Persian Meat Casserole (Kukuye Gusht)

My mom lived in Iran for a few years, before she got married, and has loved Persian food ever since. She gave me this recipe some time ago, but I'd only made it once before last night. It was so long ago that my kids didn't remember it. But I remembered that they'd liked it. So I cooked it last night and everyone loved the delicious flavors and moist texture.

For me, the experience of making this dish yesterday was even sweeter because of the way my kids took part. I was lacking a few ingredients but didn't have a car, so I suggested that a few of us walk to the local grocery store together to shop. I carried Miriam in my sling and Josiah and Ethan walked alongside. While at Giant, I let the boys each pick out a donut (a special treat in our house!) and then showed them how to use the self-checkout lane to buy vegetables.

When we got home, I also asked the kids to all help in the dinner preparation. Naomi held the baby, Ethan broke and beat the eggs, and Josiah washed and cut the herbs. Ethan said he'd always wanted to feel raw egg and asked if I'd let him put his hands in the bowl before we added other ingredients. I said "sure" and he delighted in the gooey texture. Meanwhile Josiah was enjoying the smell of parsley (he usually comments on scents while he cooks) and also discovering what it means to 'chop finely.'

So after a group effort, we got the casserole in the oven (our 'new' used one that was graciously given to us after ours was broken for 8 weeks), and then reveled in eating it together for dinner. Here is the recipe:

2 T butter
1 lb. ground beef (I used turkey)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 c spinach, chopped
1 c parsley, chopped
1/2 c leeks or green onions, chopped
 1 1/4 t salt
1 t curry powder
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t pepper
5 eggs

Saute meat and onions in butter about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add spinach, parsley & leeks. Add seasoning and mix well. Beat eggs slightly and add to the mixture. Mix well. Spoon into greased 9" pie pan. (I used an oval casserole dish.) Bake at 325 F for 30-35 min. (I added maybe an extra 10 minutes.) Serve warm, or cool with plain yogurt.

Hopefully your family will enjoy it as much as mine did! It's a winner in my book!

Billion to the Fourth Power

I don't know why, but I tend to teach math in the car. Which sometimes is really tricky when I'd like to be using my hands to draw an example or write down a list of numbers, and instead I've got them on the wheel (as I should!). Some of my kids appreciate this habit of mine, as they love math so much, it doesn't matter where we are or how I'm presenting it. Others of my kids have a harder time without a visual aid. Nonetheless, I found myself last week in the car with five youngsters, ranging in age from five to eleven years old, and we talked about all kinds of fun math.

I had recently been introduced to this website and at night had been working on some of its featured math puzzles. A few days later, the kids (including a nephew and a neighbor) and I were in the car longer than we thought we'd be, since an attempted outing came to naught. I decided to mention the puzzles to them so they could try finding some solutions. This led quickly to discussions about the Fibonacci sequence (which the 5-year-old could explain to us!!), Pascal's triangle, exponents, and how to multiply quickly by elevens.

I loved it. I loved that math could be so normal that we'd be discussing it the way we discuss movies or stories. I loved that every single kid in the car was engaged and interested. I loved that repeated, early exposures of 'difficult' concepts ends up making them easier down the road. I loved that everyone was actually being challenged to think in new ways, including myself!

The five-year-old was so interested in exponents that he asked me what a billion to the fourth power is. (Kids love to 'challenge' adults by asking them questions involving really big numbers.) I told him that I could show him a really fast way of solving that, but that it would have to wait until we got home so I could write on paper! When we got home, I showed him the fast way to write one billion (using 10^9) and then showed him how multiplying that by itself four times is easy as well, by multiplying the nine times four. He didn't know 9x4 off the top of his head, but he knew 9x2 and could double it to make the right answer. Smart cookie!

I hope that math can become even more fun and everyday for my kids and other children in my life. And I hope that when they think of me, they think of fun puzzles and discussions -- not dry lessons!

Almost Free Fun in Northern Virginia: Mini-Golf

A year ago, I only knew of local miniature golf courses that cost $7 (adults) or $6 (kids) for a single game. We used coupons from the summer reading program to reduce the cost a bit, but still paid a pretty penny for six of us to golf at Jefferson Falls Mini-Golf in Falls Church, Virginia.

Now I know better. I've discovered that the regional parks in Fairfax County have much cheaper mini-golf courses. Our family has enjoyed two of them in the past few months, so can compare and contrast them for you. One is Fountainhead Regional Park (in Fairfax Station) and the other is Pohick Bay Regional Park (in Lorton).

