Homeschooling

I'm having trouble sticking to the daily school thing. This is my first year doing school at home, and it's boring at times. I know that they're only 2 and 3, but it is a crucial time for their brain development, so I take it pretty seriously. But homeschooling gets tedious and repetitive, and I don't believe that they should have to deal with that at such young ages. One of the main points of me teaching them myself (and I am planning to homeschool in a couple of years as well), is to have the freedom to teach them how I want.
So I've decided to incorporate learning into activities. I teach better that way because it's more engaging. And they learn better because it's more interesting. Everyone wins! I'm trashing the flash cards and I'm going rogue.
Every day we will read and do ONE worksheet that corresponds to the lesson: letters, number, color, shape. Do a verbal review and read a story. And then I'll just take it from there. We may do a craft. go on an outing, or watch YouTube videos.  We may incorporate science, history, or even physical education. This should keep us all engaged enough; it gives me some much-needed spontaneity and them a schedule.
Last week, we went to McDonalds for lunch and to play. Because we were learning the letter C  (we were and are still are way behind schedule), I had them do things that start with C. Chomp, chew, climb, crawl, clap, carry. We also reviewed things that started with C around us: cup, cars, car seat, chicken nuggets! By the end of the trip, Azariah (2) could tell me what sound C made and Skyland (3) could tell me the sound and list of things that started with C. This was fun because it didn't take a lot of focus. They spoke to me as we ate,  and when they played I randomly asked them to do "c" words. I even joined them for a very short period.
I realized, anything can be an educational experience; it doesn't have to stay at the table.  And I'm not going to go McDonalds everyday or every week, but I  am going to apply what they are learning into everyday life. 

Kitchen Creations: Garlic Bread Salad

From now on I vow to blog regularly. Not daily, but regularly.  I know people love consistency: daily, monthly, weekly, etc. I aim for daily, but some days I may not make it to the laptop.  I'll be honest about my inconsistencies. 

That being said. This will be my simplest blog post yet. 

Today I heated up leftover baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad for dinner.  It's Monday. And if I can manage leftovers on Monday, it's a great day! But during dinner, I had a revelation: put my salad on top of my garlic bread, and it was the most delicious pairing. 

Two weeks ago, I thought of this- so I guess it was a re-revelation- but I was doing too much at once and burnt the garlic bread. But today I successfully tried it. And my taste buds are still ecstatic. 

I may have just changed the way I eat salads and garlic bread forever. I even think I'll be making mini chicken salads on top of garlic bread later this week! 

Kitchen Creations: Buffalo & BBQ Ribs

For a while now, I've been baking our chicken tenders this way, but today we tried it out on ribs. We were not disappointed.

 My boys don't mind a little spice when I can get them to eat dinner, and Jeffrey likes a little too much spice. (Seriously, the man puts Tabasco in his grits.) So I thought this would be fun and harmless to try today.

Ingredients:
Seasonings of choice-- used salt, pepper, oregano, and seasoning salt.
BBQ Sauce-- I used Sweet Baby Rays Sweet 'N' Spicy
Buffalo Sauce-- I used Louisiana Supreme Chicken Wing Sauce, it's one dollar at Dollar Tree.
Ribs

I did not do any measuring. Everything was "to taste".
First, I seasoned the ribs and boiled them for about 20 minutes. Around 10 minutes in, I preheated the oven to 400F.
Then I placed them in a pan. (Make sure to line it with foil; I forgot that step at first as you can see). Put a good amount of buffalo sauce on each one, and even more barbecue on each one (You can also mix the buffalo and barbecue together, but I enjoy the delightful surprise of  "buffalo sauce spots".) I then put the ribs in the oven.
After 30 minutes in the oven, I flipped them, completely covered them with more buffalo & barbecue sauce, then baked them another 30-40 minutes .
 You can cook them longer to make them more tender, but I was hungry so they only baked 60-70 minutes. They were done & they were fantastic! My husband had sauce all over his hands, chin, and neck- that's how good they were.  I'm just sorry I didn't have more than one rack of ribs!

