Enjoying February

A lot of people are moaning about the month of February; they feel in a funk, they are tired of the cold, or they're burned out on whatever they're doing.  It's really common to hear the complaints from the homeschooling folks, especially, during this month. 

Today I noticed quite a difference in the morning light when I drove my son to the bus stop.  It's like we had so much more light today than we did last week!  This month actually uplifts me because the days are markedly longer, and here in the Pacific Northwest, every minute counts.  The fact that I can still see outside on my deck at 5:00 pm is fantastic!  I feel like I have a new lease on life and that I can start to think about spring.  It's amazing how a half hour of light here and there can add up to such a big mood shift.  I love it.  February is welcomed happily in my mind regardless of the cold and regardless of the cloudy, drippy days (which we haven't had much of this winter).  I'm just so happy to not feel like it's always night time!

Homemade Cream of Mushroom

A couple of years ago I cut back on using canned cream of mushroom soup in recipes that called for them.  Instead I started making my own just for the sake of cutting back on processed foods.  It's been a while now since I've used a canned cream of mushroom and wanted to share the recipe I use in its place. 

Oh yes, mushrooms aren't something I keep in my fridge regularly so it is very likely that I wouldn't have any on hand when I needed the cream of mushroom soup.  I just make it anyway without the mushroom, and while you do lose that flavor, I just add a few extra shakes of seasonings like onion powder and garlic powder.

I plan to make a potato casserole tomorrow, Insha'Allah, and went ahead and made the cream sauce tonight so that I'll be that much ahead tomorrow. 

In a saucepan I melt 1/4 cup butter.
Add to that 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms and saute till they are soft, a few minutes.
Add 1/4 cup flour and blend well.  Cook and stir over medium heat to blend it all well. 
Add 1 cup milk (I use whole milk) and stir until the flour has mixed into the milk.
Sauce will thicken within a minute, and then you can add about 1/4 tsp salt and some pepper. I like to use white pepper. 
That's it.  You're left with a gloppy, goopy, creamy mushroom base!
Here's my picture... it's not glamorous!

Foamy Handsoap I Put Together At Home

I've recently learned about a line of essential oils called doTerra and was interested in their oils because of the effort they went to to get their oils labelled as therapeutic grade and that they've gotten a nutrition label on some of them that you can put in your food.  I already am a user of essential oils in my home, so I was happy to find a good use for the oil blend called OnGuard whose oils are antimicrobial/bacterial/fungal in nature.   They suggested we use OnGuard in a foaming soap!  I fell for this great idea and set up three bottles in my house using some distilled water, liquid castile soap, and a couple of drops of the essential oils.

I filled each bottle with the distilled water nearly to the top.  Then I squirted a bit of castile soap (on the internet you can find some recipes calling for up to 1/3 cup but I am happy with about 2 tablespoons if I had to estimate).  To that I put 3-5 drops of the essential oil.  I was happy to use the blend On Guard for health reasons, but you could always use an oil of your choice suitable for a soap... lavender, geranium, peppermint, lemon.

I give the bottle a gentle swish back and forth before I use it just to disperse the oil in case it has settled on the top.  Whether it is necessary or not, I don't know.  In the meantime, I'm happy with a very inexpensive, easy to make, and enjoyable to use handsoap!

One Batch of Play Dough

One batch of homemade play dough transformed the moods and actions of my four children this weekend!  I intended to make it for my four year old, but as soon as the ingredients were out, the older kids were calling what color they wanted their portion to be.  Haha!

In a big bowl I stir:
5 cups of flour
1 cup salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 Tbsp alum (I was out of alum and used cream of tartar)

To this dry mixture (well, expect the oil) you pour 4 cups of boiling water.  Stir it up and it will come together nicely once it cools off after a few minutes.

At that point I divide up the dough into however many different colors we want to make.  Add the food coloring and knead well.  Presto, all done!  We store ours in Ziploc bags to keep them fresh.

I tell you, all weekend they were rolling, making, building, and pretending with this stuff, and they played together a lot.  Their favorite accessories this time were the rolling pin, plastic knife, toy cars, and Tinker Toys wooden sticks.

The homemade play dough doesn't crumble like the store bought kind, so it's not as big of a hassle, but I admit, there are random pieces of colored play dough here and there around the kitchen floor.  It's ok, this one was worth it.

