Crunch Time!

It's here~moving weekend!

I've been packing furiously while Vince has been in the Philippines this past week. Now he's back and ready to roll (well, except for that jet lag thing...). Jet lag or not though, we've got to start loading today.

We've got two truck loads to take, the final one on Monday when we head for Kentucky for good. I can't believe it's almost here! I'm very excited!

However, it's going to be super busy for a day...or six! So I'll see you on the flip side:)

Setting Sail with TOS Homeschool Crew

I am so excited to be a part of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew for the 2011-2012 school year! It's going to be great to be able to check out new books and products and share them with you.

Just this week I have just received my first two items to review~yea! I love it when packages arrive:)

Also, there is now a section on the sidebar to the left that shows upcoming reviews and just below a list of most recent reviews. So be on the lookout for reviews all throughout this school year!

Daydreaming About Our New Learning Room

So, we're moving, right? And we'll start back to school the first part of September, which means that I have about a month to create a good learning room for us to work in. In the home that we are buying there is already a good space for that, but it will need some paint and some bookcases. It's a smallish space though, so I definitely need to be creative.

Vince is planning to create some built-ins (you've gotta click this link to see the ideas Vince is thinking of!) for us. He's been diligently watching HGTV shows on Hulu.com lately and has some awesome ideas. I just don't know if they're going to happen in the first month that we're in our home:) Probably not realistic, but if it does happen, then whoo hoo!

In the meantime I've been surfing around on Pinterest.com, among other places for good learning room ideas. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you.

(all images from Pinterest)

I love this shelving idea! It's very inexpensive plus durable and sturdy.
And I love how they've made the lowest shelf into a desk!

*****

I'm in love with these hanging globes!! And the maps wallpapering the wall!!
I've wanted to do the map thing for the longest time, but haven't had the right space.
But I know I've got the globes to do this, if it works in the room.
*****

This is a great way to display the kiddos' artwork and I'm kind of liking

the way they hung the chalkboard at the bottom of the wall.
We have a chalkboard, about this size in fact, and I'm wondering

if I would like this~or if I would get tired of bending over to use it myself:)
Maybe hang it in the middle with artwork above and below??
*****

And so the daydreaming continues...

One Thousand Gifts

0453. cousins, to be silly with

0454. cousins, to grow up with

0455. the blessings of children, even if it means a very messy room

0456. listening to my kiddos tell jokes

0457. reading at bedtime

0458. the fun of sponge rollers

0459. sweet little girl curls

0460. the big bear hug I got from my girl when she returned from camp yesterday

A Bit of Summer Journaling

Yes, I should be packing boxes for our coming-sooner-than-I-realized move, but I thought it would be nice to take a mental health break and use this as an opportunity to re-gain perspective (which gets totally out of whack during stressful times like these). So today I'm linking up with Sue at The Homeschool Chick.

In my life this week… I am busy packing up our house for our move next weekend. I also sent off my daughter to church camp for the first time and sent my husband off on a missions trip to The Philippines. Yes, it's been a very busy week!

In our homeschool this week… We are still on our summer break. It's been more of a break than I intended due to our move, but that's okay. I did get our curriculum for the Fall all lined out though~yea!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… Well, Vince is off to The Philippines, The Princess is at Camp Dry Gulch USA and Mr. B and I are busy doing some fun stuff together here at home. *Stuff* like hanging out at Chuck E. Cheese and going to see Cars 2 (again:).

Things I’m working on… besides packing? Well, there are a few random projects I want to wrap up before our move.

I’m reading… A Charlotte Mason Companion and loving it! It's a very encouraging and inspiring book. Even though I'm not strictly a CM- schooler, I love her methods and so use some.

I’m cooking… Not much these days, mostly heating up casseroles my mom has graciously provided. Although I did whip these Reuben dogs up one night and we loved them!

I’m grateful for… Our friends and family who are helping us during this move. I am also so grateful for this door of ministry that we are stepping through

I’m praying for… Strength!!

A photo to share… This week we also celebrated my sisters birthday at our fave German restaurant. I love my sister!!

Our Homeschool Curriculum for 2011-2012

It's that time of year! And I am happy to say that I've finally wrapped up my choices for our school curriculum for 2011-2012. It seems like each year that I research for the longest, looking through catalog after catalog, reading reviews and looking at sample pages.

This year we are sticking with some of the same publishers and switching from others. That's the beauty of homeschooling though, right? I love being able to evaluate my own children and choose what would work best for them for their learning styles.

So here's what we'll be using for The Princess {3rd grade} and Mr. B {1st grade}:

Bible/Character Studies:

Last year we began using the Character Sketches from the Institute for Basic Life Principles. There are three volumes and we didn't even make it completely through one, there is a lot of great material in them! We have been studying one character trait a month, with different definitions of that trait each week. Last year we studied only the corresponding Bible story, but this year I want to incorporate both the Bible lesson and the lesson from nature. The kids really enjoyed these and I think they will love adding the nature lessons as well.

