Free Nature Drawing and Journal Download

We have used the "How Great Thou Art" series in our homeschool in the past.  I love the layout of the books, and how Barry Stebbing breaks down the drawing techniques for children.  Here, available until the end of November, is a Nature Drawing and Journal download for free.

If your homeschool experience is lacking in the area of Art, I highly suggest any of Barry Stebbings products.  He has books available for all age levels.

Click here for the free Nature Drawing and Journal download.


Blessings,
Lisa

It's Not All Textbooks

Image: istockphoto.com

WARNING:  THIS POST IS WICKED PHOTO HEAVY!

It has been a while since I posted much about our homeschooling activities.  This year I only have four children at home, which has been interesting.  People keep asking if things have slowed down since 3 area away at college.  Actually, no.  If anything, we are just as busy as always.  I finally figured out it was because the ones who aren't here, are the ones that have the most activities, all dependent upon Mom, of course.  For example, we have two sets of art lessons and music lessons.  Josiah is enrolled in two dual enrollment classes as well.  That requires me ferrying everyone.   I'm not complaining, just pointing out the reality of our life right now.  All that coming and going could very easily be my excuse to stay home the rest of the time because quite frankly, it can be exhausting!  However, I have always been in the camp that believes that there is more to learning than what textbooks have to offer.  To become a well-rounded person, you have to get out there, experience life, broaden those horizons!  Carpe Diem!

So, here are a few of our "Carpe Diem" moments so far this fall.


Since Benjamin is up a Miracle Mountain, we have been a couple times.  The first time for the annual Mud Run.  Benjamin and Josiah both ran in that and we watched while sipping hot chocolate.  The second time was for the Harvest Party. That was so much fun!  LOTS of games and activities, pony rides, trail rides, crafts, and even dressing up for a photo op.  What a fun-filled family day it was. It taught many things: socialization, family fun appreciation, creativity, and balance.

Here Dale is playing Monopoly with the kids in the Cabin at Miracle Mountain.  Josiah is bunking with his big brother in the dorm.  Surely everyone is familiar with the benefits of playing Monopoly, such as strategy and math.

Of course, fall without a leave pile just wouldn't be right!  Here Jerusha is doing a random quality control check on the raking job the boys were doing. This teaches to pay attention to detail.  Like, when its time to pick all those leaves out of your very long and thick hair!

Every year our church has a hay ride for the community.  We also have a bonfire after with roasting marshmallows, making smore's, and eating donuts and drinking cider.  This teaches socialization and how to use your brain and think ahead for crying out loud and wear a coat because it is cold at night here!  (Okay, that may have been a little bit of a mommy rant, sorry!)

I love it when the kids get creative on their own.  Caleb was experimenting with food art last week, and made this creation.  He called it "Jungle Fort".   This teaching them to think outside the box, and to come up with creative solutions to building and design. 

Speaking of art, here is a sample of some recent finishes by Jerusha (red frame) and Isaac (green frame).  Okay, yeah, they may have had a little help from the teacher, but they are still very nice.  This teaches them to take pride in their work, and to do their best since they know I will be putting their work on display.  :)

Ummm.... Tubby checking out my cleaning/organizing job?

I am doing a mini sewing class every other week with a friend.  Here you can see Jerusha and her friend and her mom cleaning their machines. This teaching maintenance and sewing skills. 

Ummm... Tubby again... checking out a caterpillar we found in the office. She didn't know what to make of it, and sniffed at it, then pawed at it.  It rolled around some because it went into a ball in self-defense. 

On days when the weather is cooler and we don't have to run anywhere in the afternoon, we like to have a proper tea.  Jerusha and Caleb set this up for me one day.  This teaches them hospitality and food preparations and presentation. 

Josiah wanted cupcakes for his birthday.  Yes, those are eyeballs made out of gumballs.  This taught generosity, creativity, food preparation, math (we had to double the recipe), and hospitality.

And of course.... applesauce making!  We did 100 quarts in 3 days.  The kids were wonderful and helped the whole time.  Dale did too, stepping in when I had to take Josiah to his dual enrollment classes.  Isn't it pretty?  We got the apples free for the picking from an older couple in our church.

