Aug 20 2016

Veggie Burgers

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Veggie burgers are low in fat and sodium, high in fiber and thoroughly delicious. I have shared my oat burgers with a lot of meat eaters and the vast majority of them were pleased. In fact, many people have asked me for this recipe and I have shared it over and over again.

Homemade veggie burgers and oven fries

Homemade veggie burgers and oven fries

You can make these oat burgers ahead of time and freeze them. To defrost them, I pop them in the toaster oven or the microwave.

You can call them veggie burgers or oat burgers, it does not really matter. By the way, they are completely vegan, so they contain no cholesterol. Continue reading »

Aug 19 2016

Our Fourth Homeschool Year Begins

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The other day I took the kids to the pool and an acquaintance asked if they start school soon. I knew that question implied that she thought they attend the local public school system. So I replied, “We homeschool, so we start whenever we want. But yes, we started Monday.”

Boy Starts Third Grade

Our son starts third grade.

She said, “Oh, cool. You homeschool. Is this your first year?” I said, “No, it is our fourth.” She said something positive about it again.  Continue reading »

Aug 18 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 3, Chapter 1

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Here we go again. Another school year means we go on with history. It’s hard to believe, but we have reached the year 1600 in our studies. On our first day of school this year, we read Chapter 1 of Volume 3 in Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer.

Story of the World Volume 3

Story of the World Volume 3

 

I don’t know why the layout is slightly different but it does not matter. It’s the same basic format:

  • I read a chapter out loud from the main book, which contains the actual “stories”
  • They color a picture which I copy from the Activity Book
  • We work on the map provided for that chapter in the Activity Book
  • We do a craft suggested, if I feel up to it
  • We read a suggested title, optional

Continue reading »

Aug 17 2016

When They Disobey

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When children disobey, parents have a choice to make. Do we react or do we respond? I have been so emotionally spent by my children’s disobedience sometimes, that I just went to my room and knelt with my face on my knees. Better that than screaming.

It’s not the disobedience itself, the action, that bothers me, as much as the attitude behind it. I want their hearts. Just like God wants my heart.

Romanian architecture

The view from one of the places we stayed at in Romania. Those were good times.

And it reminds me all over again about the great battle going on over me. Do I choose to love God with all my heart? Or do I slip away and do my own thing now and then, because it’s so much fun?  Continue reading »

Aug 16 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 33 – The Magician’s Nephew

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The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis have inspired me and the children in many ways. I will attempt to cover several in this blog post but there will be more points coming, as I will write about each volume in a separate post.

The Magician's Nephew

The first volume of this masterpiece is titled The Magician’s Nephew. The language, the long sentences, the descriptions, i.e. the beautiful prose of C.S. Lewis, represent the first reason why any homeschool should put Narnia on their reading list.  Continue reading »

Aug 15 2016

Pen Pals

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My son has a pen pal who came to visit the other day. They had never met each other, so the excitement and nervousness was palpable as we were waiting for their van to pull into our driveway. I had met this little girl’s parents before, but not her or her siblings.

Children hiking in the Smokies

Hiking in the Smokies with pen pals and siblings

It’s a sweet story how it all came about. Thirteen years ago, before I was married with children, I met a couple from Texas who came to work for the same organization I was working for. They did not have any children at the time. I left that place about the same time they did.  Continue reading »

Aug 14 2016

4 Lessons from the Olympics

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The Olympic Games have been going on in Rio for a week now and we have been watching a bit here and there. I am very fond of gymnastics. Other than that, we watch some of the sports simply to help the kids understand more about the world around them.

Rio 2016 Olympic Logo

Yes, I think there is educational value in watching a bit of the Olympics. Emphasis on “a bit.” Competition is part of life. Grit and perseverance are part of a successful life. Olympic athletes may have super-human powers, but at the end of the day they are people who have turned on the flame of ambition in their hearts.  Continue reading »

Aug 13 2016

2016-2017 School Year

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Ready or not, we commence another school year this coming week. I have changed a few things compared to last year. The biggest change is that we will school five days a week. Last year I did six days a week because I wanted to try it.

It was tiring but I just could not let go. I had to take the experiment all the way to the end of the school year.

Father, son and daughter picking up fireworks for July 4th

Picking up some fireworks for the 4th – one of the memories of the summer which is coming to a close slowly but surely

This year, we are going back to schooling Monday-Friday and taking the weekend off. I am hoping this will relieve some of the pressure I felt last year. It will give me a full day to catch up on my writing deadlines and housework. And the kids get a full day to free play. Knowing them, they will spend some of that free time coding on Scratch.  Continue reading »

Aug 12 2016

Stuffed Tomatoes

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Tomatoes can be stuffed with different spreads or ground crumbles. I used Morning Star crumbles or similar vegetarian ground “beef” and eggplant spread to stuff my tomatoes.

I love eggplants, don’t you? Eggplants are nutritious, high in fiber and low in calories. Plus they look so pretty, all purple and shiny and smooth. I just think eggplants are the best!

Stuffed tomatoes

Stuffed tomatoes over a bed of lettuce – the taste of summer

Growing up in Romania, I am very familiar with “salata de vinete” or eggplant spread. You grill eggplants, then you peel off the skins under slow water. After you cut off the stems, you should let them sit in a colander in the sink, so they can let their juices drain.  Continue reading »

Aug 11 2016

Are They Homeschooled?

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A few weeks ago, my children attended Science Camp in Sevierville. The teachers were either community college professors or public school teachers. It was a good experience, though not perfect. Nothing and nobody is perfect, right?

Dracula's Castle Bran Castle

Bran Castle in Romania, a.k.a. Dracula’s Castle, which we visited in April, when it was not crowded.

On the last day of class, one of the teachers was quizzing my children’s group verbally. She would tell them a definition and they would have to guess the name of that scientific concept. It’s a game called “I Have… Who Has…”  Continue reading »