Is There A Bathroom On This Ship?

Make It Yourself: Gift Bow

2012-02-13T18:41:00.000-05:00

One of my almost teen's friends had a birthday last month, so I decided that was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at making a gift bow. I used the method found on this tutorial. Because I chose to use a piece of leftover wrapping paper so the bow would match really well, I had to adjust the lengths given in the tutorial since my paper wasn't large enough. It made things a little more difficult with shorter lengths, but I was very pleased with the end result and his friend raved about the bow as much as the gift. I'm not very crafty by any means, but these directions aren't terribly complicated at all. This is a really fun way to upcycle magazines and wrapping paper!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - February 10, 2012

2012-02-10T00:52:00.000-05:00

In my life this week...

I have been so busy I haven't even known what day it is most of the week! The week brought undesirable things in the mail, some rain that interrupted my oldest's riding lesson so he had an additional lesson which threw my lesson plans all askew, an unexpected errand that ate up quite a bit of time again throwing my lesson plans all out of sorts, I've had to clean up really nasty cat vomit, and our well water purification system is on the fritz again leaving me having to hand wash dishes (using the dishwasher when the system isn't working correctly leaves a thick residue on everything).

In our homeschool this week...

We've chased horses in the rain (ended up a muddy mess and I think my kindergartner managed to also find every pile of horse poop!), my kindergartner did a scavenger hunt at co-op, and my oldest has moved into South America with his geography lessons.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

One freebie site I've used a lot is Learning Page.

I am inspired by...

How a simple bouquet of wildflowers picked from my yard and sitting in a vase on my kitchen windowsill can lift my spirits.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do lessons plus demo team practice, riding lessons, church, and homeschool co-op.

My favorite thing this week was...

As un-fun (yes, I just totally made that a word!) as it was being out in the rain and ending up covered in mud, watching the horses run, especially the big, beautiful belgian draft horse, was breathtaking ... magical beauty right before my eyes.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My almost teen and I have been having some great discussions lately during all our time in the car on the way to one place or another. We've talked about the Republican candidates, a fair tax system, billboards, and a wide variety of other things we'd never cover in a formal curriculum.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I'm just dumbfounded how thoughtless and insensitive some people can be, especially when it involves hurting a child's feelings.

Things I'm working on...

I've been trying to (yet again) sort Legos, K'Nex, Playmobil, etc. into storage bins. My kindergartner has destroyed it all almost as fast as I've organized. I've also been trying to continue decluttering to find donations for an upcoming free yard sale.

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version), Eldest by Christopher Paolini, and Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies by Sloane Miller.

I'm cooking...

The only thing I managed to contribute this week to our meals was potato leek soup and cornbread.

I'm grateful for...

The Ken Ham Foundations DVD series/class at church. My oldest and I are covering the exact same topics in Apologia General Science right now. He's told me how much he's enjoying the class, so I'm very thankful we're able to experience it together.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - February 3, 2012

2012-02-03T00:57:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

I/we adopted the foster cat. I suppose I knew all along that's what would happen. Unfortunately it wasn't as easy of a process as one would think. A lot of the required information I provided when I took him out of the shelter for foster care was lost from their computer. The shelter employee assisting me jumped all over me about that. I still haven't figured out how that was my fault. Then, information the person in charge of the animals in foster care had discussed with me and put in the computer was nowhere to be found. I was made to feel I was lying about the entire conversation I had with her. I was grilled as to why I went from fostering to adoption. Really! It was over two hours of a massive headache for me. I knew (from previous experience) a lot of the shelter employees needed an attitude adjustment, but this brought that to light even more. I see more and more why the public does not like to deal with them. My almost teen and I were thinking of applying to volunteer there, but I honestly don't believe I could tolerate their rudeness on a regular basis. It would be toxic. I have started exploring other organizations we could work with instead.

In our homeschool this week...

It's very much been a week of just trying to get everyone to accomplish their work for the week and find a good rhythm for working weekly horseback riding lessons (a much lengthier lesson than we were accustomed to previously, although I am not complaining about that one bit) into our homeschool lessons.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Astronomy Picture of the Day ... very cool site!

I am inspired by...

Taking the time to read again ... books on my "to read" list that aren't part of a review for any of the publishers I often work with. I've been staying up way to late at night to do so, but I have really been enjoying this simple treat.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do, riding lesson, church, homeschool co-op.

My favorite thing this week was...

I was finally able to see the homeschool library available to co-op members. There is no time limit concerning how long you keep the materials ... some people keep what they've checked out over a year or more! I found a couple of pieces of curricula I can use with my kindergartner, so that will save me some $$$. Yay!

What's working/not working for us...

Not working - The clashes I continue to have with my almost teen over his lessons. He's hormonal, I'm hormonal ... aughhhhhhhhhhh! The stress is overwhelming me again.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I am wondering when I am going to snap out of my lack of desire to do any baking. I love to bake! There are so many things I'd love to have to eat, but I cannot get motivated to get myself into the kitchen.

Things I'm working on...

I'm still continuing to declutter. This week I went through a huge pile of old homeschool work and tossed what I no longer needed to keep into the recycling bin (after saving a few items I wanted to keep). I've been reorganizing other papers I've kept for lessons and getting them sorted appropriately into my filing cabinet. I've also been going through as much stuff around the house as possible gathering up items to donate to a free yard sale coming up soon.

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version) and Eldest by Christopher Paolini.

I'm cooking...

I have been super busy this week, so my spouse has done all the cooking.

I'm grateful for...

Even though my kindergartner is too small for riding lessons just yet, he is still having a great time being around the horses every week and has made fast friends with the goat also living on the property. They were quite a pair this week.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer (Review)

2012-01-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

Title: Love Out Loud: 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself, and Loving Others
Author: Joyce Meyer
Format: Hardcover (384 pages)
Publish Date: 11/2/2011
List Price: $16.99 U.S./$18.50 Canada
ISBN: 9780446538473
Publisher: Faith Words

Synopsis: Many Christians get mixed up about what love really is. They know they should love God and others, but don't understand that loving yourself is one-third of God's equation. Instead, they mistakenly think of it as being selfish or egotistical. In Love Out Loud, these daily devotionals will help you walk through the process of learning to love God with your whole heart, which will then help you love yourself in a balanced, healthy way. And as you do, you will be able to really love others the way God does. It's a winning combination that will fulfill you for the rest of your life!

About the author: Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers, with her TV and radio broadcast, Enjoying Everyday Life, airing on nearly 450 television networks and 400 radio stations worldwide, including ABC Family Channel, Trinity Broadcast Network, Daystar, and the Word Network. Her bestselling books include Battlefield of the Mind, Look Great, Feel Great, The Confident Woman, Never Give Up! and Power Thoughts. Joyce holds conferences approximately 15 times each year, worldwide, speaking to thousands.

Joyce Meyer's new devotional, Love Out Loud, is a huge hit with me! The 5" x 7" size doesn't take up a lot of space and makes it easy to tuck into a purse, backpack, or other carrying bag when you're away from home. Each devotional has a corresponding date, but no year is printed on the page ... perfect for revisiting over and over! A related verse of Scripture starts you off, you then move into a short devotional, then you finish up with a "Love God Today" thought (these range from profound thoughts to short prayers to questions for you to ponder further). This year-long devotional book is great for men and women alike, ages teen and up, and tackles subjects such as staying calm in troubled times, thanking God, powerful and effective prayers, grief and mourning, wisdom, unforgiveness, enjoying life, and much more.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T00:53:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

I failed at quitting church. As happy as I was with the decision, my kindergartner literally crying because he wanted to go back broke my heart. So ... back we went. I do love my Sunday School class (a small class of anywhere from 9-12 people each week), so I don't have a problem with it at all. For service, we chose to sit in the balcony to remove ourselves from all the people who have been so hurtful. Just for God to have a little more fun with me, I discovered the new series of Sunday night classes started this past weekend as well. The Foundations 12-part DVD series by Ken Ham is one of the classes, and I really felt led to attend. I informed my almost teen he was also attending. :) We both loved it. Now please don't misunderstand ... I'm still extremely unhappy, but I am trying to go with the flow at this point, pay no attention to the hurtful people, and allow my kindergartner to continue to have a good time and blossom.

In our homeschool this week...

My almost teen started horseback riding lessons again, and I am thrilled for him! He was invited to check out an opportunity to work with a group that rescues horses. Basically the rescuers give riding, etc. lessons to the kids in the group ... in exchange, the kids return the favor one day a month by giving horse rides to kids from a local support group (sorry to be so vague, just trying to respect the privacy of all involved), plus they do other necessary work pertaining to the horses. It's a win/win!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up Feb. 17-20. My boys and I look forward to it every year! It's a wonderful way to do a fun nature study.

I am inspired by...

How well I've been sleeping this week. Maybe the foster cat trying to share my pillow isn't such a bad thing! I'm feeling more refreshed each morning, rising earlier, and getting more accomplished.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do lessons and riding lessons.

My favorite thing this week was...

The big laugh my kindergartner and I shared over an incident that happening during my almost teen's riding lesson. My little guy had gathered up a pile of leaves making a "collection." The other horses were roaming free on the property, came over to our picnic blanket, and a couple of them ate his leaves!

What's working/not working for us...

Working - We're currently exploring collage for our art lessons. Both kiddos have been having a great time.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I am pondering whether or not to attend our state homeschool convention this year. It's incredibly expensive to go if we stay for the entire thing ... hotel & parking costs, kennel fees for all our animals, etc. ... so I am toying with the idea of going only one day and taking the entire day to wander around the vendor hall (it's massive!). The fee is steep (in my opinion) for doing that only, but I would really like the opportunity to look at many more curriculum options than just the few that come as vendors to a nearby free convention. With the high school years approaching faster than I'd like to admit (fall of 2013), I am trying to get a game plan formed.

Things I'm working on...

This week I have desperately been trying to catch up on laundry. I let it slide a wee bit too long ... now I'm paying the price.

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version) and Eldest by Christopher Paolini. I finished The Throne Of Fire by Rick Riordan and enjoyed perusing the Green Market Baking Book by Laura C. Martin.

I'm cooking...

Roasted asparagus, roast potatoes, homemade pizzas, popcorn cooked in coconut oil (YUM!).

I'm grateful for...

The kids and I made an impromptu stop at a yard sale this past weekend. I found several things on my yard sale wish list, plus my oldest found a computer game he's been wanting for a long time. Everything we purchased came out to about 14¢ per item - my kind of yard sale!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Spontaneous Happiness winners

2012-01-25T13:02:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrants #58 Bee, #101 deanna, and #144 Donna - each will receive a copy of Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil. Many thanks to all who participated!!

Apple Oatmeal Dog Biscuits

2012-01-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick and easy dog biscuit my canine children love.

1 1/2 cups organic white whole wheat flour

1 cup organic rolled oats

1/2 tsp. organic ground cinnamon

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1 organic Granny Smith apple (cored, peeled, and finely diced)

Combine all ingredients and mix well into a dough. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten slightly between the palms of your hands. Place on a baking stone; bake at 350 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes (may take more or less time based on thickness). Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T00:56:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

I became a mom again ... a foster mom ... to a cat. It was totally unplanned, but I'm feeling really good about the spur of the moment decision. It all started out with an innocent trip to the humane society's yard sale. After we'd purchased our new treasures, we headed inside to visit with the animals. My tween was absolutely drawn to a sweetheart orange tabby. His information said he's 9 years old. I can't imagine what it must have been like for him to have been a part of someone's life or family for 9 years and then be dumped at the shelter. I say "dumped" because his information stated the reason he was brought in was because he didn't get along with the other household cat - not a case of someone losing their job or home. He was a big love bug, but it was obvious he was coming down with an upper respiratory infection. This humane society is not a no kill shelter. I knew his fate would be being moved to isolation (where he would not be given meds) and then euthanasia. My heart wept for him. My tween was begging to adopt him, but dad made it clear that was a big NO. Instead, we ~~got roped into~~ agreed to foster him with the intent of finding him a forever home. Now we're (hubby and I) debating adopting him. We fear he would be passed over as undesirable due to his "advanced" age (never mind he has plenty of years left) - everyone wants a kitten. He's a great, mellow cat - loves to be loved, loves belly rubs, and loves to "talk". We're giving him meds for his URI (fostering or adopting him was the only way the shelter would give them to him), and he's making good progress so far with kicking it. Unfortunately, he thinks my pillow is a perfect place to sleep (while I'm also using it for sleep).

In our homeschool this week...

There's been a lot of focus on the foster cat and not a lot of focus on homeschool lessons. Of course taking care of him is a lesson in itself.....

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

I personally think it's great to build up your home library as much as possible through yard sales, thrift stores, library book sales, etc. I got away from doing so just because it felt like we were drowning in books, but this homeschool year has been a difficult and frustrating one for us using the public library. Our county public library system continues to be hit with budget cuts, they're understaffed, and items returned on time aren't being checked in on time (we've had to argue a lot of fines we didn't owe this homeschool year). It's also been increasingly difficult to obtain the specific materials I'd intended to use. There are definitely a lot more homeschoolers using our library system than ever before. I will be back to building up our home library again.

I am inspired by...

The calm feeling I have in the midst of some recent big decisions (see last week's THMJ).

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do lesson, a taekwon-do testing for my tween (moved up to high yellow belt), a yard sale to benefit the humane society, and homeschool co-op where my tween made oyster mats and my kindergartner participated in an archaeology dig by "excavating" chocolate chips from a cookie.

My favorite thing this week was...

Manatees in one of the canals here. Magical.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My kindergartner is having a wonderful time doing step-by-step drawings in various issues of Big Backyard magazine.

Questions/thoughts I have...

If I had a nickel for every time I've stepped on a Lego over the past 12 years, I wonder how rich I'd be?

Things I'm working on...

I'm still working on a general declutter and reorganization around the house. I have also been cutting up outgrown/old clothing to use for making quilts and pet blankets.

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version) and The Throne Of Fire by Rick Riordan. I finished Paper Angels by Billy Coffey (I'm working on the review) - it's a must read!

I'm cooking...

Instant refried bean mix, banana chocolate chip muffins, potato leek soup ... I think those were my main contributions this past week.

I'm grateful for...

A nice stack of homeschool materials and books given to me by an acquaintance. To top it off, the same day my spouse brought home a big stack of homeschool materials and books given to him by one of his clients who is no longer homeschooling. Yay!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Manatees in the canal

Moose (drawn by my kindergartner)

Our sweet foster cat

Squash Patties

2012-01-19T10:45:00.000-05:00

Oh so simple ..... oh so good!

1 cup organic white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. Rapadura (organic whole cane sugar made by Rapunzel)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup organic plain rice milk

1 T. organic ground flaxseed meal + 3 T. water

1/4 cup organic extra virgin coconut oil

3 cups grated organic yellow summer squash

Dash of organic black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by heaping tablespoons into prepared skillet of hot organic extra virgin coconut oil. Cook over medium heat until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil, MD (Review w/ Giveaway)

2012-01-17T20:53:00.001-05:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Title: Spontaneous Happiness
Author: Andrew Weil, MD
Format: Hardcover (288 pages)
Publish Date: 11/8/2011
List Price: $27.99 U.S./$29.99 Canada
ISBN: 9780316129442
Publisher: Little, Brown And Company

Overview: Everyone wants to be happy. But what does that really mean? Increasingly, scientific evidence shows us that true satisfaction and well-being come only from within. Dr. Andrew Weil has proven that the best way to maintain optimum physical health is to draw on both conventional and alternative medicine. Now, in Spontaneous Happiness, he gives us the foundation for attaining and sustaining optimum emotional health. Dr. Weil offers an array of scientifically proven strategies from Eastern and Western psychology to counteract low mood and enhance contentment, comfort, resilience, serenity, and emotional balance. Lastly, Dr. Weil presents and eight-week program that can be customized according to specific needs, with short- and long-term advice on nutrition, exercise, supplements, environment, lifestyle, and much more.

