A Week, Briefly (2/26/18)
As I wrote in depth about Tuesday, I thought it might be kind of pointless to write about the week in general.
Especially as I don't have any more pictures to share.
But stuff did happen that deserves to be recorded.
The teens and I had a book club meeting on Friday about Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It was a challengingly sexual and violent book to read--not one I'd have chosen had I known (and I did a powerful lot of editing as I read aloud). However, it opened doors for lots of discussion, and the story is so compelling that I'm really glad we've at least been exposed to it.
Due to the fact that zero copies were available at the library and the shipping delays in the copy I ordered, we didn't get to start this 263 page book until Wednesday!
So when book club time came, in spite of our best efforts, we still had 59 pages left to read.
We pulled up an online synopsis so we could participate in the general discussion, but we're going to finish the actual book ourselves over the course of the week to come.
The only movie version was a 1984 made-for-TV movie. I'm grateful, because a more modern version would be too explicit for our viewing!
Discussion was stilted--the teens had a hard time talking honestly in a group with their moms about sex, religion, and violence. But in general, the day was a success.
Sir Walter Scott had a Dad-Day with the elementary 8. I took a poll the next morning and found that the highlights of their time with him were watching him grill hamburgers for lunch and helping him fold up the finally-dry tarps from Pixie's birthday party. :)
Belle and I have begun digging up the garden in preparation for early planting . . . the only problem is I can't remember where I put the sugar snap pea, spinach, and lettuce seeds for safe keeping!
Nature Angel finished her science book. She was less than thrilled when I brought out a new one to take its place, but she's good natured, and she'll work on it. She's only days away from finishing her math book, and I don't think I'll give her another. Math is a duty for her, and her hard work this year has been done with the anticipation of finishing up rather than the thrill of moving forward.
Mister Man finished his science book, too. He loved every minute of working on it--even planting a rock to see if it was living. He thought that was the funniest thing he'd done in a long time. It still makes him laugh over a week later! The next 3 workbooks are on their way in the mail. He's chomping at the bit to do more.
Sir Walter Scott has designed a magnificent (in my opinion) chicken coop for us, and he's started working on it in earnest. Looks like we'll finally get chickens this year!
Nature Angel submitted a drawing to Doodle for Google. It's quite good, and based on our studies of past winners, she has as good a chance as anyone of being selected for some level of honor. No matter what happens in the weeks to come, she's had a really good experience of working incredibly hard on something that matters greatly to her.
A major focus of my week has been our diet. We've had some marvelous progress in physical health, mental health, academic success, and general well-being by making changes in how we eat. However, it is expensive, time-consuming, and not a panacea.
Some issues go beyond diet.
And not everyone benefits from the same changes.
I simply cannot have 14 meal plans for 14 people. I've been forced to choose a trade-off here for a benefit there. For example, Brother was just wasting away and became incredibly weepy when we were very strictly trying to follow the GAPS diet. I carefully considered, and have brought back oats--but only steel-cut, soaked-overnight oats. Brother is doing better, but Mister Man's belly bloats after he eats them, and I see a reduction in Beowulf's coping skills. Mister Man and Beowulf love having oatmeal again, and as neither is incapacitated by the change, and Brother is far happier and stronger now, I've kept it.
But sometimes as Beowulf is having a screaming tantrum, I can't help but wonder if I'm doing right by him.
And Baymax seems to be allergic to bananas . . . bananas!!!
I cannot bring myself to remove the cheapest, most versatile, and absolute favorite fruit from our diet!
I keep hoping I'm wrong--that there's something environmental going on that is just coinciding with his eating of bananas. (And with the spring weather we've been having, it's entirely possible.)
Pixie loves the dietary changes. She says she's never felt so well (she abstains from oatmeal). Sir Walter Scott feels good things happening for him. And I'm so stable mental-health-wise that I'm off my meds and coping rather well.
We dream of hot sourdough bread slathered in butter, though.
