End of Day 2 and Gardening Books

Last year, I tried to put in some plastic edging in front of my deck and it did not work out.  It fell over constantly and wasn't very appealing.  So, I decided to go with bricks instead this year--something a bit more substantial...
Here is my result:

I think it looks better than it did before.  I also tried something new with the walkway.  Under the rocks, I put a layer of newspaper.  I read in The Vegetable Gardener's Bible that it's a good organic way to kill grass.  My husband doesn't like black paper so I thought it was a good solution.  Another tip I was given by my friend Jenny as a way to kill grass in walkways or areas you don't want them is to put black plastic (ie. trash bags) down for several days and let the sun kill the weeds.


Here's my new bed waiting for raspberries...

My plan is to plant them in there tomorrow. I put the Humus and top soil in, but haven't mixed it up very well yet.  This is not the perfect site (so don't do what I'm doing).  My side yard is pretty moist and raspberries prefer well draining soil.  I don't have another good option though so I'm going to hope for the best and hope that they will survive.  

I just looked again at these pictures and realized that they probably don't look like much.  They involved a lot of work!  I had no idea how much before I did it.  I have a new and deep appreciation for how hard landscapers work!  I also have no idea how my parents were able to keep up the huge garden that we had at our house when I was growing up.  It must have been a lot of work.  Good work.  Satisfying work, but work nonetheless.

I don't want to give anyone the impression that I know more than I do about gardening.  The truth is that I've been reading a lot and talking to people and now I'm taking the things I've been reading about and doing them.  Here's the books that have been helping me:

Dirt Cheap Green Thumb by Rhonda Massingham Hart

This book is great for sticking in your purse and taking with you where ever you go.  Read a few pages when you are waiting for a doctor's appointment or waiting to pick up your child from school.  The formatting is wonderful and makes it so easy to glean information.  It's concise and straightforward.  The first section is all about the absolutes (which I'm trying to follow as much as I can, but am doing imperfectly).  

I also like that this book has lots of handy charts.  Since it is small, it's easy to store and find room for on your bookshelf.

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward C. Smith

Last year for Mother's Day, my husband gave me.  It was kind of him, but the book completely overwhelmed me.  I wanted to dip my toes in the water and with that book you have to jump right in up to your shoulders.  Lots of reading and lots of information--though not everything you need.  It is a wonderful resource and covers lots of topics (it gave me the idea for the newspaper under the rocks).  It talks about mulching and sun.  But, because it is specifically for vegetables, there isn't a lot of information on herbs or flowers in it. So, I used it only a little last year.  I'm glad to have it and I've been opening it back up this year.  

Starter Vegetable Gardens by Barbara Pleasant

This book is a good place to start.  It has some great ideas of how to transition a garden and add on to it each year.  It has some wonderful information in it.  I especially like the first garden (the bag garden) because it avoids all the work of building raised beds from the beginning.  You make use of the dirt in the bags and develop your garden over a 3 year period.  I am realizing how wise this is after the 2nd day constructing my garden.  It is not as much work to maintain and plant in your garden as it is to build it!  The other plans are fun to look through and give lots of helpful information.  Each plan comes with a list of what you need (super helpful) and directions of how to build it.  The pictures of how to put in a tomato cage are very helpful!  This book is not as overwhelming as The Vegetable Gardener's Bible.  I also love the section on storing seeds.

  

The last book I have is one that I do recommend purchasing because you'll likely go back to it over and over if you have kids and pets.   But, it isn't a gardening book that covers everything.  It's called Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte.  Just like people, some plants like each other better than others.  There is a wealth of information in here about what you should plant with what.  The helpful chapter for gardeners with kids and pets is the list of plants that are poisonous or cause dermatitis.  I happen to have contact dermatitis and wear gloves whenever I garden.  There are quite a few plants that you shouldn't plant within the read of toddlers who put everything in their mouths or pets who won't leave your garden alone.  If you're interested in  companion gardening, this is a great book to look into.  

Back in March, I looked at a lot of gardening books.  I found several books written by authors in the UK and at the back of the book there was a note that you had to adjust the planting season by several months.  All of these books are written for the U.S. and so it is much easier to use the information that is area specific in them.  Storey books are a wonderful resource for gardening.  I have always been impressed by how they're written and the information in them.  The formatting is easy to navigate (some books even easier than others).  The font is clear and the headings make it easy to find what I'm looking for.  

If you're a new gardener like me, check these books out.  I hope they'll be helpful to you too!  I do have one more book that I ordered that I've been looking forward to.  It's called Tips for the Lazy Gardener, which also happens to be published by Storey.  I bought it based on the preview I saw and the realization that it is a lot of work to garden, so if there's anything I can do to make it easier, that would be great!  I'll post a note about it soon hopefully!

Please note that I did receive complimentary copies of Starter Vegetable Gardens and Dirt Cheap Green Thumb from Storey Publishing for review.  They have been very valuable resources.  

End of Day 1

At the end of Day 1, I'd mowed, combined my two raised beds into one and started weeding.  Here are some pictures.  I wish I'd taken some real before pictures--to remind myself that I'm making progress.

This is my side flower bed in front of my deck.  I took the picture this morning.  It gets afternoon sun.

This is my side yard.  It's pretty blah really.  Back against the fence I'm going to put in 2 shrubs, a load of dirt along the side, and build a composter by the shrubs.

This is my combined raised bed.  It worked out pretty well and saved me money which is always a good thing.  My trellis for beans is in the background.

So, that's my garden... my humble garden.  It's really not the best spot sun wise, but it's the spot I have (and I'm thankful to have it!), so what I'm left with is to make the best of it!

Day 1 Gardening: Survivors and Casualties

The kids and I began our week of gardening yesterday.  We combined the two raised beds that I had and began weeding.  Autumn was more persistent than Sami.  Eli only wanted to dig into the dirt and throw it out of the bed.  My parsley that had survived the winter was one of his first casualties.  I also got the area mowed.  My friend Jenny came over to talk to me about our garden.  We talked about a lot of things, but the first big one was that I need to map the sun--which I need to run and begin right now.  


One of the main ideas from a book I'm reading, Dirt Cheap Green Thumb by Rhonda Massingham Hart, is to pick the right plants for the right areas.  One of the first things the book recommends is mapping the area of your garden as full sun/partial sun/shade.  It doesn't say to make a map hour by hour as my friend advised me.  She has taken that one step farther--after all how do you figure out if it's full sun unless you observe it and write down your observations?  I was glad to already have the idea in my head from the book and then have her reinforce to me how much it matters.  The point of mapping the sun is that if you don't put plants where they like to be, it will be a waste of time, energy, and money.  Put them where they want to be and you'll be happier--and so will they! 


