The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.69: Our Farmhouse Schoolhouse in Photos (Week 18)

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And just like that, we’re halfway through our school year!  I’m wearing that sentence as a badge of honor today.  Some weeks have been wonderfully easy and some weeks have been insanely hard.  But couldn’t that be said for motherhood in general?  I’m trying to stop frantically worrying that I’m screwing up my kids and making wrong decisions and have peace that I’m doing what is best for them right this minute.  For now, the future can wait.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

+ Our new read-aloud for the rest of January is Redwall.   I remember my brother reading and enjoying these as a kid and now I understand why!  When I shared the book on Instagram, there were so many positive comments about the series, so it definitely is a favorite among many.  As an addition, my little ones have been following along to the story using the graphic novel version.

+ M finished up his unit on Galileo.  Our last “project” is to finally put together the new-to-us telescope we were gifted a few months ago!  Two interesting links we found this week:
– This article about the Catholic perspective on the Galileo controversy
– A weird fact: Did you know that Galileo’s middle finger is on display in the Florence History of Science Museum?


+ After getting back to normal, the last piece of the school day puzzle was including activities for Sophie and TJ from A Year of Playing Skillfully.   She loves having “special” school subjects just for her – I really need to be better about scheduling the time.  This week, we made cinnamon sugar tortilla snowflakes (a huge hit with everybody) and got the wiggles out with ABC exercise cards.  She and TJ also watched Leapfrog’s Phonics Farm and Letter Factory on repeat.


Current 1000 Books Project Total: 91/1000
Poetry Teatime Treat: nothing this week – oops!

MOTHER CULTURE & SELF-CARE

+ Health: My right leg/hip/groin feels all out of whack and I’ve been out of commission all week.  Maybe I should see a chiropractor?  I don’t know what I managed to do to myself, but I need to be an adult about it and really let myself heal.  I think my May half marathon is out for 2018. Super frustrating and discouraging right out the gate for sure.  

+ Reading: I finished Such Good Girls.  I’m still making my way through Bishop Barron’s new book, Jackson Pollock, Anne of Avonlea and I started Water for Elephants too.  Hoping to finish at least two of these this weekend.

+ Spiritual: I’m reading one small section of Fulton Sheen’s Guide to Contentment each day.

+ Fun: I added a few stitches to my cross-stitch.  I’ve been keeping up with my photography project and have started making plans for a mini album.  My new kitchen table arrived (we’ve been without one for seven months) and I’ve been dreaming about ways to spruce up the room.  Creativity can manifest itself in so many unique ways in my everyday life – I just have to seek it.

No.68: The Inspired Readers Book Club – The First Book of 2018!

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Are you hoping to read more in 2018?  After taking an extended break, we’re hopping back into the book club and you should too!  Over the years, The Inspired Readers Book Club has helped me read a range of genres, introducing me to books I’d never think to pull off the shelf.  I also appreciate the accountability aspect of the book club; less mindless TV and more reading!
Shelly is leading our first book of the new year and chose Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon Self-Control, and My Other Experiments in Everyday Life.  I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Gretchen Rubin’s books, so I’m sure this one will be just as good.  We’ll be officially starting in February, so there’s plenty of time to purchase a book or request one from the library.  
Our reading schedule will be as follows:
Week 1 (February 5): Preparation Chapter + Possessions
Week 2 (February 12): Marriage + Parenthood + Interior Design
Week 3 (February 19): Time + Body
Week 4 (February 26): Family + Neighborhood + Now
As always, we’ll have discussion questions posted on Monday, so feel free to jump into the conversation whenever you have time.  New members are always welcome – we’d love to see you in the Facebook group!

No.67: Intentions for the Beginning of January

What is it about twinkle lights?  So calming and almost magical.  The tree and most of the Christmas decorations have been packed away for next year, but the twinkle lights in the kitchen and dining room are staying put for now.  Very hygge, don’t you think?

