Homeschool Planners

Homeschool planning, sometimes it is my favorite part of the homeschool adventure. How many planners have I tried? I will not embarrass myself by sharing that. :)

This past year I tried the beautiful Well Planned Day. It was the first booth that I walked by at last year's convention. The young, eager salesmen wanted to talk to someone. It was a fine looking planner that, if I am correct, was written by a homeschool mom. So I bought one, with the matching binder. I wanted so bad to love this planner. From the start the binder was just too bulky and was made of a cloth like binding. Meaning, I was OCD about it staying white. I sold it while it still looked new. :/

Well, as much as I loved the design. I just could not get in sync with the planner. I am sure many mom's love it. So, what do I do for planning? I am totally eclectic. Here I will share links to the site I use for my forms. I make my own binder. First one: Donna Young

Honestly, she has a gold mine here and it is all free!

My other go to place for planning is: The Homeschool Mom

And if you are homeschooling high-schooler and the word "transcript" sends you into an emotional break down, check out this link: (IT'S FREE!)


While using these forms I just create my own binder. I love the cute notebooking covers at this site.This is a beautiful planner that you make YOUR OWN.  There are list, menu planning (that is another blog post) and everything you would need and they are too cute! (Did I mention cute yet?) Access to the site last one year. You can download these to your computer and use as long as you like. There are also many freebies here too!



So, go have fun and make for yourself a planner that is all your own and WORKS for your family and your school!
Blessings,Melanie

Lunch Break~ Mini Deep Dish Pizza

What's for lunch? That question usually comes before I am ready to answer and fix it! I love, love, love fast and easy lunch. However, I don't like to settle for processed food if I can help it. The down side of this tasty treat are the canned biscuits. But, it was a hit!

 Here we go: Mini Deep Dish Pizza

 Enough Can Biscuits to feed your family. (We use a full 12 serving muffin tin.)
1 packet of Turkey Pepperoni
Pizza Sauce
Your choice of shredded cheese
Other pizza fillings you like. (Next time we are going to do black olives)
Italian Seasoning {optional}
Cooking Spray


 I start by spraying the muffin tin, then patting out the biscuit dough while incorporating the Italian seasoning. Then press it into the pan. Add a dollop of pizza sauce and other fillings (olives, sausage, veggies). Then top with cheese and pepperoni.

Bake at 450 until the edges are brown and the top is bubbly. I baked them in my new convection oven that the kiddos picked out . You just wouldn't believe how often I use it. {we are trying to get rid of the microwave} It has also come in handy when the big oven is baking and I need to bake something else.

Here they are! They were a huge hit here!







{Photo credit : my daughter, Jessie}

What's Cooking {Crock Pot Cooking} Today~Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken Recipe

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken Recipe
from SparkRecipes

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

*2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts *1 pkg Good Seasons Italian dressing mix * 1/4 cup water * 1 8oz pkg low fat cream cheese *1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup *3 cups cooked white, long grain rice

Directions

*1. Place chicken in crock pot
*2. Mix together Italian dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.
*3. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR low for 8 hours.
*4. Mix together cream cheese and soup in separate bowl.
*5. Carefully remove chicken from crock pot to plate.
*6. Pour cream cheese/soup mixture into crock pot and mix together with dressing in bottom.
*7. Return chicken to crock pot and mix gently to shred the chicken.
*8. Cook on LOW until heated through.
*Serve with rice or noodles.

**You may add skim or low fat milk in very small quantities to thin the sauce a little. It does not significantly affect the nutritional value if you use up to 2 tablespoons**

Makes 6 servings. Approximately 2/3 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice.

This recipe can be made with FAT FREE cream cheese and it saves about 6 grams of fat. However, I feel that the dish benefits from the flavor of the low fat over the fat free.

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ORANGECOWCAT.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 368.7

Total Fat: 10.3 g

Cholesterol: 115.5 mg

Sodium: 737.4 mg

Total Carbs: 24.1 g

Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g

Protein: 41.7 g

Gentleness Challenge.

This is a highly important aspect to mothering. Gentleness. As a homeschooling mom I can get so busy and stressed about everything from laundry to phonics and attitudes and character.....the list goes on...that I become one unpleasant mom. You know what that does? That totally tears down the very thing I am trying to build.

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. Proverbs 15:1-2

"Let’s focus this January on dealing gently with our children. Touch them gently, use their names gently, use your words gently, slow down and be loving, kind, and gracious." from Women Living Well.

 The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson is  the basis of this study. If you would love to be a more gentle, gracious, patient mom (who doesn't) then check this out.

