Hey, It's Jade! and family

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia Review

Gorton's now offers a delicious, lightly battered frozen Tilapia filet that cooks up quickly... and CRISPY... in just minutes!  I usually get frozen tilapia filets and either cook them with just a little lemon pepper sprinkled on or create my own crust with bread crumbs.  I'm a BzzAgent and they sent me a coupon for a free package of this new creation from Gorton's and I was definitely interested in giving it a try. 
Garlic & Herb sounded so good!
As soon as I opened the box, I could smell the yummy garlic and herb aroma... mmm!  And as it sizzled in the pan, it smelled so good.  I was worried it might not REALLY come out crispy, BUT... it actually did.  Honestly, it came out better than when I do the batter myself - 'cause oftentimes the fish ends up sticking or just getting too soft. 
And it smelled delicious in the pan!

Yummy dinner!!!
The fish was delicious, and even my young boys liked it!  I liked that it was lightly coated so that it didn't overpower the filet and yes, there was a crunch to it.   I definitely recommend this new product from Gorton's when you need a quick, healthy, tasteful meal on the table!  And I will certainly be purchasing this again, a great thing to have on hand when you have one of those days you don't want to spend much time or energy in the kitchen!



[I was given a coupon for a free package of Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia, but have not been otherwise compensated.  The review posted above is my own, honest opinion.  "I got it free from BzzAgent."]

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

How NOT to take Fall Photos...

Since we are on a break from school this week, I thought we'd use today as a field trip day.  We ran out to a little pumpkin patch in Arlington to play and take photos and spent a good, long while playing at McDonald's.  Nothing fancy, but we had a good time.

Now, while we were at the pumpkin patch, my intention was to get some good Fall photos of the boys.  You know how much I love pumpkins and fall colors, so photos of my boys surrounded by that stuff makes me so happy.  We arrived just as the sun came out and shined in all it's glory.  That's nice and all, except when you have boys who are incredibly sensitive to sunlight... then, cue the sneezing and squinty faces.  Every single photo I took had one or the other sneezing or making a ridiculous squinty face.  Oh well.  I tried.  Check these out these gems:

Even in all their squinty, sneezy glory, I love these photos. Those are my boys, through and through.  Lol!  It also made me very appreciative of how GOOD my amazing photographer friends are.  How do they do it?!?!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Homeschool Recap, October 19th (Week 13)...

In my life this week...
My word, this week was a blur, really.  Today, however, tragedy struck... I know it's rather insignificant in light of some other major tragedies in the world today, but Big Tex burned to the ground today at The State Fair of Texas.  I don't know why, but seeing the images of him fully aflame caught me off guard and made me cry!  I couldn't believe it.  I was already sad enough that we weren't able to make it out to the fair this year, but Big Tex "dying" on his 60th birthday is just heartbreaking...
from B.J. Bonnett

In our Homeschool this week...
Tot School: We continued the 1plus1plus1equals1.net "Tot School" printables this week with letter "I" for Igloo and cold!  It helped that we had some cooler days this week... though it's certainly not igloo weather, lol.  We checked out several tool books from the library, including Brr!, Building an Igloo, Polar Bear Night, It's Winter! and Cold Paws, Warm Heart.
Coloring an igloo after learning how they are built.
Getting good at straight lines, yay!

Bible:   Preston started his new memory verse, John 14:6.  We looked up verses in The Discoverer's Bible that talked Jesus being the only way to God, to heaven.

Reading/Writing: We continued Spelling by Sound & Structure.  Preston aced both spelling tests he had this week, again.  Continued with lesson 26 in Primary Language Lessons. We started a new read-aloud, Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The boys are really enjoying hearing a chapter a day over lunch.  We even did an experiment it talks about in the book.  It said you can put a whole cup of popcorn into a completely full glass of milk, and it won't overflow.  They were right!
Our full cup of milk and popcorn.
All of it in ONE cup, didn't overflow!

History:  According to MFW, we were doing "Week 14" but we skipped Thanksgiving week, 'cause well, we're not there yet.  So, even though it's our 13th week of school, we're doing Week 14's lessons.  Anyway, we continued our state lessons this week.  It is a very light run-through of the states, one per day... so obviously not too intense and Preston isn't expected to remember everything and recite it.  I do hope some of it sticks.  I will share a quote from him for each state that he will tell me on Friday, or as I'm doing this recap, telling what he specifically learned, remembers or thought was interesting (and may or may not be correct, lol)...
Connecticut - "It's bird is a robin and it's the Constitution State." Books: Connecticut and The Milkman's Boy.
Massachusetts - "Lots of presidents were born there." Books: Massachusetts and The Boy on Fairfield Street (about Dr Seuss!).
Maryland - "Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross is a native." (No, he didn't remember that, he had to look up something and tell me. Books: Maryland and Molly Bannaky.
South Carolina - "It's motto is "Where I Breathe, I Hope."" Books: South Carolina.
Preston has a notebook page for each state, on the back is a bunch of information and interesting facts about the state, and on the front is a picture of the state, it's motto, state bird and flower, plus the year it came into the U.S.A.  He colors the page, writes the state capital and the state abbreviation.  He also colors in each state on a map of the U.S. as well (I make him hunt down where the state is located).
Finding a state on the map!
Math: Preston started Chapter 5 of his Math Mammoth workbook this week, which is shapes and geometry.  It was a pretty simple review of basic shapes, their names and characteristics.  We also went through patterns and using shapes to make other shapes.
Preston doesn't like coloring, so this was a BIG deal.
Pattern Block Playing

