SagaUnscripted: An Expat Family and Their Adventures

Preschool Physics (a.k.a. Having Fun Playing with K'NEX)

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Talia just discovered my brother's old K'NEX set a few days ago... this is the first thing with instructions that she chose to build:

A Ferris wheel. We followed the instructions (easy-to-follow pictures) and little by little it came together.

The coolest part was that it really moved once it was all put together. There's a center piece that can be wound that then will propel the wheel around in a circle for a bit.

Or a rolling robot:

Or a combine that works with the addition of a rubber band:

I suppose this could be considered preschool physics... ;) but it was a lot of fun, if nothing else.

Birth & Memory= Past + Present Reality

2012-01-18T15:42:00.000-06:00

I'm grateful that I didn't mentally rush to the end of my pregnancy. I hear many mothers wishing away their pregnancy and, though I don't think less of them and I can see where they are coming from, I'm grateful that I didn't do that. Contrary to many things in my life, pregnancy has been something I've never tried to rush.

With most things, I'm looking for the most efficient way possible to get it over with and overall not doing a very good job of "stopping to smell the roses." My reasons for not being that way with pregnancy haven't always been positive.

With my first pregnancy I was in no hurry to get it over with because everything was new and exciting- but also mainly I was too scared of birth to want it to arrive any faster than necessary.

The second time fear played a much less dominant role and I tried to savor the time... and I'm glad I did. Especially now.
Once a little one is born, many wonderful and new things are there to experience, but the pregnancy part is over (until pregnant again.) I've been blessed with wonderfully boring, healthy pregnancies both times, and while each trimester brings different challenges, there's not a part I'd be willing to skip. Now that I've experienced natural childbirth, birth is not a part I'm willing to skip either.

I have a theory that memories rarely stay true to strict reality, but morph- dependent on the reality of our present circumstances. However, memories are not only changed by the present, but the present is changed by those memories. The two are tied together and constantly changing each other. Sometimes this means enriching each other, like Elias's birth did for me. The memory of the birth is special to me. He is the special product of that birth that is always in my present. These two facts, though he is always changing and moving forward into the future, play off of each other and each make the other more special.

I think that how this works with regret depends on how we respond. Memory of lessons learned is a good thing if we let it be that: learned. It can push us to do better things or it can drag us down into self-destructive, vicious cycles.

It's wonderful to me how Elias and his birth have not only helped me bond with him, but have given me a new dimension of appreciation for Talia as well. His little milestones help me remember hers with greater clarity. Her awed, careful responses to him just makes all of it so much sweeter when combined with all of the ways I've been blessed to watch her grow and mature. She puts perspective to how little he really is and he reminds me how far, really, she has come from infancy.

Birth is life changing, no matter how you experience it. I'm glad I get to view it from this perspective.

Making Fresh Cream Butter

2012-01-16T08:31:00.000-06:00

I recently learned how to make butter from my friend Ashlie. It's very simple to do and delicious!

The first thing you need if you are making butter at home is whole milk with the cream. Ashlie bought hers from a man who has his own milk farm down the road (and a license to sell to the public.) If you have never tried fresh whole milk- a note of warning: You might become addicted, it is nothing like the white-colored water sold in plastic gallon jugs at the super market. ;)

You can (barely) see the line towards the top where the cream has separated from the milk.

You will need a clean container with a good lid like the glass jar above to shake the cream in.

Get a scoop, we used a 1/2 measuring cup, and carefully pour the cream into the shaking jar.

Your jar needs to be about half full, not more or you will not leave enough room for good shaking and expansion of the butter as it expands with air. (Hi Ashlie!)

Screw the lid on very tight and....

...now you are ready to shake the cream!

(Better than a shake weight because it's obviously productive...
then again, it produces butter which gives you more calories... hmmmm.)

After about 6 minutes, the cream is looking frothy and expanding with the bubbles.

After about 12 minutes, the cream is turning yellow and starting to clump together in little butter balls.

Here you can see the butter starting to stick to the sides of the jar.

After about 15-20 minutes of constant shaking, you can see yellow creamy butter.

Now the butter can be scooped out into a container to be washed...

...and the whey can be poured back into the milk jar.

A wide-mouthed jar is appreciated for this step, since you have to scoop the butter out.

If you do not wash the milk out of the butter, as Ashlie found out the hard way, you will end up with spoiled-milk tasting butter- yuck!

Here is the butter before washing.

To wash, run clean water over the butter...

...and press the milk out of the butter with your spoon.

You may need to repeat this step 3-4 times.

When the water runs clear, you will know it has been washed adequately. Press as much of the water out as you can. If you would like salted butter, now is the time to add the salt and mix well.

