Teaching Tuesday: Using Signs

One of the major focuses of Landon's K4 curriculum is learning the names and sounds for each letter in the alphabet.  He is struggling somewhat with keeping all those straight.  The ABEKA phonics starts with teaching the vowels and their sounds.  So we have learned a, e, i, o, and u.  I decided to incorporate some kinesthetic learning to help him with memorizing these letters.  For those non ed majors, kinesthetic learning is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student actually carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration. It is also referred to as tactile learning. People with a kinesthetic learning style are also commonly known as do-ers (Wikipedia).  For this task I am teaching Landon the American Sign Language sign for the letter along with its name and sound.  Just by adding the sign his focus is greatly improved, and hopefully his learning is too.  He is a mover and a shaker so standing or sitting still is a struggle for him, but by giving his little body something constructive to do, all that moving can actually benefit his learning.  Here is a link to the ASL alphabet if you would like to check it out.

Unexpected Growth

We used to have purple petunias in the flower boxes on our front porch.  I happily watered them while the kids played with sidewalk chalk or rode their tricycles.  The porch, after all, is one of my favorite spots.    Unfortunately we no longer have the purple petunias.  See it got hot outside.  In fact, it got very hot outside and very humid, and I was very pregnant.  I would think about going outside and just sweat, so the flowers became neglected and finally met their end.   The crazy part is that we still have a little petunia growing at our house.  It is not in one of the flower boxes, in a flower bed, or in a nice flower pot on the deck.  It is growing out of a crack in the floor of our garage...

What an unexpected surprise.  I am not at all sure how this pink little flower found its way here or got its start, but it is growing there none the less.  It hasn't receive special treatment like fertilizer or watering each day, but has flourished.  So even though I don't have any petunias in my flower boxes, I have this little flower to remind me that often growth comes in the most unexpected circumstances. I am reminded that where ever God has us for the moment, is where we are supposed to bloom. 

Zucchini Lasagna

This year we had access to lots of zucchini from my Mom's garden.  So my husband taking an idea from my mom and perfecting it, created the Zucchini Lasagna.  It is a much healthier take on a classic dish, then the white pasta and ground beef version most of us are used to.

Here are the ingredients he uses, followed by his recipe:

Zucchini, 580 grams - sliced thinly
Mushrooms, fresh, 258 grams - sliced
Ground turkey, 93% lean, 16 oz - browned with minced onion flakes
1 can Hunts Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce, 751 grams - seasoned to taste with additional garlic, oregano & bay leaf
Mozzarella Cheese, part skim milk, 8 oz
Cottage Cheese, 2% Milkfat, 400 grams
Egg, fresh, 1 large
Parmesan Cheese, grated, 36 grams

Prep Instructions:

Use a food processor to cut the zucchini and soak it in ice salt water to flavorize it.  Then, brown the ground turkey with onion flakes and add the spaghetti sauce, garlic, oregano & bay leaf to simmer. Beat egg and mix together with cottage cheese.  Set cottage cheese mixtures aside.  Drain the zucchini.

Layered like this (bottom to top):
1/2 of zucchini
1/2 of mushrooms
1/2 of meat sauce
1/2 of cottage cheese
1/2 of mozz cheese
Remainder of zucchini
Remainder of mushrooms
Remainder of cottage cheese
Remainder of mozz cheese
Remainder of sauce (to cover)
Sprinkle the parm cheese on top

Bake uncovered @ 350 for 45-55 min.
Rest for 15 before cutting.

Prep and assembly takes about an hour.

Nutrition Facts

8 Servings
Amount Per Serving (300 g)

Calories ......................................275.6
Total Fat ......................................11.8 g
Saturated Fat .................................5.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat .......................0.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat .....................2.2 g
Cholesterol ..................................90.6 mg
Sodium ......................................964.6 mg
Potassium ..................................679.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate .....................13.7 g
Dietary Fiber .................................2.8 g
Sugars ...........................................6.0 g
Protein ........................................30.1 g

Vitamin A ..............28.2 %
Vitamin B-12 .........12.1 %
Vitamin B-6 ...........12.8 %
Vitamin C ..............17.8 %
Vitamin D ................6.9 %
Vitamin E .................8.4 %
Calcium .................30.5 %
Copper ..................14.9 %
Folate ......................9.6 %
Iron .......................14.2 %
Magnesium ............11.6 %
Manganese ............12.6 %
Niacin ...................12.9 %
Pantothenic Acid ...11.0 %
Phosphorus ...........33.5 %
Riboflavin ..............26.7 %
Selenium ................22.1 %
Thiamin ....................7.0 %
Zinc .......................11.3 %

It was an obvious hit!

This is also a very tasty version.  I don't think we will ever go back to the classic.  If you are not sure about it, just look at this face...










I am linking to Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Picture Frame Mats

We have been in our house a little over a year now and we still have little stacks of pictures that have never found a new place to hang.  I decided to at least get some of them hung this week.  The pictures in some of the frames are outdated, so I first had some new pictures printed.  Then I set out to make mats that would match another project that I had finished but had yet to hang...my family rules.  I came across the idea for that project here.  I think I finished it right around Christmas last year.  It has set propped on my scrap booking table ever since.  So here is the project I completed this week.

First I took white photo safe card stock and created a base that would fit inside the picture frame.  Then I lightly sketched a guide to show the portion of the mat that would show in the frame once the picture was placed in the center.

Then I selected the paper I wanted to use.  For mine I chose the scrap paper left from the previous project that I am planning to hang with the pictures.

Then using Modge Podge and torn, cut, and ripped pieces of paper I began creating the mat.  I basically used the same method I used on the letter E I made for Elaine's room.  Here is the mat after a few pieces of paper have been put in place.

Here are the finished mats before being placed in the frames.

Here the mats are in frames with pictures, along with my version of the family rules project.  Hopefully I can get these on the wall today too.

Teaching Tuesday: Our Classroom

So today tonight (better late then never) I am going to give you a peek into our little classroom. 

Here is were the children sit to do their papers.  

Our Calendar Space

 "Teacher's" Desk

Our easel - I use the dry erase/magnet side for our lessons.  I also have a home made felt board I use on the easel too.  My model wanted to be in the picture, but didn't want to smile for the camera.

If you are interested in the fun floor you see.  Check out this post.

Awesome Closet Space

Computer

It is not a fancy space, but it is perfect for our needs.  We are looking to get a few student desks to slide under the counter. 

I have a little craft project and a healthy lasagna recipe to share later this week, for now I am headed to bed.  With only 6 weeks until baby's due date, I am ready for bed almost all day.

My First Feature

I was excited to see my Closet Fun Post had been featured on 

The title of the blog says it all.  So check Organize and Decorate Everything out, if you are looking for new ideas.

First Official Photo Shoot

At the very beginning of August Kyle and I decided to take a try at our first official photo shoot for Landon's 4 year and Elaine's 2 year pictures.  We got our first "real" camera back in May, and are still very much in the learning process.  We were fairly pleased with this first effort though, so I thought I would share a few.