The Desire to Grind My Own Grains and a Giveaway!

We have been on a path to eating better for some time now. Those of you that know me know that I love to prepare healthy and frugal meals and snacks for my family. Over the years I have rid our diet of premade and processed food. Most of what we eat I make. One area that had always interested me has been to grind my own grains. There is such a health benefit to grinding your own grains, and it is also a frugal way to get the best for your family. The caveat: Grain Mill are EXPENSIVE. I always have my eye open for a great deal on one, but it just hasn't panned out yet. But maybe, just maybe now is the time. Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers is hosting an AMAZING giveaway! A brand new Nutrimill from Paula's Bread! Oh I am already dreaming about fresh ground wheat, corn, kamut . . . and all the yummy baked goods that go with it.
So if you'd like a chance to win head on over to Heavenly Homemakers and sign up. And don't forget who sent you.

(this moment)

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Amanda, aka Soule Mama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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In gratitude this week for:

• Irene passing by my family and home, yet we are praying for great destruction around us


• A joyful 4 year old, giggle, smiles, kisses and all


• A highschooler who is dedicated to both school and family


• The one in the middle who keeps us all on our toes

Wishing you all a glorious weekend!

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny in her weekly Yarn Along. In her words:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I'm back to reading Simplicity Parenting. You know what they say about old dogs and new tricks. Well I think I may fall into the camp of an old dog when it comes to truly simplifying. Slowly, so slowly we are working on this and seeing benefits. This time I will persevere.

As for knitting I didn't get much done on Rebekah's sweater, only half of the first sleeve. However progress is progress and it is still a little warm for a sweater. I did, however, start and finish another Capucine. This one is headed across the ocean.

Hopefully I will be able to get more done on the little sweater this week. I have a list of Christmas gifts that need to get on the needles lest they wont be finished in time. Why is it that time seem to move so fast anymore. See I really do need to simplify.

Don't forget to stop by the Yarn Along over at Small Things. Of course beware, visiting all the lovely participants is probably where my knitting time disappeared to.

In the kitchen

While we have been busy putting up food for the long New England winter months, we have also been enjoying the bounty of fresh fruits and veggies at meal times as well. A platter of cucumbers, peppers, carrots, celery, pita bread and garlic hummus is the perfect lunch.

The bounty of zucchini has been made into this incredible chocolate zucchini cake as well as this potato & zucchini torte. The chocolate cake was a huge hit with everyone. And that is saying a lot considering we really aren't a cake family. As for the potato torte, I substituted zucchini for the summer yellow squash and thought it worked wonderfully. Most of us loved this, but our picky one didn't. No surprise there. Next time I will make it in my cast iron skillet. I think the bottom will brown nicely if done that way.

Blackberries have found their way into pancakes, yogurt and of course just a handful at a time into the mouth! Sarah has been making these muffins. They are fabulous!. She sprinkles the tops with a little cinnamon sugar before baking. Yummy!

We were blessed to be given about 12 pounds of peaches from a friend. The picked their tree clean before Irene rolled into town. Let me tell you these are the best peaches ever. The juice runs down your chin with every bite. We have been eating them with every meal. I was able to sneak a few to turn into a delicious peach cobbler/crisp desert. Yummy!

What's happening in your kitchen now? I'd love to hear.

Bekah's Circle Time

Rebekah is four and a half entering this school year. And the time has come for her to have a special school time of her own. I strongly believe in childhood and not rushing into academics, so I was stuck for a while about what to do for Bekah. Having two older sisters who are studying at the high school and middle school level, Bekah "knew" about school. So of course she wanted to read books without pictures and write essays in her school. How true it is that young children imitate what they see. And while books without pictures and essays are appropriate for the older two, I was not ready for my baby to go there.

Thank goodness for a few good friends and the Internet who opened the door into Waldorf education for me. Waldorf's gentile style that encompasses the whole child - mind body and spirit was just what I was looking for. Waldorf kindergarten is a time for imagination and play, a time to learn the work of the home, a time to develop a personal rhythm while discovering the rhythm of the earth. All the while developing a strong foundation upon which later academic learning will flourish. Beautiful!

So I started reading and researching. Bekah and I visited the local Waldorf school for a peek at a day in kindergarten. I stumbled onto some wonderful Waldorf support groups on yahoo Waldorf inspired blogs and free webinars as well as some curriculum suppliers. I'll be honest, I didn't purchase much but gleaned so much from samples and descriptions and have tucked away tidbits for the future.

So as the start of school grew near I felt sure that I had a plan for Bekah. Now to implement it. And the big question - how would Bekah react to school with no books, no letters, no school like her sisters? Well, I have to tell you it was a HUGE success, not initially mind you! At first she was still looking for the lined paper and big books. But after just a week she was hooked. Every morning after family breakfast the big girls head off to start their independent work and Bekah and I head to the living room for her circle time.

