Well Stocked

Mom, this picture is just for you. You taught me how to fill a freezer and a refrigerator as well. My freezer is small compared to American sizes but I can fit quite a bit in there. Coffee, ice cream, pumpkin in 1/2 cup containers for muffins, bixed berries, homemade breakfast sausage, homemade tortillas that someone gave me, bananas for smoothies, bread or muffins, spices which you can't see cause they are on the door so the bugs don't get into them, all kinds of dried beans, chicken, beef, spinach which I can buy all the time at the store and I love keeping it one hand, pizza dough and many other things. Maybe it is time to clean out the freezer.

Week in Review 11/9

This week we finished the 3rd week which is also the first unit.

Our verse for this week was C Children obey your parents in the Lord. We did some obedience training as well.

Reading - we are reviewing the words and adding some body parts. She almost has some of those words. She can't say the part except for elbow which is very cute but we have things that we do so we know that she is reading the word -- touch your nose, stick your tongue out (I know I might regret that later), etc. She also can read milk but it sounds more like belk we will even do the mmm sound and out comes belk.

Math - we started the calendar. Okay, I don't think she gets much out of that but we put a sticker on the day. Knowing her something is sticking in there. We also did top and bottom which we need to review and some sorting.

We have some coloured blocks with letters, numbers, pictures on them. I decided to use those for sorting colours -- wrong idea she was too busy telling me the various letter sounds.

Letters and letters sounds is her favourite thing.

On Fridays she has speech at a friend's house. Today we put leaves on a tree, feathers on a turkey, and did a few other activities. We are working to get her to make choices.

On Thursdays we go to Little Gym which gives her some PT and works on gross motor skills. She is climbing more since we started that. She will walk the balance beam if you hold her hand. She is beginning to try to hold the bar.

Next week we are going to do a bit of a review and begin the unit on letter sounds.

That was our week.

Defining Moment

It is interesting to hear how other people define you. I am part of a wonderful forum and recently we were defining each other. So here is how I was defined.

so giving.
a great mama
has a wonderful sense of humor, and is so thoughtful
is so thoughtful!
good sense of humor
understatedly hilarious

I find it funny that humor and hilarious are mentioned. I don't think of myself as that funny but I guess others do.

K3 Week in Review - 11/2

I have a new goal and that is to post a review of our school week each week. You might find it interesting but it helps me to remember and organize what we did.

I have dabbled in preschool with Miss K for some time. After she learned to read her name on her own and has learned quite a number of letter sounds, I decided it was time to get serious. I also realized that if we were in the States and if I wanted to utilize the system there that she would be going to school. Yikes, I don't want her to get behind (that is said in jest because I don't think she is behind, she is on K's schedule).

BJU Press has a pilot K4 and K5 program that has been written for Special Needs Kids. I decided to get the K4 and start it.

Week 1 was basic -- her name, daddy, momma, introduce red and blue. She knows her colours so we moved that to reading red and blue and matching items to the word instead of to a cup/bowl of that colour. Our memory verse for the week was "A". I am using a very old like the age of my brothers old copy of Bible Memory Associations A,B,C's memory book.

Things to review/learn - left and right. Just something that we will come back to later.

Week 2 we continued to review those items as well as added green just because we were getting bored of just bed and blue. We also spent time learning about "Me" -- senses and my body. We looked at pictures, listened to music, felt things, smelled things, and sang "Oh, Be Careful" a number of times.

At the end of this week she can read -- her name, momma (except at times I am still Boo-boo-boo which is what she calls me she can say momma but that is what you say when you need help or are stuck), daddy, red, blue, and eyes.

Here she is matching the colours. The weather changed from last week to this week. Doesn't this dress just make her look like she should be going to school.

Things we need to review or learn -- ankle and wrist -- she knows all the other body parts but those were on the list. I am not sweating that. I just have to add that she can say "elbow" and it very cute to hear her say it.

These are our smelling bottles. I love old film cases. They are so good for so many things.

New Number

I have a new number today. Hmm, should I tell you what that number is? Maybe, I need to think about that.

Today is my birthday. I can't say that I am doing any special to celebrate today. We went to church this morning and then had our ESL class. I did spend some time yesterday with a friend, we went for a foot massage and then lunch. My husband gave me flowers. I have a picture but Blogger is not co-operating.

I do think that each day is a blessing from the Lord and that each year is a milestone of the Lord's faithfulness. I have so many things to be thankful for this year.

