january projects

January Projects

I was able to acomplish two things this month that I wanted to share. One is a New Years resolution I have had for about 12 years now and that is to learn to sew. My sweet friend Rachel came over last week and showed me the basics and then gave me her old machine! Thanks Rach ;>)

I sewed an apron for Abby and I am working on a tablerunner. Abby is working on a baby quilt.



The other project was an old dresser that my Mother in law gave me. She was going to take it to the dump and I just thought it had some "good bones" about it. So I cleaned it and sanded it down and painted it and now it is in my LR/DR and is holding all my sewing stuff and knitting stuff and table linens.

An Adoption Update

Greg went Monday to have his physical at the doctor. He will get his TB test back today and we will mail it off. Our Social Worker emailed me to say that she has sent our home study for preapproval and once all the required signatures are on there then we will be approved!!!!
We also had her put in the home study we would go older than an infant, but younger than Esther. I wouldn't mind a toddler boy especially as Nathan wants a little brother so badly and he will be 8 by the time we get an infant.
We will see...God knows what we need.
Of course, if we get a toddler, then we can always keep our name on the list in case a newborn girl becomes available too!! (As I post this, I think I can hear my parents and in laws sigh and shake their head..."5 kids! " they say...well, I warned them all when I got married I wanted 5!))

We went today to the Alafia River rendezvous. It is an 1840's reenactment encampment. The kids learned about broom and candle making , how to shoot a bow and muzzle loading and deer hides and how to cook on open fire. It was a lot of fun. The best part of the day for all three of them was the food! They got to try sassafras and root beer, kettle corn, fry bread and rock candy. The each got a souvenir, Abby got a necklace with an arrowhead, Essie got a wooden fan and Nathan got a harmonica. A fun field trip for sure! to check out more about it: www.floridafrontiersmen.org

Field Trip

The Ups and Downs of a Snowbunny

I do not always understand what makes me tick, but I have a pretty good idea that the weather has something to do with it. I live for cold weather. I cannot explain it, but it energizes me. I like gray sky's and even rainy days are nice as long as there is a chill in the air. I don't think that there is a problem that God made me that way....the problem is I live in Florida!!
Sunday was one of my better days. Cloudy, breezy and a wonderful high in the 50's. I could not stop smiling, I wasn't interested in taking a nap that afternoon. I fixed me a second pot of coffee and just enjoyed the day.
Today is Wednesday and it began rainy and now it is a "balmy" ( I even dislike saying that word!) 80 degrees and my back porch is hot and sticky and my air conditioner is running and it is JANUARY!!!
We are tentatively planning a ski trip for next month. Just thinking about that makes me giddy with excitement. Keep your islands and your beaches and give me a cabin and a fireplace, throw in falling snow and a large chunky mug of coffee and you have found my happy place.
So to all my pals under blankets, donning boots and coats....enjoy a winter day for me and if you ever need to be "balmy" you know where to find me.

Here is a new recipe we tried this weekend. It was so yummy, I thought I would share!!

Pizza Bowls:
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14oz) pizza sauce
1 can (14oz) beef broth (or homemade)
8 oz pepperoni diced (set aside about 1/4 cup for garnish)
1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 large green pepper chopped
1 red onion chopped
1 cup water
1/2 tblsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella1-
1 1/c cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 tblsp. sliced olives (optional for garnish)

Put all ingredients except cheese and mozzarella in a crockpot. Stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender.Divide pasta into 4 soup bowls. Ladle soup over pasta, sprinkle each bowl with cheese and desired garnishes.Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Tim Tam Slammin!

My wonderful homeschool friend from Down Under sent us some Tim Tams this week. We were so excited to get this taste from Aussie! My sister introduced us to them when she went on a mission trip to Australia. A "Tim Tam Slam" is when you bite a tiny hole in opposite sides of the cookie and then use it as a straw to sip milk or coffee. You have to be able to snap your head back at just the right time to swallow the cookie or else it will fall in your drink. We are quite good at this, if I do say so myself!! So Thanks to Donna for our delicious treat!!

