and a ribbon for the Principal to cut...
plus "My schoolwork is all done tonight, Mom!" (all were correct except the line with multiplication, and, um, the spelling)...
and some pretty decoration on the table to greet us tomorrow morning:
Sunday, March 31, 2013
One of Three is a Good Number, Isn't It?
Luci in her new Easter dress...tried to get her photo on the front porch, but thunder chased her inside. When we got to church, there were two other girls with the same dress! Thank goodness Luci is of an age where wearing the same thing is pretty fun.
Tonight Luci surprised us with this sign...
and a ribbon for the Principal to cut...
plus "My schoolwork is all done tonight, Mom!" (all were correct except the line with multiplication, and, um, the spelling)...
and some pretty decoration on the table to greet us tomorrow morning:
The boys are not happy at all that Spring Break is over!
and a ribbon for the Principal to cut...
plus "My schoolwork is all done tonight, Mom!" (all were correct except the line with multiplication, and, um, the spelling)...
and some pretty decoration on the table to greet us tomorrow morning:
Friday, March 29, 2013
Spring Break
Most tales of Spring Break involve beaches, or Disney World, or trips to New York City.
Our tale involved staying home and Not Doing Any School Work.
That pleased one kid (guess who? His initials are J.T.).
It also upset one kid (Luci actually wanted to do schoolwork!).
We did a little Spring Cleaning instead. That made Mom happy.
Usually we don't even take a Spring Break because we are so far behind by this time, that we must continue with schoolwork so we can go to Idaho by mid-May. (The very best time! It's NEVER hot there in May...warm, but not hot! We get enough HOT and HUMID at home.) One year we went to Williamsburg, VA, on a school trip. (Fantastic, by the way! Everyone in the U.S.A. ought to visit there at least once.) But, usually we are at home, doing schoolwork.
This year was the exception. I loved this week! The only thing we have scheduled is the Easter Egg Hunt for homeschoolers at 1 p.m. today. We got some cleaning done--not a lot, but some. The first three days I had chore cards for the kids and myself. We had to have our chores done before doing something we wanted to do (play with dolls, video games, or doing the crossword puzzle in the paper). It worked great.
John had work all week (yes, he's retired!) and was not home or he was stuck in his office downstairs until suppertime most days.
I also had time to get creative with cooking. I made three new recipes this week. The first two were great hits. Beef and Broccoli in the Crock Pot was the first, and Loaded Baked Potato Soup was the second. (I'll post that recipe when I can find it again.)
Today I made Pizza Casserole (Photo and recipe follows). I'm baking it now and we'll have it reheated after the egg hunt tonight. It is very similar to lasagne, so I am sure it will taste oh-so-good.
This has been the best Spring Break, in my not-so-humble opinion!
Our tale involved staying home and Not Doing Any School Work.
That pleased one kid (guess who? His initials are J.T.).
It also upset one kid (Luci actually wanted to do schoolwork!).
We did a little Spring Cleaning instead. That made Mom happy.
Usually we don't even take a Spring Break because we are so far behind by this time, that we must continue with schoolwork so we can go to Idaho by mid-May. (The very best time! It's NEVER hot there in May...warm, but not hot! We get enough HOT and HUMID at home.) One year we went to Williamsburg, VA, on a school trip. (Fantastic, by the way! Everyone in the U.S.A. ought to visit there at least once.) But, usually we are at home, doing schoolwork.
This year was the exception. I loved this week! The only thing we have scheduled is the Easter Egg Hunt for homeschoolers at 1 p.m. today. We got some cleaning done--not a lot, but some. The first three days I had chore cards for the kids and myself. We had to have our chores done before doing something we wanted to do (play with dolls, video games, or doing the crossword puzzle in the paper). It worked great.
John had work all week (yes, he's retired!) and was not home or he was stuck in his office downstairs until suppertime most days.
I also had time to get creative with cooking. I made three new recipes this week. The first two were great hits. Beef and Broccoli in the Crock Pot was the first, and Loaded Baked Potato Soup was the second. (I'll post that recipe when I can find it again.)
Today I made Pizza Casserole (Photo and recipe follows). I'm baking it now and we'll have it reheated after the egg hunt tonight. It is very similar to lasagne, so I am sure it will taste oh-so-good.
This has been the best Spring Break, in my not-so-humble opinion!
Pizza Casserole
16 oz. rotini pasta, cooked (I used Tinkyada gluten-free pasta)
1 lb ground meat, cooked and crumbled
24 oz spaghetti sauce
16 oz cottage cheese
small can sliced, black olives
12 oz grated mozzarella cheese (3 cups)
pkg pepperoni slices (I used about 1/2 of a 7 oz bag)
Mix pasta, meat and sauce. Pour into a 9x13" pan (I sprayed mine with Pam).
