Jan 2009
Bulk Cooking
Not much homeschooling going on the last 2 days. I have been preparing my pantry by bulk cooking. 15 pounds of ground beef, 5 pounds of meatballs, separating portions of sausage and chicken and freezing them all. My freezer is so full! My pantry, too. A normal month for me goes like this: shop at Wal-Mart for groceries, shop local grocers for loss leaders and coupons, and hit Sam’s Club for bulk paper goods. Up until 8 months ago, I would shop at the military commissary for most of my needs, and then go to Wal-Mart for the rest. Since at almost every base we lived at for the last 20 years, I was 30-40 minutes away, I tried to shop for a month at a time. I don’t really like going to the grocery store. It takes forever and then you have all that unpacking to do at home and then dinner to make on top of it all. So, by going only once a month, and I could usually squeeze it to 45 days, I have less work.
I haven’t had the opportunity to really do any bulk cooking because I never had a stand alone freezer. I made a list over the years for things I would like in my “final resting place” or dream home, as some call it. My actual dream home would be within the sound of the ocean, but I call this house a final resting place in jest because we are going to be here for a long time. Being military, we always moved each 2-3 years, so if we stay here over 3 years, it might as well be forever to me. LOL! I do have a book called Don’t Panic, Dinner’s in the Freezer. It is awesome and the recipes are wonderful! I would occasionally make some bulk marinated meats and casseroles, but I had such limited space.
When we bought the house we are in now, my first purchase was an upright freezer. I LOVE it! And it is totally full right now. DH says I am going to break the shelves in it. I spent a little more to get the upright, frost-free version, but I feel it is worth it. I had to defrost my fridge in the motor home, which was small, and it was a super pain.
I’m not sure if it was a motivator or if it is a crutch, but I have a story to tell that influenced my bulk cooking adventure over and above saving money. In September, we experienced a major hurricane: Gustov. It hit Baton Rouge really hard, knocking out most of our power and many people were without water as well. We were living in our motor home at the time. We took shelter during the storm and then came back to the coach afterwards. It was fine, and we were fortunate to have stocked up on groceries and gas before the storm. We had a generator to run the fridge and a/c. We were lucky. There were long gas lines and shortages of food for weeks. I didn’t even venture to the grocery store for a week because I saw the line outside. I started running low on supplies, so I drove 40 miles north of town to a Wal-Mart, and to do laundry. There were a lot of cars parked outside and I had to park far away, which I do anyway to keep from being hit by lazy people’s runaway carts they leave all over the lot. But when I walked in, I have never seen anything so unnerving as seeing Wal-Mart empty. There was almost nothing left. No isle of diapers, no isle of soda and chips, no isle of meat carefully stacked up to the ceiling. Plenty of flour and sugar as no one had electricity to bake. I stood in an isle and cried. Really. I called DH to get him to calm me down. It was so very scary to see no food in the big store. You always know when you go to WM that they will be full and ready for you. Not this time and it was so unsettling. I did manage to get some canned ravioli and Vienna sausages.
I have weathered 4 hurricanes in the past. During the first one, the eye went right over us. The second one we slept in the car along the interstate (scary). The third one was fun because my DH got me a PS2 and a generator so I would be able to keep playing! LOL! The fourth one my DH left me to move planes to safety as I moved and cared for a puppy and a 4-year-old while I was tossing cookies from being 2 months pregnant. Not fun. SO, I have been through hurricanes. I think they are scary, but in a lot of ways beautiful. We can see the mighty power of a storm and think of how God could just think to calm it and it would subside. How awesome is He? But this time, I was scared because there was no food and I did not like the feeling. Now my pantry is full, and the freezer is stuffed, and I wonder if it also has something to do with the fear I felt that day. Does it matter? IDK.
So, enough digression. I thought I would shop for a month at the commissary that is 90 miles away in New Orleans, but it is very tiny and you have to go over a huge bridge to get to it. I have some bridge issues, too, but that is another long story. I shopped there once, but felt I could get close to the same prices, minus gas cost, by bulk shopping, price comparison and loss leaders. I needed to stock up on a lot of bulk things, and I had a storage problem: not enough big containers. I decided to go to the restaurant supply store here and get some containers. It was a fair price, not a steal, but I like what I have.
I did the pick-and-pull at Sam’s Club for bulk items like flour, spices, rice,etc. It was super easy to pick up! Wow! Then last night, DD and I made bulk mixes such as muffin mix, roll mix, pancake mix, etc., from a book called Make-A-Mix.
My edition is the 1995 edition, and this one is a 2007 update. Probably pretty good. I have used the book to make several things and I think they are wonderful! The recipes are pretty easy and tasty. I would recommend it to anyone thinking about doing bulk cooking. I must confess, until today, I never made muffins from scratch. Not even sure I knew you could! LOL! But we made the mix and this morning, I made peach muffins. Very nice. Tonight we are having Teriyaki Stir Fry.
