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medawyn

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Everything posted by medawyn

  1. While I will agree with the previous posters that cooking from scratch is (usually) less expensive and (certainly) healthier, it does bear noting that if you are someone who does not cook frequently, the "start up" costs can make from scratch cooking seem more expensive. I just recently moved and took the opportunity to start the pantry over (discovering items from 2002 made me think that moving spices celebrating their first decade probably wasn't worth it). Restocking my pantry was NOT an inexpensive venture, but the ultimate per item cost of the resulting meals is certainly lower. I've definitely had months of slightly higher grocery bills, but as sales spiral around and I'm back to status quo in pantry-land, most of my go-to meals are pennies (or dimes) to the dollar on their store-bought/frozen counterparts. I'll also point out that the savings garnered from cooking by scratch usually come from consistently cooking at home. I go through an insane amount of cumin (everyone here loves it!) but if I was only an occasional cook, the thought of purchasing even a small jar of cumin to use 1/2 tsp wouldn't strike me as money saving. (And I envy those of you with bulk spices available to purchase in your desired quantity - I've moved away from that and it's such a bummer!) So, basically, I think scratch cooking is less expensive if you can look past the start up costs - and if cooking becomes a regular habit.
  2. Me too :001_smile: But around here it stands for Heightened Options (in) Private Education
  3. Moving into my first apt... on the 17th floor in NYC! Called my mom because I was a little freaked out (middle of a sunny day, no obvious weather, etc.) and she was co-incidentally in Lansing, MI where they also lost power (she lives in OK). That was NOT a reassuring phone call! Fortunately my aunt and uncle also lived in NYC at the time, so I walked to their place and ate ice cream with their kids :D
  4. :iagree: Instructors who are normal people encourage me way more than instructors that seem to have stepped out of a fitness magazine; plus, I find that they are often more enthusiastic about the class because they have seen amazing turn arounds in their own fitness life. If it is something would enjoy doing, it also sounds like your students would enjoy YOU.
  5. Corn Risotto/Succotash Even my carnivore dh will eat this for dinner with no complaining! Ingredients:
 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 1 cup chopped red onion
 1½ cups Arborio or other medium-grain white rice
 ½ cup dry white wine
 Coarse salt
 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 6 ears) or canned or frozen corn
 5 ounces creamy, mild goat’s-milk feta cheese or fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
 1 cup diagonally sliced (¼ inch) green beans 1 garlic clove, grated
 2 cups diced (½ inch) tomatoes (I like halved cherry or grape)
 ¼ cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
 Freshly ground black pepper Directions:
 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add ½ cup of the onion and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until coated with the oil. Add 2½ cups water, the wine and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring once. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the rice is creamy and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the corn and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Fold in ½ cup of the cheese. 2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add the remaining ½ cup onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups corn, the green beans and garlic and cook, stirring, until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, a pinch of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. 3. To serve, spoon the risotto into four shallow bowls. Top with the succotash and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese. Very summer-y and delicious!
  6. I had forgotten about Apples to Apples. Definitely checking out that one! And thank you so much - love getting suggestions for games I'm not familiar with. Since rain is on the forecast, I'm going to be one popular lady when I whip some of these out :)
  7. We're setting out for a week with the WHOLE family (in-laws and in-laws OF in-laws!) at a group of cabins on the lake. There will be multiple generations, grandparents down to an 8 week old. Suggestions for board or card games that can be enjoyed by many ages? Kid only or adult only games are fine, but "everybody" games would be great! I basically have either (a) really educational games (i.e. memorize multiplication tables or use parts of speech) or (b) really old games (i.e. Trivial Pursuit from the '80's), so I'm clearly in need of an update!
  8. I'm HOPE_Academy, and I always feel like a bit of a fraud here because I don't actually have any of my own children yet. I'm here because I was home schooled for middle school, and I have been tutoring home schooled children for the past 10 years. I taught 2nd grade at a Classical school right out of college and met many families either transitioning out of or in to home school. Since then I have also taught 8th grade English at a Catholic school. I now work full time with 4 home school families, and I love every minute. This board has been hugely helpful in terms of learning about curriculum, etc. BUT, I told my husband I wanted to home school before we even got married, so he's had some time to adjust to the idea (every woman in his family is a ps teacher!). Which is great, because we found out this week we're expecting our first baby... so I guess in about five years, I can finally put your collective wisdom to good use!
  9. Just responding to say that seeing someone heading to the Tulsa zoo makes me homesick! Moved away a year ago and am missing friends and family. And, to be a little helpful, yes, plan on going early. I used to take kids to the zoo twice a week in the summers (babysitting jobs) and we would usually LEAVE by 10:30 - fewer crowds and more manageable temps.
  10. Thank you all so much! Now, of course, I've added to my reading list as well as culled some excellent titles for a friend.
