tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10365377780704747822024-03-13T10:43:17.773-05:00Shepherding Kind HeartsFaith ~ Family ~ Homeschool ~ Real FoodAlexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.comBlogger223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-53866298052069465072013-06-10T05:58:00.002-05:002013-06-10T05:58:45.760-05:00Let's Make a Web Page: Motherboard Books Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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During the most recent school term my oldest 2 boys (ages 8 & 11) had the wonderful opportunity to learn some of the basics of computer programming. That homeschool co-op class has piqued their interest and their imagination when it comes to computers and what they could design. So, they were both really excited to hear that they also had the opportunity to learn the basics of designing a website as part of a review opportunity using an ebook from <a href="http://www.motherboardbooks.com/">Motherboard Books</a> titled <a href="http://www.motherboardbooks.com/products/letsmake/">Let's Make a Web Page</a>!.<br />
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Let's Make a Web Page! is an ebook which requires the use of a 30-day free trial from coffeecup.com to teach children ages 8-12 the basics of designing a web page. The design element from coffeecup.com does not require the use of HTML code which in our experience, made the process of designing a web page less intimidating.<br />
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Being that my boys have had some basic programming experience prior to this review, they found using the design website rather simple once they figured out the basic elements. I had both boys use my iPad to read the Let's Make a Web Page! ebook while they worked on their web page design projects. They were both able to complete their individual web page projects in just a few hours. However, because they enjoyed it so much they asked to play around with it a while after their pages were done. They enjoyed having fun and changing various elements to see the realm of various possibilities.<br />
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The book suggests making a web page based on an interview of another person. Both of my boys however, chose to design their pages around the books they are currently reading. Their pages turned out great so in my opinion the interview aspect is not a mandatory part of the lesson element.<br />
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Let's Make a Web Page! is 60 pages filled with not only text but helpful graphics to help your children throughout the entire design process. My 8 year old in particular found the pictures in the ebook helpful when he was confused on what to do next.<br />
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If you have a budding computer programmer or web page designer my boys and I all would recommend <a href="http://www.motherboardbooks.com/products/letsmake/">Let's Make a Web Page!</a> It is a great introduction into the world of web design. You can purchase this ebook for $19.95 and find out if your children truly do enjoy this aspect of programming.<br />
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You can read more reviews from fellow crew members!<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-4295223963585995022013-05-18T21:52:00.004-05:002013-05-18T21:52:42.946-05:00Spanish for you! Review: Estaciones e-book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I grew up speaking Spanish, it was everywhere in the community in which I spent my childhood. As a new Mom I was diligent to teach my little ones to be bi-lingual but admittedly with each new addition speaking Spanish to them has become less and less of a priority. However, because I still personally retain the ability to speak the language I am particular when choosing a Spanish curriculum for our homeschool studies. As a member of The Schoolhouse Review Crew I had the opportunity to review <a href="http://www.spanish-for-you.net/">Spanish for You!</a> <a href="http://www.spanish-for-you.net/purchase-curriculum.html">Estaciones e-book</a> with my 3rd and 6th grade boys.</div>
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Spanish for You! is a year long curriculum for 3rd to 8th graders. There are 5 units in the entire book but you can work at your own pace, with 4 days per week as the recommended study frequency.</div>
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Spanish for You! currently offers 2 themes for their curriculum, fiestas and estaciones. They are planning to add a third theme, viajes, in the near future. Because the curriculum is based on themes you do not need to choose level, but rather whichever topic you want to learn about first.</div>
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You can view samples of each here:</div>
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<a href="http://www.spanish-for-you.net/uploads/8/0/1/6/8016814/estaciones_sample_pages.pdf">Estaciones Sample</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.spanish-for-you.net/uploads/8/0/1/6/8016814/fiestas_sample_book_pages.pdf">Fiestas Sample</a></div>
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Each curriculum set includes (from the website)</div>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spanish for you! soft cover book (allow up to 2 weeks for delivery) or E-book (trial pkgs.)</span></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus the following downloads:</span></strong></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Audio download (MP3) of the <strong>entire book. </strong>You use these as the lesson guide instructs.</span></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A free bonus audio of the entire book recorded by a native speaker from Mexico. (MP3)</span></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">24-30 Week Lesson Guide (PDF) - The student (and parent if needed) follows this guide step-by-step to know what to do, at whatever pace works for you.</span></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">S</span></strong><strong style="font-family: inherit;">elf-checking</strong><span style="font-family: inherit;"> worksheets (PDF) - You just print these as you need them. The lesson guide will tell you what you need to print and when.</span></li>
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<li style="list-style: disc outside !important; margin: 3px 0px 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Free set of pictures for making flashcards and other activity materials. (PDF</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">)</span></li>
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With my older 2 boys I used Estaciones the recommended 4 days per week. Each days activities took them 20-30 minutes which I thought was very reasonable considering the material taught. Each lesson begins with new vocabulary and making flashcards (or you can print them). There are also fun activities and games to play to reinforce the words that are being learned, such as simon says. In addition to the games, the audio files really helped my boys pronounce the words. For some reason my native accent is hard for my oldest to understand and replicate, he was able to learn the words much easier with the audio files. As a homeschool Mom with multiple ages to teach, I love when a curriculum can be used with each of my children and taught simultaneously, this feature is such a time and sanity saver.<br />
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Both of my boys thoroughly enjoyed this curriculum and I think it was a great way to introduce them to the language. For my 3rd grader who grew up speaking Spanish, it was a great refresher for him (since I've seriously been lacking in reinforcing his Spanish skills). If you are looking for an introductory Spanish curriculum, you should consider Spanish for You!<br />
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<a href="http://www.spanish-for-you.net/purchase-curriculum.html">Estaciones Pricing:</a><br />
Grades 3-8, $64.95<br />
Grades 3-4, 5-6, or 7-8 $39.95 each<br />
Extra books, $12.95 each<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-57757370376162241152013-05-16T08:02:00.003-05:002013-05-16T08:02:49.235-05:00LIteracy Soft Review: iPad App<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As a member of The Schoolhouse Review Crew I was given the opportunity to review the <a href="http://literacysoft.com/solutions/phonics-and-reading">Phonics and Reading from McGuffey</a> iPad app from <a href="http://literacysoft.com/">Literacy Soft</a> with my 6 year old daughter. My daughter is currently in Kindergarten and does not have much interest in learning to read so I was excited at the opportunity to give her a new tool to help spark her interest in learning to love reading.<br />
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This iPad app is a 52 step program that when completed your child will be reading at a first grade level. Because my daughter shows little interest in reading and therefore is not at a typical kindergarten reading level, I appreciated that this app meets the child where they are currently at and expands from there to teach the child to enjoy reading.</div>
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To most effectively use this iPad app, I incorporated these lessons with the reading lessons we normally do one-on-one. When we are finished reading together, my daughter was able to use this app for as long as she liked (within reason of course). Using this tool she found a new interest in reading together and looked forward to her learning time on Mommy's iPad.<br />
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Using games like the one shown above children learn to spell and read. The app is designed very well with an easy to use interface and large letters which make dragging easy for little fingers. In the time that we had for this review my daughter made noticeable improvement in her reading ability. At bedtime when we read together she now picks out words and says them all on her own without my prompting, I couldn't be more thrilled with her progress.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">According to the website, this program is appropriate for homeschoolers, adult learners, dyslexia, and ESOL learners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Phonics and Reading with McGuffey App is carefully crafted to: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">• Ensure no expert phonics supervisor is needed for students to gain maximum value from the lessons<br />• Work for any literacy level<br />• Act as your own personalized tutor, except in a computer<br />• Let students set their own pace, repeating or slowing down lessons as much as they like<br />• Guide your student step-by-step through reading and spelling practice<br />• Provide multi-sense learning including sound, vision, and motion to appeal to a wide variety of learning styles<br />• Utilize the power of synthetic phonics – the dyslexia-busting learning technique </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">• Be simple and easy to use for students at any level </span><br />
