This week has been a tremendous week. I had two major shopping trips and two other times getting the things I forgot or could not find. I don't think I have ever spent so much on groceries.
Here is my little helper holding a receipt larger than her for 1 of the many trips. I have mostly shopped for us for Thanksgiving but I had to get some other things too. Remember I said I had to make potatoes for the kids school too? Well that is included in those receipts also. Thanksgiving fest at their school went well. I made lots of potatoes!
Not my best ever but I have never made such large quantities at one one time before. I over did the butter so I had to adjust a lot of the other elements. A helpful hint... If use mess up with liquids while making real mashed potatoes you fix it and not have to start over is, instant potatoes. Yup as simple and easy as that. Keep a box in your pantry just in case, and if you have to much liquid you can fix it by adding small sprinkles of instant until it is back to the desired consistency.
I also learned something new today while making potatoes for our family. I never use a mixer. I mash our potatoes the old fashion way leaving them a little lumpy. That has always been the way we liked them best. But today I read a potato recipe that said:
When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Turn the burner on low. What we’re going to do is mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients. That way, the potatoes won’t be watery or “mealy.” Mash away until most of the steam has escaped and most of the chunks of potato have been mashed well. Turn off the stove then add the rest of the ingredients and keep mashing.
What a potato revelation! Doing it this way made the potatoes so nice and creamy and much better than the way I was doing it chunky home style. And you still do not use a mixer. From now on. To bad I did not learn this before I made the ones for the school.
It went great. It all looked so delicious and smelt so good.
Me and a bunch of moms ready to serve the hungry pilgrims and Indians Who would have know that was a big decisions for the kids to make what to be, a pilgrim or an Indian The boys talked and reasoned which they want to be the night before and I though oh that my silly boys but when I was talking to another mother she said her daughter was debating the same thing! Who knew it was such a tough and import and decisions?
But in the end the boys chose the same thing they were last year. Evan an Indian.
Gregory a pilgrim.
The all were so darling! This is most of Gregory's class I think they are missing 1 or 2 kids.
These are the 3 years. Remember their classes go from 1-3 in the same class.
Those two pictures are from 1 of Gregory's teachers, remember each class always has at least 2 teachers. This day it however had 5. Five teachers for 18 kids, that's a good ratio. Or maybe they turned out for the feast today.
These pictures give you a good glimpse into Montessori life. Gregory is here in the coroner doing his work. That does not at all mean it is what the class is doing. They have some lessons together but they are allowed to take it in what direction they like. I was taking these pictures though a window. There rooms are full of windows I was standing out in the large common room looking in at him through a what I call nursery window. On the shelf in front of him is the bead frames they use those all the time and to the side of him are the number chains. They are all used to teach the children math and work fantastically The kids have so much fun with them too. there math is just a bit different too. In school you probably learned to add then subtract a few years later multiplication and divining. Their structure is set to build upon itself. They learn to add then the next logical step is to multiple it. They learn higher math very quick because it also builds upon itself. They do learn to subtract and divide but it comes at the end of there second year.
Here is Evan doing crafts with friends. He loves arts. One thing pretty evident in this picture are the mats and couch. They have no desks. There are maybe 3 small tables in each room. Could you sit behing a desk for 6-8 hours and be expected to sit up, not fidget not talk, be ultra uncomfortable and learn so much information. Can you expect 7 and 9 year old boys to do that? No not at all. The children sit where they are comfortable. They learn where they are comfortable. If they need to get up and move they can. If they have to go to the bathroom they can, if they want to stop doing there math and do there science they can. They encourage the children learning without putting unreal expectations on them.
Aww see this cutie! What a dear. And yes that is my son running from me behind her. Very light uncluttered classrooms.
Well this lasted longer than just cooking the bacon. I have spent ALL day cooking. So much food yeah. But I am so worn out. I am calling it good for the night. Tomorrow I do have a few things to make and even more to eat.
Happy Thanksgiving too everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment