Salad On Tuesday: Week 10 {Caprese Salad}

This salad is so basic and so refreshing and as easy as 1-2-3.  

1) You just go out to your garden and pick some tomatoes.   (Or if you have used all of your garden tomatoes and the rest are some shade of green, stop at a local produce stand and pick up a few, hypothetically speaking, of course).  

2)  Go to the market and buy some fresh mozzarella.  (Or send your daughter in to buy the fresh mozzarella and she buys a prepackaged block which is not the same consistency or shape but will do just fine.  Again, hypothetically speaking.)

3)  Run out to the herb garden and snip some basil leaves.  (Or send your daughter to snip said leaves because your hungry husband is home from work and ready for dinner and you need to get things moving along more quickly.  Yes, hypothetically.)

Now you're all ready to assemble Caprese Salad...and have it on the table lickety split!

There are no precise measurements for this salad, just a simple process. ~ ~ ~ ~  Slice fresh tomatoes into thick slices. Slice the mozzarella into similarly sized slices. Stack a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella, and a basil leaf.  Repeat until you're out of tomatoes. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Tonight I served this salad with Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, but it goes just as nicely with grilled chicken or with beef.  

I arranged each "stack" separately this evening, but I have also arranged them in overlapping rows, as in this picture:

~source~

And I plan to try Caprese hors d'oeuvres by alternating basil leaves, small balls of mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes on a skewer and then drizzling the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over a tray of those.  Or I may even try this if my basil leaves grow big enough.  Aren't they cute?

~Pin~

What do you think?  Is this a good way to use that abundance of tomatoes from your garden?

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1: BLT Macaroni Salad

Week 2: Pesto Pasta Salad

Week 3: Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Week 4: Chicken Salad Deluxe
Week 5: Cheeseburger Salad
Week 6: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Week 7: Chicken BLT Salad 
Week 8: Broccoli Salad à l'Orange
Week 9: Greek Pasta Salad

Homeschool Recordkeeping

When a mom asks me a homeschooling question, I remember the flood of questions I had the year that I began my own homeschooling journey.  Everything from

What curriculum do I use? 

to

Where do we sit to do school work?  (Can he do his math in his bedroom?) 

to

How long does it take?

In those days (1991!), the internet was not full of homeschool web sites or yahoo groups or blogs. Believe it or not, there weren't even many homeschool catalogs circulating.  I once asked a homeschool mom whom I had met through my sister if I could come to her house and observe her school day so that I would know what to do!  I think I weirded her out...and understandably so, because who really wants three "flies on the wall" watching your every move and who ever has the way of homeschooling that is right for everyone?  

Anyway...you just never know what people want to know about homeschooling.  So when someone "in real life" asks me a question, I wonder if there are other new homeschoolers who have the same question, thus this little miniseries of posts on beginning homeschooling.  

Last week, two people asked me about recordkeeping.  They asked the right (or maybe the wrong!) person, because I am obsessive about recordkeeping.  I suppose I began my meticulous homeschool recordkeeping because our two older children had spent several years in the public school system, and I had this clear mental image of "the school police" looking over my shoulder and seeing if I had done everything right.  I wrote everything down.  By the time I realized that there probably was no "school police" who would be checking my records, I was already in the habit of recording.  And, truth be told, I still like to be thorough, and to be able to look back and see what fun things we did and what we accomplished.  (And, yes, I still have all my record books from the past 20+ years.  I told you I was obsessive.)

Over the years, my recordkeeping has taken several forms.  The first year, I used one of those black teacher's planning books purchased at a teacher supply store.  Then I read How to Homeschool (to which I referred in this post).  The author had included an appendix of recordkeeping forms that were more useful for the home educator...weekly planning sheets, unit study records, chore charts, week-at-a-glance forms, and more.  My eyes lit up!  I used many of these helpful forms for years.

