Monthly Menu Planning

I have started shopping once a month for groceries, except for the perishables and things which require re-stocking (milk, bread, etc.). Doing this has cut our grocery bill in half, because I spend less money on junk and actually have enough food in the fridge/pantry for every night of the week. We still have been eating out more than we should especially since we trying to save money for another vehicle. So I thought I would share my menu for the month. Micah and Xavier cook on Monday nights so I even get 1 night off a week. That doesn't include the nights that Joel wants to cook out or make something new which is a couple of times a month. I am truly blessed!

1 - Stuffed Peppers
2 - Chef Salad
3 - Wings/Appetizer Night
4 - *4th July Cook Out
5 - Pork Chops
6 - M: Beef Stroganoff
7 - Shake/Bake Chicken
8 - Tacos
9 - French Dip Sandwiches
10 - BBQ Chicken
11 - Meatloaf
12 - Pork roast
13 - X: Beef Tips and Gravy
14 - Chicken Alfredo
15 - Subs
16 - Spaghetti
17 - Breakfast Burrito's
18 - Roast (beef)
19 - Stir Fry
20 - M: Sausage Pasta and Veggie Skillet
21 - BBQ Sandwiches
22 - Swedish Meatballs
23 - Kabasa
24 - Rotisserie Chicken
25 - Pork Chops
26 - Bacon Burgers
27 - X: still undecided
28 - Breakfast
29 - Pizza
30 - Chicken Salad
31 - Stuffed Shells

Now I need to figure out a breakfast menu in time to go grocery shopping this afternoon.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY June 29, 2009...

Outside my window...
the sun is shining, the birds are singing and unfortunately the flies are already buzzing around.

I am thinking...
of what I hope to accomplish today.

I am thankful for...
my family.

From the learning rooms...
math and science are on the agenda, along with some reading.

From the kitchen...
cupboards to go through and menu's to plan.

I am wearing...
pajamas (my normal outfit for the morning).

I am creating...
nothing at the moment, but have some plans running through my head.

I am reading...
Anne Frank (with the boys), Latin Road to English Grammar, Created To Be His Helpmeet, and my Bible

I am praying...
for family, friends and a new car.

I am hearing...
Xavier in the kitchen, Isaac watching cars and the hum of the AC.

Around the house...
we need to do some cleaning, and a load of laundry calls my name.

One of my favorite things...
seeing a child's smiling face when you first open your eyes.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
A visit to the library, grocery shopping, and buying a new desktop (hopefullly).

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
It is amazing how much children gro and change in a year!!

Indian Music & Storytelling

Jesus Freak!

Wordless Wednesday

Haircut!

Before....




After....

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY June 8, 2009...

Outside my window...
the sun is shining and the birds are gathered under the bird feeders.

I am thinking...
of the day ahead and the things I want to accomplish today

I am thankful for...
a wonderful church service yesterday morning & last night (we went to a new church)

From the learning rooms...
the boys have started their summer schedule which includes their summer reading goals, TX state history, spelling & math

From the kitchen...
I need to come up with this week's menu but tonight we will be chowing down on Chicken Alfredo, and I need to finish making the peanut butter cookies

I am wearing...
t-shirt and flowered skirt :-)

I am creating...
nothing at the moment, but I plan to make Isaac a pillow case & matching curtains this week and mend a couple of skirts.

I am going...
to the Dr. on Tuesday for Isaac's appoint (poor things needs a couple of shots, and an FRG coffee Saturday morning. If all goes well we will go to the library Tuesday evening.

I am reading...
The Love Dare (with Joel) and Created to Be His Help Meet.

I am hoping...
praying... for a quiet evening (lol).

I am hearing...
The movie "Cars", Micah in the kitchen, and the washer still going.

Around the house...
I need to finish up the laundry, go through baby clothes and mop the floors.

