Yet another reading contest to challenge your children! Veritas Press announced their contest complete with rewards and prizes. Requirements vary by age; so be sure to check out the official rules and get started!
May. 21, 2008 - Easy Red, White and Blue Desserts for Memorial Day or July 4th
Easy 4th/Fourth of July desserts/treats in Red, White and Blue
Now that you have made plans to celebrate the big day with friends and family; you need a dessert that will be the hit of the party. Red, White and Blue is the order of the day; here are a few simple 4th/Fourth of July desserts/treats that fit the bill without costing a pretty penny!
Super Easy Fruit Parfait
4 C Strawberries, washed and sliced
4 C Blueberries, washed
1 White Cake Mix, baked and sliced into 1” cubes
2 Containers Coolwhip, defrosted
In a clear glass container large enough to hold 12 cups volume; layer strawberries, blueberries, cake, and coolwhip in 1 inch layers. Refrigerate until serving.
May. 20, 2008 - Games to Play at Fourth of July Picnics (4th of July Picnic Games)
Games to Play at Fourth of July Picnics (4th of July Picnic Games)
You are hosting a Fourth of July picnic at your home or local park; and now you need to come up with some entertainment. Time to pull out some traditional picnic games and have some fun!
Potato Sack Race
Perhaps the most traditional game to play at a fourth of July picnic is the classic Potato Sack relay race. You will need burlap bags. Children stand inside burlap bags, and race to the finish line by hopping. For a really authentic look; you can order used bags from locations like this one:
Another highly traditional race for 4th of July, and loaded with fun is the Three-Legged Race. You will need scarves or strips of cloth. Contestants pair up in teams of two; and stand next to each other. The inner leg of each team member is tied to his team-mates so that the team has only "three legs". The teams then race to the finish line. Usually the race is about 150 feet from start to finish. Veteran racers will know that pairing up with someone of similar height is best. Working together is essential! Variations might include the father-daughter three legged race (father teams up with daughter), the sibling race (siblings have to team up), and the grade level race (one team from each grade competes.)
This is the beginning of an article I wrote for Associated Content. You can read the rest of my game ideas here.
While visiting my sister this summer, my children tasted fresh homemade guacamole; and fell in love. We have never had fresh guacamole before -- it is so very different! My sister made it in honor of the Columbian children who will soon call her Mom. We cannot wait for our new cousins (nieces and nephews) to arrive. We are also learning some Spanish in their honor. We don't even know how many yet; but we are already praying. How very special this time of anticipation is. My children ask almost every week if our new cousins are here yet!
We made it again tonight, for the upteenth time. It is very easy for children to help with this recipe. My oldest mashed the avocado with a pastry blender, my next squeezed the lime, and my four year old stirred up the ingredients. My youngest just ate it with relish.
If you have eaten restaurant guacamole and thought it bland and unintereting; you have got to give this a try! I thought I would share with you the recipe as we have adapted it. We increased the lime juice, as my sister made this "mistake" and we actually liked it! We decreased the onion a bit, and we don't really measure the onions or tomatoes. I just grab a handful of each. It is very easy to adapt this recipe...
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.
While in Dayton, Ohio, we decided to join cousin Cara for a day at Boonshoft Museum. This is the museum I have mentioned before where a family membership for $100 entitles you to reciprocal free entrance at Children's Museums, Zoos, Aquariums, and Science Centers across the country. This museum belongs to all three reciprocal programs. We were disappointed in the Big Bang section; and chose to stay on the other side of the museum. I was planning on getting a membership at this museum next summer when my other memberships expire; now I do not think I will be able to support their museum programs.
At any rate, we had a great deal of fun on the other side; and I thought I would share some of our pictures.
I am sure some will be thinking that Summer vacation has absolutely nothing to do with school; but for us Life is our School. Here are more Summer School pictures from our recent vacation, this time with Aunt Lynn, Aunt Mary, and cousin Cara. Fun Times....
A dear friend of mine suggested that I have the children complete the free Father's Day Lapbook from Live and Learn Lapbook company with Grandma while I recover from surgery. It worked out perfectly, and came as a complete surprise! I highly recommend this company if you are in search of a lapbook.
Aug. 8, 2007 - Theme Park Fun in our Summer School
Theme Park Fun in our Summer School?
Okay, maybe this one doesn't count as school; since my children aren't quite old enough to learn about physics while enjoying the theme park! They did thoroughly enjoy experiencing several firsts, including first taste of cotton candy, first "real" rollercoaster, and first trip out with Aunt Maria and no Mommy. How cool is that?
While visiting family in Indiana, we enjoyed a nature walk at Sugar Ridge and a brief secondary walk at Pike State Forest. What an amazing world God has made! In addition to seeing a Great Blue Heron, turtles, countless butterflies and dragonflies, and even a few (hundred) moth caterpillars; we were able to enjoy the company of an Aunt and a cousin! Thanks Aunt Maria for a wonderful trip!
A few years ago; I asked my Mother In Law to help teach my daughter how to sew. I can do some sewing; but she has more experience in this area then I do. In fact, when I am in the middle of a project and need help; I call her. (Granted, that hasn't happened for several years....) Anyway, we started when Clara was 6, and the two of them have completed sewing projects nearly every time Grandma visits since we started. Clara is now 8.5 years old. Each visit, Clara gets a little more independent. This time, she completed nearly everything by herself; the exceptions being the waist and sleeve attachment. She did a fantastic job! She wanted a dress like Martha Washington might have worn; and picked out the pattern, fabric and ribbon herself.
The bottom line is; We try not to insist on parent-led learning or gravitate toward child-led learning. We try instead to focus on God-led learning and ask for His input and perspective on every aspect of our home school. That way, when others fuss about what Dan and I are doing and make me second guess our decisions -- I can go back to our decision process and find God's fingerprints, reminding me that this is His way.
