Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up- March 21/22

Another week gone by and it is FINALLY Spring!  :-)

Last Friday, the boys continued their .22 rifle class with 4-H.  They are doing GREAT.  I'm very proud of them.

On Saturday, it was more classroom time and driving practice with their 4-H tractor class. (these were taken on my phone, so the quality isn't as good as the other pics)

Sunday was cleanup day in the yard.

While they took care of that, Kiddo #4 and I made Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They all enjoyed them when they came in.  :-)

In addition to our schoolwork this week, we made homemade pretzels (recipe and more photos to come in a couple of days!).

We have tended to our seeds (we already have some sprouts!)

 and shook our heads in disbelief when it even snowed on St. Patrick's Day.

On Tuesday evening, at a Lenten prayer service at our church, Kiddo #4 signed a hymn with 2 other young ladies.  They did a wonderful job.  They learned the sign language so quickly (only a few rehearsals) and were so reverent!  :-)

We also have been doing a family project-- putting our many photos into photo albums.  There are many from the days of film developing that we are enjoying going through (as they were all so little) as well as more recent digital ones that we are printing out. It is like reading and writing chapters in our family history.  We also like to make cute or informative captions and include clip art, maps and other mementos in the albums.

There were also some fun science experiments this week.

Our Lent is going well.  We are working on adding Easter lilies to our Kind Words Cross.  We attend Stations of the Cross at our church each Friday afternoon and we have been doing special readings and activities to mark the true meaning of the season.  I saw that Kiddo #4 has made her own little calendar of special deeds, acts of charity, prayers, sacrifices and activities that she has planned to do each day this Lent. It impressed me beyond measure that this child would take that upon herself and obviously give it so much careful thought and planning. There is no boasting.  Her brothers don't even know about it.  She keeps her "plans" in a folder in her desk.  I just happened to glance over while she was working on it.  Very sweet and very special, indeed. (can you tell I am a very proud Mama?)  :-)



My posts this week:
Peanut Butter Bread (this was SO good, especially with the cinnamon sugar topping!)
Try a New Recipe Tuesday


Hope you had a wonderful week!

Don't forget, if you have a Lenten post of any kind, please come and share it with my Lenten linkup. There are dozens of posts already shared.  How wonderful that we can read and be inspired and get some great ideas for our own families.  :-)

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- March 18

It's time for another recipe share!  Can't wait to see what you will bring to the party this week.  Yesterday, on St. Patrick's Day, it snowed here again!  We are done with winter.  :-)

I made a Peanut Butter Bread the other day that was SO good.  I linked it in the first spot below.

There are no features this week.  I apologize.  I will do my best to resume them next week.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Peanut Butter Bread

Ok, this was good.  I mean REALLY good-- especially with the cinnamon/sugar topping.  It was gone in minutes.  I need another bread pan so I can make two at once!  :-)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt (I did not use)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sift flour, add 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl.

Cut in peanut butter and 2 tablespoons softened butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Add milk and eggs all at once, stirring until moist.

Bake in greased 9"x5"x3" loaf pan at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.

Immediately brush top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top of bread.

Enjoy!  :-)

P.S.  If you have a Lenten post to share, or would like to come and read some wonderful ones, come over to my Lenten Linkup.  It is open until Holy Thursday.

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Claire Justine, 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  Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen and Family Fun Friday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop andAll My Bloggy Friends and Hearts for Home Blog Hop and Foodie Friends Friday and Family Fun Friday and TGIF Linky Party and Food on Friday andHip Homeschool Moms, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home andGood Tastes Tuesday and Thriving Thursday and Friday Flash Blog Hop 

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Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up March 14-15

It has been an eventful and fun week at the Home to 4 Kiddos.  :-)

Over the weekend, the boys had another session of their .22 rifle class and tractor safety with 4-H.

Our daughter served her first Mass.  For my non-Catholic readers, children from the age of about 10 and up are able, if they choose, to assist the priest during Mass.  They are called altar servers.  Our oldest, who is in the pictures with her, has been doing it for many years and is the "go-to" kid for everything from Easter celebrations to Confirmations to funerals.  He will be stepping back from weekly serving now, as the new kids (who are SO much smaller than him!) are ready.  He will still avail himself whenever needed for special Masses or services.  :-)  I am proud of them both!  :-)

On Monday, Kiddo #4 finished the most adorable dress for her American Girl doll.  Isn't it precious? Complete with cuffed sleeves and a little collar.

