Blog Archives

A day of tears.....

9/19/2013

Do you ever have a day when things just don't go right?

I had plans to do ALL sorts of homeschooling today... but I had a lad who just couldn't cope.

Every request was met with tears. Mom.. do I have to? Mom.. I can't it's too hard. Mom.....

I don't do whiney, weepy children well. I just don't.
I do one of two things...I either get exasperated (which leads to more frustration/tears/exasperation) OR I get overly patient (which drives the fellows in my house batty for some reason). NEITHER response goes over well so I keep trying to find a better way but it's a struggle.

So after working through IXL to see if I wanted to do them for a review (I actually managed to sell this to the lad as .. let's just play with it. no challenge, just see what it is).   He didn't like the math, he liked the english so cool. we'll work with the English.

Also found a site today (totally by accident) when I let the boy off to do his bug stuff (he captures them and keeps them means he HAS TO feed them). So off he is feeding critters and I find this punctuation site.   Check it out...

This lady makes programs and stuff for children. Her site is called Living Books. It's a rather neat little site (though I must admit I mostly just browsed it, but I really liked the punctuation one and it got the lad looking over my shoulder as I went through it). MOM! I know that one!   (exclamation!) Made me grin...

Later on we went to the library to pick up books on Ontario. I tried to get the lad to get some picture books, but all he wanted to do was get out of the library, walk home to see if he could catch a dragonfly (he did).

BUT I did manage to get him to play a game of chess with me. I won once, and he won once. It was good. :)   I didn't even intend to lose but I made an error and he capitalized on it very nicely.   hmmm.. should I be pleased that my eight year old novice player son beat me????

It was a touchy day all day... but we did manage to do good. We for the most part remembered to be kind to each other. We got in some math, some language arts, some reading practice (yeah) and continued with our regular reading. T'is good that. :)

Bacon Mushroom Chicken

9/19/2013

So tonight for supper I made a new recipe. It came from All-recipes.com.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 bone-in chicken breast halves, withskin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 thick slices bacon
1/2 cup mushrooms, halved
1/4 cup heavy cream

Changes I made: I didn't have heavy cream so i combined 3/4 cup milk with 1/3 cup melted butter. (at least that was what I was supposed to do)... I was a tad addle brained and did 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup butter. NOT a good idea. Makes the chicken taste greasy. I also used boned chicken breast rather than bone-in.

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Pour melted butter into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add chicken, skin side down; sprinkle with seasoning salt and garlic. Turn chicken over, season, and lay bacon strips on top. Sprinkle with mushrooms.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 60 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
4.Remove chicken, bacon and mushrooms to a platter and keep warm. Pour juices from baking dish into a small saucepan and whisk together with cream over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken and serve warm.

I made an oops and put ALL the ingredients in at once. still turned out okay, just didn't make for a thick bubbly sauce. Tasted okay, the lad liked it. If I made it again I'd be inclined to follow the recipe a bit better and make it on a "non-distractable day". :)

Five Minute Friday: She

9/19/2013

1. Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word. (On your blog or in the comments).
2. Link back here and invite others to join in {you can grab the button code in my blog footer}.
3. Go leave some comment props for the five minute artist who linked up before you.

It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week.

Today's word is SHE.

GO

She....who is she?   One doesn't always know who She is, and yet at times one does... one can really know who She is.

She is ... herself.

Bold, independent, strong, fearless....able to take on the world. Fighting back with all that she has within her.   This is she.

She is... herself.

Afraid, looking around corners, hugging walls, eyes downcast, uncertain. Knowing that somewhere trouble lurks and it's probably aiming for her.   This is she.

She is...herself.

Head up, alert, wary, yet... curious, wanting to know more, slow to commit, but right there, waiting, keeping a spot open...hoping.   This is she.

She is there, she is always there, she is .... herself.

END.

So... do you want to know more she?   Go see what others have written. You can do that here. :)   And hey... come on.. try it yourself... it's FUN! :)

Apple Pie Egg Roll

9/19/2013

Doesn't this look interesting????

I so want to give it a try. And maybe use other pie fillings in it as well...

Apple Pie Egg Rolls Recipe

Ingredients
3 cups apples, peeled and diced (approx. 3 apples)
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
12 Egg Roll Wrappers
Oil for Frying

Instructions
1. Combine all filling ingredients and mix well.
2. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold in the sides and roll the
wrapper tightly. Use a dab of water to secure the tip of the wrapper.
3. Preheat oil to 350 degrees. Fry each egg roll for about 4-5 minutes or until browned and crispy.
4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Recipe originally found here.

