(no subject)

So I made yogurt! It's actually really yogurt. A bit thin, but tastes good and we all like it. I screwed up some of the timing, so maybe it'll come out thicker next time. Anyway, just saved some money! I figure I can do that once a week, with half a gallon of milk, and never buy yogurt again.

I went to the library briefly last night and got a few cookbooks, mostly looking for lunch ideas. We kind of improvise food at home all day, and Jake always buys lunch. Too expensive, and I think I can do better than this.

Last night's dinner was really good. Topie didn't like it, but Topie never likes anything. Philip even liked it. We took glaukopis's recipe from yesterday and modified it to match what I had in the house. So, sauteed shallots and garlic and a couple potatoes in some safflower oil, then added 5 cups of water and 1 cup of orange lentils. Cooked till done, and it was GOOD. I had a jar of store-bought korma sauce which I thought would make it more like the original recipe, and so Jake and I put a spoonful of it in our bowls and really liked it. The jar cost $5, but if we use it that sparingly, it will go a long way to making our food more interesting. Of course, doing everything from scratch is preferable, but that sure does make it easier.

This morning I've decided to do more "school" format. Kinda sorta, anyway. I stayed off the computer till now. I think that's going to be a new rule, no computer till at least noon. So far Jake has made us all oatmeal, then we came downstairs and Jake left. Topie and I sang silly songs for a little while, with Philip clapping his hands and looking rather feisty, as if he might start singing himself any minute. Then I set up some art for Topie. She went through a bunch of different stuff and then got bored. So then we had a snack, oranges and yogurt. Homemade yogurt! She likes it. I'm so proud. While she was absorbed in her art, I washed dishes and tidied up the kitchen a bit. I'm going to try to keep myself from doing chores also until noon, so the kids are guaranteed at least a few solid hours of my undivided attention.

Some of the things I'd like to do with the kids soon are:

maple sugaring! Tis almost the season.
learning about stars--Topie can already point out Orion's Belt, and she is fascinated with the phases of the moon.
gardening/planting seeds/sprouting
making bread
wet felting when it's a bit warmer
dyeing Easter eggs with plant/vegetable dyes


Now we're watching Pregnant in America. Topie loves baby movies, and I've been wanting to see this for a while.

We'll go outside later. It's cold and flurry-y today.

(no subject)

Capricorn (12/22-1/19)
Stop finding excuses for not doing something. Start thinking of potential rewards.