Live On Less, Save Up More: Frugal living, Better Eating, More Giving

Taking a Break From Classical Conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Thu, 23 May 2019 19:10:00 +0000

Before we moved to Egypt, Elisha had completed Classical Conversations' Foundations Cycle 1 and 2, and last year, she completed Cycle 3 with me here in Egypt. We enjoyed Foundations program very much, and, especially, with Elisha having a knack for memorizing, it was a right fit to meet our needs.

As we are returning back to U.S., I, without much debating, thought we are going to to join CC for Essentials. However, while exchanging emails with the director of this specific site we were going to sign up for, I felt something amiss. I was in the middle of finishing up my doctoral program for Audiology, and at the same time, we were busy packing up for intercontinental move, and I just wanted to sign up and pay for the Essentials and get over with it. However, right before I was going to send the payment, God stirred me to open the Essentials of the English Language (EEL) which is the book used for Essentials program. I purchased it over a year ago, but never opened it until then!

Skimming through the pages, I had to laugh at God's sense of humor: the material is something very familiar to me. Before I became an audiologist, I earned a master's degree in linguistics and having someone else to teach the contents of EEL to my child will be nonsense.

So, we are not going to join CC for a while, and instead of doing EEL, we will work on IEW's Teaching Writing: Structure and Style. Elisha and I just finished the first book of Fix It Grammar
series, and I believe TWSS is much more thorough than EEL.

Meanwhile, I have to come up with a plan to keep Elisha working on Foundations memory work. I might have to outsource that part by hiring a teenage mother's helper to come once a week and drill Elisha with the memory work.

Review - How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Thu, 23 May 2019 19:09:00 +0000

It has been about one and a half year since Elisha started memorizing passages from Shakespeare's plays. As of now, she memorizes 12 passages. A few months ago, Elisha had a chance to see Twelfth Night at a theater and she was quietly reciting lines along with the actors!

I majored in English during college, but my knowledge and appreciation of Shakespeare is non-existent. (I don't know how I got my degree!) So, when I decided to introduce Elisha to Shakespeare's works, I was clueless where and how to start. Analyzing and discussing literature was not an option, because, if not done in proper time and manner, that method is going to destroy joy of studying literature.

We started by getting her easy-to-read, fun books of Shakespeare's plays. Tales from Shakespeare and More Tales from Shakespeare were the first ones we introduced to Elisha. Also, we added a few audio books of Shakespeare's plays on a tablet which she listened to.

Once I noticed Elisha was enjoying the books, after much reading and research, I purchased How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. I read first few chapters and decided to have Elisha memorize the passages presented in the book. Ken has a website where you can find recordings of all the passages read by professional actors and actresses. I let Elisha listen to them while eating or during free play times, and it takes her a few dozen times of listening to a passage to memorize it. Every weekend, along with bible verses, CJ tests her on all the Shakespeare passages she has been memorizing.

Ken's book offers details on each passage, but for now, I am not going over them with Elisha. She loves to memorize the passages with dramatization and, with that, I think we succeeded in planting 'love of Shakespeare' in her heart.

Someone once said 'What would be a better way to learn English than to study Shakespeare?', and despite the paucity of my knowledge of the great works, I do agree.

EXODUS

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Thu, 23 May 2019 18:34:00 +0000

In about 2 weeks, our family will be leaving Egypt and head back to U.S. Two years flew by so fast and I am struggling to wrap up our lives here without so much emotions churning in me.

During the past two years here in Egypt, CJ passed PMP (Project Management Professional Certification), completed the last course of facilities management, and completed Air Force Staff College.

Elisha got to experience a traditional school for a year. CJ and I wanted to give Elisha a chance to see for herself what school life is like, so that, down the road, she won't have any resentment or regrets about not being given the opportunity to explore the other option. Early on during the one-year journey, Elisha decided she prefers homeschooling and she hasn't changed her mind since then. So here we are preparing to go back to homeschool.

For me, I completed the doctoral program for Audiology through University of Florida. I am still not sure how God is going to intervene to use or not to use this degree, but, regardless, I am preparing to get Texas State license for audiology. Whatever lies ahead, I don't want to have any regrets of not doing my best.

Despite all the accomplishments and wonderful experiences we have had in Egypt, the best thing we have experienced is God's protection over us. Last Summer, on the 4th of July, little Deborah had a seizure which was followed by a cardiac arrest. Thankfully, she came out of it without any damage, but I still have a hard time talking about it without my body getting tense.

Yes, it sure feels great to have this Exodus with so much gains, but in the face of that experience of almost losing my child, all those glories fade. Everyday here on earth is a miracle and I live with that realization even more so now.

I Am Back to School

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 03:08:00 +0000

     We arrived here in Egypt on August 3, 2017, so it has been six and a half months since we got here. Our household goods arrived in October and the unaccompanied baggage arrived in November. It was so good to have some new (old but felt like new!) clothes to change into, toys to play with, and blankets to comfort our homesickness.
     Elisha joined a ballet class and I was able to find a Suzuki violin teacher for her after a long search. Twins adore their big sister. We jokingly describe Enoch's affection toward Elisha 'a piece of gum stuck on Elisha'.

   In October, I started my doctoral study through University of Florida's distance learning program. A few years after I received my master's degree in audiology from Northwestern University, a doctoral degree became the entry level to practice. Those who received master's degrees prior to that point like myself can either grandfather or go ahead and pursue a doctoral degree through distance learning programs.
     Well, after we decided to move to Egypt for a few years, I got to thinking what I can do for myself during that time. I had come across an article written by someone who was living overseas, and she mentioned something like 'I'd better accomplish something significant instead of sitting around for idle talks'. I wholeheartedly agreed with that idea of 'accomplishing something significant', and here I am - back to school.
     I usually have about 1.5 ~ 2 hours to myself at the end of the day or early in the morning. It's tough not to have that time to unwind and let the guard down, but what comes without cost? I finished my very first class last December, and now I am on my second class.
   I don't know how, but I plan to go back to work when we return to US. One thing I know for sure is that one of us, either CJ or myself, will stay home with kids. Only God can work out such complicated situation, right? Looking forward to witnessing His handiwork again.

