Free Homeschool eCurriculum

Recent list of freebies over at CurrClick, a source of homeschool ebooks. There are over 100 items to download for free. Many notebooking pages, lapbooks, unit studies, and workbook pages.

Vintage Scarf Quilt

I always see dressy silk/nylon scarves at the thrift store. I've been thinking about quilts lately, and when I saw the scarves the other day, I thought of course, ready made squares!

They'd also make some luxurious pillows.

Pictured above is a nice one that I found on Google images by ouno design.

Homemade Doggy Biscuits

I didn't follow this recipe so I actually ended up with homemade doggy Fig Newtons. I made it in the blender with double the amount of apples, eyeballed the amount of milk, and used two eggs instead of one. I also used a little organic buckwheat pancake mix(expiring).

My dog likes them!

I'd like to try homemade cat treats next.

Healthy International Yogurt Cucumber Recipes

I'm using Allrecipes.com and RecipeZaar.com to experiment with recipes using yogurt. Yogurt is a much healthier alternative to sour cream, butter, and other fatty bases.

My yogurt maker makes huge batches of yogurt. This week the yogurt came out really thick and creamy with very little whey. I've learned that if you use yogurt in recipes, it may need to be drained of it's extra water(whey), or it will be runny. This is especially true if you use it in a recipe which calls for vinegar, or other liquids. Strained yogurt is closer to sour cream, and it does reduce your amount by about half.

To thicken yogurt, place it on some cheese cloth(tie it up like a sack) hanging over a bowl overnight to let the whey drain off. You can get it started more quickly by twisting the cheese cloth to drain out most of the whey, and then let the rest slow drip. A pot with handles is good for suspending the cheese cloth with string, or a colander in a bowl. You want it to drip away from your yogurt.

If you don't have cheese cloth, try a thin kitchen towel, or even coffee filters.

Also, "with the whey removed, what remains is a higher concentration of protein, fewer carbs, and less lactose. The higher protein content means you'll feel full with just a small portion. And with less lactose, it's easier to digest." This is good for diabetics too.

If you make your own yogurt, use whole milk and more powdered milk when preparing the mixture before heating. This will make a thicker creamy yogurt. You will still need to drain it to make it thicker. The longer yogurt sits while heating, the tarter it becomes. Tart yogurt often tastes good as a base for salads.

If you don't want to strain your yogurt, you can just buy Greek yogurt which is thicker than regular store bought yogurt.

If I keep making yogurt dishes, I may just buy the Cuisipro Donvier Yogurt Cheese Maker for $17.95(new) which really just helps make the drained yogurt. Cheese cloth is messy.

Another tip(lesson learned the hard way) - cucumbers are full of water, so if you want a creamy recipe to stay creamy, you should squeeze the chopped cucumbers. I've seen people do it in their fists, but it might be easier to put it in cheesecloth or a clean towel and then squish the water out.

This cooling cucumber salad would make a a nice complement for a spicy main dish:

In a small bowl, mix two chopped cucumbers, 3 cups plain creamy yogurt( less if you used strained yogurt), 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp minced garlic , 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for a few hours before eating. It's plain, so you may need to dress it up a bit. Mint and dill tastes really good with this. Experiment with different herbs. This will be a thin dressing, use the strained yogurt for a creamier(sour cream-like) base.

This cucumber yogurt base(strained) also tastes good if you Waldorf it with some left over chicken pieces to make a chicken salad. Waldorf salads often have grapes, chopped walnuts, and chopped tart green apples. Dried cranberries and raisins taste good in Waldorf salads as well. Add curry(or other Indian spices) and you have a curry chicken salad. Brewer's yeast is nice with yogurt and adds a sweet nutty taste.

I've even added it to leftover curry rice or feta cheese.

Here are a few more. Many of these are very similar to one and other:

Persian Cucumber Yogurt

Greek Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt and Cucumber Dip)

Yogurt with Cucumber and Mint (India)

Cucumber Yogurt Dill Dressing

Yogurt and Cucumber Soup(this looks particularly good!)

Minted Cucumber-Yogurt Raita

Yogurt Cucumber Mint Cooler(weird, but intriguing)

Yogurt, Cucumber and Mint Green Salad

Hot Enough for a Pool!

