2014: My Year to be PROACTIVE

Proactive adj. serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or difficult one; anticipatory.

I'm tired of being in "solve the crisis of the day" mode.  Every day just seems like a dash to tamp down a fire -- sometimes, I get it put out, but usually I only manage to beat it back to a smoulder.  I know that fire will roar to life again soon, but for right now, a smoulder has to be good enough so I can move on to fight the next raging inferno.

I had a huge wake-up call a few weeks ago, when I woke up in the middle of the night with an awful pain in my leg.  It wasn't getting any better, and by the time hubby woke up and turned on the light, I could see my left leg was twice as big as my right.  I had a very bad feeling about this one -- and unfortunately, I was right.  This current malady presented exactly the same as when I had a blood clot when I was pregnant with Luke, and after a few hours in the ER, the doc was ready to offer me a job when the ultrasound confirmed what I had suspected.   I had all sorts of blood drawn when I was pregnant and post-partum, and the only explanation was pregnancy hormones.  My doc is not going to bother to re-draw now, because it's pretty obvious how this one came about.  No -- I'm not pregnant. I'm inactive.  Two days a week, I spend six hours driving Jude to therapy and sitting waiting for him, and then spend one or two days each week at duPont's Wilmington campus (a 2 1/2 hour round trip, plus sitting for doctors).  I come home, put out the immediate fires, and collapse on the couch.  I need to become more proactive with my health.  I can't say "I'm too tired to exercise," any longer.  I have to now do it every day to counter the inactivity.  As much as I dislike the treadmill, a few minutes each day to get the blood moving is definitely better than a week on the couch unable to walk. 

As I was sitting there on the couch, I was trying to consider my "Word for 2014," and this idea of being proactive with my health made me think about the rest of my life:

• I don't want to be looking at the calendar and saying, "Oh, crud, that's tomorrow??"  Sure, there are some things that will have to be the night before -- like baking for the school bake sale -- but I want to be prepared for it so I'm not running to the grocery store after dinner and starting cupcakes at 9 pm and yawning as I frost them close to midnight.
• I don't want mornings to be a mad scramble for who has which uniform, who has the right envelope for art club, which therapist are we seeing and do I need schoolwork for that session or not. 
• I don't want every dinner to be a "surprise."  Or late getting to the table because of lack of planning.

Clearly, some of this means better planning, and making time for that.  That is going to take time (and effort!) to find a system for doing this that works for me and our family.  But I also need to learn to look ahead before I say "yes" to something. 

• It means sometimes saying "I'll send something for <school function>, but it has to be xyz that I can buy a week before, I can't cook/bake at the last minute even though that's what I've always done."
• I need to be realistic and say, "No, I can't take that appointment because it fits the doctor's schedule; if we have to wait another week, so be it, but I can't realistically squish a 90 minute drive into 60." 
• Instead of jumping in to help one of the kids with a project, or getting involved in my own project, I am going to have to find a way to put my health first, even if it would be easier to just help and get it over with.  I actually joined a gym a few years ago, but got so wrapped up in helping with homework that I never went - there just weren't enough hours in the day.  It's going to mean everyone in the the house will have to adjust a little bit so it all balances out, but the process starts with me saying, "I can't help you right now, you'll have to wait."  Not a bad thing for them to learn, right?  Kids will also have to learn to ask for help earlier in the process (or at least at the start, I'm going to have to ask them if they need help sooner, so we can plan a timetable together), rather than waiting until an hour before bedtime. 

When it comes to blogging, I need to start thinking what I want to write about, and plan.  I want to start to think ahead on what I may want to write about in a season, and try working a bit ahead so I'm not up until the wee hours finishing things.  I don't want to give up my "in the moment" style of writing -- I want to still be me, but also need to get over the feeling of having to write about our homeschool activities in real time.  If it's a great idea, it's ok if we did the activity a week ago -- it will still be a great idea in a week!   I need to start doing a better job of scheduling ahead, and maybe even solicit some guest posts.  (If you're reading this and want to guest post,  pitch me an idea!)  But that's part of the being proactive and planning the post, rather than reactive and saying, "I gotta get this finished because I haven't posted in several days!"


I'm not big on New Year's resolutions.   Usually they are blown by the second week of January. I also don't really like "plans."  That's how we wound up homeschooling in the first place.   So I'm not going to call it a "resolution" or  "plan" for the new year, but rather a new way of living with a symbolic date to start: in 2014, I'm going to work to become more proactive instead of reactive.

