Summer of Fun Calendar
Check out this free summer calendar from Amanda Bennett! It contains a fun activity for every day to keep away summer boredom!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Summertime Blessings
A Gratitude list for June
{1,461-1,478}
Warm weather
Finishing Wuthering Heights
Sleepiness
A great VBS
Homemade bread
The healing of my ezcema
Dinner that I don't have to cook
Hospitality
Lamps that lend their light
A understanding of human nature
Grace from friends
Obedient children
Boys that are willing to help around the house
The lack of complaining
Sunsets
Mornings on the deck
Seeing a pair of bald eagles at our campsite
Seeing a swan fly over our campsite
Friday, May 27, 2011
Homeschool Mother's Journal- May 27th
.In my life this week… I have been brain dead! We have been doing VBS at church this week and I was helping with registration. After registering over 90 kids I am non-functioning!
In our homeschool this week… we did nothing! We took the week off to participate in and work at our church's VBS.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…lots and lots of VBS kids!
My favorite thing this week was…spending so much time at church with people I love and going out to lunch.
What’s working/not working for us… not getting enough sleep because of VBS is not working for us. My oldest was a counselor for the extended session. He is so tired. But it is a good tired.
Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…none....I can't even think about school this week. :-)
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…from my Bible study this week...Adversity is God's University.--Paul Evans
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Scripture Memorization to Music
Memorizing scripture is so incredibly important! However, when you get old like me (ok, maybe not old, but middle aged) the brain starts to get muddled and it is hard to retain anything! I have been trying to find different ways over this past year to memorize more of God's Word. So I was excited when a dear friend of mine mentioned on Facebook that she had found a plethora of Bible verses on Amazon set to music!
I have started slow...promising myself that I would only buy one set of verses (one song) at a time. I have to memorize the current verses before buying more and moving on. I play the song on my computer and have a sticky note with the words so that I can see and hear the verses at the same time. I have started with a couple of verses from Isaiah (53:4-5) on healing. I thought that these verses would be appropriate as I have sent the past several years healing from some very emotional situations in my life. But really there are so many verses on so many topics that you will probably never run out of songs to help you memorize!
Amazon now has something called the "cloud player" where you can load all your MP3 purchases from them and listen to them. So I have just been using that to listen. Eventually, I will transfer the songs to my Ipod. Go check out these awesome resources!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Loving Difficult People
Have you ever tried to hug a porcupine? A funny and scary picture for sure! I have always struggled to love those that leave me bruised and broken. I am sure that we all have. I recently came across a series of messages from Beth Moore about loving difficult people. One of the keys to loving others is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have an eternal and unconditional love from God. We can love those that don't love us back if we truly grasp that He loves us.
Here is the first part (six parts total each about eight minutes long) of Beth's message on loving others. You can find the rest on You Tube. Such a timely message for me...praying that it blesses someone else also.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Pre-teaching During the Summer
I am all about trying to find ways to make the school year go smoother. I work part time during the school year teaching Spanish to homeschoolers. So my days are packed with homeschooling in the morning and then teaching in the afternoon. I just came upon an idea that I wish I had thought of years ago that will make our school year easier.
This summer I plan to "pre-teach" a lot of Noah's math through games. Noah is going to start Math-U-See Epsilon (which is the fractions book) in the fall. Well, it dawned on me that I still have the math games set from RightStart (love these games!). This set uses games to teach everything from numbers sense to multiplication to fractions. So I am using these games to teach Noah the basics about fractions.
We have already done concepts like simplifying fractions and greatest common factor. He is enjoying the game part of it more than a worksheet. I am also eagerly awaiting in the mail some games from Muggins Math that deal with fractions-Down and Around, Pirates Plunder, and Sink the Ship. We will play these to get him used to the concepts of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions.
I am going to be real curious to see how he does in math this year when we finally crack open a book in late August. I am hoping the "pre-teaching" will make it easier for him!
So what do you do during the summer? Review? Pre-teach? Take a break? Or just keep moving on? I would love to hear what others do!
Monday, May 23, 2011
More than we can imagine
He always gives us more than we can imagine...
{1,449-1,460}
The chance to touch kids lives for Christ
Knowing that God holds us in the sorrow of saying good-bye
God tenderly ministering to my son's heart as he says good-bye to his best friend
A sunny deck
Wind blowing lightly through an open window
That He is our Hope of Glory
Scripture memorization
The people that bought the house across the street from us go to our church! Yay! Nice neighbors!