Science:  This week's focus continued to be birds, specifically the state birds for the states we learned each day.  We read from Birds, Nests & Eggs, and listened to CD of bird calls from Sing, Nightingale, Sing and put up a bird feeder.  It's one we put up a while back, but had fallen out of the tree because of wind and then never got put back up.  So, back up it went!  Haven't seen any birds using it yet, guess they have to find it again.
Our birdfeeder.
Music/Art: Started learning "America, The Beautiful" this week, and listened to some more of "The Nutcracker."  The boys worked on some artwork involving cutting or ripping pieces of paper to create new images.  They had a blast with that, of course.
Ripping paper is fun!

Spanish: Continued with the next two episodes of Salsa. We reviewed words having to do with "La Escuela" in our First Thousand Words in Spanish.  And we started with Lesson 6 of La Clase Divertida!.

We are taking a week off next week because I'll be working Share-A-Thon at Power FM Wednesday through Friday.  And... we're ready for a break.  At least I am, lol!

We are using Adventures in My Father's World. See our curriculum here.



[This post contains affiliate links for Usborne Books & More and Amazon.com.  By clicking on those links and purchasing items, you are helping me continue to be a SAHM so that I can focus on homeschooling my children!  Thank you!]

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Prestonism on Being Denied Chick-Fil-A...

We were at the bank, which is right next door to a Chick-Fil-A... which means, both boys start hounding me, "Can we go, mom?  Can we go to Chick-Fil-A?"  Unfortunately, we couldn't.  And they were both pretty bummed.  Preston sang a song to express his disappointment (and it is more or less to the tune of Tim Hawkin's Chick-Fil-A song aka "Yesterday":

"Chick-Fil-A, we can't eat there because Mom didn't say,
and now we'll boo her all day.
I just wanted to have nuggets and play,
I'm so sad we can't have Chick-Fil-A."

There was more, but I can't remember it.  It was really good though, lol.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Of Fall, Coffee and Pumpkin...

This morning, the boys and I went out on the back deck and just enjoyed the 65-degree temperature. The boys ran and screamed and climbed and threw things. I sat on the swing, enjoying the breeze and my giant cup of coffee with International Delight's new Salted Caramel Mocha creamer. 

Sorry, this is not an advertisement, BUT I have to say that ID hit the nail with this one! Before now, I have not enjoyed any "mocha" flavors from ID... but this one is AMAZING! I just felt the need to inform you, if you haven't already tried it. Do it! You won't be sorry. I recently had a Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks, and honestly, it has nothing on this... made by me, for much less money. Yum! 

And this weather makes me crave pumpkin hard core. I've already posted a few pumpkin posts and recipes. But man, if you walk into a grocery store this week, you will find pumpkin spice waffles, cream cheese, yogurt, cookies, cakes, coffee creamer (yay!) and just about anything else you can imagine. I have tried it all... except the yogurt, but that's soon to be fixed. Lol! 

 I love Fall, coffee and pumpkins. Colored leaves, cinnamon, and scarecrows.  And 65-degrees or less.

Thank you, Lord, for October!  I can't imagine life without it.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Homeschool Recap, October 12th (Week 12)...

In my life this week...
Allergies. Still.  Snot. Itchy. Yuck. Miserable.  That pretty much sums me up for the past... geez, how many weeks?  All of them, seems like.  Other than that, it was a pretty busy, go-go-go week for us.  Lots to do and prepare for.  Michael is going to be helping me with a booth event tomorrow morning, Country Day on the Hill in Cedar Hill.  Should be interesting working with him at this... we've never done that before.  Kinda already looking forward to next week so we can take it easy a bit, haha.

Places We're Going...
Monday, Cubscouts had their Raingutter Regatta.  Michael and Preston worked hard on his boat for several days, and on an errand before the meeting, Preston sat on it in the car.  Sigh.  I ran home, superglued the bottom back on as best I could.  Preston didn't win, but I think he had fun anyway.  Lol.
Waiting for his turn.
Blow! Blow!

