The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.48: Our Farmhouse Schoolhouse in Photos (Week 11)

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What a whirlwind of a week!  The highlights include a fun Halloween celebration, All Saints Day mass and coming thisclose to hitting a deer on the way home (talk about adrenaline!), and meeting a friend’s brand new baby girl.  My house is looking a little rough and the laundry pile is high, but some weeks are like that, right?

Notes and highlights:

HALLOWEEN SCHOOL

+ Halloween is never a huge deal around our house, but we do have certain years where we go big and other years where it’s a little lean.  Financially, we’re on the lean side this year and couldn’t swing decking out five kids with new costumes at the store.  So instead, Mark suggested that we all come up with costumes that we can make from the dress-up box or around the house.  The kids were all about it!  To make the day extra special, we decided that instead of trick-or-treating (since we’re in the middle of nowhere with miles between houses), we would have “Halloween School” and a big family party.

+ We had ghost pancakes for breakfast, already dressed in our costumes.  We played a couple of fun games I found through Pinterest: a Roll a Pumpkin game and one that had you drawing with your eyes closed.  (We only had one kid crying, so I call that a success, hah.)  We also made a pumpkin pinata and lots of spooky crafts to decorate our dining room.  After a dinner of chili and cornbread, we knocked down the pinata and had a blindfolded candy taste test.  It was a full day, but so so good. 

HISTORY

+ The little kids started Pocahontas this week.  I’m embarrassed to say that I remember very little about her (and most of it probably comes from the Disney movie) so it’s been fun for me to learn along with them.

+ M is finishing up his Civil War unit with a small study on slavery and the Underground Railroad.  I feel like we only hit the tip of the iceberg, but it was a strong start.  He read Dear Austin: Letters from the Underground Railroad, Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad and Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt.

Current 1000 Books Project Total: 59/1000
Poetry Teatime Treat: Candy Bar Cookie Bars

MOTHER CULTURE & SELF-CARE

+ Health: Running and a new kettlebell workout I tried for the first time – I was sore everywhere for days!
+ Reading: not much…I’m in a reading funk!
+ Fun: Instead of reading, I’m spending any free time watching super old episodes of The Amazing Race.  So random, but fun to watch a show that I remember from high school.  There are 20-something seasons on Amazon Prime!

No.47: New Habits, Little by Little – Cooking at Home (October 2017)

Eighteen weeks of meals!  This month, like all the rest, tells a story: cooler temperatures, birthday celebrations, and a renewed enthusiasm for the kitchen.  Is it possible to be a cold-weather cook?  During the summer, I hate to be in the kitchen, but once that cool air hits?  I’m all about those chilis and soups and stews!  I’m not sure what they says about me, but I’m going to ride this train as long as I can, hah. 

Week 14 (cont.):
Sunday, October 1: stew meat, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and salad
Monday, October 2: Oktoberfest sheet pan brats and roasted vegetables (we doubled this recipe and also added a pork tenderloin, #bigfamilyproblems)
Tuesday, October 3: bean and cheese burritos
Wednesday, October 4: white chicken chili and homemade bread in the machine
Thursday, October 5: leftovers
Friday, October 6: frozen pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (Tex-Mex ribeye cheesesteak with caramelized onion and oven fries)

Week 15:
Saturday, October 7: slow cooker beef stew
Sunday, October 8: one-pan cheesy chicken, broccoli and rice
Monday, October 9: leftovers
Tuesday, October 10: mexican casserole
Wednesday, October 11: My birthday!  After a day of delicious meals and treats, we just ate leftovers for dinner
Thursday, October 12: skillet lasagna (thanks for the recipe, KD!)
Friday, October 13: personal mini pizzas using pocketless pitas

Week 16: 
Saturday, October 14: pasta and kielbasa skillet
Sunday, October 15: D’s birthday! pizza at my parents house
Monday, October 16: french onion meatball sandwiches
Tuesday, October 17: tacos
Wednesday, October 18: chicken breasts with Asian salad
Thursday, October 19: roasted chicken thighs and rice
Friday, October 20: popcorn and smoothies for the kids, Home Chef for date night (spinach and artichoke chicken with roasted broccoli and radishes)

Week 17:
Saturday, October 21: steak on the grill, salad and homemade French fries
Sunday, October 22: leftovers
Monday, October 23: frozen pizzas
Tuesday, October 24: tacos
Wednesday, October 25: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Thursday, October 26: roasted chicken thighs, salad and Sudanese flatbread
Friday, October 27: popcorn and smoothies for the kids, Home Chef for date night (acapulco steak tacos with pico and queso fresco)

