Nova's 13th Birthday

[Photo of Nova will go here when I can find it]

Nova is 13!  No more calling her a tweenager (which was only in jest, but seriously, Nova has been acting like a teenager for at least a year and a half).  Since moving to a bigger house, we are back into the realm of sleepovers (bigger bodies and increasing numbers of friends had ruled it out last year--at least for the number of kids she wanted to invite).

On the suggestion of my Aunt Pat, we have started a tradition of going both parents out for lunch or dinner with our new 13 year old, their choice of restaurant, and no siblings.  Nova chose a ramen place in Minneapolis, Ramen Kazama.  We had some novelty Japanese soda as well.  This tradition works well for a big family where one-on-one time is scarce.

The night began with watercolor painting in the dining room, (Nova has been into art recently). followed by games and movies.  One of the games was Telestrations, which is part Pictionary, part Telephone.   It is usually at least mildly hilarious.  The next morning while cleaning up the basement, I found this gem (unfortunately I erased the pictures).

Original word: written in hieroglyphics (started by Willow), first picture: a quizzical face with a question mark, next word: a fat man with a hat, next picture: a balding fat man looking at his belly (very well drawn-no hat), next word: belly, next picture: a circle, next word: egg, next picture: two concentric circles, next word: what is that? (plus a reproduction of the picture) next picture: quizzical face, next word: drawing of a quizzical face, next picture: quizzical face End Game.

Suffice it to say they had fun!

A Night Out Ballroom Dancing

One of the longest standing classes at the kids' homeschool co-op has been ballroom dancing.  It outdates everyone at the co-op, save the teacher, Dorothy Rose.  Fifteen years (at least), she has taught there.

The kids don't just dance on Friday afternoons during class.  Some of them, and even some friends who've never taken ballroom, make a habit of attending the twice monthly live music dances at a local ballroom studio.

Big band sounds, live and in person, tempt them onto the dance floor. The group grows and shrinks given the whims and schedules of any given month.  At the end of May, it was a particularly large group, somewhere around 18 in all.  The rest of the clientele tends to be geriatric, though I've seen an increase in 30 and 40 somethings in the two years we've been going.

I admit, that when our 12 year old wanted to get dropped off at a public dance, I was a little trepidatious.  But as it has turned out, I can hardly think of a more wholesome (or fun) way for teenagers to go to a dance.  Is there running around and gossiping?  Do the 'ship' each other?  Date on occasion?  Sure they do.  But everyone dances, and dancing with someone is not a be-all-end-all statement on a relationship.  As Nova pointed out, it is actually good exercise (more than once, I've picked her up with flushed cheeks and a little sheen of perseperiation).  The high drama, tears, and standing around waiting for someone to ask you to dance are generally absent.  I figure this is because it as much about actually dancing as socializing, and because it happens a couple times a month, the stakes aren't so high.  And there are always 2-3 parents who camp out in the balcony to chaperon.



PS, While it looks like the couples don't change, they actually do.  I only had my camera out for one dance.

Star Wars

When Star Wars: Rogue One came out last year, let's just say we were excited.  Solomon, Nova and I were lucky enough to go to a matinee showing with roughly 17 friends the day it came out (a perk of homeschooling).  It reminded me of the hoopla and excitement of the late '90s Star Wars moviegoing experience.  Yes, we all wish that middle trilogy had turned out better.  Still, the group enthusiasm was a rare and memorable experience.  The lines were long but no one minded.  People were dressed up in costume, Leia hair abounded. Nova and I contributed there.  (Much has been written about Princess Leia's hair styles.  In short, they are not humanly possible.  But we tried.  Nova has the classic cinnamon buns.  I went for the style at the awards ceremony at the end of the first movie.  Mini spin pins (a corkscrew-like hair pin) were essential). Solomon went for the much-loved Millennium Falcon T-shirt.  GG Rose's 1970s ski jacket seemed the appropriate choice for Nova.  There was lots of jumping back and forth in line to talk with friends.  And the movie delivered.



We might as well have called 2015 the Star Wars Christmas.  There was a talking Yoda, Darth Vader key chain, light sabers, figurines, on and on, from all sides.  (I restrained myself from getting entire family fair isle Star Wars pajamas, but they were available).  The Midwinters LOVE Star Wars.  So does Brynn, our Dad and I (I think our Mom likes it but not in the same watch-three-movies-in-a-row intense kind of way).  Each child got a starship of some description in their stocking.  A battle ensued.

