tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44341237022870637492024-03-13T10:07:09.038-07:00Homeschooling - A LifeMarci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-47497238944010793422010-11-29T12:19:00.000-08:002010-11-29T12:19:40.860-08:00Homeschooling ChangeSince I last posted on this blog, life changes have made it necessary for me to send my kids back to school. Lucy is attending the local public school, and Matthew goes to preschool at a Lutheran Church. Lucy loves school, and has said she likes it more than homeschooling. I'm not really sure how to feel about that. I'm glad she's thriving at school, but part of me wants her to miss homeschooling! What she seems to like most about school is being around the other kids, and being able to participate in things like the radio show and after school art. She wants to be involved in everything! <br />
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In any case, I continue to supplement Lucy and Matthew's education at home, and I still think of myself as a homeschooler, even though I'm only able to do it part-time right now. At home Lucy and I are continuing to study history with the <i>Story of the World</i> series. Right now we're learning about the Renaissance, and are about to read about Martin Luther and the Reformation. I found a great picture book about Luther to supplement our <i>Story of the World</i> reading, <i>Martin Luther: A Man Who Change the World,</i> by Paul Maier. We'll continue to read about church history with the book <i>Courage and Conviction,</i> by Mindy and Brandon Withrow. We're also continuing Latin studies at home with Prima Latina. Last year Lucy did Latin through Rosetta Stone for free with a homeschool group. That was great, but no longer available to us without that group!<br />
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Lucy has also been working through division in Math U See Delta. She loves division, though she hasn't been very interested in math previously. And we're doing grammar with First Lanuage Lessons, by Peace Hill Press. Lucy does a lot of writing of stories and art at home as well, and we read together nearly every night. <br />
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We don't have a lot of time for our studies at home, with school and all the school activities Lucy wants to be involved with, but we work our way slowly through these, and will do more in the summer. So far Lucy has held on to her love of learning. She enjoys what she learns at school, and the teacher says she is the best student in class! Lucy is highly self-motivated and I think the years of homeschooling established that in her.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-56358000172987295772010-03-29T16:48:00.000-07:002010-03-29T16:48:33.015-07:00Meal Plan Monday: March 29My time in the kitchen has gotten much more complicated lately, ever since I decided to make everything I possibly can from scratch. This seems like a good way to bypass any unwanted, unnatural ingredients. But it's also immensely satisfying. I feel proud of myself for being able to make my own ketchup and salad dressings, and for trying more and more difficult recipes. And there's just something about using my hands, making things for myself that makes me happy. Why is that? I don't know!<br />
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Anyway, I've been spending a lot of time on either Saturday or Sunday baking and cooking for the week. This past Saturday I made homemade butter and buttermilk, deviled eggs (Lucy and I like to snack on them), homemade ice cream, and homemade bread (well, in the bread machine, so that was pretty easy.<br />
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Here's the menu for the week:<br />
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SUNDAY: went out for dinner and a movie with girl friends<br />
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MONDAY: pastured, local chicken dipped in homemade buttermilk then dredged in homemade bread breadcrumbs and fried in olive oil, served with brown sugar carrots and broccoli<br />
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TUESDAY: pasta with homemade sauce, salad with homemade dressing, bread from the breadmaker<br />
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WEDNESDAY: leftovers<br />
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THURSDAY: Pasta with Garlicky Roasted Broccoli (a new recipe), salad, bread<br />
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FRIDAY: Chicken with Pecan Crust, corn pudding, mashed potatoes<br />
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<a href="http://orgjunkie.com/">Click here to participate</a> in Meal Plan Monday.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-19241790531859412852010-03-26T15:57:00.000-07:002010-03-26T15:57:54.047-07:00Weekly Wrap-Up: March 26This week was so much fun. It was full of so many activities, that the kids and I barely had any time at home. Lucy did a bit of math and some grammar, and she read a lot of supplemental history literature, mostly in the car to and from activities. We went on two field trips this week with our homeschool group. On Monday we saw a play of the book, <i>Are You My Mother?</i> and then toured a local newspaper office. And on Thursday we saw a play of <i>Charlotte's Web,</i> and then went to a local children's museum where we got to ride on their new carousel! The kids had all their usual activities as well: preschool, swim and gym, dance, and playdates.<br />
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Then today we went shoe shopping, which ended up taking several more hours than I had planned. As the kids and I sat in a local hamburger joint and ate lunch together today, I felt (probably too puffed up with) pride at how good their manners were, and pleased by how much fun we've been having together. This is one of the biggest reasons why I homeschool -- as we get to know each other better and better as the years go by, we enjoy each others company more and more. I wonder if this would be different if the kids spent most of their time at school. Of course, it also helps that my youngest is almost 4 years old now, and I don't have to worry about changing diapers or chasing a toddler around museums any more!Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-47103128727771374552010-03-23T11:09:00.000-07:002010-03-23T11:09:24.125-07:00Outside my window... sun! It seems that spring has come early to the Midwest. I'm not complaining!<br />
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I am thinking... about getting on the treadmill and watching a show on HULU while I work out.<br />
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I am thankful for... my homeschool group. We get to do so many fun things through this group. Just this week we are seeing two plays!<br />
