Ignore this thread!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jeanie dear, you got a booya.

Fixed it

[Junie]

Christmas cards are in the mail!!

 

BLTN  (Better Late Than Never)

[Ellie]

The Story of the Snickerdoodles

 

It all started so innocently. One of my cousins posted on Facebook, "I love snickerdoodles." I posted, "If you lived close to me, I'd bake some and bring them over." She replied, "You could mail them." And she laughed, but then she also posted her post office box number. I laughed, too, but I asked her which little town, and she told me.

 

My cousin lives in a teeny tiny town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I live in the middle of Texas. You see the problem.

 

I have discovered in my old age that I am an overachiever, which explains why I took this as a personal challenge.

 

And so I pulled out my favorite cookbook and made snickerdoodles from a recipe I have made several times before. My poor snickerdoodles. They didn't rise. At all. Obviously I could not send those to my cousin (not to worry; Mr. Ellie took them to work and put them in the break room, where they disappeared within minutes. Those people don't care.). I made a second batch with the same sad results. Mr. Ellie did an Internet search, and to our surprise, this is not an uncommon problem with snickerdoodles. Who knew there would be whole discussions about the rise and fall of snickerdoodles?

 

Of course, I was trying to get these done and in the mail on the Monday after Christmas (my cousin didn't say she liked snickerdoodles in time to get them before Christmas. Her bad.) I made the second batch on Christmas Eve.

 

My recipe uses a combination of butter and shortening. Instead of Crisco, that plastic shortening that we all know and love, I had bought some other kind that was supposed to be marginally healthier--not hydrogenated or something. I knew that all my other ingredients were fine (flour and baking soda and whatnot) because I had made oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies just before the snickerdoodle fail, and decided that it must be that "shortening." I bought a whole new can of Crisco, and made a whole new batch of snickerdoodles on Thursday. Perfection. 

 

And so yesterday I purposed to get those cookies in the mail. I bubble-wrapped them in a cute little Christmas-y tin, put extra bubble wrap and packaging tape and scissors in my basket, and off I went to the post office. Alas, there were no boxes there in which the cute little Christmas-y tin would fit. Oh, but there's a Container Store way over there, which has a larger assortment of boxes. I'll go there.

 

Oh, and since I'm going that way, I could go to the wallpaper store. I should probably go there first, as it's a little further south, and then I can backtrack to the Container Store. I knew the street the wallpaper store was on but not its exact location, and I thought there was an exit on the freeway I was on. Turns out there is not. And so I took an exit I thought would get me there, which it did not. Instead, I ended up having to get off on this whole other freeway, east and south by several miles.

 

Huh.

 

So I took the next exit and drove on that street for awhile, because I knew where I was (which was not where I wanted to be). And then when I realized which street I would be turning on, I remembered that there was a bookstore there that I had been thinking about visiting, so I did. And also that I was down the street from an appliance store I had been thinking about checking out, so I went there. And across the street was a vacuum cleaner store, and I had been thinking about looking for one of those so I could get some ideas about a new vacuum cleaner, so I went there. Then I drove on down to the wallpaper store and checked out a book to bring home.

 

By now I was famished, so I had lunch at the restaurant next to the wallpaper store. And then I got back on the freeway to head back home, still not having mailed the snickerdoodles, you understand. And I had an epiphany: I could just put the cookies (which were in a ziploc bag) in a box, pack the box with bubble wrap, and mail those suckers. My cousin doesn't have to have to cute Christmas-y tin. And so that's what I did. Which I should have done in the first place

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Renai]

Queen Ellie is funny.

[Renai]

I woke up with a cat toy sitting on my chest and the kitty lying next to me watching me.

[ikslo]

Kid woke up early with the vomits, now installed on the couch with Magic School Bus DVDs. I'm sitting in the cat's spot & she's completely baffled.

 

I need to degoatify. Lunch with former student and her mom today.