Ideas for improving Quran Classses

There has to be a way to reform the way we teach people (children) to read and memorize Quran.  Over the past ten years, we have tried at least half a dozen ways.  And each time we run into similar problems and complaints:
* teachers have a heavy foreign accent and the kids have a hard time understanding them.
* they sit around a table left to themselves for the majority of the hour (or hour and a half).
* they aren't given any tools to memorize except to read to themselves over and over.
* they get yelled at.
* they get compared to other kids in the class or to one of their siblings.
* other kids in the class are rude to my kids or just goof off because they don't want to be there either.
* my kids come back with headaches and whine for at least an hour before and after.
* the teacher takes phone calls or texts a lot during the lesson.

These are just a few complaints I have with the experiences we've had.  I'm so fed up with it.  I've tried incorporating memorizing Quran into our schedule, but it is much harder to follow through with it than you might think.  Talking to an experienced Quran teacher once, she told me that she sends her teen son to someone else to learn because it just doesn't happen at home. 

So I was thinking that maybe I could form some kind of format or suggested guide to improve Quran classes.  Since the teachers are usually volunteers with little experience in education or childhood development, they don't have the tools or resources to structure their class time with.  I'm no expert, but I have taken an early childhood development class, I've been homeschooling for over 3 years, and I read up about education as a hobby. 

Off the top of my head I would divide up the hour and a half into 25 minute clusters (or less) and do different things instead of expecting the child to sit for that long supposedly reading and memorizing on his own.  Other things I would suggest (and I might just think more on this subject and come up with a formal packet and present it)
* have a cheerful attitude.
* respect the child.
* take the age of the child into consideration including what skills he likely has and doesn't have.
* realize they are coming to you at the end of their school day and are likely a little tired.
* take advantage of multiple teaching methods: in pairs, have one student read along while another recites that sura from memory, then switch. 
* spend a few minutes actually showing them how to memorize and giving them tips and methods to memorize.
* realize that because they are young, you will want to repeat tips and instruction each time to drill it into them.
* set realistic goals.  or just set some type of goal instead of just showing up each time with no clear direction.
* show up 5 minutes before class starts so that you are there before the students. set the tone and get them busy as soon as they walk in with some type of warm up.

These are just a few of my thoughts.  I've been a little fired up about this topic (again) for a couple of days, and I really want to organize my thoughts so that I might present it to our Quran school.  I don't personally want to teach the classes, and I don't want it to depend on me; rather, I want a successful model to be used by all the teachers so that the students and families can have a better experience.

Outsourcing

This year I've decided to join two homeschool co-ops to take classes from.  Last year we were members in one co-op, but the classes the girls took were mostly recreational.  This year I decided to make better use of our outings and sign up for science classes in addition to the fun classes.  I no longer have to worry about any science while we're home, and they still get some fun classes like gymnastics and logic. 

The pros of being in my co-ops outweigh the cons.

Pros:
1.  I relieve myself of teaching an entire subject.
2.  The girls get to take those classes in a group setting with hands on activities.
3.  We are forced to organize our schedules to accommodate the classes which makes us more organized.
4.  I get to talk to other adults on those days, and my kids get to hang out with other kids.
5.  The kids get to be influenced by other adults of my choosing during co-op.
6.  Being busy and out of the house 2 of 5 days helps us appreciate the quieter days at home.
7.  If I wanted to, I could take some reading or handwork to do while I wait.

Cons:
1.  I have to do a lot of 'sitting and waiting' which makes me a little antsy.
2.  We come home fried.
3.  I can't really think of many cons!

One co-op has been running for many years and is very well run.  The second co-op is in its second year and is still trying to establish its foundation.  In both co-ops parents have simple jobs that help things run smoothly such as basic cleaning up, helping teachers pack up, and running the reception table.  Parent input in welcomed and we hire teachers to teach the classes.  I like that my older children can take challenging classes to keep them engaged and working hard as they get into the higher grades. 

In one co-op, the classes are offered only on Tuesday.  You look at the schedule and sign up for as many classes as you want that day, and that is your co-op day.  I like that it isn't spread out over many days.  That way you aren't ruining your other 'home' days by having to pack up and leave for a few hours. 

The other co-op offers classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but I chose to only take Wednesday classes because of the time it takes me to get there and get home.  If it were closer I might consider taking a class on a different day, too, but as it is now, the whole round trip out makes us all tired.

The workload is very light on co-op days as far as what I expect from them at home.  Math is done daily, and then I usually tack on some type of grammar or writing on co-op days.  They can usually bring their work with them to do in their down hour so that they don't have too much to do when they get home.

