We will be heading out of town to visit my parents for this holiday week and will not be returning until next Monday. Jason has not decided if he will be commuting to work or just staying at home. Please pray that we will have a safe trip and an enjoyable visit with my family.
I'm bringing my computer, but my parents do not have internet access, so I will have to see if I can find someone who does and is willing to let me use it. Otherwise, I will be M.I.A. for a little over a week.
We are bringing school stuff to work on while we are there, and I have some special extra-curricular things planned for my girls that my mom will be helping with. I'm very excited about it and can't wait to share it with you (along with lots of pictures, of course.) =)
I hope that everyone has a safe holiday and a great week! We'll see you when we get back!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Two Week Catch-Up
It always takes me a few weeks into a new school year to get our routines figured out, but I fear that it's going to take me a little longer this year with my decision to incorporate a more flexible schedule. Jason is home now a lot more than he was last year, and it is just nearly impossible to do school with him here. I'm hoping that his appointments will pick up again soon. If they don't, I'm going to have to boot him out of the house for a couple of hours. =) Just kidding, honey!
All that said, to say, my life for the last two weeks has been wrapped up with Jason, school, sick kids, organization issues, cooking/baking, various activities, and a couple of things that I'm not at liberty to discuss (but you can pray with us for these "unspokens").
I realize that the last few posts have been about food, but we are really into cooking and experimenting with recipes and want to share those recipes with all of you. However, I feel the need to post about us...well, mainly about the kids. =) This is going to be a random synopsis of the last two weeks. Enjoy!
Two weeks ago today, Alyx and Larissa attended a birthday party for one of their friends. It was a horse-themed party, and they got to take a wagon ride to some nearby stables to ride horses...Every little girl's dream come true! They had a blast, of course! Here are some pictures from the party...
This is poor little Sydney taking a nap on the couch. She was one of the unfortunates that caught the bug.
A week ago today, we went bowling with our Sunday School class. We asked the girls before we left if they had ever been bowling before. (We couldn't remember.) Alyx said, "No....well, we've bowled on the Wii..." =) Of course, we laughed! They played on a Wii at the house of some friends of ours about a year ago. How sad! My kids are so deprived! =) They did much better than I expected, though. Some of them actually beat my score, but they did have the bumpers. =)
When we got home from bowling, we decided to finish up a craft that we had started the day before. (We had to wait for glue to dry.) During the week, Alyx had come up with an idea for a craft. She had read in a Highlights magazine about how to make a guitar from a paper towel tube and a cracker box. She couldn't find the magazine with the instructions, but she remembered enough of it that I felt pretty sure we could just fake it. =) We didn't have any cracker boxes, but I figured paper plates would work just as well. With a hole cut out of the center of one plate and 3 rubber bands strung across the opening (giving 6 strings total), they were able to strum little "tunes" with the "picks" that they made from the scraps that were cut away from the paper plate. (The "pick" was their idea. Aren't they creative?)
It's almost impossible to get a "group picture" with everyone looking "normal." Someone is bound to blink, look down/up/left/right, or do a little jig just for fun. =) I don't know how Jon and Kate do it!
The girls enjoyed it, and that's all that matters...
On another "crafty" note, Alyx started her "Science Notebook" this past week. She is learning a lot of interesting facts about animals, and she will be creating a "scrapbook-type" page of each animal to compile a notebook when she's done. I gave her several options for the picture that was to be included on the page. She could cut out the pictures provided in one of her books, we could print a page from the internet (either in color or for her to color), or she could draw and color the picture herself. She thought about it and decided that she wanted to draw them so that she could (in her words) "work on her drawing skills." Isn't that cute? I'm so glad that she didn't choose the "easy route." Here's her first page. I think she did a great job!
Yesterday, while we were doing some school work, Alyx informed me that her doll was going to help her. I looked over at her questioningly, and she explained that the way her doll's hands were positioned, she could hold her ruler and "clicky" eraser. How funny is that?
All that said, to say, my life for the last two weeks has been wrapped up with Jason, school, sick kids, organization issues, cooking/baking, various activities, and a couple of things that I'm not at liberty to discuss (but you can pray with us for these "unspokens").
I realize that the last few posts have been about food, but we are really into cooking and experimenting with recipes and want to share those recipes with all of you. However, I feel the need to post about us...well, mainly about the kids. =) This is going to be a random synopsis of the last two weeks. Enjoy!
Two weeks ago today, Alyx and Larissa attended a birthday party for one of their friends. It was a horse-themed party, and they got to take a wagon ride to some nearby stables to ride horses...Every little girl's dream come true! They had a blast, of course! Here are some pictures from the party...
This is poor little Sydney taking a nap on the couch. She was one of the unfortunates that caught the bug.
A week ago today, we went bowling with our Sunday School class. We asked the girls before we left if they had ever been bowling before. (We couldn't remember.) Alyx said, "No....well, we've bowled on the Wii..." =) Of course, we laughed! They played on a Wii at the house of some friends of ours about a year ago. How sad! My kids are so deprived! =) They did much better than I expected, though. Some of them actually beat my score, but they did have the bumpers. =)
When we got home from bowling, we decided to finish up a craft that we had started the day before. (We had to wait for glue to dry.) During the week, Alyx had come up with an idea for a craft. She had read in a Highlights magazine about how to make a guitar from a paper towel tube and a cracker box. She couldn't find the magazine with the instructions, but she remembered enough of it that I felt pretty sure we could just fake it. =) We didn't have any cracker boxes, but I figured paper plates would work just as well. With a hole cut out of the center of one plate and 3 rubber bands strung across the opening (giving 6 strings total), they were able to strum little "tunes" with the "picks" that they made from the scraps that were cut away from the paper plate. (The "pick" was their idea. Aren't they creative?)
It's almost impossible to get a "group picture" with everyone looking "normal." Someone is bound to blink, look down/up/left/right, or do a little jig just for fun. =) I don't know how Jon and Kate do it!
The girls enjoyed it, and that's all that matters...