It is interesting to see these kids right on the border of becoming young adults.  One minute Solomon is 'too old' to play, the next he is pulled in and right there with rest of them.  I know it won't last--isn't meant to last, even.  But it is fun, to see them on the cusp, flipping back and forth.


We watched the originals in a ramp-up (and as a reminder) to the new release.  Charlotte was quite taken with the whole story.  When I came home with a big poncho she immediately absconded with it, grabbed a light saber and announced  'I am Obi-Won's Daughter.'



Above is a picture Solomon drew in preschool, back when the third movie of the second trilogy came out.  He did not see it (it is one of the darker ones).  But Star Wars was in the air, and he absorbed some of the basics.  "What is that? Where'd you get that? Is that Star Wars?" was line from a comedy sketch we'd seen in around '98.  It kept coming back to me as it was oh so true.  And when I went to Ireland with my sister and parents for a family wedding in 2007, the unspoken agreement was if I left the country Charles would show the kids the original Star Wars trilogy (I was against this at the time, feeling that 4 and 6 was too young).  We did not discuss it even once, but that is exactly how it went.  Eventually I came around.
  

Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes

Driving back from a playdate, Charlotte's friend Elise told her about a fantastic book involving cannibalism.  My ears perked up as I tried to figure out what book for 7 and 8 year olds could possibly tackle the distasteful subject of cannibalism.  She kept talking.  There were giants, and a little girl named Sophie.  And it dawned on me--I'd read that book as a child, The BFG  (Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl.  We got the audio version, stuck it in the car, and for the next two weeks, every drive was a pleasure.  In fact, Charlotte would ask me every morning hopefully, "Do we have anywhere we need to drive to today?" Aria got into it too, though she kept falling asleep in the car.  We finished up reading the actual book at bedtime.  They are soooo excited about the upcoming BFG movie. 

 

I found out about the Roald Dahl cookbook, Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes almost by accident, googling snozzcumbers but never expecting an entire cookbook.  As some of you may know, we occasionally make food from books.  This cookbook was a gold mine that came to our attention at the perfect time.  Charlotte received a boxed set of Roald Dahl books from her aunt and uncle for Christmas, and we have been happily working our way through it. Writing a cookbook was the last project the author had been working on before his death in 1990.  His wife and several other collaborators continued with the book, publishing it in 1997.  I'd missed it as a child (my peak Roald Dahl reading years were 1987-1989).   

We dove right in, making the BFG's least favorite meal (but his only non-human option), the snozzcumber.  Along with it we made the very tasty giant beverage, frobscottle.  Though they look appropriately disgusting, they are indeed delicious.  I had hor d'oeuvres similar to snozzcumbers, right down to the black poppy seeds, at a wedding reception.  We modified the recipe slightly, using feta cheese in place of popcorn for the white patches.  Frobscottle was the favorite, a carbonated drink made with kiwis and raspberry drinking yogurt (kefir). 

A few days later we made Bruce Bogtrotter's Chocolate Cake from Matilda.  We'd read the book the previous summer, one of our first chapter books that Aria was actively engaged in.  Both girls were actively involved in baking too.  I must say--it was an amazing chocolate cake.  Rich without being overwhelming, moist and flavorful, I can see why the Trunchbull ordered one every day.  Folding in whipped egg whites may be one of the keys to its success.    

  

We recently finished James and The Giant Peach, a favorite among favorites.  Ariadne kept asking to read it at bed time for a week after we'd finished.  She just wanted more and more.  It was a hit in my 3rd grade classroom too.  I vividly remember the entire class choosing to stay in from recess (and, I now realize, my teacher Joanne Toft choosing to skip her lunch) in order to finish the book one hot day in spring.  

We are about to set out on our next adventure--Charlie and the Chocolate factory, perhaps? After all, it would give me an excuse to make lickable wallpaper.  

Leaning In to Winter

At the beginning of the winter I read an article about a Norwegian town north of the the Arctic circle where (to researchers' great surprise) people looked forward to winter, and seasonal affective disorder was almost nonexistent.  And so I thought--we could try that--we could try to love winter.