If you have a butter bell, now you will scoop all of your butter into the bell part...

Compact the butter into the bell so that any excess water rises to the top and can be poured out.

Next fill the bottom part of the butter bell with 1/4 cup of clean water and...

invert into itself to seal the butter, keep it fresh and soft.

Remember to change the water in your butter bell every other day to keep your butter fresh.
Thanks, Ashlie, for the lesson in making butter!

Enjoy!

One of the ways we enjoy fresh butter is with fresh homemade flour tortillas and honey!

Things I'd Forgotten About Newborns

2012-01-09T08:04:00.000-06:00

Since our daughter is 4, it had been a while since I'd been constantly around a newborn. It's crazy how many of the little details get fuzzy with time... even simple things like:

* They eat FREQUENTLY. Yes, I knew they ate, but when their food comes from ME it is impacting just how often. (I'm so grateful that breastfeeding is going well, there's no way I'm complaining about that.)

* They get rid of what they eat just as frequently...

* They make adorable cooing noises when they're nursing.

* Everyone and their dog wants to hold a newborn. Maternal instinct, especially around winter germs, does not mix well with this.

* Newborns grow so quickly!

* Their heads are really wobbly.

* Their cry sounds like a kitten's mew.

* They tend to gather lint between their toes and fingers.

* Their milky smell is the best!

* They sleep a lot!

Little man is already a month old and changing quickly. He's gaining weight and filling out with cute baby fat... I have the sneaky suspicion that HE will be 4 before I know it.

Lychee, Zapote, Guisquil, and Pitaya: Fruit and Vegetables Introduced to me in Guatemala

2012-01-02T08:05:00.004-06:00

There are four types of fruit or vegetable that I was introduced to in Guatemala: Lychee, Zapote, Guisquil, and Pitaya. Because I learned of them in Guatemala, I know them by their Guatemalan names; with the exception of lychee... I'm not sure what it's called in Spanish since a fellow expat introduced it to me. So let's start with that one:

Lychee: a colorful, reddish fruit on the outside with a grape-like inside surrounding a seed, is quite sweet! You just peel off the red part, eat the white and spit out the seed. I think the flavor is similar to that of a grape as well.

Image: piyato / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Zapote: From the outside, I think this looks like a sweet potato or tuber but it is actually considered a fruit. It has thick brown skin on the outside with an orange flesh surrounding a large dark brown seed. I wasn't impressed with the mild, slightly sweet flavor, but I figure it's something one must develop a taste for. (Image from A.M. Costa Rica)

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Guisquil: Known in English as "chayote," this light green squash-like vegetable has a white meat and an interesting juice. When we cut it, if it got on our hands it made them feel like the skin was drawn up very tight, like something you'd expect a fancy spa to put on your face to make you look younger. ;) (If you try that, let me know if it works. That'd be a great natural alternative to Botox for interested people!) In Guatemala we would peel, cut into large round slices and boil the guisquil. Then, we would coat it in the same egg mixture used to make envueltos de ejote, (green bean wraps) and fry in olive oil. It was very tasty this way or boiled like any vegetable in a soup or stew.

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Pitaya: Known as "dragon fruit" in English, what points this exotic fruit gains in appearance, it loses in flavor. It's bright magenta skin with green-spiked leaves are peeled away to expose a white or magenta flesh filled with little black seeds. The flavor is not sweet, and reminds me of a raw potato. It is sometimes made into chips or cut up raw and added to other fruit mixtures or covered with sugar to give it some flavor. There should be a proverb about the pitaya... something like, "Though it looks as exciting as a pitaya, it is as flavorless." (Maybe you can come up with a better one. ;))

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you tried any of these fruits or vegetables? Did you like them? Where were you introduced to them?

Homestead Heritage: Forge

2011-12-26T08:24:00.024-06:00

The last workshop I will share from our homeschooling field trip to Homestead Heritage in Waco, Texas is the forge.

Here the blacksmith started with a metal rod...

and while his assistant pumped air through the bellows to increase the heat,

He gradually beat the piece of the metal into a:

deceptively delicate looking leaf key chain.

Homestead Heritage: Woodworking

2011-12-25T06:10:00.002-06:00

Another workshop we visited on our homeschooling field trip to Homestead Heritage in Waco, Texas was the woodworking shop.

Both the stained glass and the doors were created by craftsmen in the community.

Inside was a spacious workplace with a wood stove to keep warm in winter.

Some of the beautiful things they have crafted in the woodworking shop include
a prize-winning violin, (among other instruments,) and really nice furniture.

One such piece of furniture is this handmade wooden bed frame...

which reminded me of a handcrafted wooden bed frame we had in Guatemala.

