For all of you worrying over how to figure GPA and draft transcripts...let this do it for you!

I've been using the Homeschool Tracker for years now and love how it just makes my life easy, tracking attendance, report cards, reading log, assignments, you name it all on the FREE version! LOVED IT.

Now I see the paid version for only $49.95 ONCE...will do my transcripts for me too, weighted grades and the works...um, YEAH!

One less thing to do by hand and one less headache!!  

Here is the link you need.
http://www.homeschooltracker.com/refer.aspx?8S3GU

As a working mom too, I know I will be using it just to save time and hassle! :)

I didn't do online, I wanted a download that was MINE once I paid for it and could use regardless of the internet was out or not. ;)

Been using it for years and the idea of simply inputting the info and letting it figure the grades and transcripts...love it!

Gardening doesn't have to be pretty

So it hit me today when thinking about credit for my teen toward high school....
a group of us should garden together.

No, not a community garden, but each family has their own.  
Many are started, some want to, and others will always WANT to and never will.

SO for our kids to get Agricultural credit toward high school instead of some other lame class they won't like...let's garden!! DUH

We'll rotate houses though to see and help with each garden.  Tips for those whose need to get started and help to get there, tips for those who are going and might have issues, general maintenance, you name it.  THIS WAY we are all learning at different levels on how to care for our own stuff AND helping others in the community as well...WIN WIN!!

Now that we're all patting each other on the back, what is the one thing stopping us besides being clueless?

A garden does NOT have to be pretty!  Sounds easy, but really, what are we thinking?
Does it need to make our friends go 'ooh-ah, it's so pretty'...um, no.  I need to eat it!

I saw some pictures of a UCLA student garden that looked like it was in the middle of a junkyard at times.
Then it hit me....it REALLY DOES NOT have to be pretty....it just has to grow stuff.

So finally, I'm getting off my duff and ready to get started...and apparently I'm dragging the kids with me.   On the bright side....I have compost already ready to use.
Now I even have some seeds in some dirt!   Who's on a roll now!?!?! hahahahah

I think if I do a class for 'credit' there will be a lot less feet dragging going on about being 'forced' out there! LOL

Apple Cranberry Crumble

Perfect for dessert, but can also serve this for breakfast.

You can easily make this ahead, then reheat when you are ready to serve.

For the filling:

·                     3 cups (about 4) peeled gala apples, sliced

·                     1 cup fresh cranberries

·                     1 tbsp flour or cornstarch

·                     1/2 tsp cinnamon

·                     2/3 cup agave

·                     cooking spray such as Smart Balance

For the topping:

·                     3/4 cup dry quick-cooking oats

·                     1/4 cup packed light brown sugar RAW Honey

·                     1 tbsp all-purpose flour

·                     3 Tblsp butter, melted

·                     1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

·                     1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Combine apples, cranberries along with the rest of the filling ingredients in a bowl. Pour into baking dish and even out with a spoon.

In another bowl, combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over apple/cranberry mixture.

Bake uncovered, for 55-60 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm. 

calzone or pizza

Mm-mm-mm...
We took our sourdough recipe (yes one of the posted blogs on here already)  :)
and decided to roll it out like pizza dough.  

I cut it in half and rolled out 2 pizza crusts.

Spray or wipe the pizza lightly with oil then sprinkle with garlic salt.
**DO FIRST SO YOU DON'T FORGET**
Don't skip this step....it makes the crust amazing.  When I forget, I get scolded by the kids! ha ha ha

So while my dough was rising...I put about 5-6 chicken tenders in the pan on low/warm and let them cook real slow...season however you want, but for this first time we left them plane.

Shred them when done.
Once you get the dough rolled out thing, put the first one on the pan with the garlic salt....DO IT now if you forgot, trust me this step sounds like no big deal but REALLY does just make the crust that much better.

I wiped olive oil on the dough, then wiped mince garlic on after that.  (mmm....garlic)
Now the shredded chicken does on. :)
Then some fresh spinach.  ((nope the kids didn't freak))
Then some shredded cheese...we used block cheese that my son attacked with a potato peeler!! LOL

Feel free to do whatever else you want...we didn't do sauce or anything else as this was our first attempt and we didn't know if this would come out since we made this whole meal up and had no recipe!!  :P


Now lay your other thin pizza dough on the top of everything.
Line it up...then pinch all the way around the circle to close up the edges.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins depending on your oven...ours was 22.

When you take it out, wipe the top with a tad of melted butter to keep the crust soft on top.
We cut it up like pizza and stuffed our faces!!

IT WAS SO GOOD!!!!

We WILL be making this one again!!  Go me, go me, go me!  ha ha
I can't tell you what to do with leftovers as we didn't have any!!!LOL
We've made bread sticks using this dough and they did reheat the next day and taste delicious....
so I'm sure this will too!
But in our case....we had this left...

healthy hot chocolate that TASTES like hot chocolate! oh yeah!

hot cocoa/hot chocolate

Unlike some recipes doing a bigger batch with this, it still tasted right.

