My Music

Just FYI if you want to turn off my music the play list is at the bottom of the page.  You can scroll all the way down and turn it off.  The "HO HO HO and jingle bells" is coming from my santa slide show.  I love this slide show but don't know how to turn off the sound.  Maybe when it gets pushed to another page you won't hear it on the front page.

A B See Photo Meme.....D

D...D... What begins with D???

Dinosaurs of course!  We have been Discovering Daily about Dinosaurs and this week the kids got to watch one hatch.

Homeschool Memoirs # 23

THEME

This week’s theme is going to be on unit studies. Some people are really big on unit studies, others aren’t, and some use them as their primary learning tool. I think they’re great a fun way to encompass everything in what you’re studying. please share your favourite unit study and if you’ve never done one before share one you’d like to do.

I post quite often on the unit studies we are doing so I thought I would post some of my favorite links and rescources here.  I love lapbooks and Evan Moor Pockets of learning.  Last year we did a lot of notebooking.  I am very eclectic when I comes to planning these and pull from all different areas.  Some times too many!    I am teaching in our co-op next week with the preschoolers so I am planning a mini unit study on Groundhog's Day.  I found some of the cutest activities. 

1.  They are going to make a pop up Groundhog puppet http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/groundhogday/popuphog/

2.  Then I got a bunch of ideas from www.perpetualpreschool.com

        Tracing the kids silhouettes/shadows

         Guess the shadow

          Musical shadows

3.  I also love www.dltk-kids.com they have some great craft ideas as well.

I willl post pictures later in the week of our activities.

What's For Dinner Wednesday's??

The last 2 weeks Jay and I have gotten back on Weightwatchers full board.  (We weren't strict about it over Christmas).  I have now lost a total of 20lbs.  Jay has lost 25 and his goal is to lose another 40 by his graduation in July.  I want to lose at least another 20 then I will be rid of all my baby weight but I am going to have to excercise to tone my tummy!!!  Anyways, moving on...  I love WW it is so easy to follow and we don't feel restricted in what we can eat.  It is very doable (is that a word?) and manageable!  So with doing this I haven't been doing the OMAC with my group anymore.  I instead have been stocking up on my own and doubling some recipes such as meatloaf, chicken, meatballs and such.

Here is a great recipe I found and tried this week.  It is for the slow cooker which I love to use on busy days.  I think each serving was about 5 pts.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter

2 10.75-ounce cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 14-ounce can chicken broth

1 onion, finely diced

1 10-ounce package refrigerated biscuit dough

Place the chicken, butter, soup, broth and onion in slow cooker. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on high. One hour before serving, open biscuits. Roll each one to be about 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Add to the slow cooker, laying on top of chicken and liquid. Overlapping strips of dough will occur. Continue cooking until the dough is no longer raw in the center, about 1 hour. Note: Dough will not cook into biscuits as you might think. It will become like traditional dumplings. Serves: 6 to 8.

Blogger Friend School #118

 All You Add Is Love (Purina Dog Chow)

Memory Verse: Psalms 127:3 (New Living Translation)

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

Intro: This week we continue with shaking things up a bit.  Children are often so pure in what they say.  There is no sugar coating it, they just say it as they see it.  Their thoughts can make us laugh, touch our hearts and open our eyes.

Assignment: This week are going to do an “Interview With Mom”  and post it to your blog.  There are a list of questions below to interview your children with.  Feel free to add your own questions or remove any question you don’t want to use.  You will then ask your children the questions and post the answers that they give you.

I asked them all individually so they would not base answers off of one another

WHAT DOES MOM ALWAYS SAY TO YOU?

Anastasia (11)-  Go do your school work

Joshua (5)-   If I can or can't play on Wii

Savannah (3)- You love me and kiss me

Alexa (2)- One  ???

WHAT MAKES MOM HAPPY?

Anastasia-  Saying I love you, clean with out complaining, rubbing her shoulders

Joshua-  Listening well

Savannah- clean up and do stuff

Alexa- me

WHAT MAKES MOM SAD?

Anastasia- When we don't listen

Joshua- not listening

Savannah- when we use bad words like "shut-up"

Alexa- I don't know

HOW DOES MOM MAKE YOU LAUGH?

Anastasia-  When she does funny stuff

Joshua-  does silly things to me

Savannah- makes silly faces

Alexa-  he he he

HOW OLD IS MOM?

Anastasia-  That's easy 36

Joshua- 53     (side note.. Anastasia is correct )

Savannah- 10

Alexa- 1

HOW TALL IS MOM?

Anastasia-  5'8

Joshua- 44 lbs.

Savannah- 30

Alexa- 1

WHAT DOES MOM LIKE TO DO?

Anastasia-  blog, facebook, text now that you have a phone

Joshua-  Help me do stuff.  Help Anastasia and I do math

Savannah- play toys, go on the computer and check stuff out

Alexa- color and rub my neck

WHAT IS MOM’S JOB?

Anastasia- Taking care of us

Joshua-  Keeping care of us

Savannah-  Help us clean up and do school

Alexa- Help me shut my eyes

MOM’S FAVORITE FOOD?

Anastasia- black beans and rice

Joshua- Her favorite cereal

Savannah- morning cereal

Alexa- pizza

HOW DO YOU KNOW MOM LOVES YOU?

Anastasia-  She says it everyday

Joshua-  Cause you kiss me

Savannah- I know in my heart and you do stuff with me

Alexa- Tell me

Alexa's Dance

I didn't get a chance to post pictures yet of Alexa's first dance class so here they are....  She loved it and looks forward to going each week.

 

 

Tackle It Tuesday

Okay here is yet another thing I am doing to help me get organized.  You can click on the banner above to find out more.  For this Tackle it Tuesday I decided to organize my pantry.  This took a lot longer than I thought but it is so nice and clean now.  I even bought new containers.  We really needed some as the ones I had were very old and starting to crack.  I love my pantry it is so nice and big.  One side is food and the other side is cookbooks and arts and crafts. (I had already organized the arts and craft side before so I just needed to straighten it up.

With out further ado here are some before and after pictures:

The new containers

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After