Week in Review – February 4, 2012

We inadvertently mostly skipped school this week, due to an extended weekend away my hubby and I had for our anniversary. After picking the kids up on Wednesday, running some errands, etc. I decided that, rather than throwing myself into our work, JUST TO GET IT DONE, we’d do some review, spend some time reading, some hands-on stuff and get outdoors. Am I ever glad that I listened to my gut on this one, because while we were tired and getting back to routine, a little on the cranky side, we had some great moments to enjoy together!

My favourite thing this week was…..playtime with the kids! I haven’t really been a very fun mom lately, so I am determined (and praying!) that I will take the time when they call me to “come, look!”, “stop, see!” and “help me!”. I’m glad I did it, I can feel the fun oozing from my pores already! lol Not really, but it’s a good starting point.

We had dance parties,

tea parties and story time,

triple trouble,

and musical therapy.

What’s working for us….READ ALOUDS! FINALLY! Once I started adding them to my schedule, it suddenly became a lot easier to actually get them done! We started reading Little House in the Big Woods – the boys have been asking for it since they loved Farmer Boy so much!

We made our own butter after reading how Ma and Mary churned for the whole day to make butter from the cream. And it only took us 10 minutes of shaking in a jar! We’ve got it so easy. I shouldn’t complain, we took turns of 3-4 minutes each and it was done in no time, but wow, what a workout on the arms!

Pour whipping cream into a mason jar.

Screw on lid. Begin shaking, checking every 3-4 minutes.

It will shake very easily at first, then suddenly it will be hard and difficult to shake.

This is after about 5 minutes of shaking.

Then the butter will separate from the buttermilkand you’re done!

Pour out the buttermilk to drink or keep for baking, it’s really sweet! Place butter on parchment paper, shape into a pat, refrigerate to firm up a bit, and dig in!

We also made “johnny cakes” – basically pancakes, but they would have used corn meal or flour instead of white flour – to go along with our fresh, homemade butter. Yum!

I am inspired by.…all the FUN homeschool moms out there! You know, the ones who are posting all their great ideas of activities and stuff to do for different subjects. Seriously, I do not have a unique, creative bone in my body, save for the ideas that all of you give me, so thank you for inspiring good, fun education!

I’m grateful for….opportunity this week to stop and smell the roses (read – enjoy time with my kids!), hang out with friends at co-op, small group and church, pray for each other, my husband, my silly kids :0)