Thursday, September 30, 2010
Carnival of Homeschooling ~ School Rooms and the Places We Learn
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Meme Time
I was blog surfing tonight and ran across this Meme while visiting Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight. I thought it might be fun:
If you haven't already done this Meme (or one similar), please take a few minutes to answer the questions and post them on your blog! I love reading about my online friends!!
After doing this meme, I realized that I forgot to do the one that someone else sent me a few weeks ago. Sorry, Jen...my mind is going!!
1. What's your middle name?
Louise, after my paternal grandmother.
2. What's your favorite magazine?
Family Fun
3. What are you wearing right now?
Pink pajama bottoms, white tank top.
4. What color are your bed sheets?
Sage green.
5. Who was your third grade teacher?
Mrs. Lois Procissi
6. What is the weather like right now?
Wet, muggy, hot....the Florida usual.
7. Do you know how to ski?
Yes to snow...no to water.
8. What was the last thing you drank?
Coffee
9. Dream vacation?
Rome, Italy
10. Favorite article of clothing?
Pajamas.
11. Do you prefer baking or cooking?
Cooking.
12. Is your hair above or below your shoulders?
Above.
13. What drink do you order when out?
Diet coke.
14. What book are you reading?
Southern Living Magazine. Ok, it's not a book, but it's what I'm reading.
15. What did you dream about last night?
I don't remember.
16. What was the last movie you went to?
Eclipse.
17. Any injuries at the moment?
Nope.
18. What color is your bathroom?
Your basic off-white.
19. What's the state of your laundry right now?
Haven't done any in several days. Probably at least 3 loads to do.
20. Do you take vitamins?
Vitamin D3...when I remember.
21. Where do you love to shop?
Barnes & Noble & Hobby Lobby
22. How often do you buy groceries?
One big shop every two weeks with little shops along the way.
23. Do you have a pet/pets?
One dog, three cats and 4 fish.
24. If you are married, when is your next anniversary?
November 15th it will be 13 years!
25. How do you take your coffee and/or tea?
Coffee ~ cream & sugar. I don't usually drink tea, unless it's iced.
26. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?
PC, Laptop
27. Favorite month of the year?
October thru December
28. Do you have a hobby?
Blogging
29. What salad dressing do you prefer?
Wishbone Balsamic & Basil Vinaigrette.
30. Live or fake Christmas tree?
LIVE!
31. Did you walk or take a bus to school?
Thankfully, we lived close so I walked.
32. Do you have any phobias?
Emetophobia, Acrophobia, Atychiphobia (look em up).
33. What's your favorite snack food?
Cheese ~ any and all kinds!
34. When do you take your shower/bath?
Whenever I can, usually in the morning.
35. What time did you get up this morning?
About 6:45am.
36. What's your favorite animal?
Anything that doesn't pee on the carpet.
37. Have you ever broken a bone?
Toes.
38. Do you wear makeup?
Very seldom.
39. Do you speak any foreign languages?
A teeny, tiny bit of Italian.
40. Have you ever played a sport?
If you mean "on a team", no. I've played softball for fun.
41. Your last UPS package contained ...
School books from Catholic Heritage Curricula.
42. What's on your desktop?
A photo I took of the Smokey Mountains.
43. What is your home page?
The Drudgereport.com
44. Extrovert or introvert?
Extrovert.
45. Favorite board game?
Scrabble.
46. What class did you like best in high school? In college?
It's a toss up between pre-algebra with Mr. Senuta or Driver's Training with Mr. Nash.
47. What would you do with an extra hour each day?
I'd like to say I'd do an extra chore or pray...but I'd probably find time to waste that hour doing some needless thing.
48. Do you have allergies?
Ampicillin and Compazine.
49. Are your nails painted?
No.
50. Where are you right now?
Sitting in my comfy recliner!
If you haven't already done this Meme (or one similar), please take a few minutes to answer the questions and post them on your blog! I love reading about my online friends!!
After doing this meme, I realized that I forgot to do the one that someone else sent me a few weeks ago. Sorry, Jen...my mind is going!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Someone.....
