Eskimo Kisses Home Grown Kids

Healthy Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

2010-09-20T12:46:00.001-07:00

This morning Em made some very yummy pancakes for breakfast. They are the Healthy Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes from the cookbook Getting Thin and Loving Food by Kathleen Daelemans. She used to have a show on Food Network and I enjoyed her healthy spin on good food.

The neat things about these pancakes are they are filling and can be eaten without butter and syrup. If you feel the need to put something on them try some natural peanut butter.

Recipe:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats ( not instant)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Nonstick cooking spray

Combine both flours, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Place egg white, brown sugar, buttermilk, and yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Add rolled oats, apples, raisins, walnuts, and dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Spoon pancake batter by heaping tablespoonfuls around pan until you can’t fit any more. Let cook until bubbly and lightly brown. Turn and continue cooking just until lightly brown on the other side. Continue with remaining batter.

We put a bowl of raisins on the table, since some of us (yes, me), don’t like raisins in things. We wrap our leftover pancakes individually in syran wrap and then put them all in a big ziploc and toss in the freezer. You can heat these up in the toaster or microwave later.

These go really quickly around here:)

First Day Of School Pictures

2010-09-15T05:55:00.001-07:00

Last week was our first day of school. We had just returned home from a month long trip in Houston, where it was the hottest summer on record. Not really where you want to be when they are breaking those kind of records. So imagine our surprise when we went outside to take our school pictures, we had to run back inside to grab our sweaters. Love that panhandle of Texas weather.

Emma Lu starts the 5th grade this year. (Emma Lu is not her real name, but for some reason I have started calling her this.)

This is Soph who is starting the 3rd grade. She is threatening to outgrow us all this year.

And here is my baby, sweet Little One. She is starting Pre-K this year. She is 3 and ready for math, spelling, and work. She repeats this to me everyday.

Last year we named our school Where The Red Yucca Grows:

This year Soph asked if we could implement a uniform policy. You know, so we don’t have to pick out our clothes each day. I’m not sure what kind of school I am running here, but I sure do love it!

Linked to:

http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/2010/09/friday-blog-hop-week-14.html

Summer Break Is Here!

2010-05-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

The lazy days of summer are upon us!

Okay, so even though it is summer we all know the learning doesn't stop, nor does the craziness. It just takes on a more relaxed attitude. But for this summer I'm going to take a little break from the homeschool part of my blog. The girls are busy writing in their nature journals, having garden parties in the side yard, and naming all of their toads. I'm busy trying to keep up with the garden and yard work that has suddenly burst upon me with the warm weather.

But never fear you can catch up with many of our happenings at my Home and Garden blog or check in on my writing progress at my original Eskimo Kisses blog. Please stop by and tell us what you are up to this summer as well!

Flowering Treasures And Another Backyard Lesson

2010-05-16T19:52:00.001-07:00

Last post I wrote about how spring is in the air. And it is! We’ve been getting lots of needed rain recently, so this spring the wildflowers are popping up all over the place. In fact, we don't mow in many parts of our yard because we want to enjoy the blanket of vibrant colors that cover our lawn.

I'm always amazed by these native plants and how beautiful they are. People call them weeds and I have to laugh because I see some very expensive weeds for sale in the nurseries around town! Anyway, a few days ago our girls were over at a neighbors house and discovered one of the flowers when pulled had a very garlicky odor. They came home all excited because they had seen the same flowers in our yard. Em said that our friends called it wild garlic.

Today they went out hiking along the far side of our property and came back carrying these pretty flowers.

Sure enough, they have a very pungent garlicky odor along the cut stems. This made us question whether or not they could be eaten. We decided to do a little research and discovered they are actually part of the allium family. This one in particular is Allium Drummondii, also known as Drummond’s onion.

The Native Americans used to gather these and use the bulb that is found at the end of the plant as an onion. They would cook it with their meats. It needs to be cooked, apparently for awhile, because it contains a substance that could upset your stomach if eaten raw.

So my girls have entered another page in their nature journal. We are constantly amazed by what our little piece of land provides homes for.

Do you have any favorite “weeds”?

Spring Is In The Air

2010-05-13T07:46:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the air here at Cotton-Top Hills. My girls love the wildflowers popping up around the place.

They also enjoy watching the wildlife. Recently, we have been sitting at our front window each morning watching all the birds coming and going. They are quick to notice the birds are coming in pairs.

This always starts some interesting discussions. They talk about how the quail, for instance, come in their little coveys through the fall and winter, but as the weather warms they begin to pair off. They watch as males scare off potential suitors and feel sorry for the single quail without a mate.

As the weather gets warmer they know to watch for the sun loving reptiles that start stirring.

Em came across a Horny Toad the other day, which is one of our favorites. They are really very sweet, I promise!

Enjoy the sweet days of Spring and all the learning experiences they provide.

Do your kids have a favorite bird?

Little One's Entries To Webster

2010-05-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

When young couples I know are expecting I love to tell them that they are about to have the best entertainment they could possibly imagine. They usually stare at me blankly, not understanding that the life they created is about to arrive in this world full of their own built in entertainment factor.

From the first coo to the gassy smiles we become enraptured. Suddenly Oprah is lost in the background, as we focus on our little one and anxiously call our husbands each time she does something amazing. Like sucking on her toes. Surely toe sucking is a sign of future gymnastic abilities, right? Their baby years are so full of new and exciting accomplishments that mom and dad can just sit on the couch and stare at their baby for hours. Not once wishing they were at the movies or watching the latest CSI program.

But it only gets better because one day they will start to talk. The world that they have absorbed silently for the first couple of years of their life will suddenly emerge in words and sentences. Let the fun begin, because you will constantly be amazed and humored by what comes out of their mouths. I've tried to jot down some of the ramblings of all three of my girls at this age.

Little One just turned 3 and she is chock full of neat sayings. Partly, I think, because she has two sisters ages 7 and 10 who talk a lot. She listens to what they have to say and then puts her own spin on things sometimes.

