tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47614015309848797602012-02-09T11:57:34.047-05:00I'm Jillian, and I've been taking a photo a day - or at least trying to - and posting it here. It's a nice little space on the internet where I come to say hello. Thanks for stopping by.Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.comBlogger7191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-53033705075563756952012-02-07T18:49:00.003-05:002012-02-07T18:49:33.796-05:00

Hi there, I've decided to set up a new blog to go with my new move. You can find me at the Village Homestead doing all of my usual stuff and more. Head on over! Welcome! www.thevillagehomestead.com

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-19909231833346531592012-02-06T15:36:00.001-05:002012-02-06T15:36:33.509-05:00

Spending a little time sewing today. As I sit by waiting to fix tangled stitches and rethread needles, I try to quiet the inner voice that is begging me to start up a project of my own. Be patient, I tell myself. Before I start anything new I need to make sure 'A' has a firm footing in the world of fabric, thread and needles. She loves to create and until now has been most comfortable creating

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-79563557245421900402012-02-02T11:28:00.000-05:002012-02-02T11:28:07.891-05:00

One of the things that excites me about this new home of ours is that we have a dedicated space for homeschooling and crafting. When we started looking for a home I said I wanted a room that was close to the kitchen where we could paint, learn and sew. And I wanted it to double as my office. I made the request out loud (for the universe to hear) and after looking at many houses I came to

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-79858775906525668382012-02-01T13:19:00.000-05:002012-02-01T13:19:59.016-05:00

The unpacking has begun! I'm happy, tired, overwhelmed, grateful, and so much more, all of which is good. Here are some quick shots of our new homestead. I'll be back here before you know it... but after I unpack just one more box...

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-66091468496977307702012-01-26T06:40:00.004-05:002012-01-26T06:40:56.050-05:00

Today is moving day. We're selling our home today and packing it all up into a moving van. We'll stay one more night, sleeping on the floor with our cat, and tomorrow we purchase our new home and move in. I've been running around like a madwoman these past few weeks and haven't been very good about posting. My new life awaits me in the new house. I'll be there waiting to share it with you. In

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-48362269255480873522012-01-17T15:15:00.002-05:002012-01-17T15:15:58.545-05:00

:: I'll miss this view :: The rhythm of my daily life can be summed up like this: packing, packing, packing. I stop to read stories, make meals, run an errand or two... and then it's back to the boxes and packing tape. The girls have a box of legos, a box of Tinker Toys and their dolls to play with and nothing else. It's enough for them though, and with the living room furniture gone (we

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-56318583848185141382012-01-12T16:24:00.001-05:002012-01-12T16:24:32.214-05:00

You'll find me over at From Scratch Club today talking about my goals for the New Year. See you back here soon!

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-82599709903180001612012-01-03T22:15:00.002-05:002012-01-03T22:15:12.639-05:00

:: Deanna's biscuits ~ delicious! :: 3.5 weeks to go until we move. WOW! I'm excited and energized, and I've been spending time packing and preparing. I have to say, no matter how much I pack, I keep having a feeling that I'm not getting anywhere. I've been wondering if I'm so full of negative thoughts that I can't even see how much I've accomplished. What is wrong with me? Today I woke

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-63609925552348841082011-12-30T17:41:00.001-05:002011-12-30T17:41:29.134-05:00

LOVE.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-22816904072581666712011-12-28T22:26:00.001-05:002011-12-28T22:26:11.013-05:00

:: I received so many wonderful gifts this year, including this jar of home-roasted, fairly traded coffee beans from Chris :: I posted yesterday about wanting a better way to organize my recipes and my plans to develop an online site for them. I've needed a similar system to organize my online homeschooling resources. I find so many great links on the internet, but as soon as I bookmark them

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-36177018435816853012011-12-23T12:10:00.000-05:002011-12-23T12:10:26.010-05:00

The girls and I have been as busy as elves this week. We've been knitting, sewing, baking, cooking and crafting. Even though most all of our craft supplies are packed away, awaiting the big move to our new home, we've been resourceful and found ways to be creative and have some fun. For Hanukkah Jeff and I gave them each supplies to learn a new craft: 'A' received knitting needles and some yarn,

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-91531015509929850672011-12-21T11:37:00.006-05:002011-12-21T11:37:57.642-05:00

I posted Jeff's recipe for Perfect Vegan Latkes over at From Scratch Club... go check it out and let me know if you make them too!