New soccer shoes for Noah
Getting my lesson plans done for my Sunday School class
Being able to sell some of my used curriculum on Ebay
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Homeschool Mother's Journal- May 20th
.In my life this week… Life has been super busy! I have been working on Spanish lessons for next year for one of my more advanced students. I teach Spanish to homeschoolers during the school year, and the summertime is my only time to prep lessons. I have also been working on getting my garden up and running. Still have some work in that area!
In our homeschool this week… We are winding down and finishing up the last of our subjects. Both boys have spelling and Apologia to finish. We will continue math through the summer. While the boys have been finishing I have been cleaning out the bookshelves and reorganizing our homeschool books. I have put tons of our curriculum that we are done with on Ebay and put some in storage for later.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…This week has been low-key since we are just finishing up school subjects. We did get a chance to do some geocaching which was fun! At the end of our excursion I told the boys I had a geocache of my own that I wanted to take them to. I then proceeded to take them to the store to pick out some ice cream sandwiches. Noah said that that was the best geocache ever! LOL
My favorite thing this week was…playing games with Noah and watching Zach change (he has become so helpful and mature the last few weeks). Awesome!
What’s working/not working for us…RightStart math games have been a blessing to us! I am using these games to teach Noah fraction concepts so that when his new math book arrives (Math-U-See Epsilon) he will already have a foundation in fractions. I love how these games teach concepts and make the whole experience fun!
A photo, video, link, or quote to share… Missing my dad. He was up here a few weeks ago for a visit. I pray that someday my boys will turn out like him...loving, kind, and fun!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Raspberry Cream Pie
I made this pie last week...so easy and so yummy!
Blend room temperature cream cheese and marshmallow cream with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Spread the cream cheese mixture in the bottom of the baked pie crust and chill in refrigerator.
Combine water, cornstarch and sugar in a medium kettle.
Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils. Cook over low heat for two minutes or until mixture is clear and thick. Remove from heat. Add the Jell-O and stir until dissolved.
Fold in raspberries and cool until thick but not set. You can place the mixture in the freezer to speed up the cooling time.
Once the mixture is cool pour it on the cream cheese filled pie crust. Chill for at least 4 hours. Top with whipped topping before serving.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Bible in 90 days- New Session
Have you ever read through the entire Bible? Has it been your goal to do so and you have never made it? Last summer I was able to read through the entire Bible by participating in the Bible in 90 Days program. It was a life-changing experience for me in which I was able to delve into God's Word and learn more about Him.
You may be asking yourself...."Why in the world would a person try to read the Bible that quickly?" Actually, there are several advantages to doing it this way. First of all, I found it it easier to read the Bible through fast as opposed to say, in a year. I constantly tell people that I did the Bible in a year plan in 18 months. I just couldn't keep to the schedule, because I lost interest. With the Bible in 90 days my interest level stayed high and I was able to finish in 66 days! One of the benefits of reading like this is that you get a great overview of God's Word. You start to make connections with different parts of the Bible that you would have never done otherwise. And finally, you get through the tough books faster (think, Leviticus).
Amy over at Mom's Toolbox will be starting a reading session in July. If you sign up at her site (sign-ups will start sometime in June), she will place you with a mentor who will check in with you each week to keep you motivated. I am planning on being a mentor this time around and would love to mentor any of my blog readers. To request me just ask for Debbie at The Architect and the Artist.
To find out more about the Bible in 90 Days please check out my Bible in 90 days page at the top of my blog.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Gifts Galore
{1,436-1,448}
Peace that all will work out well
Doing a geocache with the boys
A clean house
Grief that teaches us the hard lessons
Time to get Sunday School lessons ready
Date nights
Warm days
Plants
A son that has helped out tremendously with housework
Noah's recital
The story of Abigail and Nabal (I Samuel 25)-just realizing that Abigail is like Jesus...playing the part of mediator.
Doing Bible studies from one of my former high school teachers, Fran Sciacca.
God's protection while the boys and their friends were out riding bikes. They had a couple of accidents, but only a few scrapes. Could have been worse!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Homeschool Planning Pages
What is my strength as a homeschool mom? It definitely is in the planning. I love to plan. It is the execution that kills me (pun intended)! Following through on what I have planned and getting the grading done for my kids work is the hard part for me. I have found over the years that the more organized I am in the planning the better the execution of my plan.
There are loads of great planning tools out there. Here are some of my favorites:
Donna Young's site is awesome! This is where I can get weekly planning pages, year-long planners, and even schedules for Apologia science! Last year I printed out her schedule for the General Science book. It became my lifesaver as all the assignments were right there to get through the program by the end of the year.
Homeschool Launch has about every planner imaginable! What a resource! There is even an EZ grader to print out!