I just thought I'd share her latest entries for Webster. Honestly, I think these words have a good chance of making it in, don't you?

High-heeled Chair - noun the elevated chair with a tray that babies sit in to eat.
"Mom remember when I was a baby and sat in that high-heeled chair?"

Cold pink- adj. a pastel color which is the opposite of hot pink
"Mom, my toes are a cold pink and yours are hot pink."

Risers- noun steps that lead to another level
"Do they have risers at their house? You know, like at our house. Those things that raise you to the upstairs."

Sharps- noun kitchen utensil that is used to slice through objects
"Mom, are you going to use the sharps to cut that apple?"

These are just a few of the words she comes up with? I love it because it tells me she is constantly observing the world around her. She is making comparisons and not letting her limits of vocabulary stop her from expressing herself. Who wouldn't be fascinated and entertained by this?

Does your little one have some memorable words that we need to enter into Websters?

First Communion Weekend

2010-05-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated my 2nd child’s First Communion. Both sets of grandparents flew in for the celebration and an uncle. It was a day filled with blessings as we watched Soph take the next step in her spiritual journey.

Owl Pellet Fun

2010-04-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

As part of our owl unit I ordered owl pellets from a company in California that had barn owl pellets. I also ordered a little guide book that not only gave information on the owls but had skeletal pictures of many of the rodents and birds they ate.

The owl pellets are sterilized and come wrapped in foil. They say you can dissect them dry or moist. All I can add is that when these pellets are moist they are very stinky, so we did ours dry. We just used toothpicks to gently take the pellet apart.

The girls were amazed by the number of bones we found in each pellet. Several skulls were identified as mice and shrews.
We had a skeletal drawing of a mouse that the girls could look at to identify hip bones, leg bones, ribs, etc. Even my three year old enjoyed this activity. When we were finished my girls glued the bones to a piece of paper. For older children, or if you have more time you can try to reconstruct an entire rodent with the bones you find.

This fit into our discussion about food chains and owls perfectly. I'm so glad we did this!

We did this activity the night before leaving on our spring break trip so we didn't get to spend too much time on it. We will pick up more activities to do when we get back to school.

Owl Babies Activity

2010-04-01T08:31:00.001-07:00

We are continuing on with our Owl unit study this week as we continue to watch Molly the Owl.

Yesterday we read Owl Babies:

It is a cute book about three owlets waiting for their Momma to return from hunting. We decided to make a counting book. We got the idea from here.

We had so much fun gathering twigs, stamping our thumbprints and putting the book together. My older girls enjoyed helping Little One during this preschool activity.

The first page of our book.

We went all the way up to five for our little book.

I wanted to show you some pictures from our last owl activity. Please note that I found mistakes on the definition page as I mentioned at the end of last post. Sorry about that!

Our chart on producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Our vocabulary flashcards.

Soph's life cycle: flower, Caterpillar, mole, and Molly.

Em's life cycle: tree, ladybug, possum, Molly, mushrooms. (hers is a circle of life)

Our owl pellets arrived so stay tuned for some dissecting fun!

Molly The Owl And Food Chain Lesson

2010-03-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

My family has been watching Molly the Barn Owl live since she laid her eggs. It has been fascinating to watch the eggs hatch, see her mate bring her food, watch her eat, and even cough up owl pellets. It's amazing how much we have learned. We can now distinguish her call which tells her babies it's time to eat from her call to her mate. A homeschool has even been developed in Yahoo groups since so many homeschoolers were watching her during the day.

So I've decided to put together some curriculum to go along with all we've been learning about owls. Today the girls and I are going to start a lesson on food chains. Since I have a 2nd grader and a 4th grader I'm going to try to aim this lesson at both of them.

First we are going to define producers, consumers, and decomposers in the food chain. I made up some flashcards here . Feel free to use mine or make your own. Next thing we are going to do is go through pictures of magazines and have the girls make a chart of each of these "characters" in the chain. My preschooler will love helping with the finding of pictures in the magazine and she can make her own collage.

Next we are going to discuss food chains and have the girls draw or use their pictures to put together a food chain. This website has wonderful information about food chains as well as some fun games the kids can play. I found another website that has word searches, crosswords, and card games dealing with the food chain for the older child.

I'll post pictures tomorrow of all our activities. I ordered owl pellets yesterday to dissect so tune in for that fun lesson soon!

*Correction on the worksheets I made. The definition for consumer and producers need to be switched. When we were editing and moving things around the definitions got switched I am so sorry!

Sweet Alligator Cupcake Cake!

2010-03-25T15:29:00.001-07:00

My Little One turns 3 next Friday, but we are having a little Kindermusik birthday party for her tomorrow. She picked out Diego party plates and decorations because she loves anything to do with animals. Next, her 10 year old sister Em, asked her to look through this:

This was a gift from her Aunt Kim because Em says she will have her own cake shop one day. Oh, and that cake shop will also serve sushi!

Anyway, Little One picked out the alligator cupcake cake. So today Em baked all the cupcakes and went about putting it together. I'd peak my head in every once in awhile to see how it was going and she had it all under control. Even let her sisters watch and help out a little. All this was done while I was busy trying to figure out a way to hook up my new wireless printer.

I think the cake looks awesome! And I can say that because I'm her mom, but I think others would say it too.

Soph helped with the flowers. Pretty, huh?

We had a little Ace of Cakes moment before the cake making commenced. How were we going to transport this to the party without destroying it? It was way too big to put on a cookie sheet or any pan I had with a cover. We debated about icing it and then assembling it at the party, but that seemed to0 last minute crazy. Luckily my printer box was lying around because it was just the right size.

The Styrofoam in the bottom will help keep it elevated so we can reach in and take it out. Now just keep your fingers crossed I don't hit any large potholes driving into town!

