Jen's Mental Scribblings

21. Beyond this Horizon. by Robert A. Heinlein.
Early Heinlein. And one I hadn't read before. It was kind of actually a hard read as the writing wasn't as smooth as his later work became. Interesting read, but not one I'll seek out.

22. The Pleasure Palace by Evangeline Anderson
When I'm feeling really brain dead, I read romance/smut. This qualifies as smut. Bad smut. The sex scenes were BORING. And the plot, although an interesting premise, was kinda dry. Definitely a waste of time

23. Knitting without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann
I just got introduced to EZ by another blog I read (soulemama). The Sweater she knit for her baby (slightly older than Gray) was fascinating. She took a before picture and it was a blobbish rectangle. According to Amanda Soule, it took some clever folding and 1 seam across the shoulders and it turned into this adorable sweater. So I requested the one book SJPL owns, and after reading promptly ordered a couple of patterns (including that neat one) off her website (run by her daughter). There's another pattern in this book I must try (The tomten jacket) Amanda Soule just posted pictures of one she just finished on her website and it looks totally cute too. I'll need to buy this one I think.

There seems to be a rash of this silliness going on around the world...I approve!

I lost my piece of paper with my outline of my lesson plans for second grade.

Good thing for me that I wrote them down somewhere else. I was about to panic, but then I remember that I blogged about it.

Man I'm smart.

Are the coolest  4 year olds ever!

Today we went to Costco before lunch. Had lunch there (duh), and got home sometime around 1. Gray was starving, so all I brought in was the dairy and other things that needed refrigeration.  After feeding Gray, I got distracted and at some point Gwen comes up to me holding a package of hot dogs saying "Mommy, these go in the garage right?" "Yes, sweetheart"

A few minutes pass before the question she asked sunk into my brain. So I go into the kitchen and the girls are in the middle of putting the groceries away. Gwen had pulled out the step-stool and was in the process of putting the various cheese away and Elli was struggling to open the milk box (milk comes in a box with 2 1-gal bottles in it)

"Are you guys putting the groceries away?"

"Yes!"

"what a lucky mommy I am to have two helpful little girls! Thank you!"

I think I actually got them to blush.

17. Tiptoes Lightly & the Magic Knot by Reg Down
Another Tiptoes book. Elli and Gwen love to hear Tiptoes stories. This one is about Pine Cone and Pepper Pot making her gifts for her birthday

18. Old turtle by Douglas Woods
Wonderful picture book. It discusses the nature of God in a very gentle way. Includes the pronoun She, which is just awesome. Ike loves this book.

19. My Little book about God by Jane Werner; Wilkin, Eloise Watson
Another very gentle book talking about the nature of God. No one specific religious path is mentioned, but the basic idea is that God is good and loves you. Very cute, originally published in the early '50's and is even multi-cultural (in other words not all the kids is it are blonde and blue eyed. Most are, but not all). Although from what I can see from research this multi-cultural is a mid '80's update.

20. Waldorf Education: A Family Guide edited by Pamela Fenner and Karen Rivers
What an awesome book. This book is an expansion on a late 1980's Family Handbook of the Marin Waldorf School. All the articles are short, very readable, and there are a lot of them! Articles come from the Handbook, the Chanticleer (a newsletter), various lectures, and essays from other sources.  Unlike Lifeways, its held up to its age, I hadn't realized how old it was until it got to the essay about electronic media. There was no mention of computers, the internet, MP3 players, cell phones and the like. When it mentioned video cassettes and not DVDs I got suspicious and checked the publication date.

Part 1 consists of good articles summing up each grade and the academic work that is done. (Almost no mention of handwork at all, now that I think about it.) The article on High School is excellent! Part 2 is about specific curriculum subjects (i.e. science,  eurhythmy, etc) Part 3 is an interesting FAQ. Part 4 is on family life and Waldorf (where the electronic media article lives) Part 5 on the various Festivals. Part 6 a very extensive appendix.