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I am wearing... jeans, gray hooded sweatshirt.<br />
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I am going... Matthew had preschool and Lucy had homeschool art class this morning. Now we are at home for the rest of the day.<br />
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I am currently reading... The Children's Book, by A.S. Byatt<br />
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I am hoping... to plant seeds this week. It's my first attempt at seed starting indoors.<br />
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From the kitchen... apple meatloaf tonight. Also an oats and buttermilk snack cake to have around for snacking.<br />
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Around the house... setting up my new iPhone, lots of phone calls to catch up on.<br />
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From our studies... This is a light week this week, because of the above mentioned field trips. We don't have a lot of time at home this week, in between the field trips and our regular activities.<br />
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Listening to... the kids performing experiments with magnets. They tie a magnet to a string and hang it down over the 2nd floor balcony. Then they put a bunch of magnetic stuff on the floor of the hallway downstairs and see what they can pick up.<br />
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From my picture journal ... for some reason the button to add images has disappeared from my new post pages, so I can't add any pictures. I hope it reappears sometime!<br />
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<a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com">Visit here</a> to learn how to create your own daybook.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-43317981055150397142010-03-19T15:00:00.000-07:002010-03-19T15:02:40.940-07:00Weekly Wrap-Up: March 19Spring has come early to the Midwest, and we had a gorgeous week! We spent lots of time outside. We even walked to the beach on Tuesday. We did have to wear jackets, but we weren't cold and the kids had a lot of fun playing in the sand. We also tried out a new playground nearby, which will have a small splash park once the weather is consistently warmer (I see snow in the forecast for this weekend). <br />
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Lucy had her usual assortment of activities (dance, Girl Scouts, art class) and we had plenty of playdates too. Somehow we managed to squeeze in some schoolwork! We learned about the Diaspora and and about Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan. Lucy read lots of books: some on these history subjects, and others just for fun. She's trying to read <a href="http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/lucys-100-reading-challenge.html">100 books this year</a>. Looks like she won't have any problem with that!<br />
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Lucy has been working hard on math lately, and she's nearing the end of 3rd grade math, finally! It's taken about 2 years to get through the Math U See multiplication book, but I feel as though Lucy really knows the material well and she'll be well prepared to tackle division. Meanwhile, she's flying through 4th grade spelling and grammar. One of the best things about homeschooling is that Lucy can work at her own pace. I love that she's noticed that herself! This week she said something about how hard it would have been for her if she was in school, and she'd had to move ahead in math before she was ready.<br />
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For some reason blogger won't let me post pictures today, so later on I'll try to add a picture of our trip to the beach.<br />
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<a href="http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/2010/03/weekly-wrap-up-one-where-dirty-dishes.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WeirdUnsocializedHomeschoolers+%28Weird%2C+Unsocialized+Homeschoolers%29?">Click here to participate</a> in the Weekly Wrap-Up.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-19816360147332639722010-03-18T11:22:00.000-07:002010-03-18T11:22:51.621-07:00Everyday LearningSometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that learning only takes place when we sit down and "do school." In reality, my kids are learning all day long. I'm trying to be more aware of this, to notice all the wonderful things they do on their own! The projects, the artwork, the pretend play, the reading, the outdoor play ... I suspect all these things contribute just as much to their education as the more deliberate learning times that we have. Today before we sat down at the school table, Lucy had already read an adaptation of a classical novel (Dracula) and worked on putting together a crane with her erector set. Before lunch she went up to her room and worked on some art projects, and now she's out on a bike ride with daddy. I'm looking forward to seeing what she decides to do this afternoon, before she heads off to dance class.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-81747398255767849822010-03-16T08:19:00.000-07:002010-03-17T06:21:35.057-07:0010 Random QuestionsHello sorely neglected homeschool blog. I've been spending a lot of time writing on my new books blog, and apparently keeping up 2 blogs at once is a bit too much for me. But here's a fun quiz I thought I'd participate in:<br />
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1. What time is it right now? 11:14 a.m.<br />
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2. What are you wearing? jeans, black shirt, sweatshirt<br />
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3. What is your mood? Peaceful. I'm in the library by myself while Lucy is at homeschool art class and Matthew is at preschool. The sun is out and it's supposed to be warm today. The kids and I are planning to visit the beach later. The water won't be warm, but the sand will be fun!<br />
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4. What is one thing your children learned today? Not anything from me, yet. But probably something from preschool and art class!<br />
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5. What did you (or are having) for dinner? Trying a new recipe for Marmalade Chicken tonight.<br />
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6. What's one book you are currently reading? Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood. I'll be writing a review of it later on my <a href="http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/">book blog</a>.<br />