About the author: Andrew Weil, MD, is the author of twelve previous books, including Spontaneous Healing, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, and Healthy Aging. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he is a professor of public health and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona as well as director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

We've all heard the saying "it's the little things" ... well, that's quite true! So many people worry about taking care of their physical well-being, but forget their emotional well-bring is just as important. In Spontaneous Happiness, Dr. Weil covers an array of topics such as the effects of alcohol and caffeine, anti-anxiety drugs, the importance of touch, how sound and noise affect us, having animal companions, being forgiving, laughter, gratitude, and compassion. The 8-week program for optimum emotional well-being is much like his 8 Weeks to Optimum Health (if you are familiar with that book) in its approach. You'll answer questions about different aspects of your health and lifestyle and implement strategies for taking better care of your mind, body, and spirit - no mumbo jumbo nonsense, just good, practical advice for taking control of your own health.

Hachette Book Group is generously offering THREE of my readers the opportunity to receive a copy of Spontaneous Happiness! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada (no P.O. boxes and Canadian winners must also provide a telephone # for shipping). Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on January 24, 2011. The winners will be selected using random.org on January 25, 2011 and notified via email. Each winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Hachette Book Group will ship directly to the winners. Please note: Hachette Book Group winners are subject to ONE copy of this title per household. If any winner should win this same title in more than one giveaway, he/she will receive only one copy from Hachette Book Group.

Mandatory entry: This must be completed before any other entry. Leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Spontaneous Happiness - it's that simple! Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry EACH. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
* Follow @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* "Like" Little, Brown and Company on Facebook.
* Follow @littlebrown and @DrWeil on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Make It Yourself: Mail Organizer

2012-01-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

Our previous mail system was not working at all, so this is another quick, easy, and inexpensive organizer I made during our winter holiday homeschool break. I took 3 identical cereal boxes, flattened them, and cut them differing heights using a tabletop rotary cutter. I then taped the bottoms back together so they would retain their shape, attached them together using double-sided sticky squares, covered all exposed sides with cardstock I had on hand, and made a little decorative embellishment for the front out of coordinating cardstock and a sticker. I chose to leave the inside of each "compartment" as is because it doesn't show when full with mail (and quite honestly because the natural color doesn't bother me). It's working wonderfully for us!

Review - Vegan Holiday Kitchen

2012-01-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

Title: Vegan Holiday Kitchen: More than 200 Delicious Festive Recipes for Special Occasions

Author: Nava Atlas

Format: Hardcover (320 pages)

Publish Date: November 2011

List Price: $24.95 U.S./$29.95 Canada

ISBN: 9781402780059

Publisher: Sterling Publishing

From the book jacket: With more than 200 mouthwatering recipes, vegans can at last celebrate the holidays with gusto and enjoy every course of the meal - from appetizers to desserts. What's more, these lovingly crafted dishes will satisfy everyone who loves great food, no matter what their culinary preferences. There's no reason to wait for a special occasion to enjoy these recipes - they're healthy and uncomplicated enough for everyday fare. You'll also find that many of the recipes in this collection are gluten-, soy-, and nut-free - or can be made so without sacrificing the flavor. Delicious!

About the author: Nava Atlas is both the author and illustrator of many well-known vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including Vegan Express, Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons, The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, and The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet. Her first book was Vegetariana, now considered a classic in its field.

Vegan Holiday Kitchen is a great go-to resource for all the holidays throughout the year as well as special occasions or just because you want to enjoy a fabulous meal. Broken down into six specific chapters covering Thanksgiving, Christmas/the holiday season, Jewish holidays, Easter, Independence Day/summer, and brunches/appetizers/potluck dishes, there are a multitude of recipes to appeal to vegans and non-vegans alike.

I was absolutely drawn to the Walnut-Apple Stuffing recipe to have as part of my family's New Year's meal (even though it appears in the book in the Thanksgiving section - there's no reason you can't enjoy all the recipes in Vegan Holiday Kitchen any time you wish!). As I read through the recipe, I found myself imagining how phenomenal it would taste based on the ingredients ... I was not disappointed!

Isn't it beautiful???

Each recipe is labeled in bold whether it is gluten-free, nut-free, and/or soy-free with additional modification information for making it so if necessary. I really appreciate when a cookbook goes the extra mile in thoughtful little ways like this to make it easier for people with food allergies. The recipes also do not call for a lot of unusual or expensive ingredients making it an excellent choice for vegans as well as those on a budget, families seeking to incorporate more healthy meatless meals into their menus, or non-vegans preparing dishes for their vegan friends and family members. With tasty dishes such as Sweet Potato-Poppy Seed Coleslaw, Smashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy, Cashew Chocolate Mousse Pie, Hot Artichoke and White Bean Spread, Roasted Root Vegetable Salad, Seven-Vegetable Couscous, Summer Squash Provencal, Strawberry Snack Cake, and Cold Avocado and Green Pea Soup, this is a recipe collection you'll find yourself reaching for over and over.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - January 13, 2012

2012-01-13T00:16:00.003-05:00

In my life this week...

I quit church again. Sad, but true. We thought the one we had been attending since last September was going to be the one (especially since it's full of homeschoolers), but it turned out to be like all the others ... people were really nice at first, then no one would speak to us as usual. By "us" I mean my tween and myself. My spouse and kindergartner never have this problem. I realized I absolutely cannot allow the two of us to continue to feel such hurt to the point it causes us to turn our backs on God for good. Yes, it's that bad. I have literally seen kids from the youth refuse to shake my son's hand or turn their backs on him. Not one of them would speak to him on the Legoland field trip last week. There have been many times in his Sunday School and in youth when the kids have needed to partner up for a project and no one would be his partner. It's hurtful. It's heartbreaking. It's ridiculous for "Christians" to act this way. It's just as bad for me. Every church we go to is this way. This kind of nonsense has no place in God's house. I started thinking I might be overly sensitive, but a dear friend in another state (a beautiful, wonderful, amazing woman of God I've known since childhood) is going through the exact same thing ... so much so that all you have to do is change names and locations and our stories are identical. Identical! My decision didn't come lightly. I stumbled upon an online article that really got the wheels in my head turning. My spouse felt deeply moved by the article as well. I do want to eventually write about it all here on the blog, but don't know when I'll have the time to do so. (For those curious about the article, it's HERE. If you are unable to read all six points because you get a message you have to be a subscriber, try the link again another day. That has been working for me. It's the very last line of #6 that I found very powerful.)

In our homeschool this week...

My kindergartner made this adorable snowy owls craft. My tween has started his Native American studies ... our history topic for the remainder of the homeschool year.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

There are lots of great FREE worksheets available at tlsbooks.com

I am inspired by...

My friend Cristina. Reading her No School Today?: A Home Spun Comic Strip Collection was exactly what I recently needed to remind me we're doing just fine.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do lessons plus my kids joined the demo team so they had a practice session for that and a very cool archaeology talk by a guy from the Florida Public Archaeology Network.

My favorite thing this week was...

Watching my tween at the demo team session. I think a bit of reorganization is going on with the team, so the instructor is determining who is going to be doing what. My tween made the cut as a "flyer" meaning he will be jumping over team members while doing specific kicks to break boards. Once he realized this, the look on his face was priceless.

What's working/not working for us...

I had a list of themes I intended to cover with my kindergartner this homeschool year, but I've let that go and am very much going with his interest-led learning at this point. It's working very well for us.

Questions/thoughts I have...

This is for anyone who's into scrapbooking and the like ... Is there a swiveling craft blade/knife that is compatible with the Coluzzle templates? That entire line was discontinued, but I still use mine for a variety of projects and don't have any more replacement blades.

Things I'm working on...

I've been doing a general declutter as I've had time. My paper recycling bin has been filling up fast!

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version) and Paper Angels by Billy Coffey.

I'm cooking...

Brown rice in veggie broth, squash patties, roasted asparagus, and roast potatoes

I'm grateful for...

A delightful conversation I had with one of the other taekwon-do moms earlier this week. She is a native of the Phillipines, so she was excited to learn I cook with coconut oil and use it for other things. She told me all the homemade things she uses for skin and hair care plus how she makes coconut milk (a bit different from the method I use, so that was great knowledge to acquire).

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Mama's boy...

Snowy Owls craft

2012-01-10T11:49:00.000-05:00

My kindergartner and I were reading through the December/January 2012 issue of Big Backyard magazine and came across an adorable craft called Snowy Owl Pals. He was so excited to make this, and it now graces the cocktail table in our family room. It turned out so cute ... truly a wonderful homeschool science/art project for younger children.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T00:38:00.002-05:00

In my life this week...

My spouse was home for three days because of the holiday weekend, so I seized the opportunity to get some things accomplished around the house and yard. I decluttered and reorganized most of our kitchen and spent over five hours cleaning up part of our garden plus trimming trees and hauling the cuttings to the road for yard waste pickup. While I did all that work, the males of my household sat around watching movies or passed the time playing frisbee. I just may demand they start adressing me as She-Ra!

In our homeschool this week...

We cracked open the books again on Wednesday and immediately followed that with a very cool field trip Thursday.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Know what works for your family and do it. If you need to stay up later than the average family and sleep later in the mornings due to odd working hours, do it. If you need to school weekends and take a couple of days off during the week due to an unconventional work schedule, do it. If you want to do school on the weekends now and then to get ahead or afford your family the ability to take a vacation later on, do it.

I am inspired by...

The new year ... so many ideas and plans swirling in my head!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

For our very awesome field trip yesterday, we went to Legoland Florida (thanks to special educator pricing - no way we could or would have ever dreamed of paying regular admission for our family of four). I had read a lot of negative reviews online from recent visitors, but we had a wonderful day. The park wasn't too crowded, we didn't have to stand in line a long time for any of the rides, I rode a roller coaster (three of them, several times) for the first time in many years, and my kiddos were absolutely on cloud nine.

My favorite thing this week was...

The glee on my boys' faces going to a theme park for the first time. I don't consider Sea World a theme park, and we've never been to Disney or Universal even though they're a short drive away. It's just never been of interest to us, but with two Lego crazed boys, Legoland was a must.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My 7th grader continues to be extremely pleased with the books I've requested he read this year. Apparently I made excellent choices as far as he is concerned.

Questions/thoughts I have...

Anyone else not have all their Christmas decor down and put away yet? Surely I am not the only one!

Things I'm working on...

The aforementioned kitchen and outdoor work, plus I've been cutting up several pairs of outgrown jeans so I can eventually make a denim rag quilt. (I had several people ask about the projects I mentioned on last week's HMJ. Here you go ... pantry organizers, memory jar, and Christmas jar.)

I'm reading...

The book of Genesis (Amplified version) and Paper Angels by Billy Coffey.

I'm cooking...

I don't remember! I know I contributed here and there, but have no clue at the moment what I made.

I'm grateful for...

Snuggly warm blankets this week with our temperatures dipping due to a cold front.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Random Legoland pics.....

Wordless Wednesday - Slow Cooker Veggie Soup

2012-01-04T01:14:00.001-05:00

(Hubby's slow cooker veggie soup - navy, great northern, red kidney, and lima beans, red and brown lentils, peas, corn, tomato juice, and a variety of spices.)

Make It Yourself: Pantry Organizers

2012-01-03T14:36:00.000-05:00

In an effort to tame the chaos that comes with living in a house full of males, I was inspired last week to make some pantry organizers. I did have a designated kitchen drawer for holding quick snacks for the kids (organic fruit strips, Kashi cereal bars, and so on), but it was in a constant state of disarray. My spouse also uses a lot of the Simply Organic mixes, and those are forever scattered about in a disheveled heap.

Enter in the miracle of cracker boxes and some cardstock! I carefully opened the bottom flaps on the boxes so they could be completely flattened (top flaps were already open as these were boxes I had saved for reuse). I then used a rotary desktop-style cutter to trim them evenly, taped the bottom/top closed again so the box would retain its shape, and spruced them up with a bit of cardstock I had on hand. I chose to cover the fronts of mine only as the sides and backs are not visible how I have them placed in my pantry. This also freed up some room for me as these boxes are slightly larger, and therefore hold more, than the original boxes for some of these items (such as the fruit strips and cereal bars) - no need to take up more room than necessary storing a bunch of boxes (because I stock up when they're on sale) when I can condense most of it into these new organizers.

Memory Jar

2012-01-02T19:41:00.000-05:00

Another fun new idea for my family this year is a Memory Jar. I hope we have a ton of great memories to reflect on this year, so I used a large quart mason jar for this project. A simple tag of cardstock on the front along with a circle of cardstock on the top is how I chose to decorate mine.

Anyone in the family can write down a memory with corresponding date on a slip of paper, fold it in half, then add it to the jar. On New Year's Eve this year, we'll sit down together and take turns reading all the memories inside. To make it easy for all of us to add a memory, I transformed a lidded plastic food container into a paper storage tub. Again, I used cardstock I already had on hand to decorate the container. The paper slips are all cut in a uniform size and shape (using a Coluzzle rectangular template) out of scrap cardstock. I have over 200 slips ready and waiting for memories to be added.

Christmas Jar

2012-01-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

A wonderful project my family is doing this year is a Christmas Jar. I've never read the book behind this inspiration, Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright, but the concept is simple ..... toss in your spare change during the year and anonymously give it to a needy recipient 2-3 weeks before Christmas. It could be someone who has lost their job, a single mom struggling to make ends meet, a family overwhelmed by medical bills ..... I truly believe everyone who makes a Christmas Jar will know in his/her heart the exact person or family who will be blessed the most when the time comes.

For our jar I used a quart-size mason jar, attached a simple, decorative tag, and finished the top off with a seasonal sticker on a circle of cardstock. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. The overall purpose is far more important. Visit Christmas Jars: The True Stories for additional inspiration.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

2011-12-30T18:55:00.000-05:00

I actually made something I pinned on Pinterest! It's fun to pin away, but taking the time to follow through with the inspiration is another story.

I thought these vegan chocolate peanut butter cups would be a perfect treat for Christmas Eve. I added 1/2 tsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil to the chocolate to reach a more desirable (for me) consistency. The "nooch" added to the peanut butter truly did make this taste like the filling from the brand-name non-organic version of this treat. That alone was seriously so good I could have just eaten a whole bowlful of it without even bringing chocolate into the picture!

Mine didn't turn out as pretty as the original poster's, but I know I didn't let them set up as long as I should have (I gave in to the pleas of my youngest child who was overwhelmingly excited about me surprising everyone with this goodie). I also used a spoon for transferring the ingredients into the muffin liners. Next time - and yes, I will be making these again and again - I will try reusing a mustard bottle or similar bottle for squirting the chocolate into the muffin liners. I envision they will turn out a lot more beautiful that way.

These are so incredibly fantastic! They also count as recipe #26 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - December 30, 2011

2011-12-30T00:37:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

I have been getting some organization tasks completed around the house, was able to re-watch some movies while I worked on sit down tasks (Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Julie & Julia, The Holiday, and Inkheart), took my birthday boy to lunch and made him a cake, and got a virus on my computer. Yeah, that last one was no fun at all. I also allowed myself to get my feelings hurt. I shouldn't have, but I did. My spouse and I decided not to do Christmas gifts this year for ourselves, but our boys insisted on a couple of small things they wanted to get their dad plus a couple of small things for his stocking. The problem is, no one extended that same thoughtfulness to me. Oh well. I just have to suck it up and move on.

In our homeschool this week...

We've been on break all week!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Jo-Ann is having teacher appreciation days Jan. 7-8. All teachers (which very much includes homeschoolers - just a FYI if you don't already have a Jo-Ann teacher discount card) get 20% off purchases instead of the regular 15%.

I am inspired by...

Pinterest. I know I say that a lot, but it's true. I got a lot of things accomplished this week due to Pinterest inspiration.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

I had to get out in the Christmas Eve Eve (or Christmas Adam if you prefer) madness to get a few groceries, we took our birthday boy to lunch at our fave Irish restaurant, and we surprisingly had taekwon-do lessons this week.

My favorite thing this week was...

Squeals of delight over Christmas and birthday presents ... then the feuding, arguing, and battling began. Gotta love boys.

What's working/not working for us...

Not working - My tween is behind in some subjects due to all his retaliation this school year. Now bear in mind, he is behind as far as what I wanted him to have accomplished by this point. I have been having to re-do my upcoming weekly lesson plans as a result. The reason I consider this a "not working" is because I really didn't want to spend my holiday break having to do that. LOL

Questions/thoughts I have...

I generally try not to take a spring break because it helps us get our school year finished that much faster, but I am thinking we will need one. I must find out when the public school spring break is because I do NOT want to take ours at the same time.

Things I'm working on...