Fountainhead is a lovely park along the Occoquan River. It includes many amenities, including mountain bike trails, boat docks, and hiking. We were pleased to find that it also has a mini-golf course that only costs $2 per person! This price is for ball and club rental, and is good for as many games as you care to play during their hours of operation (the park closes at dusk). The course is right in the woods, so has the benefit of being shady. A potential drawback, though, is that tree debris falls onto the course, so if you care about perfectly clean greens, you might be annoyed.

If you care about aesthetics, you'll want to know that there aren't any cute structures built on the course and it is a bit run-down looking. The holes are still creative and fun, challenging us with their bridges and turns, and making us figure out proper angles for success. We cried out in frustration and squealed in glory, as one should in any good mini-golf course. We did not find the pine needles a hindrance in any way and the cheap cost was totally worth the lack of beauty. Another bonus is that a bathroom is close by. It will be my go-to place from now on!

Pohick Bay is a similar park in many regards. It also is on water, located at the bay where the Pohick Creek joins up with the Potomac River. It also has boat docks, hiking trails and additionally features a campground, frisbee golf course, and water park. Its miniature golf course is similar in price to Fountainhead's, but not quite as good: games cost $3 per person at Pohick Bay (again: play as much as you like during open hours, which are likewise 'til dusk).

The course at Pohick is better maintained and nicer looking. While still simple compared to commercial sites, it does have a few structures built on the course and has cleaner greens. The paths and holes are all in good repair, and my daughter especially appreciated the beauty of it. The bathroom is farther away, though, and is not obvious as one has to hike a short trail through woods to get to it. We had a great time playing at Pohick Bay, but I don't think the slightly better condition and looks were worth the extra money. To most people the extra $1 is not a big deal, but it adds up when you pay for many players.

So if you're looking for family fun in the D.C. suburbs, give these regional parks a try! I'm so glad we did. We love the memories we're making with our kids, the laughter we enjoy together, and even the improved skills the more we play! It's not quite free, but worth every dollar.

Spiritual Warfare in Africa (or How Not to Give a Missionary Talk)

Naomi's face still tear-stained from enduring the pain of a smashed finger just 30 minutes earlier, and my boys still hungry from having eaten a rushed and small supper, we dashed to the church around the corner from our house tonight for the scheduled missionary talk. We had spent our first 2 1/2 years in the D.C. area either without a church or far enough away from our church that I'd never taken the kids to a missionary talk before. But we've been attending this local church for the past 2 months, and so I thought, "Now's our chance to hear from someone ministering in Africa. What a great opportunity for the kids!"

To be honest, my children didn't want to go. They didn't know what to expect but they had presuppositions. They predicted they would be the only kids there, and that it would be 'boring.' I reminded them not to pass judgement before having actual experiences, and I assured them we could leave early if it wasn't worthwhile. I didn't know anything about the missionary doing the presentation. In fact the church bulletin had only said that he lived and worked "in Africa" (pet peeve to someone who's also lived in Africa, knowing how massive a continent that is, and preferring to tell people I lived in Nigeria).

On the positive side, this missionary did tell story after story of spiritual warfare and God's miraculous works. In my mind, 'boring' would be the least descriptive word for tonight, since I love stories and the ones being told were unlike any I'd heard before. I learned about places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, through first-hand accounts, and I left feeling both educated and inspired.

However, there were some gaping holes in tonight's presentation as well, the biggest of which was that there was no actual introduction or explanation of this fellow and what he does. It was continuously assumed that the church members present already had a relationship with him and a background enabling them to understand all he said. I'm glad the church has such a strong tie with Missionary, but the minute I walked into the small room, especially with three children in tow, I guess I would have hoped he'd want to give at least some context for those of us who don't know him and his work.

Along the same vein, the presentation was sadly lacking in visual aids. There was no map. No photos. No graphics and nothing tangible. Which is okay if everyone knows exactly where DRC is and has vivid imaginations or has read all of Missionary's photo-enriched prayer letters. But wouldn't any talk and every talk, no matter who the audience, be more interesting and memorable with at least a few visual reminders of the topic? Goodness, I know my African geography better than most Americans (not to brag, but it helps that I've lived there), and even I would have appreciated a map so I could compare distances when he was talking about his various travels from country to country.

