Today

It's been a good day for homeschooling. Other things have been tough but homeschooling as been pretty good.

We read TSOM together today. It was very interesting. We read the chapter on the Rise of the Church.

He took 2 math tests today. We accidentally forgot to take one when it was time. He got a 95 and 90. Pretty good, I think. If only he wasn't careless we'd have 100's but at least it minimal carelessness.

He took a spelling test and did great on the words (didn't miss any) but he made a few mistakes on the dictation. Nothing major though. Still over all he got a 95. Then he continued on with his lesson from "Language Arts Through Literature".

His reading is going really well. He is reading "Stories from the Iliad and the Odyssey" by G. Chandon. He is really enjoying it and wants to read the real thing next. He loves to read and would do nothing but read for school if I let him.

Science actually happened purely by accident! We were talking about his plant and the uses it has. We were looking in a book about alternative cures and he just started reading the index and as he found something interesting he would read it to me and we would talk about it. We ended up talking about (besides the rosemary) asthma and the lungs, strains and sprains and R.I.C.E. It was actually pretty fun. He quizzed me on some of it to see what I knew too. Some of the medications he was on when he was sick were in there and he was able to look them up and see what all they are used for and how that was different or alike what he was taking it for himself.

He finished off writing in his journal and is now outside in the beautiful sunlight playing with the dog.

Hello friends. Well, we went out yesterday looking for a new bar stool and to see if we could find some books or magazines on container gardening. We ended with a rosemary plant and a strawberry plant. I looked at a couple of books about vegetable gardening and got some good information. We looked at different pots and such. It was fun. DD is just dying to get started. DS is is too but he's concerned that he might have to eat what they grow. He is totally against this! He hate veggies. (I've failed him there.) Anyway, today after church we planted their plants into new bigger pots. They had fun and wanted me to take pictures of them. They are very excited.

I'm taking it easy today. Just goofing on here. I need to put in a load of laundry though. I'm really sitting around waiting for DH (dear husband) to call. We've had a very hard time connecting lately and I'm missing him terribly. He called today while we were at church. I didn't have good service and he couldn't hear me so we didn't get to talk. So I'm hoping for him to call back soon. Hopefully before I have to leave to take DS to church for guitar lessons and Youth group.

I'm also sitting here reading my book that I'll be teaching from for VBS this summer. It looks interesting and I think the kids will enjoy it. That's really it here. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

DD is home today...

Good morning, dear friends! DD is home sick today. Her tummy is hurting really bad. She vomited a few times a few days ago but the pain is lingering. A friend at church last night told me that the virus that's going around lingers for 10 days. Hopefully NOT! and she will be able to get rested and feel well enough to go back to school tomorrow. (For the new visitors, I homeschool DS who is 11 and in the 6th grade. DD is still in public school 1st grade by her choice.)

DS is busy correcting a couple of mistakes from yesterday's math lesson. They were just careless but I still want him to be able to figure it out and NOT be careless. We will do some history and language today also (he'll do another lesson in math too) and then I'm going to try to slip in some science as well.

I'm ready for spring! I want to go outside and clean up the yard and flower beds for the new growth to come. That's science right? I can't wait for a warm afternoon to do all this in. DD wants to plant some veggies. I don't really have a place to do a real garden so we are going to try our hand at container gardening. I definitely do not have a green thumb so I'm hoping DD will.

We tried a container garden when we lived in Hawaii when my son was little (DD was a baby so she doesn't remember it) and we grew a few things. I hope we can do better this time. I wonder if my kids will eat veggies better if they are the ones growing them? hmmm... I hope so!

If anyone has any tips for our container garden please share them!!! We can use all the help we can get!! We are thinking of trying zucchini, squash, carrots, cherry tomatoes and I'm not even sure what we can do. Tip away!!

Menu/Meal Meme

A new blog (Sunny Day) that I've been reading lately has decided they want to know about my kitchen and tagged me in this list so here it goes.

1. How many meals does most of your family eat at home each week? How many are in your family? Hard one! There are 4 in our family, that's easy. Meals at home? Well, DH is home we eat at home most nights with the exception of Sunday lunch and probably at least once on Saturday. BUT when DH is gone we eat out much more often. My kids are very picky and to be honest, I don't like to cook unless my food is appreciated so....

2. How many cookbooks do you own? Too many! I love cookbooks

3. How often do you refer to a cookbook each week? Unfortunately rarely. My family likes to stick with what they know.

4. Do you collect recipes from other sources? If so, what are some of your favorite sources I get a lot of recipes from my mother and recipezaar online. Also places like, BettyCrocker.com and others like it.

5. How do you store those recipes? So embarrassing! On scraps of paper from my mom and other live people. I do print out recipes from online and put them in a notebook (well, I don't always get them in the notebook. Sometimes, like now, I have a pile of them.)

6. When you cook, do you follow the recipe pretty closely, or do you use recipes primarily to give you ideas? well, I usually follow a recipe but I do leave out ingredients we don't like and sometimes add. I usually just cook from my head (no written recipe).

7. Is there a particular ethnic style or flavor that predominates in your cooking? If so, what is it?Oh, we like TexMex and Italian and Asian but we eat a lot of noodles (with butter or cheese)

8. What's your favorite kitchen task related to meal planning and preparation? I don't know that I have one! To read this you wouldn't think I love to cook! I do! I guess I love looking at recipes. And yes, I love eating.

9. What's your least favorite part? Cleaning up

10. Do you plan menus before you shop? Sometimes. When I'm being really good I do but lately... no My problem is I plan menus and then when the family asks what's for dinner and I tell them, they say oh, I don't feel like that tonight. DH is the worst about this!!!

