Spend a Little, Save a Lot on Utility Bills

"Try these energy-efficient gadgets -- six moderate options costing $19 to $50 -- to trim your gas, water and electric bills." Read article  here.

Interesting ideas, but I'm not too sure about the motion sensor light bulbs with pets. I think it would freak out my cat, and I could see the lights going on and off all night. We work at living with low lighting at night, and remember to turn off lights and televisions when we leave a room.

They mention using a Smart Strip surge protector priced between $29 to $40 to cut down on energy sucking electronics which have standby modes. We use a regular inexpensive surge protector strip, and just flip the switch when we need to use the electronics. It comes on in the morning for a few items like the computers, and off at night. Some only get turned on occasionally, like the television/dvd player in the guest room.

Establishing a Rhythm

This cooler weather is wonderful! I think it's giving me a boost, and we've gotten a rhythm down with my new homeschool student, my kindergarten daughter. She is really enjoying the structure and one-on-one attention that comes with the formal table learning. These initial  sessions have been very short, but it has been fun to work with her toward those first steps to reading. We are doing a letter(or two) a week with review along the way. When we finished today, we continued to sit at the table coloring, drawing, and chatting together for at least an hour - so relaxing. I'm enjoying this nature coloring book from Rod & Staff(giggle). I color while she practices her letters and numbers. She doesn't like being watched over, so this takes the pressure off her.

My son, a seventh grader, is an independent learner, so he needs very little supervision or formal teaching. I spend a little time with him going over corrections or filling in the weak areas, but otherwise he keeps up with his learning. He was tough to teach when he was younger, but he hit his stride around third or fourth grade. We spent quite a bit of time on character development in those early years.

Dieting Success

I haven't posted much about recipes lately because I've been de-emphasizing food in my life while I diet. I love cooking and creating recipes, but it had gotten to the point in my life where my days were revolving around food. I had lost balance, so I've had to push it out of my life for a while. I've been eating very little, and very simply. Portion control and not baking has really helped. I was in such a state of lack of control that I felt I needed to leave my frugal zone and try Nutrisystem for a while. While it was pricey it helped me get back that balance. I love food just a little too much. It's not any one particular group of foods either. I love different tastes and textures. Variety is important for me. This is why the Nutrisystem weight loss program was a success for me. They offer all that taste and texture sensation in their foods and meal plans, so that it never gets boring. I did the diabetic Nutrisytem because I figured the extra protein and low carbs would be better for me. I've only been really hungry a few times. The diet has been fairly easy to follow.

I'm keeping up with the weight loss by maintaining that portion control that I learned, and continuing to follow the plan on my own. I found an older 1992 Nutrisystem cookbook that has been very helpful. I think it's the only one that has been published for following the plan on your own, or at least pointing you in the right direction with recipes and meal planning. I found a copy at my library.

The Nutri/System Flavor Set-Point Weight-Loss Cookbook


I've lost about 16 pounds so far. It's been slow going, but I have not been gaining back any weight, so that's success for me. I plan to lose another 18 pounds in order to get me within range of a normal weight for my height and build. This will be my pre-baby weight. My daughter is five years old, and I've been carrying this weight since she was born, and then some.

It has been an expensive weight loss journey, but I'm gaining back my health and control over my body. I quit Nutrisystem(prepackaged meals) after two months. This was enough for me to get back my balance, and gain an understanding of how I need to cook and eat in order to continue with the weight loss.

Breakfast on the Run

Easy on-the-go breakfast bars: recipes for
Peanut Butter Granola  and Raw Brown Sugar Granola
Muffins would be good as well, but I make these for my non-muffin eating husband.

Dover Classic Art Cards on Sale

Dover 6 to 24 art card sets are on sale at Dover Books. A few 24 piece sets are less than $3.00, and the Tissot six card set is only .60 cents. I found a few Dover sets on sale at Amazon.com. You can purchase these free with your Swagbucks, virtual bucks(points) earned for using their search engine. I use my points to purchase Amazon gift e-cards. I check both sites to see which is the best deal.

These art cards are wonderful for homeschool studies of fine arts(copy work), art appreciation, and/or art history. I am purchasing the American Impressionists set and a few others in order to round out a big set that I purchased last week.

Dover September $10.00 coupon code with purchase of $50.00:  SeptW

25 Household Uses For Salt

Read here.

A Mother's Life Giving Love

"The baby was born at 27 weeks, just 2 pounds. His twin sister, Emily, was delivered first, breathing on her own and full of life. Then came Jamie. According to an interview in the Daily Mail Online, doctors worked on him, trying to get him to breathe. After 20 minutes, they declared him dead. The heartbroken parents say they took their lifeless son into their arms to say goodbye. They cuddled with him, not wanting to let go. After a while, Mom Kate Ogg unwrapped him to hold him against her skin and something miraculous happened. He began to show signs of life. " Read more here.

Old Fashioned Frugal Fun: Cardboard Castles

Make a Paper and Cardboard Castle: Neuschwanstein 

Great ideas here. Twigs and colored cellophane for the doors and windows.

