Homemade Laundry Detergent is working amazingly well!

It didn’t take long to discover that some children were stashing dirty clothes in their rooms. Then they would all decide to put dirty (and clean) clothes in my nice empty hampers. Sweet, yes? Not so much. Clearly they were begging for laundry responsibility to be placed on their shoulders.

A couple of cute reasons for dirty laundry.

The previous system was run by mainly one person and me as supervisor.  However, the system only worked efficiently if everyone  was kind enough to place their dirty laundry in the hampers. Now our system is that each bedroom has a hamper; my bedroom has two. Hampers consist of: boys’ room hamper and dad’s clothes, two girls’ rooms plus Martha’s and mine.  We instituted Boys’ Laundry Day and Girls’ Laundry Day.

Martha helping on Girls’ Laundry Day

I know. This has totally rocked your laundry world. I know.  They each get about 2 days per week for laundry. This includes tossing their bed sheets in the wash as well.  Lydia, 9, is now taking over the younger girls’ laundry.  Caleb handles not only Sam’s and his but he gets his dad’s clothes as well. That is a great motivator. His dad might be just a bit upset if he has no clean socks.

Sam – An adorable contributor to  dirty laundry.

Having a boys’ and a girls’ laundry day also makes folding and putting away much more efficient.  It has been a great way, as well, to pass the responsibility to children who could handle it.  So far we are giving this laundry system two thumbs up.

A really big lizard. It has nothing to do with laundry. He could be our mascot? The Laundry Lizard.

That is a good thing.  With ten people in the house, we can quickly pile up a good stash of laundry!  Add in that we are not using a super capacity machine, well, a good system is a must!

What is your method for handling laundry?

During the elementary years, science is a very informal subject of study.  We enjoy God’s creation, read living books and dabble in an experiment here and there.  As they near the high school level, we get a bit more structured and settle in with a science text.  No matter what the age, I am always eager to find ways to bring us together for learning and to make it fun.

Bringing everyone together and having a bit of fun with science became really easy when a book from Science Naturally arrived. One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! brought us together for learning and laughter.

What is One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science?

One Minute Mysteries was written by a father/daughter team: Eric and Natalie Yoder. With a love of science and a desire to encourage the love of science in children, the Yoders’ have a put together a book that will quickly catch the attention and interest of all your students.

One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science is broken down into 4 Science Sections: Life Science, Earth & Space Science, Physical & Chemical Science and General Science.  If that were not enough the book also includes a bonus section that contains 5 mysteries from One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries That You Solve With Math.

In approximately 180 pages, your children will learn about plants, altitude, heat, and how to make a rainbow. The books layout is simple and so easy to add into your day.  The mystery is laid out on the right page.  Just one page long is all it takes to present a mystery and get your minds working on a solution or explanation to the problem. Turn the page for the answer to be revealed. A minute!

The story quickly grabs your child’s attention.  Perhaps he knows the solution and can quickly answer. Maybe he doesn’t know the answer and it is time to do some research and experimenting! The book was written for ages 8-12. Depending on how much science you have completed you may find that you can use it within a year or two of the recommended age.

How Did We use One Minute Mysteries?

With the simple presentation of One Minute Mysteries, you could easily hand it over and let your children enjoy it on their own. However, I thought that it might work well to gather everyone together and we had great fun and discussion.  Most days I grabbed it while we were eating lunch. I would read a mystery and see if anyone could solve it.  My 13 and 14 year old daughters were very quick to catch the solution.  For my 9 and 11 year old children, some they knew and some they needed to do a bit of research. They always wanted me to read more!

It was great to see how much science my children knew, to laugh over some of the possible solutions and to learn some things we never knew.  The mystery Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me really inspired my children to take me serious when I tell them to wash their fruit before eating it. Nothing like a lesson on an apple and flies to drive a point home.

While we kept our mysteries around the lunch table, you could easily make this book more hands on.  Perhaps you take one a week  and experiment on possible solutions. Or once you read the solution you test to see if it is true. For your younger students you could use the mysteries as a means to jump into a unit study on a particular aspect of science. Cool as a Cucumber could begin (or end) a unit study on plants or gardening, Time for a Change would fit well with a study on fire safety. One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries to Solve With Science is a simple and fun way to add science into your day!

