How Do You Homeschool or Life-School with Chronic Illness In The Way? #homeschooling #lifeschool #chronicillness

So how do you homeschool your children effectively if you are depressed or chronically ill?
Maybe you have a parent that is sick or your spouse is sick?
Believe it or not those are some of the best reason's on earth to homeschool or "life-school" ,as we call it here at our house, your children.

In 2009 my father passed away from a long battle with 3 different types of cancer, first prostate, then colon, and finally the nasty liver cancer devil took hold and would not let go. I feel blessed that he was able to spend an additional 10 years with us here on earth due to the advances of modern medicine. Homeschooling enabled my 3 children to travel back and forth from NC to SC with me to stay with him anytime we wanted to, even when he was in a hospice house facility, they were right there at his side. Those years we will never get back and will cherish forever. They learned lessons that traditional schools can never teach.

Fast forward to 2013 the unthinkable begins to unfold, our beloved grandmother, my momma starts failing fast with pneumonia that ends up being " lung cancer" that has eaten thru to her ribs. She was so ill and hospitalized after falling at home unconscious due to sepsis. My youngest daughter stayed with me in SC to help care for her until she passed away the first night in hospice ( we still believe my daddy came to get her that night, they are now together in heaven).

My husband and I both have chronic illness's, my husband is now disabled and home all the time now, which has been good for our homeschool actually. He is a great help to me when my kids need some extra motivation (if you know what I mean), especially on Mondays since I work night shift on the weekends as an ER nurse and need my sleep.

The number one thing to share about homeschooling if you or your family have a chronic illness is flexibility! You have to learn how to be flexible and that it is very ok to do things your own way.
We learned a long time ago that a more eclectic style of schooling (using many different styles of homeschooling) worked great for our family, even some un-schooling at times works for us. As long as your children are learning and growing, happy and healthy what else matters.....right!

We use a variety of online sites including Time4Learning and The Khan Academy in addition to You-tube videos to learn. I like to print off worksheets if we are on the road or need some extra practice on a particular topic. You can find many free or cheaper sites to print worksheets, such as TeachersPayTeachers, Educents, ABCTeach, and Enchanted Learning. There are so many more and many are listed here on my blog if you search for my older articles.

No matter what you use, as long as your kids are learning, thriving and growing in knowledge, nothing else matters. Others will try to tell you how to school your children, but you are their parent, you know what is best for each one. Don't let others sway your decisions or sink your ship. You are fabulous and you know it!!

Essential Recipe: Kale Chips

Don't knock them until you try them, they are incredibly yummy, and healthy for your family.
We snack all the time at home since we are doing school at home, its so easy to fall into bad habits, so I have been searching for healthier options for my kids snack habits (and my own).
These chips will disappear as soon as you get them out of the oven. Try this recipe for original flavored kale chips or spice them up with other herbs and essential oils for more options. Try garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, and Lemon essential oil for an Italian twist, or cumin and Cilantro essential oil for Mexican-style chips. The options are endless!

What You Need:

1 large bunch kale, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 drops Lemon essential oil (add others that you like)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 2oo degrees.
2. Wash and dry kale thoroughly.

3. Combine olive oil and Lemon essential oil in a large mixing bowl.
4. Put kale in a large mixing bowl and toss in oils.
5. Make sure all of the kale is well coated with oils by massaging each piece. Once coated, place on a baking sheet in a single layer. 

6. Salt and Pepper as desired

7. Bake on the center rack for 45-50 minutes (or until nice and crispy). 

Keep an eye on the smaller pieces and take them out if they are done earlier, otherwise they will burn. 

  Place in a bowl or basket and watch your family gobble them up.

So what is all the good stuff in Lemon Oil.......its an amazing oil, that's what! Smells so good, I use it myself for a daily pick me up, put it in my water to detox and give me energy, rub it on my neck to soothe my sore neck muscles after a long weekend at work. Lemon Oil has so many uses it is great to keep in your Dr mom box.

