"TRADITIONS @ CHRISTMAS" WEEK 111 QUOTE 111

The first week of December is nearly finished and a count down to Christmas has begun.
CHRISTMAS is celebrated in all sorts of ways by different people across the world, and by different people who may live just across the street or hallway from you. So how do YOU celebrate Christmas?
Here are some Christmas traditions we have in our family.
1. MAKING THE CHRISTMAS CAKE AND CHRISTMAS PUDDING ~
For us November 25th has traditionally been the day the Christmas cake and pudding are made. Before this date I get the kids to help make a list of ingredients and quantities needed then we shop for them together. On the 25th together we measure out, cut, stir and sample the goodies as we make the cake and pudding. Until this year I have used a recipe that asks for the fruit to be 'soaked' in brandy a few days, before making the cake and pudding and cooking them. However this year I have broken the tradition and tried totally new recipes - so I hope everyone is happy with the results.
2. TELLING THE CHRISTMAS STORY ~
In our family we want our kids to understand what Christmas is all about. Here are 3 methods we have used.

"THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY" : JOSTEIN GAARDER.
This year we are reading this book - by the way at the moment I only have my 2 youngest at home who are boys, 13 and 16 years old, but they are there listening as this books has been apart of Christmas in our family - it's a tradition, and traditions can be comfortable, making happy memories.
A chapter of the book is read each day from December 1 - 25. The story is two stories, with Joachim the narrator who tells of a little girl, Elisabet who follows a lamb from a city department store out into the street. This is the beginning of a journey back through history to the birth of Jesus. 
This book is centred around an old advent calendar, so if you are using advent calendars it would give your kids an added dimension to theirs.

"A BABY CALLED JESUS", "THE FIRST CHRISTMAS", "WHEN JESUS WAS YOUNG" : PENNY FRANK
The two weeks leading up to Christmas we read through the 3 books, a few pages each day. Some years we would use this opportunity to learn one or two Christmas carols - "Silent Night" or "Away in a Manger", and then by the time we got to Christmas they knew the words and could loudly sing them at church or the local community Christmas event. This was a great confidence boost for the pre-schoolers who could not as yet read.
"A JESUS ADVENT CELEBRATION" - JESSE TREE JOURNEY : ANN VOSKAMP AND NANCY RODDEN
This series was published last year and our whole family thoroughly enjoyed it. It is FREE and you can down load it at http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/11/free-christmas-family-devotional-jesse-tree-ornaments/
The series starts November 29 through to Christmas day. The book gives an explanation of what Christmas is about - not just by telling about Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, but it connects people and happening from right through the Bible to show why Christmas happened. In our family it roused our curiosity for the real events of Christmas day. 
3. HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDARS ~
Some years our kids made their own advent calendars with 2 sheets of cardboard. On the first they glued 24 pictures of Christmas which they cut out from old Christmas cards or wrapping paper. With help, they positioned 24 doors on the second sheet of cardboard in the correct place to reveal the 24 Christmas pictures. With help the kids cut open 3 sides of the 24 doors, using a craft knife and then numbered them 1 - 24. I taped around the perimeter to attach the 2 sheets together. This took a lot of effort by the kids, but decades later they still talk about the excitement the whole process was. The word ADVENT means "the coming" (of Jesus)
4. CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS ~

We hang the Christmas stocking from the mantle piece above the fire. You can make them from felt using a simple boot shape, hand stitch the initial for each person out of cord and then one sewing line around the edge on the sewing machine, including a tab or loop to hang the stocking by - make sure it is strong enough if you intend to put things of weight into the stocking. We hang our stockings when the Christmas tree comes - which is tomorrow!!!
5. THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS PLAY ~
Before we open presents we have the family Christmas play. It started as a simple thing where our older kids where little and wanted to perform this for Dad, and the tradition has stuck.

