Uncategorized – Page 856 – Plain and Not So Plain

Fall book list updated

amy / 10/13/2014

There was a time in my homeschooling “career” that I DID NOT read any books to my little children. I know *gasp* horrible, horrible homeschooling mom:) It was during a time in my life that just getting through our daily routine was enough for me. But now, my life has become much easier.

My children enjoy our reading time and my older ones that didn’t get the reading time when they were little are beginning to read at a young age and quiet well. So I know that they didn’t miss out. To the moms of many little ones out there, stop worrying that your older ones will be “less smart” because you are not able to devote early age schooling. They will turn out fine.

We usually sit during lunch time or after and read about 5-7 books at a time. These have been fine to read to our preschooler on up to the 9 year old. Even the 14 year old will sit and listen some of the time.

Here are some we have enjoyed…….

Too many pumpkins by Linda White

**please note, there is a jack o lantern reference in this book. My children do not partake in Halloween to any extent, in this book the woman carves pumpkins and places a light in them, to light a path to her home. My children didn’t really ask or think much about the carved pumpkins except that the woman used them as a lighted path to find the “party.” Wanted to note this so that maybe you would view the book before you read it to your children to see if that is something your family would like to be exposed to.

Fall leaves fall

Why do leaves change color by Betsey Maestro

This is a good informational book to explain about the leaf process.

The Pumpkin Runner

Hello Mr. Scarecrow

Leaf Man

Leaf Jumpers

Apple Cider Making Days

The apple Pie tree

Applesauce Season

A Friend for all Seasons

Bear has a story to tell

Earl the squirrel
fall mixed up

**note some halloween reference pages, we just skipped them

Hello, squirrel

Hooray for fall

Leaves

Maple syrup season

Nuts to you

Red leaf, yellow leaf
Ten red apples
The scarecrow dance

**this is a great book that references God in it:)

Tuckers apple dandy day

The stranger

Apples, apples, apples

Do you have any other fall related books to add to the list?

My frugal accomplishments for the week #5

After last weeks busy week, I looked forward to a lower key week this week. It was a nice week to catch up on some things.
We finally have made our homemade peanut butter. As we have tried to simplify our food and get rid of anything processed, peanut butter stayed as something that we bought. I had no excuse for not making it, I just didn’t.

After making peanut butter and honey sandwiches for the children with this, they absolutely love it.

It is very simple, I poured a container of unsalted peanuts into my food processor.
I then turned it on and let it go. At first, it just made finely granulated peanuts, but as time went on it looked like peanut butter.

I added 1 tsp of sea salt into the mix as it was mixing and it tastes wonderful. To me, it taste like eating a peanut butter cup because it has that “real” peanut taste. My children just think it taste like a real nut.

I was able to finish up my sauerkraut. Some jars finished after 5 days and then some lasted for about a week. I just scooped down into the middle of the jar and took out a fork full of kraut. When it tasted done, I put that jar into bags and placed into the freezer.

A few of my jars, I knew tasted badly. I let them sit and the taste got worse. I believe it was due to not having the sauerkraut completely covered with water thus allowing bad bacteria to grow.

But I am extremely happy of how the good ones did turn out. We served some with sausage this week and it was so good. I will definitely make more when we run out.I also had purchased all of my apples last week and was glad that I could just leave them in the basement. I thought we would take a few bushels and make some sauce with them.

I was glad to have my children help me make it. It was easy to wake up and start some pots cooking in the morning and just let them simmer on low until we were able to make it into sauce.

We used Fuji apples this year and the sauce turned out with a brown tint. It tastes fine without sugar but it just doesn’t look as pretty. We put our sauce into plastic baggies and then freeze them. My children enjoy partially frozen sauce.

We have been being frugal with the amount of driving that we do. As I drive a 15 passenger van, it can cost us a lot to go to town more than once per week. This week I had to do some running in town so I planned on doing that and taking a trip with a friend to our local nature center.

We had a wonderful time walking through lots of beautiful trails throughout the woods and getting to learn things from the nature center building. A very good educational trip and the best part was it was FREE.

We continue to watch our lights and we haven’t had to use any heat yet. It has been very nice to enjoy a lower electric bill before those winter months come and the bills go up.

Any frugal accomplishments for you?