Calculating Chaos

Currently...

2012-01-01T19:52:00.001-08:00

Our First Bag

2011-05-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ella gets a lot of hand-me-downs. I'm not saying she minds. She takes great delight in asking about the previous owners of every shoe, dress, and book she touches. But sometimes it is nice to have something that is just yours, right? That's why when I decided to sew my first bag, I chose to make a bag for little Ella.

Pattern: child's messenger bag (free from Noodlehead)
Fabric: Leftovers from Annie's pants, a pair of clearance linen-look pants from J. Jill that didn't fit me, and puppy buttons from Hancocks
Notes about the pattern: I've never made pintucks before and kinda struck out. My tucks were so wide that I had to turn the flap sideways to make it work. That's why the front of this bag is shorter than the one in the pattern. Also, I had the darnedest time trying to figure out if the lining should be right side out or not when I sewed it all together.Turns out I didn't choose the right side. I asked the creator of the pattern to add a note to her blog post so that I'll remember which way to do it next time I try. Yes, it would be easier for ME to remember which way to do it, but if you know me, you know I won't remember.

Wordless Wednesday- A Few "New" Friends from my Dad

2011-05-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

Pajama Party Pack- PJs and Sleep Masks for All!

2011-04-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when my inner Martha Stewart speaks, I really wonder if it would be best to just slap her. With only four days to go before our annual trip to Louisiana for the birthday of the daughter of one of the most talented people I know (Kimberly Meng Photography), I got the brilliant idea to sew pjs. It wasn't easy to get things done in time, mainly because I'm still a novice, but any sleep that I lost was well worth seeing five girls giggling in their matching outfits.

Finding a fabric to please ages 3 to 10 and moms that range from slob (me) to not overly girly (Kim) to always fashionable and fabulous (Tricia) was no easy task. I was about to give up when I ran across these coordinating fabrics from M'Liss at Hancock Fabrics.

(It helped that I had a gift card to Hancocks for placing second in their Fabulous Fleece contest with my doll snuggie project.)

The bottoms are from Mary's amazing book, Little Girls Big Style. (Check out Mary's blog here.) At this point I've made seven pairs of ruffle pants since January, so I consider myself something of an expert. As long you don't look at finishing work on the inside, these pants are great. Add serger to my list of wants this year.

The tops for the big girls are from Justice. Can I have just a little rant here. Why on earth is there a shelf bra in a size 6 tank top? Is support really an issue for most 6-7 year olds? Anyway, I couldn't find a similar brown top for Ella, so she got a pink tank from Old Navy. She didn't complain.

Since the pjs were birthday gifts to the two beautiful girls that don't belong to me, I wanted to up the wow factor by including monogrammed sleep masks. The finished masks were a huge success thanks to the speedy work of Monogram Magic, this great sleep mask tutorial at Wild Olive, the support of my sewing buddy Nancy, and the last minute genius of my handsome husband, Clif. That man can fix anything!

Wordless Wednesday- Looking Forward to Summer

2011-04-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

Easiest Fun Cake Ever

2011-04-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Is anyone as obsessed with Pinterest as I am? (Click here to see what it is all about.) It's like someone got in my visual-learning, bookmark-abusing brain and created the perfect place to store and share ideas.

Thanks to Pinterest, I found the perfect cake for Maggie's 10th birthday. This upside-down, faux-melting-ice- cream cake from One Charming Party was whimsical enough for my very silly girl. And it looked easy enough, too.

Just start with a standard two-layer cake in any flavor and frost it any way you like. Our version was (sheepishly admitting) a boxed chocolate cake mix with homemade cream cheese frosting, but we could have just as easily ordered a plain cake from a bakery or made our own cake from scratch. The chocolate-cream cheese version was what the birthday girl requested.

I put our cake in the fridge to set up a bit and made a simple ganache with 10 oz each of Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips and cream. While the ganache was still pourable I spread it over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. Then I put the ganache and the cake in the fridge and waited until the the ganache chilled enough to whip with the stand mixer. At that point, my sweet husband took over while I got dressed and whipped the ganache into a more solid frosting and scooped it like ice cream for the center of the cake. Once sprinkles and a cone were added, we really got just the look we wanted:

The {L}ook

2011-02-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think my Annie processes things differently. Just yesterday I offered her positive reinforcement for being extra gentle with little Ella when she replied, "I am working on being nicer. It is what people like, I think." If only you could have heard her say those words in a voice that was part perfectly logical Vulcan and part innocent child-robot learning to process the emotions of the strange beings around her. She isn't unfeeling; animals, particularly cats, can bring the deepest adoration from her. But when it comes to people, she is sometimes baffled by their reactions to the world.

Cameras tend to bring out confusion in my sweet girl, too. As an infant, the mere sight of a camera would send her into tortured fits. Why would someone not only scare her by covering their face with an ugly machine, but then go on to ask her to smile at them after doing so? We have so few pictures of Annie as a toddler that I think I'm going to divide up the ones I have of Maggie and just try to pass half of them off as Annie instead.

Once older, Annie's fits were replaced with what we affectionately call "the look." Perhaps I watched too much America's Next Top Model when she was little. One would think Tyra Banks herself came and whispered in young Annie's ear that "the look" was the way to photography gold. It is cold and serious and has an edge of "I'll cut you" that quite frankly makes me want to run for the hills during her teen years. Even though I've told her that she can be herself in pictures, I still get this:

Knowing Annie, she has a reason for this look. As serious and calculating as she can be, I know she has figured out a good reason for giving me the stare. Maybe she thinks that if she scares me enough, I'll finally put that darn camera away and she can get back to playing Pokemon. Whatever the reason, I can't be mad at her for having "the look." It is who she is right now; it is part of her story. And if this is what she wants to give me to remember her, I'll take it.

Making Paper

2011-02-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

In an effort to bring ancient history alive, I had the girls work to make their own paper after we talked about the first writings of the Egyptians and Sumerians. We used an old Papercraft Field Kit (like this one on Ebay) that my Aunt Judy gave Morgan about 10 years ago. I don't know why it has taken me this long to let the girls play around with it. Once you get in the groove, making paper from trash is easy and fun.

You start by blending torn trash paper with water.

Then you pour the pulp into a two-part wooden meshed frame. The frame is in a waterbath at this point and the whole thing "looks like sick" according to Ella.

When you pull out the frame and take it apart, you are left with the beginnings of your paper. Put a mesh screen on top.

Blot as much water as you can from both sides of the screen.

Then go through a process of rolling out water by putting the paper between dry blotting paper or cardstock. Having the traveling cast of Veggie Tales on your counter is completely optional.

The paper needs a good bit of time to dry, so set it on a nice rack and wait. It could take as long as a day.

Caution: Cats like homemade paper. If you leave it alone, chances are one of your cats may run off with a sheet. From our experience, they prefer rose over marigold.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-02-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

-Framed Cook's ham and egg crepe squares, roasted asparagus, fruit
-White on Rice Couple's crispy shrimp tacos with Pioneer Woman's guacamole and tres leches cake (I like to include homemade Hershey's syrup.)

Food Styling by Maggie

-My imitation of Jason's Deli's California clubs (using leftover guacamole), baked chips, and Piece of Cake's brown butter pear bars
-Clif's rosemary roasted chicken (x2), Seasalt with Food's hasselback potatoes , broccoli
-Cook's Illustrated The Best Light Recipes chicken pot pie using leftover chicken

New Tunes on Tuesday

2011-02-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a fun remake of a Jay Z masterpiece, try this version of 99 Problems by Hugo. But, please, if you don't like "sentence enhancers," don't listen to this one. It is not a kid friendly song. Which I guess is kinda weird since my kid shared it with me.

{Sweet Shot Tuesday} The Dangers of Meeting on the Internet

2011-02-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest dangers of making friends on the Internet is the possibility that they will do something nice for you without even letting you know it's coming. I mean, how inconsiderate is it that I opened the mail yesterday and found that one of my crafty new friends decided to take on the challenge of making a ballet leotard for Annie's doll? Without warning, this "friend" put me in danger of receiving shrieks of joy and uncontrolled cuteness. I feel so violated. Poor Annie may wear this smile permanently now, and who is going to pay to fix that?

Annie and Ariel, the Ballet Pair

Linked up to Sweet Shot Tuesdays,

{i heart faces} Assignment: Red

2011-02-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

I love that at Ella's age, the only thing she knows about hearts is that they are pretty and show love. Her only thoughts of the color red are most certainly tied to the near constant attention she gets for her hair. (She may have the occasional thought of red velvet cupcakes, too!) Never would red be a warning color. Right now she isn't thinking about the often ignored fact that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the U.S. She doesn't know that her own grandmother has fought heart problems since birth.

While now might not be the right time to talk about heart disease with my 3 year old, it is the right time for you to learn more. The American Heart Association wants you go get serious about red. Click the link below and learn about the Go Red for Women campaign. Educate yourself and share the information with the women you love. You can even use it as an excuse to get a cute new red dress in the name of better health. (My vote is for Anthropologie's Gull Wing Dress!)

And be sure to click to see more amazing "red" pictures from the people at i heart faces. I hoping to learn a lot as I face the photography challenges they post each week.

Build and Grow

2011-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

If you aren't already taking advantage of Lowe's Build and Grow clinics, you are missing out on some seriously free fun! Twice a month Lowe's invites kids and parents in to build a fun toy. Every time you come, you can collect cute scouting like patches, too. Last weekend's craft was a seasonally appropriate heart shaped music box. Morgan skipped out on the fun, but the rest of us were up early to get to work.

The projects are made of wood and come pre-drilled so lining up holes for nails is easy.

I would say that every project is so easy that a 9 year old could do it alone, but Maggie is often helping some of the dads that come to the events, so I don't know how to give the right age range for the projects.

Ella just comes for the goggles.

Annie loved the music box more than anyone. She pretty much plays it all of the time. The classical choice of song worked for her. Thank goodness it wasn't Ke$ha or something.

(Please forgive Ella's clothes. We were running late so I let her dress herself.)

And what is it about riding lawn mowers that draws my kids in? It is torture to tear them away!

Our Valentine Boxes

2011-02-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Inspired by this idea at Family Fun. Maggie made Totoro all on her own. Annie made Pikachu with a little help from me. Ella's love monster was mostly my work.

Wordless Wednesday- Snow Curls

2011-02-09T18:40:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday- Pink Eye Stinks

2011-02-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

What We've Been Doing

2011-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Talking Trains with Birthday Cousins

Learning to Sew

(I made these pants!!)

Getting killer shoe deals at Target for $3

Now someone help me plan an outfit for them!

Going to the Mississippi Children's Museum

Perfecting Nutella Cookie Recipes

Claiming the Best Dessert at the Last Luncheon in the Old Greek Church Building

With the start of school and my new photography class (thanks for the birthday present, everyone!), we've been too busy to blog. But we have so many science experiments, history projects, and general fun to share that I'm sure we will post more soon.

Wordless Wednesday- Cream Tea with Ms. Florence

2011-01-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

The Big Plan- Biology

2011-01-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

After doing some serious unschooling in science for the last year, it is time for us to get real and start formalizing our learning. I'm really worried about Maggie entering a traditional school in 7th grade having never had a good, hard science test. My big stumbling block has been combining science programs for a 4th and 1st grader. I wanted two programs with enough overlap that I could use one as a main source and the other as a supplement.

I think we may have a winner in the combination below. We will use Classiquest for the order of instruction and pull from REAL Science Odyssey for Annie's reading and writing because it is more age appropriate. Whenever possible, I'll have both girls do the labs in both books together. Hopefully, this combo will be just want I want.

