22 Simple Manners Every Kid Should Know By High School Has this ever happened to you? You beam with pride with joy at how wonderful, caring, and thoughtful your kids are; and without warning, they prove your heart wrong. Before you beat yourself up for being a terrible mom, Before I drag my ungrateful son away from his new pile of gifts, I need to tell us something. They’re kids. … Read More »
7 Patriotic 4th of July Activities for Preschoolers Celebrate Independence Day with these amazing 4th of July Activities for Preschoolers! Because they’ll LOVE them all!! Have a red, white, and blue fashion show! Kids will love throwing together wild and patriotic clothing combinations and come strutting through the room to make you smile. Build a float and march in a parade (or down the street) 4 of our five sons The first year we lived in a small town in California, we decided to enter the boys in the 4th of July parade. Can you believe they won 1st prize? One of the boys is riding his bike ahead. It was all decked out with red, white, and blue party streamers. We created a tank by wrapping our wagon with spray painted cardboard and stuck our preschooler in the driver’s seat (secret plan to keep him busy). The air is sucked from my lungs as I see my oldest son in my hubby’s Navy dress uniform. That’s the same uniform my husband wore to our wedding! Make 4th of July Pinwheels! These pinwheels make great cupcake toppers or party picks, and with the awesome 4th of July ribbons from the Ribbon Retreat, they will add some fun and festive flair to your next patriotic gathering! 4th of July Printables get yours here This 16 page fun and engaging reader is just the ticket to help your preschoolers dive into the 4th of July! Your preschoolers wil: Trace say and trace the sight words they will find in their readerColor and read their bookinteract with each word inside the readerFall in love with reading 4th of July books F is for Flag Every day seems like Flag Day. Perfect for reading together with a young child, F Is for Flag shows in simple terms how one flag can mean many things: a symbol of unity, a sign of welcome, and a reminder that-in good times and in bad-everyone in our country is part of one great big family. Red, White, and BOOM! It’s the Fourth of July! Travel across the country for a city parade, a beach picnic, and fireworks in the park in this poetic celebration of the many cultures and traditions that make America’s birthday BOOM! I Spy July the 4th A Is For America! A Fun Fourth of July National Patriotic Holiday Guessing Game Gift for … Preschoolers and Toddlers! 4th of July Activity Book Beautiful projects appropriate for child ages 6 -12.Printed on a high quality paper.80 Pages various activities for children 4th of July Gross Motor Boom! Crash! Fireworks! Great games by Preschool Plan it! The children pretend to be fireworks! When you yell “BOOM” they start making fireworks movements and sounds and when you yell “CRASH” they fall to the floor! EXTENSION: Give the children colored dancing scarves to use during this! Fence Weaving Image and Activity from Centers and Circle time This is the simplest activity, but it is wonderfully entertaining. Materials needed: FenceRed, white, and blue streamersAdorable kids Patriotic Windsock Craft Craft by All Kids Network “This craft would make a great gift for a Veteran or a 4th of July decoration. Wrap red, white, and blue yarn around a toilet paper roll to form patriotic stripes. Then have your child help you fold a sheet of paper to make rows of stars reminiscent of paper dolls. The paper folding can be a lesson on the term “half”, since you will be folding the paper in half 4 times!” Summertime FUN from my friend Amy with Planning Playtime!! Preschool summer theme Summer continues with our most favorite summer theme!Enjoy pool noodle sight words, flip flop matching, and pool noodle tallies. Preschool Camping theme Letter Matching Smore’s, Tent Patterns, and, Alphabet Hunt Bag, and 10 Frame activities! Space theme The Space theme is packed full of learning fun like marshmallow constellations, 10 Frame moon rock counting, and space play dough patterns. What’s your favorite activity to help preschoolers celebrate summer and the 4th of July? More preschool FUN The BEST list of delightful books for preschoolers and their parents Preschool at Home- MAGIC Easy Preschool Crafts and Activities
How to make a fan cooler Free Printable for your fridge! Fun Science projects: How to Make a Fan Cooler! How to make a fan coolerMake an Easy Air Conditioner DIY Air Conditioners Home Cool Down Tips If cool in morning, open all windows and cool off houseUse fans to keep air circulatingKeep curtains and shades closedUse dehumidifier if humidDo not use oven Keep People Cool Wear lightweight breathable clothingKeep clothes on!Cold bath for feetCool showers/bathsCold wash rags held to neckStay indoorsStick to the shadeDrink lots of cold drinksEat cold/cool foodsKeep a pack of wet wipes in the fridge – wipe your neck, face, hands and pressure points Pets need to stay cool Never leave your pet in a parked carUse cooling collarLimit exerciseProvide shade and waterMake pet pop cycles Food Ideas for HOT days Do meal prepping when weather is cooler!Frozen fruitTaco saladGreek chicken