Jul. 21, 2009 - Encouragement for Me
I take my children into the church service with me. And usually, I enjoy it that way. Once in a while I have a discouraging Sunday. (the three year old announces he has to p**p out loud, or the 1 year old won't fall asleep as I planned) Here's the encouraging part: Joshua 8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. 2 Chronicles 20:13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. I read this today and was reminded that we are a family before God and He enjoys my children more than I do. Maybe I am reading something into these verses but it was an encouragement to me to continue doing what we are doing!
Jun. 3, 2009 - Education Facts & Homeschool Report
Here is a "report" I print and pass out at our end of school party (which is mostly attended by my family...) I just thought it might be fun to read, but I can't figure out how to get the double spacing that I used in Word to show up on my post, so it all runs together. Sorry! If you suffer through reading it More Power to YOU! Education Facts & Homeschool Report for Huff’s Home Life Academy 2008-2009 Funding for public school comes from City taxes and Property taxes. Where does this funding get our nation in educational terms? "We're No. 1" honors go to Finland, Japan and Korea. Finland, Japan and Korea were the top finishers in a study that measured 265,000 15-year-olds' literacy in reading, mathematics and science. U.S. students finished 15th in reading, 19th in math and 14th in science - and in a study that only ranked 31 nations. Smartest State? TN ranks 30th among the 50 states, with Vermont being the smartest at #1. In 2008-2009 school year, Crossville public schools spent on average $4,316 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. Vermont spends in the $7-8,000 range. Funding for homeschooling comes from the parent’s paycheck (after they pay the taxes that pay for public school student’s education). If we spent what Crossville spends per student ($4,316 x 4 = $17,264) imagine what I could do! This figure doesn’t even include the fact that I teach two preschoolers, buy books and other educational supplies for them! What we spent last year on our homeschooling: (not including preschoolers) $442 Math (text books can be re-used year to year by other students) $160 Literature, History, Geography, Science (videos and text books can be reused) $1200 Field Trips: (one week in Colonial Williamsburg, groups and socialization ;o) $28 Vocabulary, Spelling $650 Spanish Curriculum (can be used with multiple students, forever, a one time expense) $150 Filing and Registration compliance with laws $220 Renting Educational materials & (25) Out of County (Knoxville) library card $200 supplies such as ink for printer, paper, notebooks, pencils, erasers, binders… This comes to about $762.50 per student for 2008-2009. (You could say that homeschoolers get a private education for less than the cost of a public school education couldn’t you? I penny pinched, scrimped, sold stuff, and heavily utilized the Crossville and Knoxville libraries to keep my expenses this low. (Basically a lot of extra work for the teacher (me), resulting in less time for teacher to student hands on learning time.) By the way, if you transported books back and forth to Knoxville library for me last year THANKS! Projected expense for 2009-2010 $ 250 Math (need higher ed. books, Calculus, Trigonometry) $1050 Literature, History, Geography, Science, Biology, Ecology $150 Filing and Registration $300 Textiles and Clothing (high school elective for Macey) $1000 Field Trip $500 Senior Year Expenses, testing, diploma, etc. $400 Music Related Expenses $200 supplies such as ink for printer, paper, notebooks, pencils, erasers, binders… $XXX ***wish list A new Computer, if things go well This would come to $962.50 per student this year (again, not including preschoolers). This is a “projected expense” in other words, the money has not been spent, but this is what I (the teacher) would like to have to spend on homeschooling this year. This is the basics of what I feel I will need to get by this year, with the only “frills” being the Field Trips. Field trips are not only for education and socialization, but also a time when we reconnect and talk about “big” topics, such as “what am I going to do with the rest of my life???” and “what are my goals for my future?” So, I could easily spend $1500 per student this year or more, but I do try to keep my projected expense in the realm of possibility based on what we are likely to have access to, financially. I am praying that this year money will appear and we will be able to go above the standard of what we have done previously and include a few more fun/educational items to the school day. Just an extra little bit of information here, just for kicks… Things I did this year to soften the financial blow: used the library as much as possible, purchased literature from The Book Cellar and other used bookstores, used an online resource called Paperback Swap, wrote product reviews for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, sold/swapped used curriculum, purchased in bulk, made up my own lesson plans/curriculum for many subjects. School can be comprised of many things. Learning about food safety, nutrition, shopping and meal planning is considered home economics! Gardening is considered agriculture. Raising and breeding animals is