My DD helped out. She is 9 and she said the most wonderful thing to me. “Mommy, I hope one of the things God has me doing when I grow up is cooking! It is fun!” Of course 5 minutes later when we had to clean up, she went to go play with her friends outside. But today, she made 3 batches of meatballs and my 12-year-old helped me to package all the chicken and other meat I got. I happened to be at the meat counter at Albertson’s when the manager was putting things out. I told him that I feed my German Shepherd a raw diet consisting of, gasp, chicken bones. After he lectured me about bones and bacteria from a conference he just got back from he said, “Well, it’s your dog and I am sure you take care of it well. I have a ton of stuff in the back for you.” I ended up with 35 pounds of chicken thighs for $.28 a pound. WOW! The thighs are good enough to eat as well.
Anyway, I cooked up 12 packages of hamburger and 3 packs of meatballs. Now my coffee break is over and I need to go wash up in the kitchen. Almost done! Nothing is more relieving to me than to not have to cook hamburger when it is dinner time. I hate doing it and I hate the clean-up. So, now I clean up once and I have 12 meals from it. I guess I have plenty of time now to go rub my husband’s feet! ROTFL!
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My first rice cooker!
29/01/09 08:11 Filed in: Cooking and Recipes | Book Reviews (non homeschooling)
I bought my first rice cooker last night. And 16 pounds of basmati rice at Sam’s Club. We are beginning to eat more rice in our family and I thought it would be a wise investment, since many times I cook rice, I am in the middle of something when the timer goes off, and I tend to ignore it. Lazy, I know. Then the rice turns out not-quite-perfect, like many things I cook! LOL. But the rice cooker will do it for me, and another benefit is that I can get my kids to help out with the cooking by loading the cooker for me, I hope.
Tonight we are having left over pizza, but tomorrow we will have teriyaki stir fry and rice! Cool! I love trying new things!
Here is a link to a downloadable recipe book from Panasonic. The recipes are a bit “high hat.” I haven’t tried them yet.
http://web1.panasonic.com/food_service/cmo/rice_cooker_recipes.pdf
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Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1
26/01/09 19:27 Filed in: Homeschooling | Reviews (homeschool materials) | Homeschooling the High Schooler
http://www.teachingtextbooks.com/
We began Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 last week. In the course of my 7th grader’s homeschool “career,” we have used 3 math texts. We started first grade with A Beka, then changed to Saxon in sixth grade. This year, he completed Saxon 8/7 early, and for the first time I realized he was not bad at math! A Beka is a tough program and can get students down, and by fourth grade, we were struggling to get any math done at all without whining and balking. We switched to Saxon for 2 books, 7/6 and 8/7, and did wonderfully! The books are great, but this is not a Saxon review.
I was going to put my son into Saxon Algebra 1/2, but I decided to take a leap and have him take the placement tests for Teaching Textbooks. Some of my friends do TT, but I always cringed at the price. I figured when my child reached the point of needing Algebra, I’d better get him a curriculum that provides a bit more support. Until then, I could make it with less expensive options. I could “relearn” Algebra, but who has the time? Besides, I could use the program for my next 2 children. So, my DS takes the pre-algebra placement test and flies through it. Takes the Algebra 1 test and flies through it, too. When I pick myself up off the floor from shock, I give my DS the Algebra 2 test. Not so great. So, I bought the Algebra one set and off we went!
Okay, enough about me, let’s talk text. The text is divided into 129 lessons, sub-divided into chapters for testing purposes, and 17 tests. No speed drills or Investigations like Saxon. Each lesson has a lecture, practice problems and a problem set. They go quickly and are easy to digest. If your child needs it, there is a set of CDs that cover the lecture, each practice problem, as well as the problem set. You also get a solution manual with answers to all practice and problems, and tests with answers. There is also a CD that has the walk-through of each test question. Very comprehensive.
We have only completed a few lessons, and they are going well. I introduced each item in the Algebra 1 package to my child, and walked him through what a typical math lesson would be like. I only need to interact with him for a few minutes while I call out the answers to the daily math lesson. He checks his missed problems and determines if it is his error, or a lack of understanding. Easy!
The only thing I have not seen is extra problems. I did not see any supplemental exercises on their site, either. In my 9 years of homeschooling, I have only used extra practice 3-4 times, so I doubt it is a big deal.
Oh, and for you (wonderfully enlightened) Mac users, the CDs work on a Mac. They are flash driven, so everything works wonderfully.
Overall, I am very pleased with TT. I think it is a great transition from Saxon. I plan to put my younger ones in Saxon from 4th grade to 7th grade, and then transition them from there to Teaching Textbooks. My reasoning is two-fold and money driven. First, I already have 2 Saxon sets to use with my next 2, and second, I see no need to spend such a large amount of money for math that I am capable of teaching them. When we get to higher math such as Algebra, that’s the point I need some help, so it’s a great place to transition to TT.
One of the things my DS finds hilarious are the problems they give you. They make up the funniest work problems. “The hippos back was so filthy that 1/4 of the parasites voted to migrate. If 126 parasites voted to migrate, how many parasites were there in total?” TT makes algebra at least a little fun.
