Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up July 20

The weeks are just flying by!  Can't believe it's Friday already.  :-)

It was another fun and activity-filled week.  Please forgive me if you have written me an email and I haven't responded.  I literally have thousands of unread email.  Had to delete over 1000 just tonight.  Family life takes precedence over computer, as I'm sure you understand; and I haven't had as much online time of late.  :-)

Monday was music lessons for all of the kiddos.  They are doing well with their instruments (piano for Kiddos # 2, 3, and 4, guitar for Kiddo #1)

I also posted about welcoming Kiddo #2 home from Cooperstown, the baseball cake that was made for him and our continuing adventures with canning.  You can read all about it and see the rest of the photos here.

On Tuesday, we had a surprise morning visit from my in-laws followed by an afternoon with some library time and a great water-ice treat and swim.  I posted about it here.

I also posted my weekly recipe linkup.  This week, there are 27 recipes shared so far!  I shared my Tater Tot Casserole recipe.  You can see it and the others here.

Wednesday was a day filled with fun at home- whether that be making powerpoints on Kiddo #4's new library books or Kiddo #1's model airplane building.  Kiddo #2 enjoyed math videos from "Khan Academy" and Kiddo #3 was creating scenarios in Zoo Tycoon 2.

Thursday, we headed to 'Homegrown,' the 90-acre homeschool oasis that I have mentioned in past posts for a Kefir-water class.  Kiddos 1 and 2 got to make their own and we all enjoyed a picnic lunch, a nice walk and some apples that the kiddos picked from the grove.  Kiddo #4 also had her sewing class and Kiddo #1 attended his Civil Air Patrol.  Phew.  Quite a busy day.

So, I think (and hope) Friday will be low-key, fun day at home.  Who knows?  :-)

What I'm reading: "I Surrender: Thoughts on making Christ the center of your daily life," and lots of canning recipes.  :-)

What I'm praying for: those who are ill, suffering or unemployed, our military, and our nation...

A Quote or Photo to share:  "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever; That a revolution of the wheel of fortune, a change of situation, is among possible events; that it may become probable by Supernatural influence! The Almighty has no attribute which can take side with us in that event."-- Thomas Jefferson

A friend's daughter took this photo of the kiddos and I while walking between the apple and pear trees at Homegrown. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed weekend!  :-)


Linking up with:  Create with Joy, Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up.

Wordless Wednesday- July 18

On a very hot afternoon yesterday, it just seemed right to spend some time in the library followed by a water-ice treat. (soft-serve and pretzel for the kiddos who didn't want water-ice.  I surely enjoyed some cold water-ice and the flavor I chose was even sugar-free!)  :-)  They ended the afternoon with a dip in the pool.

Linking up with  Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy , What is a Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, A Mother's Heritage and NOBH and Favorite Things.

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- July 17

I hope everyone is doing well, keeping cool (we are having yet another heat wave here in PA) and ready for another week of delicious recipes! 

This week I am sharing my recipe for Tater Tot Casserole.  It is a relatively easy and quick recipe that the kids enjoy helping to make.

Tater Tot Casserole
1-2 pounds hamburger meat, browned and seasoned to taste
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
20 oz. frozen mixed veggies
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. bag of tater tots

Grease 9 x 13" pan.  Spread ground meat.  Sprinkle soup mix.  Spread veggies and soup.  End with tater tots.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2-2 hours.  Enjoy!  :-)

Now, it's your turn!  :-)


Linking up with: Kids in the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows, Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday, NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things and Modest Mom

Make Life Meaningful Monday- July 16

It was a good weekend.  On Friday, we welcomed home Kiddo #2 and my dad from Cooperstown.  They had a great week full of adventures in boating, fishing, hands-on history and of course, baseball!  :-)

The other kiddos decorated the driveway in their honor and Kiddos 1 and 4 baked them a welcome home baseball cake.  My husband just bought me the pan the other day, and what a perfect time to use it for the first time-- to welcome them home from the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Sunday was Church.  I loved how in the sermon, it was stressed that we are all called to be disciples.  The words of St. Francis were quoted.  I don't remember them exactly, but they went something like this: "Preach the Gospel always.  When necessary, use words."  He said that especially in our country the way things are going today, if we live a good Christian life, we will be noticed and that will be a witness, a discipleship; We will be preaching the Gospel by our very lives.