The Gentleness Challenge

Here is a direct link to the book:

Many blessings to you!

Confession Time

I am not a morning person. I have never, ever been one. I want to be really bad. I imagine all of the wonderful things I could do if I just got up earlier. It's a beautiful vision: Me all dressed and smiling with a nice warm breakfast to greet my kiddos after I have done my bible study and exercise and I have gone over the days to-do list and I am ready and in charge.

Then.....the alarm goes off. It is still dark. It is cold. The precious 3 year-old is snuggled in under my arm and all is right with the world (and I get nauseated just getting up before the sun) and my bed is warm and the house is quiet. I start the morning by failing. Failing to do what I have needed to do for years. I promise this has been going on for years. I clearly remember my mom waking me to the song "Oh, what a beautiful moring..." and me feeling like I was going to relive the scene from the Exorcist (you know, where her head spins and she pukes) And ever since I left the workforce when my 2nd born was one I remember those mornings of finally being able to sleep in and not having to drag the kids to my mom's house at 7:00 in the morning. It was heaven. Now, getting up early may not be for everybody. But, I have this grand  illusion that if I got up and accomplished those things listed above then my life would run smoother. I just have to see if that is the case.

So, as all of you bloggers know. The blogosphere is full of wonderful, godly women who help us all be better at what we do. I stumbled upon (divine intervention?) a challenge. It is called :

Hello Mornings



There is a free ebook. Today is the last day to register. It is free. It looks like a fun way to tackle a hard thing.
I really want to try to change the way things are going here at home. I think this may be the key to being more productive and successful in some things I am trying to do. I know it will teach the children a better example. I am just a night owl who is wanting to see how the other side lives. ( I stand in awe at  all of you morning glory types) :)

Wish me luck!

"prod yourself, kick yourself, it is the only way!"  The Disciplined Life by Richard Taylor.

How to get your 12 year old man child...

...to enjoy working through the Body Book.


Allow him to color it like a swamp thing and call it by his oldest sister's name. ;)


In all truthfulness, I was so excited to do this book. Earlier in our year I happily introduced it to him and boy was I in for a downer. The man-boy was not too happy about cut and paste. So after dwelling on it over the holidays I decided to not give up. I also relaxed and agreed that he could be as creative with it as he wished. He still thinks it is goofy. I still believe it is a neat way to learn about our body. Let's face it, Apologia science books will come to him soon enough.


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:)

What a way to get our school started back. PJ's, fuzzy socks, fleece wrap. ;)



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Messy Blog

Please excuse this messy blog. I'm in the middle of changing the layout and hit some snags that I just don't have time to clean up right now.

Merry Christmas!!

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The Vowel Song, with flair :)

I had asked Jenna to sing the vowel song for me. You never know what you will get from little Puddleduck (as her daddy calls her) She gave me this rendition: :)

Can I just say....

....that this is the first time in weeks I have even come to my blog. I miss blogging and I hope I get inspired to blog real soon.

How is your holiday planning?
How is your homeschool?

Let me know, {if anyone still reads this...:)))

Kitty Love

My daughter, Jessie, has become a very good photographer. Here is a photo she did today. It's Janie and her love, Sam the kitty.

Well said!

"We were not afraid of public school. We did not feel we could give our children a better education, it had nothing to do with that at all. It all had to do with the fact that we felt like our children could grow up, and spend their days in our home, and end up in a better place than if they went off to school during the most important years of their life. And we have actually found that to be the case." Chris Davis, Homeschool Pioneer

A Break

So, as you can see this blog has been a pretty lonesome place for the past few weeks. I'm very determined to iron out some problems I'm having with time management in my own life. Having the thoughts in the back of my mind about not blogging bother me. So, I am just gonna take an official break.



Hopefully, real soon, I will be back to blogging something worth reading. :)


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True Christian Motherhood- An eBook

I have been a long time reader of Mrs. June Fuentes at "A Wise Women Builds Her Home." She has just released her eBook entitled "True Christian Motherhood." I am so excited to get to download it instantly and begin reading it! (love instant!)

I have looked over the table of contents and as soon as I have time will begin reading the chapters. I am sure it will be a blessing. I will try to leave some notes here of my thoughts as I work my way through it.

Want to get yours? Click the link below the picture.

Click here to view more details

On The Nightstand

In my spare time ;) here is what I am reading {that has nothing to do with homeschool...well sort of}


One Thousand Gifts-Ann Voskamp (for the 5th or 6th time)
My Utmost for His Highest-Oswald Chambers
The Pursuit of God- A.W. Tozer

What are you reading?


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