Welcome to our family blog! My wonderful husband and I have been married for 17 years and we have one lovely girl and three handsome boys. This is our 8th year homeschooling. We live on 40 acres and we have 2 horses, chickens, dogs, a couple cats and cattle. We're simply doing the best we can to educate and train our children in the way they should go, with our Heavenly Father's guidance and strength. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:56:00 -0500 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:56:00 -0500 Yesterday, we spent the whole afternoon at Silver Dollar City in Branson.  World Fest was going on and people from other countries were there with their displays and shows.  I was hoping for my kids to participate in these events and learn some things from other countries but instead they spent all their time in rides!  They had a great time though.  Here are some pictures.  I was a bit disappointed that I didn't take very many pictures.  We have season passes, so we'll be visiting the park again pretty soon.  Anyway, look at their facial expressions in these photos.  :)     Clay, my husband Steve, Kayla and their cousin Sam       Evan riding the bug.  He had fun riding all the rides.  His birthday is tomorrow and he'll be turning 3. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/682630/ Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/682630/     Outside my window...it's so wet and muddy...uggh.  It's still sprinkling, sprinkling and will continue to sprinkle all day today.  Not so great.   I am thinking...how wonderful it would be for it to feel like spring actually and to be able to plant a garden and plant flowers!  I have a friend who is a professional landscaper and he will be coming out this week to give me ideas of what to plant around my house.  Yay!   From the learning rooms...they still have math lessons that needs to be covered and do some review on their other subjects.  We just have 3 more weeks of classes at HSN, our homeschool co-op.  The kids truly enjoy going to co-op.   From the kitchen...Here are some breakfast and dinner meals that's planned out for this week.  We'll be having some leftovers for supper. Monday Egg, bacon, cheese muffin, and orange juice Taco casserole, lettuce salad Tuesday Cereal lunch at HSN Beef Vegetable soup (crockpot) Wednesday Oatmeal or Malt-o-meal Egg Casserole, toast, fruit Thursday Chicken and Rice casserole, green beans Friday Spaghetti, corn, cottage cheese and garlic bread   I am wearing...a denim skirt, 3/4 long-sleeve black knit blouse.   I am reading...not much really, just some articles from the Hobby Farm Home magazine.  This is my first magazine and so far it's pretty good.  It interesting.   I am hoping...to get what I want done accomplished this week.   I am creating...nothing really.   I am hearing... the sump pump running.  My husband finally put in a sump pump in our basement to help keep the water from coming in and so far it's working pretty good!  Hopefully we'll be able to finish our basement one of these days.  We're waiting to see if the sump pump will help keep our basement dry.   Around the house...laundry, laundry...what a wonderful chore.  I sure don't like doing laundry.   One of my favorite things...is being outside when I can, but it's so wet and chilly.  I would love to see the sun shining and feel the warmth!   A few plans for the rest of the week...I haven't really done much planning for this week.  We'll go to HSN (Homeschooler's Network) on Tuesday which is an  hour drive and I plan to stop at Aldi's to get a few things before heading home.   Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...       This picture was taken from my daughter's bedroom window.  See how wet it is?  We don't need more rain! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/676380/ Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:50:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/676380/   Hi!  It's been awhile since I've posted an entry for Friday Show n Tell.  So for today, I thought I would post some cute pictures of our Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies that my daughter took the other day.  The puppies are 11 weeks old and are full of energy!       This is the first time they seen daffodils and they went nuts!  They were so curious of what the scent was and just kept sniffing and playing around them.  They had so much fun running around the place.  The area was just a mile from our house.         If you'd like to see what others have for show n tell, run on over to Canadagirl's blog, Raising 4 Godly Men Have a Blessed weekend!     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/675477/ Fri, 3 Apr 2009 07:58:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/675477/ For today,  Monday,  March 30th, 2009   Outside my window...right now it's cloudy and 48 degrees.  It's supposed to be windy and cloudy most of the day and up to 66 degrees.  It's also wet and muddy out there.  We had rain/snow this weekend.  Ughh.  It's been a crazy weather!   I am thinking...that it's nice to be back to HSB as it's been quite awhile since I've posted.  I've been so busy lately with puppies and it has slowed down a bit now.  We still have 3 labs and 4 corgis left to sell.   From the learning rooms...thinking of what to get for next year.  Kayla will be entering 9th grade!  I'm trying to decide whether to get something like BJU dvd program or just continue with what we've been doing.  I'm a bit terrible about record keeping and feel like I need something like BJU that will keep records.  Any suggestions??  We've been going to a homeschool co-op on Tuesdays and they offer great classes such as Math-u-See...   I am thankful for...many things!   From the kitchen...I'm excited that I discovered the Living on a Dime e-books.  I purchased a special last week and received several e-books and it's great!   It's helping me with meal planning and save some money too!  Here is our breakfast, dinner and supper menu for this week... Monday Waffles, bacon and milk Lasagna, beans and peaches Leftovers        Tuesday Eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice We have homeschool coop, so we'll eat lunch there Chicken crockpot noodle soup, crackers Wednesday Oatmeal Mexican casserole, peas, salad Ham, mashed potatoes, green beans Thursday Pancakes, eggs and milk Hamburgers, seasoned rice and corn Hearty chili with crackers or cornbread Friday Eggs, toast and orange juice      Baked potato bar, salad    pizza   I am wearing...my red aeropostale sweatpants that the kids got me for Christmas and an old, Old Navy t-shirt.  As of now, I'm barefooted but will put on socks.   I am reading...Living on a Dime e-books that I printed out.   I am hearing...the tv downstairs.  My boys are watching a show about snakes on Animal Planet.   Around the house...need to do some spring cleaning and wash and fold laundry.  My floor sure needs some mopping.  So hopefully I'll get it all accomplished this week.  :o)   I am going...the kids and I will go to homeschool co-op Tuesday, an hour drive from here.  Also might go to Sutherlands sometime this week to get stuff to build a kennel for our dogs and composite lumber for a raised bed garden.  Hopefully I'll get a garden planted soon when the ground dries up.   Here is a picture thought I'm sharing...   This is my daughter's corgi and we caught her playing with toilet paper yesterday.  She's 11 weeks old today! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/673978/ Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:51:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/673978/   It's Friday Show n Tell again with Canadagirl.  My daughter and I have been busy making Reese's treats this week for gift-giving.  We gave some to 3 hire-hands that my husband works with on the farm and to a neighbor this morning, who just recently had carpel tunnel surgery.  She's a very sweet lady and asked Kayla, my daughter, to help her today.  She's helping to take care of her 2 grandsons and other things around the house.  It's been really good for my daughter to do something like that and she truly enjoys it.     These are very simple to make.  The cookie dough only takes 5 ingredients to whip up!  It calls for 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of crunchy peanut butter (you can use creamy if you'd prefer), 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 large egg and 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips.  Mix well, put in mini muffin pans and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then quickly press in Reese's peanut butter cups.  You'll want to unwrap them ahead of time.  Each batch makes about 38 pieces.  The original cookie recipe came from Eleanor's blog at A Cup of Cold Water.  It's so easy and fun to make! Well I hope you enjoyed my Show n Tell.  To see others have for Show n Tell, please visit Canadagirl's blog.  :)  Have a blessed weekend and a Merry Christmas!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/634296/ Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:29:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/634296/ Well I'm back, finally!  After solving the problems I had with my computer, I'm happy to report that every thing is back to normal!  With my new filter, I wasn't able to view pictures from my blog and was not able to see other blogs, but now after requesting to get a couple sites unblocked (Photobucket and Flickr) from the tech support, I was able to get them unblocked, thankfully.  I've really missed you guys!  I have lots to catch up on, don't I?  Anyway, this has been a good week.  Last Sunday, the kids played in a Christmas program that our church put on, called "Dear Theophilus" except for Evan, my 2 year old, who fell asleep and slept through the whole program!  He was supposed to be one of the little angels.  Kayla played as Elizabeth, Clay acted as Joseph, and Ethan was one of the shephards.  There were 45 kids in the play.           Clay, Kayla and Ethan   Evan all tuckered out.   Wednesday, my kids went ice skating at our frozen pond.  They all had lots of fun except for my 2 year old.  He didn't think falling down was all that fun!  Lol  So he pretty much just sat on the edge of the pond and watched.  It was pretty cold too and they all were bundled up pretty warmly.  It was such a good day as there was no wind at all.  Here are some pictures.     He had so much fun sliding as far as he could go!           I love this one.  Isn't he cute!?         Ethan making a snow angel.  :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/634197/ Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/634197/   Hi!  On Wednesday the 12th, we went out of town for the day.  The main reason was to take Bailee, our female Pembroke Welsh corgi, to a breeder and that was 3 1/2 hours away!  Crazy, I know.  So, to make our trip worthwhile, we stopped at Mansfield, MO to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder home and museum.  It was probably the best field trip we had taken in a long time!  We left our house at 7:30 a.m. and didn't get home till 6:00 p.m.  It was a long day, but we had so much fun!  We learned so much about Laura and Almanzo Wilder and their families that we hadn't known before.  The guide took us on a tour in their home and farm, where they lived most of their lives.  It was quite interesting.  They wouldn't let me take pictures inside the homes or the museum where the artifacts and stuff were displayed.  :(  But I did take some outdoor pictures.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!  :)         This entry goes to the kitchen, the first part of the house when they moved there.  