Autumn Wine Glasses

The last few days I haven't had much going on. Instead of wasting everyone's time with fillers, I just did not post. I'd rather say what I want to say than take the time to write something that I don't even find interesting. 

The last two or three weeks I've been slack. I will be the first to admit, I am easily distracted from my to-do list.  We went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, then we weren't feeling well, and I pretty much dropped the ball on my boy's schooling. We've verbally reviewed everything randomly, but they haven't sat down and done work in a while.  

Today we resumed class work, and the boys weren't too psyched. So I planned an awesome activity to kickstart their mood (and mine) before we did our overdue table work.

After breakfast, I collected fingerprints on wine glasses. I stuck with Autumn colors: red, yellow, orange.  

We then cleaned up,  headed outside & collected some Fall memorabilia.

I gave them both plastic bags & told them what to collect: leaves, acorns, tiny sticks.  While we tread the yard, I incorporated some education. I had them describe the weather  (which was perfect and  "Autumn" like) , review colors and count things.  And my sweet boys even gave me a few gifts of dirt and kisses.  And fought each other with sticks.

 

Once we came in, we sat at the table. I let them explain all their findings. We compared things and I even had them describe the textures.  After we finished discussing everything, they put their findings in their wine glasses, and I sat them on the mantle for everyone to see.

I guess I had the right idea;  we got through school seamlessly afterwards. They were focused and energetic (but not too energetic), and I couldn't be happier with how our afternoon began.  Not to mention our outdoor activity mixed "adventure" with science, English, and a little bit of math.

Originally I was going to use jars, but we didn't have any. I am glad, though, I think the wine glasses added a special touch that made this project look just perfect.

Chores for Preschoolers

Instead of an activity today. My boys and I cleaned.  I enlisted my little heroes (who were dressed the part in honor of a true hero, Jacob Hall), and had them help and save me from my never ending chores.  That became our fun activity of the day. 

I knew they'd be pretty decent helpers, considering they are always pulling the brooms and Swiffer out of the kitchen closet.  But I was not expecting them to enjoy themselves as much as they did.  And my chores were actually more fun with their giggles and little hands involved. Everything also took twice as long, but since they weren't making a mess, fighting, or being sneaky while I was cleaning it was totally worth taking the extra time. 

Cleaning time is officially mommy and kids time.  I did have to go behind them and help them some, but for the most part, they were a proud and independent little ninja turtle and batman.  While my boys aren't quite ready to save the city, they did an awesome job of saving mommy today! 

I put together a list of chores for tots, specifically 2-4-year-olds. My sons helped me do all of these today: 

1. Putting clothes in the dryer 

2. Taking clothes out the dryer 

3. Holding the dustpan 

4. Putting dishes in the dishwasher 

5. Wiping the tables and chairs 

6. Throwing things away. 

7. Cleaning up floor with a towel (with one of the floor towels they cleaned up the water they splashed on the bathroom floor at bathtime)

8. Picking up toys 

9. Dusting 

10. Wiping window sills 

11. Putting clothes up- one. at. a. time

12. Putting up shoes 

13. Wiping bottom cupboards 

14. Putting clothes in the washer 

15. Helping unload the dishwasher

Please note: I didn't use any of our cleaners. They used soapy or dry rags when they had to wipe something. 

Kitchen Creations: Cookies & Crumbles Chocolate Shake

I'm feeling pretty "ugh" today. I guess Monday blues hit on Tuesday. So my "ugh" blues lead to one of the most gluttonous posts you may ever lay eyes on. I completed every task on my list today, and I did that only to make my shake as a "reward".  It's been a day that has just dragged on, but this shake has pushed me forward. 

Dieters, diabetics, healthy eaters, High glucose fruit syrup haters, & dentists beware: this post is definitely NOT for you.  I'm sorry to kick you out, but I just had to share My cookies & crumbs shake. And I don't want you shaking your head at me the entire read. 