:grouphug: for the kiddo

[Slache]

I've had a string of late mornings. It's been pleasant. And lots of reading. Happy Slache.

[Slache]

IT'S NEW YEARS EVE!

[Critterfixer]

I'm around. I'm supposed to be editing. I'm dealing with a peculiarly stubborn and recalcitrant character who refuses to get out of his backstory and tell me what he wants out of life right now. The stinker knows I'm out to make his life difficult and he doesn't like it when I try to make things worse. I need more conflict between my protagonist and this character, and I'm determined to pick at him until I get the answers. 

Grrrrrr.

[AMJ]

We have been having internet router problems here, so DH ordered in a new router.  He spent this morning setting up not only the new router, but new home wireless networks for us.  We now have Pancakes, and Waffles, and some others.  Lots of interesting conversations are now taking place over who gets to have Pancakes, who can have Waffles, and who gets other stuff.

 

 

And I still like Ellie's statement about entire online discussions over the rise and fall of snickerdoodles.  That sounds like a good book title!

[AMJ]

I'm around. I'm supposed to be editing. I'm dealing with a peculiarly stubborn and recalcitrant character who refuses to get out of his backstory and tell me what he wants out of life right now. The stinker knows I'm out to make his life difficult and he doesn't like it when I try to make things worse. I need more conflict between my protagonist and this character, and I'm determined to pick at him until I get the answers. 

Grrrrrr.

 

 

Maybe you need to get a cattle prod for one of your writing tools!  Or something that makes a loud mosquito sound....

[ikslo]

I'm around. I'm supposed to be editing. I'm dealing with a peculiarly stubborn and recalcitrant character who refuses to get out of his backstory and tell me what he wants out of life right now. The stinker knows I'm out to make his life difficult and he doesn't like it when I try to make things worse. I need more conflict between my protagonist and this character, and I'm determined to pick at him until I get the answers.

Grrrrrr.

You're working on that writing class for ITT kids at the same time, right? :D

[ikslo]

I'm trying to get a grip on the next 8 years of schooling. Never really expected to still be homeschooling...

 

There are so many parts!!!! My head is spinning.

 

Today my DH was making comments about what DS knows/doesn't know and I had to set him straight that unless he was going to actually TEACH a class, he needed to just chill. Am I right or am I right?

[prairiewindmomma]

The Story of the Snickerdoodles

 

It all started so innocently. One of my cousins posted on Facebook, "I love snickerdoodles." I posted, "If you lived close to me, I'd bake some and bring them over." She replied, "You could mail them." And she laughed, but then she also posted her post office box number. I laughed, too, but I asked her which little town, and she told me.

 

My cousin lives in a teeny tiny town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I live in the middle of Texas. You see the problem.

 

I have discovered in my old age that I am an overachiever, which explains why I took this as a personal challenge.

 

And so I pulled out my favorite cookbook and made snickerdoodles from a recipe I have made several times before. My poor snickerdoodles. They didn't rise. At all. Obviously I could not send those to my cousin (not to worry; Mr. Ellie took them to work and put them in the break room, where they disappeared within minutes. Those people don't care.). I made a second batch with the same sad results. Mr. Ellie did an Internet search, and to our surprise, this is not an uncommon problem with snickerdoodles. Who knew there would be whole discussions about the rise and fall of snickerdoodles?

 

Of course, I was trying to get these done and in the mail on the Monday after Christmas (my cousin didn't say she liked snickerdoodles in time to get them before Christmas. Her bad.) I made the second batch on Christmas Eve.

 

My recipe uses a combination of butter and shortening. Instead of Crisco, that plastic shortening that we all know and love, I had bought some other kind that was supposed to be marginally healthier--not hydrogenated or something. I knew that all my other ingredients were fine (flour and baking soda and whatnot) because I had made oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies just before the snickerdoodle fail, and decided that it must be that "shortening." I bought a whole new can of Crisco, and made a whole new batch of snickerdoodles on Thursday. Perfection. 