Resurrection Cookies

2010-03-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Last year we fled the almost always frigid Easter temperatures of the panhandle to WB's parents in Austin. We decided to try something new the night before Easter Sunday. Something a little bitter, but sweet too. We made Resurrection Cookies, and if you haven't made them you are in for a treat.

To be made the evening before Easter.

You need: 1c. whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites,
pinch salt, 1c. sugar, zipper baggie, wooden spoon, tape, Bible.

Preheat oven to 300 BEFORE BEGINNING.

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.
Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1 c. sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66.

GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie
Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matt. 28:1-9

We all had fun doing this, but more than that it was a wonderful way to spend Easter Eve. Gathering around as a family, reading from the bible the story of Jesus. Remembering the true reason for joyful celebration on Easter morning.

For more fun and frugal ways to make Easter more memorable head over to Keeping The Kingdom First!

Also, head over to Beauty and Bedlam for all sorts of wonderful cuisine at Tasty Tuesdays.

Preschool Counting With Daddy

2010-03-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Daddy is not home very often on school days, but when he is everyone gets excited. Well, the older girls are excited until Daddy asks them to memorize the periodic chart or explain Einsteins Theory of Relativity. Then they remind him they are 7 and 10 and are not studying that. In which hubby, WB, always responds with some remark about how age shouldn't hinder there learning and how they need to challenge their minds. And before I know it I have a mutiny on my hands. Okay, this does not always happen just sometimes.

So when he was off the other day I put him in charge of Little One. He immediately said to her, "Let's go count" and scooped up an armful of fruit. I gave him some peanuts and an empty egg carton. Later I peaked in on them and found them very busy in the guest bedroom.

They were working with the peanuts and egg carton.

Little One was busy placing the peanuts in the carton as she counted them. She was doing very well. I have to say WB was right there with her, no mention of periodic tables or Noble gases or anything of the such. And my two older girls were breathing a sigh of relief in the other room.

What are some of your favorite preschool counting activities?

WFMW- Live Owl Cam

2010-03-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

We love watching the wildlife around here. We seem to have binoculars by every window just in case we spot a red-tailed hawk feeding or spot an owl sitting on the ridge behind our home. My girls keep a wildlife journal to document the comings and goings of all the animals around here. So for this Works For Me Wednesday I thought I'd share a neat website I found through a friend.

It is a live cam on a Barn Owl nest in the wild. Her eggs are due to hatch any day. My girls think it is neat that one day soon we will see little baby owlets and we might even be lucky enough to watch it hatch. I find myself fascinating my this act of nature myself. Just click here to go to the link.

My children are so much more aware of their surroundings due to their interest in nature. They've also learned some valuable life lessons watching the animal families around our home.

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips head over to We Are That Family!

Limericks

2010-03-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

There once was a strange lady who taught her three precious daughters at home

She walked around the house wide eyed with hair looking in need of a comb

"Oh my, my, what have I done?" she asked over and over with a desperate moan

Kids crying, paper flying, and laundry that looked like it was caught in a cyclone

But she knew that it took more than a day to build the City of Rome.

That is my very poetic limerick. The good thing about limericks, especially for me, is that they can be nonsensical and silly. The girls and I had fun today writing some limericks. We went over counting syllables and that lines 1,2, and 3 rhyme and have the same number of syllables and that lines 4,5 rhyme and have the same number of syllables.

I used a worksheet with Soph to help her write her poem.

Em branched out on her own and wrote one. When we were finished we put them on a shamrock to hang in our schoolroom.

Little One worked on coloring a shamrock while we wrote our poems. Then proceeded to put together a picnic lunch for us. Almost 3 year olds are very industrious and she earns her keep.

If you head over to my main blog you can help me finish a limerick for a chance to win a St.Patrick's Day basket the girls have put together.

Leprechauns, Rainbows, St. Patrick and A Winner

2010-03-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

This week we are kicking off a unit study on Ireland in anticipation of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day. I have a special fondness for the Emerald Isle having spent some of my middle school years under the watchful eyes of Irish nuns. Em has red hair, therefore she believes she is closer to our Irish ancestors than our German ancestors. Soph's dance for her recital this year is an Irish Jig and Little One thinks Leprechauns are loose in our house. Needless to say we're getting into the spirit of things around here.

We have several books we are using to study this unit. Here are a few of them:

Soph is read the Magic Tree House Book Leprechaun in Late Winter and I got the research guide to go along with it.Em is reading through A Pot O' Gold to learn about Irish folklore.

We love this book by Tomie dePaola is a wonderful one for kids of all ages to learn about St. Patrick.

We'll be learning about shamrocks, limericks, and some Irish cooking as well. I'll share with you our projects and links to resources as we go along.

Now for the winner part. Last week I had a contest for SpellQuizzer, in which they offered to give one application away to one of my readers. Thanks everyone who stopped by and lefthttp://spellquizzer.com/ a comment and those of you who are now following (you got two entries). I put the numbers in the random generator and the number was: 10

Which means the winner is Our Country Road! I just found her blog through the Homeschool Hop and love it. Make sure to stop by. I hope you enjoy it.

Spelling Help and Give Away

2010-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

My 7 year old, Soph, is a character. She has this incredible vocabulary when she speaks, always curious to learn the meaning of new words but not so excited to learn how to spell them. Spelling practice is always a chore, spelling tests are a real drag. Kicking, moaning, and screaming accompany spelling practice and occasionally Soph joins in with her mother's antics. Oh, I'm just kidding. But you get the idea.

But recently I was contacted by SpellQuizzer and asked if I would like to review their product. I jumped at the chance. It's a simple program that allows you download your own spelling words using audio onto your computer. If your computer doesn't have a microphone you can download a hint for each word. I do this for each word anyway that way we are learning vocabulary as well as spelling. Then the child types out the word and is told if they are correct or not. They have the choice to try to respell the ones they missed at the end of the quiz.
This software isn't just for homeschoolers, but they do have a page that targets homeschool specifically. And you can download and share lists with other homeschoolers if you would like.

