Over the deep 'Green' edge?

Okay, so most of you know that I've made my own laundry soap but I've also dabbled in other cleaners, dish detergent, windex, carpet cleaner, all-purpose cleaner. I used a lot of them on the rental house and they worked really well. After all my couponing efforts, I still have a lot of stock on manufactured cleaners so I haven't been using them here but I will when I run out of the others. It just seems silly to waste the other cleaners.

I've also started trying to make more food cost-cutting techniques. One being cutting up whole chickens. They truly taste better! I've made my own vanilla and chicken stock. Last week we made taquitos and Patch wants more! The mini-chicken pot pies were not a great idea because we still had to spend over an hour cooking them when we wanted to eat them.

Before you read further, take a guess at what these are:

These are why I'm wondering if I've gone over the edge of 'Green'

They are Soap Nuts and I'm going to try using them for the laundry! I read that these are how people washed their clothes in the rivers. They also gave me a small bottle of concentrate that I can use to clean other things. Now I want my own soap nut tree! LOL

Cooking day!

I keep saying that I would love to spend my day off doing absolutely nothing. It never seems to happen though. I love my job. I love the money I make but I miss my weekends. I do try to make the most out of my day off and do something fun with the boys.

I was bad and didn't take pics of the boys actually helping but I know Patch and Franklin enjoyed most of it. We made mini chicken pot pies:

And, chicken taquitos!

 The first thing we did was cook and shred the chicken. I figured that I had never shredded any meat until just recently and now the boys already know. After that, they didn't help much with the pot pies but we had a fun assembly line going for the taquitos. Patch loaded the tortillas w/ chicken and cheese, I rolled them and stuck them with a toothpick or two and Franklin cooked them. It's always a learning experience and we know that we need to find better tortillas next time. We did taste test them (isn't that the best part of cooking??) and they taste good even if they aren't the prettiest tortillas we've seen - at least they have something in them unlike some we've seen at the grocery store ;-) ) And now we have a couple fairly quick meals waiting for us in the freezer.

And our reward for all our hard work? Going out to dinner!!

School update

School is going really well this year. The boys are a huge help with getting their day started even if it's a late work night for me, they both still get up and get started w/o me.

This is my most organized school year yet. We had never actually worked at spelling before but I picked up some used Rod & Staff spelling books and they use them! Both boys are learning cursive and trying to figure out why they need to know it. I said there are only really two reasons... 1) to sign your John Hancock and 2) to read fancy signs. I really don't like that some schools aren't teaching it anymore. I am wondering if any other languages use a cursive type font.

For math, we found the Life of Fred series and the boys seem to really like it. I like the idea of teaching them when they'll actually use this stuff rather than just giving them problem after problem to solve.

Franklin is going to attempt the junior version of NANO this year. I'm excited for him! We are working hard on opening him up to different types of writing this year. I think he has a real talent there and he loves writing.

I'm going to look for more Charlotte Mason type science and social studies for them because what we're doing now is a little boring.

We're learning about Ancient Greece now but moving on to Space soon. It seems like there's always more to learn about a unit study topic.

Nature Walking...

I admit it, I will bribe the boys to get their school work done. And, why shouldn't I? I don't mind doing the things I bribe them with. Like today, we hit Pooh Park! The weather is perfect lately and I don't really want to spend every day penned up in the house. We headed to the Lake House side since we've hit the Pooh Park side so many times. Hermione liked it too. I'm sure she appreciates the cooler weather since she has that fur coat to wear all year long. 

Patch took most of the pictures. This is one of the trails we walked. 

Franklin gave up his iPod for most of the pictures. Too bad he missed some things because he was jamming to his music. But, he does love his music!

The butterflies were abundant today, they were flying all around us in brilliant color.

I'm not sure what look Patch was going for here. He did comment that boys could show their bellies though.

I guess since I'm not the only one holding the camera now, I have to get my picture taken sometimes.

Patch know more about this camera than I do. He set it up to take the picture and then ran to get it in. I think the photography camp he did taught him a few things.

I love looking at reflections in the pond. He decided that walking up closer to the pond gave this shot a better look.

These next two are framing the picture of the lilies.

These two are a worms eye view. The sparkle on the pine needle was beautiful but of course, you just can't capture some things in a picture.

This is a cropped version of the first butterfly picture. He does get some good focus on a picture.

So... in other words. It was a wonderful day for a hike in the woods. I hope this cooler weather hangs around a while!

