HOMESCHOOLING

Irish Syndrome

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When we were growing up my sister had an Appaloosa mare named "Irish"–(whose birthday falls on this day.) But the one thing I remember about her, besides the time she decided to roll in the stream while my sister was in the saddle–was the way she behaved every time you began to tack her up for a ride. Her head would droop, her eye lids would get heavy, she’d sigh big heavy sighs.

And this morning, as the girls and I sat at the kitchen table to do a few simple school lessons, I thought of Irish as I watched Emma. She got all droopy, put her head down on the table, flipped her pencil around carelessly. Perhaps, once again, I should have backtracked and made her a piece of peanut butter toast or some fruit and cheese, but I tried to see it through to the end. And the end came quickly.

I know that homeschooling is definitely the right decision for our family, right now. But man oh man, can it get frustrating some times. I waffle between unschooling, homeschooling, classical….I fall somewhere in the middle of all of those philosophies, if that is possible. I was an elementary school teacher before I stayed home with my children, so I feel like I have some experience to draw from, and I see growth and learning happening every day (sometimes more with Mary than with Emma), so I know things are working. But some days, when she gets what I’m now referring to as "Irish-syndrome", I start to question everything. Is it the fact that I should have given her a snack? Did she not get enough sleep last night? Am I boring her? Is it simply the fact that I’m her mother?

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But the beauty of schooling her at home is that I can say, "alright, that’s enough for now. We’ll try again later. Here’s a sandwich and some grapes. Call me when you’re feeling better."  And I remind myself that last week, just last week, she told me how much she loved school and loved what we were doing. And I remind myself that every homeschooling mother has these moments. And I take a breath. And I start again.

**this last picture is for my husband. Mary spelled Case IH for you–all by herself.**
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P1010009

When we were growing up my sister had an Appaloosa mare named "Irish"–(whose birthday falls on this day.) But the one thing I remember about her, besides the time she decided to roll in the stream while my sister was in the saddle–was the way she behaved every time you began to tack her up for a ride. Her head would droop, her eye lids would get heavy, she’d sigh big heavy sighs.

And this morning, as the girls and I sat at the kitchen table to do a few simple school lessons, I thought of Irish as I watched Emma. She got all droopy, put her head down on the table, flipped her pencil around carelessly. Perhaps, once again, I should have backtracked and made her a piece of peanut butter toast or some fruit and cheese, but I tried to see it through to the end. And the end came quickly.

I know that homeschooling is definitely the right decision for our family, right now. But man oh man, can it get frustrating some times. I waffle between unschooling, homeschooling, classical….I fall somewhere in the middle of all of those philosophies, if that is possible. I was an elementary school teacher before I stayed home with my children, so I feel like I have some experience to draw from, and I see growth and learning happening every day (sometimes more with Mary than with Emma), so I know things are working. But some days, when she gets what I’m now referring to as "Irish-syndrome", I start to question everything. Is it the fact that I should have given her a snack? Did she not get enough sleep last night? Am I boring her? Is it simply the fact that I’m her mother?

P1010015

But the beauty of schooling her at home is that I can say, "alright, that’s enough for now. We’ll try again later. Here’s a sandwich and some grapes. Call me when you’re feeling better."  And I remind myself that last week, just last week, she told me how much she loved school and loved what we were doing. And I remind myself that every homeschooling mother has these moments. And I take a breath. And I start again.

**this last picture is for my husband. Mary spelled Case IH for you–all by herself.**
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15 Comments
brown paper packages / home / IN MY KITCHEN / work in progress

dinner, revisited

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Hello, I’m still here. I owe my disappearance from this blog to a writing deadline that was using up my brainpower, another round of (milder) sickness hitting the youngest two, and just too many sunny days. Although Elizabeth seems to have the worst of it now, but she had a milder case of the flu when we were all suffering with it the first time around. I see sick eyes in this picture….

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I finally finished my mobile for meg’s mobile swap last week. It is a variation of the one hanging over elizabeth’s changing table, which she is demonstrating in this picture, needs to be raised a wee bit! And instead of hanging it on an embroidery hoop, I attached a few fabric leaves to a willow branch and hung the swallows from there. If you haven’t seen the mobile swap flickr group, you must check it out. There is some amazing work floating around–(one of my favorites being the one meg made…)

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So this week I planned my menus again, just dinner–and spent a little more than last week–$131. But last week I think I did a better job of using some of the things I already had in my pantry and made some old standby meals. This week I tried two new recipes. Several people have asked me to share what I made, but let me warn you, we are a very meat and potatoes type of family. Well-balanced and colorful, yes, but meat and potatoes. This is nothing fancy, all very simple menu items….

Monday (b/c the planned roast didn’t defrost):
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Baked potatoes
salad

Tuesday:
Marinated chicken
Couscous
Broccoli
Tomato/Bocconcini cheese/Basil tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Wednesday:
Meat Loaf
baked sweet potatoes
homemade corn bread
salad

Thursday:
Spaghetti with turkey meatballs
homemade bread
salad

Friday:
homemade pizza–
"white" pizza–chicken, artichoke hearts, spinach, a bit of bacon, mozzarella cheese.

tabouli over mixed greens–
this was a first try for me, the tabouli. I made it from a mix out of a box and it was no good. But I want to find more grains to include in my menus besides rice and couscous, so if anyone has any suggestions?)

(and I think we had some applesauce in there somewhere…)

So there it is. In all it’s (lack of) glory.
Now I’m hungry….