I learned this last year when I put some hostas in a spot that they did not like!  They quickly withered and faded. Lesson learned.


So, that is my task today:  to map the hours of sun in different areas of my garden.
My other tasks are to weed my existing beds in front of the deck and make another trip to Lowe's for supplies to build my raspberry bed and the raised beds for the kids.  


I was surprised at how I was tired after 2 1/2 hours yesterday of hard work in the garden.  Wow!  What a wimp I am! I can't imagine how strong farmers from days of old must have been (and how strong their children must have been).


Book Note...we did open up the book I mentioned yesterday Kids Garden! and I learned why the tasks are so simply planned.  The kids listened to the circular poem I read them, looked at the page with the tools and their descriptions, and read with me what weeds are (my older daughter knew exactly what the definition was from her science!).  Then my older daughter began weeding and my middle daughter used the kids shovel I bought at Lowe's (a great investment for $4--not plastic) to help me move the raised beds closer together and combine them.  My 3 year old son wandered around and eventually settled into his sand box (after killing my parsley).  


Post Script...
I just looked out the window and realized that it is overcast.  I won't be able to map the sun today!  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for it.  I guess that is going to need to be delayed. But, it is supposed to rain and Dirt Cheap Green Thumb notes in the first chapter that you need to test how well the water drains in your garden (with an easy test) and I will likely be able to do that after today!

Gardening Books for Kids

A month ago, I began my search for a good gardening book to use with my children.  I requested 5 books through our library system.  I went to the library and looked through what they had.  I went to the book store...  


There's a very popular book called Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy that many people love.    It has 43-5 star reviews on Amazon.  But, would you believe that I don't like it?  I must be crazy.  I thought it was cute and fun to look at it.  It had some great information and neat ideas.  But...  it also required a lot of reading and my children wouldn't be able to read it with me.  Just as with my textbooks, I need books I can grab and go.  I need things to be simple and straightforward.  So, I ordered a book sight unseen from a series that I like--the Williamson Kids Can! series.  

Kids Garden!  is out of print, but you can find it used on Amazon.  It's only $4 with shipping from Amazon.  I like this series because I can read it with my children--and add in extra explanation when I want to.  But, it gives the basics.  It talks about basic gardening tools, gardening inside, gardening outside, companion planting (very, very basically), flower gardens, a few recipes, fun activities to see how things grow, and more.  Of course, since it is a Williamson Kids Can book, the pictures are not in color, but they are outlines, so if you prefer color, you and your children could color the pages you do together as a way to remember what you did and write the date on the picture (even stick some pictures in the book!).  Of all the books I looked at, this was the best for kids to read and for moms like me who want a basic, easy to read book.  If you want to just dabble in gardening or you don't have a backyard, there's plenty of ways in this book to share the joy of how plants grow with your children.  That was one thing I thought was especially neat about this book.  One assumption I would have made before reading this book was that you need a backyard to enjoy gardening with your kids.  Not so!  There's plenty you can do in an apartment, townhome, or condo.  You can have an indoor greenhouse (in a box), you can have a few containers on a deck with plants, you can experiment with beans to see how they grow, or you can even have a cactus garden!  Though I'd be nervous about the last one with kids unless you had really good gloves!  One tip...I did put tabs on the pages I wanted to turn to frequently so I can flip to those pages in a jiffy with my kids.

This is the best and only book that I really loved for reading with my kids about gardening.  I have told the girls that they are going to have their own raised bed this year and that they can plant anything they want in there.  They were thrilled with the idea.  I'll post over the coming months about what I learn as we go through this process.

The rest of the garden is going to be mine to plan, plant, weed, and take care of.  So, I needed a bit more information than what was in this book.  I have found several books that I really like for adults that I'm going to post about in the coming days.  Another review coming tomorrow...

Gardening Books for Kids

A month ago, I began my search for a good gardening book to use with my children.  I requested 5 books through our library system.  I went to the library and looked through what they had.  I went to the book store...  


There's a very popular book called Roots Shoots Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy that many people love.    It has 43-5 star reviews on Amazon.  But, would you believe that I don't like it?  I must be crazy.  I thought it was cute and fun to look at it.  It had some great information.  But...  it also required a lot of reading and my children wouldn't be able to read it with me.  Just as with my textbooks, I need books I can grab and go.  I need things to be simple and straightforward.  So, I ordered a book sight unseen from a series that I like--the Williamson Kids Can! series.  

Kids Garden!  is out of print, but you can find it used on Amazon.  It's only $4 with shipping from Amazon.  I like this series because I can read it with my children--and add in extra explanation when I want to.  But, it gives the basics.  It talks about basic gardening tools, gardening inside, gardening outside, companion planting (very, very basically), flower gardens, a few recipes, fun activities to see how things grow, and more.  Of course, since it is a Williamson Kids Can book, the pictures are not in color, but they are outlines, so if you prefer color, you and your children could color the pages you do together as a way to remember what you did and write the date on the picture (even stick some pictures in the book!).  Of all the books I looked at, this was the best for kids to read and for moms like me who want a basic, easy to read book.  If you want to just dabble in gardening or you don't have a backyard, there's plenty of ways in this book to share the joy of how plants grow with your children.  That was one thing I thought was especially neat about this book.  One assumption I would have made before reading this book was that you need a backyard to enjoy gardening with your kids.  Not so!  There's plenty you can do in an apartment, townhome, or condo.  You can have an indoor greenhouse (in a box), you can have a few containers on a deck with plants, you can experiment with beans to see how they grow, or you can even have a cactus garden!  Though I'd be nervous about the last one with kids unless you had really good gloves!  One tip...I did put tabs on the pages I wanted to turn to frequently so I can flip to those pages in a jiffy with my kids.

This is the best and only book that I really loved for reading with my kids about gardening.  I have told the girls that they are going to have their own raised bed this year and that they can plant anything they want in there.  They were thrilled with the idea.  I'll post over the coming months about what I learn as we go through this process.

The rest of the garden is going to be mine to plan, plant, weed, and take care of.  So, I needed a bit more information than what was in this book.  I have found several books that I really like for adults that I'm going to post about in the coming days.  Another review coming tomorrow...

Gardening Books

I am a novice gardener.  When we lived in Georgia, my husband planted a small garden.  I can honestly say that I had nothing to do with it.  It was entirely his project.  When we moved here to Maryland, my husband chose a big spot in our backyard and planned his garden.  By the end of the summer, I was taking care of the garden because he ran out of time on the weekends between our kids and mowing the lawn and his other hobbies.  We didn't have a garden for the next two years.  One year I tried and within minutes of planting it and putting a fence around it, our puppy had tackled the fence and torn my garden to shreds.  So, the next year, no garden except for my front flower bed.