Get your Lemon Oil HERE 

*These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. dōTERRA products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Pregnant or lactating women and persons with known medical conditions should consult a physician prior to the use of any dōTERRA product. - See more at: http://doterrablog.com/essential-recipe-kale-chips/#sthash.VBvSONzi.dpuf

Contains links to my Doterra Essential Oils site- see my disclosure page for more information about links and affiliate info.

Have a blessed day! 

What Does Monday, Birds and Whipped Cream Have In Common?

They all share a National Day of January 5th together. Bet you didn't know that, ask your homeschoolers if they knew that one too. National days can provide an opportunity to learn , educate and discuss all while having lots of fun.
My favorite site for information related to "national day lists" is www.NationaldayCalendar.com , subscribe to the newsletter and get their daily listing for each day in your inbox.

NATIONAL THANK GOD IT’S MONDAY DAY

National Thank God It’s Monday Day is celebrated each year on the first Monday in January. This day was created to celebrate all things that start/happen on a Monday in the the upcoming year, such as; a new job, a promotion, birthdays, holidays, vacations and etc. This is also a day, which starts out the first full week of the new year, to look ahead with positive hope, energy, enthusiasm and excitement for all things to come in the next 12 months.

National Bird Day

Born Free USA emphasizes the importance of National Bird Day and lists it as a day to shine a spotlight on issues critical to the protection and survival of birds, both captive and wild.

National Bird Day, an “unofficial” national holiday, was created to promote avian awareness.

According to Born Free USA, nearly 12 percent of the world’s almost 10,000 bird species are in danger of extinction.

Celebrated annually by half a million adherents through:

• bird-watching
• studying birds
• educating others
• other bird-related activities
• A particularly important National Bird Day activity is bird adoption. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper article, many bird enthusiast celebrate by adopting birds on this day and educating future bird owners about the special issues involved with taking care of birds, including the “proper care, cleanup, noise and biting, feeding, diet and their need for daily interaction”.

Watch for another full post related to studying birds soon.

NATIONAL WHIPPED CREAM DAY

There is that little something that adds a final touch to ice cream sundaes, cake, milk shakes, hot cocoa, pie, pudding and many other desserts and it is annually celebrated on January 5. This is National Whipped Cream Day.

This holiday falls on the birthday of Reddi-wip founder Aaron “Bunny” Lapin. Aaron who invented Reddi-wip in 1948, was born on January 5, 1914 and died on July 10, 1999.

National Whipped Cream Day celebrates whipped cream’s contribution to the dessert world.

Often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, coffee, chocolate, orange and other flavors, whipped cream is also sometimes called Chantilly cream orcreme Chantilly.

Recipes from the 16th century included whipped cream that was sweetened and aromatised. The names “milk snow” and “snow cream” were used. In these recipes, naturally separated cream is whipped, typically with willow or rush branches, then the resulting foam on the surface would from time to time be skimmed off and drained, which was a process taking an hour or more.

The English name “whipped cream” found it’s beginning in 1673. The name “snow cream” continued to be used throughout the 17th century.

To celebrate National Whipped Cream Day, try one of the following “tried and true” recipes:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/whipped-cream/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sturdy-whipped-cream-frosting/

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Caramelito-Cookies-with-Vanilla-Whipped-Cream-and-Candied-Nuts-Food-Network-289869

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Milk-chocolate-mousse-with-coconut-whipped-cream-357990?columns=4&position=9%2F71

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Groovy Idea for Your Homeschoolers #Christmas lists #Stem #homeschool

Homeschooling is groovier with a lab in a box, perfect gift idea for your homeschooling kids or grand-kids. Because children are natural engineers, Groovy Lab in a Box blends Scientific Inquiry and the Engineering Design Process, which allows children to create ingenious inventions, enhance critical problem solving skills and have FUN! 

Everything is including in the box, I love that idea so I don't have to round up a bunch of extra stuff. 

How does this work you ask? 
Select your preferred subscription plan.  Choose from “Join Now” or “Gift It” plan options.  The “Join Now” plans automatically renew based on the subscription package while “Gift It” plans are non-recurring.  All subscription plans enjoy free shipping within the United States.  Your subscription includes a monthly delivery of Groovy Lab in a Box science inquiries, engineering design challenges, and access to “Beyond…in a Box”; the member’s only web-based learning section on the website.

