Ok, I have some really great FREE resources for you today.  I found a free downloadable, printable, paper model of the Mayflower amoung other things.   I am going to go through these quick because I have a really, really bad sore throat and I need to get to a doc before the holiday begins so excuse the spelling & grammer errors.  I just did not have time to proofread. 

First, the Mayflower, you can access the directions for this by clicking here or go straight to the webpage here (the best way to print this is to move your curser over the cutout, right click & hit the print picture rather than just print the whole page.)

Now I have an absolutly incredible site for you.  This is an interactive "thingy" about the pilgrims, their voyage over, how they lived in comparision to the indians, how the children lived, their daily lives;, the first Thanksgiving feast; I can not begin to tell you everything. It is presented in short segments that you can read or hit the speaker icon and hear the story being told to you by various kids.  A word of warning: if you are on dial up, don't bother fustrating yourself with this.  You can access the main home page by clicking here.

And of course, how can you discuss the Mayflower, without the Mayflower Compact. You can read it by clicking here.

I pray you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! It looks like I may be calling it off at my house this year.  It depends upon what the doc says. Sigh!  What am I going to do with all the turkey?  (Leftover recipes coming next week)

If you got crafty kids or you make alot of your own decorations for the Thanksgiving Dinner table I have a great link for you today.  Family Fun Magazine has a site with a list of links to all of the Thanksgiving themed crafts on their site.  You can choose from table covers, baskets, turkey placecards, hats, table top projects, chair decorations, even a pinata!!! You can access the main page by clicking here and then moving your curser over the list and pick what you want. 

I would suggest bookmarking this page.  I plan on using this a lot. They have got some great stuff. 

Yesterday, I gave you a Kitchen Measuring Equivalents chart.  Today I am going to share my baking pan subsitutions chart.  I have this copied on an index card and taped up inside my cabinet.

We all have been there. We are baking a cake at the last minute for the church social or for dear Aunt May's 100th birthday party and when we go to grab that baking pan we need, it is gone.  The children have decided that the round pan makes a great pool for Barbie, or that it makes a great corral for the turtle or new bug they found in the yard while they look up what the thing is in a book, or that is makes a great tomb for some doll (mental note: a little less Snow White), or that the husband thought it was the perfect place to put the bolts from the carborator he is rebuilding.   Regardless of the excuse, you need a pan...quick! Here are pans you can use instead of the standard round. 

Note: all measurements are in inches. 

two 8x2 rounds = 10 x 3 1/3 bundt

                       = 9 x 2 round

                       = 8x8x2 square

                       = 10 x 15x 1 jelly roll

10x2 round = 9x9x2 square

12-cup muffin tin = 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf

                          = 9 x 1 1/2 round

                          = 8x8x 1 1/2 square

special notes:

First, you may need to adjust baking times.  Generally, not always, deeper pans require a longer baking time.  Not always, just when you are in a horrid hurry and really, really, really  have to go to the bathroom and you are afraid if you walk away from the stove the cake will burn, will it take longer. 

Second, these are not exact.  You need to watch how much batter is in the pan.  I do not usually fill a pan more than 2/3 full.  Else, it may overflow and then you will have to share the best way to clean a stove and air out a kitchen and explain how to turn off that horrid smoke alarm. Or gather the children around and tell them you are starting fire saftey week and you have set up  a "fire" for them complete with smoke.  Then ask, "Now what do we do since smoke is filling up the room?"

I have something today that I hope will be of some use to you with the Holiday season coming up. Measuring charts are great, especially if you need a 1 c. of something and just realized that the kids used all of your clean measuring cups to measure out the amount of turtle food and peanut butter needed to keep the dog making those funny faces for at least an hour,  but as you all know, whenever you need them they are stuffed inside some cookbook somewhere and by the time you might actually find it the water has boiled over, the meat has burned and the kids have discovered that crayons really do melt in the dryer but not really in a washing machine.  I have this chart printed up and glued to a picture of an old-fashioned milk bottle.  I then laminated it (directions here) and taped it up inside one of my kitchen cabinets. 