Everyday is a miracle

Wonder World of Audiobooks

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 18:51:00 +0000

   When Elisha was 4 years old, someone I met at a library told me how articulate Elisha was. A few months ago, at a church we were visiting in West Virginia, her Sunday school teacher told me how rich Elisha's vocabulary is. I believe her clear articulation and rich vocabulary come from listening to hundreds of audio books over the years.

   English is not my mother tongue. Before Elisha was born, I read the biography of Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State. One of the things that impressed me was her parents' emphasis on speaking proper English. I wanted Elisha to speak good English.

   From the day she came home after birth, Elisha and I spent many hours of our awake time listening to audio books. Mostly, in the beginning, they were for me. I wanted to do something productive while nursing Elisha or rocking her to sleep. However, as she got older, CJ and I downloaded children's audio books to a small tablet and let them play throughout the day. Elisha is 7 years old now, and even now, the first thing she does in the morning is to turn on her audio books.

Some of the benefits of audio books are:
- they stimulate and improve aural memory
- they improve a child's ability to pay attention to spoken messages
- when started early, they help a child to develop good pronunciation thanks to young children's tendency to copy and repeat whatever they hear (parrot stage)
- they are flexible: children can listen to audio books anywhere, anytime
- they pair well with quiet play times: Elisha listens to them while playing with Legos, during bath, while coloring, etc.
- unlike visual entertainment such as videos/movies, audio books stimulate imagination and creativity

Free audio books:
- our favorite ones are Librivox & Overdrive
- BOOKRIOT lists 11 websites to find free audio books

Everyday is a Miracle

Classical Music Appreciation for Homeschool

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 18:47:00 +0000

     I haven't really learned anything about classical music, and I really had no clue how to introduce classical music to Elisha. I would turn on classical music station on a radio, but Elisha didn't seem to be very interested in it. Before starting piano and violin lessons, I wanted her to be 'drawn' to classical music.
     After a long search, I found Classical Kids CD Collection. It introduces classical music weaved into fun, engaging stories and that is exactly what Elisha needed. This girl who spends every minute of her alone time listening to audio books just fell in love with these CDs. Listening to Vivaldi, Elisha was persuaded to learn how to play violin. Listening to Mozart, she became interested in opera.
     It's been over a year since we first got the CDs, and even now we enjoy listening to them. Without twisting her arms nor stretching myself too thin, classical music entered into our home so very naturally.

Everyday is a Miracle

Veritas Press Self-Paced Courses Review

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 04:14:00 +0000

   This summer is not a typical summer for our family. As you all know, we are in the middle of moving overseas, and I had to figure out how we would still do some, not much, school work done in the midst of this huge transition. I decided to focus on two subjects during this summer: math and history/bible.
   For math, we are going to continue working on Saxon Math 2. We plan to finish it by the end of August. For history/bible, we are using a Veritas Press (VP) Self-Paced Course: Old Testament and Ancient Egypt this summer. We started the course early May and we are aiming to finish it by the end of August as well.
     History is one of the many subjects that I am not confident. Throughout my school years, my study in history was very shallow and I never got to retain much of what I had learned. For this VP course, I am taking the class with Elisha, which means I sit down with Elisha for every lesson and we learn together.
     We love this course and here are the reasons:

1. Very engaging - The narrators are very articulate, funny and often hilarious.
2. Adds details to pegs - This course helps Elisha to add a lot of details to the memory pegs she has nailed down past two years at Classical Conversations.
3. Plenty of reviews help retention - there are a lot of quizzes and games to help us retain what we have learned
4. Aha! Moments - Elisha has been putting together all the pieces from The Story of The World audio books, CC timeline, CC history sentences, hundred of library books she has been reading past 2 years and bible studies.
5. Cross Referencing - I am enjoying how the course makes references to the new testament and classic literature such as Shakespeare. It once quoted a line from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and I saw Elisha's eyes sparkle with excitement. (She read and listened to Shakespeare's plays last year)
6. How timely! - This is a personal reason. As we are moving to Egypt this summer, this course seems to be so timely for us. I am learning so much about Egypt's history and culture through this course.

     By now, some of you must be wondering how much the course costs. We purchased this course late spring when all their Self-Paced Courses were on sale. Instead of paying the full price of $199, we paid $99. There are 160 lessons in this course. Each lesson takes anywhere between 15 minutes to 30 minutes and, most likely, it will take us 4 months to finish it. All in all, I am happy with this course and hope to continue with their next 3 other courses.

Yes, We Got the Visas!

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 03:07:00 +0000

     Yesterday (7/28/2017) we heard from DC office that our visas arrived from Egypt Embassy. When CJ called me to share the news, kids and I sang a song of praise dancing around in our hotel living room.
     God is so amazing: Our new home in Egypt will be ready next Monday and we will arrive in Egypt on Thursday, which means we do not have to stay at a temporary housing when we arrive in Egypt. By the time we leave Winchester, VA, I will have seen the massage therapist 4 times and CJ will have seen him 3 times. The therapist has done a great job diagnosing and treating my & CJ's chronic pains. We are so thankful that the delay in our visa processing, which at times seemed to be too hard to bear, actually gave us a chance to find healing in our physical pains.
   We had a lot of rain last night, and today, the air was so cool and fresh. Rain is something we will rarely see in Egypt. As we took a walk at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley garden, I tried to soak in all that after-the-rain freshness. I am extremely thankful that we are finally going to have a place to call our home, but I also know that we will miss the mountains and green space we have enjoyed here in Winchester for the past 8 weeks.

