Warm Comfort!

     One thing I love on cold days is the warmth of hot chocolate.  For a short time as I drink my warm cup of hot chocolate, I feel life stresses melt away.  Tonight as I am writing this I am drinking a cup.  After the long day I had, I needed it.  Tonight's cup of hot chocolate is full of peppermint, whipped cream, and crushed candy canes.

   Another way I find warm comfort is in God's Word.  I know the days I don't start off reading the Bible and getting time alone with my Savior, are the days that don't go as I planed.  Well let me say that it bothers me more on those days when things don't go as planed.  On those days I have learned that I need to stop everything I can and read, pray, cry out to God.

     One thing that a guest pastor talked about at our churches marriage conference this past spring was that it is ok for us to express our emotions to God.  He can handle it if we need to yell and cry out to Him.  Yes, you heard me we can yell at God if we are upset. It is ok to get upset with God when you feel things are to much.  David yelled at God, have you ever read Psalms?  David yells at God a lot in Psalms.   Let it out, and give it to God.

     I know that not everything is solved by this, but you can ask God to help you.  To help you get through the pain of loss.  That pain may never truly go away, but you can cry out to God to help you work through the feelings you are going through.  He is there of His children, he wants to hold us and help us.  He can help us endure physical pain, cry out to Him, he is the great physician.  If you fell lost and drowning in life He can help with that too.  We just need to ask for His help.

     That is what God is teaching me lately.  To lean on Him, during all aspects of my life.  He is there for me.  He want me to ask Him for help.  What is God teaching you?

Until Next Time,
Pitters

Unit Studies: Using American Girl History Dolls

     This year for fourth grade we are doing unit studies with our daughter.  We are starting with Kaya, she is the Native American history girl.  My daughter and I are enjoying reading the books and doing a few crafts. Of this unit we are also going to be using the other resources from National Geographic, Usborne Books, and many others.  This years history unit studies all came about because of my daughters love for American Girl Dolls.  She loves reading the books about the different dolls.  How many of you also have daughters that love 18in dolls?

     I like how we have the freedom to use materials and books that our kids love to help them learn different subjects.


List of books we are using this year for 4th grade history.

* all the historic doll books from American Girl
* The Frist Americans (Usborne Books & More)
* Timelines of World History (Usborne Books & More)
* Various books from the Library about the time period we are studying.

     We also use Pinterest to find crafts and recipes.

Getting Ready for Christmas!!

     Now that Thanksgiving is over, my focus is now on getting ready for Christmas.  We usually we decorate the week after Thanksgiving. Most time the weekend of Thanksgiving.  This year I was booked for Small Business Saturday so it will happen this week.  Every year the kids love helping to decorate.  They each have their own ornaments that they place on the tree. 

     Every year we bake cookies for our neighbors.  Our kids enjoy making the cookies and packaging them up. Our neighbors seem to be happy to receive them every year. This year we have a couple new families that we are looking forward to making cookies for.

 
     Our little dog know what our stockings are.  When she sees them she cries for hers.  I know, I know, we are the crazy pet owner types.  Our dogs this year are being spoiled with a bark box subscription for a few months.  We have already received the first one and yes I wrapped it up for them for under the tree.

     I hope to share with all of you the things we do to get ready for Christmas and how we celebrate as a family.  So many fun things coming this Holiday Season.


Until Next Time,
Pitters

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

     So with just over a week away from Thanksgiving we have started to gear up to the week to come.  With all of the regular craziness of life it will be nice to slow down a bit next week.  We take to whole week of Thanksgiving off from school work.  Mostly because mom is busy cooking, baking, and prepping for Thanksgiving Day.  This week we will do all of the shopping for Thanksgiving along with our regular shopping.  This weekend the stores are going to be packed.  Knowing that a head of time I have to make sure I have a good list of what I need from each store we are going to.  I know is sounds crazy but yes I grocery shop at 3-4 stores every other week.  Mostly because Walmart has stopped price matching.  During the holidays many stores have to good of deals to pass up. Like Hy-Vee they have buy a ham get a turkey free.  Some things I get are only found at one store in the area.  Bakers has an amazing cheese area, with specialty cheese from all around the world.  Many I have not found at other places.

     So what 3-4 stores do I shop?  Well in our area we have quite a few, but I mostly patron Hy-Vee, Bakers, Neighborhood Walmart, and sometimes Family Fair.  I look through the ads for the stores and then make a list of what is a sale at that store I need for my menu.  I also make a list of things I need that are not on sale and then pick them up as I find a good price.  Many of those items are things I get on a regular bases and so I know what stores usually have the best price.

     As I plan for any grocery shopping trip I think of the following verse.

She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
-Proverbs 31:14

I try to buy the best quality and good variety for our family, even if it means going to 4 stores some weeks.

Until Next Time,
Pitters

Family Laundry!

    Our house hold is large.  In our household there is our four kids, my mom, my father-in-law, my aunt and my husband and I.  Yes we are a house hold of nine.  I sat down trying to decide how to do that much laundry.  So I decided to make up a schedule.  I have two family members on most days Monday - Friday.  Bathroom and Kitchen towels are a couple times a week.  I try not to have to do laundry on Saturdays and Sundays.

     My kids started helping with laundry when they were about 5 years old.  It started with them putting thing in their dirty clothing in baskets and helping put away clean laundry.  As they got older they helped more and more.  Now my kids do all their own laundry, some times they have to learn the hard way that if they don't do their laundry then they don't have clean clothing.