Mix cottage cheese, olives and mozzarella cheese. Spoon evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.
Put pepperoni slices on top.
Bake at 350* for 25 minutes (Wrong! Mine took nearly an hour!) until it starts to get bubbly all over. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. I could not find the original recipe--so I cannot give proper credit. The original also said to add a can or jar of sliced mushrooms, but my kids won't eat those.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Chinese Food...from a Crock Pot!
I found this recipe on facebook. I can't remember who posted it originally. The doggoned recipes disappear after a few days--so whomever is posting them has them on a very short leash. I wanted to remember this recipe, so here it is:
Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli
Recipe: 1 lb roast cut into thin strips (Mine was 1.5 lbs. It's easier to slice when it's slightly frozen. I pulled mine out of the freezer last night, and set in the fridge. It was "just right" to slice this morning.)
Put sliced, uncooked roast into crock pot. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl and mix with beef:
1 c beef broth
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 TBS sesame oil (worth purchasing--it makes a difference!)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Mix 2 TBS cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Add to crock pot, stirring well. Turn crock pot up to high for 30-45 minutes, until sauce gets thickened.
Cook 2 cups broccoli (I used frozen) and stir in at the very end. Serve over rice.
I could not believe how well this turned out. Having Chinese food out of a crock pot? That's amazing. Use a rice cooker, and you have absolutely no guesswork as to how long to cook the dish, worry about boil-over, etc. Wonderful tools for moms!
Recipe: 1 lb roast cut into thin strips (Mine was 1.5 lbs. It's easier to slice when it's slightly frozen. I pulled mine out of the freezer last night, and set in the fridge. It was "just right" to slice this morning.)
Put sliced, uncooked roast into crock pot. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl and mix with beef:
1 c beef broth
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 TBS sesame oil (worth purchasing--it makes a difference!)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Mix 2 TBS cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Add to crock pot, stirring well. Turn crock pot up to high for 30-45 minutes, until sauce gets thickened.
Cook 2 cups broccoli (I used frozen) and stir in at the very end. Serve over rice.
I could not believe how well this turned out. Having Chinese food out of a crock pot? That's amazing. Use a rice cooker, and you have absolutely no guesswork as to how long to cook the dish, worry about boil-over, etc. Wonderful tools for moms!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Field Trip!
Today was a field trip to an “urban farm.” It is set up in downtown
Birmingham, as a learning center and a store of sorts, when crops are
in.
Luci and I had a lot of fun. She met two new “best friends forever.”
Tasting the smoothie made with lots of things she doesn’t like. Doesn’t matter that the orange juice and yogurt hid the taste of the kale, avocado and banana:
The teacher/docent showed the kids the labels that were on some of the fruit, and wanted them to figure out where the fruits came from (I know the grammar is not right, but please. It’s my blog.). The teacher shoved one fruit in Luci's face and asked her where the banana was from (again, my blog, my grammar rules). Luci is reading 3- and 4- letter words now. Luci just stared at it, looking like a sheep who had just been asked an algebra question. Like she’s going to be able to read “Guatemala.” Finally the woman passed it to another kid.
Who knew she likes worms? Not me. She wanted to bring this home as a pet. Two and a half hour trip home and it’s supposed to survive? My answer: NO. (By the way, I think that's a beetle larva)
The teacher/docent suggested tossing the juicy worm into the chicken coop. “The chickens will think that’s a great steak!” Didn’t help Luci. She was upset with that idea. I haven’t seen the worm since we got home, so I am hoping she let it go there in the garden.
The night before this trip, we had broccoli at supper. Luci would not eat any. I took a teeny-tiny bit of the blossom part and put it into her mouth (we are talking about 1/15th of a teaspoon!) and she gagged. Okay. So you don't like broccoli. What did she find at the urban garden? Purple broccoli. Which she LOVED. Which tasted EXACTLY like the green stuff we had the night before. Maybe if she ate my broccoli with dirty hands, she'd like it. (That's the purple broccoli, with yellow flowers, in the photo.)
Today we had some fine company. One boy in a cape, and one boy who wore
long underwear (it was chilly) and this hat with the earflaps. He was a hoot-and-a-half.
Luci had more fun than I ever would have guessed digging through compost, looking for insects. Here she is with one of her "new best friends forever," and that incredibly unique boy:
Luci and I had a lot of fun. She met two new “best friends forever.”
