This time last year

Looking back at these pictures from last year, Jaden and especially Morgan look so itty, bitty! Where did the time go?

Money Saving Tip #14 ~ Berries in Bulk

It's almost berry season. Yay!!! This year,we have 2 fruit picking field trips planned, so I am excited to to be able to have some fresh fruit for jam, etc. Here is a quick and easy way to "can" and preserve the fruit without boiling lids & jars:

1. prepare the fruit (clean, peal, cut) ~ up to 5 cups
2. put the fruit into a blender or food processor to make it into very fine pieces (or ash it by hand)
3. in a seperate bowl, mix one packet of "Ball Simple Creations Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin" with 1 cup sugar
4. add the fruit to the sugar mixture and stir
5. put the fruit into freezer safe containers and let it sit for 30 minutes (room temperature)
6. put into the refridgerator or freezer

It will last in the refridgerator for up tp 3 weeks & in the freezer for up to a year.

You can find canning products & recipes on Ball's web-site: http://www.freshpreserving.com/

Homeschool Co-Op Field Trip #1

Peter Piper Pizza Tour
The kids learn about how the sodas start as a syrup (syrups are on the right)
Inside the cold cooler
It was really crowded inside the cooler, so I stayed outside. This woman stood between the inside and outside.
Jaden takes the "Make it Magic" pledge

They see how the dough is mixed & then rolled out.

Washing dishes
Making pizzas

Now the fun part begins! They each get to make their own pizzas! Morgan was busy eating the pepperoni (and then,putting it back on to the pizza! Yuck!!!)










Jaden, Morgan & I went on our first field trip with the homeschool co-op. It was at Peter Piper Pizza. They gave a tour & then let the kids make their own pizzas. There were plenty of friends to play with. I wonder what the average number of children a regular homeschooled family has. Our small family was the minority. Most of the people there had at least 3 kids... The majority was 5+ kids. I guess we have some work to do before we get to be considered the norm for homeschool family size (just kidding).
The parents talked about events & home school activities & curriculum. The kids (all 100 of them) played and played and played!! I can't wait for our next activity... Berry picking!!! Very cool!

Year Long Homeschool

The girls have been working hard on their homeschool lessons (15 minute increments 3 times a day). Morgan is learning same/different this week. Jaden is focusing on math. For now, I have decided that we will do year-long school. That way, we can take several breaks during the year when other kids are stuck in school (less crowds).
I am excited for the homeschool convention coming up in August. They have seminars and exhibits of curriculum.
We are officially part of a homeschool co-op, but the co-op is still getting started from scratch. There are a lot of families in the area, so it is just a matter of time before everything is set. A lot of planning is underway. The good thing is that we can make it be whatever we want it to be. That is very exciting news.
The co-op will provide mini-classes (one day a week), speakers for the adults, companionship, book-exchanges, field trips, etc.
Here are some links of information of people that will be speaking to us about their curriculum:
http://www.amblesideonline.org/curriculum.shtml#years
http://simplycharlottemason.com/
http://www.konos.com/index.html
http://www.firstclasshomeschool.org/pages/welcome/parent-welcome.html?track=parents
We have our first field trip tomorrow. Yay!!!

Engine #701, fighting fires

Playing House

Scary things at the museum

Rock climbing can be scary, especially when you are 2 feet away from the floor!

Snakes are scary, even behind a glass wall.

And big sneezing noses are the scariest off all!!!