Main Texts
ClassiQuest Science Logic Stage Biology
REAL Science Odyssey Life (Level 1)

General Tuesday Schedule
-Complete readings for the week's lesson.
-Make flashcards for new vocabulary.
-Maggie will make outlines of her reading. Annie will do narration work or answer questions from her program.
-Place any important dates on a timeline.
-Practice science memory work.
-Gather supplies for Thursday's lab.

General Thursday Schedule
-Complete the lab for the lesson.
-Complete a report for the lab or set up a schedule for checking on the lab to make observations over time.
-Review flash cards.
-Practice science memory work.

Aligning Classiquest (CQ) and REAL Science Odyssey (RSO)
CQ Lessons 1-3 = RSO Unit 1
CQ Lessons 4-7 = RSO Unit 2
CQ Lesson 8 = RSO Unit 9
CQ Lessons 9-10 = RSO Unit 10
CQ Lesson 11 = RSO Unit 28
CQ Lessons 12-13 = RSO Unit 27
CQ Lesson 14 = RSO Unit 25
CQ Lesson 15 = RSO Unit 26
CQ Lesson 16 = RSO Units 19 and 11 (not really related, but good to start this work here)
CQ Lesson 17 = RSO Units 12, 14, and 15 (pick and choose what works for you)
CQ Lesson 18 = RSO Unit 13
CQ Lesson 19 = RSO Units 17, 18
CQ Lesson 20 = RSO Unit 16
CQ Lesson 21 = RSO Unit 20
CQ Lesson 22 = RSO Unit 21
CQ Lesson 23 = RSO Unit 22
CQ Lesson 24 = RSO Unit 23
CQ Lesson 25 = RSO Unit 24
CQ Lesson 26 = RSO Unit 6
CQ Lesson 27 = RSO Unit 5
CQ Lesson 28 = RSO Unit 7
CQ Lessons 29-30 = RSO Unit 4
CQ Lesson 31= RSO Unit 8

The remaining CQ lessons do not have good corresponding lessons in RSO. I haven't figured out where to work in RSO Unit 19 yet, but we have time before we get there.

1st Grade Spring Semester Plan

2011-01-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

Annie will see no major changes this semester other than adding in science. I think she is going to love the lab work in her new program!

Writing: Writing With Ease 2 and more written narration work from history
Grammar: Growing with Grammar 1
Reading: Explode the Code, Beyond the Code, free reading from library books, directed reading from history
(My big goal is to have Annie comfortably reading chapter books by summer.)
Spelling: Soaring with Spelling level 1
Math: Math Mammoth 2 and Singapore Math Challenging Word Problems 1
Science: REAL Science Odyssey: Life (selected lessons taken in the order of Maggie's biology work)
History: Story of the World 1

Annie will start ballet this semester and get back into her chess activities. We'll also continue work with the piano.

4th Grade Spring Semester Plan

2011-01-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

I don't think we are changing much about Maggie's overall plan for 4th grade in the spring. Latin has been too dull for both of us, so we are making a switch there. And we are adding in some living math to make things a little more fun for my girl.

Writing/Grammar/Vocab/Poetry: MCT Town Series
Reading: Free reading from library books, directed reading from history and the Glencoe Literature Library
Spelling: Soaring with Spelling level 4 and maybe move into 5
Typing: Dance Mat Typing (BBC)
Latin: Switching to Latin's Not so Tough level 3
Math: Math Mammoth 4 and Charlotte Mason Your Business Math (Book Store option)
Science: ClassiQuest Biology
History: Story of the World with outlining and timeline work

Maggie will continue to do art projects using ideas from blogs, attending her GEMS group twice a month, and will begin a running program soon. She is still sewing when she gets ideas and has more energy than the rest of us put together. I'm hoping to find one more activity that will help her make more friends her age.

Am I Doing It Right?

2011-01-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

I am the kind of person that likes to have a lot of positive reinforcement. I have a need to hear on a regular basis that I'm doing a good job. As painful as it is for me to admit it, I'm pretty needy in the praise department. That's why homeschooling can be especially stressful. The normal measures of the kids' success just aren't there for us. I really don't get a lot of "Hey, great job teaching those kids!" feedback. So I often wonder if I'm doing it right.

This uncertainty has moved me to really think about the big goals of homeschooling the kids. What do I want people to praise? That my kids are smart? That they can calculate quickly? That in a random sample of 100 students of similar age and background they score as well or better than 99 of those kids on a multiple choice test?

Annie gave me just about the best idea of my goals for the kids on Christmas night. As I fretted to find a pj pattern for her new Bamboletta doll, who, sadly did not have proper sleeping attire, Annie went to the playroom and made her own solution. She pulled up a pair of American Girl pj bottoms enough to cover Ariel's torso and added a sweet wrap sweater from Maggie's doll collection to make just about the prettiest pjs in the house.

This is exactly what I want from my kids. When faced with a problem or a need, I want the kids to be able to use what is around them to create solutions. I don't want them to be afraid to use things in new ways. I want them to be independent problem solvers. They should have enough confidence in themselves to know that a setback in a project does not mean they are failures. Rather, failure is an opportunity to learn, and opportunities to learn should be cherished.

So maybe my lesson here is that I don't need to hear some other person telling me that I'm doing a good job. I should be looking to the little things my kids do every day and finding those brilliant moments of creativity and self-reliance. Those things should be all the praise I really need.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-01-03T17:58:00.001-08:00

It's a new year, and I really, really plan to get back to writing out menus. Without them, I always get weak and eat out. The way my kids eat, eating out too often is the equivalent of leasing a Lexus each month!

-Pioneer Woman Italian drip sandwiches , chips, and fruit
This is a family favorite that we don't make often enough.

- Sun dried tomato turkey breast, creamy roasted broccoli, and Our Best Bites cheesy garlic bread swirls
I bought a pre-cooked breast by Jennie-O for Cobb salad last week, and to my surprise, it was really good. The broccoli and bread are not new to us. Both are delicious!

- penne gorgonzola with turkey
This is one of two new recipes from the It's a Keeper blog. The original recipe calls for chicken, but since I'll have extra turkey, we are going to make the change.

-scrambled egg brunch bread with salad
Here's the second new recipe from It's a Keeper. I think the kids will have fun braiding the dough.

-Clif's baked chicken, smitten kitchen's leek bread pudding, and a veggie
We are adding mushrooms to the bread pudding.

-easy pizzas and salad
This is a lot of processed dough for us, but the girls wanted to try to make pizza all alone. I thought a good starting place would be canned dough, pre-made sauce, and shredded cheese

Doll Snuggie. It would only be geekier if I used Doctor Who fleece.

2011-01-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

Although the delightful advertising has entertained me since day one, I was pretty sure we would always be a Snuggie-free home. Christmas changed all that with some well received sleeved blanket presents from Grammy. The girls took to the "fashion" trend (fashion "trend"? "fashion trend"?) immediately and thought their poor, cold dolls could use some Snuggie goodness, too.

Seeing no patterns on the 'web, I thought I'd come up with my own thing and share the process. Understand that I don't really sew. This project marks the first time that I threaded our sewing machine and sewed all by myself. So if you see something that can be done in a better way, please make a suggestion!

First, I put a doll (Miss Monique by Desi) on a piece of fleece and cut a rectangle that was a little taller and a little wider than the doll. I marked two slits for her arms about an inch or so away from her shoulder seams.

I cut the slits so that the were long enough to get her hands through comfortably . Speaking of comfortable, little Ella was horrified that I left Monique covered up like this for a picture.

Next I cut a slit from the top of the rectangle to the base of the doll's neck. Be careful. You don't want to cut your doll. Just keep playing with the cut until the flaps drape over her shoulders in a way you like.

To make the sleeves, I made a tube using the arm slits as a guide for width. I made the sleeves extra long so I could just cut off what was left over to get a good fit. The tube was made by folding the fabric with right sides facing and sewing the long side closed. Turn it right side out after than and you have a sleeve.

Here's a picture of how it looked with one sleeve attached and with some hemming along the neck slit. Clif decided that it would look better with the hem, and he was right.

I couldn't figure out how to sew something so small on the machine, so the sleeves were done by hand. First I lined up the sleeve with right sides out like this.

Then I folded the left side over so that I could see where the sleeve and the arm slit met up in the back. The hole you see on the right side of the picture is the finished sleeve. The one on the left is the one I needed to sew.

I pinned the sleeve to the slit and sewed it all together by hand.

And that's how Monique got her cozy on.

In the end, I wanted to try something new with my hand sewing, so I used this You Tube video to learn how to make a blanket stitch around the edges of the Snuggie. I don't know if you can tell, but the finished product is trimmed in pink embroidery thread.

I've somehow promised to make Snuggies for all the dolls, so I'll be in Fleeceland for at least another day. Then I plan to try to make a doll cardigan from a pair of fair isle knee high wool socks I found at TJ Maxx, and I want to come up with a good pattern for felt doll shoes. Oh, and I guess I should mention that I just ordered this yarn to finally finish making my own Waldorf doll. A year isn't too long to work on a single doll, right?

"Wordless" Wednesday- Yes, I took the doll to Sonic.

2010-12-29T15:42:00.001-08:00

I guess this needs to be wordless because I shouldn't have anything to say for myself. Can you imagine what the employees at Sonic were thinking when I got out of my car and took pictures of a doll? It's a good think I'm in the South where this kind of crazy happens daily, I guess.

The dress was created using a Lil Blue Boo pattern and the fabric choices inspired the cherry limeade theme. A dear friend has requested a dress with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blast theme to add to what will now be called Dresses from my Fast Food Phase. If you have any ideas for how I could do that, please tell me. This friend is pregnant and doll crazy, so I don't want to upset her!

Wordless Wednesday- Need a Place to Host a Pic

2010-12-29T10:09:00.000-08:00

Details to follow.

Intro to Culinary Arts- The Final

2010-12-27T06:47:00.000-08:00

Eggs Benedict. Is there really any better final for a beginning cooking class?

The Hollandaise alone would merit a weekly assignment. Getting it just right is an art. Then there is the tricky business of poaching an egg. Add in the pressure of having cooked Canadian bacon and bread ready all at the same time, and you have the potential for real failure.

I am proud to say that Morgan produced a passable post-Christmas brunch and finished his Culinary Arts class. The Hollandaise was bright and only slightly too thick. I think that was because it was ready a little too early. The poached eggs were perfectly done and looked much better than any eggs I have ever done. And the overall presentation was more attractive than I expected.

Way to go, Morgan! I'm proud of you for finishing this class. Keep working on your knife skills and maybe practice some grilling and you'll be the master of the kitchen.

A Much More Funny Christmas List

2010-12-23T17:08:00.001-08:00

Tracy at Sellabit Mum really took the Christmas gift poem to new places. See her list here.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-12-20T04:14:00.000-08:00

Short Pre-Holiday Menu

Cobb salad
pork chops, cheese grits, broccoli
black beans and rice with sausage
Crockpot 365's Indian curry

Extras

How to Get a New Wii for Almost Free

2010-12-17T14:55:00.001-08:00

1. Tell your kid that he can "jailbreak" your old Wii, because he says it would be no problem to just set it back to normal if anything happens.

2. Don't yell at said kid when it turns out that you cannot set it back to normal and his sister's new game (that she bought with her own money) cannot load.

3. Gripe to Tricia and have her tell you that Walmart has a special deal on Wiis for $199 with a $75 gift card bonus.

4. Buy said deal as manager walks by and tells associate not to sell any more until 9 pm.

5. Experience a rare, irrational tirade from the kid that broke the Wii over why he shouldn't be expected to pay the $125 for the new Wii.