educational. When educating teachers must think outside of the box, hands-on learning leaves more of a lasting impression than workbooks. Being creative is the key! Always finding a way to teach while we work makes learning natural. Field trips we have taken include many museums, studios, farms, tours and other places to see first hand “how it works” or “how it’s made.” Sometimes it’s been so much fun that “we” didn’t even realize we were in school… As for progress towards The Big Goal…graduation…Macey has earned all but 6 of her high school credits and that with a 4.0. If she continues and works this summer, she can graduate in December (that would be ½ year early)! Benton and Ivy are both a little behind in Math, so they will be having summer school, but they are also taking advanced classes like first year Spanish and typing. Since I hate to leave Haley out, she will be summer schooling too! Haley has tested out of some math levels. She is actually a year ahead of schedule and will be earning high school credits again this year. It is possible that Haley could graduate a year early, easily, and if she applies herself, she could possibly graduate even earlier. The requirement for a legal day of school is four hours, which we always surpass. It is mandatory for children to attend school for a minimum of 180 days per year. As of today, this year’s school end, the children have attended for approximately 198 days. This is even with our sporadic and often spontaneous schedule! As always, I would like to stick to a schedule, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Our plan for 2009-2010 (including summer school) is as follows: Monday School Tuesday School Wednesday Off/sometimes/Teachers In Service Day (Mimi) Thursday Off/Teacher’s In Service Day (see below) (Nana) Friday School Saturday School Sunday Off for Church/Family On school days the children will be completing formal lessons from 9:30-12:30 and finishing up from 1:30-3:30. During these hours the children will have assignments to complete as well as lecture/instruction, hands-on, etc. Occasionally, the children will need extra time during their day to complete assignments; they have quiet time and free time for this. Classes for Macey this year are as follows: English IV, Calculus, Church History, Ecology or Biology II, Textiles & Clothing, Interpersonal Communication, Family Dynamics, Visual Arts, Adult Living (6 credits) Macey will continue to study Spanish, although she has already earned the maximum credits allowed. Classes for Haley this year are as follows: English II, Literature, Algebra, Spanish II, Physical Education, Music, History, Church History, Economics, and Journalism, SAT/ACT prep class. Ben and Ivy will be continuing in Math, English/Language Arts, Literature, History/Geography, Church History, Vocabulary, Spelling, Art/Music, Computer skills and typing, and Spanish. Harmon and Shawna both have short pre-school lessons daily, either taught by the older children or myself. They both enjoy having books read to them, singing Bible songs, learning Nursery Rhymes, colors and doing their Five in a Row lessons! So, if you are hanging out with them, offer to read them a book or teach them a new song! Things I would like to do during Teacher’s In Service days this year (a new thing I am implementing) include, staying on top of grading papers, planning lessons, reserving/picking up books from the libraries, etc. Since the children usually spend at least one day per week away from home with either Mimi or Nana, I would like to start using that day as a Teacher’s In Service Day. By having one day alone (with just Shawna) at home at least every other week, I would be able to be a better teacher. Being a teacher requires a lot of work, but teaching 4-6 children on different grade levels requires even more work and planning ahead, something I didn’t always get to do this year. The children enjoyed the end of unit celebrations this year and we plan to continue them again for the upcoming school year. Because they do not go to a public school I do not often get to brag about their accomplishments, show off their grade cards, etc. Having end of unit celebrations gives us a chance to show what we are studying and have a good time at the same time. We hope you will continue to be a part of the journey…
Apr. 15, 2009 - And I Quote
I got this in my email today from a Garden website and had to share, I love the last line, by the way, cause if you know me, you know I don't forward chain mail! Thanks George, I think you hit the nail on the head!
A Message by George Carlin:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
If you don't send this to at least 8 people....Who cares?
George Carlin
Apr. 11, 2009 - Cow Boots are made for walking
Apr. 8, 2009 - Spring Is Here
Spring is such a wonderful time of year, isn't it? I absolutely LOVE the "new beginning" feeling, don't you? So much hope...
So, we're bustling around here planting seeds, clearing orchards, mowing, getting the yard in order, playing in the greenhouse...
We are doing something all the time! I love it. Time to get outdoors and breathe in the fresh air...
SPRING IS HERE!!!
Jan. 20, 2009 - Tapestry of Grace
This week we are gearing up for our Renaissance and Reformation Night to celebrate the end of Unit 2 of Year 2 Tapestry of Grace. I have learned SO much this year. How I wish I had heard of Tapestry a long time ago!