Measuring Equivalents

1 Tablespoon ....................3 teaspoons

1/8 c. ...............................2 T

1/4 c. ...............................4 T

1/3 c. ...............................5 T + 1 t

1/2 c. ...............................8 T

2/3 c. ...............................10 T + 2 t

3/4 c. ...............................12 T

1 c. ..................................48 t

1 c. ..................................16 T

1 oz. ................................2 T. fat or liquid

4 oz. ................................1/2 c

8oz. .................................1 c

16 oz. ..............................1 lb.

8 fluid oz. .........................1 c.

1 pint ...............................2 c

1 quart .............................2 pints

4 c ...................................1 quart

1 Gallon ...........................4 quarts

1 pinch ............................1/8 t or less

1 peck ..............................8 quarts

1 jigger .............................1 1/2 fl. oz. or 3 T

In the next day or so I will be putting up my baking pan subsitutions chart for you.

Cheese Wafers

2 c.  (4 sticks) Butter, softened

1 (1-lb) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 c. all-purpose flour

½ t. salt

1-2 t. ground red pepper (depending on how much kick you want)

½ t. paprika

Beat the butter and cheese at medium speed until blended.

All flour a cup at a time blending well.

Add remaining ingredients & blend.

Cover dough & put in refrigerator about 2 hours.

Roll & Shape the dough into 4 (8-inch) logs; cover & chill again for 8 hours or overnight.

Cut into ¼ inch slices & place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 15 min at 350.

Cool on wire racks (or on a plate like I did when I was first married and didn’t have a lot of the kitchen gadgets that I have now)

Store in an airtight container.

This should make about 10 dozen (more or less depending upon who gets into it)

You can also sign up for a free email reminder sent on Mondays.  It will list all the resources coming up during the week.  You can sign up for that here.

Here is the one word of warning.  The resources are only available for free on that day it is posted.  So if you want something, you have to either read it, watch it, or download it (for free) THAT DAY.  If there is something you really want and you miss it, you can pay a small fee and access the archives.  But take the time to check daily and see what they have up!!! 

With Thanksgiving Day coming up, I wanted to share a great resource with you.  I found this a couple of years ago and I can not tell you how great this works!!!    This little book is incredible. But do not let the title Primer fool you. This is for adults as well.

It has a complete history of the American tradition,  a section of the Pilgrims as people, recreating a Separatist Service, the manners of the time and recipes from that time period (ps they probably did not have turkey on the menu), the real way they dressed and charts of all garments worn (if you are good at sewing you can easily make these), Pilgrim games, what the children did and something else I love.  They have a traditional picture of the first Thanksgiving meal with the Pilgrims and Indians. The author then goes through and tells everything that is wrong.  There is also a list of the passengers on the Mayflower.  There are great pictures & drawings. This Primer is a “complete guide to re-creating the first harvest festival for your family, friends or church.”

This book is only about $5.10  but well worth it.  Like I said, I have used it quite a bit. If you order it now, you should get it in time for Thanksgiving.   Now before I give you the web address here is my disclaimer.  I am an affiliate of Vision Forum who sells this book.  If you click on the Vision Forum icon in my side bar they will pay me a percentage of your purchase (no charge to you).  If you click on the link here, I will receive no pay. This is a direct link.   I really think this book would be of great use to so many out there that I do not want anyone to think I am recommending it so I can make money.  I want no one to be able to say Mrs. Dani is dishonest. 

There is also a package deal here that includes a hardback reprint of William Bradford’s own diary which if very enlightening. If you can swing it, I highly recommend it.  You can see in their own words why the Pilgrims came to the New World.  No, it was not for religious freedom.  But I will be doing a post on that closer to Thanksgiving. I am also going to get some free resources up for Thanksgiving, but I have to be honest, I think this book beats anything out there.   

