Homeschooling A Houseful

Last week, I was in the copy shop in our small town, getting our chore charts laminated. I am seriously into laminating right now, EVERYTHING!!! NOBLE actually told me he hates lamination!! I asked him why, and he said you have to be careful to not rub it off.... I said it's a toss up, laminate and learn to be careful, or keep using paper, and make your mom feel like she is killing every tree on the earth!! Not really, but we go through a ton of paper, or can around here. I will try to remember to post about the laminate charts I have made... later, right now it's Bob's day!! I walked into the small copy shop, it's run by a cute little local couple. I bet they have lived here their entire lives, they are truly cute, and super nice. I love living in a small town, where everyone knows everyone. Even though we are not super involved, just visiting the copy shop, or the grocery store... people ask you questions, talk to you about your kids, and it's like everyone knows ...

If you have been reading my blog for very long, you have probably noticed, I am a planner! I came across the planner last year, and purchased it. I was HIGHLY impressed with it. Not only do I love the format, layout of the planner pages themselves, but I love the graphics and special added features. It's cute, and that makes me want to look at it and use it... honestly!!! I love reading the articles included in it. I also signed up to get a free THE HOME EDUCATING FAMILY MAGAZINE. I couldn't put it down, and I still haven't finished reading and re-reading to my hearts content. I have also started using this planner as my daily planner. I use the top boxes in the colums for our family studies. Things I need to plan, and keep track of. I also use it for our opening time, and for notes about things I need to finish for the A's school work. Then I use the bottom boxes for a to-do list for each day. I love having my day planner right there with my homeschool planner, it help...

The Nourishing Gourmet, posted a recipe for a Chocolate Milk "Frappe " This is an excellent alternative to Chocolate Milk. We had this for lunch today, and all the A's gave it 5 stars!!! Enjoy!

For our May Field Trip we went to Fort Buenaventura .... a lovely park in Ogden. Okay I have lived here, most of all my life, and I don't think I've ever been here! I hope to return soon, with Papa Bear and enjoy it again... it's beautiful there. We had a Wilderness Survival Man there, who discussed many survival skills, and things that Mountain Men would do to life. He also is a beaver trapper, today. Let's just say Noble, was in heaven. Survival is his newest "thing". He even had to go up and talk to him after the presentation! Here is the replica of the original fort. Boy found a new friend! and of course, we had to learn about hatchet throwing..... Can you believe I got three of my own children throwing at the same time! This next picture is of Valiant, he was SO into it. He's a knife throwing, gun toting, little man. WAIT!!!!! How did that get in here???? Okay it's Mama Bear! My plan was to hit the log, and bring fear to my A's..... ...

There's nothing like homemade refried beans... they are yummy, easy, and nutritious. {When homemade that is!!} I make mine in my crockpot. I fill it about half full of pinto beans, and then fill the rest with water. I don't know the exact measurements, we buy our pintos in bulk... so I just dump it in. somehow over my years, and years of cooking and baking, I have lost all my cooking technique learned in home EC. I cook by looking and measure in my way! Oh well. I did look up a recipe for refried beans and it said 1 pound of beans to 5 cups of water. Next I put the beans on high for about 1 hour. I get it good and hot and bubbly, then I turn it down to low and let is simmer. Usually I let them simmer a good 12 hours, either all day or all night. Make sure the first part of the cooking time you are close and able to watch the water level. After awhile you don't need to add too much more water. After they are cooked and soft, I turn it down to keep warm, until we are ready to...

From our home library, the new list on my sidebar... let me give some details. Morning reading with the little A's. Is just that, anyone who chooses can listen along. These are typically picture books. I am also going to start reading aloud from the tales of Winnie the Pooh, little bits at a time. As we read and find a "gem" I will share. Afternoon read aloud, is done at lunch time. Depending on how hungry I am depicts when during lunch. Sometimes I read then eat, sometimes I eat then read. We take turns picking a book for this time. We started with the our oldest Noble, and go right down to Precious. Boy doesn't get a turn yet, but he will! I use to take a turn, but now we have added the evening time. Evenings, this is Papa or Mama Bears choice. Along with this we have our family scripture, hymn and evening prayers.

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