We've done flashcards, games, etc. and that is all fine and dandy, but Soph really enjoys being on the computer and typing. So far she hasn't missed a day of spelling practice and there has been no moaning either.

Guess what? They are giving me one to give away! All you have to do is leave a comment in the comment section to enter. Tweet this on twitter, or blog about it, or post it on Facebook and come back each time and tell me for more chances to win.*I'm giving everyone an extra entry if they sign up to follow me as well!* I'll be drawing the winner on Monday, March 8th. Good luck.

The Groundhog Was Right I Guess

2010-02-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we celebrated Groundhog Day. He saw his shadow in PA., but we needed to make sure Texas groundhogs would agree.

We made our groundhogs from a template pasted to cardboard. We used ground coffee for the fur. Little One really enjoyed this project.

We put our groundhog to the test and guess what?

He saw his shadow. And it seems he was right because we've had snow several times in the last few weeks and more is predicted this weekend! We're beginning to think Spring will never arrive.

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

Please check out my interview with author and adoptive mom Judy Miller. She is about to begin an adoptive parenting class over the Internet. The blog post in on my main site here.

Hattie Big Sky Book Review

2010-02-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

Em has been reading up a storm this year and will be sharing some book reviews here on our blog. She is 10 years old and an avid reader.

Hattie Big Sky - Review by Em
By: Kirby Larson
This book is about an orphan girl named Hattie that is always getting switched around from one family member to another, until she finds out her uncle left her something in his will. He had left her land. So Hattie left her home with eager heart to start a new home in Vida, Montana during the rough times of the early 1900’s during World War One. She was hoping that instead of being Hattie here-and-there she will become Hattie big sky.

This book is a Newbery Honor Book.

I have to say that as a mother I really appreciated this book. It brought up wonderful discussion points about homesteading, war, and the challenges of being a young woman on your own during this time. The end of the book has some great discussion questions and an interview with the author. I would recommend this for any pre-teen to adult reader.

Have you or your child read this book? Are there some other books during this time period you would recommend?

Why We Homeschool Part 2

2010-02-17T08:48:00.001-08:00

I shared the first part of my homeschooling article here. This is the second part that was published in the family column I write for:

Last issue I discussed the reasons behind my families decision to home school. This week I’d like to share with you some of the questions homeschoolers face and resources for families who choose to home school.

If you are thinking of home schooling, be prepared to answer all the questions that will undoubtedly get tossed your way. Is it legal? How will you teach them? What about standardized testing like the TAKS? What about socialization?

First, home schooling is legal. Each state has different laws regarding home school, but Texas happens to be considered a home-school friendly state. Compared to other states, there are not many regulations for a Texas homeschooler. Second, you have the freedom to teach your children from any curriculum you choose or from one that you put together yourself. I attended a Texas home school conference last summer in which hundreds of curriculum vendors were present. There was a vast assortment of curricula that targeted different learning styles and approaches. Many families mix and match according to their children’s styles and ages. Some go with a curriculum that covers a year’s worth of work for all disciplines.
I’ve written about my dislike for the TAKS (a Texas standardized assessment test) from the standpoint of a teacher and a parent. It comes as no surprise that I cringe when people worry about my children not being able to take a standardized test because they are not in public school. First, both homeschoolers and private school students are not required by state law to take the TAKS. However, it is important for children to know how to take all forms of tests, not just limited to those that are standardized. I believe if you lay the proper foundation of learning for your children, in a positive environment in which they can thrive, you will have given them all the tools they need to excel at any tests they are given.

When I was a teacher the ultimate response to home schooling was “that poor child will never learn how to socialize”. I’m still at a loss as to why we think schools are solely responsible for teaching our children how to interact with peers. Is interacting with children at ballet class, volleyball, the museum, Kindermusik, church, and in the grocery store not forms of socialization? When my children turn their backs to gossiping and hurtful remarks from peers and stand up for the values they were taught in any group setting, is that not socialization? When my daughter is just as comfortable carrying on a conversation with an adult as she is with someone her own age, is that not socialization? Maybe the question should be, “Does going to school give you the necessary skills to socialize with others?” Then the answer would have to be “no”, because there are public and private schooled children who do not have the socialization skills needed to interact with their peers. I’ve seen these repeat offenders in detention halls, ISS, the principal’s office and even in my own classroom when I was teaching.

Finally, if you are thinking of homeschooling I advise joining a local home school group along with a state or national group. They will give you support, answer legal questions, provide you with resources, hold conferences, and give your family an opportunity to meet other home school families. I blog as often as I can about our home school adventures and I follow many families across the world who do the same. The Internet has helped to open up the homeschool world.

The bottom line is this; every parent has the freedom to choose what is in the best interest of their children and families. Thank goodness we live in a country in which we have many options to choose from.

What questions come up when you tell people you homeschool or what questions would you like to have answered if you don't homeschool?

Alamo Interviews

2010-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

This post has been updated and I think now the video should work, I'm still figuring out the whole video thing!

As part of our Unit Study on the Alamo both of my girls are reading everything they can about the battle.

Soph read this book:

And Em read this one:

Both gave wonderful accounts of what it was like to be inside the Alamo during the 13 day battle. As a book report they choose to interview one another as the played the part of their characters from the book. They did a great job and it was a fun alternative to writing a book report, which Soph would do just about anything to avoid.

I'm new to the cut and edit video program I have at the moment so I'm trying to figure out the whole process. This is a pretty rough edit, but I wanted to share just a bit of it.

Em is playing the Boy In The Alamo, who followed his older brother to the battle. Soph, is Susanna, who along with her baby survived the Alamo. She lost her husband during the battle and had to face Santa Anna when it was all over. When Santa Anna released her she went to find Sam Houston to tell him what had happened.