I have also used recordkeeping forms from The Home Education CopyBook by Kathy VonDuyke (now out of print) and Senior High: A Home-Designed Form-U-La by Barb Shelton.

I have also heard that the School Planner for Homeschooling Mothers is a wonderful resource for Charlotte Mason-style home educators.  

But what I have settled on in the past few years is pretty simple.   I just design my own recordkeeping sheets!  That way, I can decide what to include, adjust how much space is needed to record what subjects, and print out as many as I need.  I can make changes from year to year.  And I don't need to wait on anyone to come up with the right form for me.  

I use my word processing software to make simple tables.  You can play around with your own forms, and, since it's on your own computer, change it up as often as you need!  

I am including the forms that I used last year...just as a springboard to get you started.  The first one is the empty form; on the second, I have filled in with a week in the life of our homeschool.

(Side note:  When I have had more than one student, I have found it helpful to print each student's recordkeeping sheets on a different color paper.)

(Another note:  In the sample forms, CW=copywork, EFRU=English From the Roots Up, and DG=Daily Gram.)

Homeschool moms, how do you handle recordkeeping? What methods have been helpful to you?

My miniseries of "beginning homeschooling" posts:

Beginning Homeschooling? My Three Best Tips!

Homeschooling? Books to Get You Started

Sunday Snapshots: Celebrate With Ice Cream

On Saturday, my sister-in-law called to invite us to a Sunday afternoon homemade ice cream party in honor of their 45th wedding anniversary.  So on Saturday evening, Kati made a pound cake*, and after our Sunday lunch of Cheeseburger Salad, we all went over to celebrate. Some of us drove down the road, with the cake and Kristin's cookies and some lawn chairs.  But all of the children, with Papa in the lead, took the scenic route along the edge of the woods and across the fields.  

* Bekah inquired about the meaning of the term "pound cake."  Kati explained to her that a true "pound cake" required a pound of butter.  (This one was a true pound cake.)  Then Bekah wondered aloud whether you would be a pound heavier if you ate the whole thing.  (Somehow, I think that I would be much more than a pound heavier if I ate the whole thing.)  

Thursday Potpourri

When I saw this on pinterest yesterday, I immediately thought of Bekah. 

source

A recent observation from Bekah: 

"That's one thing about Kati.  She never complains.  
She never screams either.  I scream all the time."  

True, true, Bekah. 

Have you seen Thomas' Lemon Poppy Seed Bagels in your local grocery store?  Oh my.  I have.  Lemon Poppy Seed is one of their limited time seasonal flavors, along with Banana Bread and Corn.  (That's Banana Bread and Corn.  Two separate flavors.  The idea of a blend of those two flavors is not a pleasant thought.)  I intended to give them all a try, but I reach for the Lemon Poppy Seed every time.  

See I do like some things about summer!  (But are they all related to food?  Hmm...)

And speaking of taste treats...have you tried Coconut M&M's?  Sigh...

Ron's birthday was yesterday.  He is 56.  When we got married, he was 22.  A lot of water under the bridge.  

He is a man who is easy to please.  He asked for lima beans and dumplings, sliced tomatoes (which I forgot to serve!), and hot biscuits.  And rice pudding in lieu of birthday cake, which I happily obliged.  His mom joined us for dinner and told us all about the day he was born.  

It was a simple, happy celebration.

Salad On Tuesday: Week 9 {Greek Pasta Salad}

This cool summer salad is rich in flavor and nutrition.  And it's versatile too!  Although the recipe below is for a side salad, it can just as easily be bumped up to main dish standing by tossing in some grilled chicken.  Add some pita chips on the side, and you're good to go!  

Ingredients: 1 lb. rotini or gemelli pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled  (I like Barilla PLUS® multi-grain pasta.) 3 cups chopped spinach 1/2 cup black olives, chopped  1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt  Directions: In a large salad bowl, combine cooled pasta with spinach, olives, and feta. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt.  Pour over pasta mixture and toss.

