop them out!
Daniel loved them!

Katie Grace's Main Lesson: The Life of Jesus

I'm not sure what prompted me to choose this as a main lesson focus this month. It's not a Waldorf main lesson. I think it might be recommended in the Ambleside third grade course of study. It seemed like a natural jumping off point from Christmas.
The two main books we're using are Tomie dePaola's Book of Bible Stories and, later in the month, The Parables of Jesus, also by Tomie dePaola. They're really lovely books, beautifully illustrated, and the retellings of the stories are very true to Scripture.

We started off with discussing where we find stories about the life of Jesus. We discussed Scripture and Tradition, and the role both have. We also talked very briefly about how different denominations regard Tradition, and that all Tradition had to be supported by Scripture. We found the four Gospels, and she made a main lesson book page:

Speaking of main lesson books, we made our own this time, using this tutorial over at Our Little Nature Nest.

We started off with the Annunciation. Here is a Scripture verse Katie Grace used for copywork, as well as a narration she illustrated.
She also made a beautiful angel snowflake and a window transparency.



Then we moved on to the birth of Jesus. Here we have copywork from another verse and Katie Grace's own summary and illustration
She also retold the story using our Nativity figures before we put them away. Daniel helped.
She also did a watercolor painting. Unfortunately, we're still having issues with the colors running together. Anyone have any advice for us?


Today we moved on to the visit of the Magi. Very fitting on Epiphany! Tomorrow, she'll do some writing about what gift she would bring Baby Jesus, as well as a few other activities.

Workbox Wednesday: Michael

A day in Michael's life... minus his main lesson.

First up was spelling. No picture, but trust me, it wasn't very exciting.

Then he had Christian Ed. He's v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y working his way through Christian Studies. Today he copied the memory verse in his main lesson book.


As part of his botany main lesson, he's "adopting" a tree in the yard. He took this photo, using the "law of thirds" he learned about in the Digital Photography club at our homeschool co-op. When he came in, he wrote a story from the tree's point of view.


Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents. He passed the Bridge!

His independent reading right now is My Side of the Mountain. He's really enjoying it!
Of course, he had to be a bit of a ham for the picture.
He practiced cello, but didn't really have anything to do since he hasn't started back up again after the holidays. So he taught himself to play the theme from Star Wars! The video is sideways and Daniel is singing along VERY loudly, but you can still get the idea.


He went online and read the story of the corn spirit, and then did a narration and illustration in his botany main lesson book.

He wrapped things up with three short review questions in his math book.
If you're counting, that's only 8 workboxes rather than the recommended 12. There may have been one I missed. Michael would much rather have 10 plain old workboxes than be thrown any sort of extra fun stuff to keep him busy. He's a very "down to business" kind of kid, LOL!

Smells like winter at our house... Bean soup!

Bean soup, chicken soup, soup with macaroni

Cream of broccoli soup, minestrone
Potato soup, tomato soup, chowder made with clam
Miso soup, mushroom soup, split pea with ham
Bouillon, scallion, tom kha gai with lemongrass
Matzo ball, chili bean, cream of asparagus

John McCutcheon is one of my all-time favorite musicians. If you're not familiar with him, he's a contemporary folk singer who composes songs for adults and children alike. And he's one of those rare breeds whose children's songs appeal to adults as well. He's humorous, poignant, and not too sappy.

I think our favorite is his seasonal series. Right now, we're listening to Wintersongs. There's a great song on there called "Soup". We decided to cook our way through the song this winter.

Today was bean soup. We modified a recipe from The Waldorf School Book of Soups. And it was yuuuummmmy!

We soaked about 2 cups of pinto beans overnight. Then today, I put them on to boil with a bay leaf. I then transferred them to the crock pot with a cup of barley, some chopped up celery and onion and parsley. I tossed in a couple cups of water and salt and pepper and let it simmer in the crock pot. Oh, we also tossed in a couple of ham hocks. About an hour before dinner, I added some tomato paste. I served it up with some parmesan cheese.

He's got a big soup smile all over his face!

Next week: chicken soup!

A Day in the Life

We're back in the saddle again...

After waking up, a breakfast of oatmeal, and some laundry folding, we got started on our day. We've changed up our routine a bit, and are now doing our "together" stuff (Story of the World and any art/music/etc) first thing. This has made an amazing difference-- we're now pretty much finished by lunch except for read-aloud and orchestra, and if there is anything left, it's stuff they can do independently. Cool beans.