Some of the things we are planning to do on R&R Night:
- Sing a Martin Luther Hymn
- Feast on Renaissance Food...think Leonardo's Soup, Crusty Rolls, Aztec Hot Chocolate, Salai's Cookies....
- Do a Renaissance dance, to Renaissance music...think of the dance in A Knights Tale
- Show off our maps, reports, display boards and art work
- Have fun and be together!
I have truly enjoyed this unit and am so excited about the upcoming unit on the New World, Captain John Smith and a well known Native American Gal...
A friend recently asked me a million questions about Tapestry...Here are a few answers I would like to share with everyone.
First of all, I have to say that I LOVE Tapestry of Grace, ok, now that I have that out of the way...
- My children LOVE TOG
- It is very challenging, but the beauty of it is you can do as many or as few of the assignments as you want! It's up to you!
- It CAN be overwhelming...the first 3-4 weeks are the hardest. Once you have looked over the materials and decided what you want to do and just finally dive in ready or not, and start doing it you will feel better. The key is to Just Do It.... don't be intimidated by all the materials. Just start with one or two things the first week and add a couple of assignments each week until you are doing as much as you want...
- Prep work. Yes. There is prep work. But the time spent doing it is worth it. Right now here is what I do. On Monday I read "next week's lesson plan" (about 5 pages), I look up and reserve books online via library website. On Thursday I go to the library and pick up books, then that same afternoon, I write out the assignment charts, what pages are to be read, etc. Simple. On Monday we go over the new assignment chart for that week.
- The Plan I follow is Monday and Tuesday are heavy reading days. Wednesday is a map making day, vocabulary words and timelines. We take off Thursday from school for our Nana. Friday we finish up any reading assignments, have discussions, look at writing projects and work on those, getting the final drafts ready. Saturday is the Hands On day... we do all the craft work, art assignments, field trips, etc. on that day. It gives us something to look forward to.
- Getting the books. At the beginning of the unit, I purchase maybe 2-5 books, only the ones that will be used for the entire unit. I maybe spend $25 at Alibris or something like that (used.) The rest I find at the library. I live in a small town, so this is my thorn in the flesh, our library has very little to choose from, but I usually find what I am looking for. I also travel about 45 minutes to a different library and get books there. I never suffer for the lack of books :o)
- I would highly recommend the MapAids CD...it is essential if you want to do the geography assignments. And I would really like to do the overlay style next year, but this year we are just using paper to print them on.
- I like the writing assignments but I honestly haven't been doing them this year, because of the new baby, but definitely worth doing.
- I have the "Classic" version of Year 2 and I like it right well. I am searching for the redesigned version of Year 1 and Year 3. Now they are selling it Digitally, something I have not wrapped my mind around yet.
- The books are engaging and we all (my husband included) love to be together to read some of them aloud. However, when we can not do the read alouds, I'm ok with that, too. I just read the "teachers notes" and I'm fine.
- I like that I can be very involved or only a little involved. It is flexible. I can be flexible. I like that.
- The cost of the actual curriculum is worth every penny...even when you are pinching them :o)
- Oh, and I like that you can teach four levels (lower grammar, upper grammar, junior high, and high school) out of the same book and they are each challenged to their level. Not like some when you have to choose assignments that are below some children's level and above others. I have a 17, 13, 11, 9 all doing the same curriculum...now how's that for saving money? We do get different library books, but that is ok.
- AND you can use the same four years, over and over because after four years your child will be moving into the next level. For example Child A is doing Lower Grammar for Year 1 in 2009, so in 2012 they will be in Upper Grammar for Year 1 which is all new assignments, but out of the same curriculum. Hard to grasp, but it's true. You could actually purchase Four Years curriculum and use it for your entire schooling K-12 for every child....
Ok, maybe more later...I do recommend it, but if you are an All or Nothing type (like me) just tell yourself that you do NOT have to complete every assignment available. (Even the designer admits you couldn't do them all.) Hope this helps someone!
Jan. 16, 2009 - Social Growth Begins at Home
From www.gentlerevolution.com (Spencer Doman)
Social Growth Begins at Home
Do children really need other children to become socially excellent?
One of the great modern myths is that children need other children to become "socialized." The exact opposite is true. The notion that little children learn how to be civilized from being with each other has little to recommend it. What can a three-year-old teach another three-year-old? Answer: How to behave like a three-year-old.