All in all, I am so happy we have these options here. I didn't have this network while living in Plano.  We were home all day every day unless I took them on a field trip.  Here in Seattle I have a huge network just by being a member of these two groups.  It's so good to be with moms of a similar mindset.  We help each other work through decisions and issues while benefitting from each other's support.  I'm really thankful for this great set-up.

this is a marble run made  out of foam tube during physical science class

and she reads!!!

It was an unexpected moment.  Randomly this evening my not-yet-5-year old daughter came to me while I was preparing dinner in the kitchen.  She was enthusiastically waving a little reader book from a box I keep in the school room saying "I know, Mom, let's read this one!"  I glanced at it and saw that it was Book 7.  We are still on Book 2 and going through phonics lessons very slowly and casually, so I told her we could look at it but that I wasn't sure she knew how to make all the sounds.  Well, it felt like the right thing to do to leave the kitchen and go sit with her on the couch.  After stumbling over some of those words I asked her to try Book 2.  She nailed it!  She sounded out and read a book all on her own.  It was a surreal moment.  She's the only child I actually taught how to read.  My older three were in preschools and kindergartens, and I wasn't really paying attention.  But now I am. 

It felt like when your baby takes his first steps.  You drop everything and keep doing it over and over and you're laughing and smiling and clapping.  I couldn't believe she just floated into the kitchen like that out of the blue and BAM read a book.  She's been putting many words together for a while now, but this was an official 'sit down and read a book'.  She hasn't shown any interest in doing that yet.  I am so proud and thankful for this little bonus that came to me at the end of today.  I'd had a rough day, so this really, REALLY cheered me up. 

This successes make me realize that all the little steps I take along the way are worthwhile.  All the book reading, letter recognition, finger activities, and other games we play were so worth it.  I love how natural and easy it is for her to become familiar with letter, words, and finally with reading. 

She was so happy that she said she could read any book from the bookshelf!  Well... ok, we're not quite there yet.  Had to stick to our little readers.

Friday recap

This school year has a nice rhythm and schedule that we've never had before.  I'm enjoying the days we spend at home because they come after 3 days of being out of the house and running.

Today is Friday and is a 'stay at home' day.  The girls and I (we are currently the homeschoolers) know it is a home day start the day with a calm tone.  Today I put in a load of darks shortly after I got dressed, but not right away because I knew one of my kids wanted a morning shower.  Breakfast wasn't rushed, and my youngest could take her time eating and getting herself dressed. 

Luckily the two older girls got started pretty close to 8:00 on their first subject (always Math) while I tidied up the kitchen, straightened my hair, and helped the littlest with a fashion emergency (it happens).

I joined the schoolroom around 9am to make sure all was well.  It was.  Youngest One took down the October calendar so that we could change it over to November.  She put the dates back up while naming the numbers and me showing her how they looked on the calendar.  We then talked about the months, how her birthday month is next after November, and then she did the weather chart by pointing the arrow to 'cloudy' (big surprise for Seattle).

 



Like I mentioned earlier, I like the predictable rhythms our weeks take this school year.  On Fridays I can take care of household work, sit by the girls while they focus on work, and I can spend some good, quality time with the youngest in some educational interactions.  I won't call them 'lessons' because they're not really that formal yet with her.  She won't be 5 years old until the end of December, so we just talk about all things preschool such as colors, numbers, patterns, songs, stories, and letter recognition.  I've been using a book called Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, but in all honesty we've done all of 12 lessons since starting in July.  How's that for laid back?  She is learning how to read from exposure to letters and books, so this book is kind of a guide for me and not The Standard by which I must sit my 4 year old down and drill daily.  She actually read an entire Bob Book today with little help from me, so something is working.

The older girls will be done with most of their independent work soon (plus some time with me during grammar), and then we'll get into an hour-long history lesson.  I read aloud from The Story of the World and then we do map work, place events on a timeline, and read extra books I've already checked out from the library.  After that we'll have lunch and then the girls will spend some time reading from the 'required reading' list (which I make). 

We had been in the habit of attending Friday Prayers at the mosque, but we haven't been in a few weeks.  One masjid is holding a later service at 3:30 to accommodate the school aged kids, so we went to that one time.  The only down side is that it took half an hour to get there after spending 20 minutes picking up my son.  So adding up travel time and prayer time, that outing took us 2 hours which kind of wore everyone to the point of crankiness late on a Friday afternoon... I'm not so encouraged to repeat that.

