Random Saturday Thoughts

(Love this snowman the kids made!)

Maine is in deep, deep winter! Yesterday we awoke to a temperature of -31* F and this morning it was -25* F. This is terribly cold for Maine! We have the windows that we can cover, covered and blankets rolled and placed in front of all the doors. My poor furnace can only raise our interior temps about 1* per 2 hours. So last night there was no turning the heat down. It just takes too long to warm up. I am so thankful that my children have electric blankets on their beds!

I have been thinking about homeschooling next year. Yes, I do start thinking about next year's curriculum in January. You know, when you feel the *January burn out*, thinking of the marvelous things you'll do *next year* helps. I don't know why but if you figure that out, let me know! I think it is kind of like those college days when you clean your room when you should be studying for finals! ;)

I am seriously and I mean seriously thinking of leaving the world of premade History and Literature curriculums and designing my own. I feel like after 10 years of using these, I have learned enough from them to venture off on my own. This scares Robin (dh) a little in the area of History (for good reason)but I think I am up for the challenge! Part of the reason for this is that Tapestry of Grace is going digital and as it is the things I print from them cost me a cartridge of ink per semester. It is just getting too expensive for no good reason (well a good reason for them to switch, no good reason for me to go along for the ride). Added to that, I have a very good local library (small, but caters to homeschoolers in book choices). So, I should be able to piece together a wonderful program through the library and save boatloads of money!

So I have Tyler pretty well figured out who is a Junior in High School next year:
Bible: Apologetics with a little Polemics thrown in with books we already own. Also, "Hey Andrew, Teach Me Some Greek" which is Biblical Greek and he will do Level 5.
History: US History via the library.(This will be a timeline project, multiple biographies and research papers).
Literature: American Literature via the libary.
Algebra 2 (1 semester which equals 1 year of High School Credit): College Algebra through local Community College. This is free as it is a dual enrollment program and in Maine you get your first 3 credits free.
Spanish (1 semester): Again, dual enrolled through Community College (2nd class is half priced).
English 101 (2nd Semester): Dual enrolled with no more *freebies*.
Maybe Contemporary Math?: Dual enrolled (final Math for High School...wahooo!)
Music: Guitar lessons with Sean, our church worship leader.
Art: Something to do with line and perspective, not sure.
Health: Yeah, lets get that out of the way with some Alpha Omega health (easy peasy!).
Science: Apologia Marine Biology, just cause he is interested and it will allow him to wait until Senior Year for Physics.
Gym: Conditioning

Okay, enough of that...let's talk about today... Today Robin is doing the grocery shopping (Hip Hip Horray! I have no desire to step a TOE outside!). I am going to keep warm over a hot stove! I am going to make:
Granola
Cinnamon rolls for tomorrow's breakfast
Pot Roast, potatoes, gravy, corn. This will be put on plates in the frig. in *case* we get to have my Teacher's meeting after church tomorrow. We can take our plates to church and just heat it in the microwave for lunch.

Ready to change the subject again?? Let's talk menu's! This month is very financially tight(join the crowd, right?). This has caused us to live more with cash and less with the debit card. I am keeping receipts, tracking spending. I have my little envelope system. Seeing the money and what is left really helps me keep my budget more on track. This also means *menus* and warning the family to please *stay away* from eating those ingredients! ;) I plan to keep this up even if things loosen up...I really am feeling God's prodding to pay off *everything* and to live on way less but I'll talk about that in a minute...

(Here's what happens if you let the pizza dough rise with the toppings on it for way too long...it was really yummy though!)

Here are our menu's for this week:

Sunday:
~B~cinnamon rolls.
~L~Pot roast, potatoes, gravy, corn.
~S~Tomato soup and grilled cheese.
Monday:
~B~Everyone gets their own cereal or bagels or granola or granola bars.
~L~Spaghetti soup.
~S~Turkey dinner (.79 per lb this week!), mashed taters, gravy, green beans, beets.
Tuesday:
~B~homemade pancakes
~L~Mac and Cheese
~S~Chicken breast, face down baked potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday:
~B~everyone gets their own
~L~Carbonara with turkey bacon
~S~Leftover turkey and gravy over rice, corn
Thursday:
~B~everyone gets thier own
~L~Homemade pizza
~S~Chicken soup made with leftover chicken breast and homemade stock.
Friday:
~B~homemade pancakes
~L~homemade turkey soup
~S~Grocery Day!
Snacks: apples, grapes, cucumbers or raw carrots, pretzels, oven popped pop corn.

Speaking of foods, have you ever tried to make a crustless quiche? My friend Kristina brings this to Bible Study every so often and I really don't miss the crust! So I tried using my own recipe for quiche and put it in the pie plate and it was quite yummy without the crust!

Here is a pic!


Well, I am out of time now...but I'll come back later and talk about finances! I know most of us are in the same boat...so if you have written about living on less on your blog, let me know and I'll mosey on over later on... :)