Most parents recognize that there are many different ways for children to learn.  I have found that by experiencing new things, their brains just get a refreshing.   It's like shaking the proverbial cobwebs from your head when you get a little fogged over.  Sometimes it is created from being in a rut, and getting out into the fresh air and doing something OUT of the house is the way to shake things up.  

Blessings,

Lisa

Some Recent Bargains!

Who doesn't like a good deal?  Especially on a shnazzy looking outfit to wear on "Date Day".  This morning Dale was kind enough to snap these pics before we went out the door so I could share on my blog.  

I know some people don't care for thrift stores, but I love to poke around in them.  True, some things are a undesirable, but I love it when I find something unexpected and it is on sale.  

Excuse the strange expression on my face, and the red eyes.  I think I was saying "Let me know when you are ready to take the pic" and , well, apparently he was!  

The white turtleneck I've had for so long that I didn't count in the cost of the outfit.  The cute argyle sweater was a whopping .49 cent (I just now realized that I don't have a cents sign on my laptop!) at the thrift store.  The skirt was around $2.49, if I remember correctly.

Now just to prove you don't have to only shop of thrift stores and yard sales to get a good deal, these boots I bought brand-spankin'-new at a Payless a couple of weeks ago.  I had to get winter boots for Jerusha and work shoes for Dale.  They were having a sale, and a had a cupon I received in the mail.  The money I saved from the sale and coupon paid for my boots.    Awesome!   It didn't, however pay for the water protection treatment I got to put on the boots, but that wasn't much.

BUT.... the best deal award goes to my husband.  Our big 15 passenger van didn't pass inspection because one of the tread on one of the tires was too low.  After nosing around and making about two dozen phone calls, my husband managed to find a brand new, heavy duty tire for our van.  Usually these tires cost around $200, give or take.  He got it for... drum roll please.... $25!  

Love those bargains!

Blessings,

Lisa

Homeschooling on a Shoestring

Sometimes families have to get a little... "creative" ... when raising children. Large family, medium family, or small, we all have our financial limitations. I think I can speak for a lot of home schooling families that even though we try and do as much as we can electronically, we still have a lot of copying to do. Recently, we had to replace the toner cartridge for our laser printer. My husband, who is our chief researcher on such things and got the following product online. Replacing the ink and toner can get very expensive. He has tried several strategies for the ink, each working to varying degrees. I'll post more about that another time. However, our best find recently was for the toner..





Feel free to click on the above affiliate link for easy access to the toner.   So far it is working very well!

Disclaimer:  Amazon's prices do change without notice.  When we bought the above product it was $17.50.  I just checked, and it is now $42!  Always check the price of your product before purchasing.

DIY Day

I didn't organize today for this sort of thing.  I was just going about my business, and realized that today was a lot of "do it yourself" type tasks.  So, I thought it would make a good post.

First off, I made my own laundry detergent.  When I first started making detergent years ago, Dale (my numbers guy) figured out how much per batch.  Well, prices and times change, so I can't give you an exact amount per bottle, but I can tell you we are paying pennies per load of laundry.  And when you do 14-20 loads of laundry a week, that is a wonderful thing!

As always, bread making is part of our schedule 3 to 4 times a week!

This morning I cut and colored my own hair (I know the savings on this one... it is to the tune of almost $80!)

There is great satisfaction in "doing it yourself" when you can.  I've also started making my own reusable dryer sheets, but haven't perfected it yet.  Anyone have any tips on keeping the vinegar smell out?  I need to find a balance between enough vinegar to soften and help with static, and not too much to where I smell a little like a pickle.  Feel free to put your tips in the comments!

Blessings,

Lisa

Thrift Store Haul and Other Money Saving Activities

Like most other moms, I love to see how families save money and make the ends meet, especially in large families.  Everyone has their own strategies for what will and will not work in their individual lifestyles, so what works for me, might not for you, and vice versa.

Before we even had kids, we did the DIY haircuts at home.  I have to admit that I do go to a professional because my hair is hard to cut.  However, everyone else has home haircuts.  Recently I have been watching some YouTube videos on how to cut layers in your own long hair.  Next time I need a trim, I just might try it!

Not sure why Benjamin is making this face.....