I may be tired of summer, but I'm not yet tired of summer eating, and I have a few more salad recipes to share on Tuesdays in August.  

What about you?  Are you tired of summer eating?  (Or of summer?)

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1: BLT Macaroni Salad

Week 2: Pesto Pasta Salad

Week 3: Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Week 4: Chicken Salad Deluxe
Week 5: Cheeseburger Salad
Week 6: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Week 7: Chicken BLT Salad 
Week 8: Broccoli Salad à l'Orange

Sunday Weekend Snapshots: Full

FRIDAY:

An unhurried phone call from Ryan and Sarah...

full of stories and laughs and catching up.

~joy~ 

SATURDAY:

A birthday party for these two sweeties, 

granddaughter Maddie and grandson Owen. 

(I love how their personalities shine through in this photo!) 

A dinner shared after the party...

followed by another birthday party,

this one for Ron/Dad/Papa. 

Here, Owen presents Papa with his dessert of choice, 

a homemade cinnamon roll.

We all applauded Papa's choice...and Kristin's baking.

SUNDAY:

Worship with our church fellowship
(inspired teaching, voices blending in the beautiful hymns of the faith, blessed fellowship),

an unexpected gift from a sweet friend 

(and it's not even my birthday),

and a delightful evening shared with our friends Chris and Kim.

A weekend like this can fill up your tank!  

Homeschooling? Books to Get You Started

Mini Series on Beginning Homeschooling {Part Two}
Part One
Part Three


In yesterday's post about my three best tips for beginning homeschooling, I promised a reading list of books to guide and inspire.  Happy reading!

“Getting Started” Books
{or}
“Refresher and Encouragement Books for Those Who Have Already Started”

Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling ~ Mary Pride

When I first began homeschooling, I read Pride's The Big Book of Home Learning.  It was invaluable. It is no longer in print, but this book (Complete Guide...) is the updated and improved version.

If you've ever read anything by Mary Pride, you know that she does not leave a stone unturned. She has a passion for excellence when it comes to all areas of family life, including homeschooling.  
    


The Christian Home School ~ Gregg Harris

A great first book about homeschooling!  Harris, a pioneer in the homeschool movement, presents the Biblical case for parents being the primary teachers of their children.     

How to Homeschool ~ Gayle Graham

Chock full of teaching and organizing ideas for the beginning homeschooler.   I read this book every summer for years. 

A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning ~ Karen Andreola

Perfect book to read to be introduced to the methods of 19^th century educator Charlotte Mason.  Andreola provides lots of practical ideas she has used in teaching her own children. 

Homeschool Burnout ~ Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore

I read this book before I ever started homeschooling—not because I was “burned out” (I hadn’t even begun!), but because it was one of the few books about homeschooling that I could find in the public library.  However, it gave me a vision that “home schooling” did not have to be “school at home.”  

The Moores authored many other books such as Home Spun Schools, Better Late Than Early, and Home Grown Kids.  Their most recent book is The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook.  (I have not read this one.)

Educating the Whole-Hearted Child ~ Clay and Sally Clarkson

The Clarksons emphasize the HOME in homeschooling!  They have many ideas for teaching to the heart of your child.  Lots of Scriptural foundation. 

Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling ~ Diana Waring

This book encourages you to find joy in the journey of the homeschooling life.

           

Homeschooling the EASY Way ~ Cindy Rushton

Cindy Rushton’s “you can do it” style inspires confidence!  If you think, “I can’t,” then borrow, beg, or buy this book.

Home Designed Form-U-la ~ Barb Shelton

Fresh ideas about teaching, designing courses, and record-keeping for the high school student.  

You Can Teach Your Child Successfully and The Three R’s ~ Ruth Beechick

These books offer strategies for simplifying the teaching of every subject. 

Homeschooling for Excellence ~ David and Micki Colfax

The Colfaxes tell about their "out of the box" education methods as they homeschooled their four sons in the 1970's and 80's.  (Three of the sons continued their education at Harvard!)  

