<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" media="screen" href="/~d/styles/rss2full.xsl"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" media="screen" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~d/styles/itemcontent.css"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:feedburner="http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0" version="2.0">
	<channel>
<title>Homeschool4Him</title><link>http://homeschool4him.com/index.html</link><description>Hot News!</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2009 Tammy Griffith</dc:rights><dc:date>2009-12-31T16:51:56-06:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
<admin:errorReportsTo rdf:resource="mailto:adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com" /><sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
<sy:updateBase>2000-01-01T12:00+00:00</sy:updateBase>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:26:42 -0600</lastBuildDate><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/homeschool4him/ANVM" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com" /><item><title>Christmas at the Homestead</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><dc:date>2009-12-31T16:51:56-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/OuYuDjgLUsY/3856d2953584803d8c291e5a88f1d66e-25.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/3856d2953584803d8c291e5a88f1d66e-25.html#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, we don't really have a "homestead" per se, at least not yet.  ...  It was a little un-traditional, which is normal for us.  ...  We opened stockings and had a very quiet evening.    We were done with all the baking, so we all sat down to learn to wood carve!    I bought us all blocks and knives, and we sat and worked on wood.  ...  I am making a heart, but I haven't had time to mess with it again because I began painting my living room and dining room.  


Christmas Day, for the first time ever, I think, I actually got up and had a cup of coffee, and got to get dressed and fix my hair before we opened presents.    I was beginning to wonder if everyone would think I live in my pajamas since each Christmas is filled with pictures of me shrinking away because I am in my jammies.  

...So, Madison got a German Shepherd Webkinz, her favorite of the toys.    She also got rollerblades, Littlest Petshop and other toys.


...He also got a video game, and his favorite: a Star Wars blaster gun.  

...Noah got a dragon video game, which he is very excited about.    In fact, Meg is driving him crazy to play it all the time!    He also got iTunes cards and a woodburning kit.


...He bought himself some toys for it.  ...  And I got a printer and a digital recipe filer.  


Afterwards, Don and I went for a long bike ride, then we took a ride in his new truck.    We went to the truck-stop and got a hot dog... ...  We watched movies and played with our new toys.    We walked our dogs and talked about the upcoming move.  <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/OuYuDjgLUsY" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/3856d2953584803d8c291e5a88f1d66e-25.html#unique-entry-id-25</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>My white bread recipe</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-12-31T16:03:36-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/b3BSjdkPDNQ/8d7f3280791fd4f31784425f8e46eb93-24.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8d7f3280791fd4f31784425f8e46eb93-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Here is my recipe for white bread.  ...  Bread is easy to make, but tricky, and can be a pain to get just the right taste.    For more of my recipes, click on the link at the bottom of the post.  


...You'd better make 2 loaves, because this will be gone in an instant. ...  The ingredients for 1 large or 2 medium loaves is included.


...	&bull;	3 cups bread flour (use only bread flour, not all purpose)


...	&bull;	1 cup warm water (110 degrees), may need more depending on humidity and type of flour.


...	&bull;	4 &frac12; cups bread flour (use only bread flour, not all purpose)


...	&bull;	1 &frac12; cups warm water (110 degrees)


...I make my water a little hotter than 110, because it will cool in the bowl as I add ingredients.   Use the dough hook and mix, watching for it to form a ball.   Adjust flour or water as needed to form a ball. ...  Put the dough into an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.   In the winter, I turn on the oven for a few minutes while the dough is kneading, then turn it off.   I put my bowl in the oven for 1 hour and check.


Punch down and shape the loaf (or loaves), place in a greased loaf pan and let rise again until the desired size is reached, approximately another hour.


Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes, until loaf is hollow sounding.   If my loaves brown up too much, I place a piece of foil over the top around 20 minutes into baking.


...Brush with melted butter if you want a soft top.


...If you have a favorite recipe, feel free to share it in the comments!  <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/b3BSjdkPDNQ" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8d7f3280791fd4f31784425f8e46eb93-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Crocker Pot Recipes</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-11-20T07:25:03-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/9BVjuWF4w-M/c35cc67e80ba21803a9ee9a6a7f32ee3-1.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/c35cc67e80ba21803a9ee9a6a7f32ee3-1.html#unique-entry-id-1</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Here is a really awesome site with lots of great crock recipes.    Sorry for the formatting issue with it being really long between sets, but my publisher wouldn&rsquo;t let me fix it.  ...  Here is a link to 2 of my favorite crock books, too:


<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?  t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=156148640X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?  t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001AQ3DUC&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage


...Slow Cooker Swiss Steak


...Crock Pot - Soup, Stew & Chili


...Bean Soup for the Crock Pot


...Black Bean Chili with Beef


...Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup


...Crock Pot Beef Vegetable Soup


...Spicy Black and Red Bean Soup


...Crock Pot Barbecued Beef and Beans


Crock Pot Barbecued Pork and Beans


...Pulled Pork with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce


...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/9BVjuWF4w-M" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/c35cc67e80ba21803a9ee9a6a7f32ee3-1.html#unique-entry-id-1</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Beginning an Earthbox garden</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Gardening</category><dc:date>2009-11-19T16:05:50-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/foXmOl0KYu0/f6323447b2362adc099dabd694d1a071-2.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/f6323447b2362adc099dabd694d1a071-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is my first year of gardening, and it was both a success and a disaster.  

