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Nov. 10, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday ~ Save In Piggybacking
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Save In Piggybacking
In all the changes that I have made this year I have been learning the importance of "piggybacking". Piggybacking is when you butt one thing after the other and save because it is already heated up. For example... to dry one load of laundry after the other and save because the dryer is already heated up. Another way I have piggybacked my savings is when I roast my coffee beans. I roast what I need for that week...one batch after the other. A third way that I can think of right off the bat is piggybacking while baking or cooking with the oven. Get the biggest bang for your buck by baking several things together and right after the other. In the winter time it is also a nice way to raise the temperature a little in your house. I guess you can say it is like multi-tasking your energy use and save.  .
Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
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example of a URL ...
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
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Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's.
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Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."
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Monday, November 9, 2009
~25 Days of Gratitude~
Today I am grateful for.....
~Answered prayer...I have been praying about something for a long time. This weekend I finally got the fact that I was standing in the way of God answering my prayer in His way. I kept trying to fix/solve the problem. Within hours of surrendering it to the Lord, He answered my prayer in a great way.
~Great husbands.....my is the best!
~Grandparents....We had a fun time with Grandparents at our Keeper's Grandparents luncheon.
~My dog Belle....She is such a great dog and she likes me best!
Sleeping on my leg.
Poor dear, Grace dressed her up!
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Nov. 9, 2009
Still Here!!
Martina Carrying Breakfast on a Tray, 1904
"She did not know anything about a great many things,
but she knew a great deal about loving and cooking
and a woman can go far on that."
From A Tangled Web by L.M. Montgomery
I love that quote! It's so true! Loving and cooking(which go hand in hand) wraps up what we as moms do every day!
Nothing else is as important.
And if I have any readers left out there,
I am still around, occasionally. Life is full this year and blogging seems to have taken a back seat.
I always have many, many ideas for blogging, but alas, at the end of the day I cannot bear to sit in front of my computer screen.
I make no promises to be here more frequently, that would be in vain.
But I will post when the Lord gives me something to say and I can snatch away a few moments of time(like now as I'm waiting for the lasagne to defrost).
As for the goings on around here:
- A couple of weeks ago Hubby(who did most of it) and I did some bulk cooking and have 30 meals in our freezer! Yeah!
- My sweet Baby has turned one and learned to walk. Fun times!(Busy times!)
- We are well into school, although not moving as fast through our Canada studies as I hoped. I may also need to re-evaluated my son's science curriculum as it seems to be quite challenging.
- The kids have been enjoying a homeschoolers ice-skating group on Fridays.
- Dd just finished a session of horseback riding lessons and the instructor said she was a 'natural'.
- The boys continue to make 'stop-motion' Lego movies with the camera and I have to weed through their hundreds of pictures to find the ones that I took!
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- I'm reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens, it's incredibly thick and I'll need to renew it a few times before I'm done!
- Hubby and I celebrated 15 years of wedded bliss in September!
- God continues to provide for us in the way of hand-me-down clothing. He is so faithful!
One post I do plan to make soon is about the Pre-School Activity Bag swap I organized this year. Stay tuned for that!
Blessings!
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Nov. 9, 2009
Spacers/T4L and more :)
Posted By Homeschooling6
Josh & I got our spacers on today. Josh was not happy about it. He still does not want to get braces. I told him, 'tough Twinkies" he still getting them  .
Two of my spacers already busted. I'm going to have to go back tomorrow. Bummer! I haven't had anything hard or sticky. Some noodle soup, cookie & scrambled egg.
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Regarding school; I think I have decided not to combine everyone with My Father's World Exploration to 1850. I have thought hard and long about this and would like to combine them for History, Science & Bible but I can't see when I can pull everyone together. I am going to do Bible together though. We can do that first thing in the morning like we do now.
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Today, my dad came by. He loves visiting he grandchildren. I usually have the children do a lighter load of schoolwork on Monday because most times my dad comes and he stays for four hours. As long as we get math and language arts done with some reading we call it a school day.
The children still need to finish. once quiet time is over they'll finish their school.
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The children like Time4Learning. We use it basically for Language Arts only. The program is great but I don't like how much time the children are spending in front of the computer. Annette, Caleb & Brent each spend about 20-30 minutes on their lesson and 20 minutes at the playground. The playground is online games. Some are educational and others are just for fun. Normally this would be okay since the first half is learning. What I don't like is Lance & Ethan watch all three of them. If you add that up it's a lot of watching the computer. For me computer is equal to T.V. time. I feel like half of Lance & Ethan's morning time is in front of the computer watching their siblings. I am not sure but I might pull the plug on T4L.
Annette, is doing well with it and she is the one I mainly wanted it for. I asked her if she would still like to continue with T4L. She said either way is fine. She prefers T4L because she does not have to write. She did complete all of Level 3 and has started level 4.
Caleb & Brent REALLY like it. I do like all the phonics review. Maybe we'll continue with if for this year or half the year 
I don't have time to reread my post today, so I'll have to check for mistakes later.
Blessings,
Linda<><
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Monday, November 9, 2009
Never Abandoned In The Floodlands
In a former life that I now dimly remember, I occasionally got free music as a sales associate for The Ark Bookstore in Denver. Normally, the samples were of new, relatively unknown groups that their label was trying to push. There was the rare exception, however, and those were moments that made the low wages and long hours almost worth it. Chief among those moments was when our Sparrow representative stopped by with a pre-release copy of Steve Taylor's 1993 album, Squint. It was the last—so far—studio album that Taylor would release, capping a decade-long career in the Christian music industry. Most folks don't know who Steve Taylor is. However, most Christians have likely heard the Newsboys' song, Shine, which Steve produced and wrote the lyrics to. In fact, Steve's partnership with the Newsboys is what most credit them for their success.
Steve's music has had a huge impact on my life. Songs like Hero, Meltdown, On The Fritz and so many others fed my spirit when I faced religious hypocrisy and pretentious spirituality at a young age where I needed truth and solidarity. Truth confronts, but it also comforts. One of the best examples is in the song, "Curses," where the chorus (echoing Psalm 37:25) repeats,
Never have I seen the righteous forsaken
Never abandoned in the floodlands
Never have I seen their children out begging
Never have I seen them slip through your hands
This simple refrain would echo in my mind every time I faced worries about making mortgage or buying groceries. It remains a reminder that not only is God faithful, but that I am not the first of his children to encounter financial difficulty.
There is something else about the chorus. In this modern,"lower-middle class" lifestyle, I tend to forget the meaning of floodlands. Today, modern civilization has flood control. Rivers that used to rage and ravage towns and cities are now harnessed and regulated by dams and reservoirs. The floodlands were areas that were normally dry but prone to extensive inundation. As a result, no one who could afford to build would build in such an area. They tended to be vast areas with thick undergrowth crisscrossed by a myriad of foot trails. The only inhabitants were the poorest of the poor, vagrants living a nomadic lifestyle and eating hand-to-mouth. If a river were to flood, they would be among the first victims, sometimes the only victims. Being abandoned in the floodlands would never be by choice. It would be the last stop before dying.
God is always mindful of our situation. He never lets us slip through His hands. We make mistakes, but He never does. Also, notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say that we would never see the floodlands, or walk through them. He may have us pass through the floodlands for any number of reasons, not the least of which would be to reach out to those are also in desperate need. Yet here is the one thing that brings me such comfort: we will never be abandoned! We have a God who carries us through the fiercest storms and the highest waves. Most importantly, when it's all over, we get to go home with Him. That's worth any trek we might face here on earth.
