Homeschooling Idea

Something that has been fun for the boys and for me is learning about money for our Math lessons. Today, they are doing a math lesson and don't even realize it. I gave them each a handful of coins and told them that if they could count it, they could keep it. After separating each denomination, they are skip counting to determine its worth and then writing the amounts down. They will end up with a 4 row equation to add (the 5 year old will get help from big brother). I've never seen them so eager to work :o) (This is in stark contrast to the usual whining, negotiating and outright refusal to work that we sometimes get around here :o) I could really get used to this :o)

Update: They just finished and are asking to do it again :o)

MONDAY: Making Money From Home

Have you heard of MyPoints? A friend of mine referred me to MyPoints about 6 weeks ago because she had earned free movie tickets for her children just by reading emails and such. I decided to give it a try and have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly you accumulate enough points to redeem for nice gifts. I signed up about 6 weeks ago and have already earned a Starbucks gift card for my DH and am half way to movie tickets for the kids.

All I do is read the bonus emails they send, plus I also go to the website and click on "easy Points" and also I loaded the MyPoints toolbar and I use their search feature sometimes (you get points for searching :o) . You can earn points even faster by buying things from their partner sites, but I don't do that - I'm trying to earn these gifts for free :o)

I am able to refer 5 people each month. If you are interested, I'd love to refer you. All you need to do is email me at motheringwithgrace at yahoo dot com and tell me you are interested and I'll get you all set up :o)

MONDAY: Menu Plan Monday, Aug. 25th

The weekend was busy and this week looks to be crazy busy, too. While I know a menu plan helps make these kinds of weeks easier, I'm having trouble finding the time to even make a plan. Here, though, is the start of a plan.

I have pizza dough in the freezer that I can take out and defrost to make chicken alfredo pizza. I think we might even add spinach to it (yummy!). We make it with a white sauce to which we add lots of garlic and parmigiana. After rolling out the crust, we'll add the white sauce, cooked and drained spinach, cooked chicken and some yummy whole milk mozzarella and bake at 425 until golden and bubbly. We'll pair this with tomato, basil and mozzarella slices drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We're also going to have Tuna Burgers this week, and baked chicken. The details on these meals have yet to be worked out. I'll try to update this post as soon as I can inventory the pantry and freezer to plan the rest of the week.

Be sure to check out more menus at Menu plan Monday on I'm and Organizing Junkie. Also, be sure to visit our Wednesday feature Leftover Magic for ideas to use up your mid week leftovers.

WEDNESDAY: Leftover Magic

I've been sick since Sunday and yesterday, I just could not pull it together enough to post :o( I'm feeling much better today, so I figure, better late than never on the Leftover Magic post, right :o)

We're Cajun, born and raised. While we don't live in Cajun Country right now, we do still sometimes eat like a Cajun and that means rice and gravy. Here is a good use for leftover rice.


Did you know that you can make Quiche with a rice crust? Not only is this a great use for leftovers, but the rice crust has sooooo much less fat than a traditional crust. This recipe is for Spinach Quiche with a Rice Crust, but the great thing about quiche is that is is so versatile. You can take the above recipe and substitute to use what you have. For example, lets say you check your fridge and find that you have leftover rice, cheddar (or any) cheese that needs using, leftover chicken, leftover roasted veggies, some milk or cream and eggs. Right here, you have the makings of a really yummy quiche.

Start with about 1.5 cups rice, one egg and about an oz. of grated cheese. Mix it together and pat it into a pie plate. Bake at 425 for about 5 minutes or until firm. For the filling combine 2 eggs with 1 cup milk or cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place leftover meats (rinsed of any sauce) and veggies (not rinsed) on the bottom of your crust. Add a couple of ounces of cheese, then pour the egg mixture over everything in the pie pan. Bake at 350 deg for about 45 minutes or until center is firm.

If you have lots of leftover rice, you can double the recipe and bake one, and freeze the other for a quick meal on a busy night. To cook the frozen quiche, simply defrost in the fridge then pop into the oven at 350 deg for 45 minutes or so.

How do you use leftover rice?

TUESDAY: Book Review

Whether you are looking for a fun unit study or a great gift idea, Science with Magnets is a great find. And through Monday, August 25th, this great kit is only $6.73! That's half price!

This kit has everything young scientists need to perform the simple experiments from the 24-page book. Complete with 3 magnets, a compass, 5 feet of coated wire, corks, clay and paper clips, the kit will provide hours of experimentation and fun. Children can easily explore the mysteries of magnets with these safe projects.

Click the picture to learn more.

TUESDAY: Homeschooling Link

Many homeschoolers are single income families. Therefore, we need to watch our pennies. Currclick: Curriculum in a Click helps us keep our homeschooling costs down. When you order something from them, you download it and then only print what you need. I love that! And, if you subscribe to their newsletter, each week you will get a link in your inbox to a free download! Every week! Check them out :o)

MONDAY: Menu Plan Monday, Aug. 18th

Be sure to visit every Wednesday for our new weekly feature Leftover Magic.

This week will again be pretty simple. I'm coming down with a cold, so I know I won't feel like cooking much on Monday. Our menu will reflect that. In addition, my birthday is Friday, and dh & I will be going out to dinner without the kiddos. Remember that the items in bold are locally grown or raised.

Breakfast (with milk and fruit):
Baked Oatmeal
Eggs and ham
Whole grain pancakes with homemade fruit preserves
Apple muffins

Lunch:
Broccoli Cheese Soup (Leftover Magic)
Turkey Roll-Ups
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Baked Potatoes topped with "your choice"

Snacks:
Homemade Cookies
Fruit plate
Blueberry Popsicles
Strawberry Smoothie
Fig cobbler

Dinner:
Tabasco Chili (from the freezer) over Frito's with cheese and sour cream and a veggie plate.

Beef Fajitas with red peppers and onions, sour cream, tomatoes and fruit.

Meatloaf (turkey) sandwich with tomato, basil and mozzarella salad

Pan fried chicken strips, purple hull peas and fruit.

Check out more menus and Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie.