Family Updates

We've now been in full-swing school mode for 2 months.

Natalia is in 2nd grade, LOVES her teacher, is making new friends and enjoying continuing friendships from previous years.  The social aspects of the school day continue to be her favorite part, but she is a real worker bee and is striving to do her best despite the challenges that learning poses.  On that front we are making some progress in figuring out the balance that will help her, and it is a process that is stretching and growing us all in valuable ways.  My hope and prayer for this year was that not only would Natalia start to experience some success to keep her going, but also that her teacher and anyone else that works with her would get a good pulse on Natalia; that they would understand what motivates and works for her.  Already I've seen that prayer answered in numerous ways. 

Adam is in a 3-morning Preschool program at our district's high school.  I have been so impressed by the head teacher, the high school "teachers", and just the content that they pack into the morning.  Adam has a good grip on the alphabet, can write, and is starting to read some words, but his foundation will only solidify with this program, not to mention the classroom disciplines he's learning.  Every morning he wakes up and asks if he has school.  :)

My days have been more busy than I anticipated simply with the kids varying schedules--and the fact that we have now been re-zoned as walkers.  It's a good hike up the hill (1 mile round trip) and we make it twice a day when the weather allows.  (Que the familiar, "when I was your age I walked 2 miles to school, in the snow, uphill boths ways...")  Next year when Adam starts Kindergarten I'll make the trip 3 times!!!  To think that after letting my gym membership expire for financial reasons this winter, I was praying for God to open up a scheduled time for me to exercise...  :)

We've been wrapping up our pastured poultry operation for the year.  In alittle more than a week we will finish with the last batch for a grand total of 450 birds for 2013.  Hard to believe we've been doing this for 4 years...an exciting, provisional adventure.  We continue to keep our eyes open for a single family property in our area with 1 1/2 acres.  Our dream is to keep raising chickens, add a handful of egg layers and maybe a goat.  So far it seems an impossible dream on a teacher's salary, but who knows!  God has provided in many big ways in the past.  If it's to be, it will be.  I've learned a lot about contentment through this process, and it's always a challenge, but just what I need.

 

With autumn's onset, we've been enjoying campfires with friends, as well as a trip to the Science Factory in Lancaster and Strasburg Railroad courtesy of the library's free passes/reading program.  Other highlights have been our local farm show, numerous extended family weddings, and the father/son campout at church.  Pete and I will take the kids to the mountains for a weekend soon.  It's become one of our favorite yearly traditions, and it thrills me to carry on the memories of my childhood romps in the woods. 

On the homefront I was able to make applesauce again this year as well as freezer corn and canned peaches.  Those are my staples and all I tackled this year.  Our small garden did okay, but not great.  I was hoping for zucchini, cucumbers, and meadow tea but something got to those plants.  The tomatoes however are still producing!  I have grand visions of having a garden in our own backyard someday...gonna' have to grow a green thumb though first.  That is definitely not my strength. 

Last, but not least, there is book club.  Oh, how I love it, let me count the ways... 
I haven't been reading nearly as many books as in the past, but I'm definitely being stretched to read new things, and the fellowship we have over our meal together with the book discussion afterward has been a highlight for me every month.  Look for my reviews and ratings soon.  :)

After An 8 Month Hiatus...

It was partly intentional, but also a bi-product of the season I was in.  As always, this blog was meant to be a creative outlet.  Not a priority when life got busy.  I've missed it, but not in the way that I expected.

Posts that are upcoming:

FAMILY UPDATES

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

THOUGHTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: The How, The Why

and of course some NEW RECIPES!

Stay tuned...

Learning

It's hard to watch your kid struggle.

I've shared a bit before that academics haven't been an easy road for my girl.  Yes, she's only in first grade, but the year and a half has felt much longer!

In the years leading up to this we've definately foreseen that focusing and attention issues would play a part for her, but didn't know to what degree.  We had no worries about her intelligence.  She is bright and imaginative and very expressive, not to mention a social butterfly.  But how that translates at school has always been the question.

Since starting Kindergarten we noticed her struggling with certain disciplines (primarily in reading) but it was a time of big transition.  So aside from taking advantage of the specialized reading help available at school, we recognized that it might just take her longer.  And that has carried over into this year in first grade.

But it's now the end of the 2nd marking period, and clearly something is still blocking her from moving forward.  She has made some progress, but is noticeably struggling and frustrated.  While it's true that kids are pushed to perform earlier and earlier these days, I've been thankful for the school that she is enrolled in, and their efforts to provide the extra help she needs.  Yes, the process can feel long sometimes, but being a parent means you need to be an advocate, and it does us no harm to have to stay on top of things. 

Through formal and informal evaluations conducted by the school and us, the best we can determine so far is that she is having retrieval issues (the concepts are there but pulling out the correct word is difficult) , some short term memory difficulties, she's a visual/right-brained learner (but most of curriculum is auditory/left-brained oriented), and she probably has ADD.