I wanted simple, easy and cheap.  So, I went with strawberries and dusty miller.  My dusty miller took off!  My strawberries did too and they quickly multiplied.  My two plants became 4 and then 8.  I planted a few bulbs, since they would come back year after year and planted two blue salvia plants that have also come back two years in a row.  My front flower bed is now full two years later full of strawberry plants, dusty miller and blue salvia.  My daffodils in the corner brought the first sign of spring.


Then last year, my husband built a wooden fence for me so that I could have a dog-free garden.  It was a much bigger project than I realized.  I am thankful that my husband did it.  It was a bit of a peace keeping effort for me and our dog, Molly.  It is my space.  Molly has no part in it.  I do not have to stress about her digging in my garden and it keeps me from yelling at her more than I already do about digging.


So, I planted in my garden.  My failures were many and my successes a few.
My successes were all mixed with my failures:
--I bought a trellis from Aldis and planted sweet peas plants (which died) on one side and bean seeds on the other side which climbed all over the trellis.  I loved looking at the beautiful vines.
--I bought pepper, tomato, celery, basil, parsley, and several herb plants.  I even planted Marigolds near my tomatoes to incorporate companion planting.  Of all my plants, my parsley, marigolds, and basil did well.  But, many of them were complete flops!  The hot peppers did well too--except that we never did anything with them!  My parsley and lemon balm both survived the winter and have come back this spring.
--I planted one rose that my kids gave me for mother's day.  My friend helped me with the detailed planting instructions needed for a rose and my rose took off.  It went a little crazy, though, so I pruned it back pretty drastically this spring.  I hope it will survive!
--I planted two strawberries two years ago that multiplied last year.


Sadly, I am a bit controlling in my cooking and gardening and I realize it.  In the same way that I am trying to find ways to "lighten up" and relax about my cooking with my kids, it is my desire to do the same with my kids and my garden.


So, here's my plan.  They are going to get to have their own special raised bed where they get to plant what they want to plant.  They will get to weed it, water it, and plant in it.  After they learn how to take care of their garden, they can move into my space where I've planted.  There are other little things that they will be able to help me do like pull the weeds from the rock walkway.  I'm also going to plant two azaleas around the rose bush so that they won't accidentally end up touching the thorny rose bush.


In my quest for encouragement and advice about how to enjoy gardening with my kids, I began searching for a book to help me.  I realize that I am a book person!  Much of this is because with 3 kids, I don't have the time to sit with someone for hours and ask all the questions that I have.  I also don't have a mom or grandma nearby to teach me.  My parents had a huge garden when I was growing up, but it was a bear to me because  my dad was very picky about it.  The only job I had was to water, which had to be done in a very particular way.  I actually never remember planting anything in the garden or preparing the soil.  He wanted things done a particular way.  I don't want to be that way with my kids.  So, I've known I need some good advice to help me through this.  In a book, the advice is also all written down so I can come back and refer to to what I read when I forget it--since I'm always forgetting things!  I do have a great friend Jenny who has been so helpful with the questions I bring to her and she's coming over to help me get started on Monday with my garden.  The biggest blessing from my conversations with her is that she always encourages me to relax and take it easy--something I always need to be encouraged in when it comes to my kids.  As much as I would like things to come our right (or what I think right is), that isn't really the goal.  The goal is to help them learn and enjoy what they are learning.  In this case, I want them to enjoy gardening, being outside, and loving God's creation.  


So, being the book person that I am, I started looking for a book (in addition to my friend Jenny) to encourage me in my gardening with my kids and to help me know what I need to teach them and what are even the most realistic and enjoyable things to do with them.  I looked at a lot of books at the library and then I ordered one sight unseen.  It turned out to be my favorite and thankfully it was the one I'd purchased.  It's from the Williamson Kids Can! series (which I am really coming to love) and it is called Kids Garden!  I need to go to bed now, but I'll write a little more come Monday about why I liked this particular book over others and what I found when I looked for a gardening book for kids.  After that, I'm going to write a few posts about the gardening books that I'm enjoying and learning from....

Some cookbooks are just not worth reading...

I have two cookbooks in my reviewing queue right now.  One is on my kitchen table waiting to be used again tomorrow when I make another attempt at sourdough bread.  The other is right beside me waiting to find a new home...but that home won't be on my bookshelf.  That's the book I'm going to review today.

Sometimes cynicism catches me by surprise.  I know that it has permeated our culture in an enormous way.  In my mind, I imagine it to be like the wild strawberry plants that are growing in my backyard.  They are poisonous, though they look innocuous.  They aren't real strawberries.  They have these little fruits on them that remind one of strawberries but that isn't what they are.

This cookbook in front of me is written in a very cynical tone.  I requested it hoping for a few good ideas on how to integrate meatless, dairy-free meals into our monthly menu.  I should have looked a little closer at the preview before I agreed to review it.

Here's the cookbook's title:  The Part-Time Vegan:  201 Yummy Recipes that put the fun in flexitarian by Cherise Grifoni.
Let me start with a quote from the introduction:
"Let's just get this out there.  I'm not here to tell you how to save the world, maybe just how to save your waistline...Here's the deal: You're curious about veganism but you don't want to read some eco-policing loony drone on and on about how trees are our friends and chickens would rathr be playing poker in their hen houses than lay eggs for us.  I get it.  It doesn't matter if you're a saint; if you're hungry, you're never going to get anything done...That's where I come in:  your no-nonsense, quick-witted guide to veganism." (from p. VII)  The thing about cynicism is that it sounds very "quick-witted" but it's really based on the idea that you can see through what others can't and that you can see what's really real and what really matters, while others can't.

All the vegans I know have a reason for becoming a vegan.  It may be because they care about how food is produced.  It may be because they simply don't like the taste of meat.  It may be because their bodies are allergic to dairy.  But, they all have a reason.

I was disappointed in this cookbook because many of the recipes use nutritional yeast, tempeh, vegan margarine, and egg replacer.  If I am going to cook vegan recipes, 1) I'd like the ingredients to be real without preservatives, 2) I don't want to eat foods that pretend to be like non-vegan foods, 3) I like photos because they make the recipes look appealing, and 3) I want to enjoy reading the cookbook and recipes.  Sometimes books just rub you the wrong way and I think this cookbook was that way for me.

Rather than going any more into why I don't like this cookbook, I'd rather recommend a few others.  Laurel's Kitchen and the Moosewood Collective have published several cookbooks that have many vegan recipes (non-meat and non-dairy) that use real foods without preservatives.  Simply in Season also includes many recipes that would be considered vegan.

