Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Homeschooling FAQ
I have been meaning to do a post on homeschooling now for... well, months. I've been asked several questions about homeschooling recently, and want to open up the topic here on my blog. If you have ANY questions regarding homeschooling that you'd like to ask me, please put them in the comments of this post, and I will put together an FAQ entry sometime this week. You can ask me about what we do specifically, my opinion on different aspects of homeschooling, general homeschooling questions... anything at all! Thanks!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
MckMama Photoshoot
We got to have a 1 hour photoshoot with Jennifer McKinney (aka MckMama) this past Saturday in Houston and it was GREAT! I was so excited when I first heard she was coming to Houston, because I missed her when she came to Dallas last year. It was really great getting to meet her and hang out with her for an hour while she shot our family. It will be a few weeks until we get the cd of pics from her, but here are some that my mom took of our shoot for us.
Me and Jennifer before the shoot.
Here. she's telling Graham that there's a monkey in her camera. He thought she was nuts. lol
She worked hard to get his attention. He was definitely not the most cooperative that day.
I think these she took of the girls are gonna be sooo cute!
It's funny because most of my friends are like, "who's MckMama?" and have no idea why I've been so excited about this. But then those friends who also follow her blog are all just as excited FOR me! If you don't know who MckMama is, I encourage you to check out her blog. She is a funny, inspirational, down to earth, Godly mother of 5 and she blogs about sooo many different topics including breastfeeding, missions, homeschooling, healthy eating, faith, photography, and much much more. She was just as friendly and nice in person as you'd expect after reading her blog. I really really hope she comes back to Houston at some point. I'll totally be there!
Me and Jennifer before the shoot.
Here. she's telling Graham that there's a monkey in her camera. He thought she was nuts. lol
She worked hard to get his attention. He was definitely not the most cooperative that day.
I think these she took of the girls are gonna be sooo cute!
It's funny because most of my friends are like, "who's MckMama?" and have no idea why I've been so excited about this. But then those friends who also follow her blog are all just as excited FOR me! If you don't know who MckMama is, I encourage you to check out her blog. She is a funny, inspirational, down to earth, Godly mother of 5 and she blogs about sooo many different topics including breastfeeding, missions, homeschooling, healthy eating, faith, photography, and much much more. She was just as friendly and nice in person as you'd expect after reading her blog. I really really hope she comes back to Houston at some point. I'll totally be there!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Leah and Erica well check updates
Leah and Erica both had well check appts today at the pediatrician. Bottom line is, they are both growing beautifully.
Leah was 18lbs 4oz and 29", which keeps her in the 8th %ile for weight (she's stayed between the 5th and 8th since July, which is great... very consistent) and 40th &ile for height. So she's longish and lean. She's hitting all her milestones... starting to sort of say words, walking all over the place, and is just doing great all around.
Erica was 37lbs and 42", which puts her in the 23rd %ile for weight and 25th %ile for height. Just right! She passed her eye test with flying colors. She still complains occasionally about a general "unwell" feeling, which the dr. attributed to a chronic constipation problem at our last visit. So we've had her on Miralax and fiber supplements. It's gotten better, but not gone away. I don't know if that's because I am not 100% consistent with her doses (since she gets them at mealtime and we aren't always at home for meal time), or if it's because that's not the entire reason behind her feeling bad. She had a bunch of labs run last night, which all came back clear. So she is sending her to be tested for Celiac Disease. It's not likely that's what she has, but it's one of the only things she hasn't been tested for that it *could* be. I really hope it's not that. I hear gluten-free diets are a real pain. BUT, if that's what it is, at least we'll know and can work to get her feeling better! But for now, I'm going to try extra hard to be more consistent with her Miralax/fiber and see if we see a difference. We're also going to make an appt. with a pedi gastro. specialist just to rule out anything there. Her eczema is about the same. She goes through a vicious cycle of eczema and folliculitis flare ups, with a few "clear" days in between. She did tell us about a new pediatric skin care kit that is geared towards kids like Erica who have bad eczema and are prone to staph and other skin irritations as well. It's pretty expensive though, so I'm not sure when/if we'll try it out. If we can just get these 2 things under control, Erica will be in fabulous shape. She is otherwise doing wonderfully and is just growing up so much.