Join the crew in setting a theme for your 2014.  Link goes live at 8 am EST on New Year's Day!




©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.  The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.  The angel said to them, 

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” 

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

 “and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

 Let the earth rejoice, for the Lord is come!

May the peace that came upon that lowly stable fill your hearts today and always!

Meg, Neal, Luke, Matthew, Celia, Jude and Damien

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

The Most Fabulous Link-up "Jol" - # 5 (Co-host)

Welcome back!  It's time again to party at the

"A MERRY CHRISTMAS"
(To All my followers who celebrate this holiday)
I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL FESTIVITIES

A VERY BIG WELCOME to the 5th "Most Fabulous link-up "Jol".

And a BIG THANK-YOU to all those who have linked up.  I love all the Christmas inspiration that so many of you have come up with

FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO THE "JOL"

The word "Jol" is an Afrikaans word meaning to "Party"
*
This is place to link up your favourite post or your blog,
As well as (what I find to be) the biggest traffic influences to my blog:
G+, Pinterest, Sverve and Hometalk.

Food for thought:

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas" - Calvin Coolidge

OUR FEATURED BLOG POST

(with the most clicks) FROM LAST WEEK is:

My Kids have Never had Christmas  By
Lady Blogger

Please grab my button code:

<a href=http://fabulous-farmliving.blogspot.com> <img src=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZH7Zqo1DBIFjF9cbvC0XDQR2Tte0JuIoB7YXSL8G2QU=s125-no width=”100″/></a>
Some Direction:

*  Kindly link up your favourite post, and other social influences and do a link back to this blog.  (text or button is fine)

*  Please Follow your Host, Co-hosts and others, so that we can all benefit from each other. We follow back.
* This "Jol" goes live every Tuesday at 3pm (South Africa time) for a week - don't miss out!
* I also run a G+ Group Board and a Pinterest Group Board both under the name: Fabulous gardens and Pets.  Should you wish to join any of these, please leave a comment and I'll add you with pleasure

HOST:

Keren from Fabulous Farm Living
G+ / Pinterest / Bloglovin / Facebook / Twitter / Swerve / Hometalk

CO-HOSTS:

Meg from Adventures with Jude
G+ / Pinterest

Bette from Somerset Lane
G+ / Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter

Michelle from Ma-Made Diaries
Facebook / Twitter / G+ / Pinterest / Swerve

If you would like to co-host this party with me, please let me know at:  fabulous(dot)farmliving(at)gmail(dot)com
There is no charge, the more blogs involved, the better for all of us.

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Benjamin Franklin, Colonial Inventor

Most colonial inventors took an already discovered idea or concept and built upon it. One of these innovators was Benjamin Franklin. Although he is well known for establishing the first fire department and lending library in the American colonies, Franklin invented some lesser known but equally valuable things that have been refined upon since the eighteenth century.

Bifocals, or “double spectacles,” as Franklin called his invention at the time, are eyeglasses with two halves, each with a different purpose. The top piece is for seeing at a distance, and the lower half is for reading. These glasses are prescribed commonly for people that have presbyopia, a condition that Franklin suffered from. Presbyopia is a condition that makes the eye lose the ability to focus on near objects as the person ages. Doctors still prescribe the use of bifocals today.  Scientists have also revolutionized this invention further with the invention of trifocals. My brother has bifocals himself, and my grandparents wear trifocals.

Le Roy C. Cooley, 1881
US Public Domain

Although Franklin did not invent electricity himself, he began to understand it in a way that no one had before. Before Franklin’s experiments, electricity was thought to be made of two opposing forces. However, he corrected this idea when he proposed the Single Fluid Theory.  This idea states that electricity flows from a positive body with excess charge to a negative body, or a body with a negative charge. This is why a car battery, for example, has a positive rod, or the “plus” symbol, and a negative rod, or the “minus” symbol.

Once Franklin had an understanding of the behavior of electricity, he set out to protect houses from the destructive forces of lightning. A lightning rod, simply, is a rod attached to the top of a building, connected to the ground through wiring. The electric charge from lightning strikes the rod and is conducted harmlessly into the ground. This invention is still used today to protect houses from burning down and people from electrocution.

Benjamin Franklin was an avid swimmer from a very young age. Throughout his life he consistently promoted its health benefits. At the age of 11, he invented a pair of swim fins.  Made out of two pieces of wood, they attached to Ben’s hands and allowed him to swim through Boston’s Charles River more quickly. They are early precursor to modern flippers.