Math Story by my 7 year old

2010-01-21T06:20:00.000-08:00

The other day at breakfast we were looking out the window and some blackbirds that were gathering on our playhouse roof. We watched as they flew in and flew off one by one. Soph, my 7 year old, started to make addition and subtraction problems as the birds came and went. We got to talking about how this would be a great idea for a counting book, one not only she but her younger sister could enjoy. That afternoon she sat down at the computer and quickly typed out her story. We edited it together for misspellings and punctuation.

It was a simple exercise that involved math, writing, grammar, and creativity. For me it embodies the ideal learning experience.

7 birds sitting on a playhouse, 1 flew away.
7-1=6.
1 more flew away. Now there were 5.
6-1=5
One was pecking on the wood. One was looking up at the blue sky. One was black as can be. And one more flew away.
5-1=4

She added some clip art, but I can not get that to copy here. I still need some lessons on copy and pasting into my blog posts:)

Do you have some neat ideas for math books? I'd love to hear.

Monster Spray- WFMW

2010-01-20T12:59:00.001-08:00

It's time for another Works For Me Wednesday! This week my tip comes from my 9 year old daughter.

It seems when you move to a house out in the country there are all kinds of weird noises that you have to get used too. Coyotes howling, owls hooting, mice that have claimed the house as there own because well that's what mice do. Not to mention suddenly you have an upstairs to get used to.

Yep, all of the above happened right here at Cotton-Top Hills when we first moved in and there were certain members of the family that were scared to turn off their lights at night. Ahem, if you've read this story ,from my other blog, you'll know it wasn't just the littlest of my family that was frightened.

Anyway, for things that go bump and maybe squeak in the night we have a solution. Keep Away Monster Spray.

Yes, every household with small children should have a bottle of this around the house. A few squirts of this under the bed, in the closet, wherever right before bed does the trick. My children kept the bottle by their bed for a little while and would randomly spray it whenever they woke up during the night.

Okay, just so you know we talked about monsters not being real. We talked about praying for God to watch over us each night. But do you remember when you were a kid and adults would tell you all these things and you'd still wake up in the middle of the night from a bad dream scared to death? I do. That's why I slept with my closet light on. Well, our little Monster Away spray is just like the closet light but it conserves energy. I'm all about saving money and helping the environment. Guess we should really call this our Keep Away "Green" Monster Spray or whatever. You get the idea.

*If you haven't signed up for my 50 dollar toy give-away you have until 8pm tonight just leave a comment here:)

So that is my tip for the Wednesday. Head over to We Are That Family for more tips!

Google Earth and The Alamo

2010-01-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

This semester we started off by learning about the Alamo. This is our year of Texas history and it has been so much fun. I did not attend elementary school in Texas so I did not spend much time on the events that shaped this great state. I love learning along with my children. I'm getting smarter every day!

I found this great Lesson Plan booklet for 4th grade from the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. They also have one for 7th grade if you have older children. Today's lesson is to start our timeline that we will eventually hang in our schoolroom.

I love these projects because we cover so many fundamentals by doing one activity. Soph has been practicing her numbers by writing the years on our timeline. Em is writing the events of each year. They both are helping with the illustrations.

Along the way we are using Google Earth to locate places in San Antonio. If you have never used this it is an awesome tool for so many things. They have a free version you can download to your computer very easily.

Here is an image from Google maps of where the Alamo is located, point A.

You can even click on street view and act like you are standing right in front of the Alamo.

You can take tours, zoom in and out and do all sorts of fun things. So as a homeschooler your mind starts to go a little crazy. We can learn direction, coordinates, write directions from point A to Points B. Look at different historic buildings and research them and the list is never ending.

You can even go to

the Moon!

So the learning is endless.

Have you used Google Earth? What are some ways you've used it or what are some creative ways you teach geography?

Kindermusik Fun

2010-01-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

With my two oldest girls we lived too far from town to come in each week for Kindermusik, but now that we live much closer Little One has been enjoying her class since she was 16 months old. If you've never heard of Kindermusik it is a class for infants through preschool age that engages your child in music, dance, sign language, instrument playing and fun with other kiddos.Fun with Ms. Celeste and my girls along with a little friend

Little One looks forward to her class each week and I do too! It's a wonderful 45 minutes filled with time for me to enjoy with my youngest. My oldest are too old for these classes, but they get to participate on special days. Other days they find a cozy nook nearby to catch up on their reading or quiz each other on their spelling words for the week. It works out very nicely.

At home we have Cd's we were given with the class so that we could reinforce what we are learning in class. I'm constantly amazed by how quickly Little One learns the words and rhythms to the songs. There are also read along books that go along with each semester class, which sometimes Ms. Celeste (her teacher) will read during class.

Little One always loves when Ms. C pulls out the streamers!

The neatest thing about Kindermusik is that it is all about the kids. They are not forced to participate, can explore, and do things at their own pace. There is no pressure put on parents and very rarely does a child ever have to step out of class because they are acting up. It's a very relaxed, yet at the same time safe environment.

Anyway, if you have this program in your town you might want to check into it. It has been worth every penny and I plan on continuing with her until she is too old to go anymore.

Do you have a weekly activity that you and your young one like to participate in?

IF you haven't had a chance to check out my Eskimo Kisses And Air Hugs blog for my 50 dollar shopping spree give-away go here to sign up!

Decision to Homeschool Part 1

2010-01-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

Well, we had a wonderful holiday and now ready to jump back into school. I just wrote an article for my community paper about homeschooling and thought I'd share it here. It's part 1 of a series, so stay tuned!

Why We Home School Part 1

We are starting our second semester of our first year of home schooling and I figured it was about time for me to share our experience so far. Before I get started I have a few disclaimers. First I have no bad feelings about public education in general. Second, Bushland Elementary is an excellent school. My family and I love the staff and all the friendships we made while our daughters went to school there. No traumatic event occurred while they were in school that caused us to decide to home school.