 

And so yesterday I purposed to get those cookies in the mail. I bubble-wrapped them in a cute little Christmas-y tin, put extra bubble wrap and packaging tape and scissors in my basket, and off I went to the post office. Alas, there were no boxes there in which the cute little Christmas-y tin would fit. Oh, but there's a Container Store way over there, which has a larger assortment of boxes. I'll go there.

 

Oh, and since I'm going that way, I could go to the wallpaper store. I should probably go there first, as it's a little further south, and then I can backtrack to the Container Store. I knew the street the wallpaper store was on but not its exact location, and I thought there was an exit on the freeway I was on. Turns out there is not. And so I took an exit I thought would get me there, which it did not. Instead, I ended up having to get off on this whole other freeway, east and south by several miles.

 

Huh.

 

So I took the next exit and drove on that street for awhile, because I knew where I was (which was not where I wanted to be). And then when I realized which street I would be turning on, I remembered that there was a bookstore there that I had been thinking about visiting, so I did. And also that I was down the street from an appliance store I had been thinking about checking out, so I went there. And across the street was a vacuum cleaner store, and I had been thinking about looking for one of those so I could get some ideas about a new vacuum cleaner, so I went there. Then I drove on down to the wallpaper store and checked out a book to bring home.

 

By now I was famished, so I had lunch at the restaurant next to the wallpaper store. And then I got back on the freeway to head back home, still not having mailed the snickerdoodles, you understand. And I had an epiphany: I could just put the cookies (which were in a ziploc bag) in a box, pack the box with bubble wrap, and mail those suckers. My cousin doesn't have to have to cute Christmas-y tin. And so that's what I did. Which I should have done in the first place

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I am way impressed that you didn't eat the cookies for lunch after all of your looking around for a box to mail them in. :)

[prairiewindmomma]

I had ds cut up a ton of fruit for an awesome fruit salad--apples, bananas, mandarins, kiwi, pomegranate...It's awesome, except the olive oil in the salad dressing went a tiny bit rancid and all I can taste is ruined fruit. Blergh.

 

And now I want snickerdoodles.

[prairiewindmomma]

I FINALLY finished hand-entering all of the scouting records for all 27 boys into Scoutbook.  I can finally open my Lechturm 1917 (dotted, grey) as my reward!  Happy afternoon of bullet journaling for me!!

[AMJ]

I got my penny challenge and dollar a week challenge started, and printed the charts!!

 

 

I hadn't heard of either of these, but I googled them and found some charts to print out.  I can give those a try!  (I chose charts that aren't day specific, just pick an amount each day, save it, then cross that amount off.  Should be more easily managed in December that way.)

 

Now I need to go select a money bucket, something in which to put this money each day and NOT take it out.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I got my penny challenge and dollar a week challenge started, and printed the charts!!

 

what are those?

[AMJ]

I had ds cut up a ton of fruit for an awesome fruit salad--apples, bananas, mandarins, kiwi, pomegranate...It's awesome, except the olive oil in the salad dressing went a tiny bit rancid and all I can taste is ruined fruit. Blergh.

 

And now I want snickerdoodles.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:

[Slache]

I'm trying to get a grip on the next 8 years of schooling. Never really expected to still be homeschooling...

 

There are so many parts!!!! My head is spinning.

 

Today my DH was making comments about what DS knows/doesn't know and I had to set him straight that unless he was going to actually TEACH a class, he needed to just chill. Am I right or am I right?

If it helps I'm planning 1st grade and just realized I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. :D :blink:

[AMJ]

what are those?

 

 

What I found googling:

 

http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2014/01/01/1019727_365-day-money-challenge.html

 

http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2013/01/23/1013883_52-week-savings-challenge.html

[AMJ]

So, what are good things to put on nachos?  If we were having a make-your-own nachos party tonight?

[prairiewindmomma]

Who are your guests? How authentically do they want to eat?