So, the last two months have largely been dedicated to gathering information on what to try next.  I've had very timely discussions with other moms, home and public schoolers, the special education teachers at Natalia's school, and again and again I've seen the kindness of God.  In the times where I've lacked answers and just wanted the issues solved already, He's quieted my heart and my whirlwind thoughts.  When I've struggled with comparing my child to others and discontent has threatened to take root, He has made me aware of the blessings that are disguised in this hardship.  When I've doubted and feared that I can be the parent I need to be in this season, His joy and assurance have steadied my limbs.  And He's given me a good man to stand beside...a tremendous means of grace!

So...what are we doing?

Well, one resource shared with me on brain integration therapy has yielded some helpful things.  When I've felt completely at a loss to even know what questions to ask, Dianne Craft's website has allowed me to determine Natalia's brain, eye, and hand dominance, along with corresponding factors that can help or hinder learning.  A good look at focusing/attention issues were included, and I appreciated her practical tips (such as using more right-brained strategies and her encouragement to adjust expectations), but also that she recognized the dilemma of natural vs. popular medicine. 

In keeping with the very real possibility that Natalia may need medication for her heart condition in the coming years, we're trying to avoid mainstream "go to" drugs for her focusing issues unless nothing else works.  If we don't have to add to her health equation we don't want to.  We're not purists, but there are alot of options out there that are non-chemical.  We figure that it can't hurt to try.

Another thing we're trying are these revamped sight word flashcards.  I must confess that because this type of thing is right up my alley, I enjoyed the challenge and task of making them so much that even if it only makes practicing more fun for her, it was worth it!  But we're also hoping they help stimulate both sides of her brain and make those pesky sight words stick!  :)

The idea is to represent the single word within the image or with a short phrase.  (Double click on the images if you want to view them larger.)

New Book Club Titles

Last night we had our selection meeting for book club, and I must say that it is one of my favorite meetings.  I get to come home and add a boatload of titles to my "to read" list.    :-)

I know, I know...I'm alittle nutty.  But reading always has (and likely will be) my go-to hobby and what I do to both rejuvenate and unwind.

If you're interested in some new titles, maybe check one of these out.  I've only read the ones starred, and I'd highly recommend both.  I'm including a brief description to pique your interest.  Though I probably would have never picked up half of these titles, I love that through book club my reading horizons are being expanded.  And having a group of Christian women to discuss them with makes it even more enriching.

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MARCH: The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

(Historical fiction, Italian immigrants)

APRIL: Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

(American midwest fiction, family searching for outlaw son)

MAY: An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales by Oliver Sacks

(Case Studies, Neurology, Psychology, ie: Temple Grandin)

JUNE: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

(Classic, young adult, adventure fiction)

JULY: What Is The What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng by Dave Eggers

(Lost Boys of Sudan)

AUGUST: My Antonia by Willa Cather

(Classic American literature, Nebraska pioneers)

SEPTEMBER: The Testament by John Grisham *

(Legal thriller, inheritance, Brazilian missionary)

OCTOBER: The Invisible Gorilla by Christopher F. Chabris and Daniel Simons

(Cognitive Psychology, Memory, Perception)

NOVEMBER: Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

(Memoir, Africa, Women, Islam)

DECEMBER: The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time by Mark Haddon

(Young adult fiction, mystery, autism, humor)

JANUARY (2014): Cleaning House: A Mom's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement by Kay Wills Wyma *

(Christian living, parenting, organization, humor)

FEBRUARY: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

(Historical fiction, American Civil War, Gettysburg)

Christmas

This year was an especially memorable Christmas because Ryan and Sarah were able to fly east to be with us.  And since her family is less than an hour away they could go back and forth as schedules allowed for large and small gatherings. 

Here are some pictures from our time together.

The pillows my mom made for each of the grandkids (Liam was napping.)

We promptly declared it naptime...but alas it was short-lived.

My mom also made doll clothes for the girls.  She used material left over from my prom dress for this one!!!

We made Mom & Dad work for their gift--they both love Words With Friends, so it was fitting.  :-)  Can you guess their surprise?

Hangin' out.

Bein' silly.

The girls (plus a few of the boys) gave us a little concert and nativity reinactment.  Absolutely precious.

Our family picture session.  I'd say we got some good ones in the 5 shots we took.  That's about all this crowd will sit still for!!! 

 

And during Ryan and Sarah's visit to our home we shared lunch, played games and pulled out Natalia's new Ed Emberly Thumbprint drawing book and made cards.  Adam pretty much cleaned up in UNO as always.  And it was really nice that Pete had off work and could enjoy their visit too.  :-)

 

  

Lots o' Birthdays

Our birthday marathon began on the 20th with Adam turning 4 (WHAT!?!?!?!!), Natalia officially hitting 7 (MIND BOGGLING!!!) and is concluding today with me.  Statistically I'm now closer to 40 than 30.  I don't care much for statistics.

As many of you know we celebrate 1/2 birthdays in this house, for reasons of significance, economy, and, let's face it--sanity.  Not wanting the kids to feel slighted, we've adopted a tradition that works well for us.  Except for when someone hits a milestone birthday, we celebrate their REAL birthday with a family night at home and reserve the 1/2 birthday summertime picnic for the grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins...and their gifts.  It spreads things out nicely for everyone.