....woke up on the WRONG side of the bed this morning here at my house! I'll give you a couple of hints....it wasn't me, it wasn't Dan and it wasn't the girls! That should narrow it down for you.
I should have known when this person was still awake at 11:15pm last night reading his book and asking for a snack, that we could be in for some trouble. When it was time to rise and shine at about 7:30 this morning, he wasn't interested. It went down hill from there.
He wasn't interested in doing ANY of his lessons. He fought me, tooth & nail. I think it took him almost 2.5 hours to get his math lesson done. Now, I realize that some of the seasoned homeschool moms out there might say something like, "So? Just do the math lesson later". If one of those homeschooling moms did say something like that, I would likely reply by saying, "I totally understand where you're coming from." In theory, that sounds great, but in reality, the behavior that accompanied this exhausted 10 year old must be dealt with...and FAST!
I know that one of the many benefits of homeschooling is flexibility. I'm also well aware of the fact that the world is not going to end if we become behind in our lessons. In truth, the lesson plans that I purchased from Catholic Heritage Curricula are only meant to be guidelines and as the teacher/principal/administrator of our homeschool, I get to make those kinds of decisions. To say that we are "behind" is relative. I mean, behind what? Behind whom? However, I also know my son, VERY WELL! He is just like his mom, a procrastinator! He is also very stubborn (yes, he gets that from me as well, so sue me!). And when he is tired, watch out.
My reaction to this behavior is what really bothers me. What I should have done was ignore him. I should have just let him sit there, slouching in the chair, doodling on my tablecloth. Instead, I engaged him. I argued with him and I let him argue with me. It was the battle of the wills. It was me barking the orders, "You WILL do this lesson" and he was barking back, "No, I won't. I'm NOT doing it! I HATE math"! We should have had a cooling off period. Instead we provoked each other. Remind me again who the adult was in this scenario because I forgot!
Kris over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers had a great post about this today (funny how God works, huh?). I wish I could have read it at about 7:00am instead of 9:30pm! Kris writes:
"Sometimes, refusal to do schoolwork is less about blatant refusal and more about staying focused. When my older daughter was in about 4th grade, it used to take her forever to complete one simple math worksheet. It wasn't that she was incapable of doing the work, she just didn't want to. I instituted a reward system. I determined that it should take her 30 minutes to complete the average worksheet". You can read more of her post here.
Coincidentally, while at School Aids getting some things laminated during our lunch break, I decided I would implement a way of rewarding obedience. I picked up some simple seasonal charts and stickers. When we got home I explained how it would work. Every time they obeyed me, the FIRST time I asked, they would receive a sticker as a reward. Once the entire page was filled with stickers, they would get to pick from a list of activities to do with either myself or Dan. Some of the activities include things like....going out for ice cream, a trip to the dollar store, play a game with mom or dad, play date with a friend or getting to pick the movie for our family movie nights. I thought it sounded pretty good, however, it didn't really go over that well. Even the girls weren't taking the bait. Apparently, the thought of ice cream was not a big enough motivator for them to pick up all the Polly Pockets off of the floor in their room. Sigh.
The truth is, there is a part of me that really wants to resist this reward system business. To me, they should obey just because I'm the parent and because I said so! Why should I have to negotiate with a 10, 6 & 4 year old? On the other hand, we are a family. Being a part of a family means realizing (and I've said this before) that each of us are valuable. We each have a part to play, we each have strengths and should be given every opportunity to use them for the greater good!
Here's the bottom line...the above mentioned son was tired. He was up too late the night before. I knew this. I should have been more prepared. Perhaps I should have let him sleep a little longer or put off his math lesson until later. Either way, I behaved badly too. We've since made up. He and the girls made me a giant card:
It's hard to see, but it says, "We're sorry" and "I love U". Each of them signed it. It was very sweet. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. I have resolved to make sure that MY attitude is better and hopefully, this will set the tone. All of them were in bed early tonight. I think a good night sleep will do wonders.
