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Our week in Review

Oct. 8, 2007 • 9:02 AM

I am getting to this late but this is some of the FUN from last week!

Monday was basically schoolwork, bookwork, spelling tests, etc. We finished reading Ramona Quimby. Daddy worked through the night so he was sleeping. When he got up, we all went to the basement to organize more and Daddy and Pilgrim worked on the wall they are building down there around the oil tank, water heater, etc. Once the wall is completed, the children can ride bikes and roller skate down there safely.

Tuesday was play practice again. The 2 older girls were there in the morning. I took the younger 3 with me to Wal-Mart. I can actually say it was a successful, relatively peaceful trip. I was happily surprised. Of course I had packed juice cups and snacks but everyone stayed with me and we managed to NOT cause a scene. Then I picked the girls up and they had lunch while Pilgrim went for his (shorter) play practice. Once we got home we worked on some schoolwork before relaxing a bit in the evening.

Wednesday: Morning Music lessons: Back-to-back piano and violin. I just love that I only run out once and both girls get their lessons. The teacher is so wonderful too and a wonderfully talented musician. I am thankful to have found her! Her prices are reasonable too! Then my girls started back to sewing lessons. This time was even more special as they met and sewed skirts with their cousins. Sewing lessons are given by a wonderfully sweet lady from our church assembly who is a wonderful seamstress. She gives sewing lessons to many of the interested children from our church throughout the year. She usually does the public/private school children in the summer and the homeschooled children during the school year. Her lessons are such a blessing to us. She doesn't charge any of us- not even for the materials. We often will take her meals or small gifts but it is her ministry. My girls love it! She sews with them and also sits and reads good old-fashioned stories with them over cookies and milk for a break. The sewing sessions are usually 3 hours long. My mom is friends with the seamstress and knows my girls sew with her so... my mom bought some skirt material that she thought would be an easy project for the girls and gave it to her. She arranged for the cousins to sew together and make matching skirts. It was a wonderful memory besides a great sewing lesson. So far my girls made a pincushion (with piping around it), a thimble bag, a tote bag (for sewing supplies and journal), matching skirts (both my girls matched and they also sewed matching doll skirts with the leftover material), And made an appliqué from the same material to add to a top (to wear with the skirt). Then each girl worked on a small quilt for their younger siblings. These were very special Christmas presents last year. Panda made a light blue and pink one with hearts for Precious. Princess made a patchwork of blues, green and deep purples for Peanut (it reminded me of an Amish quilt because of the colors) The last thing they made last year was a cloak. Now they are back into the lessons again and they are really enjoying them. I am so thankful as I am not a very good sewer yet I want my children to be- especially my girls.

Here is a picture of my girls and my nieces with the sweet Sister in the Lord who teaches them:

Here is a photo of the girls in their finished skirts. They also all wore them to church yesterday!

Then in the evening after supper, we watched a show as a family that the kids have really been enjoying. It is called Kid Nation and is on at 8pm on ABC. The kids are running a town with a town council and each one having a certain rank and job. They vote on things and run this town.

Thursday: Once again play practice but just for the girls in the afternoon. My hubby was working late afternoon to evening so I started out just having the baby so I was able to get my haircut and I got 2 Christmas presents purchased before meeting hubby to get the boys from him on his way to work. Then we picked up the girls and on our way home we went to a food surplus store (where they have great deals. Each week the inventory is different but the prices are super! They even have a deli. We actually buy lunchmeat now because it is really reasonable and fresh.) It is smaller than a regular grocery store too so I can usually do this with all 5 kids without it getting to loud, etc.-- I also walked 1 mile today! (with my Leslie Sansone DVD)

Friday: Daddy had off again this Friday!!! After getting our schoolwork completed, we all worked more in the basement. I also walked 2 miles today (w/ Leslie's DVD)

Saturday: Daddy worked day shift. We went to a library book/bake sale to benefit our local library. The videos were 50cents and the books ranged from 75 cents to $2.00. Here are the books (and things) I got:

A cute rubber stamp; Little girl holding a heart

VHS movies: Mary Poppins, The Great pyramids(Reader's Digest)

Books: Southwest Indians (reproducibles and lesson plans), The Cat in the Hat Fun Pad (Spiral Bond Scrapbook). I thought this would be fun for Peanut next year to do a Dr. Suess unit for his preschooling.(It even has its stickers with it.), Tough Mazes: American landmarks, Teacher's Savers II (Reproducible Big book), China Culture Kit (reproducible pages and  cassette tape- also a map of China-poster size), Mary Engelbreit:Wrap it up!, Mary Engelbreit: Crafts to Deocrate your Home,The Birthright by Janette Oke & T. David Bunn, Meet the Boxcar Children, Magic Tree house #13 Vacation Under the Volcano.