 

Personally, this is my idea of heaven for nachos:

http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/copycat-torchys-queso/

[prairiewindmomma]

Dh would choose taco meat (ground beef), cheese sauce, crema, cilantro, diced roma, black beans, topped with some queso fresco on top to be yummy.

[Critterfixer]

 

Maybe you need to get a cattle prod for one of your writing tools!  Or something that makes a loud mosquito sound....

 

Or an on-call psychologist. This guy routinely makes me want to slap him.

 

 

You're working on that writing class for ITT kids at the same time, right?  :D 

 

 

Seeing as I want to inflict bodily harm on my antagonist, that might not be a good idea...

[ikslo]

Seeing as I want to inflict bodily harm on my antagonist, that might not be a good idea...

 

Pretty sure that my DS would be okay with that.  He's on the second Hunger Games book after all.

[Susan in TN]

The Queen's story has exhausted me. Dd18 told me that she thought snickerdoodles were an imaginary food until about 2 years ago. Major parent fail.

 

What is a penny challenge? Have we discussed this already?

 

Dd18 and I survived Kroger, and she found some gf/df foods and they had avocados on sale. I have my freezer meal grocery list made and estimated costs. I will need to go to Sam's Club and roast a turkey early next week.

 

It is damp and cold and is expected to be damp and cold for the next 4 days. (The snow has been cancelled. 😢) I need to refill the birdfeeders. But it's damp and cold.

 

More coffee!

[ikslo]

I just took a break from school planning to check on DS, who is happily ensconced in the living room with the TV on, his earbuds in and connected to his iPad, a fort set up under the computer table his "fallout shelter", and his Lego city undergoing expansion.  I noted a character in the top level of a structure and innocently enquired who it was supposed to be.  He replied, "That's The Donald in his penthouse, tweeting."

 

:LOL:

[KrissiK]

The Story of the Snickerdoodles

 

It all started so innocently. One of my cousins posted on Facebook, "I love snickerdoodles." I posted, "If you lived close to me, I'd bake some and bring them over." She replied, "You could mail them." And she laughed, but then she also posted her post office box number. I laughed, too, but I asked her which little town, and she told me.

 

My cousin lives in a teeny tiny town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I live in the middle of Texas. You see the problem.

 

I have discovered in my old age that I am an overachiever, which explains why I took this as a personal challenge.

 

And so I pulled out my favorite cookbook and made snickerdoodles from a recipe I have made several times before. My poor snickerdoodles. They didn't rise. At all. Obviously I could not send those to my cousin (not to worry; Mr. Ellie took them to work and put them in the break room, where they disappeared within minutes. Those people don't care.). I made a second batch with the same sad results. Mr. Ellie did an Internet search, and to our surprise, this is not an uncommon problem with snickerdoodles. Who knew there would be whole discussions about the rise and fall of snickerdoodles?

 

Of course, I was trying to get these done and in the mail on the Monday after Christmas (my cousin didn't say she liked snickerdoodles in time to get them before Christmas. Her bad.) I made the second batch on Christmas Eve.

 

My recipe uses a combination of butter and shortening. Instead of Crisco, that plastic shortening that we all know and love, I had bought some other kind that was supposed to be marginally healthier--not hydrogenated or something. I knew that all my other ingredients were fine (flour and baking soda and whatnot) because I had made oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies just before the snickerdoodle fail, and decided that it must be that "shortening." I bought a whole new can of Crisco, and made a whole new batch of snickerdoodles on Thursday. Perfection.

 

And so yesterday I purposed to get those cookies in the mail. I bubble-wrapped them in a cute little Christmas-y tin, put extra bubble wrap and packaging tape and scissors in my basket, and off I went to the post office. Alas, there were no boxes there in which the cute little Christmas-y tin would fit. Oh, but there's a Container Store way over there, which has a larger assortment of boxes. I'll go there.

