tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37548265148113658122024-02-18T17:32:35.709-08:00Life in a Full ShoeJamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-81047730786858506872011-12-09T06:30:00.000-08:002011-12-09T06:42:51.720-08:00Pop Art PixiesFor a portion of this week my 3 oldest girls are visiting friends in Knoxville. For 4 days there will be lots of chatting, laughter, crafting, cooking and even a little schooling taking place in the Rivera home. Yesterday the girls worked on projects available from<a href="http://www.popartpixies.com/"> Pop Art Pixies</a>. You can see pictures of the completed projects and all the girls at<a href="http://raisingolives.com/2011/12/crayola-pop-art-pixies-fab-snaps-giveaway/"> Raising Olives</a>. <br /><br />(I'm writing this post to enter a give away offered by Pop Art Pixies, however I have a feeling that even if I don't win, I may be buying some anyway. :-) )Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-47974645656947639522011-11-28T17:56:00.001-08:002011-11-28T17:56:41.464-08:00Photo Card<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AYuWTNu3YuWLiQ&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0AYuWTNu3YuWKA/0AYuWTNu3YuWKOLA/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1322531783000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Picture Tree Christmas</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Shop Shutterfly's collection of <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Christmas photo cards</a>.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-17315796040369797702011-11-04T14:47:00.000-07:002011-11-04T14:53:05.032-07:00Lilla RoseWith 4 girls, we go through a lot of hair accessories. Our new favorites are products from Lilla Rose. You can read more about their beautiful products at <a href="http://raisingolives.com/2011/11/lilla-rose-flexi-clip-giveaway/">Raising Olives</a> and enter to win 2 pieces.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-11512931087798105892011-06-29T19:52:00.000-07:002011-06-30T04:43:31.000-07:00Frog Eye SaladToday <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Kimberly</span> at <a href="http://raisingolives.com/2011/06/picnic-recipes-moms-linkup/">Raising Olives</a> and the other 3 moms are sharing picnic recipes. The timing is perfect as we will be attending our FAVORITE annual picnic on Monday. It just so happens to be hosted by Kimberly's parents.<br /><br />This recipe for Frog Eye Salad was given to me by a friend at church. It used to be her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">signature</span> dish. She and her family have since moved away and it is now one of my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">signature</span> dishes. I never bring any home (and it makes A LOT)<br /><br /><br />Frog Eye Salad<br /><br />1. Pound package of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">acini</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">pepe</span> pasta, cooked and drained<br /><br />2. In a medium saucepan mix the following into a smooth paste.<br />1 cup sugar<br />2 eggs<br />1/2 t salt<br />2 T flour<br /><br />3. Add juice reserved from 2 cans of pineapple. Cook until thick.<br /><br />4. Pour mixture over pasta and add 1 bag mini marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows melt. Refrigerate overnight. Mixture will be soupy when you put it in the frig. It will be a solid mass the next day.<br /><br />5. Stir in 1 x-large container of Cool Whip breaking up the solid mass. Add the following drained fruits.<br />1 can crushed pineapple<br />2 cans pineapple tidbits<br />2 cans <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">madarin</span> oranges<br /><br />6. Add a variety of soft fresh fruits. I always add halved grapes and kiwi. I also use berries in season.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-22699774763683881002011-06-20T18:25:00.000-07:002011-06-20T18:25:26.517-07:00Motherhood as a Mission Field<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-as-a-mission-field#.Tf_y-rYNeqN;blogger">Motherhood as a Mission Field</a>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-29191574280779762092011-03-04T06:34:00.001-08:002011-03-10T18:28:56.816-08:00Just grilling...Grilling season has returned!!!! I love food cooked on the grill. I also love the fact that I don't have to do all the cooking (since my husband is our grill chef). I have been known to have my dear husband grilling in the rain and even when our deck was covered with snow! A couple of years ago he finally said no more grilling from November through <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">February</span>. Well now it is March, today's weather is beautiful and our previous dinner plans with another family just fell through. (***Note**** This post was written last Friday when it was nice and sunny. We've had rain almost every day since AND it could snow tonight!)What better time to pull out my family's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">favorite</span> grill recipe... especially one that is super easy to make and clean up? <div><br />I've written before about the "joys" of finding food all 10 people in my family enjoy. Most of us enjoy Tex-Mex and other highly seasoned foods. A few of my children do not. They probably wish they had been born into a different family on some occasions. They do eat whatever is served, but it makes me much happier to see them all eating and actually enjoying their food.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fajitas made with grilled chicken is tops on the list of everyone in our family. Some of the children even request it for their birthday meal. Today I'm sharing my recipe for the fajita marinade as well as the Black Bean Salsa we usually serve with it.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><strong>Fajita Marinade</strong></div><div></div><div>1/2 c olive oil</div><div>1/3 c lime juice</div><div>1/4c red wine vinegar</div><div>1 t sugar</div><div>1 t oregano</div><div>1/2 t salt</div><div>1/2 t pepper</div><div>1/4 t cumin</div><div>1/3c chopped onion</div><div><br />Combine all ingredients and place in a zip top bag. Add chicken or beef and seal bag. Marinate for several hours. (the longer the better) Grill meat and slice. Serve with flour tortillas, sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sauteed</span> onions and peppers, etc.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582641215922225394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpqznUpp_jT5PYeiz6IN30id3N939KT6C-RfnokIPYGc4RAdMCP7tcwHmhSsjW2a0QV3a6DVUu5S3TvexGbCTAn_PpxcSxAB3A8PYenLu5WhyEUl8a6Lk9pS_zjOyEsvriUpZbp2ynBc/s320/blog+015.JPG" /></div><div></div><div>I have children who <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">won't</span> touch a pepper with a 10 foot pole but who devour this salsa.<br /><br /><strong>Black Bean Salsa</strong></div><div><br /></div><div>1 can black beans, rinsed and drained </div><div>1 can corn, drained</div><div>2c. finely chopped sweet pepper (I usually use a cup each of red and orange to give more color)</div><div>1/2 c finely chopped red onion (I omit)</div><div><br /></div><div>Combine the above in a bowl.<br /></div><div>Stir together the following:</div><div><br /></div><div>1/2 c sour cream</div><div>1/4 c mayo</div><div>2 T red wine vinegar</div><div>1 t ground cumin</div><div>1t chili powder</div><div>1/2 t salt</div><div>1/4 t garlic powder</div><div>1/8 t pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>Pour over vegetables and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better it gets. Serve with "scoop" style tortilla chips. (This is a heavy salsa. The regular chips will break.)</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582641197552271506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiuunoUEH8rF4navOqjs9wHZbrGkmvIf6XUtl0z4Zwk2GxROkzPlMP1hLkD7hulax1-jh6iNQ5lE38tRmmkb4Opsbtxna5kNzgJIjgep1-0TtZTWPWVozhdSWgRoBVlLkQTPEcE-7emM/s320/blog+012.JPG" /></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-38509298266597027542011-03-03T10:11:00.000-08:002011-03-03T10:25:19.774-08:00Bubble pizzaThis is my kids new favorite lunch. I know it's not healthy, but finding something all eight of them love is difficult.<br /><br />2 pkg of canned biscuits (10 in each can)<br />pizza sauce<br />your favorite pizza toppings<br />mozzarella and/or cheddar cheese<br /><br />Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place all biscuit pieces in a greased 9 x 13 dish. Brown lb of ground beef or sausage. Mix with one jar of pizza sauce. Spread over biscuits. Top with pepperoni, mushrooms, etc. Cover with cheese to your liking. Bake covered for 1 hour.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-4664502039674580532011-01-17T19:05:00.000-08:002011-01-17T20:18:04.646-08:00Crock pot favoritesThis post is for my friend <a href="http://mefindingmichelle.blogspot.com/">Michelle</a>. She said she was in need of some new ways to use her crock pot, so I decided I would help her out. I would love to know your favorite recipe.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Country Style Steak</strong><br />This is our all time favorite crock pot recipe. There are 10 people in my family and EVERYONE likes this dish. Ten out of 10 positive votes is a rarity around here. My father-in-law also requests this recipe every time he comes to visit.<br /><br />4-6 pieces of cube steak (I have to adjust up. :-) )<br />3 cups water<br />large onion, sliced<br />1 package each of mushroom, brown and onion gravy mix<br /><br />Dredge steaks in flour. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a frying pan and brown steaks on each side. Place steaks in crock pot. Add 2 cups of the water and the sliced onion. Cook on low for 8 hours. One hour before serving mix the remaining cup of water with the 3 packages of gravy mix. The original recipe didn't change the temperature, but I switch mine to high to get a thicker gravy. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Pepperoncini Roast</strong><br /><br />This is a very popular dish in our church family. To the best of my knowledge, it originated with our pastor's wife.<br /><br />3lb chuck roast (or whatever size/cut you have)<br />envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing mix<br />1/2 jar sliced pepperoncinis with juice (located with the jalepenos, pickles, etc. in the grocery store)<br /><br />Place all ingredients in your crock pot. Cook on low 8+ hours. I turn mine on around 10:00 Saturday night. When I get up on Sunday, I break it apart and let it continue cooking until we return home from church. Depending on the size of your roast, a whole package of the dressing mix may be too much.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Sunday Roast</strong><br /><br />We eat lunch at home every other Sunday. We rotate among the roast above, this one and one other dish.<br /><br />3 lb chuck roast (my favorite cut)<br />1 pkg Lipton Onion soup mix<br />1 can cream of mushroom soup<br />potatoes, carrots and onions, chunked.<br /><br />Place roast and veggies in your crock pot. Cover with mushroom soup and sprinkle on soup mix. Depending on the size of your roast and number of veggies, you can use 2 cans. Do NOT add water. The soup and beef juices will make a nice gravy. Cook on low 8+ hours. I do the same thing with this roast I do with the one above.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Crock Pot <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stroganoff</span></strong><br />This is what we are having for dinner tomorrow night.<br /><br />2lb round steak<br />1/4c flour<br />1/2 tsp. pepper<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1tsp garlic bits<br />3 Tbsp butter<br />1 small onion<br />1 Tbsp soy sauce<br />2 beef bullion cubes<br />1 can cream of mushroom soup<br />1c. water<br />8oz pkg cream cheese<br /><br />Cut steak into 1 x 1/2 inch strips. Mix with flour, pepper, salt and garlic. Add to crock pot with rest of ingredients,except cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Stir occasionally. Last 1/2 hour add an 8oz package of cream cheese, cubed. Serve over cooked noodles. I like to serve this with a spinach salad and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">breadsticks</span>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Hot Pepper Casserole</strong><br />This is a unique dish that is a signature item of a dear lady in my church. Her dish is empty after ever fellowship meal.<br /><br />Combine <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">until</span> well blended:<br />4-5 eggs<br />1 large can evaporated fat-free milk<br />1 small can evaporated fat-free milk<br />2/3c. whole wheat flour<br /><br />Drain:<br />24 oz (3 c.) jalapenos, hot banana peppers or chopped green <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">chilies</span> (depends on your heat tolerance)<br /><br />Reserve 1/2 c. from:<br />32 oz bag shredded Mexican blend cheese<br /><br />Layer cheese and jalapenos. Pour milk mixture over.<br /><br />Top with:<br />8oz can tomato sauce<br /><br />Cook on high for about 2 hours, until firm. Refrigerate overnight for church. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and heat on low d<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">uring</span> the service.<br /><br />Or bake half a recipe in a 2 qt baking dish at 350 for 20 minutes. Add cheese and bake 25-30 minutes more.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Taco Soup</strong><br />We have this soup a lot in the fall and winter. I even made it ahead, froze it and took it to the beach with us last year.<br /><br />In a crock pot place the following:<br />pound of ground beef. browned and drained<br />1 medium onion, chopped (I use dried flakes)<br />15 1/4 oz can whole kernel corn, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">undrained</span><br />10 oz can <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ro</span>-tel, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">undrained</span><br />150z chili beans, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">undrained</span><br />10 3/4 oz tomato soup, undiluted<br />1 1/4 oz <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">envelope</span> taco seasoning<br />1c water<br /><br />Heat in crock pot 4 hours on low. Serve with tortilla chips and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Monterey</span> Jack (or other favorite) cheese.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Chicken in a Pot</strong><br />I haven't made this in a really long time. Actually I think I forgot about it until going through my recipe box. I'm moving it to the front. It will be on the table again soon.<br /><br />chicken pieces (whatever you like) or cut up boneless breasts<br />2 carrots<br />2 onions<br />2 potatoes<br />2 celery stalks<br />2 tsp salt<br />1 tsp pepper<br />1 can cream of mushroom soup<br />1/2 can water<br /><br />Chunk all vegetables. Place all the ingredients in your crock pot. Cook on low 7-8 hours.<br /><br />Tortilla Soup<br />I have 2 Fix-It and Forget-It cookbooks. When our stove was out for 3 weeks, I relied on them heavily. This is a recipe we first tried during that time and really enjoyed.<br /><br />4 chicken breast halves<br />1 garlic clove, minced<br />2 Tbsp margarine<br />2 14 1/2 ox cans chicken broth<br />2 14 1/2 oz cans stewed tomatoes (I use home canned and run them through the blender.)<br />1 c salsa<br />1/2 c chopped cilantro ( I omit)<br />1 Tbsp or more cumin<br />8 oz <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Monterey</span> Jack<br />sour cream<br />tortilla chips<br /><br />1. Cook, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">debone</span> and shred chicken<br />2. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to the crock pot, except cheese, sour cream and chips.<br />3. Cook on low 8-10 hours<br />Garnish as desired<br /><br />This is the original recipe. I made a note that I thought it could use some kind of beans. I'll probably use black or pinto next time I make it.<br /><br />You can find a couple of crock pot breakfast items <a href="http://lifeinafullshoe.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-for-breakfast.html">here</a>.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-23642307441951205072011-01-08T17:16:00.000-08:002011-01-13T12:31:45.500-08:00Soup's On!I love soup! I love the warmth of it, the variety and I love that I can make a huge batch and freeze the leftovers. We eat a lot of soup. Three of our favorites are copycat recipes from chain restaurants. I'm sharing those recipes today along my favorite Weight Watchers soup as part of <a href="http://http//raisingolives.com/">Raising Olives </a>and the 4 Moms.<br /><br /><strong>Carabas Sausage and Lentil Soup<br /><br /></strong>Tbsp oil<br />carrot,diced<br />2 stalks celery, diced<br />large onion, chopped<br />2 cloves garlic, crushed<br />lb hot Italian sausage* (bulk or links with casing removed)<br />8c. chicken broth<br />28 oz whole tomatoes<br />2c dried lentils<br />tsp salt<br />3/4 tsp black pepper<br />1/2 tsp red pepper flakes<br />1/2 tsp oregano<br />1/2tsp thyme<br />1/2 tsp fennel seeds (I omit)<br />bay leaf<br /><br />In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Saute until tender. Remove vegetables from the pan and add sausage. Brown and drain off the fat. In a large stock pot, place chicken broth, vegetables and meat. Add tomatoes breaking them up with your hands. (My husband hates chunks of tomatoes so I run them through the blender.)<br /><br />Add dried lentils which have been washed according to the package directions. Add seasonings. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Remove 1/3 of the soup, run it through the blender and return it to the pot. Check seasoning and remove bay leaf.<br /><br />*I think this soup is very spicy if you use hot sausage and the red pepper flakes. The last time I made it I didn't use the hot and like it much better.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560663365852168482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9NSkWBTSLsgWrG-XypXTKqmVJ8zJ8fcHTzsowwOyn_PGQQh-Jd_c8JhsWf-mJKqVe21GDbOoJ0ODMRSbXPDuEnoq9gSLbygpIVDSzRN5Vua3gM3fWsS5dzMo_XFkOi04ZGk-wxecXio/s320/1-10-11+004.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup<br /></strong><br />This is one soup everyone in my family is happy to see on the table. I've had kids ask for it for their birthday meal! I personally think this recipe is MUCH better than the soup served in the restaurant.<br /><br />tbsp oil<br />lb chicken breasts (approx. 3 fillets)<br />1/2c diced onion<br />garlic clove, pressed<br />4c chicken broth<br />1c masa harina (corn flour available in the Mexican food section of the grocery store)<br />3c water<br />1c enchilada sauce (I use a 10oz can)<br />16 oz Velveeta<br />tsp salt<br />tsp chili powder<br />1/2 tsp cumin<br /><br />Garnish<br />shredded cheddar cheese<br />crumbled corn tortilla chips<br />pico de gallo<br /><br />Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and brown for 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.<br /><br />Add onions and garlic to pot and saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add chicken broth. Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to pot with onions, garlic and broth. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese and spices to pot and bring mixture to a boil. Shred chicken into small, bite-sized pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick. Serve soup in bowls and garnish as desired. (We use Fritos.)