I Choose Joy

Well, it’s finally time for me to reveal my news!

The bad news first:

I’m leaving Homeschool Blogger.  I’m so thankful to this community that got me started blogging 5 1/2 years ago.  But it’s time for me to break out on my own.  I just found out on the Homeschool Blogger homesite that “I Choose Joy” is listed as a Top Blog and I’m a Powerblogger.  I didn’t even know!  But I must say goodbye.

The good news now:

I have a brand new website!  It’s IChooseJoy.org.  (I tried to get .com or .net, but they were taken.)  So, just remember that it’s .org and that the title is now I Choose Joy! with an exclamation point if you search for it.  I’m adding tutorials, and many other add-ons as I have time.  Every post that is currently here is now there!  I’ll continue blogging about my family, giving lots of tips about homeschooling, sharing about ways to grow in Christ, recipes, sewing and crafting ideas, and more!

So, please head on over to the new blogsite and let me know what you think!  It should be very easy for you to leave  a comment now!   On the sidebar (or on the bottom of the page if you’re reading it on a mobile device), there are links to get the post through RSS feed (like Google Reader, which I use) or through email.  Please follow me on Twitter and like the I Choose Joy Facebook page, too!

This will be my last post on Homeschool Blogger.  So bookmark or subscribe to the new site now!

I just posted a few extra  posts to keep you busy while I take a short break.  See you soon with some exciting changes!

A friend of mine (over at A Little Bit Crunchy, A Little Bit Rock ‘n Roll) made this yummy chocolate chip pie.  I’ve made it several times now.  It’s a favorite!  Be sure to see her blog for pictures!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 unbaked pie shell (*see no-roll pie crust below)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
small pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels (plus additional chips for drizzle)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat the eggs, on high, until foamy.  Beat in the flour and then both sugars.  Beat in the butter.  (I usually have a few small specks of butter left in the batter- this is fine and the pie will turn out great.)  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Spoon into the pie crust and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the topping:
Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips.  Add about a 1/2 teaspoon oil.  Stir and pour into a zipper bag.  Cut off a tiny corner and drizzle over the pie.

Optional:
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold milk.

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl.  Measure the oil, add the milk and whisk.  Pour the oil/milk mixture over the flour mixture.  Stir with a fork until it is completely mixed together and the flour is damp.  Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan, then up the sides and a little bit up the rim.

Now for this recipe you want to use it as an unbaked crust.  Pour your batter right into this crust.

If you need this crust for a different recipe that calls for a baked crust, simply prick the crust several times with a fork and bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes.  Cool and fill as desired.

To use this for a savory dish, just eliminate the sugar.

Our new #1-7 shirts:

Isn’t it amazing how close we were able to get to this cheetah?

The kids had an archaeology class recently where they did a simulated dig.  Here’s what they decided about archaelologists:

“They have to go slow.”

“They have to have lots of patience.”

“They have to do lots of paperwork!”

This is very funny, but also very convicting.  May the Lord always receive our true worship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJp98hoqy5I

I’m sure we’re all aware that Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the attack on our country.  I felt like my 3 oldest kids were old enough this year to study about September 11.  We decided to do the Hands of a Child lapbook (which is only $1 if you buy it before September 11! http://handsofachild.com/)

I received this lapbook for free in order to do this review.

This particular project pack was written for grades 2nd through 8th.  The kids I had working on it were 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades.

We started by reading the research guide over two days.  It was so comprehensive that I didn’t add anything else to it.  (The only thing that I might still add is some information about Todd Beamer, a Christian passenger on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Beamer)  There is information in the project pack about each of the flights, the buildings that were attacked, a timeline of events, Osama bin Laden, Islamic extremists and terrorism, the rescue heroes, long-term impact, and memorials.  There are 21 lapbook activities ranging from interviewing someone, writing a letter, designing a memorial, and playing a game.  One activity that I felt was really neat was the Hero Qualities Game.  I’m always trying to help my children grow in character, and it’s wonderful to focus on something great that came out of this tragedy–the heroes who did wonderful things to help and save others.

In view of the little time we had to spend on this subject (it wasn’t originally in my plans), I decided that the kids would do one lapbook with 7 activities each.  We were able to finish all of it in one day (plus the 2 days of reading).

I do recommend this lapbook to anyone who would like to study September 11.  Lapbooks are always a fun way to learn a subject, even a very difficult subject such as this.