Another way we save some money is by making my own laundry detergent.  I forget what the breakdown is per batch, but it was pennies to the dollar compared to store bought brand.  It seems to get the laundry just as clean, and it doesn't take long to make.  I am going to start experimenting with some essential oils in the next batch.

The Good Will store near us recently expanded and has a pretty decent turnover of inventory.  Saturday Elizabeth and I were out running errands and hit the thrift store and found lots of goodies!n Josiah was in need of some pants, and I was glad to be able to pick some up for him.  We got all manner of name brands such as Wrangler, Chadwick's, Worthington, Carter's, and a few others I can't remember right now.  

I LOVE this key chain hook on the pants!  

I love the cargo pockets, but does anyone know why they are put at the bottom of the pant legs?  I thought that was a little strange. 

Isaac also needed pants, and I found a couple of pairs of jeans in excellent condition.

Here's all of the pants I got for Josiah.

Shirts for Isaac... the blue one is a Carter's brand shirt.

Some goodies for Mama.  :)

A couple of nice shirts.   Also for Mama.  :) 

Elizabeth found some treasures.  She told me she was need of some clothes for layering. 

A cute scarf for Mama.  I have an obsession with them. 

These cute little baskets were perfect for some small-storage issues for the kids' stuff.  I also am using two for a couple of little projects, which I will address in a different post.

Cooking from scratch in a good way to save money.  There are those times when I need to do something quick and end up using something a little more "prepared" but usually we prepare our food from scratch.  Saturday Caleb made waffles for brunch.  They were delicious!

Esther made some yummy homemade bread today.  We go through a lot of it!  I do keep some of the 12 grain bread from Aldi in the freezer for emergencies, and for making grilled cheese.  Despite my putting in all manner of gluten, or eggs, the homemade bread just doesn't do as well for grilled cheese as the store bought,. 

What are some of your favorite strategies for saving money?

Blessings,

Lisa

Summer Reading for Pre-K through 2nd Grade

I got this freebie link in my email this morning and was thrilled with it.  It is through 3 Dinosaurs.  It is a summer reading program for the younger kids, easily adaptable for any child.  She has sets for tots, up through 2nd grade, though not all are free.  I just downloaded a ton of second grade material.  Some of the concepts are beyond Isaac right now (like the double digit math problems and adding up coins) but they will come in handy later.  The first grade material wasn't free, but still looks like a good bargain.  Here is a link for the 3 Dinosaurs Summer Program.

Here is where the home schooling mom in me comes out, even though we aren't technically home schooling right now.  I would look ahead to each of the themes and get out read aloud books, and level books for Isaac to read to me.  I would also find theme related crafts and coloring sheets for him to do, as well as games and activities for outside in the fresh air.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Lisa

Treasure Hunting Finds!

When the older kids were little, what is normally called "yard saling" I always referred to as "treasure hunting".  It's true when you think about it with well known axiom in mind: "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

Or mama, trying to find some good bargains for her 4 children, aged four and under.

Isaac is now a couple of years older than the oldest of the originating group of the family saying, but I still use the terminology, as does Dale.  The older ones still tag along from time to time, but finding treasures for them is a little harder.  For one thing, their sizes aren't as easy to come by.  Also, they are no longer excited by the Little Tykes pedal car that could be brought home for a couple of bucks.  Still, we do find bargains, but it takes a little more persistence these days, but I don't mind.  For me, the thrill is in the actual hunt, not the find.

I know, you are probably thinking, "didn't she just post the other day that they are moving again?".  Well, yes, but Isaac has outgrown almost everything in the last 6 months, and the poor child looks like he is perpetually prepared for flood waters.  Even his school uniforms are needing to be replaced, but that will have to wait a couple of months.

So, when we set out we went with the thought firmly planted in our brains what we would stick with our very specific list of needs.  And we did!  Sometimes it is easy to get a little carried away with all the good finds, or rather it is easy to carry away a lot of the found treasure, but at this juncture, we are trying very hard to be discerning and exact in our purchases.  Not just in yard sales, but also in groceries.  We've ditched our usually 4 week shopping plan to a mere 2 weeks, and have been diligently trying to use up what we have in freezers and in the pantry.  We are making very good progress.  The only exception to the rule was when Dale and I stopped at tiny bulk food shop and found loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread on sale for .50 a loaf!  We bought a case of the 9 grain bread and got some strawberry swirl stuff just for a treat.  We only have about 4 or 5 loaves of that left, but I knew when we bought it all, it would last until we moved.