<br /><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561490634245489954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pR0fOW1SZ2JxYzE73NS5QpTljOkmefCht-Ud2CFZ4QlNqvhNx-8BNMBE8Z68kut37Ed3Eho82K642K3pAIEfZGgNG5MTo2YkXcVJsq_7RXczaVDRXkXoGtcVaEoIfi717xB915ofWQU/s320/food_007.JPG" /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong>Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup </strong><br /><strong></strong><br />I've never been to this restaurant, but I LOVE this soup.<br /><br />2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)<br />3 Tbsp butter<br />1 cup diced onion<br />2 Tbsp flour<br />4c chicken stock<br />2c water<br />1/4c cornstarch<br />1 1/2c instant mashed potatoes<br />tsp salt<br />3/4 tsp pepper<br />1/2 tsp basil<br />1/8 tsp thyme<br />cup half and half<br /><br />Garnish<br />shredded cheddar cheese<br />bacon<br />green onions<br /><br />Bake potatoes, peel and chop. Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. Add stock, water cornstarch, mashed potatoes and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chopped potato and half and half, bring soup back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick. Garnish individual bowls as desired.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Cuban Black Bean Soup (3 pts)</strong><br /><br />I found this recipe in a Weight Watcher's magazine. The kids and I thought it was pretty yummy. I served it with Rosemary Flatbread that came from the same magazine.<br /><br />1c refrigerated prechopped celery, onion and bell pepper mix (I just chopped fresh)<br />15oz can reduced-sodium black beans<br />14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained<br />2c vegetable broth<br />1/2 tsp cumin<br />1/4 tsp crushed red pepper<br />1/8 tsp ground allspice<br />1/4c reduced-fat sour cream<br />1/4c chopped green onions<br /><br />Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add vegetable mix to pan; saute 2 minutes. Stir in beans and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mash beans slightly with a potato masher. Stir until coup is slightly thickened. Top each serving with sour cream and onions. Makes 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix071v6eyWBgvlqspvV0HUBuhbjuMsa2Bz1P3HGTmcGC3kNnS4z76yaJyKcwYVkTywqg7QXgxcS6dXwAgLU1uD6fUaV2OQGxtsRlkIKPzTMGPmmqdKPUvdreB5qKMiLY8GCpvqwlkAhak/s1600/DSC03812.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560661648676795746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix071v6eyWBgvlqspvV0HUBuhbjuMsa2Bz1P3HGTmcGC3kNnS4z76yaJyKcwYVkTywqg7QXgxcS6dXwAgLU1uD6fUaV2OQGxtsRlkIKPzTMGPmmqdKPUvdreB5qKMiLY8GCpvqwlkAhak/s320/DSC03812.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>.</strong>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-51983737869965982792011-01-06T13:50:00.001-08:002011-01-07T15:02:32.913-08:00A Snowy Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuiBtBrLOzMZ8ZKtohbHgsRdU_loABY4l-U1zRap6nmPDfwnYeW96Oc9kkUrd3Rxpgt86M3wuL-jB7betBMB3E5_MyPjgxQuvHqyuhiGb4FLLaColn9LX2hRNLj1q3z9-ueLew0kOeXY/s1600/christmas-snow+031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559581095505153954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuiBtBrLOzMZ8ZKtohbHgsRdU_loABY4l-U1zRap6nmPDfwnYeW96Oc9kkUrd3Rxpgt86M3wuL-jB7betBMB3E5_MyPjgxQuvHqyuhiGb4FLLaColn9LX2hRNLj1q3z9-ueLew0kOeXY/s320/christmas-snow+031.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Wednesday night we received about 2 inches of fluffy wet snow. This was one of the prettiest snows we've had this winter because it clung to everything. After breakfast and Bible time we took a "recess" from school and went out to play. I grabbed my camera and tried to capture some of the beauty around us.<br /><br />I can see this farm from my backyard. I often admire it whenever I am outside. Today it was especially beautiful.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7axo7w0zmn0NkkPiiZsGmgCwMFT_gWjsp_I8SZRNfkNT27OFBjSg0XwXU3du9eCEmbgnQNvH1CyuWFH0pi37WJaV_BEnx0XAeu1t_cWUJ8unuEAJ60x4Q_zszATuZ9OXLfHONGkNjzOs/s1600/christmas-snow+033.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559581098005753234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7axo7w0zmn0NkkPiiZsGmgCwMFT_gWjsp_I8SZRNfkNT27OFBjSg0XwXU3du9eCEmbgnQNvH1CyuWFH0pi37WJaV_BEnx0XAeu1t_cWUJ8unuEAJ60x4Q_zszATuZ9OXLfHONGkNjzOs/s320/christmas-snow+033.jpg" /></a><br />These trees are on a property across the road from me. I just wanted lots of trees, but when I uploaded the picture I discovered a surprise. Can you spot it?<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVXdqiV1I4ae3Cwd1AdLSj2uHySjvQqpXGlOjIkLdhkQW2v-cfkSsrTdCq2in9i69WAKshF-WGCAcdW1PYI2CBsAtJj1h_yNtIpPZH7nSdndDGQIO21pN_RvpgDnrmqjfUM73t1oAod0/s1600/christmas-snow+030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 172px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559581091043469730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVXdqiV1I4ae3Cwd1AdLSj2uHySjvQqpXGlOjIkLdhkQW2v-cfkSsrTdCq2in9i69WAKshF-WGCAcdW1PYI2CBsAtJj1h_yNtIpPZH7nSdndDGQIO21pN_RvpgDnrmqjfUM73t1oAod0/s320/christmas-snow+030.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span>The kids had fun sledding, using the saucer and building a snowman.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2_9eDPdlRZCfKSDGhU5TKt9vcsKiDL2n_nvn69dNtDvEX5lZAi-j6a20gX9OxRfJrIy4Lf_s3Ll2VkuvauO22olhp79vScA5OlMfumWDqZuPX_4x7SX7GP42CvvwrmiyjoXFzMFrUO4/s1600/christmas-snow+036.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559581100793957618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2_9eDPdlRZCfKSDGhU5TKt9vcsKiDL2n_nvn69dNtDvEX5lZAi-j6a20gX9OxRfJrIy4Lf_s3Ll2VkuvauO22olhp79vScA5OlMfumWDqZuPX_4x7SX7GP42CvvwrmiyjoXFzMFrUO4/s320/christmas-snow+036.JPG" /></a>We always finish off our snow time with a mug of hot chocolate. While we were at my parents' home after Christmas I gave Andrew a mug to drink water from. He quickly pointed out, "That is for hot chocolate!" Here is the recipe I always have on hand during the winter. Some of the kids like to add marshmallows while others top theirs with Cool Whip. We also add a splash of creme de menthe.<br /><br /><strong>Hot Chocolate Mix</strong></div><div>Pound box of Nestle Quik<br />8qt. box instant milk<br />6oz jar coffee creamer<br />1/2 pound powdered sugar<br /><br />Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and store in an air tight container. To make hot chocolate measure 1/3 c of the mixture into a mug and fill with boiling water. Stir.<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcaVcG9enURShTHNVtUV_IN3bwvJ2bKb6AYcIKMVq0lanhNVy5Hz5Hl8-VTz6pYtoOE6EK04hY1twyjvvTzsrss6OMWYYKai-WkQWMHMf_4-yEfCNhwuHozbIIm3_l0gq99LdNOBIXBs/s1600/Christmas+2010+057.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559280898147689314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcaVcG9enURShTHNVtUV_IN3bwvJ2bKb6AYcIKMVq0lanhNVy5Hz5Hl8-VTz6pYtoOE6EK04hY1twyjvvTzsrss6OMWYYKai-WkQWMHMf_4-yEfCNhwuHozbIIm3_l0gq99LdNOBIXBs/s320/Christmas+2010+057.JPG" /></a><br />While the kids were having "recess", I had time to do some extra cooking. I love having homemade soup for lunch when it's cold outside. Today I made chicken noodle soup and homemade French bread. I LOVE this bread recipe. It's the second time I've made it this week.<br /><br /><br /><strong>French Bread</strong> (from my friend Sarah)<br /></div><div align="left">Dissolve 2 1/2 tsp yeast in 1 1/2 c warm water. Combine 5c bread flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar. Add 1c flour mixture at a time. (I usually have to add an extra 1/4c of water) Knead 4 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover. Let rise 45-60 minutes.* Divide in 1/2. Roll on surface sprinkled with cornmeal. Tightly roll to form a loaf. Place seam side down in a French bread pan. Let rise until double. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees. (I cover with foil after 10 minutes.)<br /><br />* I heat my oven to 200 degrees and then turn it off. I place my dough inside covered with plastic wrap to rise.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAJCvUUqApO14KcksrmiVlUtZKxSOyy_Vw-pLbQ5Sn0H9QHu0dbiihaNrkzQ2RVTDLKQsJ5rhpOB-0n84qzn_7x1q7sFOX_0dw3_oFyS4TaX52FWEfDTGl1AKZ_MUvsCnBuWq5tQFFd4/s1600/Christmas+2010+054.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559280892949646786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAJCvUUqApO14KcksrmiVlUtZKxSOyy_Vw-pLbQ5Sn0H9QHu0dbiihaNrkzQ2RVTDLKQsJ5rhpOB-0n84qzn_7x1q7sFOX_0dw3_oFyS4TaX52FWEfDTGl1AKZ_MUvsCnBuWq5tQFFd4/s320/Christmas+2010+054.JPG" /></a> </div></div>PS It's snowing again! :-)Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-36670259893879980652010-11-04T12:16:00.000-07:002010-11-04T12:30:54.232-07:00A Year's Worth of Memories.This week <a href="http://raisingolives.com/2010/11/homemade-christmas-gifts/">Raising Olives</a> and the other 4 Moms are sharing ideas for homemade Christmas gifts. Several years ago I gave my parents a Memory Jar. I typed out 365 memories of time spent growing up in their home (My husband and children contributed approx. 50 of them. The older your children, the more they can participate.), cut them apart and placed them in a decorative jar. Beginning Jan. 1st my parents selected one each day to read. They enjoyed it so much that they saved the slips of paper and did it again the following year.<br /><br />Creating this gift was very inexpensive but did take several months to complete. This is not something you want to pull together at the last minute. I found it worked well to think about different topics when I became "stuck." (vacations, holidays, daily life, pets, etc.) An added bonus was allowing my children to read the memories and know more about me as a child. This is a gift my parents really enjoyed and I enjoyed my walk down memory lane.