I began this blog to create an on going yearbook of our homeschool chronicling our highs & lows with photo's and journaling. Through the past two years I have really enjoyed getting to know so many homeschool moms and their families. Being a Homeschoolblogger has been both fun and encouraging. Please make yourself comfortable and enjoy getting to know us and how we learn at home!
Homeschool Highlites are copyrighted by Amy.
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2006 - 2008 HomeschoolHighlites
Enjoying the warm autumn days!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, Fluttering from the autumn tree. Emily Bronte
We have been blessed by warm and wonderful fall weather this October!
Yesterday, Jordan was able to take full advantage of it when he went on an canoe outing with our church youth group. He brought his camera but when I picked him up he told me he had so much fun there was no time to take pictures!
Saturday, we enjoyed one last grill cook-out with my sister and her family! My kids always love to visit with cousins. So nice to have the mild weather!
The boys played soccer in the morning with our homeschool group and, wow, did the sun feel nice as we watched from the side lines.
After school today Jordan, Kayla and I helped my mom with just a bit of yard work. Tending to her front gardens, etc... She had her gall bladder removed two weeks ago and we were happy to help out with her "fall clean up"!
I found this Fall Favourites tag over at The Daily Planet and I coudn't resist playing along....
1. Favorite Smell? pumpkin and vanilla scented candles
2. Favorite Food? apple anything
3. Favorite Color? favorite fall color would have to be burnt orange
4. Favorite Drink? I love wrapping my hands around a steamy mug of coffee 5. Favorite Treat? warm soft pretzels
6. Favorite Place to go? walking through fallen leaves
7. Favorite Candy? chocolate -- anytime of year! 8. Favorite Movie to watch? we recently watched Rabbit Proof Fence and I recommend it heartily! 9. Favorite Clothing to wear? comfy clothes - soft cotton! 10. Favorite Outdoor Activity? sitting around a bon fire
11. Favorite Football Team? not football fan - our 'local team' is Buffalo
12. Favorite Fall Holiday? Thanksgiving
13. Favorite Haunted place? I don't know of any
14. Favorite Food at Thanksgiving Dinner? stuffing 15. Favorite Pie? peach
16. Favorite Fall Hobby? reading curled up under a blanket
17. Favorite Fall Memory? the whole family hiking through the park last year or baking leaves
18. Favorite Fall Sight? those gorgeous trees!
19. Overall Favorite thing about Fall? crisp air and changing leaves
20. Overall Favorite Season? I truely enjoy each one!
You can sign the linky with your Fall Favorites at Jocelyn’s site!
Continuing with the Homeschool Memoirs meme..... this week Jocelyn asked us to talk about our favorite places to homeschool around the house.
For 5 years our homeschooling was primarily done at the dining room table. (We do not have an eat-in kitchen so the dining room is also where we eat 3 meals a day and you can see how this might cause some stresssssss! :D ) Two years ago we completed our one room addition which was converted into a school room/office. It has been a tremendous blessing to have this room where I can keep all our current school books, reference books and supplies! We have fold down school table in the room and my dining room is kept much more neat and tidy these days!
The children have different preferences where they prefer to study. I would like to just curl up on the couch and read to them all day but, alas, this will not get us where we need to be in academics so we usually start out at the school room table and then move about from there. Jesse prefers to stay right in the school room and finish his work. Kayla will almost always be found in her room with her floor covered with open books! Jordan seems to never be able to find a comfy spot so he changes it up quite a bit. Once in a while we will do some activity or reading outside on a blanket.
It makes no difference to me where they study as long as the work gets completed for the day! I'm fine with them working wherever they are comfortable.
The Homeschool Memoirs theme this week is to post about our favorite snacks - those treats we munch on during our school day to keep us going!
We actually have a designated morning snack time (10:30AM) to eat a piece of fruit. My older kids don't always do this now but I still try to have favorite fresh fruits available. It's a great habit to get into! If we open a can of fruit, I like to stir mine into yogurt.
Another favorite afternoon or evening snack is popcorn! A few years back I gave up the commercial microwave popcorn because I heard it has many chemicals that are not so good for us! Sometimes we make popcorn on the stove with coconut oil but most often we still use the microwave but we do it this way:
2 TLBS butter, melted and set aside 1/3 cup popcorn kernels paper (lunch size) bag tape
Just put the popcorn in the bottom of the bag and fold the top over twice. Place a piece of tape over this folded flap to keep bag together. Place bag on it's side in the microwave and microwave on high for 2 minutes. (You may have to adjust the time according to your microwave.)
Dump out your fresh, hot, chemical-free, popcorn and pour melted butter over all and sprinkle with salt. Mmmm...... *One more tip - only use 1/3 cup of popcorn at a time! Trying to pop more may cause the popcorn to burn.
A great home made snack to enjoy is granola! I love to experiment and make different types. Sometimes we eat it for breakfast too but mostly just to snack on. Once you have a basic recipe your family enjoys you can mix it up a bit and try adding different goodies to it.
This is my first and most simple recipe for granola - and, look!, it doesn't use any oil!
Maple Granola
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 1/2 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional, you could add sunflower seeds or flax) 1/2 cup maple syrup (you can use real or "fake") 2 TBL. corn syrup 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tps. vanilla extract
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Spray a large cookie sheet with pan spray or lightly grease it.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine syrups and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour this syrup mixture over the oat mixture and toss to coat. Spread into pan. Bake at 275 for 30 - 40 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Don't let it get too dark! Cool. (It will crisp as it cools)
Stir in raisins or other dried fruits after it cools. *This recipe originally called for 1/2 cup chopped walnuts but I never add those due to allergies.
Enjoy!
I'm really looking forward to hearing what you all snack on through out the day and maybe getting some new ideas! Stop by The Homeschool Post to join us in the Homeschool Memoirs meme!
Saxon Algebra 2
Streams of Civilization I
Advanced Biology
CLE English 10
Perspectives of Life in Literature
Bible
Artistic Pursuits
Spanish I
Fallacy Detectives
Latina Christiana
Currently Reading:
Summerville Secrets Series
by Beverly Lewis
"Jordan" 7th Grade
Teaching Textbooks Math 7
MOH - Early Church History
Science - Botany
Winston Grammar
Creative Writing
Bible
Typing
Soccer
Latina Christiana
The Fallacy Detectives
Currently Reading:
Adam of the Road
"Jesse" 3rd Grade
Saxon Math 3
CLE Language Arts 3
MOH - Early Church History
Science - Botany
Abeka Health
Bible
BJU Readers
Piano
Soccer
Art (Co-op Class)
Currently Reading:
A to Z Mysteries
"Joshua" Age Three.
ABC's & 123's
Sharing
Manners
Using Scissors
Listening skills
puzzles