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-70747100926223269892011-12-20T20:47:00.002-05:002011-12-20T20:47:24.616-05:00

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-85482633779179719962011-12-18T21:37:00.002-05:002011-12-18T21:37:39.488-05:00

In 5 weeks, 5 days I'll be moving in my new home and we'll start to assemble the things we'll need to build a chicken coop. I'll order the chicks, find out what kind of feed and supplies I'll need to keep them warm and healthy, and the fun will begin. I hope. A few days ago I took the whole family (plus a few extended family members) to visit our friend and local state park naturalist at her

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-86163399375503648092011-12-15T10:23:00.003-05:002011-12-15T10:23:54.365-05:00

'A' is learning to read, slowly but surely. I haven't been using any sort of curriculum with her. I rely mostly on my own memories of learning how to read and write and use those as guidelines. She reads one "easy reader" book a day, practices handwriting, writes short notes and stories, and I read chapter books to her. Does this formula work? She's becoming more fluent, that's for sure. But she

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-87956438344302375012011-12-12T17:50:00.000-05:002011-12-14T13:59:09.867-05:00

I've been: Getting ready to move, tending the home we are in now as we say good bye to it, and doing the usual in the way of teaching 'A' and 'H' some of what they need to know to grow into responsible adults. French class, reading lessons, and lessons in loading the washing machine have been taking place today. 'A' choked on dinner the other night and it was a l-o-n-g choking episode. At

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-47405747048059957702011-12-06T10:44:00.001-05:002011-12-06T11:44:19.899-05:00

Today finds us heading out to look for lost things. 'A's winter coat is waiting for us in the Adirondacks, right where she left it. On the way home we will visit the Hyde Collection, looking for inspiration and inner peace. We'll wander through the museum together, stopping to look at whatever catches our eye. The girls will head downstairs for art class and have a chance to create their own work

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-6281960640242472352011-12-02T17:07:00.001-05:002011-12-02T17:52:01.707-05:00

I have to say, selling our home and finding a new one may have been (and still is, as we haven't closed on either house yet) the most stressful thing we've faced as a family in a while. Now that we can see the home stretch, I'm starting to relax a bit. I'm coming back to center, back to this space, back to my world. I've been: :: admiring the brand-spanking-new E-book published by From

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-31590519554663508852011-12-01T17:00:00.000-05:002011-12-01T17:00:55.152-05:00

:: Homeschooling writing lesson. Apparently we use the bafroom in our home. :: I've been preparing for the next step in our family journey. The preparation is half physical, half emotional. We are selling our home, the place where our memories have been born and nurtured for almost six years now. The only home my children have known. The fact that it sold so quickly in this housing market is

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-75006111846470224242011-10-28T22:10:00.000-04:002011-10-28T22:10:15.471-04:00

Snow here! It's almost unbelievable. We don't have snow this early. I mean, it isn't even Halloween yet. Our first flakes don't usually hit until November or December. Because of the snow, I spent today fielding questions such as, "Are we going to have Christmas soon instead of Halloween?" "Is this winter?" "Will the snow stay for a while so we can play in it everyday?" No, the snow didn't stay

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-3227604687637661632011-10-12T23:03:00.001-04:002011-10-13T09:31:57.772-04:00

Today: Homeschool field trip to see the replica of the Half Moon, Henry Hudson's ship. WOW. The presenter did a fantastic job of telling the kids about the role of explorers and the importance of Henry Hudson in our history. Seeing the galley on the ship made me oh so thankful that I have a kitchen with countertops, appliances and running water. Exciting news: I'm coming back to the land of the

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-75743094089993332062011-09-30T22:57:00.001-04:002011-09-30T22:58:25.878-04:00

Every time we walk through the mall (which isn't that often), I ask 'A' and 'H' if they would like to have their ears pierced. They always say no, and I tell them that if they want to pierce their ears, it will be their decision. I'm just here to support them. Today we were at the mall while my car was on the lift to receive new tires. I asked about the earrings and 'A', to my great surprise,

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-20199668529291724452011-09-29T15:08:00.000-04:002011-09-29T15:08:41.234-04:00

On these days when I don't have the focus, energy or patience to find inspiration within myself, when I can't create my own positive reality, I look to others to give me a boost. Today I found exactly what I needed. Take a look at Liz's hens and Amanda's honeybees. I've got to sharpen my dreams a bit and add hens and bees to my life. More and more I find myself wishing I had them in my own big

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-43914695635530132402011-09-27T21:49:00.000-04:002011-09-27T21:49:18.424-04:00

If only we could all be this relaxed and carefree. What a day. Today the girls joined their homeschooling friends for art class (they learned about Hawaiian tikis and painted their own tiki). After class, we were supposed to head to the mechanic for new tires for my car. Instead 'A' got sick very quickly. It's something I've seen before and by now I know how it progresses and where it ends. Her

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-21494467464991292952011-09-26T23:27:00.001-04:002011-09-27T07:41:57.324-04:00

Today: Woke up (...don't think that's not an accomplishment these days. Remember, I'm still pulling myself out of my depressing summer.) Yogurt, honey and granola for breakfast. Dropped 'A' off at an art & French class, took 'H' to the park and the library. Talked to ducks at the park who have no plans to migrate south for the winter. They didn't actually say it, but by the way they asked us

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-87306987145748103642011-09-26T23:07:00.000-04:002011-09-26T23:07:54.672-04:00

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-9124882827836546332011-09-21T23:31:00.000-04:002011-09-21T23:31:24.683-04:00

Farm, paper pizza party, and food swap. All this between learning to read, learning to count and talking about loose teeth.Photos of the food swap will come tomorrow. Enjoy these of Denison Farm and our paper pizza party!