On Tuesday, we had our monthly homeschool meeting.  And on Wednesday some of us got together and went to the Green Meadows Petting Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Lynn Creek Park.  We had a blast.  The boys LOVED the playground down there and didn't even wanna go to the farm part, lol.  But we had fun there too.  Got to pet, chase and learn about all kinds of animals.  And I milked a cow!  I mean, y'know, they got to milk a cow.  Haha.  I learned that a mama pig's gestational period is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days, she gives birth around 3am and each of her piglets weigh right around 3-pounds.  CRAZY, huh?
Wednesday was also AWANA... I didn't have a helper this week, so had to wrangle SIX 2-3 yr olds on my own.  It actually went better than usual, which is quite funny.

In our Homeschool this week...
Loved this sign out at the farm.
Tot School: We continued the 1plus1plus1equals1.net "Tot School" printables this week with letter "H" for Hammer, and other tools.  We checked out several tool books from the library, including Little Bunny's Cool Tool Set, Tools, The Toolbox, and Workshop.

Bible:   We started talking about Birds in science this week, and our Bible lessons go along with that.  Took a small break from the Names of Jesus.  We looked up verses in The Discoverer's Bible that talked about birds... specifically eages and doves.

Reading/Writing: We continued Spelling by Sound & Structure.  Preston aced both spelling tests he had this week, again.  Continued with lessons 23-25 in Primary Language Lessons

History:  We started our state lessons this week.  It is a very light run-through of the states, one per day... so obviously not too intense and Preston isn't expected to remember everything and recite it.  I do hope some of it sticks.  I will share a quote from him for each state that he will tell me on Friday, or as I'm doing this recap, telling what he specifically learned, remembers or thought was interesting (and may or may not be correct, lol)...
Delaware - "It is known as the First State." Books: Delaware.
Pennsylvania - "It's state bird is some type of chicken." This is actually incorrect, Delaware's is a chicken, PA's is a ruffed grouse.  Books: Pennsylvania, William Penn: Founder of Pennsylvania and Raising Yoder's Barn (an Amish story).
New Jersey - He couldn't think of anything except "NJ is the abbreviation!" Then later came back, after reading about it again and said, "The first baseball game was played there!" Books: New Jersey.
Georgia - "Georgia is known for the three p's: Pecans, peanuts and peaches.  And pines, that's four." Books: Georgia and Mountain Wedding (a funny book about a family coming together in early Georgia).
Preston has a notebook page for each state, on the back is a bunch of information and interesting facts about the state, and on the front is a picture of the state, it's motto, state bird and flower, plus the year it came into the U.S.A.  He colors the page, writes the state capital and the state abbreviation.  He also colors in each state on a map of the U.S. as well (I make him hunt down where the state is located).

Math: Preston finished up Chapter 4 of his Math Mammoth workbook this week, did a mixed review, chapter review and took his chapter test: Got 15 out of 18 correct, 83%.

Science:  This week's focus was on birds, like I said above.  We read from Birds, Nests & Eggs, listened to CD of bird calls from Sing, Nightingale, Sing and made our own binoculars.
Not sure Callen quite gets it.
Music/Art: We didn't do much of music or art this week, other than when the boys made birthday cards for my mom and aunt.  Preston cut out shapes and glued them on to form different designs or objects.

Spanish: Continued with the next two episodes of Salsa. We reviewed words having to do with "La Playa" in our First Thousand Words in Spanish.  And we continued with Lesson 5 of La Clase Divertida!. Honestly, we didn't do much with Spanish this week other than watch the videos and go through the book.

We are using Adventures in My Father's World. See our curriculum here.



[This post contains affiliate links for Usborne Books & More and Amazon.com.  By clicking on those links and purchasing items, you are helping me continue to be a SAHM so that I can focus on homeschooling my children!  Thank you!]

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Too Cute This Is...

"Christmas Merry Have You," says Santa Yoda Callen.
Walking around Hobby Lobby resulted in this.  He fell in love with the Snoopy Christmas flag (which we got) and the Yoda Santa hat (which we did not, because look at the price tag... $15.99!).  But, my goodness, it's awfully cute on him.  Lol!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Homeschool Recap, October 5th (Week 11)

In my life this week...
Allergies are still killing me, but you know what?  Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 54.  FIFTY-FOUR DEGREES, y'all!!!  I don't even care if I can't breathe.  Lol.  This was a busy week... had a couple of fun outings, got a lot accomplished, yay!  Looking forward to a relaxing weekend with NOTHING to do, hooray!!