Franklin was curious as to how far he was traveling by carriage in his role as postmaster for his travels between Philadelphia and Boston. With this in mind, he invented the odometer. While the concept of the odometer dates back to ancient times, Franklin created his own version. The concept for Franklin’s design was to attach the device near the wheels of a carriage to determine the circumference of the wheel and the number of revolutions required to travel a mile, and have the device register the distance traveled.  Knowing the mileage from one place to another helps us determine how far we can reasonably go -- or at least decide if we need to stop for more gas!

Franklin Stove
Photo: National Parks Services/US Public Domain

In Colonial times, fireplaces were used to warm homes. Invented in 1742, the Franklin Stove was a metal-lined fireplace that stood in the middle of the room and radiated heat in all directions. It also provided more heat and less smoke than an open fireplace and used less wood. The iron-insulated walls even absorbed the heat produced, providing warmth to the room long after the fire went out. It was a way that a house could stay warm longer during the winter months.  Franklin was offered the opportunity to patent his stove, but declined; he felt that innovations should be shared for the good of all.  As a result, many others adjusted and adapted these stoves.  Franklin's stove often malfunctioned as the fire died down, and it was Philadelphian David Rittenhouse who refined the exhaust piping that kept the fire oxygenated as the flames settled into coals.

Franklin was a great lover of books, establishing the Library Company of Philadephia, the precursor to the Free Library of Philadelphia. However, he also invented another practical help for readers.  Reaching books on high shelves was a challenge.  Many libraries had ladders, but for a man of Ben’s portly stature, climbing a ladder was a risky endeavor. So, in 1786, Franklin solved the problem by inventing the "long arm.” It is a wooden pole with a grasping claw at the end. Today, people use the long arm to hang posters, grab things at a height, or simply as a child’s plastic toy.

To make things more comfortable for readers, he made modifications to improve and extend his library chair so that it could serve multiple purposes. His design allowed the chair to turn on its center, which made it convenient to a person who may want to turn to his library-shelf or side-table, as it could now be done without leaving his seat. In one model, Franklin even attached a fan that was operated by a foot pedal. He also created an extendable seat that allowed the chair to function as a small step ladder or stepping stool when the seat was raised. Today, his model is mostly used in many offices as a chair used to work at a computer.

The use of street lighting was first recorded in the ancient city of Antioch in the 4th century. However, Franklin introduced it to the United States, and because of this, many regard Philadelphia as the birthplace of street lighting in the United States. The street lamps in Franklin’s day were not very efficient - the glass globes tended to become dark with soot from the oil burned inside, so it required almost daily cleaning. Franklin determined that the problem had to do with a lack of airflow within the globe. Combined with later inventor Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb, street lights can be seen on the side of almost any major street in the United States.

In 1784, Franklin composed a satire called “Essay on Daylight Saving.” It proposed a law that would oblige Parisians to get up an hour earlier in summer. By putting the daylight to better use, he reasoned, they’d save a good deal of money that might otherwise go to buying candles. Now this switch to daylight saving time is an annual ritual in Western countries. An equally influential saying Franklin said about time in the same year is “Time is money.” This phrase is meant as a gentle reminder not to “sit idly” for half the day. 

Ben Franklin invented many things we use today. Franklin was always creating ways to help the people of colonial America, in both large and small ways.  He also refused to accept a patent, knowing someone else would be able to refine his idea and should not be halted because he didn’t have the original idea. We should all be grateful for inventors like him, as they may just create something new that is needed for people in the future.

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Sunday Sharing Pinterest Party - Week 21

 Happy Christmas week!! 

It's time for the

Lots of great pins were shared last week!  It was nice to see so many ideas for the holidays and beyond.  It's always nice when there are so many to choose from for favorites!
 
My top three start with Kinder Gluhwein, shared by Cristi from Through the Calm and Through the Storm.  I think we may try making it for Christmas!

I think this drink would be perfect to accompany gingerbread house making, as demonstrated by Greatly Blessed.  And I think Shecki's idea for using graham crackers is brilliant!

 And when you're done making your house, pour everyone a second cup of Kinder gluhwein and settle in to read one of my favorite poems.

 If you're feeling ambitious, you can add in some activities to make it a unit study, and Sarah from Delivering Grace has some great ideas.  Otherwise, just curl up and enjoy the holidays together!


We'll be enjoying our Christmas break together.  That means that once again, this is going to be a two-week party.  There will be no new party next weekend, so this linky will stay open until January 4th.  I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Christmas, and 2014 starts off perfectly for all of you!  See you next year!