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<b>Details about the product:</b><br />
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Price: $19.99 through the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mcguffey-primer-courseware/id477046803?ls=1&mt=8">iTunes store</a>, it is also available in the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/phonics-and-reading-lite/id477048847?ls=1&mt=8">lite version</a> to try for free.<br />
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Over all I am very pleased with this learning tool and will continue using it with my daughter as well as my younger children when they are ready.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-39600624045964948752013-04-22T20:43:00.001-05:002013-04-22T20:43:56.548-05:00Progeny Press Treasure Island Study Guide Review <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/TOSCrew2011/media/2013TOSCrew/ProgenyPress/a64739513876c78eaae8f5_m_zpsc345c325.jpg.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo a64739513876c78eaae8f5_m_zpsc345c325.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/ProgenyPress/a64739513876c78eaae8f5_m_zpsc345c325.jpg" /></a>Exposing my children to quality literature is something that is very important to me as a homeschool Mom. Unfortunately the demands of my family and home do not always allow me to pre-read the books and create study guides before my children need to read their books. That is why I was so excited for the opportunity to review the <a href="http://stores.progenypress.com/-strse-159/Treasure-Island-Study-Guide/Detail.bok?xcategory=">Treasure Island study guide</a> from <a href="http://stores.progenypress.com/StoreFront.bok">Progeny Press</a> as a part of The Homeschool Review Crew.<br />
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My 11 year old son, who loves to read, was very excited to see that we had received the Treasure Island study guide for review. Even though he has read the book previously, he was looking forward to studying it more in depth than just reading.<br />
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After a trip to the library because we couldn't locate our own copy of Treasure Island my son dove right in to the study guide. As recommended in the study guide my son read the novel in it's entirety first then we began the study guide. Also as recommended I had him complete one page of the chapter sections each day. During this four week review period he was able to complete about half of the study guide. Still ahead is the overview section which I plan to use as a test and he will also complete the essay section to further reinforce not only his understanding of the book but also to help with his writing. Something about tying two subjects together in one (reading comprehension and writing in this case) makes my homeschool Momma's heart happy.<br />
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This particular study guide was broken up into 6 parts with three to six chapters per part. Each part of the study guide includes vocabulary questions, fill in the blank answer sections, critical thinking about the chapter, and dig deeper questions. The tech nerd in me loves that the pdf version of this study guide allows for fill in the blank, no more printing of paper and he can read the pdf of my iPad. Love it! The questions in each part of the study guide were challenging and thought provoking, definitely more in depth and complete than anything I could have ever created myself. They asked questions I would have never thought of and I learned quite a lot considering their questions in relation to the story. Progeny Press recommends that for best use of their study guides you also provide your student with a dictionary, thesaurus, a Bible, and a Bible concordance.<br />
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Well written and thorough study guides are very hard to come by, trust me I've searched high and low for a variety of study guides. Progeny Press is definitely a company you should consider when in the market for study guides.<br />
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I am so thankful we had the opportunity to review this product, we will definitely be purchasing additional study guides to use in our homeschool.<br />
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<b>Product Details:</b></div>
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<a href="http://stores.progenypress.com/-strse-159/Treasure-Island-Study-Guide/Detail.bok?xcategory=">Treasure Island Study Guide</a></div>
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Printed Booklet: $18.99</div>
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CD $16.99</div>
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PDF $16.99</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-88398453431888515012013-04-18T09:58:00.001-05:002013-04-18T22:09:39.735-05:00Knowledge Quest Timeline Builder iPad app: TOS Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am going to come clean with a homeschool secret that I've never shared before, I do not do timelines for our history studies. There I said it, I hope you don't think any less of me. (insert smile) With everything else going on in our family and homeschool studies timelines were something I had wanted to do but had to put on the back burner for more pressing lesson plans. Then along came a review opportunity from <a href="http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/">Knowledge Quest</a> for their <a href="http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/TimelineBuilder.html">Timeline Builder iPad App</a> and everything changed.</div>
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This app has made creating timelines and enriching our history lessons incredibly easy, I no longer have an excuse for not using timelines in our history lessons.</div>
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<b>What does Timeline Builder do?</b></div>
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<li>Allows you to create a digital timeline as far back or as far forward as you like.</li>
<li>Enter as many timeline events or people on your timeline as you want.</li>
<li>Upoload images from your computer or the web and link them to your timeline entries.</li>
<li>Flexibility to move timeline events on the timeline.</li>
<li>Save and share timelines as an image to your photos. You can also choose to email your timelines as well as export and share with other Timeline Builder users.</li>
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<b>How we used the Timeline Builder iPad App:</b></div>
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Can I just start out by saying I am absolutely loving all of the wonderful educational applications and ability to read teachers manuals from my iPad? Well, there I just did. <a href="http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/TimelineBuilder.html">The Timeline Builder app</a> is no different, it has made teaching, interacting with, and learning form history amazing. My children have not mastered the art of filing papers in their school binders so that they can find them later so anything I can put into electronics makes all of our lives easier. I have tried creating timelines before, I had great intentions I really did, but lost papers, torn papers, or even chewed on papers made my previous attempts very frustrating.</div>
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My children and I have been studying early American history this semester so for the course of this review I jumped into our studies and started a timeline where we were currently studying, the slave trade. After quickly and easily acquainting myself with the app interface I introduced the timeline builder to my children, namely my older boys ages 11 and 8. My younger daughter, age 6, soon caught on that we were having fun with history and joined our lesson. After reading our history lesson for the day my boys each created their own timeline based on what they remembered from the story. Then after discussing events that they did not include on their timeline they each went back and added events, people, and places including pictures to bring the timeline to life. As a homeschool teacher I could see their wheels of learning firing on all cylinders. They were engaged in the lesson and absorbing the events rather than just skimming the surface as they read and forgetting it all as soon as the book closed. Surprisingly, even long after the history lesson was complete my boys were still talking about the facts they learned and having a healthy discussion on what they had learned. What's not to love about that? <a href="http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/TimelineBuilder.html">The Timeline Builder App</a> brought history to life for my family in a way that paper timelines and other hands on activities could not do.</div>
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<b>Product Specifics:</b></div>
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Watch this video to learn more</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/52027077" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe>
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<a href="http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/TimelineBuilder.html">Timeline Builder iPad app </a>available in the AppStore for $6.99</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-58878580837243419092013-04-11T20:05:00.000-05:002013-04-12T09:16:35.751-05:004 Tips for Eating Real Food While Traveling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This weekend I am traveling. I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend the <a href="http://www.2to1conference.com/">2:1 conference</a> as part of my work with <a href="http://amomentwithmom.com/">A Moment With Mom</a>. This is the first time being away from my family for an extended period of time. Since their birth I have not been away from the twins for more than 36 hours at a time as I travelled back and forth between the NICU and home. My youngest son has never been away from his momma. Your prayers are greatly appreciated this weekend.</div>
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Traveling an sticking to a real food lifestyle has been challenging and eye opening. God has been good in sustaining me through the times when real food and drink were of available. I've gleaned a few tips during this trip that will hopefully make your next flight more enjoyable and save you the pain of dehydration or hunger.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">1. Pack your own snacks. Fortunately current flight regulations do not prohibit you from taking your own food aboard your flight. Plan ahead and carefully consider snacks that will travel well and not easily perish. After a flight cancellation and an unexpected 3 hour drive to make a connecting flight I am thankful I grab a large bag of homemade trail mix a few minutes before heading out the door. Raw pumpkin seeds, raw almonds, raw cashews, and organic "Cherrios" helped to stave off hunger and keep me awake on my long drive. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