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7. What behaviour (in people) is the most common but also the rudest? Right now, talking loudly in the library and answering your cell phone in the library.<br />
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8. What can you see out of your nearest window right now? Lake Michigan<br />
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9. What are you currently praying for? friends who have lost their jobs<br />
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10. What is your favourite hot beverage? hot chocolate<br />
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<!-- Begin Blog Hop --><br /><a href="http://www.mcklinky.com/blog_hop.asp" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.mcklinky.com/images/MckLinkyBlogHop160.jpg" alt="MckLinky Blog Hop" width="160" height="52" border="0" longdesc="http://www.brentriggs.com" /></a><br /><script src="http://www.mcklinky.com/linky_include_bloghop_public.asp?id=20804" type="text/javascript"></script>Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-86440752933317699212010-01-16T09:24:00.000-08:002010-01-16T10:12:31.020-08:00Weekly Wrap-Up: January 16Our week started off with the heat breaking on Monday morning. This has been an ongoing saga for over a year now, and at the end of the day we were informed that although the heat was working for the moment, we really should replace the entire system because it's just too old. AAAHHH! Not good news.<br /><br />The rest of the week we had a lot of playdates and our usual activities, plus eye doctor and dentist appointments for Lucy. Compared to our first 2 years of homeschooling, we know a lot more homeschoolers now, and I've got to figure out how to manage all the potential playdates with the necessary time we need at home. I think I've gone a bit overboard with the social activities, but it's so exciting to have all these social opportunities all of the sudden!<br /><br />We did manage to squeeze in some school work this week. We've started our new grammar curriculum, <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/language-arts/grammar.html">First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind.</a> So far I'm loving this book. I've got a scripted teacher's book, which is helping me explain grammar concepts more effectively, and then Lucy has a workbook to go with it. Since it's published by the <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/">Well Trained Mind</a> folks, it has a classical focus, which fits in so nicely with our other studies. For example, in the chapter about proper nouns, we're also learning the Greek and Roman roots for the days of the week and months of the year. So far we are flying through this curriculum, so I think the run-of-the-mill grammar workbooks we've been working through up to this point have done a fine job, but I love that First Language Lessons is complimenting and reinforcing our classical curriculum.<br /><br />Lucy decided this week that she wants to say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing "My Country Tis of Thee" each day before we start school. So she made a flag out of paper and we wrote down the pledge and taped these on the wall over our school table. I love it when Lucy comes up with something on her own that she wants to do for school. I'm hoping she'll do more and more of that as she gets older, and take more responsibility for her own education.<br /><br />Lucy reached an important math milestone this week -- she finished memorizing her times tables through 12. She was very proud of herself. We'll continue to practice them, though, since she tends to forget some if we don't. This means we've nearly finished 3rd grade math. There are just a couple more chapters left in our 3rd grade Math U See book, and then we'll move on to division. <br /><br />In history Lucy wrote down her own narration for the first time. She did a great job, though the narration was a lot longer than the exercise is supposed to be. I know that part of the point of narration is to learn to express your thoughts succinctly, so next week I'll have her work on editing it down to a couple sentences. <br /><br />Wow, even though I felt like we did a lot of running around this week and didn't have much time for school, I'm amazed at what Lucy did accomplish. Sometimes I don't realize how much she's learning until I write it down like this!Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-64713322418051489152010-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:002010-01-11T13:53:47.156-08:00The Simple Woman's Daybook: Jan. 11Outside my window... yes, you guessed it, it's still snowing! We've had only one or two days without snow since New Year's Day. Plus plenty of it in December. It's beautiful, but it's already getting a bit tiresome to have to drive around in it.<br /><br />I am thinking... about trying to write a new poem this week.<br /><br />I am thankful for... my fireplace. My heat stopped working sometime in the night, so we've had the fireplace on most of the day today while we're waiting for a guy to come fix the furnace.<br /><br />I am wearing... workout pants, T-shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, hat, 2 pairs of socks, slippers.<br /><br />I am going... we went to the eye doctor to get a new lens for Lucy's glasses this morning.<br /><br />I am currently reading... see <a href="http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-monday-what-are-you-reading.html">my book blog</a> for this.<br /><br />I am hoping... that our heat gets fixed tonight so we don't all have to sleep in the family room by the fireplace.<br /><br />From the kitchen... see <a href="http://marcijohnson.blogspot.com/2010/01/meal-plan-monday-jan-11.html">my Meal Plan Monday posting</a> for this.<br /><br />Around the house... laundry to put away, dinner to make<br /><br />From our studies... We're reading <span style="font-style:italic;">The History of Counting</span> this week, and learning about Australia during the Middle Ages, along with the usual assortment of math, writing, grammar, etc.<br /><br />Listening to... the fireplace blower and the kids watching "Ice Age."<br /><br />From my picture journal<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFTGCGnxWzf9PbifmwqbucI0P0kATrt3M6yTOr4-ge-bJXOQgcvZfSB9YPPQtEfNa2UQBUU8pQMDKfxYsPxVIS4I9cKJi8gerFw97hBxQPr1CzZd8rk1qpOtrGpAYGO5Qm5WkZznC8szz/s1600-h/100_4483.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFTGCGnxWzf9PbifmwqbucI0P0kATrt3M6yTOr4-ge-bJXOQgcvZfSB9YPPQtEfNa2UQBUU8pQMDKfxYsPxVIS4I9cKJi8gerFw97hBxQPr1CzZd8rk1qpOtrGpAYGO5Qm5WkZznC8szz/s320/100_4483.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425602842993197314" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">Visit here</a> to learn how to create your own daybook.