6. Watch angry kid get motivated to fix the old Wii.

7. Smile when angry kid fixes old Wii.

8. Scratch head because now you have two Wiis.

9. Text every male member of your dad's deal-making family asking if someone wants to buy a slightly tampered with old Wii for $75.

10. Get an immediate text back from you cousin who turned to the guy next to him at work and sold your Wii.

11. Make an extra $25 by selling the sealed copy of Wii Sports Resort that came with the new Wii.

12. Enjoy replacing your 3 year old Wii with a brand new one and getting an extra controller for about $25!

Wordless Wednesday- Ella, Christina, and Ponyo

2010-12-15T08:19:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday- Gingerbread Android

2010-12-08T16:30:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday- Too Excited About Rudolph

2010-12-01T06:29:00.001-08:00

Oh Deer! I'm a copycat.

2010-11-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

I wanted some seasonal pillows for our family room, but I didn't want anything that screamed, "Hey, you! Look at me! I'm a holiday pillow!" This cute Blooming Reindeer Pillow from Anthropologie seemed perfect, but at $88 a pillow, it was just a bit out of budget.

So I made my own versions from supplies at Walmart. The pair ended up costing me $16 and an hour of crafting. And while they don't have the charm of the beautiful needlework of the original version, I'm still pretty happy with them.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-11-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

This may be my shortest menu post in history.

1-fish tacos
2-cream cheese crockpot chicken with green beans (Maggie's request)
3-bacon leek pasta and salad
4-BLT's, chips, fruit
5- Morgan cooks a surprise meal

What time is it? Advent-ure Time

2010-11-27T16:09:00.001-08:00

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we can move on to one of my favorite things in life: Advent calendars. I love the anticipation of counting down each special day before Christmas and realizing that I'm ever closer to letting the kids open their presents so that I can play with them!

Our advent is made up of daily activities, crafts, outings, and special foods. We've done all kinds of other things in the past like Lego, Playmobil, Barbie, Littlest Pet Shop, and good old fashioned chocolates, but the kids seem to get the most excited about the daily experiences. This year the experiences include:

1- It's time for a Christmas Music Dance Party!! Make Christmas playlists on iTunes and dance, dance, dance.
2- Make Peppermint Bark Popcorn.
3- Go to see the Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree.
4- Go to the Children's Museum for Family Day.
5- Go to the Dollar Tree to buy family gifts with allowance.
6- Make a rosemary wreath.
7- Hot Chocolate Night
8- Make paper snowflakes.
9- Let's go see Santa.
10- Get in your pj's and drive to Dairy Queen for dipped cones.
11- Throw a birthday party for Annie.
12- Make gift tags for presents.
13- Take a bubble bath
14- Track Santa on NORAD.
15- Make peppermint glitter dough.
16- Make popcorn garland
17- Paint everyone's toenails red and green.
18- Holiday Movie Night!
19- Make chocolate covered pretzels w/ sprinkles.
20- Wii Bowling Tournament
21- Go caroling by phone. (We call family and friends and sing for them. It is pretty funny.)
22- Read Luke, Chapter 2.
23- Camp out in the game room with flashlights, sleeping bags and stories.
24- Christmas Eve party at Little Randy's! (Little Randy is my cousin and not the name of a bar. you never know down here.)

The list seems a little food heavy, but we like to cook together, so it makes sense. You could cut and paste our list into a word processing program and substitute some of your own favorite activities. Just print out your list and cut out each activity as its own strip.

Clif and I worked together to come up with this Price is Right Punch a Bunch inspired tree for this year. I love that we got almost everything from our Dollar Tree, too. First, we made a tree from scrapbook paper. The star is actually a $1 gift box that I cut up.

Then we punched circles from scrapbook paper and glued them to the bottoms of red and white paper party cups. Each cup contains a slip of paper with a day's activities. The cups were glued down to the tree so that the kids can break them open from the bottom to find out what we are doing each day.

I decided not to put numbers on the cups. The project just looked finished to me without them. The kids know we are starting with the trunk and moving left to right. The papers are numbered so if we open the wrong cup, we will know it.

The project was as fast as it was easy. We finished it while watching How to Train Your Dragon. Our only problem now is the kids don't want to wait to start opening the cups!

Thanksgiving Highlights

2010-11-26T13:15:00.000-08:00

We got to host Thanksgiving twice this year, and I couldn't be happier about it. Most people seemed to feel bad for Clif and me, but it really is a joy to have family over. Maggie decided to make a Native American costume for the day.

And she dressed Ella in what she thought was a very Pilgrim-like dress. I can remember when Maggie wore this dress to an award ceremony for little Morgan!

Morgan and Annie warmed up the new game room. Thanks to Dad and Miss Angie for the new hat and mitten sets for the girls. Annie is not taking hers off any time soon.

Grammy was happy to join in the fun.

We had a real kids' table this year, too. Thanks to the printables at Paper Glitter, the table was full of fun.

We covered the table in craft paper and left baskets of crayons and pirate gold for everyone.
We even made namecards, but I'm pretty sure none of the kids sat in any assigned spots.

The truth is they were too busy running, squealing, and playing. Amazingly, not once were they corrected. Who would want to interrupt that kind of joy? I know I wouldn't. The happy noise was just one more reason to be thankful.

To our family members that couldn't make it, please know that you were missed. Hope to see you next time!

The Week Ahead- November 15th edition

2010-11-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

We are not doing a menu this week thanks to a shopping splurge at Sam's. My goal is just to cook and eat the stuff we got there before it goes bad. So in an effort to look like I'm somewhat organized, here is our week ahead.

Monday- Finish cleaning the big girl's closets and mail the last of the Thanks giving invitations. Normally we don't host Thanksgiving, and we would never make invites, but I couldn't resist using the free Thanksgiving printables on Paper Glitter's blog. Oh, and I have a work deadline today.

Tuesday- Start moving the dolls and stuffed animals from the playroom to the girls newly cleaned closet. This job will include getting storage boxes for the animals and (I hope) finding new homes for some of our stuffed friends.

Wednesday- Clif is leaving town for a hearing and won't be back until Friday. We will begin the process of cleaning our game room (aka "the junk room"). The fun part of redoing the room will be heading out to Best Buy to get a tv!

Thursday- The reward for finishing up the game room today will be THE MIDNIGHT SHOWING OF HARRY POTTER!! My sweet mom has graciously agreed to sleep over with Ella so that I can take the other three. Annie is very excited about attending her first midnight movie. We also have an informational meeting about MSMS at University Medical Center, so it will be busy night.

Friday- We will take it easy today and only work together to really clean the bathrooms.

Saturday- Morgan is planning on making Ella this loft bed just to see if he can. He wants to go look at lumber this weekend with Clif. We also need to do a yard cleanup day (if it is dry) and we need to move the foosball table out of the playroom and into the garage.

Sunday- Today we'll finalize seating arrangements for Thanksgiving dinner, buy plates/utensils/glasses/linens if we decide we need them, and print out and make all of the cute stuff from the link above for the kids' table. And I have another work deadline.

It's a work week for sure, but I think we can do it. We still have our school work to consider, too, but I'll save that update for another post.

My Christmas List

2010-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Every year we give the kids four gifts. Each one gets something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. I get so very excited to try to get creative within the limits of the four gifts. It actually makes buying presents for them even more fun.

I don't want to posts their lists publicly because some of the kids (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) read the blog and would tell everyone what they are getting. So I'll have some fun and post what I would like. Honestly, I'd be thrilled to get even one thing on this list.

Something You Want: This 50mm f1.4 lens for my camera is a stretch, but I really miss my 50mm that I lost to gravity related injuries this summer. I would be almost as happy with a 50mm f1.8. Almost. UPDATE: Anyone thinking of buying me a gift should take a look at the comments. Michelle is a talented photographer and she is suggesting that the 1.8 isn't as fussy. I really did love my 1.8, but I've heard so much hype about the 1.4. Maybe the 1.8 is the way to go after all.

Something You Need: This category always stumps me. Do I really need anything? I mean, I need some undergarments, and I like aerie. I even made a wish list. (Clif, that is a hint. You can search it by my email address at the American Eagle website.)

And, really, isn't this a two-for-one since it is also a gift Clif wants? I love being practical.

I could also stand to workout more. Since running hasn't gone so well (or at all) this year, how about dancing? I think this new Zumba game for Wii could count as a need. (DON'T GET THIS FROM AMAZON RIGHT NOW. It is only available from 3rd party sellers that are inflating the price.)

Something to Wear: Thanks to the brilliant shopping powers of Tracy at Sellabit Mum, I now want a modern pearl rosette statement necklace from Allora Handmade. Any color would be great, but I think bold is best. Remember to order it by December 1st.
Since Clif has a big trial coming up, I'm thinking he won't see this in time and won't be able to order it. But I hope I am wrong! If he misses out, the aerie wish list can give him some ideas. Look at me being thoughtful. I'm giving ideas that work in multiple categories!

Something to Read: I am embarrassed to say that I haven't read the book I got last Christmas. But I have good reason. I mean, I did lose my job and start homeschooling the kids and all. Most of my readings in 2010 have been education related and not exactly for me. I went to my Amazon Wishlist and found that in four pages of books, not a single one was just for me. So do I ask for a practical book or go for something else?

I would like a new bible. I've been using my grandmother's large print King James version since she passed away when I was 10. It is wonderful to stay connected to her, but the poor book falls apart when you open it. Maybe a nice academic study bible would work. One that compares how different denominations interpret passages differently would be ideal. Any suggestions?

Is it weird to have a thong and a bible on the same Christmas list?

Fall Art Update II (with some geography, too)

2010-11-11T05:12:00.000-08:00

I've been quiet about our art work in the last few weeks, but we have been working. Our great plans for fall have been more technique oriented and have not exactly produced works for showing.

Art Projects for Kids Outerspace Watercolor was an easy, fun project for everyone. Even Ella had success practicing drawing circles, following a template, and painting in place.

The big girls thought the planets needed aliens.

While the kids and I like the results of Art Project for Kids Romare Beardon Style Collage, we were all a little disappointed that our letters were not as bold as the sample ones on the site. We didn't have the same kind of mesh used on the example, so we tried using the plastic mesh that is put around wine bottles to keep them from bumping and breaking. I don't think that was a good choice.

As soon as Annie saw the examples on Deep Space Sparkle's Warm and Cool Landscapes, she asked if she could do her own take on it. An hour later, she came from her room with this:

I love it when she gets inspired!

Our actual projects did not go quite as planned. The big girls were already involved in other things when I took them away to do art. Both were distracted and rushed. Annie did not listen to the warm/cool instructions, and Maggie was pushing so hard on the chalk pastels that her page became a Pigpen-esque cloud of color and smoke. I love what they made, but neither girl was very excited about their pictures.
We did not get to do both African animal projects from That Artist Woman. The Zebra Resist
works were fun for everyone. We learned that Elmer's blue gel glue dries blue!

Wordless Wednesday- Abandoning Studies for Cooties

2010-11-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

Geography Lesson Plans- Australia and Oceania

2010-11-09T04:37:00.000-08:00

We are spending two weeks in Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding island known as Oceania. The girls are very excited, because the animals in the area are so interesting to them. I'll need to work to help them understand that there are more than cute critters and Survivor crew members in the region.

Both girls will have an easier time with identifying countries these two weeks. I'm only going to ask that they can find the countries mentioned above on a map. Maggie will continue to review countries from other continents Sheppard Software's geography games website. She will also read The Whale Rider and watch the movie. My hope is that she will let me paint her face in the style of a Maori warrior for a picture. We'll see if that happens.