This is Nancy Widener and I approved this message! :o)
I should have known when this person was still awake at 11:15pm last night reading his book and asking for a snack, that we could be in for some trouble. When it was time to rise and shine at about 7:30 this morning, he wasn't interested. It went down hill from there.
He wasn't interested in doing ANY of his lessons. He fought me, tooth & nail. I think it took him almost 2.5 hours to get his math lesson done. Now, I realize that some of the seasoned homeschool moms out there might say something like, "So? Just do the math lesson later". If one of those homeschooling moms did say something like that, I would likely reply by saying, "I totally understand where you're coming from." In theory, that sounds great, but in reality, the behavior that accompanied this exhausted 10 year old must be dealt with...and FAST!
I know that one of the many benefits of homeschooling is flexibility. I'm also well aware of the fact that the world is not going to end if we become behind in our lessons. In truth, the lesson plans that I purchased from Catholic Heritage Curricula are only meant to be guidelines and as the teacher/principal/administrator of our homeschool, I get to make those kinds of decisions. To say that we are "behind" is relative. I mean, behind what? Behind whom? However, I also know my son, VERY WELL! He is just like his mom, a procrastinator! He is also very stubborn (yes, he gets that from me as well, so sue me!). And when he is tired, watch out.
My reaction to this behavior is what really bothers me. What I should have done was ignore him. I should have just let him sit there, slouching in the chair, doodling on my tablecloth. Instead, I engaged him. I argued with him and I let him argue with me. It was the battle of the wills. It was me barking the orders, "You WILL do this lesson" and he was barking back, "No, I won't. I'm NOT doing it! I HATE math"! We should have had a cooling off period. Instead we provoked each other. Remind me again who the adult was in this scenario because I forgot!
Kris over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers had a great post about this today (funny how God works, huh?). I wish I could have read it at about 7:00am instead of 9:30pm! Kris writes:
"Sometimes, refusal to do schoolwork is less about blatant refusal and more about staying focused. When my older daughter was in about 4th grade, it used to take her forever to complete one simple math worksheet. It wasn't that she was incapable of doing the work, she just didn't want to. I instituted a reward system. I determined that it should take her 30 minutes to complete the average worksheet". You can read more of her post here.
Coincidentally, while at School Aids getting some things laminated during our lunch break, I decided I would implement a way of rewarding obedience. I picked up some simple seasonal charts and stickers. When we got home I explained how it would work. Every time they obeyed me, the FIRST time I asked, they would receive a sticker as a reward. Once the entire page was filled with stickers, they would get to pick from a list of activities to do with either myself or Dan. Some of the activities include things like....going out for ice cream, a trip to the dollar store, play a game with mom or dad, play date with a friend or getting to pick the movie for our family movie nights. I thought it sounded pretty good, however, it didn't really go over that well. Even the girls weren't taking the bait. Apparently, the thought of ice cream was not a big enough motivator for them to pick up all the Polly Pockets off of the floor in their room. Sigh.
The truth is, there is a part of me that really wants to resist this reward system business. To me, they should obey just because I'm the parent and because I said so! Why should I have to negotiate with a 10, 6 & 4 year old? On the other hand, we are a family. Being a part of a family means realizing (and I've said this before) that each of us are valuable. We each have a part to play, we each have strengths and should be given every opportunity to use them for the greater good!
Here's the bottom line...the above mentioned son was tired. He was up too late the night before. I knew this. I should have been more prepared. Perhaps I should have let him sleep a little longer or put off his math lesson until later. Either way, I behaved badly too. We've since made up. He and the girls made me a giant card:
It's hard to see, but it says, "We're sorry" and "I love U". Each of them signed it. It was very sweet. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. I have resolved to make sure that MY attitude is better and hopefully, this will set the tone. All of them were in bed early tonight. I think a good night sleep will do wonders.
This is Nancy Widener and I approved this message! :o)
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sharing a post.
During my blog reading this week, I came across two posts that really touched my heart. If you are a follower of Judy from benmakesten, then you've already read the posts and were probably just as touched as I was. However, if you aren't one of Judy's followers....you really should be! With Judy's permission, here are the links to those posts....