Language Arts:

For handwriting we will continue to use Getty-Dubay Italics series. I am still *old school* in that I feel handwriting, even cursive, is very important...no matter how much we use computers:) The kids have done very well with these books, it's a great program and simple to move from printing to cursive.

We are switching things up a bit in the grammar department this year. I have been very frustrated with the program we've used for The Princess' 1st & 2nd grade years~it was just monotonous worksheets on prefixes, suffixes, etc. and they haven't even introduced parts of speech yet. What she knows is what I've talked with her about and what she's learned from Schoolhouse Rock.

So this year I am starting Mr. B with First Language Lessons and I plan to also include The Princess in our discussions to get her familiarized with all of the parts of speech and also as a refresher for her on the ones she already knows.

For reading, Mr. B will be using some readers from both Calvert and Rod & Staff, among other literature books that we will read together as a family.

The Princess will also be using Total Language Plus this year for her literature, writing and even more grammar. I plan for her to do two of these per semester. I love that these unit studies include art, comprehension, enrichment and writing, grammar, spelling and vocabulary. I think my daughter will love digging into these books:

Math:

Once again I am switching math curriculum. Last year the program we used was okay, but The Princess was just exhausted with all of the repetition and still grew frustrated. Mr. B was just bored. I am starting him at the beginning of the Singapore math program this year. He is very math bright and I think he will do well with it. I have decided to also try The Princess with it, in the hopes that the shorter lessons will encourage her. Then where she may need some extra practice, we can simply do some extra drills.

History:

We are continuing with the Story of the World. We have loved volume I (and are actually still finishing it) and are looking forward to volume 2. We also love the activity books that correspond with them~last year we had a blast doing so many of the crafts and projects and I know we will again this year. History is a *family subject* for us.

Science:

We are once again using Apologia's Young Explorer Series for our science. Last year we started using this and I have been so impressed with it~and the kids LOVE it! We are excited about digging into an in-depth botany study this year. Science is also a *family subject* for us.

Composer & Artist Studies:

We began these studies last year and they were such a hit! Using several books on composers and artists (I've only shown a couple here) as some resources, library books, cd's, plus awesome downloads from Practical Pages and Notebooking Pages and more, I created our own music and art appreciation studies.

Each month we study about one composer and one artist. We listen to the composer's music~often throughout our school day~we read about them, color pictures of them, etc. For our artist we study his/her paintings, color or draw or paint some of those paintings, etc. These studies were definitely a highlight for my children, it was one of their favorite subjects.

You can read about some of our studies from last year here and here.

Physical Education:

This I am still working out. After we complete our move, we are planning to get a family membership to the local Y which will offer many different physical activities for us. Also, we got Vince a 4-bike rack for our car for Father's Day this year~now we can pack up our bikes and take them anywhere for a good biking adventure. Plus there's the Wii Fit for those days at home and my kiddos tend to get a lot of physical activity in just playing in the backyard, climbing trees, etc.

*****

Ahh...it feels great to have all of my choices made for this year! We even have all of our books already, so we are good to go after we get moved and settled in.

We usually start school right after Labor Day and we are on schedule for this year as well. Yea!

This post is linked to Training Children up for Christ,

the Weekly Wrap-up at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers,

Hip Homeschool Moms

and the "Not" Back to School Hop at Heart of the Matter.

Reuben Dogs

These were the surprise hit dinner of last week! I just happened to be flipping through the Every Day with Racheal Ray grilling issue from last year~I saved it because it was full of good stuff~when I saw this recipe. It caught my eye because I had hot dogs, buns and a can of sauerkraut that needed to be eaten:)

As you can see, all of my fine china~everyday dishes included~has gone into a box already. So we are using the very finest of Styrofoam and paper!

First I got my toppings ready. They included sauerkraut, sliced dill pickles, Swiss cheese slices and this yummy sauce:

Special Sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tbsp smoked paprika
***

Blend well.

Next take your hot dogs (we love Oscar Meyers' Premium Beef No Nitrites No Nitrates added) and split them lengthwise, but don't cut them all the way through. Put them on the grill cut-side-down for about 2-3 minutes. Then cover each dog with a slice of Swiss cheese. Cover the grill to melt the cheese. When cheese is melted place the dogs, cheese-side-down into the buns (toasted or not, although I prefer toasted).

Then bring on the toppings! First put a goodly amount of that amazing sauce on the hot dog, add a generous portion of sauerkraut, finishing it off with a yummy slice of a dill pickle.

And dig in!! SO good!! This will not be the last time we make these!

You will LOVE them!

Menu Plan Monday: July 18th

Well....let's just say that while I am still trying to plan my menus in order to clean out my freezer, fridge and pantry as much as possible before our move, I have lost all motivation to cook. Except that we still get hungry, so that is motivating:) The kitchen island is constantly buried with *stuff* and half of my kitchen things are packed up so it's just very....inconvenient to cook right now.