It's so hot here! We put the kiddie pool room up again. This pool, green outdoor carpet, and screened tent are going on their third year. The tent has some small holes which have been patched, so I think this will be the last year for the tent. Family Dollar had one for about $30.00, so I went ahead and bought this for next year. They had it up in the aisle, so I was able to see it before purchase. This is a really good price, and it looked sturdy. The one we are using now was purchased from the camping section at Walmart.

This pool room is great for a few reasons. It has an outdoor carpet running right up to the back door to keep the little ones feet clean. Clean feet means a clean pool and house. The outdoor carpet is easy to sweep when it does get dirty. The zipper screened tent keeps it cool and bug free. Placing it right outside the back door of the den means that I can watch(pool guard) my daughter from inside, which is a must for me when it is sweltering outside. The only way I'd stay out there was if I were sitting in the pool. When it's very hot, I hook up the hose to a side pole and put it on "mist". My son and daughter loved this last year. My son is getting a bit too big to even sit in the pool, but he does it anyway in hot weather.

This was our set up in 2007. That blow up pool sprung a leak after only one season, so we went a hard walled pool.











When the daughter is six, we'll get a bigger pool. I've got my eye on a nice 10 ft. x 30 inch circular Intex pool(ages 6 and up). These metal frame inexpensive pools snap together easily, and are simple to take down when the weather cools off. I have seen mixed reviews for this pool online, so I'm hoping this pool works for us. Most complaints were about the weak pump, and leaks during the seond year. The tarp has to be purchased separately; without the tarp, the bottom is prone to leaks from sharp objects. Amazon reviews, four out of five stars.

The Intex Metal Frame Pool - 10'x30 is $79.00 + $55.00 shipping(heavy to ship) at Amazon.com. ToysRus might carry it as well. Target.com has got it for $129.00, and I think they may have free "ship to store" for pick-up much like Walmart. I'm keeping my eye on this one, but we have another three years before I'd feel safe enough to purchase this pool for the little one.

A Servant's Heart: Saint Zita

Mrs. Poogle has a wonderful series on the life of Saint Zita and what it means for us, and how we can draw lessons from her Servant's Heart.

From Mrs. Poogle at Life on the Home Front:

"Today is the Feast Day of the patron Saint of this blog, Saint Zita! In honour of her day, I will continue with my reflections on her life…

Her master and mistress discovered the treasure which their family possessed in the fidelity and example of the humble saint, and the other servants gave due praise to her virtue. Zita feared this prosperity more than adversity, and trembled lest it should be a snare to her soul. But sincere humility preserved her from its dangers; and her behaviour, amidst the caresses and respect shown her, continued the same as when she was ill-treated and held in derision; she was no less affable, meek, and modest; no less devout, nor less diligent or ready to serve everyone.

From: St. Zita

From this passage, we see that eventually, Saint Zita was regarded as a treasure by the family she worked for, and her virtue, rather than being maligned, was praised by her fellow servants. Her perseverance in diligently following God’s will in a spirit of penance and humility was thus rewarded by God. We too may find, that after going through times of trial and suffering, or of being disregarded and even badly treated by others, God provides us with an oasis of blessing and refreshment. There is a sense of all our hard work finally bearing fruit, and the praise and respect of others is a juicy fruit indeed." Read the rest here.

I'd write my own reflection but Mrs. Poogle has a special affinity and understanding of Saint Zita. I just can't say it any better.

Interesting Foreign Christian Netflix Movies

Sometimes I'll pick a few random foreign movies from the Faith and Spirituality category at Netflix.com, and these two were nice surprises.

Two Suitcases: The Story Of St. Josephine Bakhita was slow, but had a nice ending, and I learned a lot about Saint Bakhita . It was filmed on location where Saint Bakhita last lived in Florence, Italy. The production quality is cheesy, the dubbing laughable, but the information about her life was worth the rental. The story is told through a Canossian Sister to her visiting cynical brother as he struggles with his faith.

