Our Favorite Midday Snack

I've been in the midst of planning for next year (as well as enjoying summer) so I don't really have a lot of time to update this blog right now.  I still have some purchasing to do, but I think I feel pretty good about the upcoming school year. We have some fun stuff to work on!

However, I thought I'd pop in and share our favorite super-cool snack since the weather is really hot right now. We sometimes try new things, but this is our old standby. Everyone loves this smoothie and it is super easy (and inexpensive) to make:

2 FROZEN bananas (peel before freezing)

1 1/4 c. milk

3 T. chocolate protein powder (or 1 pkg. chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast)

3 heaping T. of Greek yogurt (plain!)

Aaaaand... blend. That's it. So easy!

Makes 3 small smoothies or 2 big ones.

(Warning: Do not try with unfrozen bananas. Resulting smoothie will be gross. Also, do not try to be creative and add instant coffee. Resulting smoothie will be even grosser.)

It's Em-approved! Really, it is. She was so busy drinking that she couldn't be bothered to appear enthusiastic for the camera. ;)

History of Civilization Timeline

I have been wanting to make a timeline for the past few months. We have been using one I made at the beginning of the year but it is really small and to scale, which means it has virtually NO space for the modern era. I knew I needed to make a not-to-scale timeline, despite the fact that not-to-scale timelines make me want to bang my head against a wall. A few days ago, inspired by the ideas on this site, I set out to make my own timeline.

First of all, I wanted a top-bound spiral notebook with nice drawing paper and a plastic spiral binding (the metal doesn't seem to survive daily use and ends up tearing up my bookcase or injuring a fidgety-fingered child.) I couldn't find what I was looking for for under $11, so I purchased a cheap $2 tape-bound drawing book at Staples, ripped the tape off, and had them put a spiral binding on the top for $3.99.

I took the book home and drew a line down the middle of each page. Then I marked off years. The earliest pages show 500 year periods and are marked with 100 year blocks, while later pages show one decade marked off in 1-year blocks.

I color coded each section corresponding to the history periods we will study in our 4 year history cycle. (Em helped label the years.)

I then used scrap paper and to decorate the cover on the front and the inside so that the cover would be sturdier. I created a title for the book.

El thought we needed a table of contents, so I made one...



Also, I glued our old timeline to the back of the book so that we could continue to reference a properly scaled timeline. (On the opposite page is an envelope for any loose or unglued pieces.)



I'm pretty excited about our new timeline. It should last us though at least one 4-year history cycle and we will be able to add artists, musicians, scientists, and literature along with traditional historical events. The kids were excited to start in on it-- by adding their birthdays, of course. ;)

Total cost, with tax: $6.47
Total time to complete, with children: A few hours, but totally worth it.

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Break Week

Pizza Box Math: Multiplication

Naked Egg

Reading (and hiding from the camera!)

....and the most exciting thing of all: Bike riding without training wheels!

What I Learned in Year One of Homeschooling

I am extraordinarily thankful for:
My library (and its nifty online catalog & my account feature)
The internet
My supportive family (I mean, really. How many homeschoolers can say that their entire family is behind them?)
My "Hey, why not? I'll try anything!" son
My constantly-hugging-me daughter
The freedom to homeschool
Things that are spiral-bound

I don't really like:
Big binders
Cheap pencils
Neverending supply/book shopping
Constantly buying printer ink!
Things that are comb-bound

I totally forgot to teach:
Test prep

I feel like _____ went really well this year.
Math
Language Arts (with the exception of writing)

I feel like _____ did not go as planned this year.
(Sigh) Writing
Planned group activities

Things I might not have learned if I didn't homeschool this year:
If I'm at home, I cook while I'm waiting for someone to finish a task.
El loves bird-watching.
El loves Latin.
Em loves poetry.
Em hates nonfiction, but is okay with biographies.
El is incredibly easy-going and mature (as long as Em isn't around.)
Em is incredibly thoughtful and patient (as long as El isn't around.)
Increasing a child's capacity for memory work does not increase a child's capacity to remember to do the same thing you have been asking him to do every single day for the past few years.

Next year, I would like to do more:
Notebooking
Games
Nonfiction writing practice

Next year, I would like to do less:
Trying to do it all. (Covering state standards and Classical Education while trying to incorporate the best of Charlotte Mason and reading every book suggested.)

Em learns to sew