Everyday is a Miracle

Tracking His Handiwork

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 03:50:00 +0000

   As I am putting final touches on this post, we are in Winchester, VA. As you will find more below, we are in the middle of moving overseas, and I wanted to share how God has been leading us thus far in this journey of another trans-continental move. I don't know why, but, early on, God laid on my heart to track this. Here we go:

January 9, 2017
My husband, CJ, received a tentative job offer for a position in Cairo, Egypt. There was an initial honeymoon period filled with excitement. However, soon doubts, anxieties and all kinds of worries (aka the reality) hit me and I started pouting, snapping and sulking....in an attempt to make CJ give up this once-in-a-life-time career move.

January 25, 2017
CJ received an e-mail that due to POTUS executive order of federal hiring freeze, CJ's job offer is on hold...Ha! Did my wish come true? Was I overjoyed? Believe or not, I didn't feel peace. My heart must have known before my head figured it out.

January 30, 2017
It was Monday morning. Elisha was in the Classical Conversations weekly meeting and I was walking outside her classroom building for twins' nap time stroll. To be 'productive', I was praying while I was pushing the double stroller around the block. That's when God told me to support CJ and to be on the same page with him. It was too clear to doubt and immediately I texted CJ 'God wants   us to be on the same page'. I guess it would have been much nicer if I added some apology for having been so grouchy, but I was such a proud coward. Anyways, this is when God prompted me to start tracking this journey.

February 20, 2017
Still hiring freeze with no updates regarding CJ's position. Limbo. We are anxious to have some kind of closure for this job so that we can make plans accordingly. On this particular day, through Elisha, God told me 'everything will be ok, because you've been praying and I hear your prayer'.

February 28, 2017
This 'on hold' situation seems to bother CJ a lot. I sense that CJ really wants this job and he is almost gripped with fear. Aha! I see what God is doing - He is teaching CJ lessons: that it is possible to wait in peace, that He knows what he needs. I texted CJ 'God wants you to let go of gravels, so that you can hold the diamond God wants to give you'.

March 7, 2017
While looking through her old workbook, Elisha found a note she wrote a few years ago. It said, 'Don't worry. I will take care of you.' I got it from her and taped in on my kitchen cabinet.

March 10, 2017
Not consistent nor really serious, but Elisha plays with the Arabic language learning app CJ installed in January. I feel so sad to put her in this uncertainty.

March 14, 2017
CJ sent me a text: he will have a job interview with Minneapolis office this week. I found out this position does not pay for PCS cost and that's a clear sign for NO.

March 19, 2017
I read about Abraham's servant's quest to find Isaac's bride. Everything went so smooth, so seamlessly. It reminded of our trip to Korea in 2015 to try IVF. Things were planned and executed at the last minute, in such a hurry, but God put all things together in such a manner that all the details worked out so well. Also, it reminded me of how I got my work permit after Northwestern University. I was literally on pins and needles...the permit did not arrive until the day before I had to leave the dorm. BUT it did. It did arrive. Why? Why on earth did God have to make it so hard? Did he want me to wait in peace? How could I wait it peace when the due date was fast-approaching? How could I be still when the clock is ticking?

March 20, 2017
While driving to CC this morning, I continued the conversation with God from where I left off last night: Why did God put me in such a scary wait in 2002?...All of a sudden, it became very clear that what happened at the end of 2002 was to prepare me for this time, this wait in 2017. What does that mean? A precedent. Something that will guide me during this uncertain, blindfolded journey. He wants me to know that He WAS faithful in the past, He IS faithful now, and He WILL be faithful
in the future.

March 22, 2017
Early morning, I checked emails and found an email from his supervisor Dr. Masoud regarding CJ's job....they submitted exemption request for CJ's position in Egypt and he is expecting a positive result!

March 22, 2017
CJ texted me...CJ's position is approved for exemption from hiring freeze!

April 3, 2017
Unlike we've been assuming all along, we won't be authorized to ship our POV to Egypt. Originally, our plan was to ship Camry to CJ's parents in Chicago and take Odyssey with us. Disappointed, but thankful that we are not completely unprepared for this. Just to test the water and out of curiosity, last Friday, CJ took Odyssey to a few dealers and we were able to get an idea of how much this car is worth, if we decide to sell. So, tonight, CJ spent a few hours to take pictures of the car and listed it on a few websites for sale. We've done our part: maintaining the car in excellent condition,                doing enough research, taking a prompt action, praying. Now, we will see how God's going to work this out. If CJ agrees, I plan to post here how much we paid for the car and how much we sold it at.

April 9, 2017
It's Psalm Sunday, and early in the morning, I read news that two Coptic Christian churches in Egypt were bombed by ISIS. One of the churches is located in Alexandria, which is considered a 'relaxed, expat-favored, Mediterranean beach city'. It's not far from Maadi where we will be living. My knees shook and I just wanted to sit down and cry. Not wanting to ruin this day, I made it to church with CJ and kids, but my mind was wandering: will we be able to come back in one piece? will we be able to go to church on Sundays? will every day be spent in fear? will we be able to lead 'normal' life? One may think I am morbid, but I am just being realistic.

April 11, 2017
It's twin's birthday. Later in the evening, we received PCS order via email. PTL! A few weeks ago, CJ was told that POV shipment is not authorized, but PCS order showed POV shipment is authorized, which is an answer to our prayer!