  11. I recently had lunch with a friend who is just now considering the possibility of homeschooling her (only 2!) year old son. Public schools are bad in the area, and, not surprisingly, private schools are expensive. What books would you recommend for someone who is just beginning to explore/discover the possibility of homeschooling? As we were lunching, I realized that I've never read any "intro to" books, because I've been surrounded by homeschool families since early elementary and many aspects of the community have been familiar to me for a long time. Of course, I'm recommending WTM, but I think it can be information overload. So what do you all recommend for getting a handle on different philosophies, etc.?
  12. Said frequently: "Comply before you ask why." "It sounds like you have a problem. How are you going to fix it?" (Variations include adding a "Bummer" or "When you are ready to share ideas about how to solve it, I'll be _____") On the walls in the classroom: Quality beats quantity. Haste makes waste. Love to learn and learn to love. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking. Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. Be a lifter not a leaner. Can't means you refuse to try. (We had "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" up, but Caddie Woodlawn did us in on that one: "If at first you don't fricassee, fry, fry a hen.") Little things DO matter. Man is not rewarded for having brains but for using them. Lost time is never found. We learn from our mistakes. Good listeners become good workers. THINK!
  13. I had a reading specialist explain to me that children who learn to read before the age of four are often "sight readers", as this is the way the brain best retains information at that age. She also assured me that that is not to say that these students don't need or use phonics - it is just the next layer of skills. Of course, aren't we all sight readers eventually? I was actually fortunate to attend a Spalding-based school despite the fact that phonics was not at all the rage during my elementary years. I was reading fluently when I entered the school (age 5), but phonics certainly enhanced my ability to read higher level texts. Now I can still phonetically "attack" words, but how frequently do I analyze words as an adult? Most of my reading vocabulary is "sight reading", which I suppose we call fluency. Maybe your son is just a fluent reader? :)
  14. Mine just popped back up, so keep checking! And two of my accounts were unavailable, but a third was accessible. *shrug*
  15. I forgot to add that you will be very surprised by what schools are NOT reading. Most of my girls came from a range of public/private schools in the area, and there were many classic novels left on the table after I combined all their reading lists.
  16. Books that have met with great success at my own 8th/9th grade girls' book clubs: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Chosen by Chaim Potok A Separate Peace by John Knowles The Book Thief By Markus Zusak The Scarlet Letter Farenheit 451 Wuthering Heights any Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers novel You have already read or listed several others, but I'll certainly give Til We Have Faces a big plug. (Most of) my girls loved that one. We also planned one or two "movie nights" to correspond with our reading; Alice in Wonderland with both the original Disney cartoon and the recent feature film lead to some very interesting discussions. Emma, Pygmalion and An Ideal Husband were hits also.
  17. Edward Eager's Half Magic and sequels might be another Dahl-like chapter book that bridges the gap between interest and length.
  18. Add me to the Steel Magnolias list. It's my go-to when I need a good cry. I always think I'm going to make it through, then Sally Fields starts driving to get Jack Jr...
  19. Another possibility is an allergy to poultry. I've had two cats develop this allergy later in life. Lots of rugs to clean before the vet suggested it as a potential. :glare: There are a few brands of bagged food without poultry, but I can't remember which off the top of my head. My favorite had an orange bag, but that probably doesn't narrow it much!
  20. This is a family favorite. It isn't pretty (especially as leftovers!) but very hearty and tasty. Lentil Stew with Sausage and Potatoes Serves 4 3 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp curry powder 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 bay leaf 2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed 10 small red-skinned potatoes, quartered 1/2 lb turkey kielbasa, sliced 1 small bunch arugula or watercress leaves 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 c crumbled feta cheese Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant. Add broth, bay leaf, and lentils and bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add potatoes, cover, and cook until potatoes and lentils are tender but not mush (~10-15 min longer). While lentils are cooking, place kielbasa in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown on both sides, set aside, and keep warm. Remove tough stems from arugula or watercress and coarsely chop. When stew is cooked, toss with remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and arugula. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with kielbasa and feta.
  21. I've had a lot of success with that age (boys in particular!) with Ender's Game and sequels by Orson Scott Card. I usually recommend starting with Ender's Game and then reading the companion novel Ender's Shadow; I've had boys read all 9 of the books in a matter of months who were "nonreaders" before.
  22. I don't think anyone has mentioned Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. Also, if you haven't read it The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden is wonderful, and many people miss the sequels. I recommend Tucker's Countryside.
  23. Not knowing exactly what direction you want your DD to head in, I'm including my two favorite Beowulf links. You'll find lots of resources (and summaries ;) ) there, but the question I have had lots of success with is asking students to evaluate whether Beowulf was a good king. He is given advice about kingship by Hrothgar, so students can use that to help define kingship within the poem and as support for their opinion. http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/beowulf/beowulf.html http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/beowulf.pdf Hope that helps!
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