Here's a photo for comparison:

Homestead Heritage: Pottery

2011-12-24T08:50:00.002-06:00

This is a continuation of our homeschool group field trip in Waco, Texas to Homestead Heritage touring different workshops. Here we visited the pottery shop:

At the Potter's House we watched a clump of clay turn into a vase...

We saw how this lady used a combination of clay and weaving to create...

this two toned basket that is still in the drying, unfinished process:

The yellow minerals on the pottery below, after fired in the kiln, turned into...

the beautiful brown and copper tones seen in pottery like this tea set:

There were many other beautiful pottery colors available as well, like this deep blue:

This is a class I would love to take, though I'm sure my product wouldn't look as nice as some of these!

Homestead Heritage: Gristmeal

2011-12-23T07:32:00.014-06:00

This is a continuation of our homeschool group Homestead Heritage field trip in Waco, Texas through the different workshops. Here we visited the gristmill:

Outside of the gristmill, you will find...

this waterwheel, which powers...

these wheels and pulleys so that...

the grindstone can grind the wheat, corn or other grain.
The craftsman in charge of this workshop told us that the freshly ground flour is extremely flammable and that many gristmills in the past went up in flames. From this comes the saying: "Keep your nose to the grindstone..." because that was how the miller could sense if the flour started scorching.

The grooves in the grindstone, combined with centrifugal force,

push the freshly ground flour off of the grindstone into a collecting place.

Unless the grindstone gets too old to use and then it can be...

turned into a flower planter!

Homestead Heritage: Fiber Crafts

2011-12-22T06:15:00.003-06:00

In October several homeschooling families went on a field trip to Homestead Heritage in Waco, Texas. This is a place committed to sustainability and community that I recommend checking out if you're ever in the area. As reflected on their website:

"Our Traditional Crafts Village showcases a community of craftsmen who have returned, not to the past, but to the enduring values exemplified in handcraftsmanship. True craft requires more than skill: it expresses the craftsmen’s care and concern, their personal investment in everything they do. You can visit the shops of our crafts village, watch our craftsmen work, even attend classes to learn craft skills and, in all this, experience with our craftsmen the joy and fulfillment of returning to craft, the art of work."

Because there was so much to see that I think a single post with all of it would be picture and information overload, I'm going to separate the different stations they had into different posts for this week.

One of my favorite workshops to visit was the Fiber Crafts shop.

Here we were introduced to...

a beautiful selection of naturally dyed fibers.

The loom.

I liked the useful decoration of the wooden ceiling beam.

Just looking at the beautiful colors makes me want to make something.

Foot pedals on the loom.

Batya measuring her weaving.

I loved all of the colorful yarn and threads displayed throughout the shop.

There were many looms for when there is a class.

For comparison, a piece of Guatemalan textile patchwork and...

a Swedish version of a patchwork weaving.

SagaUnscripted: The 3rd Chapter- Abu Dhabi

2011-12-15T08:23:00.018-06:00

We now know where the next chapter in our saga will probably take place, as Ben has been hired to teach High School English in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Here's a map:

The United Arab Emirates is a federation, or group of 7 state-like smaller governments that bind together for certain things but still have their own individual governments/supreme courts etc.

November-March seem to be the spring-like temperatures, around 70*-80* and then April-October are scorching 100+ temperatures. Since Ben will get there in January, he will get to experience some of the nicer temperatures.

Something Ben's been interested in since we left Guatemala to have the baby in Texas, besides learning Arabic, is the selection of fruits available in Abu Dhabi; he really misses the variety. He asked some of the teachers who are already there and this was their response:

"apples
pears
strawberries
oranges
lychee
breadfruit
durian
bananas
blueberries
raspberries
dragon fruit
kiwi
strawberries
watermelon
cantaloupe
honeydew
prickly pears
mangosteen
rhabutans
papaya
mango
guava
lemon grass
...and about twenty fruits I have no idea what they are called. The main thing that is hard to find is berries, so I stock up on frozen when I'm in the city."

And, yes, he was very excited to hear this!

I expect to learn a lot of new things about this part of the world and plan to blog about it as I go.

Narrowing International Teaching Options as an Expat Family

2011-12-12T08:19:00.000-06:00

Knowing that there are always trade-offs with any international teaching position, with the multitude of options that are seemingly available, it helps us to have a way to narrow options. All of the following criteria does not have to be met, of course, but it does help serve as a filter! (So, in no particular order:)

1. Do they pay for everyone's flight, not just the person who will be teaching?

2. What other benefits are offered? (Summer flights home for the family, housing, insurance, etc.)

3. Is there enough religious freedom in that country that there is a church we could attend?

4. What does the culture have that would benefit our family or that we would find interesting? Languages, useful or easy to learn? future business opportunities?