Annie will use some of the library books below to continue to improve her reading skills. She will create narration/illustration pages using books on the list. We did not do a good job of learning to spell ocean and continent names, so that is ongoing work. I've also insisted that she be able to write her address and name her city, county, and state.

Library Books
Diary of a Wombat
Koala Lou
Malu Kangaroo
A Visit to Australia
Farmer Schulz's Ducks

Create
Aboriginal dot paintings inspired by this video, this blog, and this video.
Make a didgeridoo using this video and this video.

Discover
Gems and minerals from Africa and Australia. I didn't get around to doing this last month, so I'm going to try again. We will read Basher Rocks and Minerals.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-11-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

We already started the week in a delicious, unhealthy way. Our Sunday morning breakfast was Real Mom Kitchen's Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. Please, please tell me that somehow this is just as healthy as a muffin.

The rest of the menu for this week is more practical. We are working on using up some leftover ingredients from an impromptu making of Rachel Ray's Caulifower Mac N Cheese. It was so amazing! We added bacon and chicken and had leftover meat, Gruyere, and sage after it was done.

1. Plain Chicken's take on #52 Hickory Chicken from Roly Poly w/baby carrots and fruit
Here's a yummy way to use up extra chicken, bacon, and bbq and tortillas from the quesadillas we made 2 weeks ago. Plus, I kinda miss the Roly Poly we had here. I didn't go often, but I always liked it when I did.

2. Cowboy Boots & Baby Booties's Baked Potato Soup.
Another great use for the leftover bacon and ingredients we already have.

3. Mangoes and Chutney's Lemon Chicken Pasta with non-green veggie
I love lemon!

4. Everyday Food's Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with green beans and rolls
Substitutions like a different sausage we already have and Clif's bread along with the leftover sage will make this inexpensive.

5. Everyday Food's Asparagus, Leek, and Gruyere Quiche with salad
Do I ever need an excuse for leeks? Nope!

The rest of the meals will be covered by the kids. Maggie wants a turn this week. I think she is making tostadas and cupcakes. Morgan wants to try to make the ultimate Eggs Benedict. I cannot wait to try that!

For more menu ideas, take a look at I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday site.

Wordy Wednesday- Outbreak at the Abandoned Playmobil Hospital

2010-11-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

(As reported by Annie and Mom.)

There was an outbreak at the old Playmobil hospital last night. It all started when a Woodzeez hedgehog family was found sick outside the doors. We made beds and blankets for them.

Luckily a team of medical professionals happened by and offered help.

Even a local monk came to pray over the sick.

Soon the medical staff became ill. It was a scary time.

The army was called in when the staff of the hospital thought we were asking too many questions. We suspect a conspiracy.

As we were escorted out of the building, we noticed the door opening for a traveling scarf salesman.

We just can't figure out why the sick clown was left outside. Poor clown.

There were enough unanswered questions that we decided to stay around and try to take pictures from a hidden location. That's when we noticed something strange and frightening in the second floor window. At that point, we knew that this situation was too much for us. We ran for the safety of home.

We'll never know what happened to those hedgehogs or the people they infected. But we know that as long as that monster is around, we aren't going back to find out!

Menu Plan Monday

2010-10-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

We didn't get around to the Greek pork from last week, so we made it last night with some great side dishes.

These Greek potatoes were inspired by a Food Network show. They were lightly steamed and then coated in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Then they were oven roasted at 400 until done. YUM!

The Greek salad is a recipe from a friend of my Aunt Ellen's. It is in her cookbook, A Southern Lady Cooks With a Greek Accent. We haven't had a bad recipe yet from the book. Everything is authentic, and her stories are so sweet.

Food on the Table's Kalamata Pork Tenderloin was a big hit with everyone. We will be making it again.

This week Morgan is making up for two slow weeks in culinary arts. He is in charge of shopping for 4 dinners and preparing them. To help out, I'm letting him try some recipes from the free sample week at 5 Dinners in 1 Hour blog.We 've tried other menu services in the past and have been disappointed in the amount of processed foods suggested. We just don't really eat like that. This sample menu seems more reasonable, so I'm hopeful. Here's what's on the menu:

Turkey Bacon Swiss Croissants, apples, and green salad
Asian Pork Chops, rice, and glazed carrots and snow peas
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas with chips and salsa
Mini Meatloaves with mashed potatoes and baby peas (I am SUPER skeptical of this one, but I'm going to have Morgan try it. The kids may end up loving it.)

I'm asking Morgan to skip the breakfast casserole for dinner because I'm just not in the mood. Besides, Morgan and I will be out of town on Friday and my dad is babysitting. I imagine he'll be getting pizza for the girls. That's what grandparents are for, right?

For more menu ideas, visit I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Play Monday site.

The Week Ahead- October 25th edition

2010-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Monday- Maggie finally gets to go to another GEMS meeting, and she couldn't be happier. Morgan also has his first live chemistry class. Fingers crossed here that he interacts well with the teacher and students.

Tuesday- Sound of Music Sing-a-long Night!!! Nothing like some private time with Maggie.

Wednesday- We are going to try a new church tonight. I'm scared, but I'm going to do it.

Thursday- PEAK homeschool group costume party and Trunk or Treat at Freedom Ridge Park. Let's hope Ella's costume is here by then.

Saturday- Either trick or treating in the neighborhood or going to my cool cousin Randy's for a party.

Sunday- Our neighbor's band is playing a fall festival at the church we are visiting on Wednesday. I think we'll go watch and have fun.

Why do people cry at weddings?

2010-10-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

I knew the sight of my beautiful baby cousin in her wedding dress would make me cry. But even seeing Jennifer look this beautiful didn't send me into the unavoidable ugly-cry I expected.

This handsome young man did me in. The dapper fellow holding Jennifer's arm is her little brother, Chad. The second he slipped into his jacket, I couldn't hold back the flood of tears. It's not my place to share Chad's journey here, so please just believe me that he has succeed in ways that seem statistically impossible. Chad, you make me proud. I wish that your dad could have been at the wedding to see how you have risen to the occasion.

It all made me realize that one day, I want my dad to be there at our weddings. I want him there with me when we slip Morgan into his own suit.

And when we help Maggie find her shoes before walking down the aisle.

I want him to be there to hand Annie the knife as she cuts her wedding cake.

And to tell Ella's partner that they are so lucky to have her.

Dad, this is a message to you. I hope you aren't going anywhere in the next 30 years or so. We are going to need you for a few more weddings to come.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-10-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

I need to get consistent with this.

Pioneer Woman Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas
Thanks, Wendy, for the endorsement on these.

Food on the Table's Kalamata Pork Tenderloin with Aunt Ellen's Greek Salad

smitten kitchen's Linguine with Tomato-Almond Pesto

Everyday Food's Roasted Beef, Mushroom, and Barley soup

And since Morgan missed cooking last week, he is responsible for two meals this week. He will make his own shopping list and do his own grocery shopping for those meals.

Some Things Just Make Me Smile

2010-10-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

The following message appeared on Facebook after my former AP Calculus (and every other senior math) teacher sent out a request for prayers for a difficult situation. The reply was written by my senior English teacher and the spouse of the teacher requesting prayers.

Love is a prayer. Let us pray.

Quick math would tell me that since my 20th reunion is coming up, and they had teenage kids when I was in school, these two have been married around 35 years. I hope I'm getting messages like this from my husband 20 years from now.

Wordy Wednesday

2010-10-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Because sometimes words about pictures are just as good as pictures.

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."

-Ansel Adams

What am I missing?

2010-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like with fewer kids.

Would I have an insufferable number of closeup nature shots?

Would my memory card be filled with more breath taking views of places like Petit Jean State park?

Would the reward of a hike down the mountain be sweeter with more time to just sit and gaze?

Maybe, yes, but that is not my journey. In this part of my life, I am a mother, and I wear the title with pride. My time for quiet walks of reflection alone will come soon enough, and I know I will be mourning the loss of my time with these beautiful people by my side when that time comes.

So what if I only had one child? I would have more shots of my little one as the star of the image.

I would have a small buddy near to narrate the joys of nature, and I could give her my undivided attention.

There would be more piggyback rides.

And more time for one-on-one walks.

I'm sure having just one would have made the trip quite different for everyone, but I can't say that it would have been better in every way. In fact, I've been thinking a lot lately about the amount of guilt I put on myself for the kind of life the kids don't have because of the size of our family, and I think it is time for that guilt to end. Sure, they would take more trips, have more things, and get more of my attention if we only had one or even two kids. The house would be a little more peaceful and clean, too.

But we would be missing so much more. Having more means having built in climbing buddies. Later, I'm sure this will also mean having partners in bigger crimes.

Having more kids means that someone is always there to help you, even when Mom is busy or tired. That also means that you learn to help when help is needed.

It means taking time as a leader and as a follower. It means learning the hard lesson that sometimes it just isn't your turn, but that your turn is coming. And when your turn comes, you have your own enthusiastic cheering squad.

I honestly hope that the kids look back and think that they were lucky. I'm hoping that they believe that things worked out well for them, and that their journey, although crazy, loud, and filled with drama, was something they would want for everyone.

Because I love each and every one of them. And I'm not ready to trade any of them in.

Wordless Wednesday- Two Cowgirls

2010-10-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

How a Person Sees Math

2010-10-12T05:13:00.000-07:00

I don't really know why I'm sharing this story. Maybe it is because so many people think that math is about one magical approach to getting one right answer. Yes, most math questions are asked in a way that leads to one correct response, but like many things in life, what is often interesting about it all is the journey.

Annie is really enjoying Math Mammoth. It is such a relief to find something that fits a kid so well. At six, she is already halfway through the grade 2 materials. Sometimes we approach topics that I'm sure will cause her to stumble, but she has such great attack skills in the subject that she always manages to come up victorious.

She was asked this question last week in an assignment:

John has a dozen eggs and 5 more in another carton. He uses 6 eggs for a recipe. How many eggs does he have left?

Before I tell you how she approached it, stop and think about what you would do. How would you get the answer 11?

I thought that the most obvious thing to do was to add to find the total number of eggs and then subtract the ones he used.

(12 + 5) - 6 = 11

Annie took a more real life approach. She said that you would want to use up the ones in the smaller carton first and then take what you needed from the full carton.

12 - (6 - 5) = 11

Morgan said he would take the eggs from the larger carton and move the other eggs into the empty spaces.

(12 - 6) + 5 = 11

I wonder if there are any other equations and scenarios to describe this problem. Maybe we should explore this idea today. I wonder if Annie would recognize how the equation 5 - 6 + 12 = 11 would work with her approach.

The Week Ahead- October 10th Edition

2010-10-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Here's what's happening in our house this week:

We are getting ready for a big camping trip with one of our favorite families. It will be Ella's first camping trip and Annie's first that she actually remembers. Annie is very much not excited about camping, so it should be interesting.
On the way to the campsite, we are stopping for Morgan's first college visit. Right now I'm not sad or nervous or weepy about him aging. Talk to me as we pull on to campus.
One of our favorite little girls will be having surgery on the 11th. Please send Layla your prayers and positive thoughts for a successful surgery and a fast, easy recovery.
Morgan will be taking the PSAT. Since he is a 10th grader, this is like a practice PSAT. Does that make it a PP-SAT?
We are going to the state fair with our homeschool group. Look out free biscuit booth. I'm coming to get you!
Clif and Maggie may start sewing a Christmas present for my mom. I'm hoping that sewing becomes something gives the two of them time to bond. They are very different creatures that love each other but don't always understand each other. I'm glad that they both want to work to change the understanding part.

Intro to Culinary Arts Week 5 and 6

2010-10-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

With our Disney trip behind us and a camping trip and wedding before us, Culinary Arts has taken a less reflective road.

