Goodbye, Ginger

We went out to visit my husband's brother and family over the 4th of July.  I fell in love with their little cockapoos while we were there, and by the time we were heading home, we had two of our own.  The woman all of the dogs came from breeds them, and has been thinning out her breeding stock.  Our new dogs weren't tiny puppies, but they still found a place in our hearts.

Ginger, July 2012

Ginger quickly showed herself to be the more out-going of the two, and adopted Super Girl as her "person".  I was the next best thing.  Ginger could usually be found trailing behind one of us, or at our feet.  It took some getting used to - remembering to look before I started walking, to not shut the baby gate on her.  She loved to sit next to me at night, after the kids went to bed.  She also loved to run, trying her hardest to stretch her leash just a little more.

We went out of town this past weekend, and found out Sunday that she had run away from my brother the night before.  He and his friend tried to catch her, but she was a fast little thing.  She also didn't seem to like guys very much.  They looked for her, but couldn't find her.  When we got home, we looked some more, but she didn't come, even when Super Girl called.  I put out messages on Facebook, asking people on local groups if they'd seen her.

This morning, as I was dialing Animal Control, there was a knock at the door.  It was a young gal from Animal Control, there to let me know that my sweet little Ginger had been hit by a train Saturday night, and her body was down at the vet's office.  Fortunately, someone on one of those Facebook groups saw my post and tagged her in the comments.  My kind Mr. Man went down to the vet (there's only one in town) to make sure it was really Ginger.  He came back with a scrap of her harness, the pink one she's wearing in the picture above.  The tracks are about 20 feet behind our house, and there were trains running at the time she took off.  We don't think she was out there very long.  The vet was kind enough to not charge us to take care of her.  Poor Super Girl was really upset, and I've been feeling a wide range of things today - melancholy, disbelief, anger, sadness...  Funny enough, I'm not angry at my brother.  It's those darn guys that drive all those trains through here.  It's their fault.  Not really, but that's where my anger has been going, when it shows up.

I know she was just a dog, and we didn't have her long, but I still miss her.  It's been stressful here lately, at least for me, and I think everything I've been feeling in the past month is coming out with my grief.  I also feel badly for my little Pepper, Ginger's companion.  She hasn't eaten all day, and seems depressed.  I don't know how aware dogs are, but I do think she misses Ginger.  She definitely hasn't been the same since we got home.  I worry that we're going to lose her, too, to poor health.  Mr. Man regrets getting the dogs - he can't stand to see Super Girl upset.  Little Miss doesn't understand, having just turned 3.  She's talking it out, in her little 3 year old way.  Wonder Boy told Pepper he was sorry her friend died.  Me, I'm typing this post.  I had to say something, express something more than a Facebook status saying that I was sad because my dog died.  It's not the end of the world, but it hasn't been a normal day, either.

TOS Review: Create Better Writers

Wonder Boy (age 12) was not good at constructing a paragraph before using How to Write a Paragraph from Create Better Writers.  We've tried a few writing curricula, yet the basics of how to structure a paragraph just didn't stick with him.  Perhaps because those other programs were trying to teach other things alongside, or maybe he just wasn't ready for it yet.  However, after the first day of trying How to Write a Paragraph, he was able to list the 5 parts of a paragraph with only a little prompting.  Now that we are finished, he can rattle the parts off in a few seconds!

How to Write a Paragraph has the student start out by writing a paragraph of their own choosing, without any further instruction from the teacher.  Whatever the student feels is a paragraph, that is what they write.  I struggled a little with this, because Wonder Boy didn't even know what a "paragraph" was after having taken the summer off.  I decided to show him a book, and point out the paragraphs.  That was my only commentary on the subject.  He surprised me by sticking to one main idea, and having more than two sentences.  However, he still needed a lot of work.