INTENTIONS FOR THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY

  • Habit of the Month: Self-Discipline
  • no sugar all month (use honey/other natural sweeteners sparingly)
  • return to regular running and persevere despite freezing temps!
  • write thank you cards
  • find a family practice doctor in our new town (we’ve been driving 30min to our old doctors and are ready to make the switch)  
  • look into an extra-curricular activity for the big boys
  • find and join the local Facebook yard sale page
  • finish reading Anne of Avonlea
  • read at least two chapters in my Jackson Pollock book
  • buy paint for the living room
  • try baking ciabatta bread
  • bake bread in the dutch oven (100LT #51)
  • unpack and display my newly inherited china from my grandmother
  • upgrade Inlinkz for the Five Favorites linkup
  • see if someone can recover the files on my old laptop hard drive (St. Rita, patron saint of the impossible, pray for me!) 
  • choose fabric and buy an insert to make Sophia’s princess pillow

PREVIOUS INTENTIONS

  • stick with the Rooted in Hope journal (I made it a morning habit and it’s been really great)
  • try to take a decent picture of the kids for Christmas cards (time got away from me and I never sent out cards – next year!)
  • buy P’s needlepoint stocking (I ended up using one we already owned)
  • stick with December Daily (can’t wait to show the finished product!)
  • bake one new type of cookie
  • make a calm down glitter jar (100LT #59)
  • watch the Nutcracker (100LT #68)
  • make a popcorn garland for the Christmas tree (100LT #67)
  • wrap and read one book everyday during Advent (100LT #66)
  • reflect back on 2017 and jot down intentions for the new year
  • choose my One Little Word for 2018 (I wrote all about it here)
  • slow down, unplug and enjoy this last month of the year

What about you?  What’s on your to-do list for the next few weeks?

No.66: Our Farmhouse Schoolhouse in Photos (Week 17)

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We started back on Tuesday after taking two weeks off for Christmas vacation.  As much as I love the post-Christmas, “what day is it again?” lazy days, I’m also happy to be back into some sort of routine.

The biggest (and most unfortunate) story since my last school update is about my laptop.  A few days after Christmas, TJ spilled hot cocoa behind my computer and it seeped into the back.  I watched in horror as the screen literally faded to black.  We tried all the tricks but the damage was done. All of my lesson plans, photographs, links and tabs….gone in an instant.  You don’t realize how dependent you are on a piece of technology until it’s gone!  So this shortened school week was a weird mix of getting back into the groove and trying to remember what was on the schedule.  Note to self: find that external hard-drive and actually use it!

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

+ We read 26 Fairmount Avenue during Advent and loved it so much that we moved onto the next book in the series, Here We All Are.  That Tomie…the kids think he’s hilarious.

+ We started reading about the Arctic Tundra in the little one’s science book, which seemed appropriate with our frigid temperatures here!  Animals of the week: the musk ox and snow goose


+ D is starting multiplication, so I broke out my secret weapon: Schoolhouse Rock songs.  I did the same for M when he was in third grade, and while they both think they’re lame and corny, they get the job done.  I love when I can hear him quietly humming the tune. #missionaccomplished
These are the songs we’ve practiced so far:

+ M wanted to learn a foreign language this year and chose Italian.  I started him on the free Duolingo app on my phone, but also learned that he could work on the lessons on the computer too.  One helpful tool we’ve found for practicing is Tiny Cards, another part of the Duolingo program.    We’ve had so much fun this week trying out words in our everyday conversations!  
Current 1000 Books Project Total: 91/1000
Poetry Teatime Treat: Homemade Bread and Jam

MOTHER CULTURE & SELF-CARE

+ Health: A big week for me!  I’ve cut out 99% of all sugar (exception being a tiny bit of honey) and have focused on filling myself with nutrient-dense foods.  I made this chicken salad with the intention of eating it for lunch all week, but had to make it a second time on Wednesday because I devoured it!  My body is definitely craving protein after a month of eating crap.  I’ve also been running on the treadmill in the garage.  SO cold and NOT fun for the first mile, but I start to enjoy it again after that.

+ Reading: I finished My Not So Perfect Life.  Reading bits and pieces of Bishop Barron’s new book, Jackson Pollock, Anne and one on the Holocaust.  I really need to simmer down on my currently-reading pile.

+ Spiritual: I’m reading one small section of Fulton Sheen’s Guide to Contentment each day.


+ Fun: I pulled out an old half-finished cross-stitch and have been adding a few stitches here and there when I get a few minutes.  I’d forgotten how calming it can be!  I also have been working on making my blog’s Facebook page a positive, inspiring place to be.  I just started a weekly series (fingers crossed!) of “rooting” for/cheering on small businesses or bloggers I find.  Here’s the first one.  

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