Discussions

Recently, Jerry and I have had daily discussions about the government bailout. Fun stuff I know! Unless you have been living under a rock you surely know what I am talking about. Maybe you're like me though and don't really understand all the ins and outs. Our discussions are interesting that's for sure!

Most of you already know this, but Jerry has a degree in economics so sometimes he has insight that I definitely lack in such matters. I still don't really understand it all but each conversation helps me a bit more. You aren't as fortunate? Don't have an economist in your house? Almost makes you wish Jerry had a blog so you could read his thoughts on the economic bailout? Wish no more.

First Grade Schedule

If you want to see what our day, or week, looks like on paper click HERE to see our schedule.

Now, keep in mind this schedule is our goal and not everyday works out exactly as planned. It is good to have something to work towards though! The blank times you see are to squeeze in things that got skipped or to do laundry. :)

This is basically only Wesley's schedule. The twins and Hayden join us for Bible time and "do school" when Wesley is working on math, then they get bored and go off to play in the backyard or basement. Right now everyone, except Wesley, naps in the afternoon...usually from 1pm to 3pm if I am lucky. (Well, Eli rarely naps but he listens to music or lays on the couch.)

If you want to know what we are covering...the books we are using this year are listed HERE.

AWANA

Tuesday was the first AWANA. The boys were very excited. If you are looking for a great faith building program for your kids...give AWANA a try. It is non-denominational and several area churches have AWANA clubs. It's not to late to join if you are interested. The kids have fun and learn while they're at it!

Hayden and JD have to stay home with Dad. (Hayden is pictured with the other boys because he didn't want to be left out!) I usually drop the boys off and then go grocery shopping. Which kind of kills two birds with one stone, especially considering the gas prices. It makes for a bit of longer day than normal but it is worth it.

A Poem

As part of our language/grammar lessons this year Wesley has to memorize a poem every few weeks. Here he is reciting it for you...



Gotta love those missing teeth!

My Helpers

Before we start our school day, I have the boys help out by doing some chores. Things like...make their beds, empty trash cans, shake out rugs, feed & water the dog. Once a week they work together to clean their room (dust and vacuum). Believe it or not they LOVE it! I am actually running out of little jobs for them, especially the twins. So if you have any suggestions for me let me know.

Wesley is very helpful and can handle a bit more than the others. (I wouldn't trust the other boys to fill Buck's water dish!) Wesley helps everyone get their shirts down each morning (the twins can't reach). He also helps Hayden get dressed, including just this week...changing his diaper!

Although JD is getting better about feeding himself, Wesley also loves to help feed JD (see picture). Eli likes to feed JD too but he is more of a "one bite for you...one bite for me..." kind of helper. I let JD do as much as he can himself and they have Wesley take over while I get going on kitchen clean up. I feel like I have a headstart!

"Open wide JD"

I wonder what Jerry and I will do with ourselves when we have boys who are 17, 15, 15, 13, and 11!! We won't be mowing the lawn or shoveling snow that for SURE!

Books that Challenged My Thinking

I read a lot of books. I enjoy fiction but also read plenty of non-fiction. The following are some of the books I have read in the past few years that have really challenged me. I used to view the world quite a bit differently than I do now, thanks in part to these books.

• Money: The Two-Income Trap: why middle-class mothers and fathers are going broke by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi AND The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn
• Cleaning: Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley
  
• Coupons: Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom by Stephanie Nelson
• Feminism: The Way Home: Beyond Feminism, Back to Reality by Mary Pride
• Contraception: A Full Quiver: Family Planning and the Lordship of Christ by Rick and Jan Hess
• Children: Children: Blessing or Burden by Max Heine
• Assisted Reproduction: Everything Conceivable: How Assisted Reproduction is Changing Our World by Liza Mundy
• School: Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto
• Our Government: Every Knee Shall Bow: The Truth and Tragedy of Ruby Ridge and the Randy Weaver Family by Jess Walter
• Conservatism: Crunchy Cons: The New Conservative Counterculture and Its Return to Roots by Rod Dreher
• Food: More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre
• Islam: America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It by Mark Steyn
• Self Sufficiency: The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
• Just About Everything: The Bible

If you have ever seen the movie The Matrix you will know what I mean when I say that I often joke with Jerry about how it was a lot easier to coast happily through life before I took "the red pill" and started thinking about these things. :)

Click for Cans

It's that time of year again! Chunky changed the Click for Cans game a bit. I think they are trying to make it harder for Green Bay to win again. We can still do it though! Our long standing record depends on it!

This year you have to choose your "match up" first. The match ups are the actual games of the week. Then click on the team you want to win for that "match up". (Obviously click on the Packers!) Then you have to type a security confirmation code before you can submit your vote. Then the team with the winning clicks moves on. I think if you lose a match up it will affect your standings so it is important to vote EVERY day! (I'll put a link in my side bar so if you check my blog every day just click on over to vote!)

Remember last year you could earn extra kicks for playing the field goal game? Well, you can't get extra clicks this time but the game is still on their site to play just in case you want to give it a try. I was getting all the field goals at the end of the "season" last year and my FIRST 10 yard kick today didn't even make it! Guess I'm out of practice.

Go Pack Go!!

Homemade Pretzels

Friday the boys helped to make pretzels. We made them with fresh ground whole wheat flour. The boys enjoyed kneading the dough and sprinkling on the salt. We found out Eli has a knack for twisting the dough into the pretzel shape. We made some in letter shapes too.


Here are the boys with the pretzels just before we stuck them in the oven. After they were done baking they ate them for a snack.

Here is the recipe if you want to give them a try:

1 T. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 t. honey
1 t. salt
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
(you can use white flour too)
1 beaten egg
coarse salt

Dissolve yeast and honey in warm water. Mix in flour and salt. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide into eight pieces and shape as desired. Brush with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake on cookie sheet at 450 for 10-15 minutes. (Other option: skip salt and put sugar & cinnamon on warm pretzels when they come out of the oven instead.)

Cave Painting

This week we talked about how man went from being nomads to farmers and settled in the Fertile Crescent (or Fertilized Crystal as Wesley first called it!) near the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Our project for the week was a cave drawing. Here is Wesley with his:

The story to go with the first line is: There was a Mom and a Dad playing "Monkey in the Middle" with their kid. A big deer knocked a boulder off a mountain and it rolled down the hill towards them.

There are various other drawings of people and animals as well but I thought the first story was pretty good. Mine just showed a guy harvesting wheat...how boring!