Tasting the smoothie made with lots of things she doesn’t like. Doesn’t matter that the orange juice and yogurt hid the taste of the kale, avocado and banana:
The teacher/docent showed the kids the labels that were on some of the fruit, and wanted them to figure out where the fruits came from (I know the grammar is not right, but please. It’s my blog.). The teacher shoved one fruit in Luci's face and asked her where the banana was from (again, my blog, my grammar rules). Luci is reading 3- and 4- letter words now. Luci just stared at it, looking like a sheep who had just been asked an algebra question. Like she’s going to be able to read “Guatemala.” Finally the woman passed it to another kid.
Who knew she likes worms? Not me. She wanted to bring this home as a pet. Two and a half hour trip home and it’s supposed to survive? My answer: NO. (By the way, I think that's a beetle larva)
The teacher/docent suggested tossing the juicy worm into the chicken coop. “The chickens will think that’s a great steak!” Didn’t help Luci. She was upset with that idea. I haven’t seen the worm since we got home, so I am hoping she let it go there in the garden.
The night before this trip, we had broccoli at supper. Luci would not eat any. I took a teeny-tiny bit of the blossom part and put it into her mouth (we are talking about 1/15th of a teaspoon!) and she gagged. Okay. So you don't like broccoli. What did she find at the urban garden? Purple broccoli. Which she LOVED. Which tasted EXACTLY like the green stuff we had the night before. Maybe if she ate my broccoli with dirty hands, she'd like it. (That's the purple broccoli, with yellow flowers, in the photo.)
Luci had more fun than I ever would have guessed digging through compost, looking for insects. Here she is with one of her "new best friends forever," and that incredibly unique boy:
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Heard Today
The set-up: Bryan is wrestling with Luci on the couch. Luci is screaming.
Mom! Mom!
whispers to Bryan:
I'm not afraid to use her.
Mom! Mom!
whispers to Bryan:
I'm not afraid to use her.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Luci-isms
This has been a productive week for my creator of Luci-isms (that's Luci, if you weren't too sure).
First:
Luci was in the bathroom, um, going to the bathroom, when I heard her yell hysterically:
Mama! Come quick! Mama! Come quick!
I thought that perhaps she didn't get there in time and needed some help.
Mama! Quick!
She had a magazine in her hands, and said,
I think I read something!
She did, too! She read part of a hair color ad. She was so proud, and so am I. It's been a long road, lots of phonics and sight words, and nearly every reading program known to man, and now the lightbulb has come on and the reading has started!
Second:
When Life gives you Lemons,
You make something with the Lemons.
Third:
JT and Luci were playing, when Luci came running and fussing to me.
Mama! JT is saying bad words. He is calling me names! He said, he said, he said I was a (whispering this last word) democrat!
First:
Luci was in the bathroom, um, going to the bathroom, when I heard her yell hysterically:
Mama! Come quick! Mama! Come quick!
I thought that perhaps she didn't get there in time and needed some help.
Mama! Quick!
She had a magazine in her hands, and said,
I think I read something!
She did, too! She read part of a hair color ad. She was so proud, and so am I. It's been a long road, lots of phonics and sight words, and nearly every reading program known to man, and now the lightbulb has come on and the reading has started!
Second:
When Life gives you Lemons,
You make something with the Lemons.
Third:
JT and Luci were playing, when Luci came running and fussing to me.
Mama! JT is saying bad words. He is calling me names! He said, he said, he said I was a (whispering this last word) democrat!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
School Work (?)
Today part of JT's schoolwork was to watch Thornton Wilder's Our Town. (I am thankful for Netflix!)
He was so enthralled with the show, don't you think? Here he is watching:
And, yes, that's Luci doing a "photo bomb."
What does Luci do when I'm busy with JT's schoolwork? (besides tear up the house, I mean)
She does a little artwork:
I hope you can see that. I told Luci that it looks sort of like Papa.
Papa? Does he have a moustache? yes
Does he have a hat? yes
Does he have a demonicle? after rolling on the floor, laughing, I said yes.
He was so enthralled with the show, don't you think? Here he is watching:
And, yes, that's Luci doing a "photo bomb."
What does Luci do when I'm busy with JT's schoolwork? (besides tear up the house, I mean)
She does a little artwork:
I hope you can see that. I told Luci that it looks sort of like Papa.
Papa? Does he have a moustache? yes
Does he have a hat? yes
Does he have a demonicle? after rolling on the floor, laughing, I said yes.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Reading!
We have tried every phonics/dyslexic program/method out there, it seems. And it's all finally starting to click with Luci.
I am so proud of her, and she is so happy and tells me, "My brain is clicking!" We are over the moon about this scholastic achievement!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Chinese New Year Decoration
How to make firecrackers (not real ones) that will last several years:
First, you need a willing helper.