The play is based on the Christmas story from the Bible, in Matthew chapter 1 verse 18 - chapter 2 verse 16 and Luke chapter 2 verse 1 to 20.  ~ Some years the  kids dress up and mime the story while someone narrates the story.
~ Some years the kids made paper bag puppets of the characters, and held them up from behind the couch, speaking parts of the story while the narrator filled in the rest.
~ Some years a child who could read read the story, stopping at parts so everyone could sing a Christmas carol about that point in the story.
~ Some years on a large piece of paper the children drew what happened along the paper, like a continuous cartoon, as an older child read the Christmas story.
The older our kids get and as new people join our family, the play continues to change, and this year we will have a real baby again to play Jesus, welcoming a new generation.
6. PRESENT OPENING ~

In our family we take a L-O-N-G time to open presents at Christmas. To begin we make sure we have plenty of drinks and nibbles right there to eat. Presents are handed out so each person has a pile in front of them. The youngest person goes first, choosing 1 present and opens it while everyone watches. Then the second youngest person has their turn, and so on.

7. CHRISTMAS DAY FOOD ~

We have our main Christmas day meal at lunchtime and before we get to that, we have an assortment of food we all love - special cheeses, nuts, olives, pretzels, with special juices, cider, wine, beer or mixer drinks.

My husband BBQs the turkey in the webber BBQ.

We also have cold ham on the bone and fresh dug potatoes from our garden.

Then there's lots of salads and fantastic vegetable dishes.

Dessert is the Christmas pudding with cold custard (like Jamie Oliver I buy the supermarket custard), fresh cream and good quality ice cream. 

Christmas day dessert traditionally has a lavish spread of strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

With satisfied appetites, some choose to play soccer or cricket while others chat or snooze.

8. SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS ANGEL CHIMES ~

This little gizmo was only invented to be cute, and it fascinates little children as the angels move around in circles and a dinging sound is made all because the small candles are lit and so heat the metal and air.

9. FIVE CANDLES IN A DISH ~

We use a large terracotta dish to set 5 candles in. Then we fill the dish with foliage from the garden which is changed every couple of days. It sits on the table and on the first Sunday in December while we eat lunch or dinner we light 1 candle, then the second Sunday we light two candles, the third Sunday three candles, and if as in this year there are four Sundays before Christmas, we light four candles on the fourth Sunday of December. On Christmas day we light all 5 candles.

We use this as a weekly reminder of Christmas coming nearer, when The Light of the world (a name for Jesus) was born.

Where this tradition comes from? 

~ it could be based on Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, an eight day Jewish holiday which commemorates the rededication of Jerusalem's then cleansed temple. The festival is celebrated in the Jewish month of Kislev, which is at about the time of our Christmas. Each night 1 more candle is lit till finally all 8 are alight plus a ninth central one.

~ the Catholic church holds the tradition of a Christmas wreath with 4 candles. Three are purple candles symbolising hope, peace and love and are lit on the first, second and fourth Sundays of December. The fourth candle is rose coloured, symbolising joy and is to be lit on the third Sunday. Sometimes a fifth candle which is white is added, symbolising the birth of Jesus.

THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS~ talk about some traditions you want to continue or begin this Christmas, and enjoy creating great memories in your family.

Cathy

                                                          

"NOVEMBER:EAT ECONOMICAL, HEALTHY, TASTY AND SEASONAL" WEEK 110 QUOTE 110

"The superiority of the potato rests comfortably on its nutritional excellence. Much of its value lies in or near the skin so the most effective way of preserving that goodness is by cooking it unpeeled, especially when fresh.... Of the seven nutrients essential to sustain health, the potato provides six. And again, in considering this remarkable concentration of goodness, it is important to sustain in the cooking and eating the food-value of the jacket,"   page 84, Jack Forsyth's : Scrumptious Tucker. 
My husband LOVES potatoes, but I have never been so smitten. Now, having read the above, I need to reform my view.
The potato has been labelled as 'fattening', but the truth is potatoes are not fattening. The fattening comes from what is put on them and the quantity of these additions. 
If you are interested in what the seven nutrients essential to sustain life, are, click here-http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Essential-Nutrients&id=1807134 The nutrient potato is missing is fat.
BACON AND SPINACH SALAD WITH POTATOES. (60mins to prepare and cook) 
Serves 5 adults.