Squeezing in Schooling

9/18/2013

You know how you get some days that are crazy busy? Doctor appointment, sports event, church thing, and what not? Even days when you have field trips but... you really need to get in some book learning too?

Just how do you squeeze it all in?

Well...sometimes you just have be creative in the use of your time.

One of the things my boy likes to do is draw, he takes his paper or drawing notebook EVERY where we go. I used to carry a book with me.. well.. he takes paper and pen. Usually a black pen though he's learning to use other implements as well.

So... Son of my heart... can you draw me a picture about the poem we read yesterday... about the guy calling out to the sun over the city? Yeah, I know.. it was a odd poem wasn't it. Can you remember some of the details?

I usually get an "BUT MOM.. I don't want to, I just want to draw! Humour bud, we gotta get some type of schooling into today." oh, okay.

click on image to go to source for this image. :)

Currently we are working on recognizing regular and irregular shapes. Trying hard to learn these math terms. It is SO easy to look for them when walking or driving around, or sitting in a doctor's office (yet again).

I have to admit that the easiest way of getting homeschooling done is to find a way to combine something we have to do, and then turn it into something more. So... we HAVE to have something to drink in the morning, We just read about how different items conduct heat, well... why don't we make some hot and cold chocolate to learn what happens when metal gets hot. Bang.... kill two birds with one small stone. Drink and do science. AND it's fun. :)

Here my son is taking a quick moment at the local dam to catch some water critters. This kept him well amused and learning while rushing off to get to some event. The water critters survived well and made their trip back home again safe and sound. In the meantime my son saw how three different water bugs move in the water, had a chance to do some art in drawing them, and the car smelled slightly fishy, but hey.... we are homeschoolers.. we take it all in stride. :) Baking soda does work wonders to get rid of odours. :)

Another thing we do is read in the car.... I can't read books without feeling ill, but I can read on my tablet (no... i have no clue why)... we are currently reading through White Fang. Good book. The lad asks lots of questions. :)

That is how we do our "Sneaking School into the Busy Days." You want to know how others do it? Well check them out here. Link goes live on the 24th so just be a tad bit patient and it will come. :)

Celebrating Womanhood

9/17/2013

For one day, we want to drown out negativity and celebrate the beauty and pride of women.

These days it seems that some people want us to be ashamed of being women. They want us to believe that we’re less: less intelligent, less important, less human. There is so much negativity out there. For one day, we want to flood the internet with positive messages about women.

This taken from the blog Living, Learning and Loving life.
They are doing a week where people WITHOUT bashing men, talk about being a woman and how that's a GOOD thing. :)
Find the Link here please. :)

Womanhood and celebrating it.

I have to tell you... throughout most of my life I haven't much been pleased with being a woman.    I didn't want to be a guy, I just wanted to be this gender neutral person, that would be pleased me greatly. I had LONG arguments with God about the whole male/female/gender neutral thoughts.

BUT... then I went to a little start up church with people who actually liked me, really liked me just for who I was and I started to see myself in a different way. God was very gracious to me.   He helped me see people and myself in a brand new light.

My mom..... who cares for my dad who is ill with Parkinson's, in a nursing home, and just cares deeply for her family and kin.   She loves her family tightly and did good at raising me...though I know I was at times a real trial to her.    She's a good solid woman whose faith in God is her firm foundation.

My sisters... though radically different than I am loving clothes and shopping and all that "womanly stuff"... They love God.   They love their families.   Good solid people who don't flinch at showing the world who they are. Making choices that are best for them and their families. Being the supportive, leaders they need to be.

My mom-in-law.   She accepted me from the day I met her. When I first met her I felt at home.   She is a treasure. Her faith in God is strong. She has taught me so much, and we are so alike in some ways it totally shocks me.   She doesn't like shopping, she loves critters and will worry on them just like me. :)   She loves her son with a devotion just like my mom loves her family.   She is an good example to me.

And then there's me... still often feeling a bit "odd" around women and who is actually making good friends with some women and it amazes me.... My hubby is such a foundation for me and is good at reminding me that yes... I am a woman and it is a good thing.   So he is very much a part of the woman that I am now. :)

BUT it all comes down to God you know.   He placed me in a small start up church that radically changed my life and my perception of myself and of WHO HE WAS.   He gave me a hubby that loves me dearly and often so much knows what I need. BUT God is my most solid foundation and I owe everything to him.