I know that this is not an exhaustive list! Fellow homeschoolers, are there books that you'd add to my list?  Let my readers know in the comments!  

Beginning Homeschooling? My Three Best Tips!

Mini Series on Beginning Homeschooling {Part One}

It's the time of year that thoughts are turning to "back to school."  After answering several queries about beginning homeschooling recently, I decided to share some of my thoughts here on my blog.  These are what I consider the three most important things to getting started on your homeschooling journey.

1. Pray

Ask for His direction concerning your children's education.  Then if you are convinced that homeschooling is the path for your family, ask for wisdom in making educational choices.  Our Heavenly Father knows our children better, and loves our children more, than we do ourselves, so it only makes sense to seek His help in planning the details!

Does that mean that the Lord will highlight the homeschool catalogs with the "right" books and curriculum that I am to buy?  Well...um...no.  BUT, I truly believe that He will guide my choices if I ask Him to.  "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:6, NKJV)

2. Read

When we were considering homeschooling our oldest two children back in 1991, I read every book about home education that I could get my hands on.  As I read, I began to formulate my own ideas of what a home education should look like.  As I read, some educational plans and concepts resonated with me.  Knowing what my homeschool philosophy was aided me in planning specifics.

Borrow from your local library.  Borrow from your friends who homeschool.  Buy the books that are the most helpful to you.  But read, read, read until you get a feel for what you want your homeschool to look like.   

(Tomorrow I will post a list of books that  I think would be helpful.)

3. Take the plunge.

If you've prayed and know that this is your path to walk, and if you have done some reading and have a perfunctory idea of where you want to go, then just do it!

You can always make adjustments to your plan or even change curriculum (after all, every child and every year is different), but I believe you will look back and say, "I am so glad I did this!"

Mini Series on Beginning Homeschooling:
{Part Two} Homeschooling? Books to Get You Started
{Part Three} Homeschool Recordkeeping

Salad On Tuesday: Week 8 {Broccoli Salad à l'Orange}

Do you like to take something to contribute when you are invited out to dinner?  I do.  I like to feel as if I have been of some help to the hostess, so if she doesn't ask me to bring something, I usually offer.  (Of course, some hostesses like to prepare everything and that is okay too.)    

This week, I had volunteered to bring a side dish for the Sunday afternoon meal at our friends' house.  Inspired by a bagged salad mix I had purchased that had an orange flavored dressing, I decided to tweak my own broccoli salad recipe.  I substituted dried cranberries for the usual raisins, and added some orange marmalade to give the salad a punch of citrus.  (I doubled the recipe to serve a crowd, but the recipe below is for approximately six servings.)

Ingredients: 1 bunch of broccoli (about1 lb.) 1/3 cup real bacon bits 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup whipped salad dressing (or mayo) 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 3 tablespoons orange marmalade  Directions: Cut florets off broccoli stalks and cut into small pieces. In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, bacon bits, onion, cheese, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Whisk together salad dressing, vinegar, and marmalade.   Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and stir until all ingredients are coated.

Do you have a go-to dish that you make when asked to contribute?  Or do you take a risk and try something new?  ~smile~ 

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1: BLT Macaroni Salad

Week 2: Pesto Pasta Salad

Week 3: Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Week 4: Chicken Salad Deluxe
Week 5: Cheeseburger Salad
Week 6: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Week 7: Chicken BLT Salad 

Sunday Snapshots: Hospitality

Today, our family (our own family of four, and Kristin's family of seven) were invited to Sunday lunch at the lovely home of our friends Bryan, Mary, and Aaron.  Of course, Mary is accustomed to cooking for three, but she (with the help of her grill master, Bryan) outdid herself and prepared a wonderful meal for fourteen this afternoon.  Not only did they feed us, but they were so gracious and made us feel right at home...as if their home was filled with fourteen people (seven of them under the age of 10!) every Sunday afternoon!  