And finally, the saddest of all to me: my children (the only ones there) were implied to be a hindrance, rather than amazingly open recipients of inspiration. My three can be noisy, no doubt, but tonight, they were as quiet as can be. They were attentive and receptive, and Missionary totally lost out on an opportunity to touch such open hearts. Instead, he and his colleague -- not once, but multiple times -- pointed out to everyone there what "age group" was present, and how this would alter what they could say and what stories they could tell. Mentioning it once, in a tone that showed respect for my kids' naivete would have made sense. I can appreciate that they would say "relations" instead of "sex" because of young ears in the room. (Though funny enough, I'm one of the most upfront and honest-with-my-children sort of parent out there, so they've heard "sex" plenty before -- gasp!) But it wasn't just once, and after the first time, it was said more in a tone of exasperation. Additionally, between the lightning speed of countless disconnected stories and Missionary's sometimes-hard-to-figure-out foreign accent, my children (even my oldest) couldn't keep up and understand what was being talked about.

I have been part of many missionary talks before -- both as a listener and a presenter -- and all I know is that if I saw strangers and children in my audience, first of all, I'd be ecstatic that they'd even have taken the time and interest to come. I would think "Wow! I can bring more people on board with God's amazing work in ______!" And second of all, I'd figure out some way, even a small way, that I could tailor my talk to reach the children and give them something memorable to go home with. And I would hope that thirdly, I'd even make a point of encouraging parents by praising their efforts to broaden their children's minds at such an early age. I certainly wouldn't make them feel bad for changing the level of 'horror' I could tell in my stories because of young ears.

I won't give up on going to missionary talks with my kids. But I certainly hope their next experience is a much more positive one!

TCKs and the Olympics

If you've never heard of "TCK" before, you're not alone. Most people haven't! It stands for "Third Culture Kid" and refers to children who spend significant growing-up years in a country other than their parents' passport country. My own children are different from many TCKs, as we were never in a single foreign country for more than 2 years, and we didn't go in the normal capacity of military, NGO work, or missions. But I'd still consider them 'third culture kids' because they've spent 40-60% of their lives overseas.

Enough of definitions.

The Olympics began a full week ago, but my kids and I only got to see our first footage of it a few days ago. We don't get TV at home, but discovered that one of our nearby libraries had a TV turned on with NBC showing Olympic competitions. The first game we saw was women's water polo, USA vs. Spain. The kids caught my enthusiasm: as I cheered for our team's goals and defenses, they started cheering too.

And then Naomi said something that startled me. "People in Spain are watching this game, too, aren't they Mom?" It wasn't an earth-shattering observation, but nonetheless it reminded me that Naomi's world has been expanded. She can cheer for the USA, while still understanding that we're not the center of the universe. She knows there are people in other countries, rooting for their own Olympic teams.

We enjoyed part of a women's volleyball game next, USA vs. China. I don't know much about volleyball, but I tried to teach the kids something, and once again, we were all cheering every time the US got a point. There was a time when the US had pulled a number of points ahead of China, and Josiah said (with sympathy, not gloating), "I bet the people in China are feeling kind of sad now." Another reminder of the value that comes from dwelling among another people. I almost teared up to think that Josiah would care what another nationality was feeling.

And finally, as we watched a women's 8 rowing race yesterday, featuring many close-ups of the USA crew, Naomi said in frustration, "Why are they only showing the American team? I want to see the other teams too!"

We are Americans, proud of our country and teams. But we're citizens of the world, and we cheer for Great Britain, Jordan and Nigeria too. We love to see excellence in others and we strive to feel their pain when they suffer. Thank you, children, for being TCKs and for having hearts that beat for the rest of the world...

March Update

Happy March everyone! We enjoyed the Spring-like weather today by going to the local park, running some laps around the football field and playing frisbee. That is, until Ethan got hit in the mouth by one of my high-speed throws. Sigh… The sight of blood did him in, and we came back home for lunch, nap and more school. Now the kids are outside, sucking on homemade popsicles with a couple neighbor boys from across the street. I’m hoping that warmer weather will make it easier for my kids to make friends, as more children will be playing outside after school.

It’s hard to believe we’ve only been in our new home for 3 ½ months. It feels like it’s been longer than that. Not counting Steve’s parents, we’ve already had 3 overnight guests at various times, and have another lined up for later this month. In fact, we have a friend from Amman who might be staying with us for weeks as she transitions back to U.S. life later this Spring. It’s nice to be in a place where there are 3 airports, many attractions, and work conferences that friends need to attend. I love hosting people! (If you know me, feel free to invite yourself!!)

I’m still struggling to find routine here … trying to balance my housework, my cooking, my teaching, and my computer work, all in the midst of Steve’s new commute and crazy-busy schedule of combining PhD research with a full-time job. I wish I were a naturally organized and structured person so it wasn’t such a battle for me. Plus I’m trying to throw in extra things now, like Community Bible Study and church (now that we’ve found a home church – yay!). I also continue to feel a bit “at odds” with my surroundings since we are the only white family in our entire neighborhood, and perhaps even town. It probably bothers me less than it bothers the rest of my family, since I have more experience than they in being a minority. But still… for some reason, it makes me feel a bit inhibited and self-conscious.