I think it's important not to bring non-meat and non-dairy meals into our diets.  I just wouldn't recommend this cookbook as a way to do that.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook from F&W Media for review.

Nurturing a Love of Nature

Last fall, a friend of mine invited us to go with a few other families on a nature hike.  At one point, my friend picked up a worm and held it out to my daughters.  They each eagerly and gently touched the worm.  I cringed.  I am a city girl.  I grew up in L.A., where the sky is never blue, but rather a pale blue-gray.  I feel so inadequate when it comes to teaching my children about nature and fostering an awe of God's creation.  But, I desire for them to enjoy being outside and to smile with amazement at what they see.  I have been pondering what I can bring into our homeschooling to help us pursue the enjoyment of being outdoors as a family.  


I realized I needed a plan, or rather a set of plans.  A plan holds me accountable when I am frazzled and busy.  This is why I turn to published curriculums rather than trying to create my own lessons.  I find that there is great freedom for me in working my way through a book and someone else has done all of the prep work for me.  When I realized I wanted a book to help guide me in our studies, I began to imagine what kind of curriculum I would want and what the book would look like.  I wanted...pictures...language that was readable for my children and at their level...engaging writing...interactive reading/writing activities...for a love for nature to be clear in the writing...and formatting that made the book very easy to navigate and enjoy.  


I found a book that is all of these things.  I did also find two other books that are great supplements to it, but I will be able to use this primary book as the base for a year of nature study with my children.  


The book...


The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms by Clare Walker Leslie

This book is wonderful!  From the first page, I knew this book was what I looking for.  First, she explains why we study nature.  I agree with her reasoning that we need to understand that we are connected to this world we live in and we need to take care of it.  Her desire, which she makes clear, is that children would grow to love being outside and begin to see all that is around them every day.  I would also add one more reason why we study nature which is that God created this world and in realizing how amazing His creation is, we realize how amazing God is.  His creation can't help but point to Him.  This reason is the most important to me, but as the parent and teacher I can share that with my children when we begin our study.

Part One of this book is about How to Be a Naturalist.  Ms. Walker explains how to look, what to write down, what you will need, and how to record observations.  Part Two goes on to talk about the Sky, weather, and seasons.  There are wonderful hand drawn illustrations and lots of great information in this section.  The third part is a month by month guide which gives several activities for each month and relevant information for that time of year.  

How will I use this book?  I will get a copy for each of my children and myself.  I will begin the school year going through part one and helping my children learn how to observe nature and record their observations.  Storey Publishing also has a page where you can download printable copies of the pages which you would need duplicates of to make a nature journal.  They are on this page:  http://www.storey.com/thenatureconnection.php  After we've put their nature journals together, we'll start in October or November with the monthly activities and divide them amongst the weeks.  We typically study science one-two days a week.  What makes this a good book to use with multiple ages is the writing, illustrations, and activities.  Children can draw as simple or as elaborate pictures of what they see as they are able to.  They can also write single words, simple phrases, or complete sentences to describe what they see.   

What I most appreciate about The Nature Connection is that it makes nature study seem so simple and it no longer seems daunting to me as it has before.  I'll be able to pick up this book, open it up, and use it to help us enjoy nature together.  On Amazon, you can see a very thorough preview of this book which shows the table of contents, examples of the illustrations, and nature study information.

To supplement this book, The Kids Nature Book by Susan Milord, a Williamson Kids Can! Book is a great resource.  It has 365 indoor/outdoor activities and experiences to do through the whole year.  It would give you additional ideas for materials for your nature journal.  Many of the ideas in the book are just pick up and go, very low prep activities--which happen to be the best kind for my family and me.

The other book I have to supplement The Nature Connection is a wonderful bird watching book, What's That Bird? by Joseph Choiniere and Claire Mowbray Golding.  It is perfect for kids ages 7-12.  In the beginning, there are pictures of the different types of feathers birds have.  Then, a bird's body is illustrated with its anatomy identified.  The diagrams are clear and easy to understand.  From there, you will learn so much about birds.  75 of the most  common birds are in a bird identification guide.  The writing is clear and concise and is for a 5th or 6th grade reading level.    I shared this book with a friend who grew up bird watching and she loved it.  On Amazon, you see a great preview of this book.

If you're looking for a way to integrate nature study into your homeschooling or looking for an option for your science studies for next year, this might be a great option.  I think these books would work well whether you lean towards unit studies or towards individual subject textbooks.

Please note that I received complimentary copies of The Nature Connection and What's That Bird? for review from Storey Publishing.

Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Have you ever been to a restaurant and realized that you really want 3 different things on the menu?  It happens to me all the time.  It's handy that my husband is often willing to share with me.  But, that still excludes one thing.  On Sunday, we went to Panera for lunch after church.  I got half a salad and half a sandwich, but I really wanted some broccoli cheddar soup.  So, I decided to come home and see if I could find a recipe in one of my cookbooks or on the internet.  None of my cookbooks had a recipe for broccoli cheddar soup, but the internet did.


I found this recipe:  http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/1833/Panera-Bread-Broccoli-Cheese-S79119.shtml


Of course, I made an alteration.  When I printed off the recipe, I didn't realize that it called for 2 cups of half and half.  2 CUPS!  So, I pulled out The Substitution Bible by David Joachin and looked for a healthier alternative.  Here's what I ended up doing (I used and then modified one of his substitutions):


2 cups half and half = 1/2 cup half and half   PLUS   1 1/2 cups lowfat milk   PLUS 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter


Calories:  2 c. half and half = 640 calories
    My substitution =  160 + 195 + 150 = 505
If I'd taken all of the half and half out, and substituted 2 cups milk + 2 Tbsp. butter = 460 calories


Cost:  It's not a huge calorie savings, but there's also a cost savings.  $1-$2 for 2 cups of half and half or 50 cents for my substitution.


At the end of the day, what really matters most is whether the soup tasted good.  And it did.  I will definitely make it again, although I will serve a little grated cheddar on the side for everyone to add per their liking. 

Saving Money on Spices

I cook a lot so I end up using a lot of spices.  There are a few ways I've found to save money on them.  Now, I know that purists will say don't keep any dried spice for longer than a year, but honestly, I haven't had a lot of trouble with keeping them for several years.  I'm sure they're better when a year or less in age, but they will work fine for much longer than that.

Places I purchase spices and baking supplies:
BJ's and Costco (and similar stores):  They sell larger size containers.  These are very nice, but you need to have shelf space or spice rack with tall shelves to hold them.  I have about 15 of them, I think.  BJ's has been running a coupon in their mailing 1-2 times a year that has been a great savings!  BJ's also accepts manufacturer coupons, so you can use the McCormick coupons from the paper since that's what they now carry.  Costco is the better of the two for Vanilla.  It was $3 cheaper for the same size bottle at Costco the last time I purchased it.  BJ's and Costco are also the least expensive places I've found to get honey and maple syrup.