April 12, 2017
CJ emailed to verify POV situation, and yes, POV shipment is authorized! We decided to ask CJ's parents to take care of Camry and take minivan with us. We will take care of the van, but would not 'use' it daily. CJ will be provided with a SUV for personal use, and, from what I have read so far, I do not think I will ever want to drive in Egypt. So, we will use the SUV and when CJ's out of town, I will use taxi.

June 4, 2017
A lot of things have happened. Mostly logistics related to moving. I started packing in January, but I guess it was not early enough. Every night, after we put twins to bed, I would organize, pack, throw away, organize, pack, throw away.....If I didn't see the acupuncturist and massage therapist every week, I would not have survived the past two labor-intensive months. We moved into a hotel on Memorial Day and movers came to pack and load our household goods last week. We cleaned the house squeaky clean, and left it much cleaner than when we first moved in two and a half years ago. I did not have a minute to sit down and relish the thought of moving to Egypt.

As I sat at the church today, I had a brief panic at the thought of what's really happening...the 'reality-kicking-in-moment'.

June 8, 2017
We left San Antonio and arrived in Virginia.

June 11, 2017
After spending a few days touring DC area, we arrived in Winchester, VA. As soon as our visas are processed, we will leave for Egypt.

July 21, 2017
My back pain got worse and I saw a local massage therapist. He used a very unique method called Capstone and during and even right after the treatment, I wasn't quite sure if it worked or not. He was very knowledgeable and was able to pinpoint the source of my chronic pain.

July 22, 2017
I had a lot of soreness last night after the treatment. However, today I feel much better overall. I thanked God that due to the delay in visa situation allowed me to see the therapist. I plan to see him again early next week.

July 23, 2017
We have been here in Virginia for 6 weeks now, and we are still waiting for visas to fly out to Egypt. We have been feeling discouraged and often sad missing home. It has been hard for me to see Elisha crying homesick. Nonetheless, some good things have happened as well: Elisha made a few good friends during our stay at Capon Springs and Farms; twins got their table manners down and eat very well by themselves; we got to enjoy a long, very long summer vacation that we had never dreamed of!

I had a dream last night: we were all hiking on a mountain. Elisha and I arrived on the top first, and we were hugging and crying so excited. CJ was right behind us pushing a double stroller with twins. During lunch today, I got to talk to Elisha about this dream and asked what she thought of it. Elisha said the dream meant we will be receiving our visas soon and will go to Egypt.

Everyday is a Miracle

$55 in 9 and a half month

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 03:54:00 +0000

     It's a big day here in our home. Bigger than a book award day. Bigger than birthdays or anniversaries. It's a day our 6-year-old accomplished something neither myself nor CJ have done. It's the day Elisha finally got her long-waited Emma's House Lego set with her hard-earned money. Elisha has been saving money for it for nine and a half months (aka Lego fund). Can you believe it? Nine and a half months of waiting....for a six-year-old.
   Last June, for her birthday, my brother bought Elisha a Lego set. Inside the box was a small pamphlet that showed other Lego sets, and that's where Elisha first fell in love with Emma's House. It was obvious that she could not take her mind off of it, and Elisha told us how much she wanted to have it.
     We are not rich, but we are not poor, either. We don't have debt and we save significant portion of our income. What I'm trying to say is that we could easily afford to buy that Emma's House, and actually we did think about getting it for her as a Christmas present. However, CJ and I agreed we do not want her to become a child with a sense of entitlement and decided we will have Elisha work to save money for it. At that time, we had no idea that this experience will teach so much valuable lessons not only for Elisha but also for CJ and myself.
   About half way into this journey, one evening, CJ and Elisha were reading a newsletter from a missions agency we support. Then, Elisha suddenly broke into tears saying God told her to give $21 from her Lego fund to the agency so that they can purchase a water filter for a family in India. Right there and then, she gave CJ $21 out of her fund, but I had to wonder why she was crying so hard. When I asked her that night on the bed, Elisha said she cried because she wanted to obey God but she did not want to give her Lego money away. What God was trying to teach Elisha and how Elisha was responding to His voice...it just melted my heart. As I'm writing this now, I feel like my heart is being filled with thousands of pink butterflies again.
     Also, this journey certainly instilled a good work ethic in her. Elisha worked hard to earn the money: helping with laundry, sweeping garage and patio, pulling out weeds from the yard, helping with sorting/organizing clothes, cleaning up/organizing wherever messy, watering plants, etc. She has learned to look for work that needs to be done around the house, and she has grown to prefer tidiness/cleanness over messiness.
     The other day, I noticed someone organized shoes so neatly on our shoe rack. It turned out Elisha was that beautiful person. I had to compliment her for tidying up the messy shoe rack, even though I never asked her to do so. She has made a habit of always asking if there is anything she can help with. She would say, 'Mama, I will be reading in my room. If you need any help, just whistle, and I will come right over.' How sweet!
   Delayed gratification. According to Wikipedia, it is 'the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward and wait for a later reward'. So many times, Elisha would ask us if she can see Emma's House on our laptop. She would ask CJ to print out a detailed picture of Emma's House. She memorized what's inside that tiny house...all the details...she dreamed about it...she wanted to build a house like that on top of a hill for me with Lego pieces! Looking at the picture, she studied the house so meticulously and found out there is no staircase leading up to the second floor of the house. What an oversight!
     It was not easy for me to see her having to wait so long, though. I often wondered if I am asking too much for a six-year-old. CJ and I would talk how we ourselves never had to save/earn money for a toy and we would feel so disqualified to demand such a high standard for Elisha. Neither of us said it out loud, but I know we both so wanted to forget the whole thing of 'teaching a lesson or two' and just order Emma's House right there and then.
     Doesn't God often do the same thing for us, making us wait for a long time? When He makes me wait for so long, I would balk for a while but I know there is something He wants me to learn and grow. I would kick and scream demanding an 'immediate' answer, but I know that's the very reason God puts me on hold. Patience. Faith. Trust...I often wonder if I will ever be able to perfect these qualities while here on earth, but then I am reminded that what God wants is to see me 'grow', not necessarily 'perfect' it. More patience. More faith. More trust.
     My 6-year-old never threw tamper tantrum demanding immediate purchase of the Emma's House. She waited and waited while learning priceless lessons, while growing in her character, while growing closer to God. I admire this girl. I admire her patience which allows God's hands to chisel and mold her character. I admire the intimacy she has with her heavenly Father. God, you are doing a great job raising your daughter Elisha! Neither I nor CJ can claim any credit for this girl's beautiful, tender heart.