 

Oh, and since I'm going that way, I could go to the wallpaper store. I should probably go there first, as it's a little further south, and then I can backtrack to the Container Store. I knew the street the wallpaper store was on but not its exact location, and I thought there was an exit on the freeway I was on. Turns out there is not. And so I took an exit I thought would get me there, which it did not. Instead, I ended up having to get off on this whole other freeway, east and south by several miles.

 

Huh.

 

So I took the next exit and drove on that street for awhile, because I knew where I was (which was not where I wanted to be). And then when I realized which street I would be turning on, I remembered that there was a bookstore there that I had been thinking about visiting, so I did. And also that I was down the street from an appliance store I had been thinking about checking out, so I went there. And across the street was a vacuum cleaner store, and I had been thinking about looking for one of those so I could get some ideas about a new vacuum cleaner, so I went there. Then I drove on down to the wallpaper store and checked out a book to bring home.

 

By now I was famished, so I had lunch at the restaurant next to the wallpaper store. And then I got back on the freeway to head back home, still not having mailed the snickerdoodles, you understand. And I had an epiphany: I could just put the cookies (which were in a ziploc bag) in a box, pack the box with bubble wrap, and mail those suckers. My cousin doesn't have to have to cute Christmas-y tin. And so that's what I did. Which I should have done in the first place

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Wow, you had so much fun!

 

Fwiw, I always do half and half Crisco and butter. For some reason the Crisco makes better looking cookies. And cookies aren't supposed to be healthy anyway. Why try to make the poor things into something they're not.

[ikslo]

If it helps I'm planning 1st grade and just realized I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. :D :blink:

 

You know a whole lot more than I did when teaching 1st. 

[Susan in TN]

Those are versions of the chart, same idea. I'm putting in all of Januaey to start, then start Feb 1 tomorrow. That way I will finish in time for Christmas shopping.

A-ha! Brilliant idea!

[KrissiK]

Christmas is officially in the attic and it's raining, and I need to heat up leftovers for lunch now.

[AMJ]

Who are your guests? How authentically do they want to eat?

 

Personally, this is my idea of heaven for nachos:

http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/copycat-torchys-queso/

 

 

If I leave out the guac DH will like that!  Thanks!  More guac for me!

 

We are getting together with DH's parents for a movie night tonight, and DH suggested make our own nachos.  I suggested individual pie pans so we can each easily make our own without worrying about them combining with anyone else's.  I don't like Velveeta.  DH only likes it in queso, but he really likes that kind of queso.

 

I like lots of things topping the chips with shredded cheese, and then popped into the oven to toast up a bit and melt.  I also plan to have some salad (for me) with taco fixings on top, so I eat fewer chips.  I still get to have some chips, though.  It's a special occasion and I have been good.

[AMJ]

Dh would choose taco meat (ground beef), cheese sauce, crema, cilantro, diced roma, black beans, topped with some queso fresco on top to be yummy.

 

 

Would this do for the crema?

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-mexican-crema-356271

[ikslo]

***Educational Post Alert ***

 

Need your input for consideration.

 

We did the U.S. Presidents (including major time on the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, some World War I, and a lot of World War II stuff) in 1st grade.  Then we went on and did History Odyssey/SOTW 1-3.  So next year for 5th, should we:

 

Finish up and do HO Modern/SOTW 4, then condense second history cycle into 3 years?

OR

Start the cycle over so I have a full year of each level at the Logic stage level?

Edited December 31, 2016 by ikslo

[AMJ]

Or an on-call psychologist. This guy routinely makes me want to slap him.

 

Seeing as I want to inflict bodily harm on my antagonist, that might not be a good idea...

 

 

Would the psychologist be for you, or for the character?

 

That sounds like an interesting short story idea -- imagining couples counseling for an author and a character....

[AMJ]

Those are versions of the chart, same idea. I'm putting in all of Januaey to start, then start Feb 1 tomorrow. That way I will finish in time for Christmas shopping.