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-51129775693571434872010-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:002010-01-11T13:55:20.963-08:00Meal Plan Monday: Jan. 11Here's my <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-january-11th.html">Meal Plan Monday</a> for this week. This is a loose plan, which I always end up changing a bit as the week goes on. <br /><br />SUNDAY: Leftover homemade chicken soup that I ended up making on Saturday night, with homemade bread from the breadmaker.<br /><br />MONDAY: Chicken Salad: chicken breaded with egg and panko and fried in olive oil, put over lettuce with blue cheese, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion, and a homemade vinaigrette. Serve with homemade Amish Cinnamon Bread. I received a starter batch for this bread from my sister. Boy is it delicious!<br /><br />TUESDAY: Having dinner at a friend's house.<br /><br />WEDNESDAY: Southeast Asian Stir Fried Rice. This is a new recipe I'm going to try out.<br /><br />THURSDAY: Probably leftovers of the above fried rice. If there's not enough of that left, we'll have breakfast for dinner.<br /><br />FRIDAY: Out to eat on a date with my husband. My parents are taking the kids for the whole weekend, so we'll most likely eat out on Saturday as well.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-7601531998829812112010-01-09T18:44:00.000-08:002010-01-09T18:51:12.314-08:00Tortellini Stir Fry<a href="http://smallworldathome.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-on-menu.html">SmallWorld at Home</a> is looking for some new recipes. Here's one that I make it pretty often. It's delicious and very easy. Enjoy!<br /><br />Tortellini Stir Fry<br /><br />Ingredients<br />1 package tortellini, cheese-filled, refrigerated or frozen<br />1 tablespoon vegetable oil<br />2-3 cups fresh chopped stir fry vegetables<br />1/3 cup prepared peanut stir-fry sauce<br />2 tablespoons chopped peanuts<br />1/4 c. green onions with tops, sliced<br /><br />Directions<br />Cook and drain tortellini. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables; cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in pasta and peanut sauce; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is heated through. Sprinkle with nuts and green onions just before serving.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-32442129792962350442010-01-08T10:39:00.000-08:002010-01-08T14:22:13.054-08:00Weekly Wrap-Up: Jan. 8We got back into schoolwork this week after taking most of December off. I think we were both ready to start back into a routine. Well, probably me more than Lucy! But there wasn't much complaining, in any case. The hardest adjustment was having to wake up early on Tuesdays and Thursdays again to get Matthew to preschool. And it doesn't help that we've been getting A LOT of snow here. It's snowed almost constantly since New Year's Day. We've got about a foot on the ground, and now we're expecting another 10-20 inches today and tomorrow. Whew! <br /><br />We're continuing our study of the Middle Ages. History is Lucy's favorite subject, and she likes to come up with her own projects about whatever we're studying. Yesterday she made a diorama of a monastery, complete with monks and little Bibles, and even a desk for the scribes to work at.<br /><br />Lucy went to a Girl Scout meeting this week, and then next week her dance class starts back up. Our new homeschool classes begin at the end of the month, with art, field trips, and we'll be doing some Rosetta Stone languages online. I'm just hoping the snow isn't too thick for us to participate in the classes!<br /><br />Oh, and I did something I've been thinking about doing a long time this week. I started a book blog: http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-40297628925216258722010-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:002010-01-04T12:11:05.640-08:00The Simple Woman's Daybook: Jan. 4Outside my window... snow, snow, and more snow. Living east of Lake Michigan we get a lot of "lake effect" snow. This is one of those winters where it seems to snow most every day!<br /><br />I am thinking... about writing a review on my <a href="http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/">book blog</a>. It's the first review I'm attempting to write, and I keep procrastinating! <br /><br />I am thankful for... inter-library loan. My library is so small, it's hard to find all the books that I want to read. But I can order them from other libraries all over my state and have them delivered to my library.<br /><br />I am wearing... jeans, funky socks, brown sweater, an extra sweater over that sweater to keep me warm!<br /><br />I am going... we were supposed to go to a pizza party for our the homeschool group we just joined, but it got canceled because of the snow.<br /><br />I am currently reading... My Life in France, by Julia Child. I just saw the movie "Julie & Julia" so now I have to read Julia Child's memoir.<br /><br />I am hoping... that it won't snow too much for us to get to our homeschool classes this winter.<br /><br />From the kitchen... leftovers!<br /><br />Around the house... I need to mop the kitchen floor, but I keep putting it off.<br /><br />From our studies... We're learning about China during the Middle Ages. <br /><br />Listening to... a Glen Miller CD.<br /><br />From my picture journal<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo2JVbb0cATel76FVjaRcMQUndt6DH0gKTN4vPbAkprwjaCpkr5VXAQBWrKJoZfI7hv-5y4m6tQ2ehRwqyCgk35NkjDzncJBahHuc4nF6UXFeUsF0uwYYhZAqbd8oiqW7xch1R8sVX5pR/s1600-h/100_5227.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo2JVbb0cATel76FVjaRcMQUndt6DH0gKTN4vPbAkprwjaCpkr5VXAQBWrKJoZfI7hv-5y4m6tQ2ehRwqyCgk35NkjDzncJBahHuc4nF6UXFeUsF0uwYYhZAqbd8oiqW7xch1R8sVX5pR/s320/100_5227.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422979425727620626" /></a>Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-25908888708806743072010-01-04T11:37:00.000-08:002010-01-04T11:49:37.238-08:00Meal Plan Monday: January 4Here's my <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2010/01/menu-plan-monday-january-4th.html">Meal Plan Monday</a> for this week:<br /><br />SUNDAY: <a href="http://www.poetryfactory.net/marci/cookbook/Side%20Salads/asian_appetizer_salad.html">Asian Appetizer Salad</a>. I added chicken to this to make it a main dish.<br /><br />MONDAY: Spaghetti with leftover homemade sauce. I make a simple sauce by sauteing garlic in some olive oil, adding a can of crushed tomatoes and some herbs, and a bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I top it with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese. I'll serve it with a side salad and bread.<br /><br />TUESDAY: <a href="http://www.poetryfactory.net/marci/cookbook/Breakfast/oven_omelet.html">Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet</a>. I don't have any ham, so I'm going to substitute bacon for it, and serve it with a green salad.