In the afternoon, the kids played a Cranium DVD game called Hullabaloo: Amazing Animal Adventure. It is great for preschoolers as it reviews colors and shapes as you play. It shows real animal clips from National Geographic plus it gets them active. There are actually 20 different games they can play with it.

I got it last year for a Christmas present. I actually got it for $2.99 NEW at Target (and other Cranium games free.) Target had online printable coupons for $5 off any game. Then Motts Apple juice boxes had another $5.oo coupon through Cranium...so that was $10.00 off per game (just the price of the apple juice- which my kids drink all the time anyway!) I recommend this game for those of you with preschoolers or those of you shopping for preschoolers. It is a hit with my children (The older ones think it is fun too- for being a game geared towards the younger ones. They play it all together.)

Then we made Homemade Stromboli for supper. It was pretty much a full-family activity. Here is the recipe:

Bread Dough (this can be homemade, made in the bread machine or store-bought frozen bread dough)

1/4 lb. each: ham, hard salami, mozzerella cheese, provolone cheese

Sauce: 1 tablespoon yellow mustard & 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

Pizza/Spaghetti Sauce for dipping

Let dough rise. Flatten dough (punching, stretching and rolling involved)Layer ham, mozzerella, salami, provolone. Brush mixed sauce along sides. Fold dough into the middle and overlap, pinch seams together to seal. Turn seam to the bottom and place on baking sheet. Cut slits into the top for steam to release and thorough baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until dough inside is completely cooked. Allow to cool slightly. Slice and serve. Dip in favorite pizza sauce. This is a family favorite. It is even better warmed up the next day for lunch!

Panda punching down the dough:

 Rolling and stretching the dough:

Layering the meat and cheese:

Dad helps out, too! (besides taking all the photos- except this one  !)

The finished product:

Time to eat!

Let me know if you try this recipe for Homemade Stromboli and how it turns out! Sometimes we add a little cooked hamburger too. You only need a little so often if I have some cooked burger leftover after assembling a casserole, etc. I will add it.

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Oct. 8, 2007 - Hello!

Posted by SimpleFolk

Thank you for your sweet comments! I have a "no right click" code that I would be happy to share with you. I'll send it to you through PM. I do want to warn you however, that it only helps to discourage someone from stealing your pictures--it does not prevent it 100%. I had some of mine stolen even with the code in place. That's why I put my name on them now.

In regards to your other question-- I do have some resources for Colonial studies and I'll look for them. I know of one book especially that would be helpful. I think it's called "Colonial Kids" but I'll check to make sure.

Thanks for visiting!

Amy

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Oct. 8, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Diane

Your family is precious. Great week!

I love it when Daddy's get involved, very heart warming.

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Oct. 8, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by MiryClay

You are one bloggin' machine. I loved the girls' skirts, and the strombolis looked yummy. I love those family nights in the kitchen.

Blessings,
Lori

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Oct. 9, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by southmsmomof4

Looks yummy but I don't know if I am brave enought o try and make it :o. I want to make new dishes so I need to give it a try. I think my family would like it.
Thanks for sharing.
Stacy

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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by crazybusy

Um, is that lady from your church interested in a move to WA?!?!?! How awesome is she?! What a sweet lady, and to not expect anything in return.... you are so blessed! :) Their skirts turned out great! Good for them! (I need someone to teach me to sew!)
We have Hullabaloo too! My children love it & it's so simple!
Your Stromboli looked YUMMY! Mmm...!
Love, Alyssa

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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by PlainJane

What a wonderful opportunity for the girls to have a sewing class. That is really special! A couple of ladies from our co-op do a January sewing class when our co-op has a winter break and our girls made themselves skirts then - 2 yrs. ago, we didn't participate last year because frankly, who wants to go out in January in Minnesota. lol The stromboli looks yummy too - I might have to try it sometime. Wonderful pictures!

Thanks for your comments & questions. Boy, you really went way back in my posts..glad to know someone is reading them. :)

One Room Schoolhouse - Yes, we are very blessed to have such a thing around here. I just had found out about it through word of mouth and our small-town newspaper. Some families even attend from WI. I don't know of any other community that does such a thing.

The Holy Land Experience WAS GREAT! We stayed at a very nice inn just outside of Walt Disney World's main gate and the drive to the Holy Land Experience was short. Much of it is a series of plays, so you would want to get there early and stay all day (till 6 pm). See http://www.theholylandexperience.com You can get a free dvd that shows/advertises what they offer.

And yes, I recommend Michael Thurmond's 6-wk. Body Makeover. Michael says it's 90 percent about the diet - which I like because you are eating real food (I don't have to eat tofo and odd concoctions) and the exercise is very easy - which is good for me because I have pretty severe asthma. Yes, I had the tae-bo tapes too at one time, but they were too much for my asthma - I ended up getting rid of them on a garage sale.

Thanks for visiting me!

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