From Netflix:
"Discover the power of faith in this story of Saint Josephine, a Sudanese woman who, after being sold into slavery many times over as a child, finally found herself in Italy, where she was cared for by a surprisingly kind family. In Venice, the Sisters of Canossa brought her into the fold, leading the young Josephine to God. Upon returning to her native country, she devoted herself to spreading a timeless message of love and forgiveness."

More Than Dreams

From Netflix: "This faith-based docudrama chronicles five stories of Muslim men and women who have undergone a spiritual transformation after experiencing visions of Jesus Christ. Once devout followers of Islam, these individuals now practice Christianity after accepting Jesus as their savior. Re-creations include the experiences of a Turkish former alcoholic, an Indonesian teen, a Nigerian herder, an Egyptian terrorist, and a young Iranian man. "

This subtitled movie filmed on location(s) was so interesting, a slice of life in countries I know very little about - the Muslim Middle East and South East Asia. The first story with a young woman from Indonesia was the best, very moving. All these people tell powerful testimonies of faith. Jesus is still performing miracles in the world; you just don't hear it on the news ;) . Surprisingly it got high ratings at Netflix, where usually there is a cynical audience (Five stars out five at Amazon.com!). Happily all the stories turn out well for the converts, some having to leave their homelands, but finding a better life with freedom to follow Christ in Europe and America.

An Amazon review: "This DVD belongs in every Christians collection, and is truly one of, IF NOT the best film I've ever seen. This film moved me to tears, esp. in the story about the man who is abusive to his wife, and how he became a new man after seeing Christ in a dream. I invited a friend over to see it, and he was moved to tears after seeing the first story! It was that powerful! "

Vintage Sheets for Homemade Quilt

I finally found a vintage sheet that my son will like for his quilt! He wanted blue stripes(hard to find), so I found an (overpriced) flat sheet on ebay. I'll be making this quilt with another complementary colored solid sheet from a thrift, or from my collection.

I make very simple quilts which are more like comforters. Here is a toddler quilt that I made in 2007, and we are still using this one. It has held up well to washings. Because my son's quilt will be larger, I'll be adding some stitching to the middle to secure the batting.

I'll update when I get around to making this quilt.

Eating Our Way Through South Asia

Last week I tried Tangy Chicken in a Yogurt Sauce and Tuna/Salmon Salad, a version of Tandoori Chicken(India).

This week was Biryani(Pakistan), spicy chicken and rice in a yogurt sauce. It was delicious, but I should have followed the recipe more closely in order to get a stronger taste. I added too much vinegar and yogurt thinking it needed to cover the chicken, but the chicken and yogurt made it's own water. I had to bring up the flavor of the herbs by adding some seasoned salt. After this, it was great!

I didn't have Basmati rice, so I made curry rice(regular white rice) using the recipe's ingredients for a bay leaf and cardamon(in addition to the curry), and salt.

I noticed the reviews for this recipe mentioned low flavor. It's a dish I'll definitely make again, just needs some extra seasonings, more of everything.

I've added my substitutions in parenthesis.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed(1 TB minced from a jar)
* 1 tablespoon ginger paste(ginger powder)
* 2 small green chile peppers(red pepper flakes)
* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped(canned diced tomatoes)
* 2 tablespoons garam masala(curry, cumen, cardamon, cinnamon, coriander)
* 1 tablespoon dried mint(fresh mint at end)
* salt and pepper to taste(seasoned salt)
* 5 sprigs cilantro(Goya Sofrito - green peppers, onions, cilantro and garlic)
* 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces(three large pieces of ice glazed boneless skinless chicken(Walmart of Food Lion bagged brand which I cut into little pieces as they cooked in the pan)
* 2 quarts water(4 cups water)
* 4 cups uncooked basmati rice(2 cups white rice)
* 1 bay leaf
* 4 pods green cardamom(regular cardamon)
* 1 pod black cardamom(regular cardamon)
* 1 cinnamon stick(powdered cinnamon)
* salt to taste(seasoned salt)
* 1/4 teaspoon powdered yellow food coloring(used curry and turmeric)

Next week: Chicken Shawarma

And just for fun..................

