Thursday, May 07, 2009

Three Posts for the Price of One...

A (hopefully) helpful post, a giveaway post, and a recipe post. It's your lucky day.

Post Numero Uno:
Wondering what in the world to do with your kids this summer? So am I. I've found myself wondering how in the world I ever homeschooled. When faced with thoughts that they will be home all day, every day in the summer, my palms started to sweat. And then I remembered; "Oh, that's right, I love my kids." Also, I'm planning to borrow heavily on my homeschooling experience to keep things lively. Also also, I'm planning more of my weekly group fun activities for moms and kids. Last year, these activities were sparsely attended, but a couple of my friends assure me that "for sure, really, we will come this summer." So I'm going to do them again this summer. More on that in an upcoming post.
I thought I'd share with you a couple of my plans for summer with my kids. Nothing too ambitious, just enough to keep things from getting stale. After all, even cherry popsicles and Slip n' Slides lose their flavor after so many.
So I've noticed that the entire subject of history is practically missing at school for my kids. I'm sure I've mentioned this before but The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer is priceless. There is a link to this book on the right of my blog. Visit it!!! I really cannot recommend it highly enough. For all you non-homeschoolers: Seriously. Buy this book and the activity book that goes with it. Each week, on Monday, say, take 5-10 minutes and read a section from the main book out loud to your kids. Before you say "My kids won't sit still and listen to me read some history book", they will. Trust me!! They will. After you read the section, copy off the map page in the activity book and have your kids do the mapwork (it tells you exactly how to do this in the activity book). They will also love the mapwork. Oh yes. They will. On Wednesday, pick a couple of the suggested children's literature titles from your local library and read them out loud to your kids. On Friday, or whenever you want to, pick one of the activities from the book and do it. It will probably take an hour. Sometimes it's an art type thing, other times it's like an experiment, always, it's fun-and goes along with whatever the history subject is. Feel free to pick and choose the chapters you and your kids want to learn about. Play it fast and loose and apply no pressure. If your kids are like thousands across the U.S. they will be begging to do this stuff after the first one. And? They will have learned some history and geography along the way.

Keep their math skill fresh by playing any one of a number of math games on the market.

Pick a science subject and read about it and do experiments about it once every couple of weeks or so. This summer, we're doing plants. We're using the Usborne book on plants. It has experiments already in the book. These are easy, mom friendly experiments that are still cool enough to capture the imagination of your kids.

Keep your kids reading by letting them pick out books from the library. Ask them to tell you what the story is about.

My kids love to sell lemonade or Kool-aid. Suggest this activity to your kids and see what happens. Make sure you have a card table, a non-breakable pitcher, Kool-aid, and some plastic cups on hand before you say that!

Take some field trips! Oh wait. Don't. Come with us on some field trips!

Post number two:
I'm having a giveaway. If you've never won anything, don't worry, you will. I get so few commentors that you're bound to win! Just leave a comment and consider yourself entered. Whoever wins gets a home made parcel of domestic bliss! You will adore it, I promise.

Post three: A recipe that'll do double duty

I know it's not soup season. But I'm cooking this tonight and couldn't resist sharing the recipe, for it is oh-so-good. Make it the first night as soup. Serve it with whole wheat bread and salad and YUM! The second night...take your leftover bit of soup, then grab some frozen cheese ravioli from your grocer's freezer, unite them and let them make sweet love in your oven for 20-30 minutes or so at 350...add a little mozzarella or parmesan, and oh, honey!

Creamy Tomato Bisque from Martha Stewart...tweaked a little by me

2 Tbsp. Butter -----melt in soup pot.
1 medium onion sliced or chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced or pressed with your garlic press----add these last two ingredients to the butter and cook until transparent.
3 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes
5 1/4 c. chicken broth
Oregano, basil, rosemary to taste.
Sugar to taste (about a teaspoon, maybe?).----Add these last ingredients, squish up the tomatoes with a potato masher or something, and simmer for 45 min to an hour.
Now blend the whole mess in your blender, filling the blender no more than half full (ask me how I know this). You'll have to work in batches. You may think you're done now because it looks so good! But now, add about a cup of heavy cream just to push the whole thing up over the top. Love!

11 comments:

Crystal said...

We are going to keep on schooling this summer. It is so hot here, so we are indoors more in the summer unless we go swimming.

The recipe looks great, can't wait to try it.

Emily said...

I've missed you Kristy! I really, really wish that I could commit to the summer field trips, but I am planning on just staying alive for the next four months. I'm pretty sure the basics - eating, sleeping, and possibly some hygiene thrown in there is all that I will be able to achieve as a person and as a mother. But, I am ordering those history references. If not this year, then next. I love those ideas! And I love, love, love soup. I can't wait to try your recipe (although that too may have to wait until Fall seeing as cooking is not on my list of "Things to Do To Survive." But, I'm printing it off and putting it in my file.

Did I mention that I missed you and I LOVE your posts!

Susannah said...

yummy, that sounds great! Thanks for the great tips on summer!

Chris and Annalisa said...

I soooo need to be entered for this parcel of domestic bliss! Considering I haven't been able to even open our fridge without gagging for over a month, I think Chris would appreciate it as well. :)

Annalisa

Anonymous said...

Post #1...Great ideas! Post #2...I never win anything. :) Post #3...Oh, baby!

Good to see a post (or three) from ya, it's about time!

Robin said...

Oooh, I've been looking for a good tomato soup recipe! And I never thought of using the leftovers as a pasta sauce, sounds yummy!

Great tip on the history book, I'll give it a try!

I'm a sucker for free stuff! Sign me up!

Rob and Tam said...

Thanks for the yummy recipe. Whenever I make some of your yummy recipes I think of you. I miss hanging out with you. I wish we could take fieldtrips with you guys this summer. Maybe someday again. Thanks for the great ideas. Miss you!

Lindsay said...

I need to buy that book and add a little fun into our lives.

Pick me! Pick me!

And I'm excited to try the recipe, printing it off!

Jen said...

I was planning on doing a summer playdate calendar as well. We should combine ideas!

Heather said...

Great ideas. I too,have been thinking of things for this summer.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love meeting new bloggy friends, and your blog is so inspiring. I'll be back!

Angela said...

I am glad I stopped by today- I hope I am not late to leave my post for the contest:)! I love the summer, but dread it. I think that it is because their is no routine or something I am not sure what it is. But Summer in New England doesn't start until the end of June, so I still have a month to think about it.