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-40384741863152646912010-10-24T08:51:00.000-07:002010-10-30T18:15:58.221-07:00Elementary Age ToysAs the gift giving season rolls around again, I thought I would share some toys that have been very popular in our house. I don't like "fad" toys. You know, the ones that are here today and gone tomorrow. The ones people stand in line for hours to buy the day after Thanksgiving only to have the child put them <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">aside</span> by New Year's Day. I'm not a big fan of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">electronic</span> toys either. We do own a few remote control vehicles (which my boys love) and a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wii</span>, but for the most part our kids spend their time interacting with things they can build with, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">design</span>, use their imagination, etc. While the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wii</span> is fun for a our Family Fun Nights, it's the toys below that my kids pull out almost on a daily basis.<br /><br />My favorite toys are construction toys or toys that can be put together in different ways. Nothing holds a child's attention more than something they can create themselves and do differently the next time. Many of our favorites are classics that have stood the test of time. We enjoy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Legos</span>, Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs at our house. I recently went downstairs to discover that my 10, 12 and 14 year old daughters had constructed a Lincoln Log village.<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531802594170789618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTCDAKaJywGEIrBSdkHIuvolUe45kmDZmHhHxEmlao1fqbLAoZ6MdEueQtrCfk0yyykx5eeF5fpEtB2BYMk55UIAMSFANePnSuvr7qNjlmarR8A4nxva4ciXexH1aAJzdw_8QSbIaagQ/s320/blog+063.JPG" /><br />My girls have also enjoyed this <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">geodesign</span> board and pixel blocks. Both of ours are from Discovery Toys, but neither are currently available. I found a wooden <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">geoboard</span> I like a lot (and may replace ours with it) at <a href="http://www.hearthsong.com/Mosaic-Puzzle_p3596.html">Hearthsong</a>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0EiSYcSj9coJ9w8_zZ5yBfLwGIV9gp8FvlLli26NbGdOOPh7Q5RwWAyxBkNdpcm1uPvFLUdn4YqIkc5jibp1VadqE0iIGQ3rfYxiPV5-eAoGnjUvVL-Rj9_8JmAAFSp01CkY8WBvHes/s1600/blog+013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532906990727773410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0EiSYcSj9coJ9w8_zZ5yBfLwGIV9gp8FvlLli26NbGdOOPh7Q5RwWAyxBkNdpcm1uPvFLUdn4YqIkc5jibp1VadqE0iIGQ3rfYxiPV5-eAoGnjUvVL-Rj9_8JmAAFSp01CkY8WBvHes/s320/blog+013.JPG" /></a></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532906978530760930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcgFH2-c_gsoprbqXIgOWkxjOSZ6sB4prZqzsBolWR4OZrWX-QxvhiqBTjGOUPt_cgybbIGzqIRRH84duQPeruyCLzVfBEyVTb6zK2zmTxhK_8L6bu_n_SD876pjVZSSomXEQcuyH7pI/s320/blog+012.JPG" />Pixel blocks are tiny cubes that can be stacked to make 3-D creations or attached horizontally to make a picture. They come in many different colors. Here the girls made lots of different pictures and attached them like a patchwork quilt. One of their most amazing designs was a scene from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I found a set similar to ours at <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTCDAKaJywGEIrBSdkHIuvolUe45kmDZmHhHxEmlao1fqbLAoZ6MdEueQtrCfk0yyykx5eeF5fpEtB2BYMk55UIAMSFANePnSuvr7qNjlmarR8A4nxva4ciXexH1aAJzdw_8QSbIaagQ/s1600/blog+063.JPG%20Pixelblocks%20are%20tiny%20squares%20of%20various%20colors%20that%20can%20be%20stacked%20to%20build%203-D%20creations%20or%20attached%20horizontally%20to%20make%20pictures.%20This%20one%20is%20currently%20sitting%20in%20our%20breakfast%20room%20window.%20The%20girls%20made%20lots%20of%20individual%20pictures%20and%20attached%20them%20like%20a%20quilt.%20Another%20of%20their%20more%20elaborate%20creations%20was%20a%20scene%20from%20The%20Lion,%20the%20Witch%20and%20the%20Wardrobe.%20I%20found%20a%20set%20similar%20to%20ours%20at%20%3Ca%20href=">Amazon</a>.<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KIiMJQG2lmSpE1EskYZcRYMnvrb5_XzeX637aEg9U2K70T_m5GfvxQcAxg0e16ZYk8LYnvKM1068ElcFZzFcf6wcmlTy6-BGahYh0OoCdM0Ds0q05Yz5c4Gxwu9GGn1mKMKiEsqCLEQ/s1600/blog+003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532915619730583586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KIiMJQG2lmSpE1EskYZcRYMnvrb5_XzeX637aEg9U2K70T_m5GfvxQcAxg0e16ZYk8LYnvKM1068ElcFZzFcf6wcmlTy6-BGahYh0OoCdM0Ds0q05Yz5c4Gxwu9GGn1mKMKiEsqCLEQ/s320/blog+003.JPG" /></a></p>Everyone likes <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedgits-Creativity-Set-Piece-Building/dp/B002WK42VY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1287975253&sr=1-2"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wedgits</span></a>. (Ours had been put away for awhile. When I got them out to do this post, the kids literally fought over who was going to play with them first. ) <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wedgits</span> are both a construction toy and a puzzle. On the most basic level it is a construction toy. My 18 month old can stack them, knock them down and stack them again. My 3 and almost 5 year old can build purposeful towers in a multitude of ways. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wedgits</span> set comes with a set of cards for the older children. Each card has a picture of a figure the child is supposed to replicate. The cards are labeled according to difficulty. The easier ones are straight forward however the higher levels are more challenging and require thinking "outside the box" in order to recreate the shape.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531656767160910898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSXbuMuXn4D8wijKejj6IaJib8IsUVlj7UixzGP6sSEgDB-vPs4YMTB9ZHQ2GqqBvlIdsn8Bc5r40H6qp6V-pteG6bUb4U5OTffKHo_eWdHo-L6tosJQblon5Yk6innWuRPYWZ8O12K4/s320/blog+051.JPG" /> Kathryn (almost 5) built this tower.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531656771001609826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uP1tgC4cQQ9kKBZONi4nX7DVUS90oUWnJAnUZcubav0Vn5GyFDzQOiL15BytlQYncx1IoPvlm6QfZaosUNyyLSeYN09y33i102ZmggQg8NzteE1G_jFiaZ8jjPOi2NaQSJRAtxcFJpc/s320/blog+059.JPG" /> Will (7) and I worked on this card. It's not as easy as it looks!<br /><br />We like puzzles. Traditional 100-500 piece puzzles are a favorite with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ravensburger</span> being our preferred puzzle maker. I often buy them on eBay. We also enjoy puzzles that must be solved. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-5040-ThinkFun-Rush/dp/B00004WJSN/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1287936572&sr=1-2">Rush Hour </a>has been enjoyed by several at our house. It comes with plastic cars and a set of cards. On one side of each card it tells you how to arrange the cars on the board. The object is then to get the red car out. If you aren't able to solve it, or need help, the solution is on the back.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531656764601600866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtd3ZbBRCQGSFFI2wrsdNqiT24moOb384vRJyOXExNXPZnO0ybdwupb9duNY_nbFep9WVPKrKMxqZzD1fKtAkF-zGSifOSIIWI1p4Ik9kmVzLokHmSSYJe7G2IhaEQwqRfBMbpeo-YDUA/s320/blog+046.JPG" /><a href="http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playmobil</span></a> is another favorite company. Their products have provided my children with many hours of enjoyment setting up scenes and acting out stories. Last year we gave the castle set to all of our children as a shared Christmas present. Even my then 13 year old was thrilled. The one thing I don't like about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playmobil</span> is all the tiny pieces. I sometimes get tired of the tiny guns, flashlights, small basket of carrots and even cuffs for some outfits that I find lying around. I try not to vacuum them up, but I must admit I have done it on more than one occasion. We try to keep each set sorted into different boxes. This is a job I definitely leave to the kids, because I have no idea if a particular sword belongs to a knight, a pirate or a Roman soldier!<br /><br />Hayley (10) purchased this small house/barn with money she received for her birthday. If you aren't familiar with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playmobil</span>, this should give you an idea of how small the pieces are but also how detailed your scene can be. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playmobil</span> is pricey but well made. We've made several <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playmobil</span> purchases from eBay and even found sets at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">yardsales</span>.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531659894829833090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVdejoruZZfUdWTXxaQ6wWWvCCXqB-xzsCTrutlC3fz4zmZyVVRx1v6SSfVJ68UkHmuFqYlR_SOz99xQOdcuy0FK-bbkJFhj_-0L_5es6d34Yipu3GPNVyGkKCBUPv5b25rNgskXG7r8/s320/blog+066.JPG" /><br /><br />Even older girls still enjoy dolls. When our girls are 7, they may select one of the large 18" dolls. So far we have Kirsten and Samantha from the <a href="http://www.americangirl.com/index.php">American Girl Company</a> and Liberty from <a href="http://www.visionforum.com/browse/product/?productid=72564&cid=495">Vision Forum</a>. My girls have really enjoyed these dolls and the books about them. Ashley (at 14) still has Kirsten in her room. I suspect she will be retired to the attic in another year or two and carefully saved until she can giver her to here own daughter.