Kosher Menu Plan Monday #1

We are a Scripturally Kosher family. Our diet is guided by the food laws in Leviticus & Deuteronomy. I do my best to make both healthy and well-rounded food choices for my family, but this is a new process, and I am not infallible. Our family continues to grow in our faith and learning.

You may not notice any change in most of our meals, as the changes are slight, however, there are some things to be noted. I use kosher salt or sea salt. We do not eat pork (or products containing anything made from a pig), and shrimp, lobster or any other bottom-feeding sea creature. All of these things we had grown accustomed to eating, some were certain family member’s favorites, but we are adjusting, and I especially (as the main grocery shopper and cook) enjoy learning creative, healthy ways to cook.

YOM RISHON (Sunday)
BREAKFAST: challah french toast
LUNCH: meatball subs
DINNER: beef hotdogs w/ chili, breadsticks

YOM SHENI (Monday)
BREAKFAST: baking powder biscuits with pb, honey or jam
LUNCH: “Mark-aroni & cheese” (my brother's yummy recipe)
DINNER: lasagna, garlic bread

YOM SH’LISHI (Tuesday)
BREAKFAST: apples and cinnamon oatmeal
LUNCH: homemade corn dogs, tater tots
DINNER: bbq chicken, baked potato, green bean casserole

YOM REVI'I (Wednesday)
BREAKFAST: Homemade cinnamon rolls
LUNCH: quiche
We do not use ham. Instead try veggies, turkey or beef, potatoes, cheese- I will put my recipe up soon but I use turkey sausage, onions, mozzarella, and mushrooms.
carrots with homemade ranch dressing
DINNER: roast beef & cheese melts, tomato soup

YOM CHAMISHI (Thursday)
BREAKFAST: homemade granola and yogurt
LUNCH: chicken fingers and fries
DINNER: tacos

YOM SHISHI (Friday)
BREAKFAST: blueberry pancakes & eggs
LUNCH: chicken salad w/ grapes (**my favorite- let me know if you are interested in the recipe & I'll post it)
SHABBAT DINNER:
-Chicken spaghetti
I sometimes substitute fresh diced tomatoes, green peppers & onions for the cans of tomatoes & green chilis called for in the recipe. The chilis create a spicier dish. I like the taste of both equally, but prefer using fresh veggies.
-challah
-salad
-apple pie with this crust
Learn how to make a lattice top.

YOM SHABBAT
BREAKFAST: challah french toast (*prepared ahead of time)
LUNCH: tuna noodle casserole (*prepared ahead of time)
DINNER: leftovers :)

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for many, many of HaShem's blessing this week. I am constantly amazed how I can feel so blessed when nothing the world considers a blessing has occurred, even when disaster comes (worldly and personal disaster), even when I feel like the world is crumbling down, when I've failed. The peace that comes with abiding in the Lord is unmatched, and even to have experienced once is enough blessing for a lifetime. And He wants us to abide in him for eternity? That is almost unfathomable.

I am thankful for the friends I have, the ones who share my beliefs and the ones who question it out of love. Edifying conversations, heartfelt words, and a little healthy debate will always be met with appreciation. I am so tired of arguing for argument's sake, with comments doused with pride, which result only in anger. For my friends who care enough to ask, to question and then to listen, I thank you.

I am thankful for my husband, who is different than me in every conceivable way, who challenges me on a daily basis to be a better mom, wife and woman. I am thankful for my boys, who inspire me to be that mom, who taught me about love, and who are absolutely a blessing from my Father :)

I am thankful for my renewed crafting passion. I love yarn. I love fibers. I want to own sheep. I haven't felt this rejuvenated in a long time, PTL!

It has been a crazy week, perhaps more in my mind than in my house, but realizing (again) you've mixed up your priorities and feeling convicted to change things is never a fun process. But, YehHowWey is good, and He is full of grace. For that I am truly thankful!

this week, by subject

Wanna know what we have planned for this week at school???