5. Are fruits and vegetables readily available? How accessible is a healthy lifestyle?

6. How large is the expat and/or Spanish-speaking community? (If it is not a Spanish-speaking country.)

7. How does that country view child-rearing? Homeschooling?

8. Is there a supported midwife community? Is home-birth available or even legal?

9. Is freedom of speech and technology available? (Are certain sites blocked on the internet in that country? If so is there a way around it?)

10. What is the teaching position available and would the person applying for it enjoy it, or simply endure it for the experience in another country.

He's Here: Meet Little Man

2011-12-08T08:29:00.023-06:00

Saturday: my mom knew somehow that the baby would be coming soon. She began preparing food to have on hand for afterwards. Sunday and Monday were full of irregular baby contractions until around 7 p.m. when I went into active labor with contractions 4 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute by midnight. We called the midwife at 12:40.

I labored all night. It was difficult, but more manageable than people make you think. ;) Elias was born the next morning, Tuesday, December 6 at 10:31, weighing 8 pounds 12 oz and 21 inches long. Talia is fascinated by him!

Homebirth was an incredibly difficult, but very rewarding experience. If you live in North East Texas and are interested in midwife services, I'd recommend Childbirth Services.

We are all doing well and are happy that our little man is here!

Economical Milk Options in Guatemala

2011-12-05T13:38:00.000-06:00

Growing up in a family of 5, we went through at least 3 gallons of milk every week, sometimes 4. This milk always came in a big plastic jug bought at the local WalMart with a 2% label and a not-quite-authentic, but familiar flavor.

In Guatemala, one of the first things that was different were the lack of rows of plastic gallons of milk in the refrigerated section. There were a few, but then those seemed to go bad very quickly. Most people didn't buy that version, so if you visited anywhere, it wasn't available. What they used I had never, ever seen or heard of in my life: shelf stable boxed milk:

The flavor, while milk-like, was stronger and though 2% still seemed more concentrated. Visitors from the U.S. never quite got used to it, so they always requested purchasing the plastic jug version. Since it was cheaper and lasted so long, we did acclimate eventually. It seemed to make no difference in baking.

Another economical option for milk in Guatemala is usually done by a young boy who herds goats delivering house to house. The goats are usually in a group of 4-6 with a rope leash and the boy has a whip and sometimes a bell to announce his presence. If you want fresh goat's milk, you either provide the container or he usually brings a disposable cup and squeezes fresh milk for you right there. Many workers buy a cup of goat's milk to go with their breakfast on the way to work and some families are regular customers, buying their milk fresh every day. Here's a YouTube example where a guy buys a cup of warm goat milk for 5Q: (The milk part is in the first third of the video... the views of the guys in the video do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog... blah, blah, blah ;)

Photo found here: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/895295

Of course, many people who live in the city use these options, but those who have their own fincas, or farms, sometimes have their own goats or cows. Many times we were stopped suddenly on a narrow, one-lane road at night to avoid hitting cows who had either gotten out or whose owners had let out so that they could eat the grass on the side of the road.

While I've tried goat's milk and our daughter likes it, we never tried this version in Guatemala. Have you tried milk in Guatemala? Were you surprised by the difference or was it what you expected?

Homeschooling Field Trip: Visiting the Zoo

2011-12-01T08:41:00.002-06:00

Above: Talia with a silverback gorilla.

Talia loves animals, so the zoo is an amazing place to her. In Guatemala City, La Aurora Zoo in the capital is a small zoo with mostly little cages for their animals, but it was the first zoo she was old enough to appreciate- being old enough to know what the animals were.

Above: Watching the penguins.

When we had the opportunity to visit the DFW zoo while on a trip to the States, she couldn't wait! This time, she knew their names and if they were herbivores, omnivores or carnivores and she could make more detailed observations. It was a great science extension for what we had been studying in home school.

Above: Snakes, something we'd rather experience in the zoo than in the wild!

She especially enjoyed the water species where she could get a good view up close because of the glass. This turtle (below) was a particular favorite!

Something I like about the zoo is that it is something she can appreciate at many ages and still learn something new every time! How do you use the zoo as a teaching tool?

Champurradas, a Guatemalan "pan dulce" to eat with your hot chocolate

2011-11-25T08:04:00.009-06:00

Pan dulce, (translated literally "sweet bread,") is traditionally eaten with hot chocolate and is a dense, cake-like bread with a sweet topping. These are common throughout the year, and are served at breakfast and dinner with coffee. If you visit a Guatemalan throughout the day, chances are you’ll be served a plate with pan dulce on it. There are several types of pan dulce and one of these is the champurrada.

