James did it again!

Posted on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 12:43 by MamaDuke - 3 Comments - Post Comment - Link

This weekend is early hunting weekend for youth in Texas.  So, Johnny and James have been out hunting this weekend hoping James will get a buck.  And boy, did he!  A beautiful 8-point buck. 

Needless to say, we are very proud of our little hunter!!  Okay, he's not so little anymore.  He's been hunting since he was 7.  This is his third year and every year he's shot each buck with only one shot.  The last two years he shot and killed his bucks at 150 years.  This year it was a 125-yard shot.  That's exceptional for a 10 year old!  And the best part?  He's supplied his family with meat.  That's a wonderful feeling (for both James and his parents!).

The Daily Plate

Posted on 10-25-2008 at 03:55 by Forget-Me-Not Homestead - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

The Daily Plate is a free online weight management tool that I discovered a while ago.  I have noticed that a few ladies on HSB are trying to lose some weight, and I'd like to recommend and share this website with you.

At The Daily Plate you can journal the foods you're eating daily, count calories, watch nutrients,  and record and track your weight and weight loss goals.  It's a great tool for weight loss, and weight maintenance.  The Daily Plate can also figure out how many calories you should consume daily for the amount of weekly weight you'd like to lose based on your age, activity levels, sex, and height.  As you lose weight, your calories needed are adjusted automatically.

I try to use The Daily Plate almost every day, mostly to maintain the 20+ pounds I lost earlier this year, and to be more aware of what I am eating, especially during this comfort food/holiday season.  I think there's just about every food listed in their calorie food list.  All of the dinners I make are from scratch, which can be difficult to count calories per serving, so I choose the generic item on the list with the most calories per serving, because I tend to cook with heavy, rich ingredients and probably too much salt. That seems to be the simplest solution, and works for me.

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Handmade Mirror for Purse

Posted on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 08:24 by MamaDuke - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

My sister-in-law's birthday is next week and I wanted to make her something unique ... just for her.  I've been playing around with different ideas to re-use "used" canning lids.  So, here's what I came up with:

I used one of the wide-mouth mason jar lids and decoupaged it with tissue paper.  Then, I hot-glued a 3" mirror on one side.  At first I tried to use watered-down glue and material, but it dried so hard and crisp that the dried material would have messed up the felt on the cover.

I measured out how large the mirror would be and cut out a piece of felt and embroidered a design on the front and then used a blanket stitch to bind it together.

I'm pretty excited by my first attempt at this.  I'd love to make more and sell them.  So, if anyone's interested, let me know and I can make one for you (or your family members and friends).  Now that I've figured out what works it shouldn't take me too long to put others together.  I think $7.99 per mirror & case would be a very reasonable price for Christmas gifts.  I've got many other ideas on embroidery designs, etc.  I take Paypal.

I just wanted to share how cute it turned out.

Show name for Leo -!Help!

Posted on Friday, October 24, 2008 at 01:32 PM by Katie - 5 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Helpme2Teach.com

Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 08:36 by MamaDuke - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

As I’ve mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I’m reviewing curriculums and products for TOS vendors.  One of the services that I’ve been reviewing is the website helpme2teach.com.  As Elaine, the owner, states on her website, she has spent many years gathering the information and pre-screening the 2300 websites for content.  Then, she took the time to categorize these websites into some semblance of order so that it’s easy for us homeschoolers to find what we’re looking for.

I can name several benefits of this website:

o        For new homeschooling families, this is a great place to start with research on various topics:  anything from animals to world history. For our own homeschooling, I was able to find several websites and links from horses to Romans – and even lizards.

o        For those who are teaching their children how to “surf the web”, this would be a smart place to start.  The websites/links that Elaine has gathered are safe (as far as I can tell) and would be a gentle guide into how to “surf” appropriately.

o        The cost is very inexpensive compared to buying a brand new hardback book.

§         1 year = $29.95 (that’s only $2.50 a month!!)

§         3 months = $15.95

§         1 month = $9.95

§         3 days = $4.95

o       Elaine has also taken the time to create a code so that’s super-easy to figure out if the website you’re reviewing is appropriate for the age-level you may be teaching.  So, at a quick glance, I know that the P is for Primary grades and S is for secondary students from 6^th-12^th grade.

As with most homeschooling moms, I don’t stop at one resource.  I use a multitude when I’m researching topics, websites and information on whatever we may be studying.  So, while this may not be the only resource I would use, I would still definitely consider it one of the top choices for me.

The one concern that I had was that she originally did not post any Christian websites.  However, after much thought and input from the reviewers, she has since added many Christian websites.  This is just another example of how willing she is to listen to her customers.  In addition, she is also updating her websites and resources quite frequently.

With all that being said, I must give credit where credit is due.  Elaine has been very cooperative and helpful with any concerns or questions that I’ve had.  Her customer service is wonderful.  She has answered many questions and received much feedback.  At one point I was locked out of the website for some technical reason and I received a prompt reply to email fixing the problem.  She has been very receptive to input – which says a lot for her and her business.

For more information, you can access the website at www.helpme2teach.com.

But wait… there’s more!  Elaine is also offering a “2 for 1” special.  If you purchase a one-year subscription, she’ll throw in another year for free.  So, that’s 2 years for $29.95.  That’s a sweet deal!  That means the subscription would only cost $1.25 a month!!!!