This evening I am thinking about hospitality.  

Hospitality says, I am giving of myself.

Hospitality says, You are welcome here.

Hospitality says, It's not about my home, or even the food.  It's about sharing our time, our means, our selves.

More thoughts on hospitality...

 {31 Days to Make a House a Home} Day 8 ~ Share It

 Practicing Biblical Hospitality

A Song of Praise!

I was on a Walmart run today when my cell phone rang.  It was Kati calling to tell me that our travelers had reached their destination!  

Suddenly, I could feel the tension of the past ten days draining away.  I had not even known the extent of my tension, but I felt like I was lighter, like I wanted to skip through the aisles with a huge grin on my face and a song in my heart.  A song of praise to my God!

I will sing unto the Lord,

because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:6

I refrained from skipping, but I am sure that I did not hide my smile and I sang that song of praise in my heart. On the way home, I continued to praise the Lord, and tears of joy flowed from a mama-heart full of gratitude.  

Gratitude for 3400 miles traveled in safety. Gratitude for 3400 miles with no vehicle troubles. Gratitude for ten days of no sickness. Gratitude for children who were relatively happy. Gratitude for His mercy and His plan.   

I have shared this quote from Elisabeth Elliot before here at Thinking About Home, but this evening it seems particularly meaningful to me.

"It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the end of our journey, He is also at every stopping place."

Salad On Tuesday: Week 7 {Chicken BLT Salad}

It's time to share the last of the salad recipes shared with me by my dear friend Jill.  This is another inspired by the classic bacon-lettuce-tomato combination, this one with chicken too!  

I served the salad on a large white serving platter, and thought it made a pretty presentation.  Then we tried it, and declared it another keeper.  I suppose you can't go wrong with bacon as an ingredient. ~smile~  And the dressing gave this dish a unique flavor.  It also helped that we used farm fresh tomatoes from a local produce stand, and not the cardboard tomatoes that you get at the grocery store. Mmmmmmm.

Dressing Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Salad Ingredients: 8 cups torn greens 2 large tomatoes 1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cooked and shredded 10 bacon strips, cooked until crisp and crumbled 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced  (I used 4.) Directions: In small bowl, mix dressing ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving time.  Place greens in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with tomatoes, chicken, and bacon; garnish with eggs. Serve with dressing.

Thank you, Jill, for sharing all your yummy recipes!

(I think I am enjoying this summer salad series as much as anyone!)

Looking for a recipe from another week?

Week 1: BLT Macaroni Salad

Week 2: Pesto Pasta Salad

Week 3: Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Week 4: Chicken Salad Deluxe
Week 5: Cheeseburger Salad
Week 6: Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

A Gift From a Friend

We all love presents. Traditionally we’ve grown to expect a birthday or an anniversary present, but we are especially touched when we receive something out of the blue. Think of your gift-giving as bringing an unexpected pleasure to someone you care about. An element of surprise intensifies satisfaction. There is a double emotional impact when a present is given to you because someone thought of you, or came across a book that “has your name on it.”

~ from Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard

When I told you about my most recent whim, my blog friend Milah, offered me a delightful gift!  She had a book about Early American stenciling and wall art and she thought that the book "had my name on it."  

Last week, the book arrived in my mailbox...along with a book of  Early American craft projects and some research on wall art and some booklets with stencil patterns and some magazine articles that she had collected.  Unexpected gifts!  

I am poring over the books, taking mental notes...still contemplating that mural on my staircase wall, and also (thanks to these photos of gorgeous Early American homes) considering where I might add a bit of stenciling.

Thank you for these gifts, Milah.  My heart is touched with your thoughtfulness.

What has inspired you lately?  
Do you consider home projects in the summer? Or does inspiration strike you more in the fall?

Sunday Snapshots: The Beach

It was the perfect day for a little road trip.

A perfect day for the beach!

fun 

sun

sand

stroll

picnic

shells

frisbee