We worked through the e-book together, and Wonder Boy caught on quickly.  The method outlined in the e-book really seemed appealing to him and held his interest.  I didn't have to struggle to keep him focused, and I could tell he was actually retaining the information.  The whole experience really reinforced in me that he does better in some areas with one-on-one teaching, rather than having the book handed to him to study independently.  I think we'll be integrating more one-on-one time this school year as a result.  I'm also happy to say that Wonder Boy can now write a paragraph on his own, and the task doesn't seem daunting to him!

We took our time working through How to Write a Paragraph, and then some mild life events happened, so we have not moved on to How to Teach the Five-Paragraph Essay yet.  However, I anticipate favorable results with with that e-book, as well!  I plan to also use it with Super Girl, as she knows how to write a paragraph, but is perhaps not totally familiar with writing an essay.

Create Better Writers provided me with three e-books:  How to Write a Paragraph, How to Teach the Five-Paragraph Essay, and The Homeschool Writing Action Plan.  They range in price from $7.99 to $17.95.  If you have found that your children in 3rd grade and up are lacking in the basic writing skills, these books might be just what you're looking for!

***Disclaimer:  I received the above e-books in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Creation Illustrated Magazine

Last year, my sister-in-law gifted Wonder Boy with a subscription to Ranger Rick magazine.  He loved it, and was sad when it ran out.  I have been thinking of finding a Christian version for him, and hoped I'd found it in Creation Illustrated.  It was not what I was looking for, but I am still pleased!

I received a whole year of Creation Illustrated, which is four issues.  My first impression was that the photos are beautiful!  The image above does not do the actual cover justice.  It is an amazing picture of a dragonfly, and you'd just have to see it in person to really appreciate it!  The covers are glossy, and the magazine feels nice in your hands.  There are a handful of lengthy articles about nature, which all have a spiritual application and are accompanied by lovely pictures.  There is a children's story, a Bible study, news bits from creation institutions, tips on how to be a good steward of God's creation, a children's photo contest, a recipe page, and an instructional guide to help you use the magazine as a teaching tool.

I found the recipes to be an interesting addition - I wouldn't expect a nature magazine to have recipes.  Also, out of all the wonderful photos in the magazine, the food photos are frankly not very good, in my opinion - they suffer from lighting issues.  However, the recipes themselves - all vegetarian - sound pretty tasty.  I am eager to try the Ginger Lychee Boba Drink (bubble tea) and Grapefruit-Avocado Tacos.  The Savory Mushroom & Pepper Cupcakes sounded good, too.

My favorite issue was Autumn 2011, with articles about the pronghorn, aspens, and seeking God in nature.  The Autumn Instructional Guide (as well as the Spring 2012) had hands-on creation activities in addition to the discussion questions for each story and a word search based on the issue.

I asked Wonder Boy and Super Girl to choose at least one issue to peruse.  Super Girl was overheard saying "WHOA....cooooool!" as she read.  She informed me that she liked that the stories all point back to God, and that the pictures were awesome.  She also liked that there were recipes (she loves to cook).  Wonder Boy was a little tougher critic.  He said it was like a cross between Smithsonian magazine, Ranger Rick, and a catalog.  There are a lot of advertisements, but thankfully they are all for family-friendly things like homeschool supply companies.  I think that for WB, the articles are a little above his level right now, aside from the children's story.  He was also a bit disappointed that the cover photos don't relate to an article inside - he really wanted to read about the preying mantis that was on the cover of his issue!  Overall, Creation Illustrated does a good job of producing a magazine that the whole family can enjoy!   

Creation Illustrated can be found at www.creationillustrated.com.  Subscriptions start at $19.99 for one year, and you can also request a free issue if you would like to "try before you buy."




***Disclaimer:  I received four copies (1 year) of Creation Illustrated in exchange for my review through the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children.

TOS Review: Write Shop

Write Shop is an "incremental learning program" created to help your child navigate the steps of the writing process:  pre-writing, brainstorming, writing, and revising.  There is a Write Shop option for every level from Kindergarten to high school senior.  I was given Write Shop Junior, which is for grades 3 and 4, but also reluctant 5th and 6th graders.  Have I told you about my reluctant Wonder Boy?