"South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities, also includes the adjoining countries on the west and the east. It is surrounded (clockwise, from west to east) by Western Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia and the Indian ocean.South Asia is home to well over a fifth of world population, and using the UN subregion definition, is the most populous and densest in the world. " Read more here.

EPA To Identify Endocrine Disruptors -- Including Thyroid Disruptors -- Among Pesticides and Chemicals

I have a partially destroyed thyroid as a result of post-partum thyroiditis, so need to make sure I minimize exposure to potential endocrine disruptor.

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a list of pesticides and chemicals that will be screened and evaluated as possible endocrine disruptors. The term "endocrine disruptor" refers to a chemical that can interact with and potentially disrupt the human and/or animal hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and reproduction. Thyroid hormones are a potential target of endocrine disruptors.

According to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Endocrine disruptors can cause lifelong health problems -- especially for children. Gathering this information will help us work with communities and industry to protect Americans from harmful exposure.”

During the summer of 2009, the EPA is going to issue test orders to manufacturers of 67 different pesticides and chemicals, mandating that they determine whether their chemicals disrupt the endocrine systems -- including estrogen, androgen and thyroid. Eventually, the test program, called the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP), will be expanded to cover all pesticides." Read more here.

Jean Plaidy Historical Novels

I decided to begin reading fiction again, so picked up one of many Jean Plaidy historical fictions at the library. I'm beginning with Plaidy's Murder Most Royal: The Story of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. "This novel focuses on the two of Henry VIII's Howard wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. It begins with Anne as a young woman leaving for Brussels and her homecoming to England and her subsequent rise to power in the English court. It also parallels the life of Catherine Howard, first cousin of Anne Boleyn who goes on to become Henry's fifth wife. The story of the rise and fall of each of these women are told in this story". This is out of order for the Tudor Saga, but my little one is not one to stay still in the library while I figure out which one to read first. Next time I'll request them online for pick-up.

Plaidy was known for her well researched historical fictions. From a Jean Plaidy site, a newspaper review wrote, "Jean Plaidy, by the skillful blending of superb storytelling and meticulous attention to authenticity of detail and depth of characterization, has become one of the country's most widely read novelists."

Great reading, but I am so tired today! You have trouble putting her books down.

An insightful review at Amazon.com for Murder Most Royal:

"I have read many Plaidy novels, but this delves deeper than the others and represents, in my opinion, absolutely the best of Plaidy, and probably the best on the period. What I don't like about modern historicals is the way they play with history. Plaidy sticks to the facts as they are known and provides insights and details that make the story come alive. The characters are real people, and the facts can't be disputed. In this book, she gives a fairly graphic portrayal of the torture used to extract the false confessions of Henry VIII's hapless victims, and after reading it, I found Plaidy gave me a new understanding of what this era in history, and this dynasty in particular, stood for, and it is even more horrific than I ever imagined.

Plaidy's Henry VIII goes about his grotesque and bloody deeds with a good conscience, patting himself on the back for being such a fine and righteous fellow, which makes him even more appalling to our civilized mind. It is a look into the black mind of a serial killer, and a gripping read. Once you pick up the book, you can't put it down again until you're done. Despite the graphic parts, I recommend this novel even for teens, because they won't get a twisted view of history, and besides, Catherine was only a child when this ogre chose her for his queen, so this book would appeal to them.

I think everyone who reads it will probably pause and give thanks for being born at a time in history when a monster like this can't roam the highest echelons of power stuffing his bloody mouth with the flesh of saints and sinners alike. That is the beauty of a great historical novel. It makes us understand the past, and appreciate our present even more."


The Tudor Saga

1. Uneasy Lies the Head (1982)
2. Katharine, the Virgin Widow (1961)
3. The Shadow of the Pomegranate (1962)
4. The King's Secret Matter (1962)
5. Murder Most Royal (1949) (aka King's Pleasure)
6. Saint Thomas' Eve (1954)
7. The Sixth Wife (1953)
8. The Thistle and the Rose (1963)
9. Mary, Queen of France (1964)
10. The Spanish Bridegroom (1954)
11. G*a*y Lord Robert (1955) (first by Eleanor Burford, republished as Lord Robert in 2007)

See here for a complete list of all her historical series.