Just in case one thinks I'm blowing smoke, I'll offer a subjective proof, one of many small miracles God has done for me and my family. Two weeks ago, my mind turned to Christmas. It dawned on me that we might not make mortgage, let alone have the ability to purchase gifts this year for my children. Rather than fret, I told God about it and asked Him to please provide Christmas gifts for my kids. Later that week, I got a call from our church saying that a family wanted to bless a family in need with Christmas presents and asked if I would be interested. "Are you kidding? I was just praying about that this week!" I told them. Needless to say, everyone was blessed at how God worked the whole thing. He usually isn't so blatant and obvious. God uses subtle and practical ways for us most of the time. But once in awhile he offers us unmistakable signs that He's there. With God, we are never abandoned. |
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Nov. 9, 2009
Homemade Vanilla Extract
I love to bake, and I especially love to bake during the holidays. In fact, there have been years that I’ve made a batch of cookies just about every single day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s how much I love holiday baking!
Obviously, with all this baking going on, I go through a lot of supplies which can really strain the budget. One of the most expensive yet most commonly used ingredients is vanilla extract. Since I do not like using imitation anything, my baking habit can get pretty expensive just in vanilla alone. In order to combat the ever-rising price of real vanilla extract, I started making my own. It’s surprisingly simple to make, but please note, the recipe contains alcohol, just like real vanilla extract.
Ingredients
1 quart vodka or brandy*
1-3 vanilla beans**
Pour vodka or brandy into a quart-sized jar.
Using a very sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean(s) down the entire length of the bean but not all the way through. The objective is to expose the seeds inside, to slice the bean into two pieces.
Submerge the bean(s) in the alcohol, and seal the jar tightly. Store jar in a cool, dark place. The mixture needs to steep for about two or three months and should be shaken weekly. I keep mine on my baking shelf behind my most used items so I don’t forget to shake it every once in a while. You should see the tiny seeds floating in the alcohol.
After about two months, open the jar and test the vanilla. I do this by smelling it. At first, you’ll probably smell just alcohol. Leave the lid off the jar for about five minutes and that will dissipate. How does it smell now? If the smell of vanilla isn’t strong, reseal the jar and let steep for another month. If your scent of vanilla is rich and strong, then your extract is ready to use. You might find it easier to refill a small bottle continually rather than trying to work out of the quart-sized jar. Also, be careful to filter out the seeds as you refill your bottle.
Notes:
*Both vodka and brandy are good choices for making vanilla extract because they absorb the flavor of the vanilla easily. The biggest difference is color. Both vodka and brandy will yield a brown vanilla extract, however the vodka will be a lighter shade. Also, some people will swear that only the finest vodka or brandy will create a good vanilla extract. Me? I buy the cheap stuff, and have yet to be disappointed.
**Vanilla beans can be difficult to find and very expensive to purchase. Believe it or not, I recommend checking out a local health food store. Many health food stores carry Frontier organic herbs and spices at amazingly low prices. Also, the strength of the beans you use will determine how many you use. Does the bean have a really strong scent? Then you might need only one. I usually use two or three. When the jar is looking a little empty, I refill it with vodka, and add one vanilla bean, leaving the old beans in the jar to help flavor the new batch.
Making vanilla extract at home does require patience. However, it has saved me a significant amount of money. My initial investment on a quart of vanilla extract was equal to the price of a 4-oz bottle. I got eight times the vanilla for the same price! Now that’s a savings!
Thanks for stopping by.
Betty
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
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Nov. 9, 2009
Little Kids Discovered Lego
Last night, Janney wanted me to go outsides and build her a doll house for her dolls. Well, I was just about to hunker down and make dinner, so - no - can't make a doll house, BUT I tole Myles to go get some Legos and I showed her how to build with them.. and she and Myles and Asher played for a while, and Elias tossed them around the kitchen a bit.
Today, the bulk of the legos are back upstairs, but a few straggling pieces are here, and Asher and Elias are keen on the little cars that were built.
We have a cool system for managing legos. We use a fitted sheet on the floor, and all the pieces stay on the sheet, at the end of play time, pick up the edges of the sheet, and voila, they're easy to cart away and put back in the big rubbermaid bucket. Myles also has a little truck that you can drive around and it "vacuums" up the straggling pieces.