     I feel that teaching our children at a young age to help with their laundry and then do their laundry as they get a little older is a valuable life skill.   We are raising future adults, not children.  Ok let me say this yes my kids have had freedom to be kids.  On the flip side of that, they also have been thought to clean up after themselves with age appropriate chores. I want my kids to be good room mates and some day a good husband or wife.

     My hope is to post more tips about cleaning and decorating our homes.


Until next time
Pitters

How We Use Usborne Books & More in our Homeschool

     Let me start off saying that we have not always used books From Usborne and Kane Miller in our homeschool classroom.  About two years ago I as reintroduced to Usborne Books & More.  About a year after that I joined my friend in the Usborne Books & More business.  So when I share about Usborne Books & More please know that I might share my website from time to time.  So if I share that link and you order please note you are helping me in my small business.

     Currently my daughter is reading books from our Ella Diaries a series.  This book series has helped my daughter learn to love reading.  If your daughter like books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, then your daughter just might like Ella Diaries.

Disclamer: This is the link to my Usborne Books & More Website. I am an independent consultant with Usborne Books & More.  If you use this link to buy any books I will recessive compensation.

https://p5875.myubam.com/search?q=Ella+Diaries

     My 12 year old is reading books from our Extreme Adventures series.  So far he has read three of the books.  Scorpion Sting, Bear Attack, and Spider Bite.  He loves the books because the main characters are about his age.

Disclamer: This is the link to my Usborne Books & More Website. I am an independent consultant with Usborne Books & More.  If you use this link to buy any books I will recessive compensation.

https://p5875.myubam.com/search?q=Extreme+Adventures

     I am thinking about doing a book or book series highlight of Usborne Books & More a couple times a month.  Let me know if you all would like me to do this.

Soul Detox Devotional I am working through.

     I am still reading through the Soul Detox Devotional this week in my quite time.  You can find it on the Bible App. It is by Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life Church.

     This week is about cultural toxins.  The first day of this week talks about were do cultural toxins come from?  They come from music, magazines, movies, television, and so may other places.  Cultural toxins are things that are culturally acceptable, but if we are living for God are not,  according to His standards.  Craig Groeschel challenges the reader with the following.  "What are some of the cultural toxins you currently have in your life?  How have you seen these toxins pollute your life?"

     I was challenged with this a few years ago also by one of our pastors through a sermon he gave.  At the time it was season 2 or 3 of Grey's Anatomy.  That show for me was a cultural toxin.  Many may disagree with me, but for me I was challenged in my heart by God.  I have not seen an episode since.

     When I was a young Christian I was challenged by God with the music I was listening too.  I was a young single mom of boys.  Did I want my sons to listen to music that degraded women, talked about inappropriate things in this life, or about killing people?  That is not what I wanted my children hearing and I knew that was not what I should be listening too.  For the most part we only listen to Christian music and we are selective of the other music we allow in our home.  Once again this is some thing I have felt placed on my heart.  Not everyone has the same convictions, and that is ok.

The verses for todays devotional are:

[Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.  It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.
Proverbs 25:26-27]

[Dear friends, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God.  Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
3 John 1:11]

So dear reader my challenge to you is to get alone with God and ask Him what are the cultural toxins in your life? How can you remove any that are influencing your life?

Homemade Meat Sauce for Spaghetti

Homemade spaghetti sauce does not have to be hard to make.  I made a homemade sauce in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Meat
2- 15oz cans tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (I use the brand Cento in a tube)
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 small onion diced small
1 bell pepper any color diced small
3 cloves of garlic finely diced


1. In a deep sided frying pan cook the meat all the way through.
2. Add the garlic, onions, and bell pepper. Cook until tender.
3. Add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Stir for a couple minuets.
4. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine.  Let simmer for about 8 minutes.
5. Add sauce to your favorite pasta and enjoy.

Let me know if you try this or any of the recipes I share.

Homeschool Does Not Always Have to be at Home

     I don't know how many times my kids or myself have been asked do you like just sitting at home all day, everyday?  Really people, I could ask your child the same thing, about sitting in a classroom all day.  Ok, first off yes we mostly do school in our home, but we also have the freedom to take our learning and even our book work on the road.  We also don't do all of our work at desks or tables. 
   
     For example last week my 12 year old (7th grader) was able to go with our aunt to our church's car care.  He was able to help one of the pastors change the breaks on her van.  He was able to work along side a man that was teaching him a very valuable life skill.  He has been able to help with our car care ministry before.  Most of the time it is getting tools and putting things away, but some times he get hands on lesson.  Any work he does is double checked by the adult in charge that day.  It has sparked an interest for him, he has been talking about looking into going to school for auto maniacs.  in the coming months and as he gets older he hope to help more with that ministry.

     In the past we have taken our books to a park just to get some fresh air and when school work was done they could run and play.  We try to go on a variety of field trips with our kids.  Any were from the zoo to art museums.  All learning does not have to be book learning.  Many times I take the kids with me to grocery shop, this helps teach them about budget, menus, nutrition labels, price comparison, and so much more.  A nature hike can be just as informative, if not more, as reading a book about nature.

     So please if you are thinking about homeschooling or if you are new to it, please don't think you have to be stuck in the house all day, everyday.  I also did not talk about co-op classes or extra curricular actives you can do with your homeschoolers.  We don't personal do co-ops, but many of our friends do.  Our boys are in Boy Scouts and our daughter is in American Heritage Girls.  Our church also has a homeschool group that gets together a couple times a year for holiday parties, field trips, and track and field day. There are so many ways to homeschool and there is not really a wrong way.  As long as your children are learning and exploring you are doing great.

     If you homeschool already can you tell us some ways to break routine and get your kiddos out of the house during the school year.  If you don't homeschool but are thinking about it please ask questions and I will try and answer them.