Is it spring yet...

Seems like everyone here has been battling a bug! A while back I had pneumonia and now some of my kids have bad coughs and sniffles. So in between dealing with illness, trying to fit a bit of schooling in here and there, I thought I'd share what's on my sewing table and ideas I have for spring. Whenever it chooses to finally arrive and stay awhile that is... ha! ha!

Just off my sewing table today I finished up my blocks for our block exchange at the shop. I rather like most of them. We'll see what I get in return...

If you're interested in making this block you can hop over to my other blog at http://parklandparish.blogspot.com/#!/2013/05/friendship-star-block.html for the tutorial.

The other projects I have been working on, are these quick fun applique wall hangings. This is the June one, and the next Thimbleberries project quilt. I also took a Prepared Hand Applique class the other night and will have to post that project later! It's too cute!

 Just need to fix my goof and add the last couple of borders and it will be done!! At least the top, that is!! Lastly I've been dreaming of a fairy garden in my front flower bed. Now that I received my new book, my kids are excited too! LOTS of cool fairies, including Ninja fairies!! The boys are really hooked on that!

What are you working on? I'd love to read your comments and see what you and your brood are working on! Enjoy your many blessings!! TTFN!

Junior Olympic Archery Developement...

What kind of activities do your kids participate in? Most kids I know are in sports, scouts, 4H, theatre, etc. But have you ever heard of Junior Olympic Archery Developement (JOAD)? It's a wonderful program to youth 8 years to adult to learn, compete and take part in achery events. Three of my kids participate in this program now. My youngest two just earned their first outdoor range badges.

For more information and JOAD teams in your area, check them out at http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Archery/Programs/Junior-Olympic-Archery-Development/Where-to-Begin.aspx

Here are some reflections from our day...

 

Happy homeschool and enjoy your blessings every day!

It's been along time...

Wow, it's been a long time! There's been lots going in on in our home. Big changes and adjustments. They've all been good, however my blogging time has been greatly reduced. At least for this blog. A few month I took on a new job. I have to admit it's the best job of my life, where I've worked outside of my home. I get to do fun, "me" stuff. I get to include my kids and I get to make extra money! I mean what could be better!! If you want to see what I'm up to you can visit me at the blog that takes up all my time...  http://parklandparish.blogspot.com/

As far as school goes, we've had a good start to our year. We are studying the ancients and so we were able to make it to the King Tut exhibit. It was amazing. Here's some photos...

Hope you're having a good year so far and hopefully I'll be posting again soon! Enjoy your day!

Yummy morning breakfast...

DO YOU EVER get your kids involved in your breakfast making? I like to encourage as much help in the kitchen as I can get! Breakfast is one of those easy meals that kids usually like, you can have many helpers, and at least in my home gets our day off to a better start!

Until I married my husband I had never had 'Dutch Baby'. In my family we had 'Popovers', which I think are similar. However, I like the idea of making them sweet rather than savory. Although I do love popovers! I my home we've taken it one step further by adding cinnamon sugar at the end. So here we go...

Your Mom's Dutch Baby

1/4 cup butter

3 eggs

3/4 cups flour

3/4 cups milk

 

 

 

Turn on your oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 2-3 quart casserole dish. Place the 1/4 cup of butter in the casserole and place it in the oven as it pre-heats.

 

 

While the butter is melting I put all the ingredients into a mason jar.

 

 

Then I let my helpers shake...

 

 

Once your batter is 'shaken up' remove the pan from the oven and pour batter into the melted butter.

 

 

Put it back in to bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until 'puffed' and golden brown.

 

 

Then we sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the whole thing and dig in! Some like maple syrup too!

 

 

Yummmmmmmmm....!

 

Enjoy your day!!

 

Just a note... here are your ratios if you have a larger crowd.

 

3 - 4 qt pan 1/3 cup butter, 4 eggs, 1 cup flour and milk

4 - 4 1/2 qt pan 1/2 cup butter, 5 eggs, 1 1/4 cup flour and milk

4 1/2 - 5 qt pan  1/2 cup butter, 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cup flour and milk.

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring...

THE OTHER DAY we visited Tumwater Historical Park. We hadn't been there in a while and it was a beautiful day!

We walked all around and just enjoyed an afternoon in God's creation!

 

 

 

I really think one of the best things about homeschooling is being with my children and being able to just enjoy the day. Playing, walking, learning, where ever the day takes us!

Truly a blessing!

 

 

 

Hoping you're enjoying these final weeks of summer!

Enjoy your day!

More Fall Projects...

NOW THAT WE'RE officially in September I don't feel so crazy doing fall projects. I am enamored with the Waldorf style of coloring with block crayons. So I purchased Coloring with Block Crayons, Emphasizing the Primary Colors to learn this technique of coloring. Until I get up to speed I started the kids on leaf pressings to get feel of the crayons. I think they turned out really nice.

 

Lovely maple leaves...

 

 

We had to try lots of colors...