Our household notebook for next year is ready to go, my personal notebook is well underway, plus I've been making all sorts of things this week ... a Christmas jar, a 2012 memory jar, new allowance jars for my boys, wish slips for the whole family (slips of paper with wishes written on them - we'll toss them in the air at midnight on New Year's), a new catnip toy for the cat, chore charts for my boys, a mail organizer (out of cereal boxes) because the system we were using was not working for us at all, and storage boxes for the pantry (out of cracker boxes).

I'm reading...

Nothing this week - too much else to do!

I'm cooking...

Brownies, chocolate peanut butter cups, potato leek soup, french bread, orange french toast, blueberry pancakes and plain pancakes, apple cinnamon dog treats, and a birthday cake.

I'm grateful for...

The surprise of having taekwon-do classes this week. Most of the students didn't attend due to the holiday, so it gave everyone who did show up the opportunity for more one on one time with the instructors.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Because I just watched Voyage of the Dawn Treader again, this is really heavy on my heart and in my mind right now ..... You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are. ~Aslan

Make It Yourself: Toner

2011-12-27T15:08:00.002-05:00

I've tried plenty of homemade "beauty" recipes over the years, but have always shied away from making a toner. I honestly don't know why.

Regular readers know I've been very open and honest about my ~~nightmare~~ struggle with perimenopausal hormonal acne. I would not wish it upon anyone. No purchased product I've ever tried has cleared it up completely. I've had promising success with a couple of products, but the acne has always flared up again with a vengeance. Also as the result of stress and hormonal wackiness, I had a quite sizable facial cyst form near my cheek a couple of months ago.

For over a month now I have been using a homemade toner and am pleased to report it has delivered fantastic results. Seriously, really fantastic ... as in I am giddy with delight. I simply combined 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar (I specifically used Bragg's) with 3/4 cup purified water. I've been using this concoction once a day with the following results ... the acne on one side of my face is completely cleared up, the acne on my chin and other side of my face has diminished greatly, and the facial cyst (which was quite puffed up) is nearly entirely gone. As an unexpected bonus, my skin is so soft and smooth I have not had to exfoliate at all.

If you've ever looked into the cost of natural/organic skin care products, you know they are not inexpensive. I am able to purchase for $4.99 a 32oz. container (glass bottle) of Bragg's organic apple cider at one of my local natural foods markets. My home has a private well with the water being dispensed through an indoor purifier, so the water is technically free and the associated electricity cost associated with pumping this tiny amount of water is nil. Do the math and you'll find this toner costs me less than 32¢ to make per 8oz. jar (and the jar of course is one I have reused). What a bargain and it's simple to boot!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - December 23, 2011

2011-12-23T00:40:00.003-05:00

In my life this week...

I ended up with a sinus infection for a few days, so I was unable to go back to my optometrist on the one day he could squeeze me into his schedule. He gave me more trial contacts (different brands) to see if I could find one that worked for my one eye that isn't happy with contacts for astigmatism. None of them worked. What has been working is wearing my old prescription for that eye and the new prescription for my other eye. With all these sets of contacts though, I was bound to get them messed up at some point and sure enough I did. A couple of days ago I had a headache and was dizzy and loopy headed all day. I was convinced my sinus infection was back in full force. Turns out I'd had the wrong contacts in the wrong eyes all day. I think I have everything straightened now, but I'm honestly not sure. Still no chance of me getting back to the optometrist until later next week due to his packed schedule.

In our homeschool this week...

My tween had to finish up a couple of subjects this week and loudly protested the entire time. I didn't back down, which did not make me popular.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

One of my favorite art resources for elementary level is Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn F. Kohl.

I am inspired by...

Thinking of the rapidly approaching new year and fresh starts. Clean slate, new opportunity to tackle my house and ~~hopefully~~ finally get the the chaos tamed and organized.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church and taekwon-do (story of my life, huh?). Two parties for the kiddos this week as well (youth at church, which my tween did not allow me to attend, and a tkd party). In addition we took one day and went to the zoo to wish all the animals Merry Christmas (plus it was the baby alpaca's first birthday), then went to drop off a donation at the humane society.

My favorite thing this week was...

Our animal-filled day was glorious. The kids were able to see one of their favorite zookeepers (she's behind the scenes, so it's a treat to see her). That turned into some special behind the scenes time with some of the animals not on exhibit (opossum, sand boa, kookaburra, crow, and iguana). My tween has worked with them all (with the exception of the crow) before as part of his zookeeper classes, so he was happy to see them again and my kindergartner was on cloud nine. At the humane society we passed out ping pong ball toys to all the cats, saw all the dogs, took one of the cats in the socialization room to play, and kept watch on a kitten being adopted while paperwork was being done. I had a few times where I nearly broke down in tears - wish I could adopt them all - but seeing the joy we brought to the cats through the toys and seeing a lot of people there intending to adopt warmed my heart.

What's working/not working for us...

This mama had grand plans to kick back and spend a couple of days doing nothing but watching movie after movie after movie. Instead, we have been on the go or I've been busy in the kitchen baking and making other goodies. I did manage to watch Christmas Vacation this week though. Love that movie!

Questions/thoughts I have...

None.

Things I'm working on...

I'm almost finished with my household/financial notebook for next year.

I'm reading...

No time to read!

I'm cooking...

This week has been a blur of fudge, gingerbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies, a mountain of turkey and cheese finger sandwiches, and all sorts of other things I don't remember!

I'm grateful for...

New opportunities that have my kids very excited. It means a more hectic schedule for me, but so what.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. ~Andy Rooney

Wordless Wednesday - Male Jaguar

2011-12-21T12:57:00.000-05:00

Vegan Pie In The Sky winner

2011-12-16T19:21:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrant #89 - corey1971! She will receive a copy of Vegan Pie In The Sky. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - December 16, 2011

2011-12-16T00:16:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

The joys of getting older just keep coming. I had my annual optometrist exam this week, and I now have astigmatism. This meant a new contact lens prescription for me. My optometrist gave me a trial pair to take on a test drive. One eye is great, crystal clear vision, no problems. The other eye ... my vision is not clear, the contact hurts my eye, and I have "halo" issues. So, I have to go back yet again to see what can be done to solve this problem.

In our homeschool this week...

My tween has dawdled, wasted time, and basically accomplished a whole lot of nothing this week. Sadly, this means we'll be doing school next week when we should be on Christmas break. I cannot let him be halfway through a chapter in some of his subjects, then take two and a half weeks off. He'd have to start all over again. I have begged and pleaded with him all week, but nothing has lit a fire under him.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Set aside a specific $ amount from each paycheck to go toward homeschooling expenses.

I am inspired by...

Nothing right now. We've had rainy, overcast, gloomy days this week, and it has brought my mood down. I'm also exhibiting flu-like symptoms ... oh boy.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Taekwon-do (plus my kindergartner tested for and received his yellow belt), church, and a homeschool co-op/fellowship Christmas party.

My favorite thing this week was...

My kindergartner surprising us all by coming home from his testing and showing us he already knows his yellow belt pattern. No one taught him, he's just been watching intently and figured it out himself.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - Not a thing this week.

Questions/thoughts I have...

Why is it so hard to find a friend? Not an acquaintance, a real friend. I only want/need just one.

Things I'm working on...

Absolutely nothing. I have been in such a down mood. I'm not in the Christmas spirit at all. That's extremely unusual for me because I adore Christmas.

I'm reading...

Nothing this week.

I'm cooking...

My spouse has done all the cooking this week. I haven't even done any baking! Maybe next week.....

I'm grateful for...

Puppy kisses. Our dogs aren't puppies - one is now officially an old-timer - but I call them puppy kisses anyway. The bonds we have with our furry children ... priceless.

I'm praying for...

This handsome young man who desperately needs to be adopted NOW ... as in yesterday. Very urgent situation. He needs a family who has adopted internationally previously, is willing to make the commitment, and will immediately apply for the necessary visa. Even if you are not the family for him, please pray for him and spread the word about his need.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

My kindergartner has been working so hard to do his full splits and earn a full splits club patch for his dobok. He got it at his testing!

Wordless Wednesday - Reindeer Ornaments

2011-12-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Rock N Learn giveaway winner

2011-12-12T12:11:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrant #45 esluka - she will receive the Rock N Learn DVD of her choice! Many thanks to all who participated!!

Devotional Stories for Tough Times winners

2011-12-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrants #1 traciet, #75 Priscilla, and #125 Jennifer - each will receive a copy of Devotional Stories for Tough Times. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - December 9, 2011

2011-12-09T00:14:00.002-05:00

In my life this week...

I researched stoves/ranges online until I was absolutely bleary-eyed. I finally found one that had features I was looking for and on sale for a decent price. We went to the store to have a look, and guess what? It was a special order item only. No information on the website to that effect whatsoever. Don't you just love when that happens? If I wanted to purchase this particular item, it would take until Dec. 20th for it to arrive. Um ..... no. So, I was stuck having to choose from available stock, but I thankfully found one that had the same features (I'm just not so sure about the reliability of the brand).

We also finally got around to getting our Christmas tree up (we had issues with our tree stand). It was the most stressful tree decorating I've ever experienced. My boys fussed, argued, and literally fought over every ornament. They even resorted to taking ornaments off the tree the other had hung just to rehang them. Ah, memories. One day I will look back and laugh.

In our homeschool this week...

My tween finished reading The Swiss Family Robinson, is continuing his journey through Central America in geography, and seems to be enjoying the beginnings of the geology modules in Apologia General Science. My kindergartner is still working on the nine bazillion (okay, it wasn't that many but it was close!) fire safety/firefighter coloring sheets he had me print offline. He's just a wee bit obsessed with the subject.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Keys for Kids devotionals have been a huge hit for years at my house.

I am inspired by...

Pinterest. Seriously, all the great ideas have grand visions swirling in my head.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

The alpaca farm we wanted to visit, but had no luck getting in touch with, had a Christmas open house! We spent a glorious afternoon seeing all the new cria, meeting the 40+ herd, chatting with the owners, and falling completely in love with one particular alpaca (who happens to be available for purchase). We are crazy about the alpacas at our zoo (they came from this farm), and my spouse has wanted for a long time to add a couple to our furry crew. The afternoon at the farm has him ready to take the leap for sure, but do you know how much pet-quality alpacas cost??? Yikes, yikes, and yikes!

My favorite thing this week was...

I had two favorite things this week.

#1 The alpaca farm. It was cuteness overload.

#2 The youth group my tween attends on Wednesday evenings had a mother and daughter as guest speakers this week. The daughter suffered extensive brain damage, but was miraculously healed. My tween stayed up way past his bedtime trying to give me a recap of the whole story. The father of the family also wrote a book about the daughter a few years ago, and the mom brought some copies to hand out. My tween was so proud of himself for managing to get one because, as he told me, "I wanted to read it, and I know you like books too."

What's working/not working for us...

Working - I love when my tween and I have unplanned yet enlightening discussions as part of our homeschool day. This week his Tolstoy literature lesson somehow evolved into a discussion about the North and South miniseries and the Civil War then concluded with an insightful look at the movie Rudy.

Not working - I wish the aforementioned days happened more often. For every good day like that we have there are at least one or more very bad days. He's at that age where his hormones are starting to go wacky, and I am in the midst of perimenopausal hormonal and emotional meltdown ... not a good combination.

Questions/thoughts I have...

Does anyone know of any good (very easy and basic) home repair/handyman books geared toward women? I'm in need of something that covers topics like repairing drywall, repairing wall texture, minor electrical, using power tools, etc.

Things I'm working on...

It's become clear to me that as the only female in my household it is going to be up to me to do everything. Everything. All the males could care less if they live in a pig pen. I care. I have begged, pleaded, yelled, screamed ... I cannot take the clutter or disorganization any more. They mess up as fast as I clean up, but I will have to keep pressing forward. I have been working on budget sheets for next year (a continuation of the system I already have in place, just getting all the new sheets ready). I am also working on a list of everything I need to get accomplished over Christmas break - basically a list of lists (LOL) such as menu plan sheets for the coming year, weekly and monthly to-do lists (cleaning and household maintenance), chore charts for the other members of my family (even though they will most likely be ignored), etc.

I'm reading...

Nothing this week.

I'm cooking...

A brief glimpse of some of this week's goodies ... roasted asparagus, biscuits (vegan), mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, squash patties, and brown rice cooked in vegetable broth.

I'm grateful for...

My kindergartner escaping a very close encounter with a black racer (snake) while outside this week. He was upon the snake before he knew it, and it struck at him. While black racers are non-venomous, their bites do pack a powerful punch that can make an adult sick for months (so I hate to imagine what it might be like for a small child).

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

The alpaca farm.....

Wordless Wednesday - Sequin Ornaments

2011-12-07T18:14:00.000-05:00

Papercutz graphic novels winner

2011-12-07T11:28:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrant #63 ShootingStarsmag! She will receive a Papercutz graphic novels set that includes Garfield, the Smurfs, and Lego Ninjago. Many thanks to all who participated!!

#25 - Aztec-Style Chocolate Drink

2011-12-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

New-to-me recipe #25 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge is another that served a dual purpose. Not only is it recipe I've never tried before, but it went along with my tween's homeschool history studies about the Aztecs.

The recipe may be found in The Aztecs by Fiona Macdonald. I did sub organic rice milk for the milk and used organic cocoa powder instead of dark chocolate (recipe gives you the choice of either). It was quick and easy to make, which always scores bonus points with me. This recipe resulted in a tie ... my tween and spouse loved it, my kindergartner and I hated it (too intense of a flavor for my liking).

Vegan Pie In The Sky (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-12-04T11:50:00.001-05:00

*** GIVEAWAY CLOSED ***

Title: Vegan Pie In The Sky: 75 Out-Of-This-World Recipes For Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, And More

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

Format: Softcover (240 pages)

List Price: $17.00 U.S./$19.99 Canada

ISBN: 9780738212746

Publisher: Da Capo Press Lifelong Books

Description: A little piece of Heaven, any way you slice it. From sweet fruit pies to rich cheesecakes, dreamy whipped cream to melt-in-your-mouth chocolate...join the queens of vegan as they take pies and tarts to delicious new heights. Fork it over! Vegan Pie In the Sky is the latest force in Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's baking revolution. You'll find delicious and adorable pies, tarts, cobblers, and more - all made without dairy, eggs, or animal products.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero have done it again! Vegan Pie In The Sky is a rockstar!! I love that this cookbook is not simply a collection of recipes with gorgeous accompanying color photographs ... it's also an education. Part One, "How To Create The Universe Or Bake A Pie From Scratch", takes readers on an informational and enlightening journey through essential ingredients such as flours, sweeteners, fats, and thickeners, necessary equipment for making incredible pies, types of pies (buckles, cobblers, crisps, hand pies, pandowdy, tarts, and more), and a step-by step guide to making beautiful crusts. Part Two is all about the scrumptious recipes you can make with ease for holidays, birthdays, parties, potlucks, or just because it's Thursday!

My kids have gone through Vegan Pie In The Sky numerous times pointing out various recipes they wanted me to make. The one they kept going back to over and over and over was Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Pie (click on the link & you'll be transported to the recipe!).

Once the pie emerged from the refrigerator, my spouse and sons literally had me surrounded on all sides with plates and forks in hand. No one could stop raving about how good this pie is. It reminded me so much of the chocolate pies one of my grandmothers made during my childhood. Don't you love when something you eat brings back memories and gives you warm fuzzies?

Because I found some absolutely stunning organic Granny Smith apples at our local natural foods market, I knew without a doubt I wanted to make Apple Crisp. Although the recipe calls for red apples like Rome or Fuji, I am a big fan of baking with Granny Smith apples and the end result was glorious.

My soon-to-be teen, who has hit the bottomless pit stage, loved the crisp so much he came back for a second helping and sneaked in a third before bedtime! It was a huge hit with my entire family. The magical aroma of the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves filling the house while this baked ... it really wrapped me up in the enchantment of the Christmas season.

With Vegan Pie In The Sky as part of your home cookbook collection, you'll be able to make these same goodies plus treats like Maple-Kissed Blueberry Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Pie, Very Berry Chocolate Chip Cobbler, Chocolate Galaxy Banana Cheesecake, Coconut Cream Pie, Cappuccino Mousse Pie, Sweet Potato Cobbler, Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Tart, Cosmos Apple Pie, Pear & Cranberry Galette, Maple Pecan Pie, Boston Cream Cake Pie, and Grasshopper Pie. Also included are recipes for a variety of doughs, crusts, and tart shells as well as finishing touches like Rad Whip, Chocolate Drizzle, and Sweet Coconut Cream.

