Day 27, Chicken MANSION! (93...Free!)

The story had an innocent start...

Let's get a few chickens. Have some free-range eggs. Simple, no?

Ha.

Then the story turned into a tale of riches, untold bazillions spent, and living the good life. No, I'm not referring to Wall Street. I'm referring to THE CHICKEN MANSION.

Our chickens are now living a life of opulence in their new home. I don't even want to think about how much this project cost. Why am I posting it on "93...Free?" Perhaps I can save you from a likewise fate. Next time you start dreaming about chickens, consider the cost of the project from beginning to end. Or, perhaps, check to see if the "builder" has the same budget in mind that you do. ;)


Here's the whole enchilada.


Here's where we'll collect eggs. Eggs??? What eggs??? Chickens in million dollar mansions don't lay eggs. Seriously. They aren't laying eggs yet. The million dollar chickens haven't laid a marble yet. Oh, but their systems work great otherwise. They are pooping up a storm!




Inside shots of la casa rico. They have a heat lamp, their own electrical outlet, and locks on their doors (if you live in a mansion, you need locks!) Me thinks me chickens are living better than me. Ai-yi-yie!!!!!!

Someday, when I come to you and ask, "Where did my 401K disappear to?" and I try to blame it on Wall Street, someone remind me that my 401K is probably sitting in my backyard, covered with chicken you-know-what.

Day 26, Mashed Potatoes for Breakfast?? (93...Free!)

In the spirit of trying to do better with breakfast, I tried a new recipe this morning using leftover mashed potatoes. These hash browns are easy and worth making again. We ate them alongside scrambled eggs. The only difference I'd do next time is attempt to make the onion pieces tinier.

Lizzi and School

Several months ago I did a series of posts (see April archives) about Lizzi and her entry into public school. As you'll recall, she went to public school kindergarten and was then homeschooled in grades 1-7 before returning to public school at the end of her 7th grade year. We deliberately timed her returned in order to prepare for entry into a public high school in another year.

Although I dearly loved homeschooling her (and continue to homeschool Anakin), I haven't regretted Lizzi's decision to return to public school. She is thriving. One thing in particular is worth noting...

After having the same teacher for seven years, Lizzi LOVES having other people teach her. And the best thing? She cares a LOT about working hard for these people and showing them her absolute best. From the beginning, her language arts teacher took notice of Lizzi's writing abilities and worked hard to point out her strengths and challenge her weaknesses. Lizzi is interested in working for this teacher in a way that I haven't experienced. It's not that I, as her former teacher, did anything wrong. It's not that Lizzi, as a homeschooler, was in any way inadequate; to the contrary, she was a very, very good student. But there is something about working for a stranger (or shall we say, a non-Mom) that has inspired her to new heights. For that, I am thankful.

But this also leads me to another reflection...

Lizzi loves her classes and works very, very hard for her teachers. BUT she quickly noticed that her peers do not have nearly the interest in school that she does. In general, she does not perceive them as being passionate about learning in the same way that she is. She believes the difference is homeschooling.

Over the years, the greatest thing I hoped to instill in my children (educationally-speaking) was a desire for knowledge and the tools to gain new understandings. I wanted them to "learn how to learn." You know the doctor adage, "first do no harm?" The greatest harm I figured I could do as a teacher-parent was to extinguish my children's natural love for learning. Thankfully, Lizzi's love for learning seems to have entered public school with her. With any luck, it will continue for the rest of her life.

Oh, the Joys of Public School...

This morning the news was on (my first mistake) while 'LilDude was eating breakfast. As usual, it was all about the election. 'LilDude pipes up, "I'm voting for McCain."

Since he recently declared his vote for Obama, I asked, "So why are you voting for him?"

"Cause Cole said if Obama wins, he'll kill babies."

Eyebrows raised, I ask, "Who is Cole?"

"A first grader."

"So why does he think that?"

"His sister told him."

The joys of public school...

Preparing to be a BIG Brother

Since I know several adoptive families read my blog, I thought some of you might enjoy hearing about what we're doing to prepare 'LilDude for his new role as big brother.

We purposely waited a long time to add to our family. 'LilDude needed time to be the youngest and to soak up all the Mommy time he possibly could. Years ago, our adoption therapist said that she thought that he might be ready by age six or so. Turns out (at least so far...in theory :), that she was right.

'LilDude continues to be thrilled by the idea of a little brother. One thing that I mentioned to him seems to have stuck. In passing, I remarked on the fact that littlebrother will probably think that our family looks strange...all of us, that is, except 'LilDude. I noted that 'LilDude looks like the people that littlebrother is used to being around but that the rest of us might look a little scary to him. 'LilDude caught on to this idea right away...

"He'll be used to black hair like mine?"

"That's right." 'LilDude grins.

Since I brought it up, 'LilDude has mentioned it several times on his own.