A simple one for younger children.

Another simple one with instructions at Enchanted Learning.

Just think what you could make with some discarded refrigerator boxes!

Happy Hearts Academy At-home Learning

The tween has set up camp in his room this year. He keeps his school items in his bookshelf next to his bed. He and the cat spend the morning together on the carpet working through math problems, etc. We've been using a mix of Rod & Staff, School Aid, and Seton homeschool materials.

The Kindergartener spends a limited amount of time at our table working on handwriting, math skills, and phonics. Much of her formal learning is via Starfall, a free online learning program. We use the CD-ROM. The rest of the time she plays with learning toys, helps me around the house, and goes outside exploring the flora and fauna. Her favorite outdoor toy is a magnifying glass. She and her father spent at least an hour outside this morning examining caterpillars, worms, and plants.

They went to the library and returned with a learning backpack about teeth and an interactive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD. I really like these DVDs because she can watch it on the computer and play the learning games, ages two - six with two levels. I read to her as much as she will allow. Her attention span is still developing, and hers is very short, just like her brother's was at this age.

Kindergarten is the easiest and most fun year of homeschooling. The real work happens later when I am trying to teach her to read. I'm praying she is easier than her brother!  He took a lot of patience and hard work. First and second grade were very long, but it was also the most rewarding. Once he learned to read , he really enjoyed it. I'm glad we persisted with the phonics because he now has a really good foundation and grasp of  English. We used(use) the challenging and thorough Rod & Staff English/Reading curriculum.

Some of our extended learning resources is gained from free online public domain(vintage) curricula.

Both children are strong visual learners.

Art History Cards

 Masterpiece Cards

These are a bit pricey, but a good value for the number and selection of classic art cards in the set. I had received two samples earlier this year, and when my daughter showed interest in them, I ordered the set. Her birthday money from family nearly covered it all. Each of the 250 cards has succinct art history information on the back. This set is good for all ages. The younger children can look at the pictures while older children and students can use them as a study aid.

9/13/10 Update: We receive them today and my daughter really liked them; however, I did need to remove at least one due to adult content - a 1960's modern nude by Tom Wesselmann. Sorry, I'm not a fan. In this nude the women is treated like a commodity - seductive and depersonalized. There may be more modern reclining nudes, but a quick scan reveals mostly classic art.

The collection has more of a secular flavor(almost downbeat and hard-edged) than I would have liked. Italian art was only briefly represented, and there was a good number of modern artists from the 1950's - 1960's which I didn't like. This survey collection was different than the art covered in my 1980's college art history survey courses(U.of F.) using Gardiner's Art Through the Ages. Although I was a bit disappointed, it is still nice to have for homeschool, and maybe I can add to it with some postcards from another source(s).

First Day of School Certificate

Forgot to post this earlier. Free printable here.

Homeschool Humor

Printable September Poetry and Flower Lesson(Elementary School)

September

The golden-rod is yellow,
The corn is turning brown,
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun,
In dusty pods the milkweed
Her hidden silk has spun.
The sedges flaunt their harvest
In every meadow nook,
And asters by the brookside
Make asters in the brook.
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.
~Helen Hunt Jackson (1831-1885)

Includes student questions and vocabulary. See printable pages here, pages13-14, 1889 fourth grade reader, free and in public domain. To save or print, just right click on the image of the page at the link, otherwise you'll get the entire screen page.

Image source

Vintage Story Starters - September Apples

We used this vintage turn-of-the-century picture page today for coloring and conversation. An older child could use the picture to write a story about what's happening. It's in two pieces, but with a little cutting and pasting, it joins together well.

Free and in public domain. I found these in a teacher's periodical(early 20th century) at Google Books. Click on images to enlarge.

I'll have to make a vintage "A" is for apple handwriting/penmanship page to match. There are many early elementary free printable worksheets online to use with an apple theme. We used a free printable apple maze found at Google Images.

Free Vintage September Blackboard Calendars

From a 1915 teacher magazine that I found at Google Books. Click on image to enlarge. This is in public domain and free to use. See here for years which have a common starting weekday and equal number of days for the year 2010.

Oops! This one is not the correct one. September begins on a Wednesday this year. I'll post another soon. This calendar is not from 1915. Too bad because this is a sweet one.

Update: Here is the correct 1915 September calendar - good for 2010.

And a blank one for a schedule:

Handwriting Worksheet Generators

This is so handy! My daughter needs to trace all her letters right now. With the worksheet generator, I was able to make a worksheet tonight with the traceable letters of her name on each line, giving her lots of practice. There are many choices for fonts, and the option for traceable and non traceable lines. Allows short sentences, letters, and words.

Click here.

Here's another one which offers a cursive font.

Magic Milkshakes at Home

These are so delicious! I can't eat them because I'm dieting, but I always take a spoonful before serving it to my daughter, the chocolate monster.

• 1-1/2 to 2 cups ice water
• 1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 to 1-1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
• 2 tablespoons corn oil plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes

Read the rest here at Hillbilly Housewife.