Everyday is a miracle

Practice Makes Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 04:36:00 +0000

     Mercy worked for us as a mother's helper for 7 months last year. When I hired her, I knew she played violin, and once she got used to twin's routine, I asked her to teach Elisha violin during twin's nap time. Mercy herself was not a professional, advanced violinist. She was a 13-year-old home-schooled girl who used to take violin lessons at the public school she used to attend. She was barely intermediate level in violin. However, she gladly jumped into the quest of helping Elisha become interested in playing violin.
     Initially, what made it work was that Elisha really enjoyed 'playing' with Mercy and that good rapport flew into 'playing with violin' part. Elisha did not fall in love with the violin from the beginning, though. She hated the 'squeaky' sound. She was frustrated she does not know how to play like the 'violinist'. However, once she was able to play the 'hot cross buns' all by herself, Elisha found playing violin more interesting. Elisha kept asking Mercy new piece of 'real' music almost every week, while CJ and I tried to start a routine for Elisha to practice on her own 15 minutes a day. When Mercy ran out of simple music pieces, I gave Elisha some from the hymn book.
   Due to the demand of her school work, Mercy left us at the end of the last December, but Elisha has kept on practicing almost everyday. In addition to the daily practice routine, what really has helped Elisha improve her violin sound is her innate competitiveness with herself. She is eager to produce 'beautiful' sound. If a note does not sound 'right', she gets frustrated. Many times, she would put down her violin and announce she would quit. However, the routine we had started kept us going despite all that falls and slips. After each song, she would ask me if that was good, if that was best for the day, if that was better than yesterday, if that was best ever. When she picks up her violin, I make sure I pay attention to her so that I can provide critique when asked for it.
     This week, I am so pleased to find that her violin sounds so beautiful. Elisha and I were even able to play 'Jesus Loves Me' duet - Elisha on violin, I on piano! Yet the best thing happened was when she said, 'I love playing violin now'! I could see that she is really gaining confidence and enjoying the fact that her violin finally sounds 'real'.
   This whole thing about violin was a kind of experiment for me. I wanted to see if she can learn to play violin WITHOUT a professional instructor. I wanted to see if 'practice can really make perfect'. In his 2008 book "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell wrote that "ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness." I do not think Elisha has put in ten thousand hours playing violin yet, but I can say with confidence that, from what we have witnessed, daily practice and grit has done much more than a skillful teacher could do.

TAPO

The more you go, the more you spend

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 03:28:00 +0000

     With the arrival of twins, we started grocery-shopping every other week instead of every week. It meant more planning, but it also meant less hassle and less wasting of food, which helped us save about $100 a month in food cost.
   Once we became settled into this new grocery shopping pattern, there has been almost no last-minute grocery store trip and no just-because kind of impulsive food purchase. By the end of the two-week, you can see our refrigerator becoming quite empty, and it feels great to know that we put everything to the table.
     However, when it comes to fruits and vegetables, every-other-week grocery shopping presents a challenge. I figured we can use frozen fruits and vegetables during the second week and it has been working great. Kids actually love frozen fruits more than fresh fruits! Also, since it's almost impossible to find an organic milk that does not expire until my next grocery shopping, CJ usually makes a trip to HEB in the middle of the two-week period for another gallon of milk.
   I make and pack CJ's breakfast, lunch and snack to take to his office, so there isn't really any spending on food while he is at work. Also, Elisha and I do not like eating out, so we rarely gets to eat at restaurants. All in all, we are spending a little less than $500 a month for food (without counting in twin's formula cost), but, more than the saving, I really like the simpleness and peace this every-other-week grocery shopping has brought to our family.

TAPO

Homeschool Mid-year Slump?

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 04:16:00 +0000

     Recently I've come across a few articles on how to overcome mid-year slump in homeschool. It's been only four years since we started homeschooling, so I don't think I have a really 'brilliant' idea on this topic. However, there are a few things I've found helpful for us to keep going without feeling exhausted or bored.
     We do not have a strict schedule. Whether it's an yearly plan, monthly, weekly or daily plan, we do not have the 'set-in-the-stone' kind of plan. I have a big picture of where we're heading for the next few years, where we want to land by certain time of the year or month, but I do not make a so-called 'detailed plan'. To me what's most important is that we school as much as we can on any given day. Very often, we do two chapters on math plus either one science lesson or one spelling lesson. On the days we choose to do Grapevine's stick-figure through the bible study which takes one to one and a half hour, we get to do only one chapter of any of those three subjects.
    We try hard to keep the routine. During twin's morning nap time, Elisha willingly stops whatever she is doing, and joins me for home-school. Both Elisha and I know that's the only time we will be able to sit down for school work. Also, Elisha knows that some homework is waiting for her after shower in the evening. There is a homework folder we keep on the dining table, and she knows she is expected to work on it after taking a shower. There has been no arguing or pouting about this routine and, actually, Elisha shows great diligence and self-discipline in completing her homework.
     Usually, people plan the lessons in such a way that they finish each subject by the end of the school year. However, I've found that there is no need to stretch out when it can be done earlier. We finished All About Reading 3 last month, and we want to finish Nancy Larson Science 2 and All About Spelling 2 by the end of March. Also, I've found that finishing a curriculum early give us the mental 'boost' that helps us keep going. Whenever Elisha finishes a curriculum, we celebrate with a book award by having a special dessert after dinner. (We tried to take her out for lunch, but Elisha does not like eating out!) I really wanted to finish Saxon Math 2 by the end of next month, but, after skimming through the remaining lessons, I realized we won't be able to do 2-3 lessons at a time any more. However, we're going to see if we can finish it by the end of April.