The kids are doing okay. I still haven’t gotten Ethan speech therapy, but he does seem to be steadily improving. His favorite activities are playing card games and playing with Josiah & his stuffed animals. Naomi has almost finished a 24-book series about wild horses in Nevada, and has gotten excited about the idea of trying to save land for horses (from cattle grazing). Josiah seems less and less content every time we move – he used to be the most happy-go-lucky sort of guy and now he complains a lot. I’m not sure why…

So such as it is, that’s our latest “news” (if you can even call it that!). I’m praying for friendships to develop soon. We’re all getting a bit tired of being friend-less.

Kid Update April 2011

Ethan (4 1/3)– can write his name, and form all letters by copying them. He loves to write notes to people! With his improved verbal language, we can now understand him much better as he asks all sorts of questions and shows great thought. He has a good throwing arm and a great sense of humor (his speech therapist says he's the silliest child she's ever worked with). He still uses some British terms, like “sweetie” (for candy) and “biscuit” (for cookie), and can not answer the common question "Where are you from?"

Josiah (7 1/2)– is our natural teacher in the family and loves explaining things to Ethan. He loves to run and is so happy to now be playing T-ball. His spelling is on a 5^th grade level and he easily keeps up with Naomi in all our 3^rd grade home school work. He still enjoys playing with his stuffed animals, but also likes to read Hardy Boy books and help me cook. He is quite the comedian and loves entertaining our family with his antics. He is anxious to go back to America to see relatives and toys he'd left behind 3 years ago.

Naomi (8 1/2) – sings constantly, often making up her own songs or lyrics. She also remembers tunes incredibly well, some after hearing only once, others after years of not having heard them at all. She is fascinated with cursive writing, and so I've begun teaching her the cursive alphabet. She reads every minute she can. After having read every Enid Blyton mystery we own, and all the Little House books, she's now working on Nancy Drew. Naomi is great at batting and is loving baseball. She says she’s liked living in different countries.

Reflections on Sports

My first memories of sports are fond ones. I remember kindergarten field days and winning a second place red ribbon in the standing long jump. I remember happily running through my family student housing neighborhood, and learning how to ride a bike.

But as elementary years progressed, I felt less and less happy about sports. I didn’t have a physically active family, so didn’t have any weekend practice at throwing, batting, or catching balls. I seemed to be uncoordinated when a moving object was approaching me and I had to make it go somewhere else. And because I felt I was bad at sports, I chose to not even try. I remember even lying sometimes to my teacher when it was P.E. time, saying that I didn’t feel good so that I could sit on the side, watching everyone else do baseball or some other game.

Upper elementary was the worst. By then, kids were choosing their own teams in P.E. games, and I was inevitably one of the very last picked. I remember being proud of my time after running the mile, but everything else was negative.

Finally, in sixth grade, I had a long-term substitute teacher who was really kind, and spotted an ability I didn’t know I had. While I thought I was bad at everything athletic, she helped me see that I was pretty good at sports like basketball, where I could have the ball already in my hand and then make it go somewhere. Soon I was playing basketball everyday during recess, and even the boys were calling me “Magic.” Basketball continued to be my favorite game through middle school years, and to this day, basketball and Frisbee are my most loved “sports.”

Junior high youth group leaders also had a huge influence on me. As I entered the group at age 10, I was self-conscious about my lack of physical ability, and in the midst of a boy-majority group, often chose not to play the games. But college-aged friends like Tracy and Katy encouraged me to just go out and try, and have a good time. And as the years passed, I became one of the most enthusiastic youth group game players. It’s what I missed most about youth group when I moved to Nigeria.

Now my own kids are 7 and 8. Since they have always been homeschooled, they have not had much experience with sports and group games. When I was invited to join a group of ex-pat families, meeting weekly at a park for sports and games, I excitedly went. My kids were shy and unsure of themselves, and it took a while for them to warm up to the group. But in the last few months, they’ve gotten to play volleyball, dodge ball, tag, and baseball with this group of kids ranging in age from 3 to 12. I’ve watched them grow from being timid and whiny, to being enthusiastic and risk-taking. And now they’re thrilled about being part of Amman Little League softball.

What made me so happy about the Tuesday park group was the sweet encouragement my children received from both kids and adults. They were cheered on, even when struggling to connect bat to ball. They were gently invited over and over again to join games that they weren’t sure about. They were made to feel a special part of the group.