On another "crafty" note, Alyx started her "Science Notebook" this past week. She is learning a lot of interesting facts about animals, and she will be creating a "scrapbook-type" page of each animal to compile a notebook when she's done. I gave her several options for the picture that was to be included on the page. She could cut out the pictures provided in one of her books, we could print a page from the internet (either in color or for her to color), or she could draw and color the picture herself. She thought about it and decided that she wanted to draw them so that she could (in her words) "work on her drawing skills." Isn't that cute? I'm so glad that she didn't choose the "easy route." Here's her first page. I think she did a great job!
Yesterday, while we were doing some school work, Alyx informed me that her doll was going to help her. I looked over at her questioningly, and she explained that the way her doll's hands were positioned, she could hold her ruler and "clicky" eraser. How funny is that?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
I know, I know...I've been promising this recipe to some of you for weeks now, and I'm just now getting around to it. I'm such a slacker! =)
This recipe will make two loaves, or you can do like I do and have some fun with it. I like to braid all the dough like challah. Here is a video (not me, by the way) with instructions on how to braid a 6-strand challah. It's fun...you ought to try it!
Here recently, I've just been shaping a long, mounded loaf on my sheet pan. I don't really like my loaf pans, and it turns out just as well (if not better) than if I had used a loaf pan. I haven't taken any pictures of the mounded loaf, but here are some before and after pictures of the braided loaf. We like the different "bumps" on the top of each slice of bread. It makes it more interesting than just a plain old loaf. =)
Here's the recipe...
Ingredients:
6 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1 3/4 cups warm water, divided
1/3 cup honey
1 pkg. yeast (I use about 1 Tbsp. of the loose dry, active yeast.)
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. oil (I use grapeseed oil)
1. Mix 3 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups of warm water in a large glass bowl. Allow this to sit for about 30 minutes. This will break down the gluten and help the bread to rise better.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup water, yeast and honey. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast is activated and mixture becomes bubbly.
3. Add yeast mixture, salt and oil to the flour and water mixture. Gradually add the remaining three cups of flour and stir well. (I use my KitchenAid with the dough hook.) Every time I make this I end up needing a different amount of flour...sometimes almost a cup extra and sometimes 1/2 cup less. I think it has to do with the lunar cycle. =) Just watch for the smooth consistency that dough takes on. The dough should not stick to the edges of the bowl, but on the flip side it should not become dry and flaky.
4. If you are stirring by hand, you will need to knead the dough by hand on a clean counter as the dough becomes harder to stir. Add a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. (KitchenAid works great!)
5. Place the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover it with a cloth. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place (set on a chair or table near a window for the sun to warm it, or place near the stove/oven if you've recently used either one) for one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
6. Using a floured hand, pull the dough out of the bowl onto the counter. Knead for just a minute or two until the air bubbles are gone.
7. If you are making loaves, cut the dough in half with a large sharp knife, shape each section of dough into a loaf and place them each into a greased bread pan. I use a sheet pan covered with foil and grease it with some grapeseed oil before placing my loaf on it to rise.
8. Cover and allow 45 minutes to one hour to rise again.
9. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 30-45 minutes (we like ours at about 30 minutes), or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you thump on the top.
10. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing entire loaf. This will keep it from drying out or from becoming "soggy" by storing it still warm. If you are like us, though, you will want to cut a few warm slices to enjoy right away. Just make sure you cover the open end with a cloth, so it won't dry out. Store slices in an airtight container...Ziploc bags work great!
As I mentioned in my muffin recipe post, coconut oil is so incredible on a warm slice of bread! You have to try it! =)
This recipe will make two loaves, or you can do like I do and have some fun with it. I like to braid all the dough like challah. Here is a video (not me, by the way) with instructions on how to braid a 6-strand challah. It's fun...you ought to try it!
Here recently, I've just been shaping a long, mounded loaf on my sheet pan. I don't really like my loaf pans, and it turns out just as well (if not better) than if I had used a loaf pan. I haven't taken any pictures of the mounded loaf, but here are some before and after pictures of the braided loaf. We like the different "bumps" on the top of each slice of bread. It makes it more interesting than just a plain old loaf. =)
This is a braided, unbaked loaf.
Here it is after it's baked. Look how beautiful! Can't you just smell it? =)
This is what it looks like after it is sliced. I use an electric knife with a slicing guide to get the most uniform slices.
Here's the recipe...
Ingredients:
6 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1 3/4 cups warm water, divided
1/3 cup honey
1 pkg. yeast (I use about 1 Tbsp. of the loose dry, active yeast.)
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. oil (I use grapeseed oil)
1. Mix 3 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups of warm water in a large glass bowl. Allow this to sit for about 30 minutes. This will break down the gluten and help the bread to rise better.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup water, yeast and honey. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes, or until the yeast is activated and mixture becomes bubbly.
3. Add yeast mixture, salt and oil to the flour and water mixture. Gradually add the remaining three cups of flour and stir well. (I use my KitchenAid with the dough hook.) Every time I make this I end up needing a different amount of flour...sometimes almost a cup extra and sometimes 1/2 cup less. I think it has to do with the lunar cycle. =) Just watch for the smooth consistency that dough takes on. The dough should not stick to the edges of the bowl, but on the flip side it should not become dry and flaky.
4. If you are stirring by hand, you will need to knead the dough by hand on a clean counter as the dough becomes harder to stir. Add a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. (KitchenAid works great!)
5. Place the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover it with a cloth. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place (set on a chair or table near a window for the sun to warm it, or place near the stove/oven if you've recently used either one) for one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
6. Using a floured hand, pull the dough out of the bowl onto the counter. Knead for just a minute or two until the air bubbles are gone.
7. If you are making loaves, cut the dough in half with a large sharp knife, shape each section of dough into a loaf and place them each into a greased bread pan. I use a sheet pan covered with foil and grease it with some grapeseed oil before placing my loaf on it to rise.
8. Cover and allow 45 minutes to one hour to rise again.
9. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 30-45 minutes (we like ours at about 30 minutes), or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you thump on the top.
10. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing entire loaf. This will keep it from drying out or from becoming "soggy" by storing it still warm. If you are like us, though, you will want to cut a few warm slices to enjoy right away. Just make sure you cover the open end with a cloth, so it won't dry out. Store slices in an airtight container...Ziploc bags work great!
As I mentioned in my muffin recipe post, coconut oil is so incredible on a warm slice of bread! You have to try it! =)
Turkey Sausage
Remember I said I was going to make my own sausage after the "accidental-sausage-mix-up-at-Whole Foods" incident? Well, we did, and it was good. We felt the need to tweak the recipe just a little bit, though, and now it's super yummy! =)
Ingredients:
3 lbs. ground turkey (dark meat is probably best)
2 Tbsp. onion powder
6 small to medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. sage (We used half ground and half rubbed. Ground is cheapest, and I'm sure it would be fine. You could also use fresh if you have it.)
freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. fennel seed
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. (Using your hands is probably the best way.) You can cook right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) to "marinate."
We use this sausage in our spaghetti, calzones and in omelets. You could also form them into patties to make a special breakfast some time. I would rate the "heat factor" at somewhere between a mild and medium sausage. Obviously, if you want it to be hotter, add more red pepper flakes, and if you want it milder, use less.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 lbs. ground turkey (dark meat is probably best)
2 Tbsp. onion powder
6 small to medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. sage (We used half ground and half rubbed. Ground is cheapest, and I'm sure it would be fine. You could also use fresh if you have it.)
freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. fennel seed
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. (Using your hands is probably the best way.) You can cook right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) to "marinate."
We use this sausage in our spaghetti, calzones and in omelets. You could also form them into patties to make a special breakfast some time. I would rate the "heat factor" at somewhere between a mild and medium sausage. Obviously, if you want it to be hotter, add more red pepper flakes, and if you want it milder, use less.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Raspberry Poppy Seed Muffins (or Blueberry, if you prefer)
This is a recipe that we have adapted from one of our favorite recipe books but have changed certain ingredients to meet our needs. You can make them with either the raspberries and poppy seeds or with just blueberries. This particular recipe can be made with either all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour or a combination of both. If you use whole wheat flour, you will want to increase the baking powder to a total of 4 teaspoons.
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups flour (all-purpose, whole wheat or both)
1 Tbsp. and 1/4 tsp. double-acting baking powder (4 tsp. total if using whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. salt (slightly mounded)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds (omit if making blueberry)
Wet Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup milk (we use soy milk)
1/4 cup oil (we use grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries or blueberries (Run the raspberries in a food processor for a few seconds so they will spread throughout the muffins more evenly.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin-pan cups or fill muffin pan with disposable cups. Recipe will yield 16-18 muffins.
In large bowl with fork, mix dry ingredients. In small bowl with fork, beat egg slightly, then stir milk, oil and agave into beaten egg. Add fruit to wet ingredient mixture and slightly stir to make sure fruit doesn't clump. Add wet mixture all at once to flour mixture and with spoon, stir just until flour is moistened. (Avoid overmixing which causes toughness; batter should be lumpy.) Spoon batter into muffin cups. Be sure to wipe pan clean of any spills.
Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes until they are well risen and golden and toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean and dry.
***Now...this next step is VERY, VERY important!!! =) Do NOT put butter in your muffins! You must, Must, MUST get some coconut oil to spread in your muffins! That is the best stuff you will ever taste, and it is SO much better for you than butter! Try it! =)
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups flour (all-purpose, whole wheat or both)
1 Tbsp. and 1/4 tsp. double-acting baking powder (4 tsp. total if using whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. salt (slightly mounded)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds (omit if making blueberry)
Wet Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup milk (we use soy milk)
1/4 cup oil (we use grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries or blueberries (Run the raspberries in a food processor for a few seconds so they will spread throughout the muffins more evenly.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin-pan cups or fill muffin pan with disposable cups. Recipe will yield 16-18 muffins.
In large bowl with fork, mix dry ingredients. In small bowl with fork, beat egg slightly, then stir milk, oil and agave into beaten egg. Add fruit to wet ingredient mixture and slightly stir to make sure fruit doesn't clump. Add wet mixture all at once to flour mixture and with spoon, stir just until flour is moistened. (Avoid overmixing which causes toughness; batter should be lumpy.) Spoon batter into muffin cups. Be sure to wipe pan clean of any spills.
Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes until they are well risen and golden and toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean and dry.
***Now...this next step is VERY, VERY important!!! =) Do NOT put butter in your muffins! You must, Must, MUST get some coconut oil to spread in your muffins! That is the best stuff you will ever taste, and it is SO much better for you than butter! Try it! =)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Pumpkin Swirl "Cheese"cake
As I've mentioned before, we are experimenting with some of our favorite holiday recipes, so that when the holidays come, we will be prepared. For those of you who may not already know, Jason is really good in the kitchen. He loves to cook and bake. This ability is very much appreciated, especially when I'm unable to fix a meal. He steps right in and does a great job. =)
One of his favorite things to make is cheesecake. In fact he makes several cheesecakes over the holiday season, so you can imagine our disappointment when we decided to go dairy-free. While we were shopping one day, we came across some soy cream cheese in little tubs just like the spreadable (regular) cream cheese containers. We bought some and began our experiment.
Last year, our favorite cheesecake recipe was a pumpkin swirl cheesecake. (Side note: We later discovered that a spoonful of cranberry relish on top of each slice was really good. The tartness of the cranberries played off of the sweetness of the cheesecake.) Since we are new to using soy products in the place of dairy products, we really weren't sure how it would turn out or if we would even like it. To tell you the truth, I was kind of scared of it. =) To our great delight, though, it was absolutely delicious, and we couldn't tell the difference. In fact, we actually liked the crust better since we used coconut oil in place of butter. The coconut oil really crisps up the ginger snap/pecan crust...yuuuummmmmy!!