Plaidy's books could be good reading for older students(seniors and college) wanting to enhance their understanding of history.

Family Movie Night: Paul the Apostle

This week family movie night was just for the me and the hubby in the evening. Our mass scripture readings are covering the Acts of the Apostles during Easter, so it was fitting that we got this movie in the mail this week from Netflix.com:

Paul the Apostle

What a well done movie. A little long at three hours, and liberally close to scripture. One reviewer commented at Amazon that this movie portrayed the essence of Paul, and I think this is an apt description. "Also represented and well handled are all the internal and external conflicts and intrigues of religion and politics of mid first century Palestine that impacted so much on the fledgling new church." This is not a movie for learning scripture, nor was it for very young people. There was some brief nudity(Jewish baths, and a husband and wife love scene) as the movie attempted to be true to the time period(they were not Puritans). Although probably not necessary it did reveal the characters' humanness and vulnerability, making them more accessible as real flesh and blood people.

It was a visually sumptuous movie evoking mood, and the acting was very good. From an Amazon reviewer: "Shot on location in Quarzazate, Morocco and Malta, the cinematography by Giovanni Galasso is excellent, and it has a lovely score by Carlo Siliotto. The interiors and costumes are also good, and give a feel for ancient times." Described as a worthwhile "sword and sandal" movie.

It made a strong enough impression on me, that I am remembering portions of the movie as I read the Acts of the Apostle. It came to life, although I have a pretty vivid visual memory. The movie will irritate you if you enjoy viewing only scripturally accurate films. This is an art film purely for entertainment.

Free Children's Home Economics Resource

Home Baking Association: Free recipes, newsletter, weekly lessons, family baking activities, educator's resources, and more.

Madeline L'Engle Books

My son loves to read the C.S. Lewis and Tolkien series, and I knew he'd like Madeline L'Engle's books. I've been suggesting the book, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle to my son for the last two years, and last month he said he'd try it. He read through it in two days, and then asked for more! We went back to the library and got all five books:

A Wrinkle in Time
A Wind in the Door
A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Many Waters
An Acceptable Time

Today he got a $20.00 check in the mail from his grandfather to purchase the set. The boxed set, The Wrinkle in Time Quintet Boxed Set (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time) was only $21.00(new) at Amazon from a Marketplace seller. He likes to read books over and over, so this set will be well used.

And there is more! I didn't read past the first series as a child. In fact, only the first two books had been published in the mid-1970's when I was reading her books. See here for the complete list of her book series, and a biographical sketch. My son doesn't know about these yet, but I've got them on hold at the library:

Second-generation (O'Keefe) after the Time Quartet:

• The Arm of the Starfish (1965)
• Dragons in the Waters (1976)
• A House Like a Lotus (1984)
• An Acceptable Time (1989)
  

While I was searching for the set, I came upon some of her adult books. I didn't know that she was a Christian, and much like C.S. Lewis, wrote through her faith. One book in particular looked interesting, and unfortunately our library does not carry this one, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art (Wheaton Literary Series):

Amazon.com Review
Walking on Water collects 12 brief meditations by Madeleine L'Engle on the nature of art and its relation to faith. L'Engle, the beloved author of A Wrinkle In Time among others, has written and spoken widely and wisely about the connection between religion and art. The gist of her understanding is as follows:

To try to talk about art and about Christianity is for me one and the same thing, and it means attempting to share the meaning of my life, what gives it, for me, its tragedy and its glory. It is what makes me respond to the death of an apple tree, the birth of a puppy, northern lights shaking the sky, by writing stories.

She believes that "[b]asically there can be no categories such as 'religious' art and 'secular' art because all true art is incarnational, and therefore 'religious.'" And "incarnation," in L'Engle's view, means "God's revelation of himself through particularity." In this book there is some slippage between L'Engle's autobiographical and critical voices. As a result, she often claims Christian significance for works whose meaning is not intentionally Christian. She admits this freely:

[B]ecause I am a struggling Christian, it's inevitable that I superimpose my awareness of all that happened in the life of Jesus upon what I'm reading, upon Buber, upon Plato, upon the Book of Daniel. But I'm not sure that's a bad thing. To be truly Christian means to see Christ everywhere, to know him as all in all.