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2. Plan to drink only water. This is one area you will not be able to bring your own from home. As many of you already know juices and sodas are full of unwanted and unnecessary preservatives, chemicals, and colorings. A word of caution, read the water bottle labels before you purchase. Sadly even a simple bottle of water can have added sodium and other undesirables. Fresh spring water is your best bet and stay away from the water bottle brands that are made by corporations, these are typically the glorified water bottles, nothing more than dressed up tap water.</div>
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3. If you are staying at a hotel call ahead. Nowadays, hotel kitchens are more than happy to accommodate guests with special dietary needs. Eating real food, although counterintuitive is classified as a special dietary condition. Perhaps one day it will not be, but until then, call ahead. Be prepared to provide the kitchen staff with meal ideas, especially if it is a smaller hotel.</div>
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4. Eating out can be a real challenge when sticking to a real food lifestyle. Choose your restaurants carefully and considering asking locals or hotel staff for recommendations. After you choose a spot to eat and are ordering, don't be afraid to make your food needs known. Most often the chef and wait staff are more than happy t accommodate your needs, after all they are no different that someone with a food allergy. There are certain things we will and will not eat, just like others with special dietary needs.</div>
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With some forethought traveling and continuing to eat real food is not only possible it will also be enjoyable.</div>
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Do you have other tips and tricks for eating real while traveling? Please share, I'd love to hear your feedback</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-62575140652699380022013-04-06T17:05:00.000-05:002013-04-07T07:32:21.775-05:00D is for Dry Storage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dry storage becomes an essential part of your pantry when you make the transition to real foods. Not only is it better to store dry goods in a quality sealed container to maintain the freshness of the product but many times when you switch to real foods buying in bulk is most economical. When you buy in large quantities you will need food grade dry storage containers to keep the nutritional value and freshness of your foods.<br />
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There are many options available for storing your bulk grains, homemade snacks, and other high quality real food items that are now stocked in your kitchen.<br />
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<b>Dry Bulk Storage options:</b><br />
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2 gallon bucket: 2 gallon buckets are most commonly used for storing small quantities of food or water. I have a few buckets of this size which I bought containing peanut butter. I keep these buckets to store overflo<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">w of dry goods which might not fit in the 5 gallon bucket or my smaller pantry dry storage containers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5 gallon bucket: A five-gallon bucket will hold approximately 37 lbs. of dry rice and 33.5 lbs. of dried beans. Additionally, this size bucket will hold approximately 25 lbs of flour depending on compaction of the grain.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When storing dry goods in plastic buckets your choice of lids is critical. If you do not purchase a tight fitting lid then you food will spoil quickly.</span><br />
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Traditional bucket lid: Most people who store dry goods do not use the traditional white lids that come with the plastic buckets by default. These lids are fine if you are storing an item that you use quickly or that will not perish quickly (a month or less).<br />
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Gamma lid: The gamma lids are the more popular and wiser choice when it comes to purchasing lids for your dry bulk storage. Gamma lids are constructed in two parts. There is an outer ring which snaps securely to the outside top portion of the bucket. There is then a part in the middle which twists on and off of the outer ring. This lid construction insures a tighter fit and better option for long-term dry bulk storage and food freshness.<br />
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The most affordable place that I've found to purchase buckets and gamma lids is from <a href="http://www.azurestandard.com/">Azure Standard</a>.<br />
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<b>Pantry/Kitchen Dry Good Storage:</b><br />
The most important part of choosing dry good storage options for your kitchen and pantry is the quality of the seal and the functionality of the container. If the container you choose does not for an air tight seal then the food that you worked so hard at acquiring will spoil and go to waste. Also, if the container is not easy to open, close, and provides free access to your food item then you will experience frustration in the kitchen. Cooking real food is fun and incredibly satisfying, please don't let a poor choice of kitchen storage container derail all of the hard work and effort you put in to creating your real food kitchen.<br />
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With that in mind and taking those 2 important points into consideration, my favorite kitchen and pantry dry good storage container is the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029096ZO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0029096ZO&linkCode=as2&tag=shepkindhear-20%22%3EOXO%20Good%20Grips%2010-Piece%20POP%20Container%20Set%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shepkindhear-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0029096ZO%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">OXO Good Grips Pop-Top Container</a> (affiliate link). These tight sealing and very functional dry good storage containers come in all sizes which is perfect for a variety of kitchen and pantry uses. I use the small ones for storing spices and small quantities of items we use for oatmeal and steel cut cereal toppings. The larger containers store things such as cocoa powder, beans for short-term uses, oats, rice, the list is virtually endless with options. I like that these containers have a very tight seal but you can open them with a simple push of a button. The only downfall is that they are not easy on the wallet. However, I have skirted this problem by shopping around and acquiring them as we can afford. A large kitchen and bath chain frequently mails coupons for their store, I save those and use them to buy these OXO pop-top containers at a discount. This option is particularly useful when you need a particular size. Otherwise, I have found that the large box stores have a 12 piece set for a very reasonable price. Just this week I purchased my second set.<br />
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An additional point that I like about these OXO containers is that they are clear sided. Being able to quickly see what is in each container (I haven't had a chance to label them with my label maker) makes cooking quicker and easier.<br />
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Dry storage can be fun and strangely satisfying, if you are one that likes to be organized like myself (just don't look at my desktop).<br />
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What methods do you use for your bulk dry good storage?<br />
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Blessings,</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-9618043613770682742013-03-31T05:34:00.000-05:002013-03-31T05:34:01.937-05:00C is for Christ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This week the focus is on Christ and His sacrifice and resurrection for me and for you. There is eternal life because of Jesus' death and resurrection, all you have to do is believe and follow God's Word.</div>
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May your Resurrection Sunday be filled with joy and peace!</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-32564068648261080902013-03-27T23:01:00.001-05:002013-03-27T23:01:59.273-05:00Ditching the Microwave: Test Run<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last month I read an article on <a href="http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2013/02/how-to-stop-using-a-microwave-kitchen-tools-of-the-trade.html#comment-37955">How to Stop Using the Microwave</a> from the Humbled Homemaker. Prior to reading this post my husband and I had a few discussions about our microwave use and how we wanted to curtail our dependance on it's use as part of our continued effort to live and eat healthier. The Humbled Homemaker's post brought those conversations to the forefront of my thoughts and helped spur me to do some of my own research.<br />
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I am spending a good deal of time and money sourcing, purchasing, and preparing organic and nutritious foods for my family. The thought of then reheating nutrient dense foods in a microwave, which <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6463.cfm">kills all of the nutritional value</a> of foods simply in the name of convenience just did not sit well with me. Why would I want to remove all of the nutrition from the foods we worked so hard to provide for our family simple to save a couple of minutes here and there? If I am in that big of a hurry, I need to re-evaluate my priorities!<br />
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On the flip side though I have to be realistic. There will be times when a "convenience" appliance for getting hot food to my starving children will be a sanity saver. So if I am going to make the leap and give up the radiation box above my stove I want to make sure I have a back-<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">up option if I give our microwave the boot. Like The Humbled Homemaker I have decided on the </span><a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hamilton-Beach-Large-Capacity-Counter-Top-Oven-With-Rotisserie-function/16503556">Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven with Convection and Rotisserie</a> in stainless steel. I love that it is convection and also includes the rotisserie option. My family enjoys rotisserie chicken and this feature would allow me to make our own at home without having to buy yet another kitchen appliance.<br />