...Because I didn&rsquo;t have a space in my small yard with the right sun to make the beds, and because my DH wanted me to do something that could be easily moved.  

...I received 12 boxes and a classroom guide for teaching about the benefits and impact of gardening, as well as charts and papers for charting your garden results.  

...There is a tube that sticks up and you water from underneath, by filling the box with water through the tube.  

...The best I can gather is that I did not have a sunny enough spot for them to come up in.    It seemed there was no where to put them in my house or outside that was not either dark or fully sunny and neither was right.  

...There is a debate about cutting them; I finally cut them because they were trying to grow all over the yard.  

...I did get fruit from both plants and they had no disease or pests, but my tomatoes and peppers in the Earthbox were fine, too.


...You are supposed to do it quickly, and some people even paint or mark their buds so they know which ones they pollinated.  

...Standing over the box to water was killing me, so my wonderful hubby went to Lowe&rsquo;s and got long PVC pipe and cut it down to a height I wouldn&rsquo;t have to stoop over.  

...Okay, so what happened to ruin my awesome garden.  3 things happened: drought, it got hot really, really fast, and I made a HUGE boo boo in my soil mixture.   

...It got very hot here in Baton Rouge really early in the year, and the lack of rain and intense heat were horrible to many gardens.  ...  I planned a trip to a local fig farm, but when I went to the market and saw the tiny figs with no flavor at all, we skipped it.  

...I got the recipe from one of the most famous Earthbox users on the Earthbox forum.  70% peat moss, 20% vermiculite, 10% perlite, and 2 cups of dolomite.  ...  So, I put some of each box into the remaining boxes and left out the rest of the lime.  ...  My tomato plants got big but not big tomatoes, my peppers were sad and tasted even sadder, and my cucumber and cantaloupe hated the lime.  

...So, I will post again about my plans for next year and my assessment of the Earthbox, Square Foot Garden, and Topsy Turvy.


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001REA62K&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0001WYNP0&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1579548563&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/foXmOl0KYu0" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/f6323447b2362adc099dabd694d1a071-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Awesome Unit Studies: Amanda Bennett</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Websites</category><category>Homeschooling</category><category>Reviews (homeschool materials)</category><dc:date>2009-11-17T14:08:19-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/vdElhORTmEE/AmandaBennett.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/AmandaBennett.html#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Some of us use an all-in-one curriculum, some of us forge our own paths, some of us use a combination of the 2.    I like doing unit studies for 3 reasons: the intense study of 1 major topic creates a long-term knowledge much more than memorizing facts and figures.    Reason 2: how will your children learn in college and in real life?    They&rsquo;ll study things in pockets and packages of information.    And 3: they make learning so much fun!!!


Personally, I am not very good at creating unit studies.    I can research info and give the kids a direction with websites and library books, but what makes a unit study awesome: devoting the time to it.    I have very little precious time.    So, who do I turn to for unit studies?    One source is Amanda Bennett.    She has studies for a wide range of ages, grades, and interests.    Sign up for her email list and get cool specials that you won&rsquo;t want to miss.    I have her photography unit study, journal, birthday unit study, and others.    They are truly worth the money, especially if you have more than 1 child.    Check her out!


http://www.unitstudy.com/


Feel free to leave comments about what you use for unit studies and your sources for inspiration.    You are welcome here!


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/vdElhORTmEE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/AmandaBennett.html#unique-entry-id-3</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Another family member</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Pets</category><category>Personal </category><dc:date>2009-11-17T07:07:41-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/6RmXxWYZF8Y/40994a20179645b3ddf553e9e4fa4dfc-4.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/40994a20179645b3ddf553e9e4fa4dfc-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[His name is Colonel Shepherd.    We have been looking for a companion for our insane German Shepherd female for a while.  ...  We say she either in trouble or about to be in trouble.    Sunai, which is Hindi for &ldquo;to listen,&rdquo; is about 1.5 years old.    She loves to wrestle and play tag, so we looked for a pal for her.  ...  A rescue group in Mississippi found him at the animal shelter and took him in.    They called him &ldquo;Scooby,&rdquo; which I think is not very appropriate for a Shepherd.  


Anyway, we met at a dog park and they liked each other, and we brought him home... on Halloween.    We decided to name him Colonel Shepherd.    We watch a TV show called Stargate Atlantis and the main character on it is an Air Force pilot named Colonel John Shepherd.    We figure since our new pup, who is probably about 3 years old, is a German Shepherd, the name fits well.  


...He is about 90 pounds and he has these monsterous paws and a huge block head, but he just leans on you and wants to be petted and loved on.    He will put his head in your lap and let you pet him forever, he&rsquo;ll lean on you and then melt on the floor to be petted some more.  ...  Not much prey drive for balls and tug of war, but he likes to wrestle with Sunai.    They play forever in the back yard wrestling and then chasing each other around the yard.  

...Colonel had heartworm and he just got over his treatment.  ...  I can&rsquo;t imagine why someone would give up such a sweet dog.    I will try to get some video of him and post it as soon as I can.  

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/6RmXxWYZF8Y" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/40994a20179645b3ddf553e9e4fa4dfc-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>COOL SITE!!! Legistalker</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Websites</category><category>Homeschooling the High Schooler</category><dc:date>2009-11-14T19:35:24-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/nUoxgbjtQ3U/174065a5e810bbcf99828552e43896da-5.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/174065a5e810bbcf99828552e43896da-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now, we have an awesome opportunity to keep up with our legislators in one easy place!    This is really cool for your children who are keeping track of their congressmen and senators in government class.  