The spiral-bound Teacher's Guide is wonderful.  It includes a guide to help you choose which level is right for your child - handy when you feel your child is ready to move on, or if you want to introduce another child to Write Shop.  There are also helpful sample schedules to aid in planning.  Each lesson is designed to take 2 to 3 weeks to complete.  I love that it is truly a guide - it walks the teacher through each part of the lesson with suggestions of activities to do to help reinforce new skills, rather than simply being a copy of the student book with answers.  I guess that would be harder to do in a creative writing curriculum, anyhow, as the "answers" would be different for each student.

The student Activity Pack is actually two items in one.  The left side is the student workbook, and the right side is materials for the flip books which are created for each lesson.  There is also an optional Time-Saver Pack, which has pre-printed bits and pieces for the various games and activities that go along with each lesson.  The creators of Write Shop are very aware that, at the Junior level, children often need some sort of hands-on activity in addition to the book work to really make the lessons stick.  Hands-on activities definitely seem to appeal to students like my son.  He would much rather have a video or game to play than do a worksheet any day!

The one thing regarding Write Shop that I think may not appeal to everyone, especially if they have children in the late elementary grades or older, is that it is not a program you can just hand to your child and have them do independently.  It is meant to have teacher participation, at least at the Junior level.  I do know that Wonder Boy seems to really be lagging in his writing skills, so we will be working through Write Shop Junior this summer and spending a little mother-son time together.  I know our hard work will pay off, even if he'd rather zone out in front of a tv all summer!

Write Shop - all its levels - can be found at www.writeshop.com.  The parts of the program are sold separately, and since the materials are available in both print and digital options, prices vary.  And guess what - permission is given to copy the workbook pages (I just love it when curriculum companies are realistic like that!).



 
***Disclaimer:  I received a set of the Write Shop Junior materials in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Go Science

When I received a couple of volumes of Go Science from Library and Educational Services, I gave them to Wonder Boy to watch, as he loves all kinds of science-related videos.  He watched some, but didn't seem to devour it like he has with others.  I asked him what he thought of it, and he told me that "the guy seemed to shout a lot."  When I asked him to explain more, he said it seemed that the microphone didn't always work well, so the guy was shouting.  Hmm...

So, I popped in Volume 3 (the first one I received) to see what he was talking about.  Right away, I noticed that the host, Ben Roy, is very enthusiastic and animated.  I also noticed that the volume did seem quite loud.  I found myself turning it down several times.  Unfortunately, there were then segments that were very quiet.  I believe this stems from the fact that the clips were originally taped individually as part of another show, and not all at once.

Another reason I think that Wonder Boy (age 12) was not as captivated by the Go Science videos is that they seem a bit simple compared to a lot of the science videos he watches.  The link I am giving you states that they are for ages 6-14, however, if you have an account with LES you can see that they are listed for ages 5-11.  I feel that the lower age range is more appropriate. 

In spite of what my son thought, I found several things that I really liked about the Go Science DVDs.  One of the phrases that Mr. Roy says often is, "That's interesting to me."  You can tell that he means it, too.  He really seems to love science and explaining it to kids.  I also love how he takes a moment in every segment to connect the science concept to God and give the kids a bit of spiritual application.  Mr. Roy's catch-phrase is, "Every time we learn something about science, we learn something about our Creator:  God!"  I really appreciate the reminder to the viewer that God and science are not mutually exclusive.  Although Wonder Boy may be too old for these videos, I will definitely be saving them for Little Miss and #5.  I think they will really enjoy them!

Go Science is distributed by Library and Educational Services (LES), and can be found at www.libraryanded.com/goscience/.  List price for the entire set of six Go Science DVDs is $79.95.  If you happen to qualify for an LES account, you can purchase them for less!  By the way, I've had the privilege of being able to shop in person at a couple of LES' mega sales - they're awesome!  If you do qualify for an account with them, you will definitely want to sign up to get their newsletters!