For more Guatemalan recipes and traditions, check out the ebook here.

While I haven't seen many of varieties of cookies in Guatemala, one that is present in almost every situation is the champurrada. These were at staff meetings at the school, classroom parties, parent conferences and just about any other occasion you could think of. They are traditionally a crunchier version of what I'd call a sugar cookie, sometimes sprinkled with sesame seeds or made with corn flour.

You can make your own at home with the recipe below:

5 ounces of shortening
5 ounces of sugar
A handful of soft flour (not the normal gold medal kind)
Sesame seeds
Mix the first three ingredients, make a ball and flatten the ball to the size and thickness you want the champurrada to be. Sprinkle with sesame seed.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350F. This recipe courtesy of GuatemalanGenes.com

Cho-co-la-te!

2011-11-24T08:28:00.000-06:00

Supposedly, chocolate is a pre-columbian discovery beginning in 1200 b.c. in Central, South America and the Amazon regions. It has been found in an ancient Maya "teapot" which "...reopens the whole debate about who first invented chocolate," said Jonathan Haas, curator of the mouthwatering "Chocolate" exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago. Whether the Maya were the first to invent chocolate or not, they definitely used it. It is even found in the Popol Vuh, a ancient book of mytho-historical narratives of the Post Classic Quiché kingdom in Guatemala's western highlands.

There are many different recipes of the hot chocolate, or hot cocoa, drink; which are apparently not the same thing. In Guatemala, you will find round chocolate disk-shaped patties ready to be prepared into a hot drink. These disks are put into boiling water where they dissolve into this typical drink. This kind of chocolate is different from the hot cocoa people are used to in the States. It has more of a cinnamon-like flavor and isn't as rich. If prepared with milk, you might get different results. Green & Black's , a UK chocolate company, touts their Maya Gold chocolate has some of the same spice flavor you would find in Guatemalan/Maya chocolate. "Traditionally the Maya Indians in southern Belize flavoured their cocoa with spices. We recapture this by blending rich, dark chocolate with a refreshing twist of orange that is perfectly balanced by the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of vanilla."

While researching the history of chocolate, I found this story pretty funny:

"Thomas Gage (1603-1656), an English Dominican friar and traveler, tried to intervene with the Bishop of Chiapas, Mexico over the congregation drinking chocolate during services. The women were fond of chocolate and turned church services into a coffeehouse. The Bishop tried to end this, and was consequently found dead. Poisoned chocolate was sent to the Bishop and Thomas Gage fled Chiapas. The rumor was that the women, who so hated the Bishop for this restriction, poisoned him with chocolate, hence the proverb "Beware the chocolate of Chiapa."

There are, of course, many claims that hot cocoa has curative powers, especially for high blood pressure due to a study done with the Kuna Indian tribe. "Studies show the flavonols in cocoa stimulate your body's production of nitric oxide --boosting blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. In fact, one study found cocoa thins your blood just as well as low-dose aspirin" It is also claimed to help treat blocked arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, and impotence.

But, did you really need an excuse to enjoy chocolate? Have you tried the Guatemalan version?

Benefits I Find Walking in Nature

2011-11-17T08:40:00.000-06:00

While we are visiting in the States waiting on Little Man to be born, I've been walking every morning on a trail I've created in the back of my parents property. Since they live outside of the city limits, there are not leash laws and dogs all around the neighborhood bark and chase anyone who walks by. Instead of fending them off every morning, and since not walking is not an option, I decided to walk around the (large) back part of their property. I was surprised to find benefits to this besides just avoiding pesky dogs.

Walking between trees means I get to see lots of colorful birds every morning. Blue jays, cardinals, finches, mockingbirds, hummingbirds and wrens are common with an occasional rarer sighting of a painted bunting. Besides seeing them, hearing them can be therapeutic. Julian Treasure, a sound expert says "We are losing our listening." In a short talk, below that I think is more than worth your time to listen to, he shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening -- to other people and the world around you. In this speech he mentioned listening to birds, wind and water as healing forms of sound- two of which I get to experience every morning while walking. This morning time without loud sounds is so nice.

Going along with the lack of loud sound, comes the ability to think, pray, and analyze things. I'm not very good at sitting still and just thinking most of the time. There always seems to be way too much to do. I need to keep my body moving in order to think. If I'm walking, just the fact that my body is moving and that there is relative auditory peace gives my brain the freedom and time to meditate. Everyone needs some sort of time to do this. I don't realize how badly I need this until I miss it during the weekend and the contrast is stark.

Another benefit has been developing stronger ankle muscles from walking on uneven terrain. This means I have had to be more cautious, especially in the beginning, but now I appreciate that. I like the hills that are almost unexpected. It makes walking on a road or a track almost boring and harsh. :D (Not to mention treadmills, which have a different set of benefits.)