You also need Mod Podge (or white glue), paint brushes, toilet paper rolls and red tissue paper.
While it dries, you can store your brushes and glue like this, so you don't waste the glue or waste time cleaning out brushes between steps.
When the first step is dry, cut a piece of tissue paper to cover one end. You will want it to overlap. Try to look bored, as Luci shows you here.
I added a second layer of Mod Podge to make this sturdier. Be sure to let it all dry between coats.
Poke a little hole in the center, and stick a short piece of yarn into the hole. Put some of the glue around the little hole and use the paintbrush to apply glue to the inside, where the yarn pokes through.
We found some Chinese characters
and some stickers (I could not find and dragon stickers, boo hoo) and decorated the firecrackers.
Tape a length of yarn in the open end of the firecracker for hanging.
Decorate!
Ta-Dah!
I think they turned out nicely!
Characters came from this site.
First, you need a willing helper.
You also need Mod Podge (or white glue), paint brushes, toilet paper rolls and red tissue paper.
Paint the toilet paper roll with the Mod Podge, then wrap a piece of tissue paper around it. Paint the tissue.
While it dries, you can store your brushes and glue like this, so you don't waste the glue or waste time cleaning out brushes between steps.
When the first step is dry, cut a piece of tissue paper to cover one end. You will want it to overlap. Try to look bored, as Luci shows you here.
Paint it with the glue, and paint the sides where the paper hangs down--cover it well.
I added a second layer of Mod Podge to make this sturdier. Be sure to let it all dry between coats.
Poke a little hole in the center, and stick a short piece of yarn into the hole. Put some of the glue around the little hole and use the paintbrush to apply glue to the inside, where the yarn pokes through.
We found some Chinese characters
and some stickers (I could not find and dragon stickers, boo hoo) and decorated the firecrackers.
Tape a length of yarn in the open end of the firecracker for hanging.
Decorate!
Ta-Dah!
I think they turned out nicely!
Characters came from this site.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Dear Mom
Last Wednesday morning Dad called to let us know that Mom passed away just minutes before.
It was not unexpected, but when you realize you will never see your mother again this side of Heaven, that is unexpected.
Mom taught me lots, from sewing, to baking, to taking care of a home, to taking care of a family.
Always in my heart.
Love you, Mom.
That last one makes me cry. It's Mom and Dad together.
Mom, I really did like those biscuits.
It was not unexpected, but when you realize you will never see your mother again this side of Heaven, that is unexpected.
Mom taught me lots, from sewing, to baking, to taking care of a home, to taking care of a family.
Always in my heart.
Love you, Mom.
Mom, I really did like those biscuits.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Christmas Talk
Let the record show that I've gotten John a few gifts that I think he'll be really happy with, that did not cost much. We are trying to spend less this Christmas (aren't we all?).
Conversation heard today between John and Me:
Me: You know those gifts that are priceless, that don't cost a cent?
John: Yeah.
Me: Don't get that.
Just something thoughtful, not expensive.
John, looking worried: Huh?
Me: Thoughtful, as in, my thoughts. No pressure.
Conversation heard today between John and Me:
Me: You know those gifts that are priceless, that don't cost a cent?
John: Yeah.
Me: Don't get that.
Just something thoughtful, not expensive.
John, looking worried: Huh?
Me: Thoughtful, as in, my thoughts. No pressure.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Santa's Village
Field trip yesterday...I felt so guilty for being able to do this with my youngest as the community in Connecticut had a nightmare unfolding in their midst.
We went to Santa's Village in Huntsville's Constitution Village. Everything was Santa-fied. It was a lovely trip, and Luci lapped up all the Christmassy goodness. She is such a total believer in Santa.
Here goes:
Group shot #1
Group shot #2
Santa's blacksmith
The candy-making room
Learning about customs in different countries...when Candy, our docent, told about Mistletoe in England, Luci said (very loudly), "Oooh, Disgustin'!"
Making gingerbread cookies...this was a germy craft. The kids were told to roll their dough up into a ball for the next group of kids. Can you say, "Influenza?"
It's always fun to watch a group of young homeschoolers get into a line. Not something we practice at The Willingham Academy for Exceptional Children.
Still sitting in a W. That's something we were supposed to train her out of years ago...I thought we did, but here she is practicing again.
Mrs. Santa reading I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell.
Group shot #6 (there were others I left out, for your enjoyment).
Finished a cute craft.
Group shot #7...
and #8.
Reindeer!
We went to Santa's Village in Huntsville's Constitution Village. Everything was Santa-fied. It was a lovely trip, and Luci lapped up all the Christmassy goodness. She is such a total believer in Santa.
Here goes:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)