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-32270991540340064192011-09-20T13:15:00.000-04:002011-09-20T13:27:38.563-04:00

A rainy day, just what my garden needed. Another full day for us. September sure is busy this year, isn't it? Art class, home school friends, granola in the oven, bread rising on the counter, reading lessons, playing "Laura and Mary", volunteer work at the computer, meetings with the town and then the church. Tomato soup with sandwiches for dinner, coffee drinks throughout the day. A good day,

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-3264811232698780892011-09-19T23:39:00.002-04:002011-09-20T13:25:01.374-04:00

Things I love today: My favorite breakfast: homemade yogurt sweetened with my own jam and local honey from Rick at the farmers market, homemade granola stirred in and Starbucks vanilla flavored coffee (light and sweet please). My list of things to cook. I'm adding homemade graham crackers and wheat crackers to that list. Winter squash, which is making an appearance around here now. Long

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-52506057270440623792011-09-18T17:01:00.002-04:002011-09-18T17:04:13.708-04:00

How do you like my new format? I updated the template. It's certainly different, isn't it? I took these photos at Kilpatrick Family Farm last week while we were out for a farm tour. It was rainy and chilly but lovely. The farm is beautiful and so is Michael's family. It's located a bit north of my home and I noticed that the fall colors are moving in quickly. It won't be long before every

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-51230828547699808942011-09-16T23:07:00.005-04:002011-09-16T23:22:31.373-04:00

PlumsFarm visitsFood swapCool weatherYellow leavesHot teaSoup for dinnerPatience in parentingBald eagle sightingsLots of volunteer workBaking breadCanning tomatoesWaiting for loose teeth to wiggleArt classesI'm dreaming of the herb farm I want to have someday. I've wanted one for years. Today as I was harvesting thyme, rosemary and sage bunches from the garden I heard a voice deep down inside

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-1012225347354771052011-09-13T16:56:00.003-04:002011-09-13T17:07:08.792-04:00

Where will you be on Thursday evening? With me at Spoon & Whisk learning how to preserve food with Kate Payne? I hope so! Kate is the author of The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking: Decorating, Dining, and the Gratifying Pleasures of Self-Sufficiency–on a Budget! and keeps a great blog too. She's back in our neck of the woods! From the From Scratch Club site:On September 15th at 7pm at Spoon &

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-23869500864901881292011-09-01T16:40:00.006-04:002011-09-01T22:33:15.104-04:00

Today is a new day. I realize that I'm taking you all on my journey back to serenity. I'm going one step at a time, the only way I know how. It's time to throw myself into some busy-ness that feeds my heart and soul. Here's what I'm up to: Planning meals around the food in my garden and kitchen I've got purslane growing in the garden that I would love to use. Have you tried it? It grows in

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-38815774820400745442011-08-31T22:14:00.007-04:002011-08-31T23:02:37.499-04:00

Tomatoes: now you see 'em, now you don't... Denison Farm was under water during and after Irene. No CSA share this week because there is too much to clean up and not enough to harvest. I went today to pick up some tomatoes and see Justine. It's very sad. Before and After (last year and today): These creek stones in the next photos are supposed to be in the creek, which was behind me in

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-37085573684439305012011-08-25T10:24:00.003-04:002011-08-25T10:29:50.937-04:00

Hey there, today you'll find me posting over at From Scratch Club, sharing my recipe for Summer Rolls with Cucumber Dipping Sauce. Go forage through your garden, check out your local farm stand, or visit the market to pick up the fresh ingredients for this delicious dish. Enjoy!

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-48169776577042673032011-07-13T07:52:00.004-04:002011-07-14T07:47:17.568-04:00

'A' has taken to designing "fabric" using plain white paper and pencils or markers. She sells it in her fabric store to anyone who will stop by. Some of her designs are full pictures with scenery, and some are prints and patterns. She decided to do all of this because, you know, back in Laura's and Mary's day, someone would have printed the fabric and sold it in a store. And she's just like them.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-67111190011910418172011-07-11T13:58:00.007-04:002011-07-11T15:19:55.169-04:00

Blueberry season is here, my favorite time of year. My mother was here for the weekend and we picked almost 10 pounds at a local farm. Today I'll be making the blueberry-basil jam I tried last year for the first time. This is also the time of year when I start feeling swamped with produce, so I set down a few rules to follow as I plan out meals.Jillian's Rules for Summer Meal Planning* Basil

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-63501616565164147152011-07-07T08:49:00.002-04:002011-07-07T08:52:17.491-04:00

Interested in hearing more about the Egg Challenge Muffin Recipe? Head over to From Scratch Club and read my post.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-68724668068676110922011-07-05T20:28:00.006-04:002011-07-05T21:52:24.907-04:00

:: The beach at my father's home. We spent the weekend playing in the waves before our trip to Children's Hospital Boston. ::Our food allergy family had a big day today! We woke up bright and early and took 'A' to Children's Hospital in Boston for a baked egg challenge. We hoped she would pass it, but prepared ourselves for failure, and are so pleased to say that she passed with flying colors.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-88459270031631635992011-06-30T08:46:00.008-04:002011-06-30T11:48:32.525-04:00