Now that I have that out of the way I’d like to share with you how my family’s decision to home school. My hope is that this will help shed some light on why some families choose to educate their children at home. One thing I believe very strongly in is the freedom of choice. With that freedom, we as parents, have the right to choose what is best for our children and family at any given time. If I didn’t believe so strongly in this, home schooling may never have crossed my mind.

For my family we reached a crossroads last year when my daughters were in first and third grade. I was having doubts that I was doing the best thing for my children. Our home life felt like a whirlwind of hurry up go to school, race home to hurry up to do school work, hurry up to go to volleyball practice or some event, then hurry up to get home to bed to start it all over the next day. Somewhere in the midst of all this my husband might or might not actually see his kids before kissing them goodnight. Meals together failed to be realistic, praying together only happened when there was time and someone always seemed to be sick. My husband would travel with his job to neat and exciting places and we would stay home and miss him knowing the schools absence policies wouldn’t allow for us to be picking up and leaving every other week. We were no longer operating as a family, but rather as individuals that shared a roof.

My husband comes from a family in which both of his parents have their doctorates in education. They’ve dedicated their life to public education. I, myself, have my post-graduate teaching degree. My husband has his masters in Chemical Engineering. Education is very important to our family. And I was taught to believe home schooling was crazy. Along with the following: those parents are trying to protect their children from the world, they are going to ruin their education, and probably the most famous one, how will they socialize. I’ve heard it all before, I’ve said a few myself, so why was I even thinking about it? All I can say is God put some serious questions in my heart during this time. Ones that I would agonize and cry over, ones that I would pray over many times. But in the end I knew that home schooling was my answer. I say my answer, but it was a family decision. My husband had the same concerns I did, and in the end he believed we should give home schooling a try.

So far it has been a blessing. Each day is a gift I have with my children. I now feel like I can cherish it to its fullest extent, not be hurried or rushed. Do I still have doubts, you bet I do. Do I still have stress, yes indeed. But not about my decision to home school.

Next issue I’ll talk about some of the decisions and dilemmas families face as home schoolers.

What are some decisions and dilemmas you face as home schoolers? And what brought you to this decision? I'd love to hear!

Our "Green" Jesse Tree

2009-12-19T05:57:00.000-08:00

One of the neat things about homeschooling this year is that during the days leading up to Christmas I find myself having the time to really enjoy and talk about all the traditions surrounding the season. We've had time to explore cultures and really focus on the true meaning of Christmas. This year we made a Jesse tree.

A Jesse tree is a way to count down the days of advent that lead up to Christmas by making an ornament that represents a story in scripture. Each day you read a scripture starting with creation leading up to the birth of Jesus. The name Jesse tree comes from Jesse in the bible who is considered the first person in the genealogy of Jesus.

First I went to a website by Faith magazine to download the templates for the ornaments. They also have the scripture readings for each day. The small templates were just the right size to glue on our scratched up DVD's. I've been holding on to many of these wondering what to do with them and this project took care of that nicely. I'm feeling very environmentally correct over this project and glad I could use something we had around the house to make our ornaments.

We just glued a little ribbon hanger on the back side and the girls cut out the print out and glued it to the other side of the DVD.

We had a little artificial tree that we had used several Christmas's ago when we were moving to our new house, but not out of our old house yet. We set this little tree up in our new house so we could decorate it as well. It worked perfect for our Jesse tree.

We put it up in our home school room and we've been enjoying it every day. Every day we sit down and read the scripture for that day and find the ornament that represents it. The girls and I have enjoyed reading each bible story and discussing it. It's been a wonderful way to start or even end our home school day. And it's been a great way to bring the true meaning of Christmas back into our hearts every day!

Whoops...Missing Picture

2009-12-04T07:16:00.001-08:00

I just realized that the picture of my girls with their Super Cleaning Girl aprons did not make it to my post on Wednesday! I have to share because the aprons my mom made are too cute.

So here they are:

Super Cleaning Girls

2009-12-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

Since we started homeschooling this year I've had to adjust many routines. One of them being my cleaning schedule. Suddenly I had extra bodies at home all day, I was cooking 3 full meals a day and needed to figure out how to clean with everything else going on. I was also tired of everytime we took a break from school and I mentioned the word "clean" or "straighten up" all I heard was moaning and complaining. So one day at break time when our school room was in desperate need of a clean up I called out, "I need my super cleaning girls! Quick grab your cleaning girl aprons." Luckily my mother had made these precious aprons for my girls this summer and they are just perfect for our cleaning girl outfits.

I had no idea how this would go over, but all three of my children (yes even the 2 year old) jumped up and grabbed their aprons. I set the timer for 15 minutes and we all scrambled to clean up the room. Every few minutes someone would call out the time left so we were sure to make it in time.

All I can say is so far this is working great. We try to do at least a room or two a day, which is helping me to not feel so overwhelmed. The girls immediatly go to grab their aprons the minute I call out for help for the "Super Cleaning Girls"

That's my WFMW tip!

I've Been Tagged!

2009-11-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

My sweet friend Aimee, we go way back to our college days, tagged me. First, I'd like to say you need to check out her blog because she always has some neat homeschooling activities going on over at her place.

The rules of this tag are to list 5 things that shaped me as a mom. Okay, here we go!

1. My mom. She is a hands on mom. She volunteered for just about anything there was that involved us: homeroom mom, Girl Scout Leader, school nurse, etc. She cooked meals from scratch, taught us to sew, grew our own vegetables and canned them, took us to whatever museum, gallery, or cultural gathering she could. I'll be a good mom if I can do half the things for my kids she did for us!

2. My faith. Even when I was little I knew I wanted kids. Being a mom was something I couldn't wait to be. I think God was working on me even then:) I've learned that as a parent we don't have all the answers, but He does. Sometimes it just requires patience and faith. I try hard to listen to Him and be the kind of mother He wants me to be. Some days it is easier than others!

3. My husband. He understands what kind of mother I hope to be and helps me get there. Our decision to home school was a process of lots of praying, tears, and frustration. But in the end I knew that is what we were being called to do. He supports that, works hard so I can stay home, and encourages me on those days I'm not feeling like a very good mom!

