The Calm Before the Storm

So these are the home school rooms I've been dreaming about. Who are these people!?!

I seriously have such an appreciation for teachers after spending the summer preparing for this new school year. I've been reading and reading, studying and reading, laminating, printing, copying, researching, cutting, planning, ordering, thinking, reading, thinking, making schedules, lists and more lists. Its actually a lot of fun for me, like  playing teacher but for real. Then on top of all this there's the usual stuff like cleaning out dressers and getting new school clothes and backpacks and shoes... then the haircuts, then cleaning out cupboards and the school room and taking school pictures. Its reminding me of all the work of getting Christmas ready, only maybe even worse.

We had a Back to School Family Barbeque on Saturday. 

*Sidenote* We got meat from a farm outside of Lethbridge that offers grass finished meat without the yucky stuff like hormones, antibiotics etc. Its called

Pura Vida Farms

 I totally recommend it. Its just off the highway to Lethbridge if you are local, so its handy. They are an awesome family, the farm is clean and organized and the meat is affordable and DELISH. I am not a meat eating kind of girl but if its local and free range and tastes this good even I eat it.

So our menu was PV Beef burgers, corn on the cob from the market, homemade hamburger buns, and Raw chocolate tarts for dessert. Here's the recipe, they only take 10 minutes and everyone loved them:

Chocolate Cashew Tarts

serves 2

crust

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup raisins

filling

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup water for blending 

2 tablespoons agave

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

In a food processor fitted with the "S" blade, process the almonds and raisins until the mix starts to clump together. This takes a few minutes.

Press this crust mixture into the bottom and sides of two small tart pans, or use two cupcake pans lined with plastic wrap.

In a bullet type blender, puree the remaining ingredients until very smooth. This will take several minutes. Divide between the two crusts and fill to the top. Top with a small bit of chopped almonds, and pop into the fridge for an hour to firm before serving.

Tomorrow will be our first official day of school so I wanted to get a picture of our version of a school room, before it's never tidy again...

My mom gave me these pocket organizers things and they are great. I made laminated cards to put in the pockets. The top row is all the constants that the kids need to have done each morning before we start classes (dressed, bed made, eat, teeth, chores, scriptures). The second row is the fun activity planned for the afternoon if we get our work done (which happens to be making SLIME for tomorrow- hence the borax on the window sill. See recipe below.) Then each child has a row of what they need to accomplish before they are free for the day. The supplies they need for their assignments are in their work boxes, along with cute notes and treats from mom :0)

These are their individual workboxes from IKEA which I love. 

They are sturdy and a great size and only $7 each.

We spent the day in Waterton today and it was beautiful. Great weather, watermelon and the kids were in that magical place when they could play on the rocks by the water for hours. I think it had something to do with the frog eggs and snails they found. Afterwards we came home for 

Family Home Evening. 

We had a special night-before-school lesson planned. We told them what our Theme for the year was going to be and then I wrote it out and put it  up over the chalkboard. 

Its from St Luke 2:52 and it reads:

  "And Jesus ^aincreased in ^bwisdom and stature, and in ^cfavour with God and man."

We talked about how the scriptures tell us lots about Christ's birth and His ministry but we don't know much about His childhood. But, we do know from this scripture that he was improving mentally (wisdom), physically (stature), spiritually (favor with God), and socially (favor with man).

We taught the kids what goals are and why it's important to set goals so that we can find balance in our lives and always be improving.

Afterwards, Timmy gave the kids and I a blessing for the new school year and that was really neat to do as a family. The kids thought it was so funny that I was getting a blessing too so Timmy explained that I'm the teacher, so of course I need a blessing too. Then I cried briefly at the thought of teaching all my little ducklings and feeling so happy that I am able to spend the day with them. Then I cried some more because I'm pregnant and I get tired just thinking about teaching them all each day and then I got really nervous.

Homemade Slime aka GAK

1 teaspoon borax powder

1 1/2 C water, divided

4 oz (1/2 C)  Elmer’s glue, clear or white

food coloring

Add borax powder to 1 cup of water and stir to dissolve.  Set aside.  Pour glue into a medium mixing bowl and add 1/2 C water. Add a few drops of food coloring until desired color is reached and then stir to mix glue solution until smooth.  Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and watch the solids start to form.  Stir for a few moments and then use your hands to gather the mass.  The mixture will be very soft and wet.  Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry.  Discard excess liquid in bowl. The more you knead and play with the slime the firmer it will become.  Store in a ziplock bag or air tight container and the slime will keep indefinitely.

with clear glue

with white glue

Make These Now

5 Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Chews

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Crisp Rice cereal (I used Granola)
• 1/4 cup smooth all-natural peanut butter
• 3 tbsp organic brown rice syrup (I used half Agave and half maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips

Directions: Line a plate with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the peanut butter, brown rice syrup, 2 tbsp chocolate chips, and vanilla extract. Microwave on high for 35-45 seconds. Stir well and immediately add in the 1 tsp cocoa powder. Stir until incorporated. Immediately stir in the rice crisp cereal until all rice crispies are coated (I did all this in a pot on low heat.)