I have done 1 cup, 2 cups, and 4 cups at a time keeping this ratio per cup and have never had an issue.   SO DRINK UP!!

Ingredients: 

1 cup So Delicious™ Coconut Milk Beverage (regular milk works perfect too)
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (baking)
1 tsp. unrefined coconut oil (room temperature)
1 Tbsp. agave nectar  RAW honey

½ pack of Stevia

Preparation:

Pour milk into medium saucepan and begin warming up. 

Whisk cocoa into the milk. Continue to whisk while adding coconut oil and agave or honey:

We like the original taste, but you can tweak sometimes by adding:

dash of cinnamon
nutmeg
vanilla
orange peel
mint or more chocolate

Let it cook about 4-5 minutes until it starts to bubble just a bit. 

Pour into a mug and enjoy the aroma while allowing a few minutes to cool before drinking. 

brownie cookies...mmm

How can it get better than combining a few of my favorite things, chocolate, brownies, and cookies!

We've been trying to eat 'clean' and get rid of sugar, yet  still enjoy treats.

THIS IS A KEEPER!!!
 ((Well actually they are all GONE, but the recipe is a keeper so we can do it again!))

½ cup butter
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached white wheat)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar (I used 1 cup RAW honey)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine butter, chocolate, in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter and chocolate melt; let cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl, set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer.

(I mixed it all by hand with a fork and it did just fine)

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, beating well.

Then add the chocolate mixture and beat well.   

Scoop dough onto baking sheets 1 inch apart.

 ((The honey/no sugar version was really runny but don’t worry, they puff up))

Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes for honey version then let sit for a minute for a few minutes after you take them out.

ENJOY!! ;-)

hide a bed / murphy bed

Okay, I am SERIOUSLY thinking I am going to do this when we move.

I hate how there is a waste of space for so many beds...but yes, I'm sucker and don't make my kids sleep on the floor at night.  Darn kids wanting comfort! LOL

So solution...making murphy beds.   BRILLIANT...they get their comfort (big babies LOL) and during the day we get them OUT of the way and open up the room for some play area etc... YAY!!!

I also like that it is wide and not tall...just makes the whole thing feel 'safer' (Yes because I'm paranoid) LOL


Already decided for the girl, we'll do panels so she can use it to showcase all her artwork.

I might glue on some lego panels for one of the boys or do chalkboard paint or dry erase for some added fun space.

MORE DETAILS I've found to help when the time comes. :D
More is good...as I'm a freak when it comes to details and safety!!! LOL

for the love of sourdough!

I never wanted to know HOW to make sourdough, well because I would be 400 lbs!!  


Ironically, now that we are eating 'clean' I learned how to make it.

Trial and error and honey, mmm--mmm-mmm- we finally NAILED IT!!! 


We now make the best sourdough and the family BEGS for it.
I can pretty  much get them to do whatever I want to to get a piece.
Yeah, that's right, you know you want to try it now!! 


First you need your sourdough starter:  this is so easy that even "I" could do it!!


BASIC SOURDOUGH STARTER:   (Make 8-12 hrs before you plan on baking)
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 n 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar (we used RAW honey)
3 cups all purpose flour

Mix warm water and yeast and let stand 5 mins.
If it doesn't foam, throw it out and start again.
Mix everything together, ,cover, and let it sit somewhere warm for 8-12 hrs.
I put mine in the oven with the oven light on...perfect every time.
You can cover with a towel, but I recommend putting oil or plastic over the top to avoid dough sticking to your towel.
 (Yeah that was a fun clean up the first time, really didn't expect it to rise THAT much-but it did)


Use immediately or cover LOOSELY in your fridge.

So from here you can make anything sourdough you want too...
you got the starter and you're all set.


But ooooh, the bread sticks, pretzels and pizza dough we've made using the following was SO good, I can even get kids to get along, clean up, etc in exchange for sourdough bread!! 

spice up a chandelier

Update a Chandelier or spice it up a tad.Face it, they get boring after a while...so...

Black paint (or whatever color your main chandelier is) adds instant style and pizzazz to the glass shades of a chandelier. 
Use an adhesive-backed stencil and paint designed for glass. 
Cover the shades to protect them from overspray.

bookcase to cupboard

Take a plan bookcase/bookshelf and make a Country Cupboard

I am so doing to have to try this one:  
To transform this bookcase into a cupboard, add a pair of shutters with a touch of country character. 
You can order these cut-to-fit shutters from www.diyshutters.com. 
Or you can search your local home center. After sanding, priming, and painting the pieces, hang the shutters on the bookcase with cabinetry hinges. 

Top it off with a forge-iron shutter bolt to keep the doors closed.