Weekend Links ll June 30, 2023

 

Me? Teach Shakespeare?

Fourth of July Sensory Bin

Famous Authors Every Teen Should Know

12 Steps for Composer Study When You Dislike Classical Music

Your Ultimate List of Fun Math Games

15 Educational Apps for Tweens & Teens

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

Spent some time this week baking with the teenagers.  I love seeing my older son grow in his confidence as he helps out at meal time, and my daughter's baking experience is just exploding.  She's rarely afraid to take on the challenge.  They're fun to be with in the kitchen.

What I'm Reading:

I'm currently reading A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck.  We've previous read some of his other work and they've been pretty funny.  I've heard good things about this one and so far, it does not disappoint.

What I'm Doing:

Josiah and I have been playing board games several times a week.  He picks one day and I pick later in the week.  So we've really been going through our game collection.  Most days he picks Monopoly, but I'm always looking for the game we haven't played in awhile.  This afternoon we played Flag Frenzy and I actually felt like I was starting to recognize some of the flags by the end.

What I'm Enjoying:

Cornmeal mush...

Evenings in the pool...

Family bowling...

Playing the piano...

Tomatoes in the garden...

What are you up to?

Letters of Comfort {Review}

 

Book #2 in The Friendship Letters series, Letter of Comfort focuses on Doretta Schwartz, a young woman who's life takes a sharp turn when her fiance is killed in an accident.  Struggling with her own recovery an depression, she isolates herself and closes herself off to love and family.  Doretta becomes determined to forget and bury her pain through staying busy.  When an opportunity arises for her to work at the local health food store, it seems like the perfect distraction.  But things might be more complicated than they seem.

This series just keeps getting better.  I originally read book #1, Letters of Trust, earlier this year so I had some context for the characters in this series.  But Letters of Comfort goes even deeper, dealing with grieving and depression in a very real way.  Brunstetter does a very good job of representing all those emotions in an authentic manner, and creates very true to life characters.  Although this is the second in the series, it could easily be read as a stand alone title.  So real and honest... I definitely recommend this one!

*Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of this title from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

2 Ingredient Cloud Dough {Pinterest Inspired}

*This post was originally published on 7/27/16.  Enjoy!                                            

                                                

My kids love all kinds of play dough.  They could spend hours molding and playing with it.  Between our basic play dough recipe, this peppermint variation, and this pink lemonade variety, we are constantly making sensory doughs.  Especially now in the summer, we love having the time to experiment with play dough.

So when I came across this cloud dough recipe on pinterest, I knew we had to try it.  And what could be simpler than flour and baby oil?  

Basic Cloud Dough

8 c. flour

1 c. baby oil (we used lavender)

closable shoebox from Dollar Tree

Just mix it all together and store in an airtight container (we used a shoebox)!

Couldn't be any easier, could it?

The verdict?

The kids love it, especially my 8 and 4 year olds.  It's so soft and shapes well.  It really does live up to it's name; you feel like you're touching a cloud.  Plus the lavender scent is beautiful.  

So tell me...

Have you ever made cloud dough?

Amish Friends One Pan Wonders Cookbook {Review}

 

As a busy mom, I'm always looking for one dish meals to save time and mess.  I have teenagers so hardy meals are as must as well.  So I was excited to review this cookbook from Amish fiction writer, Wanda E. Brunstetter.  The sample I recived covered the first fifty pages which was mostly the breakfast section.  Many of the dishes include eggs and can be prepared in one pan as promised.  The directions were clear and the pictures were beautiful.  The recipes seem fairly simple and would make a nice gift for newlyweds.  This also the type of cookbook that I might use myself with some adjustments to seasoning.  From the sample, this looks like a nice quality cookbook.

*Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this cookbook from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Weekend Links ll June 23, 2023

 

Free Anatomy Coloring Pages and More!

Jerked Chicken Bowls with Mango Salsa and Coconut Rice

Free Printables for Learning the Constitution

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Tex Mex Chicken Chopped Salad

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

My favorite meal this week was definitely last night's dinner.  We made one of our favorites: stuffed bell peppers and cornbread.  Both are so good and so filling.  I can't believe how sweet the bell peppers become when they're cooked and the filling is wonderful.

Second place would have to go to the chocolate peanut butter cake my daughter and I made for Father's Day.  Double chocolate cake with peanut butter filling and a rich chocolate frosting.  So goooooood!

What I'm Reading:

I'm currently reading Letters of Comfort by Wanda Brunstetter.  This isn't typically my favorite Amish fiction writer, but I have been pleasantly surprise by the realness in this book and I'm really enjoing it.  It's been a hard one to put down in the evenings.