As for the remainder of the day, I made up some pizza dough for dinner tonight.  I also cooked up some taco meat last night which I'll probably use for Saturday's lunch.  Broccoli is also waiting  in the fridge to be turned into soup.

Have a great day and take it easy.

Potato Casserole

Sometimes we're fortunate enough in this short life to find comfort and joy in simple things.  For me, today, that simple thing is a potato casserole that could always be found on the table at family gatherings at my grandparents' house.  I think it's my uncle's wife who made it first, but the recipe was shared and so the dish found its way into more and more homes.

My family is not so big on potatoes, but my friend's family more than makes up for what we lack in love for the root vegetable!  Small disclaimer: this is not health food!  It's a guilty indulgence that happens to feed a crowd very well with little effort.  The main ingredient, the potatoes, can be easily found in the freezer section of the grocery store.   For anyone wanting to cut their own potatoes, it's a small dice you're looking for.  Little cubes.   Here's the recipe. Share it, love it, and enjoy.   (and feel free to make healthier substitutions where you can)

Potato Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mix the following in a large bowl:

32 oz (2lbs) Southern Style Frozen Hash Browns

16 oz Sour Cream
10 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Spread into a 9 * 12 baking dish.

Melt 1 stick of butter (8oz).  Add to the melted butter 2 cups Corn Flakes that have been crushed/crumbled and then spread on top of the potatoes.

Bake at 350 for an hour. 

A quick search for "potato casserole" on any recipe site (like www.allrecipes.com) will yield many variations on this recipe.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Crock Pot and Arabic Food

I started using a crock pot, aka slow cooker, only a few years ago.  I quickly noticed that most of the recipes for this appliance were full of canned foods, packets of seasonings, processed cheeses (lots and lots of it).  The meals were very typical "American" foods like shredded ____ (insert type of meat) from which you'd make tacos or sandwiches.  Others were for pots full of noodles, cream, cheese, milk, butter, and maybe some meat.  It was looking gross.

I've figured out a few things I can make successfully in the crock pot without compromising the quality of the meal.  And on top of that, I've figured out how to make a few Arabic dishes in there too!  And that's the main idea about today's post is to share with my friends how to use the crock pot to prepare some of the Arabic foods I've adapted for the crock pot.

The first one is easy; it's a boneless leg of lamb.  This is especially convenient for  days when company is coming because the oven is free for your veggies or other side dishes. 

Leg of Lamb:
Rinse and trim fat off of one leg of lamb (3-5lb).
Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and no more than 1/2tsp of allspice.
Sear the lamb in a hot skillet.
Transfer to a cold crock pot. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup water to pot.
Turn it on High for an hour or two and then turn it to low for the remainder of the time.
4-5 hours of total cook time is usually perfect.  If you have a leg smaller than 3 lbs then cook it 3 hours, but the ones that are 4-5lbs can go 4-5 hours.

On a busy school day last year I decided to try prepping for the eggplant dish called Musa'ka and to put in the crockpot rather than have to bake it in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  I wanted to dish to be ready when we got home from being out all day rather than come home and have to preheat the oven and bake the dish.  It worked!

I made my ground beef, onion, green pepper and tomato paste mix.  I broiled the sliced eggplant under the broiler and lightly salted them.  Then I sprayed the crockpot with a nonstick spray and put the eggplant in.  After that I poured in the meat/onion/tomato mixture in.  You don't need to add extra water because the lid keeps the steam in.  And that is it.  I put it on low and it was plenty warm when we returned home 4 hours later.  If you like to top your Musa'ka with a béchamel sauce then this might not give a great result, however, I have read recipes where they say to take the lid off for 30 minutes at the end to allow cheese to cook up and not be gooey.

And finally, I made a great pot of Fasulieh bizZeit (green beans in olive oil) last night.

Green beans in oil:

Wash and trim 1.5 lbs green beans (I'm totally estimating on the amount.  I had a Ziploc bag full of beans from my neighbor's garden, so I just used all that up)

Snap the beans into smaller pieces and set aside.

Pour 2-3 Tbsp olive oil in the crock pot.

Slice a medium onion and put over the oil.  Chop a large tomato or 2-3 smaller ones and put over the onions.

Now put all the beans over the onions and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with a  1/2 teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.

I cooked on high for 4 hours.  Results were fantastic.

I don't have any picture to post right now, but if I snap one I'll come back and add it.

Try some of your dishes in the crock pot and see if it can work for you!