Thread: Roll Call, 11/26

Snow and cold! That's what we have here, and this is small potatoes compared to those west and north of us! Branches are drooping with ice and snow and the winds are quite high. Right now I'm very thankful our power has not gone out (for long, anyway).
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What's new around where you are?

Oooh, that looks so pretty. Will show DD5 when she is home from school. She loves snow and is always disappointed in the slushy half hail/half snow that we get that only lasts 1 day at most.

My significant moment of the day was I got my butt into gear and made more conditioner so I could wash my hair. I usually only wash it once a week (maybe twice if its summer and I have been swimming or working out a lot) and I only do conditioner washing (no shampoo). So it can go a while before it gets oily. But we ran out of conditioner a couple of weeks ago and I had just not had time to make any more. So made it this morning with the little bit of conditioner pellets I had left (will have to order more), and I am feeling very refreshed. Figured I could not turn up to my first pick up for DD at school with 2 week old hair. I would just be creating a bad image for homeschoolers

All that snow sure looks pretty! Stay warm!

Our science class is ending in the next week and won't start back up until February. The transition has me doing the mid-year evaluation. What needs to go, what stays, and what do we need more of? I always flounder for a a solid week or so deciding, but hopefully it will be clear soon.

So far, the kids have voted to let go of read aloud time, which is a little sad, but at the same time I think we are ready. Arguments and avoidance would describe our read aloud time as of late - kids arguing and annoying one another, kids wanting to do math while I read, or getting up to get water 10 times in 10 minutes. I was sick a couple of weeks ago and couldn't read, it was a much more peaceful start to the day.

Otherwise it is homeschool status quo this week. Chanukah starts this Sunday night and the kids have an elaborate food plan all mapped out. DD reminds me daily that sufganiyot (jelly donuts) are on the menu first thing Monday morning! Yum!

Sufganiyot look delicious. I love donuts with anything jam, jelly, or sauce-ish. Like Thai donuts with pandan custard.

DD5's friends are definitely leaving school. But she still seems excited and happy to go to school. I guess its all new and she does not get yelled at by her sister (although she did get yelled at by some random older kid at lunch time, so is that any better?). I am really missing her today though. I think her saying they did not do math everyday, and the math that they did do was just drawing a number line, really got to me. She loves math. And I loved doing math with her. It was the first thing we did together each day, and it was a fun and snuggly time with lots of cuddles and laughs. I was meant to take DD10 to a homeschool outing later today, one she was not that keen to go to. So we have just opted out because I don't think I could take any questions of how is DD5 going at school without getting upset.

INMOM, my baby saw the snowy picture and was impressed, too. “No wildfires there.” He told me with confidence.
Its been pleasant in the mid 70s this week so far.
When I was going through election materials (yes, nearly a month ago) I saw a birth announcement from my sister, so I got busy and finished a baby quilt for her that I had started for one of her older daughters.
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Hang in there NZM, I hope you find more things to do to enjoy time with DD5.

RTB, whats in a chanukah meal plan? Are there certain meals for each day?

Cool quilt. Well done for a finishing a UFO; I have many that I should get onto to.

Still trying to look on the bright side with DD5. Guess I am just feeling some regret that I did not approach homeschool with her in the right way. With DD10 I was an accidental homeschooler. She had tried school and disliked it, and had motivation to be at home. She is also quite happy with irregular social contact and is more that happy with her after school activities and a few homeschool group education sessions per term (10 weeks). Whereas for DD5, homeschool was not something we were doing because school did not work, it was different for her, and she has different social needs. And I did not make the time to facilitate that. I should have declined editing work on certain days so I could take her to weekly social things with the homeschool group, to see if she would make friends there. But I did not. I should not have expected her to be happy with what DD10 is. To DD5, friends are the most important thing. She does not care about the school work side of it. And the busyness of school does not overwhelm her like it did DD10. So I don't think she will choose to come home again, and I have told her its always her choice. And I feel sad that I did not make the most of the opportunity of having her here to really try get it work for her. Now it is really hard to ever see if she would make friends in the homeschool group because I can't take her out of school to go to these events, and they don't usually run them in the summer holidays.

Beautiful AM! What is the name of the pattern? So the meal plan is fried, fried, fried! It is customary to eat fried food and dairy. So some of our meals will be fried meals (fish n' chips) and some will just be treats after dinner - like the donuts, Latkes (Idaho and sweet potato), Bunuelos and Zoulbia (my favorite!).

NZ, big hugs. I can totally relate! My social butterfly DD went to first grade because she really wanted to try. I had a really hard time and spent a lot of time second guessing everything. She beamed going to school, and I secretly seethed about the system. Eventually, for her, it lost its luster and she ended up coming back home.

I think I am going to book myself some horse riding lessons or treks for the next couple of weeks to make the most of my free time, which should cheer me up. This week has just been a drag as I have also had about 30 hours of work. Ironically, I don't actually get more work done without DD5. We had got into a pretty good routine with alternating work and school, and I still have the same number and length of breaks as I need them for "fresh eyes" for my editing.

Oh yes DD is very excited to go each day. It involves biking there, packed lunch, lots of play time with friends, and the free for all "action stations" in the class to play with/learn from (although this is somewhat of an illusion as they can only have three kids at a station, and the other day she apparently spent the entire period on one she did not want to do, waiting for other kids to finish the one she did want to do—which they never did)

Fried everything sounds great!

RTB, The pattern is... handdrafted crazy quilt blocks. You sketch out the pattern, then treat it as paper piecing (I do mine on old sheet material, Im thrifty that way). Heres a leftover one I decided against using.
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If youre REALLY interested, I can explain it in PM.

Dairy and deep-fried arent really our thing here, but I googled around and found Food Network’s list of Hanukah recipes... and harvested a few! Beef Brisket, the potato pancakes, the noodle custard dish, and challah bread.
I didnt realise there was special food for the holiday. Thanks!

NZM - Go riding go!!!!!

Looks interesting! My mil is a big quilter, I always like hearing the pattern names.

There is a food for everything in Judaism. You don't have to believe in God (to be Jewish), but you'd better eat

Yes NZ go ride! Exercise always helps in my opinion!