Saturday night was our homeschool talent show. The 6 youngest performed their dance to "Swinging on a Star," Belle recited a Shel Silverstein poem, Nature Angel put out a display of her doll clothes, Little Princess displayed photos she's taken, and Pixie choreographed a clogging routine to "9 to 5" that she performed with Nature Angel and Belle. It was to die for cute!
Other friends did skits, sang songs, performed on the piano and violin, did acrobatic routines, and lots more. It was such a fun night! How grateful I am for our homeschooling community!
(linking here)
Especially as I don't have any more pictures to share.
But stuff did happen that deserves to be recorded.
The teens and I had a book club meeting on Friday about Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It was a challengingly sexual and violent book to read--not one I'd have chosen had I known (and I did a powerful lot of editing as I read aloud). However, it opened doors for lots of discussion, and the story is so compelling that I'm really glad we've at least been exposed to it.
Due to the fact that zero copies were available at the library and the shipping delays in the copy I ordered, we didn't get to start this 263 page book until Wednesday!
So when book club time came, in spite of our best efforts, we still had 59 pages left to read.
We pulled up an online synopsis so we could participate in the general discussion, but we're going to finish the actual book ourselves over the course of the week to come.
The only movie version was a 1984 made-for-TV movie. I'm grateful, because a more modern version would be too explicit for our viewing!
Discussion was stilted--the teens had a hard time talking honestly in a group with their moms about sex, religion, and violence. But in general, the day was a success.
Sir Walter Scott had a Dad-Day with the elementary 8. I took a poll the next morning and found that the highlights of their time with him were watching him grill hamburgers for lunch and helping him fold up the finally-dry tarps from Pixie's birthday party. :)
Belle and I have begun digging up the garden in preparation for early planting . . . the only problem is I can't remember where I put the sugar snap pea, spinach, and lettuce seeds for safe keeping!
Nature Angel finished her science book. She was less than thrilled when I brought out a new one to take its place, but she's good natured, and she'll work on it. She's only days away from finishing her math book, and I don't think I'll give her another. Math is a duty for her, and her hard work this year has been done with the anticipation of finishing up rather than the thrill of moving forward.
Mister Man finished his science book, too. He loved every minute of working on it--even planting a rock to see if it was living. He thought that was the funniest thing he'd done in a long time. It still makes him laugh over a week later! The next 3 workbooks are on their way in the mail. He's chomping at the bit to do more.
Sir Walter Scott has designed a magnificent (in my opinion) chicken coop for us, and he's started working on it in earnest. Looks like we'll finally get chickens this year!
Nature Angel submitted a drawing to Doodle for Google. It's quite good, and based on our studies of past winners, she has as good a chance as anyone of being selected for some level of honor. No matter what happens in the weeks to come, she's had a really good experience of working incredibly hard on something that matters greatly to her.
A major focus of my week has been our diet. We've had some marvelous progress in physical health, mental health, academic success, and general well-being by making changes in how we eat. However, it is expensive, time-consuming, and not a panacea.
Some issues go beyond diet.
And not everyone benefits from the same changes.
I simply cannot have 14 meal plans for 14 people. I've been forced to choose a trade-off here for a benefit there. For example, Brother was just wasting away and became incredibly weepy when we were very strictly trying to follow the GAPS diet. I carefully considered, and have brought back oats--but only steel-cut, soaked-overnight oats. Brother is doing better, but Mister Man's belly bloats after he eats them, and I see a reduction in Beowulf's coping skills. Mister Man and Beowulf love having oatmeal again, and as neither is incapacitated by the change, and Brother is far happier and stronger now, I've kept it.
But sometimes as Beowulf is having a screaming tantrum, I can't help but wonder if I'm doing right by him.
And Baymax seems to be allergic to bananas . . . bananas!!!
I cannot bring myself to remove the cheapest, most versatile, and absolute favorite fruit from our diet!
I keep hoping I'm wrong--that there's something environmental going on that is just coinciding with his eating of bananas. (And with the spring weather we've been having, it's entirely possible.)