When I think of the horrible feeling in my stomach, time and time again, at being ridiculed for my inability or at being picked last, I thank God that my kids have such a positive beginning. I want them to enjoy using their bodies and playing with others. I want them to grow in their skills, even if they’re never MVPs. I want them to feel good about being team players and to always have hope.

Little By Little, by Amber Stewart

Little By Little is a sweet story about an otter who hasn't yet learned to swim. He recognizes that he has many things he can do, but feels bad that he can't swim. His sister kindly helps him by encouraging him to take small steps forward -- first hopping in water, then floating, and eventually swimming. It's a nice way for kids to see that growth comes little by little. It also has lovely illustrations!

Week at the Pool

Thanks to Fusion Lifestyle (an Oxford fitness center) and to a homeschooling yahoo group, the kids and I enjoyed a very wet half-term (school holiday) last week! In honor of "National Family Week" Fusion sponsored parents to swim for free at Oxford city pools if they went with their kids. (And in Oxford, kids can always go free.) I found out about it through my homeschooling group. What a blessing it was to us!!

I mentioned it to my neighbor Sarah at the beginning of the week, and we started making tentative plans to go together to the outdoor pool on Wednesday. The day arrived, though, and it was rainy, plus Sarah could not come as she'd hoped. I told her I'd like to go anyway, to an indoor pool, and that I could take her 7-year-old Jonathan with us. She was thrilled with the idea and offered to drive us all there.

We had a great time at the Ferry Sports Centre pool. In addition to the regular pool, there was a "learner's pool" which had very broad steps (the whole width of the pool) and only ranged from 0.8 to 1 meter deep. This meant that Jonathan, Naomi, and Josiah could all stand by themselves, and that Ethan had quite a big space to play in shallow water (on the steps).

Jonathan goes to a pool every week so is quite comfortable with water, unlike my own kids. I think he helped Naomi feel more confident. Also it was nice to have four kids so that I had two pairs: Ethan and Josiah played well together, and Naomi and Jonathan spent almost all their time together in the 1-meter deep area.

We had so much fun on Wednesday that we decided to do it again on Friday! This time it was sunny and warm, so we decided to try the outdoor pool (Hinksey Pool). Again I offered to take Jonathan, and again Sarah said she could drive us there. It was really a perfect day to be outside in the water.

Hinksey Pool is a zero-depth pool and Ethan enjoyed the large "beach" area, where he could push his car around and lie on his tummy to splash. Naomi, Jonathan, and Josiah were happy to see that our neighbor friend Anna was also at the pool. She had come separately, with her mom and brother.

The problem with Hinksey Pool was that there was no shade and unfortunately, I was not careful enough with our sun protection. When we got home, I found that Naomi and I had burned our backs and shoulders. All three kids had a touch of sunburn right under their eyes. I learned for the next time!

On Saturday, we went yet again to the Ferry Pool, this time with Steve so he could see it. Again we brought Jonathan, but this time we walked both there and back (an hour each way). We went in the afternoon, and while the pool was shut for 1 1/2 hours (due to a private party), we enjoyed a Burger King dinner on the grass outside. We stayed until the pool shut at 7:30 and still had plenty of light to walk home in.

Finally on Sunday -- the last day of the free deal -- we went to the Hinksey Pool straight from church. Learning from my mistakes, I brought umbrellas and T-shirts to wear in the water. We wore sun-visors and got out from the water after every hour to spend a half hour in the shade, re-applying sunscreen. Steve, ever the busy student, brought his book with him so he could study while we played. Naomi didn't like the feel of wearing a shirt in the water, so she chose to stay in the shade of our umbrella with Steve, coloring with crayons I'd brought. I enjoyed the few hours of focused time with my boys, playing "hide-and-seek" with bath toys I'd brought and watching Ethan push around his cars again.

So that was our week of holiday, at home =) Now we're recovering from our vacation, trying to get the neglected house back in order and get ourselves some much-needed rest.

Latest Kid Pics

Naomi's new teeth are getting bigger all the time.
Ethan is our silly boy!
Josiah has just lost two teeth in two days this week!

Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

On our way home from town on Wednesday, the kids and I stopped in "Parson's Pleasure" (a small riverside section of the huge University Parks) for a much-needed break.

Every Wednesday is a marathon for us, as it's our "in-town" day. We attend an unstructured play-time at a church in City Centre. We buy a week's worth of fresh fruit and veg at an open market. Sometimes (as was true this week) we visit Central Library and pick up a new load of books. By the time we come home, we're tired -- of being inside, of walking, and of pulling/pushing heavy loads. Now that the days are longer and warmer, it's hard to pass by Parson's Pleasure without stopping for a nice rest!