Game plans...

I always start off with some great plans for homeschooling but they don't always turn out the way I'd like them too.

This year, in addition to the reading, 'riting & 'rithmatic, we're delving deeper into unit studies to round out the rest of the curriculum and adding some science with The Magic School Bus. TMSB might be a little young for both of my guys but we'll add to it and try to make it more interesting and hopefully, get some friends to come over and do the bigger experiments with us.

My schedule keeps changing at work (that could stop any time soon, tyvm!) but at this point, we're planning on doing some park hopping. Unfortunately, not Disney Parks but the SC State parks instead! I'm really looking forward to exploring more of the state we call home. So, at least one Friday a month (being my only day off every week, I'd like to reserve a few Fridays to doing absolutely nothing!) we're going to visit a new state park. The pass will also let Todd take the boys mountain biking at Sesqui any time they want. I don't have a mountain bike but Hermione and I could go walk around the park a bit.

I also want to find something physical for the boys to do. I was planning on signing them up for swim & gym at the Y but I think I missed the sign up period for that this time. Franklin just told me that he thinks Patch would be good at football. ;-) Until we find something to sign up for, biking and basketball will have to do.

Our current unit study is about Ancient Greece and I think they both love learning about the Greek Gods and wonder why they might have believed in so many gods. Hopefully, we'll find that out soon!

It's Back to School Time around here!

Yep, we started back yesterday. And, so far, so good! Franklin seems enthused and Patch is... well, Patch. He drew pictures of bombs on the front of his notebook...

(Please excuse the lack of paint on the front door, we're still deciding what color we want to make it.)

Franklin added a meteor to his - I think he's looking forward to a space study unit this year...

(The boys took these pics and were practicing the 'worm's eye view they learned about during a Photography camp they took online this summer.)

Patch happy, Patch sad, Patch goofy :)...

Franklin - cool...

The two of them acting like they like each other...

I've been practicing getting a serious picture and a silly picture with the boys either by themselves or getting whole groups to do it. I usually like the silly picture better. :)

Anyhow... along with the basics this year, reading, 'riting, 'rithmatic, we're using unit studies and starting out learning about Ancient Greece this year. (Space comes later this year, Franklin!)

Chicken Stock...

I've been a crazy woman making chicken stock recently. I'm hoping that one of these days I can start buying organic chicken and making organic stock! I've been buying whole chickens lately and I'm getting pretty good at cutting them into parts even if I do say so myself. ;-) I cut off the wings to make chicken wings sometime - my new favorite is parmesan garlic wings so I want to find a recipe for that soon. I cut off the thighs and legs and we're going to grill a bunch of legs tomorrow. The thighs, I've been deboning and cutting up to use in our tacos - since Patch doesn't like the refried beans/chorizo that the rest of us like, we've been making the chicken w/ seasoning for him. Then I cut off the boneless, skinless breasts so we can use them for pretty much everything else! I cook up the gizzards, etc. for Hermione and the rest goes into a bag in the freezer to make stock.   I use the parts from two chickens to make the stock...

I boil then simmer the chicken, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic and about six cups of water for about  two hours. After it cools, I strain it though paper towels and get this...

I let that sit in the fridge over night and skim off all the fat, warm it back up so it pours easily and put it into one cup containers that I freeze over night...

After it's frozen, I pop the stock out of containers and put them all (usually 7 or 8 cups of stock) in a gallon ziplock bag and it's ready to use!

I know I use to use the stock in a box from the store fairly often. I don't think I've made one recipe since making this stock that's called for stock! :( So, I've given 8 cups away already and STILL have 30 cups in the freezer! I think I'm throwing the other 6 bags of chicken parts out because I'm thinking I'd be the crazy chicken stock lady if I had 40+ MORE cups of stock in my freezer. ;-) 

I started to buy (okay bought half of it) the meat the recipes call for to make beef stock - I am NOT cutting up a cow to get those cow parts! But, can't find the other cut they use. I'd like to make beef and vegetable stock sometime though. 

So, yes, I'm getting more homemade in the kitchen. I love making desserts - the problem there is that I (and sometimes, Franklin) am the only one that eats most of it! I'm making the vanilla - and I'll share pics, etc. when I get it bottled. I made chocolate pudding and I'm planning banana pudding for Father's Day tomorrow. I'm not sure what will come next but the boys will be getting more involved. :)