Each year I let the kids decide how they want their cake decorated and I make one of their favorite meals for dinner.  This year Adam wanted baked chicken wings, carrots and celery, applesauce, and "bear" cupcakes.  He had seen a picture on our computer from his 1st birthday when I had made these.  (Of course he was too little to remember having them the first time when a blizzard interrupted our party with the family.)  I made a few adjustments to my earlier design: malted milk balls for the nose, halved peanut butter cups for the ears, and left off the sprinkles.



And is it a surprise to anyone that Natalia wanted "horse" cupcakes?!?!?!  I think not.
I think they look alittle donkey-ish but she loved them and that's what counts!  :-)

A picture tutorial for making them if anyone's interested.

I used lollipop-making sticks (cut in half), chocolate icing piped out of a ziplock for mouth and mane, halved peanut butter cups for ears, and chocolate chips (trimmed the edges for the nostrils) for the eyes and nose.  Oh, and peanut butter icing on top of white cupcakes.  You can find the cake and icing recipes by clicking on the link for the bears toward the beginning of this post.  (I stirred together some peanut butter, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla until I got the consistency I wanted for icing--sorry, no specific recipe for that.)



What I Read In 2012--Part 3

Here are the remaining titles and my rating system one more time:
* Ehh. Didn't like it at all.
** Just okay.
*** Good. Borrow it from the library.
**** Really good. Well-written.
***** Excellent. One for your personal library.

1.  FREEDOM'S STAND by Jeanette Windle  **
I picked up this sequel to VEILED FREEDOM, just to see where the author took the story.  It was a revealing glimpse into the persecution Christians face in countries where their faith is not tolerated, as well as the prison system.  Once again the book follows the same 3 main characters with one semi-new addition, and it was generally entertaining.  The author left obvious room for a third book, but I'm not sure I'll pick it up.

2.  CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins  **
In my opinion, this is the better of the two books that conclude the Hunger Games trilogy, though by my two star rating you can see how much I enjoyed it.  As rebellion against the capitol has begun, Katniss and Peeta join Haymitch and the winners from the past 24 years in a special edition of the Hunger Games.  This book didn't introduce any new themes or develop those of the first book very much.  It pretty much followed the characters and the action.  Unless you absolutely loved the first book, you can skip the rest of the series in my opinion.

3.  MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins  *
The last book of the trilogy followed Katniss, Peeta and Gale along with survivors of the rebellion living underground in District 13.  A team goes to the Capitol to dethrone President Snow, and the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale is resolved in the end.  Lots of action, but again little of what fascinated me in the first book.

4.  THE BEST OF ME by Nicholas Sparks  *
It was a fluffy one I read in the middle of a row of very serious and heavy books.  Skip it.

5.  HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford ****
A tender story of how a Chinese teen living in San Francisco navigates life and his first love during the Japanese Internment following WWII.  Though-provoking and sweet, I really liked this one.

6.  PEARL IN THE SAND by Tessa Afshar  ***
An interesting look at the life of Rahab, and her life during the seige of Jericho and the years that follow.  Obviously there isn't a lot of information in scripture about her, but what there is, the author explores and puts in narrative form.  An enjoyable read.  If not for reading and thoroughly loving Lynn Austen's CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS series which was so rich with historical information and scriptural references, I probably would have enjoyed this one more and maybe rated it higher. 

7.  FULL DISCLOSURE by Dee Henderson  **
If you've read the O'Malley series, you know Henderson is capable of the perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and faith.  This book, while able to stand alone, has a tie-in to the O'Malley series, but 1/3 of the way in I could see how it was going to end...and that just isn't what I expect from this author at all!  Such a let-down.

8.  THE VIOLETS OF MARCH by Sarah Jio  ***
So many characters I had to take notes, this story alternated between past and present, with an obvious tie between the two--the mystery of who was who a complete surprise in the end.  I thought I had it figured out just before the final chapter.  But I was wrong.  I'd classify this one as a romantic mystery because the mystery got top billing.  Again, a book that I picked up because I needed a break from the heavy topics.

9.  TWILIGHT by Kristen Heitzmann  ***
A piece of Christian fiction, this was pretty predictable, but still enjoyable.  Contained enough suspense to keep me reading along at a good clip.  I haven't read all of her books, but prefer INDIVISIBLE the most.

10. and 11.  THE HOPE OF REFUGE and THE BRIDGE OF PEACE by Cindy Woodsmall  **
Amish fiction is definately not a genre I give much attention, but I had really enjoyed her SISTERS OF THE QUILT trilogy a few years ago, so I thought I'd try these.  So many books in this genre are fluffy and predictable, only skimming the surface.  The first and second books in the ADA'S HOUSE series, I'm not going to continue with the third.  The first one was the better of the two in my opinion.

*And just recently I finished reading the entire LITTLE HOUSE series to Natalia.  It took us alittle over a year to get through the 9 books.  She loved them!!  We are currently reading HELEN KELLER and it is so sweet to see Natalia imagining and pretending to be in Helen's shoes just like I remember doing many moons ago.

*I just pulled ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and ANNE OF AVONLEA out of my boxes in the basement. 
Any titles you'd recommend as read alouds for 7-9 year old girls?