The paragraphs below are from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Blog:


Legistalker is a wonderful site for keeping track of members of Congress and the Senate.   The site accumulates references to politicians that appear in news stories, on YouTube, also their twitter feeds and the appearance of their names on bills.   Click the headline to go straight to the original full story.


Legistalker is easy to use and you can add specific politicians to your &lsquo;watch list&rsquo; so you don&rsquo;t have to search for them each time.   You can also subscribe to RSS feeds for automatic updates.  &nbsp; It&rsquo;s a great way to stay informed!


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/nUoxgbjtQ3U" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/174065a5e810bbcf99828552e43896da-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Signs of the times...</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Homeschooling</category><dc:date>2009-11-12T20:27:37-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/E3V-nPMZHiI/0e3f28c78bc90750cf964a32ca80f748-6.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/0e3f28c78bc90750cf964a32ca80f748-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What blows my mind is the last part... that teachers have been giving incentives to children for brining in school supplies like hand sanitizer and Kleenex.    What in the world does this crazy world think when we will spend money on new cars, eating out, and cable TV, and our kids have no money for school supplies and they have to bribe people to get necessary funds and materials?  ...  I will admit to the occasional bribe myself: &ldquo;finish your math and we can have a bowl of ice cream.&rdquo;  

...Selling candy didn't raise much money last year, so a Goldsboro middle school tried selling grades.


However, the fundraiser came to an abrupt halt today after a story in The News & Observer raised concerns about the practice of selling grades.


...Shepherd and directed the the following actions be taken: (1) the fundraiser will be immediately stopped; (2) no extra grade credit will be issued that may have resulted from donations; and (3) beginning Novermber 12, all donations will be returned."


A $20 donation to Rosewood Middle School would have gotten a student 20 test points - 10 extra points on two tests of the student's choosing. 

...Susie Shepherd, the principal, said a parent advisory council came up with the idea, and she endorsed it. 

..."Last year they did chocolates, and it didn't generate anything," Shepherd said.


...Extra points on two tests won't make a difference in a student's final grade, she said.


It's wrong to think that "one particular grade could change the entire focus of nine weeks," Shepherd said.


State education officials, who typically shy from talking about grading at individual schools, were not pleased to hear of Rosewood's effort.


Rebecca Garland, the chief academic officer for the state Department of Public Instruction, said she understands that schools are struggling in the recession.


Tight state and local budgets have put extra pressure on schools to raise their own money.   Teachers giving extra test credit to students who bring in classroom supplies is a longstanding practice at some schools.


Carmen Zepp, a Raleigh parent, said there should be policies against offering students test credit for anything other than what they've learned.


Zepp objected this year when her daughter's social studies teacher at Knightdale High School had students bring to school tissues and hand sanitizer. 

..."It's indicative of the fact that our schools don't have enough money. 

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/E3V-nPMZHiI" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/0e3f28c78bc90750cf964a32ca80f748-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Recipe: Sweet Potato Brownies... Super Yummy!</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-11-12T17:22:54-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/vLOKenaTUfc/a655317200e17a216af611bd0c15c1c9-7.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/a655317200e17a216af611bd0c15c1c9-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Here is a wonderful recipe for sweet potato brownies.    I know, sweet potatoes and brownies in one?    Is it even legal?    They are delicious, and they are good for you... as much as a brownie can be.    They cook to the most gorgeous blonde color.    Give them a try and let me know what you think!


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/vLOKenaTUfc" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/a655317200e17a216af611bd0c15c1c9-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Rain Barrels!  </title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><category>Gardening</category><category>Saving Money, Being Frugal</category><dc:date>2009-11-11T17:32:17-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/dDBrdhoUbtI/4b55e336d7f741c11435c20f650e4712-8.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/4b55e336d7f741c11435c20f650e4712-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[             


We bought 2 rain barrels at the recycling truckload sale sponsored by our city&rsquo;s recycling center.    They sold rain barrels and compost bins at a fraction of the cost we would buy them at.    We think they are very attractive and they were easy to put in.    DH had Veteran&rsquo;s Day off, but we put him to work on honey-do projects.    He cut the gutters down and put the barrels on a concrete pad so they won&rsquo;t get hit by the weed-whacker.    They look so awesome!    Now, we have to wait for rain!!!    I&rsquo;ll be interested to see how much water pressure there is in the barrel.


Why in the world did we put in barrels?    1 main reason: hurricanes.    Sometimes we get hit by hurricanes and we wanted a source of water if ours gets knocked out.    We won&rsquo;t drink this water, but use it for our toilets, and washing dishes; things like that.    When there is no storm coming, I&rsquo;ll use the water to water our lawn and garden.    It will save a little money on our water bill, which is always good.                                                                                                                 


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/dDBrdhoUbtI" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/4b55e336d7f741c11435c20f650e4712-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Have hot dogs changed shape?</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><dc:date>2009-11-11T07:23:30-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/or2v8cOPNF8/b6e8cc1bd1b0f7df72027b239e2299bc-9.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/b6e8cc1bd1b0f7df72027b239e2299bc-9.html#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[ 


I saw this at Albertson&rsquo;s.    Did I miss something?    Am I supposed to cut my hot dogs to lay flat?  