Places We're Going...
We went to the Fort Worth Zoo for Homeschool Day on Thursday!  My mom and I took the boys to the zoo for a fun field trip.  The weather was humid and steamy, but not blazing hot... we stayed for about 4 hours and saw everything... and, of course, collected all the pressed pennies we could for Preston's collection


And this afternoon we ran over to Central Park here in Grand Prairie to see them release a bunch of Monarch Butterflies.  That was pretty cool!  A lot of them weren't interested in leaving their box, and then when they did... they stuck close to the flowers there in the garden and the kids!  The kids loved that, of course!
They liked this one... it seemed to like them too!
In our Homeschool this week...
Tot School: We continued the 1plus1plus1equals1.net "Tot School" printables this week with letter "G" for Goat, and the other farm animals.  And so when we were at the zoo, we had to make sure to see a goat!  We read several farm-based books that we already own (didn't make it to the library for this week) like Usborne Look & Say Farm, The Complete Book of Farmyard Tales, Bright Baby Farm, I Udderly Love You, Dooby Dooby Moo and Barnyard Hullabaloo.
G for GOAT!
Bible:  We used Mama Jenn's printable up on our Morning Board to help us continue to memorize John 7:37, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink," and talked about how God gives Living Water. We looked up verses in The Discoverer's Bible that talked about Jesus giving water to the thirsty, or being the living water to our souls.  We also talked about the weather and how the rain isn't always a "bad thing."

Reading/Writing: We continued Spelling by Sound & Structure.  Preston aced both spelling tests he had this week, again.  Continued with lessons 19-21 in Primary Language Lessons

History:  We continued talking about the Revolutionary War, George Washington and the first presidency this week.  We finished Sarah Whitcher's Story. And read Discover George Washington, Let it Begin Here: Lexington & Concord and What Does the President Look Like?, which is a really neat book talking about all the different ways people got to see how the president looked like, all the way back to portraits of Washington and up to digital photos of Obama.  Really cool book!  And we did a George Washington lapbook with all kinds of information (lapbook pieces and ideas from here).
All About George...

Math: Preston continued along in Chapter 4 of his Math Mammoth workbook, adding over 10 and three-digit numbers.  He especially enjoys answering word problems, he says.

Science:  This week's focus was still on interesting things about water, using Science With Water.  We didn't do any of the experiments listed in the book... just didn't find the time or have the necessary things on hand.  We read through it and understood the concepts, but nothing hands-on with it this week.

Music/Art: We skipped our art lessons this week... had to thin out our lessons for the day at the zoo.  We moved onto the song Yankee Doodle Dandy on our Celebrate America CD.  We started listening to some of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker from the CD.

Spanish: Continued with the next two episodes of Salsa. We reviewed words having to do with "La Granja" in our First Thousand Words in Spanish.  And we moved on to Lesson 5 of La Clase Divertida!.

We are using Adventures in My Father's World. See our curriculum here.



[This post contains affiliate links for Usborne Books & More and Amazon.com.  By clicking on those links and purchasing items, you are helping me continue to be a SAHM so that I can focus on homeschooling my children!  Thank you!]

Monday, October 1, 2012

I Need a Chill Pill...

Today was a doozie.  My two-and-a-half-year-old was a maniac and my nearly-seven-year-old has no common sense.  I am tired, stressed, my head aches and I am in just complete shock about how much trouble two kids can manage to cause in one short day.  It's like they know the exact buttons to push, and boy... do they like to push buttons!  But... as I sang Callen a night-night song and as I read Hank The Cowdog to Preston before he laid down... I can't help but be so very grateful and full of love for those two.  They are my world.  God gave me two lively, adorable and brilliant children - they are healthy, they are complete, they are amazing. 

Lord, grant me patience and gentleness with these two!  And keep the coffee coming.

September 2012 Tweets & Instagrams to Remember...

Sept 5th - Really? You're not tired, huh? Callen fell asleep in the middle of escaping!

Sept 13th - This Preston's excited about being on face. He's faking it, of course.  

Sept 14th - This weather brings me such joy! It also baked a pumpkin dumpcake. Thanks Fallish weather!

Sept 15th - Saturday morning = boys all over Daddy!  

Sept 17th - Sluggish start today, just wanna cuddle with my coffee this morning.

Sept 19th - Sweet baby, Jesus... Please help us find Preston's other shoe before I lose my mind. Amen.

Sept 19th - Thank you, Aldi! spice cream cheese!  

Sept 20th - Math meltdown! I mean total crying uncontrollably, cannot gain composure meltdown. Really? 7+9 can do that to a kid? Wow.  

Sept 23rd - Once upon a time, I kept close tabs on the twitterverse. Who has time for such things anymore? "Not I," said the mom. 

Sept 25th - My warmer. Yaaaaaaay, !  

Sept 27th - Goodnight, friend.  

Sept 29th - Ready to Walk in the rain for a Cure!