Archive for December, 2011

Growing right along at 22 weeks…everything is right on track. Feeling great with the expected aches, pains, and heartburn I’ve had several requests lately about my previous post about pregnancy, so I’m linking it again below. Have a great weekend everyone!

A Journey Into Pregnancy & Birth

Meet Jefe and Kelly…they are the new owners of our fifth wheel and truck! He makes documentaries and she is a seamstress in costume design. We couldn’t be more thrilled, they are an awesome couple.

Matt spent the day with them giving instruction on their new home while I entertained the girls around Boulder. They are leaving tomorrow morning to drive back home to Austin, Texas. And the funny thing is that Matt is FLYING to Austin tomorrow morning! It just so happened that the truck we’re buying to replace this one is in Austin. Crazy.

Goodbye mobile life! I’m sure we’ll see you again someday…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Bella was born, I was a Pampered Chef consultant! I LOVED it and I still LOVE their products. I use so many of their products daily and they make life in the kitchen so much smoother. If you haven’t seen their products lately, be sure to take a peek. So many great, high quality items.

I’m holding an online catalog show this week only (closing Monday 12/12) and would love it if you would place an order so I can get a few pieces that I’ve been wanting!

There are SO many great gift ideas for the chef in your life…but don’t delay, I close the show on Monday so that it will ship in time for Christmas. Let me know if you have any questions or need ideas…

The bonus for customers this month is:

FREE Classic Batter Bowl or Measuring Cup Set in December

Choose one free with a $60 purchase Dec. 1-31:
Classic Batter Bowl -OR- the Measuring Cup Set

PLUS: Save $15.50 on Dots Martini Glasses!
In December only – A set of 4 is only $29. That’s a $44.50 value!

CLICK HERE TO GO SHOPPING!
(enter my name…Sara Janssen…to get to my site)

Here is a list of my favorite items:

Apple Wedger: I’ve tried SO many knock-offs of this wedger. Nothing compares. Pretty much ALL of their specialty cutting tools rock my world.

Batter Bowls: I use the Classic Batter Bowl almost daily!

Quick-Stir Pitcher: I love both the small and large sizes of this pitcher. So handy.

Stoneware Muffin Pan: We make a lot of muffins and this piece of stoneware bakes them evenly every time!

Bar Pan: Probably my favorite PC item. I use it for everything from cookies to roasting veggies. If you eat bacon, this is the ONLY way to cook it! Lay them out and cook in the oven…which means no bacon “smell” in your kitchen!

Pizza Stone: Yes please! Super high quality pizza stone. They’ve added molded handles since I was selling…so excited.

Food Chopper: A Pampered Chef classic! Nuts, onions, chocolate, veggies, you name it. Save time and clean up!!

Knives: You can’t go wrong with their cutting tools. Awesome.

Bamboo Salad Tongs: Love these.

Sweet Caramel Sprinkle: If you’re looking for a little treat with your latte, oatmeal, pancakes, and more…don’t miss this! I discovered this recently and we love it!

Medium Scoop: If you make cookies…I’m not sure how you can live without this little gem! Use the large scoop for no-mess muffins.

While I adore my Kindle, I also love the feel of a “real” book in my hands. Here is what I am reading right now:

An Altar In The World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor
I’m just getting into this and I love her perspective on how to bring your faith into all parts of life.

When Women Long for Rest: God’s Peace for Your Overwhelmed Life by Cindi McMenamin
A super practical book for when you’re looking for ways to slow down and find peace.

Let Prayer Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi
A classic that I go back to over and over. I have recommended this so many times over the years. If you want a kick start in your prayer life, read this!

Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation by Ruth Haley Barton
Just getting into this one as well. I’ve had it for quite some time, but after Natalie told me how much she loved it…I pulled it off the shelf again.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
Love his thoughts on how “stuff” can clutter our life and how Christians can respond to materialism.

What are you reading right now?

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.” *C.S. Lewis

Thai food.
Coffee.
Twinkling Christmas lights.
Quiet moments, laughter, and wisdom shared with a dear friend.
Happy birthday Natalie! Love you friend.

I know this title is a bit silly…because every unschooling family looks different from the next. BUT…I wanted to show you what it looks like for us on a typical day and how that translates into some of the grand truths about unschooling

1. CREATE things together & and don’t be afraid to get messy.
Now that it’s winter and we are spending a lot more time inside than out, there are projects galore. I saw this on Pinterest recently and thought it would be fun to jump on the melted crayon bandwagon. We had a great time coming up with different color combos and watching them melt slowly in the oven. Bella loved making them…but it was Lucy who was even more thrilled with the final product. The little crayons that formed in the silicone mold were the perfect size for her little hands.