My camera did not come out fast enough to get a picture of the cake as a whole...I almost lost an arm trying to get this picture! =)
You have got to try this! It's amazing! We will not be suffering this holiday season...that's for sure. =)
Here's the recipe...
25 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (We used Mi-Del brand that is only sweetened with dehydrated cane juice.)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages Toffuti brand soy cream cheese, softened
1 cup evaporated cane juice (ECJ), divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and coconut oil; press firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat (soy) cream cheese, 3/4 cup of ECJ and the vanilla with electric mixer (KitchenAid works fine) until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the batter; place in small bowl. Stir remaining 1/4 cup ECJ, the pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.
Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set. (Ours took an extra 20 minutes.) Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
One of his favorite things to make is cheesecake. In fact he makes several cheesecakes over the holiday season, so you can imagine our disappointment when we decided to go dairy-free. While we were shopping one day, we came across some soy cream cheese in little tubs just like the spreadable (regular) cream cheese containers. We bought some and began our experiment.
Last year, our favorite cheesecake recipe was a pumpkin swirl cheesecake. (Side note: We later discovered that a spoonful of cranberry relish on top of each slice was really good. The tartness of the cranberries played off of the sweetness of the cheesecake.) Since we are new to using soy products in the place of dairy products, we really weren't sure how it would turn out or if we would even like it. To tell you the truth, I was kind of scared of it. =) To our great delight, though, it was absolutely delicious, and we couldn't tell the difference. In fact, we actually liked the crust better since we used coconut oil in place of butter. The coconut oil really crisps up the ginger snap/pecan crust...yuuuummmmmy!!
My camera did not come out fast enough to get a picture of the cake as a whole...I almost lost an arm trying to get this picture! =)
You have got to try this! It's amazing! We will not be suffering this holiday season...that's for sure. =)
Here's the recipe...
25 Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (We used Mi-Del brand that is only sweetened with dehydrated cane juice.)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages Toffuti brand soy cream cheese, softened
1 cup evaporated cane juice (ECJ), divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and coconut oil; press firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat (soy) cream cheese, 3/4 cup of ECJ and the vanilla with electric mixer (KitchenAid works fine) until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the batter; place in small bowl. Stir remaining 1/4 cup ECJ, the pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.
Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set. (Ours took an extra 20 minutes.) Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Homeschool Freebies this week
Be sure to check out the "Homeschool Freebie of the day" website this week. There appears to be some really good stuff lined up. If you haven't subscribed to their site, you should do that, so that you can get the "Heads up" email every Monday that lists every day's freebie. Here's this weeks line-up:
Monday, August 18: "If I Could Do It Again..." Homeschool moms tell us what they would do different if they were starting their Homeschooling over. Glean and learn...excellent advice!
Tuesday, August 19: "Childhood Stories of George Washington & Abraham Lincoln", great read-alouds by Anne Tatum
Wednesday, August 20: "Bible Scavenger Hunt" Challenge your kids in this Bible-based scavenger hunt and exploration from Values-Driven Family!
Thursday, August 21: "Quilted Hearts Doll Quilt Project" A wonderful learning project for young hands eager to learn to sew and quilt, from Seasons at Home magazine
Friday, August 22: Fun Audio Adventures Sampler!
Monday, August 18: "If I Could Do It Again..." Homeschool moms tell us what they would do different if they were starting their Homeschooling over. Glean and learn...excellent advice!
Tuesday, August 19: "Childhood Stories of George Washington & Abraham Lincoln", great read-alouds by Anne Tatum
Wednesday, August 20: "Bible Scavenger Hunt" Challenge your kids in this Bible-based scavenger hunt and exploration from Values-Driven Family!
Thursday, August 21: "Quilted Hearts Doll Quilt Project" A wonderful learning project for young hands eager to learn to sew and quilt, from Seasons at Home magazine
Friday, August 22: Fun Audio Adventures Sampler!
It's official...we have "the bug"
Saturday night/early Sunday morning at about 3am, we were awakened by one of our girls who was hollering for us while she ran to the bathroom. While the next 4 hours were not enjoyable for any of us, we were very thankful that our kids have gotten to the age where they can let you know they're about to be sick, so that you can get them to a bathroom or trash bag and be left with minimal to no clean up. Since Jason and I got little to no sleep and we weren't sure if the other two would get sick, we decided to stay home Sunday morning to rest and watch for any other signs of sickness. The one sick child seemed to improve and even ate lunch with us, so we figured it was okay to go to church Sunday night. We thought that maybe she had just eaten something that didn't settle well with her stomach and that she would be fine.
Everything was going fine until 5 o'clock this morning. A different child woke up moaning and ended up getting sick, and not 30 minutes later, the child from Saturday night got up and was sick again. Jason and I don't feel great either, but it could just be from having to deal with the two that are sick.
Please pray for us that we will get over this quickly. I apologize to those that we were "in contact" with last night. I hope and pray that you don't catch this bug also.
Everything was going fine until 5 o'clock this morning. A different child woke up moaning and ended up getting sick, and not 30 minutes later, the child from Saturday night got up and was sick again. Jason and I don't feel great either, but it could just be from having to deal with the two that are sick.
Please pray for us that we will get over this quickly. I apologize to those that we were "in contact" with last night. I hope and pray that you don't catch this bug also.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
My Sweet Girls and their Tender Spirits
This past Monday, Jason's day off, we all worked in the yard, cleaned out the garage and did other various chores around the house. While Jason and I worked in the front yard and garage, the girls rode their bikes. At one point in time, they came up to the driveway and ran into the house whispering something to each other. When they came back outside, I asked them what they were doing. They informed me that they had gone inside to get some tracts that they had picked up at church and that they were going to hand them out to any people they might see while they rode their bikes. Wow! My heart swelled, and I inwardly beamed as they rode off with tracts in hand.
Moments later, while I was pulling weeds in the front flower beds, the mail lady drove up and had a package to deliver to us which required her to get out of her vehicle. I glanced up from my work to see Alyx standing on the driveway watching the lady. She looked back at me, and I smiled, nodded and motioned for her to give a tract to her. She did, and the lady smiled and said, "Thank you."
