Down Home

Free Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Phew! It was a full week at SLO Classical Academy! Registration for next year is in full swing; our Classic Story Hour was Wednesday; Grand people in our lives attended Grand Days; and last night Troy Wathan taught us all more about Classical Education. Many thanks to all the helping hands, seen and unseen, that make such amazing events possible. Life in our thriving community is vibrant and full!

Since the weekend is here and it is our goal to be Free by Five, how about some suggestions for Valentine's Day fun? Turn off your electronics and craft or cook together.

1. Valentine Bookmarks :: Martha Stewart

2. The Write Stuff pencil toppers :: 30 Handmade Days

3. Cupid's Creme Brûlée :: Hostess with the Mostess

4. Candy heart garland :: Lollipops

5. Origami heart garland :: How About Orange

6. Lollipop flowers :: Martha Stewart

7. Scratch off Valentines (adaptable for your needs):: The Dating Divas

Whatever you choose, enjoy the weekend!

SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned sites.

Unforgettable

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

We asked our teachers to tell us about a teacher in their own lives they would never forget. Today, Denise Indvik, who teaches our Track B Jr. Kindergarten shares memories of her favorite teacher.

I was just thinking about my favorite teacher last week and wondering what had become of her. I was almost tempted to have someone try to find her on Facebook for me so I could tell her how much I appreciate her! Her name was Mrs. Deborah Cope, and she was my fourth grade teacher way back in the late 1970s. The reason she stands out from other teachers I enjoyed during my schooling was her unwavering celebration of good literature and reading. I have no memory of reading anthologies, abridged stories, or language arts textbooks in her class. Instead, I remember signing up for a "literature conference" on the chalkboard, which meant that when it was my turn I would sit next to her at her desk and spend a good long while telling her all about the latest book I had finished reading. She would thumb through the book, and ask me sincere questions about the characters and their adventures. The pleasure of reading a great book was truly celebrated in her approach to teaching, and I would delight in the chance to tell her that my number one goal as a homeschooling mom and teacher was to convey that love of books to my own children and students. Thank you Mrs. Cope!

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming. ~ Goethe

{source}

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

The Noble Pig is a food blog I stumbled upon some years ago. I have tried several of her recipes and loved them all. I had never made short ribs before trying this recipe and I will warn you, this takes a little time. Oh, but the end result--tender, succulent short ribs, meat falling off the bone and a delicious sauce. Mashed potatoes would be a wonderful side. Perhaps this is just the ticket for a special Valentine's Day meal. Put the kids to bed early, light a few candles and enjoy a home date.

Root Beer Short Ribs

Noble Pig

4-1/2 lbs. beef short ribs

salt and pepper

3 T vegetable oil, more as needed

2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1" wedges

3 large celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2" pieces

2 small carrots, cut into 1-1/2" pieces

1 head of garlic, sliced in half crosswise

10 thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 rosemary sprig

1/2 t ground cumin

2 whole star anise

3 1/2 c beef broth

2 c root beer

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil on high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 20 minutes total. If oil gets too dark during browning, pour off and add more oil but do not wipe pot clean. Transfer the ribs to a plate and pour off all but 2 T fat from pot. Add onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, cumin and star anise. Cook scraping up any browned bits, until onions are soft, 5 minutes.

2. Return the ribs to the pot and add broth and root beer. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover and place pot in oven. Cook until meat can easily be pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 3 hours. (To store, refrigerate up to 4 days.) With slotted spoon, transfer ribs to large straight sided skillet; discard solids by straining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Skim off fat from cooking liquid. If you have time, place liquid in the refrigerator for a little while, making it easier to discard the fat.

3. Boil liquid and ribs over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by half, about 20-30 minutes. While boiling, periodically spoon liquid over meat, until ribs are glazed and sauce is thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can cook the short ribs up to four days ahead. Refrigerate, then skim, strain and reduce the cooking liquid before serving.)

What's so great about Classical Education?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Track A & B Kindergarten class
Pageant of the Masters

Parents at SLO Classical Academy have been enjoying the rich benefits of classical education for over six years now, but even with the experience of this education, some may still benefit from looking into this question with greater depth. Others may have heard of SLOCA from friends or neighbors and are curious to find out what we mean by classical education. On Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 6:30 PM, SLO Classical Academy will host a talk for parents and guests on the benefits and beauty of classical education. Our Associate Director, Troy Wathen, will provide an inspiring picture of a tried and true form of education re-purposed for this modern age.