For week 5, Morgan made my mom's birthday cake. As usual, Nini request Texas Sheet Cake. Honestly, Morgan gets and A for baking the cake better than I ever have.

Week 6 saw a return to How to Cook Without a Book. Morgan chose fried rice, and although he didn't think much of his efforts, the rest of the family did. We ate it so quickly that I couldn't take a picture!

Wordless Wednesday- Love Note

2010-10-06T04:49:00.000-07:00

Fall Art Update I

2010-10-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

Even though I made some great plans for fall, Annie has found her new art style. She has been quite busy this season colorizing catalogs. Fossil catalogs are great because they are not shiny.

Even with that kind of fun as an option, I did manage to get the girls to work at what I wanted them to do. Here's our take on A Bit of This and That's Restricting Colors Painting. The lesson was a big hit with Ella. She loved doing something that she could complete just like the big girls. I only helped her put the painting tape in place.

(Ella, Annie, Maggie)

Our versions of That Artist Woman's Fall Trees 2.0 are now decorating our entry. Maggie wasn't feeling like following directions that day and went her own way. She likes to do that often.

(Mom/Ella, Annie, Maggie)

We even found time to work in one more fall project. This version of That Artist Woman's Mixed Media Fall trees was given to my mom as part of her birthday gifts.

The eggs used to make the leaves were from Morgan's omelettes. Maggie and Annie washed the shells and painted them in various fall colors. Then we all worked to Mod Podge the shells to black poster board. After the shells dried, we cut out leaf shapes. Even little Ella can name at least one of "her" leaves on the finished product.

Geography Update

2010-10-05T11:33:00.001-07:00

We are only a week or so into Africa, and already the girls are loving it.

The Smithsonian's Discovering Mudcloth website was informative and fun. Each girl made at least two different virtual mudcloths.

Maggie's Mudcloth:
Annie's Mudcloth:

Then we replicated some of the techniques using That Artist Woman's Glue Batik ideas. Follow her directions closely to get good results. I hope you can see that Annie and Maggie tried to replicate some of the patterns from the actual mudcloth website. They liked the symbolism of the images.

(Ella/Mom, Annie, Maggie)

I Lost My Tooth in Africa was a wonderful book to follow the mudcloth activities. The story takes place in Mali, the same country featured in the mudcloth lesson. I love that it was a based on a true story, and that it helped the girls make a connection with what seems like a far away land by telling the story of how losing a tooth is celebrated somewhere else. Each girl completed a narration or journal page for the book and illustrated a part that was important.

Another delightful read was Wangari's Trees of Peace, another true story of how a woman returns to Kenya after attending college in the U.S. and then begins a tree planting campaign. The illustrations were so charming and the writing was inspiring rather than preachy. Annie was able to read this one aloud, but the lower reading level did not mean the story was any less powerful. I highly recommend this book.

The only real flop so far was the National Geographic video series on Africa. It moved slowly and was not created for our age group. The only good that came of watching the first episode was the girls' discovery that there are cities in African countries. They had the idea that everyone lived in safari-like lands. The images of Nairobi really surprised them. They still don't believe that there are many cities in Africa that are larger than our own.

Things to La-La-Love

2010-10-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

Cute outfits from Target that don't break the bank. (Top, skirt, and tights all by Cherokee.)

Super cheap spectator shoes that match. Our Old Navy had these for $2. A similar style is online for more.

Finding a Lalaloopsy doll after many days and many stores. Bea Spells-a-Lot has started a frenzy in the house. Now all the girls, including me, want one. I like Pillow FeatherBed if anyone is interested in buying me a present. That's a hint. I'm not too big for a doll.

(Hiding a log here. Please ignore.)

There's Something About First Birthdays

2010-10-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks, sweet cousin Josie, for letting us spend your special day with you. You are beautiful. We cannot wait to watch you grow up.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-10-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

I should be embarrassed to say this, but I haven't made a real menu in almost 4 weeks. It feels good to be back on track.

Baked fish, mac and cheese, brussel sprouts

This meal was Annie's pick.

Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice and salad

We are trying a new recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Hope it is as good as it sounds. It will use up some leftover cilantro I already had.

Pioneer Woman's cauliflower soup with ham and cheese toast

The soup is one that we have tried and loved. I'm going to add a red bell pepper because we have one on hand and I want to use it up. The ham and cheese toast is a treat for the more carnivorous members of the family. Thanks to Clif we always have nice homemade bread for such things.

Tuna salad naan wraps, cheese Sun Chips, pineapple (Maggie)

This is Maggie's pick.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pasta-with-pumpkin-and-sausage-recipe/index.html)

So many things came together to make me pick this new recipe. Clif and I had date night last week and ended up browsing Williams-Sonoma. The store carried a jarred pumpkin pasta sauce, but I was not willing to pay $15 to try it. Then we made homemade sausage this weekend and had a huge amount leftover. This pasta will either be a huge hit or a huge flop.

Spinach salad with goat cheese, pear, red onion, and smitten kitchen's sweet/spicy candied pecans

We will have extra spinach from the chicken dish above, my in-laws brought us pears from their garden, two beautiful little packages of goat cheese have been in my icebox far too long, and the Texas sheet cake will give us left over pecans. Why not combine them all?

Texas sheet cake

Morgan will be making this cake for the very first time for my mom for her birthday.

I hope this menu inspires someone to try something new. For more menus, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday site.

The Week Ahead- October 3rd Edition

2010-10-03T08:48:00.001-07:00

Here's what's happening in our house this week:

My mom's birthday is Wednesday. Happy Birthday, Mom! I am going to the store today to get pecans for your favorite cake.
Clif will be visiting Indiana mid-week. That means junk food and everyone sleeping in mom's bed!!
The kids and I are going to Mynelle Gardens with our homeschool group on Thursday. I hope the weather cooperates for pictures.
My cousin, Jennifer, will have a very tame, calm, lady-like bachelorette party on Saturday. At least I hope it is that way. I've been promised no strippers. They gross me out.
We've got to find some fall clothes that fit Maggie. I did discover that the Miley Cyrus jeans at WalMart work well for her. The good news is that I scored several pairs for her on sale yesterday. The bad news is that I left the bag in my cart in the parking lot. I hope I can get it today.
Morgan starts his new chemistry program this week and begins reading Jane Eyre. I hope he makes it all the way through the book without wishing horrible things on me. His friends read it this summer and have already told him it is misery.
Maggie's much anticipated box with Grammar Town and the rest of the MCT town series should arrive by Tuesday. I never thought a kid would be so happy to see work with prepositions.
We are all looking forward to trying two great projects from That Artist Woman. Look for pictures of our owl projects and fall mixed media tree branches.
If I'm feeling really, really energetic, I want to try to make this cardboard spooky house.

Intro to Culinary Arts Week 4

2010-10-02T08:19:00.001-07:00

It is a wonderful day when you child masters something that you have not. My boy made not one, but two perfect omelettes. He learned in his book that making one large 8-10 egg omelette and cutting it into wedges is easier than making multiple small ones. Here is a picture of his mushroom green onion.

We did not get a picture of his just as successful goat cheese, tomato, basil.

Mom: I'm sorry you weren't hungry when you made these. They were the best ever.
Morgan: Really?
Mom: Really. What do you think you did that was successful?
Morgan: The book explained how to push the cooked egg towards the center. That helped. I also think putting a lid on the pan as it did its finally cooking made a difference.
Mom: Any hints for those of us that haven't mastered this technique?
Morgan: You need to be patient. Fast, but patient.
Mom: And are you disappointed this how you learned to make an omelette instead of learning it the way Anthony Bourdain suggests people learn?***
Morgan: Yes. Very. Quite. Very disappointed.

***If you are reading this and don't have a sense of humor, please do not attempt to Google around to learn how Mr. Bourdain suggests people learn. I asked the question because Morgan just read about it one of Bourdain's books, and I thought he would get a kick out of me asking.

Who needs a pumpkin patch?

2010-10-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

We don't need a pumpkin patch when our great neighbors grow enough for everyone. Thanks to the Coopers for sharing!

I know this one is out of focus, but I need to keep every picture of Morgan I can get.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Animal Kingdom pt. 2

2010-09-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Don't go on safari without your brother. He is great for hugging on bumpy rides.

Do ask for birthday dances. Tigger is quite good at the toddler birthday shuffle.
(Click here for better video.)

Do take the advice of the animals on safari. Scratch when you have an itch.

Remember to feed your children.

Use powder to stay dry.

Take frequent breaks.

And walk everywhere like you are a supermodel.

Don't miss the shows in Animal Kingdom. Festival of the Lion King makes me cry every.single.time. It is my favorite. I was too busy crying like a baby to take pictures, but I did get some shots of the almost as good Nemo show.

Don't be put off by the fact that Animal Kingdom sometimes closes at 5. You can do so many other things at Disney after that. We chose to attend the free Chip and Dale campfire sing-a-long. Ella even got to blow out a birthday marshmallow.

I don't really know how to wrap this up. Our short visit to Disney was spectacular. Even if we broke every do and don't, we still would have had a once in a lifetime trip. Thanks to Tour Guide Mike and my Disney obsessed friends for the advice and for putting up with me as I planned. We can't wait for our next visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Animal Kingdom part 1

2010-09-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Don't let anyone tell you that Animal Kingdom is a glorified zoo. It is my favorite park by far and a real gem in any Disney trip. The little details and quiet places make it the best. Don't skip this park.

Don't be in such a hurry that you miss the view.

Do raise your hand when someone asks for volunteers. You might get to sit on stage and get views like this at the bird show.

Don't be surprised when a humid fog sets in. Most of our morning in the park looked just like this picture suggests.

Do take advantage of seeing your favorite characters in fun safari attire.

Don't hand your closed pen to the characters. While they can get the tops off, it isn't easy.

Do look for different views of major attractions. I think the back view of the Tree of Life is much better than the front.

Don't make people wear things they don't want to wear. Even though I spent a good bit of time making the tie dye tees, I didn't have the heart to make Morgan match us this day. He was gracious enough to choose a coordinating tee, and that was good enough for me.

Do split up so everyone can have fun. Morgan was great about taking the big girls on Expedition Everest 7+ times while Clif and I had time to sit and relax and take Ella to extra characters.

Don't pass up the small food and drink carts in the Animal Kingdom. They are great places for fresh fruit, egg rolls, and some really yummy chai.

Do eat at Flame Tree BBQ around the time the live band just outside is scheduled to play. You'll be treated to good food and great music.

To continue the journey through the Animal Kingdom, click here. To see our trip from the beginning, click here.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Magic Kingdom

2010-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Don't have too many early mornings. While the views can still be beautiful,

It can be a little tiring.

Do schedule a breakfast at Crystal Palace. It was the best buffet I've had at Disney, and the characters are the cutest!

Do take time to be in a few pictures yourself. Your kids will be happy to have memories of you.

Don't be afraid to talk to cast members. They are usually friendly people. We met a nice woman (Hi, Constantina!) as we waited to ride Dumbo. She and I shared stories about Greek people, and then she led us to over to be first in line!

Do encourage teamwork.

Don't wear flip flops if you plan to be funny and stick your hands and feet out of the Peter Pan ride. You might lose a shoe and be forced by your mom to spend some of your own money to buy a replacement pair.

Do carry a great bag. Be sure to include dollar store favorites like a poncho, glow bracelets, and travel size baby wipes.

Don't miss a chance for a picture. Sometimes the best pictures are in the quiet moments waiting for a ride to start.

Do make changes to your plan when characters appear. We may have been late to the Fairies, but we got to see Alice.

