Life on the Road

Well, our homeschooling family has been on the road.  Nearly 4 weeks ago, we set out to accompany The Professor on a week trip to Colorado.  That. Was. It.  And 4 weeks later, I am still not home!  Although I was planning on that first week being our official "Spring Break", I still thought to bring some minimal school work, math and language arts.  With so much time on our hands (hmm, forgot that clothing still needs to be washed, meals cooked, dishes washed), how could I possible fill up the entire day with activities?  It turns out we kept pretty busy that first week and true to intent, we did not crack open our books.  Then Professor comes back to the room one evening and announces - "I need to be back here for two straight weeks in another week."  Ugh.  If we would have known that ahead, I would have come out for the two weeks.  It is over 1,000 miles to drive to Colorado from our home, so, not a small trip.  So, he mentioned the children and I traveling to see my dear friend that lives another 1,000 miles away!  What an adventure!  So we traveled to her home, hubby flew back to our Western Home, and the children and I stayed a week.  It was so nice.  We eat the same, live the same, and are close friends, so it was like coming home.  Spring had arrived and it was perfect.  The smells, the colors, the weather.  After a week, we traveled another 1,000 miles to get back to Colorado and we have been here ever since.  The kids are rocking the homeschool work and are very motivated to get their work done.  One boy completed his Math for the year!  So in a few days, we will make the trek back to our Western Home.  I am happy to have spent 3 weeks in the Colorado Rockies and a week in the Midwest with fresh air, sunshine, rain, and snow.  The Western Home is boring sunny all the time and it is nice to have the fresh air and change.

Sewing for Sweet Sis

I am always busy with a sewing project for my daughter Sweet Sis.  I sew often out of the love of sewing, and I sew often out of the need to sew for my daughter.  I am not impressed with what the world has to offer for clothing for little girls (and bigger girls too).  It can be suggestive, revealing, and not in-line with modest principles.  Even play dresses found in stores are very short, and the minute she jumps, runs, or plays on playground equipment, all modesty is thrown out the window.  As the children grow, my time is devoted more and more to homeschooling with all that it entails, and I cannot make every single clothing item.  But I cannot compromise our strong beliefs.  So, I have been modifying clothing when I have time and working on a new dress once or twice a month.  I modify by adding a very wide piece of eyelet lace/edging or a wide piece of knit material.  It won't work on every dress, but it is worth doing on those that I can.  Here are some pictures of examples that I have done this past month:

New Beginnings

I will be restarting my posts to my blog as I really find it fun to share with my family our happy times! And it is fun for me to look back and see our special moments together. Today's post is about Meal Menus! I have done meal menus for years, but they have all been weekly. Since I buy bulk more now and usually only shop once every two weeks if possible, I needed to change his many times I make a menu. Also, every week I make lesson plans for school and trying to make a menu makes so much more work on my free day! So I tried making an entire month. The first attempt, it took me half the day to make sure I didn't put too many like-dishes back to back. I then started to think about themed days. Mexican night, American fare, pasta, Asian stir-fry, etc. Now I cook according to my theme day. I print out the menu and post for all to see. I also add the desserts and really try to make them as it encourages the children to eat their meals! 

Kitchen Helper

My cute little volunteer kitchen helper tonight! He just came and stood next to me and said "Ready"! Love it!

Our Journey Continues

After graduation, we spent some time on The Farm. I took pictures with a different device so I will have to post those later! But today, I'm on the shore of Lake Huron soaking in some rays and cooling off in the water. Professor had to go back to work across the country so we will be hanging out for awhile without him.  Grandpa came with us to the beach and Sweet Sis so enjoyed walking with him.

Celebration Dinner

Graduation!