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/or2v8cOPNF8" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/b6e8cc1bd1b0f7df72027b239e2299bc-9.html#unique-entry-id-9</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Bible Kids!!!</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><category>Crafts and Hobbies</category><category>Christianity</category><dc:date>2009-11-10T06:08:32-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/480nTy6eqOI/8d3c707a7257a950f188373d6e8bfad2-10.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8d3c707a7257a950f188373d6e8bfad2-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Here are my Bible Kids!    They had a theme night in Awana called Bible Character and they were supposed to dress up as a Bible Character.    So, Madison and I got a pattern and went to work.    I&rsquo;m not sure how much money it saved my sewing our own costumes, because it wasn&rsquo;t super-cheap.    If I had thought it out more, I probably could have saved a little more money.  


Madison is Mary, and Roman is a Roman citizen.  ...  We died laughing at that one!  


We have a section in our school called Skill Time and the kids work on a skill for 6 weeks at a time.    They are required to show me progress on the skill.    Last 6 weeks it was skateboarding, and they have improved tremendously.    This 6 weeks, Madison is sewing, and Roman is learning to play the Flutophone.    Noah is working on an animated video parody of Veggie Tales.    It is really funny.  

...The costumes were done right at 6pm on Wednesday night, 5 minutes before we left for church.  ...  We cut it pretty close.    But they were the best dressed kids there, and it made me feel good that I had spent time with them and making something for them.    It was stressful because it was last minute (my fault) but fun and we learned a lot.    Now Madison is working on a bath robe.


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/480nTy6eqOI" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8d3c707a7257a950f188373d6e8bfad2-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Items you can COMPOST</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><category>Gardening</category><dc:date>2009-11-10T06:07:00-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/NqMvcQCclo0/1979ded2fe11e8fef2a2d89adcdf7674-11.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/1979ded2fe11e8fef2a2d89adcdf7674-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, we purchased a compost bin called an Earth Machine this past weekend, and I learned about what you can and can&rsquo;t compost.    The list for what you can NOT compost is so much smaller:


...Used tissues: like Kleenex, yes it sounds gross, but you can recycle a used tissue!!!    We have a lot of that around my house.  


...Vegetable matter from kitchen (chop into pieces if possible), including banana peel, other peelings, apple cores, and unusable veggie pieces, fruit cores and peelings including rinds, potato peelings (my daughter says to &ldquo;be mindful of your peelings,&rdquo; for all you Star Wars fans out there).


...Post-it notes (be sure to use it first by writing something romantic to your spouse and sticking it to his mirror)


...Popcorn, corn cobs (need to be cut into small pieces or they take a long time to decompose)


...You may have to cut up the bag if you use one, but of course, we ALL have a Dyson, right?


...You can even compost that soggy stuff your kids never eat, but only a little milk, not a lot of milk.


...Shrimp shells... and for you bayou folks, CRAWFISH shells (personally, I&rsquo;d put the whole nasty crawfish in there, but I&rsquo;m not a bayou native).  


...My children suggested composting their chore list, but I reminded them that I may have to compost their allowance.  

...There are a few things we decided to do after we bought the composter to &ldquo;reduce our footprint.&rdquo;    We bought a second trash can for the bathroom to put tissue and cotton swabs in to compost.  ...  My children, being the apples that did not fall far from my tree, immediately asked if they were supposed to wipe and throw the TP into the compost can.  ...  Since I&rsquo;m six feet tall, I leave a pretty big footprint as it is, but I will only go so far.    I placed a kitchen pail under the sink and already I have filled it 2 or 3 times.    It&rsquo;s amazing how much we toss that can be composted; most are veggies peelings, eggs, kleenex, and paper napkins.    My pail directions said to place a piece of paper in the bottom of the pail so everything slides out.  

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/NqMvcQCclo0" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/1979ded2fe11e8fef2a2d89adcdf7674-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Earth Machine Composting</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Personal </category><category>Gardening</category><dc:date>2009-11-10T05:50:52-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/GN5y7BZboRk/d2f0a0d86fa199102de030a0d4401a63-12.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/d2f0a0d86fa199102de030a0d4401a63-12.html#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This weekend, our recycling center for Baton Rouge held a compost bin truckload sale.    Earth Machines are neat plastic containers that hold tons of compost-able materials.    They run about $100 online, but at this sale, we got them for $30.    They also have a compost turner to stir your compost, and a kitchen pail for your kitchen scraps.    I&rsquo;ve been waiting over a year for this sale, and there was a bonus, 55 gallon rain barrels for $50!    We had some rain barrels but they were quite ugly and we never installed them.    These are very attractive and they have a large screen on them to allow rain in and bugs out.


...I wanted to have a compost pile, because I am getting into gardening.  ...  I have the materials on hand, why put them in a landfill?  ...  We have a small yard, but we filled them both up (before wetting the compost).  

...They put sod on top of a clay bed, and the rain has eroded all the sod and soil away.  

...You can see my Earth Box garden in the back.   have 12 boxes that I planted in for the first time this year.    It did not go really well because we had a horrible drought and it got blistering hot early, which damaged my tender plants.  ...  It was a perfect spot for them in my small yard because we have a drainage ditch across the back forty (feet) of our yard, and they were on the other side of it.  


...She put them together, staked them down, and also raked and filled them with me.  

...I wanted to find a place out of the way, convenient to dump household waste in, but a place that had good drainage.  

...  This is one of the bins after I wet it and turned it.  ...  I have dry leaves, green thatch grass, and some household materials in the bin.  