The first post is called Outward Appearances! God Bless Judy for posting this! I think every parent should read it! Here is a portion of the post:
The second post that I wanted to share is called "Virtues in Action". Judy is a homeschooling mom and has figured out a great way to incorporate living the virtues in a very hands on way. This is what she's doing:
The first post is called Outward Appearances! God Bless Judy for posting this! I think every parent should read it! Here is a portion of the post:
We are made in the image and likeness of God. By virtue of the grace of our Baptism, we have HIS life in us. All that we think, say, and do is supposed to reflect His image and draw others nearer to Him. All that we think, say, and do is to bring Him glory. In the words of the great John, the Baptist, (whom Jesus said was the wisest man next to Solomon to ever have lived), "I must now decrease so that HE may increase".
The second post that I wanted to share is called "Virtues in Action". Judy is a homeschooling mom and has figured out a great way to incorporate living the virtues in a very hands on way. This is what she's doing:
I decided to use a little classroom border decoration that we have as an activity on "virtues". Right above my computer area...we have a border that has pictures of kids holding signs with a single word on each one...the words are: Compassion, Perseverance, Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Fairness, Citizenship, Honesty, Self-Discipline, Respect, and Integrity. We are going to take one word at a time...make a larger sign and decorate it as the centerpiece for our dining table...and then spend the week, focused on that virtue...perhaps finding stories and articles which illustrate it...Scripture verses that refer to it...and discussion and activities that exemplify it in our daily lives. With the LACK of these things that we have been experiencing in government, media, and at-large society...this just seemed like a good idea to me. Care to join us?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Congratulations!
(article courtesy of Catholic San Francisco)
Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father Steven J. Lopes as Chaplain to His Holiness, Cardinal William Levada has announced. Msgr. Lopes becomes an addition to the monsignors Class of 2010 for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Archbishop George Niederauer said in a Sept. 13 memo to pastors and parish administrators. Msgr. Lopes, ordained for the Archdiocese in June, 2001, has been assigned as
an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, while also serving as Cardinal Levada’s priest-secretary, since 2005. For the past five years, he has also served as an adjunct professor of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and homiletics instructor at the North American College in Rome.
Msgr. Lopes graduated from the University of San Francisco before attending St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park and the North American College in Rome. He served as associate pastor at St. Patrick Church in San Francisco and St. Anselm in Ross.
In 2005, he completed a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome,
with a dissertation on “Trinitarian Theology of the Eucharist.”
Congratulations
Carnival of Homeschooling - There is no "All"!
The newest edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is up over at As for My House! Please pop on over and check it out! Here is an excerpt....
"School. It’s kind of a “One-Size-Fits-All” program. People with kids who are exceptionally bright struggle with the system. So do those whose kids have learning challenges. And anyone whose child has a learning style different than their teacher and peers. Oh, and…"
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Looking ahead to October
I have begun planning our calendar for the month of October. I had no idea it was such a busy month! I'm sure you already know about Columbus Day and Halloween, but I bet you didn't know about these special days....
OCTOBER
1st-7th Get Organized Week (Ok, this is a joke, right? How have I lived for 45 years and I never knew that there was an entire week dedicated to this!!)
2nd International Frugal Fun Day (Frugal? Did someone say Frugal? Have fun "on the cheap"...now that's a day to celebrate!)
5th National Fire Prevention and National Apple Betty Day (I'm not sure what Smokey The Bear has in common with apples and buttered crumbs...but when butter is involved...who really cares!)
10th National Angel Food Cake Day (Is there, by any chance, a National Chocolate Cake Day? I only ask because I don't think angel food cake is worth an ENTIRE day!)
11th National Sausage Pizza Day (Now...this is right up my alley!)
15th National Grouch Day (Excuse me...did anyone consult my husband when scheduling this?)
16th National Dictionary Day (I think honoring Noah Webster is a fantasticalous idea! Wait! That may not be a word...I should look it up!)
20th National Brandied Fruit Day (When do we start?)
