Martinmas and Veterans Day

From Wikipedia:

"St. Martin's Day (or Martinstag or Martinmas) is November 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold.
That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."

Click here to read more about how different countries and faiths celebrate Martinmas.

We celebrated Martinmas by reading Boxes for Katje - I really want to add this book to our own collection - and giving clothes away to some friends and to Goodwill. We also made some homemade lanterns. I had planned on having us glue tissue paper inside of the jars, but well, that didn't quite happen. But we did put some homemade beeswax candles in the jars and lit them.

For Veterans Day, we talked about the connection to wars and soldies in the Boxes for Katje book, and we talked about different wars and how soldiers help us have freedom. We spent quite a bit of time talking about the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

Next year, we are going to have goose for dinner too. We have Scandanavian ancestors and I thought it would be a nice connection to our heritage to add that to our Martinmas celebration. Of course, I've never cooked goose before. I'm hoping it isn't much more difficult than a turkey.

Our daily routines

In my housekeeping binder, I keep a list of our daily routine for each day of week. In my binder, the document is about 10 pages long, but I'm going to try and keep it short and sweet here. I got many of my ideas from Large Family Logistics and then changed things to suit our family.

Daily - Morning Routine (Me)

• Read Scriptures
• Pray
• Shower
• Change Clothes
• Check Calendar
• Check Daily List
• Prepare Breakfast
• Clean Bathrooms

Daily - Afternoon Routine (Family)

• Do Daily Chores

Daily - Evening Routine (Me)

• Prepare the kitchen for breakfast
• Check Calendar
• Lay out clothes for tomorrow
• Read Scriptures
• Pray

Monday - Laundry Day

Sort, wash and dry with the following categories:

• Whites
• Grays/Lights
• Red/Pinks, etc.
• Blue/Black/Darks
• Light Towels
• Dark Towels

Tuesday - Kitchen Days

Do the following chores every Tuesday in the kitchen:

• Wipe appliances
• Clean stove hood
• Clean top of stove
• Organize and clean one drawer
• Organize and clean one cupboard
• Organize and clean one pantry shelf
• Remove counter clutter and wipe counter
• Clean out refrigerator
• Clean top of refrigerator
• Scrub kitchen sink and faucet crevices
• Scrub dish drainer

Wednesday - Office Day

• Balance Checkbook
• Pay Bills
• File Papers
• Plan Menus
• Plan stops for Town Day
• Plan Lessons
• Do any Internet Work
• Write a letter to a friend
• Clean desktop
• Clean one desk drawer or cupboard
• Put books in order
• Gather library books

Thursday-Cleaning Day

Morning
Instead of making beds, strip them and take the sheets straight to the washer. Do any nappers’ bedding first and remake the beds as soon as the bedding is done.

Afternoon
Do regular Daily chores and dust and vacuum each room. Remake sheets with clean sheets. Reward with a break and a treat and then do deep cleaning.

Deep Cleaning
Focus on one Focus Area at a time. Write them on your calendar.
Do all the tasks in an hour.

Week 1
Dining Room & Kitchen – Clean all surfaces.

Week 2
Bathrooms – Clean corners, cracks, and crevices. Entry Areas – Wipe down the walls and clean in the corners, etc. Straighten bookcases.

Week 3
Bedrooms – Straighten closets and drawers.

Week 4
Living Room and Family Room – Clean inside couches, under tables, behind furniture, etc.

Friday - Town Day

The night before
Lay out clothes and shoes for everyone.

The morning of
Load the crock-pot so you do not have to worry about supper. Everyone has to use the toilet before leaving. Plan the most necessary stops first so if the little children begin to meltdown, you can cut your losses and head home.

Eating
Try to eat at home or pack sandwiches and stop for a picnic somewhere.

When you get home
Put any little ones down for a nap first. Have the older children unload the bags while you put them down for nap. Then everyone else goes to Quiet Time.

Put freezer and refrigerator items away. Put everything else away. Get your salad veggies washed. Cut up the dry stuff and toss. Cut tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumber and other moist items at each meal. Rest.

The Next Day
Balance the checkbook again.

Yes, I'm so lucky

Super: Mommy, I love you.
Me: Are you sure?
Super: Yes, I love for 5 years.
Me: Just 5 years? How about a million years?
Super: Yes, I love you for a million years.
Me: Thank you! I love you for a million years too.
Super: Mommy, you are lucky.
Me: Yes, I am. (Tears welling up.)
Super: And Mommy, I'm lucky too.
Me: (Gives him a hug to try and hide the tears)


I haven't always felt lucky in life, and I certainly haven't felt very lucky this year. But Super is right. I'm so lucky to have him - and all of my family and friends. Love to you all for a million years.

More about my binder system - Household Managment Binders

I posted about my binder system in this post. In this post, I will go into more detail about my Household Management System binders. I, of course, have to credit Dawn for getting me started on this idea. I use a file crate system in a similar way to her system, but my household management system is somewhat different. As always, it is important to tweak anybody's system to fit your family's needs.