We started out with devotions. We're learning about the names of Jesus. Today we read in the Bible that He is a "wonderful counselor". We had an interesting discussion about what that means.

Next, we read a little in the first chapter of The American Revolution for Kids. My little hippie babies totally dug the idea of protests and boycotts, and went on to make their own protest signs.

Meanwhile, Daniel, Nicholas, and I had our winter woods circle time from Winter Seasons of Joy. Lots of fun, especially the part where we took turns hiding Mr. Squirrel's seed and finding it so he would have food in the winter.

Nicholas's main lesson started with the story of The Elves and the Shoemaker. He helped tell it and sing the songs this time. We built a letter L from blocks and placed his church shoes on it.

We also made a little brown mouse from beeswax. For inexplicable reasons, Nicholas decided the mice needed to hitch a ride on the Wise Men's camels' backs on the nature table.

Daniel, meanwhile, worked his way through his "wonder baskets" (with many, many thanks to Kara over at Rockin' Granola for that name!). He played with his train his Grandma and Grandpa bought him,

placed juice lids "coin" in a coffee can "bank,"

and kicked around his football.

Katie Grace and Michael, meanwhile, were working through their workboxes and doing their independent work. When Nicholas was finished having his time with me, he did his workboxes as well.
Katie Grace reading Pilgrim's Progress.

Katie Grace helping Nicholas use ribbon strips to make rectangles and squares.

Nicholas and his mousie mask.

Nicholas and Daniel playing shoemaker in front of the tent they built.

Michael didn't want his picture taken.

Katie Grace's main lesson was a review of the Annunciation. She made a gorgeous angel snowflake
and an Annunciation window transparency. Mary looks a but like a rocket ship about to blast off, LOL!

Michael's working on a botany main lesson, and did a beautiful painting of a sunflower. Unfortunately, the colors ran a bit.
By lunch, everyone was finished and had even practiced their instruments (violin for Katie Grace and cello and drums for Michael. Michael starts piano this week and I'm hoping to start Katie Grace as well, and we'll probably wait to start Nicholas on recorder.)

After lunch we read The Silver Chair and packed up the Christmas stuff. Then we made Epiphany stars.
Obviously, it was a very busy day!

Winter Seasons of Joy Giveaway!

Just a reminder-- the Winter Seasons of Joy giveaway is going on until Friday! There are multiple ways to be entered.

Want to learn more about Winter Seasons of Joy? I detailed what's included here.

Already have Winter Seasons of Joy? I'd be happy to send your winning copy to a friend.

Winter Seasons of Joy

We're having a giveaway for Winter Seasons of Joy over here, but I wanted to share a little more of what's included for the $15 price.

1. Circle Time
Winter gathering verse, winter candle lighting verse, winter end of circle verse
5 circle times: A Winter Adventure, Winter Woods, Winter Tea Time, Winter Light, and Jack Frost
Both traditional and original finger plays, songs, poems, and verses, and music is written out.

2. Fairy Tales
Five fairy tales with extension activities: The Candles, The Mitten, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Star Money, and The Boy Who Went to the West Wind. Original and traditional music is also included.

3. 10 additional finger plays, songs, and verses, including directions to make finger puppets and music written out.

4. Watercolor and Painting Stories and Activities
Detailed instructions on watercolor painting with your child, an original verse to set a tone of reverence, and 10 activities that include both painting with colors alone and mixing colors, as well as a few non-watercolor ideas.

5. Handwork
Two original verses to get you started, and over 10 activities, including dip dying silks, finger knitting, tissue paper stars, and a dear little felt mousie. Patterns included.

6. Modeling
Another verse for before you begin, and 10 modeling activities. Most involve modeling beeswax, but instructions for making snow dough and a clay lamp are also included.

7. Coloring
Again, two original verses to set the mood, and then 10 weeks worth of coloring activities that center around the winter theme.

8. Playtime
Many, many puppets, indoor games, ideas for exploring ice, tents and cubbies, caring for birds and squirrels, button games, and much more.

9. Nature Table
Make Jack Frost, King Winter, an icy background, snowflake accents, snow fairies and babies, and more to grace your nature table.

10. Cooking and Baking
Some old stand-bys like cocoa, soft pretzels, and a variety of muffins, as well as some seasonal ideas like snowmen you can eat, outdoor ice pops, and fireplace cooking.

11. Practical life
Read all about creating comfy, cozy indoor play spaces.

12. For Babies
Knit a cap, make a winter mobile or a pocket family or felt ball. Learn about the importance of winter warmth and make some yummy winter treats.