-- Michael Joseph Gross

Not a bad thing at all. I may have to purchase this book.

Our library did have The Rock That Is Higher: Story as Truth and I've requested this one.


Product Description from Amazon.com:

We are all strangers in a strange land, longing for home, but not quite knowing what or where home is. We glimpse it sometimes in our dreams, or as we turn a corner, and suddenly there is a strange, sweet familiarity that vanishes almost as soon as it comes… –Madeleine L’Engle, from The Rock That Is Higher

Story captures our hearts and feeds our imaginations. It reminds us who we are and where we came from. Story gives meaning and direction to our lives as we learn to see it as an affirmation of God’s love and truth–an acknowledgment of our longing for a rock in the midst of life’s wilderness.

Drawing upon her own experiences, well-known tales in literature, and selected narratives from Scripture, Madeleine L’Engle gently leads the way into the glorious world of story in The Rock That Is Higher. Here she acknowledges universal human longings and considers how literature, Scripture, personal stories, and life experiences all point us toward our true home.

Saturday Thrift Store Shopping

I usually don't go thrifting on the weekend because stock is low and it's crowded. Today was the exception. I was able to hit some sales with 50% off many of the items I purchased.

My main goal was to find an umbrella stroller and some sheets to make a quilt for my son's bed. I didn't find either, but did find a white basket weave blanket(like new) for the warmer weather. He wants a blue striped quilt, so I'm still looking for striped sheets. I like the inexpensive vintage ones, so I haven't looked at new ones.

I bought ahead for my daughter, finding some cute shorts and night clothes, and a vintage floral sheet for her quilt which I plan to make soon. She may fit in some of these at the end of the summer, and others later.

There are two pairs of shorts for my son pictured, under a dollar with the sale, so I got them. He hasn't grown into the larger sized shorts that I've got squirreled away, so we needed a few smaller sizes to fill the gap until he has another growth spurt.

I didn't spend more than $2.99 on any one item, a good thrifting day. :).

Frugal Curriculum Shopping

I've been bidding on curricula on Ebay for my son's future schooling. So far, I've managed to get most of his sixth and eight grade, and a bit of seventh and ninth all at half price or less. I factor in shipping costs when calculating the final price. Ebay has the handiest search option where you can search items according the lowest price including shipping. This makes looking for curricula so much easier.

I signed up for Ebay's cash back buyer program(ebay bucks) which was free of charge. I'm earning 2% back, and this is in addition to earning money back from my DiscoverCard, and via clicking through Bigcrumbs.com(36% off the seller's fees cash back). It's like using triple coupons!

The only difficult part for me is keeping track of what I already have so that I don't order duplicates. This year I've left the order form for his curriculum provider next to the computer, making sure to check off the ones I've won.

Trying to find room for all these books has become challenging. I've got stacks of them under our bookshelves. It would be less challenging if I wasn't saving the earlier years for my daughter. My husband added hanging shelves to a low wall in the room over the garage, AKA the man cave. This has been a real help, and the three pine shelves have filled up quickly with room on the floor underneath.

Seeing Christ in Everyone

From Holy Cards For Your Inspiration

"Christ is hidden

under the suffering appearance

of anyone who is hungry,

naked,

homeless,

or dying."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

It's a Beautiful Day...

and these little Star of Bethlehem wild flowers decided to bloom in my garden today.

Praying that everyone is having a good day. Blessings to all.

Herb Flavored Vinegar

I am making some flavored vinegar with sage, rosemary, and raspberry. The sage and rosemary are from my garden, and I picked a few raspberries out of a bag of mixed frozen berries.

How To Make Herb Flavored Vinegars

and if you are feeling really adventurous, Make Your Own Vinegar.

Understanding the Founding Ideology and Roots of Planned Parenthood

(Click on picture to go to video)

Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood :

"...the greatest sin is to have children, children born into poverty or with a disease."

What the Bible says about (all) children being a blessing.