God...the supreme being who is the creator of the world, the creator of me, knows me so well he gives me what I need, and helps me to crave for more.   HE is the one who makes me the woman i am today, and the woman I'll be in the future. :)

So when we celebrate being a woman... let us also celebrate who GOD is. Amen?

Anyways, enough with my thoughts, go read what some other folks have to say eh?   :)   You can find that here.   Thanks for dropping by!

Review: Seed Sowers

9/16/2013

Mom, if do you think there is a Mama New Guinea?
This asked when reading a story about Papau New Guinea.
It made me HOOT.

Oh this lad.... he makes me laugh.

But we have SO enjoyed reading the stories of real folks, serving God, in a variety of contexts. Seed Sowers has been SO good for us to do for the TOS review crew. :)

Vendor: Seed Sowers
Product: Seed Sowers: Gospel-Planting Adventures
Price: In softcover for normally $13.95, currently $12.50, it can also be purchased in hardcover for$30.95-hardcover or in kindle for $$3.99
Age Range: any, as long as you are willing to answer questions. Sometimes missionaries die, and sometimes the people they work with can be a bit frightening to young children. It is geared for sixth grade independent reading.

Occasionally I will read a book with my son that, when we are done, he will be very sad and almost cry.   This book was one of them.   We read it as part of our night time reading and if I wanted to skip it one night he would get upset with me, so it didn't take us all that long to get through it.   One chapter a night for 21 nights.

I received the e-book version of it (on Kindle for $3.99). Seed Sowers is a collection of short stories about missionaries on the field, doing translation work with various people groups.   21 chapters, 165 pages.   It is written by Gwen Toliver.

We SO enjoyed this book.   Even with the hard questions the lad would sometimes ask. "Mom, why would they want to hurt that man?"   "Mom, why didn't God save that person when he helped the other one?" "Mom, why did people have to go so far from home?"   "Mom, why...."

Sometimes you just don't know the answers.

We were delighted at times with how God rescued people, the big cat roaming around the house in one of the stories made quite the impression on the lad.

At times we'd head on over to our world map and look for the places people were ministering in.

We will be reading this book again, probably next summer while camping so dad can read it with us. :)

photo Rogercrossingvinebridge_zpse18f5088.jpg

There were no pictures interspersed in the reading of Seed Sowers, and I liked that. It meant the lad could use his imagination or ask me to look it up for him (giving us a chance to review stories in the morning). Can you imagine having to cross bridges like this? How about at night when there's a major storm brewing and you have to get across? They did have some pictures at the end of the book. It is an excellent book for discussing how big God is. :)

The only thing I regret in this review: not having an actual book that I can pass around to my friends and family so they can easily read it too.

Quite a few other people on the TOS review crew read this book as well. You are invited to click on the banner below or on this link to see what they have to say. Do check them out, I heartily recommend it!

photo DisclaimerGraphic1_zpsf612f371.gif

Educents: Math Mystery Bundles

9/16/2013

I am seriously considering getting these.
I introduced my son to math mystery stories last year and he was totally hooked. It's a good way to either introduce or practice math facts while having fun. :)

They are $15 for the whole bundle, you get to choose from either the second or third grade bundle. Normally these cost $7 each.

I have until the 28th to make up my mind.....

Zucchini Bread

9/12/2013

So I picked out this recipe to try simply because it had unusual spices in it. I wanted to see if it would work out. It did. :)

Preheat oven to 350mix together

2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini

Then mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts(optional)

Then mix the dry into the wet, blend well.

Pour into ungreased loaf pans and bake for one hour.

I made the lad laugh, I had everything mixed in and then said OH NO! I Forgot the zucchini. I can't make zucchini bread without the zucchini.
He just giggled and said that's funny mom. :)

This turned out well.

Sophie's Zucchini Bread

9/12/2013

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together in one bowl the following.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix together in a separate bowl:

3 eggs (beaten)
2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini

If you want to, you can add:

1 cup chopped walnuts(optional)

Mix the wet into the dry ingredients.
Then pop them into a couple of ungreased loaf pans and cook for about an hour.

The lad INDEPENDENTLY mixed the dry goods. All I did was point out where the ingredients were and found the right measuring spoons for him. He also broke an egg by himself. He's learning!!!!!!!!!!!!! He asked "Mom, why does sugar go in with the wet ingredients when it's dry?
My response was that sugar dissolves into the wet ingredients.

BUT I HAVE TO ASK.. is that really why????