WANT TO WIN A COPY???

The wonderful folks at Da Capo Press are graciously offering ONE of my readers the opportunity to receive a copy of Vegan Pie In The Sky! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on December 15, 2011. The winner will be selected using random.org on December 16, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Da Capo Press will ship directly to the winner.

Mandatory entry: ** This must be completed before any other entry.** Visit Da Capo Cookbooks, enjoy looking through their wonderful selection of offerings, then leave a comment telling me the name of another title that grabbed your attention. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

1.) Follow both @dacapocooking and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username in your comment.)
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6.) Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - December 2, 2011

2011-12-02T00:18:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

It's been a bad week. As much as I want to snap out of my sour mood, I cannot. I will be blatantly honest here ... I am very angry with God over some life situations. I'm not perfect, but I'm honest. My prayers concerning one particular thing have seemingly fallen on deaf ears for years. I know that's not true (the falling on deaf ears part), but that's how it feels. Everything came crashing down the middle of the week, and I had a big crying prayer fest for a few hours. I have accepted some things as they are, but am heartbroken that others haven't changed and don't seem as if they will. To top it off, our Christmas tree still isn't up because our tree stand is broken and I prepared two loaves of chocolate chip banana bread last night only to discover our oven has died. Not what I needed when my spirits are already crushed.

In our homeschool this week...

My kindergartner is on cloud nine as we're covering fire safety, fire rescue vehicles, the lives of firefighters, etc. My tween is wrapping up his Mexico studies in geography.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church and taekwon-do.

My favorite thing this week was...

The cold front that has made its way through the state. It's been cool enough to make use of my favorite throw blanket.

What's working/not working for us...

Working: All the books from the library for my kindergartner's aforementioned studies have been a big hit.

Things I'm working on...

Well, I had grand plans to start baking up a storm, but with no oven .....

I'm reading...

Nothing.

I'm cooking...

Potato leek soup.

I'm grateful for...

My spouse taking the kids to their activities a couple of times and giving me an opportunity to stay home and get a few hours of peace.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. ~Thomas Jefferson

Rock N Learn Review with Giveaway

2011-12-01T17:44:00.001-05:00

*** GIVEAWAY CLOSED ***

Penny and Bill know how to shake things up when it comes to counting money and making change. Cool songs and games give kids plenty of practice with real-world skills. Students learn about coins and how they relate to one another, strategies for counting coins and cash, "skip counting," expressing money in written terms, strategies for making change, and more. Kids have fun as they learn valuable new skills they can bank on!

The Money & Making Change DVD from Rock N Learn is a fun and entertaining way for kids to learn about coins and paper money. Suggested for ages 6 and up, it begins with an introduction of coins through "The Coin Song." Hosted by two charming characters, Penny and Bill, kids learn about counting each type of coin through skip counting, dollars and other bills, money in written form, and practice counting money. Kids and adults alike will enjoy three games that provide additional practice counting and making change through a variety of scenarios. It's a wonderful way for homeschoolers and teachers to reinforce money skills. Run time is approximately 58 minutes.

Rock N Learn is graciously offering all my readers the opportunity to receive 25% off at RockNLearn.com -simply use Coupon Code JQ7711. As an added bonus.....

Want to win a Rock N Learn DVD or CD of your choice?

Compliments of the wonderful folks at Rock N Learn, ONE of my readers will receive a Rock N Learn single DVD or CD of his/her choice. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on December 11, 2011. The winner will be selected using random.org on December 12, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her mailing information, or another winner will be selected. Rock N Learn will ship directly to the winner.

Mandatory entry: **This must be completed before any other entry.** Visit Rock N Learn, then leave a comment telling me which single DVD or CD you'd like to receive if you are the winner. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

- "Like" Rock N Learn on Facebook.
- "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
- Follow both @rockandlearn and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
- Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
- Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
- Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-11-30T11:34:00.001-05:00

*** GIVEAWAY CLOSED ***

Title: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times: 101 Daily Inspirations to Inspire and Support You in Times of Need
Authors: Susan M. Heim and Karen C. Talcott (Foreword by Mary Beth Chapman)
Format: Paperback (400 pages)
List Price: $14.95 U.S./$16.95 Canada
ISBN: 9781935096740
Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

From the back cover: You'll find comfort, inspiration, and wisdom in these 101 daily Christian devotions to help you through tough times and trials in your life. These devotional stories, complete with scripture and prayers, will introduce you to the personal experiences of people who have gone through tough times and found new faith, joy, strength, affirming God's unconditional love and His wisdom. You'll feel re-energized and ready to face each day.

So many of us are going through tough times right now. With Christmas and New Year's approaching, I generally find myself in a crabby and cranky mood due to missing my mom who passed away almost 18 years ago. Whether you find yourself missing a loved one, feeling the pressures of the poor economy, going through a divorce, battling a major illness, having more month than there is money to go around, or thinking you have no real purpose in life, the real-life stories shared in Devotional Stories for Tough Times will lift your spirits and bring comfort and hope whatever your situation may be. I found myself with tears rolling down my face and saying "Wow!" aloud as I read through the book. It's easy to feel as if you are the only one in the world who is experiencing loss of joy because of the heavy weight pressing upon you. These devotionals will see you through the difficult times.

Each entry begins with Scripture, followed by the devotional story, and ends with a related prayer. Not only is the foreword by Mary Beth Chapman, there is a bonus devotional included from her as well. The stories are not lengthy, making it simple to spend a few quite minutes reading, reflecting, and praying as you work your way through the book.

Want to win a copy???

Thanks to the good folks at Chicken Soup for the Soul Publications, THREE of my readers will receive a copy of Devotional Stories for Tough Times. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States of America. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on December 10, 2011. The winners will be selected via random.org on December 11, 2011 and notified by email. Each winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Chicken Soup for the Soul will mail directly to the winners.

Mandatory entry: **This must be completed before any other entry.** Visit Chicken Soup for the Soul, then leave a comment telling me another of their titles you would enjoy reading. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

- "Like" Chicken Soup for the Soul on Facebook.
- "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
- Follow both @chickensoupsoul and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
- Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
- Subscribe to my blog by email. (Subscription must be activated.)
- Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Papercutz Garfield, Smurfs & Ninjago Graphic Novels (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-11-28T19:00:00.001-05:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Christmas has a funny way of sneaking up each year, doesn't it? It's so hard to believe Christmas day will be here in less than a month!

If you have anyone on your list who's crazy about graphic novels or likes Garfield, the Smurfs, or Lego Ninjago, Papercutz can help you check all those names off with their newest graphic novels that make a great stocking stuffer or gift.

My boys adore Garfield and all the antics surrounding him, Jon, Odie, and the rest of the crew. In Garfield & Co.: Caroling Capers (available for $7.99 through the link), readers will find three hilarious stories ... "King Nermal", "The Amazing Flying Dog", and "Caroling Capers". Based on the beloved characters by Jim Davis, the stories find Nermal up to no good, Garfield thinking of nothing but food, and Odie experiencing an amazing dream.

I bet most of you moms around my age remember the Smurfs from your childhood ... I know I sure do! I think I was parked in front of the television every time the show aired, and I had a huge collection of the little figures. Now our children can be charmed by Papa Smurf, Gargamel, Azrael, Brainy Smurf, and the rest of the gang in The Smurf Apprentice (available for $5.99 through the link). Experiments gone awry, an escape from Gargamel, and the search for Brainy Smurf's glasses will keep readers entertained throughout "The Apprentice Smurf", "Smurf Traps", and "The Smurfs And The Mole".

If your children are anything like mine, they are wild about Lego which includes being smitten with Ninjago. The Challenge Of Samukai (available for $6.99 through the link) follows Sensei Wu, Cole, Kai, Jay, and Zane as they collectively protect Ninjago from the underworld. Samukai declares he can overcome the sensei and his ninja ... is it possible? As an extra treat, sample pages are available for viewing HERE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN A COPY OF THESE THREE GRAPHIC NOVELS FROM PAPERCUTZ???

In the giving spirit of the season, ONE of my readers will receive a copy of all three Papercutz graphic novels reviewed in this post! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on December 6, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on December 7, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her mailing information, or another winner will be selected.

Mandatory entry: **This must be completed before any other entries.** Leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win this set of graphic novels. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for one additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

- "Friend" Papercutz Graphic Novels on Facebook.
- "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
- Follow both @PapercutzGN and @aussiemamma on Twitter with a public account. (Please include your username in your comment.)
- Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
- Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
- Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of these titles in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - November 25, 2011

2011-11-25T00:32:00.000-05:00

In my life this week...

We had a week? It's all a blur!

In our homeschool this week...

The thought of three days off from homeschool was apparently too much for my boys to handle, so we had lots of focus issues and didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

My tween had his jr. zookeeper class and my kindergartner was thrilled to see his absolute favorite animal at the zoo ... the baby (although she's almost a year old now) alpaca. We went to watch some of the boys' taekwon-do classmates test for their black belts and were treated to watching a 6th degree black belt testing, took my hubby out to his favorite Mexican restaurant for his birthday dinner, went to church, and did some taekwon-do (my kindergartner hopes he put on a good enough showing that he will be invited to test for his next belt in a couple of weeks - we'll find out soon!).

My favorite thing this week was...

Seeing my boys with the aforementioned alpaca. She is such a little sweetheart and is very affectionate. She was in a smooching, lovey mood the day we were at the zoo.

What's working/not working for us...

Working: Doing my own thing for history. I used ABeka for several years with my oldest and we both found it a bit (okay, a lot) too preachy about some things and not detailed enough about others. This year (thusfar) we've covered the Maya, Inca, and Aztec, and my tween is loving every minute of it.

Things I'm working on...

Christmas shopping! I used to always be finished before Thanksgiving rolled around, but I find myself for the second year in a row not having met that goal.

I'm reading...

I've had absolutely no time this week for reading.

I'm cooking...

I don't remember most of the week, but on Thanksgiving I wrangled up some biscuits, extra-cheesy mac and cheese for my tween, lemon and garlic green beans, crab cakes, mashed potatoes, and vegan chocolate pudding pie.

I'm grateful for...

One of my spouse's friends replacing the brakes on my vehicle and charging us nothing. Wow!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Alpaca smoochies.

The Imagination Station Books 5 & 6 winner

2011-11-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrant #25 - Missy! She will receive copies of The Imagination Station books 5 & 6. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - November 18, 2011

2011-11-18T01:02:00.002-05:00

In my life this week...

I have reached the point of utter exhaustion. My spouse has been working 12-13 hour days (or more) for the past two weeks, including weekends (we're self-employed so I shouldn't complain as business has been slow lately). He's up at crazy early hours (like 4:30am), which means I'm awake from that point on (once I hear noise, there's no hope for more sleep). I have an enormous appreciation now for single moms who take care of their families alone day after day sick or well, sleep or no sleep.

In our homeschool this week...

Since we're only doing a couple of days of lessons next week (Thanksgiving week), I gave my tween the lesson plan list of everything from this week and next and allowed him the freedom to make his own decisions of which work to complete each day. I haven't agreed with his choices and have given him suggestions, but ultimately left it in his hands. My spouse and I think we have determined at least part of what is the negative force behind our tween's undesirable behavior this homeschool year, so I hoped this would lift his spirits a bit. My kindergartner has been doing a Thanksgiving study.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church, taekwon-do, and co-op.

My favorite thing this week was...

Air conditioning! We've had really warm temps this week that were just too hot for open windows. Thank goodness for a/c!!

What's working/not working for us...

Working: Purchasing a sketch diary for my kindergartner and letting him fill it full of whatever his heart desires. The first one for the year is completely full and sketch diary #2 is underway.

Things I'm working on...

I have been glittering pinecones to put in a basket (Christmas decor) and making glittered seashell ornaments. One thing's for sure - I'm a terribly messy crafter!

I'm reading...

Folks, This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin (for review).

I'm cooking...

Nothing spectacular worth mentioning. It's been a mixture of lots of sandwiches, whatever you can grab from the pantry & fridge and go, and heat and serve soups (like Imagine's black bean soup - YUM).

I'm grateful for...

Making it home okay yesterday without the brakes on my vehicle going completely out. It was a close call.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak. ~Michael Garrett Marino

Tropical Traditions Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil/Coconut Oil for Pets winner

2011-11-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to entrant #11 lisa - she will receive a Tropical Tradition s Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil/Coconut Oil for Pets! Many thanks to all who participated!!

Adventures in Odyssey: The Imagination Station series (Review with Giveaway)

2011-11-13T19:38:00.002-05:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

The members of my household have been Adventures in Odyssey fans for many years. Now kids (and parents!) can enjoy even more exciting tales with Adventure in Odyssey's The Imagination Station series. Join the lovable and familiar Mr. Whitaker and his Imagination Station invention as it sends cousins Patrick and Beth back through various historical times for an up close and personal experience that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

There are currently six books available in the series with book #7 coming in January 2012 and book #8 coming in May 2012. As an added bonus, visiting The Imagination Station site opens up additional resources for each book such as family activities, history lessons, vocabulary, and more.

Voyage with the Vikings (book #1) - Journey back to the year 1000 as Patrick and Beth meet Erik the Red and his son, Leif, while searching for a sunstone.

Attack at the Arena (book #2) - The cousins find themselves in ancient Rome in search of a special silver cup with Beth the emperor's slave and Patrick under the wing of the monk, Telemachus.

Peril in the Palace (book #3) - Patrick and Beth travel to ancient China in the year 1721. Their search for a golden tablet brings them up close and personal with none other than Marco Polo and Kublai Khan.

Revenge of the Red Knight (book #4) - The cousins land in medieval England, are accused of being treasure thieves, and end up in the middle of a battle of two knights.

Showdown with the Shepherd (book #5) - A shepherd boy named David, an angry giant named Goliath ... Patrick and Beth find themselves in the Holy Land while trying to retrieve a ring belonging to Mr. Whitaker's family.

Problems in Plymouth (book #6) - Chasing a villain through time lands the cousins in Plymouth Colony where they encounter native Americans, Governor William Bradford, Captain Myles Standish, Squanto, and participate in a special feast.

The Imagination Station series is suggested for ages 7 and up, but it's fantastic as a read-aloud with slightly younger children and will be thoroughly enjoyed by advanced readers as well (like my tween - he devoured this series and is hungry for more!). The strong Biblical messages in this series make it perfect for family time reading and opens the door for a variety of discussions.

Showdown with the Shepherd and Problems in Plymouth are the two newest additions to the series and were just released in October 2011. ONE of my lucky readers has the opportunity to receive a copy of both of these books! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on November 19, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on November 20, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her mailing information, or another winner will be selected.

Entrants may do any of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each. Please also include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

* "Like" Adventures in Odyssey on Facebook.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow both @AIO_Tweets and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username in your comment.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary set of these titles in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T00:07:00.001-05:00

In my life this week...

Warning ... reality ahead ... no sugar coating ... One dog left a diarrhea mess all over the family room, the other dog urinated enough for ten dogs all over the family room and all over his dog bed, the cat puked all over the kitchen, someone threw a wad of the science notecards I had just made the evening before into the kitchen sink where they of course landed in a bowl of water and were ruined, my kindergartner shredded scrap paper all over the family room so it looked like a confetti factory exploded, my tween threw his math book at me and screamed at me he hates me, and my tween claims he constantly has an upset stomach. Lucky me, I had the blessing of dealing with each of those things all by myself. And no one can understand why I'm in a bad mood.......

In our homeschool this week...

I've been covering how historical documents and artifacts are tested for accuracy/authenticity and dating in Apologia General Science with my tween ... fascinating stuff. We've left Europe in his geography studies and are cruising our way through central America now. My kindergartner is getting all geared up for Thanksgiving studies.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Repurpose everything ... juice lids, scrap paper, cereal boxes, etc. You'll find so many ways to use it all in your homeschool studies.

I am inspired by...

Getting a large amount of my recipes sorted out - something I'd intended to do for way too long. So many things I'm looking forward to making or trying.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church, taekwon-do classes, and a field trip to a treasure museum we enjoy.