Intrigued? You can view a sample online and learn more about Science Naturally as well.

Pricing

One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Mysteries You Can Solve With Science  – $9.95

However, I have a special coupon code!  Coupon Code: 3SPEC allows you to purchase any 3 books on their website for $19.95 + $2.95 shipping (a $12.90 savings!).

• Psalm 63
• Psalm 70
• Psalm 103
• Psalm 118

There are days when I come across a blog post by a fellow mom who understands the struggles and the weariness. This mom offers an encouraging word and a reminder to turn to Him.

This past week I happen to read a couple of blog posts that were good reminders and encouragements to me. I thought I would share them in case you needed a bit of encouragement as well.

• Hear and Here from Nadene at Practical Pages
• While You’re Waiting by Simply Charlotte Mason
• Homeschooling Held Hostage from Heidi at The Busy Homeschool Mom

So, my friend, grab a glass of tea, grab your Bible and read a few Psalms, read a blog post or two and spend time in prayer.  His mercies are new each morning.

We are still slowly working through The Hobbit and chuckling with Anne of Avonlea. I need to find a bit more time to devote to The Hobbit or we will never finish! I am feeling pressure to speed it up a bit as we have Mary Emma and Company (Little Britches series) that some are eager to enjoy.

Hannah and I finished up My Father’s Dragon and jumped into a D’Aulaire’s Benjamin Franklin. We are breaking it into chunks and have a few more days before we are done.

Rudyard Kipling is our current poet. I grabbed Poetry for Young People: Rudyard Kipling . Today we happen to read about grumpy camels and how to cure those grumpies. Nothing like a bit of work to get rid of the grumpies.

After seeing The Dark at Hope is the Word, I grabbed it at the library last week.  Not sure that it will make the favorites list but was a quick, enjoyable read.

We also enjoyed Crocs; a fun story about moving away from city critters to only end up with crocodiles in your house.  Rhyming text and funny illustrations made this a hit with Sarah, 5. She giggled through the whole book.

I love when I find a hidden treasure on the library shelves.  Grandpa Green is one of those fun finds.   Green’s great-grandson is telling the story of his old, forgetful great grandpa.  Grandpa Green has a unique way of remembering the important things.  Everyone enjoyed this one. In the words of a 3 year old literary critique, “I like Grandpa Green”. Check your library and enjoy!

What have you been reading this week?

We have been a one van family before and we are at that point once again. It can be challenging, it can motivate us to be creative thinkers and it definitely helps us to learn to flex and think outside the box.  However, it is possible to function and thrive with only one vehicle!

My beautiful girls! Lydia, 9 and Hannah, 7.

Most weeks my husband has one day where he works from home. No surprise that this quickly became our “errand day” aka “library day”. We would grocery shop, drop off and pick up books and handle any other trips like a good will visit.  You get really good at making grocery lists! Or not. Ahem.  You are really blessed with a husband who happily runs errands for all the things you forgot.

Doctor appointments and dental check ups have to be scheduled at certain times and visits to Grandma’s doesn’t happen as frequently as one would like, but life can go one.  It takes a bit of time to accept the fact that you can’t just jump in the van anytime you want to run here or there. My children really enjoy running errands now.

Life doesn’t stay in a predictable rut for long, does it? Our lovely local library branch has been shut down for weeks for renovations. The next closest branch is not close enough to visit on errand days. And here, friends, is when life takes a tragic turn for book loving children. However, God is so good to us!  The other library is on the way home from where my husband works one day a week. Hooray! He has willingly made drop offs and pick ups for us for weeks. But, you know what? We missed going and hunting for treasures on the shelves.

Chocolate? Oh,yes.

Today, we decided to take the afternoon and have a bit of fun visiting the library.  It was lovely. Eddie dropped us off at the library and then he headed on to see a couple of customers.  This library has a great children’s area that my little ones were thrilled to be in.  I was surprised that the children’s books seemed to outnumber the adults.  We filled up two bags and then started building stacks of books to take home.

Homemade chocolate frosting. Yum.