Pixie loves the dietary changes. She says she's never felt so well (she abstains from oatmeal). Sir Walter Scott feels good things happening for him. And I'm so stable mental-health-wise that I'm off my meds and coping rather well.
We dream of hot sourdough bread slathered in butter, though.
Saturday night was our homeschool talent show. The 6 youngest performed their dance to "Swinging on a Star," Belle recited a Shel Silverstein poem, Nature Angel put out a display of her doll clothes, Little Princess displayed photos she's taken, and Pixie choreographed a clogging routine to "9 to 5" that she performed with Nature Angel and Belle. It was to die for cute!
Other friends did skits, sang songs, performed on the piano and violin, did acrobatic routines, and lots more. It was such a fun night! How grateful I am for our homeschooling community!
(linking here)
Not so fun info for you: If they are allergic to ragweed they can cross react to bananas. Other foods they may cross react to if you related to banana: avocado, kiwi, papaya, tomato, chestnut, potato, bell pepper. And unfortunately another related allergy is latex/rubber. (We know because a large percentages of kids with Spina Bifida like Mason will develop a life threatening allergy to latex and then cross reactions to all the above. So far Mason's not allergic, but the odds are greater than 70% that he will develop the allergy.) A small note - cooking the banana usually changes the protein enough for allergic individuals to be able to eat them, unless they are one who has an anaphylactic reaction, which isn't what you are seeing so far (that involves swelling throat/breathing stops/major issues).
ReplyDeleteYou're right--not so fun. But good to know. Here's hoping Mason is one of the special few that never develops such allergies!!!
DeleteOh my to the diet changes! That does sound like a lot of work. You really are an amazing mama. The homeschool talent show sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lot of work, and I'm frequently discouraged, but I'm grateful to be led to answers that help my family. Thanks for your enouragement!
DeleteGood luck managing all those dietary issues. I struggled at times when Miss 23 wad vegetarian. She made the choice at 13 and was very good about preparing her own food but I tried to help where I could e.g. removing a portion before adding bacon. Before she moved out last year she was diagnosed with IBS and that was much harder to accommodate- pretty much everything I cook has onion and garlic. Good luck to Nature Angel for the Google doodle.
ReplyDeleteRose Red has IBS. She won't follow any dietary plan to feel better, though--she tried to, but she gave up. :( I understand about the onion and garlic because I cook that way, too! Thanks for your good wishes on Nature Angel's behalf--she's quite tied up in knots about it.
DeleteI have a coconut allergy, and that’s the worst. It came up in allergy testing when I was little, but my parents disregarded it, because I didn’t like it and never ate it. These days, it’s in so many things, I have to be careful. I had anaphylaxis 3 times, but don’t have an epi pen. I just took 3 Benadryls and they worked.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to read of your scary allergy experiences. I'm glad Benadryl works for you!
DeleteOkay, we struggled with bananas too. It could be the pesticides that is sprayed on them. You could try organic which is still cheaper than most fruit or wash the banana peel in a solution of peroxide and water. We generally just do organic bananas and it solved the problem for E. Also, it might be Ragweed. You might only have to put bananas away during certain seasons or always. Like Tristan, our oldest has Spinal Bifida and is highly allergic to Latex. No matter what, he can only have bananas on special occasions and only baked into things. Some research shows that oats are very dirty with pesticides and even arsenic. Dean struggles with oats because the pesticides that are in them tip the scale of the toxins already in his body from being born addicted to crack (which has a high level of arsenic in it). He can have oats on occasion, but it is a treat and we generally do organic once again. I know it is so hard. We finally just accepted a rather simple diet, but because dear son has such a week digestive system he becomes reactive to food that he wasn't reactive to before if he has it to often, so we try to change up the menu each season.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn
We are using only organic oats, but I will switch to organic bananas, and I'm really curious about the ragweed connection. I'll be investigating for sure! Thanks for the tips!!!
Delete