What I'm Doing:

Tending to the garden and making sure everything is fertilized well before the heat hits next week.  We've been having a mild June and it's been wonderful to be in the backyard.  I'm trying to get both the citrus trees and roses fertilized this week so it can do it's work before the heat hits.

What I'm Enjoying:

Cool mornings...

Simple summer homeschool...

My audio Bible...

Board games...

Seeing our children study their Bibles...

What are you up to?

Five MORE Summer Tasks for the Homeschool Mom

 Yay!  Summer is here and the living is easy!  We've been out of school for three weeks already and it has been so refreshing.  We've been camping, hiking, celebrated Father's Day, and are finding a gentle and fun summer rhythm.  AND we just got through crazy fair drop-offs so I am definitly breathing a sigh of relief!

If you're anything like me, you're probably soaking up the summer fun as well.  But as hard as it is to admit, summer will eventually end and the new school year will come.  So I'm working on some low-stress prep in the coming months to make our upcoming school year even smoother.  Here are five task I'm adding to my to-do list (for my original 7 Summer Tasks, click here):

1. Reading Lists-- As my kids are moving into high school, I'm realizing how many things I still have to teach them.  The time just seems to be flying by.  So this year, I'm including personal development reading to our homeschool.  I surveyed a group of homeschool moms and feel like I've come up with a pretty good list.  Maybe you want to do the same.  Or maybe you have younger students that you want to create reading lists for that incorporate history or character development.  A few years ago, I shared how I created reading lists on our local library website.  Summer is a great time to research and collect those resources to have them ready in September.

2. Restock Supplies-- Back to school supply sales are coming.  Whether it's a new set of watercolor paints or every type of paper under the sun, July sales are a great time to stock up.  Now that my kiddos are getting older I focus on all the different types of paper I need: lined, composition notebooks, graph paper, and mixed media just to name a few.  Other than that, we get some art supplies, pens and pencils, and we're set.

3. Continuing Ed-- Summer is also a great time for continuing ed.  Previously I shared my continuing ed plans here.  Now with kids in high school, it's becoming even more important.  This year, I'm brushing up on some of my favorite philosophy books, taking a class on C.S. Lewis' work, and practicing in my own nature journal.  It doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.  Just keep learning and growing!

4. Plan a Daily Schedule-- Each year our needs change.  And the needs of each child is very different.  It seems like we just settle into a weekly schedule, and things flip-flop.  Now is a great time to make a rough draft of next year's schedule.  When will you have co-op classes?  Are any kids taking piano lessons?  When will you schedule nature hikes?  Looking at next year's schedule, I'm seeing that lunch will have to float several times a week.  That's a great thing for me to keep in mind now so I can make a plan for helping lunch go smoothly in the new year.

5. Prep Some Lunches and Snacks-- Speaking of prep work, this month I'm prepping some sample meal plans as well as making some easy lunches and snacks for the freezer.  Most of the time our lunches are pretty simple, but it's always to have things planned ahead.    

I'm excited for the 2023-24 school year!  I think it's going to be a good one.

Anyone else planning over the summer?

Weekend Links ll June 16, 2023

Free Map Printables

Free Printable Reading Passports

Free Geocaching Journal Printables

20 Questions Every Parent Should Be Able to Answer About Education

Under the Sea Word Search

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

This week was pretty basic, but my favorite was definitely BLT's on sourdough.  We've been loving those lately and they are definitely a great way to beat the heat in the summer. 

What I'm Reading:

My current non-fiction read is Homeschool Bravely.  I read this one every summer to get back in the groove for the upcoming school year.  Definitely an encouraging read and one of my top five favorite homeschool books.

What I'm Doing:

Summer schedule is in full swing, but this week we added our light homeschool summer work.  I've been laying out options for my 7th grader every day and he picks about 3-4 items to work on besides practicing the piano.  Hoping to film a video soon 'cause I'm really liking the system we came up with this summer.

What I'm Enjoying:

Swimming..

soft service ice cream cones...

watching my kids discover new gifts...

time to read...

summer baking...

What are you up to?

The One and Only Ruby {Review}

 

From author Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ruby introduces readers to a little elephant named Ruby.  Ruby's tusk day is coming and she finds herself struggling to celebrate.  While living in an animal sanctuary, Ruby recounts her story and struggle to friends, Ivan and Bob.  Can she find acceptance of her past in order to enjoy this rite of passage?  Or will she run away instead?