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So far, I am just over 1 week into my journey of not being dependent on my microwave. Admittedly, the first couple of days I had to catch myself instinctively thinking about reheating leftovers in that box. However, now the thought doesn't cross my mind. I grab a pan to reheat our food on the stovetop and I make sure to defrost meat early enough in the day so I am not relying on the microwave to put dinner on the table at a reasonable hour. If I can make it more than 3 weeks without using the microwave I can justify spending the money to buy the countertop convection toaster over. It is my hope that we can replace the microwave with the toaster oven in order to avoid another appliance on our counters (which I've worked hard to eliminate).<br />
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If and when I make the leap to purchase the toaster oven, rest assured you will be the first to know and help me celebrate.<br />
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What steps are you in the process of taking to eat and live healthier?<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-82938478536640789022013-03-23T20:16:00.000-05:002013-03-25T07:27:26.745-05:00B is for Baked Oatmeal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of The Family Kitchen</td></tr>
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Late last year in our continued effort to replace processed foods with real wholesome food I made the decision to cut out cold breakfast cereals cold turkey. One morning I just told my older 3 children that once the cereal in the house was gone I would not be buying any more. Putting my decision to voice helped because I knew my children would hold me accountable if I ever brought processed cereal in our house again. I had serious reservations about making this leap towards real foods because my breakfast meal creativity was zilch. I typically mustered enough motivation and creativity to make breakfast from scratch once a week at best. What was I possibly going to do when I had to have something nutritious on the table every morning, day after day?<br />
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Thus began my journey with baked oatmeal. I can not say enough about this real food dish. It is nutritious, filling, quick, and convenient. What else could a Mother ask for in a breakfast dish? I've tried numerous variations on the basic baked oatmeal theme and all of them are quick and very tasty. My 8 year old requests this dish more times than not.<br />
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I've compiled a list of tried and true baked oatmeal recipes for your taste bud enjoyment.<br />
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<a href="http://tidymom.net/2013/creme-brulee-baked-oatmeal/">Creme Brûlée</a> from Tidy Mom<br />
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<a href="http://www.wholeliving.com/132164/baked-oatmeal">Baked Oatmeal with fruit</a> from Whole Living<br />
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<a href="http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/11/11/apple-cinnamon-baked-oatmeal/">Apple Cinnamon</a> from The Family Kitchen<br />
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<a href="http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2009/05/peanut-butter-baked-oatmeal.html">Peanut Butter </a>from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures<br />
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<a href="http://myblessedlife.net/2012/10/pumpkin-spice-baked-oatmeal.html">Pumpkin Spice</a> from My Blessed Life<br />
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<a href="http://www.emilybites.com/2011/09/pumpkin-cranberry-apple-baked-oatmeal.html">Pumpkin, Cranberry, and Apple</a> from Emily Bites<br />
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Do you have another favorite baked oatmeal recipe? I'd love to hear about it, please leave a comment!<br />
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Please join me next week as I explore the letter C as part of <a href="http://benandme.com/">Ben and Me</a> Blogging Through the Alphabet.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-27745754296303810702013-03-18T08:00:00.000-05:002013-03-18T08:00:12.736-05:00A is for Alexis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My blog article inspiration has been non-existent lately which is not typical of my writing at all. Usually I have blog topics pop in my head all day and struggle to remember them when I finally have a chance to sit down and write. As of late however, nothing is coming to me, zilch, nada, and I don't like it one bit. So to help kick start my creative writing juices I will be joining the newest round of Blogging Through the Alphabet hosted on the wonderful site <a href="http://www.benandme.com/">Ben and Me</a>. I am hopeful that this weekly meme will get my fingers moving with regularity again and open my mind to new topics with which I can share on.<br />
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This week is the start of a new round of alphabet blogging. I racked my brain for what I could write about that started with A. Everything from alligators, animals, apples, arachnids, and azaleas popped in my head. None of them sounded like something I could turn into a post you my readers would enjoy. We haven't had homeschool lessons on any of these topics lately so I have nothing to relate to this blog on those topics. Then it hit me. . .I am an A. What would be more appropriate for starting this series then to write a little about myself. A lot has changed in my life since I first started this blog so it seems fitting to introduce myself to my new readers and update the rest of you who have stuck with me through my long dry periods of no writing at all. A heartfelt thank you to all of you who kept me in your readers and check in from time to time. Thank you!<br />
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<b>So who is the person behind this blog?</b><br />
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I am Alexis, a mid-30s wife and mother of 6. My family and I are originally from San Diego but in an effort to raise our family in a better environment my husband and I decided in early 2010 to move to the midwest. We are now closer to my Mother and extended family. While we miss the warm weather and Pacific Ocean, having lived here for 3 years we can not imagine moving back to the hustle and bustle of San Diego. We are enjoying the cleaner air, lack of traffic, and kindness of those that live here in the corn belt of America.<br />
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My husband and I re-met in 2003 and were married in 2004. We will celebrate our 9th anniversary in June. We went to middle school together and after so many years separated we know that God had a hand in bringing our lives back together. Our oldest is my step-son, he is 11. Together we have an 8 year old son, 6 year old daughter, twin 2 year old daughters, and a 1 year old son. The younger 3 we affectionately refer to as the "triplets" because they were born 362 days apart making them Irish triplets. While we believe that all of our children are miracles and blessings our twins defied all of the odds and are a testament to the power of prayer. If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you know that our twins were born far too early at 26 weeks 5 days due to acute <a href="http://www.tttsfoundation.org/">twin to twin transfusion syndrome.</a> Weighing 1lb 6oz and 2lbs, our girls are a testament to the power of prayer. Micro preemies like our daughters typically spend well over 100 days in a high level NICU in order to get strong and healthy enough to come home. After only 78 days, 1 day before they would have been delivered at 38 weeks B & J got to come home. They are now healthy toddlers who bring pure joy and laughter to our lives daily. J had the rougher start and was the smallest at birth having been the donor in the TTTS. She was recently diagnosed with dys-kinetic Cerebral Palsy. Her case is very mild and with therapy she will grow to live an independent life including walking and talking without assistance.<br />
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Our journey into homeschooling began in the fall of 2008. My 8 year old was set to start kindergarten that year and after some events during preschool and drastic budget cuts in our local school district we knew that putting him into public kindergarten would not be in his best interest academically. And so began our unintended journey with home educating. At this time I am home schooling a 6th grader, advanced 3rd grader, and a kindergartner. After trying boxed curriculums we have found a better fit with pieced together curriculum choices. As a curriculum reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse review crew this year I am also being introduced to curriculum that I might not have otherwise known about or had the opportunity to use. While our journey into homeschooling was seemingly made purely based on educational reasons my husband and I both know it was God calling us to do what was best for all of our children. Homeschooling has been a blessing beyond words, an experience I could never describe. While far from roses and bon bons, we know this is the best choice for our children and our family.<br />
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Personally, I am an only child and San Diego native. My childhood was broken and quality religious education which is why these two things are very near to my heart and why I work so hard to raise up my own family in a way in which I was not. I have a bachelors in Biology and at one time thought I would be a doctor. I have also been a fitness instructor for a national mother and baby fitness company. I enjoy writing, gardening, canning, and most recently have vowed to clean up my family's eating habits.<br />
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Lastly, from a blogging perspective I do my best to write as transparent as possible. My life is not all roses and perfection. We struggle, we argue, my house is often a disaster, and I am a sinner. At the end of the day though, we all do our best with what God gives us and give thanks for a new day with new grace.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-76696277155890409682013-03-13T22:47:00.000-05:002013-03-15T11:48:55.527-05:0010 Easy Steps Toward Real Food Eating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For just over a year now I have been committed to cleaning up my family's diet which includes removing processed foods and preservatives. In it's place I have added organic fruits and vegetables, organic whole wheat bread, and every meal is made from scratch. The change has not always been easy, not from a taste or recipe point of view but rather from a personal learning curve perspective. I've done quite a bit of homework and scoured every inch of my resources to come up with the best tasting yet easy ways to makeover our daily diet.<br />
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So many of my friends now seek me as a resource when they are ready to change their own diets. Because of this I have compiled a list of 10 easy steps to take when first making the change to real food eating. These are all baby steps that will lead you well on your way to cleaner and healthier eating. You won't ever regret making this change!<br />