The (heightened-during-pregnancy) sense of smell also benefits. Have you ever walked around a neighborhood when all of the trash cans were out for trash day? Enough said. The trees and grass and even occasional dog presents still smell better than any roadside experience!

In the mornings, especially, I can also sense the changing seasons stronger than at any other part of the day. In our triple digit summer, walking outside not long after daybreak was the only cool time of the day... it was also the first time I could sense the gradual fall-like cooling of temperatures that quickly heated up to our normal, hot summer days just prior to autumn.

Though I normally walk before anyone else is up now that the school year has started, when I had to walk with Talia during vacations, walking outside was great because she could play while I was walking. I could see her at any point on the trail since she usually played in the middle and she loved getting to be outside. For us, it was a win-win.

Something that has been challenging is knowing distance, but a pedometer would make that simple.

Do you prefer walking outside, at a gym, on a track, on a road or is hiking more your style? I see benefits to all of them. Most of all, I love the privilege of being able to walk and intend to do it for as long as I'm able.

"Bee-Bim Bop!" Beginning Reading Outloud with Homeschooling

2011-11-14T14:35:00.000-06:00

Sometimes when I'm tired and reading out loud to Talia is sounding like more than I can handle, we like the stories that are read out loud online. One of our favorite places is found at PBS Kids Stories. Since this website wasn't available in Guatemala, this is one of the advantages of being back in the States for a bit, especially since pregnancy and being tired seem to go hand-in-hand!

An online story Talia has preferred since she was 1 year old, and still enjoys, is called "Bee-Bim Bop" and tells the story of a young Korean girl trying to help her mother make a dish called Bee-Bim Bop for supper. It's very simple and the rhyme and music make it fun. I think she also appreciates watching other little girls helping their mamas in the kitchen like she likes to do.

Something, then, that was really neat, was to see (spelled differently) Bi Bim Bop at a local restaurant lunch special menu. My mom remembered the name of the book and took this photo when she saw it on the menu.

It sounds delicious and is something we both want to try! If not at the restaurant, maybe with a good recipe.

Have you ever made Bi Bim Bop? I'd love for you to share your recipe and help this story come alive even more for Talia!

Brilliant Blue Indigo Bunting Birds Winter in Guatemala

2011-11-10T08:17:00.017-06:00

Our neighbor is very good with animals and fond of birds in particular. She has shared her love of birds with Talia through books and feathers and stories of birds that come to her feeder and what they do. As a result, Talia really likes birds too. One of their favorite birds is the Indigo Bunting, a brilliantly blue bird that is not often seen around here.

They are usually found "in brushy and weedy areas along edges of cultivated land, woods, roads, power line rights-of-way, and in open deciduous woods and old fields. Winters in weedy fields, citrus orchards, and weedy cropland."

While looking for it online to show Talia a picture and let her hear his song, (her favorite part,) I found a map that showed the Indigo Bunting wintered in Guatemala! (As well as many parts of Central America.) This map shows where they have been spotted in Guatemala:

Some cool facts about the Indigo Bunting from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

"* The Indigo Bunting migrates at night, using the stars for guidance. It learns its orientation to the night sky from its experience as a young bird observing the stars.
* Experienced adult Indigo Buntings can return to their previous breeding sites when held captive during the winter and released far from their normal wintering area.
* The sequences of notes in Indigo Bunting songs are unique to local neighborhoods. Males a few hundred meters apart generally have different songs. Males on neighboring territories often have the same or nearly identical songs.
* Indigo and Lazuli buntings defend territories against each other in the western Great Plains where they occur together, share songs, and sometimes interbreed."

Something I love about homeschooling is the flexibility for Talia to learn about things that she finds interesting. I know we've both enjoyed learning about this bright blue songbird.

Childhood Artwork

2011-11-03T08:40:00.011-06:00

My daughter, like most kids, has always loved drawing. She is constantly creating pictures on her magnetic drawing board, in the dirt with a stick, with colors on her paper or any other way she can figure out. I love it when she draws because it shows me a little bit more what the world looks like through her eyes... and most of the time, her depictions make me laugh in appreciation!

One of her favorite things to draw are bugs, spiders, butterflies and bumblebees. Once, a little, smiling bug appeared on the lid of her laundry pail (below.) He was so jovial and full of character, it was hard to explain how it wasn't appropriate to draw on the furniture with a straight face.

I think it's interesting that her pictures always involve characters from nature at this point in time. I like that she has enough contact with nature to feel that it is the natural thing for her to draw. However, it always has her own twist, like the spider (below) who looks quite startled!