Amish Stores:  Up in Pennsylvania, there is an Amish Store called East Drumore Foods on Little Britain Road N, near Quarryville, PA.  Throughout PA, there are small Mennonite and Amish markets similar to this one.  This is a great place to get Molasses.  I also buy many spices there because they are less expensive than supermarkets, but you can get all the spices that Costco and BJs don't carry.

Mexican Markets/Ethnic Sections in regular grocery stores:  Wegmans carries a lot of ethnic spices in their middle eastern food section as well as their Hispanic food section.  There is going to be a Wegmans near us soon and I will be glad when it opens.  Until then, Mexican Markets carry a good selection of spices in bags that you can use to reuse the bottles you have for your spices (so don't throw those bottles away!).

Atlantic Spice and San Francisco Herb:  If you don't live near a store where you can get spices in bulk or larger packaging, there's another option.  If you're on the East Coast of the US, there's www.Atlanticspice.com  and if you're on the West Coast of the US, there's www.sfherb.com  A minimum shipping order is $30, so find a friend or two that you can share some spices with.  One thing to note:  compare the weight of the packages to the bottle that you have of that spice.  I just ordered 8 oz of oregano and I am going to have to find 3 friends to share this with!  But, it can be a great way to save money on spices.

Baking Supplies

The best way I've found to save on a few particular baking supplies is to buy them in bulk from a restaurant supply store.  Strangely enough, there isn't one near me.  But, I did find one online.

The supplies I wanted were Parchment Paper and Muffin/Cupcake Liners.
I found both on this site.  The parchment worked out to be $44 for 1000 sheets when I tacked on the shipping.  Each of the 16 x 24 sheets can be cut in half to make 2 sheets.  I bought my first box 13 years ago and I still haven't run out.  If you aren't interested in a whole box, you can buy it in packages of 50, or you can split a box with friends like I'm doing and share the cost.  I also found muffin liners.  They were $6 a box plus $3 or $4 per box for shipping.  This works out to about 80 or 90 cents per 100 white liners.  At Walmart when I checked last week, 32 were 92 cents!

Used Book Refunds

I have been going through a period of ordering many used books online via Amazon, AbeBooks, and Half.com. I purchase most of my curriculum used since I use public school curriculum for Science, Math, Health, Art, Social Studies, and Reading.

It has become quite a business selling used books on the internet.  A few years ago, book descriptions were detailed and accurate.  I rarely had to request a refund.  Of late (the past year or so), I've had to request multiple refunds because of damaged books or missing pages or large amounts of writing in the books.  Usually, because the value of the book is less than the return, the seller will simply issue a refund.   Today, I received notice that a bookseller I had requested a refund from was willing to issue me a 30% refund (probably from the price of the book, not total purchase price) or I can pay to return the book and receive a full refund.  I wanted write about this just to caution you with this bookseller.

The bookseller is Goodwill Discount Books.  Many Goodwills today are selling their books.  This Goodwill Discount Books was out of North Las Vegas, Nevada.

What this experience has made me think is that I need to be much more willing to accept a damaged product if I order a book in only Good condition or be willing to take the chance that I may or may not be able to use the book I've ordered.  In this case, I have a second copy and will be able to copy the pages that are missing in the workbook.  I can work with it.  But, in other cases, I think I will need to think harder about which used books I purchase and which sellers I purchase from.

Amazon also tends to have a better returns policy than AbeBooks, but I'd been trying to save money by buying books lately through Abebooks because the shipping is often cheaper.  I think I need to go back to Amazon!

Post Script...
The refund was made from the book by Goodwill Books from North Las Vegas--for the full amount (incl. shipping).  But, on the other hand, I checked another refund I had requested from another bookseller two weeks ago that I noticed hadn't gone through.  I often just assume that when I get an email saying that a refund has been issued that it has.  In this case, it wasn't.  I'm not sure what changed Goodwill Books mind.  I didn't mean to be a squeaky wheel with this blog entry.  But, I am learning that I really need to inspect used books when they arrive. The problem with the other refund was that I ordered the book two months ago and didn't inspect it when it arrived.  I just shelved it.  The other day I looked at it and realized that it was missing a lot of pages!

At the end of the day, doesn't always seem that there's one more thing to take care of and follow up on!

2% Back

How many times have you been offered a Bj's, Costco, or Sam's Club Membership that will give you 2% back? The cashier will show you a total of how much you've spent this year and how much you would have earned if you had opted for that membership last year.

This year, I opted to sign up for Costco's Executive Membership--which costs $50 more than the basic membership.  They do guarantee that if you don't earn $50 back in your 2% that you can go in and they will refund you the $50.  But, it doesn't exactly work as you might expect... Or maybe you were expecting it.  I just wasn't.

I got my 2% refund in the mail for $16.93.  So, I went in and they gave me the remainder $33.07 in cash.  The refund is really a credit to be used at Costco.  I did need to renew my membership, so I opted to drop back to the basic membership, which costs $50.  The cashier accepted the refund check and the $33.07 I'd just received  to pay for next year's membership.

It was really interesting to me that this is how it worked out.  I'm thankful that it did, actually.  I won't be tempted again to say yes.

I think the saying is something like "when something seems too good to be true, it is".  That's marketing--good marketing makes something appealing.  It makes you want to commit and buy into an idea or product.

I'll be much more wary the next time I run into a similar proposition...

Cookbooks for Kids

Just a day after I found myself frustrated in my endeavor to collect resources to teach my children life and home making skills, I realized that I needed to go back through the kids cookbooks I have again.  I realized that I have about 7 or 8 children's cookbooks in our cookbook collection.  They all have different strengths, so I thought I'd share what I think is their strengths and weaknesses and which ones I would buy (if I didn't have them) and which ones I wouldn't...


So, here's the List (in order of preference):
#1  Kids Cook! by Sarah Williamson & Zachary Williamson
Best Age: 5-9
Good, simple directions.

Generally pretty healthy recipes and ones that my kids would actually make.  There's a good section on safety and good illustrations of equipment.  There's a few pictures of the steps of cooking, but not many.  There's a good variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner recipes--over 150 in all, which is far more than all the other kids' cookbooks I came across.  The pages are black and white, but one reviewer on Amazon suggested that you let your kids color in the pictures (or you could if you are in a coloring mood) while they're waiting for the food to cook.  I think that's a great idea.  This cookbook is also VERY affordable (only $2.52 with free shipping) when I bought it on Amazon.  For the price and content, this is the best value.


#2  Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson

This is a wonderful cookbook for 4-7 year olds.  My kids love to sit down and look through it.  I love the quotes from the kids who tested and tried out the recipes.  The bulk of the recipes in this cookbook are ones my kids would make and eat.  I have pretty average eaters, except for 1 who is very picky.  I like the hand drawn pictures that illustrate each step.  The directions are well written and easy to follow.  The one big thing missing in this cookbook is explanation of terms and safety instructions.  There is a list in the front--but it is in mom language and in mom font, not kid font or simple 4 year old language.  I do appreciate Ms. Katzen's note about cooking with children in the front of the book about cooking with children--I think her advice is wonderful!  Don't worry about the messes and spills.  Just enjoy it and help them learn to enjoy cooking with you.  This is something I have to work on every time I cook with my kids.  There is a second cookbook Salad People that Mollie Katzen wrote as a sequel for this age group, but it is one that I would check out of the library before purchasing.  I looked through the recipes and could tell that my kids, unfortunately, wouldn't eat any of them.


I did see that this cookbook is only about $4.25 for a used copy, including shipping on Amazon right now.


I would say that for any of these cookbooks, check them out of the library if you can before you buy one.  See if it's easy for you to use and for your kids to use.  Do you like the formatting?  Is the reading level right for your kids?  Are the recipes things they would like to eat?


#3  Honest Pretzels by Mollie Katzen

This book for cooks ages 8 and up.  If you like Pretend Soup, then I think you'll love Honest Pretzels.  The directions are perfect for kids and Katzen's recipes are pretty healthy.  My kids absolutely love the Peanut Butter Doo Dads and the Giant Baked Pancake Puff is made every few weeks in our house.  Autumn reads the recipe while Eli and Sami help with the mixing.  These recipes can be made by 5-7 year olds with help and probably by a 8-11 year old on their own once they've made them with you.  But, that depends on how comfortable and able both you and your child feel about cooking these recipes.  This book has a lot more extensive notes for parents because the recipes are feasible for your child to do more of the cooking and maybe even all of the cooking for these recipes on their own.  I really appreciate that Mollie Katzen writes well without being too wordy.  I have the older edition which is currently about $5 used (including shipping) on Amazon when I checked today.


#4  Simply in Season Children's Cookbook by Mark Beach and Julie Kauffman
Best Age: 7-10

Simply in Season is one of my favorite cookbooks, so I had wanted this cookbook for a long time. It doesn't have a lot of recipes, but many kids cookbooks don't. The recipes in here are written well--in simple, clear, language.  I loved the 4 prayers that are in the book at the end of each section for the seasons. At the beginning of each season's section is a poem about the season which I look forward to reading with my children through the year as we make our way through the seasons. I also loved the first two pages about the "11 easy steps to fun cooking and eating" and the introduction to the cookbook. I thought the 11 steps were perfect. There isn't a big section about kitchen equipment or safety, so I would recommend other cookbooks with more thorough information if you want that. But, this is one of the better children's cookbooks I found. The recipes are good and well written. The formatting and binding of the cookbook will make it easier for kids and parents to use and it's big enough for everyone to look at together.   You can see a preview of this cookbook on CBD.  I bought a used copy for $12 (incl. shipping) on Half.com.  You can view a lot more of this cookbook here: http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/sis_children/lookinside.html?pageNo=Cover 


From here, the others I have are all pretty much equal.  I don't know if I would purchase any of them unless they would work well with your curriculum for homeschooling or they were what your kids were interested in.


* The Science Chef
Best Age:  4th-6th graders
This book is fun because it tackles one science question with multiple recipes.  The type is small and the language is simple so it would be good for an older child, rather than a 2nd or 3rd grader.  One review I read said the experiments were very simple--yes, they are simple in concept, but something doesn't have to be complex for it to be fun.  An example is the recipe for making your own cheese curds.  The science experiment is really one more of observation than of testing a hypothesis.  


* The Kids Multicultural Cookbook by Deanna F. Cook
Best Age: 2nd-5th grade
This book had one of the best cooking basics sections at the front of the book.  The recipes are divided by continent and country.  They use ingredients you'll have in your home or can easily find at your local grocery store.  There's also fun information about the countries and activities for you to do which relate to that culture.  


*Mom and Me Cookbook by Annabel Karmel
Best Age: 3-6 year olds
This book is a DK cookbook.  They have several.  They are the only publisher, that I found, that has color photographs of children cooking each step along the way in the recipes.  If this is what you are looking for, I'd recommend looking for one of these at your local bookstore or library.  Amazon does not have previews of most of their books available for you to see before you buy the book.  If you look at one and like it though, I'm sure you'll like the others that they publish for kids.  I do like the Mom and Me Cookbook, but of the 21 recipes, there were only 2 or 3 that I wanted to make with my kids.  That's the hard part about kids cookbooks.  Every family cooks different foods.  I always think it's best to look at the table of contents of a cookbook before hand to see if the recipes even sound like what your kids would want to make and eat.

Cookbooks I didn't like as well...

Paula Deen's My First Cookbook...  I looked at this one at the library.  The words are very small and the recipes are very wordy.  The safety directions page was fine, but other cookbooks were more complete and more simply written.  The illustrations and didn't add a lot to the book for me and the recipes didn't stand out to me.  For a "first" cookbook, I don't think it would be one I would choose to get.  You can't see a preview online, but Barnes and Noble carries it and so did my local library.

Fix it and Forget it Kids Cookbook...  I am so glad I checked this one out of the library.  Of the 50 recipes, I only found 6 that I would consider making with my kids.  Many of the recipes were made with canned condensed soup and they also had a very high fat content.  The pictures were of the dishes, but not of the preparations.  The directions were simply written (but not as simply as the Simply in Season Children's Cookbook) and that was a good thing about this cookbook.

Happy Cooking!

Cookbook Shopping Tip:

If you want to find the best price online for any of these cookbooks, I typically use Direct Textbook.com to compare prices.  www.directtextbook.com  Although I'm finding that I want to shop more at Amazon than other sites because I have more recourse when a used book doesn't arrive in the condition that it was described in.  One used book I ordered last week in "good condition" through AbeBooks arrived with a large water stain on the back cover.   

A New Guide for Healthy Family Eating

Partially hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, food coloring...  There are so many things that we have to watch out for in our food today.  Sometimes it's hard for me to keep all the information straight in my head.  My husband and I strive to feed our kids a healthy diet of fresh, prepared from scratch meals rather than frozen and prepackaged meals.  In our efforts, we have hit a snag.  Actually, it is a big snag.  We have one very picky eater.