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1. Avoid the <a href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/">dirty dozen</a>, instead purchase organic versions of these fruits and vegetables<br />
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2. Replace the 3 most used vegetables and fruits in your diet with organic<br />
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3. Stop buying processed snacks and crackers. Instead make your own healthier versions<br />
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4. Say bye-bye to white flour and hello to organic whole wheat flour<br />
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5. Stop buying store bread. Instead purchase a bread machine and make your own nutrient rich organic whole wheat bread.<br />
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6. No more breakfast cereal! Boxed breakfast cereals are void of nutrition yet packed with preservatives, sugars, and fillers. Replace this convenience food with organic oatmeal. In just a few more minutes you can have a nutrition packed hot breakfast on the table for your family.<br />
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7. Replace your spices with organic versions.<br />
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8. Make your own mixes and cut out a ton of preservatives. Chili mix, taco seasoning, ranch dressing and so much more can be made at home with clean organic spices for a fraction of the store bought options.<br />
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9. Say adios to non-stick cookware. This step doesn't have to be all at once. Gradually replace your non-stick cookware with stainless steel or cast iron.<br />
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10. Replace cooking oils with healthier versions. Olive oil and coconut oil are the two I use most in my kitchen.<br />
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<a href="http://www.azurestandard.com/">Azure Standard</a> is the primary way I feed my family real organic foods without breaking our food budget. Check to see if there is a drop location near you!<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-52207087457673388862013-03-06T11:02:00.000-06:002013-03-11T21:00:33.868-05:00Artistic Pursuits Review: TOS Crew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I know I've mentioned this numerous times through life of this blog, but it bears repeating. I am NOT an artistic person in the least. I believe when God formed me He threw away the artistic bone because it is NO where in my body. Additionally, He is sitting in heaven getting a good laugh out of the fact that He has blessed me with children who enjoy drawing and are genuinely interested in learning to be better artists. So what is a homeschool mother like me to do? Hope, pray, and research art curriculum in the hopes that one of them is a solid fit for our family. Like other subjects in our curriculum collection I knew I did not want an art curriculum that merely taught children how to draw. I want something that is steadfast in art theory, artist appreciation and history, and yet easily explains artistic concepts in short yet concise lessons. I firmly believe that art is one subject where children should have the freedom to create as they please without boundaries or limits. I don't want long in depth art lessons that force children to conform to certain artistic boxes.</div>
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As a motion of grace, God blessed me with the opportunity to review <a href="http://artisticpursuits.com/">Artistic Pursuits</a> as a part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. There are numerous levels to choose from but I specifically reviewed <a href="http://artisticpursuits.com/2113bk_461.html">Elementary 4-5 book one</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Artistic%20Pursuits/?action=view&current=grades4-5Book1_zpsb48265e5.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Artistic%20Pursuits/grades4-5Book1_zpsb48265e5.jpg" /></a></div>
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When my boys ages 11 and 8 saw that we had been blessed with an art curriculum to review they were very excited and happily pestered me for days to get to the art store so we could pick up the supplies needed to start this program. Which I should mention for the first 7 units all that are needed are 4 ebony pencils, 1 vinyl eraser, 1 metal sharpener, 1 sketch pad, 1 paper sack, and a drawing board is optional. I was able to pick these supplies up at our local craft store for a minimal amount of money even considering I had to double the amounts due to two students.</div>
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As expected my boys dove into this program full heartedly. Not only are they learning drawing techniques, but this program also incorporates american art appreciation and history, builds their visual vocabulary, and at the end of each unit students get to apply everything they have learned in that unit into a final art project. </div>
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As a busy homeschool mother of 6, three of which are ages 2 and under I appreciate the brevity of each lesson while still maintaining a high level of education rigor. These lessons are packed with instruction but can be taught in under 15 minutes, the remainder of the lesson time is as it should be, time for the students to be creative and spend quality time practicing the technique introduced in that lesson. I enjoy not only teaching my boys a subject that they love but also watching them explore the artistic side of their personalities. I am not an artist in the least, I struggle with stick figures, so it is simply amazing to me to watch them create amazing sketches from a simple lesson that even a non-artist like myself can teach.</div>
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I can say with heartfelt honesty that I will be purchasing additional books from Artistic Pursuits when we finish the current book. There is a variety of art curriculum levels to choose from, everything from preschool through high school. </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Specifics:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://artisticpursuits.com/2113bk_461.html">Artistic Pursuits, Elementary 4-5, book 1: The Elements of Art and Composition</a></span><br />
Comb-binding, 92 pages, 68 lessons, 230 illustrations<br />
Written for ages 9 and up, samples of this curriculum can be viewed at the link above<br />
$47.95<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other was. All opinions are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.</i></div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-29864511038882627802013-03-04T11:16:00.001-06:002013-03-05T14:56:39.592-06:00Abraham's Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As parents part of our job is to instill in our children faith in the American dream. Our country was founded on this dream and sadly over the years that foundation has been eroded and threatens to give way completely. Unless we teach our children what our forefathers intended, this dream will be lost forever.</div>
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<a href="http://inspiringtheamericandream.com/">Inspiring the American Dream</a> has published a book entitled<a href="http://inspiringtheamericandream.com/books/"> Abraham's Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream</a>. This book aims to help restore the faith and entrepreneurial spirit that our country was built upon. In this book a young boy sets out on a journey through time to meet important historical figures in his pursuit of finding a gift for a family member. Through the course of his journey he learns from these historical figures the importance and gains an understanding of the American dream.</div>
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I appreciate that the core foundation of this book is to teach the younger generations about a value system that is quickly being lost. If more people valued the American dream perhaps our country would not be in the mess that we are currently facing. Whenever the opportunity presents itself I take the time to teach my children these values and to have pride in their country. I enjoy that there are authors that aim to provide parents and grandparents with books based on this concept.</div>
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While I find value and importance in the core foundation of this book my children ages 5-11 and I struggled with the flow and verbiage. The story line felt a bit forced, it did not flow well from one historical figure to the next. Traveling between the different points in time was abrupt. I wish the authors had included more information about each historical personality and why they were a key figure in our country's history.</div>
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My family's experience and impression of the book may not be the same as your experience or impression. I would like to encourage you to read other reviews of this book from my fellow TOS Review Crew members, please click the banner below.<br />
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Abraham's Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream is available <a href="http://inspiringtheamericandream.com/books/">here</a> for $14.99</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Disclaimer: <em style="line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.</em></span></span><br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-22714440524093841992013-02-28T21:16:00.000-06:002013-02-28T21:20:59.655-06:002:1 Conference Introduction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As I've mentioned before, I will be attending the <a href="http://2to1conference.com/">Titus 2:1 conference</a> in April. I am beyond excited and feel very blessed to have this opportunity. Lord willing, this will be the first time I will be away from my 6 children, alone. YIKES!</div>
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The conference organizers have asked us to answer a few "get to know you better" type of fun questions. So here goes nothing!</div>
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1. How long have you been blogging and homeschooling? Which is harder?</div>
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I have been blogging for just over 8 years. I started soon after my first son was born. It was my way of letting my family spread out across the country watch him grow and hear about his adventures. We are currently marching along our 4th year of homeschooling. Homeschooling is by far harder than blogging. Writing has set rules and unless I've missed something somewhere along the line there is no rule book for homeschooling or motherhood.</div>
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2. If you were a super hero, what would be your super power?</div>
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Hands down my super power would be to do a million things all at once. Imagine how much I'd get done!</div>