I also have a great aunt that is celebrating her 97th birthday today. I am 55 years younger. There you can do the math. My great aunt served many years in Central America. A few years ago she had a stroke and how is in a wheelchair but she spends her days writing letters on the typewriter, praying, and even making a baby dress for a friend's baby. I am her special birthday girl because I was born on her birthday. She has been a wonderful example to me of someone who has lived life in Joy. Happy Birthday to you.

I am looking forward to the Lord's blessings and gifts of this coming year.

Flexibility, bending, adjusting

I was talking with a good friend the other week about the need to be flexible when living overseas. I know flexibility is needed no matter where you live but it is highly necessary for survival when living overseas.

I think of flexibility as the ability to adjust and change plans, meals, without complaining.

I am a planner. My husband has learned that and knew when he married me. I like to get up in the morning and know the plan for the day. I like to know what we will be doing next year. I don't like surprises. I like to plans my meals for the week and follow that plan. That doesn't always work because you go to the store looking for manadrin oranges after all aren't they grown here but nope, not today. I could actually give you a long list of things that I go to the store looking for and they are out but that is not the point of this. The point is learning to be flexible. Sometimes for meals that does require some thinking and even creative cooking.

Plans change, meals change, travel holds people up, stores are out of stock, and a number of other things all give opportunities to practice flexibility.

This is something that I am still working on especially the without complaining part.

A Community

It was not a community that I had planned to join but one that happened. It has been an encouraging, supportive, informative, and great community. It is the parents are relatives of Down Syndrome children. I think back to the many people through these years that have been there.
My friend had a dear friend with a DS son.
Our teammate who became Aunt B has a nephew 10 years younger than she with DS.
My sister-in-law has a nephew with DS.
One of K's first babysitter had an uncle with DS.

Then through the years that has been a connection. Parents that have opened and shared their experiences, what they have learned, listen to your fears and concerns, and understand. The other week Miss K and I met with a family visiting here with a DS son about 10 months younger than K. For those of us living overseas it is a blessing to meet someone who is in the same situation that we are.

I have also had some online community as well. Even before K came home from the hospital, I had joined a Yahoo Homeschooling DS children group. They welcomed me knowing that it would be some time until I would formally start homeschooling. I have learned so much from them. One of those friends even sent me the K4 curriculum that has been developed for special needs children.

It wasn't the community I planned to join but I am very thankful for the support and friendship that I have found in this community.

My Latest DIY

Here in Asia DIY is the big there. It is one of those English phrases that I don't hear in the English speaking world but hear here. Do it yourself which is a big thing here. People are beginning to do it yourself. Instead of calling an electrician to change the light bulb you do it yourself. Yes, that was something you called an electrician. Okay, I have DIY that for a long time or I ask my husband to do it.

Well, my latest project was making instant stove top stuffing. You know like they sell in the red box in the grocery store except here they don't sell it in the grocery store so it is a DIY project. I made cranberry chicken in the crock pot and we decided that stuffing would taste good. I dug around and found a recipe I had gotten from a magazine. I think it was Taste of Home. Anyway, it was very easy. You make a seasoning mix -- I had all the ingredients on hand for that. Okay, I used up my celery flakes and I don't think they sell those here so I might have to make my own for the next time. It said to cube the bread but I was afraid to do enough for 4 batches which is how much the seasoning mix makes. I feared I would have moldy cubes. I did enough for 1 batch. I cubed it and put it on a tray to dry.

I came home from Little Gym, boiled water, added some butter and the seasoning and then mixed the bread cubes, put the lid on after 5 minutes fluffed it with a fork. It was so easy and tasted good. No preservatives. The bread was homemade and I mixed the seasoning myself.

What other meals can I make and have stuffing as a side dish?

Here is the recipe:

Instant Stuffing Mix

½ cups plus 1 tablespoon dried celery flakes

3 tablespoons dried minced onion

3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning

¾ teaspoons rubbed sage

10-1/2 cups dried bread cubes (about 24 slices) or unseasoned croutons

Additional Ingredients

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

In a small resealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients; mix well. Place the bread cubes in a large resealable plastic bag; add the small seasoning bag. Store in a cool dry place for up to 1 year.

Yield 3 batches.

To prepare stuffing: In a large saucepan, combine water, butter and 1/3 cup seasoning mix. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 3-1/2 cups bread cubes; stir just to moisten. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Yield 2-4 servings per batch.