I'll try and get some pictures up soon, but until then, here is my household management binder system.

Suggested Binders for a Household Management System

In addition to my Household Management Binders, I also have a file crate. The crate contains 52 weekly folders, and 4 seasonal folders and some of the household binders. I use one file folder upstairs to store the activities and invitations for the following week, and I also put things in it that need to be filed downstairs. Then on my planning day (Wednesday), I transfer the things for the next week and I file the things from the past week. I store my Household Management binders in a variety of places and I listed here where I store them.. In my binders, I have lots of page protectors and I place the information in them usually instead of printing and three-hold punching the things for each binder.

Planning Binder (stored in tote bag)
To start your Household Notebook, begin with the basics: planning and time management. I put in my monthly calendars, any additional schedules, seasonal activity lists, my file folder, journal, etc.

Faith Binder (stored in church bag)
This binder contains church magazines, proclamations, brochures, handouts, talks, etc.

Phone Binder (stored in phone book drawer)
The Phone Binder is a place to put class rosters, take-out phone numbers, club directories, emergency phone numbers, etc.

Family & School Binder (stored in file crate)
Family is where the heart is--and deserves its own binder. This binder tracks information needs of family members and family life:

• personal information page for each family member
• clothing sizes tracker
• master occasions list (birthdays, anniversaries)
• gift suggestion list
• birthday party ideas
• recommended Web sites
• list of DVD/videos to rent
• list of books to read
• library information

Families with school-aged children will want to add a school divider to hold:

• school schedules and holiday list
• lunch menus
• carpool schedule
• school information page
• school reading lists
• summer programs information

Housekeeping Binder (Stored in file crate except for chore checklists)
The Housekeeping holds information central to house and home. Cleaning, entertaining, decorating and household storage information are stored here. Consider these ideas for the Home Management divider:

• household cleaning schedule
• seasonal chore checklists
• children's chore checklists
• home inventory
• home decorating ideas
• party planners
• car maintenance schedule
• stain removal guide
• recycling locations
• home storage inventory
• yard sale checklist

Food Management Binder (Kept in the kitchen)
In the kitchen, this binder helps plan meals, create menus, and track inventory in pantry and freezer. Use this section to hold grocery shopping lists and price lists, weekly menus, etc.

Money and Finance Binder (Kept in file crate with the exception of the bills/purchases list)
Use this binder for information to help keep track of household finances with budget pages, inventory sheets and household information. Here are some examples of the kinds of information that can be included behind this binder:

• budget/spending record
• bills to pay
• credit card list
• online service/online account information
• home inventory
• insurance information
• utilities/services directory
• warranty information
• vehicle records

Health and Fitness Binder (Kept in file crate with the exception of food journal)
Organize family health care with a Health and Fitness divider. Have a medical emergency? Grab the Health and Fitness Binder on the way to the Emergency Room. Visit to the pediatrician? Use this section to record illnesses, medication and medical history. Types of information to file in the Health and Fitness binder include:

• food journal
• first aid kit checklist
• medical information sheet for each family member
• emergency directory
• medical authorization form
• prescription drug record
• insurance information
• pet health records

Travel and Activities Binder (Kept in file crate)
Time for fun! The Travel and Activities binder covers the extra-curricular activities that make life worthwhile. Hobby, church, club, sports, volunteer, vacation and travel ideas are included here. These sections will vary from family to family, but here are some ideas:

• picnic planner
• travel packing checklist
• before-we-leave checklist
• camping checklist
• vacation idea list
• house-sitter information sheet
• PTA newsletters and rosters
• Scouting or PTA materials

November Themes

November isn't my favorite month (that has to be October I think) but I'm starting to enjoy it more. The weather is getting cool, but not as cold as winter yet, and there is so much good food to be eaten in November. I always have a big Thanksgiving feast for preschool, and I look forward to it all year. We even sometimes get "alumni" that come and it is wonderful to see children from years past. We have a pear tree out in front and we still have many leaves left on the tree, but they are finally turning colors. I'm sure that all the leaves will be off by the end of the month, or even more likely, by the end of next week. Anyway, here are the themes and activities that I have planned for the month.

NOVEMBER

From the Latin word, novum, meaning “nine”. November was the 9th month of the Roman calendar.
Flower: Chrysanthemum
Birthstone: Topaz
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius (November 22-December 21); Sagittarians are good-natured and friendly. They are interested in everything and everybody.
Weather Report: On November 20, 1979, a blizzard struck Cheyenne, WY, producing 19.8 inches of snow in 24 hours.

Iroquois Prayer
We return thanks to our mother, the earth
Which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams,
Which supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs,
which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the bushes and trees,
Which provide us with fruit.
We return thanks to the wind,
Which, moving the air, has banished diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and stars,
Which have given to us their light
When the sun was gone.
We return thanks to our grandfather He-no,
That he has protected his grandchildren from
Witches and reptiles, and has given to us his rain.
We return thanks to the sun,
that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,
In whom is embodied all goodness, and who
Directs all things for the good of his children.