pitasAntipasto saladRolled sandwich meat, cheese, fruitCold sandwichesCerealYogurt with fruitWatermelonCarrots, celery, and veggie trayTuna saladDeli wrapsIce cream & pop-cyclesCold pasta saladsBLTA (cook bacon in cool of the day!) Seriously! Ways to Entertain kids Long cool baths with toysMovie marathonIndoor forts with fansMovie theaterLong drives in ACSwimming after heat of the day passes: SUNSCREEN!! Dream About SNOW? YES!! printable fun Perfect for distraction from the heat! Activities Included in this pack: KWL Chart about snowMy Weather ReportThe color of snow readingComprehension questions: The color of snowThe Sound of Snow readingSound of snow mazeTypes of snow readingFill in the blank: Types of snowSnowfall, Snow-cover, and formations vocabulary (3 pages)Crossword: Snowfall, Snow-cover, and FormationsAvalanche ReadingTips to Surviving an Avalanche Flip-ableWilson “snowflake” Bentley?Comprehension Questions: Snowflake BentleyMake paper snowflakesSnowflake Sudoku
Homeschool Mom- Printable Bingo Game Free There is no right or wrong way to be a great homeschool mom. You already qualify as the best teacher and mentor on the planet for your kids. No one else cares as much about their success as you! Instead of being too hard on ourselves, let’s have a little fun. Invite a friend to Play Homeschool Mom Bingo! Print your gameMark off the ones you’ve completedShare the fun with friends! Need help completing a square? 1. Turns baking into science “Believe it or not, cooking and baking can be great teaching tools. You know what I always say….“Science is everywhere!” You may be wondering how spending an afternoon baking chocolate chip cookies can relate to math and science. Then again, you may not care if the end result is cookies. Let’s go over the super important sounding words that are at the heart of learning in the kitchen.” 2. Buys copy paper by the case 3. Homeschool Master Goals Established… check! 4. Follows 2+ Homeschool bloggers Ok, this one is subjective. If you are lucky enough to have homeschooling friend’s next door, like I did when I first began homeschooling you may not need to follow a homeschool blogger. There are many, many, many moms (like me) who share their homeschool journey through their own blogs. My favorite homeschool bloggers: Amy with Planning Playtime has amazing preschool goodiesAna with They Call Me BlessedGena with Music in Our HomeschoolKelly with Happy You, Happy Family (not a homeschool blog… but she sees you through your screen)Don’t forget A Better Way to Homeschool (That’s me) 5. Asks homeschool questions in FB group Come join Our Lives as Homeschool Moms! If you ask 100 homeschoolers a question, you will get 137 different answers. I may be a bit biased, but this little corner of the internet is the most encouraging I’ve found! 6. Owns a FANTASTIC pencil sharpener Worth every penny My husband doesn’t understand. He laughed when I told him how much I spent on this bad boy. But it’s a life changer. It treats expensive, wonderful, quality pencils and cheap, peeling, “can’t hold their lead” pencils equally and without prejudice. I will almost never say what I am about to say, but I can’t help myself. Go buy yourself a Carl Angel 5 Pencil Sharpener right now. 7. Knows That LEARNING is the goal, not page numbers What does successful homeschooling look like? You’re gonna want this printable for your fridge. 8. Attends 1+ online or in-person homeschool conference After I attended my first homeschool conference, I was hooked with connecting with other homeschool moms. Especially older homeschoolers. There’s something magical about gleaning hard earned wisdom from people a little farther ahead of you than you are today. Pro-tip: Make it a goal to find one GOLDEN nugget (wisdom, advice, or resource) from any conference you attend. It only takes one to make the whole conference worth your time and money! Online conferences worth attending at least once: Charlotte Mason Inspired All Kerry’s Conferences and Workshops are amazing! 9. Knows where to ask MATH questions I highly recommend collecting mathematicians for your homeschool journey. Yes, you’ll want a math roadmap, but sometimes you just need someone to explain things to you. While I’ve collected a few math whizzes in my time homeschooling, I’ve also found some amazing YouTube teachers! Organic Chemistry Tutor! Wow this guy has made a huge difference for usMath Antics: Clear and easy to followMath and Science: My personal favorite. He helped me remember how to do all the math things I forgot! 10. Has books in EVERY room of the house Adoring books may be the one common trait of homeschool moms! 120 Classics to read This is the Best List of Delightful Books for Preschoolers (and their Parents) 11. Ignores the “you should” comments Everyone on the planet will give you advice about homeschooling. You’ll want to quickly learn to fine-tune who you collect advice from. Years ago, a friend taught me to inspect the life of the person who is freely giving me advice before listening. 12. New BUG? Homeschool moms can turn anything into a learning activity, but the best homeschool moms hide the truth that kids are learning. Their kids believe they play all day! Discovers new bugcollects itturns into science lesson for the week 13. Trains CHARACTER 14. Buys or creates printables 15. Confident that art, music, dance, and LEGOs are important 16. Loses sleep while thinking about teaching kids 17. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 18. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 19. Googles “how to make learning FUN” 20. Looking for affirmation that she’s on right track 21. Has thought it might be easier if they go to school-school 22. Has gifts and abilities she wants to use in teaching but doesn’t know how