My favorite thing this week was...

I took my tween on an hour power walk with me Sunday through a nearby nature sanctuary. It really turned into a power walk keeping up with his long legs! I desperately needed that time of quietness with only the peaceful sounds of nature. I know my boys are noisy, but didn't really realize how noisy until we arrived home and the mayhem began again.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My tween is covering poetry in his literature (Bob Jones) lessons and enjoying it so much more than some of the short stories he's been reading.

Questions/thoughts I have...

It really stinks my children have no grandparents and never got to have that blessing in their lives.

Things I'm working on...

I finally got my fitness notebook completed - yay me!

I'm reading...

The Imagination Station series (for review) plus 1105 Yakima Street and 1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber. I stayed up way too late getting the Debbie Macomber books read as the latter of the two only had a seven day checkout period from the library, and I had to read them in order (meaning the one with the short checkout time had to be read second) to not be confused with the storyline. I'm sad to see the Cedar Cove series end. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters.

I'm cooking...

Pumpkin waffles, potato soup, and bread machine soda bread - all vegan.

I'm grateful for...

My kids giving me a list of all the foods they want to have for our Thanksgiving meal. Usually the entire task falls on me and I hear plenty of complaints about my choices.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

(click to enlarge)

#24 - Soda Bread (Bread Machine)

2011-11-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

Recipe #24 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge is Soda Bread from The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking. This is not a vegan recipe, so I had to do some tweaking of the ingredients...

* I used organic rice milk in place of the milk.
* I used organic extra virgin coconut oil in place of the butter/margarine.
* I used freshly ground organic white whole wheat flour instead of bread flour.

I rarely meet a bread I don't like (one of my weaknesses), but my kids are extremely picky about it. This one turned out fantastic and was loved by my entire family. Another great recipe to add to our menus!

Potato Soup (Vegan)

2011-11-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

(Yes, that's a lovely shadow from my arm - sorry!)

4 cups organic vegetable broth

6-7 medium-sized organic russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 cups organic rice milk (or less if you want a bit thicker soup)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. organic pepper

1/4 tsp. organic dried thyme

Place potatoes and broth in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes in the broth with a potato masher - it will be a bit lumpy. Slowly add the rice milk, sea salt, pepper, and thyme; stir well. Continue to cook over medium heat until soup is hot throughout.

It really is that easy!

Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge (Review)

2011-11-08T11:39:00.001-05:00

Title: Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus
Author: John Eldredge
Format: Hardcover (240 pages)
Release Date: 10/12/2011
List Price: $22.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada
ISBN: 9780892960880
Publisher: Faith Words

About this book: Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is like watching television with the sound turned off. The result is a dry, two-dimensional person doing strange, undecipherable things. In Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge removes the religious varnish to help readers discover stunning new insights into the humanity of Jesus. By uncovering the real Jesus, readers are welcomed into the rich emotional life of Christ. All the remarkable qualities of Jesus burst like fireworks with color and brilliance because of His humanity.

About the author: John Eldredge has written twelve books, including the bestseller Wild at Heart, which sold more than two million copies in hardcover and trade paperback combined; and Captivating, written with his wife, Stasi, which sold close to 1.5 million hardcover and trade paperbacks combined. After earning his master's degree in counseling from Colorado Christian University, Eldredge worked as a counselor in private practice before founding Ransomed Heart Ministries in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

You may think you know Jesus from reading Scripture, but do you know the real Jesus? - His playfulness and humor, His generosity, His cunning, His anger, His scandalous side, His honesty, and so much more. Beautiful Outlaw will open your eyes to the Jesus we never see or think about in typical sermons or Sunday School lessons and bring new life to familiar Bible passages. We tend to forget He walked on this earth as a human. HUMAN. Just like you and me. He felt all our same range of emotions. John Eldredge does a wonderful job of helping readers truly meet and know the approachable, fun, creative, and loving Jesus we all need an abundant dose of in our lives. Prepare to be blown away.

I was supplied with an advance reading copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

No Excuses

2011-11-08T09:11:00.000-05:00

I truly have no excuses now. If you've been reading my Homeschool Mother's Journal the past few weeks, you know I've been on a more purposeful fitness kick. I am happy with the current workout "routine" I've put into place, but I know myself and know that I'll soon become bored with the same thing over and over. So ... I finally got all my fitness pins from Pinterest printed off, dug out a folder full of ideas I've saved from magazines, and sat down and made myself a notebook of sorts. I can keep it nearby and easily flip through for quick inspiration based on how I'm feeling or how much time I have, or I can plan different workout "routines" for certain days or weeks.

How about you? What do you do to keep from falling into the fitness doldrums?

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - November 4, 2011

2011-11-04T00:12:00.002-04:00

In my life this week...

I made a decision I thought I never would ... I signed us up for a homeschool co-op. I really didn't ever intend to do so because of cost (membership fees plus extra money here and there for other activities), the requirement for me to work (yes, I understand that's how it works but with everything else I have going on I truly have no free time for planning or preparing anything additional), schedule conflicts (it meets on one of the days my boys have taekwon-do so we will miss some activities and have to make a mad dash out the door other days to get to class on time), and the simple fact that I really don't need or want anyone else teaching my children (I don't mean that in a snotty way, but my curricula for the year is planned and that's what I want to cover). However, the church we are attending is where the co-op is held and my boys would really like more time with the other homeschoolers they've befriended and I need the support of others who have tween/teen boys. Thankfully the co-op is not a true co-op in the way one would normally think so there will be fun activities as well as classes. They prefer to refer to themselves as a homeschool fellowship rather than co-op.

In our homeschool this week...

My tween finished up his Inca study and started on the Aztecs, plus we've been reading about Bulgaria and Croatia in his geography studies. My kindergartner is still happily working on a dinosaur theme unit.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

We've had so much fun incorporating recipes from other countries into our geography studies. The library is my favorite resource for finding authentic recipes simple enough for my kids to make alone or assist with.

I am inspired by...

How great I am feeling physically after less than two weeks of purposefully working out/exercising. I am so happy with the "routine" I have put in place.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

This has been a super busy week ... taekwon-do tournament, taekwon-do classes, church, fall festival at church (we also helped work a couple of the booths), and sledding (the FL version anyway) with the homeschool fellowship group.

My favorite thing this week was...

Taking my kindergartner shopping for his Operation Christmas Child shoebox items. He chose to do one for a girl since he doesn't have any sisters. It was so much fun watching him pick out things that were pink or princess themed. He filled the shoebox to capacity in no time at all and was very pleased with his selections.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - The Usborne Book Of Art Ideas. I am creativity and art challenged, period. This has been a fun resource for both my boys this year.

Not working - Me having to hand wash dishes every day. If I have time, I don't mind and actually find it relaxing. I really don't have time for it to take a chunk of my day right now though. I have no clue what's going on with our well water purification system, but something is not quite working correctly and the dishwasher isn't getting things clean. My spouse knows exactly what needs to be fixed as we've had this happen several times before, he just hasn't gotten around to taking care of it yet (three weeks and counting - ugh!).

Questions/thoughts I have...

Who told the calendar it could be November already? Good grief! I once again find myself woefully unprepared for Christmas approaching so rapidly.

Things I'm working on...

Not much of anything this week. I've been on the go too much.

I'm reading...

The Imagination Station series (for review).

I'm cooking...

I didn't do any cooking or baking this week! Thank goodness I have a spouse that enjoys cooking.

I'm grateful for...

Cooler weather.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Tropical Traditions Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil/Coconut Oil for Pets (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-11-01T21:39:00.002-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Tropical Traditions continues to blow me away with their wide array of fine products. If you have a beloved fur friend/pet in your life, you'll want to try their coconut oil for pets. This coconut oil is certified organic and is expeller-pressed. It is not processed using chemical extraction making it a wonderful food-grade quality product perfect for mixing with dry pet food. We consider each of our furry friends just like a human member of the family and purchase high quality foods for them. Using this coconut oil as an added supplement is a quick and easy way to boost nutrients in their diets, and they act as though they are getting a really special treat.

You'll find Tropical Traditions goes to the same great care with this product as they do their other coconut oils. This particular 32oz. size comes packaged in a glass container so there's no need to worry about plastic leaching. It's currently available for $19.00 which makes it an inexpensive yet effective way to promote your pet's health.

Want to win it???

ONE of my readers will receive this product compliments of Tropical Traditions. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on November 15, 2011. The winner will be selected using random.org on November 16, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Tropical Traditions will ship directly to the winner. Please note: Tropical Traditions is not responsible for any customs or duties that Canada may charge if a Canadian resident is the winner of this Tropical Traditions sponsored giveaway.

Mandatory entry: Visit Tropical Traditions, then leave a comment telling me another of their products you'd like to try. This step must be completed before any other entries. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email sales newsletter.
* "Like" both Tropical Traditions and Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow @aussiemamma, @Troptraditions, and @ttspecialdeals on Twitter (all three). Please include your username as part of your comment.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary product in order to provide an honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - October 28, 2011

2011-10-28T01:54:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

I made a commitment to purposefully exercise/workout again. My perimenopausal belly blob is going nowhere, so it's way past time to get off my duff and do something about it. No more telling myself walking on the beach, running around the yard with the kids, sweating like crazy while trimming trees and doing yard work, or choosing a parking spot away from the store and walking is going to count. Don't get me wrong ... all those things count, but they're not going to deliver the full package. I have Pinterest to thank for the motivation. It seems quite a few people have been bitten by the exercise bug and are pinning great stuff. I was really hating life when I started up, and was having a hard time walking to be honest thanks to squats, but by day 4 the pain had subsided. I also am charging full speed ahead to get my eating habits straightened out. My family has decided to be carnivores again, but I am not going there. I did, however, let way too much dairy slip back into my diet. Organic dairy, but dairy nonetheless, so I'm cracking the whip on myself and telling it goodbye. I know how much better I feel without it and want to be there again.

In our homeschool this week...

We are having absolutely no luck with the field trips we wanted to take. Neither of two nearby farms returned our calls (one we've been trying for a couple of months now), so I found another free place to visit that sounded interesting. Guess what? It was closed. I suggested we hit the hiking trail at a sanctuary we've never visited before even though we weren't dressed appropriately and didn't have any insect repellent with us. We encountered a black racer and several butterflies - thankfully no alligators. We also finished up my tween's study of Greece in geography and finally got to make the two recipes I intended to try over a week ago. Both were a huge hit, especially the lemonade.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Remember one of the beauties of homeschooling is the ability to go at your child's needed pace when covering a subject/topic.

I am inspired by...

Joyce Meyer. God uses her to say just what I need to hear when I need to hear it. I caught part of her television program Tuesday night and she was talking about how it's not selfish or wrong to put yourself and your needs first sometimes. Most moms know we tend to always put ourselves last. I've been thinking recently about some things I really need to do for *me* and hearing what Joyce said was the added boost/inspiration I needed to tell myself it's really okay.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church and taekwon-do.

My favorite thing this week was...

Wednesday night's lesson at church. The discussion that came out of the material presented gave me assurance I am in the right place for my spiritual path right now.

What's working/not working for us...

Working -The church library just got a copy of The Great Dinosaur Mystery And The Bible, and we're the first ones to check it out. It's spot on with what we've covered previously, but has a wee bit of information we hadn't heard before. I mainly checked it out to hit the highlights with my kindergartner (highlights because it's too advanced for him as a whole), but my tween and I have enjoyed it as well.

Not working - My tween's attitude, lack of focus, and disrespect for me. I'm hoping it's just an age thing still, but that isn't making things any better for me emotionally.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I'm dreading having to get up early Saturday for an all day event.

Things I'm working on...

I've been collecting pinecones from our property to use for decorating. I've learned very quickly that I cannot sit one down after I've picked it up or our basenji mix takes that as a sign he is supposed to grab it and run. A slobbery, chewed pinecone does me no good.

I'm reading...

Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing The Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality Of Jesus by John Eldredge (for review).

I'm cooking...

Lemon oregano roasted potatoes and Militsa's lemonade (our Greek recipes), and broccoli-rice casserole.

I'm grateful for...

All the laundry I've gotten done this week. I'm almost caught up! Of course that won't last long. LOL

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

click to enlarge

(Yes, I take sideways photos when I can't see my camera screen because of the sun's glare.)

Review: Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer

2011-10-26T13:22:00.000-04:00

Title: Living Beyond Your Feelings: Controlling Emotions So They Don't Control You
Author: Joyce Meyer
Format: Hardcover (288 pages)
Release Date: 9/6/2011
List Price: $22.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada
ISBN: 9780446538527
Publisher: Faith Words

Synopsis: The average person has 70,000 thoughts every day, and many of those thoughts trigger a corresponding emotion. No wonder so many of us often feel like we're controlled by our emotions. Our lives would be much improved if we controlled them. In this book, Meyer blends the wisdom of the Bible with the latest psychological research and discusses: the 4 personality types and their influence on one's outlook, the impact of stress on physical and emotional health, the power of memories, the influence of words on emotions, anger & resentment, sadness, loss & grief, fear, guilt & regret, the power of replacing reactions with pro-actions, and the benefits of happiness.

About the author: Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than eighty inspirational books, including The Secret to True Happiness, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life, the entire Battlefield of the Mind family of books, her first venture into fiction with The Penny, and many others. She has also released thousands of audio teachings, as well as a complete video library. Joyce’s Enjoying Everyday Life radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences.

Are you someone whose emotions seem to run rampant and rule your life? Do you freely go about daily life without any thought to the outcome of giving in to your emotions? Does negativity cloud out your joy? If so, the treasure found throughout the pages of Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer is for you!

We can take charge of our emotions, make right choices, and experience the joy in life God wants us to have. We don't have to allow ourselves to continue to ride an emotional roller coaster that takes us up and down day after day. We can have command over the choices we make without letting our feelings come into play, and the tools you need for equipping yourself are now at your fingertips in this extremely enjoyable read. Discouragement, guilt, anger, sadness, grief, hatred, fear, disappointment, and depression no longer need to be the driving force in how we choose to live.

You can feel wrong and still do what is right. ~Joyce Meyer

I was supplied with an advance reading copy of this title in order to provide an honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

#'s 22 and 23

2011-10-24T22:14:00.001-04:00

I'm still working on my 2011 Recipe Challenge and got double for my trouble with recipes #22 and #23. My tween is currently doing an in-depth study of Greece as part of his homeschool geography lessons. These tasty dishes were prepared specifically for that reason but count toward my recipe challenge as well since I've never tried them previously.

Both recipes are from Greek Revival: Cooking for Life by Patricia Moore-Pastides. First up was Lemon and Oregano Roasted Potatoes (Patates Fournou). It's a beautifully simple blend of red potatoes, olive oil, dried oregano, fresh lemon juice, and sea salt. I had to substitute russet potatoes though as I tried two weekends in a row to find organic red potatoes with no luck at any of the stores I shop. The substitution didn't matter as the final result was marvelous. Second was Militsa's Homemade Lemonade. It's an extremely easy lemonade concentrate that is mixed with ice and cold water. My entire family really flipped over this one - delicious!!! Both of these will definitely become part of our regularly prepared recipes.

American Wasteland winner

2011-10-23T16:45:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to the winner of a copy of American Wasteland - entrant #26 rubynreba! Many thanks to all who participated!!

Inspiration for the Young at Heart winners

2011-10-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrants #2 DeniseG, #12 andalene, and #15 rubynreba. Each will receive a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart. Many thanks to all who participated!!

#21 - Broccoli-Rice Casserole

2011-10-22T11:14:00.000-04:00

We're finally experiencing a bit of autumn weather here in Florida, so I have been craving a warm and filling dish. Enter recipe #21 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge - Broccoli-Rice Casserole from The 4 Ingredient Vegan. This really simple recipe calls for short grain brown rice (I used long grain as it's what I keep on hand), fresh or frozen broccoli (I used fresh), vegan broccoli soup (I used Imagine's broccoli soup), and vegan cheddar cheese (I used Daiya).

This was everything I hoped it would be ... creamy, hearty, and flavorful. I couldn't get the kids to give it a go, but hubby loved it.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - October 21, 2011

2011-10-21T01:55:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

I sewed new patches on my tween's dobok, changed purses, and secretly did a happy dance I didn't have to clean up the mess all over the kitchen made by our Aussie getting into the trash. All compelling stuff, I know.

