Homeschool Alumni Socialization Blues

We spent the weekend at a winter family camp. Israel Wayne spoke and Kevin and I were challenged by what he shared. Israel Wayne is a writer and speaker on home schooling. We had a blast visiting with others, rollerskating, sledding, volleyball, chapel time, celebrating Isaac's 13th birthday, etc, etc. I'm sharing a song Mr. Wayne sang. It was fun and home schoolers will get a kick out of it. Maybe others will too. The number one question we as home schoolers get asked is often, "What about socialization?" It's often assumed that since we home school we don't know how to talk to and have relationships with anyone outside our family life. We know that's not true but it gets asked again and again all the same. We enjoyed getting to know Israel and his sister. There are other YouTube videos on Israel speaking about home schooling.

Song...

If you haven't seen a Tim Hawkins video you are in for a treat. Here are a few of our favorites. On the sidebar on youtube you can click on more.

The Government Can Song

What you don't say to your wife.

Homeschool Blues

Homeschool Family

The Simple Life...

I think we have opened 15 quarts of home canned green beans in one week. We have spent $150 less this month than last month and those green beans probably helped:) We've had roast, hamburgers, baked potatoes, chicken and green beans are liked by every person in our family and go with everything. We opened beets and carrots and Kevin and I were the only ones who ate them. I always hope to can as many green beans as I possibly can do but with eating them fresh during the season we seem to run out of the canned ones every year.

Today, I am trying soaked whole grain bread. I freshly ground the flour for it and added the first ingredients and now it sits soaking for 24 hours. I am anxious to try this recipe. I haven't liked the last soaked bread recipe we did. I hope this is more like "real" bread. http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/01/kitchen-tip-tuesday-homemade-bread.html The pictures look good.

Off to watch a Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mystery. They are as corny as the books :) We sure are enjoying laughing at Frank and Joe and the fact that each show is identical except for a little variation on the mystery to solve. Have a good day!

Water Kefir...

Here are some interesting tutorials on making water kefir... I am old school and if it is working and I like the taste I stay with the same old recipe. I am interested in trying these different tecniques though.

http://zoevblog.com/2010/03/17/what-is-water-kefir-and-how-to-make-it/

www.nourishedkitchen.com/water-kefir/

http://www.waterkefirgrains.com/

It explains some health benefits in water kefir grains.com and the zoeblog is real good. It does not explain when to drink it; before a meal, with a meal or after a meal. Since in assists digestion I drink it with a meal and it is refreshing. I prefer it to soda pop now as soda is too much sugar and leaves me with a gut ache usually. Water kefir detoxes and is supposed to help cut down cravings for sugar. When I first started drinking it I had a noticeable change in how I felt after eating. I've been drinking it since last June so my body is used to it and sometimes even craves it. It is a good alternative to milk probiotics. I can eat yogurt but don't prefer it. Have a good day!

Cute moments...

Lena is licking her ice cream off her plate. We had just finished some one's birthday cake and ice cream. She really enjoyed it until the very last lick.

Last week flew by. I seem to accomplish nothing. I watched a few movies I checked out from the library but I watched them most after everyone is in bed so what do I do all day besides school and the normal stuff? I am the kind of person who has to see something changed, different, done to feel like I've accomplished anything. Today, Em and I had a new cleaning job (Thanks K.). I really appreciated it and please do let me know if anyone else in your area would like to have us clean. I think I could handle two in one day.

I tried to make money the easy way and that didn't work out for me. Pracs had a great study this last weekend ($3000) for only 4 days this month and 4 days next month. I was really hoping and I shouldn't have but I was counting on getting into it. They called me the day before and said they couldn't accept me because of a vitamin I took in December. They want you to be clean of anything. So, I'll try again and hope again for a quicker way to make some cash. I was a real downer for my family this weekend. You just shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch. I had that money spent six different ways. I'm off to figure out lunch and supper for Thursday! Have a great day!

Happy Birthday....

to Grandpa Richard. It's Grandpa's birthday and like usual I saw that fact and then realized I didn't get a card off in time. We sent a bunch of emails and sometimes he looks at my blog. He's probably in bed already as he tends to go to bed somewhere around 7 I think! I cannot even imagine going to bed before 11 p.m. (we usually end up in bed around midnight and sometimes that's early). I would lie awake for hours if I went to bed before 10 anyway. We wish him a very Happy Birthday though and hope he had a great day. The kids were trying to figure out your age Grandpa and I said I think he was born 1944 or 45 and one of them said "Grandpa's 45!" like it was real old. I guess their dad and I are getting up there in age then! :)

Here were the only pictures I got of Grandpa last weekend. Lena likes Grandpa!