I cooked for 4 adults but it generously stretched to feed 5 adults when my daughter and baby arrived - I just added extra potato to cover her.
As I have mentioned before, the best nutrients in some fruit and veggies lie just under the skin - this is the case with potatoes so eat them in their skin, and avocado is the same, so scrape all of it out of the skin. Don't let the garbage bin eat better than you!
Nutritional benefits you gain in this meal, are, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and a great Vitamin K source. Great supply of Protein, Iron, Phosphorous, Selenium, Calcium and Carotenoids.
Health benefits from this combination of foods is amazing in number, from being a great brain builder, strengthener of the nervous system and myelin sheath around your nerve cells, to assisting in good heart health, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and preventing stroke and heart attacks. There are great benefits to the immune system and protection from cancer particularly of the breast and prostate. But the overall huge health benefit is for the eyes with the prevention of cataracts, macular degeneration, conjunctivitis, and improvement to eyesight, along with assistance for skin problems such as acne and ageing wrinkles. 

INGREDIENTS: 
Slurp of Olive oil
500g Bacon
1 Avocado
1 packet Spinach
1 Coriander plant
1 Large Red Onion
250g Mushrooms
1 bunch Asparagus
4 Large Potatoes
250g Sour Cream 
PREPARATION AND COOKING: 
1. Turn on oven 180*C/350*F fan on. Wash 1 large Potato for each person and cook 1 hour in the oven.
2. Peel and thin slice Onion.

3. Wash and slice Mushroom, Asparagus, Spinach and Coriander

I snap a small section off the bottom of each stalk to get rid of the tough section at the end.

4. Using scissors, cut the rind off the Bacon. Cut Bacon into strips.

 5. Heat a large pan and add a slurp of Olive Oil.

6. Add Onion to the pan, lid on and cook 5 mins. 

Cut Avocado in halves, remove the stone, then cut fruit into chunks and leave in the skin until needed.

Spoon Sour Cream into serving dish. I only used 1/2 the amount I bought. 2Tablespoons per person is ample and there is no health risk with this quantity.

7. Shovel Onion onto one side of the pan and add enough Bacon strips to cover the pan, lightly browning strips and turning to brown on the second side. You will need to do this in loads as all the Bacon strips won't fit into the pan at once.

Meanwhile the Red Onion gently cooks away. Return all the Bacon to the pan when it all is cooked.
8. Add Mushrooms and stir through. Lid on to cook 5mins.
9. Add Asparagus and Coriander and stir.. Lid on to cook 3mins.
10. Add Spinach and Avocado, stir. Lid on for 2mins, then mix with tongs, turning until Spinach is lightly cooked. The Avocado will break down, partially into a type of sauce.

MINTED PINEAPPLE DESSERT (9mins to prepare and cook)
Serves 5+ adults.

This dessert is quick to prepare and prefect to finish a meal with for your digestive system's sake, and it's especially beautiful through the hot summer months.
Nutritional benefits from this dessert are, a huge source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Calcium.
Health benefits. Both mint and pineapple are strong fighters against colds, and as said above, help in digestion. Other benefits include, building strong bones, maintaining good gum and skin health, including combatting acne, a breath freshener, and headache and nausea reliever.

INGREDIENTS: 
1 fresh Pineapple
2 - 3 stems Mint (these were from our garden)
1/8  cup Sugar
PREPARATION AND COOKING: 
1. Cut skin off the pineapple.

2. Slice Pineapple as you prefer - thin or thick sliced.

3. Wash Mint and put into a mortar and pestle along with the Sugar. Carefully at first, then more purposefully, smash the Mint and Sugar in the mortar and pestle.

4. Cut Pineapple slices into 1/2s or 1/4ths so they are easy to pick up and eat. Arrange pieces on a plate.

5. Spoon the Mint Sugar onto the Pineapple pieces and refrigerate till needed.
TOTAL COST OF THIS MEAL TO FEED 5 ADULTS = $28.85NZ
Ingredients were bought at Pak'N Save Silverdale, Auckland New Zealand, Monday 26th November 2012.
I have not included the cost of a "slurp of Olive Oil", "1/8 cup Sugar", or "2 - 3 stems of Mint".

