Disclosure: Affiliate link included. There are so many things that we want to teach our children. We’ve got our twelve year homeschool plan, with all the courses selected years ahead of time. We know what character traits we want to help them to develop. It’s important to add Life Skills to our homeschool plan. Life Skills? Yes, the basic skills needed to succeed in life (when we’re not there to do everything for them.) I personally don’t know any homeschool moms or dads that want to raise a dependent child. But, with our culture of babying children, I think it’s a good idea to intentionally prepare our kids with basic life skill training. I’m sure you really don’t want to have to plan more lessons or add more curriculum to your day. But, the beauty of homeschooling is that life skills can be taught by doing life. Yes, in our everyday living just including your children in adult tasks will begin preparing them for living on their own. The hardest thing for kids is to wait too long to let them participate in adult tasks. Most kids learn to do their own laundry just before heading off to college. That’s not the best way for them to learn. Teaching life skills gradually through the years will help them to be good at the skills and confident in their abilities. Wouldn’t you rather them learn to cook with you in the kitchen? As you include them in meal preparation, they will learn from your modeling good techniques. Cooking will become something you hand-down to them and they’ll feel an emotional reason for cooking. This emotional connection can be repeated in many different areas. Guys will gain so much information from their dads when he’s changing the oil or maintaining household items. Guys and girls need to have life skills modeled before them. Kids learn as they do and won’t forget all the training you provide. They’ll also be thankful for what they’ve been taught at a young age. So many young people don’t have life skills, because they sit in a school desk all day for 12+ years. They just don’t have time when they get home, because of hours of homework. Homeschooling is such a beautiful way to have a family. A family that learns together is the best! You may not need it, but if you prefer having a lesson plan to guide you, there are many available. Budget Planning How to Apply for a Job How to Plan A Meal How To Shop For Groceries How to Prune A Tree How To Wash Clothes Video: How to Pump Gas Huge list of Life Skills Worksheets You can easily google any life skill and find a tutorial or youtube video that teaches it, step-by-step. Of course, the easy way is to just do it with your child. But, it’s best to do these gradually. It’s not fun to teach many of these skills during their senior year of high school. They will not be interested as much at that time, and will be very busy. My children learned many life skills by helping my husband and me around the house. Many of the skills they have learned are now saving them a lot of money. The skills were also very helpful in college. ex. My daughter was the only student in her master’s program that could sew. This promoted her to lead the class in a huge project. This occurred numerous times with her, because she had been homeschooled and learned life skills that aren’t taught to everyone. She can also change a tire, if she has to. These are just two examples of having her prepared for life. Do you have any great life-skill stories? Were you prepared for life? How are you teaching your children life skills? Check out these Homeschool favorites of mine! @2017, copyright Lisa Ehrman
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Let’s Fill A ShoeBox
It’s that time of year, again. Time to pack a shoebox. Do you pack shoeboxes? Many of us do. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s a little video to explain it to you….compliments of Bob and Larry! Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 146 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 160 countries and territories. You and your family are invited to pack a shoebox, too. The website for Operation Christmas Child has many wonderful resources to make this easy. They have downloadable labels and much more. You can learn how to pack the box as well as get lots of ideas for the various age/gender levels. This page also tells you of the nearest drop-off location near you. There is also now an option to build an online box. The online Build-A-Box is fun. It allows you to virtually shop from certain groups: toys, essentials and more. You can also just click, Build A Box For Me, and then go ahead and pay. This way you don’t even have to leave your home to shop or deliver the box. The fee for online boxes is $25. Well, if you get to pack a shoebox this year, you have until the week of November 13-20. That is the drop off week. Moms will love the wonderful activities and ideas HERE to do with their children. There are printable lessons, coloring sheets, Pack-A-Box Party ideas, and many other creative ideas and Bible lessons. Have fun, and send me a picture of your Pack-A-Box adventures! @2017, copyright Lisa Ehrman
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3 Easy Slow Cooker Meals
Days are long and you’re tired. Don’t go through the Drive-Thru to get greasy burgers. Fill your Slow-Cooker quickly in the morning and you’ll come home to an amazing dinner. As the days get colder and shorter, you’ll love smelling the scent of a home-cooked dinner. Here are three of my favorites: Beef Stew 1 1/2 pounds Beef Stew Meat 12 small potatoes, cut in half 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bag baby carrots 2 Cups water 1 dried bay leaf Seasoning ( 1 1/2 teaspoons) salt, pepper, your choice 1/4 cup water 2 Tablespoons flour Directions: Place top 7 ingredients into crock-pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Mix last two ingredients and gradually stir into the crock-pot. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf. Serve. Chicken and Vegetables 8 Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) 2 Cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt ( or less for certain diets) 1/4 teaspoon pepper 8 oz. pearl onions (or chopped onions) 2 cloves, finely chopped 1 bag baby carrots (1 pound) 1 pound small button mushrooms 2 Tablespoons cold water 2 Tablespoons flour Directions: Add first 7 ingredients into crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Then add mushrooms. Stir cold water and flour and gradually add to the crockpot. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until it thickens. Serve. Bean Soup 5 cans broth (chicken or vegetable) 20 oz Mixed Beans 4 medium carrots (2 cups) chopped 3 celery stalks chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon salt (or less for certain diets) 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained Directions: Cook in crockpot on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until beans are soft. Then, stir in can of tomatoes and cook on high for 15 minutes. Serve. @2017, copyright Lisa Ehrman