4. The birth of my first child was full of unexpected happenings. She was a week late, I got a terrible infection and was very sick. In the meantime, Em was having a hard time and my labor lasted for 18 hours. When the worried doctors believed I had no energy left to push, told me they might have to use the forceps, and Em's heart rate took a nose dive, that momma instinct kicked in. There was no need for forceps and Em was born and whisked off to the NICU. In that instant I was a mother that would do anything for her children. Over the next week I found my voice and questioned and fought with doctors and nurses alike so that my daughter had the best care possible. That moment shaped me into the mother I am in so many ways, for when it comes to my children I am a force to be reckoned with!

5. All the very good and not so good mothers I have encountered over the years. They have shown me in big and small ways what kind of mother I want to be and sometimes that which I want to avoid.

I'd like to pass this award on to three ladies whose blogs I hope you get a chance to read for they are really neat moms:

Amy at Buffaloes and Butterfly Wings

Sasha at Small Town Momma

Connie at Smockity Frocks

A Lesson In Density

2009-11-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

This weekend not only did I get a glorious nap, a new computer system from my hubby, lots of loving from my kiddos I also got one more very special treat. WB, my engineering hubby, decided to give the girls a lesson on density.

This is WB explaining the lesson (yes that facial hair is new, don't ask!!)

WB explaining to the girls how to measure by looking at the meniscus.

Little One ready to record data:)

WB used oil, saltwater, water, and alcohol which they measured and weighed to determine the density. First they put oil and water in a glass to see what would happen. Em learned how to do math equations using grams per milliliters. She followed along remarkably well for a fourth grader. Soph also understood certain concepts I was not sure she would grasp being 7, but she hung in there. I refrained from telling WB that this was a lesson I did in my 7th grade science class, which they struggled with. I'm glad I did because the girls understood more than I thought they would and enjoyed themselves in the process.

Isn't it cool when you make liquids pile up like this?

The last thing they did was to determine the density of a tomato and make a hypothesis as to where it would get stuck in their density parfait.

They had a blast, absorbed what they needed too, and spent a fun afternoon learning with WB!

Nature Walk

2009-11-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

We have been having some very nice warm weather and luckily we've gone outside to enjoy these beautiful days. We've been studying nature during our science time. Last week we decided to take a nature walk around our place. Em brought the camera and our goal was to find tracks, rocks, leaves, flowers, wildlife on our walk and document them with either pictures or by collecting them.

The girls knew right away this was one of our deer tracks. They come nightly to feed now that most of the vegetation in the canyons has died.

We stopped by the girls rock quarry. This is where they have been excavating for a few months now. Most of the rock is caliche and limestone. But we do find a few other treasures around.

Most of our wildflowers have died, but we have plenty of these around. In fact they make some very cute Christmas angle ornaments. You'll have to check out my post on my Crafty Corner Blog.

Everything we collected they gathered on a tray for labeling. We are going to the library today to check out a wildlife and plant guides to identify all our items. Using our pictures and our collections we will be making a nature book. WB also took the girls to the Botanical Gardens where they took more pictures of flowers and butterflies. We stopped by our favorite park and took pictures of all the different ducks and collected more leaves. They are going to organize their books by area.

We might even do a collection for the different seasons. The activities are endless and the best part is the kids enjoy doing it. Even my 2 year old can identify most of the things we have collected.

How do you study the nature around your area?

The Third Annual Great Pumpkin Patch Party

2009-10-23T13:26:00.001-07:00

Well, two weeks ago we hosted our annual pumpkin patch party. We decided to have it in early October this year to keep it from getting to hectic with all the other holiday fun. It never crossed our mind that on the day we held the party the temperature would drastically drop to freezing with drizzle off and on all day. Ahh, that is the Panhandle of Texas for you.

WB frantically cleaned out the garage, backed the trailer with hay into it and we waited. Our menu was chili and hot apple cider, which turned out to be very well planned. Mind you we could have just as easily been serving chili to our guests in 80 degree weather if the weather of the week had held out.

Loading up the kids in the nice warm garage.

I was thrilled as our guests started arriving. We had a full house with children laughing and parents catching up with another as they had a few non-hectic hours. I love my house this way. I really can't describe the feeling I get when I have a house full of guests. To be truthful the week spent cleaning beforehand doesn't really give me the warm fuzzies, but it is all worth it in the end.

WB driving to the pumpkin patch.

Little One finding a pumpkin just the right size!

Despite the weather we had a quick hay ride to the pumpkin patch and back to the house to decorate them. Thank you Mom for the blue trays you recycled from your years at the hospital. They saved the day and my carpet from all the paint decorating that was going on. Both my parents were here and as usual we couldn't have pulled it off without them.

Our sweet friends always bring a Pinata and this year we had to improvise and set it up inside the garage. The kids had so much fun, even if I was a little nervous in the tight quarters. That's a mom for you!

It was so much fun despite the weather, although I've told WB that this is just more reason for us to build my party barn/studio/guest quarters. He just gives me the look!

A Homeschool Adventure

2009-10-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

The girls and I once again went along with WB to Lubbock on one of his trips. This time we decided to check out the Lubbock Lake Landmark Museum. We woke up that morning to winds gusting around 30 miles per hour and a definite chill in the air. But never mind that, we are homeschool adventurers.

The museum is fairly new and although small very nice inside. There was even an area for some hands on fun, which the girls enjoyed.

What they didn't enjoy was the room with the life size mannequins of Native Americans skinning buffalo etc. Much to my horror they all panicked and refused to look at this room. Where did this behavior come from? I was disappointed because both girls are working on a project about Texas Native Americans and I was looking forward to exploring this room. Honestly, I am not letting them watch Night at the Museum anymore. I had no idea it would turn them into jumpy, paranoid museum goers. Hmpf!