However... this doesn't keep track of these bits that are on the cars that Asher and Elias are playing with.. but that's only about 20 pieces, I can live with 20 lego pieces underfoot.. I think |
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Nov. 9, 2009
Posted By Queenmotherof8
Nov. 9, 2009
American Heritage Foundation -- free American history curriculum
 Click banner to visit AHEF website.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,
in a state of civilization,
it expects what never was and never will be."
~~ Thomas Jefferson
The American Heritage Education Foundation is a non-profit organization created to help educate our children in the history of our nation and the philosophies upon which it was established. They believe that the focus on diversity in our schools is tearing the country apart and threatening its survival, and that it needs to be balanced with a study of our country's history. They focus on four themes in US history: Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility.
In order to promote these four themes, the American Heritage Foundation created an American history/citizenship curriculum for K-12. They provide this $150 value curriculum free of charge as a free PDF download, as PDF documents on a free CD-ROM, or for $19.50 in a printed notebook format.
The curriculum is provided in 3 levels: elementary, middle school, and high school. They also provide a Spanish language variation in the elementary level. Each level of curriculum is over 180 pages long, with information for the teacher, lesson plans, group activities and individual activities.
These materials are designed for public school use, and some of the activities are obviously created with a larger group in mind than a typical homeschool family (like the Colonial America Simulation Game). These could be adapted with some effort, or they could be used in a homeschool group or co-op setting. Now, I will admit that adapting materials intended for a public school classroom to the family homeschool isn't always easy, but sometimes it can be worth it.
Although the American Heritage Foundation is a secular organization, the curriculum refers to the founding father's belief in God and the Bible with factual respect. The Christian beliefs of the Colonial settlers and founding fathers is not ignored, but it is still a secular curriculum. This makes it suitable for classroom use, or use in a homeschool group with members of varying beliefs.
Some of the citizenship topics covered include:
- The American Revolution
- George Washington
- U.S. Presidents
- The Declaration of Independence
- The US Constitution
- The Great Seal
- Thanksgiving
- The Bill of Rights
- Our National Documents
- Entrepeneurs in American History
- The United States of America's Flag
- The Star-Spangled Banner
- The Gettysburg Address
- The National Motto
- The Statue of Liberty
- The Pledge of Allegiance
- America the Beautiful
- What is An American?
The three levels include much of the same materials for the teacher, with age-appropriate differences in activities and discussion questions. This means they can be used together in a homeschool or co-op setting to teach the same material to all the students. This is NOT a complete American history curriculum, but can be used to supplement your American history or US government studies.
For myself, I have to admit that I will not use all these lessons and activities, but I will use some of them. Most of our citizenship lessons are oral discussions. We aren't likely to use most of the worksheets, but we are more likely to use the activity ideas. I think this curriculum lends itself to a homeschool group or co-op more easily than to an individual family situation.
BUT, it's a FREE curriculum!! Request your own copy and check it out for yourself. Even if it's not something you'll use regularly, there may be some helpful information or even one activity that makes it worthwhile. Get it for your homeschool group ... or you might fall in love with it, and take the time to make it work for your family. You have nothing to lose!
If you'd like to help promote the American Heritage Foundation, you can donate to their non-profit organization. These donations will help them continue to share their curriculum free of charge to public schools, private schools, and home schools.
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
Trusting In Him,
April |
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Nov. 9, 2009
It's time for contest #3!
Contest Giveaway #3
Beeyoutiful's Tea Tree Oil
To enter just tell me about your favorite pet!
Was it a dog, cat, horse, hamster?
Do you still have her/him?
Entries taken until Wednesday night and I'll announce the winner on Thursday.
Please leave me a way to get in touch with you if you win.
Our sweet little kitty, Raider, is now living in NC with my best friend. She has a new name, Bella.
We miss her a lot. I want to know what she is doing and if she misses us.
HI RAIDER, I MEAN BELLA!!
I hope you live 20 long years and give my favorite friend lots of love and company.
WE MISS YOU! |
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