On the cozying front we got down comforters for all of the beds (lucked out on craigslist there). I kept a good stock of cocoa and tea.  Knitting filled my lap as little fair isle hats and sweaters grew into finished garments.  We hosted a Midwinter Game Night (a bit of a play on our last name), getting together with friends to play board games and card games.  The little girls and I read Laura Ingals Wilder's On the Banks of Plum Creek, Around the World in 80 Day and the first Harry Potter (next up is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz).


When it came to outdoor winter fun, opportunities abounded in Minnesota.  Ariadne's preschool took full advantage of the snow.  Working with other classes, the kids made a quinzee village, all perfectly proportioned for 3-5 year olds.  One class made mounds of snow, another hollowed them out, both added colorful ice decorations added to them for whimsey and fun.  All played it the miniature shelters.



Aria came home in December, excited about kick sledding.  In February, her class invited all the families to a kick sledding party.  Pushing off with one foot then gliding over the ice or snow with both feet on the runners, the kick sleds work similarly to dog sleds.  Kids and even adults sat on the front seat while intrepid kick sledders powered the sleds with strong kicks. All the preschoolers were expert at this activity by the time of the party.  The farm pond provided a nice open level surface, allowing for long runs and glides.  We kept warm despite the single digit temps.



In January, Charles and I were lucky enough to go up to the North Shore with a bunch of friends.  It was FREEZING--but, we enjoyed each other's company, lots of board games and a few very short outings.  The photo at the top of the post is from a stretch of Lake Superior's North Shore.



Ice skating entered out lives last winter, when there was precious little snow for sledding.  Large fast flakes of snow dropped a foot of powder in our neighborhood, closing schools and canceling plans across the city, making a little pocket of time to skate on the neighborhood rink with a friend.  By the end of the season, we were anxious to squeeze in just one more trip.  The picture below was taken the last day of the skating season at Centennial Lakes Park.



I took Nova and Solomon downhill skiing for the first time this winter. –≠≠≠ Last year I went downhill skiing for the first time in 15 years.  I had a great time (and didn't even fall down once).  I realized that I never would have tried it if I hadn't learned the basics as a kid.  Which made me want to give my kids the chance to get a taste of the sport before it seemed too intimidation.  At 14 and 11, Solomon and Nova were certainly old enough to give it a go. We went through a short ski school at a nearby hill.  A delightful ski instructor (and retired Psychology professor) named Rodger helped us get off to a good start.  By lunch time they had both graduated to chair lifts and longer slopes.


Nova is wearing her great grandmother's ski jacket and pants--GG Rose thought they might fit and gave them to her during our fall visit.

Charles and I went on the Luminary Loppet for one of our dates this winter, enjoying fire, ice, and cross country skiing.  Maybe I will get back to the 10k race one of these winters, but for now, the slow paced trails lit with candles glowing through ice make a nice outing.  Detours through fairy ice sculptures, fire dancers, and cocoa pit stops are tradition by this point.  Newer additions like rock bands, a beer garden, and allowing walkers, dogs, and snowshoers  on the course added a more lively (I might even say chaotic) atmosphere to the event.  Growing pains...they'll work it out.



Spotting tracks in snow and animals through the bare trees are another delight of winter.  How many deer can you see?  (I think there are two in the picture, but Nova sees three.)  Standing around for twenty minutes or so I eventually saw nine deer--though I couldn't get them all in a single photo.




Note on the affordability of Leaning Into Winter
I am aware that this might sound like pricey way to enjoy winter.  All of these things can be expensive, but they don't need to be.  Here's a breakdown on how we controlled costs.

Skating: I bought used skates in October and looked for rinks that were free (and also had cheap rentals for growing feet).  Skating fees in our area vary tremendously.

Skiing: We took advantage of a special Homeschool Ski Day at our local hill that cut the cost in half (or more).  Also, I did not bring all the kids.  If you are not a homeschooler, there are other promotions to be found.  In the past we've gotten in on Team Sports Day discounts and Half Day/ Twilight tickets (we usually couldn't keep going all day anyway).

For the Luminary Loppet, I made sure to get the early bird discount by signing up in November.  We decided to make it a date rather than a family outing, and got our equipment through an inexpensive (and little known) rental place run by college students.

