http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:52:00 -0600 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:52:00 -0600 In case you missed it, I am now blogging here.  Check out my newSimplifying Christmas post here.  Thanks!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/623504/ Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/623504/ Hello everyone, I have moved my blog here.  Thanks so much! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/617707/ Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/617707/ For Family Night this week, we cooked some brats (from the freezer that  I wanted to use up) over the fire pit in the back yard, and worked on these Thanksgiving table runners-which by the way, would make great Christmas gifts for grandparents.  You can sew your own table runner if you are crafty enough.  OR if you are like me, you can save yourself a trip to the fabric store, hours of trying to figure out a pattern, cutting it out, messing with the bobbin thingy on your sewing machine, and order them from Oriental Trading Company.  We made a personalized family of handprint turkeys.  (we used poster paint for the turkeys and fabric paint for the names) We then added a border using corn on the cob.  Use paint to make different colored rows on your cob of corn.  (easier if you break it in half)  Then "roll" the corn around the table runner.  Don't forget a Thanksgiving greeting and the year you made your table runner!  Have fun!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/616047/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:27:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/616047/ This past year my husband and I (mostly me) have really felt the need to simplify.  In an effort to do this, I've done and accomplished several things.  The biggest was going through my house room by room and asking myself a few questions:  What is the purpose of this room?  What is here that is hindering that purpose? and How can I make it easier and/or simpler to accomplish that purpose?  Anyway, you may think I'm silly, but you'd be surprised at what you can cut out and/or get rid of.  So...with the theme of simplifying, I began to think about Christmas.  I've always prefered a quiet, simple Christmas and I don't think we've gone overboard in our past celebrations, but there are ways that we can cut back and still have a great holiday season.  I've been reluctant in the past to push this "cutting back" idea on my husband, because he LOVES Christmas.  And lest you think he is extremely materialistic-let me explain.  He grew up in what you could call a "dysfunctional" home.  One day, while we were talking, he told me the reason he loves Christmas so much is because when he was a child, that was the one day of the year that his family and home seemed normal and happy.  His mom got up and cooked a huge, delicious breakfast.  He and his brothers, sister and parents gathered in the living room to open boatloads of gifts that were beautifully wrapped under a sparkling tree.  They laughed, had fun,  and spent time together.   But, when I approached him with an idea I had for this Christmas, he was really receptive and supportive-so I will share with you a little of what we will be doing this year. I found a poem on another blog that I liked so much that we decided to adapt our gift giving for our children to it this year.  I don't know the title or the author-or I would give credit.  Something to eat, Something to read, Something to play with, Something you need. In the next few weeks, I hope to share with you what we've decided to do for each of the lines in the above poem.  I hope you enjoy and feel free to share your Christmas traditions as well-I'd love to hear them!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/616022/ Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/616022/ When I was a kid, every year at Thanksgiving, my dad would sit us down to "count our blessings."  This is something I've tried to continue with my children.  Several years ago, I saw this idea (see picture) and wanted to implement it, but just never got around to it.  This year~I did!!  I cut a branch from one of the trees in our yard, put it in a vase and anchored it with some small rocks.  I wrapped the vase with burlap and a ribbon.  I also attached an envelope and put leaves cut from construction paper, pre-cut lengths of ribbon and a pen in it. Every morning at breakfast we will all take a leaf, write down something we are thankful for and tie it to our "Blessings Tree"  I hope to keep all the leaves and from year to year we can go back and read them.  How about you?  Does your family have any special ways or tradtions that you use to count your blessings?  If so, I'd love to hear about them!  :) In case you are wondering, the card on the envelope reads: "For each new morning with it's light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/615409/ Thu, 6 Nov 2008 07:38:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/615409/ Lest you think this wide-eyed petite pixie is just the picture of innocence-let me tell ya, this sweet little girl can make as much mischief as the best of 'em.  Check out this little naptime activity:  Shred up a book into as many pieces as possible and spread them as far as you can reach.  