A couple of days later, Alyx came to me and said that she had been thinking about the mail lady and how she could be saved now. It is a possibility that she did accept Christ, but even if she didn't, I told Alyx that she had fulfilled her responsibility to plant the seed in that lady's heart by giving her the tract and that maybe sometime later she will come to see her need of salvation.
As many of you know, our pastor introduces a new theme for every school year. This year's theme is "Sowing the Seed...Daily!" I am so proud of my girls not only for paying attention in church but also for taking the initiative to get those tracts from church and for having the courage to pass them out to complete strangers. May we all adopt that same sweet, tender spirit of a child and do our part to spread the Gospel.
Once the front yard was done, it was time to move on to the back! Jason mowed while the girls played. Larissa had fun following Jason and the lawnmower. She and Alyx helped to rake up the cut grass when Jason was done cutting. Alyx and Larissa both caught some butterflies, and Sydney got some ant bites. =) Jason gave the girls lots of wheelbarrow rides. When it was Alyx's turn, she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. Jason looked down at her and asked, "What are you? The Lady of Shalott?" She got a kick out of that! Here are some pictures from the day...
Moments later, while I was pulling weeds in the front flower beds, the mail lady drove up and had a package to deliver to us which required her to get out of her vehicle. I glanced up from my work to see Alyx standing on the driveway watching the lady. She looked back at me, and I smiled, nodded and motioned for her to give a tract to her. She did, and the lady smiled and said, "Thank you."
A couple of days later, Alyx came to me and said that she had been thinking about the mail lady and how she could be saved now. It is a possibility that she did accept Christ, but even if she didn't, I told Alyx that she had fulfilled her responsibility to plant the seed in that lady's heart by giving her the tract and that maybe sometime later she will come to see her need of salvation.
As many of you know, our pastor introduces a new theme for every school year. This year's theme is "Sowing the Seed...Daily!" I am so proud of my girls not only for paying attention in church but also for taking the initiative to get those tracts from church and for having the courage to pass them out to complete strangers. May we all adopt that same sweet, tender spirit of a child and do our part to spread the Gospel.
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Once the front yard was done, it was time to move on to the back! Jason mowed while the girls played. Larissa had fun following Jason and the lawnmower. She and Alyx helped to rake up the cut grass when Jason was done cutting. Alyx and Larissa both caught some butterflies, and Sydney got some ant bites. =) Jason gave the girls lots of wheelbarrow rides. When it was Alyx's turn, she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. Jason looked down at her and asked, "What are you? The Lady of Shalott?" She got a kick out of that! Here are some pictures from the day...
Would you believe...?
1. I had been completely off of dairy for several months until this past Monday. Jason had the day off, and we were going to fix our usual "special" breakfast. We decided to make blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage patties with some some peaches on the side. We've been getting a mild turkey sausage (for breakfast) from Whole Foods for several weeks now and really enjoy it. While we were eating, I looked down at one of the sausage patties on my plate that I had already cut into and eaten off of, and there was a little white "globule" about the size of a pea. I asked Jason if he knew what it was, and he said he thought maybe it was just fat. I said that I didn't think so and decided to taste it by itself. Sure enough, it tasted very much like a mild bleu cheese...maybe a feta. I was furious! Evidently, Whole Foods had confused the "specialty" sausage with the mild turkey, or they just put the wrong label on it. As a result, I have had the worst trouble with my sinuses this week and have felt pretty miserable. I'm telling you, this is enough to keep me off of dairy for the rest of my life. The stuff is horrible!!
***Did you know that all it takes is 1 tablespoon of dairy to have you congested for 6-8 weeks?!?***
Because of this incident, I will be trying to make my own turkey sausage in the next week. I have found a recipe and can't wait to try it! =)
2. We locked ourselves out of our house! One day this week, we had to run to the store for something. When we got home, we pulled into the garage, unloaded our stuff and headed for the door to the house. (Let me preface the next statement with this: Maybe I shouldn't announce this on the internet, but we don't lock the door inside our garage. I guess we figure the garage door is security enough, and it's a pain to have to fish out keys when your arms are full of stuff.) When I tried the door and found it to be locked, I immediately filled with "fear."
See, when we moved into this house, we were given 4 (yes, FOUR) keys of which we soon discovered only ONE actually worked. Since I'm at home most of the time, Jason figured he didn't need the key that worked, so he gave it to me. Our system worked...we just used our garage door openers as our "keys" to the house. Here's where our system failed...we had children! =) One of the kids either decided to lock or accidentally locked the door on their way out. I knew that Jason wouldn't have a working key, and I had hurriedly changed purses that morning and had not moved my keys over since Jason was going to be driving. Jason immediately started working to get the door open, and after about 10 or 15 minutes, the door was opened! Praise the Lord!
3. While we were out shopping that same day, we found a world map in the discounted area of Target for only $0.50!! How cool is that? Check it out...
This will be very helpful this year, since Alyx is starting Geography! =)
***Did you know that all it takes is 1 tablespoon of dairy to have you congested for 6-8 weeks?!?***
Because of this incident, I will be trying to make my own turkey sausage in the next week. I have found a recipe and can't wait to try it! =)
2. We locked ourselves out of our house! One day this week, we had to run to the store for something. When we got home, we pulled into the garage, unloaded our stuff and headed for the door to the house. (Let me preface the next statement with this: Maybe I shouldn't announce this on the internet, but we don't lock the door inside our garage. I guess we figure the garage door is security enough, and it's a pain to have to fish out keys when your arms are full of stuff.) When I tried the door and found it to be locked, I immediately filled with "fear."
See, when we moved into this house, we were given 4 (yes, FOUR) keys of which we soon discovered only ONE actually worked. Since I'm at home most of the time, Jason figured he didn't need the key that worked, so he gave it to me. Our system worked...we just used our garage door openers as our "keys" to the house. Here's where our system failed...we had children! =) One of the kids either decided to lock or accidentally locked the door on their way out. I knew that Jason wouldn't have a working key, and I had hurriedly changed purses that morning and had not moved my keys over since Jason was going to be driving. Jason immediately started working to get the door open, and after about 10 or 15 minutes, the door was opened! Praise the Lord!
