Happy Homeschooling Days

I must admit, not all days of homeschooling are sunshine and lollipops.  It can be a real drag, and not just for me.  It takes hard work and dedication.  All without the "motivation" of the fear of missing the bus, or falling back a grade from missing too many days of school, or failing, or, as the parent, getting chewed out by school officials for your child missing too many days, etc., etc., etc.  Homeschooling is all self-motivated.  That being said, some days are just HARD.  

Thankfully, I have the sweetest 5 year old to work with, my little gem.  She makes everything a pleasure, especially yesterday.  She was creative and active and soaked in every bit of information I threw at her.  Not only is she still flying high from painting, like in this photo where she was doing the preliminary drawing of the oddly shaped clouds at sunset:

 She also has a new pet that she keeps feeding diligently in hopes that it will entwine itself in a cocoon like the other two she has had.  She carried him around all day yesterday.  They danced and watch television.  He even helped her with her schoolwork.  (I hope he survives!)









Today we learned about the parts of a tree.  She learned to "see" trees, as in their differences and what makes each type unique.  The best part was picking leaves from several different trees in the yard.  At first she wasn't so into it, but when she started doing the rubbings with crayons she was in and out of the house half a dozen times to get as many different leaves as possible.  She even had to break out the big guns, her sister's nerd glasses!  Apparently, it made her look like a scientist. ♥

The best part about being 5 is ending the day in one big, sunshine-filled spin!

Pig Party!

Madison discovered that "The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs" has instructions on how to make your own swine colony and, of course, she begged me to make them for her.  I only conceded to one.  On our breaks from school we stitched and stuffed until we ended up with this adorable pig that is yet to be named and embellished.  Naturally, she wants me to make tons of them along with clothes and a pigpen....lol  We'll see.  I had so much fun making it with her!  I love her enthusiasm about everything.  It makes doing for her so easy. ♥

New Bento Bag

I am always coming across great ideas and tutorials on Pinterest!  I especially loved this tutorial by Ayumi on ayumills.blogspot.com on making a drawstring bento bag.  I felt this bag had ample room for a small bento box and all the extra's my daughter might pack, like a drink and a dessert along with a fruit.  Her most favorite thing in the world (besides my dog, Zoey) are owls; so she picked out a dark purple owl fabric.  I was able to match the owl's eyes with a lovely Asian-looking fabric.  I then trimmed the bag out in black fabric.  I can't wait for her to get home from school so that I can give it to her!  We've been having a lot of fun making California rolls and noodles and Bun Cha for her lunches!

http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2010/08/tutorial-lunch-bag.html

Asian Day

Feeling pretty Asian today. The girls and I love the Japanese culture and we are enamored with how beautiful in appearance they are too.  For breakfast I was inspired to make a noodle soup with an egg. It was so filling and delicious!

Sarah, who is 11, recently bought a sushi kit but has had trouble putting the rolls together. So, I thought I would try my hand at it so I could help her. I made California rolls.  They were supposed to 

be for her lunch tomorrow in her adorable bento box,

but two out of three of the rolls wound up being eaten for dinner. They were AH-mazing!!!

Spa Party Friends

I only invited 7 people in hopes that 5 would come and I gambled correctly!  There was too much food for five guests, but I think it made it luxurious. Besides, my family is so big, we are having NO problems finishing off the leftovers. (The wine, I'm savoring.)

These photos need no words. Smiles say everything.

 

Spa Party (August 25, 2013)

Sarah was lighting all of the candles

As I was conversing with my lady friends at the party I realized that I owe all desire and drive to be hospitable to my father, who, it seemed to me as a child, was the epitome of hospitality.  He would have our close friends over for dinner for sure, but it was really special when he invited others we weren't close with and he was so generous with his affection that they would leave feeling like family.  I think I achieved that at my spa party.  I kept it small, and intimate and we had a wonderful time bonding. Isn't that what we've been encouraged to do, even more so now?  I really hope to do the party again with another small group and I hope the ones that came to my party will return the love to others.