21st National Reptile Awareness Day (Um, ok...I live in Florida, I'm already quite aware!!)
23rd National Mole Day (that's as in molecule.....Chemistry anyone?)
24th National Bologna Day (here's another holiday that I've missed out on for too many years! Guess what we're going to have for lunch on this day? Go ahead, guess!)
25th National Greasy Food Day (Why am I not surprised!)
29th National Oatmeal Day (Finally! Something healthy!)
After looking at this list (and there were many others that I didn't mention), America is clearly obsessed with food! I've always known that our portion sizes are out of control. This was confirmed for me when Dan and I traveled to Rome in 2007. I'll grant you that most of the places we dined served "family style", but, the ones that didn't served much smaller portions than we're used to.
I'm not exactly sure why this October Planning post turned out to be mostly about food. Perhaps it's because I'm really hungry right now! Either way, I'd like to know what your plans are for the upcoming month. Please share!
OCTOBER
1st-7th Get Organized Week (Ok, this is a joke, right? How have I lived for 45 years and I never knew that there was an entire week dedicated to this!!)
2nd International Frugal Fun Day (Frugal? Did someone say Frugal? Have fun "on the cheap"...now that's a day to celebrate!)
5th National Fire Prevention and National Apple Betty Day (I'm not sure what Smokey The Bear has in common with apples and buttered crumbs...but when butter is involved...who really cares!)
10th National Angel Food Cake Day (Is there, by any chance, a National Chocolate Cake Day? I only ask because I don't think angel food cake is worth an ENTIRE day!)
11th National Sausage Pizza Day (Now...this is right up my alley!)
15th National Grouch Day (Excuse me...did anyone consult my husband when scheduling this?)
16th National Dictionary Day (I think honoring Noah Webster is a fantasticalous idea! Wait! That may not be a word...I should look it up!)
20th National Brandied Fruit Day (When do we start?)
21st National Reptile Awareness Day (Um, ok...I live in Florida, I'm already quite aware!!)
23rd National Mole Day (that's as in molecule.....Chemistry anyone?)
24th National Bologna Day (here's another holiday that I've missed out on for too many years! Guess what we're going to have for lunch on this day? Go ahead, guess!)
25th National Greasy Food Day (Why am I not surprised!)
29th National Oatmeal Day (Finally! Something healthy!)
After looking at this list (and there were many others that I didn't mention), America is clearly obsessed with food! I've always known that our portion sizes are out of control. This was confirmed for me when Dan and I traveled to Rome in 2007. I'll grant you that most of the places we dined served "family style", but, the ones that didn't served much smaller portions than we're used to.
I'm not exactly sure why this October Planning post turned out to be mostly about food. Perhaps it's because I'm really hungry right now! Either way, I'd like to know what your plans are for the upcoming month. Please share!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Our Trip - Part Three....The End!
Before we left on our trip to Tennessee, I packed a backpack full of things to do for each of the kids. I must say, this was a lifesaver for us! It was 12 hours in the car, each way! I packed coloring books with a new small pack of crayons, an age appropriate puzzle/activity book, tissues, bottle of water, crackers, a dry erase board (similar to these), stamps/pad/paper and an iCarly toy. We also had a portable DVD player borrowed from my nephew as well as Nathan's Gameboy. Can I just tell you right now, the big hit was the dry erase boards and the iCarly toys!! The best part was that I got it all at the DOLLAR STORE!
I kept a notebook of our week and here are some of the things I kept track of.....