11. What are your three favorite kitchen tools or appliances? Hmm... I like my baking stone and the dishwasher is pretty handy...

12. If you could buy one new thing for your kitchen, money was no object, and space not an issue, what would you most like to have? Double ovens for the holidays!! I'd love a new refrigerator

13. Since money and space probably are objects, what are you most likely to buy next? Appliance wise? An new frig but it won't be for quite a while.

14. Do you have a separate freezer for storage? We have a VERY old extra refrigerator in the basement but no stand a lone freezer

15. Grocery shop alone or with others? Since homeschooling DS usually goes with me

16. How many meatless main dish meals do you fix in a week? None, we are definitely carnivores Well, at breakfast we usually have pancakes or cereal and don't always have bacon but that would be a side so....

17. If you have a decorating theme in your kitchen, what is it? Favorite kitchen colors? My kitchen is the way it was when we bought the house. It's mainly white (counter tops) and the cabinets are natural with wood flooring. I would love a yellow kitchen though.

18. What's the first thing you ever learned to cook, and how old were you? I have no idea! Probably mac and cheese

19. How did you learn to cook? My mom I'm sure. I do remember a kids cookbook I had.

20. Tag two other people to play.

DesertShams and WendyLou

Too Cute!!

We received our Usborne Books kit today. The kids were just as excited as me!! DS wouldn't let me open it until he was there. DD couldn't get her hands on the books quick enough! DS kept telling her to be careful! They are special! He told her that "Me and mom are going to have parties to show people the books so that they can buy some too!" Too funny! I think it is just hilarious that he said "Me and Mom"! He considers this business to be his too! I love it! He is all fired up about it and can hardly wait for us to have a party so we can show people the books. They just love them!

Anyway, it's very exciting but there are other things going on. Let's see... DD has an ear infection but is on the road to recovery. DS has a terrible viral infection in his mouth but is finally recovering. He also has a staph infection on his thumb but we now have medication for that too so hopefully he will be fully recovered soon.

The homeschooling has been very slow with all this sickness the last 2 weeks but we have gotten a little in most days through puzzles, reading, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and so on. I'm expecting to be able to get back down to work come Monday.

Well, I guess you are now updated. Please if you haven't already, visit my new website. I KNOW you will find something you LOVE!

A new Family adventure....

Well, I've gone and done it! I've signed up to be an Usborne Consultant. I'm really pretty excited about it. I'm a little scared too but it should be fun. DS is excited about it and DD just wants to buy all the books!

If you don't know about Usborne. It's a company that sells high quality children's books. They are great and my kids love them. Last year before we were homeschooling and were just thinking about it we bought a history book from them. My son ended up using it for his homework more than once. He loves to just sit and read it or have me read it. DD loves the pictures. She has picked out several books for herself but also for her baby cousin! They are very excited about it.

So, I'm new to this and as I learn more I'll share but until then, please come check out my new site at Usborne Books. Browse around and I'm sure you will find something you like.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you have a great one with someone you love.

Valentines link

Well, I think we are on the mend. DS has been so sick. He's lost so much weight. They gave him an IV today and more meds. The difference the IV made is unreal. I took a puzzle book with us this morning because I figured he'd get and IV and just after about 10 or 15 minutes on it he was cutting up and joking about his answers. The room was filled with laughter, it was wonderful.

Of course, now Mom is exhausted and in need of some rest but... so much to do.

The puzzles we did included history, math, spelling, and language arts. DD was with us because public schools were closed for a snow day and she had a great time trying to help even though most of it was too hard for her. She enjoyed guessing and making her big brother laugh. I'm glad I thought to bring it with us.

I had no idea though, how much better he would feel with the IV. I've never been through this type of thing before. One of the kids usually gets really sick whenever DH is deployed but not so that they have to have an IV.

Anyway, just wanted to post an update.

Sorry....

I'm sorry. I just realized that I haven't updated here in a while. DS is still very sick. We were at the clinic everday this week except today. He's lost 16 pounds since Monday afternoon. I'm very worried about him. He did drink and eat a little today which is a plus but not very much. I tried to get an appointment for Monday and there aren't any available right now. UGH!

He has obviously not been able to do much in the way of homeschooling but we have watched a few movies that count as history and some shows on Discovery that count as Science.

I sure hope he gets to feeling better soon. It just breaks my heart to see him like this. We've both cried a lot. Poor DH is having a hard time not being here to help deal with all this. I know he is worried too. I can't imagine being so far away from my kids but especially when they are sick. Even DD is worried sick. She keeps having nightmares about her big brother. Poor baby.

Well, please keep DS in your prayers. Until next time.....

Poor DS is sick today. I'm afraid he might have strep. We have a Doctor's appointment this afternoon so I guess we will soon find out. He's watching the Discovery Channel today and will take a book with him to the doctor's. Probably "Stories from the Iliad and Odyssey".

He's been doing pretty good. I've been having my doubts as usual. I think all homeschooling parents do now and again, especially new ones. Anyway, the other day we were at the store and they were having a sale. The item I was looking at was on sale for a 1/3 off. I said kind of to myself, "Dang, why can't it be 1/2 off I don't have to think for that!"

DS came running over saying, "I can do it! Let me!" He was actually excited to do math! And fractions at that!! He did do it and he did correctly. So I guess, we are doing okay. I'm so glad to see him start to get excited about learning and showing what he's learned. To me, it's a step in the right direction.