Ways to Say Happy Father’s Day Husband Let’s join our kids and celebrate their father with these fun ways to say Happy Father’s Day Husband to their dad! Let’s get creative this year and celebrate Father’s Day, with FUN and creative ways to Say Happy Father’s Day. Sure, the mud pie and t-shirt with handprints are amazing, but so are these! 5 Amazing Gift Ideas for Father’s Day 1. Camping Gifts for Dad Camping Gifts for Dad Maybe it the fact that being dirty is just part of the fun, but most kids LOVE camping with their dads! Help their next camp out be amazing. Fun camping gifts HammockGreat multi-toolGloves with flashlights in the fingers! 2. Father’s Day from Bump From your little bump If you’re expecting, your husband may still feel like a deer in the headlights. Help him feel extra special with a fun gift from that moving bump! 3. Best Dad By Par Best dad by par If your hubby loves golf, he’s gonna love these. 4. Cycling Gifts for Dad Cycling Gifts for Dad These are my personal favorites, because all five of our sons enjoy biking with their dad. They can’t revisit the feel of hero dirt! Hero Theme to help celebrate dad! 5. Ways to Make Dad a Homeschool Lesson Interview himCreate a Power point presentation “My Dad”Oh! How about a a secret message with your own special code that he will need to break to readMake a dad collage! Have dad lay down on butcher paper and trace his body. Yes, kids LOVE this one. Then color, decorate, or label with all the things dad loves!Print, cut, color, and create your own keepsake craft while sharpening fine-motor skills Get your kit here There are many, many ways to let your husband know how important he is in the live of your children. Father’s Day can get overlooked because it falls right after the school year ends and all the kids scatter into doing summery things. Take some time to pause and celebrate Father’s Day for and with your husband! More about Fathers Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes
Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes Inside: Six homeschool lessons to glean from your kid’s dad. Even if he never picks up a red pen to help you grade a math test. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But when the going gets tough in homeschool, moms across the globe search for answers. We corner teachers to glean classroom management skills. We laugh and cry with our girlfriends about our kids as we sip too much coffee. We pick the brains of other homeschoolers we happen to bump into at the grocery store. We Google in desperation. “Which curriculum is best for a dyslexic science-minded girl who refuses to wear matching socks on Tuesdays?” But ask the man in our lives his opinion about how to teach his children or how to manage our lives, No way Jose…. Read More »
Best Photo Bombs- Homeschool Siblings and Family Photos Do you see what I see? I’m not sure what you think about photo bombs. But this one makes me so happy. Lol. …Read More »
Crazy Fun Summer Emergent Readers Resources Aspiring readers are just beginning to grasp the basic concepts of book and print. They are acquiring a command of the alphabet with the ability to recognize and name upper- and lowercase letters. They are also developing many phonological awareness skills, such as recognizing phonemes, syllables, and rhyme. Early Emergent readers are beginning to learn sound/symbol relationships–starting with consonants and short vowels–and are able to read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as well as a number of high-frequency words. Early Emergent Readers Levels aa-C-Books at this level have: Strong picture supportCarefully controlled textRepetitive patternsControlled, repeated vocabularyNatural languageLarge printWide letter spacingFamiliar conceptsLimited text on a page Lesson plans for emergent readers You’re gonna want a simple plan to follow when working with emergent readers. The great news? They don’t need to be complicated! Sight Words Once your kids master their letters, they will use their emergent reader lessons to master those sight words in a natural and fun way. Each reader will have a few focus words for mastery, but you will want to make sight word practice a repetitive and fun activity during each school day. A little practice goes a long way! Use sight words as handwriting and Fine Motor Skills practice This Sight Words Set comprise from up to 85% of the text in children’s early reading materials. Therefore, a child who knows the Dolch Words has much of the base needed to recognize the majority of the words in a typical selection. EASY & FUN WAY TO LEARN SIGHT WORDS:: After one of the 220 Dolch sight words is called out, use your swatter to swat the word on the matching fly. Fun and engaging Summer Emergent Reader Low Prep Printable! Bonus activities included The beauty of emergent readers is that they are short and predictable texts that help build confidence and mastery! Get your copy here Looking for more emergent readers for summer? If you like this post, check out: Manners for kids Preschool Books for kids