What We Did in the Car
Listened to The 39 Clues, Book #3 on CD
Colored
Gameboy
iCarly, Sam & Freddie dolls
Drew on dry erase boards
Had breakfast at McDonald's outside Savannah
Looked for state license plates
Stamp pads & paper
DVDs watched
Land Before Time I & II
The Secret of Nim
H.P. & the Prisoner of Azkaban
Plants & Nature (that we saw)
Lots of pine trees (tall & skinny, big & fat)
Beautiful low-lying mist/fog
Cotton fields ready to be picked
Crape Myrtle Trees
1000's of pine cones
Georgia red clay/dirt
Tallulah Gorge/Falls
Smokey Mountains National Park
Mountain streams running along Highway 441
Cades Cove
Red Maple Trees
Sweet gum Trees
Tons & tons of flowers
Lightning/thunder
rain
Places We Visited
Atlanta (very special visit w/Aunt MaryJo)
Gatlinburg
Pigeon Forge
Townsend
Cades Cove
Holy Cross Catholic Church
The Dinosaur Walk Museum
Hollywood Wax Museum
Corky's BBQ
Go-Cart Track
The Old Mill
Cracker Barrel
The Pancake House
The Food Shop (grocery store)
Lots of gas stations & rest stops
Animals/Insects
Raccoons
Huge steer
Cows
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Ducks/Geese
Deer
Black Bear (yes, we really saw one!)
Spiders
Katydids
Bees/Wasps
Centipede
Mosquitoes
Grasshoppers
Crickets
Beetles (it was dead)
State License Plates
Florida
Georgia
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Louisiana
Missouri
Maryland
Texas
Virginia
Arizona
Phew! I'd say that was a lot in one week! We have fully recovered from our trip and are back to the old routine and schedule. Starting school again was hard. I have a new found respect for teachers on the days following a long weekend or spring/winter breaks! I think all of us (including myself) have had a hard time refocusing on things like timetables, handwriting and the respiratory system. But we're getting there.
Here are the last few photos of our trip:
I kept a notebook of our week and here are some of the things I kept track of.....
What We Did in the Car
Listened to The 39 Clues, Book #3 on CD
Colored
Gameboy
iCarly, Sam & Freddie dolls
Drew on dry erase boards
Had breakfast at McDonald's outside Savannah
Looked for state license plates
Stamp pads & paper
DVDs watched
Land Before Time I & II
The Secret of Nim
H.P. & the Prisoner of Azkaban
Plants & Nature (that we saw)
Lots of pine trees (tall & skinny, big & fat)
Beautiful low-lying mist/fog
Cotton fields ready to be picked
Crape Myrtle Trees
1000's of pine cones
Georgia red clay/dirt
Tallulah Gorge/Falls
Smokey Mountains National Park
Mountain streams running along Highway 441
Cades Cove
Red Maple Trees
Sweet gum Trees
Tons & tons of flowers
Lightning/thunder
rain
Places We Visited
Atlanta (very special visit w/Aunt MaryJo)
Gatlinburg
Pigeon Forge
Townsend
Cades Cove
Holy Cross Catholic Church
The Dinosaur Walk Museum
Hollywood Wax Museum
Corky's BBQ
Go-Cart Track
The Old Mill
Cracker Barrel
The Pancake House
The Food Shop (grocery store)
Lots of gas stations & rest stops
Animals/Insects
Raccoons
Huge steer
Cows
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Ducks/Geese
Deer
Black Bear (yes, we really saw one!)
Spiders
Katydids
Bees/Wasps
Centipede
Mosquitoes
Grasshoppers
Crickets
Beetles (it was dead)
State License Plates
Florida
Georgia
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Louisiana
Missouri
Maryland
Texas
Virginia
Arizona
Phew! I'd say that was a lot in one week! We have fully recovered from our trip and are back to the old routine and schedule. Starting school again was hard. I have a new found respect for teachers on the days following a long weekend or spring/winter breaks! I think all of us (including myself) have had a hard time refocusing on things like timetables, handwriting and the respiratory system. But we're getting there.
Here are the last few photos of our trip:
 |
| Cades Cove (I wish my kitchen window had this view!) |
 |
| Cades Cove - Butterflies drinking up the minerals in the dirt |
 |
| A baby landed on my foot! |
 |
| Cades Cove - Nathan |
 |
| My reasons for living! |
 |
| Deer |
 |
| Nathan's first time driving a Go-Cart! |
Monday, September 20, 2010
Shhhhh, we're pretending!
In honor of the Autumn Equinox this week, I decided that in spite of the weather here in North Florida (90 degrees) we are going to pretend it's Fall!