TAPO

Yes, I shop at Salvation Army.

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 21:02:00 +0000

     For six years, Elisha was our only child. We could have splurged on her toys and clothes, but we didn't. Most of her toys and clothes were either hand-me-downs or from thrift shops. Kids grow so fast, and I do not see a point of buying new clothes that would be worn just for one season only to find out next season that Elisha's grown too big to wear them. Also, for those times when Elisha had brand new clothes from family friends or relatives, I often found myself being too worried about keeping her outfit spotless. However, with hand-me-downs and thrift shop clothes, I have never minded even a bit about her getting her clothes dirty or torn. So, for my sanity and for her carefree childhood, second hand clothes work better.
   We have been saving for Elisha's college expenses, and I would rather put in more money into that saving than spending that money for brand new toys or clothes. We're doing the same thing for twins. They are almost 11-month old now, but I haven't bought a single piece of brand new clothes for them yet. Deborah wears hand-me-downs from Elisha, and Enoch wears either gender-neutral-colored clothes from Elisha or clothes that I get from Salvation Army stores.
   Over the years, I discovered that thrift shops in certain areas tend to carry higher-quality clothes, and their clothes tend to be in better conditions. I often find nice, never-worn button-down dress shirts for CJ at the Salvation Amry store across from UTSA. Also, I always look for play dresses that Elisha can wear for dress-up plays. 'Once Upon A Child' is another local resale store for kids, where I buy Elisha's shoes and my clothes. (Yes, I wear junior sizes!)

TAPO

Childlike Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 04:10:00 +0000

     Elisha and I were on our way home from our weekly Classical Conversations gathering. There was an unusually heavy traffic on 1604 South. We saw 'Road Work Ahead' sign, and, instead of complaining about the delay, we enjoyed our mommy-daughter date which we have not had for a very long time. Around halfway home, all cars started moving to the right lane, and that's when we saw a small passenger car wrecked in an accident.
     It looked like the car span and crashed into a boulder or something. Its front was totaled and airbags were in full display. I gasped and sighed. Elisha blurted out, "Mama, let's pray", and she began to pray out loud: "Dear God, I pray that no one is seriously injured. I pray that nobody needs surgery. I pray that everyone will be healed quickly. In Jesus name we pray, Amen." What she said next stunned me: "Everything will be OK now. We prayed and God hears our prayer." The simple faith...this must be what 'childlike faith' actually looks like. It was so powerful and beautiful that it made my eyes twinkle with some liquid.
   Why do I worry and live in fear while praying? Why do I still carry the heavy burden after I said I lay it all down at His feet in my prayer? I needed to hear that...that everything will be alright, that my heavenly father will take care of everything, that I need to rest knowing that My DAD is in control.

   And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3, NIV)

Everyday is a Miracle

Garage Door Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sat, 18 Feb 2017 03:28:00 +0000

     Today, I need something to remind me of how blessed I am to be married to a man who always accepts me with so much grace which I do not deserve. If you are a good mind-reader, you might have already figured out that I am a judgemental, feisty, insecure human being.
     Last year, I was on my way home from my physical therapy session and I was listening to a radio station while driving. When I got to our driveway, I tried to adjust the driver seat so that it would be ready for CJ. I was multi-tasking: listening to radio and adjusting the seat...and the car was on Drive mode! Guess what happened. Yes, I drove into our garage door and made a dent. I panicked and could not believe that I did what I did.
     If CJ drove into the garage door, I would have made sure that he knew what a bitch I am. If CJ got angry at my stupidity and stomped around the house for weeks, I would have thought I deserve it. However, the first thing that came out of his mouth was, 'Are you Ok? I am glad you are not hurt.'. You see, God really wants to teach me something: to show grace towards all those imperfections around me.
     Our car insurance covered the repair cost, and I believe it did not affect our insurance premium for the new year, which was a big relief. This accident really made me realize that I need to work on showing grace towards my husband, my children, and even myself.

Everyday is a miracle.

How much did I make by raising questions?

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 02:17:00 +0000

     When you receive bills from your doctor, what do you do? Do you ever suspect there could be a mistake? Believe or not, a lot of times, the amount on the bills that you receive from your medical service providers are incorrect.
     We do have a very good health insurance called Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP). We became eligible for this insurance when my husband was working overseas as a part of DoD system. We used to have BCBS for a long time, but FSBP is much more superior than BCBS and other insurance plans we are eligible for as a federal employee.
     As y'all know, I gave birth to twins last year, which means lots of doctor visits. For each bill, I compared what the bill states with what I see on the EOB (Explanation of Benefits) on FSBP website. Believe or not, for most of those bills, I found the provider charged me much more than what the EOB states as 'member responsibility'. Why couldn't they figure out correctly how much I owe them? Are they hoping that I would be naive enough to succumb to their fancy bill and 'just' pay whatever they charge me?
     Frustrated and annoyed, but I picked up the phone to call my insurance company. To my relief, the customer service representative agreed with me that I owed $0 instead of $1,130, $5.80 instead of $90.79, etc. Then it took another few weeks or sometimes several months for FSBP to talk to/resolve the issue with the provider.
     Do you want to know how much I saved last year by being me, the TAPO mama? $1562.94
     Ha! The morale of this story is ' NEVER, EVER pay your medical bills before checking your EOB'. You don't want to bother? Well, let me do the work for you and you pay me 20% of what I save for you. Just shoot me an email.