<br /><br />WEDNESDAY: Leftover Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet. <br /><br />THURSDAY: Chicken Salad. For this salad I coat strips of chicken in egg, then bread crumbs, and fry in olive oil. I add the chicken to a mixture of torn greens, dried cranberries, red onion, blue cheese, and sliced apple, and serve with a homemade vinaigrette.<br /><br />FRIDAY: Noodles with bottled peanut sauce and stir fried veggies, frozen potstickers.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-85671900154888870812010-01-01T16:26:00.000-08:002010-01-01T16:55:37.710-08:00Out with the Old, in with the NewWhile reading through the blogs that I follow, I came across this question in a survey, "What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?" Oh, ugh! What a depressing question! I felt like the year had been just like any other, with nothing new in it. We were supposed to sell our house and move to another state this year. Now that would have been new! But instead, we're still here in the same place, doing the same old stuff. The usual routine.<br /><br />But the more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that I had tried a lot of new things this year. None of them earth-shatteringly huge, as a move would be. But still, new. And they add up. Together they're getting me closer to the more simple and deliberate life that I want to live. Here's a sampling:<br /><br />1. I made bread. Not just quick bread, but bread using yeast, and not in the bread machine. For some reason the idea of kneading and rising had intimidated me for many years, but this year I conquered my fear and made some delicious foccacia. <br /><br />2. I ate grass-fed beef. After reading the book <span style="font-style:italic;">Real Food,</span> by Nina Planck and watching the movie Food, Inc. I decided that I needed to buy meat and dairy products from animals that don't come from factory farms and instead are raised humanely on pasture. I found a grocery store nearby that sells grass-fed beef from a local farm, and then I found a local farm coop that I can join to buy directly from the farmer!<br /><br />3. I bought a lot of local produce. I know local produce is the way to go for freshness and flavor (and for supporting local farmers), but I usually get lazy and prefer to buy all my food the easy way. In one place, at the grocery store. But this summer I stopped off at the farmer's market on my way to the grocery store, and bought whatever I could from the local farmers. Yummy!<br /><br />4. I invented a recipe. I'm pretty proud of it. I've been watching "Chopped" on the Food Network, and it's given me some ideas about how to make my own creations in the kitchen. Sorry, I'm not going to post it here because I'm thinking of entering it into a cooking contest if I can find one.<br /><br />5. I started using the classical method in my homeschool. I'd been thinking about it for a couple years, and I finally took the plunge. I'm glad I did. It's strong emphasis on history has turned Lucy into a history lover!<br /><br />6. I finally joined a homeschool group. Classes start this month. The classes are through a public school district nearby, so everything is free. Lucy's taking a field trip class, an art class, and she gets to do 2 Rosetta Stone languages online! <br /><br />For 2010 I'm starting a new blog, where I'll blog about the books I'm reading. I've been thinking about doing this for a long time and I'm finally taking the plunge. Visit me at <a href="http://marcijohnsonbooks.blogspot.com/">Marci's Book Blog</a>. There's nothing there yet, but there will be soon. My resolution is to update both of these blogs more regularly in 2010.<br /><br />What new things did you do last year? What are you hoping to try this year?Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-85647022948290186562009-12-14T11:19:00.000-08:002009-12-14T11:56:31.189-08:00The Simple Woman's Daybook Dec. 14Outside my window... very cold rain, that is supposed to turn to ice then snow<br /><br />I am thinking... about the homeschool enrichment classes I just signed Lucy up for. She's doing a field trip class, 2 Rosetta Stone languages (Latin and Spanish) and art classes -- all for free through a nearby public school district. <br /><br />I am thankful for... Facebook. Seriously! A friend from college just found me on there. We'd lost touch over 15 years ago and I'm so happy to be in touch with her again.<br /><br />I am wearing... my workout clothes, which I never changed out of after exercising this morning.<br /><br />I am going... we went to the library this morning. The library has an ongoing used book sale, and I bought 3 books and 3 magazines for less than $2!<br /><br />I am currently reading... <span style="font-style:italic;">Ambition and Survival: Becoming a Poet,</span> by Christian Wiman; <span style="font-style:italic;">Winter's Tale,</span> by Mark Helprin; <span style="font-style:italic;">Great Books,</span> by David Denby<br /><br />I am hoping... to bake some Christmas cookies this week.<br /><br />From the kitchen... hamburgers for dinner tonight, with grass-fed beef. <br /><br />Around the house... finishing up Christmas projects and wrapping presents.<br /><br />From our studies... we've taken most of the month off school, but are continuing with multiplication, since it's taken quite a long time to get through that. But the end is in sight! Lucy knows all the times tables except the 8s and 12s. We've also continued this month with our history read-alouds, because the kids love them. We're reading books about the Middle Ages, along with <span style="font-style:italic;">The Story of the World.</span><br /><br />Listening to... rain on the roof. <br /><br />From my picture journal<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rYvr9p7F4iu2X2LMMU2Zbb3RgO2FayLTjrUGx2EgNPmqLQKndDCUjM664b3HDziZuPfxd1whLfB8-mQGnu4jH0LCiTMMKq3HFh8F3s5NNr9SVtRP-6XKPTAp_mR5RrBU5FdKECSjBxC8/s1600-h/100_5361.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rYvr9p7F4iu2X2LMMU2Zbb3RgO2FayLTjrUGx2EgNPmqLQKndDCUjM664b3HDziZuPfxd1whLfB8-mQGnu4jH0LCiTMMKq3HFh8F3s5NNr9SVtRP-6XKPTAp_mR5RrBU5FdKECSjBxC8/s320/100_5361.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415180660180219154" /></a>Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-10408925292315512462009-12-07T12:08:00.000-08:002009-12-07T12:20:23.564-08:00Simple Woman's Daybook, Dec. 7Outside my window... gray clouds. We had about a 1/2 inch of snow this morning, then the sun came out and melted most of it. Now we're supposed to have our first winter storm of the season tomorrow through Thursday!<br /><br />I am thinking... about trying to write some new poems.