Weekend Up North: There is power in numbers!  Going as a group we were able to split the cost of a house with several other adults, driving the cost down below single accommodations.  The house let us make our own meals, saving on cost.  We took turns cooking for each other, which saved on time (and was fun).  The resort's complimentary snow shoes and cross country skis helped hold down the cost too.  Carpooling to our destination kept gas costs low.  Finally, we chose our dates to take advantage of a promotional deal,  giving us our third night free. (Also, we haven't participated every year due partly to cost. )

Down comforters: Craigslist was key--otherwise we would have been priced out.

Books: Used book shops and the library.

Knitting: I knit small things, found free patterns on Ravelry, and repeated the same pattern when I could (so as to use up left over yarn and avoid buying new needles).

Hikes: We are lucky to have a free nature center nearby.

Thermostat: Last but not least, we kept the heat down.  The down comforters helped with this significantly, as did wool socks and sweaters.

Halloween 2015

This Halloween we once again had everyone in costume, in part thanks to a halloween themed recital the older kids signed up for (before we knew it was halloween themed--but I'm not complaining, it was fun).

We capitalized on past costumes and serindipitous cartoon sequals.  When Nova was about six, she was Aang, from the Avatar; The Last Airbender series.  Since then Nickelodeon has come out with the sequal, Korra; The Legend Continues, which is set about 70 years later (a fictional 1920s).  As it turns out Aang's granddaugthers Ikki and Jenora wear the same traditional air bending outfit their Aang wore as a kid. Nova's Aang costume became a Jenora costume, and I made an Ikki costume for Ariadne, using the larger one as a pattern.

Solomon wanted to be Sauron from The Lord of the rings.  Sadly, we could not figure out how to make the mask and spikes compatible with playing the viola.  He settled for Robin Hood, which we purchased completed.  I have figured out I only have 1-2 costumes in me per Halloween.  The kids need to either rotate, do it themselves, thrift, or borrow from the dress-up box.

We had just read Coraline for book club in mid October and Nova seized on the idea of being the Other Mother.  To my surprise, this ended up being the hardest costume.  A key componant of this very creepy character are her button eyes.  While many have simply attached buttons to their faces.  However, I figured Nova would find it difficult to walk on stage and play a violin solo blind.  We found a tutorial that used eyeglass lenses, limo tint, and clay.  Since Nova has 20/20 vision, we got some fashion glasses from GoodWill and popped out the lenses.  Grandpa John helped grind them into to the right shape.  Some limo tint and clay later, we had see-through button eyes.  After trying everything imaginable, we discovered scotch tape is the best way to make the eyes stick.  For the hair we gave a long black wig a bob while it was on Nova's head.  Polkadots and red trim were the defining characterstics of the Other Mother's dress in the movie version.  Luckily we had a great dress for the Other Mother already in Nova's closet.


 




Mere blocks from our house is a Halloween wonderland. (It is so good, in fact, that virtually no one trick or treats on our block).  Ghosts, ghools, witches, and super heros throng the street. People camp out in their front yards with bonfires as they give away candy--there are so many trick-or-treators there is no point going back inside.  The scary house below was most likely the instigator of the extreme popularity.  Decorated to the nines, the boulevard has both statues and live
'actors' ready to terrify.  It is hard to tell the difference until the move or shout 'boo!' Some kids love it, others insist on crossing to the other side of the street.  Neighbors joined in, going so far as to screen kid friendly Halloween movies in the driveway, popping corn in a carnival cart to share.




Halloween night Solomon had a birthday sleepover, Nova went to trick-or-treat with a friend in a neighboring suburb, and Charlotte and Aria trick-or-treated with friends in our neighborhood.  The night finished off with hot apple cider and a little play back at our house.

Christmas--getting ready

Getting ready for Christmas this year involved making a lot of Nanimo bars.  A chocolate layer, followed by a cream custard layer resting on a chocolate nut and graham cracker base equals heaven (if you have a sweet tooth).  This Canadian treat is one of my favorites from the Midwinter side of the family.  The preschool teachers all got some this year, along with GG Lois's scones and tea.

Nova's friend Ella danced the Nutcracker this year--in two productions.  While the Russian Ballet version was a bit much for Aria, the half hour mall version was perfect.  We saw it twice.  Ella is in green.  