When we place tiny children together, the result is chaos. If one child is a biter, then other children get bitten and learn that biting may be useful in self-defense. Generally, this is not the kind of social idea that mothers want their children to have.
Sometimes mothers are convinced to put their child with other children in what are called "play groups" or "kindergarten" because mother wants her child to learn to share. Mother believes that this cannot be learned at home from her. Sharing is an admirable and worthwhile objective. But two and three-year-olds are not ready to share anything. Instead, they defend their belongings against any and all comers. The "play group" only stays civilized if each mother stands right next to her child and protects that child from all the other children in the group. "Sharing" occurs only when mother pries the beloved toy truck out of her child's grasp and hands it to another child, who then gets a death grip on the truck until his mother says that he has "shared" the truck for long enough and it is pried out of his grasp to be returned to its little, very anxious owner.
If the above scene takes place without a mother with each child, then the result is much worse. Without mother at his side, the child will simply fight to keep his toy or be overpowered by a bigger, more aggressive child. He either learns to fight or to flee.
Is this socialization?
Civilized behavior begins at home.
When little children are herded together like so many little lambs with only a few shepherds to protect them, we are foolish to expect "socialization" to be the result.
Little children do not need other little children to become socialized - they need mother and father. Civilized behavior is learned at home from mother and father. Children learn right from wrong from mother and father and grandmother and grandfather, or they do not learn it at all. The longer a small child spends with his mother each day, the more civilized he will be. The less time he spends with mother each day, the less civilized he will be.
All mothers know that.
Take This Challenge
Arrange for your child to spend more time with you every day and less time with other little children. Be consistent, fair, and honest in all your interactions with your child. In a few months you will have a more mature, kind, and helpful child, but, even better, you will be spending precious time with a wonderful companion who will love and support you for the rest of your life.
Dec. 30, 2008 - Updates
Wow! I can't believe how long it has been since I updated this blog. The library has taken a great stance in the homeschool situation and allowed homeschool teachers to hold a Teacher Library card. This is a great step in the right direction for our town... Whether or not a homeschool teacher has a certificate or degree, which some of us do, should not impact this decision. We check out around100 books per week from the libraries, some we need to keep for several weeks, some we only keep out for one week. Having a teacher card really cuts down on the numerous trips to the library as well as worrying about renewing books repeatedly when we are using them for a unit study. THANKS to our wonderful library staff!!!!
Things are going great with our second unit of Tapestry of Grace Year 2. We LOVE this curriculum. I don't know who enjoys reading the books and doing the maps more, the children or myself! We are also using Math U See for the first time this year and LOVE it as well. This has most definitely been our best year of homeschooling yet! I was thrilled when my husband bought us the RosettaStone Spanish levels 1,2,&3 homeschool edition! We are all enjoying the lessons and looking for local friends who speak Spanish so we can become friends and PRACTICE! Right now we are even preparing and planning for our next Unit End Celebration which will be the R & R Night, Renaissance and Reformation Night. I have finished two costumes and still have to make at least two more...
God has blessed us with a church we all dearly love. It has been so wonderful to finally be going to church again. Although, I did enjoy homechurch, going to church and worshipping there has also been nice for a change. We still continue to listen to "extra" sermons at home throughout the week and of course we still LOVE our Scripture Songs CD's.
For the new year we are planning a little family party where we plan to stay up all night playing games and exchanging gifts for the new year ahead. We are also planning to watch the first sunset of the New Year, a tradition I plan to start. I almost always see the sunrise (due to the fact that I am an early riser, and my children have followed suit).
Thankfully, we have had a few sunny days which has really gotten us moving around here. I even washed some of my grubby windows. (very long overdue)
I hope that all my buddies and friends out there are having a great last few days of 2008 and are gearing up for an even better 2009.
Oct. 9, 2008 - Local Library Does Not Recognize Homeschool Teacher As Such
Recently, I picked up a newsletter / bulletin from our local library here in Tennessee. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were offering Teacher cards. The benefit? Longer check out time periods, etc. and I was thrilled, since we use Tapestry of Grace and I can't purchase all those literature books. I utilize our local library on a weekly basis. My husband, children and I collectively check out 50-85 books per week. Keeping track of due dates, books and such is a job! So you can imagine my joy at the thought of being able to keep out a book for 4 weeks!