<br /><br />I am thankful for... homeschooling friends who live very close by so that I'll be able to get out of the house and see people even in the middle of winter when the snow is piling up<br /><br />I am wearing... gray fleece pants, black sweatshirt, my new slipper-boots<br /><br />I am remembering... my first winter homeschooling, when there was so much snow I thought I'd go stir crazy stuck in the house with the kids all the time!<br /><br />I am going... to take Matthew to preschool tomorrow morning. Not going anywhere today.<br /><br />I am currently reading... "Saint Maybe," by Anne Tyler. Just finished "Real Food," by Nina Planck<br /><br />I am hoping... to find out whether or not I'll be moving away from here soon.<br /><br />On my mind... Christmas!!!<br /><br />Noticing that... now that Matthew is 3 1/2 Lucy and he play together a lot more. Which means I have more time to myself. Wonderful!<br /><br />Pondering these words... "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ..."<br /><br />From the kitchen... leftovers. But this weekend I made up a new recipe, Fortune Cookie Encrusted Salmon with Hoisin Sauce. It was fabulous!<br /><br />Around the house... I cleaned today, so things are looking good. I need to vacuum upstairs, though.<br /><br />One of my favorite things~ listening to Christmas music by the fire while reading a book.<br /><br />From my picture journal<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKNwDoMBFsDZsp_1YJfOHUZV7qa8xqaUZHHKrSC6aze41b7moEWuI5M9AwVQExSjEPkZ6bydBohzQHjqux9OeXDICV6x2qnPZfc-7uuw9g8K7-XHFfo5cX02xRKKhJescnL6DqhFZX76X/s1600-h/100_5327.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKNwDoMBFsDZsp_1YJfOHUZV7qa8xqaUZHHKrSC6aze41b7moEWuI5M9AwVQExSjEPkZ6bydBohzQHjqux9OeXDICV6x2qnPZfc-7uuw9g8K7-XHFfo5cX02xRKKhJescnL6DqhFZX76X/s320/100_5327.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412591185565699282" /></a>Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-29429272577676128272009-11-17T16:17:00.000-08:002009-11-17T16:37:07.188-08:00To Do Tuesday<a href="http://www.crazyadventuresinparenting.com/">Crazy Adventures in Parenting</a> hosts a regular "To-Do Tuesday" where you're supposed to post your to-do list for the week. I thought I'd try participating this week.<br /><br />PROJECTS<br />-Send out review copies for the new book that just came out from <a href="http://www.wordfarm.net/">the publishing company I work for.</a> This is a multi-step project that involves writing and printing letters, writing address labels, stuffing envelops, etc. <br />-Work on Christmas projects: cross-stitch, family recipe book. The to-do list will be very Christmas heavy soon!<br /><br />ERRANDS<br />-Mail my poetry book to publishers.<br />-Take Lucy to the doctor.<br />-Take the kids for their second dose of the H1N1 vaccination.<br /><br />PHONE CALLS<br />-Mammogram appointment<br />-Buy Nutcracker tickets<br /><br />GENERAL DAILY TO-DOs<br />-exercise<br />-school work<br />-reading <br />-keep the house relatively clean<br />-do a load or two of laundry<br />-cook and bake<br />-blog (well I don't usually get around to this every day!)<br />-take the kids to play dates and their usual activities (dance and Girl Scouts for Lucy, preschool for Matthew)Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-35880635510965850502009-11-16T12:59:00.000-08:002009-11-16T13:11:57.785-08:00The Simple Woman's Daybook Nov. 16Outside my window... cloudy, but not too cold.<br /><br />I am thinking... about going to library school and becoming a librarian once the kids are older<br /><br />I am thankful for... a quiet day at home with no scheduled activities!<br /><br />I am wearing... gray fleece sweatpants, a black sweatshirt with the name of my friends' band on it, striped socks that my mom knitted for me<br /><br />I am remembering... how much I love fall weather<br /><br />I am going... nowhere at all next weekend. Seems like a weekend at home is a rare thing lately!<br /><br />I am reading... Just finished <span style="font-style:italic;">Ladder of Years</span>, by Anne Tyler. I'm also in the middle of reading <span style="font-style:italic;">Great Books</span>, by David Denby.<br /><br />I am hoping... to finish all my Christmas present projects in time<br /><br />On my mind... Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. I love the Christmas season!!<br /><br />From the learning rooms... Lucy's writing her own chapter book<br /><br />Noticing that... my favorite slippers from Austria are missing<br /><br />Pondering these words... "My soul find rest in God alone." <br /><br />From the kitchen... chicken thighs, stuffing, broccoli, Michigan-grown organic squash<br /><br />Around the house... listening to Matthew's little voice singing Bible songs in his room during his rest time<br /><br />One of my favorite things~ Christmas music<br /><br />From my picture journal..<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvz-XpJ1X_eI-1S5JVjsOCP4LGes4nVB2BsjOK4oqsjFeoF2eCdHNgXi8Y3jejXwTlt4VPXykEf7mFRiMK8yXNJrd94notBdX6WwQ8ihhw44EXQ4uA7QHMu1jzlvlhaD8qnDuTgSCA0Ux/s1600/100_5188.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvz-XpJ1X_eI-1S5JVjsOCP4LGes4nVB2BsjOK4oqsjFeoF2eCdHNgXi8Y3jejXwTlt4VPXykEf7mFRiMK8yXNJrd94notBdX6WwQ8ihhw44EXQ4uA7QHMu1jzlvlhaD8qnDuTgSCA0Ux/s320/100_5188.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404811928151932370" /></a><br />One of Lucy's spider webs made out of yarn.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-20905283943084642972009-11-16T11:21:00.000-08:002009-11-16T11:23:48.718-08:00Tortellini Chowder<a href="http://smallworldathome.blogspot.com">Small World at Home</a> is looking for soup recipes today ... so here's one of my favorites:<br /><br />2/3 c. chopped onion<br />1/2 c. chopped red sweet pepper<br />2 T. minced garlic<br />1 fresh jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)<br />1 T. olive oil<br />3 c. chicken broth<br />2 c. cubed peeled potatoes<br />1 t. ground cumin<br />1/4 t. salt<br />1/4 t. black pepper<br />2 T. all-purpose flour<br />2 T. butter, melted<br />1 15 1/4 oz. can whole-kernel corn, drained<br />2 c. half-and-half or light cream<br />2 c. refrigerated or frozen cheese-filled tortellini, cooked and drained<br />Tortilla chips, broken<br /><br />Directions<br />1. In a Dutch oven or kettle, cook the chopped onion, the red sweet pepper, the garlic and jalapeño pepper in the 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not brown.<br /><br />2. Carefully stir in broth, potatoes, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.<br /><br />3. In a small bowl, stir together flour and melted butter; add to soup mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute.<br /><br />4. Reduce heat and add corn, half-and-half and torellini. Heat through. Ladle into bowls and top with broken tortilla chips.