If 'A' were to start school in September she would be in 1st grade. In our state, this is the year when I have to officially register her as a homeschooler (by filing a Letter of Intent with the school district). There are a few pieces of additional paperwork that need to be prepared throughout the year, including an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP), Quarterly Reports and an Annual

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-21428854577473989762011-06-29T10:09:00.005-04:002011-06-29T11:39:24.905-04:00

From time to time I've talked about 'A's approach to learning how to read and write. A while ago I decided to give up on actively teaching her how to read. It seemed that no matter what approach I took, it ended with tears and frustration. She's not open to overt instruction when it comes to reading. She:* will only do something if she can do it perfectly the first time (this is a painful way to

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-60025463969811588402011-06-26T14:50:00.007-04:002011-07-06T20:08:24.471-04:00

Summer is here... how can I tell? My desire to cook is kicking in. I worked at the farmer's market on Saturday and the Kilpatrick Family Farm stand was jam packed with so many different kinds of exciting vegetables. I wanted to buy them all and cook them up. In my mind, everything had the potential to be turned into a delicious meal. But I have so many vegetables in my kitchen from my weekly CSA

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-89337273331648398832011-06-23T21:21:00.004-04:002011-06-23T22:30:24.537-04:00

Are you an organized person? Sometimes? All the time? Not often? Do you get organized in bursts and starts, excited when things seem to be in line, with trouble staying on top of them after a while? I consider myself to be an organized person, and I would answer those questions with "Sometimes" and "Yes." To me being organized that means I have an active "system" that I rely on and periodically

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-50799597071766413672011-06-22T21:33:00.002-04:002011-06-22T22:50:21.799-04:00

I was working with 'A' on a number of projects today and thought I would snap a quick photo of our table. Oak leaves for a leaf collecting project; a book about space; shrinky dink paper and colored pencils; spelling lessons. It's not unusual for the table to be covered with a number of in-progress projects. We spent the morning at home but originally had other plans: we were supposed to wake up

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-9190410688147387222011-06-20T11:27:00.002-04:002011-06-27T16:53:59.315-04:00

Now that our CSA share has started up for the summer, I'm having trouble planning meals for the week. I like to plan my meals on Monday, but I pick up my vegetables on Wednesday, and I don't know what I'll receive until that day when I actually get my box. This makes meal planning a bit challenging. I could switch to meal planning on Wednesday nights or Thursday mornings, but it goes against my

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-50768496157660201512011-06-19T21:10:00.004-04:002011-06-19T21:21:15.235-04:00

I am:...Wishing all the fathers a Happy Father's Day today!...Happy that we stayed home all day and crossed many things off the "To Do" list....Resting and watching my infection slowly get better....Feeling good about the strawberry jam I made today (no pectin, stainless steel pot, and it reached 219 degrees... I think it's a good batch)....Appreciating the silence I hear outside. Global

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-26241082610183037022011-06-17T14:27:00.004-04:002011-06-27T16:54:10.677-04:00

Updates, updates, updates:The baby birds: They're all dead. Yup, all of 'em. Why? Who knows? Too much peeking in? Too cold last Saturday night? Were the roofers who are ripping off our old roof too annoying? Were they sick? I'll never know. On Sunday we were leaving for church and I did my daily peek. There were fewer in the nest and one was laying on the bottom, legs splayed out behind it. It

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-39342018982323069512011-06-16T12:18:00.005-04:002011-06-16T12:31:23.844-04:00

I'm here, just laying low while I spend time: nursing an infection, picking strawberries and making jam, participating in the FSC Food Swap, teaching math ("if Almanzo was 15 when Laura was 5, how old was he when she was 15?"), picking up our CSA share from Denison Farm, and watching the roofers tear off our roof and put a new one on. I'll leave you with a link to my post on From Scratch Club's

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-52741998876906400872011-06-13T17:33:00.002-04:002011-06-13T22:39:29.317-04:00

Seeing how the meals I planned last week didn't go over well with my family (new dishes are tough on the girls), I'm opting for tried and true favorites this week.Monday: Jeff and Me: Pecan Mushroom Veggie Burgers on salad'A': Pasta with olive oil and broccoli'H': Peanut butter with blueberry jam and crackers, broccoliTuesday:Jeff and Me: Salad pizza (my all time favorite meal. I make a crust

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-69658634302400911122011-06-10T08:05:00.008-04:002011-06-10T17:55:19.789-04:00

Last week I wrote about my new To Do List for my phone. While I can't say I'm completely thrilled with the product, I will say that my life changed after I started using it. I'm not sure I'll purchase the software when my trial period ends. It slows down my phone and it doesn't always sync with my computer. I will however look for another type of Task List software to try out. As soon as I wrote

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-24818631207280821602011-06-09T16:22:00.004-04:002011-06-27T16:54:23.089-04:00

Truth be told, I have no right to write anything about being organized on a day like today. I'm feeling like my desk is a little messy, my dishes are a bit too dirty, and I'm afraid I'll be running late for a meeting I have tonight. Well, isn't that what life is sometimes about? When things feel hugely unorganized, I do a few small things to make myself feel like I'm back in the driver's seat.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-20128661378654515942011-06-08T22:01:00.003-04:002011-06-27T16:54:40.757-04:00