Leah was 18lbs 4oz and 29", which keeps her in the 8th %ile for weight (she's stayed between the 5th and 8th since July, which is great... very consistent) and 40th &ile for height. So she's longish and lean. She's hitting all her milestones... starting to sort of say words, walking all over the place, and is just doing great all around.
Erica was 37lbs and 42", which puts her in the 23rd %ile for weight and 25th %ile for height. Just right! She passed her eye test with flying colors. She still complains occasionally about a general "unwell" feeling, which the dr. attributed to a chronic constipation problem at our last visit. So we've had her on Miralax and fiber supplements. It's gotten better, but not gone away. I don't know if that's because I am not 100% consistent with her doses (since she gets them at mealtime and we aren't always at home for meal time), or if it's because that's not the entire reason behind her feeling bad. She had a bunch of labs run last night, which all came back clear. So she is sending her to be tested for Celiac Disease. It's not likely that's what she has, but it's one of the only things she hasn't been tested for that it *could* be. I really hope it's not that. I hear gluten-free diets are a real pain. BUT, if that's what it is, at least we'll know and can work to get her feeling better! But for now, I'm going to try extra hard to be more consistent with her Miralax/fiber and see if we see a difference. We're also going to make an appt. with a pedi gastro. specialist just to rule out anything there. Her eczema is about the same. She goes through a vicious cycle of eczema and folliculitis flare ups, with a few "clear" days in between. She did tell us about a new pediatric skin care kit that is geared towards kids like Erica who have bad eczema and are prone to staph and other skin irritations as well. It's pretty expensive though, so I'm not sure when/if we'll try it out. If we can just get these 2 things under control, Erica will be in fabulous shape. She is otherwise doing wonderfully and is just growing up so much.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Seven on the Seventh: Meals I Make the Most
My friend Amanda has started doing this monthly blog entry and I figure if I join in, it should hold me accountable at least once a month! lol
This month's topic is: Meals I Make the Most
I don't really ENJOY cooking per se, but I do like making meals at home because it's 1) cheaper and 2) usually healthier than eating out. I have found that if I make a menu each week, I tend to stick to it for the most part and we eat out much less. I am not a schedule kind of girl though, so I can't say Monday is spaghetti, Tuesday is meatloaf etc. Instead, I plan for 5 dinners each week. That accounts for some leftovers, and some eating out as well. I usually have at least one meal that doesn't get made and just gets rolled over into the next week. I have also found that if I plan ahead for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for me and the kids, I tend to do much better. I only plan 3 each of those per week because we can easily eat something twice or we do occasionally go out to eat w/ friends during the week too. So while I am going to stick to the topic at hand and list the seven meals I make most, I'm also going to include a couple weeks of my actual menus.
Ok, I *am* going to tweak the topic just a little bit. I don't make the same meals very often. I *do* make the same *kind* of meal over and over though. I mix it up a little, but do the same general things. So here is my list:
1. Spaghetti - I make some version of spaghetti almost every week. I guess it's not really "spaghetti" if you don't use spaghetti noodles, but I make some type of pasta/sauce/meat dish almost every week. I like to change things up a little... use penne pasta or bowties (the kids love these)... use ground beef, chicken breast, or Italian sausage... use different sauce flavors (I almost always use jarred sauce, but I like to experiment with different brands and varieties). Always served with salad and bread of course!
2. Breakfast for Dinner - This might be a little broad, but another thing I do almost every week is some type of breakfast for dinner. Some combo of pancakes, waffles (although my waffle iron just bit the dust and it's been placed at the bottom of my want list for now), french toast, biscuits, eggs, toast, quiche, bacon, sausage... and always plenty of fresh fruit.
3. Soups - My kids detest soup. It doesn't matter what kind. They've NEVER liked the canned chicken noodle character soups (even though they'd beg for them at the store, once we got home they wouldn't eat them). However, I LOVE soups. They are so easy to make (just throw everything in a pot and let it cook), and they are a real comfort food for me. I don't care if it's 100* in the middle of August, I can't pass up a good soup. Definitely not a cold weather only meal around here. I usually use a slotted spoon to sift out the chunks and put that on the kids' plates (so that it's not technically soup, "here kids, chicken, veggies and pasta!"). Some of my favorites are Chicken Tortilla Soup, Taco Soup, and any kind of Meatball Soup. Always good with some crusty bread!