Our first daughter was such a good eater--she even ate mushrooms when she was two years old!  Then, along came our second daughter who's refusal to eat most fruits and vegetables became more pronounced as she has grown older.  Did we do anything different?  No, not really.  Did I introduce the veggie baby foods first?  Yes!  Then our third child came along and thankfully he has turned out to be a good eater so far.

I thought maybe my picky eating daughter would grow out of her picky habits.  I have deep fears that she will become an adult who doesn't enjoy the wonderful world of food because she doesn't like the name of things.  In my quest for help, I began a search for helpful advice.  One of the books I discovered is a book titled The Cleaner Plate Club, by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin. I read the description of the book and it sounded like it would be right up our alley...

When you open up this book, you'll find a large section with all the nutrition information you've been looking up on the internet and haven't been able to easily find--at least I haven't.  I love books because they save me so much time!  They have all the information I want in one place.  And that is definitely the case with this book.  I can't count how many times I've looked up the ratios for sugar substitutes and definitions of kind of fats--and how many times I've looked up the different types of cooking oils.  Among the chapters in this book, you'll find a list of all the types of oils and fats, a list (with descriptions) of the sugar substitutes...  But, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin wrote The Cleaner Plate Club out of a desire to share what they've learned as they've sought to feed their own families healthy meals and raise healthy children.  The first part of the book is about nutrition.  Included in this section is a discussion of how to cope when they don't eat and how to feel about it.  The authors are not psychologists and wisely don't try to deal with the nonfood aspects of this--they don't deal with the aspects of obedience and discipline.  Instead, they focus these two pages on the nutritional aspects and how to view it.  The next chapter is about shopping for food.  I thought their list of ingredients for a well-stocked pantry was really pretty good.  There's a few that I might substitute or say are optional, but for the most part, I think it's a very affordable, well rounded list.  The next section explains CSAs and farmer's markets.  If you've wondered how a CSA works or what the benefits are, the authors do a good job of explaining them.  The remainder (and bulk) of the cookbook is about vegetables with recipes for your family.  The recipes I've made have all come out except for one.  My husband (and two of my children) loved the chicken chili, the fig balsamic salad dressing (which is about as simple as you can get), and the kale salt and vinegar chips.  The kale chips were truly one of the most surprising recipes in the book.  I made them on a whim not thinking anyone in my family but my husband would eat them--and all but one of my family loved them!  I did also make the tomato and bread soup, which did not turn out to be a hit with my children because  they love their Trader Joe's tomato soup and couldn't quite get used to the new texture of this soup.

So, here's my very honest opinion, I do love this cookbook.  But, though these recipes are family friendly, they may not be eaten by your picky eaters.  I think children who normally eat vegetables will love the recipes in this cookbook.  I was pretty shocked when my oldest daughter, a non picky eater, gobbled up the kale chips.  I hadn't even tried to get her to eat kale.  And some picky eaters may grow to love these recipes.  At the very least, the recipes in this cookbook are a great place to start.  They aren't too spicy, but they are flavorful dishes (just go light on the salt the first time you make the kale chips).  I don't have especially high hopes for my middle daughter, but I hope that she will eventually grow to love other foods.  She has been more willing of late at least to take a few bites and has been able to swallow them--I know that sounds extreme, but I am sincere when I say that I really do have a picky eater.  I think it's a trap that we as parents can begin to fall into when we cater to our picky children and stop cooking dishes that we enjoy.  I've heard from several moms that they just can't do it anymore so they just start feeding their kids nuggets and mac and cheese every night.  I don't want to go down that road.  I love food.  I especially love good food!  If 2 of my 3 children will eat a dish, then I consider it a successful meal.  So, if majority rules, this cookbook is a winner in our house.  It doesn't have all the answers for your picky eaters, nor does it pretend to.  But, it will be a good guide to help you know what to feed your children, how to shop, and give you some yummy recipes to cook for your family.

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking of Simply in Season and I was so pleased to find that it is listed as one of the authors' favorite cookbooks at the back of the book.  Simply in Season is probably one of my most favorite cookbooks and I've written about it several times on this blog. Many of the recipes in Simply in Season are simpler than in this cookbook, but I think the two would compliment each other well if you are looking for cookbooks that will help you bring more vegetables and healthy dishes into your family's diet.

As I've reread this review, I've realized that I've really put this book in a box.  I have made it sound as if this is a cookbook that is best suited only to families.  I didn't mean to box it in that way.  So, who would I recommend this cookbook to?
1. Anyone who wants a cookbook with good, solid information about nutrition (but isn't ready to wade through a thick book devoted solely to nutrition).
2. Anyone who wants to cook more vegetables and eat healthier dishes at home, but isn't sure where to start and doesn't want to make any more casseroles.
3. And finally-- Anyone who loves yummy, healthy, food that doesn't include canned soup, ranch dressing, or another prepared food item as an ingredient!

Please note that I did receive a complimentary copy of The Cleaner Plate Club for review from Storey Publishing.  

I'm frustrated...

I'm frustrated...that I can't find what I'm looking for.  I really thought it would be simple.  There's so many choices after all!

I have been attempting to compile a short list of books that would cover the major life skills that I want my children to learn.  I have found a wonderful book for sewing and have a plan for teaching manners (which combines 2 resources).  I have five kids cookbooks on my shelf (none of which I would consider the best all in one beginner cookbook).  I have three books I ordered--one on responsibility, one on home economics for homeschoolers (that's the title), and one on money.  They're all okay, but not great.  So, I'm frustrated...

I have an idea in my mind of exactly what I'm looking for.  I want books that are helpful to both parents and kids--ones that can be read together, but that also help parents springboard from and go further on their own.  I want books that cover the basics without being contrived.  I want illustrations!  I also want books that encourages girls and boys to be girls and boys, but that doesn't pigeon hole them.

I think that my best solution at this point is to just write my own lessons...so, perhaps that will become my summer project.  I do like to write curriculum, so I think I am going to try my hand at this.

How do I teach them to sew???

Every Christmas, I pull out the Christmas tree ornament that my first grade teacher helped me and 29 other first graders to needlepoint on plastic canvas thirty years ago.  As my girls have grown, I have grown to have more and more respect for that teacher.  How did she do it?  How did she guide and have the patience to guide 30 first graders in such a project?  There were even boys in the class!  I am awestruck when I pick up the little ornament and contemplate its origins.

My girls are now 7 and 5 and I know the time has come this summer to begin introducing them to sewing and other home economics skills.  I have put it off with the thought that they were too young.  But, I'm realizing that now it's time.  And it's also time for them to learn a few other things, too...

Two weeks ago, I made a list of all the skills I want my children to learn when it comes to home economics and life skills.  I divided them up and designated some of them for elementary school, some for middle, and some for high school.  My goal was to find a book for each of the topics that would be a good basic resource that covers that topic well.  I only have so much space on my bookshelf and I wanted to find good books that would be great all-in-one resources.

