Review - Draw, Write, Now

One of my favorite resources for when Mommy is busy, and a child needs to have something to do while they wait, is the "Draw, Write, Now" series.  There are eight books in this series covering animals from all of the different regions on earth, many historical events and people, storybook characters, and many, many more things to draw.

Each drawing assignment is set up in a 2 page spread, with a step-by-step "how to" draw the figure.  There is always a completed drawing for them to look at as well, for ideas, and to visualize "where they are going" in their work.  Beneath the completed drawing there are 4 sentences that give information about the picture they are drawing.  You can then have them copy those sentences, or maybe just one of choice, or maybe just do the drawing...it completely depends on you, the parent, and the interest/ability level of the child.

WOW, art practice, handwriting practice, history and/or science information to boot.  You can't get much better than this to keep someone occupied; but, still in the mode of school, while they are waiting for Mommy to get to them.  I also let them use these books as a fun activity if they are finished with their work early; but, it isn't free time yet.

We've also used a similar step-by-step approach to drawing from Usborne.  Any of these are great options for you to have on hand.  They are completely non-consumable, you just need some paper and colored pencils or crayons.

A look inside a few of the books.  You can get them individually, or buy the boxed set, from Amazon.

A few more projects and some gifts

We finally got the package from my sister Kate...yahoo!  Thank you, Lord!

Take a look at this box.  Ouch!

It was mailed 9 May, and received 1 August :)

Gwangi got some long awaited Dino Legos and also an Iron Man mask.

Worked on another few projects today.  A Fancy Nancy cape and a Mommy/Daughter matching set of hair scrunchies.

Look at this cuteness.  A cloth flower and some buttons all stacked up.

Krypto and his new watch.

More cloth flowers, with a button center.  I then sewed them onto bobby pins to use in our hair.

Wow, get that sewing machine out, and look at how we go!  Got to finish up soon though...next week is Back to School Planning Week :).  Enjoy!

A Day of Sewing

I enjoyed a great, back breaking day of sewing :)

Yes, leaning over so much hurts my back...and my knees...on the tile floor!

Thought you might like to see my mess and the finished product.

Cutting out the pattern and my pile of fabric

This was the pattern I was making.

The completed top.  It's in the laundry basket for tomorrow.  I also made a sash/belt to go with it, in the matching pink fabric.

I couldn't get a clear close up of the neckline...do you see how the yoke is bunched or gathered up. It's really cute.

A close up of the material.

Have you made any fun, new projects lately?  Do you like to sew?  Please share!

Review - The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading

I am on my 2nd round through this book.  I've bought it once, and it's completely non-consumable.  What an excellent purchase for any mom.

I started using it with Krypto, our eldest child, when he was in the 4-5 year old range.  The book starts off with lessons that teach you the vowels, and their sounds, and then moves on to the consonants.  Once you know all the letter sounds, you can continue into the next section of the book, that has all of the short vowel sound words.  You keep moving through, learning how to read, learning phonics rules, like "an 'e' at the end makes a vowel say it's name" and "the silent 'k' before an 'n'."

After 225 lessons, you have a child that can read on a very advanced level, understands the rules of reading, and spelling for that matter.  In short, a very confident and independent reader.

One of the other wonderful things about this book is that it is fully scripted for you as the teacher.  There is no prep work, just pick it up and go.  The "Instructor" verbage is clearly labeled for you to read out loud to your student.  What a blessing!

Krypto finished this book by the end of his 1st grade year.  Gwangi began and stopped with this book a couple of times, because he just wasn't ready for the next step.  We would just get to a point where we needed to take a couple of weeks off from reading.  That's ok, each child is so different.  If they aren't ready, for the next jump in any subject, it's always better to wait and come back to it at a later time.  This way you preserve their love of learning and education, and stay in touch with their strengths and weaknesses.  Isn't that one of the beauties of homeschooling?

Take a look at this wonderful resource.  Teaching our children how to read well, is one of the most foundational things that we, as parents and teachers, can do to start them off on a lifetime of learning!

The cover of the book.  Mine is an older copy, so just put the title into the search engine on Amazon, and I'm sure you'll find it.

An example lesson.  I just randomly opened the book.

One more note, once we're truly reading, I also make sure to have my new readers read a real book, or a chapter of a book, out loud to me each day.  This is in addition to continuing the lessons in the "Ordinary Parent's Guide."  Reading to each other each day makes for some great cuddle time together.

What have you used for reading and phonics instruction with your children? 

Just a few pictures of a soon to be 5 year old!

It's the last day of July!  Next month I'll have a 5 year old...no more pre-schoolers in this house.  Can I really believe it?!  The time has flown by, it really has.  Here are just a few pictures of our beautiful girl.  Stay tuned, in about 10 days, we'll be having a "Fancy Nancy Spa Party" for our little 5 year old, and several of her friends.  It's going to be so much fun...

The last day of dance class this summer. Thanks to Lauren Freitas for the time she took with our girls.  Thanks Wickham family for loaning us the dance outfit for Sissi, since the one that Aunt Kate mailed, never did show up :(

My little shop keeper.  She's using some of our plastic bins that we brought over with us as a store counter to sell us 'cookies'...they're really her wooden Melissa and Doug cookies that we brought with us.