If you are tired of education that is “data-driven” and taught to the test, this talk is for you. If you are asking the question, “will my classically trained child get into college?” this talk is for you. And if you just want to learn about this model of education that is growing in stature as others are in decline, this talk is for you. The folks at SLO Classical Academy are committed to opening our doors to the whole community for dialogue over compelling topics. Education is near and dear to our hearts so we look forward to this evening to share what makes classical education so great. We hope you will join us.

Magical Moment: Astronomy Enrichment

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today we hear from Jamie Foster, one of our instructors who has been with SLO Classical Academy since last November. He currently teaches 2nd and 5th grade math and Astronomy Enrichment.

This was a fun astronomy exercise we did (Astronomy Enrichment for Frago, Thursdays, 1245-230) on 12/1/11. We modeled the solar system keeping both distances and size of sun/planets in the same scale (usually one or the other is sacrificed in order to make it "fit" on a bulletin board or on a table). It took all the space between Room 20 and the far side of the baseball diamond (about 350 feet). The Sun was about an inch in diameter and the planets were the smallest dot a pencil could make at the top of its popsicle stick. The Sun was placed first, followed by Mercury at 3 feet, then Venus at 3 more feet, etc. out to Pluto which was about 350 feet from the Sun. In addition to simply observing and appreciating the entire solar system before them, the students also made angular measurements of the dots and the sticks from each planet to the Sun and vice versa (holding pencil points at arm's length).

Thank you, Jamie! What a memorable exercise to demonstrate the solar system. Just a reminder that Grand days are this Wednesday and Thursday. Are the Grand people in your life coming?

Free Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

Did this week fly by for you? Phew! The weekend is here--time to unwind and relax. Saturday, the Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach is celebrating Western Monarch Day. Or what about some poetry at the downtown Nautical Bean? There are two featured readers and then an open mike. Looking ahead, the PCPA theater has tickets available for Romeo and Juliet and Little Women, the Broadway musical. Don't forget Coffee Talks, after drop off and Grand Days are next week. Click here to RSVP.

Whatever your weekend holds, remember to be Free by Five o'clock and turn off your electronics. Enjoy our beautiful spring-like weather by spending face time with friends, family or neighbors. Happy weekend!

San Luis Obispo Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned businesses.

Integrity

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting

in a particular way.

~ Aristotle

This month's character trait is integrity--"having the inner strength to be truthful and trustworthy, acting justly and honorably, and being consistent in words and actions." (Taken from the SLO Classical Academy Character and Conduct Code.)

Consistency in words and actions--easy to say, hard to do, right? Let's challenge ourselves this month to live with integrity and be effective models for our children. Let's encourage our children to practice living with integrity so they can, as Aristotle says, acquire this quality. Let's pledge to look for integrity in the people of our history and literature and have discussions within our families about what integrity looks like. Let's strive to change our corner of the world by raising men and women of integrity.

Semper discentes (always learning together).

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Let them eat cake! Okay, my family isn't really eating cake for dinner (but that could be really fun). I have been waiting for a nice rainy spell to share this cake recipe but the rain has been absent. So, just because, here is a beautiful, rainbow cake recipe that is so fun! Meg uses a Cool-Whip buttercream frosting. I found it super, super sweet, so personally, I would just make a basic buttercream or cream cheese frosting.

{source}

In case you don't want to click over: buy two boxes of white cake mix. Divide the batter up evenly and using the gel icing colors (not food coloring) color the batter. What makes this even easier is using the disposable aluminum pans to bake your cakes in. Bake the cakes, level them with a knife, and layer with frosting, and frost the outside. Basic buttercream frosting is softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. If you have lots of jars lying around, it's also fun to bake cake in a jar.

{source}

If you make a rainbow cake or cupcakes, snap a picture and send it in. Happy Wednesday!

San Luis Obispo Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned sites.

Audio Books

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

For some of us, the antiquated language of {insert author name here} is challenging and cumbersome to read aloud. Books on tape may be a relic from our past, but the concept is still current. Have you ever considered audio books? This would be a great way to make the reading more manageable. However, don't use it as an opportunity to get caught up on laundry, but sit down and enjoy being read to alongside your children.

Check out Audible.com and iTunes to purchase audio books. Librivox.org and our Black and Gold Library have free downloads.

Audio books would also be a great way for a traveling or commuting parent to stay connected with the history and literature being read at home.

Are you an audio book fan? If so, what are your favorites?

Magical Moment

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today's Magical Moment is from Jenny Bischoff. Jenny and her husband, Paul, have three kids--Kate (Lower Middle School), Georgia (Primary), and Calvin (Jr. Kindergarten). This is their sixth year at SLO Classical Academy and Jenny is also the Wednesday NOL (Nice Office Lady).

