Making Salsa

We have been blessed with another good tomato year.

Two years ago, we had a bumper crop of tomatoes in our garden and canned a huge amount of salsa.

Last year, we didn’t plant any tomatoes and instead attempted to grow cucumbers as we needed to replenish our pickle supply. Unfortunately, we didn’t bargain for the volunteer pumpkins taking over the garden and choking out the cukes.

This year, we pulled up all the volunteer pumpkins and had a great cucumber crop. We are also experiencing a wonderful tomato crop. Thus, it is time to make some more tomato-based canned goods. As you can tell from the picture, we were able to make quite a few pint jars of salsa several weeks back. We have another load of tomatoes in the fridge, and tonight we hope to finish up the salsa-making for this year.

Worn Out

It is a good thing summer is almost over. One of the girls came home from playing at a neighbor’s house in tears. One of her sandals had come apart. The kids have been playing pretty hard all summer and their foot-wear shows it.

I dug out some shoes and had all the kids try them on. They all have a pair that fits – for now. The oldest will need another pair fairly soon, but everyone is shod. While the weather is warm, they hate donning socks and shoes when they could be wearing sandals.

Life sure is tough when you are a kid, isn’t it?

Photo Friday: Our First Morning Glory

Finishing Up Some Things

Since we will start back to (home) school on Tuesday, September 2, we have been trying to get a few more things done. One example is replacing the door between our garage and our kitchen.

Almost five years ago, we had just moved into this house and only had two children. One night, I put the younger child down to sleep and took the older one outside with me so that I could mow the lawn. My spouse was working the night shift and wouldn’t be home until morning. I thought I would provide a nice surprise by not only mowing, but also trimming the lawn. (I normally do not do the trimming.) I would have been okay if I had just called it quits after I was done mowing the lawn. But NO, I had to try to show off.

When I was finally done and had put everything away, I collected our older child and tried to head inside.

Only to realize she had locked the door on the inside before coming outside.

I had seen this before and had planned ahead by unlocking the deck door deadbolt. Since we never lock the lower knob on the door between the dining room and the deck, we headed around to get into the house that way.

No dice. While the deadbolt was unlocked, this darned child had locked the lower knob on this door too!

I was faced with a dilemma. I had an infant asleep inside, two of us outside, and a spouse who wouldn’t be home until almost 7 a.m. I knew only one neighbor and they were not home. The windows were all very thick and very locked shut. The front door was both dead-bolted and had a locked storm door.

The good news: I got in by kicking the door in – the door between the garage and the kitchen.

The bad news:  It only took two kicks – and one was pretty half-hearted. Definitely not a “secure” door.

The result was that the door let the draft in during the winter because of the bad seal and swelled up badly in the summer – making it sticky and hard to open.

Since it was ultimately my fault, I finally got around to ordering a replacement door. I tore out the old door and installed the new one. I painted the outside trim in anticipation of installing a storm door here as well (a long-time wish of mine).

There were a few hiccups along the way that still need to be taken care of – each which would need a story/post of its own. I hope to get the trim up this weekend. I am unsure when I’ll get the storm door installed.

The kids were very helpful (except when I needed them not to keep opening the door and trying to go through while I was attempting to fasten it).

P.S. The door is level – it is the picture that is crooked.

Review: Haystack Full of Needles by Alice Gunther

Haystack Full of Needles
A Catholic Home Educator’s Guide to Socialization
by Alice Gunther

I had never heard of Alice Gunther. But the subtitle intrigued me.

The foreword was written by Laura Berquist. But I’m not big on reading the ‘latest, greatest’ book on any topic when it is still hot off the press. I prefer to wait until the fervor has died down and pick it up at the local library.

Chances of my local library ever having a copy of this book:  extremely low.

So, I ended up ordering three copies before the book was published. I always pass along books I like to my friends, but for some reason, I thought this might make a good ‘gift’ book for other Catholic homeschooling moms.

After reading it, I am even more firmly of this belief – especially if you want to put some of the author’s suggestions into practice in your own homeschool community.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. I had a vague impression from reading various online reviews that it would be useful to read and have in my library. A friend thought it would be full of practical advice on homeschooling activities to celebrate Catholic events and activities with other home educators. Perhaps the book would offer answers to the “socialization” question that homeschoolers often get. Haystack was these things, yet trying to sum it up with just that would be untrue.