***Disclaimer:  I received two volumes of Go Science in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my son.

TOS Review: Amazing Science! Vol. 1

As soon as I mentioned that I had a science video for the kids to watch, Wonder Boy was up and running!  He loves science, as long as it's not just book work - he's watched most of the episodes of Myth Busters at least twice.  The first DVD of Amazing Science! Vol. 1 was playing within what seemed like seconds, and shortly thereafter the video was paused again - on the supply list - with requests for odd objects.  Milk?  Dish soap?  Q-tips?  Hard-boiled eggs?  Matches?  Ummmmm...

Watching them do the first experiment, "Color Changing Milk," was really sweet.  See, Little Miss had to get in on the action, too, and since there wasn't anything dangerous going on, I went ahead and let her.  I heard exclamations of "sweeeeeet!" and "coooooool!" amidst the general squabbling (yes, we're going through one of those phases).  The kids just loved that we had everything to do the first experiment right away, and enjoyed playing around with it while they watched the rest of the segment wherein the host, Jason Gibson, explains why and how certain results are seen.

After Little Miss was down for her nap, I let the older two do the second experiment, "Egg in a Bottle".  This involved lighting matches and using the stove.  My kids know how to use the stove, and I was ok with the whole playing-with-fire thing as long as I was aware of it and in the room.  They loved seeing an egg get sucked down into a bottle.  We only had one bottle, so they of course argued over who got to remove the egg, etc.  Wonder Boy also tried the lemon battery, after getting a few items from my dad.   He also did some of the other experiments on his own, and has informed me that he needs dry ice.  I informed him that he needs to remember to pay attention to the "why" portion just as much as the "how-to" portion.

Amazing Science! Vol. 1 is a two-disc set featuring 23 experiments.  A list of supplies is given at the beginning of each segment, most of which are everyday household objects.  Quite a few of them do involve flames or other things that middle-school aged children can do on their own, but they should still be supervised by an adult.  There are several that can be done with younger children, as there is no element of danger.  I would say this set is definitely a hit, at least with my son.  Super Girl enjoyed the first couple of activities, but wasn't interested in it later on when we came back to it - though, she was interested in checking out the website.  Amazing Science! Vol. 1 can be found at www.scienceandmath.com for $19.99.  You can also download the content for $17.99.

***Disclaimer:  I received Amazing Science! Vol. 1 in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children.

TOS Review: Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space

While choosing a science curriculum for my children a few years ago, I came across the Christian Kids Explore... series from Bright Ideas Press.  I ended up using (and loving) the Biology edition.  I was happy to be chosen to review the Earth & Space edition, since I liked my original purchase so much! 

The first thing that is different from when I purchased the Biology edition is the option to purchase a downloadable "student activity book".  You can print all the worksheets, maps, coloring pages, etc., right from your computer, rather than trying to photocopy it out of the book.  The pages look so much nicer when they're printed!  And, yes - the publisher has granted permission (in the front of the book) to make copies for your student, classroom, or co-op.  I love it when a publisher is realistic about how homeschoolers use their curriculum!

Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space is written for grades 3 to 6.  My children are in 6th grade this year, and still enjoy the lessons.  Written by Stephanie L. Redmond, the material has a light, conversational tone and really keeps my kids' interest.  The lessons are fairly short when used at the 6th grade level, and we are actually alternating days with the Biology edition (it was too much for my kids when we first got it in 2nd grade, and then life happened).  There are lots of hands-on activities interspersed with the book work, so it keeps Wonder Boy happy.  A lot of the first lessons deal with making models of the earth with clay, and he loves anything to do with clay.  I routinely find gobs of clay around the house, in a variety of shapes.  So, to be "required" to play work with clay makes his day!  Super Girl loves the coloring pages.  They are very detailed, and she still loves coloring.  I appreciate the vocabulary words, but most of all I appreciate the young Earth, Christian world view that is found in this curriculum.  That was what I was seeking most of all in a science curriculum, and it is why I will not sell these books until I am absolutely done homeschooling!  I hope that I am able to find something similar at a higher level when my children are ready to move on, but for now, I look forward to using the other Christian Kids Explore... editions in the next year or two.

