christmas treats

Almond bark covered pretzels and peanuts. This is a tradition each year around here. It simply must be made. Everyone loves them. This year, I tried some peanut butter filled pretzels. It was an ok hit.

Recipe:

It's too easy to bother telling you, especially since you already know it, but here it goes...

Almond Bark, cheapest at Aldi, make a home made double boiler, then place bark in top pan, let melt slowly, dip goodies in bark, place on wax paper covered sheet pan, place outside for quick cooling if you like, then place on lovely little Christmas plate.

Watch them disappear!!

butter cream birthday girl!! #13

How did my baby get to be 13 years old?? My sweet, little Damsel girl. I love her so much.

Here is the picture I got of the cake, as I couldn't get it prior to digging in.

This batch was made with butter milk, which we quite liked, and a tradaitional, beautiful light blue tint to the frosting, that my girl requests frequently.

I am calling it Robin Egg Blue Frosting Delight

christmas baubles

Christmas Baubles

What do you all think? 

I may be getting the hang of it.

we love books

We seriously LOVE books around here. I have been reading to the kids since they could blink. Now, I still read aloud with my kiddos, but I keep excellent books around for them to devour on a regular basis.  I want to try to share some of the great books we have been reading here, much like I used to. Maybe someone will be encouraged in some new books to read. I love seeing what others are reading, too.  I love reading history in accordance with where we are in history as well. So many great books!! Ugh.

Here is a fun, young lady book that we discovered, that I think many of you already know about, but in case you don't...well here it is.

The Princess Academy.
There is a sequel as well.   The Palace of Stone

There is also a third book coming out!!

Yep, that is it. A lovely story about a lovely girl, taken to an academy where an entire journey is laid out before her, requiring cunning and courage.  We, my damsel and I, giggled over this one. It had a very light, subtle, understated and tasteful boy relationship that was girl friendly. I am picky about these things.

What are you reading currently?? What are your favorites?

apples a day recipes

I just purchased a huge amount of apples, organic from the coop and I am so excited for the annual 'make tons of new recipes' that follows. We will be eating apples out of our ears. As we speak, I have applesauce in the crock pot and I imagine how much Braveheart would be desiring to get his hands on some as soon as possible.

I am shocked at how quickly we ate all of this up!!!

Classical Conversations, week 2

So, we have started our school year. I must admit, it is far too early for my brain.  Something about this year has been extremely more stressful and busy than last year.  Maybe because my expectations of myself was much lower, while recovering from our loss.  I was simply loving on my kiddos and grieving. I am still grieving. There is something different now though, because I am logical, therefore, my 2 students left at home need me, so I am all in.
It has been crazy with a capital C around here. My school room / office is still in a tornado like state. I am still going to keep working on that, but the children's challenge binders are organized and complete, their books and supplies are all accounted for and they're are excited fairly agreeable to getting started!

Above is my Challenge A students map. She loves to draw, so the quality is vastly superior to her brother's previous map. Did you know that just by starting in the same place each time you draw, you actually create new neuron pathways?? WOW!
However, thankfully, any map drawing has a tremendous amount of value for a child's developing brain. I am tutoring this year in geography and rhetoric and I LOVE it.

We are still working out our schedule.

Stay tuned!

Blessings.....

garden update

Yarrow is blooming beautifully....

Finally seeing some zucchini.....

A baby roma tomato....

The milkweed is in full bloom...with flies..yuck...