In our homeschool this week...

It's not been a good week. My kindergartner won't stop interrupting my tween while he's working. My tween won't focus and his time management skills are horrible. He has spent 3 days on 1 math lesson. I would love to pack a bag and run away. Really. All homeschoolers have these weeks. I think we are often afraid to let the outside world know we have them, but I'm telling it like it is. Homeschooling is not all happiness, holding hands, and wonderfully obedient, cooperative children. I've been at this enough years (this is year number 9) to know this happens from time to time (and I think it's worse with boys). Knowing it will happen doesn't make it any less stressful when it actually does. I'm hoping the coming week will be much better.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Visit zoo websites for free and fun online educational games and activities.

I am inspired by...

The cooler weather that has arrived! Our high temps are in the upper 70's. The a/c is off and the windows are open!!!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church, the dentist, and taekwon-do. My tween tested for (and received) his yellow belt, so we took him out for a celebratory lunch at a restaurant he loves.

My favorite thing this week was...

My kindergartner's excitement about doing a dinosaur theme unit. He is dinosaur crazed.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - Nothing this week.

Not working - Everything.

Questions/thoughts I have...

Thoughts ... I'm really happy my boys are enjoying the church we're attending. On the other hand, *I* am less than thrilled so I kind of feel I'm tolerating it for their sake at this point. Bad attitude, I know. I'm trying to find the positives. One is my spouse and I have settled on a Sunday School class (for now). I like the teacher's style, and we're going to start studying the book of Daniel. I'm really looking forward to that. I abhor - yes, I really used that word - the music. It's not terrible, it's just not my thing. The church advertises traditional and contemporary music. I'm sorry, but taking a contemporary song and putting it into traditional form is not contemporary. I'm finding not enjoying the music is putting a damper on the entire service for me. I'm really trying to snap out of my overall bad attitude right now concerning this.

Things I'm working on...

I'm still decluttering my house. I see no end in sight. Decluttering never really ends, does it?

I'm reading...

Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer (for review).

I'm cooking...

Chocolate chip banana bread.

I'm grateful for...

The opportunity to watch the 180 Movie at church this week. Very thought provoking.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Date it

2011-10-20T11:44:00.001-04:00

I think a lot of folks go to the trouble of dating food items by clearly writing expiration dates with a permanent marker or such on can lids, packaged foods like cereals, etc. But do you go to that same trouble with your cosmetics?

Sources differ slightly on the length of time it's safe to use a particular product once it's been opened (and natural cosmetics do not last as long as their preservative laden counterparts), but take some time to do a bit of research if you haven't already and consider making the effort to date your cosmetics. I choose to label mine with the date they were opened/first used, but using an expiration date works just as well - it's totally up to you. Better safe than sorry when it comes to risking any type of infection that could have been avoided.

Halloween Book Of Fun Prize Pack winner

2011-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrant #53 - Marci J! She will receive a National Geographic Kids Halloween Book Of Fun Prize Package. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T00:38:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

Let's see ... laundry, cleaning, decluttering, a puking dog, disrespectful & disobedient children, washing everything my spouse brought home from his parents' house and trying to find a place for it, 3 days of rain with wind gusts of 45+mph (not officially a tropical storm, but had many characteristics of one), waking up sick Sunday from having been out in the nasty weather all day Saturday (jr. zookeeper class, the library, errands), and 24 hours of cool enough weather to turn off the a/c before having to crank it again.

In our homeschool this week...

My tween has started an in-depth study of Greece, and we have a couple of delicious sounding Greek recipes to make over the weekend that he is very excited about. Better yet, they're vegan (so no having to handle and use eggs like I did for our Romania study). I read Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White to my kindergartner, and he loved it as much as I hoped. It was a favorite of my tween when he was that age.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

If you need an awesome resource (compliments of your local public library) for geography, check out the Cultures of the World series. My tween and I both love the books.

I am inspired by...

My online homeschooling friend, Cristina. I am so glad to know my house is not the only place this happens.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

While my tween was at his jr. zookeeper class, I took my youngest to Hobby Lobby to try to keep him entertained. That worked only as long as he got to look at what he wanted to see (in other words, *I* couldn't look at anything *I* wanted to see). We stopped by a library branch we don't visit often since we were in the area - my youngest loves their play area. And we've been going to taekwon-do.

My favorite thing this week was...

Playing on Pinterest. LOL

What's working/not working for us...

Working -Having my spouse do science experiments from Apologia General Science with our tween in the evenings. This greatly frees up my time to tend to other things.

Not Working - Our entire household going to bed late each night. My kids get their second wind about 9pm, and it's a lost cause trying to get them to bed.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I cannot believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are literally just around the corner!

Things I'm working on...

I'm decluttering more around my house as I have time. "Stuff" overwhelms me. For example, I appreciate all the crafts and activity sheets my youngest does at church, but it all starts taking over the house quickly. Unfortunately my kids are packrats and don't willingly get rid of anything (so yes, there are huge meltdowns when I declutter.)

I'm reading...

I finished The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini and must admit it was my least favorite of the Elm Creek Quilts series thusfar. I've been trying to read On The Far Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George, but I've decided to give up as I really didn't care for it from the start and am tired of trying to force myself to get through it. I'm currently reading Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer (for review).

I'm cooking...

Potato leek soup (this appears on our menus often as it's my tween's favorite), french bread (compliments of the bread machine), a couple of loaves of chocolate zucchini bread, roasted asparagus, and cornbread.

I'm grateful for...

Being able to tell God just how I feel. I'm down and disappointed about quite a few things right now and it's comforting to know I can express to Him exactly what is going through my head.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child. ~George Santayana

One for the naturally curly haired girls...

2011-10-12T15:20:00.001-04:00

Regular readers may recall I recently decided to embrace my God-given naturally curly hair. In an effort to tame the ~~nightmare~~ lovely locks I've been blessed with, I've been doing a little digging into easy styling solutions. If I let my hair dry naturally, the hair around my face often loses its curl and frizzes. Enter plopping.

Yes, I'm sure I'm way behind the times by just discovering this method, but in case you are one of the few who are not aware of this technique, here you go ... How to Plop Your Hair. It's simple, albeit a bit time consuming (yeah, my patience level is low), and it works quite well. I give it a big thumbs-up!

American Wasteland by Jonathan Bloom (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-10-09T15:37:00.001-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Title: American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We can Do About It)
Author: Jonathan Bloom
Format: Paperback
Release Date: August 30, 2011
ISBN: 9780738215280
List Price: $16.00 U.S./$18.50 Canada
Publisher: Da Capo Press Lifelong Books

From the back cover: Entire fields unharvested. Half-eaten restaurant meals abandoned. Fresh foods rotting in the fridge...From farm to fork, we as a nation waste a staggering amount of food - as much as 40 percent of all the food we produce. Now, award-winning author and journalist Jonathan Bloom wades into the garbage heap to unearth what our squandered food says about us, why it matters, and most importantly, how you can make a difference starting in your own kitchen - reducing waste and saving money. Bloom's expose ensures that you will never look at your shopping list, refrigerator, dinner plate, or trash can the same way again.

Everyone should read American Wasteland. I do not make that statement lightly. I was aware America as a nation is quite wasteful, but not to the extent detailed by Jonathan Bloom and his intensive reporting. We find ourselves in a direly sour economy, yet the average family of 4 wastes as much as $2,200 in food each year. But the impact doesn't stop there. Mr. Bloom further details how merely changing our shopping habits can impact the environment and ultimately lower food prices ... talk about a win win situation! Readers will also be enlightened as to the amount of food making its way into landfills and the resulting pollution problems, why America is responsible for nearly 25% of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, the great number of folks in the world experiencing starvation or not getting enough to eat, why we don't bother to give the entire food chain or the effects of our attitudes any real thought, and what we can all do to make a difference.

WANT TO WIN A COPY?

One of my readers will receive a copy of American Wasteland compliments of the great folks at Da Capo Press Lifelong Books! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on October 22, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on October 23, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Da Capo Press will ship directly to the winner.

Mandatory entry: Visit Da Capo, then leave a comment telling me another title you find interesting. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for one additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* "Like" Da Capo Lifelong Books on Facebook.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebok.
* Follow @WastedFood and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-10-09T12:38:00.002-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Title: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart: 101 Stories of Inspiration, Humor, and Wisdom about Life at a Certain Age
Authors: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark
Format: Softcover (384 pages)
List Price: $14.95 U.S./$16.95 Canada
ISBN: 9781935096719
Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

From the back cover: You'll love these 101 entertaining stories about dynamic seniors enjoying life after sixty. Whether relaxing at home or traveling the world, married or single, working or retired, these folks do it all.

Do not let the title or the cover photograph of this book fool you. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart will awaken all ages to the joy of living life to the fullest. Readers will draw revelation and motivation from a variety of stories about adventures such as traveling abroad & learning a new language, finding love again, white water rafting on one of the world's most dangerous rivers, making bold fashion statements, ziplining in the rainforest, new careers, and opening oneself up to new experiences. You'll walk away ready to tackle your dreams! Does this sound like a book you'd love to have in your home library?

THREE OF MY READERS WILL WIN A COPY!

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on October 22, 2011. The winners will be selected via random.org on October 23, 2011 and notified via email. Each winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Chicken Soup for the Soul will mail directly to the winners.

Mandatory entry: Visit Chicken Soup for the Soul, then leave a comment telling me another of their titles you think sounds like a great read. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for one additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* "Like" Chicken Soup for the Soul on Facebook.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow @chickensoupsoul and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - October 7, 2011

2011-10-07T01:03:00.002-04:00

In my life this week...

My mom's friend I mentioned last week passed away last Friday afternoon. My hubby's father passed away Monday evening. I've been busy squeezing in work for our family's business and getting hubby packed to go to his dad's viewing and funeral. I quickly remembered why I dislike ironing so much.

In our homeschool this week...

We're having an off week obviously. My tween and I have been reading about the country of Albania. It's been quite eye-opening for us both. I had no idea of the oppression the people there faced not so long ago. I'm also learning very quickly it's looking to be a rough year as far as using the library. I'm having a difficult time getting many of the books I'd planned to use with my kindergartner because every copy is checked out. I didn't anticipate that as we've never had a lot of trouble in all the years we've homeschooled, but I suppose the poor economy has a lot more people relying on that resource.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Appreciate and enjoy the journey with your children. I often feel as though *I* am finally getting a proper education, especially in subjects I loathed during my public school years like science and history.

I am inspired by...

Nature.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church and taekwon-do.

My favorite thing this week was...

Happening upon a sale at Dillard's and finding some things that actually fit me ... oh yeah, and they all cost less than 1/3 of the original price.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - So far my tween is extremely pleased with the books I selected for him to read.

Not Working - Trying to do homeschool while one of our neighbors gets on his gun shooting sprees. I assume he's shooting at targets, but the noise is extremely loud and goes on for an hour or more when he starts up. Very annoying.

Questions/thoughts I have...

If you attend church, is your church's Sunday morning service a time when people really dress up or is it casual dress? We're still giving the new-to-us church a try (the one I mentioned a couple or so weeks ago), but the style of dress is sort of a shock to me. All the churches we've attended or have been members of the last 15 or so years have been casual dress (so yes, I've been wearing nice jeans to church). The church we're attending now is very much a dress up church in the respect that women wear skirts or dresses (I think I've seen one woman wearing pants) and men wear dress pants or suits. I have nothing to wear!

Things I'm working on...

I've been getting some item and price lists made in an effort to decide what to get my kindergartner for Christmas. I've already snagged some great deals on toys, but he loves to draw and paint so I want to get him some cool art supplies as well.

I'm reading...

On The Far Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George and The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini.

I'm cooking...

Romanian pancakes (to finish our Romania study in geography - they were not a hit as we all found them way too sweet), waffles, roasted asparagus (YUM!), brown rice in vegetable broth (my tween loves it), and bunches of fried eggs for my tween. It's been odd handling eggs again. I haven't eaten them in over a year and half, so I found the whole experience gross to be honest.

I'm grateful for...

Our pets who fill our lives with much love and laughter.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. ~Samuel Butler

Babar Best Friends Forever DVD winner

2011-10-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrant #11 - Lisa! She will receive a copy of the Babar: Best Friends Forever DVD. Many thanks to all who participated!!

(Please accept my apologies for the delay in getting a winner selected and posted. We've had a death in the family, so it's been a crazy week.)

National Geographic Kids Halloween Book Of Fun! (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-10-04T21:57:00.002-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

National Geographic Kids Halloween Book Of Fun! is a fantastic way to keep your children entertained during this holiday season. Packed with jokes, mazes, do-it-yourself costume ideas, stencils, word scrambles, matching games, fun facts, pumpkin carving tips and tricks, and more, kids will enjoy hours upon hours of merriment and laughter. The whole family will have a good time with do-it-yourself recipes for bird's nest snack mix, pumpkin cupcakes, and homemade dog and cat treats plus party ideas and instructions for making creepy lava lamps. My boys have had a wonderful time completing the activities, telling me jokes, and learning interesting facts.

One of my lucky readers will receive a prize package that includes a copy of National Geographic Kids Halloween Book Of Fun!, two spooktacular pens to complete the activities in the book, and two essentials for October 31st -- a bucket to take trick-or-treating and a flashlight to light the way! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on October 14, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on October 15, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 24 hours to respond with his/her mailing information, or another winner will be selected.

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win this prize package. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* "Like" National Geographic Kids on Facebook.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow @NGKidsBks and @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach winner

2011-10-03T16:51:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to entrant #36 - Lisa! She'll receive a Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - September 30, 2011

2011-09-30T01:56:00.002-04:00

In my life this week...

I decided to embrace my God-given curly/wavy hair that has a mind of its own and frizzes the moment it's touched by a hairbrush. Yes, I seriously cannot brush my hair unless it's been straightened by a flat iron. I know this embrace may not strike any of my readers as a profound thing, but if you knew my lifelong hate/hate relationship with my hair you'd understand what an earth-shattering milestone this is for me. I truly feel like such a grown-up now.

To come down off that high note though, I learned a friend of my mom is expected to pass at any time. She was such a good friend to my mom and me as well. She was a light in the darkness for me during my mom's final months battling cancer many years ago. Unfortunately we lost touch with her and her hubby a few years ago, and I'm so saddened and shocked by this news. A couple of other situations have my emotions running rampant. All I can do is pray.

In our homeschool this week...

Science (Apologia General Science) test #2 went much better for my tween than #1. He studied in the method suggested by the author and I hope/believe understands what a valuable tip it is.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

If you need printable maps, check out Xpeditions Atlas Maps. The maps are customizable in so many ways ... love it, love it, love it.

I am inspired by...

Nothing really this week. It's been a depressing week in a variety of ways, and I'm having a hard time snapping myself back.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Church and taekwon-do. My kindergartner tested for his high white belt. Now both kiddos are the same rank again.

My favorite thing this week was...

Watching our Australian Shepherd run around the yard playing fetch. He's over 10 years old now and starting to slow down a bit, but he was taking beautiful long strides with an expression of pure glee across his face just like he did in his younger years.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My kindergartner is doing very well with Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. He's found a good grove and going with it.

Questions/thoughts I have...

Why do people not look at the signs at the zoo and call the animals by the correct names? Yes, I'm a zoo snob. It drives me crazy to hear someone call either of the jaguars a tiger or a leopard.

Things I'm working on...

I have fallen deeply in love with Pinterest. (Find me HERE.) I needed a week to just have some fun and find some inspirational ideas. I keep a file folder with pictures and such I've saved from magazines, but this is a great way to keep track of everything online.

I'm reading...

American Wasteland by Jonathan Bloom and The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini.

I'm cooking...

It's been another crazy week, so my only real contribution was potato leek soup. It's such a blessing to our family that my hubby enjoys cooking! I also made an impromptu batch of ginger cookies. My tween told me Wednesday morning he had forgotten to tell me he needed me to make some cookies for him to take to youth group that evening. They had specifically asked for kids to bring chocolate chip cookies, but we have to be careful about the types of chocolate he eats. I didn't have enough oil on hand to make the vegan chocolate chip cookies we love, so I resorted back to an old butter laden favorite (so they definitely weren't vegan!). I *thought* I had all the ingredients, but I didn't have molasses so I subbed brown sugar mixed with water (found that tip online). It was such a weird experience to make something with butter after not having used it for so long.

