Cookin' It Up!
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
We made chocolate ice cream this week and it was delicious!! I promised to post the recipe so here it is! This is a variation of my Strawberry Ice Cream recipe (recipe link at the bottom of this post). As I try out new flavors I will post them here.. 
Chocolate Ice Cream
Makes 1 gallon
6 eggs
3 cups cane juice crystals
¾ c cocoa powder
1 T vanilla (only the real stuff)
2 c. whole cream
Whole Goat Milk, as much as needed to fill ice cream maker container (whole cow milk will work too.. :)
1 T arrowroot powder (helps make the ice cream smooth.. but this is optional if you don’t have any)
In a big mixer (like a Kitchen Aid or Bosch) mix together (with the wire whip) the eggs and cane juice crystals until light and lemony colored. Add cocoa powder and vanilla mix again. Add cream and arrowroot powder (if using). When all of this has mixed together completely pour it into your 1 gallon ice cream maker container. Add whole milk until you reach the “fill line” on your ice cream maker container. Follow the instructions that came with your ice cream maker or you can read here: http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/strawberryicecream.htm for basic instructions (the directions are for strawberry ice cream, but the basic “how tos” will work for any flavor).
Summer School Adventures Starting
Summer School Adventures starting...
What do you do when the heat index passes 100? You take a field trip to a park and do some nature exploring, of course :o) Yes, I've been known to be a bit insane at times. Man, it was hot. It was beyond hot. Way off yonder on the other side of hot and muggy. Way. Off. Beyond.I know -- I've been here in Mississippi for 4 years now, and we've made a few drives down the Natchez Trace, mostly as a by-pass kind of trip, but nothing really in-depth -- nothing you'd even call skimming the history even.
But, that's about to change for this homeschooling brood. We spent about an hour in the park, checking out the swings and playground fun, then walked around the 'lake' there and found all sorts of things...the sun-drenched playground, some hungry geese who thoroughly enjoyed our bread, a hidden Muscovey nest under the wooden band shell, lots of interesting tree shapes to add to our notebooks, even several trees with lines/rows of markings (wood peckers maybe? I'm not a nature person so maybe someone else knows what they are...lines and lines up the trunks as far as we could see, little tiny holes that don't realy go very deep), and the biggest bullfrog I've ever seen in my life. Maybe I just don't get out much, but that baby was huge, let me tell you. I had to sort of lean way over, hanging on a tree limb and squatting down and stretching out my cell phone to get his picture way up under the brush and tree swamp stuff.
And on the way home, we took The Trace (to by-pass Tupelo traffic really) and decided as we were already dripping with Mississippi summer heat, we might as well stop at a couple roadsides and check them out. We walked the trails around the Chickasaw Village site, and the Olde Town Lookout site. Then we pulled into the Visitor Center there at the Tupelo exit. Can't believe I've wasted 4 years not stopping in there! I could spend alot of time and several chunks of the school book budget in there. All manners of books covering the history of the area, the history of the Trace itself, tthe Indian tribes from the area, Civil War sites around, etc. Tons of stuff. I'm going to see what I can find online to get us started with the summer long unit study.
We may even join their Junior Rangers Program, and starting this weekend, we'll make the rounds with their Pioneer Day and their Dulcimer Day they offer each month. We are even taking our dulcimer along for some lessons. I'd like to take a trip and follow the entire 444 miles of The Trace, stopping at all the side areas along the route itself. For now, we will contend with looking through WebRangers and then see what we can gather this coming weekend at the Pioneer Day gathering.
I think we can even tie in our Trail Guide to U.S. Geography studies as well -- doing a virtual tour of the various National Parks online, and meeting up with online folks from those areas.