<br /><br />Will is a University of Tennessee fan. When he was 5, we gave him a set of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Football-Guys-Kaskey-Kids-Blue/dp/B000GDGWWQ">Football Guys </a>in UT uniform for his birthday. He has enjoyed them immensely. We have since add the Hockey, Baseball and Soccer Guys to our collection. I rotate our children's toys from time to time to keep them "new", however these sports figures have remained on the shelves since they were received. One of the boys will often get them out when watching a game on TV to recreate what's happening. I've also seen them be creative by putting baseball cards or their Safari animals on the field/rink.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2N1cZF75CuFZ2hHOJfu_8JFhPDzaQKqUket0D69jka8U6wwLKuH5DKKDV94uKz3qVS-9R-ufQzgPQIW4CKVCqDqgy9PFmGmFbL3uVwLMGPz4NoYcoCv7eUlqPc9CurNBYYhkvp97xKw/s1600/blog+062.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531656790212219730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2N1cZF75CuFZ2hHOJfu_8JFhPDzaQKqUket0D69jka8U6wwLKuH5DKKDV94uKz3qVS-9R-ufQzgPQIW4CKVCqDqgy9PFmGmFbL3uVwLMGPz4NoYcoCv7eUlqPc9CurNBYYhkvp97xKw/s320/blog+062.JPG" /></a> Several years ago Will started collecting animals from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TIGER-CUB-by-Safari-Ltd/dp/B0009JJQ9S/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1287975421&sr=1-1">Safari</a>. At first I though they were cute but didn't really see them as being a toy that would get a lot of attention. Boy was I wrong. Luke (9) and Hayley (10) have joined in collecting them and I think someone in our house plays with them almost everyday. I've seen them do normal things like set up a zoo and strange things like create 2 teams of animals to play football! These animals are well made with good attention to detail. The picture below shows a small sampling of our current collection.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQtFSAXAr8TSP2KyyGrnnIDzyFV2mwmtcl_Qy_AKZGU4p60oaKtJyj61NeIRbkGNtTsBdg3t3qQ-QO40KZv8UpLiFFsEUg6sG4jmJzg8fuXMLZA83Rug_TPjAsQbQAvLIh9w8d0OSA-4/s1600/blog+061.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531656777429800658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQtFSAXAr8TSP2KyyGrnnIDzyFV2mwmtcl_Qy_AKZGU4p60oaKtJyj61NeIRbkGNtTsBdg3t3qQ-QO40KZv8UpLiFFsEUg6sG4jmJzg8fuXMLZA83Rug_TPjAsQbQAvLIh9w8d0OSA-4/s320/blog+061.JPG" /></a><br />So now you've seen what's popular at our house. We've owned our share of toys that have lots of lights, sounds and talk to you, but they don't tend to be the ones the children go to time and time again. Toys that allow them to use their imagination and their own creativity seem to be what make successful toys at our house.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-10365008102951678462010-10-15T19:38:00.001-07:002010-10-18T15:52:54.108-07:00Books, Books and More Books<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDIQkY6bJQ3ITS2aM4NxZRG8RFbWx2SYPPCCMTEwfxW94kl_RdsWViPykm2BmZso3q_uDpnMiM6vopjdvKl8cd5lo5z7wphTJuuZGsL20JEFz3Jl89mtnThONCkNLN3KkEdI9EAdUJNQ/s1600/blog+038.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529522017016796274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDIQkY6bJQ3ITS2aM4NxZRG8RFbWx2SYPPCCMTEwfxW94kl_RdsWViPykm2BmZso3q_uDpnMiM6vopjdvKl8cd5lo5z7wphTJuuZGsL20JEFz3Jl89mtnThONCkNLN3KkEdI9EAdUJNQ/s320/blog+038.JPG" /></a>While I enjoy reading books to my toddlers, I love the picture books I share with my preschoolers best. There are books in the this list that make me laugh and some that make me cry. Some of them I love for the pictures as much as the story. Select a book from this list to share with your child, and I don't think you will be disappointed.<br /><br /><div></div><div>Where's Our Mama?</div><div>If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and others in this series</div><div>Big Green Pocketbook</div><div>Little Bear's Trousers</div><div>Mouse Mess</div><div>Fergus's Upside-Down Day</div><div>Henry and Mudge books</div><div>Mr. Putter and Tabby books</div><div>The Little House</div><div>Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel</div><div>Stand Back Said the Elephant I'm Going to Sneeze</div><div>Miss Rumphius</div><div>Miss Fannie's Hat</div><div>The Relatives Came</div><div>All the Places to Love</div><div>My Great Aunt Arizona</div><div>Make Way for Ducklings<br />Blueberries for Sal</div><div>Chick-a Chick-a Boom Boom</div><div>The Old Woman Who Named Things (probably my favorite on the whole list)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We always give our kids a few books for Christmas. Any suggestions for what I can give this year?</div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-42336131047908736782010-10-15T19:08:00.000-07:002010-10-16T07:02:02.250-07:00First BooksWe love books at our house. It's hard to homeschool without owning a lot of books, but I think we still have a lot. When we moved to TX the movers told us we had more boxes than any move they had ever done before. I'm sure the number of books we own contributed greatly to the total. I often tell people, "First we buy books. If there is money left over, then we eat!".<br /><br />I love cuddling on the couch with my young children and reading a good book. I love it even more when a little one brings a book to me saying, "read." Today I'm going to share with you some of our favorite board books. These are the books my children ask for so often I have memorized them. We've discovered a few new ones a long the, way but many have been in our home since our first born. I'll be hanging on to them to share with my grandchildren some day.<br /><br />Goodnight Moon<br />The Very Hungry Caterpillar<br />Brown Bear, Brown Bear and others by Eric Carle<br />The Big Red Barn<br />Guess How Much I Love You<br />Barnyard Dance and others by Sandra Boynton<br />I Love You As Much<br />The Mitten and others by Jan Brett<br />Runaway Bunny<br />We're Going on a Bear Hunt<br />The Snowy Day<br />Ten Little Lady Bugs<br />Jamberry<br />So Many Bunnies<br /><br />What are your favorites?Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-91944352214365557742010-10-14T10:59:00.001-07:002010-10-14T14:09:05.090-07:00What's for Breakfast?<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1zGIadZRnfh5TiFOf_cq3O_h8k92GjYzO0-BbdAyRLenrIe545RAZRO21phqbu6vEZ9n0zkmSdCAr6TXBxv0cfaDHiwWcT14kSIryTYh2zUYPN8ygfNpWiNTYtkm7e1CIiuC2yKGxgI/s1600/sci+004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527977354912134050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1zGIadZRnfh5TiFOf_cq3O_h8k92GjYzO0-BbdAyRLenrIe545RAZRO21phqbu6vEZ9n0zkmSdCAr6TXBxv0cfaDHiwWcT14kSIryTYh2zUYPN8ygfNpWiNTYtkm7e1CIiuC2yKGxgI/s320/sci+004.JPG" /></a> (ham and swiss muffins)</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">Today I'm linking up with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/raisingolives.com">Kimberly</a> and the Four Moms to share breakfast ideas. Breakfast at our house is fairly simple and we stick to a rotating menu (except when I'm without an oven for four weeks :-) ). My daughters each have a day that they are responsible for breakfast. I take care of the rest.</div><div align="left"><br />Monday- muffins and yogurt (One of my daughters makes muffins each week and we freeze them.)</div><div align="left">Tuesday- cheese toast and applesauce</div><div align="left">Wednesday- sausage and eggs with toast</div><div align="left">Thursday- fruit smoothie with peanut butter graham crackers or yogurt sundaes with homemade peanut butter granola</div><div align="left">Fri- My choice</div><div align="left">Saturday- Whole wheat pancakes or waffles</div><div align="left">Sunday- rotates among items I can make ahead</div><div align="left"><br />Sunday mornings are crazy enough with all of 10 of us getting ready for church without the hassle of an extended breakfast preparation. However our worship service runs longer than most and then our family enjoys a lengthy time of fellowship afterwards. It's usually around 1:30 before we eat lunch, so we need a hearty breakfast. I often use recipes I can make ahead. With 3 sous chefs in the house, one of them is usually assigned one of the following recipes as a Sat. chore.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Amish Breakfast Casserole</strong></div><div align="left">1lb bacon, diced</div><div align="left">1 medium sweet onion, diced (I use dried flakes if I'm making this ahead, otherwise the taste is too strong.)</div><div align="left">6 eggs, lightly beaten</div><div align="left">4c frozen shredded hashbrown potatoes, thawed (I use more)</div><div align="left">2c shredded cheddar cheese</div><div align="left">12 oz small-curd cottage cheese</div><div align="left">1 1/4c shredded swiss cheese</div><div align="left"><br />In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp; drain. In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients; stir in bacon mixture. Transfer to a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or refrigerate overnight and then bake. (may need to extend baking time)</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Breakfast Casserole</strong></div><div align="left">6 slices bread, crusts removed</div><div align="left">1lb sausage cooked and drained</div><div align="left">1 1/2c. shredded cheddar cheese</div><div align="left">6 eggs</div><div align="left">2c. milk</div><div align="left">1tsp salt</div><div align="left">dash pepper</div><div align="left">dash dry mustard</div><div align="left"><br />Grease a 9/13 dish. Place bread on bottom (I usually add an extra slice or two, if the bottom isn't covered.) Place cooked sausage on top of bread. Cover this with cheese. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Ham and Cheese Quiche</strong> (makes 2)</div><div align="left">2 9 inch pastry shells</div><div align="left">2 cups cooked, diced ham</div><div align="left">2 tsp dried minced onion</div><div align="left">2c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded</div><div align="left">4 eggs</div><div align="left">2c half and half</div><div align="left">1/2 tsp salt</div><div align="left">1/4 tsp pepper</div><div align="left"><br />Line unpricked pastry shells with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. </div><div align="left"><br />Divide ham, cheese and onion between the shells. In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream,salt and pepper. Pour into shells. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Or cover edges with foil and bake at 400 for 35-40 or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Breakfast Burritos</strong></div><div align="left">bulk sausage</div><div align="left">hashbrowns</div><div align="left">eggs</div><div align="left">shredded cheese</div><div align="left">tortillas</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Brown as much sausage, cook as many hashbrowns and scramble as many eggs as you think you will need. Warm tortillas. Line up the ingredients in bowls and construct burritos. Some of my kids don't like all the ingredients so they can make their own the way they like it. We then wrap them in aluminum foil and put the child's name on the outside. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. Heat in the microwave. Serve plain or with salsa. I suggest allowing them to thaw before heating, if they've been frozen.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Baked Oatmeal</strong> (Everyone at my house likes this, and that is a great accomplishment!)</div><div align="left">3c. rolled oats</div><div align="left">3/4 c. brown sugar</div><div align="left">2 tsp baking powder</div><div align="left">1 tsp salt</div><div align="left">1 tsp cinnamon</div><div align="left">1c milk</div><div align="left">1/2 butter or margarine, melted (can sub applesauce, if desired)</div><div align="left">2 eggs</div><div align="left"><br />Mix together and bake in a greased 8x8 at 350 for 35-40 minutes. (Or tightly cover and refrigerate overnight) Cut and serve warm, with a little milk over each square if desired.</div><div align="left"><br />We often add frozen blueberries and for the kids' birthdays I throw in a few chocolate chips!</div><div align="left"><br /><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong>Ham & Swiss Muffins</strong></div><div align="left">1 pkg crescent rolls</div><div align="left">3 eggs, beaten</div><div align="left">1/2 lb ham, cut up (I cube deli ham)</div><div align="left">3 tsp Dijon mustard (I use 1 1/2)</div><div align="left">1 c. shredded Swiss cheese</div><div align="left">1/4 tsp pepper</div><div align="left"><br />Mix all but crescent rolls. Pinch off dough and place in greased mini-muffin tin pan to form cups. Fill with mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 min.</div><div align="left"><br />Sometimes we bake these ahead and heat them in the microwave. However, my husband LOVES these and prefers them hot so we usually mix up the ham and cheese the night before and assemble them the next morning.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Peanut Butter Granola</strong></div><div align="left">6c dry oatmeal</div><div align="left">1/2c wheat germ (I use 1 c.)</div><div align="left">1/2c toasted coconut (I omit)</div><div align="left">1/2 c sunflower seeds (I use 1c ground flax seed)</div><div align="left">1/2 c raisins</div><div align="left">1c butter (sometimes I use 1/2)</div><div align="left">1c peanut butter</div><div align="left">1c brown sugar</div><div align="left"><br />Combine the first 5 in a large slow cooker. Melt together the next 3. Pour over oatmeal and stir to coat. Cook on low 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Breakfast Apple Cobbler</strong></div><div align="left">8 medium apples, cored, peeled, sliced</div><div align="left">1/4 c sugar</div><div align="left">dash of cinnamon</div><div align="left">juice of 1 lemon</div><div align="left">1/4c butter, melted</div><div align="left">2c granola</div><div align="left"><br />Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low 7-9 hours or on high 2-3. Serve plain or over vanilla yogurt.</div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-60841805776916491412010-10-14T05:28:00.000-07:002010-10-24T08:51:27.071-07:00More Toddler ToysHere is a picture of the peg set I mentioned in the <a href="http://lifeinafullshoe.blogspot.com/2010/10/few-of-my-favorite-things">post below</a>. Kids can build with it or you can use it to teach colors, counting, patterns, etc. I've never been disappointed with any product from Lauri.<br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527987832528900610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19JrxEHtt3eeJfVNwzkPlZtH6zjvz4nwQkXyywrkaz0w5fPMn3eVUxFXRFljjbvg6hpxGVEPJUjGZF-KtmR-vBDUgqrNYPj0kERcoS_OGhMJDZIrfrQAOMfUz1aoearoRUGTp9YNXSnc/s320/blog+044.JPG" /></div><br /><br /><div>A friend suggested adding a wooden train set to the list. I agree. I was planning to put it in my elementary toy recommendations, but after she mentioned it I realized my just turned 3 year old spends lots of time playing with ours. He can construct a simple track but really likes it when one of his older siblings builds an elaborate one with lots of hills. </div><br /><div>Many wooden track sets are compatible with other sets. We started with a Melissa & Doug set I purchased on eBay. We've added lots of pieces from the Thomas & Friends set. I think Brio also works with these two. I like giving gifts that can be added to over the years. My mom gave Andrew a new accessory for his birthday on Monday.<br /></div><div>When we first got our train, I wanted one of the nice train tables with built in storage drawers. I also wanted the track permanently fixed to the table. We couldn't afford a table at the time, so I just bought a big Rubbermaid tub to store it in. That was 5 years ago and it's still in the tub. I am SO glad we didn't attach it to anything. I think our children have enjoyed it MUCH more by being able to build a different track every time they play. It also allows me to be able to store it out of sight for awhile and bring it out again after a few months. (I just learned my friend, <a href="http://raisingolives.com/2010/10/train-table-set-giveaway/">Kimberly</a>, is offering her readers a chance to win a train table from Constructive Playthings. Check out her blog for your chance to win.)</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeG7c5HBRm-QuggIaqVldSTg8IksNB8g4oiam-2hF0l6HzY7l9DZWSUrNl1aCBblV0Aa336uy0lXw4QIX3HRgBJA9QHDtZiywAs1H_rbnNjZUyVTknzd_5WtnjJ7g-HlyoGgbfpYRhrU/s1600/blog+072.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 304px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527987852264202770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeG7c5HBRm-QuggIaqVldSTg8IksNB8g4oiam-2hF0l6HzY7l9DZWSUrNl1aCBblV0Aa336uy0lXw4QIX3HRgBJA9QHDtZiywAs1H_rbnNjZUyVTknzd_5WtnjJ7g-HlyoGgbfpYRhrU/s320/blog+072.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>A couple of obvious suggestions are baby dolls and cars/trucks. With 4 girls, we have acquired quite a collection of dolls, clothes and other accessories. We've especially enjoyed Bity Baby from the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/americangirl.com">American Girl Company</a>.<br /></div><br /><div>Can a little boy have too many cars and trucks? I'm sure you can at some point, but I've seen my big boys (ages 9 and 7) line up over 30 of them and have their own NASCAR race. We have a playmat from Discovery Toys that has a road drawn on it. It is made up of 9 different squares that can be put together in a multitude of different ways. My boys have played with this A LOT. I don't think DT sells this particular mat anymore, but you could search for it on eBay or perhaps find a similar product from <a href="http://www.hearthsong.com/Roadway-Play-Mat_p3626.html">Hearthsong</a>.<br /></div><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527987866313903506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIkKgaamB_vGtd43sMByut7SCicCnuhJzuRP25Iznl1_flo3QDmSP1kc2n2JwgVN8fJUJPU0bFGzRTjkCAMPDbHT7d-GjYm6KhohDj2GLA05tS8rFO7BQti02921NzMvfYP-LKjOTbvA/s320/blog+077.JPG" /></div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-17177793472678303982010-10-12T11:52:00.000-07:002010-10-13T09:46:19.478-07:00A Few of My Favorite ThingsMy friend Kimberly, at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/raisingolives.com">Raising Olives </a>,did a post today on some products she recommends. It gave me the idea to do something similar. I thought some of my friends with younger children might benefit from my many years of collecting toys and books. I am going to share some of our family's favorite toys, games and books with you.<br /><br /><div>I don't like toys that make lots of noise and whose sole purpose is to entertain. I like toys that require my children to be creative, use thinking skills or help them interact with another sibling. You will probably recognize many of my favorites and some may even be toys you played with as a child</div><br /><div><strong>Infant Toys (ages 12mo and under)</strong></div><div>I don't think infants need a lot of toys, especially not the ones with flashing lights and lots of sounds. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/discoverytoysinc.com">Discovery Toys </a>offers several things that have been favorites here including the super yummy teether and stacking cups among others. Throw in a few multi-sensory toys, something to cuddle and a push toy to encourage walking and you really don't need much more.