Happy bits and pieces...

Taking a break from my endless curricula thoughts and ramblings...

Part of my current happiness is the idea that I am breaking away from the whole grocery store chain as a consumer. M and I are buying a "share" of a freshly butchered pig, about 20-30 pounds, from Farmer Sally, a friend that raised them outdoors: rooting, eating, dozing, doing all the pig activities that pigs are meant to do. We also hope to buy maybe half a lamb at some point from someone local, and maybe a share of beeef too, since we have a chest freezer. We're also going to be stopping at Farmer Sally's once a week to pick up fresh eggs, and soon fresh milk! I want to start going to the farmer's market again once or twice a week (so lucky to have the option to go twice weekly) for the veggies we can't or don't grow - I just need to keep it down to budget. And I am excited that my copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day is on its way! In the meantime, I was able to score the "master" recipe off a website, so I plan to give it a go tomorrow. I love, love, love the smell of fresh bread baking, and the first piece, still warm and all crusty... mmmmmmmm..... Apparently though, I need to buy a bread stone - anyone know a good source for one? I'll have to learn about that as I go. I'm just glad to be supporting local agriculture, and a friend and fellow homeschooler along the way.

In other news, M got a raise today! Makes him happy and it makes me happy. I'll confess that in nearly 15 years of marriage, our finances have generally been far less than stable. The past couple of years though have been better - we actually have a (small) savings account! I read, and re-read Total Money Makeover, which helped me get a grasp on how the finances around here should work. And starting next month, we'll break our mortgage payment down into two biweekly payments rather than one monthly one. It doesn't add anything to our out-of-pocket, but it pays the mortgage off faster, and besides, M gets paid every other week, so that works well. Finances are still on the tight side, and look to remain that way for sometime, but at least we are not behind anymore!

I was looking for ways to teach my kids more about nutrition, and found two fabulous resources: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (I love Jamie Oliver!) and Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids! While the book is more or less aimed at teens, I think I could do it as a read-aloud. I also watched an interesting show recently called Radical Parenting, and discovered that, suprise, surprise, I apparently am a radical parent! I would actually never have labeled myself quite that way, but homeschooling, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, not "gender labeling" toys are all tools of the "radical" parent. Fairy watched the show with me and decided she wanted to be a radical unschooler, but when asked about it, she confessed it was just because the mom said they have no rules at all in their house, and Fairy thought that sounded fun.

Okay, enough rambling. I am off to take a math placement test today. Woo hooo... if only I meant that ;)

Planned Reading Lists for 2010-11

Fourth Grade
Stuart Little
Abel's Island
The Whipping Boy
The Search for Delicious
Danny the Champion of the World
The Magician's Elephant
Treasure Island (Great Illustrated Classics)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (Great Illustrated Classics)
Maybe...
Mrs Frisby & the Rats of Nimh
The Apple & the Arrow

Second Grade
Elson Reader Primer (maybe)
Little Bear series
Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter
Little Grey Rabbit stories
Old Mother West Wind series

Possible Read Alouds (subject to change!)
The Princess & the Goblin
The Princess & the Curdie
The Five Children & It
The Phoenix & the Carpet
The Story of the Amulet
Peter & the Starcatchers
Peter Pan
The Wind in the Willows
The Water Babies