Circle time is 20 minutes of songs, verses, finger plays and movement. We start by lighting our circle time candle. Bekah really loves this part. It makes it special. We then open with a morning song that the two of us made up. We then have a verse to welcome the day. Next a counting song about ladybugs. From there we move on to a rhyme with hand clapping and knee slapping. Lot of great work on patterns and coordination. Then we had a finger play about animals. Some bean bag exercises got us moving. Finally we ended with a verse that had us stretching. Bekah would blow out the candle to end circle time.

By this time Bekah felt like she had had her school time with mom. She would move to the kitchen table where she would work on the task for the day. Monday - coloring in her main lesson book with beeswax crayons. Tuesday - modeling with homemade playdough. Wednesday - wet on wet watercolor painting. Thursday and Friday - Dad is home and Bekah is his shadow and helper. Some days we do these tasks together other days I get her set up and she is content to work independently while I then teach Hannah's lesson.


I have to tell you again how thrilled I am with Bekah's response to circle time. At first she told me it wasn't school. But working on my will as well as hers we stuck with it. Now she asks for circle time. She knows the rhythm. She has everything - candle, verse book, and bean bags - out and waiting for me. the Waldorf approach is meeting her just where she is. She is thriving. She is learning. No worksheets. No watered down over explained lessons. Just organic learning!

We will work on the same circle time verses for the entire month. Each month I will pick verses that I hope will speak to Bekah, that will open her eyes to the world around her. Verses that will introduce rhythm and rhyme. That will develop a love a language and song. Ones that will lay math foundations. And actions that will build inner strength, coordination and balance.

So I have spent the last week reading and selecting verses for September. I put them together in a book, the cover of which in a water color painting that Bekah made. I am trying to have all of the verses and songs memorized as that really is the best way to bring them to a child. However, many of them are new to me. So the book is my little cheat sheet as well as a keep sake. By the end of the month both of us should have the verses and songs memorized!

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of August 29th

Menu planning is a foundational and grounding exercise for me. Having a menu plan keeps me sane during our crazy days. Rarely do we come to a meal time and panic. The plan also unites and balances our family as we come together for meals through out our busy days. Sitting down to the table with my family around, lighting a candle and reciting a meal time blessing is one of my favorite times of the day. I look forward to everyone sharing their plans and wishes for the day at breakfast and their accomplishment and highlights at supper.

I also use my menu plan to insure that my family is getting wholesome and nutritious food. When it is all laid out I can see the amounts of fruit and veggies everyone is getting. I also make sure that proteins are balanced. And now I'm checking to make sure we all get a variety of grains. Recently there has been a huge increase in the number of people who are sensitive to wheat and corn. Personally, I feel that much of it is due to the pesticides used and the GMO varieties. I also think it stems from modern day methods of preparing wheat and corn, as well as the gross amount many of us eat. If you read food labels you know it is almost impossible to avoid corn. There are so many fabulously nutritious grains out there. How come we aren't eating them? Well I vow to get more of them into my families diet. For a great post about the daily grain idea check out this post from Becca of CedarRingMama. She has a fabulous menu and some great recipe ideas to incorporate more grains into your families diet.

Monday (rice)
Breakfast: Blackberry Muffins
Lunch: Grilled Cheese and Roasted Tomato Soup
Dinner: Hamburger Stroganoff over Rice and Green Beans

Tuesday (barley)
Breakfast: Cheese Omelets and English Muffins
Lunch: Hummus, Pita Bread and Veggie Sticks
Dinner: Chicken Legs, Orzo with Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes, and Broccoli

Wednesday (millet)
Breakfast: Green Smoothies and Millet Squares with Apple Butter
Lunch: Mac and Cheese with Peas and Apple Slices
Dinner: Smokes Sausage, Baked Beans, Brown Bread and Corn on the Cob

Thursday (rye)
Breakfast: Homemade Yogurt with Maple Almond Granola
Lunch: Rye Crackers with Cheese and Tomato
Dinner: Spaghetti with Sausage, Garlic Bread and Salad

Friday (oats)
Breakfast: Oatmeal Bar with Fruit and Nuts
Lunch: Tuna Sandwiches with Carrot and Celery Sticks
Dinner: Pizza

Saturday (corn)
Breakfast: Pancakes and Bacon
Lunch: Hot Dogs with Kale Chips
Dinner: Chili with Corn Bread

Sunday (wheat)
Breakfast: Cinnamon Toast
Lunch: Zucchini Fritters
Dinner: Steak, Baked Potatoes, Corn on the Cob and 90 Minute Rolls

Looking for some more menu inspiration? head on over to Menu Planning Monday sponsored by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Amanda, aka Soule Mama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~~~~

~~~~~

In gratitude this week for:

A bounty of fresh goodies from other's garden.

A co-op delivery. Lots of bulk in the shed for winter!

Lots of wild blackberries picked before Irene hits.

Another fun and fabulous week of school finished!

Wishing you all a glorious weekend!