</div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 307px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352380688265778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxlQUMGf1AHsQeAAJv-zfVlh1rLTS-k-d9jOkBE8ydf3LYw5QOJq6rZXJvQKPLuLEnhkDdF2v60LsEzJh4QT7XnUJW2waAADtrgCJ66gQ3tgq2Cq2O8DBrPZ-YDPBmq3mEfRoCWn43MU/s320/029.JPG" />(Oops. The shape sorter should be in the next group)<br /><br /><br /><strong>Toddler/Preschool Toys</strong><br />Some of my favorites at this age are shape sorters, peg puzzles (love <a href="http://www.blogger.com/melissaanddoug.com">Melissa & Doug </a>products), Duplos, building blocks, beads to string, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/liveandlearn.com">Lauri</a> products (wonderful crepe puzzles and an incredible stacking peg set) and Fisher Price Little People sets. We have added to our Little People collection over the years and now have enough to create a small city.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352398955874066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJa8OISn3YUD2BiYNl0wzUjZbODxkz9sgaOOvlPNYQOvT9PUrBX66g3140omoH6RxVbwwxxrJooqlO0V3Mgh6csHF4xwLilgTv1WweqW2TuB15Eldp7nwkJ12T3X8YmLBW-4m8vYJ-Ng/s320/033.JPG" /><br />These Lauri items have kept my preschoolers engaged for hours. If you loose a piece, Lauri will replace it for fifty cents.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352391399408626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKlD7skLUV0c2pojn1p98jJs_GrrHAyF0FSMpKw_u3NXbjj79x1Yso3rts4n0qAGOghGhHvHV3V3v74tfP3JxkPtTic_MIuiNZdz0fXG4-AHTj1GG-Q3jvHP05Rhx7sHHKBUKPI43kvo/s320/032.JPG" /> One of the many Melissa and Doug peg puzzles we own.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352377917264866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dpyanqpDGW8lHxrooksRKScbUSOCMIvCgcP6FsWMtW6gtGsxXE3ovZMwCaOOcfyBrm74JRySHuQhbrSpOO4saKQZ-qtqciS26BqMN4eylZbxmv0cDtL7MAbzX_Vs4DoIf7rhSzD4lCE/s320/001.JPG" /> Will made this creation today before I even decided to do this post. I would get rid of almost all of our toys before I would get rid of the blocks. We have a wooden set and a foam set. Many of our wooden blocks have faces drawn on them because the children would pretend they were people and then build a house for them. My 10 year old currently has a 3 story house built with the wooden blocks for her Playmobil family.<br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 245px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352385161411970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjwesLB8o4Q45jQ08TdtvGG9Gwy3F69gNiLtGoDpZwgWr-KmhJFzU2GnUZrLKlU_LwwkrP6ufvdNIqVkd6hyhGL5nNwqt0b5vo0yyk4YdEMEK5OUtxYdk0INv2hpu7SEYbfy4ORzueL8/s320/030.JPG" />This is the first Little People set we purchased. Ashley received it for Christmas when she was two, so this set is 12 years old. We've added the garage, airport, city, castle, fire station and pirate ship.</div><br /><div>Our Duplo bricks are also a favorite (Legos for preschoolers). The children enjoy the basic brick but seem to enjoy them more in combination with the animal, farm and people sets we've added. Emily received the people set when she was three. (4 ethnic groups each with a dad, mom, grandparents and 2 children) She lined them all up in rows, set one gentlemen in front and proceeded to have "church."</div><br /><div></div><div>We also have a Duplo dollhouse which I like a lot. It wasn't cheap, but it was well worth the money. I plan to hang onto it for my grandchildren. When Kathryn first received it she was too young to construct the house, but her older sisters could build it and then she could play with it. The walls and floor of this house come apart and can built in many different ways. You can build a ranch or a 3-story townhouse.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49rB0QSIgsJqNmoVNMf3OkEpuKIoL6yVHHs3kum_gveta2kZMo3pWU9uZMRsEja2QMct8A8417YM5HzgFete1uKFmny8thjrnSkMmpZQQKSsrx1GzRoTQvKfC-FMRB280ZipxJmkyST4/s1600/040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527571108455452546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49rB0QSIgsJqNmoVNMf3OkEpuKIoL6yVHHs3kum_gveta2kZMo3pWU9uZMRsEja2QMct8A8417YM5HzgFete1uKFmny8thjrnSkMmpZQQKSsrx1GzRoTQvKfC-FMRB280ZipxJmkyST4/s320/040.JPG" /></a> So, what are your favorites?<br /><br /><div></div><div><em>Coming Next: Elementary suggestions</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-54181371882693874562010-10-11T19:49:00.001-07:002010-10-12T19:17:40.135-07:00LukeLuke turns 9 today. Yes, we have back to back birthdays at our house. This year Luke gets to have a big party and invite friends. He decided to invite several families to play a baseball game. We will be doing that on Saturday.<br /><br />Luke is an all around good kid. He does well in school and loves to play sports (although most of it is done in the backyard). He played baseball this summer and did very well hitting and playing 3rd base. When he's not in the backyard with a ball in his hand, he loves to read, play with Playmobil and play chess.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527348580553905810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklqSPtG6aJ-Nk-9rQPipTzrXaIASkKwLYxefL2xoExIjpamJ2L1eSllEBk1igvL9io2mkseB7QyPUltQwqrsiBYDUEqWCktD_lTIrRYyJQOK6qROA1Kxr5aAhZC1c4opFPO2N7eE5DBs/s320/010.JPG" />Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-69180194854192238802010-10-11T19:43:00.000-07:002010-10-11T20:26:32.397-07:00Andrew<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA5Mu2tgwqdk_RNtSTsRWfFIF82_E6O4qfj_eEtiOhx4_tPB6zFDQnOkwJVffIpM9FWzv7nMGwvHTSQp6NRDDxjhyuwbKHckuhl4W4yCQjM88APHmi-sXPBNK1SuDL7-dk-sRohQWGN4/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 294px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526995648970909570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA5Mu2tgwqdk_RNtSTsRWfFIF82_E6O4qfj_eEtiOhx4_tPB6zFDQnOkwJVffIpM9FWzv7nMGwvHTSQp6NRDDxjhyuwbKHckuhl4W4yCQjM88APHmi-sXPBNK1SuDL7-dk-sRohQWGN4/s320/011.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Andrew turned 3 today. He is an amazingly energetic, constantly talking, full of energy little boy. If you are a friend on Facebook, you've read about the numerous "Andrew Antics." Thankfully the antics have slowed considerably, so I'm hoping the next year will be a little calmer. Andrew definitely keeps me on my toes, but oh, how I love that little guy.</div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-18915523070489394902010-10-11T19:39:00.000-07:002010-10-11T20:34:27.463-07:00School projectsLast week we completed our first unit of history which included a multi-week study of WWI. Emily created a display board on WWI which included informative articles, poetry, maps and even a love letter from a wife to her soldier on the front line.<br /><div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526996075967864658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBe-sRmxdSeryjgSa43WCvsU2rmaPe4UipIQwa3A8BVjLk2uphNw3tie1Bz9ousUGd7BwiCBBOWm0S1CM006bKIbKrAd24UHOiZ5M2n1wpF646Vmar4SkZH9RrgsBvy9JenGEGdH4_cc/s320/023.JPG" /><br /><div> </div><div>Hayley completed a lapbook on various WWI era topics provided by Tapestry of Grace (our history curriculum).</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526996341318731042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTNG-3rkRkSrVUxlAWC9eOt-Q1cM_4HRzaELuaZ3xsSWD-eutP85x7329Z_5IOq8k9KMxR91IE_UicnUIMgxhDWxU1i_A5fkQ_jbDpac7ysS2OwJpnpBUCOyDCa2odeVklERke9U9RVs/s320/026.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>Luke and Will made a salt dough map of the European countries at the beginning of WWI.</div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526996875595312274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNGl5GINX-KKO6NfEH22EydWzYHaom99vxUYnGxkgUgEMzhHT12Zaj_Ph6fUyZVwKPzdEd0_wiupwXj_L3zcaKo1rmZTU0q79bgumvr2WoA03ImCphJTX-2VyczHr0txfSmTKwVJV0Yk/s320/027.JPG" /></div></div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-60821390199943723642010-09-29T18:39:00.000-07:002010-09-30T18:40:17.934-07:00Continuing a TraditionWhile growing up my mom, and sometimes my aunts, would make a Brunswick stew every year. This was done outside in a large pot over a fire. Stew days hold wonderful memories for me. I remember my grandmothers standing at the kitchen sink peeling potatoes, my Aunt Jean doing her "witch's laugh" while stirring the pot, being reminded MANY times not to let it stick while I was stirring, all of my nearby relatives coming to eat lunch when the stew was ready and my grandmother's apple pie being served for dessert.<br /><div><div> </div><div>My mom and I have made several stews since I've been married, but this year she and my dad came to my house to help me make one. It was today's homeschool lesson.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the recipe we used. It was created by 2 of my dad's sisters. There are probably as many different variations on Brunswick stew as there are people who make it. We used a 10 gallon pot, but you could reduce the recipe and make it on the stove.