If you're still reading, here's a list of ingredients. This shake is pretty flexible, but you will need: 

1. Bourbon ice- cream

This stuff is nasty, but it's got chocolate & alcohol in it. My husband bought it, and I'm not about to waste it. So I figured it would be great when mixed with more chocolate. It's also my choice because it's the only ice-cream we have. Normal ice cream would work too! It all depends on what kind of shake you want to make. 

2. Chocolate milk. White milk does just fine, but I used chocolate because of my sweet tooth. 

3. A few Peanut M&M's or any other chocolate candy of choice 

4. Chocolate sandwich cookies. I am not faithful to Oreo; I will not be faithful to them until they begin to sell cookies without cream. (But that's a rant for another day.) 

5. Carnation French Vanilla Instant Breakfast. I know, it's weird. But trust me on this one. 

I like my shakes thicker. So I used about 10 M&M's, 8 cookies, 1 cup of chocolate milk, and 2.5 scoops of my chocolate bourbon ice-cream . I combined everything in a blender. Blended and poured.

And it was an extremely gluttonous, instantly mood lifting snack.  And do you know what? I'm not mad at myself for the extra calories. I'm happy with myself for boosting my mood on this dreary Tuesday evening. 

And I could barely taste the bourbon in my ice-cream, so it was a successful endeavor all around. 

A List of 98 Names: Boys, Girls, & Unisex

I know my blog is all over the place, but I basically pull from whatever I have going on that day. Somedays I know what I'm posting when I awake, others I don't know what I'm doing until I start typing.  Today, Azariah asked me to name his Power Ranger. I called him Fred; he called him "Matman" (2-year-old speak for Batman). But since I do love names, and I often find myself looking at random lists of names. I decided to put together my own list of boy, girl, & unisex names, with meanings (& a few with short explanations). Just for fun! 

BOY NAMES: 
1. Nytiere- This is a name I made up a long time ago; I dubbed the meaning as "night air", very similar to the sound ny-te-heir

  My nephew (who was born before my son) has the middle name Nycier . So I didn't  even try to use my name; my nephew is close enough.

2. Silas- of the forest

3. Kason- a variant of Carson which means "Carr's son"
4. Elliott- Jehovah is God
5. Elijah- my God is Yahweh
  I have a few friends that have used this name, so I never used it.  I'm completely against name-stealing from friends and family, even if it's an awesome name,
6. Ian- Gift from God
7. Asher- happy/ fortunate/ blessed
8. Azarias- God has helped
  I actually wish I named Azariah this. 
9. Zacharias- the lord has remembered
10. Angel- messenger/ angel
11. Ezra- help/ helper
12. Azai- strength
13. Sergeant- to serve
  I love this name, it just screams "little boss", or "big boss". You know depending on the age. 
14. Kaine- tribute
  Spelled differently because I wouldn't want my child linked (closer) to the Cain of the bible. Spelled this way the name also has an entirely different meaning than Cain 
15. Parker- park keeper
16. Nicolai/ Nico-  victory of the people
17. River- river
18. Wyatt- guide/ wide/ wood
19. Myles- destroyer
  Simple, one syllable, and sweet sounding, despite the meaning.
20. Harley- from the hare's meadow
21. Dominic- of our Lord
22. Kasey- observant/ alert/ vigorous
23. Kovu- Yes, like from Lion King 2.
24. Thessius- super ultra old school, but doesn't he sound so mighty & noble.
25. Kofi- my brother & I used to have a toy named Kofi. I loved it.
26. Addison- I think of an artistic and quiet person. One that's brilliant, & has a cool name.
27. Rain- abundant blessings from above
28. Jasper- my favorite name that my husband just had to hate!
29. Casper- treasurer
30. Caspian- Caspian Sea
31. Kellen- powerful/ bright- headed
32. Jonas- a gift from God
33. Noah- comfort/ long- lived
34. Joseph- may Jehovah add
35. Caden- friend/ companion
36. Exodus- going out/ departure
  An unusual name, but it's pretty solid, right?
37. Abraham- father of multitude
38. Pierre- rock/ stone
39. Declan- man of prayer
40. Hunter- hunter
41. Wolfe- wolf
  Boys are strong, crazy, energetic, strategic, wise, leaders. Like wolves. 
42. Titus- title of honor
43. Samson- what better sign of strength than this name?