On Tuesday, we started our seeds!  Yay!  (at least we can THINK spring)

It was so warm on Tuesday, that the kids just had to get outside and run and play.  You can still see the remaining snow on the ground!  :-)  It is supposed to snow again on St. Patrick's Day. Can you believe it?

Wednesday has us at a homeschool program that was being offered on geology.  The kids passed around ash from Mt. Saint Helens, learned about different types of rock and made their own "metamorphic" ones.  :-)

On Thursday afternoon, we were over at church for classes-- I teach, my younger two attend and the older two are teen "helpers"- they grade homework books, take attendance, etc.

Even when it's busy, they always find time to do something they enjoy

Friday afternoon, we will attend Stations of the Cross for children at our church.  It is a special Lenten devotion that literally puts ourselves in the steps of Jesus from when He was condemned to death to his burial.

The kiddos were also able to take their bikes out and play a bit more outside.  They are going to enjoy the nice weather while it lasts.

Hope you had a wonderful week!

Don't forget, if you have a Lenten post of any kind, please come and share it with my Lenten linkup. There are dozens of posts already shared.  How wonderful that we can read and be inspired and get some great ideas for our own families.  :-)

My posts this week:

Oatmeal Breakfast Bites (incredibly yummy and easy to make!)
Try a New Recipe Tuesday (lots of new recipes to try!)
TOS Review- Egglo Entertainment (fun and Christ-centered way to have an Easter egg hunt)
Hearts for Home Blog Hop (always lots of great posts to read!)
St. Patrick Activity and FREE printable
TOS Review- Mango Languages


Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week

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TOS Review- Mango Languages

I was excited to accept the opportunity to review Mango Homeschool Edition, from Mango Languages, an online language program that offers instruction in over 60 languages!  Many wants to make language learning fun-- to encourage children (and their parents!) to learn a language, not in the boring way that we learned in high school.  This is conversational, practical language, the way we learned English as a child-- by using and speaking the language.  :-)

These languages choices include French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Latin and even Pirate!  :-)  You can see some of the many choices below.

My children have already studied Italian, so they were excited to continue.  They logged into their own personal account everyday and would do their lesson.  In each lesson, you receive instruction as to what the word or phrase means and then you hear it being said.  You are given the opportunity to repeat the phrase and the program will even tell you if you are pronouncing it correctly. (microphone needed) There are multiple lessons in each chapter, and there is review of previous lessons included in each subsequent one. There is an optional quiz at the end of each chapter.

They have learned various greetings and basic conversational skills that will be very helpful if we visit Italy someday, which I would LOVE to do.  :-)

You may have heard of Mango.  They are the #1 Library Language learning program in the country for 3 straight years.  In the library program, however, you only can do one level in one language.  In Mango homeschool, you have access to all 61 languages (you do not have to choose just one.  You or your children can learn AS MANY as you want!) and all of the levels.  The program is intended for ages 6 to adult.

What is available right now on the site:

• Over 60 different languages!
• progress assessments
• built-in journals, discussions and wikis
• collaborative learning spaces
• eNote messaging/chat rooms
• access to embedded/downloadable content
• support from other community members
• calendars to schedule meetings or study groups

Mango is offering a 14 day free trial of this wonderful program and all of its new features.  When we reviewed the program, it was in Beta and there are SO many exciting additions to be revealed.  They include:

• enhanced tracking and progress monitoring- including seat time (for students & parents)
• goals and personal lesson plans (both stand alone and tied into Mango courses)
• resume and portfolio builder

My children enjoyed getting the extra practice in conversational Italian each day and are keeping a notebook of their vocabulary and verbs to study.  The lessons are engaging for young people-- long enough to be of substance, but short enough to not lose their attention.

The introductory price for their homeschool edition is as follows:

For 1 subscription: $18/month or $125/year
For 2 subscriptions: $28/month or $175/year
For 3 subscriptions: $38/month or $225/year
For 4 subscriptions: $48/month or $275/year
For 5 subscriptions: $58/month or $325/year

For 6 or more subsciptions or more, that is considered a group rate and you contact Mango for pricing.

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St. Patrick

St. Patrick's day is fast approaching.  :-)

If you would like to see a wonderful craft idea that we did in our own home that truly exemplifies St. Patrick using the shamrock to teach the Trinity, click here

If you would like to download the St. Patrick's Day free printable I made, click here.  It includes a brief biography and a word scramble!  :-)

Hope you enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


P.S.  If you have a Lenten post to share or you would like to read and be inspired from dozens of posts already linked up, come on over!  It will be open until Holy Thursday.  :-)


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