Of course, you know me...I like my curriculum...I found this the other day, and I would like to given it a try, too. Looks interesting. But...the last thing I need to is to be tossing another iron in my fire, heh? We'll have more than enough read-aloud material after visiting The Trace Visitor Center again this weekend! shhh...don't tell Dewey I'm adding even more curriculum...let's surprise him :o)
Adding to the Summer School fun...and a baby shower gift
Adding to the Summer School fun...and general fun
You know me, I have a hard time sticking to just one plan. I like to do a few things spur of the moment. I like to infuse a little 'homeschooling on the fly' into my life. It can be a curse, sometimes, but mostly, it's just fun.Ok, got a great email from The Long Thread....OH. MY. GOODNESS. If you haven't checked out her site, or signed up for updates on her blog, get over there now...just stop reading my drivvel and get over there. She shares such cool ideas it's just amazing.
The sharing I received today was on 50 Summer Crafts For Kids...lots of links to a collection of great ideas for summer projects to have fun with. Sort of a carnival of summer ideas.
After finding tons of cool projects we can do during these hot and humid days, I checked out her archives of Crafts for Kids and found these (among about a hundred other great ideas!) Those paper stars would be such fun to do and have a start exchange with our postcard buddies. And just hanging them all over to brighten up things. Gifts for Grandma. oh, the places you could use those pretty little things!! We are definitely going to make a bunch of them.
Along the same bent, we found these too -- what a cute gift idea.
And a Fabric Butterfly Mobile...and some pretty Paper Butterflies...Ok...well...there's plenty more to keep you busy making all sorts of neat crafts this summer.
We've signed up for the Nim's Island CurrClick Live class that starts July 8th and runs for 8 weeks. They offer so many Live Classes at CurrClick...and so many good resources. It's worth checking out the fun there, too. We found the book at Amazon for next to nothing and ordered it as well, and while we wait on it to arrive, we'll just check it out at the library. Hope it turns out to be a great read-aloud!
And we have 2 nightgowns finished now, and I'm moving along to the baby shower gifts...that diaper cake for sure, made from cloth diapers and plenty of fun burpies, and maybe some of those fabric butterflies for fun, and a couple of receiving blankets and changing pads. And I'm definitely decorating the cake with some ideas from the sites shared below...like the baby sock roses.
Here are some tutorials on make the Diaper Cake:
About.com Diaper Cake
How to make a Diaper Cake this one is to buy a video, but the photo's will give you lots of decorating ideas
A YouTube Video for a Diaper Cake
How to Make a Diaper Cake
Frozen Yogurt
08:00, Wednesday, June 24, 2009 .. Posted in Family Meal Table .. 1 comments .. Link
We tried our hand for the first time in making frozen yogurt........ oh man oh man.......it is fantastic! I think I like it better than ice cream! It's also much easier to make! My kids loved it too! 
Next time we're going to make Pina Colada Frozen Yogurt!!
Frozen Banana Yogurt
8 cups vanilla yogurt
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
Combine yogurt, salt, sugar, whipping cream and vanilla in a mixing bowl with mixer. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. Freeze as directed per ice cream maker model
** I have learned that for creamier ice cream/yogurt, use Morton's ice cream salt and freeze 30 min after making the mix. If you wait too long to freeze and make into frozen ice cream or yogurt, the texture turns out dryer. **
Yields: 4 quarts
HOT, HOT, HOT
02:08, Wednesday, June 24, 2009 .. Posted in This 'n' that .. 3 comments .. Link
We've been in the middle of a heat wave........and I wish I could say we are loving it... but that would be a lie. 
Yesterday was in the low 100's with high humidity.... heat index was at 120 or so.......today is a wee bit cooler and less humid. Kids are outside in the slip and slide and kiddie pool under the big walnut tree..... the older kids are inside staying cool. Thank goodness for A/C!!! You would think after 3 summers here I would become accustomed to the heat....... but that sadly I still get sick, dizzy, head aches and just plain ole miserable........ I am waiting for the evening hours to get outside chores done..... I have some painting to do on the farmhouse ( touching up on some spots where paint peeled) and I have some benches to sand and paint. We are enjoying lots of cold lemonade and ice cold popcicles! How do all of you in the South do it? I thought by my 3rd yr here I would be accustomend!
Stay cool ya'll,
gloria
Wednesday plans...
