Playing Hooky

It's a rainy rainy Tuesday morning here at the owl nest. K only just woke up (she is having alot of trouble sleeping because of her eczema). So, since we aren't planning to make it to the park this afternoon, we're taking our day kinda slow. We'll get to our lessons eventually. Everyone is still in pj's. The boys are outside, having built a fort out of the climbing cube and our patio umbrella. They are hanging out together eating snacks. And I am getting a chance to catch up on my blog while K and I sip tea.

Yay for the rainy weather!

CSA Goodness

A few weeks ago, we starting receiving a half share in our local CSA . A friends picks up the CSA share, and I pick up half of it a day later. I have to say, I am REALLY excited about this.


First of all, I feel like I am really doing something I believe in. I've always wanted to join a CSA, but for reasons unknown I've never done it. I love knowing that my money is going to support local organic farming, and that I am getting super farm-fresh veggies for my family. The kids love preparing supper using veggies from "the farmer".


It's like Christmas for me, receiving our bag of organic, locally-grown veggie goodness, unsure of what treasures are in inside. Our produce share is dependent on what is ready for harvest that week and will change throughout the season. The first week, we received a giant bunch of green onion, some swiss chard, a head of leaf lettuce, some spinach, and a head of cauliflower with the beautiful leaves still attached.


Because I am determined not to waste any of this yumminess, I am getting to flex my creative kitchen muscles a bit. We are all eating more fresh veggies, which is great. Lots of salad, lots of green mixed into our dishes. Yum! I have to admit, though, I was stumped by what to make with the cauliflower leaves! Who knew they were edible! I ended up sauteing them in oil and garlic, and adding them to a super delicious bean and sausage soup. So Good!


So, in honor of that, here is the recipe I finally settled on (adapted from a recipe in Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely)

Bean and Sausage Soup
one lb bulk Italian sausage
onion
garlic
lots and lots of fresh greens (we used about 4 cups)
a cup veggies (a yellow squash is called for, but this is one of those times when you can use up pretty much anything)
4 cups cooked white beans (can use two cans, drained)
4 quarts chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
Italian seasoning to taste
cheese to garnish (a romano or parmesan works the best but we have used just whatever we have)

Brown one pound of bulk sausage, set to the side (we make our own bulk sausage, seasoning up local grassfed ground beef).

Take lots of greens from the CSA, like chard and cauliflower leaves, and saute in olive oil. Add lots of fresh garlic, and chopped bunching onion or whatever onion you have on hand. Saute until greens wilt and onions are soft.

Add whatever other veggies you are including and saute for a moment or
two.

Add remaining ingredients, including the cooked sausage, and heat. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with cheese on top, and fresh baked rolls or biscuits.

Enjoy!!!!

Garage Project

Here are a few "during" photos. The garage is all cleaned up (Owl Poppa can now walk around in there, and thus domestic happiness returns) and my project is halfway finished.

My plan is to rip out the hideous wood shelving and put in another super deep plastic shelving unit. With the available wall space, I want to make a workbench for J and a pegboard on the wall for his tools. The opposite wall, behind my furry model, I want to put up a display of kid artwork, and further organize the toys so that the kids are able to play. Lots of the boxes stacked on the floor and against the walls are things to take to Goodwill, so some of the clutter will be reduced. And in case you noticed, yes, our laundry area is in the garage, so that needs to be accounted for too. Part of the reason I want the kids to have a safe place to play out there is because, as I keep mentioning, I am always doing laundry! :) My sewing area is also in the garage (not because I want it there, but because there is no place else for it) so I would love to see that get some attention as well. But unfortunately, I can't make any more progress until Owl Poppa has his next few days off, unless I can convince W that the playpen is a really really cool place to hang out!

Monday Morning Blues

and reds and purples. :) The kids spent the later part of the morning coloring pictures of Set and Osiris, after reading a little bit about Ancient Egypt for History today. W mostly colored on himself.

And speaking of colors, Owl Poppa is home today, and spending the afternoon planting flower bulbs in the front flower beds. It's going to look so pretty when he is done.

