Our Workbox system

My sweetie asked my last night how this system has been working for me since we implemented it last year.  I can’t say enough how much it has saved my life! 
Long ago (really, it was just a few months ago), I remember the boys asking me,

• “How many more assignments?”
• “Do we really have to do this?”
• “How much longer is school?”
• “Ahhh mom, do we have to do this one too?”

When I learned about this workbox system, my mind started racing.  This might be the answer to all my problems (It doesn’t take the crying out of homeschooling though LOL)!  With this system, I insert their work each morning in their folders (ideally you would do this at night but there is so much going on, there is no way I would be able to do that).  I know what to put in them each day because I plan out the school year and use this software to do that.  I bought the software back in 2007 when I officially started homeschooling Lil G and it works great!  The boys then come to their desks each morning and know what is expected of them.  They know that they are not complete with our homeschool day until we complete all the folders.  I set up the system so that I can provide one-on-one help with Lil Dude while Lil G completes his other assignments that he can do on his own (Bible study, vocabulary work, handwriting, reading, etc.).  Then when Lil Dude is finished, I allow him to play educational online games with his netbook while I conduct one-on-one lessons with Lil G (math, spelling, Sonlight, etc.).
Each day they may complete all their work at different times.  Sometimes as early as 1 p.m. and other days as late as 3:30 p.m.  Either way, they know that they school’s not over until they have completed all their assignments so there is no ambiguity or they don’t think that I am making up the assignments as we go along. 
Isn’t it cool?

Today’s S.O.A.P.

Today’s reading is Matthew 16:5 – 17:23.
S – Matthew 17:20 - “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.
O - In this reading many things happened with the disciples as they followed Jesus. They had just witnessed another feeding of thousands, the Transfiguration, and were trying to heal a boy with a demon.  Unfortunately they couldn’t and what Jesus responded is so transforming to me.
A – As a homeschooling mom, I find that there are many mountains.  One that is staring at me in the face is the mountain of LAUNDRY!  I also stepped on crayons scattered on the floor from last night when Lil Dude decided he wanted to draw Ben 10 figures.  Oh and did I mention the mountain of dishes from cooking last night?  ACK!  In this instance, I know that I have faith but it won’t make those things disappear.  The fact of the matter is, I should embrace this season. Our life is full of seasons and currently it’s a very special season of growth. Later, it won’t be the laundry or the crayons on the floor… This will be replaced by getting their first driver’s license, first car, heading off to college and much more.   I can embrace the moment, understand that with faith I can move the mountain (or maybe tackle the laundry and dishes) and with my Lord all things are possible .
P – Lord, thank you for your Word.  I am so thankful that you are with me as we move through the seasons of change and growth.  Thank you for showing me that all things are possible with you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

A homeschool day without a tear?

As I reflect on this first week back at “school,” there is a recurring theme. We seem to have so many tears!  Lil G cried on Monday, Lil Dude cried on Tuesday and I told them at this rate, Mom will definitely cry on Wednesday (it made them giggle at the thought of it).  Also to set the record straight, I didn’t shed a tear today though Lil Dude did a little.
I knew that after having a month and a half off it would be an uphill battle.  We work on a calendar schedule and though I love having part of November and December off, I sometimes wonder if it is really worth it?  I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate with all the joys of our traditions on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.  And, since our summers are so hot that we don’t dare venture outside unless we absolutely HAVE to, it makes sense to continue our schooling.
Either way, homeschooling is definitely not easy.
  Don’t let anyone tell you different .

Breakfast!

Dinner Roll over

Rachel Ray always talks about “Rolling over” recipes.  This is when you take an item from dinner and then rolling it over to a new recipe the next night.  My sweetie is not keen to leftovers and rolling over is a genius way to trick all the boys that dinner is an entirely new recipe rather than leftovers. 

Last week, I made Easy Ground Beef Tacos and had over a pound of cooked taco meat leftover. I couldn’t just throw it away so when I went to the pantry and saw a recipe on the back of the Libby’s corn can. I got so excited!  It is a one-pan recipe (I love those due to minimal dishwashing) and had all the ingredients it needed.  Here is my version of the recipe.

• Leftovers you’ll need from the night before:
• ground taco meat
• leftover chopped onion
• leftover chopped tomatoes
• 1 can of corn, drained
• handful frozen green pepper (I keep this in the freezer at all times)
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (a pantry must-have)
• 1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice
• 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (I always buy the boxed kind and keep it in the fridge. If you don’t have chicken stock use water)
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the leftover beef, onion, tomatoes, and green pepper in a large pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until rice is tender.

I served this with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled some of the cheddar cheese leftover from the night before.  Yum!

Menu Planning Monday, actually Tuesday (again)

Last week was pretty successful with Menus!  We went the entire week without EATING OUT!  Woo hoo!  Amazing what planning does! 

Sunday doesn’t count especially since my mother-in-law brought fried chicken.  I didn’t have to cook and it left an opportunity to save what I had planned that day for the this week!  So here’s the plan:

Monday – Daddy works late so the boys and I just ate leftovers from Sunday’s chicken

Tuesday – Spaghetti with spinach meatballs (we didn’t have this last week).  With all the ground beef leftover from the Tacos, I used the meat to make this killer one pan Mexican Rice dish.  It was pretty good and the boys gobbled it up! Sides: Salad and fresh from the Bread maker bread. 

Wednesday – Chicken, steak, and shrimp fajitas.  I have small cuts of chicken breast, a little bag of uncooked shrimp, and some steak meat.  I thought I would use this all up to make lots of fajitas!  I’ve got all the yummy goodie veggies to go along with this.

Thursday – Baked chicken thighs with a salad and some more fresh bread.  I am really hoping to exercise my bread maker this week.  We are such a sucker for the Albertsons fresh French bread but figured, “Why buy it if I can make it?”  It takes advance planning to make the bread in time for dinner (will have to get it started before 2pm so that it will be ready for our dinnertime).  Hopefully all goes well!

Friday – Chicken tostadas. I’ll have enough chicken from Thursday to shred up the rest and put together for our favorite Chicken tostadas.  There’s only 4 ingredients in this and it’s fast and easy but oh so yummy!  Will have to post recipe and picture for this one!

Saturday – Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I saw this online and so want to try this!

Ahhh the first day back at homeschooling!

Today was officially our first day back on.  It was a sort of uphill battle but we did it!  Lil Dude was especially enthusiastic and elated to get back to homeschooling.  Lil G was too but it seems that when it came to writing that was the hard part.  I decided enough was enough and began researching about this.  I don’t think Lil G really doesn’t want to write, I think something else can be wrong.  Whatever the case may be, I decided to seek professional help.  I researched a few articles (ok, maybe more than 3 hours worth) and realized that the assistance of an occupational therapist may be the solution.  Hours later, I am on the phone with one who tells me she can help by assessing Lil G and coming up with tutoring sessions which will include training so that I can continue the work with him.
I’ll be talking with my sweetie about this tonight for sure!
We worked from 9 am until 3 pm today non-stop!  It was pretty intense but the boys had a good attitude about it and we relaxed by snuggling on the couch and watched a classic movie…The Never Ending Story.