We always see many waterfowl when at this park: coots, ducks, geese, swans. This time, though, as the kids ran through the green grass, they spotted a dead goose by the water's edge. They begged me to let them take it home with us, wanting to pluck it and cook it (!). I have to admit that I did consider it (taking it home; not cooking it). I thought we could perhaps disect it for an interesting biology lesson. We all stroked its feathers, and I considered the options (including seeing how much it weighed -- it was heavy!), but in the end I decided to leave it.

As Naomi has spoken of wanting to pluck a bird's feathers for many months now, we attempted to "pluck" a few on her behalf. I didn't realize how difficult it would be, though! I had to yank and twist with all my might to get just one feather, as did Josiah for his. Naomi was so happy that we'd plucked two feathers, she proclaimed it the best day of her life. (Yes I do have a drama queen for a daughter!)

All in all, it indeed was a good day. I was grateful to not carry home a monstrously large bird, but slightly disappointed that we missed out on a chance for dissection!

Caught in Bad Weather

When we left for church this morning, it was sunny and slightly warmer than frigid. Boy were we in for a surprise when we returned home a few hours later!

I needed to be at church early so I rode my bike, leaving Steve to walk with the kids (2 on scooters, 1 in the stroller). I figured I would get hot and sweaty by cycling so I left the house wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Steve usually wears a coat everywhere, but today decided to only wear a sweater. Ethan wore a coat, Josiah had on a long-sleeved shirt, and Naomi wore short-sleeves and a light shawl.

On the way to church, I was cold. I’d forgotten how much the wind chills my hands and arms when I’m cycling fast. I wished I’d worn a sweatshirt and gloves. It wasn’t too bad, though, and I did work up a sweat that kept me a bit warmer.

When my family arrived at church later, they seemed in good spirits. I think they’d all been comfortable on the 35 minute walk.

Two hours later, I headed home in a rush to finish cooking for friends coming over for a late lunch. It was sprinkling as I set out, and I almost turned around to warn Steve. I didn’t, though, and just hoped that maybe he’d ask some people for rides so that he and the kids could avoid the rain.

I was already cold from being in a short-sleeved shirt, and then the sprinkles turned to rain. A storm had come just during the window of time in which we were trying to rush home. It was frigid, windy and wet. I’ve rarely been so uncomfortable outside. My hands became numb, my arms were dripping and I could hardly see out of my glasses (in the end I took them off). I knew I’d be home within 15 minutes, though, and kept thinking, “I can handle anything for just 15 minutes.” But I also was dreading what my kids might be facing if they were walking home in the same conditions.

Sure enough, Steve walked home with the kids, choosing not to wait for a car ride because he felt pressure to get home quickly to help me prepare and because I’d asked him to pick up ice-cream at the store on the way home. Naomi came in the house, just beside herself, sobbing. She was freezing cold and soaking wet. (The boys were soaked, too, but are less fazed by things like cold.) I just held her and sympathized with her, feeling terrible that she’d walked for 30 minutes in a storm with no jacket or umbrella!!

Steve was at the end of his rope, having listened to Naomi cry the whole way home, and of course being cold and wet himself. He swore he’d never walk out of the house again without a raincoat or umbrella.

We got everyone out of wet clothes, put Ethan in a warm bath, made hot water bottles and hot chocolate for Naomi and Josiah, and pretty soon everyone was fine again. Our friends arrived for lunch an hour later, and we had a good time playing Settlers of Catan with them after eating.

Oh yeah, and by the time our friends arrived, it was sunny again.

Rear Garden: Stress Release Valve

It's not warm and it's not sunny today, but my kids are in the rear garden regardless. Thank you, Lord!!! I'm starting to realize a big part of my frustration these past few months was probably due to having my 3 loud, active children crammed into my small house with me. Having some peace and quiet as they play outside is just wonderful!!

Our garden is all gravel, but a horse pasture adjoins it and there is a bit of dirt by the fence. It still amazes me how creative my kids can be with so few material things. Today they're collecting supplies to build a house (gravel, rocks, pieces of wood, "concrete"), and yesterday they were working on creating their own pond. Perhaps they were inspired by the presentation on amphibians we went to last week, in which it was stressed over and over again how important ponds are.

They come back in with filthy clothes, and manage to get dirt all over the floor. But it is so worth it!!! They're happy and I'm happy! You can't beat that!

Puddle Jumping!

It's rained off and on for the past few days, and today the temperature finally rose a bit. I've had to go out by myself to run a couple errands yesterday and today, and each time, Ethan grabbed his shoes and sat by the door, ready to come with me. I hated to tell him that he wasn't coming! So today when I got back from an errand, I decided it was definitely a great day for a leisurely walk -- a puddle walk!