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/GN5y7BZboRk" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/d2f0a0d86fa199102de030a0d4401a63-12.html#unique-entry-id-12</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Book review: DRIVE</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Parenting</category><category>Book Reviews (non homeschooling)</category><category>Homeschooling</category><category>Homeschooling the High Schooler</category><dc:date>2009-11-09T14:56:37-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/dKDfsUIb82Q/281de1f7d6d2546a5051c20f705b49c9-13.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/281de1f7d6d2546a5051c20f705b49c9-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00263J6SQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...I borrowed it from the local library, and there is a link to Amazon if you need it.    This book is about re-evalutating how you parent your children, in order to create children who not only want to move out and be adults one day, but who also have a motivation to succeed at life (not necessarily in financial terms).  


...Then it goes into the state of our culture, and how we have raised a generation of children who have no drive or motivation.  ...  Her basic premise is that we have raised children who never feel discomfort and so they do not feel any need to get out of the nest.  ...  She brings to light much of the plight of parents and illustrates exactly what we are doing to create these problems in our children.  

...I did pretty good, but knew there were some things I would need to work on to help my children succeed.  


The book then goes into detail about 9 different strategies you can use to develop motivation in your children.  ...  I won&rsquo;t go into detail about the strategies, because you owe it to yourself and your children to read this book.   


Here is an excerpt from Oprahselects:  Drive: 9 ways to Motivate Your Kids to Achieve by Janine Walker Caffrey


...Designed to assist parents, educators, and counselors to get kids of all ages off the couch and into the world, Drive outlines nine specific steps proven to beat boredom and foster self-motivation and resourcefulness. 

...I often get into the habit of running a few errands when I&rsquo;m at an appointment, which takes away valuable school time.    I make excuses about already being out, and about how bad traffic is after school, and then I&rsquo;m upset when the kids don&rsquo;t finish school!  

...I now understand to punish completely and not to take away something for a long period of time.


...I watched my son cook quesadillas for the first time last week, and he made a mess and flipped one and saw the consequences of it being flipped too fast.  

...I try to teach the kids critical thinking, rather than giving them the answer, but I may have not succeeded so well with the 3rd child.  ...  It is insidious, and I need to be more aware and let him think problems through rather than giving him the answer.  


...Seriously, I also learned to apply it to my marriage: don&rsquo;t rush in to do something for your spouse just to help them out.  

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/dKDfsUIb82Q" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/281de1f7d6d2546a5051c20f705b49c9-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Writing Book Reports for High Schoolers</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Homeschooling</category><category>Websites</category><dc:date>2009-11-06T12:26:37-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/B-fyJ1wpH78/8deb153843f52db38645386ed572a530-14.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8deb153843f52db38645386ed572a530-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In our homeschool, we often use reports as a way to measure work done as well as comprehension.  

...I keep a list of books they&rsquo;ve read, which helps them to see how many books they&rsquo;re reading.    This has been a great encouragement to my youngest, who thinks he can&rsquo;t read very well.  ...  I have posted a sample of a book report form I made up for my elementary aged children under the heading File Sharing on my webpage.  

...There are a couple of really great ones available that we have used and the kids enjoyed doing. ...  If you can outline, it makes it easy to assemble a quick essay or paper.   


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000QCDGOO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000QCBC2M&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...You can use it in 5th or 6th grade if your child can handle the writing.  ...  When they are done, they will have enough information to write a good book report from the material they wrote.    I use it as a rough draft for their report, then they go back and write a final draft.  ...  It is under the File Sharing page and it&rsquo;s called Advanced Book Report Form.


Now, my son is in 8th grade and he is working on a high school level.    I am counting all work I consider high school level and I am in the process of making my own writing and revising checklist.    I have yet to find a really awesome, solid checklist, so I&rsquo;m making one up.    I found one site that has a pretty good checklist for essays: http://grammar.about.com/od/correctingerrors/a/editchecklist.htm   and another one for writing book reports:  http://www.infoplease.com/homework/wsbookreporths.html.    When I get a good checklist together for writing and revising, I&rsquo;ll post it here.  


...You&rsquo;re welcome to leave comments and let me know what you think or give me your advice about this subject.  


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/B-fyJ1wpH78" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/8deb153843f52db38645386ed572a530-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Crochet Awana Bag!  Neat!</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Crafts and Hobbies</category><dc:date>2009-08-13T06:47:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/IL7WKTeBgyQ/217d7cf06fa25a0ffd4b982956aabe81-15.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/217d7cf06fa25a0ffd4b982956aabe81-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This pattern is from www.lionbrand.com and it is the Greenmarket Lunch Bag.   &nbsp;I crocheted it in about 2 evenings.   &nbsp;It was really easy.   &nbsp;The bag is done in a round which makes it go very quickly.   &nbsp;The directions at their site say to use 2 balls and change colors, but I used a multi-co lor yarn so it only took one ball of Red Heart I found at Wal-Mart for $2. ...  &nbsp;It is Awana colors and now she has something to carry her book and Bible in.   &nbsp;I am considering doing a second one since I picked up 2 balls of yarn.   &nbsp;I wasn&rsquo;t sure how much yarn it would take so I bought extra.


If you are thinking about teaching your daughter to crochet, or looking for an easy project for beginners, this pattern is it.   &nbsp;I made one modification to the pattern: it says to make 2 handles and join them, but I made one handle and slipstitched it to the other side.