The Lord knew you before you were born: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."~ Psalm 139:13-16

"Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) ... an indefatigable proponent of racist eugenics policies that sought to use contraception, **sterilization, and abortion as the means of depopulating those *non-white ethnic groups she deemed to be 'human weeds' " ~ Patrick Madrid

What the Bible says about "Life". The greatest sin is taking life: "Thou shalt do no murder...And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor(all human life) as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." ~ Mark 19:18, 22:37-39.

HT to Soutenous

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*2003 CDC statistics: The abortion ratio for black women (491 per 1,000 live births) was 3.0 times the ratio for white women (165 per 1,000), and the ratio for women of the nonhomogeneous "other" race category (347 per 1,000) was 2.1 times the ratio for white women. Abortion has swept through the Black community like a scythe, cutting down every fourth member."

**Free and in public domain: The Pivot of Civilization By Margaret Sanger:

" when we realize that each feeble-minded person is a potential source of an endless progeny of defect, we prefer the policy of immediate sterilization, of making sure that parenthood is absolutely prohibited to the feeble-minded."

She also discusses the "dangers inherent in the very idea of humanitarianism and altruism." In other words, charity to the poor and feeble-minded is 'sentimental' and an inefficient solution... "Such 'benevolence' is not merely superficial and near-sighted. It conceals a stupid cruelty, because it is not courageous enough to face unpleasant facts. Aside from the question of the unfitness of many women to become mothers, aside from the very definite deterioration in the human stock that such programs would inevitably hasten, we may question its value even to the normal though unfortunate mother."

More books by Sanger at Google Books, free and in public domain:

Woman and the New Race

The Case for Birth Control

Post is for informational purposes only. I've closed comments on this one. If you disagree, just ignore it. I do occasionally post about issues close to my heart from a Christian viewpoint, issues such as life for the unborn, environmental stewardship, and religious tolerance.

Tangy Chicken in a Yogurt Sauce and Tuna/Salmon Salad

I made a version of Tandoori Chicken(India) today, and it was delicious. I highly recommend this recipe if you like tangy lemony low cal chicken. It does need to be marinated overnight.

Here are the original ingredients from Allrecipes, but I changed it up a bit:

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) chicken, skinned and quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

I used a few pieces of boneless skinless ice glazed chicken in a bag from Food Lion. Walmart carries this as well. It's relatively inexpensive to buy boneless skinless chicken this way.

I also added much more of all the ingredients, enough to cover the chicken. Instead of measuring spoons, I went as far as using 1/2-1 cup of everything except the spices and lemon juice. I used a large splash of lemon juice and changed up the spices.

For spices I used two TBs of garlic, lots of dill, salt and pepper, ginger, and a little parsley. The allspice is very strong, so I stayed away from this. I may have added a dash of cardamon, can't remember, but this is a common spice used with Indian dishes. Another option is to add Garam masala which "can include BLACK PEPPER, CINNAMON, CLOVES, CORIANDER, CUMIN, CARDAMOM, DRIED CHILES, FENNEL, MACE, NUTMEG and other spices. Garam masala may be purchased in Indian market."

I cooked uncovered for about 1.5 hours at 350 degrees, until the middle of the chicken was white. The results were a moist chicken, and there was room enough for me to wedge some small new potatoes in the marinating pan which was my cook pan.

There was lots of extra sauce left, so I removed the chicken and potatoes, and added a can each of salmon and tuna to the casserole dish. This was mixed well with more dill, and cooked in the oven for about one hour at 300 degrees until the sauce cooked down and it looked like tuna salad. I had this for lunch today on a pile of dark greens with some homemade Italian dressing. It was so good!

Big taste, few calories. This is the way to go if you want a cream sauce without the calories and fat.

Next week, Biriyani (Pakistan), or a version thereof...I seem to change recipes a lot to suit our tastes.

Some Free Ebooks for Homeschooling

We are enjoying these vintage ebooks available for free download at Google Books and Project Gutenberg, among others. I've got many listed by subject at my online homeschooling library.