At first, she would only use one color, when she used colors, to draw the entire picture. But as she has matured, she has begun to use multiple colors together to create a picture, like this picture of ducks in a pond:

Also, instead of drawing just outlines of things, she has recently begun coloring in some of her picture. Here, she was making a picture of a painted bunting for our neighbor as a thank you card for a book about birds for her birthday. I thought her bird turned out cute and had all of the right colors. He made me smile! :)

Do I think my child is a genius artist in the making? Not really... but I love seeing her art develop and appreciate all of the laughs and smiles she brings me with her whimsical pictures.

What is the Place of Fashion in a Third World Country?

2011-10-27T07:46:00.024-06:00

When I write this, I realize that I am walking a very delicate line. When I say "fashion," let me be clear: I appreciate matching colors and clothes that fit correctly just as much as the next woman. I do not, however, go out of my way to be in the latest style, and count myself blessed to wear hand me downs. I'm as picky in my own way about what I wear as most people, I just have different priorities, such as modesty, frugality, comfort and personal preference. With that said... there are several questions I have about "fashion" in the sense of the word where one goes to extraordinary monetary and other lengths mainly to be in style. Living in a third-world country only highlighted feelings of dislike for fashion and stirred up many questions that I don't have the answers to. Questions like:

-Where does fashion fall on the scale of what really matters in life?
-How does fashion fit in the third-world priority list?
-When you have the money, should you be able to spend it in any way you choose?
-Is there a social or moral obligation attached to wealth? (Especially in a very poor country?)
-In a developing country, is it wise to flaunt the fact that you are wealthy?
-Is fashion a form of art and, if so, should that change my perception?
-Would I feel the same way if the fashion of said country weren't determined by people in Europe, but by the local culture?
-What if someone DOES try to do their part to help others, but still spends money on fashion. Shouldn't they have that right? (since you can't tell just by looking at them if they help others or not.)

I don't have the answers to those questions. I just have more thoughts about it:

-Fashion puts emphasis on the outside.
-First impressions are important; the way one dresses will indelibly have an impact on how they are received... but people are so much more than clothes.
-The media's training of the public to be hyper-critical of others fashion-wise has made this an even bigger issue.
-I usually find fashion to be a distraction from the real problems in life that need our concentration.
-Much of fashion is driven by pride.

In a world of extremes, like Guatemala, I constantly saw two sides of this struggle: The people with money, (or those who wanted you to think they had money,) would go to extravagant lengths to look their part. In a practical sense, this was just free advertising for those who would rob them. In a country where flashy cars are a beacon for armed assault at any red light, especially in heavy city traffic, I was always surprised with how very many overtly nice cars there were. When the majority of the people in Guatemala can not afford a car, many of the ones who could seemed to flaunt it.
A student in my class the first year I taught had her mother kidnapped over one of the school breaks. Thankfully, everything worked out well and she was able to get back to her family, but this is not always the case. The family will always deal with emotional trauma from that event... even though they took the necessary precautions that go along with being fashionable here: armored cars and bodyguards.
On the flip side of this situation, many of the people earned the money they used to support their lifestyles the hard way. They worked their way to their positions and didn't expect things in life to be handed to them. In turn, they were in constant danger of being robbed, and, in the very least, treated with jealous disdain by the majority of people in their country (if they chose to associate with them.)

What are your thoughts on fashion in a third world country and the socio-economic responsibilities of these two divisions of classes in relation to fashion?

Hand-crafted Hammered Dulcimers in Bennington, Oklahoma

2011-10-20T08:44:00.007-06:00

Something I really enjoy about visiting different places, be they Guatemala, Canada, Mexico, Texas or Oklahoma, is finding people who specialize in doing things well by hand. Like many people, I see the decline in many hand crafted things and am worried by it. I appreciate people who have those specialized skills.

While in Guatemala we saw many amazing woodworkers, weavers, and leather workers to mention a few. While in the States, we took the opportunity while in Bennington, Oklahoma to visit a handmade hammered dulcimer shop: Master Works Hammer Dulcimers and Bowed Psalteries designed by Russel Cook.

We lucked out since our friends and cousin works there, and we got a personal tour!

First, Russel, part owner and craftsman of the handcrafted dulcimer shop, played an amazingly talented demonstration and explained some of the set up for chords and how to hold the hammers.

We then got to see many hammered dulcimers in progress on carpeted storage shelves to protect the beautifully finished different woods.

Russel showed us how the wood changes color with water, which gives you an idea of what the finished product will look like polished. This rare piece of wood alone cost as much as a used car!

Many tiny precise holes are drilled individually into each dulcimer.

Here is the hole-cutting station, one of the very labor intensive parts of creating a good dulcimer.