Imagine my disappointment when they told my husband that homeschooling parents were not recognized as teachers by the Public Library! The public library that our tax money supports! We were told that it would be brought before the Board to see if they can change their stance on the program, so we are holding out hope that they will see the error of their ways!
I don't have to mention here that homeschoolers pay taxes on schooling they never use, right? Ok. Well, if you know me and you live where I do, you know that our library isn't top notch to begin with, so lets get together and sign a petition stating that homeschooling parents are just as much a Teacher, as someone who goes to public school to teach, right?
I'll keep everyone updated on happenings at the library! My husband fully intends on requesting a meeting with the board if we don't get a favorable response soon.
Sep. 9, 2008 - Baby Girl is ONE MONTH OLD!
Wow! Our baby girl is one month old and I haven't even posted her picture yet!
Shawna Danielle Huff (named after her daddy...Shawne Daniel Huff) was born on August 6, 2008 weighing 9 lbs 2 oz! She entered this world with only two pushes from her mommy! Her birth was the least eventful birth that I have ever experienced. We were very happy with the hospital staff and the birth experience. Things went wonderfully, and we thank God and give Him all the glory.
Jul. 23, 2008 - How To Vacation At Home
This will probably sound funny, since I am on my computer right now, ha ha.
Sometimes life just gets too chaotic and you have to put your foot down. We decided to do just that. From July 21-27th the children and I have unplugged our phone, ignored our emails, put away the keys to the vehicles and just chilled. Wow! Of course, we still have to prepare our own food, wash our clothing, and such, but we have scaled back to the bare minimum. Instead of all the running around, appointments, etc. etc. we are swimming, sitting under the maple tree, picking blackberries, star gazing, reading books out loud, playing board games, taking leisurely walks, visiting each other, listening to sermons at home, doing our favorite crafts (when we want to), and just having fun. I am really trying to overlook any "messes" that happen and just let the children be.
On another summer note, I have really enjoyed PEACHES. They are in season right now, so I am drinking LOTS of spinach/peach smoothies. They are so good for you and I feel better when I drink them. In addition to that, I have been eating more fresh peaches as well. My two year old will eat two in one sitting...the juice dripping off his elbow and running down his chin. It's so cute. Much better than seeing a toddler walking around eating a Little Debbie, don't you think? I sure am going to miss peach season.
Unfortunately, Shawne is not able to join us on our mini-home-vacation, but has been working even harder than usual. We are grateful for his dedication and we miss him terribly. We do try to make the most out of every minute when he is home. I also have been packing a quart of my Green Smoothie in his lunch box, he says it gives him so much more energy than coffee. Yay!
So, if you can do it, I highly recommend having your Vacation At Home. Just tell everyone you'll be on vacation next week. When they ask where you are going, just tell them it's a secret! :o)
Jun. 21, 2008 - Seasoning Recipes
To make a version of Lawry's Seasoned Salt combine
2 Tablespoons sea salt or Real Salt
2 teaspoons sugar (or whatever you use)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
To make a delicious Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix (think Hidden Valley Ranch without the MSG and hydrogenated oils)
Mix in an air tight jar:
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt (see recipe above)
1/2 teaspoon citric acid (usually found in the canning section of the grocery store)
1 jar (or 1/2 ounces) parsley (finely crushed powder, not big flakes)
1 teaspoon black pepper or white pepper (optional)
Once you have your powder mix you can store it in a jar and use it when needed. Here's how:
Stir one teaspoon (or more to taste) of mix into 8 oz sour cream or thick yogurt. Pour buttermilk into sour cream mixtrue until it is the desired thickness for dressing. If you prefer thick dip, leave out the buttermilk or use only a little. You can also use this powder with mayonnaise and butter milk or soy sour cream substitute or veganaise. It's delicious.
May. 10, 2008 - Rebate Bribe ~ Don't spend it!
Here's a great suggestion, use your rebate to pay down credit cards, mortgages, or stick it in savings. Don't dump it back into the economy. Read more here.
May. 9, 2008 - Happy Mother's Day to you, and to me!
What an honor I have received! To see what this award is all about, head over to Timothy Moms Blog!!!Thanks Sheila!!!!
Then, I got a real sweet email from my wonderful husband with THIS article attached. Oh, and he said that I'm worth waaaaayyyy more than this! Here's what his note said: ($117,000 might be a good number for the average stay at home but not for you. There is not enough money in the world to fairly pay you for what you do for us. I love you and thank you for being the wonderful mother and wife that you are. Happy Mothers Day from your grateful husband.)