Homeschool Life Win #197 As our kids spread their wings and catch flight, it can take our breath away.It’s what we want. We teach them to read and to calculate the best deals at the grocery store, and at some point it happens. They find their sweet spot. It’s incredibly humbling to hand dinner to someone you’ve birthed, taught, raised, and mentored and to see an accomplished adult looking back at you. LUCK? It’ll take your breath away! Nope. It’s days, weeks, months, and years of mentoring, guiding, correcting, training, and… letting go. It will look different for each and every one of our children.But that swelling feeling of warmth that fills our hearts and brings color to our cheeks will be the same. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been watching one of my sons soar. He launched his little shop and is daily releasing art that he’s been working on for months. It’s absolutely incredible to watch as he, “does what he said he was going to do”. Being the mom of an artist, I’ve listened to countless dreams, ideas, and plans… But now I get the double joy of watching his talent being unveiled. WOW! Let me give you a glimpse of what can happen when kids are given time and space to develop their talents. https://www.redbubble.com/people/TheSaylerMan/shop But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Where did this very talented man begin his journey to success? With a medical challenge that required HUGE surgeries every few years until he was 10 years old. Wasn’t he adorable? Medical issues that still cause him to develop grit Potty trained at 4-years old (because surgeries kept causing all progress to be lost as he lay in hospital beds”. He didn’t read well until he was 8 (He was one of five of the delayed readers in my home) When taking standardized tests, he simply created patterns with the little bubbles. Creative FANCY patterns. We’d fight over math. A lot. Eventually, I got him math teachers because I loved him too much to fight over my inability to teach him math in a way he could understand. He found a love for performing on stage in 8th grade. He began writing a book in 8th grade that eventually turned into a full screenplay in college and morphed to his passion project. ONE day before the production of a feature film project was to begin, the world shut down and he found himself staring at a project that could NOT be done due to pandemic. He moped for a bit, and I told him to think outside the box. Maybe there was something there that was hidden. (YES. I take credit for the next one. lol) He turned that feature film into a full 22 minute animated film. HAND DRAWING thousands of frames in a few weeks. He teamed together with other film students and produced and incredible little film that will make you cry when it’s released. A letter to you from me… Mom, Your child may be struggling to learn to tie their shoes today. Maybe they can’t hold a pencil correctly or write a complete sentence.It’s ok. Keep loving on your kids. Teach them HOW to learn. Marinate them in more books than you think they should read.Give them magic markers and let them draw. Turn on music and let them dance.Give them a guitar and let them play. Provide Legos and time to build. Let them learn to write computer programs. Someday, not too far in the future, you will hand them a dinner plate and you will see an amazing adult looking back at you. Every ounce of effort, love, time, and attention you put toward their life and education is worth it. xoxoBekki PS- This is the FUN part of homeschooling. Come follow Micah… Update! I’m going to be a Mother-in-love AGAIN!!! We’re delighted!! Focus on the heart, character, and attitude of your kids 99.8% more than academics… It may not make life easier, but it will make life RICHER! Get my book today!
Teaching Kid to Study More Effectively What does this list of words have to do with studying? Fire HydrantBalloonsBatteriesbarrelsurf boarddiamondknightoxtoothpasteneon sign Here’s a weird little story. Try not to cringe. My 15-year old added some details. You are standing next to a fire hydrant. Not just any fire hydrant, but a huge red one big enough for Clifford the Big Red Dog to pee on.Out of no where, someone comes and ties a big RED balloon onto the hydrant and then adds many more balloons to the bundle. So many balloons that the hydrant pulls out of the ground and begins floating away.WHOA!Out of nowhere, energizer bunny batteries come flying through the air and begin popping the balloons. Oh no! Where are those batteries coming from?You look down and see a huge wooden barrel firing batteries faster than you thought possible. Squinting you look at the side of the barrel and see the picture of a surf board.What’s that you see? A diamond is rolling down the surfboard! The biggest, brightest, most beautiful diamond you’ve ever seen is rolling down the surf board!BOOM!The diamond hits a knight in shining armor in the head and knocks him unconscious.Don’t worry! Paul Bunyan is walking by with Babe, his big blue ox. The ox begins licking the knight back to consciousness.Confused, the knight blinks awake and is startled to see a big ox standing above him. He’s confused because the ox is covered with toothpaste!Overjoyed about being awakened, the knight licks the toothpaste off of the ox’s side and reveals a neon sign that is blinking. “YOU Win!!!” Can you retell the story? Can you recite the list of words? Do it now. Then be amazed…