P1010020

Hello, I’m still here. I owe my disappearance from this blog to a writing deadline that was using up my brainpower, another round of (milder) sickness hitting the youngest two, and just too many sunny days. Although Elizabeth seems to have the worst of it now, but she had a milder case of the flu when we were all suffering with it the first time around. I see sick eyes in this picture….

P1010005

I finally finished my mobile for meg’s mobile swap last week. It is a variation of the one hanging over elizabeth’s changing table, which she is demonstrating in this picture, needs to be raised a wee bit! And instead of hanging it on an embroidery hoop, I attached a few fabric leaves to a willow branch and hung the swallows from there. If you haven’t seen the mobile swap flickr group, you must check it out. There is some amazing work floating around–(one of my favorites being the one meg made…)

P1010022

So this week I planned my menus again, just dinner–and spent a little more than last week–$131. But last week I think I did a better job of using some of the things I already had in my pantry and made some old standby meals. This week I tried two new recipes. Several people have asked me to share what I made, but let me warn you, we are a very meat and potatoes type of family. Well-balanced and colorful, yes, but meat and potatoes. This is nothing fancy, all very simple menu items….

Monday (b/c the planned roast didn’t defrost):
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Baked potatoes
salad

Tuesday:
Marinated chicken
Couscous
Broccoli
Tomato/Bocconcini cheese/Basil tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Wednesday:
Meat Loaf
baked sweet potatoes
homemade corn bread
salad

Thursday:
Spaghetti with turkey meatballs
homemade bread
salad

Friday:
homemade pizza–
"white" pizza–chicken, artichoke hearts, spinach, a bit of bacon, mozzarella cheese.

tabouli over mixed greens–
this was a first try for me, the tabouli. I made it from a mix out of a box and it was no good. But I want to find more grains to include in my menus besides rice and couscous, so if anyone has any suggestions?)

(and I think we had some applesauce in there somewhere…)

So there it is. In all it’s (lack of) glory.
Now I’m hungry….

26 Comments
IN MY KITCHEN

a culinary convert

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Not everything goes smoothly in my kitchen. I’d like to say that my clumsy children spilled the cornmeal all over the counter top, but it was me. And it was everywhere. I actually got out the vacuum cleaner hose to suck it off the counter in some places, and out of the cracks in the drawers.

But aside from this minor mishap in the kitchen, this week has gone so smoothly. Months ago, you all shared some of your grocery-saving tips and one that I heard over and over was, plan. your. menus. You’d think, hearing it over and over, I might actually give it a try, but I confess to still being guilty of the last-minute meal, the standing in front of the freezer/refrigerator/pantry looking for inspiration.

But this week, I sat down with a few back issues of Everyday Food and my notebook and got to work planning the week’s dinner menu. Then I went to the grocery store and do you know how much I spent for the whole week, including what I thought were a few splurges like bocconcini cheese and a fresh basil plant for my windowsill?? $87! And do you know how many times I went back to the grocery store for things I forgot or things I needed to make that night’s dinner??? Zero. Zero!

P1010005

It’s been pure bliss. Waking up each day, knowing exactly what ingredients to get out, not agonizing over what to make and feeling that panic when 4pm hits and I have nothing concrete planned. Having everything bubbling and simmering and baking happily in the kitchen. Really, it’s culinary bliss.

Where have I been? Why I have NOT been doing this every single week? I’m a true convert now, people. I have now become a follower of the meal-planning faithful. 

So, it’s Friday folks. If you’re not a menu-planner–perhaps I’m the last to get on board–give it a try this week. It is so worth it. It’s a time-saver, a money-saver, a sanity-saver. You’ll see….

And in the meantime, any inspiration for me for this week’s menu? I’d love to hear….

P1010001

Not everything goes smoothly in my kitchen. I’d like to say that my clumsy children spilled the cornmeal all over the counter top, but it was me. And it was everywhere. I actually got out the vacuum cleaner hose to suck it off the counter in some places, and out of the cracks in the drawers.

But aside from this minor mishap in the kitchen, this week has gone so smoothly. Months ago, you all shared some of your grocery-saving tips and one that I heard over and over was, plan. your. menus. You’d think, hearing it over and over, I might actually give it a try, but I confess to still being guilty of the last-minute meal, the standing in front of the freezer/refrigerator/pantry looking for inspiration.

But this week, I sat down with a few back issues of Everyday Food and my notebook and got to work planning the week’s dinner menu. Then I went to the grocery store and do you know how much I spent for the whole week, including what I thought were a few splurges like bocconcini cheese and a fresh basil plant for my windowsill?? $87! And do you know how many times I went back to the grocery store for things I forgot or things I needed to make that night’s dinner??? Zero. Zero!

P1010005

It’s been pure bliss. Waking up each day, knowing exactly what ingredients to get out, not agonizing over what to make and feeling that panic when 4pm hits and I have nothing concrete planned. Having everything bubbling and simmering and baking happily in the kitchen. Really, it’s culinary bliss.

Where have I been? Why I have NOT been doing this every single week? I’m a true convert now, people. I have now become a follower of the meal-planning faithful. 

So, it’s Friday folks. If you’re not a menu-planner–perhaps I’m the last to get on board–give it a try this week. It is so worth it. It’s a time-saver, a money-saver, a sanity-saver. You’ll see….

And in the meantime, any inspiration for me for this week’s menu? I’d love to hear….

26 Comments