Mrs. Gunther tells many stories of her own throughout the book – her journey to homeschooling, finding fellow hikers on the road less traveled, and highlights or summaries of her and her children’s favorite activities. These are enjoyable in themselves, but they are by no means the “meat” of the book.

The author points out that there are two different types of “socialization” that people wonder about – 1) “learning to relate to others” and 2) “having friends, fun, and a satisfying social life.” She deals mostly with the latter with many practical suggestions for finding other home educators, planning activities, attending events, adjusting for different age groups or genders, and a lot more.

After reading the book, one of my gift recipients admitted to being disappointed. She was disappointed that she doesn’t live near the author. Would webe able to implement any of Mrs. Gunther’s recommendations with such a small group of Catholic homeschoolers in our area? (We number only four families in our little community.) Looking closely, there are very few suggested activities that we would not be able to do, albeit on a small scale. We lack only the time and energy of the moms to organize them.

One emphasis of the author is on the pattern of three elements which have made for enjoyable activities: coffee, prayer, and simplicity. She also suggests planning things in six week chunks to make them more manageable.

The aspect of the book that I personally enjoyed the most was her comforting look back at her oldest two children – as they were when first starting out and now, so many years later. She leaves this book to inspire, reassure, and guide home educating parents on their own journey. Use it as a map, a compass, or a field guide, depending on where you are on the road less traveled.

While I plan to loan my copy out to other Catholic and non-Catholic home educators and friends, I am glad I bought it. With enough prayer, courage, and energy, I will attempt to implement one or two of the author’s suggestions in my own little neck of the woods. I would encourage you to buy, beg, or borrow this book. It is worth the read . . . and the re-read!

Hillside Education
www.hillsideeducation.com
$12.95
More reviews can be found here.

The Writing on the Wall

My mother used to tell us she prayed that each of us had children like we were. In my case, her prayers have been answered in Child #3.

As alluded to in a previous post, my third child has been known to draw on our walls. While there haven’t been any new sightings in awhile, I took some pictures of some of the existing creations.  And this one is not my artistic one.

Due to the shortcuts by the people who built the house, I cannot use a Magic Eraser(TM) to remove the marks. There is only one layer of drywall compound that is also the only layer of primer/paint. It contains a texture agent that shreds the Magic Eraser. Any other attempts to remove marks from the wall result in removing the mud/primer right down to the drywall in a matter of seconds. We will have to completely repaint (primer & paint) at some point.

How Do You Know They Are Ready?

I never wanted to be one of those parents who sent their kid to something just because they were a certain age. We are Catholic and in our diocese and our parish, it is considered a given that second graders receive their First Holy Communion. As a parent, this has been on my mind for the last year, because our oldest is considered to be starting second grade this fall.

My spouse and I have been discussing with our child and evaluating readiness for this sacrament and for that of Penance (also called Confession or Reconcilliation). I have recently decided that we had better wait another year. She has the technical knowledge that is desired before taking such a step, but not the level of maturity. One friend pointed out that Sacraments come with their own graces and perhaps one should give the benefit of the doubt. (Catholics believe that we receive Jesus in Holy Communion – that the Eucharist is really the Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity of Jesus Christ and not just a symbol. So, this is truly a big step in our faith.)

For all Christians out there – not just the Catholics – how do you determine when a child is ready for a big step in your faith? Whether it be Confirmation, Communion, or Baptism (for those who do not practice infant-baptisms)?

Apologia – changes coming soon?

Since we are using Apologia’s Astronomy text this year, I was intrigued with an Apologia ad I saw in a magazine. I had heard Apologia had changed ownership, but the ad says there will be something new coming September 1st.

Help remind me to check http://www.apologia.com after September 1st to find out.

Why Homeschool?

What’s Your Answer to the Inevitable Question?

Some people go out of their way to point out that they homeschool. Others try to keep a low profile and mention homeschooling only when pressed directly. (I overheard a conversation at the pool this summer between two acquaintances. One mother asked the other what grade her middle child would be in this fall. The second mom, whom I know teaches her children at home, replied to the question without mentioning homeschooling.) Regardless of how it comes up, there are a few statements and a couple of questions that come up time after time.