Pictures of our September 11 lapbook:

Notice that he drew an octagon in the first picture, then changed it to a pentagon in the next!

A couple of Saturdays ago, my 3 oldest competed in this year’s Bible Bee. They worked very hard during the summer memorizing verses and working on the great Bible Study that was provided. My oldest son got 5th place in his division and my second son got 4th place in his division!

We also had this great cake donated by Lovin’ Oven in Round Lake, IL.

My three oldest children were baptized last week!  We had a beautiful service and baptism at Lake Michigan.  They took a class with our church the 2 weeks prior and gave their testimonies lakeside.  I’m so glad to have them as my brothers and sister in Christ!

My doctor has recommended that I eat 80 grams of protein a day, so I’m researching to find out how many grams are in certain foods.   Here is a list of some protein-rich foods.

Meats
Beef (6 oz.)  54 grams
Turkey, breast (6 oz.)  51.4 grams
Pork Chop (6 oz.) 49 grams
Turkey, dark meat (6 oz.)  48.6 grams
Hamburger (6 oz.)  48.6 grams
Chicken, dark meat (6 oz.)  47.2 grams
Tuna (6 oz.)  40.1 grams
Broiled Beefsteak (6 oz.)  38.6 grams
Chicken, breast (6 oz.)  37.8 grams
Ham (6 oz.)  35.4 grams
Salmon (6 oz.)  33.6 grams

Dairy/Eggs
Cottage cheese (1 cup)  28.1 grams
Yogurt, low fat (1 cup)  10.7 grams
Skim milk (1 cup)  8.3 grams
Whole milk (1 cup)  8 grams
American cheese (1 oz.)  7 grams
Soymilk (6 oz.)  6.7 grams
Egg (1 large)  6.3 grams

Meat Substitutes, Beans and Legumes, Nuts
Veggie Burger (6 oz.)  51.4 grams
Tofu (6 oz.)  13.8 grams
Peanut Butter (2 Tbsp.)  8.1 grams
Almond Butter (2 Tbsp.)  7 grams
Lentils (1/2 cup)  9 grams
Split Peas (1/2 cup)  8.1 grams
Kidney Beans (1/2 cup)  7.6 grams
Sesame Seeds (1 oz.)  7.5 grams
Black Beans (1/2 cup)  7.5 grams
Garbanzo Beans (1/2 cup)  7.3 grams
Green Peas (1/2 cup)  4.1 grams

(We studied this last fall. )

Picture Books:

Abraham Lincoln Comes Home (Burleigh)

The Drinking Gourd (Monjo)

Kids During the Civil War (Wroble)

Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War (Lewin)

Books:

Spies in the Civil War (Brooks)

Abraham Lincoln (D’Aulaire)

The Underground Railroad (Williams)

The American Civil War: A House Divided (Dolan)

Across Five Aprils (Hunt)

CYT Camp (Christian Youth Theater).  After one week at theater camp, the kids put on a showcase with singing and dancing!

Our vacation to the in-laws’ Lake House began with a huge wind storm that tore down their gazebo screen porch (on the deck next to the house) and about 20 trees.

Still had time for fun.

I had to get  a picture of this–I don’t know how much longer my sons will be coloring with crayons!

Lake County Fair.  My son commented on the contrast between the Red-White-and Blue Republican booth vs. the Black Democrat booth.

This was made out of Legos!

Still trying to get the rest of the pictures up that I missed from last year.

Here are a couple of projects we did:

Built a suspension bridge.

Models of the heart with graham crackers.

Lots of reading.

Civil War lapbook (from Homeschool in the Woods).

Depicting Easter with Legos:

I know–these are WAY late!  But I wanted to get them up here anyway.

The three brothers jamming.

Our Christmas pictures.

We made these for the grandamas.  It has the baby’s feet at the top and bottom, and all the other kids’ hands.

Playing a Christmas trio.

Fun ice skating and playing hockey.

Some of their gifts.

Last summer I spent a couple of weeks with my younger 5 kids doing a fun lapbook about hermit crabs.  It was based on the book by Eric Carle called “A House for Hermit Crab.”  The lapbook can be purchased here. I liked that there were activites on the months of the year, growth (we looked up their birth weights/heights and compared to now), where they lived (address, city, state), as well as hermit crabs and oceans!  We watched some fun YouTubes about hermit crabs since we don’t have any of our own.  Of course, now they want one!