TAPO

Something's Got To Go

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 04:53:00 +0000

     I got sick over last Thanksgiving week. It was meant to happen. I was running on an empty gas tank for a while, and just...crashed. I have not been sleeping nor eating enough to survive the pressure of motherhood. Everyday seemed to be just way too short to take care of the four human beings living with me.
   Lying sick in bed, I decided to let go of something that has been dear to me. Cooking. Cooking everyday. I decided it is okay to feed my family a few frozen meals each week as long as they are free of harmful ingredients.
   Now that Elisha is 6 years old, homeschooling alone is a daunting task. With twins crawling and being introduced different kinds of solid food, I have been spreading myself pretty thin. I had to think over: what can I give up without compromising the quality of our lives? No more cooking EVERYDAY.
   I still cook quite a bit, but now I spend about three half-days to prepare for two-week's meals, usually right after our every-other-week grocery shopping.

     Here is a list of what I have been doing to streamline and simplify cooking:
1. Chop, marinate, freeze chicken thighs. I would thaw and use them to make spicy chicken with carrots and potatoes or honey glazed chicken with potatoes.
2. Marinate chicken thighs with soy sauce, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and then freeze them. I would bake/grill them in a toaster oven, and then shred the meat to add to burrito bowls.
3. Fry and freeze bacon, and add them to our Sunday sandwich lunch.
4. Make pork cutlets and freeze them. We eat them either with rice or a big bowl of salad.
5. Make burritos (baked beans, shredded cheese, bacon, egg), and freeze them. These are mostly for CJ's weekday breakfast, but they come in handy as an easy lunch menu for Elisha and me.
6. Cook a big pot of chili. This is solely for CJ's weekday lunch.
7. Bake bread pudding with lots of egg, milk, and honey. This is also for CJ's breakfast. (Yes, somebody eats A LOT!)
8. Bake, slice and freeze 2 bags of sweet potatoes. I add them to breakfast oatmeal, which makes kids gobble up their otherwise plain oatmeal.

     Here is a list of frozen food from Trader Joe's we have been trying and enjoying:
1. Meat lasagna
2. Kalbi (Korean style short ribs)
3. Organic grilled vegetable pizza
4. Tilapia cutlets

   I would love to hear what y'all homeschooling mamas are doing to feed your family well without killing yourselves.

Everyday Is a Miracle

Bible Geography

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 04:25:00 +0000

     This past Summer, Elisha and I started studying from Genesis using Grapevine's Stick Figure Through the Bible. As you can see from my review of the curriculum, we really enjoy this study. I plan to do one lesson over two days, but, most times, Elisha does not want to stop in the middle and we end up spending a good hour to hour and a half at one time.
     For a long time, I have wished I had a map showing all the different journeys occurring in the bible. And this bible study with Elisha made that desire even stronger, especially with Elisha loving geography so much. Well, I found a wonderful book which is so fit to our needs, and we found it at our local library!
     Children's Atlas of the Bible is the one. Tonight, as Elisha and I sat down with this book, we were so mesmerized that we didn't even realize it was past her bed time. Being able to trace Abraham's journey, Joseph being taken to Egypt, Exodus, desert wandering, Israelite's conquer of Canaan....it made everything we have learned from the bible study, Story of the World, and Classcial Conversation (CC) come alive.
     This is one of the books I would like to purchase and keep on our bookshelf someday. There goes my Christmas wishlist, honey!

TAPO

Thousands of Marbles

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 04:34:00 +0000

     That's what Elisha said during the science experiment time at last week's Classical Conversations meeting. The experiment was about orbital speed, and they used marbles on a cake pan. The tutor told the kids how they can easily do the experiment at home if they have a marble and a cake pan, and one of the children, Hunter, said 'I don't have any marble at home'. That's when Elisha blurted out 'I have thousands of marbles at home'.
     She does have a lot of marbles, but not thousands. Maybe a few dozens at most. 'Thousands' was an exaggeration, far from the truth. Where there is an exaggeration, there certainly will be drama as well. Most of all, I believe exaggeration is a lie. CJ & I agreed trimming is necessary.
   CJ talked to Elisha that exaggeration is a lie and how God hates a lying tongue. I sat down with Elisha and we decided to give Hunter some marbles so that he can do the experiment at home. Elisha picked several marbles and put them in a cute little bottle, which is ready to be delivered to Hunter when they meet next time. I really hope the lesson is learned and impressed in Elisha's heart.

TAPO

4 a.m. Sticky Fingers Love

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 03:34:00 +0000

   Deborah has been waking up around 4 a.m. I feed her some milk while she is still in daze, but after burping, as I put her down to change her diaper, she comes out of the daze and smiles at me. My logical mind tells me to put her down on the bed and help her to go back to sleep, so that I can rest too. However, we end up playing - tickling, giggling, peekaboo-ing for another hour while everyone else is fast asleep.
     I know my body desperately needs the sleep, but those sticky little fingers on my face are too sweet to let go. Those giggles and cooing are too precious to shush. I know I will miss this wee early morning silliness.
     Kids grow too fast. Time flies too fast. My heart aches to know that I cannot slow down the time, let alone stop it. Tomorrow, I am going to kiss them more, hug them more, and laugh with them more.