{source}

The LMS class was given an assignment to make up a puppet show about Henry VIII, and my daughter was put into a group with three other girls. These inspiring girls wrote a 6-page script, designed costumes and backgrounds, composed music to accompany the performance, and even got together over the weekend to rehearse. They were not told to go to all these lengths, and it seemed as if they didn't view it as "work," but play with a purpose. (Many renditions of "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived..." were heard around my house.) It was a joy to stand back and watch them, and definitely a magical moment to see their creative brains working together. This is one of the many reasons I love being part of the SLO Classical Academy family!

Another magical moment occurred when last night my 8 year old daughter was reading in bed and suddenly came running out to us in the living room, all excited about something in her book (which was the classic Hamster in a Handbasket from the Animal Ark series... haha). "Mommy, you know what I just read? The daddy hamster in this book is named Henry and when the mommy hamster had a bunch of babies, they named one of them Elizabeth! Just like Henry VIII and Elizabeth!" We all love to catch historical references in everyday reading, and realize that we"get" it, right? It was rewarding to see my little girl "get" that connection, even in her little chapter book. We had a moment of conversation about how much more enjoyable reading can be when we make connections like that, plus she was pleased that she could share it with me and know that I would "get" it too. Learning together as a family is awesome!

The joy that accompanies learning as a family really fosters deep connections. How exciting to share in the "aha" moments of our children. Thank you, Jenny! Just a reminder that tonight is our Parent Meeting at 6PM at Grace Church. You won't want to miss out on eating together as a community, a financial update and details about next year as they are unveiled. See you there!

Free Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Did you know a Fresh & Easy is opening in San Luis Obispo? Fresh & Easy is a market that in their own words, "offers freshly prepared meals with no artificial colors, flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, and no added trans fats, and we do it with honest, low prices every day."

Every time they open a new store, they donate $1000 to a non-profit in the area. We know we are part of an amazing school and vibrant community, so let's spread the word! Go to Fresh & Easy and on the right side click on "Charity Donations." Choose the San Luis Obispo location and nominate SLO Classical Academy. After you do that, don't forget to be Free by Five and turn off your electronics. Our beautiful "winter" weather is back so maybe a hike along the Johnson Trail or a beach picnic is just the thing to unwind and relax.

Just a reminder that our Parent Meeting is Monday at 6 PM. Happy Weekend!

What's on Your Night-stand: Student Edition

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

SLO Classical Academy took to the streets, er playground, to ask a question: What books are on your night-stand?

Gracie Wathan
Track B, Intermediate

E-book: The Giver, Lois Lowry
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
Goddess Girls 1-4, Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams
Garfield's Food for Thought

Caroline Rein
High School Junior

Eli Newman
Track A, Intermediate

The Guardians of Ga'Hoole

Book 1, Kathryn Lasky

What is your student reading?

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

Pretty much anything encased in puff pastry is delicious, right? These portable hand pies would make a great dinner on the go. Serve with veggies and dip if you need the portability or a nice green salad. Puff pastry is found in the freezer section of the grocery store and does need to thaw, so read the package for directions. I must confess, I skipped the raisins.

Beef and Potato Hand Pies

Everyday Food, Sep. 2011

makes 8

1 T olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced medium

salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. ground beef (or turkey)

1 T smoked paprika

1 medium Yukon Gold potato, diced medium

1/2 c golden raisins

flour for dusting

2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat until browned, 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, potato and raisins. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

2. On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out the puff pastry sheets to smooth creases. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Place 1/3 c beef mixture into the center of each pastry square. Brush edges lightly with water, fold over filling to form triangles, pass to seal. Sprinkle with additional paprika, if desired. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheets and bake until pastry is golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

A quick reminder that Friday morning is the Dad's Reading Group. They will be meeting at 6:30 AM and discussing Fahrenheit 451.

Doodle for Google

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

Have you heard of Doodle 4 Google? It's a doodle contest, where students are invited to create a new Google homepage logo. This year's theme is "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..." What an exciting theme! It seems tailor made for a SLO Classical Academy student. Grand prize includes a trip to New York and a $30,000 scholarship. Contest details can be found here. To see Google's other doodles that have run around the world, go here.

Happy doodling!

Magical Moment

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

“I LOVE School!” The first words out of Sia Faber’s mouth as she piled into the car at pick up last Thursday.

Free Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

This week, the Moore family shares with us their latest family reading book. Ken and Brigid are a Track A family and this is their second year with SLO Classical Academy. They have four children: Connie (Upper Middle School), Abigail (Intermediate), Joseph (Kindergarten) and BrigidAnne (1 1/2).