This would be an excellent book to hand prospective parents and other people who are beginning to try to figure out what Waldorf Education is. Very readable, there's even some Steiner in it. But for me its still a good reference. Parts 1,5 &6 have some great info and a source for some ideas. So I'll be hanging onto it for awhile.

16. Will-Developed Intelligence: Handwork and Practical Arts in the Waldorf School Elementary through High School by David Mitchell and Patricia Livingston.

What caught my attention about Waldorf Education is the inclusion of art and what's called handwork. I would have called it the Arts and Crafts, now I call it Handwork. The crafts overall are dying in this country, the surge in popularity of knitting not withstanding. Before finding Waldorf I was planning that all my kids be exposed tot was familiar with anyway. But knitting in the first grade? Crochet in the second? This is cool! I have a latent desire to take Teacher Training and become a Handwork Teacher. So needless to say, this book caught my eye. For two reasons. 1. I wanted a reference book on hand that gave good, detailed descriptions of what handwork should be at each grade. 2. I wanted to drool, and see what types of things I might get to learn someday.

So, the book. Wow.

First part of the book covers the elementary grades. There is a short essay of what the handwork usually is at each grade and then goes into woodworking program (starts in 4th and continues through High School). Then there's a couple of essays on how cool the hand is and how important Handwork is in creating good neuropathways. Handwork essentially builds the brain in places that can't be reached any other way. Basically, the two essays could be boiled down to the phrase "The more nimble the fingers, the more nimble the mind." Which is true.

Second part: High School
Oh my goodness. This part gave me doubts about my ability to homeschool the High School years. Where in the hell am I going to soak an elm log for a year so we can make our own wood strips so we can weave baskets? Seriously. The Practical Arts in the High School years is amazing. There's lots of detailed information on woodworking and metalmaking, including basic instructions on creating your own forge for the school blacksmithy! Ut!

This book definitely pointing out my lacks of art education. I don't think there's a way I could ever help my kids through some of the intense arts, handwork, and practical work that is done in the High School years. I can see why the schools end up hiring specialized teachers. And you know? That's okay. I can do what I can do, and find a studio for the rest!  (Hey! There's a stained glass workshop down the street!)

Definitely a great read and a good reference work. If I don't end up taking teacher training, I'll end up passing it on...but in the meantime, it goes on the reference shelf.

PS also forgot to mention, its picture heavy so lots of examples and things to drool over.

So many books to read and not enough time to read them.

I've been trying to get through my library books so I can return them. The problem is, I keep finding more library books to read. I've got to read that one, and that one, and OOO!  I've got to read that one. =) So I never get to the books that I've purchased.

I think this month I'm going to focus on the books I own. I just got a book of the life of St Francis from the library, but since its owned by SJSU, I've got 3 months to read it. Now to go pick something new off my shelf.

14. The door into Summer by Robert Heinlein
I'm reading a lot of Heinlein mostly because Gray keeps emptying that shelf and I keep finding things while I clean up after him. Not quite a Juvie, but different tone...might be a transitional book between his Juvie years and the break made with Stranger. Basic Time travel via cold sleep. Main character is a Techer, quick read

15. Lifeways: Working with Family Questions by Gudrun Davy and Bons Voors
Waldorf parenting book. Part of the Lifeways curriculum (Lifeways is Waldorf Early Education Program). Since I still have a house full of the under 7 set, it seemed like a prudent read. An anthology of essays written by parents in the U.K. regarding different subjects. Divided into three sections, Parents Way, Family Way, Childrens Way. Definitely a good read, even though it has a dated feel to it. (Originally published in 1983) I think I'll track down the second book

Not bad. That's a book every other day. Goodness I'm glad I read fast.

I knew Ike was pretty skinny, but I didn't realize he is THAT skinny.

He just put on a pair of GRAYSON's knit pants.

And they fit in the waist.

