Article in Portuguese

https://observador.pt/opiniao/ir-para-a-politica-e-ir-para-a-guerra/

Olá amigos! 

O meu artigo foi publicado no Observador Premium hoje, mas caso tenham interesse e não tenham acesso, publiquei no meu FB também aqui: 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159688330624936&id=506629935&m_entstream_source=timeline

Balcony garden update

So our little gardeners have been at work (somewhat... I've been watering the new seeds we replanted in egg cartons because the first ones dried out). We have successfully eaten lettuce, basil and some spinach before the spinach got a bug and we cut it and sprayed everything with water and dish soap. 

Now we have planted our cherry tomatoes and we are excitedly waiting for our other seeds to grow so we can plant them. Actually, they are ready, I am trying to find the time! 

Let's hope they will survive. 

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #24: Cloud dough

Cloud dough is like playdough, but it's softer (hence the name) and comes apart more easily. Mix together:

7 cups flour
1 cup oil
(or until it comes together)

I added some chocolate powder to make it look like dirt and hid the bugs underneath. These bugs are one of three safari toobs I bought from amazon.co.uk with Christmas money and I am so glad to have them up my sleeve, especially during this time. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1

Isolation Opportunity for Creating a Richer Family Culture Idea #11: Play dough

(Two separate playdough days: blue playdough for The Rainbow Fish and rainbow play dough)

One of the things I most like about our "A Year of Playing Skillfully" preschool curriculum is that there is a playdough idea for almost every month. Playdough, sensory bins and painting are the kinds of things better off done with two or three children at home than with thirty in a classroom. I've tried both, as a teacher and as a mom. 

So I've made playdough quite a few times now and here is the no-fail recipe:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup salt 
I tblsp oil
Food coloring, herbal tea bags cut open or whatever other extras you come up with


(I triple this for three kids)

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Turn up the heat, stirring constantly, until it starts getting sticky or forming a ball (peeling off sides of pot). 

Let cool. Knead. 

Master list here: https://martajuliemaria.blogspot.com/p/isolation-reflections-and-ideas.html?m=1 

Cowboy ethics

This book is wonderful. It was kind of expensive. And some of it is a little left-leaning and borderline ideological. But doesn't cross the line. 

We were learning the states during the month of January with our A Year of Playing Skillfully preschool curriculum idea and our "The United States" Wee Sing sing, so we needed a book to go along with it. I have learned so much!

One thing I liked were the "cowboy ethics" included in Wyoming State law. 

"The state code admonishes residents and lawmakers to live courageously, take pride in their work, finish what they start, do what’s necessary and be tough but fair.The ethics code carries no criminal penalties and is not meant to replace any civil codes.

It also calls on them to keep promises, ride for the brand, talk less and say more, remember that some things aren’t for sale, and know where to draw the line."

http://cowboyethics.org/cowboy-ethics-become-law/

Channeling my inner cowgirl. 

September AYOPS

Some of September's activities so far from "A Year of Playing Skillfully" by the Homegrown Preschooler

These past three weeks have been crummy, this last one in particular, with Tommy constantly sick. He got over his rotavírus last Thursday only to start with fever and laryngitis on Friday. Davy got laryngitis and tonsillitis. And I am always bragging about how we never get sick…

Of course this ruined my perfectly concocted plans. Basically it was three weeks in which I wanted to meet people and get our activities and the ball rolling. And instead we have been confined to isolation and a miserable baby who lost a lot of weight. So hard to accept when things don't go my way. When life isn't ideal. Still working on it. 

At least the perfectly concocted plans for our preschool (see activities above) have been fun, and that has saved my day. I have a couple more weeks until our baby Rosie arrives and that never gets any less scary. Here's to relaxing and enjoying our last days as a family of five instead of panicking and trying to tick things off my checklist as usual...

Intuitions

Magical milk and water color ice courtesy The Homegrown Preschooler

I have no idea what I'm doing. What pains me is that I find there are other people that seem to know what they're doing. I keep taking one step at a time, sometimes glimpsing what a wonderful, indescribable thing we have going, other times unable to get out of the depths of despair of thinking I've already messed it all up and keep messing it up more and more. 

But I follow what are intuitions, these deep, visceral intuitions that I don't even like sharing with a lot of people… I prefer to do it and they'll see… which are somewhat confirmed by prayer. 

One was when my first child was born that I wouldn't be able to put her in daycare or leave her with my in-laws. I wanted to be with her. I continue to feel that way, about her and about her little brothers too. That feeling seems to grow, but again, I have no idea why! 

Another is when we went to see Christopher West speak in Fatima a couple weeks before we were married. He looked us in a prophetic way and said "Be fruitful and multiply". So that seems to be happening. But again, we didn't really plan for it. It's all kind of new. 

Another is a quote by Saint Catherine of Siena that if we could see a soul in mortal sin we would die. The priest I heard quote this said that the reverse side of the coin is also true, if we could see a soul in a state of grace we would be in awe. 
So I see that the most important is to keep close to Jesus in that way, make sacraments and prayer a priority. If me and my family have souls in a state of grace, what else matters? 

Of course, I don't think God speaks to us just in dreams and intuitions, but also in reality, events and what is possible .

I just don't have a plan. 

80% preparation, 10% doing it, 10% cleaning up

Really fun activities from the Homegrown Preschooler

I have found that my life is 80% preparation, 10% actually doing that thing you prepared and 10% cleaning up after. 

A meal: meeeeal planning argh, grocery store, putting groceries away, chopping, boiling / actually sitting down and eating / dishes

These fun activities: planning, writing lists of supplies to buy, actually buying them, prepping /actually having fun and taking these pictures / cleaning up

Going out: Preparing diaper bag, changing a million diapers everyone decides to poop in five minutes before leaving, getting jackets, putting on shoes, preparing snacks and water, driving somewhere / actually being there / coming home, taking off shoes and jackets, cleaning snack recipients 

Can anyone relate? 

Now that we are in Advent it seems all the more appropriate. I guess that's the way life is set up. Childhood and even adulthood is always "studying for something", "preparing for something", waiting for your kids to grow a bit, etc. etc. 

This is more than a curriculum

(I started this post in September. That's why they look so tan!)

I am only a couple months into this "curriculum" by The Homegrown Preschooler and I feel like it is an answer to prayers I have voiced and prayers I never even knew I had. I saw it on a blog and instinctually and impulsively bought it (seems like everything I buy and do lately…).  

By the way, this isn't a sponsored post. But it should be! 
If anyone in Portugal reads this and buys this for their kids, please let me know! 

It appeals to the type-A/OCD side of me because it has a beautiful check-off list with a theme and Bible verse for every month. It appeals to the lazy/unschooling side of me because it is low-key, play-based and you can do what you are able to. 

It has a few quotes here and there for every month and my absolute favorite is this one by G.K. Chesterton:

"What is education? Properly speaking, there is no such thing as education. Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."

This quote touches on so much of parenting/education/family/culture/life/what we're doing here on this earth for me. It touches on what is somewhat of an intuition for me and what is somewhat confirmed by books and people I trust. It is why I can't put them in a germ-filled "school" room with a 20-year-old teacher who will be their #1 influence, doing things I didn't do as a child.

It makes me dream again. It reminds me of the beautiful moments with nature and holidays in my own childhood. It has activities that are exciting for me and exciting for my kids. That I can set up and surprise them with or call out, "Who wants to play with ___?!" It brings us together. 

It's more than a curriculum.