Simple Saturday: School @ Home

Thade is busy at school all day, but he brings home a lot of homework. This month there is a lot of extra schoolwork going on, so the dining room has become an at home schoolroom.

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All of the first graders are participating in the Ready Set Read program, and the goal is 30 books read by April. Thade finished up his first 30 last week, and is focusing on a goal of 50. I keep a big stack of books on the buffet to keep him reading during the week. He is hoping to finish another 10 this weekend, once he sets his sight on a goal, he is one determined kiddo.

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Thade is also participating in a Spelling Bee, and he had over 250 words to study. I wrote them out on little cards so he could read through them at his leisure. We also go through them at random during the evenings, and a little during homework time after school. The box below the cards has become a permanent fixture on the dining room table. It is an old scrapbooking supply case, but it makes a great holder of all of the day-to-day schoolwork. I keep the weekly spelling lists, and calendars in it, so I can remember what’s going on for the week.

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Thade would draw 24 hours a day if I would let him, so we set him up a big desk full of art supplies. Dylan sometimes hangs out too, and colors in his coloring books. Some nights Thade will have at least an hour of homework, I have him take drawing breaks to help keep him from getting burned out on all that homework.

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It’s a few simple items, but it has really helped this big kid get all of his homework done.

Nicostuff FAILs

Sometimes I have these great ideas, and I think that a new project will be cool. I map out a plan in mind, and then FAIL hard… Here’s three to share.

12 Months 12 Projects

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Shortly after I had Agnes, I looked around our current address and decided I couldn’t take it any longer. We needed to redecorate every square inch of the house. I made a list of 12 projects that I would tackle in 12 months, and I didn’t get a single one of them done…

Nicostuff’s Fried Chicken Quest

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This one made it onto facebook and through the twitter-verse, but it never quite made it to Nicostuff, here’s why.

I had this cool idea… I currently live in the fried chicken capital of the world, and I thought it would be fun to check out all of the surrounding communities Fried Chicken restaurants, and see if my homemade fried chicken is better. I made a short list of about 6 places to go, and kept busy perfecting my recipe, and I headed out to enjoy our first meal on the quest for the best.

I drove about 12 miles away for a local favorite, brought it home, presented it to the family, and I got food poisoning. They ate the tenders, I had the one that was still on the bone. I was brutally sick for a good week and a half, and thus the quest was ended.

P.S. My chicken is the best!

Lastly….

February’s 2011 No Take-Out Month

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I had a plan, I had a great menu, I had a family that couldn’t take it one minute longer. We made it to day 25, and I caved and picked up donuts, thus ending the project…I might just go and get Taco Bell for dinner and call it officially done.

Here’s to a new day, and maybe a noggin full of new projects. Some I might actually accomplish.

Happy Birthday Uncle Rob!

So today is a pretty cool day. Thade asked if he could ditch school, so we could drive to K.C. and surprise Uncle Rob at work. How I wish I could have said yes! Since I’m here though, I thought I should tell you a bit about one of my very favorite people in the whole wide world, and today just happens to be his birthday.

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Rob is my amazing Brother. He is beyond creative, a very talented artist, and seriously the best Uncle in the whole world.

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He is patient and kind, and the coolest person on the planet.

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He is loved by these little guys far more that he will ever know.

I feel really lucky to have Rob not only as my brother, but also my best friend ever since we were little…

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Happy Birthday Rob!

Wishing you the very best on your birthday, and here’s to many more!

Getting The Hang Of It

I have had a lot of fun playing with my new phone, my hubby really did an awesome job in the present department for my birthday this year. I love love love the camera on the iPhone, and I’ve got a few fun photography apps to play with too. I hope to keep my new camera busy once Spring rolls around and there are pretty sights everywhere.

I thought I would share some of my favorites so far…

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My very first picture, James (and the kiddos) got me my favorite flowers for Valentine’s Day.

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My Brother recommended Hipstamatic to me, and I love it. It adds the coolest touches to digital photos.

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So cute! Looks like the vintage photos that I grew up with.

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It is tricky taking pictures of Agnes though, she won’t sit still for anyone.

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The cat doesn’t mind though, he isn’t camera shy.

Lunch Menu 2/21-2/28

Alright, let’s finish up this month’s lunches. I have a simple menu planned for the last week of the no take-out month, and I’m ready for a break from the kitchen. So here we go…

  • 2/21/2011: Pot Roast and Potatoes (leftovers from Sunday’s dinner)
  • 2/22/2011: PB & J’s for me just J’s for Dylan and Potato Chips (James is out of town that day, so I have a super simple lunch planned)
  • 2/23/2011: Homemade Pizza (leftovers from Monday’s dinner)
  • 2/24/2011:PB & J’s for me just J’s for Dylan and Potato Chips (James is out of town that day, so I have a super simple lunch planned)
  • 2/25/2011: Chili and Saltines (I froze a big batch of chili for super fast lunches)
  • 2/26/2011: Hot Dogs and Chips (all the guys favorite) I’ll probably make something else for me
  • 2/27/2011: Chicken Chow Mien, Chow Mien Noodles, and Rice ( I always keep the ingredients on hand for this family favorite)
  • 2/28/2011: PB & J’s for us just J’s for Dylan and Potato Chips (I’m slacking it up on this last day)

There you have it. Let’s see if we can make it through one more week, so far so good.