This week my fifth grader is reading Jan the Dutch Boy, and I am reading Rollo Learning to Talk with the three year old. Both are very enjoyable and useful! The Dutch book has many illustrations and teaches quite a bit about Holland along with many dutch words. It is a social studies book about Holland seen through the eyes of Jan the Dutch boy, and his family adventures throughout the town. I think the reading level is about fourth grade, but the information can be appreciated by older children. Even I enjoyed it. The Learning to Talk book is a wonderful guide for teaching very young children vocabulary and conversation. I'm using this with my three year old daughter who is speech delayed. In order to read and talk about the pictures, you do need to print them out extra large. There is no way to read the book and show the pictures at the same time, as the lesson often continues onto the next page, away from the picture. The pictures are also very small and hard to see.


More for learning about Holland :

Dutch/Holland/Netherlands Literature for Children

Both books work well as ebook learning. My son reads his on an inexpensive mini-laptop which I purchased last year. His books are stored on an external flash drive.

I ended up having the Rollo Learning to Talk book printed for about $8.00 before I realized that the book is more like a teacher's guide for the parent, and the pictures therein need to be printed separately. I could have used the computer to read this book to my daughter for free.

So much of homeschooling can be done for free with these vintage ebooks, particularly classic literature, nature science, English, foreign languages, math, and history. All you need is a computer and you have access to these books either as a download, or read online. These books are printable as well, but that could get quite costly for ink and paper. I've printed out short stories in the past, but reading longer books on a computer is more cost effective.

Other devices will read ebooks, like a Blackberry, although I don't know too much about this. I think reading selections might be limited. You need a device which has a PDF reader to download and read free books via Google Books, and Project Gutenburg books can be downloaded via "copy all" and "save" in HTML; entire books can also be downloaded as a PDF.

Wahl's Shavers/Clippers on Sale, Save Money, Cut Your Own Hair

I've been cutting my family's hair for over 15 years, and it doesn't take a lot of skill for simple conservative cuts. I cut the men's(boy's) hair with my electric Wahl clippers, and free hand cut with scissors on my daughter and I. In the past when my hair was shorter, I used a Flowbee for my hair which is a good way to do short to medium length layered cuts without much skill or experience.

Amazon is having a sale, $10.00 off Wahl's Shavers/Clippers (sturdy brand) when you spend $39.00 dollars or more on eligible shavers. This is a good deal if you plan to buy more than one set. Some of the sets on sale are for beards and faces. Click through to see the rules and exception, use coupon code WAHLAPR9 for the discount.

If you want to learn how to cut hair, check you library for this book: How to Cut Your Own Hair (Or Anyone Else's!): 15 haircuts with variations.

I used an earlier 1970's edition to learn, but really I learned more by watching and remembering how my hair dresser cut hair. I use to watch them cut my son's and husband's hair and then try to duplicate it at home. After a while, you get it down. We've saved quite a bit of money not paying for hair cuts. One thing that helped me was to browse celebrity pictures to analyze their cuts. I was able to incorporate a George Clooney look for my husband who had a hairline much like Clooney's. I love Clooney's hair, and it's a great look for a lot of men. You leave some of the front pieces longer and chunked out by cutting in with a pair of scissors.

Both my hair and my daughter's hair is long, so it's just a matter of trimming it. I put an angle cut(Jennifer Aniston) along the sides of the face for a little style(watched a hair dresser do this).

I've got wavy to curly hair, and after years of blow drying it straight throughout my twenties, I decided to let it go natural and work with the waves. I can't tell you how much simpler my hair care routine is now! I just wash and air dry with a few pin curls to add style and control. Longer was naturally better for my curly hair and face type, so I only trim it now. I'm over 40, and I still think long hair can be attractive on older women, depending on what your hair does as you age. Jane Seymour, AKA Dr. Quinn Medicine women, who is in her 50's carries it off very well. And you can always wear up-do's.

So read about basic cutting, watch and learn from professionals, and research celebrity styles for your face shape, type of hair, and your age. Practice makes perfect, and it really is not that difficult once you get the hang of it. Also, work with what you've got and improve on it. Forcing your hair into a mold means high maintenance and the need for a professional hair dresser. If you keep it simple, you can do it yourself without much skill or experience.

Online free resources:

How To Cut Your Own Hair

Online Videos for Learning to Cut Your Own Hair

Most Flattering Haircuts for Face Shapes

Latest Hair Styles.com(mostly for young people)

Gallery of Very Long Hair