Character Training Resources are in HIGH Demand! My boys will fight over blueberries, Legos and who gets to be the most gentleman-ly boy. Today, we entered the gauntlet of doors at our dentists office. There are three doors to open and they fought over who got to open which door AND almost killed me in the process. LOL. You should have seen the girls behind the desk. Are you in the same boat? If you have sons, are your holding on to your sanity as you raise up the next generation of godly men? Boys test our grit. If your sons are near the age of 12 you may be surprised at the thoughts that go through your mind. Related: All five of my sons were lucky to survive 12… just being real. I have thousands of readers with daughters and yet I’m still looking for bits of wisdom to pass on. Do you have any nuggets of wisdom for raising godly women? I was chatting with a mom this morning about our kids. She was trying to make sense of our family’s stance on dating. It seemed so foreign, strange, and crazy that none of our sons date. Oh, they’re social and have lots of friends. The girls think they are super cute and the boys have to be creative in keeping them at bay… But they don’t date. It’s so odd to the world. Funny, that’s how it should be. Our kids, our families, our lives shouldn’t fit in. Our 20-year old was cussed out at college and called horrific names because he opened the door for a young woman who had her arms full.His offensive crime? He saw she had her hands full, so he opened the door. Gasp. After he told her to have a wonderful day (sincerely) a group of boys said, “dude… you have guts. I’d never open the door for a girl here!” How sad. When did it become wrong, bad, or offensive to be kind, considerate, and a gentleman?When did it become weak, bad, or scandalous for a woman to accept assistance from a …….MAN? Related: 22 Simple manners Kids should know by the time they graduate high school I’m rambling a bit. We need to be strong when raising up our sons and daughters. The world needs men and women of God who are not afraid to be men and women of God. How will they know what that means if they are not taught? How can we teach them if we weren’t taught ourselves? There are some INCREDIBLE goodies for you to grab before the BYB goes away. REAL MEN 101: GODLY MANHOOD GOD’S GIRLS 101: GROW IN CHRIST There is so much inside this year’s Build your own bundle. You’re gonna need a cup of tea, a chunk of time, and a printable to help you. Related: Homeschool Goals Planner to help sort through the Build Your Own Bundle Where do I begin with the Build Your Own Bundle? Grab your free planner Decide how many products you want from the bundle Choose the best option for you: This year, you can add ANY product (excluding the mystery bundle & premium products) as long as the retail value is $100 or more. Now, here’s the really cool part! $100 retail = you pay $25$200 retail = you pay $40$340 retail = you pay $60$800 retail = you pay $80 The more you add to your bundle the BETTER the savings! Again, the flexibility of this makes it totally WORTH IT! Build Your Bundle sale ends 5/22/19. #BYB2019 (referral) –>> https://www.buildyourbundle.com/#a_aid=ABW&a_bid=d82325b2 Time to save hundreds of dollars on next year’s homeschool curriculum and resources! The Build Your Bundle sale begins on May 15th, but you can enter now for your chance to win ALL 15 bundles in this year’s sale. Plus more great prizes will be awarded from May 15th-22nd, so head over now! Show me this year’s BYB!!! #BYB2019 Enter here for your chance to win BIG this year from Build Your Bundle. Two winners will receive ALL 15 Bundles, plus daily prizes awarded May 15th-22nd for more than $5000 in total prizes! “I discovered Build Your Bundle four years ago, and it has made a world of difference in our homeschool journey! My kids LOVE being able to pick what they want to learn about and how they want to learn about it, as well as having such a wide variety of options to choose from. We’ve grown from elementary to middle school with BYB, and we wait anxiously every year for it to roll around. This was an incredible way for us to learn about new companies, authors, blogs, and opportunities for us as a homeschooling family. We discovered Mystery of History, How Great Though Art, A Journey Through Learning, and Amanda Bennett through BYB, as well as dozens of other great authors and resources. Plus, the cost is so much less than buying traditional curriculum. For a family on a budget, you can’t beat it! And if you’re trying to find new ways to learn and grow, then this is a sale that can’t be missed!” April D. – South Carolina, USA Make Learning Basic Math Facts a Breeze Free Copy of My book Successful Homeschooling: What if… 97+ Amazing Ways to Make Math Fun for Our Kids Need Help Finding Real Scholarships?