She has incredible survival games for day OR night, compass games, finding water; just really great games to teach kids what used to be taught to the young pioneer children.  You can access that at http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/games/games.htm My husband can not wait to try these. 

She also has a section for working with kids with special needs. There is even a campfire songbook!!!

Oh, she also has some delicious looking camping recipes, and some really, really cool science & technology activities.   I will be adding this site to my sidebar and using this info quite a bit.   There is something for everyone here.  Click on over and tell me what you think!!!!!!

Hello everyone!!!! I hope you are having a great day!!! I have to hurry and get these resources up because we are on our way to the Columbia, SC Veteran's Day Parade. One of the largest in the SouthEast; second only to Washington, DC.

First, I want to introduce you to someone.

 I would like to introduce you to my uncle.  (I suppose as far as genealogy is concerned he is my Great-Uncle.)  This is a picture of George Ervin Jr. It was taken in Italy in 1943.  He was the second born of seven children in a small house bursting at the seams with love.  He had plans on opening a restaurant someday; but the war came.   Only 21 when the draft came up, he was dismissed, but they took a man married with several kids.  He called his father and told him, “Daddy they made a mistake, what do I do?”  “Son,” was the reply, “ You know what is right.”  George marched back to the draft board and informed them of their mistake and took the man’s place.  After biding good bye to his mother, father, sisters ( my Grandmother was only 9 at the time) and baby brother he went off to fight Mussolini’s men in Italy.   

It is because of him & thousands others that I and you have the freedom to Homeschool: that we even have freedom.  Let us not forget while we are enjoying our day off that we have this because of the men who fought tyranny; who lived by the creed, “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing.”  How easy it would have been for all those in the past to just sit in their homes and do nothing.  How easy it would have been to just buy the lies told to them and be too lazy to find the truth.  How easy it would have been to not have to watch the tears stream down the faces of their mothers, wives and children as they left home, to watch the tearful pride coming from their father’s faces:  Many never to return.   One could argue I am speaking about today as well as then. 

Did my uncle come home?  Well, that would depend upon where your home is.  A heavenly host took him home from the Battle in Anzio.  We just happen to be passing through this world on our way home. 

This but one day we take from our busy lives to remember, pray, and think about those past and present who fight to keep us free. We should do this everyday.  My Grandmother told me yesterday that she thinks the reason young people today do not have the respect for their country and those who sacrificed for it is because of us: the parents.  We do not take the time or effort to show them all they have to be proud of, to be thankful that they live in this great country.  Let’s not fail.

I have several resources for you.  I am afraid the link I provided yesterday required some sort of payment for some of crafts.  Sorry, I will do better for you this morning.

Take time to go to a parade today. I may not know where, but I know it is at 11am.  How do I know this?  The first link I have is at about the history of Veteran's Day. You can click here.  Parade's are at 11 because of tradition.  The Treaty of Versailles, ending WWI was signed at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.  This is a great page to start at.

This next website has some great printables.  They have a coloring page for the younger ones, vocabulary pages, wordsearch and a really cool quiz that even I had to think to complete.  You can get that site by clicking here. Plus you can sign up for their weekly newsletter and get some great links each week to a variety of subjects.

Another great site with a lot of great printables is here.

This is a 4th of July site but there are some great printable flags & pinwheels.  You can click here for that.

If you are a Veteran, thank you.  I may not know your face or name but you are in my prayers.

I have some great resources for you to celebrate Veteran's Day that I will put up in the morning.  But I wanted to get this one out there because I know many of you will be printing up stuff for class tomorrow (or perhaps it is just me that stays up to midnight?) 

This is a great craft page with all sorts of things to make with activities for younger kids to your older students.  They have pinwheels, books, report covers, worksheets, just too much to mention.  This will get you started.  I plan to have some very interesting facts up in the morning including some things I learned just today from my Grandmother. 

If you have not made plans, please I suggest you find where your town's Veteran's Day parade will be.  I know it will be at 11am.  How do I know this?  Check in the morning to find out how I know it will be at 11am.