Tonight we prepared a mini photo album for 'LilDude to take to school tomorrow. He gets to lead in sharing time on Tuesdays and this is "P" week, so he is taking PICTURES of his brother to share with his class. He carried them to bed so he could look at them again while I read a story aloud.

Day 25, Chix/Turkey Vegetable Soup (93...Free!)

You know the criteria by now...if 'LilDude asks for 3rds, the recipe gets blogged. :) Tonight the kids all enjoyed "Chicken Vegetable Soup" from Simply in Season. 'LilDude had three helpings despite one concern...

"Mom, there's a bug in my soup."

I didn't doubt it since I'd just brought the broccoli and kale in from the garden, but I asked anyway, hoping it was pepper. "How do you know?"

"It has LEGS."

Lizzi consoled him. "That's okay. Bugs are just protein. People in other countries eat bugs all the time."

That satisfied 'LilDude.

I hope you enjoy it, legs or not... ;)



Chicken (Turkey) Vegetable Soup
-modified from Simply in Season

The recipe calls for a 3 lb chicken, cooked, with reserve broth. I just cooked a turkey, so I used that meat & broth.

3 c. carrots, diced
2 c. celery, diced
1-2 medium onions, diced
1 medium parsnip, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

In large soup pot saute the above in 2 T. olive oil. Add a little water for steam.

1/2 t. ground red pepper
salt/pepper to taste

Add the 2 above ingredients and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender but not mushy, 15 minutes. Add water to chicken/turkey broth to make 12 cups. Add to soup mixture along with cooked chicken or turkey (cut into bite-sized pieces.)

2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. kale, chopped
1/2 t. dried dill (or 1 1/2 t. fresh)

Add, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors.

Note: We had leftover rice in the fridge. 'LilDude LOVES rice and added some to his soup. The cold rice helped to cool the hot soup. The kids also added Parmesan cheese or grated cheddar if they wished.

BTW, I don't think I'd ever eaten a parsnip until last year. I really like them. And in a recipe like this, they provide a little sweetness that's not-to-be-missed. Now if I could only figure out how to grow them.

'LilDude Would Like to Announce...

"I am going to be a big brother!!!!!"





New little brother is 2 1/2 years old. We don't have "LOA" (letter of acceptance from China) yet and won't for several months, so at this point that's all we feel free to say in a wide public forum. Well, that and a couple more things...

* 'LilDude says (and I quote), "I'm excited and I can't wait to go to China to pick him up!" He also said, "Are you going to hold ____ while you wait for me at the bus stop?"

"I might. What do you think about that?"

"Great! Then Terri (the bus driver) is going to say, 'Who is that?'" [Then laughs like he has a terrific secret.]

'LilDude is thrilled to pieces about the whole thing. I couldn't have asked for a more open, accepting reaction.

* The new I - 800 a process is horrendous. But God must have intervened because it wasn't nearly as horrific as anticipated. So thank you to God and our Social Worker who also helped to speed the process along. I think working with China will be a breeze after working through the U.S. process. The U.S. process wasn't very user friendly.

* Prayers are most welcome from anyone who would like to intervene on our little guy's behalf. A speedy process would be in his best interest.

With much excitement...

Off to nest... ;)

~a truly Rich Momma! ;)

Math Lessons

If you are a homeschooler or a classroom teacher, here are some great math lessons to watch...in action! :)

The Eyeballing Game

Here's some cheap entertainment... ;) It's called The Eyeballing Game.

"Some people are bothered by pictures on the wall hanging slightly crooked. Others may not even be aware that something may be amiss.

If you are somebody who is into woodworking or construction, its good to be one of the people who notice when things are crooked. But I suspect the ability to notice that things might be just a little off square, off centre, or not quite straight, varies greatly. I thought it would be fun for people to try to test their abilities to see if things are straight or crooked in a little game.

The game works by showing you a series of geometries that need to be adjusted a little bit to make them right. A square highlights the point that needs to be moved or adjusted. Use the mouse to drag the blue square or arrowhead where you feel it is 'right'. Once you let go of the mouse, the computer evaluates your move, so don't let up on the mouse button until you are sure. The 'correct' geometry is also shown in green. To avoid the need for extra mouse clicks, a mouse button up counts as the move being finished, so be careful."

Day 24, Christmas Presents (93...Free!)

We started a tradition last year; family members who planned to gather on Christmas Day exchanged names, keeping their selected person a secret. (Well, they tried to keep it a secret. I'm the one who goofed. I was in charge of the drawing and several times I accidentally let a hint or two slip about who had whose names. Anakin and Lizzi decided that they would take over this year so as to not let that happen again! ;)

Last year the drawing included our family of six plus my parents and my sis/bro-in-law--ten total. Each buyer had to spent EXACTLY $20. To the PENNY. Adults and kids alike had a blast trying to figure out how they could milk the most out of $20.