Wet hands thoroughly and shape the mixture into ‘golf-balls’. Press mixture together firmly into balls so it will hold. Wet hands after each ball is formed so the mixture will not stick to your hands. Place the balls onto parchment paper and freeze for 5 minutes. You can keep these chews in the freezer in a sealed container. Let the chews sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before consuming. ( I pressed mine into a small cake pan instead. I was too lazy to make balls. Then I put them in the fridge for half an hour and they were perfect.)

Makes 7 golf-ball sized chews. ( Double it for the perfect family size.)

Press firmly into balls and place on a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze for about 5-10 minutes.

For Chickpea Lovers Like Myself

From my favorite cooking blog:
Oh She Glows

Easy Salt & Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 2 cups canned chickpeas*
• 3-4 cups white vinegar
• 1 tsp Coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Take chickpeas and vinegar and place in a medium sized pot. Add a dash of sea salt. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Let sit in pot for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F. Carefully drain chickpeas. Place on lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Massage with fingers until fully coated. Roast for 45 minutes, flipping once half way through. Keep a careful eye on them after 35 minutes of cooking to ensure they don’t burn. The goal here is crispy and golden chickpeas, not black…lol. Enjoy as a high protein snack or as a side to a lunch or dinner.

Also note: When I brought the cooked chickpeas to a boil, some of the peas split open and some of the skins came off. Not to worry if this happens-it will turn out regardless!

I loved these! The salt & vinegar taste was amazing and really came through.

Seriously Genius

My little Scarlet has a "getting into mommy's makeup" problem thats been going on for months. When I came across this idea I had to try it, despite the fact that it isn't at all natural. I found the tutorial here 

It's basically old makeup containers filled with different colors of nail polish.

Let it dry and then voila! you have pretend makeup that's fun and looks super real.

I had three busy helpers so mine aren't perfect but I think Scarlet will be in heaven. We bought some little brushes and a mirror compact and some fancy bobby pins from the dollar store to go with it. 

Camping

Look at the delight of having identified a bird. She truly loves bird watching.

She discovered this "Hairy Woodpecker". Jacob found her a polka dot feather to take home.

We did lots of swimming in the creek which was way fun but the best part was the evening. We sat around the fire and talked and looked at the stars. It was perfectly clear and pitch black so it felt like we could see every star. Tim actually saw 5 shooting stars. The first one Tim saw, Charlie caught too and its impossible to describe the rapture that took over Charlie's entire being. He was yelling and jumping up an down, literally, and describing it to us over and over. These are the moments I love sharing with my kids. I love being part of their discoveries. 

Charlie learned about carving soap. He carved a leaf and I carved a pineapple.

Banana boats. Banana in the peel, but cut lengthwise. Stuffed with mini choc chips, marshmallows and walnuts. Wrap that baby up in tinfoil and roast.

We had bannock, cooked on a stick, for breakfast. 

Scoopy

We learned how to make these spiral things for your hair with baking clay.

Sometimes when Scarlet gets restless in the car, Timmy let's her baby drive.

She only likes the marshmallow part of camping.

Piano guy

Charlie has the best hands. They are bear paws. Nice and thick and lovable. I think his hands are why we enjoy watching him play piano so much. He has been working on this song for months (this video is outdated because he already knows the next part), a little bit at a time. He's not done yet but he's getting there. Its interesting to watch his persistence. He works at mastering each new piece I show him, totally on his own accord or should I say a-chord... yikes, mom joke!.

Why do I love dresses so much

Summertime Eats

There's this Persian drink that I crave all the time. Its super refreshing in the summertime. Since I live in the middle of no where, sometimes I have to take matters into my own hands. So I made some myself and it turned pretty good. Basically its carbonated yogurt with mint and salt.

When I'm pregnant I want Persian food, but making it myself isn't quite the same as having dad's food. I tried this one the other day. I don't know what its called but its so good. Basmati rice, saffron, sauteed onions, raisins or dates, green lentils, and pistachios.

Another check off the summer list! Berry picking. We chose raspberries so we could have crepes with whipped cream and raspberries, raspberry smoothies, and raspberry ice cream.

This raspberry ice cream was heavenly.

Pureed bananas, raspberries, agave, plain yogurt, cocoa, and toasted nuts.

The King and I Thai restaurant in Edmonton has the most amazing salad rolls. They have basil, rice, prawns, and cilantro. I tried making my own but I used shrimp and added avocado but they just weren't the same.

Shmanniversary

Love this wrapping idea. I tried to copy it for Timmy's Anniversary gift. It was our 9 year on August 14th and I may just have the perfect poem for the occasion:

TO MY DEAR AND LOVING HUSBAND

by: Anne Bradstreet (c.1612-1672)

F ever two were one, then surely we.

 
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee. 