It was a bit of a stretch (intended) in the legs...but there was room in the waist!!!!

Month of February: Language Arts Block
Spanish for month:
 (Cante 42)

Homeschooling plans for the week of February 1-5
Music for the week: Hickory Dickory

Monday:
Ike: The Letter D and Hansel and Gretel  (First Grade 114) Draw a G Goose in MLB
Elli and Gwen: Gnomes and Root Babies  (they get this story all week) (BTJ 42)
Baking: Braided Bread (BTJ 42)
Afternoon: Birthday Card for Aunt Susan
Activites:

    * TKD for Elli and Gwen (I've got to figure out when Ike can go.)

Tuesday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize. Copy summary into MLB
Form Draw; First Grade page 114
Painting: Blue Hides her Face (WHE color story) Didn't get to this last week.
Activities

    * Ike: Eurythmy at MGWS at 8:40AM
    * Ike: Vision Therapy @ 2PM
    * Girls: Off to M's at 1:30

Wednesday:
Ike: The Letter R and Ruplestiltskin  R's into MLB
Modeling:
Afternoon: Milk Carton Bird Feeders
Activities:

• All: Co-op at Lincoln Glen Park @10AM
• Sand Candles for Candlemas

Thursday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize, Copy summary into MLB
Form Drawing: First Grade 114
Copywork: this week's Music
Afternoon:  Something we didn't get to earlier
No ACTIVITIES!!! WooT!

Friday:
Ike: Forest Friday
Elli and Gwen: KidsPark
Library Day


Last week's Goals
Practice Recorder Twice
Finish First Lord's Fury
Finish Temperaments in Education
Request St. Francis Book from library
Work on mollygm  daughter M's hat (Third try is the charm).
Paint with the kids this week

This Week's Goals
Practice Recorder twice
Work on m's hat (after I rip out 4 rows, I just caught a mistake. Argh!)
Finish Lifeways.

I thought that Gray was only cutting 2 teeth. WRONG! He's cutting 4. Both the top 2 and bottom 2 are coming in at the same time. This kid seems to grow in bursts. Oy. Poor kid.

Gray is finally cutting teeth. After what seems months of swollen gums and drooling, he cut his two bottom teeth today. yea!

And no, he hasn't managed to bite me yet.,

12. First Lords Fury by Jim Butcher
Hot Damn the man does in fact know how to end a series! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Harry Dresden, but it seems to lack a story arc and I'm waiting to see how it ends. Anyway, this is about First Lord. Sixth and final book in his Codex Alera series. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. Loved it. The first 5 books were wonderful (I'm ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure out the main characters name) and he was kind enough to leave an option to return to that world. Not those characters, but that world. It will be interesting to see if he does.

13 Temperaments in Education by Roy Wilkinson
A quick (less than 50 page) "book" carefully delineating the temperaments as a whole and how to use them in an education setting (okay, a classroom. but it does give me good ideas for the homeschool as well).

Month of January: Language Arts Block
Spanish for month:
Wheels on the bus (Cante 46)

Homeschooling plans for the week of January 25-29
Music for the week: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Monday:
Ike: The Letter G and The Golden Goose (First Grade 109) Draw a G Goose in MLB
Elli and Gwen: Jack Frost (they get this story all week)
Baking: Icicle Bread Sticks
Afternoon: origami cranes
Activites:

    * All TKD (assuming I get to talk to Mr. Moore about it)

Tuesday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize. Copy summary into MLB
Form Draw; First Grade page 110
Painting: Blue Hides her Face (WHE color story) Didn't get to this last week.
Activities

    * Ike: Eurythmy at MGWS at 8:40AM
    * Ike: Vision Therapy @ 2PM
    * Girls: Off to M's at 1:30

Wednesday:
Ike: The Letter K and King Thrush's Beard (First Grade 112)
Modeling: Thrushes
Afternoon: Milk Carton Bird Feeders
Activities:

• All: Co-op at Lincoln Glen Park @10AM

Thursday:
Ike: Narrate and Summarize, Copy summary into MLB
Form Drawing: review waves
Copywork: this week's Music
Afternoon: Ice Candles
No ACTIVITIES!!! WooT!

