Well, we're doing it!

Homeschooling, that is! I've always wanted to, and it just seemed to be the right time. Elijah had a wonderful Kindergarten teacher in Mountain Home last year and was so happy to go to school, but he didn't seem to be having a good time in first grade. He was excelling, but not happy. They only had one 30-minute recess in a 7.5-hour day, and he was expected to do an hour or two of homework every night in addition to his work during the school day. It was just too much for him, and he was unhappy. He didn't get enough social time, plus he is gifted and was bored being taught words he's known how to read and spell for over two years. There is no gifted program where we live, so that was out as an option. He can honestly get more social time doing homeschool with all the activities we have planned, which seems funny to say because usually that is the first argument people make against homeschooling.

We love homeschooling so far! I've been teaching subtraction, counting money, and telling time for math, he's reading a chapter book, we're working on writing and spelling several sight words, spending tons of time outside, and doing lots of Fall and Halloween projects and activities! I've also contacted several homeschool co-ops and just need to decide which to get involved with. Madelyn and Ethan are getting in on the homeschool fun with their older brother. Ethan still goes to special needs preschool from 7:45-10:45 each morning, but participates in most of the activities we do outside of that timeframe.

Today, in addition to our academic work, we made fist-painted pumpkin patches! They were super easy and fun to make because the kids (and Mama) got to put their hands in paint. These were made while Ethan was at school, which is why he didn't make one. I put some orange paint in a bowl, they dipped their fists in the paint, and kind of (gently) punched the paper. The little fist marks really capture the texture of pumpkins! After the orange paint dried, we painted stems and vines in green. Here are some pictures of the project, and a couple more of Elijah's drawing and story about Halloween/his Jango Fett (from Star Wars) costume:

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I've had a lot of interest in my recipes on Facebook, so I thought I would start posting some of the extra yummy ones on the blog for others to try. Tonight for dinner, I made pork chops, pasta, and steamed broccoli with my homemade alfredo sauce, plus yesterday's leftover cornbread. The thing that makes my alfredo special is cream cheese, so you know it must be good! Plus it is super easy! I would encourage all of you who buy sauce in jars at the grocery store to give this a shot. You won't be sorry! It's so much better than the store-bought kind, plus less costly to prepare.


Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder (optional)
pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Once butter is almost melted, add the package of cream cheese. It's easiest to cut it into cubes so that it melts quicker.
Once butter and cream cheese are mixed well together, add the cup of half and half, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and shake pepper on top. Stir together.
Once it's mixed well and sauce-like, take it off the burner and set aside so it can thicken up. Stir every few moments.
And...that's it! Pour over pasta, veggies, homemade breadsticks, or anything you like, and enjoy!

I plan to do many more recipe blogs. Since I make almost everything from scratch, or try to, hopefully you can get some useful ideas for meals in your home!