I'm off to finish my over-ambitous garage organization project, trying to create an indoor play space for the kids, for when it finally gets too hot to play outside. It's one of those projects where you have to rip everything out, making a huge mess, before you can get the organizational part done. Unfortunately, I'm only as far as the Huge Mess Stage, and it's been that way for two weeks at least. Owl Poppa is a bit unhappy about having to dodge so much junk just to put his work shoes in the garage. So, I am going to work diligently this cool and breezy afternoon and try to finish it up for him.

Maybe I'll post pics of the finished project later (there will be NO before photos though. It is really that bad out there).

No Deep Thoughts Today...

I am just too tired :)

W is STILL boycotting sleep. Owl Poppa got up with W at 6:45 this morning, and I got to sleep in until 9:30! Amazing! Not that Owl Poppa got up with the kids (he is so great about that), but that I had all that time, in bed, by MYSELF!!!!!! And then I made a big breakfast (brunch, really) and stayed in my pajamas until after noon. So, I am still tired, but have a somewhat sunnier outlook.

In fact, while washing up brunch dishes, in my pajamas, I was a little overcome with how lucky and blessed I am. W (not in the least bit tired, mind you) was playing with his firetruck on the floor; K was sitting on the couch reading a book; J was at the coffee table playing with his playmobil. Owl Poppa and I were in the kitchen... I was washing up the dishes and he was cooking up the last of the pancake batter. It was one of those rare moments where everyone was happy and content and quiet. We were really quite the picture of domestic bliss. I had to stop what I was doing, and just take a deep breath and smile. It was all so sweet and was glad to have a chance to stop and savor it.

While it lasted. Because anyone who has spent any time with my little owls knows it didn't last long :)

Weekly Update

This was our first week back to school after an extended break (again). We are starting out this time around using an organized curriculum and lesson plans (we're using a modified version of the Ambleside Online Curriculum, more on this later), and things are going very well.

I am actually a little bit shocked.

My hero, um... I mean, my good friend, Dawn inspired me to sit and think about what I wanted our weekly schedule to look like. I tried to be realistic about what we could actually accomplish, and to leave plenty of time built in for transitions, reistance, chasing W out of the crayons, and the other "real life" things that crop up when you are trying to do anything constructive with 3 children ages 6 and under.

After a week of implementation, I think we have something that will stick. YAY!!!! And we are able to get all of our academic pursuits taken care of by noon. Which leaves time to fix lunch and eat in time for W to go down for a nap at 1.

For anyone curious enough, our schedule looks something like this.
"School" in the a.m. Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri. Wednesdays are not school days, since J has capoeira on Tuesday nights and K has ballet on Wednesday mornings.

Daily work includes:
Poetry
Aesops Fables
Math - J
Math - K
Reading Lesson - J
Reading Lesson - K
Copy work - J
Copy work - K
Spanish vocab
Daily Read Aloud Assignment

After a quick snack, and a chance to play outside, we then do one more "special subject":
Monday is History
Tuesday is Artist Study and Composer Study
Thursday is Park Day
Friday is Science Project
Nature Study is whenever we can fit it in

It really looks like alot all typed out like this, but all the lessons and reading selections are very short. We have been starting in around 9, and finishing up around noon, with lots of breaks. And since we are doing Math and Reading lessons separately, whoever is not with mom is having a chance to play outside or do quiet activities inside.

And I am just so pleased at the progress I've seen in just this week, especially with J. I think the schedule is agreeing with everyone. And the best part is, Owl Poppa is happy too!

Coming Attractions

To combat my writer's block, I'll list a few things I am planning to blog about...
Weekly recap: our first week back to schooling
Curriculum and Lesson Plans
Simplicity and Contentment
Deep Thoughts on Attachment
CSA

Now, if I EVER get a good night's sleep, maybe I'll have the energy to take the thoughts out of my head and into the wide (blogger) world. W seems to think that 3 am is the perfect time to be silly and awake. Owl Momma would like to politely disagree.

I'm off to make a cup of tea and hope today goes better.