2. Show your children new ways to make stuff.
We’ve been making TONS of homemade play dough around here lately! There is just something so different about the warm, just off the oven dough…the store bought cannot compare! We finally got some gel dyes to make lots of different colors and that has been really fun. We did try using red cabbage and turmeric for coloring, and while they did turn them colors, they weren’t as vibrant as we hoped.

The girls have spent hours and hours over the past couple of weeks creating dish after play dough dish…taking orders with handmade menus…their little hands furiously rolling and cutting and “plating”. We’ve been watching some Food Network shows together and it’s so cute to see what they come up with.

3. Encourage your children to pursue their passions.
Bella has always been enthralled with fashion design and clothing. She will often re-purpose clothing and create new items for herself to wear…but lately her love is creating Barbie clothing. This lovely little number was made using old tights and a few safety pins. I love the cowl neckline…don’t you?

Our next step is going to be to set up an area in the toy room dedicated completely to this passion. There will be a sewing machine, thrifted fabrics, buttons, and other goodies so that she can create whenever she wants, when she wants. As an unschooling mama, my job is to give her all the tools she needs…and then step back and let her do her thing! I would also love to find an opportunity to shadow a “real” designer sometime. If anyone has any great resources/books for us in this fashion design journey…let me know!

4. Stand in awe of the amazing world around you!
These glorious icicles have been forming for a few days with all the melting and re-freezing up here in the mountains. The girls love to look at them, hold them, and experiment with them. There is so much to be learned from nature.

Science is easily understood when children can experience hands on learning!

5. Buy glue sticks in bulk.
Ok…ok, I’m kidding. But no seriously. We love the glue sticks. Spelling and fine motor skills were honed when Bella sat down next to me and decided to create a pretty box to put her money in. She wanted to cut out the letters to spell “ALLOWANCE”. We spent several hours cutting and chatting and gluing.

The fun part is that I was the one who was sitting at the table first…adorning my prayer journal with pretty letters. She saw me hard at work and wanted to join on her own…I didn’t have to declare “art time!” It spontaneously happened. Like life. That’s why unschooling is often referred to as Life Learning!

6. Let your children be who they are.
It’s sometimes hard to step back and let our children be who they are without constant input from us…in areas that really don’t need input or guidance! But if you’re able to do that, you will see their true personality SHINE through and it makes life truly joy-filled. In my interactions with other unschooled children…it’s always so apparent that they are trusted and supported at home in whatever they decide to do. They are, for the most part, independent, outgoing, and pretty much brilliant!

7. Follow YOUR dreams and pursue YOUR passions!
When your children see you going after what you love and loving life…they will follow. This photo is called “Put the camera down mom and just get in the car because we are FREEZING!”. But hey…at least my girls know without a doubt that I love photography! If I want them to live a passionate life, I have to model it in my own.

If you are interested in finding out more about unschooling, here is the post I wrote awhile back that has more links and resources…along with some commonly asked questions.

We’ve had a couple of big snowfalls lately and the temps have been in the single digits. I finally got myself some Sorel boots…and now I am WARMER! Well, at least my feet are warmer.

Bella captured this sweet moment during my midwife appointment at our house today. Usually Lucy is too busy to nurse during the day, but when something new is happening…I’m glad she knows she can come to me for comfort and connection. Love my little Lucy Mae.

 

Grandpa and Grandma Janssen just got an iPhone…and of course, that means Facetime! It’s so fun to be able to connect with our families in this way. While I do love traditional forms of communication such as letter writing…technology is pretty amazing!!

 

As we slowly made our way down the stairs this Saturday morning, we were greeted by a fresh layer of fluffy snow. With Michael Bublé crooning “It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas“, we watched the big flakes continue to drift down from the sky.

Daddy made us all a delicious breakfast and we had a peaceful morning together.

After pulling on our boots and warm clothes, we headed down for the annual Holiday Market. This photo was taken from our driveway as we were getting ready to leave. We love the small town atmosphere in Nederland and had a great time connecting with old and new friends, sipping hot cider, and buying handmade Christmas gifts.

The snow is predicted to continue for the next couple of days…I think we need to go sledding!