I think Lion Brand has great yarn and great patterns on their website.   &nbsp;I download lots of patterns and keep them in a file on my computer.   &nbsp;I also get their emails.   &nbsp;They have an email called BK4K and it has projects that kids can do. 

...If you are interested in teaching your children to crochet or knit, there are lots of books at the library on the subject.    There are also videos and &ldquo;Learn to Crochet&rdquo; sets at the craft stores.    You can use a 40% off coupon to buy one of these sets and you&rsquo;re off!    Our library actually had a crochet and knitting class that was pretty cool.  


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/IL7WKTeBgyQ" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/217d7cf06fa25a0ffd4b982956aabe81-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Our Homeschool Schedule: How we schedule the day</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Homeschooling</category><dc:date>2009-02-02T22:27:19-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/yGW-VhZs1XQ/7006038bcb8ef4c4ac1015649342c2e9-16.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/7006038bcb8ef4c4ac1015649342c2e9-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A couple of years ago, I broke away from the traditional mold of boxed curriculums and took on the task of creating my own homeschool schedule.  ...  I input how many tables across (5 for the days of the week) and then I put how many rows down I need (8 fits on one page).  

...I make a table with every item that is redundant, and then I copy and paste it 35 times so I have all 36 weeks.  ...  I can also schedule events such as game practices, church events, and other appointments so that we all know what we are doing that day.  ...  For example, I scheduled my 7th grader to read a book that turned out to be too hard, so I went back and erased the lessons on the schedule.    I only print out 2-3 weeks at a time in case I have to make changes.


Two classes I have in my schedule that are unique are Skill Time and Chore Time.  ...  It could be drawing as long as he is working to draw better, like using a drawing book to draw better hands, for example.  ...  This gives the kids a chance to explore things they are interested in rather than always being told what to study.  

...The other item I have in our schedule is Chore TIme.  ...  Normal chores like walking the dog, taking out the trash, vacuuming, or loading the dishwasher are not done during this time.  ...  What I found over the last year is that we don&rsquo;t always have a lot of hard work to do around here that the children are adept at doing.    We keep a print-out of a &ldquo;Spring Cleaning&rdquo; list, and when it was gone through and marked off, we ended up with nothing to do.    So, I expanded Chore Time to also include helping neighbors (the kids helped rake a yard and clean up a dog park after a hurricane), and spending time with shut-ins or elderly people.    They may make cards and cookies and then we go visit someone on the church shut-in list.    It has been a wonderful way for us to spend some time focusing on other people&rsquo;s needs.    I find that the children are more in tune to how our family runs, and more willing to be kind to others.  

...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1581349424&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/yGW-VhZs1XQ" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/7006038bcb8ef4c4ac1015649342c2e9-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Buying In Bulk: 15 Lessons I Learned</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Keeping the Home</category><category>Book Reviews (non homeschooling)</category><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-02-02T16:29:37-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/Ef0GRB1wurQ/c48c6abe922c99ebbf8f27f565f26a24-17.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/c48c6abe922c99ebbf8f27f565f26a24-17.html#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[	1	Loss Leaders may be cheaper than warehouse clubs: For example, 80% hamburger was for sale at Sam&rsquo;s Club for $2.19 per pound in a bulk pack.  

...You can go to the military commissary website and download a list of their current sales:  http://www.commissaries.com/log_in/html/savings_aisle.cfm    is the place to go to learn what&rsquo;s on sale.    We are too far from our commissary to go much, but when I was closer, I would download the sale list and make my meal list for the month based on the sales.  

...Keep the paper or pad in your purse so that if you happen to be out and see a sale, you can verify that it is a &ldquo;real deal&rdquo; and not just a sucker drawer.  


	4	Get good books for recipes and advice on bulk cooking.  2 books I recommend and use on a regular basis are Make-A-Mix and Don&rsquo;t Panic: Dinner&rsquo;s in the Freezer.  

...Many churches have a distribution list of people in the church who could use a meal or a break from the kitchen.  

...If you catch them on the right days, they might have a super sale on something you could use.  

...I once got a great deal on 40lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts, only to come home and find out they were in 10lb frozen hunks and some were freezer burnt.  

...Of course, don&rsquo;t try to start up a conversation with someone at the market about how silly it is to buy 18 eggs for $2.49 when you can buy 12 eggs for $.99 when they have the 18-pack in their hand.  ...  Now if you see someone like me in the store, cart filled with 50 cans of Tomato Soup and 20 boxes of on sale cereal...by all means!    And not all people buying in bulk at warehouse clubs are really bulk shoppers; some do it for convenience or for their business.


...If you can afford it, or save up for it, get an upright, frost-free freezer in the biggest capacity you can buy or fit in your space.  

...It is hard work and you&rsquo;ll be tired, but one or two days of tired makes up for blessed evenings of not having to do as much preparation or dishes.  ...  I only cook or package what has to go into the freezer because I have no room on the first day, then work from there.


...Make a list of meals you cook on a regular basis and the page numbers, if needed, of the cookbook they are in.  ...  Organize your pantry where you can easily read the labels and see how many of what item you have.


...Everyone loves pizza, why not put it on your list so you can have Friday night movie night with pizza and popcorn, just like if you went out?  