I'm grateful for...

Our tween helping hubby set up a new printer he needed for work. I loathe reading instructions and fighting with technological equipment! He saved me a huge headache (literally).

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

My current favorite song - Josh Wilson's "I Refuse"

Visual Latin 1 DVD Lessons 1-10 Review

2011-09-28T23:27:00.000-04:00

My tween (7th grade) and I have been so excited to start off this homeschool year trying the Visual Latin 1 DVD for lessons 1-10 via the good folks at Timberdoodle Co.

The program starts off with four introductory lessons that do not involve seatwork ...

1.) Why Study Latin?

2.) Latin Then & Now

3.) How To Learn a Language

4.) Stuff You Should Know About Latin

I appreciated these greatly as they truly helped my son grasp why learning Latin is beneficial in ways he never imagined.

The actual lessons consist of three parts ... Grammar, Sentences, and Reading. The "Grammar" portion of each lesson runs approximately 7 minutes on the DVD and is followed by the student completing section "A" on the accompanying worksheet. The "Sentences" portion of each lesson runs approximately 8 minutes on each DVD and is followed by the student completing section "B" on the accompanying worksheet. The "Reading" portion of each lesson runs approximately 5 minutes on the DVD and is followed by the student completing section "C" on the accompanying worksheet. Obviously the overall time spent on each complete lesson will depend on how much time the individual student takes with the worksheets or if any DVD review is needed, but we've been averaging about 40 minutes.

Pros of Visual Latin:

* Visual Latin is taught by Dwane Thomas, a homeschool dad who has been teaching the language for 15 years. He has a fun personality (jokes throughout the lessons will keep kids laughing) and is easy to understand.

* Answer sheets for the student worksheets are included making checking the student's work simple.

* Students can go at their own pace. If more review is needed, just watch the DVD lesson again. Mr. Thomas uses a chalkboard to fully illustrate the topics covered in the "Grammar" and "Sentences" portion of each lesson. The "Reading" portion of each lesson appears on the screen, so it's easy for students to follow along. Not only is the student hearing the material, she/he is seeing it as well on all accounts.

* Visual Latin is suggested for ages 9 and up, but the only real requirement is that the child be able to read. All ages can use this program.

* The program is very user-friendly for anyone who does not have a background in Latin.

Cons of Visual Latin:

* Not all words appearing in the "Reading & Translation" portion of the student worksheet (section "C") are covered in the lesson. My tween has been frustrated by this a couple of times as he has had to guess at the word or go online to look it up.

* Printing the student worksheets and answer keys can be confusing if you choose to do so online via the website link given on the DVD jacket. You must actually go to The Compass Store to access the downloads. It took me quite a while and much frustration to figure this out. (Please note: The worksheets and answer keys are also available via the DVD on your computer, but I did not personally test this option.)

* My tween has at times been frustrated by the "Reading" portion of the DVD. Mr. Thomas reads the passage first then re-reads allowing time between sentences for the student to read aloud. Many times the time allowed the student has not been long enough for us personally.

* Some of the words in Visual Latin are pronounced classically, but most are ecclesiastical. The flip-flop between the two has been confusing for my tween and myself at times. If you are in need of a purely classical pronunciation (because this is what colleges use), this program is not going to deliver.

* Visual Latin 1 (lessons 1-30) is good for only 1/2 high school credit. You will need to supplement with another program to reach a full high school credit.

If you haven't already, connect with Timberdoodle on Facebook and/or request a free homeschool catalog.

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team, I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this product in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Babar School Days DVD winner

2011-09-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrant #23 Nicholle! She will receive a copy of the Babar School Days DVD! Many thanks to all who participated!!

Raising Real Men by Hal and Melanie Young (Review)

2011-09-26T17:35:00.001-04:00

Title: Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys
Authors: Hal and Melanie Young
Format: Softcover (253 pages)
List Price: $15.00 ($12.75 at Timberdoodle)
ISBN: 9780984144303
Publisher: Great Waters Press

From the back cover: A practical guide to equipping the hearts and minds of boys without breaking or losing your own.

I'm an only child, a motherless adult, and I've been blessed with boys ... two amazing human beings I often don't understand and feel ill-equipped to lead into adulthood because I have no one to turn to for advice. Thank goodness for Hal and Melanie Young's Raising Real Men! With six sons of their own, they've already been down this road and share their experiences and thoughts.

Topics covered include, but are not limited to, respectfulness, homeschooling, life skills, finances, marriage and family life, chores, play time, temptation, role models, parental authority, and selecting a college. The Youngs share glimpses into their own family life to provide examples from which readers come away with a treasure trove of ideas for incorporating with their own boys. My two boys are most of the time like night and day which exhausts me mentally and physically. After reading Raising Real Men, I've come to appreciate my youngest's zeal for life and hearty enthusiasm as well as my oldest's insecurities and perfectionism tendencies. I feel much more prepared with methods for dealing with our most troubling issues and appreciate being ahead of the game with knowledge in matters that have not come up yet due to my boys' ages. All parents of boys should have this great book and refer to it over and over again.

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team, I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - September 23, 2011

2011-09-23T00:59:00.002-04:00

In my life this week...

We visited a new (new to us) church on Sunday, and the kids and I went back Wednesday night. We have not attended for 6 months due to extreme hurts inflicted by our last church. I was verbally bashed by several ladies because I homeschool (this particular church has seen all the homeschoolers leave and they seem to now have a very pro public school attitude), our tween was physically and mentally bullied (again, because he's homeschooled), I was shut out from serving in ministries where I felt called, and no one would speak to me (sadly cliques run rampant in this congregation). Sunday was a positive experience for our tween with the other kids and Wednesday night was even moreso. I was told about 60% of the kids at this church are homeschooled. I saw a definite difference in how they behaved and conducted themselves compared to what we've been exposed to previously. I don't really know how I feel yet as I truly am so untrusting of fellow Christians at this point, but there have been positive moments for me as well.

On another note, I spent our entire two-week grocery budget in one day and didn't get everything we need. Yikes! Prices have gone up that much.

In our homeschool this week...

Sea beans are starting to wash up on shore. Red mangroves are in abundance, and my boys think they make great "swords."

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Don't sweat the small stuff. (Need to chant this to myself!)

I am inspired by...

Hugs and kisses from my children.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

We went on our first field trip of this homeschool year and had a wonderful time. I don't think any of us were prepared for how much it would make us miss our two Australian Shepherds who passed away a few years ago. They were such sweethearts and loved to play frisbee.

My favorite thing this week was...

Finding a false sea fan washed up on shore. It was such an unexpected surprise and so beautiful.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My kindergartner and I are reading our way through the Stage 1 books of the Let's Read And Find Out Science series, and he is enjoying it greatly. I believe this week's favorite for him by far was Where Do Chicks Come From?

Not Working - My tween's lack of time management skills. Some days he has me ready to bang my head on a brick wall.

Questions/thoughts I have...

How can one cat poop so much? Seriously, I believe we quite possibly have the stinkiest cat on the planet.

Things I'm working on...

I've been working on getting some of my latest beachcombing treasures cleaned. I saw a cute Christmas craft using seashells I'd like to give a try, but need other supplies first. I'll have to do some digging around to see what I actually have on hand.

I'm reading...

My Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George and American Wasteland by Jonathan Bloom.

I'm cooking...

My contributions this past week have been pitiful. Roasted potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches for the kids, and Italian bread are about it. I've been busy with work for our family's business, so hubby has prepared the meals.

I'm grateful for...

The youth at this new-to-us church who have been so very nice to my tween. There was a specific incident in which two boys' actions/words really made him feel it was okay to let down his guard, and that meant a great deal to me.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Nature is my medicine. ~Sara Moss-Wolfe

Pin It

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegetable Gardening winner

2011-09-21T22:29:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrant #30 - Mommy-Money! She will receive a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegetable Gardening. Many thanks to all who participated!!

Babar: Best Friends Forever DVD (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-09-21T22:13:00.001-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

One of the most endearing children's characters is now available on DVD! Babar: Best Friends Forever revisits 4 episodes from the classic series ... "Friendly Agreement," "City Ways," "An Elephant's Best Friend," and "Between Friends." These treasured stories contain lessons such as understanding, teamwork, and cooperation in a ninety minute run time. A bonus 8-page Babar coloring book is included with the disc for additional fun. Young and old alike will enjoy sitting down to view this family-friendly show.

Want to win a copy? Entertainment One has provided me with a copy as a giveaway to ONE of my readers. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on October 4, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on October 5, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected.

Mandatory entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile. This must be completed before any other entries will be valid.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for one additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* Follow @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.
* "Like" Babar on DVD on Facebook.
* Leave a comment with the name of your child's (or your) favorite character from the Babar classic series.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest opinion. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-09-19T21:48:00.001-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach is a chlorine-free cleaning powerhouse for your home. Laundry, outdoor furniture, toilets, bathtubs and showers, garbage cans, pet stains, and more all can be tackled with this one multi-use, eco-friendly cleaner.

I know I have mentioned our poor quality well water many times in the past along with my reviews of various Tropical Traditions products, and I'm going to bring that to light again. It takes no time at all for a heavy mineral buildup to occur in the toilets of our home. Scrubbing toilets is not high on my list of favorite household chores, so a cleaner that makes that job easier without using toxic chemicals is a huge plus. Just three ounces of Oxygen Bleach left to sit 15 minutes cleaned away the mineral stains with little effort. A handy scoop is included with the product to make measuring quick.

A 6lb. container of Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach is currently available for $16.75 - a $13.25 savings off the regular retail price. ONE of my lucky readers will win one compliments of the good folks at Tropical Traditions! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on October 2, 2011. The winner will be selected using random.org on October 3, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. Tropical Traditions will ship directly to the winner. Please note: Tropical Traditions is not responsible for any customs or duties that Canada may charge if a Canadian resident is the winner of this Tropical Traditions sponsored giveaway.

Mandatory entry: Visit the Tropical Traditions Oxygen Bleach product information page, then leave a comment telling me one of the uses that most interests you. This step must be completed before any other entries. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

* "Like" Tropical Traditions on Facebook.
* Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email sales newsletter.
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow @aussiemamma, @Troptraditions, and @ttspecialdeals (all 3) on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
* Subscribe to my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.

I was supplied with a complimentary product in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

High Flying Field Trip

2011-09-17T18:53:00.000-04:00

We were unsuccessful in scheduling the first field trip we wanted to take this homeschool year, so I suggested we take advantage of a free (for spectators) event in a nearby city ... a canine disc competition. Think that doesn't sound like much of a field trip? We chose to look at it like this - Our children saw and met dogs of all different breeds (such as Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Labs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Australian Cattle Dogs, Jack Russell Terriers, Weimaraners, and mixed breeds) plus search & rescue dogs and cadaver dogs. We noted the difference in behavior amongst the various breeds, how the breeze/wind affected the frisbees, how the owner's frisbee throwing ability affected the outcome, and more. They interacted with people of all ages from near and far, played with some of the dogs (and received many doggie kisses in return), threw frisbees for a couple of the dogs after the event, asked questions about the dogs, and answered questions about our dogs. Our entire family had a wonderful time, and we'll definitely attend more of these events in the future, possibly as entrants if we are ever able to convince our basenji mix to actually give the frisbee back after the first throw.

One of the standout moments for me was when the kids met one of the winning dogs after the event. The owner told us she was a rescue and tended to be standoffish. She went right up to our boys and melted into a big puddle of love in their attention. Her owner remarked they definitely had "the touch." My tween intends to pursue a career working with animals, so it certainly seems he's on the right track!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T00:57:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

I've gotten back on track a bit with all my decluttering projects that were pushed aside during summer when I was putting in many hours of lesson planning and part-time work for our family's business. The things I've gotten accomplished this week really aren't noticeable, but *I* know they've been done. I'm also trying to recover from the shock of grocery store prices going up yet again. On everything from cream cheese to shampoo, prices are up 30¢ here and there at the grocery store and 60¢ to 84¢ here and there at the local natural foods market compared to just a week ago. On a fun note, I finally watched The King's Speech and enjoyed it very much. I've been on the wait list at the library for quite a while, but found it sitting on the shelf over the weekend (I'm #58 in the hold que - there's one hold I can cancel!).

In our homeschool this week...

My tween had his first tests of the year in science, writing & grammar, and math. My kindergartner and I are having a great time discussing and reading about farms. We had hoped to go on our first field trip of the year this coming weekend to an alpaca farm, but we've had no luck getting in touch with the owners to schedule.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Utilize online freebies!

I am inspired by...

The stunning beauty of okra blossoms in my garden.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

My tween had his monthly jr. zookeeper class, so the rest of us enjoyed the zoo while we waited for him and then went back and visited all the animals he wanted to see. We learned our favorite zookeeper has been moved to another section of the zoo, and that means we won't be seeing her often due to the scope of her duties now. Sad for my kids as they adore her, but we happened to get to chat with her for a few minutes Saturday much to the delight of our youngest and our oldest will see her for sure in November when his jr. zookeeper class involves one of the animals now under her care. Other than that it was the usual library, errands, and TKD classes.

My favorite thing this week was...

My kindergartner's excitement over learning he's been selected to test for his high white belt in taekwondo.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - Hubby made a very basic desk for our tween and put it in his bedroom. He is very happy with it, can work by the light of his window, and we don't have to sit for long periods of time under the hot dining room lights (lots of cloudy days as of late and our back porch blocks a lot of light that would otherwise come in through the window). My kindergartner is still loving going through the Magic Tree House series for read-aloud time.

Not working - My tween's decision to go against the advice in his science text (Apologia General Science) concerning how to study for the tests. I hope his less than stellar first test score took his cocky attitude down a few notches.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I overheard our kindergartner tell hubby, "I have to go out right now before I have a nervous breakdown." At first I had a really good laugh, but then I stopped and took some time to think about the wisdom of his words. Time in nature is good for the soul.

Things I'm working on...

Decluttering as mentioned above, our budget for the next two weeks, and an extensive grocery list.

I'm reading...

My Side Of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George and Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys by Hal and Melanie Young. I've enjoyed skimming Irish Country: Decorating With Pottery, Fabric, And Furniture by Nicholas Mosse and Coastal Living Beach House Style.

I'm cooking...

A glimpse of the past week ... apple pie-crumb cake muffins, three batches of banana chocolate chip muffins, fries, and potato leek soup (my tween's favorite). Thankfully hubby has done the majority of the cooking this week!

I'm grateful for...

My online friends. I don't have any "real life" friends, so these ladies mean a tremendous amount to me. You know who you are!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

One of the anteaters (one of our fave animals at the zoo).

Feeding the cockatiels a seed stick.

Some of the flying foxes (bats). One of my personal faves at the zoo.

Rock 'N Learn DVD or CD Giveaway Winner

2011-09-14T20:27:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the winner of the Rock 'N Learn DVD or CD giveaway - entrant #69 Mandy! She will receive the DVD of her choice as indicated in her giveaway comment. Many thanks to all who participated!!

Babar: School Days DVD (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-09-14T19:09:00.001-04:00

The lovable classic series, Babar, is back and has been digitally restored and remastered. Babar: School Days DVD is available now just as children are heading back into the classroom. What a wonderful way to help them feel excited about this school year's learning adventures!

This ninety minute DVD contains 4 full-length classic episodes ("School Days", "Peer Pressure", "Every Basket Has a Silver Lining", and "Kings of the Castle") covering values such as patience, honesty, and acceptance. Also included with the DVD is a bonus Babar mini coloring book. This classic series is a favorite of mine as a parent and is one I feel comfortable allowing to be viewed in my home. The beloved characters never fail to capture my kindergartner's full attention and make him giggle.

Want to win a copy? Entertainment One has provided me with a copy as a giveaway to ONE of my readers. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on September 27, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on September 28, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected.

Mandatory entry: Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment including your email address if it is not available via your blog profile. This step must be completed before any bonus entries will be valid.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for one additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each and include your email address if it is not available via your blog profile.