And Mother's Day isn't even here yet! Awwwww....
May. 9, 2008 - Endings and Beginnings
Well, I have filled out the final paperwork for the end of our official 2007-2008 school year. The next month will involve finishing our "yearbook" and doing unit studies on gardening, worm composting, animal husbandry, and other outdoor learning projects.
I have already gathered stacks of our gardening books, magazines, etc. for our prep work indoors. Of course, most of our summer learning will take place out doors. We are planning to build worm bins under the rabbit cages, the usual garden work, and a few new projects. One of which will be a new way of growing potatoes.
I always get so excited when it is the "growing season" and so sad when winter comes. This year, I am a little bummed out that right when our baby (#6) is born it will be harvesting time for some garden produce and I'm thinking I won't feel up to preserving much. Although, with grocery prices still on the rise, maybe I should endure! I know the girls can do a lot, and I am counting on that.
Speaking of baby #6...I have to spend a moment thinking back to how much fun it was to be YOUNG and pregnant. I know 37 isn't OLD, but it's not like having a baby at 25!!! I remember being 8 months pregnant and weighing about 135...ahhhhh, the good ole' days. Now, well, we won't talk about how much I weigh, but I'll just say I'd be happy to weigh 135 NOT PREGNANT!!!!! 
Yes, I know I started out this pregnancy with my weight from the last pregnancy. I'm not the first person this has happened to, am I??? Anyhow, with still 14 weeks left in my pregnancy, the inevitable has already started. Some caring person asks when am I due, and when I answer, they look SHOCKED 
and say THAT LONG? Oooookaaay. Then a seemingly friendly co-worker of my husband meets me and later asks him the same question, and when given the answer, replies, well, she's going to be really big by the time the baby is born isn't she??? Uh, yeah, that's nice. Or while I was shopping today, an elderly lady looks at me and whistle/sighs whew!!! like she just can't get over how GINORMOUS I am... Well, listen folks, I've been to the doctor and her chin didn't hit the floor when she measured me! 
But you know, I have been known to give birth to a toddler, so you never know. Anyhow, for my sake, the next time you see a GINORMOUS pregnant woman, just tell her how blessed she is, or tell her that babies are a gift from God above, but for crying out loud, don't comment on how HUGE she is, ok? You might regret it......
May. 1, 2008 - Non toxic anti perspirant and deo....
It kind of tickles me that people find this interesting, but ok, here goes, by special request... If you are interested in an alternative to the stick and roll on anti-perspirant/deodorant that causes cancer there are several things you can do to keep body odor at bay. 
Probably the simplest thing, is to purchase a crystal rock. All you have to do is run it under water then rub it on your skin. This was the first thing I used. Another thing you can do is when you get out of the shower, or before you get dressed, rub a little coconut oil on your skin, it has antiviral properties and it really DOES work! One thing that I do, perhaps some might find it a little extreme, is by taking a daily dose of Liquid Chlorophyll. Not only does the liquid chlorophyll act as an internal deodorant but it is also good for you.
Ok, so there's the run down on how you can get away with NOT using toxic underarm sticks. 
Apr. 28, 2008 - Field Day 2008 ~
Field Day was loads of fun! Here is a picture of the three legged race:
The 50 yard dash
Taking a short break:
The jump rope contest:
Even the littles got in on the fun....Harmon loved the egg on the spoon race, even though he never left the starting line!
More tug of war
The children receiving their award certificates:
It rained on and off, but never hard enough to stop the fun, although some pretty dirty children resulted! The young adults had a great time too:
Ok you get the picture... It was loads of fun! Next year, you've gotta come!
Apr. 26, 2008 - Children, Obesity and Your Grocery Budget
Obesity in children is a growing epidemic in the United States. I believe in part to processed packaged foods that are shoved in their faces at every turn, but also due to lack of exercise and hard work! Children are not required to do the same amount of work as children just a generation or so ago! I know that I am more lax on my children concerning manual labor than I should be. We recently bought a used push mower for our 10 year old son and he loves mowing with it! This is a great form of exercise for him, and it also gets out all that pent up energy that he would be buzzing with during school time! If he only mows a little each day, it helps in numerous ways!