</div><div><br /></div><div>10 lbs peeled and diced potatoes</div><div>5lbs dried baby lima beans</div><div>4 qt chicken broth (may need more)</div><div>3 gal tomatoes</div><div>5 large onions</div><div>8-10 pints corn</div><div>1-1 1/2 c. sugar (add 1/2 of this and then more to taste)</div><div>1 c. salt (add 1/2 of this and then more to taste)</div><div>10 lb cooked beef</div><div>10 lb cooked chicken (I use 20lbs of chicken and no beef)</div><div>4lbs margarine (I used 3lbs)<br />3 pods red pepper<br />black pepper to taste</div><div> </div><div>Put beans in soak the night before. Next morning pour off the water and put beans in the pot. Cover with water and cook until soft. Add onions, potatoes and enough chicken broth to cover. Cook until potatoes are soft. </div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 271px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522882159820386546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX06XvEEIo-9H9igeVcQceI1SrnTl3bZbiJ9YPkGNVjHu1dCPeh3g5vLCQySz7VyVoOjOhTVfy5Ge3r4NK_tJHfGzPJ3ONz0n6dXTDVI7Mpd3GOZie270nayH7LeMQK59GCNBIIIKA9c/s320/puzzle+006.JPG" />Add tomatoes. (We use tomatoes that my mom cans. We run them through the blender first.) Add remaining ingredients. Add additional tomatoes or broth to taste and to get desired consistency. </div><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522882170804235730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH38DsR_yxbAj9BiNVylnZIYofuYnTO1vk1xPbMnY2p8EiB1Y_3v6L_d8JRHsEe8Z2mpiTVssRwtgisrSQOAeeShKqdzdUVZ_a1pMYEIFVDTUrZaCzRReHo8ZBTOnqzNx5yGPVRfKDQ5I/s320/puzzle+010.JPG" /> <div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522882173958148162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tSel3DgX3I09oHlXMEJbSZWrlwFZlYYBlgTYqMc2Wo0dlUPJ590eptISTqcif2p7sonl4unJscsdQEe0O-dxn3IwPEjtKPLWkL6-iggdy0z6ZwzVvQg11_4ksmjT3caBmFcaTZhlf6U/s320/puzzle+011.JPG" /></div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522882180273813170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gV8Y_v-YwHhRnOMEZyV9OPC2AYynfq9Tj6ewr_4lCVJPGMRBkMKwBuoDGDW8YUZ7sTjzMSN25vPfyEmQGq4H1Zdfi82bjX6ocLjwXW8miCogfVh2JSIb7_atdcG434CdTFqQgkDDUvY/s320/puzzle+015.JPG" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-54047537659527301892010-09-04T19:19:00.000-07:002010-09-04T19:29:42.353-07:00WWIWe are studying WWI in history. In keeping with my desire to make school a little more "fun" this year, I bought WWI army men for my boys. I found American and German soldiers in Hobby Lobby recently. The boys have really enjoyed them. They are looking forward to taking them with us to the beach next week. <div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513249849088550498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_MvxWYPvsDFqvvbXWT4VfSSELLmlGq9MrGNYVsl1i72s7SEBfCOYJrgJZ3rTbrp3-FCJLQKN3v2NO8rzkwrVHUZlfMk0oZWaMYhxdS6rKW4hWZcA-0jONhXmaDufOPgLqEGjEdVMHio/s320/DSC03894.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513249865493177618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8TcX9Boj282ulTYjNsihHU0yVJJn37s396J3xWe7u_GWHmCVhbG5ipm62mUci6psmqT24vqU4iiaWUo7vFut4wcSP0FJ1VmSIrhb1n43HX0sSee_ZMIhjDkx7gOEA5KH8oYsI-gAo74/s320/DSC03896.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513249853814163922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6NcLllK_ZAdEFWi0xFnf_oi1_k3sXdAYuX2IqddiQCTH9wIbj58WXTiIsgYLefFV-NwuppdST7QH9NcJvBMdP02l-z6R4xG-dS7y13p3A2h4oOtQv3P6ARkjPNMHzAwDvVmRdLjYAMM/s320/DSC03895.JPG" /></div><br /><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-57274614532023609102010-08-31T19:52:00.000-07:002010-09-01T05:27:09.074-07:00Birds of a FeatherThis year in science Hayley, Luke, Will and I are studying Apologia's <em>Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day</em>. Apologia divides zoology into 3 years and introduces animals in the order of God's creation. This year we will be studying birds, bats and insects.<br /><br />In order to study birds, we needed to be able to see birds. We have set up several bird feeding areas in our yard. We hung a thistle feeder to attract goldfinches. We used an empty soda bottle to make a feeder filled with sunflower seeds. To attract insect-loving birds, we made suet. We mixed together oatmeal, peanut butter, lard, cornmeal, sugar, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">raisins</span> and birdseed.<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511774705789953346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapMKn3WNQaudkjfDJFWZmU_AZX_V-ac0PEKFQ0ng0xY83I50GMAt4kKvE1v0NOGSvb8AynYTMx6R6Shsm7VAWmDoH6ECpJPLoZr8x5XwjxoYwZWt2Bl7kiMaLxA3L6yyybCdpuy92qWQ/s320/DSC03880.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511774711035608418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs0bQ2d6LinfnKRIEpPIp_O89qrECfnVgPWxw2sJT3AZZoPLwU8MQfC5wG0U1Q7iyqdR5RSOg7On3w7vuI-6StoXqRfBpE_hPhKnVyY-IaAJHZNjBy4vLn5QJl7rDxmXXg-Ir6luMwdw/s320/DSC03881.JPG" />Next we placed the suet in zip top bags and then in the freezer to harden. Once the suet was hard, we removed one block from a bag and placed it into our suet feeder. The suet is now hanging in ou<span style="color:#ffff00;">r </span>backyard. It took about a week for any birds to find it, but we have had several visitors this week. </p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511778123950151042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEnmgZxJv8eW_hUq0gbLCA4i91OqqzWUZw6f7VzlDZWWg0poZuTkCcQW614MPfjrYjafRUAMOsiHjBqMfIQ-yDy4rLWVoMpe9ElhaV2JqY14vzcNa_nJPerO8Rv9FXuLFGFhwPDC3AbU/s320/DSC03882.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511778485924729490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttUlzX6X0-7FglM8qTftGvlVtbcg8oEJkRuX9ulabemlv51VF_82quKUrFySSBiKbkyndMsQSHvhyIxOdP3gJrgowaOXLlZonnKFibj2HP_s_nBdRAqSp8NWnTQdP7eDmqTUxyt-tkQU/s320/DSC03884.JPG" />Before we began this study, birds in our yard didn't receive much notice. Now as soon as someone spots a bird whatever else we are doing stops, the kids grab the binoculars and the guide book and start trying to make an identification. So far we've seen a Blue Jay, male and female Cardinals, Song Sparrow, Eastern Wood-Pewee, lots of Mourning Doves, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Mockingbird, Robin, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Wood Thrush</span> and the Carolina Chickadee.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-14020862656196570052010-08-31T19:19:00.000-07:002010-08-31T19:52:25.879-07:00A New Year...A New ResolutionNo, it's not January and even if it was, I wouldn't be making a New Year's resolution. We are into our 5th week of the school year. So far things are going fairly well. This year we have a 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd and Pre-K student. Andrew (2.5) has a different playmate every 30 minutes to help keep him out of trouble and Daniel (16 mo.) naps through the majority of our school time. I've probably got about another month of relatively smooth days until Daniel gives up his morning nap. Once he does that, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm praying now that the Lord will give me wisdom for handling that new "wrinkle." (By "smooth" I don't mean perfect, I mean Andrew only interrupted 5 times as opposed to 20, no one has "lost" their reading book, I have all the supplies for the science experiment and Luke and Will aren't wrestling in the floor as opposed to doing their math!)<br /><br /><br />My resolution for this year is to make school more "fun." When I taught public school my students didn't use a textbook and at least 1/3 of my lessons were hands-on. When I first started teaching my own children, we did a lot of hands-on projects. As our family/school grew those types of activities began to fall by the wayside. Somewhere I became more concerned with "getting school done" than with making learning come to life. Now I don't think everything a kid does needs to be fun. Not all of life is fun. It happens to be a lot of work, and school is a place where kids should learn to be diligent. However, that doesn't mean we don't need to mix in fun projects along with memorizing multiplication facts and writing reports.<br /><br /><br />I think a lot of my hesitation about doing projects/activities is related to my "Yes Mom" post below. I don't like messes. I don't like being inconvenienced. I don't like getting side-tracked and not accomplishing my "to-do" list for the day. Notice a pattern? All of my excuses are about me, me, me. Christ asks us to die to self and serve others. This year I'm going to try to die to my own selfish desires and do the things that I know will help my kids have wonderful memories.<br /><br /><br /><br />So quiet down textbooks, spelling tests go to sleep<br />I'm making memories with my kids...memories they will keep.Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3754826514811365812.post-37135873021552694182010-05-31T17:09:00.000-07:002010-05-31T17:38:27.642-07:00Being a "Yes" MomMy friend, Kimberly, at Raising Olives wrote an excellent post on being a <a href="http://raisingolives.com/2010/05/be-a-yes-mom/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">"yes mom</span></a>."My kids would definitely call me a "no mom." I admit I am guilty of often saying no, because I don't want to be inconvenienced or deal with the mess. Kimberly gives 2 questions she always asks herself before giving an answer. I am trying to make changes in this area and have adopted her questions.<br /><br />1)Is there a real reason to say no? (dangerous/destructive)<br /><br />2)Are they supposed to be doing something else? (schoolwork/chores)<br /><br /><br />If they answer to both of these is "no", then I am trying to say "yes." Tonight I let my kids go out and play in the rain. Some might wonder, "What's the big deal?" For me, it was a huge step. They had fun and I enjoyed watching them have fun. Maybe next time I'll take an even bigger step... and join them!<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477593768657765682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN2CR4e6g4Iwzn5XkT55T70B6gxrXNMq-ftvJ_GyE9IN9zAbWgebEJ56hytoUWWC_vt_WkSnX6uPxpGeLGe97EX6GeXVvsPiS2G2SS1ag9n2VKyUO_DU7KA3fLqKB2r1K_ZT9VkhosnM/s320/05-2010+001.jpg" /></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477593772288947906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVKfa3gVonLTjBpHMWTpWPS8ckvrUxpFaLMxvE8a1rEuYPYUezYG-EjIoYnioB_VdlYh0TpnS1-IkXBvaWr7CHfMkXC0GcDjVaN-W0V70-2NdmSiMIKn5M-KppCC9m79Me9U4nEqtRcA/s320/05-2010+009.jpg" /></p><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div>Jamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04839244377753906474noreply@blogger.com3