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3. If I could go anywhere, besides the 2:1 conference, where would be your dream "mom-cation"?</div>
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This is a tough question! There are so many places I'd love to visit. My husband and I often talk about where we are going to visit first once the kids are grown and we can afford these large trips. I'd love to travel around Ireland, experiencing the untouched and often unvisited parts. Maybe even stay with locals and experience the culture first hand if possible.</div>
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4. What would you like to get out of the 2:1 conference?</div>
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First and foremost, because I am going as a part of my job with <a href="http://www.amomentwithmom.com/">A Moment with M.O.M</a>. and <a href="http://covenantranchonline.com/">Covenant Ranch Trucking</a>, I want to glean as much as I can to help both of these sites grow. Secondly, I'd love to find out how to grow this blog when the time comes. Networking strategies is probably top of my list for that weekend.</div>
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Outside of blogging and homeschooling I am fervently trying to cause upheaval in my family's diet. We are removing all processed foods from our kitchen so learning to replace them with real whole foods is a full-time job. I have been blessed with 6 amazing children, 5 from my womb and one from marriage. Our family changed dramatically in 2011 when our twin girls were born far too early at 26 weeks. Being a mother of micro-preemie twins was the furthest thing from my list of life possibilities. God has a plan much greater than anything I can ever think of though. 362 days after the girls were born God blessed us with a little boy and just like that we have irish triplets. Before my career in homeschooling I was a fitness instructor for a national company that teaches exercise classes for moms and their kiddos in strollers.</div>
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Well that about does it for now, if you are attending this years 2:1 conference I am looking forward to meeting you.</div>
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If you'd like to read more introductions from my fellow attendees, head over to the <a href="http://www.2to1conference.com/2013/attendee-community/">2:1 blog</a></div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-60277739725865355872013-02-26T21:59:00.001-06:002013-02-26T21:59:18.238-06:00Chewy Puffed Kamut & Millet Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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2 cups organic puffed kamut<br />
1 cup puffed millet<br />
1/2 cup peanut butter<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
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Grease an 8x8 pan. In a medium bowl add kamut and millet. In a small saucepan over medium heat mix honey and peanut butter until warm and fluid. Quickly mix the peanut butter mixture with the cereal. When thoroughly mixed press into the 8x8 pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set, cut into bars when ready. If you would like to add cocoa powder add in the peanut butter mixture and mix as usual. If you would like to have seeds in your bars, add to the cereal and mix with peanut butter mixture as usual.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-33364216732599662232013-02-24T21:58:00.000-06:002013-02-24T21:58:51.383-06:00Our Daily Yeast Bread Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have been baking all of the bread for my family for a while now. It is so refreshing to not be dependent on store bought bread to help feed my family. Not only do I know what is in our bread but I can easily alter each loaf depending on the needs for that week. I have been adding a variety of fruits during the Christmas season for a special treat. I have also been able to keep many of the sugary treats out of my house this Holiday season because I baked bread for my friends and neighbors instead of cookies and candy.<br />
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Here is my fool proof everyday bread recipe:<br />
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2tsp yeast<br />
.5 cup honey<br />
1.5 cup warm water<br />
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Mix above ingredients and let stand until bubbly<br />
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3.5 cups whole wheat flour (sometimes I do all whole wheat and other times I substitute with 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)<br />
1 cup rolled oats<br />
1.5 tsp sea salt<br />
1.5T butter cut in 3 chunks<br />
.5 cup vital wheat gluten<br />
.25 cup ground flax meal<br />
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Mix dry ingredients.<br />
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If you will be using a bread machine add the wet and dry ingredients according to your machine's instructions. Typically the wet ingredients are added first and the dry ingredients are added next.<br />
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If you are making by hand, mix the above ingredients in a stand mixer until you get a nice dough ball. Cover and let rise 1.5 -2 hours. Pound dough on floured surface. Form into a loaf shape. Added to your favorite loaf pan and let rise again until the dough has doubled in size. Bake at 375 until the crust is golden.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-85591862069286362432013-02-18T11:00:00.000-06:002013-02-24T21:53:03.321-06:00Handwriting Without Tears Wet Dry Try iPad App Review: TOS Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We live in a society with ever changing technology. As a homeschooler, I feel that it is my duty to adequately prepare my children for the technologically advanced world in which they live in. This includes teaching them to be web savvy, proficient in typing, and computer literate. One of the ways that we introduce our children to technology and incorporate it into our studies is with an iPad. I am always on the look out for quality educational iPad apps. So imagine my excitement when I found out that I would be reviewing the <a href="http://wetdrytry.com/">Wet Dry Try iPad app</a> from <a href="http://www.hwtears.com/hwt">Handwriting Without Tears</a> as part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.</div>
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I used this app with my kindergarten, 5 year old daughter. Like most kindergartners she knows how to write her numbers and letters but could use a good deal of practice writing them more neatly. Also like most 5 year olds she still occasionally reverses a letter or number when she is writing. I was excited to introduce her to this app in the hopes that some of these common errors would be reduced.</div>
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I will start by saying that this is not your typical educational iPad app with lots of bells and whistles and fancy music. The Wet Dry Try app is strictly an educational app with appropriate background music and positive voice reinforcement. </div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Handwriting%20without%20Tears%202013/?action=view&current=HWOTIpadapp1.png" target="_blank"><img alt="HWOT Wet/Dry Pick and Practice" border="0" height="200" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Handwriting%20without%20Tears%202013/HWOTIpadapp1.png" width="155" /></a> <a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Handwriting%20without%20Tears%202013/?action=view&current=HWOTWinningorder.png" target="_blank"><img alt="HWOT Wet/Dry App Winning Order" border="0" height="200" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Handwriting%20without%20Tears%202013/HWOTWinningorder.png" width="155" /></a>
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There are 2 different modes of play in this iPad app as illustrated in the pictures above. The first option is play and practice. In this mode of learning the child can pick and choose whichever letter or number they would like to practice. The letter or number is first introduced and a friendly female voice explains how to write the letter. The child then writes the letter or number with their finger 3 times, the first with a wet sponge, followed by a dry towel, and lastly with a piece of chalk. When the letter or number is practiced three complete times for a total of 9 individual practices, the child will earn a letter card. My daughter enjoyed this mode of play because she could jump back and forth among the letters and choose whichever one she felt like writing.<br />
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The second mode of play is called winning order. This mode of play is similar to play and practice in that each letter or number is practiced 9 times before completing that particular choice. However, in the winning order mode of learning, the letters are introduced in the simplest order of learning. In other words, the easier letters to write are first in the list versus alphabetical like in play and practice. As with the first mode of play, I enjoyed that this option not only appropriately encouraged my daughter as she was writing it also gently let her know when she got too far off course to accurately write the letter or number that she was practicing.<br />
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If you have a preschooler or younger kindergartner that is learning to write, this is a wonderful iPad app for such a purpose. This would be a great option for car or doctor office schooling, no pens or paper are needed and with the volume turned off or on low your child could learn without being a distraction to others. The sensitivity to finger motion is amazing in this app. I tried to write a few letters myself to see how well it worked and was amazed at how well it accurately tracked my true finger motions. Lastly, if you have multiple children who need handwriting practice this app has the option of adding different student names so each child can work independently. If you are a mom of multiples like I am, this feature is invaluable.<br />
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You can<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/handwriting-without-tears/id548753732?ls=1&mt=8"> purchase this app </a>for $4.99 (price at time of posting)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Disclaimer: <em style="line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.</em></span><br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-28082935523654255702013-02-15T11:02:00.000-06:002013-02-21T20:26:58.225-06:00Song School Spanish Classical Academic Press Review: TOS Crew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Spanish language and culture has been a part of my life since I was very young. My childhood best friend was part Mexican, her Mother was an immigrant from Guadalajara. From a very young age I can remember sitting in the back of their car learning how to count to 100 in Spanish. Then as I entered middle and high school my love for the language exploded as I was able to take more advanced courses and challenge my Spanish literacy.</div>