Don't lose your cool. Even if you wait over an hour in a crowded hall to see Tinkerbell only to learn that she is not there. Your little one may be disappointed at first, but everyone at Disney will work to make it better.

Do let animal people talk animals together.

Don't assume all bad guys are bad.

Do split up large groups. On this morning, the girls were in Magic Kingdom while Morgan went to Disney Quest and Clif did some work in the cabin. It was a nice change and the boys appreciated the time alone.

Don't forget that it is easy to go back to Downtown Disney for lunch during break. We had Wolfgang Puck's Express this day, and the creme brulee alone was worth the time.

Do remember to tip Mousekeeping every day. They do some really great stuff like set up scenes with your stuffed animals while you are out.

Even Brobee got in on the fun. Here he is finishing Clif's morning work.

Don't forget your camera, like I did. I missed parade pictures, but still had a great time.

And if you do use a service like Tour Guide Mike, don't assume that there isn't a big difference between green and yellow days. There is. Stick with green days.

To see the beginning of this trip, click here.
To move on to our Animal Kingdom day, click here.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Downtown Disney Dinner

2010-09-28T11:41:00.001-07:00

Don't take no for an answer. Wait! Do be polite, but try to find a way to make things happen. After calling Disney Dining for reservations and getting a no, I called the T-Rex Cafe directly. I found out that 70% of the tables are held for walk ins. We were able to go right to a table.

Do be prepared for the wow factor at T-Rex. It was hard to get the kids to eat with views like this:

Don't think the meal will be cheap. You are paying for an experience. It isn't the worst food ever, but it is about double what you might expect to pay.

Do ask to sit in the Ice Cave if you can. I love how that part of the restaurant changes color.

Do save some of your money to make Build-A-Bear dinosaurs. Here are Ella and Maggie making wishes for their new friends, Toothie (the red dino) and Morgan (the saber-tooth tiger).

I am so glad that our afternoon plans fell apart in EPCOT the way they did. Our evening at Downtown Disney was full of great memories.

Click here to see the beginning of this journey. Click here to continue on to Magic Kingdom day.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- EPCOT

2010-09-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

Don't think that just because you got the earliest possible breakfast reservation inside EPCOT that you will be first in line for Soarin'. Because sometimes, they don't let you in the park until after your reservation time because there are trucks in the way.

And don't think that you can just explain that you know how to walk around trucks, because the cast member in charge will not believe you.

Do be ready with an autograph book. That first greeting comes quickly in Norway.

Don't tell Ella that she has too much food on her plate. She will eat it all. I promise. Even the salmon.

Do get ready for lots of princesses.

Don't worry about your son that you let sleep in and miss breakfast. He will ride Soarin' twice before you ever get there. He is happy. And don't worry that you aren't taking enough pictures of him. He likes it that way.

Do eat lunch at Sunshine Seasons. The Mongolian beef is yummy!

Don't drink Beverly. Just trust me on this one.

Do stop and let Maggie be silly.

Don't let Clif catch you in the phone booth. You may be trapped there for a long time!

Don't make Annie wait to see Marie. This is the best smile you will get if you do.

Do give your kids something that is special and just for them. Annie loved her one on one time with Marie.
You can't hear anything, but Annie is telling Marie how much she loves her and loves cats. Marie rewarded her with a very special autograph. (Click here for better video.)

Don't forget to get your name written on a fan in Japan. The service is free and the fans are a bargain at $5.

Do take the time to find choose oysters and find pearls in Japan. The ceremony alone is worth the cost. Watch Maggie's face in this video. Priceless. (Click here for better video.)

Don't lose your new Monchichi.
Do take time to cuddle with Dad during a break.

For all you grown-ups, do take time to get a slushie in France. The Grand Marnier was Clif's favorite, but I preferred the Grey Goose Citron.

Don't think it is a good idea to skip your afternoon break on EPCOT day. You will be too tired to continue. We were done by 5.

Don't think you can get last minute dinner reservations in EPCOT. It's not happening.

Do be flexible and be prepared for what may turn out to be your little one's favorite part of the trip. Click here to continue to find out what happened for dinner.

Click here to start at the beginning of our journey.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Arrival Day

2010-09-28T07:24:00.002-07:00

Do stay at Fort Wilderness. The cabins were absolutely perfect for our family, the boat ride to Magic Kingdom was an attraction in itself, and the on-site activities were the best.

Don't think you can fit more people in a room than Disney says you can. Our cabin was designed for a maximum of 6 people, and even with a kitchen and dining area, we were starting to feel a little cramped by the end.

Do something fun when you first get in. Downtown Disney was the fun spot for us. The best shopping and counter service meals can be found there. We started our trip at Earl of Sandwich and Once Upon a Toy.

Don't climb things. We saw scenes like this with Maggie often. She is a climber.

Do remember your sunglasses.

Don't confuse the statues in the LEGO store for the real characters.

Do look for princesses everywhere.

Don't expect to be seated right at your reservation time. Waiting is just a part of the Disney experience.

Do expect people to make a fuss when you dress like the stepsisters. (Click here for a better view of the video.)

But don't let it embarrass you too much.

because special things do happen at Disney... (Click here for better video.)

Don't forget to hug your namesake.

And do remember that her Prince Charming isn't so scary.

Click here to continue reading about our trip.
Click here to read about our trip to Orlando.

Disney Dos and Don'ts- Getting There

2010-09-28T06:39:00.001-07:00

Don't think you are going to leave on time. What was I thinking that 6 people would be on the road by 5 A.M.?

Do expect to make lots and lots of stops. Along the way we had a need for break fluid, a windshield wiper blade, bathroom breaks, and sanity checks.

Don't you dare forget to stop at the Florida Welcome Center on I-10. Not only to you get free juice, clean bathrooms, and an indoor play area for toddlers, but you also get to see "big jet."

Do take your big brother on the trip. His finger is great for holding during naps.

Don't do fast food. Thanks to Urbanspoon (iphone app) we ate at some really great places like Bamboo in Crestview, FL. This sushi roll was the best I've ever had.

The atmosphere was fun and welcoming. The staff greeted us like old friends and had great conversation for everyone, including the kids.

Do stop at your grandparents farm in south Georgia for a fun overnight visit. They might have a butterfly garden for you.

Don't forget to follow Grandpa out to feed the chickens while you are there.

Do take time to love on the sweet dogs on the farm. Bella was a real sweetheart.

And newly rescued Pumpkin stole our hearts.

Don't think that any kind of pout face will convince your parents to take the newly rescued Pumpkin home.

And do remember that at sunrise, you will be on the road to the happiest place on Earth!

Click here to continue reading about the trip.

Intro to Culinary Arts Weeks 2 and 3

2010-09-17T16:54:00.001-07:00

Weeks two and three of Intro to Culinary Arts brought an amazing success and a bit of a disappointment for Morgan. He made his first desert, a wonderful chocolate turnover, and presented it to rave reviews for both looks and taste.

Morgan then roasted his first whole chicken. While the texture and moisture were just right, the chicken did lack a little flavor. Morgan was very disappointed in the results. He was so disappointed that he didn't notice that his roasted veggies were superb.

Mom: What do you think happened with the chicken?
Morgan: I didn't do too well with it, but the fact that I started out with a sub-par chicken didn't help either. I'm not a fan of roast chicken anyway, but this one tasted like water.

Mom: I know you watched an episode of Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn where chicken was roasted in a different manner. Can you explain the different method? Do you think it would solve some of the problems you had?
Morgan: She pan seared the chicken like we did with the fish. That gave flavor to the chicken and kept moisture in. I honestly don't know if it would have helped me since my chicken was not great. If I were to try again with a better chicken... maybe.

Mom: What do you know about brining? Think you will try that next time?
Morgan: You soak the meat in salt water to flavor the chicken. I would certainly give more flavor, so sure.

Mom: Those turnovers were killer. When no one was looking, I had 4 instead of the 3 I was allotted. Am I going to he**?
Morgan: [generic sarcastic answer] (And at this point, Clif admits he ate 4, too, and will join Mom in the hot place.)

Mom: Seriously, you did a great job. What did you think of the process and the result?
Morgan: It was easy. It didn't bug me. I liked [the food]. The first batch got kinda burnt on the bottom, but I didn't care because the chocolate masked it. It was a way to learn that our oven [isn't great]. The recipe did say to move the the rack to the top of the oven, and I didn't do that at first. Now I know to watch the time.

Mom: Explain how the turnover technique could be used to make a different dessert.
Morgan: Put jelly inside instead of chocolate.

Mom: What about something savory?
Morgan: You could make those Greek things with spinach and feta cheese. (spanakopita)

(And again, Morgan runs from the interview. To his credit, he was running back to some pre-cal he needs to finish before he takes his first test.)

Art Lesson Plans for Fall Quarter 2010

2010-09-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

For the next few months I want to just create art and not focus so much on imitating well known artists. I plan to read a borrowed copy of Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes while the girls work on skills using their beloved watercolors.

Ongoing art activities:

Harmony Art Mom's Sketch Tuesday
Warm-ups from Art Projects for Kids Practice Sheets

Special Projects:
September 27: That Artist Woman's Fall Trees

October 4: A Bit of This and That Restricting Colors Painting

October 11: Art Projects for Kids Outerspace Watercolor

October 18: Hearts and Trees Watercolor Techniques #1 and 2

October 25: Buy a copy of Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered for each girl. Go over the book with the girls and give them time over the next month to finish the book on their own free time.

By this point I should be done with the drawing book. I may change these ideas based on what I read.

November 1: Art Project for Kids Romare Beardon Style Collage
(Spell out THANKS for Thanksgiving.)

November 8: Deep Space Sparkle's Warm and Cool Landscapes

November 15: Art Projects for Kids One City Block

November 22: That Artist Woman's Lesson in Horizon Lines

November 29: That Artist Woman Paper Mache Birds (Make birds to use on a Christmas wreath.)

December: Focus on embroidery activities (That Artist Woman and House on the Hill ) and selected holiday projects that I hope to find on my favorite art blogs. That is a hint, people.

Something to try with Ella:
The Artful Parent Painting Tiny

Ideas to save for after Christmas:
Deep Space Sparkle's Grand Canyon
Deep Space Sparkle's Lady Liberty

Wordless Wednesday - Chess Club Moments

2010-09-13T08:45:00.001-07:00

Don't worry. I know it isn't Wednesday. But I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be nuts this week and forget. So let's pretend it is Wednesday. That gets us 2 days closer to the weekend, right?

Counting Down to Disney - Princess Necklaces

2010-09-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

We are at an important checkpoint on our countdown wall, and to celebrate, we started making princesses for necklaces to wear on the trip. Don't worry about Morgan. I offered to make him, one, too, but he politely declined suggesting that instead I give him the cash equivalent of all we have spent on crafts for the girls. Here's where we are with the princesses:

I don't like the highlights we attempted to give Belle, so those may go. These princesses still need hooks in their heads to string on chains or ribbon. They also need a coat of something shiny to seal them up. Annie's Marie the cat (from The Aristocats) is in the works, too. The cat was a little harder to figure out.

Ella says they are good enough to eat. She is an odd one.

Our First Video with the New Camera

2010-09-10T19:57:00.001-07:00

The Disney Curse

2010-09-07T11:19:00.001-07:00

Such a short time to go, and my beloved Canon Digital Rebel has died.

Cry with me.

When Sisters Take Pictures of Each Other

2010-09-02T13:20:00.001-07:00

An Art Lesson Success - Andy Warhol

2010-09-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

I love it when things work just right!

Our books (Getting to Know Andy Warhol and Uncle Andy's Cats) were huge hits. Uncle Andy's Cats could not have been better. I want to own the entire series now.