Ah, the joys of childhood.

The kids donned their wellies (rain-boots) and sweaters and we took off around the block. Naomi and Josiah took turns riding our one scooter and Ethan enjoyed every single puddle.

He was doing great at staying dry until we got to a mega-puddle (mini-pond!) near the end. This was so deep that stomping in it got his trousers completely wet above the wellies. Unbeknownst to me, his trousers and socks within the wellies were also soaked. (I only discovered this upon our arrival at home when I removed his boots.) This didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Then he tripped and fell face-first into the pond puddle. I thought for sure that was the end of our fun, as he doesn't like to be dirty and now his hands were wet and cold. But he wiped them off, shed a few tears and then wanted to keep splashing! Naomi and Josiah both really liked scootering through the mega-puddle. They tried to get up enough speed that they could coast through the whole thing without putting their foot down in the water.

After a long, relaxed, fun walk we finally made it back home. We'd only gone down our street and the one parallel to ours, but the boys were dirty and wet. I stuck them in the bath tub where they merrily played and continued to splash -- this time on my bathroom floor.

Interpretation of Children's Writing

For anyone a mite confused, here are the kids' notes with normal spellings.

I love you Mama
I want to show a amazing trick
Watch this:
(Alphabet backwards)
I love your smile.
I love your kisses.
I love your hugs.
The end.

I love you Mama.
I decided to be a artist when I am grown up.
I love you more than any other mama.
In fact, you are the only mama I had.
Love, Naomi

Dad
I hope you are going to feel better soon.
I love you Dad.
Naomi.

(from Josiah):
Daddy, I hope that you get better.
Josiah

Exploring How to Write

Naomi and Josiah are taking off not only in their reading but in their writing. Only, their confusion over how to spell things reminds me how inconsistent the English language is in its rules. See if you can make out what they are saying...

Notes from Naomi

i luv u momo
i wot to shoo u mazingn chric
wach theis.
Zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba.
i luv yor smile.
i luv yor kisis.
i luv yor hugs.
The end.
XOXOXOXOXO

i luv u momo
i dusidid to by u ords win I am groonup.
i luv u moor len eny ulr momo
en fakt u or the onee momo I had.
luv Naomi
XOXOXOXO

Dad
i hop u or gooing to feel deetr soon
i luv u Dad
Luv Naomi
XOXOXOXOXO


Note from Josiah

Dadee
i hop lat u get bedr.
Josiah.

Josiah: Advent Wreath Snow

Last Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent, and we needed an advent wreath. Mom says we have one back home, but didn’t bring it with us. She thought it would be fun to make one. Mom found some packing foam, being discarded by the local pub, and invited Naomi and me to come looking for greenery with her.

We’d seen lots of holly and ivy while on our walks, but we couldn’t remember precisely where. Unfortunately Sunday was rainy and cold so we bundled up in jumpers, waterproofs, wellies and brellies (sweaters, rain-jackets, rain-boots, and umbrellas). I love walking in the rain. Mom lets me splash in puddles when I’m wearing my boots and it’s such fun! I also like holding my own umbrella. I spin it around and feel so grown-up.

We had only walked a couple minutes when we spotted some holly. I asked Mom if it was prickly, and she said, “No, its leaves just look pointy.” Ha! She reached out to cut some off and yelped! I guess she’d never actually touched holly before. Hearing her say “Ouch!” convinced me I didn’t want to have any part in this greenery-gathering. I stood off by myself, playing with my umbrella (which can also be a good sword!), while Mom and Naomi cut off bits of holly and pine. We headed home, the girls now with very cold fingers because they’d been handling wet plants, and collected some ivy and berries on the way.

Mom made some yummy wassail to warm us up and put on Christmas music. I love music! She’s been teaching us the words to “Joy to the World,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and “Silent Night.” I think the first line of “Joy to the World” should be “Joy to the Lord, the Lord has come,” but she’s trying to convince me otherwise.

Then she put the foam on a pan and started cutting it in a circle. Do you know what happens to white packing foam when you cut it? Yes! It breaks off into little, itsy-bitsy crumbs of white. I was inspired, as you might imagine. There are few things more fun to me than turning big things into miniscule pieces (using scissors or my hands!). So once the wreath shape was cut out, I abandoned the whole project, letting Naomi and Mom stick the leaves and candles onto it. I had a much grander idea: filling our dining room with “snow.”

I took a leftover piece of foam and began rubbing it with my fingers. Bits broke off and when I blew them, “snow” flew into the air. Mom saw what I was doing, but said it was fine since she’d already begun making a similar mess while cutting the foam. She also thought that we could just easily vacuum it all up after I’d gotten my fill of tearing things up. Oh boy! License to make a mess!!! Just what I’ve always wanted.