Friday:
Ike: Forest Friday
Elli and Gwen: KidsPark
Library Day


Last week's Goals
work on mollygm's hat (Finished on the Mom's Retreat. CUTE!!!)
finish "Ask and it is Given" (Even returned to the Library)
Start one of the sleeping books  ( Finished Both. Started some with Gray, but then he came down with a cold)
Practice Recorder twice (I cleaned house instead)
Prep for Mom's Retreat this weekend. (Awesome! See post here about it)

This Week's Goals
Practice Recorder Twice
Finish First Lord's Fury
Finish Temperaments in Education
Request St. Francis Book from library
Work on mollygm  daughter M's hat (Third try is the charm).
Paint with the kids this week

Musings Adding Co-op and Vision Therapy has eaten more out of my schedule than I realized it would Oy! I'm going to try and do school with Ike before co-op instead of walking the dog. That way we can just be done. Last couple of times we did it after we got back while the girls were in quiet time, but then I didn't get quiet time and I got cranky. We'll see what happens.

I have an amazing husband and an amazing Mom.

Both of them took care of the kids so I could go on a Mom's Retreat last night. The First Grade Teacher at Ike's Waldorf School organized a Mom's retreat for everyone. We rented a funky house right on the water in Santa Cruz.. I was the first to get to the house yesterday and had the place to myself for 2 hours! I sat on a lounge in the sun (Sun! We actually had warm, sunny weather. What fun!) and knitted. It was a wonderful thing to be in a house with 14 women working on craft projects, talking about dreams, wishes, kids, husbands, birth and all sorts of things. Wonderful food, too much wine and chocolate and a Sacred Eurhythmy exercise. I slept well, woke refreshed and wanting to come home to my family. It was a wonderful and needed break.

Some of the moms asked me how I could handle leaving Gray. My response: "This night is my oxygen mask. I have to put it on myself first before I can give it to my kids." And they understood.

I just need to do it more often than once every 2 years.

I'm glad I went. It was awesome to come home feeling as good as I do.

10. Between Planets By Robert Heinlein
Another Juvie. Boy leaves Earth right before war, tries to go to Mars, ends up on Venus instead. Hilarity and war ensues. Another piece of fluff.

11. You're a Good Mom (And your kids aren't so bad either) by Jen Singer
Another Mom blogger gets a book. It a funny book on how to walk the middle path of mothering. Inbetween Slacker Mom and Super Mom. Cute read, made me laugh.

My mother has spent the better part of the last week and a half moving out of her apartment to my Grandmothers house. We moved into that apartment in December of 1990. The landlord, one of her co-workers, told us that the previous tenant had cats who had peed everywhere. He promised that he'd replace the carpets awhile after we moved in. This never happened. So my Mom has had the same carpets for over 19 years.

When we first moved in, the cat pee smell was noticable, but as the years went by, it became less and less until you could no longer smell it.

Until recently.

I went into her apartment Sunday afternoon to retrieve some of my things and was hit in the face with a blast of cat pee smell.

Who knew that cat pee was so potent that it could still stink up a place after 20 years? Yuck!

I hope the landlord finally replaces the carpets.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I'm not sure why, I slept pretty well. Gray was fussy for the last two hours of the night and that might have been what did me in. But, anyways, I woke up in a pissy mood. I tried meditating, but it didn't help. A judicious dose of chocolate? No help there. I didn't want caffeine. What to do?

Well, rather than have a bad day at school I decided to have a mental day off.

I'm lucky that I live where I do. We have sunny weather for most of the year. But the last few days have sucked! I think I've got a touch of SAD, but usually it doesn't affect me too badly. Today is the type of day I wish I was childless. I just want to curl up on the couch with my knitting, under a cozy blanket and watch the day go by.

