December 10, 2010

I have begun to get real interested in products that are made in this country.  Not so much 'health food' products.  But brand names like

'Skippy'

'Peter Pan Peanutbutter'

and such...

Anyways, does anyone know what typical, grocery store brands are 100% American?

Also...

For those waiting for my curriculum postings..

The goal is to get it started by January. 

Happy Homeschooling!!

December 5, 2010

I was sitting down at work the other day with a jug of apple juice when I noticed something written on the bottle in barely visible writing

'apple concentrate from China/Argentina'

What!!??

On the label it read, 'Made in the Usa'.  Apparently that was only the bottle!

I went to other juices, including Mott's, all generics, and noticed the same pattern.  They were sneaky, including it on the bottle, smaller than size 10 print, Mott's didn't even have it in black.  You had to hold the bottle to the light to even see it was there!

Anyways, I'm just sending this as an FYI.  If China can not even produce toys that aren't poisoned, can you imagine what they are doing to our food?  Not to mention their public relations issue!

Welches products use their own fruit.
I am still not sure if that means their fruit is 'grown' in China, however??  But if they are, I can only assume it means they oversee it a little.

Apple juice was difficult, but I finally found

Musselman's.

It read clearly on their label that all apples are American grown.  Their juice is not the cheapest, as opposed to those shipped from other countries, but it does make me feel better I am supporting our business' that haven't sold out on us or our health!

Anyways, an FYI to those that didn't know.  I had no idea till I got bored and started looking at the bottle.  The print size couldn't even had been 8!

Look for writing like this

That above is about the right size.

December 1, 2010

We're trying a different approach, and I think it's working!

We've been slacking on this reading, so we read an entire chapter of

Little House in the Big Woods together,

worked on our 1800 book math/First Language Lessons

Today we read the 'Christmas' chapter

I don't really 'bother' to do much with the First Language Lessons. I simply ask the kids, 'remember what a common/proper noun is? Give me an example.  Do the same for the rest that is covered.  It can be monotonous. 

We also did copy work for

'Twinkle Twinkle'.

Before, copywork was a hassle.  I would just give up on it, as it was just too much of a negative impact on our day.

:) Then I discovered bribery, LOL...

For each line they copy, they get 5 pieces of (their choice)

mini m&m's, reses pieces (3peices), gummies/sour patch are only 2.

They can stop wherever they want, and that has eliminated the whining!:)

I have also come tot he conclusion that since Abeka is a grade or two ahead, why are they doing a full page?

I let my 9yo know that half a page would be just fine, and this wouldn't put her behind at all.  It may take her two years to finish the book, but that wouldn't put her behin, it would just put her at grade level!

We also made the Molasses Snow Candy!!

Snow Candy

"Laura and Mary each had a pan, and Pa and Ma showed them how to pour the dark syrup in little streams onto the snow."


- Little House in the Big Woods




You will need:


1 cup molasses


I cup brown sugar


Fresh, clean snow (or crushed ice)
(we didn't have a blender that could crush ice, so we used icy-semi frozen water on a saucer, and it worked fine!)






Measuring cup


Large pot


Wooden spoon


Candy thermometer, or cup filled with cold water


Shallow pan, such as a cake pan


Clean towel


Boil the molasses and sugar together in the large pot until the mixture reaches the "hard crack" stage on a candy thermometer, or until a spoonful dropped into cold water forms a hard ball and cracks. Remove the syrup from the heat.


BE VERY CAREFUL. THE SYRUP IS EXTREMELY HOT AT THIS STAGE.


Scoop fresh, clean snow (or crushed ice) into the shallow pan. Dip up a spoonful of syrup and dribble it onto the snow in "circles, and curlicues, and squiggledy things" as Laura and Mary did. It will harden and become candy. Lift the candy off the snow and onto a clean towel to dry.