MouthWatering Pizza Dough Recipes Pizza… oh pizza:) I have has pizza every Friday Night since my childhood. My parents took us out for pizza every week and I loved it. Family time, pizza, the simple pause in everyone’s week to gather. It’s a tradition I carried into marriage and it still is a highlight of our week. I’m not sure when I began making pizza rather than ordering out. Maybe 25 years ago? I probably started with those Boboli pizza crusts and packs from the grocery store. We all have to start somewhere! I upped my pizza skills when a friend sold me Pampered Chef Pizza stones. You don’t need them to make pizza, but they are worth the investment. I’ve made BBQ pizza on the grill, pizza in small wood fire box that cooks the dough in 90 seconds, and in the oven. Yes, my husband bought us a ROCCBOX as a kickstart supporter! This baby cooks pizzas in 90 seconds! Perfect for entertaining! Our current recipe uses 100year old sourdough starter, gifted from a friend. When she handed me the containers, I was blessed she thought of us. But it wasn’t until I asked for help with using the starter that I learned it was a family sourdough starter passed down for over 100 years! If you can get your hands on a sourdough starter this is wonderful. Yes, you can begin one EASILY. 2 cups proofed starter1 tsp salt1/2 cup water3 cups organic flour2 Tbsp oil (not olive) Love your dough. This life-changing dough video is how I make my doughs. MixForm ballCoverLet rise (I usually let mine rest and rise for 6 hours+) Preheat oven to 475If you have stones, let them heat in oven! Break into balls and roll into pizza shape. That recipe makes about 3-4 balls of dough. I double the recipe for my crew.Lay on parchment paper. Top with favorites.Bake 15-ish minutes.Yum!! Related: One of my sons did a Chemistry of pizza presentation years ago. No sourdough starter? This was my go-to Pizza dough for years: Dissolve 1 Tbsp oil, 1Tbsp yeast, 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup lukewarm warm waterWait until frothyAdd 2-2.5 cups flour & 1tsp salt Roll outLay in parchment paper.Top with favorites! 475 degrees, 22ish minutes Enjoy Pizza making is an art and your ability to make, roll, and understand the texture of dough takes practice. Weather, humidity and elevation have always effected my doughs. Always start with less flour than needed, so you can add more if necessary. And seriously, use this video to help you love your dough. Want to make dough with me? I recorded the process on Facebook a while back. Part One: Getting the dough ready Part 2: Rolling the dough and topping
Zoom Backgrounds for Teachers My kids are always scrambling to find a new background for their next zoom class or meetings. I think it’s a simple way to spice things up in a world that is becoming more and more comfortable working, teaching, and learning at home. A creative virtual backdrop can be more than entertaining; they can be a stress reliever too! No last minute scramble to tidy up those stray toysLaundry can wait until after you’re done with your classYou can enjoy living in a virtual dream home Great zoom backgrounds are bright, crisp, and clean. They’re like your Sunday Best outfit, only for your computer screen. Every day, my son is quizzed by his calculus professor, looking for a good joke. This professor knows that laughing releases “feel good” hormones from your brain and sets you up for learning. It’s kind of a sneaky pro tip for teachers… make them laugh. I create zoom backgrounds that not only allow you ignore your laundry for a little bit longer, but actually add room for creativity and fun with subtle message changes from one image to the next. Zoom makes it easy to switch out your background. Who needs clean, crisp, professional zoom backdrops? Honestly, anyone who meets online for work or school. People react differently to you based on what’s in the background. Who wants to live here? You can virtually! Give it a try! 4 stunning backdrops for everydayFunny zoom backdrops to make people laughBackdrops specifically for teachers; filled with affirmationsFunny math teacher backgrounds In case you’re wondering… yes, I do custom backdrops too.
Funny Birthday Card for Mom Gorgeous watercolor from my son Funny Birthday card for mom… complete with misspellings! My favorite? Now that I’m older I really want to thank you for never leaving me in a shopping cart and running for the exit.I know it was tempting.Stephen- Age 15 Yes, I laughed so hard I cried. Then I created greeting cards for other kids to bless their moms. Because, this is the BEST blessing possible. Thank you and respect for our sacrifice and effort in raising them all wrapped up in a giggle. I made a few different versions. Fun foodLegoStunning blueFloral lavender Thanks for never leaving me in a shopping cart…
Fun Earth Science Worksheets for Middles Schoolers Kids slumped over their Earth Science books, eyes glazed. This is NOT how I wanted my boys to march through rocks, minerals, plate tectonics and all the other AMAZING topics to dig into during middle school. If you love science, you understand that textbooks are a great place to start, but definitely NOT the final destination when getting your students excited about this incredible planet we call home. Easy Earth Activities When they’re little, some fun earth day activities whet their appetites. But now that they’re in middle school, we get to dive into the good stuff. 3 Ways to make Earth Science Amazing for Middle School Students “For heaven sakes, please take us outside,” our kids beg. Go outside! Find amazing rock formations, mountains, and even a friendly volcano to visit.Let the kids get dirty with some fun hands-on activities.Make every piece of paper count! Earth Science Worksheets Worth the Ink to Print YOUR TURN What are your favorite EARTH activities and Crafts? Share in a comment below!