The related art was a big success, too. Morgan found a picture of the soup can and played around with it until we had this colorless version. Thanks, Morgan! The girls traced the lines in the picture with black crayon and painted it using corn syrup paint.

Painting the picture with corn syrup turned out to be a brilliant plan. The paint (just corn syrup and food coloring) is a shiny, puffy wonder. The girls loved how it went on and how it looked. The only down side is that it looks like it may never dry to the point of not being sticky.

Maggie's can (left) and Annie's can (right).

Ella's can and a dog Maggie made with leftover paint.

If the paint wasn't so sticky, I think we would do this again!

Wordless Wednesday- Sister Love

2010-09-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Intro to Culinary Arts- Week 1

2010-08-31T03:54:00.000-07:00

Week one of Intro to Culinary Arts was such a success that I may request Morgan study the course daily. Not only was I not allowed in the kitchen during the cooking, but I was also not allowed to clean after. A+ for my boy!

Morgan decided to try the techniques given for pan sauteing fish and creating a pan sauce. The result was tilapia with lemon-caper sauce, couscous, and sugar snap peas.

Mom: Do you think your first meal was a success?
Morgan: Sure. I enjoyed it. You guys seemed to enjoy it. That implies it was a success. (Such a lawyerly answer. Thanks, Clif, for making our kids deposition ready.)

Mom: What did you learn about cooking fish this way?
Morgan: It's a pain to flip thin fish.

Mom: Talk to me about pan sauce
Morgan: Pan sauce is really easy once you remember the ratios. The lemon pan sauce that I made was pretty simple and went pretty well with the fish.

Mom: Can we have a pan sauce again next week? Any ideas?
Morgan: I'd rather not do that again. It's not like it is hard. I just want to do something different.

Mom: How about a dessert next time?
Morgan: Okay.

(And he ran away. He loathes the idea of these interviews. He said he'd rather take a B than do them, but I won't let him. Aren't I hateful?)

Art Update for Mid-August

2010-08-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

Since the last art update, we have covered Joan Miro, Piet Mondrian, and Jackson Pollock. To see our art lesson plans for the quarter, please click here.

Our Surrealism lessons did not end with a reading of the BFG as planned, but I'm still happy with our project. I had great plans to use ideas from either ART with Mrs. Smith or Deep Space Sparkle, but it turned out that doing our own thing worked out better. First, I showed the girls the original Running Man
Then I had them draw a stick man with black crayon. I instructed the girls to bend their men at the elbows and knees. Then I told them to draw circles and simple stars with dots at the points. The last step was to paint with watercolors. The black crayon held the paints in place nicely.

Maggie's Running Man:
Annie's Running Man:

Ella's Running Man:

The girls found Mondrian a fascinating and accessible artist. We did end up trying the Mondrian cake, but it was not a pretty product. Again, the planned lessons on Mondrian were not working for us, so we came up with our own way to recreate the art. First, the girls used a ruler to draw four vertical lines.

Then they used the ruler to draw three horizontal lines. I tried to encourage them to not space their lines evenly.
Next, I let the girls pick either horizontal or vertical orientation, and I had them draw a few more lines. The rule for this step was that the lines could not go all the way from left to right.

The final step was painting with watercolors.

Maggie's work:

Annie's work:

As a mathematician, I really appreciate the vocabulary that comes with a lesson on Mondrian. We were able to review horizontal, vertical, perpendicular, parallel, right angle, and rectangle while making some really fun art.

If you were to ask the girls what their favorite lesson so far has been, they would say Jackson Pollock without a doubt. Not only is Pollock an interesting person with an interesting technique, but the marble painting we did captivated them. It was messy and colorful, and it used what Maggie called "real art" because I was able to get a 3' by 2' canvas on sale at Michael's. Maggie and Annie worked for about an hour to produce the picture that now hangs above the love seat in our living room.

Favorite Art Blogs

2010-08-30T19:03:00.002-07:00

Art with Mrs. Smith
Deep Space Sparkle
That Artist Woman
Art Projects for Kids
Modern Art 4 Kids
Harmony Art Mom

Future Art Ideas

2010-08-30T19:03:00.001-07:00

Start with:
That Artist Woman's Fall Trees

Drawing:
Art Projects for Kids How to Draw a Cat
Art Projects for Kids How to Draw a Hen and Chicks
Harmony Art Mom Sketch Tuesday
Art Projects for Kids Creative Writing Project

Watercolors:
The Artful Parent Painting Tiny (watercolor)
Hearts and Trees Watercolor Techniques
Art Projects for Kids Outerspace Watercolor
A Bit of This and That Restricting Colors Painting

Oil Pastels:
Art with Mrs. Smith's Fancy Sun Art
Art Projects for Kids Fall Trees

Embroidery
That Artist Woman
House on the Hill
That Artist Woman Paint and Embroidery Combo

Terms:
That Artist Woman's Lesson in Horizon Lines (horizon)
Deep Space Sparkle's Warm and Cool Landscapes (warm, cool, landscape)
Art Projects for Kids One City Block (perspective)

Other:
Design Sponge Post-It Mosaic
Art Projects for Kids Recycled Mosaic Frame (mosaic)
Teach Kids Art Mosaic Ideas
That Artist Woman Giraffe Project
That Artist Woman Paper Mache Birds
Art Project for Kids Romare Beardon Style Collage

Tie in to American Geography:
Deep Space Sparkle's Grand Canyon
Deep Space Sparkle's Lady Liberty

10th Grade English

2010-08-30T19:02:00.001-07:00

Our number one goal for English this year is to learn how to write a good, solid essay in a timed setting and to enjoy reading again. We will bounce back and forth between selections that explore Gothic themes and works written by Mississippi authors. Morgan will be responsible for reading one work each month and writing an essay about the work. He will keep a reading journal in which he spends five minutes freewriting about his daily readings. Our hope is that ideas for essays will come from these writings.

General Resources:
Ole Miss Mississippi Writers Page
The Literary Gothic
Resources for the Study of Gothic Literature

September: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

Since this book is widely considered to be the first Gothic novel, it seems fitting to start with it and to write an essay about what makes a work Gothic. Morgan is already working on a visual organizer to explain what Gothic means. He wants to make a flowchart. I hope it works!

October: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Online resources

November: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Online resources

December: Interview with the Vampire by Ann Rice

We wanted to work in something modern. Morgan says that it is Gothic because it has vampires. I argued that Sesame Street has vampires. Now he wants to write a paper explaining why Sesame Street is Gothic. Be afraid.

January:
Black Boy by Richard Wright
One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty

Morgan has already read Black Boy.
The assignment for these books is to explore perspective. It is a little vague now.

February: My Dog Skip by Willie Morris

We don't have any ideas here yet.

March: The Firm by John Grisham

We don't have any ideas here yet.

April: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

It's Gothic and Mississippi. Bonus!
Discuss stream of consciousness.
A few reviewers on Amazon suggest that this work should be made into a movie by the Cohen brothers. Morgan really likes movies, so I might want him to take some time to think about this idea.

I still feel like we are not getting to works that should be covered. I will try to have Morgan at least watch Wuthering Heights, Phantom of the Opera, a Tennessee Williams play or two, and Hitchcock's adaptation of Rebecca.

Geography Lesson Plans - Africa

2010-08-30T19:01:00.001-07:00

Our 2nd quarter plans start with a trip through Africa. Because I feel like we were burnt out a bit in Europe, I'm going to lighten up some for the rest of the year. I hope that I can make this change while avoiding having Annie or Maggie think of Africa as one large country rather than the diverse, interesting collection of peoples and traditions that it is. I'm also torn on discussing the depth of conflict and turmoil in various parts of the continent. How much do a 6 and 9 year old need to know?

Maggie will learn to locate all of the countries in Africa using Sheppard Software's geography games website. She will also read one chapter book set in Africa. I'm thinking Home of the Brave or Facing the Lion or Mogo. She enjoyed creating her landmarks pages for South Africa and Europe so much that we will continue those as well as the fact tables for each country.

Annie will use some of the library books below to continue to improve her reading skills. She will create narration/illustration pages using four of the books on the list. Now that she can identify continents and oceans, it is time for her to learn to spell them. We may see if she can find the Amazon, Nile, and Mississippi rivers on a world map, too.

Both girls will use the following resources during the month.

National Geographic's Travel sites for Africa
National Geographic's Africa series rented from Netflix.

Library Books
I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Mansa Musa: The Lion King of Mali
Mee-An and the Magic Serpeant
Ancient Africa (Chester Comix)
Beatrice's Goat (and Heifer International)
Mama Panya's Pancakes
Jambo Means Hello
Wangari's Trees of Peace
Looking for Miza

Eat
Chicken and Peanut Stew
Lemongrass Tea
Suggestions?

Create
Discovering Mudcloth and related batik work with glue inspired by The Long Thread or That Artist Woman's wash off technique
That Artist Woman's Zebra Resist and read about the Serengeti
That Artist Woman's Giraffe Project
Paper weavings

Field Trip
Go to Starbucks and try a coffee from Kenya. Watch Good Eats True Brew episode.

Discover
Gems and minerals from Africa. I'm hoping to find an interesting geology kit and let the girls explore it. We will at least read Basher Rocks and Minerals.

Geography Course for 2010-2011

2010-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

When we first started homeschooling, we halfheartedly started world geography. It was a rough beginning because we tried to lapbook everything and it was just too much. Once we switched to a more reasonable notebooking system, we were able to move through the Americas with ease.

Our geographic journey this year will take us through the rest of the world and end with a concentrated study of the United State. After that, I feel that the girls will be ready to tackle history together. Click on the links to get specific plans for each region.

Quarter 1: Europe plus overviews of China, Japan, and Morocco in preparation for our trip to Disney
Quarter 2: Africa, Asia, Australia (Some of this may extend into Quarter 3.)
Quarters 3 and 4: U.S. Geography and government

********Our Notebook*************

Our goal is to make a notebook of all our activities in geography. Maggie is in charge of the notebook while Annie makes animal pages for each region and contributes summaries. Our main atlas for both girls is the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers. Here is what each girl is doing:

Annie (1st grade)

Daily work in Evan Moor's Beginning Geography
Animal books for each region
Continued work naming and spelling continents and oceans; name at least one country on each continent
Locate our city and state on country and world maps
Very simple illustrated narration summaries of about 3 activities per region

Maggie (4th grade)

Daily work in Trail Guide to World Geography or Trail Guide to U.S. Geography including map work and creating a visual geographic dictionary
Daily practice on Sheppard Software's website to learn the countries of each continent and major geographical features; bonus for learning capital cities; For the U.S. learn all states and capitals
Complete a chart of facts (capital, currency, area, population, population density, languages, and industry/resources) for all countries
Summaries of books, tv shows, and activities not summarized by Annie
A page of pictures and brief descriptions of landmarks on the continent using Children's Amazing Places. (This book is worth tracking down. We got our copy at Marshall's.)

Curriculum for 1st, 4th, and 10th grades

2010-08-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

Annie will be a 1st grader this year, and she is quite excited. We will use these resources to help her. I'm pretty sure Annie will progress quickly in some (like ETC, SWS, and WWE) so we may move to higher levels throughout the year. I will update this post as she moves forward.