The very first thing I did was to print off the free Autumn/Fall thematic Unit from SchooExpress.com. I will have to tweak it somewhat so that the girls can enjoy it too. Since we had several errands to run today, I used the time in the car to discuss the difference between the Autumn/Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice.
The next thing I did was to get out some fall decorations. I need something visual to tell me it's fall because unfortunately, the weather is NOT going to tell me! Since our yard is overflowing with acorns, I asked the girls to go and find as many as they could. All I needed was a new candle and here's what we came up with....
The candle is a little big, but when it burns down some, I think it will be perfect. You might recall that my decorations last year looked something like this....
Yes, it's there, amongst all the homework disaster from last year. Below is an up close shot.
Not very appealing is it? I like the one we put together today much, much better! Don't you?
Next, I browsed through a cookbook I bought while in Tennessee. I chose Taco Stew! It was pretty simple. Here is the recipe. I doubled it.
Taco Stew
1 lb ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn
1 can (15 oz) chili beans
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes with chiles
1 pkg. (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
In a skillet, brown beef and onion; drain fat and rinse. Add remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread and shredded Monterrey jack cheese.
And this is what was left...
So how are you celebrating the beginning of Fall?
Please join The Idea Room for the Link round up.!!!
The very first thing I did was to print off the free Autumn/Fall thematic Unit from SchooExpress.com. I will have to tweak it somewhat so that the girls can enjoy it too. Since we had several errands to run today, I used the time in the car to discuss the difference between the Autumn/Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice.
The next thing I did was to get out some fall decorations. I need something visual to tell me it's fall because unfortunately, the weather is NOT going to tell me! Since our yard is overflowing with acorns, I asked the girls to go and find as many as they could. All I needed was a new candle and here's what we came up with....
Next, I browsed through a cookbook I bought while in Tennessee. I chose Taco Stew! It was pretty simple. Here is the recipe. I doubled it.
1 lb ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn
1 can (15 oz) chili beans
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes with chiles
1 pkg. (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
In a skillet, brown beef and onion; drain fat and rinse. Add remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread and shredded Monterrey jack cheese.
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| Fresh, homemade cornbread....yummmm! |
Please join The Idea Room for the Link round up.!!!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Our Trip - Part Two
Our cabin was right between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. This meant that we didn't have to drive far to get to the gas station or the grocery store. However, it was a very treacherous road with many "S" curves and switchbacks. I'm thankful that no one was car sick!
As much as I like this area, it was way more "touristy" than I thought it would be. We did lots of research before we left and decided a head of time what attractions we would visit. We knew we wanted to visit Cades Cove and The Dinosaur Walk Museum as well as do some Gem Mining. We did all of those things and the kids had a blast! We also visited a Wax Museum in Gatlinburg.
Here is the second batch of photos:
We are starting school again tomorrow after our 2 week break (boy do I love homeschooling)! I'm very excited to get back into it. I spent the afternoon preparing & planning for the weeks ahead.
I'm waiting patiently for some Fall weather to appear. I don't have high hopes.
Stay tuned for Part Three!
As much as I like this area, it was way more "touristy" than I thought it would be. We did lots of research before we left and decided a head of time what attractions we would visit. We knew we wanted to visit Cades Cove and The Dinosaur Walk Museum as well as do some Gem Mining. We did all of those things and the kids had a blast! We also visited a Wax Museum in Gatlinburg.
Here is the second batch of photos:
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| Prehistoric Alligator (& Nathan) |
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| Oviraptors |
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| Deinonychus |
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| T-Rex & Friends |
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| I think this T-Rex need a dentist |
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| T-Rex foot |
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| Giganotosaurus |
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| Parasaurolophus |
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| Triceratops |
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| Megaledon Jaws |
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| Amelia & Genie |
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| Rocky |
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| Bella & Edward (I think they did an excellent job on Bella, don't you?) |
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| Arrgggh Matey! |
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| Beam me up! |
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| We're queens of the world! |
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| Men in black (& white) |
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| Spiderman |
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| Nathan's favorite...Ghostrider! |
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| Frodo (Amelia's head is covering his furry feet! |
I'm waiting patiently for some Fall weather to appear. I don't have high hopes.