Week 18:
Saturday, October 28: pulled pork tostadas
Sunday, October 29: one pot chicken and spinach pasta
Monday, October 30: slow cooker chunky beef and potato stew
Tuesday, October 31: Halloween!  taco spice chili and homemade cornbread

No.46: Five October Favorites

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1. LECTIO DIVINA & WRITING DOWN THE SCRIPTURES
Even though this type of praying with the Scriptures is an ancient practice, I am just discovering it!  This is one of the (many!) beautiful things about Catholicism – the faith is so rich and there is always something new to learn or discover.  Fr. Josh’s explanation on Youtube was simple and inspiring.  As a beginner, I wanted a bit of direction (vs. just randomly opening the Bible to random passages) so I’m using this kindness scripture plan.  I write out the verse in my notebook and then follow the lectio divina steps.  I’m really enjoying it! 

2. SPICY PICO OVER GUACAMOLE DIP
This dip was totally an impulse buy at the grocery store.  I can only eat a teeny part of the pico and a lot of guacamole at one time, but it’s SO good.  Mark, the two biggest boys and I finished an entire container in one sitting!

3. “A SMALL MIRACLE” FROM KALLAH
Like most people, we’re feeling some financial strain in our house right now.  Nothing drastic, but enough that I was starting to feel anxious and overwhelmed.  And then I stumbled on Kallah’s post, “A small miracle” and it was like God was talking through her right to me.  This part has stayed with me in the weeks since: “That’s the whole point of tithing, I think. It’s to give the Lord a chance to remind us that He is the one who gives and takes away; that everything we have is His anyway. It’s acknowledging that we do not control the outcomes of our lives no matter how great we are at planning for the future. It’s thanking Him for providing and an act of trust that He won’t stop.”

4. A FREE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO COURSE
I just signed up for a free Snackable Photo Course (delivered to your inbox) from Shlutz Photo School.  I’m only a few “Snacks” through, but I’m really enjoying them.  Someday I really want to invest in learning how to shoot in manual, but these tips are helpful for now.

5. NEW SWEATERS
My mom surprised me with a little birthday shopping spree – best surprise ever!  I got this sweater in two different colors (heather and taupe) and they are so warm and comfy.  And with Virginia finally realizing it’s fall, I’ve finally gotten to wear them too!


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I’d love to hear about five of your favorite things too!  Link up your post below!


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No.45: Our Farmhouse Schoolhouse in Photos (Week 10)

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The weather finally felt like fall this week.  The brisk mornings had us all bundled up in quilts and blankets.  We’ve had a lot of hot cups of cocoa or coffee in our hands.  P wore fleece footie pajamas for the first time and we all died at the cuteness.  Nature walks around our property to see the leaves has become one of our favorite things to do.  Fall, I think we love you.   

Notes and highlights:

GRAMMAR

+ We started a new unit using a book called Grammar-Land by M.L. Nesbitt. (I found the audiobook version for free on LibriVox!) It’s an old one from 1877, but still really interesting.  I love that the parts of speech are told within the context of a story – such a gentle way to introduce even my littlest ones to grammar.  This week, we learned about Mr. Noun, Little Article and Mr. Pronoun.


HISTORY

+ The little kids finished Columbus.  Their final project was to paint a big world map of Columbus’ first voyage.  They worked so hard and I loved how it turned out!  J and his big imagination wanted to add a sea monster to the map, because, “Well, Mama, you never know, right?”  The boys also did a little oral presentation for their dad about all they had learned.  On to Pocahontas on Monday!

SCIENCE

Sassafras Science took us to Australia this week.  We watched an episode of Bear Grylls’ Man vs. Wild (the Kimberly, Australia episode from Season 1) which is always an adventure.  I watch more than half of that show behind my hands, but the boys really enjoy it.  Even Sophie seems to have a stronger stomach than I do, hah!  The kids also learned how to draw a koala.

MISCELLANEOUS

+ We finished The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail as a read-aloud.  Reviews from the kids were mixed – some really liked it, some thought it was just so-so (cough cough…the older kids).  Next up: Nim’s Island.  They all were really excited to hear that there was a movie to watch once we finish the book!
+After a few weeks off, we got back to our African Studies cooking with Sudanese flatbread.  The texture is sort-of like a thick tortilla or a pancake, but was strangely addicting.  We ate them with chicken thighs for dinner.  

Current 1000 Books Project Total: 55/1000
Poetry Teatime Treat: Cheddar, Chive & Ham Biscuits (we went savory this time!)

MOTHER CULTURE & SELF-CARE

+ Health: Running, running, running!
+ Reading: North Haven, Anne of Avonlea and The Long Loneliness

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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