This is a sweet animal story geared toward middle grades 5-8th.  Ruby is so precious and shares her feelings in an age appropriate way.  I loved how she narrates her growth process and finally vocalizes what's really bothering her.  It's a great model for young readers to identify their emotions as well.  Katherine Applegate draws on her previous characters, Ivan and Bob, to establish a familiar context for readers as well.  The story is written in sweet and approachable way, exposing readers to Ruby's plight without being too overwhelming.  All in all, another win in the "One and Only" series.

*Disclaimer: I reieved a free copy of this title from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Five Summer Must Haves ll Collab

*This post was originally published on 5/18/18.  Enjoy!



(Click on post for video)

Today I'm joining in a a collab sharing our Five Summer Must Haves... check out our must haves for enjoying the lazy, crazy days of summer.

Collab Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5GkvzudsTs4tQVgDwX4zWMWoA133r6gV&disable_polymer=true

Join The Creative2xmom Family on their journey of being a family of 5! 💑16yrs led to 👱12 yrs, 👧10 yrs, and 👱 6 yrs.

Contact us for business inquiries, reviews and collaborations: BethAnn_97@hotmail.com

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FTC DISCLOSURE: This video is not sponsored.

Weekend Links ll June 9, 2023

 

Teacher Appreciation Ideas for Parents & Administrators

Little House on the Prairie Printables

and Unit Studies

100 Fun and Eduational Games for Homeschooling

20 Good Manners to Teach Your Children

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

This week we found a chickpea and spinach "stew" recipe that we wanted to try.  It looked really good, basic, nutritious, economical.... what's not to love?  I started getting everything out and my husband said, "Whoa!  That's a lot of cumin."  But I was in a hurry... trying to get dinner on the table... tired and spacey and didn't really pay attention to the comment.  I think you see where I'm going with this. :-)

So yummy, but definitely lit a fire in my belly.  We like it, but it definitely needs some tweaking.  Hoping to share it with you all soon.  It is all the things it promised to be... economical, nutritious, quick... but the spice level needs some work so I'll share it with my notes when we figure it out.

What I'm Reading:

My current non-fiction read is Now I Am Known by Peter Mutabazi.  I happened to stumble upon his instagram and was inspired by his foster parenting journey.  From there, I happened to find his book and ordered it from the library.  This man's life story is crazy.  Looking for inspiration?  Check it out!

What I'm Doing:

We're on summer schedule... Noah graduated two weeks ago so I'm recovering from that.  Trying to get our school supplies cleaned up and put away for the next student, and organize what we'll be working on next year.  And in the meantime, I squeezed in some time to can some frozen blackberries.

What I'm Enjoying:

Summer thunderstorms...

Thriving tomato plants...

Camping...

Tuttle Twins books...

Peanut butter!!!

What are you up to?

34 Things Every Married Couple Should Try Together

*This poast was originally published on 6/23/14.  Enjoy!

  

 My husband and I were in the grocery checkout line this morning.  A rare treat we had to spend time together.  I was glancing at the trashy gossip magazines, skimming the headlines.  And it saddened me to see another marriage breaking up.  An 18 year marriage reduced to the headline in a trashy gossip magazine.  And it just reminded me that we never get to rest.

We're approaching our 13 year anniversary this year and on occasion, I find myself thinking, "Hey we're actually doing well."  It's so easy to breath a sign of relief thinking, "This is it!  We made it!"  How easy it would be to just relax and coast from here, thinking 13 years qualifies us for a break.

But it's stories like this that just remind me that there's never a time for rest, never a time for thinking we've proven our commitment.  Thinking over the past 13 years and all the years we still have together (Lord willing), I'm reminded of the big (and little) ways that my husband and I have stregthened our relationship and plan to continue growing in our marriage.

1. Take a hike in the mountains
2. Star gaze in the backyard
3. Take a picnic to the lake
4. Dream storm about the future
5. Keep a letter journal
6. Read a book together
7. Play on a sports team
8. Have a picnic on the beach
9. Watch a thunder storm
10. Go on a mission trip
11. Host a small group
12. Take a walk in the rain
13. Go to a concert in the park
14. Kayak on a lake or ocean
15. Go camping
16. See a play
17. Zipline in a rain forest
18. Plant a tree
19. Travel overseas
20. Cook a new meal
21. Take a class together
22. Volunteer in ministry together
23. Go on a trip with your in-laws
24. Find a workout your both enjoy
25. Ride a rollercoaster
26. Host a block party
27. Pray
28. Go to a professional sports game
29. Learn to dance
30. Go tubing down the river
31. Work on a project together
32. Plan a second honeymoon
33. Split "his" and "hers" favorite desserts
34. Have a couple's massage

How do you keep your marriage strong?