Homeschool is FUN

Ok, so maybe I'm a dork, but I love it.
I love our curriculum,
I love reading our books together,
I love setting up projects, and recipes.
I love having my kids with me all day.
I love the freedom we have to learn whatever, go wherever, play.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows.
There is clutter.
I do always with I had more time.
There are days the baby won't cooperated.

I still love it.
Our read-alouds this year so far have included:

Almost Home

 - an great way to feel as though you were on the Mayflower.  You really lived the ups and downs as the family tried to get to America

 and we are about one third the way through

Amos Fortune

  - it began as an African King and his children were having a ceremony in their village.  Captors came and snatched up the strongest males and females to be taken to America as slaves.  I really brings home how aweful the slave trade was, wiping out entire civilizations in Africa and following the journey in America.

The history we are reading to go along are:

Trial and Triumph


Story of the World


Building a City on a Hill

and a couple more....

We are also working on memorizing the whole book of James together, using
Boy, Have I Got Problems as our guide!

 - I don't know if we'll be able to do it, but we're having fun trying!!!!

Lexi had her second violin lesson today.
She is in love.
I am so surprised that I'm not covering my ears from squeakiness!
I hope this passion lasts a while.

Yesterday I made THIS (sort of) chili recipe.
I changed it a little by only adding 2 pounds of ground beef, but adding 2 summer squash.
I also at least doubled the broth so mine was more soupy.
Today we had leftovers of it and served it over mashed cauliflower.
It was really good!

Linked up at

Lexi's big day!

We had a great day catching up on school and canning.

I only have those 10 tomatoes left.
I think I will roast them and freeze them for future use.
It's not really enough to can anything with.
I canned  7 quarts of spaghetti sauce today.

I filled the dehydrator again with pears.
We really love them, so I know they won't go to waste!
I made  6 1/2 quarts of sauce with them,
and the rest are cooking down to fill the dehydrator for fruit leather.
Can't have too much of it, can you???
I'll probably add some blueberries to some of it.
I was thinking pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the other.
Is that too weird???
Kids might think so....  
I won't tell them what it is.

Lexi had her first violin lesson today.
She has wanted to learn for YEARS.
We finally decided we had enough time to really do it.
She couldn't stop grinning :)
Really, she loved it!

Dylan had to show his new song when we got home too.
He wouldn't let me take a video.
TEENAGERS!

Here's an idea from dinner last night,
everyone LOVED IT!
I took my big roasting pan and added about 4 big sliced chicken breasts,
3 big bell peppers,
3 big onions,
drizzled with olive oil,
seasoned with mexican spices
(cumin, chili powder, oregano, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne...)
whatever your family likes.
I added a couple cans of diced tomatoes.
Popped it in the oven at 400 for about 45 minutes or so.
The kids ate on corn tortillas.
Jimmy and I just ate in a bowl with salsa and sour cream.
No complaints from anyone!

Our parenting lesson today.
Encourage them.  ALL.THE.TIME.
Be their cheer leader.
Who else will?
"What you speak into the ears of your children can impart love and build bridges of hope for them or it can poison their perceptions and crush their confidence."
LOVE THAT.

Baby's new shoes...   Her second pAir from ebooba on etsy.  Love them!