Here are the artsy photos I enjoyed taking.

THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS~ cook a salad together.
Cathy

"A CASE FOR READING HISTORY" WEEK 109 QUOTE 109

This is the final post in the series of "A CASE FOR READING...."
"A CASE FOR READING HISTORY" is written my me.
" My earliest memory of actually tuning in to history was at age 13, when I began my three-year study of Asian Social Studies. It was a new subject in the curriculum and it 'worked' for me because history was connected to art, to politics, to geography, to culture ..... It seemed real and it truly lived for me. 
FOUR REASONS TO READ HISTORY ~
1.  In the words of Charlotte Mason, "To us in particular who are living in one of the great epochs of history it is necessary to know something of what has gone before in order to think justly of what is occurring today." 'A Philosophy of Education': Charlotte Mason
This is so true. We regularly react to international news items on face value, totally or partially ignorant of background or events leading up to today. How can we "think justly" on today's happenings, when they are delivered to us by biased news media, unless we read history for ourselves. 
I have recently been reading about the Vietnam War with one of my sons and happened on the books "Witness to History The Vietnam War":Michael Burgan. It wonderfully gives a brief history of Vietnam from the beginning of time through to the 20th century. We felt informed, understanding the aggressions and choices especially as we read the many personal interviews with people of all positions from both sides. 
2.  A second reason to read history is that it provides vivid and substantial material for children  to bring into play. As children read about the lives of great people throughout history, they naturally want to try-it-out to get a sense of how it feels to be the one who brings freedom to the besiege city, or finally navigates the way home out of the perilous storm, like Odysseus in "The Wanderings of Odysseus", and it's previous book, "Black Ships Before Troy", both by Rosemary Sutcliff, and fantastically illustrated by Alan Lee. 
Even as adults we often continue to ponder over a crisis we read about in a book, trying to make sense of it for ourselves.

3.  Reading history gives growing children an appreciation and connection between themselves or their culture and people or cultures of the past. Charlotte Mason again says, "We can not live sanely unless we know that other people are as we are with a difference, that their history is as ours, with a difference, that they too have been represented by their poets and their artists, that they too have their literature and their natural life." 'A Philosophy of Education':Charlotte Mason. Historical fiction is great for this reason, putting the reader along side the characters of the book. Books that we love in this category, are, "Joseph Haydn The Merry Little Peasant":Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher and "Handel at the Court of Kings":Opal Wheeler, "The Usbourne First Book of History" and the "Usbourne Book of World History"

4.  Reading history enriches a child's mind and imagination, giving a great storehouse of ideas from which they can judge the behaviour of nations and govern their own conduct. A person's mind is built, Charlotte Mason says "feeds", on well written history, because it provides an assortment of important and trivial human experiences. Through reading this kind of history we get to see the consequences and results of behaviour and decisions. In time we weigh things up and form opinions and judgements which we apply to our own time in history and our own lives. "The Golden Goblet":E.J. McGraw and books by G.A. Henty - there are lots to choose from, some of our favourites are "Beric the Briton", "The Cat of the Bubastes", "Saint Bartholomew's Eve", are this style of book. 

This brings us back to where I started at the start of this series, with  Virginia Woolf's comments on reading - the collecting of thoughts, allowing time for them to sit in our mind and then "come to the surface" in the form of our own views, opinions and choices in life.
Many of the books I have mentioned are historical fiction which is an easy way for people of all ages to get into history.
Two other series in history I think worth mentioning are the "Horrible History" books which give bite-sized information often presented in humorous ways, and the "My Country" series of New Zealand history which are concise, perfect for someone to get a feel for NZ history.

THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS~ start thinking how you can introduce history into your soon-to-be-here summer holiday months (if you are here in the southern hemisphere), or into your months around the fire in the evening (if you are in the northern hemisphere). Could some history books be a good item to write on the Christmas list?
Cathy

"A CASE FOR READING SCIENCE" WEEK 108 QUOTE 108

This is the 7th post in the series 'A CASR FOR READING..." . 
"A CASE FOR READING SCIENCE" is written by Angela Robb.

