Wednesday - What's for Dinner?

I can't believe it's already Wednesday again. Tonight we are keeping it VERY simple with a recipe from Gooseberry Patch. (Notice I linked you to their free stuff!) If you aren't familiar with Gooseberry Patch, you should be! I bought one of their recipe books at the book store in the magazine section and have made tons of recipes from it.

So, Happy Wednesday!

Instant Chicken Parmesan

28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
4-6 frozen breaded chicken patties (you can make your own, too!)
4-6 slices provolone cheese
1-2 tbs. Parmesan cheese

Spread spaghetti sauce in an ungreased 13x9 baking pan; arrange frozen chicken patties on top. Place a slice of provolone on top of each patty; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 more minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serves 4-6

So easy! Add some green beans or a salad and you're set! I will most likely give Anna this recipe and let her make our dinner. My Wednesday just got a little easier!

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Grammatically Speaking

Remember that post last week about math being the necessary evil? Well, maybe I misspoke! I think Grammar is the necessary evil. Not really, but I did have a very hard time choosing a grammar program for this year. Since this is our first FULL year of homeschooling I don't have a huge pool of experience to draw from when it comes to what works well with my children and what doesn't.

First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind (Volumes 1 & 2) is what I chose for GMan. A veteran homeschooler friend of mine recommended it and after looking through hers I know it's something he will like. There is a short, scripted lesson each day, and I love the emphasis on memorizing poetry as you go along. I also really like the fact that it's nongraded, and we can work at our own pace through the book. I also found these printables, done by another homeschooling mom, and have printed and laminated them for our school year. (If you get a chance to poke around her site, it is WELL WORTH your time. This gal is amazing!)

Now, for Miss B we used a simple third grade grammar text last year. I really didn't like it, although she DID. It was quick and didn't require much of her - presented a rule and then she did a couple of worksheets about it, but I found that as I quiz her about it this summer she didn't retain much, so we need a grammar program that teaches and reviews constantly. Enter Grade 4 Daily Grams. I see us doing this at the beginning of each morning. This is what the publisher has to say:

"Concepts are reviewed within 25-30 days, helping students to retain and consistently remember 'older' concepts. Daily Grams format follows the same pattern of capitalization, punctuation, general concepts and sentence combining along with a dictionary review."

Now, doesn't that sound like what I'm looking for? The Daily Grams also go along with the Easy Grammar text. I am hoping that this gives us a more focused approached to grammar with Miss B this year. Since she had gone to public school for the first 3 1/2 years, her view of learning is much different than my son's -- she doesn't think learning is taking place unless mom is standing at the board teaching and assigning pages in a workbook. I am having to ease her out of this gently. So, a more nebulous grammar program like Simply Grammar (which I actually have a copy of and several people have recommended) wouldn't work as well with her. Maybe next year?

If you have a grammar text or approach that has really worked with your children, can you share it with me?? I'm open to lots of help on this one!
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We Love Curious George!

I love this picture of my son in his robe, Batman gloves, and Curious George!

Tonight, after the kids had gone to bed, I was cleaning in the kitchen and saw three very ripe bananas. I made a quick loaf of our favorite banana bread, which is called Curious George Banana Bread. I found the recipe a while back when my son was in his CG obsession. It is very easy and the first time I made it, both of my children helped me. Here it is:

Curious George Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Mix ingredients well, so there are no lumps.
Put in greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Over the past few years, we have read MANY Curious George books. Our collection of these books is in my son's bookshelf, and they are so easy to spot because those bright yellow covers really stick out! If I had to narrow it down to one favorite, it would probably be Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory. Something about the way the different chocolates are labeled and how George eats too many is just appealing to my kids.

Another Curious George thing we have is this alphabet puzzle, which I just picked up one time when I was at Office Depot. It just looked like something my son would enjoy, and he does this puzzle at least 2-3 times each week. I love it, because he sets the puzzle out in the middle of his room and works it, then just shifts over to his bookshelf and reads his CG books. What a lucky little guy!

If you haven't checked out the PBS Kids Curious George website, you should. The games are fun and educational, and the printables are cute, too. I learned when I went to the site tonight that the Curious George show on PBS has won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Animated Program.

We can love Curious George on so many levels - which is why I think these books have endured for so long. I know my children love the silliness of Curious George, and I love the patience the Man in the Yellow Hat has for him (patience I wish I had with my own silly monkeys!). It is also so special to me to remember times when my own parents read me these same stories. What a gift!

The authors, Hans and Margaret Rey, fled Paris shortly before it fell to the Nazis. Eventually they wound up in Brazil, and then settled in New York. By 1941 they had published their first book, and then wrote seven stories together. Although Hans died in 1977, Margaret wrote over 2 dozen more books. The information I just shared with you came from a site called My Favorite Monkey. How cute is that?

I can't tell you exactly how Curious George will "fit" into our official Kindergarten curriculum, but I do know that reading the books over and over has enriched both of my children. I find that most times, the things that stick with my kids weren't in a curriculum and were never planned. As a homeschooler, I am free to respond to my children's interests and go off on tangents like this, to more often than not have the most meaningful learning take place.

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