TAPO

Passing on TAPO Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 03:18:00 +0000

     If you know me, I take promises very very seriously and I despise empty promises, broken promises, forgotten promises...Very often, instead of giving a definite promise, I would rather say 'I can't promise that, but I will think about it'.
     Last year while I was on bed-rest with twins inside me, I had promised to Elisha that I would join her to Aquatica & SeaWorld 'sometime after twins are born'. CJ & Elisha have annual passes (they got their passes when they were for BOGO sale!), but I don't. However, a few times a year, annual pass holders get a chance to 'bring a friend' for free. This month we received a day pass for both Aquatica & SeaWorld, and I was on a mission to fulfill the promises I had made.
   Last weekend, we all went to Aquatica and enjoyed a beautiful, not-so-crowded day. I got some mosquito bites, but the trip made twins very tired and they slept a lot for the next two days. Best of all, it felt so~ good to finally keep my promise.
     Yesterday was SeaWorld day, and Elisha and I made a late afternoon trip. We arrived there around 4pm, and soon we were met with thunders with dark, heavy clouds over our heads. We were told that all the shows were cancelled due to the weather, and we had no choice but to leave....BUT I really wanted to honor the promise I had made to Elisha last year, and decided to talk to the guest service if it's possible for me to get a day pass to come back another day.
     When we arrived at the guest service, there was a long~ line of people and it was very hot and humid out there. In addition, Elisha thought it was nonsense to ask for another free pass. For a brief moment, I thought about turning around to go home, but then I realized it was a great teachable moment. It was a chance to teach Elisha the TAPO spirit: tenacious, assertive, persistent, obnoxiously patient spirit.
   After a long wait, I was able to talk to a staff at the guest service. In Elisha's presence, with respect and clarity, I explained the situation and made a request for another day pass, and guess what!? They gave me a rain day pass which I can use sometime within a year! Elisha was super surprised. Was she proud of mama? Yes! Did I set a good example for her? Yes! Would I be able to fulfill my promise on a cooler day? Yes!

TAPO

Put Your Money to Work

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 04:30:00 +0000

     With such a low interest rate, it feels so lame to let the money just sit in the checking or savings account. I want to see my money go around the town and bring in more its kind.
     This past summer, CJ & I put our money to work, and the outcome is quite significant. Chase bank offered $300 for $500 direct deposit every month. We need to keep this minimum 6 months. Citi Bank offered $400 for keeping $15,000 balance for the 1st month and $10,000 for the next two months. Both CJ & I took advantage of these offers, which means we made $1,400.
     We just found out that HSBC is offering $350 for keeping a balance of $1500 for 6 months, and both of us plan to take advantage of this as well.
    Having extra 6 bank accounts can be overwhelming, so we plan to close them whenever the minimum time requirements are fulfilled. In order to keep things organized and to remind us when we are going to close those accounts, CJ put the dates on the google calendar.

     Where do we get these information? From here.

TAPO

Mother's Helper

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 04:24:00 +0000

     A mother's helper is different from a babysitter. Babysitters are expected to work independently and often to work in the absence of the parents of the child/children. A mother's helper is rather expected to provide an extra pair of hands to a busy mom, and she works with/alongside the mother. It's a great concept for a person like me who is reluctant to leave kids with another person other than my husband.
     With twins, we hired a mother's helper. Sophia stayed with us for the first two months. She was referred to us by someone at our church. She is 13 years old and is one of the 11 children in her family, bringing a lot of experience taking care of her younger siblings. She worked 5 hours a day for 6 days each week, and we paid $200 per week.
     Her work included feeding babies, changing diapers, washing and sanitizing bottles, folding laundry. During the first two months, twins slept most of the day, so Sophia also took Elisha outside for half an hour each day to fetch mails or to walk to the playground. She was free to read books or study when there was nothing to do. I left kids with Sophia once a week for an hour so that I could see my physical therapist, but CJ and I have never left kids with her for an extended amount of time.
     After Sophia left us due to her family's busy schedule, we hired another homeschooled girl, Mercy. She comes 3 days a week for 5 hours each time, and we pay $100 per week. Now that twins do not have to be fed so often, she spends the extra time to help Elisha with her memory work for Classical Conversations. Also, she just started teaching Elisha violin whenever her hands are free.
     Before we hired Mercy, I had interviewed several other girls. One of the biggest challenges was to find someone who will set a good example for Elisha who is very observant. So the one who showed up with not much clothes on, another 13-year-old girl who was wearing lots and lots of makeup, and a 14-year-old girl who watches TV until 4am...they did not get the job. Oh, and the high school senior who we test-hired for a week, just because she was referred to us by someone in our homeschool coop...I had to ask her to stop coming because she was on her smartphone ALL the time. As you see, there was quite a drama until we found Mercy.
     For pay-wise, we are paying more than the going rate in and around our neighborhood. However, both CJ and I think it's a fair rate considering the peace and rest our family gets to enjoy by having Mercy.

TAPO

Back to work after 7 years of staying home!

noreply@blogger.com (Hyuna) — Sat, 10 Sep 2016 03:35:00 +0000

   The last time I had gotten a paycheck was January 2010, and right after that last check, CJ and I moved to Seoul, Korea for CJ's job with US Army Corps of Engineers. So, it has been a little over six and a half years since I was a part of the US workforce.
   I am now back to work...I mean back into an official payroll system. It has been two weeks since I started teaching ESL classes at Alamo Colleges' Palo Alto campus. With three kids taking up my mind and body most of the day, I did not have much time to ponder about what it would be like to go back to work after so many years. I just had to jump in. There was no moment to enjoy that nervousness, excitement, and the kind of feelings people usually experience in situations like this.
     I am having fun teaching my hardworking students, who come to 6pm-9pm classes three times a week after a long day at work. I respect them, and I want to contribute to their growth and success.
     Considering how much time I spend to prepare lessons, the hourly rate is pretty small, but I am thankful that I can close up the six and a half year gap in my work history. Also, it is enough to pay the mother's helper who helps me and CJ on the days when I work. Also, CJ says this will help with my social security paycheck later on.

TAPO