Some of the foundations of our homeschooling life are learning to appreciate nature and appreciate the community in which we live. We like to explore new venues, but day after day, we frequent the same places and say hello to the same people. My girls have come to know many adults who care about them, and they look forward to our time out and about. Today we journeyed back to Denison Farm, the

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-57801109925181493622011-06-07T07:42:00.004-04:002011-06-07T07:51:38.091-04:00

The cowbird is here. I snapped this quick photo yesterday evening, shortly after it hatched. The girls and I had wrapped up a lesson on baby birds before this big event took place. We learned that baby birds need to develop flight feathers and wing muscles before they can fly.Now that I look at this photo, I have another question: Where did the egg shell go? Did the mother and father House Finch

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-71964569270967402442011-06-06T18:51:00.002-04:002011-06-06T18:54:49.280-04:00

The Chickpea pasta sauce went over like a lead balloon... with ALL of us. I made pasta with olive oil for the girls (with asparagus on the side) and put in a frozen pizza for Jeff and me. I'm trying to keep my dissatisfaction to myself. Trying.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-49659262857347178382011-06-06T08:43:00.003-04:002011-06-06T08:43:00.226-04:00

I'm sitting down to plan out meals for our family for the upcoming week. I can't tell you what a challenge this has become as my children have gotten older and their preferences have changed. Not to mention the new corn and pea allergy diagnosis for 'A'. I know you don't want to hear my whining, so I'll keep it to a minimum. I'll just outline what the parameters are so you'll have an idea of what

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-50463490083074772632011-06-05T17:15:00.005-04:002011-06-05T17:49:00.291-04:00

Our Unitarian Univeralist Joint Service was held at the Round Lake Auditorium today. I love the annual joint service - it's a time for me to feel reenergized, to feel the love of UUs all around. And the Round Lake Auditorium is beautiful. If you're "in the know" about organs, you'll be happy to hear that it's home to a 1900–pipe Ferris Tracker organ. I'm not "in the know," and I'm impressed. We

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-16321773542569643922011-06-03T07:58:00.005-04:002011-06-27T16:55:06.369-04:00

I love so many things about how we live in the present day, but one thing I don't like is how we live in a culture of fear. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes not.I'm a parent of two girls who are 4 and 6 years old. Not a week goes by that I'm not reminded about how "scary" the world is for parents and their children. I hear the voices of fearful parents all around. Parents of teenagers and

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-12871977119522438092011-06-02T13:22:00.005-04:002011-06-02T13:34:25.896-04:00

As I've said recently, I'm feeling a *little* overwhelmed with all I have to do. By "a little" I mean A LOT. The crazy thing is that when I look at all I have to do, it's basically good stuff, things I love to do. I have nothing to complain about. We have (more than) enough food to eat and clean water to drink; a safe, comfortable place to sleep; two healthy, wonderful children; a supportive,

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-35639709497364881752011-05-31T16:39:00.004-04:002011-06-27T16:54:40.758-04:00

As I've said recently, we're more of an unschooling family than anything else. That means we don't follow a specific curriculum but instead take opportunities to learn as they come our way. This week our resident House Finch family that built a nest in the hanging plant at our front door has been the inspiration for learning more about birds. The girls and I checked out a few library books in

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-26549216151037628502011-05-31T12:34:00.002-04:002011-05-31T12:34:00.513-04:00

:: And then there were five... ::I'm getting organized. I know, getting organized is so boring, it's an old, sad story. It goes like this: I get organized, then disorganized, then organized again, then disorganized again. I'm getting sick of it too. But I'm back in the saddle and trying again to get organized, so here it goes.My basic problem is that I'm overwhelmed with the sheer amount of

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-7052663338172868652011-05-30T19:31:00.007-04:002011-05-30T20:48:56.082-04:00

Finally, FINALLY, I've got two spare minutes, and I'm going to spend it telling you about the food swap!First of all, do go to a food swap if you hear about one, and if you're close to me, register for this one and GO!This was my first ever food swap and I had no idea what to expect. I figured I would bring some of my own homemade goodness and trade it for other homemade goodness. I had no idea

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-41248401480024658212011-05-27T16:26:00.001-04:002011-05-27T16:28:24.405-04:00

Now there are four eggs in the nest. Yes, I would say I'm becoming obsessed.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-12249722005665306882011-05-27T12:13:00.003-04:002011-05-27T12:26:48.726-04:00

TodayAlready:Made yogurtSorted through 'A's summer clothing and stored her winter clothingHave to:Work on a few websitesMake Nan (Indian bread) and rice to go with our Chana Masala dinner (a fabulous food swap item I scored the other night)Want to:Tell you all about the food swap!In the meantime, you can read more about the food swap here, on From Scratch Club's blog (Chris organized the swap and

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-70247574608337284882011-05-26T21:37:00.002-04:002011-05-26T22:48:56.701-04:00

Our home is buzzing with excitement. First of all, I went to the BEST food swap last night. I spent time with people who love good food just like I do. Wow, it was refreshing. When I get my photos together I'll post a full review for you - tomorrow sounds like a good time to do that.We also have some excitement in the Bird department. We've been watching a new mystery bird at the feeder for about