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Due to the fact that I have such a love for the language teaching my children to speak Spanish from a very early age only comes naturally. While I can teach them to speak the language I have always struggled to teach them to be literate, finding a solid curriculum to teach reading and writing has been a challenge. Enter <a href="http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/">Classical Academic Press</a> and their <a href="http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_7&products_id=115">Song School Spanish</a> curriculum.</div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Classical%20Academic%20Press/?action=view&current=ssspanish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="244" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Classical%20Academic%20Press/ssspanish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a member of this year's Schoolhouse Review Crew I was given the opportunity to review Song School Spanish teacher and student books.</div>
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As this curriculum is recommended for K-2 grades, I was able to use it primarily with my oldest daughter who is currently a Kinder. However, my 3rd grade son loves the language so much that he eagerly joined along in the lessons. As recommended we spent 3 days each week working on our spanish lessons. Day 1 of each week is a light overview of that week's handful of words and an introduction to the songs associated with the lesson. Day 2 of each week is the longest with not only review of the words but also completing work in the student workbook along with singing the songs from that week. Day 3 is a review and more practice saying and singing the words for the week. Classical Academic Press also recommends playing the CD with the songs throughout the week including in the car while you are running errands and in the house while everyone is playing. It was our experience that by day 2 of hearing the songs we were able to sing them by memory and really had fun playing with the songs, dancing around the house, and singing them amongst ourselves even when the CD wasn't playing.</div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Classical%20Academic%20Press/?action=view&current=ssste_LRG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Classical%20Academic%20Press/ssste_LRG.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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During the review period we were able to complete 4 lessons in Song School Spanish and my children are excited to complete more as the year progresses. I enjoyed the fact that the workbook lessons are not lengthy but they are thorough and effective at teaching this foreign language. Each lesson in the student book begins with phrases or words to learn, chapter songs, a brief chapter lesson, an opportunity to practice writing the words for that lesson, and a fun activity or game. Some lessons include more activities but these are the basics of each lesson. Considering the age group this curriculum is intended for I feel that the lessons are excellently compiled, sections are short yet engaging which is important for this short attention span age group. I also particularly appreciated the fact that not only does the teacher's edition text have wonderful teacher's notes but it also includes the entire student book for easy reference and guidance when instructing your children, I wish all teacher manuals included that feature.</div>
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Samples of the teacher's edition book, the student book, and the songs for this curriculum are available <a href="http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=116">on the Classical Academic Press website</a></div>
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<b>Product Details:</b></div>
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<a href="http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=116">Teacher Book</a>: $24.95</div>
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<a href="http://classicalacademicpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_7&products_id=115">Student Book</a>: $24.95</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Disclai<span style="background-color: white;">mer: <em style="line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.</em></span></span></div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-56672212037916268482013-02-13T15:19:00.001-06:002013-02-13T15:21:23.940-06:002:1 Conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do you see that beautiful button in my sidebar? Yep, I am going to be attending the<a href="http://www.2to1conference.com/"> 2:1 conference</a> this year, just under 2 months from today. I am so excited to have this wonderful opportunity! I am looking forward to learning new things, meeting new people, and touring the Washington DC area after the conference. I can't thank my boss Mrs. Joseph Wood from <a href="http://www.amomentwithmom.com/">A Moment with M.O.M.</a> enough for this amazing opportunity!<br />
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Some of you may be wondering why she is my boss. At the beginning of this year, just over 6 weeks ago I accepted her offer to become the social media and advertising specialist for her blog. It was an opportunity that I had been praying for for quite a while, I just didn't know that this would be the answer to my prayer that God sent. So if you haven't visited us in the blogosphere or liked us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AMomentWithMom?ref=hl">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MomentswithMOM">Twitter</a> yet, please do so. I can guarantee you will be encouraged and equipped for your journey in motherhood.<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://www.2to1conference.com/" title="Titus 2:1 Conference"><img src="http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/SomewhatCrunchy/2to1Graphics2013/buttonseeu.png" alt="Titus 2:1 Conference" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-62050772259731596652013-02-13T11:01:00.000-06:002013-02-19T16:19:28.786-06:00Flowering Baby Review: TOS Crew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Have you ever wished you could get your hands on a collection of developmentally appropriate songs, craft ideas, and other fun early education tid bits just to make sure you weren't forgetting anything while your children were little? Finally you can!</div>
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<a href="http://floweringbaby.com/">Flowering Baby, LLC</a> is a fun and interactive for your child from birth through age five. Each curriculum is a separate year and each year is broken down by months. Furthermore, each month has over 20 activities that are fun and engaging for both you and your child.<br />
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Being that I have three little ones in my family, I had the wonderful opportunity of using and reviewing two different yearly curriculums. For my youngest who just turned 1 year, I used the <a href="http://floweringbaby.com/Birth_to_One.html">birth to one year program</a> and my my twins who just turned 2, I used the <a href="http://floweringbaby.com/One_to_Two.html">one to two year program</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Flowering%20Baby/?action=view&current=Vol1Currclick.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/TOSCrew2011/2013TOSCrew/Flowering%20Baby/Vol1Currclick.jpg" /></a>
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<b>How we used these programs:</b><br />
As a large family Mom in a busy homeschool household I often worry about missing out on or forgetting those fun early childhood activities that are critical for development and learning. Of course I do the basics but I sometimes feel like I am not teaching my little ones those fun songs that I grew up with one because I simply can't remember them and also because I don't make it a point to incorporate those things into our day. For example, pat-a-cake and itsy bitsy spider are about thee extent of my early childhood hand motion sings. Enter <a href="http://floweringbaby.com/Home_Page.html">Flowering Baby, LLC.</a><br />
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Now I don't have to wonder if I am remembering those fun songs or age appropriate crafts, everything is planned out for me year by year and month by month. This curriculum is also so flexible that you don't have to follow each day to the letter, rather use it as a guide for the month and fit in the suggested activities whenever and where ever you can.<br />
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One activity that my youngest and I really enjoyed from the birth to one year program was the discovery bottles. Using various water bottles we had laying around the house I filled them as suggested with water and small floating objects. After securing the lids my little guy and I set about discovering what was in each of the bottles. With lots of oohs and aahs and his trademark fish lips when he is excited we talked about each of the items floating and sloshing around in the bottles. Also recommended for this particular day was to have classical music playing in the background and reintroduce small blocks. Another activity on other days in this program is to read a particular book to your child. Now we read a lot of books in our house, but I appreciated the reminder to introduce other titles that I may have forgotten about or never heard of. I typically stick to my old favorites but this program helped remind me about others that my son might enjoy and I just needed to pick up at the library or find in our bookshelves.<br />
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My twins were nearly 2 when I started reviewing this product so I focused on the last few months in the one to two year program. One suggested activity that we particularly enjoyed was "where is it at". This game involved hiding something under a cup and then rearranging it with other similar looking cups. My girls and I giggled so much with this one, they thought it was such a fun game and little did they know the problem solving skills they were learning in the process. I enjoyed just watching their little brains work as they followed the hidden cup around. This activity is an example of one of those things I just wouldn't have thought to do on my own, I love having these programs at my finger tips to remind me of all of these fun, developmentally appropriate, and educational activities that I can do with my young children.<br />
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While I am not a big advocate for early education curriculum I thoroughly enjoyed Flowering Baby, LLC. I appreciated the hands on approach and suggestions as well as the wide variety of activities. This program did a wonderful job of incorporating hands on activities for speech, fine motor and gross motor skills, developmentally appropriate books, and songs into each day's activities.<br />