Wrapping was a creative endeavor in 2015, mixing and matching heavy brown paper, sticky foam letters, glitter, and golden twine. 

Getting the kids up to the cathedral to see the life sized nativity was on my advent to-do list.  These giant statues wait poised around an empty manger for the arrival of baby Jesus.  I had hoped to get them back to see the manger full, but a bad cold got in the way.  Since we were already there, we popped our heads in the door for just a few minutes. Choral music drifted through the immense stone clad space.  The kids found the indoor creche at the chapel of Mary. After staring up at the 175 foot ceiling for a few minutes we headed back home.   

I took a picture of the doors, thinking they were decorated for Christmas.  When my mom and I toured the cathedral on New Years Eve I discovered it was not decorated for Christmas, but a Porta Sancta decorated for a special Jubilee year.  According to the Pope, entering through these doors is the first step in gaining special indulgences which forgive past sins and erase time earned in purgatory.  Unless it is a Jubilee year, the middle Porta Sancta door is locked.   

At home, I finally got around to making a stocking for Aria.  It seems it takes me at least two years to implement any new seasonal crafting or activity plans.  Like Charlotte's, Ariadne's stocking was made from an old sweater of mine, felted down.  I had grandiose plans to make a felt nativity, based on camels Aunt Marianne brought back for Charlotte from Kazakhstan so many years ago--oh well, next year.   

And we mustn't forget to take time out to build snowmen.  As you can see, all the important stuff got done. 

Eating What You Read: Food from Fiction

The Chronicles of Narnia alongside HazerBaba Turkish Delight


I have a little obsession to share--making food from fiction.  Reading and cooking are two things I've liked for a long time and it seems only natural to put them together.  Even as a kid, I would find myself wanting to eat what the characters in the books I was reading ate.

The Turkish Delight from the Narnia books probably tops every one's list for memorable food from fiction, but there are plenty of others too.  In addition to Turkish Delight, I found myself wanting to eat the tuna sandwich described at the beginning of A Wrinkle in Time, the wild mushrooms sauteed in garlic and butter from Stardust, and drink the raspberry cordial from Anne of Green Gables.  One memorable sick day in middle school I read all of Silver Woven in My Hair, eating chunks of bread and cheese in solidarity with the Cinderella-like character in the story.

When Charlotte was a couple years younger she wanted to read The Tawny Scrawny Lion almost every night.  One day I decided to make the carrot stew that featured so prominently in the plot.  It was surprisingly filling--just as it was in the story.  Even baby Ariadne loved it.

Last winter when one of our favorite cartoon series, Legend of Korra, was about to come to an end, we went on a recipe hunt for some food to accompany the last episode.  I discovered a great recipe and a new favorite blog at www.fiction-food.com. Charlotte liked the Spirit Cake so well she had it when we celebrated her 6th birthday party with extended family.

Though the cake from the cartoon looks like the one above, Charlotte, my little fruit-lover, couldn't help herself and decided to add even more berries--artfully arranged, of course.  

So, when some friends launched a book club about a year ago, I started making notes and bringing food to meetings.  The kids' homeschool book club set a high bar.  Some of the more memorable snacks there included skyr from Icefall, sweet potato soup from The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic and dessert pizza from The Candymakers.

The noodle pudding made with sultanas and ginger and described as 'golden ingots' from The Yiddish Policeman's Union was a favorite of mine (it tastes better than it looks).  

Sherlock Homes' housekeeper was always making beef pies from The Beekeeper's Apprentice, which also turned out to be quite good.  Paw paw jam from The Glass Castle was less well received, but worth a try (I did not make this one, since raw paw paw was impossible to get at that time of year). When we read Americana our friends Sam and Wick made fried plantains that were downright amazing.

At this point, it is more or less expected that I will make some sort of culinary effort and I get warnings like 'don't make burnt toast'  for Ocean at the End of the Lane and 'no library candy' from City of Thieves.  





















Recently I've started a middle school book club.  Above, Nova and Charlotte are making Swedish cremes from The Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963 (the author's wife contributed the recipe to The Kids' Book Club Book).  Next month's books are The Very Persistant Gappers of Frip and The Little Prince.  I wonder what we'll make...