What is in each box.......everything you need, all sorts of fun stuff, and lots lots more!!
as a homeschooling mom I am just in love with our box each month!! Order yours today HERE

31 Days of Halloween To Do List For Your Family #fun #homeschool #family

October is such a fun month, the weather is cooler, the leaves are changing, the colors are painted across the sky in a fabulous canvas of jewel toned hues by our Creator himself. I love October, especially since I was born in the month of October (just a little bias) and my youngest blessing of a daughter was also born this month.
Halloween also closes out our month with fun and festivities, whether you celebrate a "Fall or Autumn" harvest type of holiday or go all out with the scary, ghosts and goblins theme. We just go with the flow here at our house and celebrate the season with what God has blessed us with all year long. Some years I have done a Harvest non-secular type of theme and some years I have gone all out spooky, witches and booger theme. I have just always taught our children the history of the holiday and let them enjoy the festivities of the day. There is no right or wrong here, whatever your family believes is right for your family and it is not my place to judge, there are many ways to celebrate.

Here is a really cute 31 days of Halloween (I know we are way into October but we can save for next year too)

To print this list Go HERE http://kraftycardsetc.com/2013/09/31-days-of-halloween-printable/

National Play-Doh Day-- Happy Squishy Learning Fun #learning #play #homeschooling

Yes, that's right Play-Doh has it's own National Day of the year, I have to admit that I never knew this and had to do some research for myself first.
Play Doh has been one of our favorite play and educational tools for years, from early in our children's lives they have been exposed to the squishy, moldable fun stuff.  I myself will confess joy and laughter to the delightful smell when you open that little yellow container ...lol, there is just something magical about the stuff.

Here are some historical points to share with your homeschoolers: 

National Play Doh Day is observed on September 16, 2014. Play-Doh is a modeling compound used by young children for art and craft projects at home and in school. Composed of flour, water, salt, boric acid, and mineral oil, the product was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s.

When a classroom of children began using the wallpaper cleaner as a modeling compound, the product was reworked and marketed to Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s. Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention in 1956 and prominent department stores opened retail accounts.


Advertisements promoting Play-Doh on influential children's television shows in 1957 furthered the product's sales. Since its launch on the toy market in the mid-1950s, Play-Doh has generated a considerable amount of ancillary merchandise such as The Fun Factory. In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Play-Doh in its "Century of Toys List". (With material from: Wikipedia)

You can make your own Play Dough , many recipes are online in all types of scents and colors. 

The basic recipe I like uses baby oil to make the dough super soft and pliable, here is that recipe I found on another blog - www.notjustcute.com who posted this awesome card on Pinterest. 

If you are looking for flavors, scents and added colors-- Koolaid and Jello powders make great additives that are washable. Pumpkin spice is awesome! 

Here is another site with some fantastic links to tons of Play Doh recipes http://nurturestore.co.uk/play-dough-recipe-flavours 

What can you do with Play-Doh ? Just put your kids at the table and let them play....well yes, but there are so many more educational options for the moldable creations. Challenge your kids to do these fun ideas.....

Homeschooling Ideas to Challenge Kids with Play-Doh 

• Mold ABC's out of dough
• Mold their name, their sibling's names, pets names etc.
• Make funny faces with hair
• Make a clock with the hands set the the correct time (use a paper plate)
• Using printable Play- Doh mats, create fun ( many printable mats free online- just search)
• Make their favorite animal
• Mold and count out balls in 5's and 10's ,25's 50's 100's 
• Make pattern kabobs with different colors 
• Molding and making basic shapes out of dough
• Shape first letter of the color of the dough used
• Create farm animals , jungle animals etc and talk about habitats
• Create emotions on white paper plates and talk about feelings
• Mold models of Earth and other planets
• Mold phases of the moon
• Create a healthy meal example (on a paper plate)
• Make a volcano 
• Make an addition equation with dough molded out (then check with subtraction)
• Use playdoh to make a Plant and Flower, label the parts of both
• Make a skeletal form and label the bones
• Roll out dough and imprint with objects found around the house, see if sibling can guess the object.
• Make a brain out of Play doh
• Make other body parts or organs out of dough (be creative)
• Make gourmet foods, sushi etc 

There is so much more you can come up with to spark your homeschoolers minds, using Play doh with Lego's is another way to teach subjects. Adding some extra zing to your lessons helps to bring the love of learning and fire for more into your child's heart. Praying for you today! 