Nature:

• grey skies
• frosty, brown grass
• bare trees
• rabbits
• geese
• crows
• cut cornfields
• squirrels
• mice
• wind
• dark afternoons
• turkeys
• the Full Beaver Moon (13)
  

Food:

• apples
• winter squash
• pears
• oatmeal
• hot cider
• hot chocolate
• pies - apple, cherry, pumpkin, berry
• turkey and all the trimmings
• homemade cranberry relish

Special Days:

• National American Indian Heritage Month
• Daylight Savings Day Ends (2)
• Election Day (4)
• Martinmas (11)
• Veterans Day (11)
• National Homemade Bread Day (17)
• World Hello Day (21)
• National Game and Puzzle Week (23)
• Thanksgiving Day (27)
  

Home:

• verify that the pantry and 3 month supply of food/supplies are stocked
• verify that there is an adequate (perhaps 3 month! LOL) of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate with Mini-Marshmellows Hot Chocolate
• prepare the car for winter and holiday travel
• inspect/replace holiday decorations
• finish Christmas gifts
• clean carpets
• write/assemble Christmas cards
• clean dining room and clean crystal, silver and table linens
• stock medicine cabinet with cold and flu medications

Stories:

• In November by Cynthia Rylant
• Apple cider making days by Ann Purmell
• My goose Betsy by Trudi Braun
• Squawk to the moon, little goose by Edna Mitchell Preston
• The way home by Nan Parson Rossiter
• Catching the wind by Joanne Ryder
• Black crow, black crow by Ginger Guy
• Mousekin's Thanksgiving by Edna Miller
• The Turkey Girl : a Zuni Cinderella story by Penny Polluck

Field Trips:

• nature center
• polling center

Crafts/activities:

• sewing
• crocheting
• paper weaving
• lanterns for Martinmas
• pinecone people
• clearing out the garden and planting fall/winter plants
• a grateful tree

So I know how to sew and crochet and such

but I've never big on making actual "crafts". I wasn't very good at things involving glue guns and acrylic paint and it would drive me nuts when I had to look at things and see all my mistakes. Plus, I've always been a minimalist, even before I started down this simple living path, and so I didn't like having lots of little "crafty", useless things around the house.

I've always looked at sewing/weaving/crocheting, etc. as more of a skill and something that I can do that can bless my family and help us be more self-sufficient. I also have never been one to do a lot of "crafts" with my children. I am a big fan of clay and paper and scissors and ribbons and yarn, but not necessarily having a project that they had to put together in a certain way. I've taught my girls to fingerknit and Flower knows how to handsew and machine sew. I looked at these "crafts" as a way to spend time together as a family, a way for them to learn practical skills, and a way to them to do things in an organic, natural way.

But I've been reading the SouleMama blog for over a year now, and have considered putting her book in my Amazon cart on more than one occassion because her definition of crafts seemed to be more in line with my idea of crafts. Well, Amanda has just launched a new blog called Mama to Mama.

Here's a quote from her introduction on Mama to Mama:

There are so very many reasons why we craft. We craft out of necessity, we craft out of love, we craft for pleasure. And we craft, sometimes, to bring a little peace to our lives, to our hearts, and to our everyday moments. Taking that just a step further, we can - and do, like so many crafters before us - turn our crafting into peace for the world beyond our homes. The simple act of creating something with intention and heart - for someone in need, can have a beautiful effect on the lives of others. We can, indeed, do something to create a more just and peaceful world...all with the simple, mindful and crafty work of our hands.

The first project is the Caps to Cap-Haitien Project: A Partnership with Konbit Sante, that will provide newborn jersey caps to be distributed in Safe Birthing Kits in northern Haiti. The project is to make hats out of t-shirts or cotton jersey material. She provides the hat pattern on the website.

What a wonderful way to repurpose all the unworn t-shirts we have around here, and the pattern is simple enough for Flower and probably even Jelly Bean to do. And Super can tie the knot on top.

Our goal is to make 25 hats - including one out of the material that I was going to make a sleeping gown for Christopher. It seems right to use it for a hat for another little one.

Halloween - Simple Style

I'm actually not a big fan of Halloween. I don't like the ghoulishness and goriness and the excessive amounts of candy that my children get, but we do still celebrate it here. I leave the fall decorations out as long as possible, and then go pretty basic with decorations. The wood pumpkin on the table I painted YEARS ago, but it gets pulled out every year for Halloween week. The tablecloth goes out that day. It was given to me by a relative. We got the little pumpkins when we went to the Montgomery Academy field trip.

And here is Super, Jelly Bean and Flower.

The girls saw the costumes at Goodwill for a $1 each and asked if they could get them. I said "Sure!" The skirts were given to the girls for dress-up a couple years ago. Oh, and they are Broadway dancers, not ballerinas, in case you were wondering.

Super's coat (and yellow rain boots, not seen in photo) were actually on sale last year at Gymboree, and it was his winter coat last year and rain boots this spring. The hat was part of a dress-up kit that he got for Christmas last year.

Total spent for three costumes: $2 and NO time. Simple.