You can purchase the Christian Kids Explore... series from Bright Ideas Press at www.brightideaspress.com.  The two editions for 3-6 grades are $34.95 each, with the downloadable student activity books on sale for $7.95 right now.  The two editions for grades 4-8 are $39.95 for the new second edition (the first editions are also on sale right now), with the downloads on sale for $9.95.  Bright Ideas Press is also the publisher of The Mystery of History series - another curriculum that I use and love!

***Disclaimer:  I received the Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space book and download set in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are my own.

TOS Review: Write With World

I was thrilled when I got the chance to review a new curriculum from World Magazine:  Write With World.  World Magazine is a respected current events magazine written from a Christian worldview.  I have also had the privilege of being acquainted with one of their writers.  Based on those two things, I expected a great, quality product.  I was not disappointed!

The curriculum is designed to be used for two years at the middle school level, with the first year of the curriculum being broken down into four units.  Each unit consists of four lessons, which are made up of five capsules each, for a total of eighty days of instruction.  Each day's instruction is short and easy to understand.  My first impression of the books I received was that the photos and graphics are vibrant and eye-catching.  The first lesson deals with images and advertisements, which seems to really catch a student's attention.  Super Girl flipped through the student book and was eager to carry it off and get started.  Wonder Boy was not as thrilled with the idea, but he's my reluctant learner.  Once he got past the first capsule, he was as taken with it as his sister was!

Armed with the student book and a composition book as their writing journal, my kids have been steadily working their way through the daily instructions.  Conflict arises only when they both want to use the book at the same time.   I am so happy with this curriculum - any time a program gets my son to do school work and not fight me on it, I'm pleased!  And the fact that it is also applicable to my daughter, who is definitely working at a higher level, is wonderful!  My children find the writing activities to be engaging, and both stated that they found the material easier to understand and the activities easier to complete than the creative writing material we used previously.

I encourage you to explore the Write With World website to see some specific things that make this curriculum different.  The two years of the program are available separately for $95 per year, or you can purchase both years for $165.  The curriculum is slated to begin shipping this summer.  A website, "for updated examples, writing prompts, published student work, and helpful teacher forum", is scheduled to be up and running in September (the September 2011 date on the informative site is a typo).

***Disclaimer:  I received the first year curriculum books of Write With World in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children. 

TOS Review: ALEKS

ALEKS might seriously be my absolute favorite thing I have reviewed through the Homeschool Crew so far!  I can't say enough good things about a program that has my children randomly doing math in the evening, rather than playing computer games!  Wonder Boy has actually asked numerous times if he can work on his math and has told me several times how fun he thinks ALEKS is, and Super Girl just does it without even asking!

How it works:  After you set up an account on ALEKS, add your student(s), and choose their level, the child then logs in and completes an assessment.  Upon completing the assessment, they can see a pie chart of the subjects they will work on.  The wedges are shaded to various degrees, illustrating how much the child already knows.  My kids love this!  They choose a wedge to work on, and as they master different ideas, the wedge fills up.  How many courses there are to work on and how many have been completed is also listed.  One thing I really like about ALEKS is that if the program determines a child is not ready to work on a certain skill set, that wedge is not available to them until they have the prerequisite skills.  I love that the program is designed so that a child is much more likely to succeed in learning a new skill, rather than being frustrated because they haven't mastered the foundations of the new skill before attempting it.  I well remember how extremely frustrated I would get in school when I didn't understand something, but the class was moving on into more advanced areas anyhow.