Find some great Play doh deals on Amazon via widget above (clicking helps to support our blog and family-thank you in advance)

Building a Better Student with Dom Testa-- Spell Check #education #learningtools

One of my co-workers at the radio station said something interesting to me this week. He said, “Spell check made me into a good speller.”

At first I thought he was kidding, but no. He told me that he was horrible at spelling when he was younger, but through the years spell check taught him. And it stuck. Today his computer and phone rarely need to correct him.

I walked away and thought about the significance of this observation. At their core people seem to scowl at technology in terms of education and all-around learning. 

In fact, almost daily we hear someone lament that “kids ain’t learnin’ nothin’ with them darned screens in their face all day.”

But is that true?

Try doing an online search using these five words: How technology helps students learn.

You’ll discover a vast archive of stories, studies, and stats that show how devices - even the frightening phone or the terrifying tablet - can open up a world of information to students who perhaps never found education . . . well, interesting.

Our non-profit foundation, The Big Brain Club, provides all sorts of services and resources to schools, but we always try to make technological donations an important part of the equation. Why? Because teachers tell us that gadgets often help them to connect with students who otherwise would sit in the back of the room with their arms crossed.

It will be argued, of course, that some kids will try to sneak over to the games instead of the lesson, but that’s not a generational thing; it’s human nature. And it shouldn't detract from the positive effects that lurk at our fingertips. 

What, we throw out the entire system because a few people corrupt it?

Voltaire taught us that perfect is the enemy of good. Well, electronic tools can be harnessed for good. Lots of good.

Instead of crusading to get phones and tablets out of the hands of students, let’s search for more ways to make each gadget an accessory to education. If, over time, spell check can help a grown man - who we normally view as stuck in his old habits - to become more proficient with language skills, then imagine what other devices can do if unleashed upon minds that are more naturally open to learning.

I spell that S-u-c-c-e-s-s.

Dom Testa is an author, speaker, morning radio show host, and has kept a ficus tree alive for twenty-four years. He’s also the founder and president of The Big Brain Club, a non-profit student-development foundation. His new book, Smart Is Cool, is now available. More info at www.DomTesta.com.

Forever In Our Hearts, We Are Forever Changed #Sept11 #America

Today is an important day to teach your children about America and what happened on September 11, 2001. This day in history has changed many things in our era. How do you teach what you heard, what you felt and how America stood still and just watched in horror as the twin towers just fell like dust. I remember I was at home watching TV, my son was at school, my middle daughter was just a year old. My husband had been gravely ill and in and out of the hospital and we were more focused on that at the time. Life has changed for us since then so much, it is hard to imagine.
Today we will study America on 9-11-01 since my 2 girls are old enough now to understand the complexity of terrorism and evil now.

Some links to use are

• http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
• http://www.911memorial.org/
• http://www.notebookingnook.com/freebie-911-never-forget-notebooking-pages/
• http://heartofthematteronline.com/911-10-years-later-a-unit-study/ 
• http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/chronology.attack/index.html
• http://timeline.national911memorial.org/#/Explore/2
• http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/lists/by-name/
• https://www.teachervision.com/us-history/current-events/71110.html
• https://www.teachervision.com/us-history/tragedy/6807.html?detoured=1 (more links on this page)
• http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/homeschool-lesson-plans/911-2/

United We Stand ~ You Are Forever In Our Hearts 

Dedicated to those lost in the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks 

Post by Kristy Sinsara.

       

    

Snow Cream Ice Cream & Some Snow Chemistry Lessons

Snow Chemistry credit About.com 

This first recipe uses snow and salt to freeze the ice cream (an example of freezing point depressions), but this recipe doesn't involve actually eating the snow (the rest of the recipes do). 