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<b>Interested in seeing examples of the Flowering Baby, LLC programs?</b><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byca7w9IWJ7sM1IyRUJoMy12Vk0/edit?usp=sharing">Birth to one year sample</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byca7w9IWJ7sbTgzTVhLT2Q0YUU/edit?usp=sharing">One to two year sample</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byca7w9IWJ7sUkU3ZGc1aDFGSlU/edit?usp=sharing">Two to three year sample</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byca7w9IWJ7sY1lkUktfRDd3OU0/edit?usp=sharing">Four to five year sample</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Byca7w9IWJ7sa0lwM2FOZ01uNEk/edit?usp=sharing">Four to five year sample</a><br />
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<b>Product Details:</b><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">Birth to 1 year program $30</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">One to two year program $30</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">Two to three year program $30</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">Three to four year program $38</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">Four to five year program $38</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.floweringbaby.com/">Buy all 5 programs for $132</a><br />
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As a special offer to my blog readers, Flowering Baby, LLC is offering 10% off all of their products. Use the code "Blog10" when ordering.<br />
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Disclaimer: I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion. No other form of payment or reimbursement was received.</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-86927912914902270442013-01-28T16:57:00.000-06:002013-01-28T16:57:00.746-06:00Homemade Coffee Creamer with Sweetened Condensed Milk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_x0HAfA1e8/UQcB0EO7mkI/AAAAAAAACp0/5iRQmpOIGeA/s1600/IMG_0746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_x0HAfA1e8/UQcB0EO7mkI/AAAAAAAACp0/5iRQmpOIGeA/s320/IMG_0746.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
About a month ago I took the plunge and pledged to no longer buy store bought coffee creamer. Instead I have been making my own with some simple ingredients. My husband's coffee is still sugar free but now it is free of chemicals and preservatives.<br />
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I begin my making my own sweetened condensed milk. Here is the <a href="http://yourlighterside.com/low-carb-recipe-sweetened-condensed-milk-substitute/#">recipe</a> from <a href="http://yourlighterside.com/">Your Lighter Side</a>.<br />
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I then add the sweetened condensed milk to a mason jar with the following:<br />
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1 cups whole organic milk (raw if I have it)<br />
2 tsp organic vanilla<br />
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I make a double batch every time which would be:<br />
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2 cups sweetened condensed milk<br />
2 cups whole milk<br />
4 tsp organic vanilla<br />
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Shake and enjoy with your next cup of java!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-44711732869874184862013-01-26T11:31:00.003-06:002013-01-26T11:46:01.503-06:00Whole Wheat Bread Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjMZR2v91dY/UQQQl-xVXNI/AAAAAAAACpk/oaKlMa1ZMEQ/s1600/IMG_0742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjMZR2v91dY/UQQQl-xVXNI/AAAAAAAACpk/oaKlMa1ZMEQ/s320/IMG_0742.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Did you know that January is National Bread Machine month? No? Me either. But to celebrate this wonderful month I thought it fitting to post a bread machine recipe that has been faithfully successful for quite a few months.<br />
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As with any bread making, measurements are key. Do not rush through making your bread, it will just end up flat and dense. The extra few minutes it takes to measure accurately will result is a beautiful and fluffy loaf of bread.<br />
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<b>Everyday Whole Wheat Bread</b><br />
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2tsp yeast (not rapid rising)<br />
1/2 cup honey<br />
1.5 cup warm water<br />
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1.5T butter cut in chunks<br />
1.5tsp sea salt<br />
1 cup oats<br />
2 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1.5 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />
1.2 cup vital wheat gluten<br />
1.5 cup flax meal<br />
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Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and let sit until bubbly.<br />
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Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl.<br />
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Ad bubbly yeast mixture to your bread machine first (unless your machine directions specify otherwise). Gently pour dry ingredients on top of liquid. Bread machine settings: 2lb loaf, light crust, white bread cycle. Start, wait, then enjoy!<br />
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Yes I know this is whole wheat bread and bread machines have a whole wheat bake setting. I have tried that setting on my machine before and the loaf not only took longer to bake but the loaf was not as soft or fluffy as we like.<br />
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Enjoy National Bread Machine Baking month!!<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-7634365046115860152013-01-10T06:11:00.002-06:002013-01-10T06:11:33.880-06:00No-Refried Refried Beans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Being originally from Southern California, my family and I love Mexican food. Tacos, fajitas, salsa, guacamole; you name we we've most likely tried it, love it, and make it at home.<br />
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Refried beans are a staple in Mexican cuisine but I've always heard they were time and labor intensive to make at home. I don't remember how it happened but about a month ago I stumbled across a recipe for no-refried refried beans. I was intrigued. After reading the recipe and making my own refried beans numerous times I've adapted the original recipe to be easier and quicker.<br />
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Nothing fancy here. . .but the no-refried beans are so yummy.<br />
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Make up a batch of pinto beans by soaking dry pinto beans for a couple of hours or even overnight. Place them in a large stock pot and cook over medium heat until tender, usually 3-4 hours. Cooked pintos will stay fresh refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, save a good portion of the water that the beans cooked in.<br />
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For simplicity in my own family I make small batches of refried beans as needed. We use pinto beans for so many things that I don't want to "re-fry" an entire pot of beans.<br />
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As needed for meals I reheat the chilled pintos in a saucepan with about 1/4 cup of the water from the pinto bean stock. While the beans are warming I mash them with a metal ladle. Any solid kitchen utensil will work for this job. Continue mashing the beans until you get a "beans paste". Once you have the desired mashed bean consistency, warm and season to your desired tastes. I typically add a bit of cheddar cheese and maybe a bit of salt if needed. Once warm and reduced to your refried bean consistency preferences enjoy!<br />
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See nothing fancy and most importantly none of the yucky preservatives, chemicals, and fat found in commercially available cans of refried beans.<br />
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(my apologies for no picture at this time, I will be sure and snap a shot next time we cook some of these yummy beans up)<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1036537778070474782.post-12120264500691132802013-01-08T16:52:00.002-06:002013-01-08T16:52:43.764-06:00Real Food: Healthy Beef Stroganoff<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you have been following this blog recently you already know that my husband and I are committed to changing our family's diet. We are aiming at real food eating, eliminating chemicals, preservatives, and GMOs.<br />
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I will begin sharing our dinner recipes a few times a week to show you that real food eating isn't as difficult as it sounds.<br />
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Tonight we are having Healthy Beef Stroganoff, it is an adaptation from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/healthier-beef-stroganoff-iii/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=beef%20stroganoff&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results">All Recipes Healthier Beef Stroganoff III</a><br />
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2lbs ground beef, grass fed</div>
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1/2 tsp salt & pepper</div>
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1/2lb mushrooms, sliced</div>
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1/2 large onion chopped</div>
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1/4 cup balsamic vinegar</div>
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1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use all-purpose flour)</div>
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1 1/4 cup beef stock</div>
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1 tsp prepared mustard</div>
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1/3 cup cream</div>
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Note: I used organic ingredients where possible<br />
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Directions: Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain fat from ground beef and set meat aside. In the skillet sauté mushrooms and onions, add a bit of butter if needed. In another pan boil water and cook noodles of choice. Remove mushrooms and onions when cooked, ~6min, transfer to another bowl. In skillet add balsamic vinegar and whisk 1/4 cup beef stock with flour. Add flour/stock to pan with vinegar. Deglaze pan. Add remaining 1 cup of beef stock to skillet and whisk until smooth. Add beef, mushrooms, and onions to skillet, mix. When mixture is warm add cream. Serve over noodles.<br />
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My family all adore this meal and ask for seconds, it makes great leftovers too which is helpful for large families!!<br />
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Enjoy,<br />
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Photo courtesy of All Recipes.com</div>
Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1