Project Life :: October 28 - November 3

Project Life for the week of October 28 through November 3. We are just four or five weeks until the end of the year and I have a little backlog of weeks to get caught up on before the end of 2013. This is one of the weeks that I've managed to catch up on while we've enjoyed a few days of Thanksgiving break.





On the left:

This is probably one of the few times that you will see me do this type of layout but the left side is all from one day. The reason: I took a day off of tutoring at Classical Conversations and had the chance to observe in N1 and B's class for the day. I love tutoring CC each week, and N2 is in my class so that means that I get to see lots of her. : ) However, that means it is hard to just be "mama" and sit in on the other girls' classes and watch them do presentations. I tutored B's class last year, but I've never been in class with N1 before so that was a real treat. All these photos are from that Tuesday - watching their tutors teach, watching our amazing pre-K tutor go over the science experiement with the little kids, and watching N1 and B do presentations. I had promised that the week that I was off, we could take our instruments for presentation and it was so fun to see them talk about them and share what they have been learning.





On the right:



A few miscellaneous fall shots that I loved on the top. The bottom row is all from an event at our church on Saturday night. T spend a huge chunk of time this fall working with the youth at our church, putting together a youth band. Their first performance was the opening service of our annual Missions Conference and they knocked it out of the ballpark. It was so fun to see these kids take some of the worship songs that we sing regularly and put them into their own arrangements. And T was most definitely in his element - teach and music combined - and you could tell everyone up there was having a blast.



The bottom right photo flips up to reveal a closer group photo and some journaling, but I didn't photograph it.

Supplies used:
Project Life Kraft kit I used the digi version.
Martha Stewart file folder labels (found at Staples)
Badges and sticker on the bottom right photo from my monthly Studio Calico kit

iPhone photos v. real camera: all photos are iPhone with the exception of the bottom row on the right layout. I actually broke out my point and shoot for a few pics.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving week. : )

Project Life is a product and a system created by Becky Higgins and available on Amazon.com, DigitalProjectLife.com, and many major craft retailers. It can be anything you want it to be. You can view all my posts about Project Life here. I'm always happy to answer questions about how Project Life works for me, if you have any. Affiliate links used where available.

Simple Things Sunday

I stole a few moments and played the piano this afternoon for a while. Realized how very rusty I am, but what a gift to enjoy music and be able to fumblingly play a little on a cold Sunday afternoon.

Linking up with Rebecca.

Thankful Daybook

I made the mistake of looking and it has been May since I've done a daybook. I love this snippets of what has been going on here and miss the record of things that have happened. Here's to catching up a bit...

Outside my window...

It has been a cold, wet, drizzly day today. Pretty perfect for November. Although I wouldn't have complained if I'd seen some afternoon sun. I do love a grey day - perfect for blankets and comfy clothes. Especially when it's our family pizza and movie night and we're hunkering down for the evening.

I am thinking...

That I need a teacher's inservice day. A day to look at the calendar and map out the next few months. Trying to figure out to make it happen ... may mean a movie day for munchkins but I'm sure that won't be a problem for them. : )

I am thankful...

that we have reached our holiday break. Almost every activity has wrapped up for the year with just a couple of exceptions and I'm reveling in the chance to get caught up on lots and lots of things. My list is probably overambitious, but it's been such a busy fall, I can't help myself.

In the kitchen...



Nada. It's pizza night tonight so no cooking for me! The photo above is from the Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake which I made last weekend for a dinner. There is something about making a cake from scratch that I kinda like.

I am wearing...

Black maxi skirt, light pink tshirt, darker pink hoodie and slippers.

I am creating...

Some plans for December. Lists of Christmas books I need to reserve at the library.

I am going...

to hopefully get a bundle of errands crossed off my list tomorrow. Our schedule this year means that I don't have much time during the week to get out and run errands, grab a few groceries, etc., so tomorrow is catch-up day. I've realized that one child has no tennis shoes to speak of and another doesn't have a winter coat so that plus the few groceries we need will fill our afternoon.

I am wondering...


I am reading...