An InLinkz Link-up

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

A Gift List for Special Needs Children

Ever wonder what kind of toys to get for a child who has special needs?  I always talk to the kids' therapists as birthdays and holidays approach, and discuss with them goals and home program.  While they are very willing to do "therapy" at their sessions, one or two hours a week is not enough to make progress.  They have to work at home, too.  While sometimes there are bigger, more therapy-specific items that are most beneficial for their programs, often we are able to come up with a list of things that look like fun waiting to be opened and help us reach therapy goals.

Topping our list is balls of every size! From a small tennis ball for throwing to to oversized playground balls, and everything in between!  Exercise balls are great, too – they double as chairs and help kids work on strengthening their core, and function as a piece of exercise equipment for the family.  (Most kids love when parents try to do their exercises – most are eager to show you how to do it “just right.”) Foam “Nerf” style balls are good for younger ones, and “stress balls” provide squishy sensory play.  f you can play outside during the winter, a T-ball or basketball set is a great idea.  They help with gross motor movement as well as eye and hand coordination.  (It’s still a great idea, even if you need to wait for warmer weather and spring training!)

Check out the rest of our top 5 toylist at Frugal Homeschool Family!  Head on over, check the list, and finish up your shopping for the perfect gift for the special needs child in your life!

 

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

Gluten, Dairy and Soy Free Vanilla Sugar Cookies

The word, cookie, is an Anglicized version of the Dutch, "koeje," meaning "little cake."  The first cookies were actually oven-testers -- a bit of cake batter was put in the oven and baked to make sure the fire was at the correct temperature.  I imagine this was a treat for the baker -- or any children hanging about -- if they had the fire just right.  Otherwise, what a disappointment!

In modern times, we don't have to bake a single test cake and then race to the oven to claim the goodie.  In our house, it's not uncommon to make several dozen cookies at a time.   While everyone has his or her favorites, it's rare for anyone turn down any cookie.   I suppose there must be people out there who don't like cookies, but around here -- Cookie Monster would get a run for his money!

The one cookie I've never really cared for are sugar cookies.  I prefer the more piquant flavor of molasses-style cookies, like Speculaas or Marranitos, or the contrast of molasses and milk chocolate in chocolate chip cookies.  To me, sugar cookies are usually too bland; even frosted, they have a one-dimensional "we're loaded with sugar" flavor.  While we were doing our holiday baking, Jude wanted to make cut-out cookies.  I didn't have the ingredients on hand to make gingerbreads, so I pulled out my sugar cookie recipe and sat down to re-work it.  Since I already had to convert it from "regular" to allergy-friendly, I figured it was worth trying to tinker with the flavor, too.

Most cookies call for a teaspoon or so of vanilla, and that just wasn't working.  But if you just increase the vanilla, that can make your dough too wet.   I wondered --  what would happen if I swapped out some of the liquid that the recipe called for with vanilla?  I tripled the vanilla to a full tablespoon, and what a difference!  These have a bright vanilla flavor that makes the cookie stand out, and it was enough moisture that the cookies were easily rolled out.  Rather than tasting like a slab of sugar, the floral notes of the vanilla really shine and give it a slightly exotic flavor, and the cookie holds up to adding even more sweetness (either sanding sugar or even frosting) without becoming insipid.

I've used shortening, but not just because it's dairy free.  Shortening has no water content (unlike butter) and produces a softer, more cake-like cookie.  Shortening is also neutral in flavor, so you don't have butter competing with the vanilla for prominence.

Vanilla Sugar Koetjes

makes approximately 24 cookies, depending on size of cutter

1/2 c. shortening (Spectrum)
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg 
1 Tbsp. vanilla 
2 c gluten free flour  mix (King Arthur)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp baking powder 
2 tbsp milk or water (if needed) 

Cream the sugar and shortening until they are fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until fully incorporated.

 In separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. 
 

Carefully add the flour mix to sugar mix on low speed.  (You can also mix it by hand.)  If the dough is too dry and not coming together, add milk (cow's milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc.)  or water a teaspoon or so at a time. 

Roll dough out to about 1/4" thick.  I like rolling gluten-free dough between pieces of parchment paper - I find it keeps me from having to add a lot of flour to the dough.  Cut into squares with a pizza cutter, or into shapes with cookie cutters. 

Decorate with sanding sugar or jimmies (sprinkles) if desired.  (If you want to frost them, leave them plain.) 

