Monday, February 26, 2007

Menu Planning Monday


Sunday
Spaghetti & Porcupine Balls

Monday
Mesquite Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Corn on the Cob

Tuesday
Turkey, Stuffing, Pasta Salad, Deviled Eggs

Wednesday
Minute Steak, Green Beans, Flavored Rice

Thursday
Tuna Melt Sandwiches, Fries

Friday
Out to dinner - Megan's 10th Birthday!!

Saturday
Pork Chops, buttered noodles, Hominy

You can check out more great ideas at Organizing Junkie's blog! Have a great day!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Jewelry Contest

There is a contest going on over at 5 Minutes for Mom, and the prize is a very cute Easter bracelet. You can also shop at the online store - Our 2 Peas in a Pod. They have some really cute items on there :o) You should go check it out!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Roller Skates

Yesterday I took the kids roller skating with our area homeschool group. They love it so much! Megan and Ryan have been begging for us to buy them the regular roller skates, but we haven't been able to find them anywhere! Stores only have the inline skates now. I bought them each a pair at the roller rink yesterday! I think they've only taken them off long enough to sleep, and I'll bet that's what they dreamed about! My kitchen has turned into a mini rink because it is too cold to go outside. I'll have to take a pic to post on here. They are loving it! Ryan just informed me that he can make himself go, but is having trouble stopping - oh boy! Megan loves having the white boot, makes her feel like a pro! Jodi prefers (will only skate with) inline skates, and she is great at it! I still can't figure out how people can even stand on those things!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Lapbook

I had never heard of lapbooking before a homeschooling friend showed me the lapbook her daughter made about birds. Ryan LOVES science and all 3 of them learn better when it's hands-on activities, so I thought we'd give it a try. Our first one is on kangaroos - and it seems pretty interesting! The kids love it when they get to teach Jim something new! I've been thinking it would probably make understanding and remembering the Bible a little bit easier too. I'll post some pictures when we get them completed. There are a LOT of websites about lapbooking, here is the link to the one I ordered the kangaroo lapbook from: In the Hands of a Child

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Menu Planning

I realized this morning that I forgot to do this post - actually, I had just realized that it is Tuesday. Hubby was off work yesterday, and that threw me a day behind!

Monday
Out to dinner with my in-laws

Tuesday
Fried Rice, bread and butter

Wednesday
Bourbon Street Steak, salad, Blondies (dessert)

Thursday
Popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn on cob
(We STILL haven't had this)

Friday
Hamburger helper, peas, bread sticks

Head on over to Organizing Junkie's blog to get more great ideas!!

Friday, February 16, 2007

My family as M&Ms

Me as an M&M

I created myself as an M&M last night! What do you think of it? My kids helped pick everything out so I guess if I was to be turned into one, that's what I would look like. Maybe I'll post a slide show of what each of us look like as M&Ms! Wanna try? Head on over to becomeanmm.com - leave me a post so I can come and see your creation!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

We usually don't do much for Valentine's Day - maybe buy a new release movie for the family, but that's about it. Today, however, hubby came home with Crazy Daisies! I'm not a flower person, but I just love crazy daisies! Here's a pic:

Megan baked us some Valentine cookies after a long day of sledding on our "ice hill". Have a look:

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Some things to know about homeschooling

I found this excellent post over at Kendra's website, I wish I could forward it to everyone with internet access. Some people who question me about homeschool seem to think I'm insane for doing it, and usually their advice is to put my kids on a bus and enjoy my day. How could I enjoy my day if I had no control over what and how my children learn. I would much rather make sure my children understand what they are learning, and in order to do that, Kendra has explained things wonderfully! Here is what she had to say:

If you are the mother, grandmother, sister, friend, father, or brother of a homeschooling mom, here are some things you should know:


1. Educating children at home is a full-time job. Don't get irritated if she consistently allows the answering machine to do its job. If she were a teacher in an institutional classroom, you probably wouldn't think of calling her during school hours, so try to realize that while still at home, she is keeping regular school hours, too.


2. Unlike homes in which the children are gone for eight straight hours, her home is in a constant state of activity. The children are not only home, they are home making messes. All day long. Their mother doesn't even have the opportunity to go into their rooms while they are at school and weed out the junk. And if she is like me, you might find odd homeschooly things lying around- like the month we had a dead turtle in the garage fridge.


3. Housekeeping and homeschooling are mutually exclusive. If she is doing her job educating her children academically, then her house is not being cleaned. If she takes the day to clean the house, then school wil not be accomplished.


4. Place realistic expectations on her- she cannot simultaneously teach school, make three square meals, keep a house that looks like it has sprung out of the pages of Architectural Digest, have her nails done, drive children to extracurricular activities, and have all the clothing laundered and pressed. Something's gotta give, and in my experience, it is usually her personal care. So don't expect her to don the latest styles, have her roots meticulously dyed at just the right moment, and her aforementioned nails filed and polished to perfection. And while most of us aren't slovenly, we just tend to put some superfluous aspects of personal care at the bottom of the to-do list.


5. For many of us, homeschooling isn't an option. Many believe it is not only the best way for their family, it is the only way. Many see homeschooling as a Scriptural directive. When sharing a particular struggle unique to homeschooling, comments like, "Well, why don't you consider putting them in school? Maybe homeschooling just isn't your thing" aren't helpful. Instead, offer a listening ear and your fervent prayers on her behalf.