SUBJECTS WE DO TOGETHER:

Torah Explorers for this week's portion: "Korah" קורח {Numbers 16:1-18:32, 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22, John 9-12}
--I have been so enjoying studying Scripture this way. Each week we read a "portion" comprised of the Torah ("Law"), Haftorah ("Prophets") & Brit Chadasha ("ReNEWed Testament"). Torah Explorers is exactly what it claims to be: "A Torah Study Guide for the Young & Young at Heart". Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information in certain chapters (sometimes books) in the Old Testament, and spent much of my initial devotional time focused on "easier" (*teehee, yeah right!) to understand chapters in the Renewed Testament. Torah Explorers has been a crucial guidemap to making sense of it, and oh the treasures contained within!!!! I always thought the Bible contained tons of information, but every week I am so in awe of the blessings of wisdom it contains. It all weaves together in an awesome and unparalleled way! Even the boys are picking up pearls of wisdom and making connections. :D

Hebrew alphabet & days of the week

This Country of Ours {US History} audio & text

CHRISTIAN:

Writing Strands
Singapore Math
Vocabulary
Number the Stars {independent reading}
--My brother's copy {which was originally mine from 4th grade, but then he wrote his name on it ;P} I remember this book having a stringent impact on me as a young girl. I think dear Christian would be more interested in it if the protagonist was a girl, but I look forward to the discussions...

KEEGAN:
Writing Strands
Singapore Math
The Giggler Treatment
--I chose this one for Keegan, but it a far lighter book than Christian's. He's never been too big on chapter books, so I am trying to ease him into them by appealing to his comic side. I'll let you know how it goes...

As always, this is not a hard and fast plan. I try to stay away from those, as I want to keep open to YHVH, who often has other ideas for me. I do think it is important to have an outline, at least it is for me, so that I do not flit around from one thing to another, and so I have a reference point when I get off track.

May you have a blessed week. . .

The Homeschool Pantry

I am not an adventurous cook, in fact it is only lately that YHVH has blessed me with the excitement and motivation to cook. I am slowly learning "the basics". It is the same way with my homeschooling. While I love to incorporate unexpected things into our lessons, I still need to have a good foundation in the unlikely {*wink wink} event I am feeling less creative or less enthusiastic one day.

In any good cookbook, you will find a suggested pantry list. I love looking at these, collecting said items and finding that I can make practically anything just out of my pantry. When I am stocked up, I find I spend less at the grocery store and go less often, and I have less of an desire to impulsively buy items. You can do this with your homeschool supplies as well. And, halleluYAH, often items can serve dual purposes for baking and learning :D

picture from City Kids Homeschooling {because her pantry is far neater than mine}




FLOUR
Uses: pastes, playdoh, paper mache', baking galore

BAKING SODA- As natural deodorizer, mild abrasive and leavening agent, baking soda is vital to any household and can be used in substitution for many pricier items. I have sprinkled baking soda on the carpet to take away odors, used it to scrub my counters, and included it in most baked goods I've made. My husband uses it to help indigestion. He simply eats a spoonful, but, when added to vinegar, it works like Alka Seltzer. Check here for more detailed instructions. And, an added plus, like many other products listed on this list, it is C-H-E-A-P!

My best friend shared with me a wonderful way to remember the use for baking soda as opposed baking powder. The difference is that "Soda spreads, powder puffs."

Kitchen Crafts 'n More lists about forty uses for baking soda ranging from beauty & bath to cleaning to health.

OLIVE OIL
Uses: lubricates anything, science projects, arts & crafts

VINEGAR
Uses: science experiments, cleaning (it is a natural disinfectant)

EGGS
Uses: the uses for the cartons are endless. . .

BEANS
Uses: math, sorting, music (think shakers), science (remember the bean in the paper towel?),

KOOL-AID
Uses: dying clothing, dying play-doh/homemade clay, various edible opportunities

SOAP ~ liquid and bar
I'd suggest Dawn--it has the best degreaser and makes good bubbles.
Uses {bar}: whittling, science
Uses {liquid}: cleaning grease out of anything, bubbles

ALUMINUM FOIL
Uses: art projects, science (electricity conductor)

POTATOES
Uses: stampmaking, garden experiments, and tons of other ideas here and here

That's all I have for now, but my list keeps growing.
What do you stock in your homeschool pantry???

This weeks Hebrew learning

I've been working for the past week on Hebrew lesson plans--with the help of my diligent disciples {a.k.a. "the kids"}, Microsoft Paint & Word and some fabulous websites {whose webmistresses have taken virtually all of the work out of this process- Bless you, Loni!}

We have been creating and collecting resources for learning the alphabet {ahem, aleph-bet}, days, months, numbers, seasons, & weather. Each week we are going to learn a blessing & focus on a name of YHVH.