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Coping with the loss of a pet
3 days ago, I lost a dear friend. She was my friend from the moment I met her nearly 6 years ago. I didn’t realize until I stood in the vet’s office on her final day how very much I loved her and how much of a friend she was. Furry, sweet, a little attitude, smart. She was my diva dog and I am so very thankful that she came through my life. Through ups and downs, she was always there. When my husband was away, she slept between me and the door. When I cried, she sat beside me until I could re-group. When I came home, she greeted me with howls and dancing. When I went for a walk, she was ready, tail wagging and howling like a wolf.
I suppose I didn’t know how sick she really was until the day we decided to put her down. She had stopped wanting to go for walks long ago. When I would ask her if she wanted to walk, she would bow her head and walk away, as if embarrassed. If I pressed, she would go, but only out of duty or loyalty, or maybe just the promise of a treat afterwards. Every second of the day she died, I wanted to stop and say no, to hang on another day, to figure out some way to make her better or to “live with her sickness.” As we stood in the vets office, husband, children, dog and me, we all wanted to shout for it to stop. But I knew deep down that I only wanted her to live so I wouldn’t have to choose her death. My DH and I both commented frequently that the only reason not to let her go is because we didn’t want to do it. That was when we knew it was time.
I know some people will go to any length to keep their pet alive, and I didn’t understand it, but when you have to make an appointment to put your dog down, then wait all day for that horrible moment, you become very aware of why people don’t want to make that choice. It was awful. And the day after was awful, and so was the next day. Today, tears have come to my eyes many times, and I have thought of her often, but I am coping. My DD went from crying and asking her to come back, to telling me that she thought of Emma very little today. The grieving process is happening. And tomorrow will be easier, and the next.
Emma, you took a part of my heart, you comforted me in dark times, you made me laugh, you got on my nerves at times, you walked with me rain or shine, you were a true friend to me. I may not cry tomorrow, but I will not forget you, your sweet soft fur and your sad brown eyes will stay with me forever.
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My First Post...a little about this blog
25/01/09 17:50 Filed in: Homeschooling | Cooking and Recipes
Wow. My first post. I am so scared and clueless about what to write and how to develop my blog. First, let me talk about me so you'll know who I am. My name is Tammy and I live with my DH, 3 children, 2 dogs and a cockatiel in Baton Rouge, LA. We just moved here in 2008 after my DH retired from the Air Force. What a wild life we have led! We've lived all over the country and even lived in our motor home for a few years. We love to explore and see new things. We decided to give up our dream of full-time rv-ing and settle down in a home. We are now working towards getting our kids ready for college.
I have home-schooled for 9 years now, and I love it. Each year brings new challenges and rewards. I began my experience by using a boxed curriculum, and have since gained the courage to make my own schedule and plans for each of my children. We do some radical stuff, which I will discuss in my blogs. I don't want to follow the norm unless I know it works. I like the trivium and Well Trained Mind approach, but I mix it up some. I feel that the most important thing I can do is prep my kids for college and maxing out the ACT and SAT.
I prayed about having a blog because it takes up a lot of personal time, and because sometimes blogs get very personal. I feel led to start one based on Titus 2:4-5. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
I could spend an entire lifetime just on getting this verse right! Wow! I will talk about Scripture that God brings to my heart in my blog, I may discuss personal things as well. I will talk about how I home school, funny things that happen, about encouraging things, about home making issues like cooking and saving money, reviews os of home school materials, and awesome websites that need to be shared. I hope you will share your comments as well so that we can have a personal connection and opportunity to train one another, just like the Scripture tell us.
I have a sense of humor and think life is not worth living if you can't love and laugh. Please bear with me as I learn to use RapidWeaver to blog, and I learn how to develop my website. Thanks for stopping by!
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I have home-schooled for 9 years now, and I love it. Each year brings new challenges and rewards. I began my experience by using a boxed curriculum, and have since gained the courage to make my own schedule and plans for each of my children. We do some radical stuff, which I will discuss in my blogs. I don't want to follow the norm unless I know it works. I like the trivium and Well Trained Mind approach, but I mix it up some. I feel that the most important thing I can do is prep my kids for college and maxing out the ACT and SAT.
I prayed about having a blog because it takes up a lot of personal time, and because sometimes blogs get very personal. I feel led to start one based on Titus 2:4-5. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
I could spend an entire lifetime just on getting this verse right! Wow! I will talk about Scripture that God brings to my heart in my blog, I may discuss personal things as well. I will talk about how I home school, funny things that happen, about encouraging things, about home making issues like cooking and saving money, reviews os of home school materials, and awesome websites that need to be shared. I hope you will share your comments as well so that we can have a personal connection and opportunity to train one another, just like the Scripture tell us.
I have a sense of humor and think life is not worth living if you can't love and laugh. Please bear with me as I learn to use RapidWeaver to blog, and I learn how to develop my website. Thanks for stopping by!
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