Selling on Teachers Pay Teachers Hey my printable friend, I earned a whole new gray stripe in my once dark brown hair when I began selling printables. There were so many parts to discover and master and I didn’t have anyone leading me down the dark path.This year, I’d like to bless you with some secret sauce. No, not for your next dinner. For your printable business. If you’re selling on your website, Etsy, or Teachers pay Teachers this recipe is for you. But, if like me, you have AMAZING ideas, but you don’t have 37 hours in your day. Laundry, kids homework, and hanging Christmas lights are great activities. They just happen to take up some of your creating time. To get your selling journey up to speed, you’re gonna want EASY. I believe many sellers give up too soon. NOT because they don’t have amazing ideas, but because they get tangled in the web of brainstorming, product covers and Pinterest. That’s where I come in. One of my passions is sharing what I’ve learned with other sellers.I wish someone had reached out to me a the beginning of my journey, so that’s what motivates me to reach out to you. Let me help you make your journey EASIER. Brainstorming is Secret Sauce A FREE Community for encouragement and Support Join us! A SELF-PACED Master Class Give it a test spin: 30 Day Guarantee Grab your free Success Path Printable Bookmark. Here
The Day The Thanksgiving Bird Imploded I sauntered into the kitchen. That 30 pound bird smelled so good. Opening the oven door to baste the turkey… I had a mini heart attack.My Thanksgiving turkey had imploded.Sitting in 3 inches of juice, with black charred ribs showing from under the skin, I panicked. I ran to my dad.“I need to show you something.” I whispered. “NOW.” I’ve began cooking Thanksgiving at 17-years old. My dad walked up to me and smiled. “We’re having 30 people over for dinner and you will be in charge of all the cooking!” I cried, whined and begged, but he wouldn’t budge. “Bekki, YOU will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner.” At that point in my life, I could make spaghetti and a bowl of cereal, so the thought of “destroying” a holiday meal for 30 people made my face turn green. Dad smiled. “I will be there every step of the way,” Dad said. “I promise.” I can still his face as we handed me a piece of paper and pencil. “First, write out a menu.” He took me step-by-step: MenuRecipesGrocery listPrep cook tasksCooking timesCooking scheduleFinding bowls and serving utensils As a homeschool mom, I can tell you he was teaching me project planning! But as a teenaged girl, I thought I was being tortured. Dad gave me confidence by teaching me to cook Thanksgiving By the time I was standing in the kitchen looking at an imploded turkey, I was a seasoned Thanksgiving chef with 6 successful feast notches on my chef apron. “I need to show you something.” I whispered. “NOW.” Dad followed me into the kitchen, leaving our house full of guests in the other room. “I don’t know what happened. The bird has only been on the over for a couple of hours… but, look.” The charred black ribcage mocked us. Much later, we would realize that my parent’s oven malfunctioned and had spiked to over 600 degrees, but now… …NOW, I just needed to figure out how to serve dinner to the 23 people in the house, without dying of embarrassment. We grabbed one more accomplice. My cousin Sue. Dad gave us careful instructions. Stand shoulder to shoulderWalk sideways to the garageI will carry the destroyed turkey out the back door Trying not to laugh, we side stepped while dad removed the bird. No one noticed. Standing in the garage, laughing, we realized we had another problem. What are we going to feed everyone? By the way, this Thanksgiving is one of my all-time favorite memories. Dad hopped in his truck and reappeared 30 minutes later with a cooked turkey breast. We popped it into the oven and proceeded to finish all the side dishes. No one knew about the imploding turkey until much much later. Sometimes, the BEST memories are born out of adversity, challenge, and even kitchen catastrophes. How about you? Do you have a story of disaster turned to blessing? PS- How many turkeys have you cooked? I just counted. I’m up to around 50 and only one was a disaster! Ways to distract your houseful of guests when your turkey implodes. Have the Kids and guests make a fort. Make a cootie catcher and tell jokes Have them play Scattergories Send everyone on a scavenger hunt! Pull out paper and pens and have them learn a few Doodles together. Better yet? Pair the adults with kids and have the kids teach them! Convince a cousins to help you dance as a shield. Get your FREE Gift Here
