The Trivium

Ah, finally, I found a good description of the theory we follow for schooling our kids, already typed up. I was going to type it, but these guys did a great job, so why re-invent the wheel?
http://www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/the_trivium_in_a_capsule.php

If I only had a...

Poor little Payge. She's been a little confused as to how the whole bathroom thing works. She wants to be trained, and she's been trying on her own to show me that she wants to be big like the other kids. However, I could tell she isn't quite ready when I walked into the bathroom today and saw her with her shirt pulled up, grabbing her belly button with both hands and leaning over the edge of the toilet...trying so hard to "pee" standing up via her button. She was really giving it her all, squeezing her tummy with those tiny hands. I just backed out so she wouldn't know I saw her, then she flushed, and came out of the bathroom looking a little triumphant--or maybe flustered. I can only imagine what she was thinking.

Leaving me wondering...

Should I be worried? I'm sitting here typing and my son is in the bathroom. I don't know what he is doing, but I do know that he is singing, "Costs a quarter to smell it!" over and over again. Smell what? I wonder. Then he says to the baby, "Hey babies get to smell for free!" as he comes out of the bathroom. I'm still sitting here, listening quietly.

I got the answer a few minutes later. He was carrying around the lemon-grass container. So, rather than be worried that I have a normal boy on my hands (which is a good thing), I'll wonder what other types of sales schemes my capitalist-by-nature (oooh, or would that be nurture, given his mother's profession when I'm not mothering?) son has going on in his head.

He reminds me very much of my older brother who used to go buy large amounts of penny candy with his allowance and then sell it at school for 5 cents a piece when we had a closed campus middle school. This similarity is a good thing, since my brother is amazing and has done well for himself, taking care of his family and all.

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Oh, yesterday was THE. BEST. DAY. EVER. At least a few moments of it were. The kids decided to play duck, duck, goose with stuffed animals included to make the circle bigger. Each time one of the older children touched Payge on the head and said "duck" she squealed with delight to be included in the game. Then, when Zac touched Chayce and said, "Goose!" both girls got up and started running. Because they all run at about the same pace, there was an evenly spaced circle of children running, and running, and running--not quite catching each other. I had to try really hard not to laugh...oh, who am I kidding, I laughed hysterically! Finally, they called it off and sat back down to try again, Chayce wanting to be "it". Again, Payge would squeal with glee each time she was touched, her grin unsurpassed by anything I've seen, and then when "Goose!" was yelled, it didn't matter who had been touched, they all started running in the same circle again.

Childhood rocks.

Two Coconut Give-Aways!

Mmmm. I love using coconut oil to cook in. Now, Tropical Traditions has a new product that I want to try, Peanut Butter with coconut oil in it. I realize I could mix my own peanut butter together with coconut oil, and make many of the recipes, but...what if I could WIN a jar of the stuff...mmmm. It's worth a shot. You can try, too, if you want to...
http://sweeps4bloggers.com/?p=671

For a give-away of just plain ol' coconut oil (which is exceptional) go here: http://cutepea.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/gold-label-virgin-coconut-oil-review-and-giveaway/

Food Storage for $5/week

Being prepared in 2010, it seems to be something a lot of folks are thinking about. You just never know when having a store of food will come in handy, so I'm sharing a plan I received from a friend that gives a good guideline for first time storers.

I received this handout many years ago, so, I'm sure the prices have gone up a bit. I think it should be about $8 now, maybe a little more. Anyhow, for those just starting, it is a good place to start.
However, realize that some weeks will be LESS than $5 (like the soup weeks, or tuna) so you save the left over amount and roll it over to the next week. You should use a total of $260/year, but it'll probably be a bit more since grain prices have gone up.

Week1: 6 lbs Salt
Week2: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week3: 20 lbs sugar
Week4: 50lbs of wheat (un-ground. I'll post some recipes for wheat without a grinder later)
Week5: 6lbs pasta
Week6: 20lbs sugar
Week7: 8 cans tomato soup.
Week8: 8 cans tuna
Week9: 6 lbs yeast
Week10: 50 lbs wheat
Week11: 8 cans tomatoes
Week12: 20 lbs sugar
Week13: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week14: 7 boxes mac n' cheese
Week 15: 50 lbs wheat
Week16: 5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week17: 1 bottle 500 count multi-vitamins
Week18: 10lbs powdered milk
Week19: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week20: 50 lbs wheat
Week21: 8 cans tomato soup
Week22:20lbs of sugar
Week23: 8 cans tuna
Week24: 6 lbs shortening
Week25: 50lbs of wheat
Week26: 5 lbs honey
Week27: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week28: 20 lbs sugar
Week29: 5lbs peanut butter
Week30: 50 lbs of wheat
Week31: 7 boxes mac n'cheese
Week32: 10 lbs powdered milk
Week33: 1 bottle 500 count aspirin
Week34: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week35: 50 lbs of wheat
Week36: 7 boxes mac n'cheese
Week37: 6 lbs salt
Week 38: 20 lbs sugar
Week39: 8 cans tomato soup
Week40: 50 lbs of wheat
Week41:5 cans cream of chicken soup
Week42: 20 lbs sugar
Week43: 1 500 count bottle vitamins
Week44: 8 cans tuna
Week45: 50 lbs wheat
Week46: 6 lbs pasta
Week47: 20 lbs sugar
Week48: 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
Week49: 5 pounds of honey
Week50: 20 lbs of sugar
Week51: 8 cans tomato soup
Week52: 50 lbs of wheat

You should end up with enough in storage to feed two people. Personally, I'd buy less wheat and add in some dry beans or lentils. Especially lentils because they are faster cooking. However, Whole wheat berries, when soaked and cooked are high in many of the vitamins needed to survive. I personally, would also buy canola oil rather than shortening, and some oats because they make a great fast breakfast (and who could live without oatmeal cookies in case of emergency? Not I!)

Also, it might be more cost effective in the long run to buy each item in larger quantities when on sale. For example, when I knew wheat was available for $0.35/lb, I went ahead and bought a full 600 lbs, rather than 50 pounds here and there. Of course, we use it regularly.
Good luck!

Family

New Year's Resolution #1 is off the list. The family portrait. Done! Whew!

Hope you all had a productive January 1st! Happy New Year!!