25 Christmas books, 25 days.
All for just over $6 ~ the trick is to shop the thrift stores the day before Thanksgiving, when the shoppers are distracted by turkeys and the stores are just setting out their best Christmas goods.
Happy, happy December!

The Little Farm in Berkeley ~ still a great time.

Briones’ affinity for catching wayward hens ~ she drew a crowd of kids on a school field trip.

Adeline’s little legs ~ around and around we went.

Red barns and matching sweaters ~ What luck!

Tired out ~ time to go home, with a promise to come back very soon.

{Little Indian Bean Breads waiting to be boiled}

“Life is made up of little things. He who travels over a continent must go step by step. He who writes books must do it sentence by sentence. He who learns a science must master it fact by fact, and principle after principle. What is the happiness of our life made up of? Little courtesies, little kindnesses, pleasant words, genial smiles, a friendly letter, good wishes, and good deeds. One in a million – once in a lifetime – may do a heroic action; but the little things that make up our life come every day and every hour. If we make the little events of life beautiful and good, then is the whole life full of beauty and goodness.”
-The Royal Path of Life (1879)

1960′s – My grandparents kept a duck in the northwest corner of the yard. Its name was Doodles.

2011 – Our flock of hens, in the northwest corner of the yard.

Christmas 2008 - Holiday card outake

Earlier this year my family drew up House Rules and posted them like a proclamation on the fridge. Although they are sometimes broken or ignored, I think this little list has made such a difference in our lives! The proclamation is there. It is framed. It has our signatures (not necessary, but just how we roll). Most importantly, the twelve guidelines are on everyone’s radar and are often the topic of many a discussion. As our family is evolving, I thought we might add to the list in the new year. I like some of the Duggar Family’s House Guidelines and thought we might borrow a couple. Here are our House Rules for now, which isn’t a bad start at all:

1. Never both be angry at the same time.
2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.
3. If one of you has to win an argument, let it be the other.
4. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly.
5. Never bring up mistakes of the past.
6. Neglect the whole world rather than each other.
7. Never go to sleep with an argument unsettled.
8. At least once every day say one kind or complimentary thing to each other.
9. When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it and ask for forgiveness.
10. It takes two to make a quarrel, and the one in the wrong is the one who does the most talking.
11. If you have the choice between making yourself or the other person look good ~ choose the other person.
12. Never meet without an affectionate greeting.

Me, a long time ago. Holy glasses!

My daughter – 2011

The baby smuggling a rubber ducky to the breakfast table this morning prompted an online search of a favorite sesame street jam..

..which then ensued in an impromptu dance party, which led to further delay in the morning meal, but nevertheless turned out to be an interesting (and memorable) way to begin the day. Happy Monday!

My grandpa by the hearth – 1970′s

My daughter by the hearth – 2011

The littlest girl loves airplanes. She points and waves and says “Hi! Hi! Hiiiiiii!”

The biggest girl loves Amelia Earhart. She says so on her blog, Miss American Girl. It’s rainy today. It’s cozy and the neighborhood is fragrant with woodburning. I hear the planes pass over the house and wonder if my biggest girl will take me on a ride in her plane one day. Time passes so quickly, it makes my head spin to know that this time that we spend with our children is sweet but very, very short before they are ready to fly away.. I do love this poem although I’m not sure where it came from ~ it’s a sweet reminder to cherish our little ones.

Oh give me patience when wee hands

Tug at me with their small demands.

And give me gentle and smiling eyes.

Keep my lips from hasty replies.

And let not weariness, confusion, or noise

Obscure my vision of life’s fleeting joys.

So when, in years to come my house is still-

No bitter memories its room may fill.

The Girl Scouts pale in comparison to the Boy Scout’s life and survival skills. Why should our girls miss out? We are following the Boy Scout ranks and curriculum at home as a family and are having a blast!

We kicked off the first meeting by setting some goals as well as looking  through my husband’s old scouting patches and hearing his tales of exploring the outdoors and conquering mountains.

We’ve added a new text to study in our homeschool and I could not be more excited! It’s the American History Cookbook by Mark H. Zanger — 350 recipes from all parts of American history, exactly as they were written down, mostly from 1524 to 1977. And with modern directions. So you can cook and taste along with participants in American history including Native Americans, explorers, colonists, settlers, slaves, soldiers, pioneers, presidents, the urban poor, inventors, campers, health food enthusiasts…

Today we began with recipe one from First Nations and Early Settlers: Shuckey Beans, sometimes called Leatherbritches Beans or A-Ni-Ka-Yo-Sv-Hi Tsu-ya by Eastern Native American Groups.

Basically, we cleaned and trimmed 2 lbs. green beans, used the Native American method of sewing the beans onto string (we used a darning needle and kite string), and then hung them to dry. When the beans dry and shrivel (maybe after a week or so), they can be taken down and stored in a jar. To cook later on in the winter time, as the pioneers did, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Simmer 1/2 hour, and again drain off the water. Add a ham hock or salt pork to the beans and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, as much as two more hours. Serve with Hoe Cakes or Sagamite, or Indian bread for an Indian meal; or with cornbread for a settler meal.

This is way cool to do as a family – I cannot wait to really get into this book. Maybe you’ll be inspired to follow along too..

A favorite quote from the book:
“You should cook with other people. The contemporary nuclear family with one-cook kitchens was not the norm over most of American history. Indian cooks, army cooks, slave cooks, and most other cooks worked alongside other people. In farm families, two or three generations of women worked together in the kitchen even when neighbors and visitors werent around. Not only do professional cooking students always cook with an experienced professional to answer questions, but many expert cooks like to work in a group, since they can compare techniques and discuss problems (and gossip and have a good time).”
-Mark H. Zanger, The American History Cookbook

“I am thankful for all that I have. I am. However, I will not enumerate all that I have throughout this month. Why? Because I’m not only blessed in November. And there are those who have lost spouses, children, jobs, and health, and to think that my public proclamation of gratitude would remind anyone of what they don’t have, or what they have lost, is unacceptable to me. Instead, my prayers of gratitude will be quiet and personal, as they should be.”

-N.T.B.

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