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-78263956080810017552009-11-06T13:49:00.000-08:002009-11-06T14:14:44.628-08:00Weekly Wrap-Up: November 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7o24pJ9efqJYC7ULqqiq4p7xCr7giMXlNU4cm49RWJpxgI7eAbYY649k9HHsNxmf1FPfuQtZpSBw2cVuXbEs6sl9BMLTrCEV_5N0SnDONdDQjqMF5JPJfkWvYz2b0Z-TDc1ELX-yYhUR/s1600-h/Weekly+Wrap-Up.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7o24pJ9efqJYC7ULqqiq4p7xCr7giMXlNU4cm49RWJpxgI7eAbYY649k9HHsNxmf1FPfuQtZpSBw2cVuXbEs6sl9BMLTrCEV_5N0SnDONdDQjqMF5JPJfkWvYz2b0Z-TDc1ELX-yYhUR/s320/Weekly+Wrap-Up.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401111405099452146" /></a><br /><br />Wow was this week busy! We had a bunch of play dates scheduled this week, along with our usual activities, Girl Scouts and dance for Lucy, and preschool for Matthew. It was one of those weeks where I was longing for a little more home in our homeschool! We all had a great time hanging out with friends, though. And we did managed to get a fair amount of school work done as well. We read the "Christianity Comes to Britain" chapter in <span style="font-style:italic;">The Story of the World.</span> This piqued Lucy's interest in England, so we got a book about England from the library with nice pictures, which I've been reading aloud. We also got a DVD called "Families in the United Kingdom," and another from Netflix about traveling to England. I'm excited that Lucy's interested in England because I love England and have traveled their twice. I got out all my England photos and Lucy and I had fun looking through those. We also read some stories about St. Patrick, and Lucy read a kid's version of <span style="font-style:italic;">Sir Gawain and the Green Knight</span>, along with about 15 or 20 other library books. I got a huge stack of books for her Saturday and she's already read through them all. Her appetite for reading is huge!<br /><br />Lucy did the usual assortment of other subjects: Spelling, Grammar, Memory Work (she's memorizing the helping verbs), Writing, Handwriting, Latin, Bible, Music, Church History, Art, Science, and Math. We've been using a game for learning multiplication tables that's working really well. It's called <a href="http://www.bigbrainz.com/">Timez Attack</a>. It's a bit of an investment ($40 for the full version), but it's really improved Lucy's memory for the times tables, so it's been great! Matthew and I have started <span style="font-style:italic;">The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading</span>, from <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/">Peace Hill Press.</a> He's really interested in words and letter sounds right now, so I figure I'll work with him a bit on it as long as he's interested. He's been watching phonics DVDs from Leap Frog, and those have done a great job of teaching him letter sounds. <br /><br />The highlight of the week is today, which is Lucy's birthday. She's turning 9 at 7:45 p.m and she's very excited about it. She's having a friend sleep over tonight to celebrate, and then we're having a Harry Potter party tomorrow. I can't believe I have a 9 year old!!Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-2306991325837386102009-10-26T10:24:00.000-07:002009-10-26T11:04:26.754-07:00Simple Woman's Daybook, Oct 26<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7pJo6KPoLpaTvtPA6lgRsz-QKTOfArloTMwdYbGUaHQjWHWvTwT3jV16sTlZKxLVPGSXS5kPyy73URB0cOx2N2-Jp8RVGGhaGKQ_3sP5h7nLKnXysx009EZYJ73UTLuU-vDoF0q_kgNH/s1600-h/100_5166.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7pJo6KPoLpaTvtPA6lgRsz-QKTOfArloTMwdYbGUaHQjWHWvTwT3jV16sTlZKxLVPGSXS5kPyy73URB0cOx2N2-Jp8RVGGhaGKQ_3sP5h7nLKnXysx009EZYJ73UTLuU-vDoF0q_kgNH/s320/100_5166.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396965896490795730" /></a><br /><a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com">Simple Woman's Daybook</a>, Oct 26<br /><br />Outside my window... a huge flock of birds in the soybean field beside my house<br /><br />I am thinking... about the Christmas presents I'm working on making: photo books, a family cookbook, and a cross-stitch<br /><br />I am thankful for... the fact that my 2 kids get along with each other so well!<br /><br />I am wearing... jeans, blue sweatshirt, wool slippers from Austria<br /><br />I am remembering... that I need to change the laundry<br /><br />I am going... to an open mic, a poetry reading, and a concert this week. I don't usually get out that much!<br /><br />I am reading... Beverly Cleary's autobiography, <span style="font-style:italic;">A Girl From Yamhill</span> It's fabulous!<br /><br />I am hoping... my knee stops hurting soon so I can get out for some walks this week.<br /><br />On my mind... a friend's nephew who was hit by a car last week and is in critical condition<br /><br />From the learning rooms... phonics for Matthew; early church fathers for Lucy<br /><br />Noticing that... there aren't many leaves left. It's going to look like winter soon. I'm not really ready for that!<br /><br />Pondering these words... "Maybe we can grow raisins in the ground and make new raisin trees" -Matthew. He also wanted to plant a peanut today.<br /><br />From the kitchen... easy meal tonight: tacos<br /><br />Around the house... laundry, the huge mess the kids are making in the family room, which includes a ball pit made with some plastic balls and the baby pool<br /><br />One of my favorite things~ Matthew's belly laugh<br /><br />From my picture journal...Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-90563744123465856952009-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:002009-10-25T10:43:23.179-07:00Weekly Wrap-Up: October 24<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtwXefWUUC-58WaWGLVxO-JVvXVTzwFRiFxwb2LWOi6268Rzc7nRBJtZ-wJn10BAgGRqg4mHhqPQuNO2O9UNaSnLZOpdb8D9OMZEQMHvtkRziktC4LofhOx5YqlO4UxaOephoYWYnmdgP/s1600-h/100_5216.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtwXefWUUC-58WaWGLVxO-JVvXVTzwFRiFxwb2LWOi6268Rzc7nRBJtZ-wJn10BAgGRqg4mHhqPQuNO2O9UNaSnLZOpdb8D9OMZEQMHvtkRziktC4LofhOx5YqlO4UxaOephoYWYnmdgP/s320/100_5216.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396594440509456962" /></a><br />I spent much of this week trying to get over a nasty cold that had aggravated my asthma. Since H1N1 is in full force here, (and I didn't want to get it with the asthma already aggravated) the kids and I hid out at home until we were able to get vaccinated on Saturday. One of the hidden benefits of homeschooling: avoiding the plague! The vaccination clinic was an interesting experience. A lot more people showed up than we expected, and we ended up having to wait in line for 3 1/2 hours! Much of that was outside in a cold rain. The kids did really well. It seemed like an interesting experience, hanging out with all the people in line. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, lending coats and umbrellas, letting other people's kids warm up in their cars. It was an experience in the best of humanity, really. Everyone was helpful and cooperative. Even the kids, for the most part, were well-behaved.<br /><br />Anyway, we did managed to get some schoolwork done this week too. We've started the Middle Ages in history, and we learned about the Celts this week. Lucy read a Beowulf adaptation for kids, and we listened to someone read it online in the original English. That led to a discuss about how language changes over time. Lucy also read a book of traditional Celtic tales. We did the usual assortment of subjects: grammar, spelling, dictation, math, etc. and read about the Cappadocians and St. Ambrose for church history. I had a writing assignment planned about creating a good sentence, but Lucy ended up creating her own writing project. She decided that she could write a good paragraph, so one evening she wrote 5 or 6 of them, and did research in a children's encyclopedia for them. With moments like these I'm amazed at how effective homeschooling is! Not only could she indeed write a good paragraph, with very little previous teaching, but she wanted to do it. She loved it! I'm beginning to see how immersing children in good literature really does make a difference.<br /><br />Matthew has apparently been learning a lot by osmosis. Over the last week or so I realized that he actually knows all his letters pretty well, both upper and lower case. So we've started working on <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/"><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading</span></a>. It appears that Matthew already knows quite a few of the letter sounds too, so I think that part of the book will go quickly. He's been watching Leap Frog's "Letter Factory" video, and I assume that's where he's picked up the letter sounds. I like how the Guide is organized, but it's a little overly scripted for us. Matthew picks up on the lesson quickly and gets impatient if I go through the entire script, so I'm just shortening it and adapting it for him. It's really fun to see his enthusiasm. He is always asking to "do school," because he sees Lucy doing it and he wants to do whatever she does! He's also started preschool at a local Catholic school, two mornings a week. He loves hanging out with the other kids, and it gives Lucy and I some uninterrupted school time.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-76840472808077279482009-10-04T18:30:00.000-07:002009-10-04T18:47:05.309-07:00A Bunch O'QuestionsWhat was the last thing you put in your mouth? My toothbrush.<br /><br />Can you play Guitar Hero? No, I don't own a video game system.<br /><br />Name someone who made you laugh today. My old neighbor Gina, who I visited today. We were talking about Sienfeld episodes.<br /><br />How late did you stay up last night and why? Matthew kept waking up last night, so I didn't fall asleep until after 4:00 am. Yuck!<br /><br />If you could move somewhere else, would you? I'm going to. My house is for sale. Moving either closer to Chicago, or to the Indianapolis suburbs.<br /><br />Name one thing you love about your body. My skin, which doesn't have any wrinkles yet! Thank you Oil of Olay!!!<br /><br />Which of your friends lives closest to you? My painter (as in art, not house painting) friend Kelly.<br /><br />Do you believe ex's can be friends? Only if they weren't dating very seriously.<br /><br />How do you feel about Dr Pepper? I like it okay, though I drink it only a couple times a year.<br /><br />If you could do any job in the world what would it be? Poet, which I am, though I'd really like to get my book published.<br /><br />Who was the last person you took a picture of? Matthew<br /><br />Was yesterday better than today? Only because I didn't have a sleep deficit. <br /><br />Can you live a day without TV? Yep. If I didn't have a TV at all, I'd be okay.<br /><br />Are you upset about anything? Not at the moment.<br /><br />Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? Yep.<br /><br />Are you a bad influence? Rarely.<br /><br />Night out or night in? Depends on my mood, but if a friend asks me to go out, I'm always up for it.<br /><br />What items could you not go without during the day? My glasses/contacts<br /><br />Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? It's been awhile, I can't remember. Maybe my sister when she had her last baby, over 6 years ago.<br /><br />What does the last text message in your in-box say? I don't know how to text and I don't have a text plan. I wouldn't be averse to it in the future, but that's how it is right now.<br /><br />How do you feel about your life right now? Pretty happy, but rather unsettled. I'd like to know where/when I'm moving.<br /><br />Do you hate anyone? Um, possibly Hitler. <br /> <br />Do you like your wedding ring or do you secretly wish it was different? I picked it out myself and I love it. It's a second hand ring from an antique store, with a teeny tiny diamond and in white gold. I'm not a big jewelry person, so it's nice and small, just right for me.<br /><br />Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? LOL, yes! <br /><br />Would you ever get some plastic surgery? Nope, surgery of any kind freaks me out. I'd only get surgery if I absolutely had to.<br /><br />What song is stuck in your head? A piano song my daughter composed about our Beagle, who we had to put to sleep recently.<br /><br />Name something you have to do tomorrow. Drive home from a long visit with family and friends, unpack, do laundry, get ready for the week.<br /><br />Do you think too much or too little? Way too much.<br /><br />Do you smile a lot? Not as much as I used to. Not that I'm unhappy, but it seems like I don't have as many opportunities to laugh and be silly as when I was younger.Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434123702287063749.post-66212967357703938772009-09-28T12:17:00.000-07:002009-09-28T12:21:19.773-07:00I'm Still HereAh, the never ending quest to update my blog regularly. Things have been busy lately. Here's a sampling. I found out Lucy needs glasses, so I dropped about $400 more at the eye doctor than I expected. Lucy's getting over a cold and I'm getting it. Fall has arrived (with tremendous winds and less than 60 degree temperatures). Matthew is potty trained, and has decided he wants to go to preschool. A homeschool group may be starting in my little town!!! <br /><br />I know, I'm not too articulate today with this head cold, so enjoy this <a href="http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/09/28/confessions_homeschooler/">wonderfully well-written article on Salon.com.</a>Marci Rae Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12071553373328229315noreply@blogger.com0