Outside there are many trails to follow where active excavations are going on. Well, not active now, but in the summer months. We set out on the trail with no other human in sight. It was just us and thousands of years of artifacts lurking just below the surface. Oh, and a few life size replicas of things like a 3 foot tall armadillo and some gigantic mammoths. All animals whose bones have been found at this site.

Anyways as we walked the trail, with the wind howling across the plains, you couldn't help but feel the presence of other beings. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting one of those Plains Indians to come swooping down upon us with spear drawn. Okay, no more movie watching for me either. But as we stopped to look at one excavation site down in a ravine I really felt as if eyes were upon us.

Then Soph screeches, "There, look there. There it is!" Jumping up and down pointing at a wall of dirt.

The rest of us peer in the direction she is pointing seeing nothing. I am reminded of yet another movie, the one where the kid sees dead people. That settles it, I am just never going into the theaters again!

"There a... a wolf. No, no a coyote." Still pointing her finger at the mound of dirt and jumping up and down. I clutch Little One to me afraid at any moment we are going to be devoured by a pack of wolves. You know, the variety that roam the fringes of Lubbock.

Finally I see this.

Zooming in I realize it is a fox.

He is sitting very calmly watching us from his perch. Soph finally exclaims, "No a fox!" We watch each other for a few minutes while I desperately try to handle camera and two year old. I realize my settings are off and before I can correct it the fox is gone.

Whew, the excitement. Who knew going to a museum could get the adrenaline pumping so hard? Needless to say the girls enjoyed the trip and probably won't forget it anytime soon.

Don't you just love homeschool adventures?

Excavation Projects

2009-09-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

They say children start learning when in the sand box. Well, I have to agree. Em and Soph tackled the project of cleaning out the sand box yesterday. Let me back up and tell you why this was necessary.

It seems all cats, whether wild or domesticated, like to use sand boxes for a litter box. Hmmm, see I thought only indoor little kitties did that sort of thing. So imagine my horror at finding our sand box the new bathroom for all the wild cats we started feeding this winter. Yes, this seems to be common place because whenever I mention it to someone they just nod and say something like, "Yes, yes, that is why you should cover your sandbox". Okay, I am obviously the only person on the planet that doesn't know such things about cats.

Anyway, the girls got their shovels and wheelbarrow and set to work.

Within five minutes a discovery was found by Soph.

It was a bone!

Em decided they had found some owl pellets. We discussed the probability of owl pellets being found underneath the play set and decided that wouldn't easily be possible. Soph declared it was coming from the cat poop as she excitedly shoveled more sand, poop, and bones.

Upon closer inspection we found that some of the bones were hollow. Hmmm, what animal has hollow bones? Yep, birds. My girls were excited by their dig and findings.

Amazing, what a trip to the sandbox can teach you!

Field Trip To Lubbock

2009-09-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Post Written by Em

Soph, Uncle Ross, Little One, and Me

On Wednesday we went to Lubbock. It was fun. We went there because my dad had a business trip in Lubbock.

While we were there we went on a field trip to the hospital where my Uncle Ross works. First he showed us his office where we met several nurses and a doctor. One of the nurses gave us a goody bad with pens and pads of paper. Then we went on a tour of the actual hospital.

We saw several floors where we could not enter. Uncle Ross said we might get sick if we went onto these floors because there were lots of very sick people. We did get to visit some floors that we were able to go onto. One was the pediatric floor. This is where children who are sick are cared for. One neat thing about this floor was that if you were sick you and your family were given a ceiling tile to decorate. They then hung it on the ceiling of your room.

Little One having a snack that Uncle Ross got for her when she was tired.

We then went to the MICU where most of Uncle Ross' patients were cared for. We got to sit in the nurses station and look on a computer at MRI'S and X-Rays. I learned that cat scans take pictures in slices. They were cool.

We met Dr. Joe and two other PA's that Uncle Ross works with. They were very nice. Later we had lunch with all of them in a meeting room. We got to see on a large projector more cat scans, MRI's, and X -rays. We saw what a broken hip looks like, a crushed spine, and a pacemaker inside a man's body.

We had such a great time seeing Uncle Ross and learning all about what he does at the hospital!

Winner

2009-09-15T05:47:00.001-07:00

The random integer counter has picked a winner!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:3
Timestamp: 2009-09-15 12:46:52 UTC

Number 3, which is Spencer, congratulations.

Large Format posters will be contacting you soon with your winning information.

Thanks everyone for participating.

2009-09-10T14:15:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited to finally have my homeschooling blog up. I've added a few new sites to my home page Eskimo Kisses and Air Hugs. I'm suddenly feeling more organized and free. Well, for the moment at least.

This is our first year homeschooling and I have three girls, 9, 7 and 2. It's been such an adventure so far and I can't wait to see what is in store for as in the future. I'll use this blog to share ideas, post about what we are doing here at our school and the girls will even post their thoughts and feelings too. WB might even chime in from time to time!

To help kick off this new blog I have a give away from Large Format Posters. I'm really excited about this new product. I will be giving away a 24 X 24 wall graphic. It is like a large sticker you can post on any flat service, check out what it looks like here.
I think I might use this picture to put on our school room wall.

To help us all to remember to stop and smell the roses. Homeschooling allows me to do more of that it seems.

To enter this give-away just leave a comment telling what you would use your wall graphic for. If you would like to be entered more than once tweet about it, blog about it, or put a link to my blog on your facebook page. Then come back and let me know that you did in a separate comment.
**Winners and blogger must pay $5 Handling Fee to claim prize, shipping is free. Only open to US residents.

Good luck and I can't wait to start sharing our homeschool adventures with you!

**Forgot to mention the winners will be picked on Monday, Sept. 14th!**

New Homeschool Blog

2009-09-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

I just started this new blog about our first year homeschooling adventure. Check back soon for my first post!

Homeschool

2009-09-05T16:03:00.001-07:00

Test Home Grown Kids test