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-47579360245140916812011-05-25T06:32:00.000-04:002011-05-25T06:32:00.440-04:00

The rain stopped for a short time yesterday, so I went outside and planted the little transplants that I've had for over a week now. Pac choi, lettuce, basil, zucchini, patty pan squash, cucumbers, nasturtium, marigolds, rosemary, turnips and peppers. The tomatoes are coming this week. As I was outside planting this:... I saw this:... flower buds and flowers everywhere! And on my way inside, I

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-60237855730581563852011-05-24T07:10:00.002-04:002011-05-24T07:10:00.778-04:00

I've told you a lot about our adventures with food allergies lately but not so much about our homeschooling adventures. We've been having a lot of fun! So much of it at this point is nature-based, because that's such a natural interest for my children who are 4 and 6 years old. But 'A' has been practicing some math too and after she gets new glasses next week I'm thinking her reading might kick

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-19058261755920542892011-05-23T12:46:00.002-04:002011-05-23T13:19:09.937-04:00

If there's one thing I thought I had learned about living with a child with food allergies, it's this: "As much as you want to have hope that she'll outgrow it, keep your hope tempered. Don't get too excited about new treatments or milestones, because what works one day might not work the next." How is that for depressing? I've been trying something new with 'A' and it's been working so far, but

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-33321168857432971832011-05-14T10:15:00.005-04:002011-05-14T22:11:41.911-04:00

Hi there. You find me here, on my personal blog, and now you can find me over on From Scratch Club too. If you haven't had a chance to check them out, take a moment to do so! The blog is about everything food-related and features a variety of unique perspectives. It's a great place to get lost for a while.So here it is, the weekend, and I realize that I have not sat down to have a moment of rest

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-57830214823515869812011-05-06T12:10:00.008-04:002011-05-06T13:26:40.828-04:00

I've been meaning to clean out the kitchen cabinets anyway, and the news about 'A's new food allergies is making me do it sooner rather than later. It's easy to avoid dairy, eggs, corn, peas and sesame if you're cooking everything from scratch. But hey, I'm a busy mom and sometimes I don't feel like making each and every meal from the ground up (that's 3 meals a day, if you're counting).

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-89505956372471564982011-05-05T22:44:00.005-04:002011-05-05T23:00:20.945-04:00

Hi,This is going to be a food allergy post, peppered with photos from the trip we took this week to Old Sturbridge Village (because a post should never be without photos!).We took 'A' to Children's Hospital Boston, the Waltham branch, yesterday, to see a pediatric allergist. This visit was long overdue! We should have gone a few years ago. However, I don't think I would have known what to ask a

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-6428808038865298632011-04-27T13:02:00.002-04:002011-04-27T13:26:53.258-04:00

I had wondered how we would all recover from the death of our cat, Erma, and as it turns out, we're doing quite well. The girls miss her but have moved on. I find myself turning to say something to her before remembering she's not there, but those moments are disappearing quickly. From a housework point of view, it's significantly easier now that she's not here. She required a lot of care that

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-22183696090290014992011-04-21T19:33:00.007-04:002011-05-14T22:18:00.827-04:00

Erma is gone. She died in my arms on Tuesday.She's been feeling "old" for a while now, so it wasn't a huge surprise. But it wasn't exactly expected, either. She was fine when we all woke up, and while I was preparing breakfast for 'A' and 'H' she came and asked for some food too. This was our routine. She would sit by her plate and look at me until I finished up with the girls and fed her. While

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-57882723728647878122011-04-16T19:24:00.006-04:002011-04-16T20:10:31.280-04:00

So tell me, where does the time go? It's flying by so fast for me right now. I've got my hands in a lot of pots, so that factors into it. It's birthday season for us ('H': March 8; 'A': April 9; Me: April 14; Jeff: April 20), followed by Mother's Day and our wedding anniversary. It's spring, and the ground is thawing, so we're busy with yard clean-up and gardening. I'm involved with UU

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-91517617235687203852011-04-06T20:45:00.002-04:002011-04-06T21:00:50.289-04:00

So, what do you do when you're feeling depressed about the upcoming end of both of your cats lives? You clean the garage, of course. We've been needing to clean it for about 5 years now, and this was the weekend to do it. If you had peeked in before we started, you might have thought we had... um, trouble setting our priorities. I guess that's a nice way of saying it. In short, it was a total pig

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-25081664207280019792011-04-01T15:23:00.003-04:002011-04-01T15:53:45.642-04:00

:: 'H' and 'A' at the library ::Oh my, I've stumbled upon the photo apps for my new phone! I can take photos and apply all kinds of filters to them. Today I'm using Retro Camera by Urbian. I can see how this can get addictive awfully quickly.:: Erma ::I've had two days in a row of bad news about our cats, Erma and Grace. I posted yesterday about Erma's failing kidneys. Today the doctor called me

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-45243327615415659312011-03-31T15:00:00.002-04:002011-03-31T15:37:14.908-04:00