The first topic I wanted to find a good resource for was sewing.  Although I know how to sew, I am a learned teacher, not a natural teacher.  I need books that will give me good directions that both me and my kids can read.  I need things to be simple.  I don't have a lot of time for prep in my life right now.  I like good, clear, and simple illustrations.

Surprisingly, I found all of those things in one book on sewing titled Sewing School by Amie Plumley and Andria Lisle.  This is a new book that just came out last fall.  It is published by Storey Publishing--which is probably my favorite publishers of good hobby books.

There is an introductory section for parents about how to teach sewing and how to approach the endeavor.  (I was very excited to know there's such thing as a needle threader!)  Then, there are the basics of knots and hand sewing stitches.  The pictures are simple and the directions below the pictures are concise and clear.  From there, the book includes directions on how to make 21 sewing projects.

I wondered what these projects would be like.  I was wonderfully surprised at what I found.  Patterns and stuffing are introduced.  Projects range from simple to more complex.  There is even one for making a skirt using a sewing machine--on the most basic level!  Honestly, that was just what I wanted.  I was looking for a book that primarily focused on hand sewing with a little machine sewing towards the end so that I can introduce the kids to my sewing machine when it's time.  The projects in this book are wonderful ideas for gifts that my girls will be able to make for others come next Christmas.  I think the best age range for this book is 5-12 year olds.  5 years old may be a little young for this book, but if you take it slow, have patience and a needle threader, I think you'll be in good shape.  12 may seem a little old for this book, but if someone was starting off sewing that has never sewn before, I would start them with just these projects.  The directions are clear and simple--and that's helpful no matter how old you are!

The authors obviously know what they're talking about.  They run a summer camp for elementary age children in Tennessee every year to teach them how to sew.  So, these projects have been tested and made over and over.  These authors are writing with experience!  Every so often I find authors who pretend to be people they're not or write about things that they have only a little experience in.  That's not the case with these two!  I am impressed.  This book has made me really look forward to sewing with my girls and now I just can't wait to introduce my girls to sewing!

We just so happened to get them new shoes this weekend and the boxes are just the perfect size to become their new sewing boxes.   So, I'm off to cover them with paper...

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Storey Publishing.

All The Other Important Stuff To Learn...

I am a planner.  Getting my master's degree in education turned me into a planner.  I was taught that you needed to know what your children needed to learn and then make a plan to cover that material.  Most of the time that meant you needed to create your own lessons because you likely wouldn't have books.

When I started homeschooling, I thought I would have more planning time--not less than I did as a classroom teacher.  What I discovered to be reality was actually that I have far less.  In my life with 3 children 2, 5, and 7, I need to be able to pick up and go with a lesson.  Formatting in a book can either make my life easy or very difficult.  I have a plan for their academics and I have been so blessed to watch God direct me to the right curriculums for my kids.  But, recently I came upon the realization that it was time to get on the ball when it came to all the other stuff besides the academics that they need to learn.  My girls are getting older and time has seemed to sneak up on me already.

So, in January, my girls began folding and putting away their clothes regularly.  Autumn took on making their beds and Sami began emptying the trash.  I have been trying to involve them more in the cooking and truly holding them accountable for picking up their toys.  Too often I had fallen into the habit of picking things up for them.  But, I knew I needed to stop--so I've mostly stopped.

Then, two weeks ago, my husband asked me about all the other things that he had hoped they would learn or have the opportunity to do because they are homeschooling.  At the top of the list were cooking and gardening.  I listened and took what he said and mulled it over.  I pulled out a book on my bookshelf called Life Skills for Kids by Christine Field, and do some research on the internet.

I couldn't find an all in one home economics/money management/manners/hobby arts curriculum.  The ones I found had a sharp dichotomy between what girls and boys were taught to do.  My husband and I do want our girls to be able to keep their home, but we don't believe in keeping them home until they marry.  I hope and even expect that my girls will go to college or receive additional education after high school.  I am preparing them to do that.  Not all girls get married and I don't know what the Lord has for them--though I do hope that he has a husband in mind for them and a wife in mind for Eli.  So, I believe I need to prepare them well--to be able to both mow the lawn, paint a room, cook a meal, garden, and manage their own finances well.

The curriculums I found also tended to be far more conservative in their beliefs about men's and women's roles than mine are.  I once was an evangelical feminist--which I am far from now.  But, I am not super conservative about my beliefs about submission either.  Dancing With The One You Love by Cindy Easley was such a blessing to me this year.  It is the first book I have read about submission that I felt is written with grace and the understanding that all marriages are different--while still believing firmly in the submission of a wife to her husband.  Since I didn't find a curriculum that covered everything I was looking for with lessons in it, I found myself in a quandary.  I decided to collect a list of resources and a basic list of the skills I want to teach my children.

So far I have the list and the resources are on their way.  I am going to post reviews of the books as they come and add a new tab to this blog that will keep a running list of the topics, my plan, and the resources.

So, here's my list of topics...
Elementary School
Money Management            Wise Purchases, Grocery Shopping, Saving
Decision Making                  Self Discipline, Wise/Unwise
Space Organization              Own Room, Clothing, Closet
Home Skills                         Gardening, Meal Planning, Cooking, Sewing, Recycling/Reusing
People Skills                        Manners, Making Friends, Phone Etiquette
Healthy Lifestyles                 Eating Right and Making Good Food Choices
Celebration Skills                 Family Traditions, Birthdays, Special Days/Achievements, Holidays,

Middle School
Money Management            Clothes Shopping, Grocery Shopping, Saving/Banking
Decision Making                  Time (Priorities), Self Discipline, Wise/Unwise
Space Organization              Home, Purse/Backpack
Vision                                  Goals/Purpose
Home Skills                         Menu Planning, Cooking, Knitting/Crocheting, Child Care
People Skills                        Email/Letter Etiquette
Healthy Lifestyles                 CPR/First Aid Class
Fine Arts                              Photography, Music Appreciation

High School
Money Management            Open and Use a Bank Account, Budgeting
Life Skills                             Getting a Job, Work Ethic
Home Skills                          House Maintenance, Car Maintenance, Painting, Wood Finishing
Animals                                Volunteer at Humane Society

I trained to teach K-5, taught Middle School, and tutored High School Students and adults.  So, I realize that I naturally keep in mind the end of the race.  I do still try to focus on what's right in front of me, but I have found that I need to know where I'm going.  I am running this race intentionally.  It doesn't confine me and none of what I've written is hard and fast, but it is a starting point.  A place for me and my kids to begin at.