3. While we were out shopping that same day, we found a world map in the discounted area of Target for only $0.50!! How cool is that? Check it out...
This will be very helpful this year, since Alyx is starting Geography! =)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Quick and Easy Meal Idea
Sorry I don't have any pictures, but trust me when I say this is yummy. Remember the Lundberg Rice chips that I ordered from Amazon? We love them, but we've noticed that towards the end of the bag, there is a handful of crumbs with a strong concentration of the seasoning. It grates on me to just throw them away, so I had to come up with a solution.
Here's what I do...I save the crumbs until I have close to half a bag and crush them even more to make sure there aren't any pieces that are too big. Cut some chicken breasts into strips or nuggets, coat them with some egg that has been beaten and then dip into the chip crumbs. Place the chicken onto a broiler pan and broil on low until the chicken is done (15-20 minutes? I don't know for sure. I just watch it and cut into one to make sure. Obviously, the chicken turns white and the crumbs will brown a little.). It really is good! The chips not only give it a crispy texture on the outside, but they also provide the seasoning. It's a healthful alternative to fried chicken!
Some side options are a baked sweet potato (or sweet potato fries) with some coconut oil in place of butter, fresh green beans cooked with some garlic in some olive oil (sprinkle with some toasted almonds when the beans are tender) and of course a great salad. =)
Here's what I do...I save the crumbs until I have close to half a bag and crush them even more to make sure there aren't any pieces that are too big. Cut some chicken breasts into strips or nuggets, coat them with some egg that has been beaten and then dip into the chip crumbs. Place the chicken onto a broiler pan and broil on low until the chicken is done (15-20 minutes? I don't know for sure. I just watch it and cut into one to make sure. Obviously, the chicken turns white and the crumbs will brown a little.). It really is good! The chips not only give it a crispy texture on the outside, but they also provide the seasoning. It's a healthful alternative to fried chicken!
Some side options are a baked sweet potato (or sweet potato fries) with some coconut oil in place of butter, fresh green beans cooked with some garlic in some olive oil (sprinkle with some toasted almonds when the beans are tender) and of course a great salad. =)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Random Musings...
In case you're interested, this just happens to be the 100th post in my blog. Yes, yes, you may sing to me now..."Happy Blogging Milestone to you, Happy Blogging Milestone to you..." Sorry, little things excite me. =)
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This school year is different...
You already know that I have OCD and that change is very hard for me, but this change has been good. As I think back on last year, I cringe at the thought of my schedule and have no trouble figuring out why I ended up with a stress-induced health problem earlier this year. One of the biggest things that has changed in my schedule is that I am no longer working. Last year, I was working from home for about 3 or 4 hours a day. This would usually take place in the afternoon once all the homeschooling was done. While I somewhat miss the extra income and the feeling of being needed, I really feel like I've been given the gift of precious time with my family. There were many times that I was working at my computer while Jason was playing with the girls, and I would desperately wish that I could be involved.
This year I am trying to incorporate a most unusual schedule. It's flexible! In an effort to work around Jason's schedule, I'm not tying myself down to a certain time of the day to complete our homeschooling. One day this week, we started school in the 8 o'clock hour, Jason got home at about 9 A.M., we took a break around 10 A.M. to play dominoes with him, ate lunch together at 11 A.M. and then finished up our schooling after he left for his appointment. I think that really helps the kids to work and concentrate better. They get to "recharge" during their break, so that they're ready to get back into their work.
Another change I'm making to our "schedule" is that we are only doing "school work" for 4 days out of the week. The 5th day will be used for either extracurricular activities (ie. piano lessons, Home Ec. lessons, field trips, home school park day, etc.), a trip to Granny and Papa's house, a 4-day weekend trip with Jason or just a plain ol' day off. This 4-day-a-week schedule means that they will have to complete extra pages on certain days, but since they thrive on over-achievement, this should not be an issue. =)
Side Note: We love playing games! Here we are playing dominoes while at the condo in Orlando...
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This week, I discovered that I did not talk very much over the Summer. My throat became very sore after the 1st couple of days, and all I can figure is that I must be talking more since we've resumed school. Either that or I'm about to come down with the latest cold. =P
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Because I do have OCD, I have an immensely huge problem delegating certain household chores. I have learned, though, that it is much less stressful to just let go and let Jason and the girls help with some of them. Since I can not do it all, it is much more satisfying to see it accomplished whether it be "perfect" or not. Along with the new school year, I have incorporated a revised "chore chart" from last year. The girls each have anywhere from 2 to 4 chores per day. Not all of them are huge, and most of the time they are all working together to complete a task. They seem to enjoy the chores more when they know what to expect each day. If I just rely on impromptu chore assigning, they tend to feel as though it is a drudgery. Here is there chart hanging on our refrigerator along with some of their artwork...
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A month or so ago, I purchased a plain cork board to hang over my desk, and of course, it just sat under my desk. It wasn't so much because of procrastination as it was indecisiveness. =) When I bought it, I intended to make it more attractive in some way but couldn't decide what I wanted to do. This week, I went through some quilting scraps that I have and found an adorable green plaid piece of fabric that was the perfect size to cover that ugly brown cork. =P
Here's what it looks like now hanging over my desk...
The green in the fabric matches my green laptop! Just in case you can't tell or didn't know already, green is my favorite color! =) It makes me happy! Here's a close-up of the fabric...
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The End!
The End!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Dovetailing
No, I'm not getting into woodworking. This is a term I learned in high school that is also used in mathematics and computer science and basically refers to the concept of doing more than one step in a process simultaneously. One definition from The American Heritage Dictionary reads, "To connect or combine precisely or harmoniously...into a unified whole."