Thankfully, this book was in a box with a bunch of other "twaddle" that I was getting rid of-but a lesson in respecting property was certainly in order here.  It took FOREVER for her to clean it all up!! Is it just me or does she look like she's enjoying this a little too much?? Hmmm..... http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/612908/ Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:04:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/612908/ Since our first attempt at camping didn't teach us anything..we decided to do it again!  This time, however, we did a few things differently:  We paid a VERY reasonable price to stay in an adorable, cozy family cabin (instead of a tent) complete with things I like. (electricity, heat, and indoor plumbing) We took all of our own food and cooked in the little kitchen.  We had a WONDERFUL time, and I'm telling you-if you read this and you live in Indiana (which I'm sure most of my readers do! ;) you have to visit here.  There are several really nice trails-along the creek and to the Falls, down to White River and one to Wolf Cave.  I believe they also have some that you can bike on-but we haven't tried any of these yet.  We spent the day hiking (down to White River) and though it was a teeny bit brisk, we enjoyed ourselves.  We went back to our cabin to rest for the afternoon and Danny and the kids had some rousing rounds of Hungry Hungry Hippos while Mommy took a nap. (!)  We took another short walk before dinner and collected items to make this little "wild" turkey: After dinner, we went across the street to visit our "neighbors"  (hubby's brother, my sis-in-law and their two boys!)  We had a great evening playing Life while the kids quietly watched a movie,  ran around like maniacs and spilled like 200 something drinks before the evening was over, but had GREAT fun playing with their cousins.  It was so nice to "get away from it all" and we will certainly go again...now this trip is defintely my kind of camping!  :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/611378/ Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/611378/    I love fall and I absolutely adore pumpkins.  They are so pretty to decorate with and yummy to bake with.  So during this "pumpkin season", I thought I would share with you some of the ways I use them! Sweet Pumpkin Dip                                                                                2-8oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened. 1 can or 15 oz of pure pumpkin puree 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger Beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.  Add sugar, cinnamon and ginger-mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour.  Serve with fruit, graham cracker sticks, gingersnap cookies, muffins or bagels.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/609148/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/609148/         Go visit Country Home Magazine's website and you can download and print these adorable napkin rings to use at yourThanksgiving table!  Hope you enjoy! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/609123/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:35:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/609123/ Every Sunday evening ( I like to wait until the last minute possible), I sit down and sketch out rough lesson plans for the week.  I'm trying to decide if that's even worth it, since every week since we started school, something seems to come up to thwart those not so carefully laid plans.  Two weeks ago, it was the nice surprise that Daddy would be home-and who wants to follow the plans when he's around?  This week, we decided to get sick.  (Pretty sure I didn't schedule that!)  It's a shame too...'cause I had lots of fun things ready to do with my littles.  This week was "Letter D" and we were going to do all sorts of stuff-we did manage to get our posterboard letter Ds decorated with dots.  (nice alliteration, huh?)  But..we didn't get to the "Make Way for Ducklings" book or the "Five Little Ducks" flannel board story.  We did however, get in lots of movie watching time, as I've spent most of the past two days on the couch, sleeping-with one eye open-gotta watch that two year old-she can get into some pretty interesting predicaments if she thinks no one is looking! (NO Ally-a glue stick is not the same as chapstick!)Thankfully, my oldest is at the point where he can do most of his work independently..so he won't get behind.  It wasn't all bad though...we did get to spend a wonderfully beautiful day at the park, playing, walking and gathering leaves, acorns and other "treasures".  We had perfect weather and the kids always love to be outside.   This park day reminded me of a conversation I had with my oldest son a few weeks ago.  We were talking about school, and he told me he wouldn't mind going to a "real" school, as long as he could come home right after lunch-"why?" I asked,  "Because, kids have to play!" he answered.  :)  So true!                                                                 (Yes, sometimes we do have school in our pjs)           http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/608597/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/whitepicketfence/608597/