I was somewhat concerned about how 'LilDude (then 5yo) would receive the idea. He was the age closest to what most people equate with TOYS, TOYS, TOYS and Christmas. Lizzi drew his name and was thrilled with the challenge.

She was able to buy a shockingly large amount of gifts with her $20. She bought:

* a StarWars Jedi costume (on sale at Goodwill right before Halloween)
* a new lightsaber
* one of the large Fisher Price dinosaurs (used, Goodwill)
* a dinosaur book (used, Goodwill)
* a new Lego set

'LilDude loved it; in actuality, it was probably the best Christmas he's ever had. I think he was relieved to not be overwhelmed by "stuff" and the expectations that go along with it. (Sometimes just having to thank people can be overwhelming for young children.)

On Christmas, we took time to have each person open their gifts slowly, one at a time. It was fun to see what $20 could buy. And I loved the fact that it wasn't all about the kids. Sometimes I think children are under the impression (perhaps correct!) that Christmas is all about THEM rather than being about the birth of Christ. As a young, teen babysitter I was once asked to babysit several days after Christmas for a family with several kids. I was astounded to arrive and see one very long wall STACKED with toys, many of them still in their original boxes, unopened. The children had received so many gifts that they hadn't even finished taking all the toys out. And when I showed interest in investigating the pile, they didn't care; it was TOO MUCH STUFF. When kids are treated equally, that tends to eliminate the overemphasis on gifts and commercialism, focusing the meaning where it should be. At least it did for us. ;)

The kids are already talking about it and planning for this year. The excitement is much higher than it used to be when they were showered with gifts.

Last year, we only did two things for gifts--this and "family gifts," consisting of several very inexpensive and/or used items that we either purchased or were given to use in a garage game room. This year, we will again only do two things--the $20 gift exchange and family gifts, this time consisting of items we need for our trip overseas.

What are you doing?

Day 23, Crockpot Green Beans and Sausage (93...Free!)

If you didn't catch this crockpot recipe for Green Beans and Sausage several months ago, take a look. Everyone at our house loves it. It's easy, inexpensive, healthy, and yummy.

Kindergarten is Hard Work

'LilDude talks about math...

"I can count to ten hundred. I mean one thousand. I just have to take lots of breaths."

A Duh Moment for Mom

So it seems there was spitting yesterday at recess. In this particular incident, 'LilDude was the recipient of the spit; he didn't spit on anyone. But since there have recently been some moist morsels flying around our house, I took the opportunity to have a conversation with him. Preventative measure, ya know?

Me: Even if the other kids are spitting it is not okay for you to do it too.

He looks at me incredulously and says, "MOM! I am a GOOD KID. I wouldn't DO THAT."

Day 22, Squash & Apple Bake (93...Free!)

Here's another delicious recipe from my mother-in-law. It's economical...but the best thing is that kids (and husbands!) will EAT IT! ;) Again, our cost was pennies...using our home-grown apples and squash.

Squash & Apple Bake
-my mother-in-law

2 lbs butternut squash
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter/margarine, melted (I used much less and just dabbed pea size chunks over the top)
1 T. flour (I used gluten-free)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. mace (or less)
2 baking apples, cored and cut into slices or chunks
raisins (optional, but yummy)

Heat oven to 350. Cut each squash in half. Remove seeds and fibers. Peel squash. Cut into 1/2" slices. Arrange squash in ungreased baking dish, approximately 7"x 11".

Stir together dry ingredients (with raisins if using them). Arrange apple slices/chunks on top of squash. Sprinkle dry ingredients over all. Drizzle with butter. Cover with foil. Bake 50-60 minutes or until squash is tender.

Note: This is the only recipe I have that I use "mace" for...it's a spice. I keep a tiny container in the freezer. I would think that a similar amount of cinnamon or a reduced amount of nutmeg would also work. Maybe even pumpkin pie spice. ;)

Day 21, Family-Friendly, Frugal FRIES! (93...Free!)

One of my best sources for yummy, frugal, kid-friendly recipes is my mother-in-law. My husband grew up in a family of six who survived some pretty tight economic times. The following recipe for french fries is one that my kids ask for...and there are never any leftovers! Tonight, I'm using potatoes that my dad grew (THANKS, Dad!) and the kids helped him to dig, so our cost is pennies.

Crispy Potato Wedges
-from my mother-in-law

3 large potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into fries
2 T. olive oil
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese (opt.)
1/2 to 1 t. paprika (I generally sprinkle til it looks good)
3/4 or less t. garlic salt
1/2 t. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 t. pepper
salt to taste

Place cut fries in a bowl. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with other ingredients while stirring. Spread fries out on a cookie sheet. Bake uncovered in a 375 oven for 45-55 minutes or until fries are tender. Serve with ketchup.

Note: My mother-in-law makes wedges by cutting each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.