One of my favorite things...
watching Xavier read (he gets so into the book)

A few plans for the rest of the week:
continue reading and trying to apply what I have learned and possibly going to Wed. night service.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Simple Woman's Daybook

Simple Woman Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday May 11, 2009
Outside my window...
Cloudy skies, and the looks of rain

I am thinking...
Should I call the Dr. about Micah's tonsils or give it 1 more day (that is how long his brothers cold lasted this past week)

I am thankful for...
My dear husband, my 3 boys, and for the blessings and love that my Savior has shown me.

From the learning rooms...
We will continue our English & Math studies and hopefully finish up science and geography this week.

From the kitchen...
Oh, how I need to go to the grocery store. I think we will have sausage keish tonight.

I am wearing...
My pajamas ;-)

I am creating...
Well more like planning on creating a few skirts. Hopefully I will get one finished by the end of the week. However, I have some mending that is more of a priority.

I am going...
to keep living one day at a time

I am reading...
The Book of Peter in my Bible, and the Latin Road to English Grammar

I am hoping...
(Praying) for my DH cousin who is having medical problems, my Granny who is in the hospital. That Micah cold heals quickly and for a new vehicle as we have outgrown the little Tracker.

I am hearing...
Noises from the boys cleaning their rooms upstairs, dogs playing, Isaac driving his cars.

Around the house...
A cleaning is in order, laundry to be done, and a household manual to be worked on.

One of my favorite things...
A child's laughter!! What a joy to hear each day!!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
We will be at home the first part of the week, then things get a little bit busy. At some point I have to go get my 1st glucose test done this week.
Tuesday the pest control comes by for their preventive maintenance.
Thursday we need to our grocery shopping.
Friday is Field Day (being put on by a club in our local homeschool group).
Saturday I am taking some finger foods up to the church where our homeschool group's graduation and reception will be held.
Sunday - church of course

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Boat Has Been Rocked!

Yesterday I went for my ultrasound. I had a wonderful tech, we laughed, joked and yapped while she snapped the pics she was suppose to take of the baby. The boys were so upset they could not be there for the ultrasound (they went with me when I was prego with Isaac). The wanted to know the sex of the baby so bad. So I did a nice thing and had the tech write it in a piece of paper. I asked for her to just write it down so we could open it together. Forgetting that I was getting pics... She took a pic of the sex and stapled it into a piece of paper. I even looked away so I did not know.

Joel has been working midnight to noon shift. So he was asleep when I got home, and we waited, and waited. When he woke up we found out. I was in shock!! She wrote below the picture "3 bright white lines. A girl!!" and on the pic it was typed "Think Pink".

A GIRL!!!

Of course I was excited, but I was also in shock. I have 3 boys - this one definitely is gonna be different. The boat has been rocked for sure!! Last night I was scared. Girls have girly issues and DRAMA. Boys are easy. BUT by this morning I am already planning Mother - Daughter teas and Girl Scouts. Whoo Hoo! A girl!!

Who would have thought I would have ever had a girl.... only my Lord!! Praise his name! While I may have doubts of being a mom to a girl odviously He thought I could handle it ;-)

I guess it is time to change the name of my blog, lol
In Christ~
Tanya

Update on "us"

I know I have been pretty bad at posting (sorry). Things here are going well. We are still chugging away at school and slowly finishing up this year's curriculum. I have figured out almost all of my lesson plans for next school year. We are going to continue a few studies through the summer months. Which will help the boys not forget things they have learned over the year and give us the ability to take a little time off when the baby is born.

We are still using the workboxes (oh what a wonderful idea). It is not a miracle worker... Xavier still wanders off, but Micah gets done with most of his school work by lunchtime.

Friday I go for my ultrasound - yay!!! Hopefully baby will cooperate and we will be able to see if it's a boy or a girl.

Anyways, I will try to post some pics soon.
Love you all!!

Week 1 - A Look Inside

We do use texts in our homeschool. Which is one reason why I thought the workboxes would be great to add in more fun and more hands on learning. Here is a list of what we I have put/will be putting in the boys boxes this week. It is our first week of using the boxes and the items listed below are not necessarily in that order (it was just easier for me to list them with numbers).