Earth Science Worksheets: Geology BUNDLE Inside: Earth Science Worksheets: Geology BUNDLE Mini-Lessons Most of these products are No Prep: Just print and go! Studying geology this year with your students? These Earth Science and geology mini lessons are meant as a companion to all of the various topics your students will explore this year. Geology and Earth Science in general are fascinating and engaging. I hope your students enjoy these activities! Topics covered: Composition of the Earth: layers including core, outer core, mantle and crust, Rocks: metamorphic rock, igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and the rock cycle, minerals and all their glory, plate tectonics and oreos, weathering/erosion/deposition, glaciers, mountains: fold, fault-block, and volcanics, topography, topographical maps, volcanoes: cinder, composite, shield and lave dome, and earthquakes, and video records Get your Earth Science Bundle in my TpT Shop 11 Mini lessons and Activities Included Layers of the Earth (5 pages) Layers of the earth readingLabel the layers of the earth worksheetLayers of earth poster labeledLayers of the earth poster unlabeledLayers of the Earth writing paper: Teacher created prompt. Rocks (6 pages) The Rock Cycle readingRock Cycle posterRock Cycle WritingLabel rock cycle (color and black and white)Types of RocksMinerals (4 pages)About Minerals readingMineral mini bookletMinerals foldableTypes of minerals Writing Plate Tectonics (6 pages) About Plate tectonics reading (2 pages)Oreo Lab: plate tectonics (2 pages)Plate tectonics Word search and answer key (2 pages)Weathering , Erosion, Deposition (7 pages)Weathering ReadingErosion Memory GameWeathering writing Glaciers (4 pages) About Glaciers ReadingGlaciers foldableSoilAbout soil readingSoil mini-bookletSoil profile readingLabel soil Mountains (5 pages) Mountains readingMountain vocabularyMountain feature foldableMountain word search and answer key Topography (4 pages) Topography readingTopography writingTopography internet activity and questions Volcanoes (5 pages) Volcano readingVolcano vocabularyRing of fireVolcano in a cup labVolcano writing Earthquakes (5 pages) Earthquake readingEarthquake questionsEarthquake project and rubricMake a seismograph projectVideo record sheet
Super Secret Code If there’s time on the clock keep reading… 3 Ridiculous things. One time, I opened the refrigerator and found my brother’s left shoe. No explanation. Just a left shoe. Another time, one of my sons was hard at work making a mountain knife with his dad and needed to make sure the blade wasn’t hot. So he placed it on his arm. “That was dumb!” He screamed.Last week, I agreed to host a Bekki Hates Bra online party. And I thought the left shoe was ridiculous! I still can’t believe it In a closed SAFE group of homeschool moms I asked for recommendations… A friend tagged another friend and soon I was looking at this image. This is what made me do it! All I said was WOW, I need that! Short version: I need some new bras and I decided to try the ones in the picture.When asked if I wanted to host a party to earn discounts or freebies, I RUDELY said “No!”I felt bad for being rude, so I asked my homeschool group if anyone else hates bras and would come to a bra haters party…Now there are almost 70 of us inside giggling about hating underwire and other bra-ish things. What does this have to do with homeschooling? Moms are people too!Moms need to feel more secure and confident too!Most moms are wearing bras that don’t fit. Grab Your Secret Code. Original, I know. Yes. The code is: SuperSecretCode Just for pausing for 2 seconds and asking yourself if you LOVE your bras, I’m giving you a HUGE discount on anything (or a bunch of things) in my Shop. Do you love your bras? Skip to number 3.You hate your bras? Me too! Join the fun.Use your SuperSecretCode before the timer runs out. This year is DEFINITELY the year of the ridiculous. Hopefully you don’t end yours with a shoe in your refrigerator.
How To Find Your Sofa Under All That Laundry She turned and asked the salesman, “so how many loads can this baby handle?” “Um. Ma’am, that’s a sofa…” She doesn’t blink, “looks like 6 loads, maybe 7. I’ll take it!” Unless your name is Karen, you likely are a lot like me. Sofa typically has a pile of laundry (or 12) ready to be folded. Kitchen counter is covered in paint, an incomplete science project, and a few cardboard boxes. Drawers are filled with an assortment of 42 things you haven’t thrown away yet that TANGLE and TRAP the drawer from sliding open so you can access the pen you need right at this moment. If you are in this club, raise your hand… I have something to help us. I don’t know about your house, but mine has basically fallen apart since COVID lockdowns. Although I am NOT a super organized and tight ship gal, I typically keep my home pretty tidy. You too? But now we need help getting it back under control. If you’re nodding your head and saying, “Bekki… ME TOO!” I’m gonna encourage you to do something scary. Take a sober look around and ask your self these questions. Do I have any cluttered areas that are causing me stress, frustration, or anxiety?Do I need HELP to get the areas under control?Would you be willing to attack ONE small space a day, in less than 30 minute chunks?Are you willing to play “follow the leader” with someone who has NINJA skills at organizing? Nope. It’s not me. I need this challenge as much as the next non-Karen gal. Don’t neglect this opportunity! We have the ability to find our sofas and kitchen counters BEFORE the holidays bury us in trimming and decor. Sure, you can build Christmas trees from laundry, but there really is a better way. PS- It’s worth it. Why is it only a few dollars? Free challenges and classes get neglected, so a few bucks gives us extra motivation.Sarah, my Ninja friend, is a single mom and knows how tight a budget can be… so she keeps her challenges within reach If you Join me, I have a $10 incentive/gift for you! Consider it a bribe.When we visit each other’s homes I want us to be able to sit on the sofa:).