My latest find

Yesterday my friend and I went to a tourist shopping area. We wandered and bought a few things but my favourite find of the day was this colourful scarf. Hey, D, does that look like it could be in Shanghai Tang? It reminded me of the things we have seen there but knew we could not afford. It is colourful, bright, beautiful and so silky. Just had to share this.

Making Memories

Last week Bo went traveled to where we used to live. He need to pick-up some papers. I wanted to send some Miss K pictures to our dear friend there. I am really enjoying doing small books and so I decided to make a small scrapbook for her. It was one big long piece of paper. One side was pictures from the past year. and the other side were pictures from the first 2 years of her life.




I enjoyed making it and I know Auntie LL is enjoying having it in her office to show various friends that visit her.

What's Happening

I know I have not posted much recently. I have been busy with various things around the house. I will try to catch up on a few things that I have done.

I did make another batch of ketchup last night. This time I made a double recipe and put a bit less vinegar in it and also less sugar.

I made some pear butter last week in the crockpot. I found cheap pears at the grocery store. They were cheap because they were bruised. It was so easy to make them in the crockpot. I bought some more pears and peaches because I realized that is cheaper than buying Smucker's Simply Fruit.

I made hummus the other week. That is so easy with the food processor. We use that for dip with our veggies.

One of our favorite fun meals is quesadillas. My recipe includes a cooked potato grated as well as cheese. I did make my own tortillas. They were good and a bit better than the store ones. I don't yet have the feel for rolling them out. I guess I need more practice.
I love the salsa that I made to go with them. It is yummy but only lasts about 24 hours and it doesn't taste as good.
I also made a pizza for Miss K. I found the idea on this website http://www.toddlertoddler.com/archivedactivities.htm and bartered for some felt. I had bought some felt while we were home but didn't buy white. So I bartered necklaces from the Jade Market for felt. It is easy to go to the Jade Market and difficult to go to Spotlight where I know they will have felt.

What's Cooking - Sept 24

I am cooking and even more do planning what I am cooking.

Monday - leftovers for Miss K and I as S had a meeting
Tuesday - Orange Chicken Leg Quarters - it is a new Crockpot recipe.
Wednesday - dinner out -- it is our anniversary and I am not cooking
Thursday - Beef 'n peppers another crockpot recipe
Friday - leftovers for Miss K and I as S has language class

One of the things that I bought this summer was the Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook. I was also recently blessed with a 220 to 110 power converter for my kitchen so I can use the crockpot in the kitchen and not the office. Except today it is in the office because I need an adapter for the plug.

For more great ideas check out http://orgjunkie.blogspot.com/

Get out the fork

I made English muffins. We need the fork to split them so we can get all the nooks and crannies. I have been thinking about making them but just never got around to it until today when I decided that Sunday we are going to have English muffin pizzas for dinner and so that meant I had to make English muffins. I can buy them -- 4 in a pack and they are expensive or I can travel an hour and buy a pack of Thomas' English muffins that have been frozen and pay even more.

This was easy. I made the dough in my bread machine. The recipe came from the More with Less cookbook.I used a glass to cut them out because I didn't really have anything big enough.
The recipe said to fry for 8 minutes on a side but it took less than that. Maybe it was my super hot ready to stir-fry burner.
Yes, they look like real English muffins and taste like them as well.

Wordless Wendesday

The girls were having fun that afternoon. Miss K is going to grow up hearing, Oh, K, your hair.

Red, White & Blue Ribbon

I had some ribbon that I bought at the fabric market area. I decided to try to make a hairbow for Miss K. I had found a wonderful website giving all directions for all kinds of bows. I kinda followed the directions and kinda did what I wanted to do. I found the perfect size barretts for her thin hair and didn't have wire except for my beading wire so I grabbed some quilting thread and used that to stitch it up a bit where you can't see.

I think it looks cute and it does stay in her hair. She loved it and didn't want to take it out at bedtime but did and then wanted me to wear it.

Finished

I always enjoy when I get a project finished. I made a quilt for Miss K's baby. Since our napkins, towels or whatever she could find have been used as blankets I decided it was time to make a quilt for her. This is truly a patchwork quilt. I had started years ago when a fun activity was to go through my mom's scrap box making a patchwork quilt. Well, that quilt never was finished and actually since I started that I learned quite a bit about quilting like you need straight lines and seams and the pieces should be uniform. I decided to cut that quilt apart and make K's baby's quilt.I did most of the quilting while we were traveling in the States. I finished the binding last week. Hopefully baby will like it.