“I couldn’t do that.”
“My kids don’t listen to me.”
“My kids drive me crazy during the summer. I don’t know how you could have them around all year long.”
“What about sports?”
“How long are you planning on doing this?”
“What about socialization?”
“Why do you homeschool?”

I am only going to address the last question listed because I think it is a bit different than the others. Not only have I been asked this question by friends, relatives, and strangers, but fellow homeschoolers have also inquired as to our reasons.

Answering this question can be simple, complex, lengthy, positive, negative, or education. Your answer might be the same every time, depend on who asked the question, or it might vary based on your most recent experiences. While it didn’t impact my answer, I recently attended a catechist training session where several of the attendees complained of excessive Wednesday night homework that interferes with CCD and peers making fun of the Catholic kids who say grace at meals.

Sometimes the reasons you started to homeschool are not the same as why you continue. Within the last year, I read a blog entry by a homeschooler who used to insist she was ‘different’ than other homeschoolers because she ‘fell into’ homeschooling and didn’t plan to do it. She writes that now she has completely different reasons for continuing to homeschool her children.

When answering, I try to focus on the many positives of homeschooling and not as much on the negatives I am trying to avoid When I wish to give a simple and quick answer, I respond truthfully that we feel God has called us to this path.

For those who are searching out God’s Will in their own lives, I might start with the statement that each family has their own reasons for homeschooling and that we have many. Then, I might go into some of ours. For example, we want our children to learn about God everyday. We can tailor their education to encourage their interests while giving extra help in their weaker areas. Their learning happens at a pace they set – faster or slower depending on their needs. Sometimes, you may unknowingly be an answer to a prayer or an agent of the Holy Spirit. Being positive and cheerful in your answer keeps the path open to other questions and shows that you are a good ambassador for the homeschooling community.

When pressed, I do admit there are negative situations we wish to avoid. Unfortunately, there seem to always be reminders of these in the national news – school lock downs, violence, bullying, sexually explicit programs of one sort or another, hostile anti-Christian teachers, etc. I don’t bring these up myself. Others who bring them up are admitting that the path most traveled (public schooling) isn’t lacking its own set of dark shadows, brambles, and potholes.

My answer tends to be more complex and I end up in much more of a give-and-take discussion when I am talking to a fellow home educator. I admit to curiosity about why others take the road less traveled. Their reasons sometimes resonate with me and sometimes show me what a diverse group of people homeschoolers are. Once, at a meeting I attended, a fairly new homeschooling mother briefly outlined why she had removed her children from the public school system. I admired her strength in bucking the system because she wanted her children’s education to include God.

“Why do you homeschool?”

 

 The question will come up. I encourage you to always keep in mind the reasons you homeschool and then let the Holy Spirit guide you in your answer.

Speed Record!

No, not a new record at the Olympics. (Note we don’t have cable/satellite or even rabbit ears that work anymore, so we haven’t been watching the Olympics on T.V.) But, there was a speed record set today. In Lawn Mowing!

Normally, I would tell you that mowing our lawn takes one and one-half hours. It is roughly broken down into 30 minutes each for the front and back yard plus 15 minutes each for the sides of the house. It usually takes me close to two hours (or more) since I have to stop for copious interruptions – finding things, changing poopy diapers, putting children down for naps, getting water for children who suddenly can’t remember how to work any of the faucets or the water dispenser on the refrigerator, cleaning up water and ice on the floor for those children who do remember how to work the water/ice dispenser on the refrigerator but think making a mess is a lot of fun, answering questions, etc.

Today, however, there were some extra pieces of cardboard in our garage to play with; it wasn’t that hot; I’d already changed two poopy diapers previously; only the baby took a nap and that was in the morning; and nothing was lost that I had to find. With only minimal interruptions, grass that hadn’t over-grown since the last time it was mowed, and a very dry lawn, I was done in . . . .

{Drum roll please}

Fifty-five minutes!

That left me 15 minutes to shower & get into new clothes and 20 minutes to read to the kids before we headed out to the library with 30 minutes to spare before it closed. Color me amazed.