...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0762426020&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0800730550&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0800733177&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/Ef0GRB1wurQ" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/c48c6abe922c99ebbf8f27f565f26a24-17.html#unique-entry-id-17</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Bulk Cooking</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Keeping the Home</category><category>Book Reviews (non homeschooling)</category><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-01-30T14:47:54-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/wPdXBS96lR0/652fafab01e4206a30e0fe310565157f-18.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/652fafab01e4206a30e0fe310565157f-18.html#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have been preparing my pantry by bulk cooking.  15 pounds of ground beef, 5 pounds of meatballs, separating portions of sausage and chicken and freezing them all.  ...  A normal month for me goes like this: shop at Wal-Mart for groceries, shop local grocers for loss leaders and coupons, and hit Sam&rsquo;s Club for bulk paper goods.    Up until 8 months ago, I would shop at the military commissary for most of my needs, and then go to Wal-Mart for the rest.    Since at almost every base we lived at for the last 20 years, I was 30-40 minutes away, I tried to shop for a month at a time.  ...  It takes forever and then you have all that unpacking to do at home and then dinner to make on top of it all.  

...I made a list over the years for things I would like in my &ldquo;final resting place&rdquo; or dream home, as some call it.    My actual dream home would be within the sound of the ocean, but I call this house a final resting place in jest because we are going to be here for a long time.    Being military, we always moved each 2-3 years, so if we stay here over 3 years, it might as well be forever to me.  

...I&rsquo;m not sure if it was a motivator or if it is a crutch, but I have a story to tell that influenced my bulk cooking adventure over and above saving money.    ...  There were a lot of cars parked outside and I had to park far away, which I do anyway to keep from being hit by lazy people&rsquo;s runaway carts they leave all over the lot.  

...The third one was fun because my DH got me a PS2 and a generator so I would be able to keep playing!  ...  The fourth one my DH left me to move planes to safety as I moved and cared for a puppy and a 4-year-old while I was tossing cookies from being 2 months pregnant.  ...  We can see the mighty power of a storm and think of how God could just think to calm it and it would subside.  ...  But this time, I was scared because there was no food and I did not like the feeling.    Now my pantry is full, and the freezer is stuffed, and I wonder if it also has something to do with the fear I felt that day.  

...I thought I would shop for a month at the commissary that is 90 miles away in New Orleans, but it is very tiny and you have to go over a huge bridge to get to it.  

...Then last night, DD and I made bulk mixes such as muffin mix, roll mix, pancake mix, etc., from a book called Make-A-Mix.


...But today, she made 3 batches of meatballs and my 12-year-old helped me to package all the chicken and other meat I got.  ...  After he lectured me about bones and bacteria from a conference he just got back from he said, &ldquo;Well, it&rsquo;s your dog and I am sure you take care of it well.  

...t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0762426020&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/wPdXBS96lR0" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/652fafab01e4206a30e0fe310565157f-18.html#unique-entry-id-18</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>My first rice cooker!</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><category>Book Reviews (non homeschooling)</category><dc:date>2009-01-29T08:11:31-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/mDnT9P6GurU/ed9142bc5376ae5ca59a0d3b9e079119-20.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/ed9142bc5376ae5ca59a0d3b9e079119-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I bought my first rice cooker last night.    And 16 pounds of basmati rice at Sam&rsquo;s Club.    We are beginning to eat more rice in our family and I thought it would be a wise investment, since many times I cook rice, I am in the middle of something when the timer goes off, and I tend to ignore it.    Lazy, I know.    Then the rice turns out not-quite-perfect, like many things I cook!    LOL.    But the rice cooker will do it for me, and another benefit is that I can get my kids to help out with the cooking by loading the cooker for me, I hope.  


Tonight we are having left over pizza, but tomorrow we will have teriyaki stir fry and rice!    Cool!    I love trying new things!


Here is a link to a downloadable recipe book from Panasonic.    The recipes are a bit &ldquo;high hat.&rdquo;    I haven&rsquo;t tried them yet. 


http://web1.panasonic.com/food_service/cmo/rice_cooker_recipes.pdf


<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?  t=httphomeschoc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001KBY9M8&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/mDnT9P6GurU" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/ed9142bc5376ae5ca59a0d3b9e079119-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Homeschooling</category><category>Reviews (homeschool materials)</category><category>Homeschooling the High Schooler</category><dc:date>2009-01-26T19:27:29-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/j5lga9x3U4w/0f94eec917136ad498f8356f8dd7e415-21.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/0f94eec917136ad498f8356f8dd7e415-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the course of my 7th grader&rsquo;s homeschool &ldquo;career,&rdquo; we have used 3 math texts.  ...  This year, he completed Saxon 8/7 early, and for the first time I realized he was not bad at math!    A Beka is a tough program and can get students down, and by fourth grade, we were struggling to get any math done at all without whining and balking.    We switched to Saxon for 2 books, 7/6 and 8/7, and did wonderfully!  

...I was going to put my son into Saxon Algebra 1/2, but I decided to take a leap and have him take the placement tests for Teaching Textbooks.  ...  I figured when my child reached the point of needing Algebra, I&rsquo;d better get him a curriculum that provides a bit more support.  ...  So, my DS takes the pre-algebra placement test and flies through it.  ...  When I pick myself up off the floor from shock, I give my DS the Algebra 2 test.  

...If your child needs it, there is a set of CDs that cover the lecture, each practice problem, as well as the problem set.    You also get a solution manual with answers to all practice and problems, and tests with answers.    There is also a CD that has the walk-through of each test question.  

...I introduced each item in the Algebra 1 package to my child, and walked him through what a typical math lesson would be like.    I only need to interact with him for a few minutes while I call out the answers to the daily math lesson.  

