Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Mosiac cornucopia - this is so pretty!


The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is the symbol of abundance often representing the fall harvest. As a result, fruits and vegetables adorn our holiday tables and symbolize the wealth of food for the coming year. Make your own cornucopia this holiday season!


What you'll need:

1 sheet of plain white paper

1 sheet of black construction paper

Half sheets of construction paper: brown, black, purple, red, yellow, green and orange

White craft glue

Scissors

Pattern of a cornucopia


Place white paper over the pattern and trace the pattern lightly with a pencil.

Trim white paper if needed to fit evenly in the center of the black sheet of construction paper. Glue in place.

Tear (don’t cut) remaining construction paper into small squares, about ½” – 1” in size.

Using the penciled pattern as your guide, glue torn pieces onto the white paper in this order:

Brown – horn

Black - horn mouth/rim

Purple – grapes at top

Red – apple to the right, below top grapes

Purple – eggplant

Red – apple below eggplant

Green – leaves below apple

Yellow – apple below top grapes

Green and yellow – corn cob

Green – leaves below corn

Purple – grapes below corn cob

Orange – pumpkin

Glue torn pieces on for stems – brown for the grapes and pumpkin and black for the eggplant. You may also add stems for the apples if you prefer. Allow to dry completely.

Tips:

Use this project to help explain why we give thanks during the Thanksgiving holiday and how the cornucopia symbolizes our bountiful harvests.

Save extra torn piece for another mosaic project.

Hang this on the refrigerator or the front door. Add a piece of yarn to the back as a hanger or hang up with a magnet.

Thanks to http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/seasons/fall/index.html for this beautiful Thanksgiving project idea.

Blessings,

Molly

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Apple activities to do with How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

Different apple varieties work better in different recipes. Learn how to read a chart by finding out which apple varities go best in a pie and which are better for eating fresh. Chart available at http://www.michiganapples.com/pg25usage.pdf.

Be sure to take a field trip to an apple orchard if there is one nearby.   We found that the prices were much cheaper if we picked them ourselves or if we bought a big box of them.   We'd eat apples we had picked until Christmas.

Select an apple recipe to make and have fun making it with your child!  My children are 19, 15, and 12 and they still remember making apple pies when we read this book. 

Enjoy making memories with your children!

Blessings,

Molly

Thursday, October 22, 2009

One of our favorite Fall books when my children were young.

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World




An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This deliciously silly recipe for apple pie takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.

We used Five in a Row when my children were much younger.   I HIGHLY recommend this curriculum!   We have some precious memories of the things we did with a group of friends using this curriculum.   If you aren't familiar with Five in a Row, please do a websearch for it and discover loads of fun books to read and things to do.   We never ran out of ideas of things to do.  And of course, you'll have to make an apple pie after you've read this book.  :-)

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Create a Paper Plate Scarecrow

My children and I have always loved fall.   We love the crispness of the cooler temperatures.   We love the beauty of the blue sky with the leaves that are changing colors.   We've always enjoyed using scarecrows to decorate with.   One year we made a stuffed scarecrow at a Fall party we went to.  It was so much fun.   We had a race to see who could completely make a scarecrow first.   I found this cute paper plate scarecrow that you can make with your child.

Create your own scarecrow - one of the most popular symbols of autumn.   It's a great project  for ages preschool, kindergarten, and elementary.


Supplies needed::

Flower pattern

Hay pattern

Hat pattern

Nose pattern

Googly eyes

Ribbon for tie

Glue

Brown craft foam (light and dark colors)

Orange craft foam

Yellow craft foam

White craft foam

Green craft foam

Paper plate

Permanent Marker

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Free Preschool Activities E-book to Download


If you're looking for fun and free things to do with your little ones, you'll want to definitely download this free ebook.   It includes recipes, crafts, activities, and more for preschoolers--over 100 ideas in all. And it's free to download right now!

Go here to get your free copy - http://www.box.net/shared/auudlko4az

Enjoy your little ones!

Molly

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Peroxide VS Bleach

This was written by (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you.


"I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at anydrug store. What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide.

"Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!

"Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops.

"Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash..

2. Let toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and20table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years u ntil I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on
them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will..

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9 If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.Repeat if necessary.

12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

"I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! "With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!"

This info really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

National Museum Day is September 26 - Two free admissions


Mark your calendars! September 26, 2009 is National Museum Day!


Go here to see a list of participating museums and then go here to print your free pass.


Thursday, August 20, 2009

Menu Planning for the new school year

I know most of us are getting back into the mode of a new school year again. I posted about menu planning a while back and thought I'd revisit this. Since being diagnosed with cancer this past January, we've made many changes to our menu plans. The ones posted on here previously look a lot different now. So, I want to share with you our new ones in hopes that they will spur on some new ideas for you and your family as well. We are eating less meat, more veggies, more fruits, more fish, and we have a few vegetarian meals now. It's a work in progress because I have two males that still like their meat, but I'm pressing on towards more nutritional eating. Here are our new menu plans:

Monthly Breakfast Menu:
http://docs.google.com/Edit?docid=dfvcbjxw_21cmf52kft

Monthly Lunch Menu:
http://docs.google.com/Edit?docid=dfvcbjxw_22gnnv79nv

Monthly Supper Menu:
http://docs.google.com/Edit?docid=dfvcbjxw_23hg72vfdw

Blessings,

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Pizza Hut Book-It Program for Homeschoolers

If you homeschool and you have children in grades K-6, you can sign them up for the Pizza Hut Book-It program for free and your children can earn a free personal pan pizza every month they reach their reading goals. Go here to enroll.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

This little boy needs our prayers!

Please pray for Noah. He will be three years old in a few days and was diagnosed with with mitochondrial disease a while back. He is not doing well at all tonight. His family are homeschoolers in South Carolina. His parents have a business called Hearts and Hands - http://handsandhearts.com/ . You can follow his story at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ourquiverfull

Blessings,