Weekly Menu Planning - August 31st

Mon. -Brown rice pilaf, apple sauce, bread and butter
Tues. - Mac & cheese, hot dogs (soy/meat), mixed veggies
Wed. - Creamy potato soup, bacon (Justin), broccoli
Thurs. - Tofu/tuna casserole, apple sauce, peas
Fri. - dinner with sisters
Sat. - dinner out with family
Sun. - Leftovers

Weekly Menu Planning - August 24th

Mon. – Eggplant parmigiana, penne noodles, tomato sauce, green beans
Tues. – Yellow rice, salsa, green olives (skipped last week)
Wed. – tacos (beef or bean), refried beans, Spanish rice, corn
Thurs. – tuna / tofu casseroles, peas, apple sauce
Fri. – bagel pizzas (cheese or pepperoni), salad
Sat. – Command Picnic…leftovers if we’re hungry
Sun. – Three bean vegetarian chili, corn bread (skipped last week again…we had dinner with our neighbors…I made mac & cheese, carrot soufflé, leftover baked beans from the freezer and corn on the cob)

Black Bean Soup

Tonight we tried a new black bean soup recipe. We've had black bean soup before, but weren't really pleased with its flavor, so I decided to do some searching on Recipezaar and AllRecipes for black bean soup recipes. I usually sort my results according to ranking. I figure if others have tried the recipe and liked it, maybe we will as well.

One of the highest ranked black bean soup recipes on Recipezaar was TGIFriday's Black Bean soup, so we gave it a try.

It was definitely a keeper. The children who tried it liked it, which is success in my book.

We coupled the soup with some Corn Pudding. It wasn't quite the consistency I was hoping for. The corn casserole I usually make is more of a creamy corny corn bread type casserole. Justin, Jensen and I liked this version, but I think I'll keep looking for a corn casserole recipe that really wows us, but you may enjoy it.

Happy eating!

Weekly Menu Planning – August 17th

Mon. – yellow rice (add chicken for Justin), salsa, green beans
Tues. – Rotini alfredo, garlic bread, salad
Wed. – chicken/tofu casserole, apple sauce mixed veggies
Thurs. – Black bean soup, bread
Fri. – French bread pizza
Sat. – “meat” balls and rice (meat and vegetarian), bread, mixed veggies
Sun. – three bean vegetarian chili, corn bread (skipped it last week…had leftovers instead)

Our 2009-2010 Homeschool Curriculum

5th Grade

History – Famous Men of the Middle Ages; Magna Carta Jackdaw, Columbus and the Age of the Explorers Jackdaw
Science – Science Explorer: Earth Science; Story of Science: Newton at the Center
Math – Math U See Zeta; Mathematicians are People Too, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
Language Arts
       Writing – Writing Strands Level 2
       Grammar – G.U.M. Drops Grade 5; Painless Grammar
       Spelling – Explode the Code 7 & 8; Painless Spelling
Latin – Getting Started with Latin
Logic – Mind Benders B1/B2 & B3/B4
Typing – Typing Instructor for Kids


1st Grade

History – Story of the World Level 2: Middle Ages
Science – R.E.A.L. Science Earth Science
Math – Math U See Beta
Language Arts
       Writing – Writing Strands Level 2
       Grammar – G.U.M. Drops Grades 1-2
       Spelling – Explode the Code 3 ½, 4, 4 ½; Natural Speller

Fun At the Farm

The kids and I took a trip to Illinois last month to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday with my extended family. Though the car trip was long, it was well worth the effort. Grandma lives on a farm in the middle of farm country. Transplant her farm up to Washington, and it would be my ideal final land…there is plenty of room for a large garden, a nice size pond, some timbered area, and planted fields that would make for great grazing area.

I always enjoyed my trips to the farm growing up and I feel somewhat of a connection to that place. My hubby always asks why I feel so attached to the farm, and I think I can finally say that no matter where we lived (I moved frequently as a child), my grandparent’s farm, and my other grandmother’s house “in town,” never changed. They were sort of like a constant in our ever-changing lives.

Now that I’m older, I feel even more of a connection to my grandmothers and their way of life, because in many ways, it is their “traditional” ways that I find myself yearning for. I am teaching myself to can vegetables; we are cooking most every meal from scratch; and trying to live as frugally as possible. I only wish I lived closer so I could glean more from my experienced grandmothers.

My kids thrived in the wide-open spaces, catching lightning bugs, picking up sticks for our bonfire, and running until they were nearly wiped out. Jolie asked if we could move up to the farm. I share her enthusiasm for the country…and cooler temperatures.

Here are some photos from our trip.

Weekly Menu Planning – August 10th

Better late than never...

Mon. – Biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and sausage (for the meat eater)
Tues. – Chick pea soup, salad
Wed. – Red beans and rice, shredded chicken, frozen green beans
Thurs. – Grilled cheese, tomato soup
Fri. – Homemade pizza (cheese and pepperoni), bread sticks, salad
Sat. – Three bean vegetarian chili, corn bread
Sun. – Black bean veggie enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, black beans