Bake @ 375° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then cool rest of the way on a rack.

 Frost if desired.   Or just devour.  

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

The Most Fabulous Link Up "Jol" #4 (Co-host)

I'm so excited to be cohosting today!  Welcome to the party...it's not just any party!  It's the...

A VERY BIG WELCOME to the 4th "Most Fabulous link-up "Jol".

And a BIG THANK-YOU to all those who have linked up.  It is so inspiring seeing all the wonderful posts and finding new blogs to follow.

FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO THE "JOL"

The word "Jol" is an Afrikaans word meaning to "Party"
*
This is place to link up your favourite post or your blog,
As well as (what I find to be) the biggest traffic influences to my blog:
G+, Pinterest, Sverve and Hometalk.

OUR FEATURED BLOG POST

(with the most clicks) FROM LAST WEEK is:

DIY Card Stock Ornament  By
Three Sisters and Us

Please grab my button code:

<a href=http://fabulous-farmliving.blogspot.com> <img src=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZH7Zqo1DBIFjF9cbvC0XDQR2Tte0JuIoB7YXSL8G2QU=s125-no width=”100″/></a>
Some Direction:

*  Kindly link up your favourite post, and other social influences and do a link back to this blog.  (text or button is fine)

*  Please Follow your Host, Co-hosts and others, so that we can all benefit from each other. We follow back.
* This "Jol" will be every Tuesday at 3pm (South Africa time) - don't miss out!
* I also run a G+ Group Board and a Pinterest Group Board both under the name: Fabulous gardens and Pets.  Should you wish to join any of these, please leave a comment and I'll add you with pleasure

HOST:

Keren from Fabulous Farm Living
G+ / Pinterest / Bloglovin / Facebook / Twitter / Swerve / Hometalk

CO-HOSTS:

Michelle from Ma-Made Diaries
Facebook / Twitter / G+ / Pinterest / Swerve

Meg from Adventures with Jude
G+ / Pinterest

Bette from Somerset Lane
G+ / Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter

If you would like to co-host this party with me, please let me know at:  fabulous(dot)farmliving(at)gmail(dot)com
There is no charge, the more blogs involved, the better for all of us.

Food for thought:

"knowledge is like a garden, if not cultivated, it cannot be harvested"

©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com

A Joyful Christmas Heart (Tree Ornament)

 Salt dough ornaments are so simple to make - and you can make anything you have a cookie cutter for.   To go with the prayer for the second week of Advent

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the paths of thine Only-begotten Son: 
that we may worthily serve thee with hearts purified by His coming...

we made heart shaped ornaments, and wrote "JOY" on them, to celebrate the joy that is in our hearts with the arrival of the Saviour.

First, we mixed up the salt dough.  That was simple - and a great experience for Jude.  Pouring, scooping, measuring, and for my mess-adverse yet brave little boy - a sensory experience in dry flour, gritty salt, and then slimy and gooey dough.

Salt dough recipe:

1 cup Kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups water

 Add the salt and flour to a mixing bowl.

Mix the dry items gently with your fingers.  Add about 1/2 cup of warm water, and mix until a soft dough forms.  If not all the flour mixes in, add water about a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.

Turn out onto parchment paper and knead until smooth.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick. I like to roll it between to pieces of parchment - it cuts down on the flying flour.

Be careful not to leave it too thick (because then it will take longer to dry) or too thin (it will make the ornaments extra fragile).

Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into the shape you want.  We used hearts, but you can make any shape ornament!

Using a drinking straw, punch a hole in the top center of the heart.  This is where you'll thread your hanger once the dough has dried.

You can either allow them to air dry for 24-48 hours or bake in a low oven (200°F) for about 12 hours.  If it's particularly humid, then air-drying may take a little longer.

Once the cutouts are dry, paint them!

You can use either acrylic paint, or (washable) poster paint.  Acrylic paint will give you a darker and shinier ornament, while poster paint will give more of a softer, more "watercolor" effect.  .

 I painted the acrylic heart sample, but most of ours were done in washable poster paint.  Washable being the key - you can see from the pictures how messy my little painters are!

Once the ornaments are dry, use a Sharpie to write "JOY" across the front.  (You can also write the child's name and the year on the back.)

If desired, seal with spray shellac.

To make a hanger, guide a ribbon or a pipe cleaner through the center hole. Tie or twist to secure.

Once the top is secured, hang it on your tree.

Sharing at









©2012- 2013 Adventures with Jude. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://adventureswithjude.com