6. If you are truly concerned about the state of her emotions, home, children, or marriage, offer practical help to ease her burden. Personal time is at a premium for her, so consider offering to take her kids for the day so she can recuperate. If you like to do laundry, offer to come over and get the loads going, fold, and/or iron. If you like to cook, consider putting together some meals that she can store in the freezer for days when time is at a premium. If she teaches a broad spectrum of ages and grades, consider offering to come in once a week or more to teach preschool to the little ones. One grandma I know created "Nana U" for her preschool grandson (number five of seven) and not only did it ease her homeshooling daughter's burden, it created a special bond between grandma and the child.


But there’s a caveat here: ASK her what would be most helpful to her. Don’t presume to know what would help her. Taking the oldest children for the day might be fun for you, but it’s quite possibly not at all helpful to her. The living room might need to be vacuumed, but it’s not helpful if she’s trying to take a nap. Someone once told me, “If it’s not wanted, it’s not helpful.”


7. Think about what a financial burden homeschooling may be placing on the family. The loss of her possible income can be a real struggle nowadays, and you might be able to buoy her for another year by offering to purchase little things like simple school supplies. Gifts for the children like books on subjects of interest to the child, field trip fees, museum memberships, and the money to pay for music lessons or other extracurricular activities are the best thing you could give a homeschooling family. Not only does a homeschooling mom not need one more thing to manage or pick up, she would be thrilled to see you take an interest in the many academic items on her wish list.


8. Simple questions like, "How can I pray for you?" and "Is there any way I can help you?" are like a cool breeze in her life. Don't assume you know her needs- ask. You could just be the vessel God uses to carry her on through this very demanding and ultimately rewarding season of her life.

Monday, February 12, 2007

This Week's Menu

Monday
Potluck, Homemade bread, peas

Tuesday
Mac & Cheese Casserole, fries

Wednesday
Breakfast Bowls (diced potatoes, sausage, gravy,
scrambled eggs, onion, & mushrooms)

Thursday
Soup Beans, cornbread

Friday
Homemade Cincinnati Chili & spaghetti

Saturday
Popcorn Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn on cob
(Never fixed this last week)

Click here for more menu ideas!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Breck Wreath

We used to wrap these in egg roll wrappers and deep-fry them - YUM, but they were extremely greasy. I now put it in a crescent wreath. I serve it with taco sauce and sour cream.

Breck Wreath
2 pounds hamburger
1 poun
d sausage
8 oz pep
peroni, chopped
Colby Jack cheese, shredded
3 cans crescent rolls
egg whites, beaten

Cook hamburger, sausage, and pepperoni until no longer pink. Drain. I let it cool a few minutes, then add shredded cheese.(If you add the cheese while meat is still warm it will slightly melt it, then let it cool a bit, and you can shape it with your hands on the crescents.) Make a wreath out of crescents:

Spoon the meat mixture onto the crescents:
Fold the tips of the crescents over the meat mixture, and brush with egg whites:

Bake at 375* for 11-13 minutes . This recipe makes 2 wreaths, we start on one while the 2nd is baking!

A Shade of Green:




You Are Olive Green



You are the most real of all the green shades. You're always true to yourself.

For you, authenticity and honesty are very important... both in others and yourself.

You are grounded and secure. It takes a lot to shake you.

People see you as dependable, probably the most dependable person they know.

Friday, February 9, 2007

McDonalds Tour

Today we (along with our homeschool group) were privileged to get to take a tour of our local McDonald's! Did you know that it only takes 40 seconds to cook a regular hamburger?! Their coke comes in 75 gallon containers!! That is a LOT of pop! The kids even got to make their own sandwiches! It was very interesting!

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Menu Planning Monday

I know it's Tuesday, but I really like Laura's idea of sharing dinner menus. I've been in a slump for suggestions, and this really helps to come up with something new! Make sure to stop over at I'm an organizing junkie to check out ALL the participants!

Monday
Beef and Noodles, Creamed Corn, Mashed Potatoes, Biscuits

Tuesday
Lasagna, Bread & Butter

Wednesday
Popcorn Chicken, Julienne Potatoes, Green Beans

Thursday
Pork Chops, Flavored Rice, Asparagus

Friday
Chicken Broccoli Casserole, Rolls

Saturday
Breck Wreath, Chips


Allow me to introduce my children:

Snow Pics

Here is a picture from early this afternoon:
And here is one as it was getting dark (but still snowing!) This is our neighbor's tricycle!

let it snow, Let It Snow, LET IT SNOW

It's not showing ANY signs of stopping out there! We are supposed to get 3-5" by midnight! Guess that means Jim won't be home any time soon (he works for the city Public Works, which means he'll be driving a salt truck all day). I'll take some pics to put on here in a little while. Stay warm, and stay safe!

Monday, February 5, 2007

Information Overload!

I've spent all day looking at a lot of other blogs and trying to figure out what all I'd like to have on mine. Trying to actually get it to happen seems to be another story though. I'd really like to join in on Laura's weekly menu posts, guess I'll give myself until next week to figure that out!

Sunday, February 4, 2007

My 1st Post!

Welcome to my blog! Thanks for stopping by! I've been reading blogs for a while, so I finally decided I would try one myself. If you have any pointers or helpful tips, I would greatly appreciate them.