Her hair has grown out again, after the cutting fiasco of December 2010.  We just love using www.princesshairstyles.com

The finished product with her favorite "big" bow, from the Bartons.

A couple of cute shots of her on the beach.

So much personality!  Love her so much!  Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Yogurt, Ricotta, and Paneer

Hopefully, you've already read my blog post on how to pastuerize your raw milk.  Now, you're ready to make something out of it!

Yogurt
If you want to make yogurt, it really is super easy.  I have a cooler and I put warm water in the bottom of it.  Then, I pour the milk into a separate, plastic container, that will fit in the bottom of the cooler and not displace all of the water.  Into the milk, I add a bit of mtinde, maybe a tablespoon or two, depending on how much milk you have in your container.  If you aren't in Tanzania, you would put in a bit of a plain, active yogurt or a culture.  You then put the lid on your container, then the lid on the cooler, and you walk away.  Seriously, I leave it overnight.

In the morning, you have fresh yogurt!  There are so many options now....

Add some vanilla, or honey, or some other sugar option
Add some fresh fruit and mix it up
Use it in a smoothie or any recipe that calls for yogurt
Eat it with granola

Ricotta
After I pastuerize the milk and skim off the cream, I drop in about 3 or 4 splashes of vinegar.  This will curdle the milk.  Let it sit for about 3 hours or so.  Then, I use some cheesecloth and line a wire colander.  I put the colander over a bowl to catch the whey.  I pour the contents of the pot, into the colandar.  The chunks of ricotta will stay in the cheesecloth and the whey will drain through to the bottom, in the bowl.

I then go for a 2nd batch.  Put all the whey back in your pot and put a lid on it and leave it over night.  In the morning, I then set up the cheesecloth and colander again, pour the contents of the pot back through and get a whole other round of ricotta.  The whey at this point can be used for other things.  I usually just pour it over my dog's food :), it's high in protein!

The ricotta can be salted, or left plain.  You can store it in the fridge; but, if you aren't going to use it in the next few days, freeze it.  It thaws very well and can be used in most any Italian dish you might like!

Paneer
This is very, very similar to the ricotta...except, that when you add the vinegar, you bring the milk back up to a boil.  Not a rolling boil mind you, just to the point where you think it's going to boil.  Then turn it off and let it cool for several hours.  When it's room temperature again, set up your colander with cheesecloth, and the bowl beneath it to catch the whey.  Pour out the contents of your pot into the colander.  The cheese will be glossier and stick together more.  I usually add some salt, garlic, basil, oregano, etc....then form it into a little cheese round and refrigerate.  This is great for dinner parties, for a snack on a cracker, or to use in a recipe!

Hope you enjoyed these milk recipes....any other questions, ideas?  Let me know!

A Tea Basket

One of the hardest things I've had to deal with here, is making our house feel like a home.

We left so many of our personal belongings, like pictures, knick knacks, books, furniture, etc. in storage back in the US.  What we brought with us, for 2 years in Africa, was 23 pieces of luggage and/or plastic bins.  In this amount we fit most of my kitchen stuff, sheets, towels, clothes and shoes for 5 people, books and toys for the children, homeschool materials, gifts for birthdays and Christmas, vitamins, bathroom stuff, and the list goes on.

We have tried very hard while we've been here to buy simple, basic stuff that will last us for our tenure in Dar.  We question everything we purchase, trying to be frugal and to also not buy so much that we can't sell it, or give it away when we leave.

There are often times that I miss my conveniences and my "pretty" stuff.  I'm being totally honest here.

While in Dodoma, I think I have mentioned that we shared many a cup of tea and coffee.  Here, in Dar, we hardly ever have tea and coffee, even though we very much enjoy it.  I started wondering...why is that?  It's not just the heat.  I finally hit the nail on the head...the reason was, that it wasn't convenient.  So many things here take so much longer than they should; but, I can control how long it takes me to make a cup of tea, and set it up so that it's easier for me.  Enter, the tea basket!

Wendy had a similar basket, and so all you had to do was heat up your water, grab your cup and the basket, and everyone could make their own cup of tea, or coffee, or hot chocolate.  So simple, and yet I had to see it in action to make it a reality in my home.

I already had the basket, it was in the pantry with odds and ends in it...like ziplocs of nuts and chips and crackers, half eaten.  I cleaned it out, put those snacks in re-purposed, plastic cookie containers, and I had a tea basket.  Then I grabbed a plastic leftover container to put the tea in and old glass jars from sauces that I had kept, to put in the sugar and Nido (powdered milk).  I found salt and pepper shakers at Game (it's like a super small Walmart, we have the only one in the country here in Dar) for the cinnamon and cocoa, they are hiding behind the purple spoon cup.  Finally, I decided to take the plunge and buy an electric kettle.  I actually have a tea pot at home, in storage, so we've been using a cooking pot here to boil water.  The tea kettle was such an answer to prayer.  I hesitated, went back and forth, not wanting to spend the money; but, finally Indy said, "We're still here another year. Do you think we'll use it?  Then it's worth it."  So, we bought one and it's been great.  NOW, we have tea (and coffee or hot chocolate) everyday.  You can see Indy's French Press, that he bought last fall on his HOPAC trip to South Africa, behind the kettle.

Have you ever re-purposed anything?  Like baskets or plastic bins?  I have a few more examples to share...but, that will be for another day!