"I have been raised by parents who both love books and I soon acquired my own love of reading a variety of different books. My natural curiosity 

about how things work, and my love of the natural world, both served to fuel my reading of science. I read science because I wanted to know 

more about how the created world worked.

Knowing how things work

I still have not forgotten the excitement I experienced when reading a basic book about how taps work. “So when we pull or turn the handle,

that’s what happens inside!” It was such a revelation for me to realise how an ordinary, every-day-life tool actually performed it's task. Have

you ever wondered how taps work? Do you know? How about knowing

how a car engine ignites, or why birds and airplanes both can fly? This interest in knowing how things worked is a major motivation in reading 

science books.

Naming nature - identification guides

From a young age, I have loved animals, plants, and most things in the natural world. This naturally encouraged learning more about the

natural world, not only through my own observations, but also through

much reading of science books - especially those with good pictures. When our family noticed a bird in the garden, or found a crawly-

creature on the patio (or in our bedroom!), we would often wonder what it was. Referring to a well-used book (Collins Field Guide to New Zealand 

Wildlife) helped us discover that the bird in our yard was a goldfinch, who 

naturally ate seeds, or that the little critter was a common skink (or maybe a copper skink) that would need live bugs if I wanted to keep it as 

a pet. Often we would flick through these nature guides in our own time 

and only later discover some animal was familiar because we could recall the photo and name from the book. We could then look it up by name to 

learn more about it. Having these reference guides proved valuable.

Practical information (for a personal interest, to learn from the expertise of others, to add interest to life...)

When I wanted a pet, my parents wisely made me learn about caring for pets first. This motivated me to explore the local library. There I found 

the aisle of pet care books and it soon became a familiar favourite of mine as I browsed books about rabbits, chickens, budgies, tropical fish, 

and Newfoundland dogs. After becoming the delighted owner of a pet 

rabbit, I would borrow every guide on rabbit care, soon deciding on a couple favourite books, and then refferring to them for ideas, 

suggestions, and help - especially when breeding my bunnies or dealing 

with sick pets. It wasn't long before I discovered the other side of the 

aisle, and enjoyed browsing all sorts of books – from dairy cows and small-farming, to square-food gardening and composting. In these books 

I found years of experience written to give me a head-start when 

them myself - and even though I still have not owned a dairy cow, 

knowing more about these animals and how they can be raised has added interest to my life. There is a wealth of knowledge found in 

practical books applying science to everyday life - like preparing food, cleaning techniques, and how to make the best paper airplane. We do 

well to find books about what we want to learn, and then learn from 

someone who knows more than us.

Enjoying nature from a new view - photo books and nature journals

Besides being practical, science books are also enjoyable. I was given a large book about baby animals for one birthday, and thought I have

yet to read any of the text (written at an adult level), I browsed the photos and often practiced drawing ducklings, bear cubs and foals

copied from the pages. There are some talented artists and 

photographers whose love for nature is shown in stunning glimpses of nature. These illustrated books are a pleasure to browse through and

observe the natural world in ways we may never have noticed or had the 

chance to experience on our own. Most of us will never travel to Antarctica, notice the detail in a butterfly’s wing, or get a close-up view 

of an owl’s nest, but through these books we can not only see them, but often read about the experience for ourselves. We might be inspired to 

start our own nature journal, or go exploring the world with a camera.  

These closer looks at nature give us a greater depth of understanding and appreciation for the wonders of creation.

Stories of scientists - biographies

Besides enjoying books about science, you can also read about scientists themselves. My Mum, who is not so interested in science, finds 

biographies of scientists a fascinating entryway into the scientific world. There are a wide range of these book, from children's picture books to 

those with more detailed chapters. Through them my family has enjoyed 

the intricate snowflakes photographed by George Bentley, discovered multiple uses for the peanut with George Washington Carver, 

experimented gliding with the Wright brothers, and started the stars with

Johannes Kepler. The stories of these curious scientists inspire us to a greaterinterest in the world around us and how it works.