A hammered dulcimer is played on a special stand. My cousin uses this station to create the stands.

Another of my cousin's workstations where she sands the delicate dulcimer parts by hand.

A customer trying his hand at playing the dulcimer.

I was amazed at how much precision and intricate detail went into each and every hammered dulcimer. People from all over the world who know how to play hammered dulcimers know about this little shop in Bennington, OK. Hand-crafted hammered dulcimers can sell anywhere from $1,200-$5,000 depending on the rarity of the wood, age, condition and special additions. If you would like to see a hammered dulcimer being played, check out this version of Amazing Grace:

Moving to Guatemala/Abroad with Children for the First Time: Interview- Things to Bring

2011-10-13T10:11:00.003-06:00

Another soon-to-be expat mother moving to Africa posted some questions for advice on what to bring:

1. What are the top 3 kitchen items you would take to a foreign country?
2. What are the best children's books you would take?
3. What are the best toys/activities that occupy kids on a VERY LONG plane ride?
4. What would you put on your iPod? Favorite Worship Songs? Best all around music?
5. What Podcasts do you listen to?
6. Favorite games?
Thanks for your input!!

When we moved to Guatemala, I had many of the same questions, so I thought I would share what worked for us. It will also help me remember what to bring in our upcoming international experience with 2 children this time.

1.When we moved to Guatemala, the kitchen things I missed the most were GOOD cooking utensils. Everything easily available in Guatemala was plastic that melted when it got hot. Yuck! I am glad I brought my good knives, and the mixer came in handy.

2. Since we moved when our daughter was barely talking, but planned to eventually homeschool- here's what worked for me with books: Between the ages of 2 and 3 there is literally a brain and language explosion! I was grateful that I brought books that could work for several age ranges including some that are good for beginning readers. Our daughter loved the Dr. Seuss, Curious George and things like that. I tried to mainly bring the ones that were big books with many stories inside to cut down on luggage. One thing is certain, no matter what you bring, it seems more books are always going to be in demand.

3. Something my daughter really likes are those magnetic drawing boards with the "pencil" attached and the little lever that "erases" the picture so that you can start over. I like it because it isn't messy and we can practice letters, drawing and storytelling. Besides this, we use books, a variety of snacks and that's about it. Guatemala was only a 3 hour flight for us, thankfully, so we haven't invested in electronic gadgets yet. Something I think she would really enjoy is an MP3 player with headphones since she loves music so much.

4. I wished I had access to more worship music in English in Guatemala, because I realized that my daughter was missing out on it and that she really enjoyed it when we came back to the States to visit. For her, specifically the simple worship songs work well since she's still learning the words. (Which I thought ironic since I hate worship music for the same repetition that makes it easy for her.) For you? I'm not good at suggesting music...

5. N/A

6. Right now we're really into tactile games like Jenga and blocks. But I like that we have Dominoes because it's really great for math/matching concepts(and making trains.) We also like Uno, Phase 10 and "Bancopoly;" the Guatemalan version of Monopoly. I look forward to when we can play games like Apples to Apples as a family. I have to admit, however, that no game beats just regular play outside with grass, dirt, pebbles and sticks and anything found in your new natural environment. Kids love nature (mostly) and can have a ball with the simplest items outside combined with a great imagination!

Hopefully, that was some help, though we have different kinds of kids and ages. I know that no matter how much you plan, when you get there you'll still realize something you'll have wished you'd brought. But it's OK. We're moms and improvising is one of our superpowers! ;)

Do you have suggestions for things that worked for you when moving abroad, particularly with children?

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

2011-10-06T07:47:00.000-06:00

Something I've been wanting to try for a long time is making my own liquid laundry detergent. The recipe we decided to use was the Duggar family recipe. (The directions in italics are their property that I simply followed.)

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water.

-Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

In the beginning it looks like this:

After about 7-10 minutes it looks like this:

Finally, around 12-15 minutes later, it starts to look like this:

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax.

Here's the 1/2 cup Borax:

1/2 cup of Borax to 1 cup of washing soda:

-Stir well until all powder is dissolved.

-Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap...

and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Something we decided would be a good idea to do is to mark the wooden spoon we were using to stir the soap with a "laundry soap only" spoon so someone wouldn't end up with soapy tasting baked goods one day.

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!" Check out this information on using baking soda to make washing soda.

NOTE: ™ = Trademark. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Results may vary. All recipes are valid for non-commercial useotherwise written permission must be obtained from the The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family. © Copyright 2011

Have you ever tried making your own laundry soap?
	Yes, and I enjoyed it.
	Yes, but I wouldn't do it again.
	No, but I would like to.
	No and I'm not interested.

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