Wow here it is already the middle of the week.. Things have been so busy here. I am looking at the next school year for my children. I will have two in the 12th grade, one in the 10th grade and one in the 9th grade.. oh boy.. fun.. really it is but it is also a lot of work.. Worth it but a lot of work none the less...
So with that being said i am looking at what classes we need to take for the coming year. If there is any classes the kids need to take at the local college and what that would take to do..
That brings me to the health issues... I am really wanting to just move on with the life i have and put all this behind me but it seems like that is not in gods plans.. We seem to keep going back over them.. Not sure why honestly.. But maybe that is the thing maybe i am not to understand why.. Just have to walk it out...
I did have something great happen yesturday.. I have a facebook account and well i have been getting in contact with those i went to highschool with all those 20 years ago.. oh boy i am old. ha ha ha.. anyway i just happen to start talking to a boy i went to school with.. It is funny really he was really down when we started talking. He was angry at God for somethings that have happened in his life.. And well he has had some bad things happen.. But when i started sharing with him how God never leaves us.. NO matter what is going on and that he always LOVES us and wants to have a close relationship with us.. He started to feel and sound better... I told him about everythign that has happended in my life these past two years and i said if God has not left me..Do you even think he would leave you.... See maybe that is what all this is for.. Maybe all our struggles are so that we can show how Gods love and his ever ending love is there for our taking...
just some food for thought...
no struggles are ever in vain.. there is always a reason..
Monday morning...
Well today is a going slow.. I am moving slow today.. I hate these type days... My two oldest girls went to help there sunday school teacher clean her home. They do this about every month or so to help earn money for the family... It is good for us and good for her..
I put on a pot of redbeans with sausage last night for dinner tonight. I will cook some rice to go along with it.. That and some rolls...
Fathers Day came and went.. NO big deal.. It is hard on me and the kids when these type holidays come around... Stevens birthday was Wednesday he was 17 years old.. It was also the date that there dad left two years ago... Wow it has already been two years.... Time has sure went fast...
I go to the kidney doctor on Friday. I am now going to a special doctor in huntsville for the issuess that have happened to my kidney... It is a good thing in some ways becuase this doctor is able to do more in case we have to....
The kids will go on there mission trip with the church in July.. I am so happy for them.. Sad for me because i was going to go with them but well with the health issues that is not able to happen.. that breaks my heart...Maybe next year.. ;)
Well all that updates you on the goings on in the house today.. I have got to get busy looking over my school books for the coming school year... Got to get somethings in order.. I will be out of it for a while with surgery and can not wait until it is time for school to start to get things together..So that means mom needs to work on them now.. ;)
Have a blessed day all
glenda
Saturday on the Homestead
Today has been a fairly quiet day. The weather turned cool and wet so I have had a break from watering and weeding the garden. I am sure the next dry day I can get in the garden I am going to find that the weeds have grown twice as fast as the veggies! LOL.. I also need to get the unplanted area rototilled this next week.
I was able to check several things off my to-do list today. I packed orders, paid a bill online, started a batch of beef stock, caught up on my Quicken, made dinner and packed hubby’s lunch and got him out the door to work, did some laundry, and did a little writing.
Tomorrow is Father’s Day and we are making chocolate ice cream and some oatmeal cookies for dad.. he will like that . Dinner will be chicken alfredo and a salad and maybe some dinner rolls.
Now it is time to look to my week ahead and see what needs to be done. The kids have their year end homeschool testing (CAT testing, officially). Sierra is the only one left with school work to finish up but she should be done soon. Jacob is glad to be done with his school work because he has several summer jobs lined up with the neighbors. They appreciate a young man who knows how to work to help them with chores around their homesteads and he appreciates being able to make some money .
Tobin will be finishing up with
Well that is all from my homestead. Hope you having a great weekend on your homesteads.. 
pic of me and all my kids....
Me, Steven, Jackie, James, Rebecca and Elizabeth at the grad dinner....
pic of me and two of my girls..
Elizabeth, Me and Jackie eating out for Eliz grad...
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