Now I want to see if and how we can do it on fabric and then make bags or some sort of fun project. I just love making art from nature.

Enjoy your day!

School Update...

SO WE'VE NOW completed almost 2 weeks of school. I think we are off to a great start! I have to say for most of my career I've had an only student to teach. For me teaching an only was much harder! I really enjoy having multiple children to teach at the same time. This year I have the two little boys 5 and 7 years. Our only tricky part is the two old toddler, who likes to disrupt our lessons. So far however, we've managed and she seems to be settling down as long as I can find some way to include her.

The other thing I've noticed this year is, when I have a car all day, it's nice to take off and take our learning on the road. However, my children enjoy more structure than I do. So that isn't always a great thing to do. We've only had one vehicle for more than a year now and that has really helped keep the structure and routine to our day. We can't go anywhere until after 2:30pm, so we are able to get all our work done and then run around in the afternoon. This seems to be a much more workable schedule for the children, so when we do get another car mom will have to be better at sticking to our routine.

 

The best thing I've instituted this school year is our Monday Clean! Each Monday we get up have breakfast, say our morning prayers and then everyone gets on with their chores. I set the timer for one hour and we all work. This way all the big cleaning from the weekend is done at one time. I don't know about you, but after the weekend my house seems to be a wreck. When Monday morning comes mom just can't take it and needs to take care of it BEFORE I can do school. I just can't concentrate and feel settled when things are in disarray. This way all the those things are done and I'm not doing it alone. Before I would do it all and then school would start to late and kids would be to hard to corral. This way is working much better!! Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!! :) I think I'm dating myself. Ha! Ha!

Anway, I'm thrilled with how well it's going with our Touchtile Reading System! He's finally getting it and is beginning to blend sounds! We are making forward progress each day and I'm extremely pleased!! I can see reading in the very near future!!

How are your school plans coming together? Have you started back to school yet? I love to read your comments so let me know what you're up to! Enjoy your day!

Apple Blackberry Cobbler!!

EVERY WHERE YOU look you can begin to see signs that autumn is just around the corner. The other day on our nature walk we looked for signs of autumns approach. It was so fun to pick apples and berries! After we got home we had a family baking session. I think that it made it taste all the better! Here's our recipe, it may be a unique combination but it was pretty tasty!

                    Apple Blackberry Cobbler
4 small/medium apples      2 cups of blackberries

2 Tbsp instant tapioca        2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp melted butter

                             Shortcake Topping

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour         2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup packed brown sugar        1/4 cup melted butter (4 Tbsp)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 3qt casserole and set aside.

Peel and slice the apples and then place them in the casserole. After washing the berries place them in a medium/large mixing bowl and gentle toss with the sugar and tapioca. Pour the berries over the apples, then drizzle with melted butter.

In another bowl whisk the dry ingredients together for the topping. When dry ingredients are evenly distributed add the cream and melted butter. Mix into a stiff dough.

Spoon dough on the fruit in a 'cobbled' fashion. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Enjoy!

Learning choices...

I HAVE TO SAY I just love library day!! Especially when I stubble upon a great find! Early in my homeschooling career I felt I really needed a 'boxed curriculum' to accomplish my year of education with my children. Now after over 10 years of homeschooling I love the freedom of building our own learning plan.

Teaching the 3 R's has always been my main focus for learning in the early grades, just because I believe a solid base of knowledge is so key in the career of a child's learning. In addition to that I love to do hands on learning and lots of oral work. Having mainly boys to teach, writing has been so much of a chore. While we do, do a fair amount of writing I try to other activities to build the skills you need for writing, instead of just focusing on the chore. While my boys may be on the later spectrum of things, looking back I'm so glad I took this route. I think it made it less painful all involved!

This year I am using Susan Wise Bauer's The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Volume 1: Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor for the first time and I must say we are all loving it! My oldest is studying the 20th Century and in the early 1900's the Theory of Quantum Physics was discovered, so as a family we are doing some fun physics experiments from the book Teaching Physics with Toys: Activities for Grades K-9. It is a wonderful resource and my oldest sounds excited to leading some of the experiments for his siblings. I love opportunities when we can ALL participate in learning together.

While I was able to find all these resources at my local library, I'm thinking I will have to be making some of these part of our home library. It's really great, however to be able to try them out first to see if they are a good fit.

Hope you are excited about your new school year! I'd love to hear what you are trying new this year in your comments. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

Getting Ready for Fall...

EVEN THOUGH WE still have a few weeks of summer left, I can already feel that nip in the air and I know fall is just around the corner. Today on our nature walk we looked for the early signs of autumn's return.

We had a great time collecting leaves that are just beginning to change.

 

The bushes are loaded with blackberries and we were able to pick a few of the ripe ones. I see another cobbler in our future!!

 

 

Then we continued on our walk and picked some apples. Isn't it wonderful to be blessed with such a bounty?

 

 

 

Then we headed back home to begin putting together our nature table and start on our felted figures. A great day indeed!

 

 

Hope you're enjoying your blessings today!!