I worked hard at my snow, and when Naomi had finished with the wreath, she decided to join me. Then Ethan woke up from his nap, and he joined in too! Three of us making white crumbs all over the dining room! When the floor was covered and we were getting crumbs in the hallway, living room and stairs, too, Mom had had enough. She knew Daddy wouldn’t be happy if he saw the mess. She told us to vacuum it all up before dinner.

That was more easily said than done. For one thing, our vacuum cleaner is very hard to push, so Naomi and I both tired out quickly. For another thing, there is a fan blowing air out, which created little eddies of swirling foam wherever Mom tried to hoover. And finally, our vacuum cleaner has a canister that needs to be emptied manually (instead of bags) and it’s pretty darn small. I kind of forgot how much space all the bits of foam would take up once they were put in once place again. Mom was not too happy about emptying the canister over and over again (though Naomi thought it was fun!)

I had been sad when Mom said we needed to clean up the snow and I’d insisted that we would do this again someday. “Maybe snow on every holiday,” I’d said. “Easter, 4th of July…” But after spending 45 minutes cleaning it all up, I started to have second thoughts. And Mom was adamant: “Never again!!”

At least I did it once. Not every kid can say that.

Naomi: Looking for a Park

November '08
It was a sunny day and we were on a hunt to find a new playground. Mom had looked at a map which indicated there would be a playground at Angel and Greyhound Meadow, in the St. Clement’s area of Oxford. That wasn’t too far from home, so we set out on a Friday morning for an exploring adventure.

Even though it was a bit of a walk (25-30 min.) we each found a stick on the way and had fun pretending they were swords or walking sticks. When we got to the busier part of town, Mom had to keep reminding us not to play swords because so many people were walking by us. She also was a little worried we’d fall in front of a car or bus if we weren’t paying attention.

Mom guided us through an alley and a parking lot, over a little bridge, and we saw the meadow, just beyond a copse of trees. Yay! We love running and jumping in woods and grass. I was so excited!

I had not taken too many steps into the grass, however, when I realized this was very WET grass. And a few steps further indicated I was walking in MUD. Mom saw the mucky state of the ground and apologized to me, saying that this meadow must be a floodplain. (I know all about floodplains because we walk through one every time we take the footpath through University Parks into town. And I’ve seen light flooding there!)

My brothers, mom, and I own “wellies” (rain boots) but we hadn’t worn them on this adventure. We thought we’d just be playing in a playground. The rest of my family was wearing sneakers, but unfortunately for me, I was wearing socks and crocs. Yes, well, I can tell you now that mud squishes into crocs VERY quickly. My feet were immediately wet, cold, and dirty. Yuck!

Mom took pity on me during the worst bits and pushed me in the stroller (which Ethan had vacated for the obvious pleasure of squishing through mud!) We eventually made it to the other side and walked along the edge of the meadow, which was slightly less muddy than the middle. I thought our “adventure” was a failure until I saw the river.

Ah, flowing water. There are so many things one can do next to a river. Josiah and I used our sticks to stir muddy water by the banks, pretending we were making chocolate milk. Ethan tried to throw leaves into the water, but mostly the wind would blow them right back onto him! We threw pebbles in, comparing splashes and sounds. We even cheered Mommy on as she lugged a great big huge branch, and flopped it into the water. It didn’t move at first, but we nudged it with our sticks and then watched it slowly go downstream.

Mom told us about currents, wind and gravity. We learned that the water going down the middle of the river moves more quickly than the water on the banks of the river. We could see that clearly, since there were so many fallen leaves on the river’s surface. And remembering the bad effects of pollution, I was determined to get an empty beer can out of the water near the bank. Using two sticks, Mom and I managed to do it!

Now, remember how I said we were looking for a playground? Behind some trees, Mom spied a fence. And since playgrounds here are always fenced in, we happily ran through the trees, sure we’d found what we were looking for. Imagine our disappointment when we got close enough to realize that the playground had long ago been dismantled. All that remained was a fenced-in patch of grass and a lonely bench. Not a play-thing in sight.

Oh well. We had lots of fun by the water, and despite my wet feet, I knew the adventure had been worth it. In addition to the fun, I learned two important things: 1) it’s always wise to walk along the edge of a meadow, instead of through the center, and 2) I should always have my wellies with me!

Animal Pics

1) "Our" new puppy Frank (showed up on our doorstep); 2) Our other homeless puppy Susan.
3 & 4) Germy, our toad who eventually died.
5, 6, 7) "Our" pet tortoise who we released after just a few days.