First blessing of the day was clearing the house of anyone not involved in the party.  Madison took her dad on a date to the Cinema Cafe and John took off with friends.  The girls and I prepped the last of the food and stressed a bit about one person coming early (she didn't).

Isabelle is prepping the chocolate covered strawberries!

I took photos of the table before I placed the food and I really wish I had done it after because there was SO much and it was beautiful!

 

Facial Station

Hot Face Cloths

 

Pedicure Station

I will post pictures of the happy faces and good times later! This was probably THE most successful party I've ever thrown!

Chicken Pot Pie

My sister requested the recipe for the Chicken Pot Pie, and here it is!

                                 CRUST

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 shortening (lard, or butter will do)
5 tbsp ice cold water

Sift together flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Add shortening and mix in with pastry blender or a fork until it looks mealy.  Add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough sticks together, but not sticky.

Wrap pastry in wax paper or Saran Wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from wrap and roll out on a floured surface.

(makes enough for a 2-crust pie or 1 - 9 1/2 x 11" pan)

                             CHICKEN PIE FILLING

1/2 cup butter                               1/2 cup finely chopped onion              1 bag mixed frozen vegetables
1/2 cup flour                                 3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt                                       3 cups cooked chicken
black pepper to taste                    3 potatoes, peeled & cubed

Roll out crust and set in pan if you are doing a 2-crust pie.  Otherwise, cover with a towel until the pan is filled. Set aside.  Preheat oven to 400º.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter.  Cook the onions until translucent.  Add flour, salt, and pepper and mix with a whisk until fully incorporated.  Gradually add chicken broth, stirring continuously.  Cook and stir until smooth and thickened.  Add chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, mixing to combine.  Pour into your prepared pan and cover with crust.  Make holes in the crust to allow it to vent.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.  The temperature is "lava" at this point.  If you love your family, let it cool. :-)


The crust recipe is based off of Ida Bailey Allen's recipe in the cookbook "Best Loved Recipes of the American People".  I stole it from my dad because when he downsizes "best loved recipes" get tossed.  I use this recipe over and over for dessert and savory dishes.

The pot pie recipe is based on a recipe by Wendy L on AllRecipes, "Chicken Pot Pie VIII".  Her recipe has the best sauce/soup for the filling!

Working Hard

I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to update.  Today I finished #2 test in Media.  I hope I did well.  I am a bit freaked out because so many have been plagiarizing.  The professors have sent out very stern emails and posted on the message boards.  I'm terrified to write anything for fear the information has become so burnt in my brain that I might plagiarize without knowing!  I have overcompensated, but better safe than sorry.  School is tough and I can't have some simple mistake cost me.

With that test out of the way I had the time to focus on the deck again.  I needed to see something accomplished on it; not just the little bits here and there.  Since Isabelle and I cleaned off a portion of the deck, I worked today on sanding and staining that area.  I am so pleased!  24 hours of curing and I can put the furniture back on.

I was so fortunate to find two gallons of Behr Deck Stain in the mistint section at Lowes.  Each gallon was only $5.00 versus the normal $40.00/gallon I would have had to have spent.

The project is so painstakingly slow and it's not perfect by any means, but I am so happy with the results (of this corner, at least)!

Dinner tonight was a chicken pot pie from scratch, of course.  I had to fight the kids off to save a section for Sean!

Silver Linings

How can you cry with a face like this staring back at you?

Ramblings

I'm going to ramble while I listen to my Media professor do the same. Oh! So boring today! All about the news. I don't watch or listen to the news and only read what I want to know. sigh* 

I was so sad to see that my stats for this blog are completely wrong, and doctored if you will. Spammers send out feelers to blogs and boost the numbers, but really, they aren't people reading the blog. Sadness. Oh well. This is for me, right?  Onward and upward!

