Try a New Recipe Tuesday- April 2

Sorry this post is going up a bit late but I didn't go online at all over the Easter weekend and I truly enjoyed the time with my family.

My daughter and I made a few special treats for our Easter celebration.  They included my Italian Pizzelles.  You can find the recipe here.

and my daughter's Cocoa Crackles.  You can find the recipe here.

Now, onto this week's features.  Again, they were all wonderful.  I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to comment on each and every one, but being it was Holy Week, my  online time was very limited.

Better Than Caramel Popcorn from Butter, with a side of Bread

Resurrection Cookies from Loving and Learning on the High Plains

Coconut Cream Pie from Autumnfawn Lane

Really Moist Lemon Cupcakes from The Alchemist

Lemon Poppy Muffins from Campfires and Cleats

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, 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, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen

Thankful Thursday- Match 28

Better late than never, I guess!  :-)  I didn't think with the baking and other Easter preparations that I was going to have time to get this done, but I thought it important to always acknowledge something for which we are thankful, no matter what, so here is my hastily assembled post.  :-)

Among many other things, today I am thankful for:

a big brother who takes the time to help a younger brother with math work

never forgetting what this week is all about

lots of fun time together dyeing eggs

a little girl who thinks nothing of making cookies for Easter completely on her own (except for the in and out of the oven part) while I was making pizzelles

What are some of your blessings this Holy Week?

Linking up with ,Lisa at The Army Chap's Wife, NOBH,Miscellany Monday, Raising Homemakers and Modest Mom and Raising Mighty Arrows,, Spilled Milkshake,Crafty Spices,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, and Just the Stuff Ya Know

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- March 26

It is time for another wonderful week of recipes!

This week I am sharing Chocolate Chip Oat Bars.  My daughter and I made them the other day, and boy were they good!  We love to have our Mom/Daughter baking time.  :-)

Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips, divided

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.  Combine the flour, soda in a small bowl.

Beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl and mix until creamy.  Add the egg, water and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.

Stir in the flour mixture and oats; mix well.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.  Spread the dough in the pan.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes (we needed just a little bit more) or until the center feels firm.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cut when cool.  Enjoy!  :-)

This week's features (I wish I could list them all!) are the following:

Irish Soda Bread and Guinness Dipping Sauce at Our Little Family Adventure

Creamy Supreme Cheesecake at Mountain of Grace Homeschooling

Easter Bunny Carrot Cake at Addicted to Recipes

Taco Pasta at Bliss

Flan at Barefoot Hippie Girl

I hope everyone has a very blessed and happy Easter (or Passover)!  God bless!  :-)

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, 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, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up March 22

Another week is coming to an end.  I can't believe next week is Holy Week!

This week was a good one, full of learning, laughter and milestones.  :-)

On Monday, Kiddo #4 had her sewing lesson and continued work on the skirt that she is going to wear on Easter.  She is so excited.  That reminds me.  We better get to the store and find a pretty blouse to go with it!  :-)

There were also experiments on echolocation and saltwater vs. freshwater

and new math games to play

On Tuesday, Kiddos #3 and 4 read aloud to mom; Kiddo #3 made custom illustrations on power point to correspond with the story (isn't that cool? I would have no idea how to do that!)

They also had their Italian lesson, where they had a fun article activity with Easter eggs and made Father's Day cards for their dad. (Father's Day in Italy is March 19)

I also hosted my weekly recipe linkup.  I shared our mini-cupcakes this week.  Come see the recipe and all of the others that were shared here.

Wednesday, after our studies, was a day of milestones for both Kiddos #3 and 4.  They rode their bikes without training wheels!  Yay!  I shared more photos in my Thankful Thursday post here.

Thursday was Kiddo #1 and 2's last online class for the semester.  They really enjoyed it.  In fact, the teacher has another book that he just published and is going to autograph it for the kids.  Isn't that terrific?  I look forward to his classes in the fall.  We also had our classes at church and Kiddo #1 had his Civil Air Patrol.

Today, Friday, we are doing our studies in the morning and will head to church for the Stations of the Cross this afternoon.  It is like walking with Jesus during Good Friday, and something special that the kiddos and I wanted to do during this Lenten season.

And, hopefully, although it is a very cold start to spring, there will be some sunshine so the kids can get out on their bikes again.  :-)

I hope everyone has a good weekend.  God bless!