Waiting

Waiting is something I am not very good at! There are a few very big, life changing things that I am waiting on in my life right now. A friend sent me this today and it blessed me so much I wanted to post it.It is thoughts by Paul Tripp based out of the Psalms. If you, too, are waiting for something maybe this thought can help you as well!

"Waiting on God isn't about the suspension of meaning and purpose. It's part of the meaning and purpose that God has brought into my life. Waiting on God isn't to be viewed as an obstruction in the way of the plan. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn't simply about what I'll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I'll become as I wait. God is using the wait to do in and through me exactly what He's promised. Through the wait He's changing me. By means of the wait He's altering the fabric of my thoughts and desires. Through the wait He's causing me to see and experience new things about Him and His kingdom. And all of this sharpens me, enabling me to be a more useful tool in His redemptive hands."

My Favorite Homeschool Quote

" We're not trying to do "School at Home." We're trying to do homeschool. These are two entirely different propositions. We're not trying to replicate the time, style or content of the classroom. Rather we're trying to cultivate a lifestyle of learning in which learning takes place from morning until bedtime 7 days each week. The "formal" portion of each teaching day is just the tip of the iceburg. "--Steve and Jane Lambert ( Five In A Row )

Arctic Lesson Plan January 2008

Week 1
Day 1 ~ Read Magic school bus in the Arctic. Do the Blubber experiment. Make Snowflakes. Pick an Arctic animal for research study.

Day 2 ~ Read Storm Run. Check out the internet site about the Iditarod http://www.ititarod.com/. Do map worksheet. Begin Lapbook on sled dogs. Watch Balto

Day 3 ~ Write a friendly letter to a musher wishing them good luck in the race. Paint with Marshmallows and cut out a polar bear for center of page . Do Dog sled work sheet and work on lapbook.(Begin reading Black Star, Bright Dawn at night.(chapter Book)

Day 4 ~ Read Akiak. Research project.Mush dog craft . Watch Snowdogs. Work on Sled Dog Lapbook.

Day 5 ~ Listen to Stone Fox on CD. Make snowman rice krispie treats. Finish sled dog lapbook. Research on Arctic animal. Practice oral report of Arctic animal.


Week 2

Day 1 ~ Make a list of Arctic animals. Look over the animal flashcards. Read Tacky the penguin. Draw write now. Watch Arctic Tale

Day 2 ~ Go over the differences between Arctic and Antartica. Read North Pole South Pole. Draw animals in Draw write now. Research project note cards.

Day 3 ~ Read Arctic Lights .Draw the northern lights. Practice research oral report.
Day 4 ~ Who are the inuits? Read Mama do you love me? Make a comparison chart on how they live v/s how we live in Florida. Make an igloo with sugar cubes. Make an Eskimo puppet. Do oral report on Arctic animal for dad.

Day 5 ~ What is Snow? Read the lapbook info and do a small lapbook.

My Wonderful Husband's suggestion

My darling dearest has told me that the holidays have brought too many slide shows to my blog and that it takes entirely too long to load. So, instead of deleting them I am posting more so that they move into the older post section... thus taking less time to see my blog. Please excuse and endure theses rambling post until mission is accomplished. Actually, we start back to school tomorrow and I plan on posting a ginormous post about our Arctic unit and that should do the trick! Oh and I would really like some comments on if you like the new look or not...please.

A shout out!

I just want to give a shout out to cutestblogontheblock.blogspot.com. She has some amazing templates that are really easy to use. Hey, If I can figure it out, most anyone can. Now that I know how, I will be decorating the place up for all the major and minor holidays!

Adoption Praise

As most of you know we are still in the painfully slow homestudy process. We have everything in but our FBI forms and Greg's physical. Well......My FBI form came today!!! :) Sue said they usually come together, so Greg's should not be that far behind! You can bet Greg will be going to get his physical soon! Then all we will have to wait on is Gregs FBI form and we will be approved!! Yay! One step closer!!

New Years Eve