Offering of Service

Have you ever had tears in your eyes during church? I did the other Sunday. It wasn't the during the singing or even the sermon but rather the announcements. The announcement was not a sad one rather one giving an opportunity to get involved and serve. It was an announcement of needing teachers to help teach ESL class for students studying here. In addition to teaching ESL we will be opening the Bible and sharing with them about God. For many it is probably the first time that they have heard this. That is the reason that we live here. That was on my mind this morning and also the fact that I really need to work on the ESL lessons. K and I walked well, I walked and she rode in the stroller to the grocery store, and I pondered Sunday, the upcoming class and a few other things.

I noticed that today must be something special, a day of offerings to the gods.

Notice the fruit, buns, and incense. Look at what they are giving. Jesus didn't ask for our bread rather he said, "I am the bread of life."
At first I thought it was just some garbage that someone left but I noticed the open water bottle. I think this god might be vegetarian. In the bag were bean sprouts and tofu. Jesus said, "I am the living water."

For me it was another comparison of the living God and the one made with hands. God does ask for us to give him something, our lives. We are to serve him. My husband and I are here so that we can do that tell people about Jesus who is the bread of life and the living water.

This summer I read an excellent book, Faith of Our Fathers God in Ancient China. It was written by a Chinese and actually published first in Chinese and then translated into English. I read the English version. It gave me a basic understanding of Chinese history and a deep understanding of Shang-di and his role in the history of China. It was Shang-di that the ancient Chinese worshipped. So now my prayer is that the people will return to worshiping Shang-di.

Well, I better begin my service and start working on those ESL lessons.

Fun and more fun

I like things nice and neat. I colour in the lines. I have a 3 year old who enjoys having fun and often that fun involves something dirty. I am learning that it is good for her to do those things. I try to tell myself that it is therapy. I can convince my husband to buy just about anything if I say "it is for therapy." Now if I could just get the Circut for therapy I would be happy. I will ponder that one but I need to get back to the topic of having fun 3 year old style.

She had fun finger painting. That was a mess. I didn't have any nice washable finger paints. I can't find them in the stores here. I found a recipe online and tried that. I think we still have finger paint on the highchair. She had fun.

We tried the cooked spaghetti art. I think it must work better on construction paper than on some of my scrapbook paper. We picked up noodles off the floor for a few days as they fell off the picture.
If any notices, she does have other clothing. I think that outfit had gotten stained and so we wear that all the time around the house.

I am trying to put aside myself and do thinks that I know my daughter will enjoy and hey, it is therapy. I did stock up on art supplies when we were home. We now have washable finger paint. We tried it this morning and it was great.

Little things that change your world

When we moved in we went to Ikea and bought a dish drainer. It was the best one we could find. It had to be assembled and I remember working to screw it all together. Well, it didn't take long for me to decide that I didn't like it. It didn't have a drain tray so water just collected under it. I lost a few mugs on it as they tumbled off and my tile floor is not allowing of things dropping and remaining the same.

I began to dream of a nice small dish drainer that had a tray to hold water and sides and even some place to put the silverware. It sounds simple and so easy to get but did you know that Amazon does not ship those internationally. We did find a tray that helped but not completely. A dish drainer was on the top of my shopping list when we went home.

That new dish drainer changed my life. For a day or two I enjoyed washing dishes. I loved having the water collect in the tray, having a place to put the silverware and have sides all the way around it. After a few days the wonder wore off and now I am back to washing dishes because they are dirty and we need clean dishes or because I need to cook and need to find my counter space.

Leftovers for Breakfast

If you are thinking about pizza, forget it. My husband will not eat cold pizza. He will not eat it for lunch or for breakfast. I will and have on various occasions. But I am referring to something else. We love fajitas. It is a favorite meal around our house. It always seems that we have onions and peppers leftover. I used to put them in the refrigerator thinking I am sure I will come up with something to throw these in but usually a few weeks later I would discover them and would throw them in the trash. Then I found a brilliant way to use the leftovers. Breakfast Burritos the next morning so the peppers and onions stay in the refrigerator less than 24 hours.

I reheat the peppers and onions (this time we had some mushrooms thrown in there) in my frying pan. Then put them in a bowl with a plate on top to keep them warm. I scramble some eggs.

Pull out some cheese and chopped tomatoes and put it all together. Here is it ready to be wrapped and eaten.

So tell me what fun things do you do with leftovers. Do you have some leftovers that you have found a creative way to use.