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Date Night At Putt Putt
Date Night at Putt Putt Disclosure: I received passes to Putt Putt in order to provide a review. All opinions are 100% my own. Putt Putt Fun Center is an amazing place for kids to have fun! But, it’s not just for kids. Adults love it, too. In fact, hubby and I had a blast there for our date night. On a fall evening, what more could you want? As parents, we’ve spent many days at Putt-Putt Fun Center. Our children have had so much fun there with their friends. They’ve even celebrated quite a few birthdays there. But, why leave all the pleasure for kids? Adults like to have fun, too. We arrived and decided to have fun with the outside activities, first. We grabbed our golf clubs and ball and headed for one of the beautiful and challenging courses. The courses are built around gorgeous, large rose bushes and waterfalls. See, Putt-Putt can even be a romantic place amongst the roses. Hubby and I tried to be good sports as we fought hard to win the mini-golf game. The courses were challenging but really nice! Putt Putt Fun Center has many silly, as well as entertaining props around the courses. I love these HUGE putters. Aren’t they cute? We enjoyed trying to get a hole-in-one, but didn’t do it this time. Maybe, next time. We decided to not try the Bumper Boats, because it was a chilly evening. I’m sure these are a blast in the summer. It would be a exhilarating place to play and even get a little wet! It’s a beautiful pool! Next, we checked out the Race Zone! The race cars are thrilling for kids and adults and really race around an exciting track. You can hear the roar of the engines. What an awesome experience! Putt Putt also has some terrific Batting Cages. Aspiring MLB players (or just recreational stars) can practice hitting here. Hubby forgot his bat, but was daydreaming about a Home Run in there. We skipped the Laser Tag, but boy did it look thrilling! We went into the other game areas indoors to try out some new and old adventures. I first found this fun game where you can ride on a “motorcycle” It was delightful to play and move on the bike! Since Hubby is a retired concert pianist, he decided to try out the Piano Keys Game. I thought he looked and sounded Mah-velous! We remember spending a lot of time in this room. This is the place where they hold Birthday Celebrations! You can schedule your own party, and they’ll take real good care of you. The Birthday Boy/Girl will feel super special! Hubby competed against the clock with this classic basketball hoops game. He was shooting so fast! As you can see, the fun never stops at Putt Putt Fun Center. There are many great locations. Find one close to you, and schedule your date night at Putt Putt Fun Center. You’ll be glad you did!
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Glasstic: The Perfect Water Bottle
Disclosure: I received a Glasstic Bottle in order to review. All opinions are 100% my own. What is Glasstic? It’s the perfect water bottle! How could it be so perfect? It’s because of the huge list of features that everyone wants in their Water Bottles. We all want to drink out of real glass vs plastic, but how can you take a glass bottle with you? I have a glass bottle with the handy foam covering. But, if you drop this and break the glass, it goes everywhere and can cause a cut. The Glasstic Bottle has a BPA-free plastic outer layer. If you were to break the glass, it will be contained inside the plastic outer layer. This is so much safer for you and your children. Because of the protection, you can take your bottle into places that don’t allow glass containers. I love the Flip-Top lid with the great handle. The handle allows you to carry the bottle easily. The large spout allows you to take a gulp instead of a sip. The bottle has a wide mouth, so you can add something other than water to your bottle. Would you like to add fruit slices to create a fruit-infused water? So many of us love to add lemon, lime, or other fruits to give water a great flavor. You can also add essential oils or teabags. Make your water great! The unique patented design is the best I’ve seen. The Glasstic company has a great warranty and believes in their product. That’s why they offer free replacement parts. I love the beauty of the bottles, too. They come in six standard colors: blue, pink, white, black, green, and purple. But, that’s just the beginning. These bottles can be customized in multiple ways. It’s really easy to add text and images to customize your new bottle. I did this very quickly and easily online. They also offer simple-to-follow instructions. There is a huge collection of fonts to choose from. You can adjust the size and colors of the text. There are even fun text patterns! I love the snow pattern, that would help you to design a bottle perfect for Christmas presents! You can also add a logo or image. They allow you to upload these right onto your bottle. You can also adjust the sizes, colors, and everything! These are great for businesses, schools, churches, and individuals! Your imagination can truly run wild in designing your bottle. I selected a white bottle and added “Homeschool Insights” in text as well as a matching logo. I’ll enjoy carrying this everywhere. It’s perfect for promoting by blog at Homeschool Conventions, meetings, or just running errands. People will definitely want to know where this super bottle came from. To continue with customization of your new Glasstic water bottle, they offer a huge selection of pre-made designs. They come in a variety of patterns and you’ll love these! I think my favorite feature is the cute Style Inserts addition. These style inserts can slip between the glass and plastic to add even more design to your bottle. They offer a variety of packages to choose from, depending on your style preferences. They even have sheets that you can color! You’ll love these, which are perfect for children and adults. There’s something for everyone! Accessories are available, too. There are shoulder straps that come in green or black. There’s a handy tea filter that fits perfectly. You can even purchase Essential oils! If you purchase from Glasstic in October, you can save 30% by using the code: October30. They also offer free shipping with orders of $25. What great deals! @2017, copyright Lisa Ehrman