Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am thankful for:

knowing Christ as my personal saviour

my family

being pregnant with our fourth child

being able to have a delicious Thanksgiving meal

Our meal today was:

turkey
chicken dressing(my Grandma's recipe)
rolls
super simple cheesecake
rice krispie treats
brownies

Here is the recipe for :

Super simple cheesecake

1 graham cracker crust(you can make your own by mixing together 1 1/2 C. crushed graham crackers,

1/4 C. sugar, and 1/3 C. melted butter/margarine , then press into pie plate and bake at 375 deg. for 6-8 minutes)

8 oz. cream cheese,softened

8oz. Cool Whip

1/2 C. sugar

1 can cherry or blueberry pie filling

Cream sugar and cream cheese together. Add Cool Whip. Mix well and place in crust and chill.Top with pie filling and serve.

What are your Christmas traditions?

I may be getting a little ahead of myself since Thanksgiving isn't even quite here yet but I am in a joyous holiday mood.

I am sitting here listening to my new Josh Groban"Noel" CD I picked up a few weeks ago during our trip. This is a great CD. I recommend it. It really puts me in the Christmas mood.I have been feeling so joyous about this holiday season. It wasn't this way last year for me. I'm not sure what it is this year. Maybe this new life growing inside me,huh? I don't know but I feel blessed.

Do you have any Christmas traditions? Are you starting any new ones this year?

For me, I guess they would be:
Buying (when financially able) new ornaments each year for the kids
Also wrapping the gifts(not candy) that go in the stockings~ I got this one from my dh and his family
Sending out Christmas cards(and making them as time permits)
Putting the tree up the day after Thanksgiving
Making foods that remind us of family(since we live so far away and can't be with them during the holidays)
Making Christmas candies and cookies

Maybe not this year but sometime in the future:

To buy a Nativity set
I would like to have an Advent wreath
Make a Jesse Tree
Make Gingerbread houses

This year I would like to give a gift(s) to one or some not expecting it. I really, really want to do this.
Please share your ideas.

Sharing some recipes

A-1 Meatloaf, Baked Cheese Mashed Potatoes, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits
~A-1 Meatloaf~1(8oz) can tomato sauce, divided
2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion,chopped
1 C. crushed corn flakes
1/3 C. A-1 steak sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 t. pepper
Reserve 1/2 can tomato sauce.Mix remaining 1/2 can tomato sauce, beef, onion, corn flakes, steak sauce, eggs, and pepper; mix well. Press mixture into 9x 5 inch loaf pan.Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes; pour off fat. Top with reserved tomato sauce; bake 10 more minutes.Yield: 8 servings

~Baked Cheese Mashed Potatoes~These are so good that you may never eat regular mashed potatoes again!
8-12 medium baking potatoes(about 3-4 lbs.)
8 oz. cream cheese,softened
8 oz. sour cream
6T. butter or margarine
3 shakes of garlic powder with parsley
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 - 1C. shredded cheddar cheese
Peel and quarter potatoes. In large saucepan, cook potatoes in enough water to cover for 20-25 minutes oe until tender. Drain off liquid. In large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic powder and pepper.Beat mixture with an electric mixer until fluffy. Turn mixture into a buttered 2 qt. baking dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.Yield:8-10 servings

~Garlic Cheese Biscuits~Very light and fluffy!
1 1/4 C. biscuit mix
1/2 C. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. water

garlic butter:
1/2 stick butter or margarine,melted
1/2 t. garlic powder with parsley
1/4 t. salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Combine biscuit mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add water and stir just until combined. The dough will be slightly moist. Drop dough by tablespoonsful onto baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.While biscuits are baking, make garlic butter. In small bowl, combine butter, garlic powder, and salt. Mix well. Brush hot biscuits with this mixture.Yield:10-12 biscuits



Tender Chicken Nuggets

1C. crushed corn flakes
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/4 C. Ranch dressing
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts,cut into 1" cubes
additional ranch dressing for dipping
In shallow bowl,combine the first 5 ingredients.Place dressing in another bowl.Toss chicken cubes in dressing,then roll in cornflake mixture.Place in a greased 11x7x 2" baking dish/pan.Bake, UNcovered, at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until juices run clear.Serve with dressing. Yield: 4 servings



Taco Soup
1 lb. ground beef
15 oz. chili beans
1 small onion,chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 1/2 qt. tomato juice
1/3 C. brown sugar
Brown ground beef and onion,; drain.Add tomato juice, beans, taco seasoning, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.Place crushed tortilla chips in individual bowls. Spoon soup on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with sour cream.

Enjoy!

CHANGES~What curriculum choices have you made? What do you recommend?

We just totally ditched everything that we were using for our youngest two kids and I will be withdrawing them from the funded homeschool program. I have felt a burden to be able to use Christian curriculum so I put in my orders yesterday. We will be using My Father's World~ Exploring countries and cultures,primary language lessons and intermediate language lessons by Emma Serl, language lessons by Sandi Queen, and Rod and Staff math. I really am interested in the Charlotte Mason learning style and most of this curriculum seems to fit this.We are really looking forward to using these curriculums.

Our trip

We just back this weekend from our trip to Anchorage. "T" got his brace for his scoliosis and it has Spiderman on it! I feel so bad that he has to wear this thing . It looks so uncomfortable but I know it's for the best.
On the way back, we stopped in Wasilla at the new Target(just had to stop because we don't have one here). We ended up buying over $100 worth of candy for about$25! Now, we are are stocked up for Christmas(probably Easter,too) and gift giving.We also ended up getting the T-shirt sheets for 1/2 off. Dh and I just love them! They are so comfy.

Asking for Prayer

I went to the ER last Tuesday because I was having a stomacache and intense pain in my back. An abdominal ultrsound was done on Wednesday. I got the results today. It turns out that I have quite a few gallstones. My doctor is referring me to a surgeon. The possibility of having surgery scares me especially since I am pregnant. Please pray.

Have you ever written your own homeschool curriculum for your kids?

I am thinking about this especially for "T". I am especially interested in this since researching the Charlotte Mason learning style. I just believe that since he is 7yo there are other ways to learn besides structured bookwork.There are so many ways to learn so many things just by learning through doing. IMHO, a child should have the opportunity to just be a child without the pressure. I see him learn so much everyday just through simple imaginative and non-imaginative play. It just warms my heart to watch him learn this way and makes me more and more adamant about this way of learning.I don't want his creativity to be squelched. I want to see him continue to have fun while learning. Anyone else feel the way that I do?

"T" is an excellent reader already and math seems to come naturally for him. I don't want to burden him with structured bookwork though. I want learning to be fun. What fun learning ideas do you have for math at this age?

The ambleside online curriculum looks nice but I would like to change it up with different "living books" that he would be more interested in. Do you and your children have any favorite living books?

Did you follow any book or guide for creating your curriculum? Please share any ideas.