GIRL NAMES: 
1. Winter- year
2. Quinn- wisdom/ reason/ intelligence
3. Wynette- beautiful
  Uncommon & elegant 
4. Shy- bashful
5. Freya- lady
  This is actually what I figured Jeffrey's name is girl form, that's why I adore it 
6. Rainy- counsel power
  I love nature names, can't you tell? 
7. Misti- misty
8. Charli- small beauty
  My personal opinion: Charli is a better name for a boy than a girl (even if spelled Charlie, keep in mind Charlie means man). 
9. Harlee- hare meadow
10. Riayn- little King
11. Sapphire- gem/ beautiful
12. Adalyn- pleasant
13. Madalyn- magnificent
14. Stormy- tempest
15. Jana- (yah-na) God is gracious
16. Aspen- the name of a tree
  I had a doll named Aspen; she was an avalanche worker. 
17. Della- noble
18. Genesis- birth
19. Jade- means stone of the colic; it's a pretty green stone
  Familiar story: for years my daughter's name was going to be Jade
But my niece, born 4+ years before my daughter, was named Jayda. She was actually born a month after my nephew, so two of my names were taken at the same time. 
20. Capri- whimsy & playful
  I love this name. It was Noelles middle name, originally. But she just didn't look like a Capri, so I named her Noelle Katia instead.  I think of Colbie Cailat's Capri every time I hear the name. 
21. Caprice- fanciful
22. Abbi/ Abigail- father's joy
23. Nyla- cloud or champion
24. Nya- purpose
25. Zana- graceful lily
26. Zuri- beautiful
  A little girl at my daycare way named Zuri. She was precious, cool, smart, & full of life. She was also a bit funky (in a cool way). 
27. Raine- queen
28. Skye- Sky
29. Naomi- pleasantness
30. Skyler- scholar
31. Tyler- door keeper of an inn
32. Ryder- knight
  Like Charlie, I like this name better for girls 
33. Cosette- victory in war
  From Les Miserables. Oh, Cosette! Isn't the name just dreamy?
34. Yasmin- jasmine flower
35. Yazlyn- free
36. Elle- she
37. Vega- star / meadow
  A name from the Galaxy. How cool.
38. Journee- a trip or experience
39. Mac- it means son of Scottish
  But isn't Mac the coolest name for a girl! She sounds all sporty and cool. Everyone's friend & a complete daddy's girl! I just think this is darling. 
40. Ginger - ginger (spice)
  I tried to name Noelle, Ginger when she came out with red hair; Jeffrey wasn't having it. 
41. Kloë- young, green foliage
42. Ivy- faithfulness
  Same story as Ginger. But she does get to be poison Ivy for Halloween; close enough right? 
43. December- tenth

UNISEX NAMES:
1. Averi- counsel
  I am a fan of trading Ys for Is. 
2. Salem- peace
3. Shiloh- the one to whom it belongs
4. Adley- Judicious
5. Phoenix- a fiery bird that is reborn in it's own ashes.
  This name is extremely symbolic, and it was Noelle's name if she were a boy.  
6. Harper- one who plays the harp
7. Elian- the Lord is my God/ God is family
8. Ashe- Ash tree
9. Kansas- south wind
10. Harlow- army
11. Snow- snow/ fair skin/ fair completed
12. Wyn- blessed/ white/ fair
  Simple, 3 letters, & just beautiful for a boy or girl. Reminds me of an honest child.