After a bit, we walked over to the park that is beside the library. Beautiful day! Lovely sunshine and a refreshing breeze. The children had a great time playing in the sand, climbing the rock wall and sliding.  Martha tried to convince me that she was big enough to keep up with all the others.  If only those legs were just a bit longer she probably could.

Waiting…

Eddie picked us up and we headed home for dinner and ice cream cones.  Yum!  Library, park and then ice cream cones.  Yes, life with one van can be challenging but we learn to enjoy the simplest of outings.  Learning to be content in all things and to rejoice in what we have is such a gift.

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” Philippians 4:11

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4: 4

“My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. “ Psalm 71:23

Now that darling little girl is 14 and devours books at an alarming rate.  However, she knows the value of a good book…no matter if it is a picture book.  I find great pleasure when this young lady now sits to read and her youngest siblings quickly climb around her and ask for “just one more” book.

Five of my eight children are readers….and all 8 still love to be read to.  If I ever had the thoughts to not read aloud, I think there would be a mutiny.  Thankfully, I get to enjoy some wonderful stories as I read aloud. Who doesn’t love the request for “just one more”?

Amidst the laundry, the cooking, the math and the science, reading has been in the mix.  A chapter at lunch, one right before bed and perhaps right in the middle of everything else – we stop. To read.

We are continuing on with The Hobbit. Delightful reading for me. I love when I am reading and the children start chuckling because they know what is coming; and I don’t! We are taking it slowly. Anne of Avonlea is still in the read aloud basket.  Who doesn’t enjoy Anne? This is our “girl book”. Meaning we can read aloud Anne even with Caleb is working with his dad.

Hannah, Sarah and I have almost finished My Father’s Dragon. We have just one chapter left to go and then we will move on to….well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You must wait and see! I hope to share all of Hannah’s hard work when her My Father’s Dragon lapbook is done.

For my younger ones we have enjoyed Amos and Boris by William Steig. Who couldn’t enjoy a story about a mouse and a whale? This book could be used as a springboard for so many learning opportunities! We read it just for fun.

Then there was Pete’s A Pizza by William Steig. I read this one years ago and knew it was time to share it with Sam.  A bit of rain ruins his day but his dad knows just what to do! Make a pizza. This would be a great “pizza night” book or perhaps a rainy day book.  Rainy day? Make some pizza. A fun, silly book!

A personal favorite of mine that I wanted to read again – Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran. Neighborhood children, empty lot, rocks, broken china and great imaginations.  I love this picture of childhood play. The children love it as well. Barbara Cooney provides illustrations that really capture the feel of this book.

These were just a few highlights of this week’s reading. What has been in your read aloud basket?

For my younger ones:

Finding Out About Everyday Things – This simple book has been a springboard for much fun and learning.  Each day we read 2 pages about a topic. Illustrations are bright and clear. It provides brief information on topics such as volcanoes, seasons and how cassette tapes works. Giggle.  It might be a bit dated; at least the edition I have.  However, we have had great fun drawing the seasons and building volcanoes.

Now We Are Six by A. A. Milne – Who can’t enjoy these sweet and fun poems with Christopher Robin and Pooh? Sneezles is a personal favorite.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett – I read this to my older three years ago and we are enjoying it again. This is mainly for Hannah, 7, and Sarah, 5, but the house is really quiet when I read.  Hannah is crushed that we are only reading a chapter a day but she is doing a lapbook along with it. It has sparked good discussion.

The Surprise Party by Pat Hutchins – This is a delightful picture book that brought lots of giggles.  Rabbit wants to have a surprise party but the surprise is what happens when the word spreads. Like a classic game of Telephone the surprise party suddenly becomes a flea ride.

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery – My older ones have read the Anne series and it is one we repeatedly listen to on audio. However, they really wanted me to read it aloud so after finishing up Man of the Family we picked this one up.  I must admit, I have never read this one so I will be enjoying sharing this with the girls.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien – We just started reading this in the evenings this week.  I gave several options and everyone wanted The Hobbit. Funny thing – the children 9 and up have all read it and seen the movie. A couple have read it several times. Me? My first time reading and I haven’t seen the movie. I am enjoying this as well.