No such luck.

I've got 4 kids who have been housebound the last few days. Gray can handle it better than the other three. Today is our co-op day, if the weather had been good, I would have packed a huge lunchbox and just spent the day in the park. Let them run around, soaking up the sun, playing, building, running, and being crazy.

But no. We are inside. Playing games, watching too much TV, eating popcorn for lunch, playing with playdough.

Sounds idyllic doesn't it? If it weren't for the fighting it would be. Lets not forget the torrential rain, intermittent thunderstorms, and occasional hail.

So, rather than fall into despair (Oo! Wait! Too late.) and pondering the possibility/affordability of putting the big three into school next fall, I'm cleaning the house. Why? A clean house makes me feel better. And I want to feel better right now.

In the mean time, I'll pick things up, put them away, clean surfaces, and scrub toothpaste Gwen has smeared on the bathroom counter and mirror. We may not do school today, but we will have a cleaner house.

6. Ask and it is given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
New-agey, spiritual book. Esther is a channel for a non-physical group consciousness and they teach the Law of Attraction. Second half of the book includes exercises/games to help you improve your mood and refine what you are asking the Universe for. Interesting read.

7. Sound Sleep by Sarah Woodhouse
One of two sleep books carried over at Bob and Nancy's. Since I've never really figured out that put the baby to bed alone and they fall asleep without me trick with the first three, I thought I'd read up on some ideas to try and pull this trick off with Gray. I skipped the entire first half of the book as its aimed for babies younger than 6 months. The second half is for 6 month babies and up, including toddlers and children. Definitely got some ideas

8. The Good Sleep guide by Angela Henderson
Written in the UK. the other sleep book carried by Bob and Nancy's. Basically its Ferber lite for the British audience. I'm not sure I agree with Ferberizing. I have to admit I gave it a half-assed try with the girls. Yeah. Right. Hey, I was desperate and was willing to try almost anything. I just can't do the Cry it Out thing. Breaks my heart. Really short book, only took me an hour to read.

9. Family Feasts for $75.00 a week by Mary Ostyn
Mother of 10 wrote this book, I thought she might have a few ideas worth reading. Divided into two parts. Part 1 is a complete rehash of the Tightwad Gazette. There wasn't one new idea not already discussed by Amy Dacyczyn. However the Tightwad Gazette ceased publication in 1996. So most people haven't ever heard of it. But I will say it is a nice condensed version of the Gazette (which comes in at over 1000 pages) and focuses specifically about food. Part 2 is recipes. I loves me a cookbook. Nothing really new here, but still nice to get some ideas to the front of my mind.

So, we've been members of the local YMCA for over 6 years. When Ike was 6 months old, I started going 5 days a week. This has been my habit pretty much for the entire time. I quit going right before I had Gray as it took too much energy to get out of the house just to get 2 hours of free daycare and a shower. During the summer I manged to go most days, but even then, we pretty much stayed home.

I've missed not only the workouts and exercise, but the uninterrupted leisurely showers, and 2 hours to myself. I liked the time to stitch nearly daily. Its what's kept me sane for the last 6+ years.

Since school started I haven't made it on a regular school day. I assumed that going to the childcare would rile up Ike the kids so much that I wouldn't be able to get school in successfully.

This academic block has been pretty light weight. Its only taking a half an hour to get things done and I've been able to squeeze in school in the afternoon with success.

I decided to experiment today. With the rain, I knew they wouldn't get the chance to play outside like the usually do. Its a good day to see if my assumptions were correct.

Oh boy, are they ever.

I'm not going to bother to describe today. The title of the post captures the essence of the day. Needless to say, I will NOT be attempting this again.

Now I have to debate keeping the gym membership. If I'm not using it, and Joe's not using it. I can save myself the ~$100 a month fees to pay down some debt.