I am so in looooove with Burda Style!  Lots of patterns, some free, but tons of really good instructions about sewing like a pro!  One feature I wish I could take advantage of are the webinars. I really seem to do everything electronically, so these seems perfect to me. The latest is:  
Simplifying the Serger: Getting the Most From This Specialty Sewing Machine.

The crazy thing is that Hughesnet, my internet service provider, actually blocks BurdaStyle!  Can you believe it?! Bunch of commies.  So, the only way I can view the website is on the teeny-tiny screen on my phone. more sighing*

Virginia Field Trips

I really love field trips! They break up the monotony of schooling from textbooks. This site:

Virginia Field Trips - A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling in Virginia

has some great suggestions for trips! We have done most of them, but this is a short list. There is so much more to do in Virginia, so much to see!

Linen Napkins

I found the prettiest linen napkins at our local Habitat For Humanity yesterday!  Well, they were pretty to me.  Anyone else would have shunned them because of their yellow stains.  Every napkin was plagued with them, like a litter of yellow Dalmatians, but if you know why antique linens stain you've just fought half the battle in fixing them.  So, I bought them for $.25 a piece and began the process of removing those uglies.  They are caused by poor storage and they absorb the yellow of boxes and wood.  So don't store your linens in boxes or wooden furniture.  "One Good Thing by Jillee" had superb instructions on removing the stains, but my husband had an even better idea.  He said, "If you boiled fabric in cleaner and water in the old days to remove the stains, why don't you just use the sanitize cycle on the washing machine?"  Well, that was just a big DUH!  I took the linens out of the pot and put them in the washer for a 2-hour cleaning cycle (not 3 days). Then I laid them out in the sun for about an hour, ironed them and I couldn't be happier!  There is not a single yellow spot on them!  Take a look:

12"x12"

Close up of detailed corner and lace

Spa Party Invitations

The invitations are complete! And, they didn't take very long to make. I drew them up in Microsoft Word, chose my papers and printed them with a laser printer. Assembly was a cinch 'cause I cheated...I used hot glue for everything. What else could I do? I promised my 5 year old that I would camp in the backyard and apparently, I was taking too long. ♥

Craft of the day

I am so excited to be planning a (scaled down) Spa Party for a few friends who have worked so hard all year, tirelessly for others. They deserve a special day and I'm going to give it to them. I have found some great inspiration on the 'net, especially the simple, yet beautiful party by "Marigold Mom".  I like her idea of keeping it small and intimate. I am going to make the facial masks and the scrubs, but purchase cleansers and lotions. I also plan on incorporating three stations, a pedicure station, manicure, and facial. Each will be equipped with the items necessary and warm towels in a crock pot for the hands, face, and feet. Ooooooh! It's going to be decadent!

I will serve white and red wine with cheese and fresh fruit. Fruit dips, vegetables and dip, hummus and Pita chips plus chocolate covered strawberries. There will be icy cucumber/lemon water to hydrate and refresh my friends as the evening progresses.

I am really excited! I know I already said it, but I am! It is my hope that everyone will pitch in in taking care of each other, hand or foot massages, etc. I'll top the night off with a hot rice "scarf" to go over their shoulders and melt all their cares away!

Here is the beginning of my party, the invitations. They will be on handmade paper, from the closed business "handmade-paper.com". {They had such beautiful papers. It's a real shame that she had to close her doors.} I will decorate the invitations with these pine cone flowers that Isabelle and I just made.

This next photo is a conglomeration of how we tore down the pine cone and what you are left with. I first cut of the butt end of the pine cone so that I could get to the bigger, less fragile scales. Then we basically lifted, twisted and pulled off the rest. Some were more difficult so we used the shears, but not many. A tiny circle of fabric and a bit of hot glue and they were all assembled. I had a lot of fun making these. Maybe I'll paint the next set, oooooh, lots of bright and cheerful colors!

Check out my Pinterest Board: Spa Day for my Sisters for the ideas I've pulled together for this party!

Sew Inspired!