Good-bye March... Hello April! I remember as a little girl that I looked forward to April so much. Not just because it was my birthday month (the 14th!), but because April, where I grew up, meant SPRING. It meant opening the windows, switching to a lighter jacket, tucking the hats and mittens away until next year. It meant the smell of wet, fresh earth, the sound of birds chirping, and the feel

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-72186720469434497482011-03-18T22:29:00.004-04:002011-03-18T23:00:17.044-04:00

Hi there. We've had a whirlwind two weeks. All of which I promise to write about in more detail very soon. We explored Disney World; 'A' ate in restaurants all week without any food allergy incidents (BIG WOOHOO!!!); we returned to upstate New York to find snow; spent two days at the hospital with 'H' who had a piece of metal in her eye and needed surgery; spent entirely too much time away from

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-57319587252860157142011-03-05T20:06:00.008-05:002011-03-05T20:33:32.446-05:00

Tomorrow is a big day for our family... we leave for the airport, for Orlando, for Disney World! We'll be spending the week with Jeff's family, and it will be the first time in years that Jeff and I have visited Disney World (separately, back in the day), and it'll be the first time the girls will see it. They have no idea what to expect. How could they fathom something that is beyond their

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-84807797773216305802011-03-02T17:00:00.000-05:002011-03-02T17:01:23.347-05:00

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-9716562406620029242011-03-02T11:10:00.006-05:002011-03-02T12:07:58.002-05:00

:: Making a collage at the Hyde Collection ::Wow, what happened to February? It went by in a blink. Here it is, the second day of March already. Big things happening here. For starters, we've been doing a lot of things I enjoy lately: visiting the Hyde Collection (two Tuesdays in a row - a good record for us); snowboarding & skiing; snowshoeing; reading (A Visit From the Goon Squad for me, Smiles

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-56989906795499982102011-02-18T13:11:00.011-05:002011-02-18T14:56:14.509-05:00

I've been working on a few projects with 'A' and 'H' and today the stars lined up just right so that I could take photos of them and show you. While I was doing it I couldn't help but think about 'A' stomach pains yesterday and wonder what caused them. I wish I could be the kind of blogger who just does cool projects with her kids and posts the tutorials for you without throwing in all the

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-36833477164526476172011-02-15T13:32:00.008-05:002011-02-15T13:54:34.012-05:00

TodayMaking:Relief maps using newspaper, paste and paint. When they're finished, the girls will look at them from above and draw maps of their mountains with markers indicating elevation. I used this recipe for the paste:Papier-Mache Paste1 cup water1/4 cup flour5 cups lightly boiling waterMix flour into 1 cup water until mixture is thin and runny.Stir this mixture into lightly boiling

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-69862575174890367752011-02-10T15:02:00.005-05:002011-03-03T20:23:25.399-05:00

It's a new day today, literally and figuratively. For some reason I'm thinking more clearly than ever. It's as if the part of me that lives in reality and the part of me that lives in my own fantasyland finally got together and decided to walk down the same path. It's easy to describe the "reality me": she's the one who makes sure the family's minds, bodies and spirits are developing all right;

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-39060475069784480042011-02-07T10:23:00.003-05:002011-02-07T11:02:26.755-05:00

Ahhh... Monday, you're here! I've always enjoyed Mondays because I like the shift in routine that the new week brings. Before I had children, back when I worked full time (for pay), I enjoyed the reentry into the hustle and bustle of the work week. Things are different now. Our family is busy, busy, busy all weekend long, and although we all enjoy it immensely, I look forward to Mondays as a

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-13592811563060606032011-02-02T12:06:00.002-05:002011-02-02T12:41:03.690-05:00

:: Chickadee arriving at the feeder ::Things here are Good, with a capital "G." We've been watching the birds and living in harmony with each other. 'A' continues to plow ahead with learning to read (she's still not excited about it - she's not inclined to sit down with a book unless I suggest it. But that will come.). She loves, loves, loves to do math. She just "gets it." Today we played a math

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-1172940192334938112011-01-26T17:08:00.003-05:002011-01-26T17:24:40.022-05:00

Some people look at this pile of vegetable scraps and think, "mmmm.... homemade vegetable stock," don't they? I don't, which surprises even me. It's very simple: I don't have much experience making stock. I've made it before but I'm not an expert. For example, can I use onion skins? Can I use the bruised or browned parts? What about the core? How about those woody, sprouting turnip tops?

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-8977826383073442932011-01-25T22:04:00.003-05:002011-01-25T22:24:56.600-05:00

Today:Homeschool art class, where the girls learned about Mayan culture and painted Mayan hieroglyphs in watercolor ('A' painted a book, 'H' chose the butterfly)Play "Mary and Laura" (that activity is a given... every day, all day)State Park fun: snowshoeing and fox tracking (we followed the bunny and fox tracks, one on top of the other, then suddenly the tracks got a little wild, and only one

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-91399932607916594542011-01-24T21:18:00.003-05:002011-01-24T21:48:40.600-05:00

It has come - that time of year when the food is a bit more sparse. When I portion out the salad to be just enough. Not enough to feel fully satisfied, but enough to feel that we ate some fresh, healthy greens for the day. Salad isn't served every day anymore; we're lucky if our greens last us 4 days - more likely, it's 3. I fill up every Saturday at the farmer's market, and even there, the

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-73995354318401884492011-01-24T11:02:00.003-05:002011-01-24T11:41:15.701-05:00

It was cold here this morning. I don't have an outdoor thermometer, so I don't know the exact temperature at my home. The folks at The Weather Channel seemed to believe it was -20 degrees when I woke up. I can believe it, but I don't need a thermometer to tell me it's really cold... our cat Grace tells me about it. On the days Grace stays in bed far longer than I do, I know it's cold. Today

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-43500600320424164002011-01-23T17:57:00.002-05:002011-01-23T18:58:18.090-05:00

Snowboarding: A+Scenery we viewed while driving to the mountain: A+Time spent with my husband and children: A+All in all, it was a good day!