* Follow @aussiemamma on Twitter. (Please include your username as part of your comment.)
* "Like" Is There A Bathroom On This Ship? on Facebook.
* Follow my blog via email. (Subscription must be activated.)
* Follow my blog via Networked Blogs.
* "Like" Babar On DVD on Facebook.
* Leave a comment with the name of your child's (or your) favorite character from the Babar classic series.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

#20 - Fruit Smoothie

2011-09-13T22:33:00.001-04:00

Recipe #20 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge is the Fruit Smoothie from the Vitamix recipe collection. It's simply a blend of strawberries, red seedless grapes, and banana (plus ice if you don't use frozen strawberries). I couldn't talk my youngest into giving it a try, but the rest of the family agreed it's a tad too sweet. It's a healthy drink for sure, but I don't think it'll be showing up on our menu plans too often unless I tweak it to combat the sweetness.

#19 Apple Pie-Crumb Cake Muffins

2011-09-12T10:58:00.000-04:00

Recipe #19 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge is Apple Pie-Crumb Cake Muffins from Vegan With A Vengeance. Oh. My. Goodness. These are a keeper for sure!!! My family drove me nuts hovering over me while I was getting these made, then they found excuses to conveniently be near the oven as they were done baking. I had a hard time getting a photo snapped before everyone dove in.

A little bit about how I chose to make these ...

*I used organic pastry flour. The recipe does not specify which type of flour to use for the muffin batter and states to use all-purpose for the topping mixture.

* I subbed organic nutmeg for the allspice.

* I subbed organic apple juice for the apple cider.

* I used organic extra virgin olive oil instead of canola oil.

* I used an organic Granny Smith apple. The recipe does not list any specific type of apple to use.

The topping mixture, per the recipe, is supposed to form crumbs, but mine was just a big blob of wet mush. The muffins aren't the prettiest things to look at, in my opinion, due to the less than desirable looking crumb mixture, but the taste is divine. These are easy enough to make any time, but would be especially perfect for holidays.

Life Is Not a Stage by Florence Henderson (Review)

2011-09-11T16:35:00.000-04:00

Title: Life Is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond
Author: Florence Henderson with Joel Brokaw
Format: Hardcover (288 pages)
Release Date: September 20, 2011
List Price: $25.99 U.S./$28.99 Canada
ISBN: 9781599953885
Publisher: Center Street

From the back cover: For millions of people around the world, Carol Brady is synonymous with motherhood, but Florence Henderson, who grew up as the youngest of ten children in rural Indiana in the aftermath of the Great Depression, lived a real life far different from that of the idealized Mrs. Brady. Florence opens up about her childhood, as well as the challenges she's faced as an adult. She writes with honesty and wisdom of how her faith and ability to survive has brought her through rough times to a life of profound joy and purpose.

Life is not a stage but a series of stages we grow through and learn from. ~Florence Henderson

The Brady Bunch debuted on television just a few years before I was old enough to become a viewer of the show. It's still airing to this day, and I daresay the majority of us (me included) are really only familiar with Florence Henderson in the role of Carol Brady, starring in Wesson oil commercials, and as a recent participant on Dancing With The Stars. Given her beauty, grace, and poise, I always assumed she came from a background of privilege. The reality is this truly lovely lady had a childhood that was just the opposite.

In Life Is Not a Stage, Florence Henderson gives readers insight into those less than desirable years, how she made her way to New York to pursue her dream, and the unfolding of her big break. Readers are treated to an up close look at her impressive career, including her struggle with stage fright and fear of flying, as well as her personal life and the ups and downs that went along with postpartum depression, extramarital affairs and divorce, the frightening hearing loss she experienced, and finding true love. This book is an intimate look at the inspiring life of one of America's most recognized faces, and I feel honored to have been absorbed in the pages.

I was supplied with an advance reader copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Rumors Of God (Review)

2011-09-11T15:37:00.000-04:00

Title: Rumors Of God: Experience The Kind Of Faith You've Only Heard About
Authors: Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson
Format: Softcover (208 pages)
List Price: $15.99 U.S.
ISBN: 9781595553638
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

From the back cover: Where is the life God promised us? Life is busy. We live like slaves to our fast-paced, suffocating schedules. We spend our energy and time in triviality, relegating God to the background. He seems distant to us, and we resist the idea that God wants to give, say, and show us more; we dismiss it as rumor. But Jesus calls us to a better way. Another dream - an unimagined future. Close the gap between what you hear about and what you see.

Wow. Seriously, WOW! Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson have hit the nail on the head with what has desperately been needed to be brought to the attention of Christians for far too long. We live bogged down lives not really believing we can have all Jesus promised us. It's as if those promises are merely rumors that never come to fruition in our lives. Rumors Of God finds its basis in this prayer of the prophet Habakkuk ...

Lord, I have heard of Your fame;

I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord.

Renew them in our day,

in our time make them known;

in wrath remember mercy.

The authors take a deep look at topics such as love, generosity, commitment, justice, freedom, hope, community, and more while relating Scripture and detailed personal examples to bring each point full circle. The church's best days are not over as so many of us have fallen victim to believing. God wants to do powerful works through us, but we have to be on the same page. Rumors Of God is an inspiring call to the church to take a stand and live an uncompromising faith that can move mountains. If you've ever been hurt or worn-down by a/the church, this book is a must-read to get you back on track.

I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title by BOOKsneeze in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - September 9, 2011

2011-09-09T00:13:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

I bought some beautiful organic peaches, so I got them all prepped and frozen for future use in smoothies and did the same thing with several organic mangoes. My kindergartner wanted to have a "date day" and spent the day with me Saturday running errands and grocery shopping. We had to stop by Petsmart to buy dog food, so he had a great time meeting all the cats and dogs up for adoption. I also spent a good amount of time beachcombing. It was a great week for finding slipper shells and pen shells. My little guy also lost his first loose tooth!

In our homeschool this week...

I'm disappointed in my tween. He totally refused to do one of his writing & grammar assignments. *sigh* I knew it was something he wouldn't be fond of, but I hoped he would give it a try. No amount of encouragement or discussion could talk him into giving it a go.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Follow your heart, and don't be afraid to march to the beat of your own drum.

I am inspired by...

Closing my eyes and just listening to the voice of the ocean.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Errands, grocery shopping, the library, and TKD ... story of my life.

My favorite thing this week was...

The double rainbow over the Atlantic on Monday.

What's working/not working for us...

Working - My tween is greatly enjoying his Mayan studies and is also very excited about the drawing assignments he's had from 1-2-3 Draw Knights, Castles, and Dragons by Freddie Levin and Draw 50 Horses by Lee J. Ames. For a kid that has never liked drawing because he wants everything to look perfect, this is a really big deal. (See pics below.) Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons is going very well with my kindergartner.

Not working - Attempting to enforce an earlier bedtime is far from working. My kids are still on their summer clock. I'm getting to bed way later than I would like, am dealing with insomnia again, and it's making for unpleasant school days.

Questions/thoughts I have...

I think every weekend should be a three day weekend. I get so much more accomplished on holiday weekends and still have time to do fun things that give me much needed refreshment.

Things I'm working on...

A huge list of chores that need to be done around the house. I have a list for myself and made a list that can be done by everyone else. I suspect the latter of the two will remain untouched as usual, and I'm stretched so thin I can barely put a dent in mine.

I'm reading...

Life Is Not a Stage by Florence Henderson (for review). I've been skimming The Complete Idiot's Guide To Vegan Baking (didn't find anything that appealed to me), Quick & Easy Handmade Storage, and Backyard Projects for Today's Homestead.

I'm cooking...

A glimpse of the past week ... two loaves of apple bread,six batches of pancakes, potato leek soup, Italian bread (bread machine), kiwi cooler smoothies, roasted potatoes.

I'm grateful for...

The twice-a-week thirty minute drive to TKD, hour class, and thirty minute drive back home. It's the only time I get to read! (Obviously I'm not the one doing the driving!!)

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Italian Bread (Bread Machine)

2011-09-07T20:43:00.000-04:00

This is so easy to make, and my family loves it!

1 1/2 tsp. yeast

3 cups freshly ground organic white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. (approximate) organic dried herbs (I use a combination of thyme and rosemary)

1 cup warm water

2 T. organic extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients in bread machine container in the order listed. Use the French bread setting and medium crust color setting. Makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Vegetable Gardening (Review w/ Giveaway)

2011-09-07T19:30:00.001-04:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide To Vegetable Gardening
Authors: Daria Price Bowman and Carl A. Price
Format: Softcover (336 pages)
List Price: $16.95 U.S.
ISBN: 9781592579075
Publisher: Alpha

From the back cover: Master the basics of planting, weeding, and more with the help of the simple instructions and full-color photos in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegetable Gardening.

Grocery store prices continue to rise, paychecks don't, and many folks feel helpless as to what to do. They think gardening is too complicated, expensive, and time consuming. The Complete Idiot's Guide To Vegetable Gardening is a good, basic guide to help even those who believe they don't have a green thumb get started in growing some of their own vegetables and/or herbs. Tucked inside the pages are gems about organic gardening, composting, selecting tools, growing in containers, garden design, soil pH, irrigation types, garden pests, plant specifics, and more.

Want to win a copy? ONE of my readers will! Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. Entries will be accepted through 11:59pm EST on September 20, 2011. The winner will be selected via random.org on September 21, 2011 and notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond with his/her shipping information, or another winner will be selected. The publisher will ship the winner's prize directly.

Mandatory entry: This must be completed before any other entry. Visit The Complete Idiot's Guide website, then leave a comment telling me another title you think sounds interesting. Please include your email address as part of your comment(s) if it is not available via your blog profile.

Bonus entries: You may do any of the following for ONE additional entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each.

1.) "Like" The Complete Idiot's Guides on Facebook.
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I was supplied with a complimentary copy of this title in order to provide an honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, and I was not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Just for Preteens winners!

2011-09-07T09:47:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to entrants #5 Margaret, #14 Darlene, and #22 Jenn - each will receive a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Just for Preteens. Many thanks to all who participated!!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - September 2, 2011

2011-09-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

In my life this week...

I feel completely and utterly overwhelmed. I have way too much on my plate ... homeschooling, working part-time for my hubby (he's self-employed), laundry, woefully attempting to keep the house clean, handling all the family financial stuff, menu planning, cooking/baking, grocery shopping and errands, keeping up with everyone's activity schedules, and who knows what else ... I am one person for crying out loud! I really need there to be at least three of me to get it all done. My pleas for help go unanswered. I get the "I've worked all day, I'm tired, and I deserve to sit down and rest," or I just seem to be speaking a foreign language that no one else in my family understands. I feel a breakdown coming on. A good lock myself in the bathroom (while the door is being pounded on and fingers are slipping underneath the door), messy cry breakdown. Afterward I'll pick myself up, brush myself off, and go back to the nonstop mayhem from the time I wake up until I finally crash into bed at night.

In our homeschool this week...

We got our new year underway. Hello 7th grade and kindergarten! Now if I could just convince my kiddos that I cannot assist them both at once nor can I have a conversation with both of them at once.......

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share...

Utilize the public library to the fullest!

I am inspired by...

Nothing currently. I'm just BLAH!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Even though my tween wears contacts, he still wears glasses a couple of hours or so each day. My youngest threw himself onto my tween and knocked his glasses all out of shape, so we made the long drive to the optometrist's office to get the glasses adjusted. Besides grocery shopping, the library, and running other errands, the only other place we've gone is taekwon do lessons.

My favorite thing this week was...

My kindergartner's funny while we were working on his reading lesson. We're using 100 Easy Lessons, and he had to repeat the word "sidewalk." Instead, he yells in a sing-songy voice "Sidewalk Prophets!" At least he knows good music, right?!

What's working/not working for us...

Working - Apologia General Science is a huge hit with my tween, but I suspected it would be as he adored the elementary series. My kindergartner is finally quite interested in having books read to him, and the first book in the Magic Tree House series was a big hit with him this week. He's never really enjoyed anyone reading to him other than his big brother, so this is a big thrill for me.

Not Working -
1.) I don't really want to say it's not working, but it's the source of much whining ... Bob Jones math (grade 7). We started out with Saxon years ago, grew to hate it with a passion within just a couple of years, and made the switch to BJ in 2nd grade. My tween loved BJ from that point until now. It's not a matter of the material, it's the high volume of work in each lesson. It's quite a jump from the elementary grades. If he would just get down to business and do the work instead of complaining from the moment he opens his book, wasting time messing around with his new calculator, and constantly worrying about what else is going on (the cat, his younger brother, the dogs, noises outside) ... *sigh*. A math lesson should not take 2-3 hours!

2.) The electric pencil sharpener my hubby bought for me. I sharpened so many pencils and colored pencils this past weekend I literally wound up with a blister on my thumb. Hubby surprised me with an electric sharpener on Monday, but it does a really pitiful job and is going to have to go back to the store for a refund.

3.) Me having to constantly get on to my tween telling him to get his work done. Seriously, this is not working for me at all. There have been so many times this week I've wanted to pull my hair out ... usually during the aforementioned math. Side note: One of my online homeschool mom friends asked once if I have such long hair because I pull it so much. LOL!

4.) This has nothing to do with homeschooling, but our water filter for the whole house is not working. Our well pump wonked out on us a couple of weeks ago and hubby was able to get it fixed, but the filtration system wouldn't work so he had to rig it up differently. That alternate approach has stopped working, so our water is smelly. Ah, the joys of coastal well water. At least we have water, right?

Questions/thoughts I have...

Why does everything have to be so expensive? My tween will be required to have sparring gear for taekwon do in a few months, and I had to just nod and smile when we were told the cost. My kindergartner may test for his high white belt later this month, and my tween will test for his yellow belt probably in a couple of months. Dollar signs are swirling around my head making me quite dizzy.

Things I'm working on...

Not a thing. No time! I would really love to get started on a rag quilt I've been itching to make.

I'm reading...

There's An Owl In The Shower by Jean Craighead George, and I'm still working on Rumors Of God by Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson (for review).

I'm cooking...

A glimpse of the past week ... banana chocolate chip muffins, waffles, raspberry scones, kiwi cooler smoothies, lima beans in the crockpot, cornbread, wild rice, roasted asparagus, stir-fry broccoli, fried potatoes, and I honestly can't remember what else.

I'm grateful for...

Getting a great deal on the specific electric toothbrush I have been wanting to buy (for many months) for my kindergartner. I would have never been able to afford it at regular price, but finally found it on sale $20 off this past Saturday and some dear, sweet soul had left a $10 store coupon lying on top of the box. $30 off regular price made it affordable, and my little guy loves it!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Her Royal Highness (aka Bastet)

#18 Banana Blueberry Orange Smoothie

2011-09-01T12:16:00.001-04:00

Recipe #18 in my 2011 Recipe Challenge was selected by my tween as he thought it sounded great. It's the Banana Blueberry Orange Smoothie found in the Vitamix recipes. Turns out he didn't like it at all, and I thought it was just okay ...certainly nothing spectacular. The flavors really didn't blend well together. You're first hit with banana, then the orange, then the blueberries. This one won't make it onto our menu plan often at all.

#'s 16 and 17

2011-08-30T14:27:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm terribly behind in my 2011 Recipe Challenge! I hoped summer would find me trying lots of "new to me" recipes, but it's true we are creatures of habit. The same things showed up on menu after menu. However, our new homeschool year started this week and I was inspired to whip up a couple of treats. The first (pictured above) is a Vitamix recipe called Kiwi Cooler. It's so delicious my tween requested I make it two days in a row, and smoothies will more than likely become a homeschool day breakfast staple. (I'm looking forward to trying more from the Vitamix collection!)

For our first day back to hitting the books, I also wanted to make everyone a special dessert. I had some fresh organic raspberries on hand, so I made the Scones recipe (pictured below) from Vegan With A Vengeance using the "Berry Scones" variation. I was honestly hoping they would be just as good as the sinfully decadent raspberry scones at my favorite Irish restaurant (no, their scones aren't vegan), but these didn't come close. Don't get me wrong, these are quite good, but I have those Irish scones imprinted on my taste buds and I believe it will hard for anything to ever measure up. Hubby said he thought the problem with these was they weren't sweet enough. I'd definitely like to try this recipe again using both the "Chocolate Chip Scones" variation and the "Maple Walnut" variation to see how they turn out. (Side note: I used freshly ground organic white whole wheat flour, organic olive oil - recipe just states "vegetable oil", and rice milk as a substitute for the soy cream - recipe states rice milk is a good substitute.)