...In my 9 years of homeschooling, I have only used extra practice 3-4 times, so I doubt it is a big deal.  


...I plan to put my younger ones in Saxon from 4th grade to 7th grade, and then transition them from there to Teaching Textbooks.  ...  First, I already have 2 Saxon sets to use with my next 2, and second, I see no need to spend such a large amount of money for math that I am capable of teaching them.    When we get to higher math such as Algebra, that&rsquo;s the point I need some help, so it&rsquo;s a great place to transition to TT.


...&ldquo;The hippos back was so filthy that 1/4 of the parasites voted to migrate.  

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/j5lga9x3U4w" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/0f94eec917136ad498f8356f8dd7e415-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Coping with the loss of a pet</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Pets</category><category>Personal </category><dc:date>2009-01-26T18:36:32-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/p_RCkMKOcLQ/498390f6f655f69849c04d7a71652d2d-22.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/498390f6f655f69849c04d7a71652d2d-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[She was my friend from the moment I met her nearly 6 years ago.    I didn&rsquo;t realize until I stood in the vet&rsquo;s office on her final day how very much I loved her and how much of a friend she was.  ...  She was my diva dog and I am so very thankful that she came through my life.  ...  When my husband was away, she slept between me and the door.  ...  When I went for a walk, she was ready, tail wagging and howling like a wolf.  


I suppose I didn&rsquo;t know how sick she really was until the day we decided to put her down.  ...  When I would ask her if she wanted to walk, she would bow her head and walk away, as if embarrassed.    If I pressed, she would go, but only out of duty or loyalty, or maybe just the promise of a treat afterwards.    Every second of the day she died, I wanted to stop and say no, to hang on another day, to figure out some way to make her better or to &ldquo;live with her sickness.&rdquo;    As we stood in the vets office, husband, children, dog and me, we all wanted to shout for it to stop.    But I knew deep down that I only wanted her to live so I wouldn&rsquo;t have to choose her death.    My DH and I both commented frequently that the only reason not to let her go is because we didn&rsquo;t want to do it.  

...I know some people will go to any length to keep their pet alive, and I didn&rsquo;t understand it, but when you have to make an appointment to put your dog down, then wait all day for that horrible moment, you become very aware of why people don&rsquo;t want to make that choice.  ...  And the day after was awful, and so was the next day.    Today, tears have come to my eyes many times, and I have thought of her often, but I am coping.    My DD went from crying and asking her to come back, to telling me that she thought of Emma very little today.  

...Emma, you took a part of my heart, you comforted me in dark times, you made me laugh, you got on my nerves at times, you walked with me rain or shine, you were a true friend to me.    I may not cry tomorrow, but I will not forget you, your sweet soft fur and your sad brown eyes will stay with me forever.


<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/p_RCkMKOcLQ" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/498390f6f655f69849c04d7a71652d2d-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>My First Post...a little about this blog</title><dc:creator>adventurefamily5@myfastmail.com</dc:creator><category>Homeschooling</category><category>Cooking and Recipes</category><dc:date>2009-01-25T17:50:42-06:00</dc:date><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~3/FFwQurVSYPs/1a65f53b39497e1b9394e161c3352051-23.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/1a65f53b39497e1b9394e161c3352051-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&nbsp;I am so scared and clueless about what to write and how to develop my blog.   &nbsp;First, let me talk about me so you'll know who I am.   &nbsp;My name is Tammy and I live with my DH, 3 children, 2 dogs and a cockatiel in Baton Rouge, LA. ...  &nbsp;We've lived all over the country and even lived in our motor home for a few years. ...  &nbsp;We decided to give up our dream of full-time rv-ing and settle down in a home. 

...I have home-schooled for 9 years now, and I love it. ...  &nbsp;I began my experience by using a boxed curriculum, and have since gained the courage to make my own schedule and plans for each of my children.   &nbsp;We do some radical stuff, which I will discuss in my blogs. ...  &nbsp;I like the trivium and Well Trained Mind approach, but I mix it up some.   &nbsp;I feel that the most important thing I can do is prep my kids for college and maxing out the ACT and SAT. 

...I prayed about having a blog&nbsp;because&nbsp;it takes up a lot of personal time, and because sometimes blogs get very personal. ...  &nbsp;<em>Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.   They are to teach what is good,&nbsp;</em><em>and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,&nbsp;</em><em>to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.</em>

...&nbsp;I will talk about Scripture that God brings to my heart in my blog, I may discuss personal things as well.   &nbsp;I will talk about how I home school, funny things that happen, about encouraging things, about home making issues like cooking and saving money, reviews os of home school materials, and awesome websites that need to be shared.   &nbsp;I hope you will share your comments as well so that we can have a personal connection and opportunity to <em>train</em> one another, just like the Scripture tell us.

I have a sense of humor and think life is not worth living if you can't love and laugh.   &nbsp;Please bear with me as I learn to use RapidWeaver to blog, and I learn how to develop my website. 

...<div id="disqus_thread"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/embed.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://disqus.com/forums/homeschool4him/?  url=ref">View the discussion thread.</a></noscript><a href="http://disqus.com" class="dsq-brlink">blog comments powered by <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span></a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/homeschool4him/ANVM/~4/FFwQurVSYPs" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><feedburner:origLink>http://homeschool4him.com/page4/files/1a65f53b39497e1b9394e161c3352051-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</feedburner:origLink></item></channel>
</rss>