When I log into my daughter's account, I immediately see several subjects for her to review, which ALEKS thinks she has probably mastered.  I am then directed to her pie, where I can see her progress.  There are also tabs for a dictionary of math terms, a calculator, and quizzes.  Apparently, there are games that the parent can turn on which help master math facts, but my kids are loving ALEKS without them!  When I log into my parent account, I can look at each child's pie, or view a different form of progress report.  I can easily see how far my child has come, and how much they have left to learn.  I can also see how many topics they have learned since their assessment and how many hours they've spent in ALEKS.  I can create quizzes for them, and even request for them to do a new assessment.  I love that ALEKS is web-based, so my children can work on it anywhere they have access to the internet.

My least favorite things about ALEKS?  The first thing would be that ALEKS is only for math.  With as much as my children enjoy it, especially Wonder Boy, my reluctant learner, I would be thrilled if there were other subjects available, such as Language Arts.  The second thing would be the price.  For homeschoolers, ALEKS is available for $19.99 per month per child, $99.95 for six months, or $179.95 for 12 months.  There are family discounts available, but a one year subscription to ALEKS would still cost my family $305.90.  For as much as my son loves it, I do think it might be worth it.  However, I'd think it was an even better value if other topics were available, as I said.

ALEKS is designed for children at the third grade level and higher, all the way through college-level courses.  If you are interested in trying out this wonderful program for yourself, I encourage you to sign up for a free two month trial.  Just click the button below to begin!

***Note:  I received a two-month free trial to ALEKS in exchange for my review through TOS Homeschool Crew.  All opinions are those of myself and my children.         

Stuck in my head...

I've had this song stuck in my head for the last week.  It came on the radio while I was driving with the kids, and Wonder Boy sang along with me:

 

BzzAgent Review: Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster

I love when I get new things in the mail to review, but I really love it when the items are for my kids because they get such a kick out of it!  Wonder Boy was thrilled when I told him we'd be receiving the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster to try out.  When it got here and he had to wait for it to charge, I thought he was going to explode from impatience!  The next day he eagerly took it over to his friend's house to try out.  They had it flying off of the furniture and crashing into things.  One neat thing about the Trickster is that it is reversible - both sides of the vehicle look like the top, but with different designs.  It's almost like two cars in one!

The Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster requires 5 AA batteries which all go into the controller.  The vehicle plugs into the controller in order to charge, which takes about 30 minutes.  Once it is fully charged, you are ready to play and perform tricks for 15 to 30 minutes.  It is meant for indoors, but I know the boys had it outside, too, and it seemed to do just fine.  It's designated for ages 6 and up, and is easy to use.


You can find at Walmart, Target, Kmart, and Toys R Us.  It retails for $24.99, which I frankly think is a bit over-priced for the size of it.  However, I tend to think most toys are over-priced!  That said, I think that most boys that like vehicles would enjoy finding this toy under the Christmas tree!


***Note:  I received the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster in exchange for my review through BzzAgent.  All opinons are my own.

Made-By-Me Monday & Book Review

For Christmas, I decided to make a hoodie for Wonder Boy. I chose a pattern from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys' and Girls' Outfits, by Nancy Langdon and Sabine Pollehn.** The book: I bought this book because many of the projects looked like things that Super Girl would LOVE to wear, especially if she had helped make them. I loved that it had a wide range of sizes, from 18 months to 12 years, meaning I can use the patterns for years to come, and possibly even make matching items for the two girls. It also has several chapters with great advice on how to construct quality pieces of clothing which are also unique. My absolute favorite page is the one where you can write down ALL of your child's measurements. However, this is also where my disappointment set in. I eagerly measured all three children, and recorded those numbers. I then compared those numbers to the sizes of the patterns. I discovered that Super Girl is just too big for the largest size of these patterns. At almost 10, she is 5' and 108 pounds. I didn't think about it in the store, because she was in a size 12 in commercial clothing at the time. Little Miss is still a bit on the small side for these patterns, as she is a little peanut of a thing. I also discovered that the patterns don't include seam allowances. However, I look forward to making items for Little Miss in the future using these fun and easy patterns. I will just keep in mind that these patterns go up to a size 10, more realistically. Lastly, while the book includes boys in the title, there were only two patterns I'd actually use for a boy.