"We just finished reading Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor. Set in the South in the 1930's with themes of racial conflict, family unity, and justice, it was a bit heavy for the holidays. Still, it was interesting to see how my sheltered kids reacted to the inequalities and injustices faced by the characters in the story."

Another Friday is here. Just a reminder that today is a mini-work day on campus from 11:30 to 3:30. And after helping out at school for a bit, remember to be Free by Five o'clock and step away from your electronic media. Rain is in the forecast so maybe it's the perfect time to start a new family reading book, such as the one above or one mentioned last week or have a family game night. Whatever you choose, enjoy the weekend!

Reading Aloud to Independent Readers

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

Being able to read independently is a huge milestone for students. It marks a turning point in their academic career, one that parents are all too eager to see. To be honest, when a child can read for herself, it takes a lot of the burden off of mom. Unfortunately, some moms wrongly assume that an independent reader neither needs nor likes mom to read to her anymore....

Click here to finish reading this great article and come back tomorrow for another SLO Classical family sharing their read-aloud-book.

SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with the above mentioned site.

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I am a planner. I typically plan our meals for the week during the weekend so I can do one shopping trip and know each night what we're eating. Sometimes, we have a busy weekend or I just get lazy and neglect to do so and end up wishing I had! A few months ago, I heard of someone who plans her meals monthly. I rebelled at the idea at first but kept thinking about it and found myself intrigued enough to give it try. The verdict? I LOVE it! I love sitting down once to plan our meals and my weekly shopping lists practically write themselves.

Here is a great monthly printable if you'd like to give it a try. I print a new one each month, but you could laminate a blank one and use a dry-erase pen. And, here is another menu from a woman who plans breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. Her menu options are available in Word format so you can edit it and then print. How about you--are you a meal planner?

The Barefoot Contessa has a wonderful roasted broccoli recipe. It takes a little more time and thought than steaming, but has wonderful, bright flavors. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned sites.

SLO Green Shorts Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

WHO: Green Shorts Film Festival in partnership with Rideshare & SLO International Film Festival

WHAT: Has an immediate call for 1-2 minute short video entries!

WHEN: Festival date is March 11, 2012. Deadline for submissions is March 2, 2012

WHERE: San Luis Obispo County – more info on location and how to submit at SLOGreenShorts.org

WHY: Green Shorts brings awareness to issues of sustainability while inspiring creativity

If you or one of your children is an aspiring filmmaker, this could be just the thing for you! Check out their website for more details.

And, congratulations to Lindsey Cheney, the winner from our drawing. Look for your Jamba gift card in your family file!
(Number picked using random number generator.)

Magical Moment

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today's Magical Moment is brought to us by Jill Talley. Todd and Jill Talley are a Track A family with three children: Karena (Primary), Violet (Kindergarten) and Daniel (Jr. K.) This is their third year at SLO Classical Academy.

My husband had a magical moment with our kids on New Year’s Day as they hiked to the top of San Luis Mountain to ring in the New Year. After spending some time at the top of the mountain and taking in the incredible views, my husband told the kids it was time to head down. As he was gathering the kids he looked over and found our kindergartner sitting on a rock drawing in her home school nature journal, something she had packed in her backpack unbeknownst to anyone else. My husband was so tickled to see his six year old daughter sketching all that she was taking in. It was a wonderful reminder to him to slow down and take in the joy of nature and discovery.

Later that night after hearing the story, I took some time to look over the entries the kids have recorded over this first half of the school year. It is fascinating to see what they have decided to record. I have a couple of post-it notes stuck on the front of our nature journal that gives them ideas of things they might want to collect or sketch in their journal. I also have utilized these two books: Handbook of Nature Study and Keeping a Nature Journal.

Todd and our kids at the top of San Luis Mountain on New Year’s Day 2012

nature journal with the post it notes with entry ideas

Top row: Keeping a Nature Journal and Handbook of Nature Study

Bottom row: feather collection and sketch of a palm tree in our neighborhood

This nature diary is truly a source of joy for our children. So much so they don’t want to leave home without it.

Thank you, Jill, Todd and family for sharing your magical moment with us! Today is the last day to enter our drawing for a Jamba Juice gift card. Leave a comment on our Courage post to enter.

Free Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday! You made it through our first week back after vacation. Pat yourselves on the back for a strong restart.

Earlier in the year, one family wrote about how family reading time has become an oasis for them. Several families have asked for suggestions on family read aloud books so be watching for these from time to time. Today, we hear from Scott and Merideth Eades, a Track A family in their fourth year at SLO Classical Academy. Merideth is also the Co-Director of our Jr. K program. They have three kids: Hayden (Primary), Luke (Kindergarten) and Sam (5 months).