4. Tacos - Super easy, and the kids will eat it! Ground beef with taco shells, chicken or beef fajitas on fresh flour tortillas, or my new favorite fish tacos! I also occassionally throw in bean burritos and/or cheese quesadillas as those are the kids most favorite. This is so fun to make as a taco bar, especially when people are over. I'll have ground beef taco meat, shredded chicken or chicken fajita meat, and sometimes fish... taco shells and fresh tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa. And don't forget the taco salad variation!
5. Meat with sides - This may sound like a cop out, but with so many quick casseroles and one-pot dishes, I think that your typical "meat and potatoes" meals sometimes get overlooked. Some of my favorite main dishes include pork tenderloin, baked chicken, chicken fried chicken or chicken tenders, pork chops, ham, and roast. I usually pair these with one starchy side... potatoes, rice, corn, pasta... and one veggie... sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, squash, asparagus, carrots etc.
6. Asian flavor - I make poor attempts at these, but keep attempting none the less... fried rice w/ store bought eggrolls, sweet n sour chicken, sesame chicken, beef and broccoli, stir fry... I'll keep trying!
7. Seafood - again, pretty broad. I LOVE fish and shrimp, but really really don't like cooking it. It's such a fine line between undercooking it (the thought of undercooked seafood gives me the willies) and overcooking it into tough oblivion. So I don't make it a whole lot, but it's definitely in the rotation. Grilled tilapia, fried shrimp, shrimp alfredo, fish chowder. Always served with yummy veggies and usually rice or pasta.
Ok, so I guess that makes my 7. Now here's my actual menus from the past 2 weeks. Note that when I go the store, I pick out a variety of fruits (most fresh, some canned) for the week and my kids eat it with most meals (pretty much all breakfast and lunch). I don't designate each specific one when I make out my menu, it's just whatever looks good that day.
Sample Menu #1
Breakfast:
cinnamon Rolls, fruit
scrambled eggs and toast w/ jelly, fruit
biscuits and gravy, fruit
Lunch:
bean burritos, carrots and celery
turkey and salami sandwiches, sweet potatoes, applesauce
frozen pizza, fruit
Snack:
popcorn
fruit leather
juice pops
Dinner:
beef tips and rice, broccoli
chicken spaghetti, salad, bread
tortellini and meatball soup, bread
fish tacos
rosemary chicken, roasted potatoes and carrots
Sample Menu #2
Breakfast:
oatmeal, fruit
sausage biscuit, fruit
english muffins, fruit
Lunch:
cheeseburgers, sweet potato fries, fruit
corn dogs, cucumbers, fruit
turkey sandwiches, chips, fruit
Snack:
ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)
cucumbers w/ cream cheese
animal crackers
Dinner:
broccoli quiche, pancakes, fruit
spaghetti, salad, bread
roast w/ carrots, mashed potatoes
baked chicken, rice, squash and zucchini
taco salad
This month's topic is: Meals I Make the Most
I don't really ENJOY cooking per se, but I do like making meals at home because it's 1) cheaper and 2) usually healthier than eating out. I have found that if I make a menu each week, I tend to stick to it for the most part and we eat out much less. I am not a schedule kind of girl though, so I can't say Monday is spaghetti, Tuesday is meatloaf etc. Instead, I plan for 5 dinners each week. That accounts for some leftovers, and some eating out as well. I usually have at least one meal that doesn't get made and just gets rolled over into the next week. I have also found that if I plan ahead for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for me and the kids, I tend to do much better. I only plan 3 each of those per week because we can easily eat something twice or we do occasionally go out to eat w/ friends during the week too. So while I am going to stick to the topic at hand and list the seven meals I make most, I'm also going to include a couple weeks of my actual menus.
Ok, I *am* going to tweak the topic just a little bit. I don't make the same meals very often. I *do* make the same *kind* of meal over and over though. I mix it up a little, but do the same general things. So here is my list:
1. Spaghetti - I make some version of spaghetti almost every week. I guess it's not really "spaghetti" if you don't use spaghetti noodles, but I make some type of pasta/sauce/meat dish almost every week. I like to change things up a little... use penne pasta or bowties (the kids love these)... use ground beef, chicken breast, or Italian sausage... use different sauce flavors (I almost always use jarred sauce, but I like to experiment with different brands and varieties). Always served with salad and bread of course!