If you want something cute and yet functional, check out Kendra's planner on her site, Aussie Pumpkin Patch.
If you need household planning pages, then Life as Mom has a whole e-book of them!
I am so eager to get planning!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Some of Our Best Homeschool Memories
Here are some great memories we have created along the way as we have schooled the boys...
We have learned that if the first way to learn a skill doesn't work then find another method! Lattic multiplication was a life saver for my boys when they didn't understand the traditional way to multiply. Another great tool that we have used is a multiplication clock.
I have started the journey of preparing for high school...this time for my oldest. Here is how I have gone about it.
We now know how to start the school year off right...with cupcakes! And more cupcakes!
We have had the opportunity to dissect squid....ewwww and fun!
We have done some fun leaning with lapbooks...like the one about Malawi.
One of our favorite units was a mystery unit.We read books and did a mystery meal.
Homeschooling has been filled with such wonderful memories! I only have four more years with my oldest...so the time is running out! I feel kind of sad about the whole passing of time, but we still have a few more years to create more memories.
What have been some of your favorite homeschool activities or memories?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Freezer Meals for May
Sweet and Sour Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage
- 2 green or red bell peppers, cut into strips
- 1 onion, cut into ½” pieces
- 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 cup prepared sweet and sour sauce
- 4½ cups hot cooked rice
Directions:
Cut sausage into ½” slices. Heat large non-stick skillet on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add sausage, peppers and onion; cook, stirring constantly 6-7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in pineapple and sauce; cook 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Key West Chicken
· 3 tablespoons soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon honey
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 1 teaspoon lime juice
· 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1. In a shallow container, blend soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.
NOTE: To prepare the above dish for the freezer, I make the marinade and freeze it in a small container. I have chicken already frozen. To make: thaw chicken, marinate and continue with above directions.
Super Stuffed Tortillas
Chili-Lime Tilapia from the cookbook, Fix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving - More than 125 Recipes [Hardcover]
Easy Mashed Potato and Veggie Enchiladas
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Finding Your Purpose as a Mom (Booking It)
This month over at Life as Mom we have been reading Finding Your Purpose as a Mom: How to Build Your Home on Holy Ground. I recently finished the book and felt that although a lot of the concepts were a review for me, the author gave me a plethora of things that I could do as a mom to make my home more joyful and peaceful. She talks about order in the home, training your kids, and giving grace to your family.
One of the concepts that I had never thought about was hospitality. My confession for the week...I stink at hospitality! I really don't feel comfortable opening up my home, but Donna Otto's perspective on the matter has made me rethink it. She contrasts hospitality and entertainment...here are a few of the differences she talks about
Hospitality seeks to provide a safe place. Entertainment seeks to provide a show place.
Hospitality puts people before things. Entertainment elevates things above people.
Hospitality is about welcome and inclusion. Entertainment is about exclusiveness and pride.
I don't need to get all wrapped up in how beautiful or clean my home is...I just need to open my home up to those around me. Put people first, and don't worry about the rest.
Finding your Purpose as a Mom has really helped me refocus on my home and my kids. I have come to realize that a mom's place in this world is invaluable!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Monday Multitudes
{1,420-1,434}
New curriculum
Homeschool workshops
Sunsets
Lunch with a friend
Ice water
A Lineage of Grace: Five Stories of Unlikely Women Who Changed Eternity
Understanding an algebra problem
Strawberry lemonade
Tomato, cucumber, and squash plants in my living room ready for planting
Getting our rocking chair recovered
Roasted potatoes
Eating dinner on the deck
Sitting on the deck in the sun surrounded by tomato and cucumber plants
Mother's Day pie served with a candle in it (Zach's idea)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Parenting Helps
Ann over at A Holy Experience has some parenting tips and free printables for moms. Her three pieces of advice really ring true! Go check them out!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Fraction Fun
My youngest will be starting fractions in the fall. Right now I am in the process of collecting games and ideas to use with him through the summer to help him grasp some of the concepts behind fractions.
We have been die hard Math-u-See users from the beginning. I love their program! However, I did purchase several years back the box of games from RigthStart Math. I used them with my oldest off and on, and now Noah is finishing up with them. I love how these games teach the concepts of fractions without ever opening a workbook! If you are interested in seeing how they teach, take a look at this handout. Here are all their fraction products.
There are several Muggins! Math games that I am planning on buying soon to play with Noah this summer. Down and Around, Pirates 'n' Plunder, and Sink the Ship are all games put out by Muggins! math.
Here are some cool ideas with fractions that incorporate art...
Fraction Penguins
Ed Emberley's Picture Pie: A Circle Drawing Book
More Animals with Fractions
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