Homemade Lollipops

Do your kids suffer from the boredom syndrome in the summer? My kids do on occasion. This week I was prepared with a few tricks up my sleeve to elevate their boredom blues.

We made lollipops. I know what your thinking, why on earth would you be using your oven in the summer. It is in the triple digits outside as I type this but after you read on you will see I only had to use it for a total of 10 to 16 minutes.

I found the recipe from the blog titled The Crafty Crow. The craft was titled Homemade Lollipops and can be found directly by going to The Decorated Cookie blog. If you are in a hurry here is the simple version with a few photos to share....

Here is the list of ingredients you will need to have on hand:

lollipop sticks ( found mine at Michael's-I cut them in half)

Bag of Jolly Rancher Candies

Baking tray

Aluminum foil

parchment paper

Step 1: Have your kids unwrap all the individual Jolly Rancher candies. This is a big temptation teaser for kids.

Step 2: Line a baking tray with one sheet of aluminum foil and on top of that place a sheet of parchment paper.

Step 3: Assemble your candies in stacks of three as shown. They had fun coming up with their own patterns and designs. Please be sure to leave room (2") on either side of the candy patterns for room for melting.

Step 4: While the kids are busy making their lollipop patterns preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Once the oven has reached this temperature slide your trays in for just 6minutes.

Step 5: Once the pops have been pulled out of the oven act quickly to press the sticks into the candy creations. Be sure to try to coat the stick completely. Cool.

Enjoy some summer fun to beat the boredom blues.

New School Year Plans for 09-10

I am just about finished planning and have been spending time in prayer for the new school year. Curriculum choices have all been made except for one additional subject I am still pondering. All the boxes have arrived and excitingly opened. New books for a homeschool Mom is an exciting day.

This year my kids will be in sixth, fourth and first grade! My where did all those years go. It seems just like yesterday I was just venturing out into the homeschool world. Hard to believe this will be our seventh year.

Just like every year I tend to tweek a few things. This year my main goal with my sixth grader is to transition him into more independent learning. After much research I have found a free program for homeschoolers that is basically an online planner. The teacher records all the required courses and assignments on given days and all the student does is log in and their daily plan is laid out for them. The program is called Skedtrack. Feel free to google it.

I would also like to keep with our Charlotte Mason learning style approach. Short lessons from living books which also include art and music appreciation. The artist teas from last year were a big hit. I am hoping to include them for next year as well.

I am looking forward to our new history curriculum for the new school year too. After reading through it it seems to fit my learning style like a glove and it leaves plenty of room for the different learning styles of my kids.

Here is an overall view what we will be covering.
For Math the older two will be using Teaching Textbooks. We will pick up from where we left off in Math 7 for my oldest finish that in the first semester and jump into Pre Algebra the second semester. My fourth grader will be using their Math 4. My first grader, Racer will be using Horizons Math 1. Sadly, he complained with Saxon. He wanted something with more color. It never was a problem for the older two but what works for one may not work for another.....this is the freedom in homeschooling.

We will begin a more formal grammar with the older two. I decided to use Growing with Grammar. Short lessons with a practice page to complete.

Spelling will stay the same with Sport (Spelling Power) and I have been working over the summer with Dancer with Sequential Spelling. It appears to be a good fit for her.

Our historical period of time will be studying this year is form 30AD to 1799. After much prayer God directed me to Romans, Reformers and Revolutions from Diana Waring. I am looking forward to this.

Science will be the year of animals. The kids have been wanting to study Ocean animals more in depth so we are taking the dive into Zoology 2 and will finish our school year with Zoology 3 (kids choice too!)

I found a long list of Renaissance artists and composer studies to add to our school year. Please check back at what we are doing with these.

It is shaping out to be a full year. I still need to purchase our writing program and I am considering a Latin program. We shall see.

Amy