We are on the last book in the Little House series, The First Four Years. The series has been our family read aloud for the last year. The kids are sad to see it end. The jury is still out on what we will read next. I'm thinking The Great Brain series.

Since it is Friday, we'd like to remind you to be Free by Five o'clock--step away from electronic media and enjoy face-to-face time with those around you. Maybe tonight is the night to start your family read aloud time. The Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival is today through Monday and tomorrow is their Family Day. However your weekend is spent, may it be filled with joy and rest.

SLO Regional Rideshare

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

School's back in full swing and perhaps your resolution is to simplify and streamline your schedule. What better way than to carpool. Better yet, what about SchoolPool?

SLO Classical Academy has partnered with SLO Regional Rideshare to pilot the SchoolPool program. This is a FREE service for SLOCA families this year that allows you to register your kids, your carpooling needs and then matches you with other SLOCA families looking to commute at the same time you are! Setting up a carpool with another nearby SLOCA family on the same track can reduce gas costs, save time, and simply give you one leisurely morning a week.

As an incentive, SLO Regional Rideshare will be pulling the name of a SLOCA carpooling family each month for a $20 cash prize. To register for SchoolPool, click here.

If you have any questions, contact Brenda Tebbets in the SLO Classical Academy school office at 548-8700 or Angela Nelson at Rideshare at anelson@rideshare.org or 781-1385.

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There is nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of home-made chicken noodle soup. Luckily, making soup from "scratch" doesn't have to take all day. Using good store bought chicken broth can fill in for home-made and buying a rotisserie chicken can save time, too. Add a squeeze of lemon at the end to brighten the flavors or adding leftover rice is also delicious. I know there are a million wonderful soup recipes so consider this just one easy option.

photo by Joy Newman

Chicken Noodle Soup

onions

celery stalks

carrots

egg noodles

chicken stock, store bought or home made

chicken

Italian parsley

salt and pepper

If not using pre-cooked chicken, then cook your chicken. (I frequently use chicken tenders because they cook quickly. Quickly fry them in a pan or poach them in water or chicken stock.) Allow the chicken to cool slightly before shredding using two forks.

Cut the onions, celery and carrots into desired size (I like the veggies kind of chunky.) Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and drizzle some olive oil in the bottom. Add the onions, celery and carrots and saute until slightly soft. If you'd like to add some garlic, add it here so it cooks with the vegetables.

Add desired amount of chicken broth (I like Costco's boxes of chicken stock and use 2-3 boxes depending on how much soup I'm making.) Allow the stock to come to a boil before adding the egg noodles. Boil the noodles according to the package. Once the noodles are done, add the chicken into the pot. Taste and adjust seasonings.

If desired, finely chop some Italian parsley and add at the end. It really freshens up the flavors. Enjoy with some crusty french bread, well-buttered of course!

Courage

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

{source}

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point ~ C. S. Lewis

Our character trait this month is courage. The SLO Classical Academy Character and Code of Conduct defines courage as: "Attempting difficult things that are worthwhile and facing difficulties and challenges with determination to do the right thing even when others don't."

How can we work on fostering courage? Maybe start off with something small like thinking up a new food to try. Perhaps each family member can write down one thing they are nervous about or afraid of (public speaking, sleeping without a nightlight, riding a bike without training wheels) and then in talking about it come up with one tangible way to face that fear and work on it a little bit at a time. Think of people who have courage and discuss why they are courageous or how their actions showed courage. Most of us will not have to rush into a burning building and pull someone to safety, but more likely our courage will be tested in other ways--talking with someone new, going somewhere unfamiliar, starting a new job, not joining the crowd in a questionable activity.

What are your ideas on instilling courage in your family? Leave a comment and be entered into a drawing for a Jamba Juice gift card! Contest closes next Monday. Don't miss our Classic Pre-School story hour tomorrow at 9:30 in the Lewis Library. Invite a friend!

You don't need a Google account to comment; just leave your name in your comment and click "Anonymous" after typing everything.

Magical Moment

noreply@blogger.com (SLO Classical Academy) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome back! We trust you all enjoyed vacation and the holidays. We hope you are feeling refreshed and ready for 2012. Did you hear the exciting news??!!! SLO Classical Academy has updated the website!

It looks so amazing. Many thanks to the team that worked tirelessly putting it all together. If you haven't looked at the new website, check it out! Better yet, grab a cup of coffee and read the articles under Philosophy to be reminded and re-inspired about learning SLOCA style. You can read the new Missions statement, the Top 20 Reasons families attend our school, and about Latin at our school. We are part of an amazing, dynamic community.

Happy Monday!