This is a great recipe if you want to play with the snow, but don't consider it clean enough to eat.
Fill a gallon freezer bag halfway full with snow or crushed ice.
Add ~6 tablespoons of salt to the snow. This will lower the freezing point of the snow so you can freeze your ice cream.
In a quart ziploc bag, mix:
1/2 cup half and half
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zip up the quart bag, squeezing out any excess air, and put it inside the gallon bag.
Close up the gallon bag, again removing any excess air since it makes mixing difficult.
Wear gloves or else put a dry kitchen towel between your hands and the snow/salt bag. Squish the bags with your hands until the ice cream is frozen.
Remove the smaller bag and enjoy your frozen treat!

Snow cream ice cream recipes-- our favorites (yes we eat the snow---gasp--- get over it, you eat worse things, breath in worse things, so just eat the snow-- as long as it is white, not yellow, lol.

Snow Ice Cream Recipe #1

This is a classic recipe that works really well because the sweetened condensed milk is thick and helps hold quickly melting snow together.

• 1 gallon or big bowl of clean snow (if you like, you can put the bowl outdoors to collect it as it falls)
• 1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the ingredients together and eat the snow ice cream. Yummy!

Snow Ice Cream Recipe #2

• 1 gallon or big bowl full of snow
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup cream or milk

Again, just mix the ingredients together. You get the idea.

Chocolate Snow Ice Cream

• big bowl of snow
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup chocolate milk

Chocolate Snow Ice Cream Recipe #2

• big bowl of snow
• 1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• chocolate syrup or cocoa powder, to taste

Other Snow Ice Cream Variations

Some people like to substitute rum for the vanilla. You could add pureed fruit, such as strawberry or peaches. You may enjoy making a sort of snow ice cream float made by dropping a scoop of snow ice cream into your favorite soda.

Snow ice cream does not re-freeze well, so mix the ice cream and eat it immediately. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween~~

 Today is Halloween and the excitement is here at our house, even though my kids are getting older they still love to dress up and go out on Halloween night, round up all the candy they can and come home with gooey sticky teeth. I will have to admit that this mom loves it too.
I also love these Peanuts pics, one of my all time favorites for holiday viewing, they are just timeless.

Top Pet Safety Tips This Halloween : Learn With Us

Great information from PetMD.com :

Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a downright nightmare. Forgo the stress and dangers this year by following these 10 easy tips.

1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.

All forms of chocolate -- especially baking or dark chocolate -- can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween.

Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable nonetheless.

3. Keep pets confined and away from the door.

Not only will your door be constantly opening and closing on Halloween, but strangers will be dressed in unusual costumes and yelling loudly for their candy. This, of course, is scary for our furry friends. Dogs are especially territorial and may become anxious and growl at innocent trick-or-treaters. Putting your dog or cat in a secure room away from the front door will also prevent them from darting outside into the night … a night when no one wants to be searching for a lost loved one.

4. Keep your outdoor cats inside several days before and several days after Halloween.

Black cats are especially at risk from pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. In fact, many shelters do not adopt out black cats during the month of October as a safety precaution.

5. Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach.

Although they are relatively nontoxic, such plants can induce gastrointestinal upset should your pets ingest them in large quantities. Intestinal blockage can even occur if large pieces are swallowed. And speaking of pumpkins …

6. Don't keep lit pumpkins around pets.

Should they get too close, they run the risk of burning themselves or knocking it over and causing a fire.

7. Keep wires and electric light cords out of reach.

If chewed, your pet could cut himself or herself on shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

8. Don't dress your pet in a costume unless you know they'll love it.

If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict movement, hearing, or the ability to breathe or bark and meow.

9. Try on pet costumes before the big night.

If they seem distressed, allergic, or show abnormal behavior, consider letting them go in their “birthday suit”. Festive bandanas usually work for party poopers, too.

10. IDs, please!

If your dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase the chances that they will be returned. Just make sure the information is up-to-date, even if your pet does have one of those fancy-schmancy embedded microchips.

 

We love our furbabies and wanted to learn more about taking care of them at Halloween, thank you for learning too!