Another factor in childhood obesity is that we as parents, tend to allow our children to overeat. I have a problem with this on many levels. Not only is it unhealthy, but it is a waste of food, driving up our grocery bills. Some questions parents should be asking themselves....What is a serving size? Here's a fun game that will teach children how to recognize a serving size. What should my children be eating? What foods should my children be avoiding? Keep in mind children need adequate calories to meet their needs for growing and energy, howver, portions that are too large could lead to overeating or seem overwhelming. To teach children to eat only until satisfied instead of overeating, we as parents need to serve smaller portions to our young children and encourage them to ask for more if they are still hungry. Also, providing a relaxed atmosphere for eating will slow them down, allowing more time for them to assess fullness and aid in digestion!
If we make a recipe that serves 12 for a family of 6 and there are no leftovers, we should know that someone is overeating! Many times children take their cue from us parents! Do we overeat? Do we reward ourselves with sugary treats? When we do these things we are speaking powerfully to our children without words! Yes, our children are growing, yes we may have boys entering the teen years, but is that really an excuse to let them overeat? One way to get an indicator of our child's health is to check their Body Mass Index (BMI). While this is not a perfect way to determine body fat, it is a good indicator. Sometimes muscular children will have a high BMI but not actually be fat, this is when you use your eyes and the numbers to determine the truth. If you think your child might be overweight or obese, and their BMI is in the 85th percentile or higher, then they may very well be headed down the road to obesity.
It is a well documented fact that centenarians (people who live to 100 years of age or longer) are classic undereaters (healthy undereaters for the most part), consistently active, positive thinkers, and socially active. It's never to late to change bad behavior patterns, get out side and start playing ball with your children, then have a small, healthy picnic lunch, adopt a can-do attitude and you're well on your way to raising a generation of children who will live longer, healthier, more productive lives!
Here's a fun book:
If I Live to Be 100: Lessons from the Centenarians
Apr. 23, 2008 - Closet Clutter Be Gone
Clearing out the clutter challenge! I did my bedroom closet, it had outgrown baby clothes in it! I never wear those! I just took everything off one surface at a time so that I wouldn't get overwhelmed by the enormity of the mess. It works for me that way.
Now it only has my clothes in it and the baby clothes are ready to be handed down or given away.
Ahhh, much better. While I was organizing and clearing clutter, I made copies of my children's zone chores for my household organizer, and also added a copy of our current schedule to the open planner beside my kitchen computer. This way anytime we walk by we can see at a glance what we are supposed to be doing... uh, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll be doing it, like right now, I shouldn't be here! Bye!
Apr. 22, 2008 - Last Bits and Pieces of our Pasover Unit Study
Our modem fell off the desk and broke, so I missed posting what all we did for the last several days. I'll just hit the highlights here, but scroll down to the Resurrection Rolls recipe to check it out. They are sooooo not healthy, but I think once a year, the wow factor overrides the health factor. We also read the Resurrection Story at this time for greater impact.
- Before we had our passover meal, I typed up various verses and explanations onto some index cards. Each child (and parent) had several parts to read out loud during the meal. I think the entire meal and reading took a little over 2 hours. It was great fun, the food was fantastic, and we learned a lot.
- Made matzah, matzah ball soup, lamb, potatonik, charoset, orange sponge cake with raspberry sauce, and meringue cookies
Discussed numbering Jewish years, and what that has to do with the Earth's rotation about it's axis, the revolution of the Earth about the sun, and the revolution of the moon about the earth - Looked at pictures of tombs
- Vocabulary words: resurrection, traditions, curcifixion, betrayal, denial
- Made resurrection cookies (kind of like divinity, kind of like meringue...empty inside...fun to make)
- Located Jerusalem on the map, discussed the Covenant City
- Discussed the Holy Land
This was a great object lesson for our Ressurection Day breakfast.
Resurrection Rolls:
3/4 cup warm water
1 large egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP sugar
6 TBSP butter
3 TBSP dry milk
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
24 marshmallows
Directions:
1. Combine first 8 ingredients. Let rise until doubled. Divide into 24 balls and flatten.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon together. Dip rolls into melted butter, then into sugar/cinnamon mixture.
3. Wrap roll around a marshmallow, covering completely. Dip once more into butter, and again into sugar. Place rolls in a large greased pan and allow to rise till double. (about 30-35 minutes)
4. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until done.
When you let them cool, bite or break one open and SURPRISE...it will be completely empty...just like the empty tomb.
Last Page | Next Page