Almanzo fixed up the kitchen just the way Laura wanted it.  Almanzo built the cabinets low enough where she can reach them.  Did you know that Laura was only 4'11" tall and Almanzo was just 5'2" or 5'3"?  It felt so cozy inside!  Look at the leaves, isn't it gorgeous?     The guide said that Almanzo added on little by little over the years.  The last he added on was the part of the house with the porch (on the right side).  It was all handcrafted and so beautiful, again very cozy!       Kayla, Clay and Ethan looking down at the creek.  This is where Laura and Almanzo got most their water.     Clay and Ethan out running on the beautiful land.         To see more show n' tell participants, go right on over to Canadagirl, Raising 4 godly men. Have a wonderful weekend!       http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/618976/ Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:10:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/618976/     For today...November 10, 2008   Outside my window...I see two horses grazing grass.  It's sunny and 40 degrees right now.  It was cloudy earlier.  It's calling for 80% chance of rain today.   I am thinking...of my children in hopes they will walk in the right path when they reach adulthood.      From the learning rooms...are plans to work on an "Autumn" lapbook with Ethan, my 5 year old, and make plans to do a Thanksgiving unit study with the rest of the children.   I am thankful for...God's blessings, my husband, my children and lots of things!   From the kitchen...I have coffee brewing.  I'm not a big coffee drinker but I've been drinking coffee with french vanilla creamer lately.  I know it's not a good health drink but it sure keeps me up and going.  :)  I will have fresh baked bread and rolls for this week.  I'm not good about planning my meals ahead.  I plan meals at the moment.  Will fix some kind of meat that I have in the freezer, mashed potatoes, canned green beans, salad and probably brownies.   I am wearing...blue knit capris that I wear around the house and a pullover that's keeping me warm.   I am reading... some articles from The Old Schoolhouse magazine.   I am hoping...to do some walking this week if I get my mind set to do it!   I am creating...hoping to create a clean and peaceful home this week.  There are so many things that really needs to be done.   I am hearing...my 2 year old, Evan, talking and asking me questions like "what's that?"  He's sitting on my lap right now.   Around the house...laundry and other chores that is listed on my daily e-planner I print out each week.  I'm not always consistent with it, but I do try my best.   One of my favorite things...is blogging!  :)   A few plans for the rest of the week...to go to town this afternoon to pick up goats milk and stop by the 4-H extension office.  Enrollment forms are due today.  A friend will be coming over Thursday and we'll be working on the program book for the year for our 4-H club.   Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...     The fence isn't very pretty, but it works for now.  It's temporary and hopefully we'll have better fencing put up this year.  We're just waiting till we have the extra money to do so.   If you'd like to join The Simple Woman's Daybook, go see Peggy for details. Have a blessed week!      http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/617045/ Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/617045/ Hi!  It's Friday Show n' Tell again!  I truly enjoy participating in this and seeing what others have to show and tell.    Last week my daughter and I made over 30 handmade cards.  She's doing a great job too!  She colored all the stamped images and I helped with paper cutting and layout.  It's been fun helping her make them.  She plans to sell the cards.  Her goal is to earn some money to help pay for horse riding lessons.                   Which one do you all like?  I don't know which is my favorite.  I like them all!  To see more show n tell participants, go over to Mary's blog, Raising 4 godly men!  Have a blessed day and weekend! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/615899/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 08:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/615899/ For today...November 3, 2008 Outside My Window...is sunny and 59 degrees.  It's supposed to be up to 77 degrees today.  Another beautiful day! I am thinking...about my daughter who is at camp right now.  I really miss her!  Just two more days and she'll be back home. I am thankful for...many things! From the learning rooms...hoping to get alot accomplished this week.  We've been so busy with other educational activities last week that we didn't get alot of school work done at home. From the kitchen...will be cooking venison that my son, Clay, shot yesterday.  I will probably fix mashed potatoes and corn to go with it and homemade bread, yum! I am wearing...a denim skirt with a brown knit top.  No shoes.  I'm pretty much a barefooted gal. I am going...to town this afternoon to buy dog food that we've been out for a couple days and get fresh goat milk for our family. I am reading...Seasons at Home magazine I am hoping...to get alot accomplished around the house this week. I am hearing...Evan, my 2 year old playing with his farm tractors and animals. Here is picture thought I am sharing...   We went to see Kayla (in the red shirt) at camp yesterday and they took the time out of their busy schedule to play volleyball.  It was a beautiful day outside.  The camp they are involved in combines educational sessions, hands-on grassroots campaign experience, and opportunities to meet and interact with candidates. If you'd like to join The Simple Woman's Daybook, go see Peggy for details. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/613773/ Mon, 3 Nov 2008 07:59:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hsmomto4/613773/