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-24308061475324134352011-01-21T13:20:00.005-05:002011-01-21T16:11:10.273-05:00

After having fun with the map theme yesterday, I decided to apply it to 'A's favorite subject, Little House on the Prairie. It wasn't hard to find resources online - many educators and homeschoolers use the stories at some point or another, and there is so much information available. 'A' and I started with blank maps of the United States and a timeline of Laura's life. We added the towns where

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-515930702294851912011-01-20T15:18:00.003-05:002011-01-20T15:48:40.348-05:00

I've been waiting for a little mealtime inspiration to head my way, and somehow I got lucky this week. I've tried a few new recipes that use the ingredients I have on hand, the same ingredients I'm just about to get tired of, but these recipes present them in a new light. Just the thing I've been looking for! It's not as if these meals blindly fell into my lap... I checked out a few cookbooks

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-69521116290481539642011-01-19T20:40:00.004-05:002011-01-19T21:10:22.529-05:00

:: 'A' playing Mary Ingalls, getting ready for the dance at grandpa's in the Big Woods of Wisconsin ::I had a dream last night that the world ended. Actually, everything we take for granted about the stars ended too. In a blink, the universe, including our planet, was sucked up into a tiny little vacuum. It all disappeared, and before I went with it, I saw empty blackness all around. I woke

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-78692890765133199102011-01-18T14:29:00.003-05:002011-01-18T14:36:06.166-05:00

It snowed this morning.Art class was cancelled.The birds came and filled their bellies at our feeders.The morning saw us painting and reading.I cleaned my desk. Found a lot of things to follow up on, and I did. Now the cats are sleeping.The girls are playing.Dinner is ginger bok choy. The big questions are: tofu or shrimp? Noodles or rice? I love days like today.

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-76966285305100634452011-01-17T17:44:00.002-05:002011-01-17T17:54:02.018-05:00

I hate falling into ruts, and if there's one thing I dislike more than falling in, it's not seeing how to get out. Sometimes my ruts are deep and cavernous (food issues, anyone?) and other times, they're easy to see into and see out of. Take my mail issues, for example. For a few months now, we've all had our own return address labels, and the stamps are always handy, waiting for the pen-pal

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-83552286875336274592011-01-14T10:28:00.003-05:002011-01-14T10:44:44.304-05:00

January is such a wonderful time for reflection. The busy-ness of the holidays is over and I find myself thinking more about the meaning of our days and our routines. Am I happy? Does my life have purpose? Am I raising my children the way I want to? Out of those big questions come some random answers and, as always, new projects for me. This is my random list of what I want to focus on for

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-9342211248496918752011-01-12T16:11:00.006-05:002011-01-18T14:40:38.793-05:00

It snowed here today, all day. I made sure my schedule was clear so we could stay home and enjoy it. We've had a very good day today. Jeff isn't here to enjoy it with us, which is too bad. Luckily our wonderful neighbor came by with his snowblower and cleared the driveway. I should be able to get out tomorrow to take Erma to the acupuncturist with no trouble! Priorities, you know.Speaking

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-90685998163402785602011-01-11T22:50:00.002-05:002011-01-11T23:13:43.340-05:00

Thumbs up if you like skiing lessons! If I had been in that photo, instead of sitting behind the camera, my thumb would have been raised up as well. I took snowboarding lessons while the girls were learning to feel comfortable on skis. I haven't touched a snowboard in several years. I wasn't a very good snowboarder back in the day. I fell a lot, cried, and then, when I finally started to get

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-68677680041897132582011-01-07T21:28:00.002-05:002011-01-07T21:37:43.921-05:00

So... eight months later, her tooth fell out!It happened just after I finished this adorable little pouch to keep her tooth safe under her pillow. The thought of the tooth fairy searching for that little tooth under her big pillow made my head spin, so I whipped this up today. Now she can keep it safe and the tooth fairy can find it with no trouble at all. It snowed today, and we're enjoying a

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4761401530984879760.post-47804433163078081282011-01-06T14:58:00.002-05:002011-01-06T15:51:27.031-05:00

If you were to ask me about my homeschooling approach, I would tell you that I try to follow my children's lead and let them learn what they want to learn, at the pace they want to learn it. I introduce them to new concepts and topics all the time, and I wait to see which ones pique their interest. I pay attention to the way they interpret the world around them, and step in to teach and guide

Mama Jillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590356963754918206noreply@blogger.com0