Favorite Recipes: Homemade Sloppy Joes

We loved Sloppy Joes as kids. We used to eat them made with Manwich, but my children think it is too spicy. So I came across this recipe and decided to try it out. It was a hit! It was the quietest meal we have had in a long time and it is pretty inexpensive.

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 cup ketchup
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP white vinegar
2 TBSP yellow mustard

Brown meat in a large skillet and drain. In a large saucepan over medium heat mix together all other ingredients then stir in your meat. Cook, stirring often for about 30 minutes. Serve over hamburger buns. Makes 6 servings.

I usually double the recipe since we are feeding 7 and like to eat the leftovers the next day.

Loads of Books

Last week, a friend of mine who is the director at a local Christian School, called me and said she had been cleaning out the classrooms and library. She had lots of A Beka readers and workbooks she wanted to sell $1 for used and $3 for new. Plus, she had books out of the library that she was giving away. We went over and got a van full of books and a complete Hooked on Phonics Program and I only spent $23. We also got some school desks really cheap for the children to do their work in downstairs. This Friday, the children were really excited because the books we had ordered from Rainbow Resource and Usborne were supposed to be delivered. We got both of those orders in and they loved the books I ordered and the kid kits my mom bought for them. Then, I got a phone call from a lady who used to homeschool but isn't anymore. She said she needed the books out of her garage and if I could come and get them that day, I could have them for free! I got 4 boxes of books from K all the way through High School, including many different subjects, and a lot of them were complete sets with Student and Teacher books included. I spent yesterday afternoon sorting books and organizing our school room. You can never have too many books!

Monday Morning Project (well really Wednesday)

Chelsea had a Babysitting Workshop on Monday and Tuesday, so we didn"t have any schoolwork on those days. This morning we started our day making homemade jelly. We went to a Jelly Workshop last week, and I had no idea making jelly would be so easy. The children and I had a lot of fun and loved the jelly so we decided to make some at home too. We made Strawberry Freezer Jam and Grape Jelly. Here is the recipe for the Strawberry Freezer Jam:

3 cups strawberries

5 cups sugar

1 box pectin

3/4 cup water

Wash, chop and mash 3 cups of strawberries and place in a bowl. Add sugar, stir and let sit 20 minutes stirring occassionally. Dissolve pectin in 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Add pectin to berries and sugar and stir for 2 minutes. Pour jam into freezer containers or canning jars leaving 1/2 inch at the top. Cover containers and let stand 24 hours at room temperature. Freeze or refrigerate. Makes about 7 half-pint jars.

Back to School!

The children were chomping at the bit to get started on their school work, so we started back yesterday. It is two weeks earlier than what I had planned and I don't even have all of my books in yet, but I wanted to go ahead while they were so excited. Last year our first day did not go as well as I had hoped, so this year we are easing into our work and will be up to a normal schedule in about two weeks (or as soon as I get my books.) Our Monday Morning Project yesterday was making owls out of paper plates. It turned out very cute (I will try to post a picture later) and they are already looking forward to next weeks craft. We also did a Bible Lesson with the boys. Chelsea did a full schedule (her choice.) I thought I would share what I am using for curriculum this year.

Chelsea 7th grade-Sonlight Curriculum. I love using Sonlight. I think it is a great way to teach. The biggest problem I have with it is cost. I cannot justify the expense for 1 child when I have 5 others. I was very blessed this year that a friend of mine loaned me her entire 7th grade Sonlight curriculum! All I had to add to it was Math (Alpha-Omega 7) and Chelsea wanted to start Spanish this year so I ordered Instant Immersion Spanish on CD Rom.

Nick 2nd Grade- Horizons 2 Math, Language Lessons for the Very Young, A Reason for Handwriting, The Story of the World. We are using www.spellingcity.com for spelling, doing a study on animals starting with Birds for Science, and I have selected several read alouds and readers for him.

Alex K-Horizons K Math, Build your own Phonics Book, Handwriting Without Tears, The Story of the World, Same Science and read alouds as Nick.

Anthony pre-k. He wants to do "school" with his siblings so I am using some workbooks from Usborne: Ready for Writing, Shapes, and Letters.

Chelsea's Bible Study was included with her curriculum and the boys and I will be reading through the Story Book Bible again this year.

Back in the Chicken Business

We picked up our new chickens on Thursday. We found a lady that had 4-H chickens that she got the same day we got ours and she wanted to sell some of hers. She also has several different kinds of show chickens. We bought 15 4-H hens and 3 Black and White Birchens (2 roosters and 1 hen) that we hope to incubate some eggs and hatch some chicks. The same chickens that cost .80 a piece at 1 day old cost us $8 a piece at 16 weeks old (after she gave us a deal.) The show chickens were $5 a piece. We caught a raccoon and have had no other problems. We got our first egg this morning so the boys are back in the chicken business.

Chelsea's Outfit

Chelsea spent last week Monday -Thursday from 9-3 at a 4-H sewing workshop. They made pants, a blouse, and a bag. She had a lot of fun and worked very hard. Didn't they turn out great?