Stay tuned for Part Three!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Our Trip - Part One!
We had a wonderful time on our recent family vacation to the Smokey Mountains! I can't even express to you in words how much we needed this time away! The week went by so fast!
As many of you know, I'm originally from the West Coast. Specifically, I'm from Northern California...the San Francisco Bay Area. I grew up with mountains! The Bay Area is situated right between the ocean and the mountains. The Sierra's were within a 4 hour drive for us and we made this trip often. Our favorite place was Lake Tahoe. It was a beautiful drive and we spent our summers water skiing and our winters snow skiing. I miss the mountains...terribly!
Florida offers very little in the mountain department. Actually, Florida offers NOTHING in the mountain department, especially here on the coast where we live. It is flat, flat, flat! Oh yes, I know, you can drive to the middle of the state in the Ocala National Forest where there are "hills" or what I like to call "inclines". But, you won't actually find a mountain. As a matter of fact, Florida's highest point is only 345 ft above sea level! So, when we had the chance to go to some real mountains, I was ecstatic!
I love everything about the mountains! The air is thinner, crisper and cleaner. There is no humidity (with the exception of fog and morning mist)! The foliage is rich with native plants, flowers & trees, most of which change color with the seasons. The rain sounds, feels & smells different. Thunderstorms are more spectacular as the thunder echoes off of the mountains. The dirt is dirt! Although the Smokey's have a high concentration of clay in the soil, there is NO SAND! I could go on and on! Suffice it to say, the mountains are HOME to me. I'm truly happy there.
Here are some pictures of our trip:
Stay tuned for Part 2......
As many of you know, I'm originally from the West Coast. Specifically, I'm from Northern California...the San Francisco Bay Area. I grew up with mountains! The Bay Area is situated right between the ocean and the mountains. The Sierra's were within a 4 hour drive for us and we made this trip often. Our favorite place was Lake Tahoe. It was a beautiful drive and we spent our summers water skiing and our winters snow skiing. I miss the mountains...terribly!
Florida offers very little in the mountain department. Actually, Florida offers NOTHING in the mountain department, especially here on the coast where we live. It is flat, flat, flat! Oh yes, I know, you can drive to the middle of the state in the Ocala National Forest where there are "hills" or what I like to call "inclines". But, you won't actually find a mountain. As a matter of fact, Florida's highest point is only 345 ft above sea level! So, when we had the chance to go to some real mountains, I was ecstatic!
I love everything about the mountains! The air is thinner, crisper and cleaner. There is no humidity (with the exception of fog and morning mist)! The foliage is rich with native plants, flowers & trees, most of which change color with the seasons. The rain sounds, feels & smells different. Thunderstorms are more spectacular as the thunder echoes off of the mountains. The dirt is dirt! Although the Smokey's have a high concentration of clay in the soil, there is NO SAND! I could go on and on! Suffice it to say, the mountains are HOME to me. I'm truly happy there.
Here are some pictures of our trip:
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| Olivia in her "spot". |
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| Nathan |
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| Amelia |
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| Tallulah Gorge, Georgia |
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| Tallulah Gorge, Georgia |
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| The Falls at Tallulah Gorge |
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| Blackberry, Blueberry & Raspberry Cider |
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| Daddy |
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| The biggest rosemary bush I've ever seen. The fragrance was divine! |
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| Wow...the Great Wallenda! Who knew? |
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| My first view of the Smokey's |
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| Oh my! |
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| My family! Thank you, God! |
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| So, this is why they call them the Smokey's! |
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| Our piece of heaven for 7 days! |
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| A Katydid |
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| Kids on the back porch (they are patiently waiting to get into the hot tub) |
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| Perfect |
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| This is where I got to drink my morning coffee! |
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| This is why I have gray hair. |
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| Our home away from home. |
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| Cabin decorations. Cool but creepy. |
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