So, here are some of the "treasures" we got at yard sales last weekend:

Look at these carefully!  See that red long sleeved shirt on the right? That is a Ralph Lauren!

  I don't know how much these shirts sell for normally, but I paid a whopping .25 for it.  Yup, that is a whole quarter for a spendy shirt!

Isaac has had a love for Micky for a while.  This fleece sweat shirt is from the Disney Store.  Again, not sure what it would sell for retail, but I know it would be a pretty penny.  I got it for 50 cents!

This polo was for Caleb.  It looked like it was never worn.

Jerusha was in terrible need of some p.j. bottoms.  We usually just get some t-shirts at yard sales or the thrift store on the 49 cent days, and voila!.... cheap pajamas.

Dale has a couple of dress shirts that are very well worn (a.k.a... ratty and time to put them out of their misery) and was reluctant to toss them yet.  Well, he got these new shirts, with tags, for just a couple bucks.  Old, overused shirts say hello to the incinerator!

Here are a few more items for Isaac.  I thought the oxford shirt with the black casual pants were adorable.  Isaac was more impressed with the Toy Story pajamas.

We've had bigger and more impressive hauls, but this was very good considering our very narrow-minded list.

Blessings,

Lisa

Labor (Filled) Day

Sometimes things just don't go as planned.

At the beginning of last week, the kids and I decided we wanted a "P.J." day.  You know the type: P.J.'s, games, reading... that sort of stuff.  I thought Labor Day would be a good day for that.  On paper it looked good.  In theory it was sound.  Realistically... never happened!

Saturday, after Dale, Caleb, and Benjamin got back from their duties at church, saw some of the family going off to pick blueberries!  An acquaintance, connected to the church and school, offered them to us.  They were ours for the picking!  We filled four of these buckets.  Yummy!

The Greene's had told us we could pick some corn while we were taking care of their animals for a few days.  Yup, we did.  So, I had corn to freeze.  Yummy... er, ditto!

The Greene's got in very late Sunday night.... or rather very early Monday morning.  Late morning Mr. Greene called to see if any of our kids were available to help up at the camp to prepare for the School Retreat this Friday.  So after lunch, Benjamin, Esther, Josiah and I made ourselves useful.  Unlike the sheep, which were out, running around, and shamelessly enjoying some freedom.

I think this one was feeling sheepish.  *snort*

Freaky eyes on these two!

Benjamin driving the tractor full of... well, let's just say the barn and horse stalls look really good now.  They made two runs with the honey wagon filled.  

Friday we were in Olean picking up glasses for Benjamin, Elizabeth and Josiah. This is Josiah's first time with glasses.  And no, he won't let me take a pic.  He says he looks "dorky".  I just told him, "Well, you picked out your own glasses!"    Anyway, while we were up there, we ran a couple of errands, and Dale got me these flowers as a "congratulations on finishing your first week of teaching".  Look at how they turned the water pink!

We are into our second week of school, and there is LOTS going on.  Monday, of course, there were no classes.  Today we had volleyball practice, the last one before our first game.  Caleb wasn't well, so he stayed home with Dale, and I brought home some work for him to do if he felt up to it.  Isaac is feeling suspiciously warm to the touch, so I'll be keeping a close eye on him tonight.  Tomorrow, my ASL class starts up again after school.  The girls are taking it IN school, so looks like I'll be on my own unless they want to join in for the practice.  Thursday we have school pictures, and Friday is the School Retreat.  This week is going to go by in a hurry!

I have to report that my "new" student has been doing very, very well!  And, I found out, I might be getting another little one!  My class will be up to a whopping 4 kids.  That's okay.  I don't think I could handle a whole gaggle of this age.  Whew!

This week are studying the letter Mm, and our story is about Milton Mule.  Handy, as the Greene's have a mule on the farm, so they will get to see and pet (and maybe ride... oh, gulp!) a real mule instead of just reading about it.

Have a blessed evening!