I use this term quite frequently to describe what most of us do on a daily basis. As mothers/homemakers we have to learn to combine certain chores/activities during the day in order to get it all done. For example: If I'm really pressed for time when I'm getting ready to go somewhere, I will put on my makeup or brush my teeth WHILE I'm blow drying my hair. As I'm working on dinner, I'll call out one of my girl's spelling words. While I'm standing in the laundry room waiting for the iron to heat up, I will work on some laundry. The same goes for cooking. You wouldn't make the mashed potatoes before you put the turkey in to cook. You have to plan/time it out and do multiple steps together to have the finished product done at the same time.
These shortcuts stem from the fact that there is just not enough time in one day, and as a result, many things get pushed aside for another day. Two of the biggest things that we often times (not only as Christians but also as human beings) postpone to another day is our daily quiet time with God and our physical exercise. In the beginning, both of these require an inward determination and many times a denial of self in order to be accomplished. It's amazing, though, how they both will eventually become a craving that you cannot deny.
Prayer is our awesome privilege as Christians. It is our opportunity to open up to our heavenly Father and share our private feelings, thoughts, concerns, requests and basically anything that we want. If we don't take the time to talk to our Father, how do we expect to grow closer to Him? Most of us would never dream of going more than a day without talking to those that are closest to us. We ought to apply that same fervency to our relationship with the Lord. The Bible is a heavenly invitation to each one of us to sit at the feet of Jesus and have Him talk personally to us through His Word. It's a "magical" Book really! It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord can speak to many different people about many different things all in the same passage or message from a pastor. If you haven't been taking the time to pray and read God's Word, I encourage you to make the time and experience His presence in your life.
Not only is it important to strengthen our relationship with the Lord, but it is also important to strengthen our bodies. Starting an exercise routine can be overwhelming for some, but as Denise Austin says, "Move your body, and your mind will follow." That is SO true! There have been many times in the past that I have not "felt" like exercising, but I went ahead and did it and ended up feeling very glad that I did and looking forward to the next session. What you may or may not know is that, when you exercise, your body produces endorphins. Because your body doesn't know why you are moving so quickly, these natural opiates are brought about any time your body physically exerts itself. If you were, say, running away from danger, you wouldn't want to be bothered with the pain of sprains and muscle strains, so your body monitors your activity levels and produces these endorphins as needed. This is what makes you feel so great when you exercise.
One of the best overall exercises that you can do is walking. The best thing about it is that it is free (unless you buy a treadmill), it's not complicated and you can DOVETAIL in the process! Here is what I do...
I print a passage that I want to focus on reading either by copying directly from a Bible or by printing from a website like Bible Gateway. I like to choose the passage based on either what we are studying in Sunday School or what Pastor is preaching from in a series. Right now, I'm reading through the Sermon on the Mount, since we are studying that in S.S. As you can see in the picture above, I've put the pages into plastic sheet protectors and have them set up on my treadmill, so that I can read while I walk. During my 30 minute walk, I can easily read through the passage twice. If you don't have a treadmill, you can download an audio Bible in MP3 format (for FREE!!!) from a site like Believer's Resource to use on an MP3 player while you walk outside.
Here's a suggestion for TRIPLE dovetailing. While you're walking and reading (or listening to) the Bible passage, you can also do some extra "exercising." Try clinching your gluteal muscles with each step, or focus on your breathing by taking nice deep breaths (4-5 second inhale) and with the exhale, tighten your abs by imagining that you are pulling your belly button back towards your spine. Try to hold that "squeeze" for a 5-7 second exhale. You could also carry some hand weights to give a little resistance, or you could do some Tae Bo punches in sync with your steps. Your right fist punches when your left foot steps forward, and your left fist punches when your right foot steps forward. Do 4 or 5 punches with your right fist before you switch to punching with your left fist. If you've never done Tae Bo, you may want to check into it before you try it. Remember, you don't want to fully extend your arm in a punch. Keep your elbow bent, give a quick punch forward and then quickly pull your fist back while flexing/tensing your arm muscles.
Once I finish walking, I do some stretches for about 5 minutes and then immediately (so as not to waste my warmed-up muscles) do some exercises from some videos that I have memorized over the years. Denise Austin is really good, but you can also get a great workout by doing some Pilates. By doing Pilates, you will be giving yourself an overall body workout and you will be creating long, lean muscles as opposed to the short, bulky muscles created with weight training. During this extra 15 minutes or so of exercise, I spend time in prayer. Once you have a routine memorized, you can do that to. (FYI: Don't go to the store to buy exercise videos. Go to the library--they're FREE!!)
You will be amazed at how fast the time goes by when you combine your quiet time with your exercise routine! You'll also love how great you feel--Not just physically, but spiritually. Let me know if you need any advice or additional information on certain exercise routines or even stretches. I'm not a professional and certainly don't claim to know everything, but I have done a wide variety of exercises in the last 15 years or so and can definitely recommend some good stuff. =)
I use this term quite frequently to describe what most of us do on a daily basis. As mothers/homemakers we have to learn to combine certain chores/activities during the day in order to get it all done. For example: If I'm really pressed for time when I'm getting ready to go somewhere, I will put on my makeup or brush my teeth WHILE I'm blow drying my hair. As I'm working on dinner, I'll call out one of my girl's spelling words. While I'm standing in the laundry room waiting for the iron to heat up, I will work on some laundry. The same goes for cooking. You wouldn't make the mashed potatoes before you put the turkey in to cook. You have to plan/time it out and do multiple steps together to have the finished product done at the same time.
These shortcuts stem from the fact that there is just not enough time in one day, and as a result, many things get pushed aside for another day. Two of the biggest things that we often times (not only as Christians but also as human beings) postpone to another day is our daily quiet time with God and our physical exercise. In the beginning, both of these require an inward determination and many times a denial of self in order to be accomplished. It's amazing, though, how they both will eventually become a craving that you cannot deny.
