~YUM~

Just had to share this yummy dessert! Thanks to Make it and Love it!

If you like those orange cream popsicles...you will love this!

The two things I changed were...

~ I didn't measure the sherbet...I just used one container...next time I would use one container for the top and one for the bottom! (I have a small army to feed remember!)

~I used a 9 x 13 pan

I have been loving anything cold...icecream, smoothies, frosties, iced coffee, icecream cake...you get the picture:-) This is at the top of the yum list!

~Back to School - Day 3~

Our school stuff fits in here...

This is in the corner of the dinning room

For several years, we had school in a school room. The little guys played in the play room...which I could see at all times. Last year, that just wasn't going to work. I love the 12' counter with everyone having their own workspace, but with teaching three at once, we really needed to sit together.

We migrated to the living/dinning room. I still wanted to be able to "put school away" so we purchased this filing cabinet. This is how I have it organized.

Top drawer...art supplies and small stuff...glue sticks, pens, markers, dry earse markers, paint, paper clips, tape, etc. (I put it in the top drawer so the little guys can't get to it!)

2nd drawer...school books...I have hanging folders in there for each subject and the teacher books and boys books all go in there. Often, in the morning, I will pull out all the books we will be using that day and once they are all put away...we are done!

3rd drawer...other supplies...white, colored and lined paper, sheet protectors, folders, stickers, activity bags for the younger two. I also keep an "idea" folder for us to do "someday." I try to go through that every couple weeks...normally I can find something that fits right in with what we are studying!

4th drawer...folders...as the boys finish with a workbook page or printout they simply put it in their folder in the bottom drawer. Once a week (or so) we file them in the portfolios. It is so easy to get behind in this area! and I found this system to work very well for us last year.

Top...tissues, scissors, colored pencils, pencils, clip boards. All this gets put on the table in the morning, and put back when we are done. Again, the little guys can't reach it!

Everything is close by, but can be cleaned up very quickly!

~A Little of This...A Little of That~

I finally had a free moment to venture up to the garden...

I found a little bit of everything ready! Isn't it so pretty!

I was disappointed that almost all the pickles were rotting and the green beans were all dried up. My tomatoes are also looking odd. Like they have stretch marks...not enough water maybe!?!? Maybe too much!??! It sure is a good thing I don't have to survive on this! Always learning a little more:-)

~Back to School - Day 2~

Our first day of school went well! Here is my next fun find...
Math...gotta start math on time...or you'll be doing it all summer! My younger boys use Saxon Math. Jordan started using Teaching Textbooks last year and I loved it! No grading math papers for me!!! The math program is on a CD and Jordan just goes and does his math...it is graded...and I don't do a thing!!! Unless he needs some help:-)

I was struggling with "teaching" everyone everything and then checking their work. Checking math was not a priority for me and Jordan's math scores showed it. Math was an easy one to pass off on someone else with this program. The teacher on the CD explains everything...you can listen over and over and the teacher never gets frusterated! Imagine that! Not only is this easier on Jordan and I...his math scores went up!

~Back to School - Day 1~

*Sigh*...can you believe it's that time of year again! I am no more excited than the boys...*another longer sigh*!

It is our habit to start school on the first Monday of August. I am always glad to be done early in May...but this year I could have used a few more weeks off. I am planning on taking about 3 weeks off after baby:-)!!!!!! That will be a welcome break!

Anyway, since I am busy getting back into our school routine...I thought I'd share some of the stuff we have planned for this year! Geography was the most exciting....

Voice of the Martyrs has a childrens magazine called Kids of Courage. They also have activity books that go along with each magazine.

In short, each magazine talks about a different country. Think...maps, flags, food, language, crafts! FREE!!! We already looked through one...and can't wait to start on it for real! The activity books are full color spiral bound and have coloring pages, word puzzles, stories, facts, etc... They do have a $15 fee for those (I got them half price at my homeschool convention) but I am seeing that you can download some of them for free from their website.

They only come out 4 times a year so I bought some back issues to get us through this school year...hoping to do one country a month (7 in a year).

The best part is...we will be seeing these people/countries through God's eyes. Stories of individuals persecuted for Christ's sake!

Our geography book last year was too "pretend" for them...I am sure the boys will really like these stories and projects!

~What Boys do on a Summer Saturday~

This is what the three oldest boys LOVE to do anytime...but Saturday seems to be filled with tunning up, cleaning up and racing! They were clocked at 22 mph! (I tried to upload video...but it didn't work)

This is what I found the two little guys doing after supper...

They learn quickly don't they!

~Quilt Top~

I'm soooo excited to share this with you! The top left block is January...the bottom right block is December.

I ended up not waiting for the final directions on putting the quilt together...I feel like I am limited in my time this month and really would like to get this done before the baby arrives!

I wasn't liking how the blocks were all so different...I know, it is a sampler, but I still needed something to bring it all together. I decided on a boarder around each block. I really like the results!

I still need to "quilt" it...maybe next week:-)