Homeschooling at Grammy's

  

 Tehya came over late morning for a special history class her mom thought I could teach.

We posed for a picture the way she chose . . . 

 

We began with a book I highly recommend to anyone wanting to explain Russian Mennonite roots to children. Published in 2011 by CMU Press, this delightful book explains Mennonite history stories and interesting tidbits beginning with the meaning of Anabaptist and ending with a recipe of our beloved Zwieback. Every letter of the alphabet is covered.

 

We even had some peppernuts to enjoy while we read. 

The background in the Zwieback  book led us to look through a family album I put together early 2005. Our only grandbabies had moved to Indonesia and the ones soon to be born were living in the States. I began to think on how we could pass on our heritage with our family so spread apart and this led me to do some research that I never imagined I'd be able to share face to face with them. 

 It was obviously a season in my life I had time for this, beginning with great-grandparents on both sides, spanning stories and photos in chronological order, covering about 200 years. We skimmed through the highlights, referring back to the first book.

 

Papa came home for lunch and we had fun around the kitchen island.

Banana oatmeal pancakes with bacon . . .

 

our Tehya loves bacon and I picked it up just for her.

After lunch and baking cookies, we settled in for our fourth episode of a movie we began at the beginning of this year . . .
 

all the while she wondered if Anne would marry Gilbert in this one . . .
It did not look too promising . . . but she had to . . .

Gilbert did come along in the end. Do you remember what happened?
I won't spoil any surprises here.
We both wiped some tears.
And then she told me not to tell her mom that we were done.
We pulled out our Twenty Questions board game
and enjoyed that until the doorbell rang near supper time.

Of sugar and Spice

Can I say this class was especially fun?

Makenna came wearing pearls -  as she had just been at a birthday party.

Her careful use of the rolling pin was quite admirable.

Natalie came with her own apron and hair tied back,
ready to work.

She took on the role of older cousin,
and accepted the large rolling pin without complaint.

They rolled, and cut and floured

and sprinkled.

This part was a bit of a learning curve . . .

if too much falls out when you sprinkle, use your fingers

and lick . . . it's sugar after all!

The giggles

the shared joy

the stories and spontaneous singing were the best!



After sugar cookies and ginger snaps came out of the oven, their joy was almost uncontainable
as they prepared for their tea party.
 

"Grammy, this tea is so good!" she kept saying . . .



"And there are no brothers to bug us!" is what I heard.

 

Sugar and spice,
And everything nice,
That's what little girls are made of.
 

 

The Wishbook

 

Did you know that the Sears Wishbook is still alive?  I did not know! I eyed  it - free for the taking - and saw an opportunity to reminisce childhood days - when a catalogue in the mail, still wrapped in plastic, was a wonderful coming home from school surprise! The cover page alone, was always a new delight to capture!

 

We lived in Vancouver - actually not far from the old Sears on Kingsway - but the catalogue was the way to dream and shop. Everything we could wish for . . . wishes that often only came alive once we saw what was there . . . Mattel baby dolls, endless doll accessories, sleeping bags that always look like so much fun on pictures, games, record players, pretty bedspreads and the ultimate wish . . . the Easy Bake oven with packages of real cake mixes and pans to bake! Is there a girl out there who did not wish for one of those?

 

For old times sake I found the specific pages I would have poured over in my pre/early teen years . . . It used to be Girls 7-14. When I got a bit older, I would always look for a certain model and see what she was wearing.

My parents did a fair bit of their shopping via the catalogue throughout the year. They would fill out a form and either mail it in or call it in. Sometime later, on a Saturday morning we would make the trip to the Sears warehouse and pick up our parcels.

 

In my reminiscing I saw myself sitting, feet tucked under, window shopping in a certain chair in my parent's living room . . . and I realized . . . the chair (one of two) is now in my bedroom.
I don't think I'd ever connected that memory to it before.

The Cookie Class

We moved into the Lepp Farm kitchen about two hours before class began.
I think we brought all but the kitchen sink.
We set up the tree right near the island while listening to Christmas music playing  in the background . . .

our trays were checked and doubly checked to be sure everything was in place . . .

Marg got her spiced apple cider simmering
and then Judy decided to begin baking half of her peppernuts . . .
even before guests arrived.

We had time for a photo . . . oops Julie was not there yet.
Ellen came out from Kenmore, WA for the evening.

There is always a kind of hush as we anxiously wait to see exactly when to begin.
Some of us stand quietly, reflecting, some chat with the ones sitting at the counter and one or two of us finalize details with Lepp Farm Market assistants.
Charlotte Lepp usually introduces the class and we are on . . .

I took a few photos, but most of these I "borrowed" from Ellen, who's daughter sat right in front and later shared with us. About half hour into the evening we served some appetizers and then continued
with our cookie demonstrations.

Mennonite peppermint cookies with baking ammonia . . . no one passed out . . .
one pot double chocolate cookies GF,
Pfeffernuesse or peppernuts  . . . which can literally be eaten like nuts . . .
German Lindzer cookies dusted with icing sugar

and Nanaimo bars . . . the best!
We had about 30 guests in attendance,
lingering for some time over cookies with coffee.
After they left . . . we did the same.

Cookie Class Preparations

A thought was born and the idea of an old fashioned cookie class was spoken. We started chatting about what kind of cookies we could do and if we would actually want to do this . . . and the rest is history.  Tonight is the class!

I keep telling myself that I should watch some cooking shows to see how it's done. When I catch one, it all looks so simple . . . so easy .  . . and maybe it is for them . . . but not for me.

As recipes get dealt out amongst us, we try to do the ones we feel most comfortable with, but it goes without saying, I end up "practicing" the recipe many times before actually doing it front of a class.  

 

This past Monday we took all of our "practice" cookies over to Bev's beautiful kitchen.



 and packaged them up.



While some of us were putting our cookies into individual little bags, Judy prepared the containers.
 

Once we finished our little packages, we went about filling the containers

and wrapped them up with a beautiful bow.
We'll leave the ones receiving them a mystery for now.

 

This cookie class is a first for us and this part of the prep was a lot of fun!
Now we just wait to see how the evening will progress.
As for me, I'm looking forward to the stories that may come out around the kitchen counter
when the aromas of peppernut spices, baking ammonia and chocolate goodness begin to fill the air.
Will let you know how it goes . . .

At the Cinema on High Street

Do you know why we are smiling? 

It's not just the sweet drinks . . .
or the Christmas lights at the new mall . . .
it's an evening together.
I have to think of that song by Joni Mitchel
"Don't it always seem to go
that you don't know what you've got till it's gone."

Living intentionally is a good thing . . .
but a pity that most often we do not see the need
until circumstances in life dare us to.
So go ahead and make the most of time.
Live life on purpose.