Prayer is our awesome privilege as Christians. It is our opportunity to open up to our heavenly Father and share our private feelings, thoughts, concerns, requests and basically anything that we want. If we don't take the time to talk to our Father, how do we expect to grow closer to Him? Most of us would never dream of going more than a day without talking to those that are closest to us. We ought to apply that same fervency to our relationship with the Lord. The Bible is a heavenly invitation to each one of us to sit at the feet of Jesus and have Him talk personally to us through His Word. It's a "magical" Book really! It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord can speak to many different people about many different things all in the same passage or message from a pastor. If you haven't been taking the time to pray and read God's Word, I encourage you to make the time and experience His presence in your life.
Not only is it important to strengthen our relationship with the Lord, but it is also important to strengthen our bodies. Starting an exercise routine can be overwhelming for some, but as Denise Austin says, "Move your body, and your mind will follow." That is SO true! There have been many times in the past that I have not "felt" like exercising, but I went ahead and did it and ended up feeling very glad that I did and looking forward to the next session. What you may or may not know is that, when you exercise, your body produces endorphins. Because your body doesn't know why you are moving so quickly, these natural opiates are brought about any time your body physically exerts itself. If you were, say, running away from danger, you wouldn't want to be bothered with the pain of sprains and muscle strains, so your body monitors your activity levels and produces these endorphins as needed. This is what makes you feel so great when you exercise.
One of the best overall exercises that you can do is walking. The best thing about it is that it is free (unless you buy a treadmill), it's not complicated and you can DOVETAIL in the process! Here is what I do...
I print a passage that I want to focus on reading either by copying directly from a Bible or by printing from a website like Bible Gateway. I like to choose the passage based on either what we are studying in Sunday School or what Pastor is preaching from in a series. Right now, I'm reading through the Sermon on the Mount, since we are studying that in S.S. As you can see in the picture above, I've put the pages into plastic sheet protectors and have them set up on my treadmill, so that I can read while I walk. During my 30 minute walk, I can easily read through the passage twice. If you don't have a treadmill, you can download an audio Bible in MP3 format (for FREE!!!) from a site like Believer's Resource to use on an MP3 player while you walk outside.
Here's a suggestion for TRIPLE dovetailing. While you're walking and reading (or listening to) the Bible passage, you can also do some extra "exercising." Try clinching your gluteal muscles with each step, or focus on your breathing by taking nice deep breaths (4-5 second inhale) and with the exhale, tighten your abs by imagining that you are pulling your belly button back towards your spine. Try to hold that "squeeze" for a 5-7 second exhale. You could also carry some hand weights to give a little resistance, or you could do some Tae Bo punches in sync with your steps. Your right fist punches when your left foot steps forward, and your left fist punches when your right foot steps forward. Do 4 or 5 punches with your right fist before you switch to punching with your left fist. If you've never done Tae Bo, you may want to check into it before you try it. Remember, you don't want to fully extend your arm in a punch. Keep your elbow bent, give a quick punch forward and then quickly pull your fist back while flexing/tensing your arm muscles.
Once I finish walking, I do some stretches for about 5 minutes and then immediately (so as not to waste my warmed-up muscles) do some exercises from some videos that I have memorized over the years. Denise Austin is really good, but you can also get a great workout by doing some Pilates. By doing Pilates, you will be giving yourself an overall body workout and you will be creating long, lean muscles as opposed to the short, bulky muscles created with weight training. During this extra 15 minutes or so of exercise, I spend time in prayer. Once you have a routine memorized, you can do that to. (FYI: Don't go to the store to buy exercise videos. Go to the library--they're FREE!!)
You will be amazed at how fast the time goes by when you combine your quiet time with your exercise routine! You'll also love how great you feel--Not just physically, but spiritually. Let me know if you need any advice or additional information on certain exercise routines or even stretches. I'm not a professional and certainly don't claim to know everything, but I have done a wide variety of exercises in the last 15 years or so and can definitely recommend some good stuff. =)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
First Day of School: Success!!!
This is just a quick note to let you know that yesterday went great! Needless to say, Sydney is determined to finish 1st grade this month! LOL! =) She finished 2 weeks worth of work in 1 day, and she wants to read every single one of her reading books right away. She's dying to start writing sentences and stories in Language and to start speed drills in Arithmetic. I love it!! =)
The other two are doing great as well. Larissa almost completed 3 days of work, and (because of my error in ordering the wrong books) she began writing in cursive on the first day and did absolutely beautiful work.
Alyx almost completed 2 days of work and probably would have done more, but she insisted on doing all the suggested supplementary pages at the end of her Arithmetic book. I guess she's taking after her Mom, Dad, Papa (my Dad) and Poopaw (Jason's Dad)...she LOVES Math!!
We're off to a fantastic start!
The other two are doing great as well. Larissa almost completed 3 days of work, and (because of my error in ordering the wrong books) she began writing in cursive on the first day and did absolutely beautiful work.
Alyx almost completed 2 days of work and probably would have done more, but she insisted on doing all the suggested supplementary pages at the end of her Arithmetic book. I guess she's taking after her Mom, Dad, Papa (my Dad) and Poopaw (Jason's Dad)...she LOVES Math!!
We're off to a fantastic start!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
FYI...
In case you couldn't tell already, I've been really busy this last week. Tomorrow starts our new school year, and I've been busy getting everything prepared for that. The girls are super excited, and (don't tell them...but) I'm really excited, too! I have some really great things planned for this year, and I can't wait to do them. All the girls know is that I have some surprises for them that they can't find out about until we do them. It's mean and torturous, I know, but I have to keep their interests piqued. =)
I'm hoping that my schedule will not be so hectic that I won't be able to keep up with blogging. I'll have to see how things go once we start, but I would love to think that I could at least post a couple times a week. Am I crazy? Is that too optimistic? =} We'll see...
Anyway, I just had to let you know that I may be scarce for a little bit while we get adjusted to our new schedule, so don't worry about me. I'll post when I can...
I'm hoping that my schedule will not be so hectic that I won't be able to keep up with blogging. I'll have to see how things go once we start, but I would love to think that I could at least post a couple times a week. Am I crazy? Is that too optimistic? =} We'll see...
Anyway, I just had to let you know that I may be scarce for a little bit while we get adjusted to our new schedule, so don't worry about me. I'll post when I can...
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