New Focus

Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 09:01 by MamaDuke - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Good morning!  I hope y'all are all having a blessed day!  I haven't posted here in awhile as I've been extremely busy.  Along with normal homeschooling and work, I'm now reviewing homeschool products through the TOS Homeschool Crew and I'm also participating in the TOS Marketing Class.  So, over the next few months, in addition to my normal homesteading posts, you may be seeing more homeschooling product reviews as I go through them.  I must say there are some pretty exciting curriculums out there and I can't wait to share them with you!  I know that many of us homesteaders on this site also homeschool, so hopefully these posts will give you some insight into additional curriculums.

On a different note, we're getting ready for winter around here.  While I didn't do much canning this summer (at least not as much as last summer), we've already started hunting season (bow season).  Hubby shot a buck about a week or so ago and we've already got it canned or breakfast sausage in the freezer.  I'd love to get a sausage stuffer for my KitchenAid as I'd love to make sausage links, smoked sausage, etc.  Right now we tend to make ground venison for chili, spaghetti, etc. or breakfast sausage.  But, I'm not complaining!!  I love venison.  Oh..we've also got the backstrap and tenderloin all ready to go in the freezer as well.

My fall garden is doing quite nicely as well.  The tomatoes are doing better this fall than they did all summer.  I think it was just too hot this summer.  We had 50+ days of 100° ... talk about hot!

Anyway, I just wanted to give everyone a heads up as to what's going to be coming in the next few months.

Walk Cheerfully

Posted on 10-9-2008 at 03:40 by Forget-Me-Not Homestead - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

"Be patterns, be examples, in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people and to them: then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one."

~ George Fox (from prison, Journal, 1656)

This beautiful quote by George Fox, founder of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), has been on my heart lately, and I wanted to share it with you today.

Used Canning Lids (Christmas Craft Ideas)

Posted on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 08:58 by MamaDuke - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I've been looking for some ideas on using the used canning lids from all of the canning I do.  I hate to see them go to waste.  So, here are a few links to websites for crafts that others have done:

Creative Crafts

Uses for Used Canning Lids

I have a gallon size bag full of used canning lids.  I'm going to start using them for Christmas gifts.  I've got most of the Christmas gifts for my side of the family, but not sure what to do about my husband's family.  They don't like home-canned goods and I'm not really sure that they like our homemade gifts ... hmmm.  I'm trying to be frugal, though, so we'll see what we come up with.  I'll post pictures later of the crafts we come up with!

Let the Hunting Begin!

Posted on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 08:30 by MamaDuke - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Bow season has already started down here in Texas.  And, with God's grace and Johnny's good bow-hunting skills, we have a buck!  We're going to spend part of tomorrow processing the deer - probably making breakfast sausage.  If anyone has any good breakfast sausage recipes, please send them my way!  I think on the next one we're going to make jerky (yummy!).

I've also got a huge bag of peppers that I'm going to use this week to make Hot Pepper Butter. 

And, I took the last 3 jars of frozen grape juice concentrate out of the freezer in hopes of making grape juice this week.  I'm trying to get our freezer cleaned out for the sausage and venison we'll be putting in there this fall. 

God willing we'll hopefully get a few more deer this year so we can fill our freezer.

Life has been so busy around here - but I love a busy home!

Faithful Friend / Colleague: TOS Magazine

Posted on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 05:09 by MamaDuke - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

As a homeschooling parent, I take every opportunity I can to "teach" - regardless of what we're doing:  painting, gardening, building, baking, cooking, walking, etc.  Life is full of teachable moments.  But, there are days when I am discouraged or frustrated ... when I don't always have the answer I'm looking for or feel I don't have the time to devote to homeschooling that I want or need, or when I feel that I'm not giving my children all that they need to succeed.  I'm sure that we all have those moments.  But, it's when I have these moments that I turn to a faithful friend of mine:  The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.  I get such encouragement from other homeschooling families - what they do, what works for them, how they address the problems or fears I face.  Aside from that, I also get a renewed energy to continue, to strive to do better, to know that I'm not alone in this journey.  God is with my family, my husband and I are "sympatico" on what we're doing and where we're headed.  AND, I get the chance to read about new homeschooling products (which is always awesome).

With that in mind, I wanted to tell you all about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Fall Special. You can get two years of the magazine, 6 fabulous physical gifts (no downloads!) worth over $120, plus the current issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is full of ideas for the new school year, so you start receiving your magazine in a flash!

It really is one of their best deals ever and you don't want to miss out. In fact, they've got a really cute Homeschooling with Heart tote bag (valued at $13.95) for the first 1000 to subscribe. About half of them are gone, but you should still be able to get one if you hurry! (They will remove the info from the subscription page when the bags are all gone.) The total value is over $212, but you receive it all for only $39 - 50% off of cover price! Plus subscribers get their online monthly Teacher's Toolbox which focuses on a different topic each month, giving you words of encouragement, hands-on teaching
ideas, book recommendations, field trip ideas, and a bonus download item.

If you have not taken the opportunity to subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, I strongly urge you to do so.  It's well worth the money ... and the peace of mind to know you're not alone in your homeschooling journey.