A Summer of FUN, felt food, airplane races, vegan meals & river!

Sipping my coffee, reading over some inspiring blogs about simple living, gardening, homesteading and unschooling I figured it was the perfect quiet time before the day gets started to update our own family blog.

As I type, my sweet boy is standing here all geared up saying take a picture for our blog! Don't ask why there is a bicycle helmet on his back...boys! :)

Well its been two weeks and we've been busy, not going out busy just doing a lot of things together at home, taking care of our animals, doing crafts, cooking and learning how to work together in not our 'chores' but our 'family' work. We've had our ups and downs and a lot of fun too!

Crafts, Learning & Play Time

I LOVE to play with my kids! I'm not the mom who hands them an activity and goes about my business...I sit with them, draw with them, engage with them...PLAY with them!! As Mom's we get so busy, we do have to wear many hats but don't underestimate the most important one, being REALLY there for your kids, involved and engaged!

One rainy day when we couldn't get any fresh air, the kids were kind of going stir crazy...so we:
Made Drawings- the kids designed what they wanted their new rooms to look like when we move, Popped plastic Air Bags and Built Bunny Homes with Crackers, PB and sprinkles! That crazy concoction started with our son stating 'I want to experiment!' First, no pics- the kids took marshmallows and stuffed them with sprinkles to see what they would do, then did the same with a few drops of food coloring to see if it would spread.  I was all for it but did advise if they were going to 'experiment' and something exploded, they had to 'clean up'!

Paper Airplane Designing & Origami:
The kids originally made just simple airplanes and then researched online together to find how to make different designs, then they measured and charted which ones went farther/faster...and found out the design 'bullet' went the fastest and the farthest! Fun summer learning at its best!

Our daughter can never put down a great book, so one afternoon while she read, our son took over the kitchen table with his Lego's! He and I were on a mission to build a town until he got side tracked and attempted to build the largest lego person ever!

Inspired by all the Felt items out there...and since our daughter loves American Girl dolls we decided to pursue making some 'felt' food together...SUSHI it was..For these ones we took the easy way out and just hot glue gunned them instead of sewing, kids cut all the material themselves and designed them! And Mom helped with the hot glue!

A visit to Grandpa's promotes an impromptu dance party where the kids took over the camera!

Our daughter has been talking about designing her own website and pursuing finding out how to start her own cupcake/sweets website...so this day with little brother looking on, she worked on designing her logo.

While I cooked dinner...I found I had some company behind me...set up his cars town on the dog bed and was playing quietly. He smiled and told me he just wanted to be 'with' me. Those moments just melt your heart.

Meals & Cooking FUN
Two new recipes I tried this week: We are still going strong in our meatless meals and staying away from animal protein. Although we do at times have a little bit of cheese or sour cream, we are completely meat, egg and milk free.

Crockpot Falafel with Tzatiki Sauce

Too bad we started eating before I remembered to get a pic, but Sara over at Repeat Crafter Me got some good looking pics..and I've included her recipe too:

RECIPE

Now the recipe does call for an egg- we substituted it for 1/3 cup of applesauce, our staple for egg substitution.  And the sauce!? To die for...I'm kind of obsessed...I put it on a veggie sandwich later, dipped chips or crackers in it- it is sooo good!

Veggie Sushi

We made two different kinds of rolls: The first Roll was Avocado, Shitake Mushrooms, Cucumber and Carrots. The second Roll was Feta Cheese and Red Onion.

Zucchini Herb Casserole

I followed the recipe exactly from All Recipes here: RECIPE and it turned out great! Everyone loved it! Served it with a side salad and some crusty bread.

CUPCAKES!

Kids baked Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting and Sprinkles for a Treat!

Puppy River Time! 
We ventured out to the river and decided to bring the new pup to see how he would like the water. He was slightly apprehensive at first but after the kids were in he wanted nothing more than to tromp in the water after them! He was too cute running in and out, then helping our son dig a hole and he even found a stick to throw around!

And as usual we have gone to the Library each week only this last week we met up with wonderful other home schoolers for some park and water play time too. It was so great to be amongst other home schooling mothers. My soul definitely needs to keep connected to these great mommy's.

What our 7yr old is reading: Our 7yr old is on a 6 week challenge: to read every day for 6 weeks until we 'start' school. We do have a chart with stickers but I don't like 'bribing'. I leave it to him- I ask him when he wants to read but he knows if he doesn't he doesn't get that sticker. At the end of the 6 weeks we plan on taking a 'YAY you did it!' family bowling trip. And even if he doesn't he still gets to go because its the effort put forth! He has been doing wonderfully so far. He is not quite at the point where he loves reading but I've noticed he does like it a lot more now that he is becoming better with it...Time and Patience I remind myself. I continue to be there and give him the support and love he needs through this challenge.

What our 12yr old is reading: This week her choice was education...HER choice!! :) My mommy heart is beaming!

Well and one for fun:

What I'm reading...yes recipes! And I've got some wonderful books on their way to the library....

We've had a ton of fun and there's only more to come. We also have some hard work ahead as we prepare for Fair for our daughter and support her as she works hard and shows next month.

Aside from cooking, crafting, friends and the library, Me and Daddy have been working hard and also starting to look for houses. Our hope is to purchase our own little homestead, by Christmas would be wonderful but we know God has a plan for us and we have to be patient and pray and see where he guides us on our journey.