We had quite a successful run at the library today. And my Thanksgiving reading plans are quite optimistic. And laughable. : ) Seriously, though. I need to do a book post soon! We have read some really great read-alouds this fall and I don't want to forget them.

I am hoping...

For a restful break next week from school. I've been running on empty for a few weeks now (a couple little people have gotten in a bad habit of getting up during the night for random reasons) and I need a break from that. Or a nap. Or both.

I am looking forward to...

a Christmas tree. We are getting on this year. A real one. We've made-do the last two years with a mini tree - with a cruising 1 year old, then a 2 year old boy, it seemed the thing to do. But I so missed a bigger tree full of lights. Please don't hear that as a complaint because it was the season of life we were in ... but I'm excited about a big tree this year.

I am learning...

Lessons in where I am and am not spending my time wisely. Changes are afoot, but implementing them. That's where it gets hard!

Around the house...

Not too shabby, but the first two days of our break next week will involve some detail work in a couple of the kids' bedrooms. Nothing bad, but just some straightening and organizing that I can't get to and do school and feed people and mop the kitchen and ... so on. : )

Clicking around...

Teaching from a State of Rest
A Ministry of Openness

One of my favorite things...



This dude. He keeps me on my toes.

A few plans for the rest of the week/weekend:

Errands on Saturday + work in the kitchen. Church Thanksgiving service + potluck on Sunday. And I believe Monday is going to be a day of rest (+ laundry).

A peek into my day...



Photo added on Saturday.  A few kid-requested kitchen treats.

Jelly Telly Post :: Psalm 121

I have a new post up on the Jelly Telly blog today. A little bit of stream-of-consciousness writing and what I've been thinking about in light of one of my favorite Psalms.

Lasagna Soup

 
Today was our last day of our Classical Conversations tutorial for the fall. (Insert loud cheer here!) The last 12 weeks (or so) have been full, full, FULL, but I think over all we have finished well. I knew I would be tired today after our last day so I'm not sure why I picked this soup to make for dinner instead of my normal crockpot Tuesday plan. However, I'm so glad I did! I was cold all. day. long. and it turns out that cooking something hot and scrumptious slowly over the stove when I got home was just what I needed today. I wish I remembered exactly where I saw this recipe the first time ... maybe life {in} grace? ... so I could give credit.

Lasagna Soup
My edits are in parenthesis; most things I left out were because I didn't have the ingredient.

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (I used Italian turkey sausage)
3 c. chopped onions.
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (left this out)
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (used regular diced)
2 bay leaves (left out)
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

additional cheesy yum:
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

 

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

 

Source (these were notes from the original recipe)Adapted from  300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski's magazine from Kowalski’s Markets .

 
My notes: this was DELICIOUS. The cheese mixture made the soup in my opinion and was well worth the calories. The only thing that I think I will do differently the next time is used crushed tomatoes instead of diced. I have several that will eat tomatoes without complaint as long as they can't see the big chunks. Though there weren't any complaints, I think I'll get an even better response without the chunks.

Enjoy!

10 on the 10th :: Sunday View

Catching up after one was at camp all weekend.



One came back from camp to show me how she learned to highlight things in her Bible.



Thinking about the week. And coffee.



Sunday night is breakfast for dinner and the one night where I am agreeable to being a short order cook.



About to get messy in here.



Plotting.



Crashed.



Working (and playing).



What I should have been doing last night.



What I did instead.

Simple Things Sunday

Sometimes breaking out the leftover Halloween candy is the best way to get us through our memory work on a week that has been seriously topsy-turvy as far as a complete lack of schedule. 

Linking up with Rebecca.

Hello November

Hello November.

Hello to leaves everywhere.

Hello to boys (and girls) enjoying those last few moments of daylight on cool afternoons before the sun sets so early.

Hello to cozy evenings inside, listening to music and learning together. (He’s walking her through the sheet music to the Hallelujah Chorus as they listen).

Hello to cozy suppers. (And cozy lunch leftovers).

Hello to plans and thoughts on paper.

Hello to evenings under the blankets with a good book (or several).

Hello to thankfulness and family and remembering … all things that come to mind as part of November.