The hoodie: I wanted something warm, so I chose a remnant of camouflage fleece, as well as a remnant of coordinating green fleece. I picked the fleece up on mega-sale the day after Thanksgiving. I used the "Imse" pattern, which had options for feminine or masculine styling. I chose a straight sleeve and sides, and rounded hood. I embellished it with a couple of old military patches that my dad gave me. The pattern went together quickly and easily, and I was pleased with how it came out. However, I made a size "large", and it will possibly not fit Wonder Boy next winter. Keep in mind that he is still a rather slight boy right now. He is just now growing out of size 10 in commercial clothing. If he has an honest-to-goodness growth spurt, it will definitely be too small.

**Note: This post contains an affiliate link. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I purchased this book with my own money (ok, I did use a 40% coupon).

Tasty Tuesday

Welcome to my second new theme day: Tasty Tuesday. That's right - recipe sharing! Last night I made a really yummy pasta dish from a little book my mom gave me on our recent visit, Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals: Kid Food.


This book has several tasty-looking recipes that I am planning to try. Last night's recipe was "Peasant Pasta". She has a "grown-up" version on her website, but I couldn't find the exact recipe I used last night. Any how, it calls for 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, 28 oz. canned tomatoes, 1/2 c frozen peas, 1/2 c cream, 1/2 lb. penne pasta, and grated parmesan. I chose to substitute a package of fresh mushrooms for the peas, as I don't care for peas and tomatoes together. This was such an easy dish - just brown the sausage and mushrooms while the pasta is cooking, then after draining the pasta, dump everything else into the pot with the noodles. Cook it for a little bit longer, and - ta da! I took the book's suggestion to serve it with a loaf of crusty bread. This is one recipe that I will definitely be making again! Even my picky Wonder Boy seemed to like it!

Get Some Air

If you are here from the Ultimate Blog Party, please check out my party post.


One thing I really missed over the winter was the habit of taking a family walk together. There are a lot of trails in our area, covering many different ecosystems. Before Little Miss was born, the four of us really enjoyed getting out and getting some exercise, as well as spending time together and observing nature. It's also a great homeschool activity, as along with science, some of the trails also have historical features. This spring, especially with the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing, we have been gathering the water bottles, strapping the baby into the hiking back-pack, and taking the opportunity to check out trails we've never walked before. We have even found trails to explore while visiting family. My dad has gotten a thrill out of discovering that he has this interest in common with his grandchildren, and it's reminded me of family walks we used to take when I was a child.

Something new I'm doing this year is taking pictures of as much of the plants and wildlife as I can. My plan is to help Wonder Boy and Super Girl make nature journals. We'll make a section for each trail, and use prints of the pictures I take. I will help them identify the species, and let them write short descriptions of them. If there is anything historical on the trail, I will have them include that, also.

I encourage all of you to get out with your family, and get some fresh air and exercise. Many areas have trails of some sort within driving distance, and most of them are free to access. You can often find information on local history and wildlife (along with trail maps) online or at the site, if it is a state or national park. Take along a camera, water, and snacks, and spend some time enjoying God's creations - nature and each other!

Shopping at Home

Hand-me-downs. Most people have been blessed with hand-me-downs at some point in their life. With a husband who is unemployed, I am trying to be extremely frugal and resourceful. Here are a few examples:

Super Girl needed some new tennis shoes. She had outgrown her old ones over the winter, but she was wearing her snow boots 90% of the time, so it didn't matter. Once it warmed up, and the kids began playing outside again, she needed shoes. I thought we were going to have to wait a week to get them, and then I realized I just might have what she needed in my own closet! I had a pair of cute Converse sneakers which, try as I might, just didn't fit my wide feet well (sob!). I had SG try them on, and voila! She is now the proud owner of some very cute, green and pink, like-new (sniff, sniff!) Converse - which should last through the summer, as long as she doesn't out-grow them! Did I mention they were cute? Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Wonder Boy has also suffered some recent growth spurts. He is suddenly lacking in the "long-enough pants" department. A funny fact about my children is that though WB is about 16 months older, he is a good 3" shorter than his sister. I have been able to pass a couple of unisex jeans UP to him that are too short on his sister. Since they've been inside all winter, the jeans are not really worn. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Lastly, Little Miss has not been spared in this growing epidemic (pardon my pun!). I have patterns which I picked up last summer during a sale at the fabric store. I have some t-shirts which are ill-fitting or stained. I am making her some new clothing out of this "found" material. Currently in the works: pants. Next up: a one-piece outfit. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

So, let me challenge you to think outside the box when you have a need at home. If you can sew, you can possibly make what you need out of old items of clothing or linens you already have. Scrounge in your own and your childrens' closets for items that can be passed on to another member of the family. Check out Wardrobe Refashion for fun ways to make the old "new".

Creative Organization, Part 1 - Wonder Boy's Room

In my efforts to get ready for little baby Sweet Pea's arrival in less than 2 months, I have been trying to get our home organized. This task may not have been as important - or daunting - if we had been dealing with any amount of baby stuff for the past 8 years. It is also a challenge to do this while spending as little money as possible.

Let me make a side note: Our house is about 2000 square feet. I'm not complaining. Only about 1/2 of that is currently usable, though, due to some water problems we're resolving in the basement. We have three bedrooms. Organizing would probably be less challenging if I could: 1) Use the basement, and/or 2) Shove baby stuff into a nursery. However, my two children happen to be of the opposite sex, and at an age where they really should not be sharing a room, for modesty's sake. Though, they do love having "sleep overs" in each others rooms! Thank goodness for that $5 garage sale cot!

Ok. Now on to some of the possibly slightly unusual (I like to think they're creative) things I've done to create extra storage in our home. These ones might not be so odd, but they get a little more creative as we go:

• Both kids have bed risers now. I was fortunate to find one set at a yard sale for $2. Under Wonder Boy's bed: Our large suit case, filled with his winter clothes. Suitcases have to be stored any how, and if you already own them, are less expensive than plastic bins that are sold for "under the bed". He also has a couple of bins of toys under there (Legos and Match Box cars). I still have room for a little something under the head of his bed - I'm sure I'll find something to stash there!
  
• In WB's closet: Two queen-size sleeping bags (on the shelf), bins of baby clothes, and the bin of my "regular" summer clothes. This is along with the shelves that hold an as-of-yet unorganized assortment of model train parts, remote control vehicles, and whatever else WB has shoved in there.
• The game cupboard is also stored in WB's room. This cupboard is about 5' tall and 18" wide. Whatever games don't fit in there don't stay in the house. The only exception are a couple of good family games that are in larger boxes. Those are in another location (but I'm rethinking that).
  

Typing this out has made me realize two things: I still have room under the bed and on the closet shelf, and I really need to get the toy shelves straightened out - maybe I'd find even more room!

My Awesome Kids!

Today was distribution day for Christmas assistance! WHEW! We had to take the kids with us, and I was really worried that they wouldn't behave well. After all, it's cold there, and there are lots of brand new toys to mess with and beg for. When we got there, Wonder Boy and Super Girl went straight over to the food area, and helped pack bags and boxes for the families. No one had to tell them to stop doing something, quit acting up, etc. I was very glad, because I was busy finishing up the handful of Angel Tree bags that didn't get finished the night before.

Once the people started coming to pick up their food and gifts, things still went pretty well. The kids really enjoyed helping out, and everyone commented on how great they were! They really were a big help, running back and forth to deliver bags of gifts, moving bags and boxes of food, helping bring in carts from the outer door . . . It could have been a really stressful day if I'd had to keep on top of them to behave. I'm so thankful they were good! I'm hoping they learned a little something about helping others, too.