Look what I found!!

Here is a great talk on microbes!! Bacteria, virus and more from an expert who is a Christian and has a Biblical view of Creation!! cool, huh?? and for FREE!! So if you have middle aged children or high schoolers or just curious homeschoolers show them this video.

And at my local library I found this book: The Adventures of Micki Microbe. I haven't read it yet to the children, but it looks very interesting!!

Would you like to find out how to homeschool for FREE or keep your children learning? Then check out the list of blogs and websites that I posted on the top right side of my blog. All these links have so much information and fun learning games, worksheets, videos and more for FREE!!

Besides my local library, the internet is my other resource that I use to teach my children daily. Why limit yourself to boring textbooks while you can learn so much through videos, books and daily interaction with your children?

Blessings,
Tereza

We got....

Snow and a three year old little girl.

Blessings,

Tereza

New Chipboard LOVE album - a Wedding Celebration

As a gift to my sister celebrating her wedding I made her this scrapbook album. I used a Bo Bunny LOVE chipboard album and covered it with Crafty Secrets papers and added Webster's Pages ribbons, flowers and other embellishments. I also used Melissa Frances pearls, Prima flowers and some chipboard pieces I had at home.

I had covered the album a few years back and it was sitting in my studio waiting for just the right time to be finished. So I put a light coat of white acrylic paint on the album to soften up a bit the colors and then added the stamps and then the embellishments. It was easy to make this album pretty since my sister is so gorgeous!! hahaha :)





Here is a bird eye view of the top of the albums. If you would like to see the whole album, check out my VIDEO on my YOUTUBE channel.
Enjoy!!

Below the last page  of the album!

If you would like to see MORE of my WORD ALBUMS just click HERE.

 Thanks for stopping by,

Tereza

My breakthrough

I was reading Barbara Sher. Wondering why the heck I was reading her (knowing that all things work together for good and the Lord leads)? Why I was enjoying the writings and thoughts of this woman with an evolutionist worldview? I have no clue if she is a Bible believing Christian. She doesn't sound like one.

Anyway, I began to think about my dreams and then I prayed....

Dear Lord,

If you want us to go to ... you are going to have to do it! YOU have to make IT happen! I just can't see a way for it to come to pass.



Then it hit me: I was trying to make it happen!! I was trying to figure it out how. I was trying to add the numbers and come up with a game plan. My part is to say YES!, submit and let God. He can do the rest.


Ooooooooooh! I can see adventure in my future. Hold on tight!!!

And there is peace. Finally! :)


Tereza

Reading list of November and December 2011

Since I got little ones coming behind my DD8 who is the oldest and an avid reader, I will be posting now only the new books we are reading, or the books used for school subjects such as History, Science or other projects. All books that I am re-reading for the little ones will not be listed here but you can find them on older posts. Here is the list for November:

The Worry Stone by Marianna Dengler
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
The Man who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
Radio Rescue by Lynne Barasch
Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone
Night in the Barn by Faye Gibbons
We the People: Lewis and Clark by Dan Zadra
We the People: Squanto by James R. Rothaus
We the People: Paul Revere by Dan Zadra
Pocahontas by Jan Gleiter and Kathleen Thompson
The Story of Lengthwise by Ernestine Cobern Beyer
Squanto - Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla
Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla
Daniel Boone - Frontier Adventures by Keith Brandt 
The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat called Fish by Jacqueline Briggs Martin


Look Inside a Tree - A poke & look learning book
First Big Book of Why by Amy Shields
Wings on Things by Marc Brown
Poor Puppy by Nick Bruel
Marley and the Kittens by John Grogan
Clarence and the Great Surprise by Jean Ekman Adams
An American Thanksgiving by Ideals
Heaven is for Real for kids by Colton Burpo
Brand New Baby Blues by Kathi Applet
The Great Doughnut Parade by Rebecca Bond
Digger and Lew by Malachy Doyle
My Brother, Ant by Betsy Byars
Tooth Fairy's First Night by Anne Bowen
Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
The Artist who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle 
Explore and Learn - Atlas of the World




Mom's Eccletic Reading List:

America's God and its Founding Fathers by Jerry R.Self
Days of Change - The Slave Trade by Rachel Hanel
Sacred Parenting by Gary L. Thomas
Through my Eyes - Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker

Here is the list for December:

Red Sled by Lita Judge
No Two Alike by Keith Baker
The Frogs and Toads all sang by Arnold Lobel
A Charley Brown Christams by Charles M. Schultz
The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
The Hat by Jan Brett

A friend lent us a few books that are used in Sonlight Curriculum to teach History. DD8 has devoured the ones below:

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh
Sarah Whitcher's Story by Elizabeth Yates
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Imprisoned in the Golden City by Dave and Neta Jackson
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

There is a whole lot more specially the ones about Christmas, Nativity and everything in between. We read the ones about the legend of the Candy Cane and others.