Monday:
1) Lang. Arts
2) Math (with mom)
3) Science (with mom)
4) Spelling
5) History Reading
6) Free Reading
7) Computer Time
8) Connect 4
9) Joke book in Xavier's box & Backyard Ballistics in Micah's box
10) Bible & Prayer Journal
11) Geography Fact Cards

Tuesday:
1) Lang Arts
2) Math (w/mom)
3) Science Reading
4) Free Reading
5) Othello
6) Computer Lesson: Webpage Authoring #2
7) Geography worksheet
8) Bible & Journal
9) Spelling
10) Computer Time
11) Brownie Mix

Wednesday:
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Math (w/mom)
3) Science (w/mom)
4) Computer Time
5) Free Reading
6) Bible & Journal
7) Spelling
8) Unit Study (History)
9) Game
10) ?? (still deciding)
11) Art

Thursday:
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Math Review/Game
3) Spelling
4) Science Reading
5) Computer Time
6) Bible & Journal
7) Unit Study (History)
8) Free Reading
9) Game
10) Play Outside w/Isaac
11) Family Work

Friday: (normally we have co-op on Friday, but this week we have off for Good Friday)
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Play Hullabaloo w/Isaac
3) Math Review
4) Computer Time
5) Spelling Test
6) Game
7) Unit Study (History)
8) Make Peanut Butter Cookies
9) Bible & Journal
10) Nature Study & Walk

Workboxes

Ok, so the shoe rack idea flopped. I went to the store to buy them but they didn't have any. Meanwhile my dear hubby is asking if there is some way we can be more economical about this. Personally I think he believes this is another one of my attempts of organization that will quickly be tossed aside. So... being economical I found some things I have around the house: boxes and folders (of course now I have to find a new home for the science stuff that was in the boxes). Using the template from the Sue Patrick's Workbox System and schedule cards from Walking by the Way, I now have Xavier & Micah's boxes!


Xavier's Box


Micah's Box



Micah and Xavier have been great about moving through their folders. We even started school an hour earlier than usual today (it is only our 2nd day using the workbox system).


Science Reading - more than I need to know about bugs!!



Working on changing fractions to percents

Could It Be

an answer to prayer? Recently I came across a blog talking about workboxes. I was so intrigued with the system that I had to know more. After visiting other blogs who have started using workboxes and praying about it. I bought Sue Patrick's book and now I can not wait to set up our boxes. I have been printing off the scheduling strips and number strips along with the extra cards. Today I get to go buy my boxes ;)

One of the things that impresses me with the workbox system is the ability to put in those things you want to do in your home school but never get around to. I hope that by starting the worboxes I will take be able to let go of the "school at home" rut we have gotten into lately. The only problem I have though is I can think of a bunch of things I want to do or the boys want to learn but I don't think we still have enough time to do it all ;-)

** The Workbox System is a physical system which allows your child(ren) to move through their work in order. It is visual system that your kids can see: they see what they have to do, they see how much is left to do and they see the fun things coming up in a box ahead.

Sue Patrick is pretty set on using a shoe rack that will hold your shoeboxes (about 12) as the workboxes. At first I was going to try to "scale down" the workboxes because of room, but after reading the book I am going to stick with her shoerack & shoe boxes idea.

Each box is numbered and the child has a schedule strip on their desk telling them what to do (in order). You can have box 1-12 in a row or you can put in extra cards like lunch, group time, break, etc. The child moves in a sequential manner matching the # on their schedule strip to the matching workbox. They continue down the strip completing each activity/workbox. Once the strip is empty they are done for the day.

Science Experiments

We started using Apologia General Science last week. We are not using it in the traditional way but are working on it together to help Micah and Xavier get use to the format. Which means we are probably going a little slower than normal :-) I also found a really neat Lapbook Journal to use over at Knowledgebox Central. So far the boys are enjoying the "class like" setting for science.


Experiment Time
Writing their observations, summary