Of course there were many other picture books enjoyed: Harry the Dirty Dog, Bedtime for Frances, A Fly Went By, Brown Bear Brown Bear.….

The Reading Circle:

What are you reading aloud this week?

Bekah and Hannah

I sit in the quiet of night. While I am suppose to be planning and thinking of my older ones high school years, requesting books for my middle ones, and printing lapbooks resources for my younger ones, I keep drifting in my thoughts.

In the quiet of the night, I think back to when my 14 year old was the little one sitting in the booster seat “reading” Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  My 13 year old who loves to create music on the piano was once a baby who only wanted mommy.

Lydia

In the quiet of the night, time has passed. Sneaking by me.  So quickly. So suddenly.

In the quiet of the night, I am reminded to savor the moments.  The snatches of conversation throughout the day. Opportunities to read just one more book. I need to not rush through the to do list tomorrow. I need to stop. Savor the moment. It is going to sneak past me.

Caleb

With eight children in our family, I am always looking for affordable, quality products that really enhance our learning.  Finding products that spark interest, excitement and work with a wide age range is even better. I have a few children who really love creating lapbooks and notebooks. From cutting and gluing to selecting just the right information to share, lapbooks are a great way for your hands on learners to thrive.  When I was asked to review a lapbook or notebook pak from Hands of a Child, I didn’t hesitate to say yes!

If you are not familiar with lapbooks and how they work to promote learning, Hands of a Child has a great How To page filled with information and helps. Basically, you take a file folder, add on colorful paper in a variety of folds or cuts, fill those papers with information and enjoy showing what you know.

Hands of a Child has a wide selection of lapbooking and notebooking products; from early learning to high school covering the spectrum of subjects and interests.  The most challenging part was decided which product we wanted to utilize!  In the end, I selected World Cultures Project Pack.

World Cultures Lapbook Project Pack can be used grades 4th – 10th. World Cultures takes your child around the world to learn about people: how they live, work, worship, eat, and raise their families.  Understanding a person’s  culture helps us to understand the decisions they make and how that affects the world around them and us.

My daughter, Mary, 13, used World Cultures Lapbook as an independent study. The design of the curriculum really makes it an easy to implement product and Mary had no issues diving in and learning. They project pack is full of information, vocabulary, hands on activities (like recipes!)  and other research resources such as book lists for extra reading. Step by step instructions are given for completing the different parts of the lapbook and putting them together.

We used the World Cultures Lapbook as a stand alone study but it can work well hand in hand with curricula you are already using.  This would also be great as a starting point for looking deeper into individual cultures; this gives you a broad view and then you can choose one culture for a more in-depth study.

Another great feature of Hands of a Child World Cultures Lapbook is that it was a downloaded resource. This makes it very simple to print and copy exactly what I need for each child(ren).  I loved that the pages were all black and white. We don’t have a color printer and so often resources such as these are in color. I simply printed the pages out on colored paper for some pop and visual appeal.

Hands of a Child provides their products at a reasonable price as well which is a big plus for those with a limited homeschool budget! The World Cultures Lapbook Project Pack is regularly $ 14.00 but  is currently priced at $9.00. A bargain for a non-consumable resource!

However, Hands of a Child is graciously offering a free World Cultures Lapbook Project Pack to one of my readers!  What a great way to try out lapbooking and spicing up your child’s learning.

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Martha seems to dislike foods that are of “baby food” consistency (except ice cream, lol). Applesauce? She won’t even take a bite. I don’t blame her. Ew.  I have offered her slices of peeled apples before. Always when I’m with her to see how she handles eating it. At this age, Bekah loved munching on apple slices. Martha? Nope. Pass the banana, please! Or the green beans.

Then peer pressure sucked Martha in the apple eating world.  Hannah came in from riding her bike near the point of starvation. She grabbed a yummy, juicy apple. She made the mistake of offering it to Martha; not thinking Martha would take it. Hannah never saw that apple again.

Yum!  Why eat applesauce when you can enjoy the apple? What nutritious snacks do your kids enjoy?

*My kiddos were hot; not sunburned.  We have no clue why Sam was in a sweatshirt.