Spelling and Vocabulary- Soaring with Spelling (SWS) level 1
Reading- Explode the Code (ETC) level 3 workbook and Beyond the Code (BTC) Level 1
Math- Math Mammoth (MM) Grade 2, Singapore Math Challenging Word Problems 1, and continued drills in addition/subtraction facts
Handwriting- Evan-Moor Daily Handwriting Practice, Traditional Manuscript
Writing- Writing With Ease (WWE) Level 1 and Story Starters
Grammar- Growing with Grammar (GWG) Level 1
Chess- ChessKIDS.com lessons, games using Chess with Friends on the iphone, weekly Chess Club meetings

In addition to the subjects above, Annie will be doing Geography, Science, Art, and Piano with Maggie. Right now this looks like too much, but she rarely does more than 4 hours of work a day.
*********************************************
Maggie is now a 4th grader, and I can really see independence in her. This year, I know we will need to take our time in math. Maggie has covered many of the topics in MM 4, but I don't believe she really has the conceptual understanding she needs to move on to Life of Fred. She does well in spelling, so I am going to let her skip lessons in SWS when she makes 100 on the pretest.

Reading- Reading at least 1 hour a day, plus additional readings related to our geography study. Maggie will do daily journaling for her readings and complete journal forms at the end of each book. I may add in Evan Moor's Daily Reading Comprehension book.
Spelling- Soaring with Spelling Level 4
Math- Math Mammoth Grade 4, Singapore Math Challenging Word Problems, and continued drills in multiplication/division facts
Handwriting- Evan-Moor Daily Handwriting Practice, Traditional Cursive
Writing/Grammar/Poetry/Vocabulary- Michael Clay Thompson (MCT) Town series
Latin: Latin Christiana I
Typing - Dance Mat Typing

In addition to the subjects above, Maggie will be doing Geography, Science, Art, and Piano with Annie. The subjects will be similar, but the expectations for Maggie will be greater.
******************************************
Our goal for Morgan is to focus on interests while preparing him to apply to The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.

Year Long Courses:

Honors Chemistry with ChemAdvantage
AP Human Geography with PA Homeschoolers
Pre-Calculus with Prof. Mom using A Graphical Approach to Pre-Calculus with Limits, A Unit Circle Approach
English 10 (emphasis on Gothic works and Mississippi writers) with Profs. Mom and Dad
Physical Fitness using Couch to 5k and P90X

Fall:

Teen Leadership with PEAK
Introduction to Culinary Basics (How to Cook Without a Book ) (Summary of meals so far)
Introduction to Windows Programming

Spring:

Mississippi History (syllabus to come)
Kitchen Chemistry at M.I.T.
Introduction to Game Programming

Imitation is Flattery. Really.*

2010-08-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Johnny Boden,

If you had made this shirt in my Annie's size:

then it would not have been necessary for me to sew a copy of your top using this Gap tunic.

I don't like to be a copycat, but you kinda forced me. Sorry.

Hugs,
Tifani

*I wanted to name this post "You's a Big Fine Woman. Won't you Back(stitch) That Thing Up," but I was afraid my mom or dad might read the title, Google the lyric, and be embarrassed. My hope is that neither of them really reads the posts so they won't see this note. Let's see what happens.

Two is Better Than One?

2010-08-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I started a separate blog for our homeschooling posts. Since then, I really haven't done much on either blog. I was thinking that leaving the homeschooling posts here made this glimpse into my very cluttered mind even more chaotic than it needed to be. The existence of a separate, orderly home for musings on schooling, schedules, and progress reports was to have made me more focused on recording our endeavors. But it didn't, and I'm not sure why.

I don't feel comfortable at my own homeschooling blog. It is neat and tidy and looks like someone I am not. It's like a library of thoughts in all the good and bad ways. You can't see the fun and joy in what we do there like you can here. So why is the homeschooling blog there at all? Maybe I should move everything back here.

A Disney Outfit for Maggie

2010-08-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Maggie wanted something she could wear to coordinate with her sisters' red, black and white Disney outfits, but she wanted something that didn't scream, "Disney!" We weren't having much luck finding an outfit in stores, so Clif and I used ideas from three different blogs to create this set for her.

The dress was created using an Old Navy tank top, two yards of inexpensive fabric, and the Alice Dress design from Little Red Roost. Maggie wanted ruffles on the top, and the ones in the original design weren't working for us, so we used the top of this Tea Rose Home tunic to create what she had in mind. To say she is pleased would be an understatement. I had to fight her to get her to take it off.

We had enough of the cute fabric left over to make a ruched headband as shown on the No Big Dill blog. The headband will look even better when her hair is down. I had just braided her hair before we took pictures and was not about to let her take it out. If you knew the kind of fit she throws while her hair is being touched, you would understand. She asked for the braids, so they were staying. End of story.

This was our first full outfit to make, and I can honestly say I now know why custom sets cost as much as they do. Everything took three times longer than I thought it would. I have a new respect for those hard working people out there that sew for others. They really earn it.

She's Crafty, and She's Just My Type.

2010-08-20T11:39:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to be crafty again. Can't explain the dry spell or the sudden urge to craft yesterday, but it hit. After almost 8 months of holding on to Stray Sock Sewing and Stray Sock Sewing, Too, I finally made my first sock animal. Meet Lucky the cat.

Not bad for $0.50 worth of socks and stuff we had around the house.

Somewhere in my bookmarks I saved a tutorial for making day of the week kitchen towels. We are trying to use fewer paper towels by using cloth towels, but I'm usually wondering how long a towel has been out and when it is time to wash it. I'm hoping that by marking different towels with different days of the week I'll know what's up.

The simple white towels are from Walmart, and I think they were two for $3. I bought a package of one yard of Heat 'n' Bond for about $2. I was committed to using scrap fabric at the house for the letters.

First, I ironed the Heat 'n' Bond on to the back of my fabric. To get the shape of the letters, I typed things out in Word using a font I liked and then traced the letters backwards on to the paper backing of the Heat 'n' Bond. Then I cut out the letters, peeled away the paper, and ironed.

I didn't want to outline the letters, but the only fabric on hand had a white background. If I don't outline the letters, they will blend into the towel. I'm going to set a goal of outlining one letter each day, but I know I won't stick with it. I'm flaky like that. I can at least say I finished today's towel, right?

Quick thoughts...

2010-08-18T18:04:00.001-07:00

Since I can't seem to get a real post together.

Is Lands End trying harder, or am I getting older? I like more than a few outfits they put together in the fall catalog.

I know this on our homeschooling blog, but I can't resist sharing these here. Who knew marble art could be so cool?

Paperback Swap is my new online love. I'm finally getting rid of books that have been collecting dust and I'm getting books I want in return.

Now that I've seen Anthony Bourdain's wife on his show, I can't have a crush on him any more. She is perfect for him. Even I can see that.

For those that don't know, our cat, Lilly, attacked me last week. She was trying to attack the ironing board and I got in the way. Somehow she managed to scratch a 5 inch replica of the Monster energy drink logo into my left calf. Maybe if it scars I can get work as a spokesmodel. I think before I do any modeling I would like the infected bites to heal. I wonder how an animal with such a small mouth can make something hurt quite so much.

I hate that I have so many ideas for our study of Europe. Am I really that Eurocentric? I feel like I could spend a month in Italy and another in France. When we get to Africa and I'm stumped to come up with the same types of lessons, will the kids notice? Will they think less of Africa because I don't know as much about it?

Can someone make our Disney trip come a little faster? I am so ready.

Wordless Wednesday- Ella's Rainbow Fish

2010-08-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday- Our Mondrian Cake

2010-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

I may be quiet for a week or so.

2010-08-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of moving the homeschooling posts to a different blog, we are seeing friends more than usual because our traditional schooling friends start classes next week, and we are trying to get Morgan in to finally get that driving permit, so I may not post much this week.

While you wait for more here, check out Stash book's blog post on their new fall lineup. You may see a little redhead that you recognize! I still can't believe that picture of Ella. She wasn't still at all for sweet Mary, but that picture makes it look like she was posing just as perfectly as a photographer would want.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-08-08T09:31:00.001-07:00

Guess I'm a little late this week. Sorry.

We are studying Germany and Eastern(ish) European countries this week. To celebrate we will make:

Pretzel Dogs using Mel's Kitchen Cafe's pretzels plus carrot sticks and ranch
Alton Brown's Sauerbraten with whatever veggies we have

I am nervous about this one. I mean, who gets excited about meat that soaks for three days? But I'm going to try it.

(totally NOT German) German chocolate cupcakes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book

Yes, Black Forrest cake would be more appropriate, but I don't like cherries. So there.

Other meals:
E-Mealz Asian Noodles

The original had beef. I take it out because it doesn't need the meat.

Oven Chicken Nuggets, Pioneer Woman's mac and cheese, peas

I can't share the recipe for the nuggets, but it is one we have had for years. Morgan took a kids' cooking class with Helen DeFrance and Leslie Carpenter at The Everyday Gourmet when he was younger. This recipe was a real treasure from those classes.
The PW mac and cheese is a new discovery. For the longest time my go to mac was Patti LaBelle's Over the Rainbow mac. This is easier, cheaper, and better. We add red pepper, extra cheese on top, and top it with some bread crumbs and dotted butter.

Pistachio Tortellini with simple salad

An old family favorite from the Beat That! cookbook

smitten kitchen's Cobb Salad

*********************************************************
Last week was full of yummy hits.

I could eat Alton Brown's Fish Tacos everyday if asked. Make sure you don't taste the creama mixture alone. It is pretty blah until you put it on the fist. I think I would like to try the recipe with shrimp next time. And even though we doubled the recipe, it was not enough for our family of 6.

Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks is now in our pasta rotation. I love leeks. Don't you? This was easy and so delicious. We did not have leftovers.

Even the Norwegian dishes were loved. My pickiest eater had 3 servings of the Jarlsberg and leek soup and the school bread was worth the effort according to Clif. I haven't seen him enjoy a sweet bread like this in some time.

As always, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to get more ideas for menus and recipes. It's a fun place to explore!

Wordless Wednesday - New Kitten Wojo Plays Dress Up

2010-08-04T16:34:00.001-07:00

Counting Down to Disney - Checkpoint 3

2010-08-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's the halfway point! 50 days down and 50 to go. Mike has 50 eyes.

Annie knows that two quarters = 50 cents. I'm proud to say that Maggie and Annie can update the entire calendar without any input from me now. Annie is really learning how to exchange coins.

Here's what is left of our countdown chain.

To celebrate the day, we made foods you would find in the Norwegian bakery in EPCOT. The Jarlsberg leek soup was excellent and the school bread may be a new alternative to cinnamon rolls on weekend mornings. Both recipes are in my weekly menu.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-08-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

I'll try to be short and sweet this week. Here are some of the things we will be making.

Alton Brown's Fish Tacos (finally)
smitten kitchen's Scalloped Tomatoes, poached eggs, toast
Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks
smitten kitchen's Thai-style Chicken Legs and the matching mango slaw, but substituting for some veggies we already have
mint oreo ice cream (I will make this recipe up as a part of my no-store-bought-ice-cream summer)
tuna melts on naan and pretzels (This one is quickly becoming a family quick favorite. It is a simple tuna with whatever cheese we have wrapped up in naan from Walmart!)

We are finally in Europe for geography, and I think the hardest part here will be limiting the things we make. Our first stop is Northern Europe with a focus on Norway and foods served in EPCOT. I think we'll make a meal of Jarlsberg and Leek Soup and School Bread. I want to do something with salmon, too, but once the kids see that fish, they will have a fit if I don't make teriyaki salmon, and that's not what I want to do. I don't want to be a salmon tease.

********************************************
Last week had a pretty big fail. Rather than explain the turtle burger fiasco, I'll let my picture do the talking.
What a sad, sad dinner that was.

On a better note, last week's ceviche was a huge hit. It was like pico de gallo with shrimp! For more hits than fails, read someone else's weekly menu at I'm An Organizing Junkie.