However, last week my totally awesome mom came over bearing three casseroles for us~one to eat that night and two for the freezer! She brought Chicken Rotel and two pans of Chicken & Dressing. We've already eaten one of the Chicken & Dressing and it was SO yummy! I'm looking forward to eating the other two casseroles this week:)

Monday: Chicken Rotel~plus I'm making some Poppy Seed Chicken to take to friends who've just had a baby!

Tuesday: {Going out for German food to celebrate my sister's birthday!}
Wednesday: {Emma leaves for camp}
Thursday: Chicken & Dressing, with Cheesey Shells for Mr. B since he's not a fan of the other:)
Friday: {Vince leaves for The Philippines} Something simple for Mr. B & me...maybe we'll go out!
Saturday: Breakfast for dinner~eggs, bacon & biscuits

So it should be a fairly easy week in the kitchen and I should have lots cleaned out and eaten up by next week. Yea~less to pack!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Controlled Chaos

If you've been around here lately then you probably already know we're moving. And I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

On any day it is utterly exhausting to pack up your whole house, but when the temperatures are triple digits...well, let's just say I'm ready to adopt the tradition of siestas into our American culture!

We actually have about 60-70% of things already packed, so we're coming along. It's hard to know what to leave out until the last minute~especially those kitchen items. Although I haven't been doing too much cooking lately. It's just so un-motivating when your house is a wreck. I'm trying to keep it simple.

I'm also packing The Princess for her first trip to summer camp with our church. I can hardly believe this day is here! She's only 8! They attend the most amazing camp though~Dry Gulch, U.S.A. in Oklahoma. She won't even have time to miss me, she'll be having so much fun. I'm so happy that she has the opportunity to go~even though I'm going to miss her like crazy!!

While she's gone Vince leaves on a trip to The Philippines with another minister from our church (he'll get back with 1 day to spare before we pick up our moving truck to start loading). In the meantime Mr. B and I will get to hang out and have some fun together. I definitely need to plan a few fun things just for him because he really misses his sister when she's not home to play with. And with Vince gone it will be a double whammy.

And then we pull out of town on August 1st and begin the Week of Moving. We're hoping we may be able to get it in on load, but it might take two and we're prepared for that. I'm just so looking forward to the unpacking!

Our first Sunday as pastors of our new church will be August 28th, so we have a little time to get settled in before then. We're also planning a little family vacation during that time as well.

We so need it! I can't wait!

Oh, and in between all of the above, I'm working on getting ready for school this Fall. I've got nearly all of our curriculum in~so excited about that! And I'm ready to start my lesson plans...almost. I need a quiet moment and that may be a few weeks. We won't start back until after Labor Day though so I have a little time.

And that's my life right now: controlled chaos!

A Summer Side Dish

Last weekend was our small group night for our church here and the food theme was *your favorite summer food*. Well, I have LOTS of favorite foods for every season, so I really had to narrow it down~ha! I finally decided on this lovely summer side dish that I hadn't made in quite a while. Since making it again though, I think I'll do it more often~I'd forgotten just how good it is! It's perfect for a summer potluck, a cookout or a picnic. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Marinated Green Beans
2 lbs. fresh green beans
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

*****
Cook beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes, just until crisp tender. Then (using tongs) plunge them immediately into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil, garlic, mustard, salt & pepper in a large bowl; add beans and red onion, tossing well to coat.
Cover and chill for several hours. Serve with slotted spoon or tongs.

What's your favorite summer food?

Menu Plan Monday: July 11th

Do you know how hard it is to plan your weekly menu when you have absolutely no desire to do so because the majority of your dishes are packed and every surface is covered with stuff that needs to be packed?

It's really hard!

I'm trying to be very diligent in cooking up all of the stuff in the freezer and use as many pantry products as possible. I'm not so sure my family is appreciative of this diligence..haha...but I'm persevering!

This week we are utilizing the grill and slow cooker as much as possible. It is so. stinkin. hot. here~triple digits every day!! So cranking up the oven just isn't very appealing right now. Ice cream is very appealing, however:)

Monday: Perfect Burgers (grill), Potato Salad (leftovers), Marinated Green Beans (leftovers)
Tuesday: {Moms Nite Out with my homeschool peeps}
Wednesday: {day trip to Tulsa}
Thursday: Grilled Ruben Hot Dogs (grill) with Baked Potatoes (slow cooker)
Friday: Poppy Seed Chicken (slow cooker), with green peas
Saturday: mostly likely leftovers and snacks

And there you have it! Hopefully this week will be as easy as this menu sounds!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

One Thousands Gifts: Summer Lovin'

0441. having a mud fight with your BFF

0442. playing dress-up

0443. playing with a "borrowed" puppy

0444. watching how Mr. B has improved during his first t-ball season

0445. my little slugger

0446. clear summer nights with a *Cheshire cat* moon

0447. watching fireworks and humming John Phillip Sousa marches in my head

0448. *SparKlerS*

0449. late summer night fun

0450. experiencing history with my kiddos

0451. random science experiments

0452. my adorable *girly-girl*