I found a tutorial that I LOVED because I start preparing for school hardcore in July and I want to get the most bang for my buck. That being said, the cutsie folders out there are expensive, especially when you need 10, and then 10 of everything else too. Composition notebooks are hideously boring. We can't be having that.

So the blog is "Stitched In Color". She gave a GREAT tutorial on how to make Journal Covers (i.e. Composition Notebook Covers).  Lots of pictures, on par measurements. I had no problem with her instructions and it led me to this for my youngest daughter who is starting First Grade this year:

I got to practice new-to-me techniques of reverse applique, crazy quilting, and some embroidery running stitches. My daughter thinks it should be her dream journal, like in the movie "Shark Boy and Lava Girl". I would love to see her dreams in this journal!

Today's Funny

     My girls and I get into these conversations and before you know it.....BAM!....something like this comes out and cracks us up:

School For Everyone!

I am positively giddy over the educational status of everyone in my family! It makes me so happy to see everyone learning something new and expanding their minds! I am ready to turn in my first 2 assignments for this semester. Nervous? Yes! One is a short (2-page) essay on media literacy and the second is a memorandum about the Supreme Court's ruling in 1962 that a person cannot be charged for a status, i.e. being drunk or under the influence of drugs; they can only be charged for illegal acts.  Very interesting stuff. My brain is fried and I'm sleepy all the time from reading so much....lol

It pleases me very much that Stephen, the education director (who used to be my professor), has given me an "A" (and 3 credits) for work I did in 2010 AND graded incomplete work from that whole mish-mash mess that resulted in me having to leave the school in 2010. Not sure if he's going to give credit for it, but I certainly hope so because that means I am only 6 credits away from my CERTIFICATE! Yeah me!!!

So, that's my excitement......My oldest daughter will be skipping 8th grade and moving straight into a college preparatory high school correspondence course. She is super excited and I know she can do it! So proud of her!

My middle daughter is returning to public school in 6th grade, which starts Middle School here. She is something else! She just dedicated her life to doing God's will and wants to use him to the fullest in strengthening her faith in Him. She amazes me! ♥

Check out this beautiful artwork (below) by Billy the artist (David Bill). Click on the picture to go to his page.

My youngest will be starting 1st grade at the the tender age of 5. (so small and yet so smart) She will also be homeschooled. I am having a blast coming up with her curriculum. First grade is such an exciting grade and the kids are like sponges. There are a lot of ways to incorporate incentives at this age, too. One in particular that has always been fun is the "Pizza Hut BOOK IT! Program" . I never knew they had it for homeschoolers, but you better believe I just signed up! The funny thing about incentives and homeschooling is the need to make it pretty spectacular.  My kids LoVe to read so they really don't need to be encouraged, it's just fun. The departments they need rewards are the subjects that are more like drudgery. Anyway, I am really looking forward to teaching this year!

So, today I plan on writing two papers for my school. I need to get more of my daughters curriculum written out and planned. I have started sewing two Asian style tops using sewing pattern "New Look 6203" for my two oldest daughters and I'd to get farther on that project.

 Not to mention all the usuals of cleaning, exercising, cooking, taking care of a sick 5 year-old, etc., etc., etc............

Thanks to my kids and Adventure Time, this is the song rolling around in my head this morning........all morning.

The Twinkies are back! The Twinkies are back!!

After months of despair, and finally acceptance and all the stages of grief in between, 

TWINKIES ARE BACK!

The kids and I cheered as we checked out the ad from Walmart (since we aren't into watching the news as we should). Don't you agree that the ad photo of the box of Twinkies should have been much larger, much grander, perhaps at least a half page ad? ;-)

We trotted straight to the store for our own new box (and some school supplies). So excited!!!















Finally, I can do my homework in style....old school, if you will.  I'll be buzzing on Twinkie sugar for a couple of days now, thanks to the monumental return of this great classic!

First day of morning jogs with my husband, for him to get ready for police academy, for me to lose medication induced "inflation".

It was humid and very foggy but that made it so much easier to see the thousands of intricate webs on the fences and in the fields. I was stunned by their beauty!