This wide variety of science books has not even included the type of science books most common at school – scinece textbooks. Some of

these are well-written and can be a helpful way to get a more detailed

knowledge of science. There are also a host of other area-specific books available to facilitate an interest in science – whether a whole book dedicated to how spiders spin webs, why we see colours in a rainbow, what makes up a cell, how our body digests food, or a collection ideas for 

creative science experiments to try at home.

So what are you waiting for?

Look up some of the books recommended below, or search your library for books in an area of interest, and get inspired about science. Why 

don’t you get yourself (and your children) interested in exploring the

incredible world around us, and how it is designed to work?

Nature Journals

- Edith Holden, A Country diary of and Edwardian Lady

- Joyce Blake, New Zealand is a Garden (and other titles)

- Elaine Power, Elaine Power’s Living Garden: An illustrated nature diary, Countryside and garden birds of New Zealand (Look for her

other nature books, in particular those with a focus on birds)

- Leslie & Roth, Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a whole new way of seeing the world around you

- Chris Gaskin, A Walk to the Beach

Stories of Scientists

- Jacqueline Briggs Martin, Snowflake Bentley (George Bentley)

(also see - Kenneth Libbrecht, The Art of the Snowflake: a photographic album, for wonderful photography and story)

- John Hudson Tiner, Johannes Kepler: Giant of Faith and Science (Johannes Kepler) - look out for other titles both scientist biographies

and other science books by this author

- Sam Wellman, George Washington Carver: Inventor and Naturalist (George Washington Carver)

- Quentin Reynolds, The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of American Aviation (Orville and Wilbur Wright)

- You could also look up “Scholastic biographies” for books about scientists

Children’s Picture books

- Jenkins & Page, What do you do with a tail like this?

- Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science books (easy-read books that explore scientific ideas) Titles include: Volcanoes/by Franklyn M.

Branley ; illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Bugs are Insects/by Ann

Rockwell ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins. What makes day and night/

Franklyn M. Branley ; illustrated by Arthur Dorros. Clouds/by Anne

Rockwell ; illustrated by Frané Lessac.

- Leonora and Arthur Hornblow, Insects do the Strangest Things (see books with similar titles by these authors)

- Philip Dobson, How Taps work (this is the book that I loved as a child - strangely available at Auckland libraries only in Chinese/English

Bilingual version titled “Taps and Water”)

- Chris Gaskin, A Walk to the Beach

- Sandra Markle (a host of books on the natural world, some with all illustrated) titles include...Killer whales, Sneaky, spinning, baby

spiders, and, Insects : biggest! littlest!

Photos of the Nature

- Paul Sterry, Baby animals : a portrait of the animal world (the book I have enjoyed drawing pictures from)

- Geoff Moon, New Zealand Birds in focus: a photographer’s journey, New Zealand Forest Birds and Their world

- Thomas Marent, Titles include: Butterfly, Frog, and, Rainforest

Identification Guides

- Chris Gaskin, A Walk to the Beach

- Geoff Moon, The Reed field guide to New Zealand wildlife

- Barrie D. Heather & Hugh A. Robertson ; illustrated by Derek J. Onley, The field guide to the birds of New Zealand

- Terence Lindsey, Collins Field Guide to New Zealand Wildlife, (the guide our family owned and used)

- Andrew Crowe - this author has done fantastic work in all areas of New Zealand flora and fauna, keep an eye out for any titles by him,

such as... -Which New Zealand bird?, illustrated by Dave Gunson. -The life-size guide to insects & other land invertebrates of New Zealand

- The life-size guide to New Zealand wildflowers

Some of my favourites in areas of personal interest

Permaculture - Introduction to Permaculture, Bill Mollison

Composting - The compost book, David & Yvonne Taylor ; illustrated by Helen McCosker.

Digestion - Good Gut Health, Kathryn Marsden

Rabbit care - The Rabbit Handbook, Karen Gendron

Gardening - Square Food Gardening, Mel Bartholomew."

THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS~ with all this wealth of ideas of where to start reading science, declare a science week at your house - there's something suggested here for ALL ages. You could all swap books after a day or two, which would be a great conversation starter.

Cathy