After Church, my parents, hubby and I canned some more corn.  Kiddo #4 snapped this photo of us getting the corn off of the cobs.  Working together, we made really good time and got to enjoy watching the Phillies win at the same time.  :-)

Linking up today with  Modest Monday, On, in and around Mondays and Inspire Me Monday in addition to Wisdom Wednesday and Living Well Wednesday 

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-up July 13

Another fun and event-filled (yet somehow relaxing) summer week here.  :-)  We were missing Kiddo #2 a whole bunch, but glad to know that he and his Pop were having their own fun and event filled week up in Cooperstown.

On Monday, the kiddos had their music lessons.  Kiddos #3 and 4 have been printing out fun coloring pages and Kiddo #4 made her own train track.  :-)

I also posted about my very first adventures into canning here-- a few ears of corn that I had around.  It worked out really well.  We opened a jar the other day and it indeed was the sweetest, most delicious corn we had had in a long time.  :-)

Tuesday was Kiddo #4's July jump-rope class. 

In the afternoon, we went bowling.  I posted about it and shared more pictures here.

On Tuesday, I also posted my recipe linkup.  I shared my homemade french toast recipe.  There were so many other delicious recipes posted here. 

Wednesday was our amazing honey making and jarring class that I wrote all about here.  The kids learned so much and had lots of fun while doing it.

On Thursday, Kiddo #4 picked our very first cucumber!  It was so good!  Nothing beats homegrown veggies.  It really amazed her that we started that plant from a single little seed back in February, and now it is yielding a harvest.  Pretty amazing when you think about it.  :-)

Friday (today, as I am a bit late in getting this posted this week!), will be some swimming, maybe more canning and welcoming home Kiddo #2.

What I'm reading: "I SURRENDER: Thoughts on Making Christ the Center of your Daily Life" and lots of canning recipes.  :-)

What I'm praying for: many who are ill, suffering, our military and our nation. 

A quote or photo to share: "When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good."-- James Monroe

Not sure what kind of bird this is (we will have to look it up and write about it!), but we saw him while hiking after our honey adventure and thought he was pretty striking.  :-)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed weekend! 

Linking up with Create with Joy, Homeschool Mother's Journal and Weekly Wrap-Up.

Thankful Thursday- July 12

I am so grateful for wonderful homeschool programs like the one that we attended today.  These classes are held on a breathtakingly beautiful 90-acre site that is so peaceful.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch after the program and a long hike.

Today's adventure was on honey-making and jarring.  The kids all learned so much about bees, how they "communicate," how they function in the hive and of course, how honey is made.  The actual honeycombs were taken into the kitchen and they were all shown how to take the wax off of them. 

Then, they were placed in the extractor, where the honey went down and into each of their jars. 

My kiddos all helped out, especially Kiddo #1, who proudly accepted the larger and heavier tasks.  :-)

They each got to decorate their jars. (they are SO quaint and pretty-- I don't even want to open them but I will because the honey is SO delicious!)  What really impressed me was that each of them thought of their brother who is away on a trip with my dad and wanted to make him a jar, as well.  It was very sweet and very thoughtful.

Incredibly miraculous, I found that my little girl, who until today, was deathly afraid of bees, allowed one to crawl on her hand.  It was a baby drone that didn't have a stinger.  That made her very comfortable and she even talked to the little fella.  Wow!  :-)

My children learned SO much and had lots of hands-on fun.  I am very grateful for the volunteers who organized and taught the program.  What a gift they are to all of us!  I look forward to whatever programs they are planning for the future.  We will be glad to be a part of them.

Happy to linkup with: Red Oak Lane, Raising Mighty Arrows, NOBH and A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Wordless Wednesday- July 11

Yesterday I took 3 of the Kiddos bowling (since Kiddo #2 is in Cooperstown with his grandfather).  We hadn't been bowling in a while.  They had a great time.  :-)

 Linking up with: Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy , What is a Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, A Mother's Heritage and NOBH and Favorite Things.