13. Outings and Group Activities
There's so much to do! Winter walks, snow days, felting parties, a teddy bear tea, first snowfall celebration, a taffy pull, sledding, a slumber party, tea time, and my personal favorite, candle time.

14. Rhythms and Routines
Morning verses, mealtime blessings, clean-up verses, and evening verses and lullabies.

15. And finally...
Two pages of online resources, three pages of patterns, a page of color pictures, and a planner you can reuse again and again.

As you can see, you get a lot for your $15! And the activities are such that you can do them year after year.

To order, visit the Seasons of Joy website here.

Circle Time: Winter Woods

Our winter woods animals surrounding our Circle Time candle
and Angel of the Forest on the mantle

We had a wonderful time today doing the "Winter Woods" movement journey from Winter Seasons of Joy. While it's not practical for us to go out into the woods for real right now-- it's bitterly cold here!-- I really do feel like we've created a feeling of reverence for Mother Nature and her winter animals during this circle.

Favorite activities include moving like some of our favorite animals, pretending to ice skate on a frozen pond with fishies swimming deep underneath, and playing "Gray Squirrel" by hiding a beanbag "seed" somewhere and finding it again.

And the song that ties the whole thing together:

Winter's coming, winter's coming,
How do the creatures get ready?
Winter's coming, winter's coming,
Time to get ready for snow!

Even my two-year-old caught on and was singing along by the end of circle.

And we have a final moment of reverence before we blow the circle time candle out:

My heart swells in joyfulness.
(Hands crossed over heart)
My spirit dwells in peace.
(Hands upraised over head)
My body rests in quietness.
(Hands down at side)
Our circle time has ended.
(Hold hands and be still for a moment)

It's another giveaway! Winter Seasons of Joy

Winter nature table: felt mitten made by my kindergartener with small animals, and beeswax icicles on the bear cave,
all ideas from Seasons of Joy Winter

We had so much fun with the last giveaway, we decided to do it again!

Winter Seasons of Joy is a Waldorf-inspired activity guide featuring ten weeks of circle times, fairy tales and story extensions, handwork projects, nature tables, watercolor stories, coloring and modeling activities, playtime ideas, outings and group activities, ideas for you and your baby, and much more. Aimed at families in the early childhood years, I can honestly say that my older children still enjoy many of the activities.

Winter Seasons of Joy features color nature table pictures, many original songs, stories, verses, and fingerplays, as well as some old favorites, music and stories written out for ease of use, and many patterns and drawings to assist you.

It is my heartfelt desire that using these books will help you put into place rhythms and routines to carry you through your day and create many joyful memories with your family. That is why I have priced all my seasonal ebooks at the reasonable price of $15 each. You can also by all 4 books for only $50.

Or, of course, you can enter to win one here! Simply leave a comment sharing a favorite wintertime activity. Want extra chances to win? Do any or all of the following and leave an extra comment for each one: become a follower of my blog; become a Facebook fan; Tweet, blog, or Facebook about the giveaway. That's five extra chances to be entered!

The winner will be chosen randomly Friday afternoon (1/8/09). Just a reminder-- if there isn't a way to contact you through your profile, you'll need to leave an email address where you can be reached.

Wishing you a peaceful winter...

Book Review: Family Feasts for $75 a Week

For the past few months, we've been taking a Financial Peace University course at our church. I highly recommend it, and I really believe the principles we learned in the class are changing our lives, but that's a whole 'nother post. During the class, one of the facilitators brought in a book her daughter had recommended, Mary Ostyn's Family Feasts for $75 a Week. I jotted down the title and forgot about it, until I was ordering a few Christmas gifts from Amazon, when I decided to do exactly what Dave Ramsey says NOT to do, and order a little gift for myself.

I'm glad I didn't listen to Dave.

One of the struggles with feeding a largish family on a budget is that you feel as if you're constantly having to choose between eating cheap and eating healthy. This book does an excellent job of including recipes that have real food, not a bunch of processed junk.

Anyone can write a cookbook, though. Ms. Ostyn takes things one step further and coaches you through the process of paring down your grocery bill, offering a series of action points so you can work your way towards your goal. Now, I'll be honest-- my grocery budget for six people is $100 a week, which is comparatively low. But I'm garnering tons of tips from this book, and I'm hoping I can get my budget down to $50 a week by the end of the year, giving us more money to throw at our debt snowball.

Family Feasts for $75 a Week: A Penny-wise Mom Shares Her Recipe for Cutting Hundreds from Your Monthly Food Bill