Quote to share: "Every man and every woman has a right to educate their children in their religious values.  When a government deprives children of this formation, it can lead to cases like Nazism, when children were indoctrinated with values which were alien to the ones held by their parents.  Totalitarianism tends to take over education to feather its own nest."-- Pope Francis

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, NOBH, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection

Thankful Thursday- March 21

What am I thankful for this week?  (other than the fact that it is SPRING? even though it doesn't feel like it!  :-))

Yesterday was a "monumental" day for the 4 Kiddos home.  You see, Kiddo #3 asked for his training wheels to be removed, hopped on his bike and took off like a pro!  No wobbling, no falls, no worries.  Love it!  I am very thankful not only for him being able to do it, but for his older brothers who cheered and encouraged him every step of the way. (even "letting" him win a few races)  :-)

And, not to be outdone by her older brother, Kiddo #4 announced that she, too, wanted her training wheels removed.  It wasn't easy for her, since she is 2 years younger, but she showed much perseverance and kept trying until she was able to do it!  She's not riding with the speed and confidence of her brother yet, but she already said that she will go out again tomorrow and keep practicing till she can ride "perfectly!"  I'm very proud and thankful for her, as well!  Kiddo #1 helped her out, holding her steady when needed and Kiddo #2 cheered and encouraged her.  I am so thankful that these boys don't know that they have to act a certain way because they are "teenagers."  They are blessings for whom I am also very thankful.  :-)

What are you thankful for this day?

Linking up with ,Lisa at The Army Chap's Wife, NOBH,Miscellany Monday, Raising Homemakers and Modest Mom and Raising Mighty Arrows,, Spilled Milkshake,Crafty Spices,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, and Just the Stuff Ya Know

Wordless Wednesday- March 20

Just some random shots from the past couple of days.  Included are math games,

"teaching" dolls how to  draw,

neat science experiments

fun activities in Italian class

and Father's Day cards made for hubby in Italian class. (yes, Father's Day.  You see, in Italy, Father's Day is March 19th, St. Joseph's Day.  I have to say that that makes a lot more sense to celebrate fathers on the day that honors the man who raised Christ as his own rather than a day that Hallmark chose. ;-))

Have I mentioned that it is never dull?  :-)

Linking up with: Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy, NOBH, Musings from a Stay at Home Mom, Tina's Wordless Wednesday,Judy @ CoffeeJitters and Wordless Wednesday at Wordless and  Living Well Wednesday, Modest Mom,  Homemaking Wednesdays and Crafty Spices, Look What We Did and Do Small Things With Love and Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

TOS Review- Essentials in Writing

This week I am reviewing Essay Writing/Research Paper from Essentials in Writing.  This is a 9th grade curriculum.  The program was designed by Matthew Stephens, a former middle school English teacher.

The 9th grade program is comprised of lessons on clauses, complex sentences, organizing and drafting paragraphs, planning and drafting essays, types of essays (expository, persuasive) and the steps of writing a research paper.  The course includes 75 video segments and it is recommended that it take approximately 150 class periods to complete, so this is an entire English course!  :-)

We received the DVD and worksheets on a CD-ROM.  Kiddo #1 worked on his lessons daily, watching a video and doing the accompanying worksheet.

The video segments were short enough to keep my almost 15 year old son's attention, but with enough substance to really demonstrate and teach each concept.  Mr. Stephens spends a great deal of time on how to organize and plan, something that I'm sure any mother of a teenager would appreciate.  :-)

The material was all self-explanatory, and Kiddo was able to work independently with an occasional question for mom.  :-)

The videos take the student step by step through the entire writing process, from sentences all the way to a completed essay.  I am looking forward to Kiddo #1's essay.  We did several lessons from each section of the course, not just the first few, so we could get a real feel for the program.

I liked that there is a 'personal essay scoring guide,' which is included.  It shows what the parent/teacher is to look for in order to give a grade.

To watch a video tutorial of how the scoring guide works, you can click here.

Overall, we liked the program.  The steps to writing were clearly presented and demonstrated on the video.  the sound on the video, however, was a problem.  While Kiddo struggled to hear Mr. Stephens, the piano interludes were quite loud.

In addition, the presenter rarely makes eye contact with the camera, and therefore his viewer(s).  This, to me, causes a lack of connectedness and it didn't feel as personal as it could have otherwise.

The cost of the program is $40 for 3 DVDs with all of the printables included.  This, in my opinion, is a good value for a full one-year high school level course.  The courses are available for grades 1-12.