December Wrap-Up

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Now that the days are slowing down and we have had some relaxation time, I am looking back at some of the things we've done, mostly at home, in between eating goodies, watching Christmas movies, attending church/family/homeschool/friend parties and just driving around the neighborhood admiring the homes decorated in twinkling lights.

Because it may be December and holiday time
with all the wonder it brings, but family life also continues
in between all of that. Here's proof!

Flowers from my wonderful honey of a husband,
who was out of town the whole week of my birthday
and Cards from friends. {It was a very nice birthday}




Sand play on a nice, not-too-cold day. Baby girl was loving the dirt!

2011 Super Summit!

It's almost time for the Super Summit! 

What's that?  

10 days of home education ideas and support, that's what!

If you are new to homeschooling,  if you have been doing this for a while, or if you are just curious about it, this is your chance to listen in
and learn something new.

How it works: 

I can choose which day I want to call in to listen or follow along on the web. If I only want to hear one specific speaker I am interested in, I can. If I want to listen to them all, I can. I can ask them questions on the phone at end of the talk or online on the chat! If I miss a day, there are playbacks that are accessible within 48 hours of the talk. 

Cookus Interruptus

Cynthia Lair of "Feeding the Whole Family" has the most awesome site
with videos {that are funny!} and show anyone how to cook whole foods every day.

Cherry jam filled mochi (like little rice muffins) is impossibly easy
and such a comforting food on a cold morning!



You can visit them online at Cookus Interruptus.

Watch them with a child and choose something yummy to make together.
My kids like noodles!

Purple Potato Salad

Mmmmm....our favorite potato salad!


A filling dish that lasts several days in the fridge, I consider this salad well worth the initial investment of time and energy it takes to make it. It is the salad that just keeps on giving! It is lunch the first day, lunch the next, and accompanies dinner the last night. The purple color is the 'secret ingredient': pickled beets. The eggs and fresh mayonnaise provide the protein--like a meal in a bowl! If you are a fan of 'traditional foods' or 'real foods', or even just homemade and healthy fare, like me, you'll want to give this one a try!


I started this salad this morning.
I gathered the ingredients together:

Heirloom Tablecloth

Inspired by MaryAnn Kohl's book "Cooking Art",
I decided to create one just for us.

Wouldn't that be fun to eat right on top of your 'artwork' at mealtime?

I was excited because everything I needed
I already had around the house!

Our Art Table

With the last two months devoted to holidays, traveling and recovering from the usual colds and coughs, I had put away our 'art table' (mostly to make space for the Christmas tree).

Yesterday, I got inspired by the MaryAnn Kohl art books for kids that I had checked out from the local public library.

A word about Kohl's books: if I could only have one set of books for art ideas for kids ages 1-10, her books would be my choice! There are always a few ideas in there that spark a renewed enthusiasm for creativity whenever I open one up and glance through. I appreciate that the projects are always do-able and kid-friendly.

Wouldn't this book be perfect for exploring, hands-on, the great artists' works?

Back to the table: I set out the art table again in a new spot and arranged all the necessary painting supplies.



Almost within the hour, my 5 year old son asked to paint and chose a wooden car for his project.

Piggy tails!

One of the joyful "firsts" I am loving about having our daughter
{after having three cute little rambunctious boys come first, that is!}
is doing hairstyles!

Little lady's hair is now just long enough for little piggy tails.

Showing off the hair...

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

A new edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival has been posted at Homeschooling Kiwi Style! I am new to this blog carnival, and it is new to me. There are so many creative and entertaining posts to be found in it--I am having fun reading through them already! To visit the carnival, click the pic below. Enjoy!

Speaking of Serendipity...

It can easily be mistaken for "doing nothing".
And sometimes it looks kind of messy.
This is a little of what went on at our house today.

The Serendipity of Learning

Many times, in my experience, learning cannot be planned.

It's not something that happens automatically when a worksheet or an assignment is completed.

This is something I think many people understand.

Coconut Citrus Brown Rice Pudding

What are your favorite easy-to-make treats during this time of year?

Rice pudding is one I really enjoy and I created a recipe this morning that was just right! No dairy or eggs involved--the star of this recipe is whole coconut milk.

Happy Holidays!

We ate Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's oldest sister's family. Aren't those little favors that the girlie cousins made cute? They are recycled cardboard tubes covered in crepe and tissue paper to resemble corn-on-the-cob. Inside each tube was a treat and a little slip of paper with a 'secret' message. Very neat!







The annual Christmas Tree Hunt was out near Leeds, UT, this year. The weather was a bit chilly but not too windy. My husband's Grandpa made the usual Apple dessert in the dutch oven over coals and hand-cranked ice cream and we grilled the traditional tuna sandwiches. I love this tradition each year and we really missed not coming last year when our little girl was about to be born. We have done this every year since 2001. It was great to be back this time around for some good memories-in-the-making. The boys found a terrific tree and with some chop-chops from the axe and help with ropes, they got it tied on top of our minivan. It's always fun to see people's faces in the cars we pass on the highway home...whooooosh! Not too many folks drive around with a giant tree attached to their roof, I guess.