 

 

That's a good idea, too!

 

I have printed off the penny one twice more and resurrected the kids' old piggy banks (the ones they were given when they were born).  I'm going to have the kids do this, too.

[lots of little ducklings]

Could you share a few more details on the roasting and smushing and freezing, please?  Are we leaving skins on?  Do we pour off the very liquid juice?  What about seeds -- remove or leave in?  Freezer bags or containers?

 

 

Edited to add:  I found the links you posted just a bit later.  Thank you!

 

 

Glad you found the links!  Leave them skins and seeds right there where God put 'em.  It's so much easier than peeling.  And I am L.A.Z.Y. 

 

Just to add... the large tomatoes produced a lot of liquid for me, the cherry tomatoes created a much thicker, drier paste (probaby because of greater skin/fruit ratio?).  Combined, they were a perfect consistency for sauce; but if you don't have cherry tomatoes in the mix you will probably need to simmer down the liquids in order to thicken the sauce.  

[lots of little ducklings]

Christmas cards are in the mail!!

 

BLTN  (Better Late Than Never)

 

My next family Christmas letter will be entitled "Merry Christmas, 2011-ish!"

 

Distant contacts probably still think we have 3 children.  

[ikslo]

Crisco is the secret to fluffy, non-flat Snickerdoodles.

Crisco contains soy.

DS is allergic to soy and eggs.

Therefore, perfect Snickerdoodles are not possible in our house.

[AMJ]

Christmas is officially in the attic and it's raining, and I need to heat up leftovers for lunch now.

 

 

My mind scrambled that one while I was reading it and I wondered what happened to cause rain in your attic.

[AMJ]

***Educational Post Alert ***

 

Need your input for consideration.

 

We did the U.S. Presidents (including major time on the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, some World War I, and a lot of World War II stuff) in 1st grade.  Then we went on and did History Odyssey/SOTW 1-3.  So next year for 5th, should we:

 

Finish up and do HO Modern/SOTW 4, then condense second history cycle into 3 years?

OR

Start the cycle over so I have a full year of each level at the Logic stage level?

 

 

I am sitting here supportively and entirely unhelpfully.  We started in the middle of Logic stage, and kind of abandoned the 4-year cycle to fit in some other stuff.  But I support you whatever you decide!

[prairiewindmomma]

Would this do for the crema?

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-mexican-crema-356271

 

Yes.

 

So, I eat at Torchy's monthly because salmon tacos. Yum. Anyway, I am fairly convinced that they are making a cheese base, and pouring a chili oil on top of it and not making a full blown crema but using something like Cacique's Crema Mexicana Agria http://www.caciqueinc.com/products/crema-mexicana-agria/.  I see it in all of the stores. It's what I buy.  It's definitely thinner than mixing sour cream with heavy cream, but I think either the epicurious recipe or buying a jar of the stuff would work.

[AMJ]

Glad you found the links!  Leave them skins and seeds right there where God put 'em.  It's so much easier than peeling.  And I am L.A.Z.Y. 

 

Just to add... the large tomatoes produced a lot of liquid for me, the cherry tomatoes created a much thicker, drier paste (probaby because of greater skin/fruit ratio?).  Combined, they were a perfect consistency for sauce; but if you don't have cherry tomatoes in the mix you will probably need to simmer down the liquids in order to thicken the sauce.  

 

 

Thank you!!  I will ask MIL what she will be planting this year.   :D

[AMJ]

My next family Christmas letter will be entitled "Merry Christmas, 2011-ish!"

 

Distant contacts probably still think we have 3 children.  

 

 

For the past 12 years my uncle has been sending his Christmas letter to our old house.  The nice people who bought if from us bring his letter by each year!  (We moved just a few blocks away.)

 

 

It's a remiss-about-correspondence Booya(h)!

Edited December 31, 2016 by AMJ

[Another Lynn]

I'm trying to get a grip on the next 8 years of schooling. Never really expected to still be homeschooling...