If ever wife was happy in a man, 


Compare with me, ye women, if you can.


I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold 


Or all the riches that the East doth hold.


My love is such that Rivers cannot quench, 


Nor ought but love from thee give recompetence. 


Thy love is such I can no way repay.


The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. 


Then while we live, in love let's so persever

 
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

So I have to explain this gift. I was so excited about it because I found it at the Bargain Barn for 25 cents! Its a 1938 first edition copy of Benjamin Franklin's biography. I looked it up online when I got home and it was selling for $385. Nice. 

“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.”

        -Benjamin Franklin-

So the wrapping made for a neato bracelet for me afterwards. I wore it all week.

Sabzi on Whyte in Edmonton is the best persian food in town! Its my new favorite. EVERYTHING was perfect. Tim wanted to go there again the next night!

I got to visit Eli's work. I hadn't been there yet and I was floored by what he does, and all his innovative ideas. He's brilliant. He was like all business too- with a desk covered in computers and the phone ringing off the hook. It was so cool to see him work live.

SO handsome.

We stole him away for some bubble tea but it was a little bit tragical because Jenny wasn't there and I wanted to experience bubble tea with her for my first time. But she was so right, I am hooked. The avocado and tapioca is the best one.

 Lindsay is 30! Wahooo. She is my bestest bestest. I get so happy when I see her. She's like the balm of Gilead my mom would say. She loves olives so we went to the Italian Shop (I love the city sometimes) and she sampled all the different olive varieties (see the boy behind the counter, he would have done anything she asked him). Then we had a tasty lunch and one too many italian homemade treats. I've been craving those custard tart things ever since.

The Kearl Farm

The kids got to have a lovely afternoon of horse riding. One more thing

 checked off our summer to do list. 

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle."

~ Winston Churchill

Book Alert

These are my moms hydrangeas. Don't they make your heart swell.

 the Nature Principle By Richard Louv

The Nature Principle suggest that, in an age of rapid environmental, economic, and social transofrmation, the future will belong to the nature-smart--- those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of nature, and who balance the virtual with the real.

                                 The Rhythm of Family By Amanda Blake Soule

Introduction:

Wonderful things happen in our family when we choose to more slowly through our days. When we stop running and rushing about, we discover more time, energy, and space for the things most important in our lives. By slowing down, our connection with our children and as a family inherently become deeper, our creativity thrives, and we find meaningful ways to fill our time. By paying careful attention to the world around us, the slow and even pace can become one that we draw upon in our family lives as well. It can be the rhythm that we all need.

p. 150

It’s one of the most important lessons I think we can give our children; An appreciation and love of being still. Frequent days when there is no schedule, no plan, no rushing about from here to there.

It’s about the art of being where you are. The ability to sit at the shore= to explore, with only one’s imagination, the tools of the earth, and sometimes each other. I do believe this is the kind of lesson and gift that will continue to nurture their spirits for the rest of their lives; when they are able to find quiet in the middle of our busy lives. When they are able to sit under a tree and just think, just dream, just be for all the time that they need. These are essential lessons of childhood that will carry them into peaceful, healthy adults, able to find peace and quiet amidst the busy days and lives that we all ultimately lead. The outside world has a healing power- showing them this fact at a young age is giving them a lifelong gift of the way to a peaceful heart.

Book Alert

We think in terms of entertaining as a woman’s chance to demonstrate her skills and the quality of her home. Entertaining has little to do with real hospitality.

Secular entertaining is a terrible bondage. Its source is human pride. Demanding perfection, fostering ht urge to impress, it is a rigorous taskmaster which enslaves. In contrast, Scriptural hospitality is a freedom which liberates.

Entertaining says, “I want to impress you with my beautiful home, and my gourmet cooking.” Hospitality, however, seeks to minister. It says, “This home is not mine. Its is truly a gift from my Master. I am His servant and I use it as He desires.” Hospitality does not try to impress, but to serve.

Entertaining always puts things before people. Hospitality has put away its pride, it doesn’t care if other people see our humanness. Because we are maintaining no false pretensions, people can relax and feel that perhaps we can be friends.

               ~ Open Heart Open Home By Karen Burton Mains p. 25

This part of Open Heart Open Home reminded me of one of my favorite parts of Thoreau’s Walden:

You need not rest your reputation on the dinners you give. For my own part, I was never so effectually deterred from frequenting a man's house, by any kind of Cerberus whatever, as by the parade one made about dining me, which I took to be a very polite and roundabout hint never to trouble him so again. I think I shall never revisit those scenes. I should be proud to have for the motto of my cabin those lines of Spenser which one of my visitors inscribed on a yellow walnut leaf for a card: --

         

 "Arrivéd there, the little house they fill,
   

Ne looke for entertainment where none was;
   

Rest is their feast, and all things at their will:
   

The noblest mind the best contentment has."

“A morning in which a child receives no new idea is a morning wasted.”


—    Charlotte Mason (Home Education Vol. 1, p. 173)