2. Breakfast for Dinner - This might be a little broad, but another thing I do almost every week is some type of breakfast for dinner. Some combo of pancakes, waffles (although my waffle iron just bit the dust and it's been placed at the bottom of my want list for now), french toast, biscuits, eggs, toast, quiche, bacon, sausage... and always plenty of fresh fruit.
3. Soups - My kids detest soup. It doesn't matter what kind. They've NEVER liked the canned chicken noodle character soups (even though they'd beg for them at the store, once we got home they wouldn't eat them). However, I LOVE soups. They are so easy to make (just throw everything in a pot and let it cook), and they are a real comfort food for me. I don't care if it's 100* in the middle of August, I can't pass up a good soup. Definitely not a cold weather only meal around here. I usually use a slotted spoon to sift out the chunks and put that on the kids' plates (so that it's not technically soup, "here kids, chicken, veggies and pasta!"). Some of my favorites are Chicken Tortilla Soup, Taco Soup, and any kind of Meatball Soup. Always good with some crusty bread!
4. Tacos - Super easy, and the kids will eat it! Ground beef with taco shells, chicken or beef fajitas on fresh flour tortillas, or my new favorite fish tacos! I also occassionally throw in bean burritos and/or cheese quesadillas as those are the kids most favorite. This is so fun to make as a taco bar, especially when people are over. I'll have ground beef taco meat, shredded chicken or chicken fajita meat, and sometimes fish... taco shells and fresh tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa. And don't forget the taco salad variation!
5. Meat with sides - This may sound like a cop out, but with so many quick casseroles and one-pot dishes, I think that your typical "meat and potatoes" meals sometimes get overlooked. Some of my favorite main dishes include pork tenderloin, baked chicken, chicken fried chicken or chicken tenders, pork chops, ham, and roast. I usually pair these with one starchy side... potatoes, rice, corn, pasta... and one veggie... sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, squash, asparagus, carrots etc.
6. Asian flavor - I make poor attempts at these, but keep attempting none the less... fried rice w/ store bought eggrolls, sweet n sour chicken, sesame chicken, beef and broccoli, stir fry... I'll keep trying!
7. Seafood - again, pretty broad. I LOVE fish and shrimp, but really really don't like cooking it. It's such a fine line between undercooking it (the thought of undercooked seafood gives me the willies) and overcooking it into tough oblivion. So I don't make it a whole lot, but it's definitely in the rotation. Grilled tilapia, fried shrimp, shrimp alfredo, fish chowder. Always served with yummy veggies and usually rice or pasta.
Ok, so I guess that makes my 7. Now here's my actual menus from the past 2 weeks. Note that when I go the store, I pick out a variety of fruits (most fresh, some canned) for the week and my kids eat it with most meals (pretty much all breakfast and lunch). I don't designate each specific one when I make out my menu, it's just whatever looks good that day.
Sample Menu #1
Breakfast:
cinnamon Rolls, fruit
scrambled eggs and toast w/ jelly, fruit
biscuits and gravy, fruit
Lunch:
bean burritos, carrots and celery
turkey and salami sandwiches, sweet potatoes, applesauce
frozen pizza, fruit
Snack:
popcorn
fruit leather
juice pops
Dinner:
beef tips and rice, broccoli
chicken spaghetti, salad, bread
tortellini and meatball soup, bread
fish tacos
rosemary chicken, roasted potatoes and carrots
Sample Menu #2
Breakfast:
oatmeal, fruit
sausage biscuit, fruit
english muffins, fruit
Lunch:
cheeseburgers, sweet potato fries, fruit
corn dogs, cucumbers, fruit
turkey sandwiches, chips, fruit
Snack:
ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)
cucumbers w/ cream cheese
animal crackers
Dinner:
broccoli quiche, pancakes, fruit
spaghetti, salad, bread
roast w/ carrots, mashed potatoes
baked chicken, rice, squash and zucchini
taco salad
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