Blessings,
tereza

For the Mother of the Bride

Not only do I make Bridesmaids cards I also make cards for anyone else involved in the Bridal Party! Look at these fun and modern cards that can be used for Mom in any occasion!!

Email me if you would like a custom order! Blessings,

Tereza

Easy Homemade Bread

Homemade bread! Yummy and healthy and EASY to make!

About a month ago I decided to try making bread at home. I have 4 children, we eat bread everyday. We eat whole wheat bread and if you do too, you know it's pretty expensive. I stay away from the bread that is made with high fructose corn syrup. My options are not many and the price is high.

After a bit of research, I found the 5 minute Artisan bread recipe. Didn't have to purchase the book, but just browsing a bit on the net and you can find video tutorials and blog posts with lots of reviews and the recipes.

I enjoyed the bread but it was a bit tough for everyday sandwiches. So I went back to the drawing board (the net) and found this recipe. After a couple of tests I tweaked it and now this is the recipe I use:

1 1/4 C warm water (I use hot tap water)
1 T dry active yeast
1/4 C honey or 1/3 C sugar (I have used granulated sugar and brown sugar. Now I use pure sorghum only)
2 C whole wheat WHITE flour
1/4 C wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
2 T yogurt or buttermilk
1 T olive oil
1 T vinegar
1 C bread flour

Look at my rolling pin! It's an old bottle! :)

The original recipe uses potato flakes and nonfat instant dry milk, two items that I do not use everyday and don't have in my pantry. I really wanted to use a recipe that incorporates everyday ingredients. The potato flakes are added to make the bread soft so I played around and found that the same amount in bread flour worked perfectly.

I double the recipe above (my version) and make 3 loaves each time. They last us about 3 days and so I only make bread every 3 days.

Crystal is a great teacher. Her videos show how to make the bread. It's easy, no need to knead at all!!! I don't have a kitchen aid or a dough hook. So I use the technique taught in 5 minute Artisan bread to mix my dough. Crystal's timing is also perfect. The bread rises every time and comes out soft and yummy!!

My bread ready for the oven after 1.5 hours to rise!

After some calculation, I figured my bread is probably costing about $1.50 a loaf. It's a pretty good price. the cheapest I have found bread at the store was $1.80. Now more than cost, what keeps me making bread every 3 days is knowing the nutritious value of it and what actually goes in it. There are no secret or hidden ingredients in it.

I hope you enjoy and try it.

Blessings,
Tereza

Reading list for January 2012 and the Orphan trains

 

Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting

The book above touched my heart. I found it at my local Public Library and it tells the fiction story of a little girl who travels in a train to be placed with a family. It's based on a real live story and you can find more stories at the National Orphan Train complex. 

Dandelions by Eve Bunting
the Legend of The Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne
Jambi and the Lions by Jennifer Brady
The Fling - Hank the Cowdog #38 by John R. Erickson 
Slim's Good-bye - Hank the Cowdog # 34 by John R. Erickson
The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader
God gave us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren


Martin's Big Words - The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr by Doreen Rappaport 
Siamese Cats by Lynn M. Stone
Maine Coon Cats by Lynn M. Stone
Ragdoll Cats by Lynn M. Stone
The Fossil Factory by Douglas Eldredge and more
Sue - the Story of the Colossal Fossil. the World's Most Complete T.Rex by Pat Relf


Money - DK Eyewitness Books
Monet - DK Eyewitness Books
Astronomy - DK Eyewitness Books
Space Exploration - DK Eyewitness Books
World War I - DK Eyewitness Books




Chili Cook Off by Dave and Pat Sargent and Family (on being responsible)
Goat Tying by Dave and Pat Sargent and Family (Don't give up)
Chicken House Duty by Dave and Pat Sargent and Family (Think before you speak)
Ballet Bullies by Jake Maddox
Horseback Hopes by Jake Maddox
Legend of the Lure by Jake Maddox
White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry


DK Eye Know Bird
DK Watch me Grow Bear
DK Watch me Grow Frog
DK Eye Know Insect

The Golden Concise Encyclopedia of Mammals by David Lambert
The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins



Quiet Bunny and Noisy Puppy by Lisa McCue
A Blue Butterfly - a story about Claude Monet by Bijou Le Tord
Billy and the Big New School by Catherine and Laurence Anholt
The Handmade Alphabet by Laura Rankin 
Little Croc's Purse by Lizzie Finlay


Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes

Mom's Eccletic Reading list:

Not afraid of life - my journey so far by Bristol Palin

More next month, blessings,
tereza