 

There are so many parts!!!! My head is spinning.

 

Today my DH was making comments about what DS knows/doesn't know and I had to set him straight that unless he was going to actually TEACH a class, he needed to just chill. Am I right or am I right?

 

Yes, you're right!  And, you know you don't have to get a grip on the next 8 years right now.  Whatever you plan will need to change anyway, lol.  

 

***Educational Post Alert ***

 

Need your input for consideration.

 

We did the U.S. Presidents (including major time on the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, some World War I, and a lot of World War II stuff) in 1st grade.  Then we went on and did History Odyssey/SOTW 1-3.  So next year for 5th, should we:

 

Finish up and do HO Modern/SOTW 4, then condense second history cycle into 3 years?

OR

Start the cycle over so I have a full year of each level at the Logic stage level?

 

 

Well, either way is fine.  Some pros and cons to consider....  SOTW 4 gets really detailed - lots of info - easy to get bogged down, and he's already familiar with some WWI and WWII and presidents, so maybe skip it.  On the other hand, you may or may not need 4 years for the logic stage cycle.  I had a hard time being successful with the history cycle in the logic stage because my history lover (oldest ds) was bored by everything we tried.  He had already learned so much the first time through that any chronological study we tried seemed dry to him at that point.  In hind sight, it might have been better to have encouraged interest led studies instead.  So, do you think he would really enjoy modern?  There are lots of interesting modern topics - development of jazz, rock, music, etc.,  prohibition and the 20s, WWI and II and lots of heroic stories, changing political landscape - JFK, and later Nixon, etc., etc....., also Civil Rights, shouldn't leave that out....

Edited December 31, 2016 by Another Lynn

[AMJ]

Crisco is the secret to fluffy, non-flat Snickerdoodles.

Crisco contains soy.

DS is allergic to soy and eggs.

Therefore, perfect Snickerdoodles are not possible in our house.

 

 

:grouphug:

[lots of little ducklings]

So, what are good things to put on nachos?  If we were having a make-your-own nachos party tonight?

 

pulled bbq chicken

carmelized red onions

scallions

melted jack

salsa

guac

sour cream

[prairiewindmomma]

***Educational Post Alert ***

 

Need your input for consideration.

 

We did the U.S. Presidents (including major time on the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, some World War I, and a lot of World War II stuff) in 1st grade.  Then we went on and did History Odyssey/SOTW 1-3.  So next year for 5th, should we:

 

Finish up and do HO Modern/SOTW 4, then condense second history cycle into 3 years?

OR

Start the cycle over so I have a full year of each level at the Logic stage level?

 

IMO, I think you need to hit Modern History.  First grade was a long time ago, and hitting the basics of what happened in modern history is important before you hit it again in high school and you start to understand the emotional implications of what humanity has done to one another.  SOTW4 gives you the events without the brutality.  I really like Pandia Press's materials...ds10 is using Ancients this year in 5th grade.  We're focusing on outlining and other writing skills within the Ancients context, though, it's not the same as really understanding the fall of colonialism, the proliferation of arms, and the messed up world that we live in where political boundaries don't match ethnicity.  I'd talk about the Mugabe and Stalin and Assad and Qaddafi and Bashir and a number of other people and how they came to power, how they utilize/ban the press, how they interact with their armies, and the other things that keep them in power.  

[ikslo]

I am sitting here supportively and entirely unhelpfully.  We started in the middle of Logic stage, and kind of abandoned the 4-year cycle to fit in some other stuff.  But I support you whatever you decide!

 

What other stuff did you decide to fit in?  Because 3 years of "other stuff" was my other option.  Then back to 4 year cycle for high school.  Or maybe complete the cycle in 5th, do a second cycle from 6-9, then 3 years of self-led intensives.

 

Math is much easier: just keep swimming.

Edited December 31, 2016 by ikslo