We follow the Karaite Calendar (which differs from the Jewish calendar in that the new year is based upon the Abib state and month by new moons instead of rabbinic law}. New Moon Sightings & Abib in Jerusalem.

Why do we follow this calendar instead of the traditional Jewish one?

"You have made the moon to mark the seasons." ~Psalms 104:19
"These are the appointed times of YHVH, set-apart convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them." ~Leviticus 23:4

Found some great links for the Counting of the Omer.

Here are some printable charts for Counting the Omer {Sefirat Ha'omer}. Keep in mind these are from a Jewish site, thus the Omer count starts and ends on different days, but the charts are great (and show Hebrew numbers) nonetheless.

To "count the omer", I printed 50 of these grain sheaf clipart images (well cut & pasted 50 then printed one page ;P

This is what we've been studying this week:

This week's Torah Portion:
Bamidbar "In the Wilderness" במדבר
Our Readings:
* Torah: Numbers 1:1-4:20
* Prophets (Haftarah): Hosea 2:1-22
* Gospel (Brit Chadasha): John 1-2, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

This week's Torah Explorers for the bigger two boys (DS10 & DS7)
Torah Tots for DS4 (and maybe DS7)
Here is another Torah Tots for this week, that seems geared for even younger learners.

We are also studying the 7 Feasts of YHVH. You can find out a wealth of information here.
I made this to display on our Hebrew board:
7 Feasts of YHWH

I found the Hebrew months and days here and made these:
Hebrew Days of the Week

Here is a great chart for the seasons in Hebrew.
Weather terms are here and here. You can visit Hearts-In-Training to print out your own weather cards with pictures.

I created this for the Hebrew names of books in the Old Testament:
Hebrew Names of Books in the Tanakh תַּנַ

Here you can find the daily blessings (berachot). You can download study cards from Hebrew4Christians as well as names for YHVH.

GREAT RESOURCES FOR LEARNING BIBLICAL HEBREW & HOLIDAYS
**some of these are Jewish sites, others are Messianic. I do not necessarily agree with all doctrine presented in these sites, however I find their resources quite helpful.**

{H.O.W.} Biblical Holidays
Robin Sampson has done extensive work creating resources for understanding our Hebrew Roots. No search would be complete without visiting her sites.
Hebrew 4 Christians
TONS of information regarding the Hebrew language, feasts, blessings, names of YHVH.
Hoshana Rabbah
This is where I find the weekly portion & Torah Explorers worksheets.
My Jewish Learning
Hearts-in-Training

That's all for now. SHALOM~

SWAG BUCKS CODE until 3:30 PDT

If you haven't used Swagbucks before, I would totally recommend doing so. I am certainly not one for earning money taking millions of polls, applying for promotions from which I will soon have to subscribe, or, well, basically anything I don't already do.

Enter...Swagbucks. Points, er "bucks" that you can earn just for searching the web, taking polls (yes, but just one a day :P) or entering codes on hunts like the one today. And, yes, you also get bucks for referrals, so make sure to spread the word. These bucks can buy you paypal money, amazon giftcards, music, frankly whatever you can think of. And, yeehaw, its free!!!


Anyways, there is a hunt going on today until 3:30 PDT. If you enter the swagcode in correctly, it is worth 11 bucks. Check the SwagBucks blog for a clue.

If you want to join now-- it's free! Plus get 50 swagbucks to start you out. Enter code SWAGNATION5 when you sign-up here!


And here's my clue to add to the one on the blog: Info Here

And the winners are. . .

Thank you all for participating in the Giveaway for Gleaning the Harvest. I am so excited to announce the winners. . .
So, without further ado, the winner of the floral measuring cups and measuring spoons is. . .

Congratulations, Lindsey. You won with this comment:

I have the Gleaning the Harvest button on my site now!

And the second and third place winners are. . .

Second place won with this comment:

I donated. (entry #1)

Third place won with this comment:

I joined the facebook for keeping them H.O.M.E

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING GLEANING THE HARVEST!!!

I will email the winners later today :D