MakaziVille

If you haven’t allowed your child to play MakaziVille, I highly recommend this online game.

What is MakaziVille?

Even though MakaziVille is a fictitious village, the issues presented are very real to the Tanzanian people of Africa. The game teaches children how the following factors work together to build and improve individual and community life: Bible translation, church growth, medical care, education, family relationships, growing in faith, business management and the village at large.

My kids have been enjoying it . . . as have I!

You will journey to Tanzania, learn facts about the country and Bible translation. We are in the process of building a village.

The game is interactive.  There are times where it requires your child to step away from the computer, and wait for the parent to check his or her email.  That email contains something special for you to read and discuss with your child. 

I was also surprised to find that I received updates in my inbox regarding what the boys were doing in MakaziVille and what videos they had watched.  I was also provided with discussion topics related to these videos.

I have come to trust MakaziVille enough that yesterday, I allowed them to play while I worked out. 

And when I was done working out, I knew what they had done in Makazi-land.

MakaziVille is a great resource to understand who the Vidunda people are and how Bible translations works. 

Consider sponsoring the translation of a Bible verse each month for the Vidunda people living in Tanzania.

Creamy Dreamy Chicken Salad

Sometimes I make something in the kitchen, take a picture, but fail to remember if I used a recipe or created the desired taste on a whim.

Such is the case with this tasty salad. 

I can figure out the salad ingredients . . . but the dressing . . . that is another matter. 

I’m instilling confidence in you, aren’t I?

Creamy Dreamy Salad Dressing

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp (or more) Braggs 24 Herbs and Spices Seasonings
• 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1 tomato
• 1 avocado
• 2 oz cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 6 oz grilled chicken
• Romaine lettuce

 

Mix olive oil, flax seed oil, sour cream, lemon juice and mustard in a Vitamix or blender.  You can shake them in a Mason jar, but to obtain a well blended creamy dreamy dressing, a sharp swift blade is advised.

Instead of just eating the dressing, I decided that I should provide some hearty substance to comingle with this creaminess.

My suggestions? 

Drain and chop up 1 can of chicken breast or freshly grilled chicken.  Mix with sliced avocado, tomato, and smashed boiled eggs.  Spoon over  lettuce and drizzle with Creamy Dreamy Salad Dressing.

Forget the silverware, and use flax seed crackers to scoop up this nourishing meal.

What is your favorite homemade salad dressing?  Leave a link, or better yet, the recipe!

Chalk Dust and All About Spelling

I’m not sure where Jodi is.  There is a gal who looks a lot like Jodi in our house.  Thinner, though. 

She actually began planning for the 2011-2012 school year. 

Jaw dropping.  I know.

Not only did she initiate the quest for the perfect curriculum; but she also prepared the garden soil for its first planting this past weekend.  Sprouts are growing according to a schedule in the green house.

A miracle has occurred.

Whoever this new woman is, I hope she stays -- she is getting a lot done around the Granola home. 

Perhaps Jodi read Miss Nelson is Missing.  Thankfully, Viola Swamp isn’t the substitute.  However the replacement is on top of her game. 

And so is her son.

Introducing the newest graduate of All About Spelling Level 1.

I will admit that many parts of Level 1 were a review from our Saxon Phonics days.  I don’t believe it was a wasted review. 

In fact, our review of All About Spelling Level 1 solidified what Asher already had in his bag of tricks, and it reinforced some of those crazy phonetic concepts that were precariously hung in the vault of Asher’s memories (and mine, to be quite honest.)

Due to planning for next year . . . perhaps knowing that a homeschooling convention is just around the corner (hello curriculum hands-on fun fair), has made me my “double” plan ahead. 

I was overwhelmed by the choices at the homeschooling convention last year . . .

Should we score a babysitter during the convention this year, I want to be prepared.  I have toyed with the idea of mapping out the booths we should visit. 

All About Learning Press won’t be at our homeschooling conference.   That’s ok, though.  It is already in our home to stay. 

Asher loves it.  It works for us. 

Now sometimes I tweak individual lessons.  For example, Asher would much rather write his words out than move the magnetic tiles. 

And rather than use a pencil and paper, our eye doctor has recommend that Asher use a chalkboard to help with letter reversals. 

The chalkboard doesn’t encourage nice and neat handwriting, but the sound and texture of the chalk meeting the chalkboard has given his brain a peg with which to hang his letters on . . . and the letter reversals have stopped. 

This week we will begin All About Spelling Level 2.

I have most of my supplies, including What Am I?

But I need to order Queen Bee.

Here is what we are going to be learning next.

• The open and closed syllable types
• How to divide words into syllables
• How to spell multi-syllable words
• When y can say /î/
• How Silent E can make a vowel long
• The vowel-consonant-e syllable type
• Two spellings for the sound of /z/
• The two sounds of long u
• The difference between hard and soft c and g
• Ways to spell long e
• That English words don’t end in i, j, u, or v
• The most common way to spell the sound of /er/
• When to use oi/oy, aw/au, and ow/ou

Asher already knows many of these concepts.  We will be revisiting previously learned concepts.  There is a part of me, the completive part of me, that wants to skip all of this . . . you know . . . to keep up with the Jones’. 

But what is best for my child?  Mastery.  Working at his pace for fluency.  He is already a grade ahead of his age. 

Why rush the school years?  Keep reminding me of that.

How do you tweak your All About Reading?  What tricks do you use to make your curriculum do-able for your child?

Oolong Tea for Weight Loss

The little white truck with the cute dog pulled up to our house.  A short woman carried my green box to our red door. 

I brought it in to our white kitchen. 

And my purple clad daughter opened its contents. 

“Oh Jesus, how I pray this Pleasant Word of mine won’t linger over food, but instead whip up Bible studies rich in savory Truth.”

Today ends day 1.5 of the Slique Regime.  I’m on my way towards winning that $5000.   

My day is simple.  Thank goodness.  My dishes . . . significantly less.  Thank you Young Living.

However, Asher remarked today, “Why are you eating a bunch of Young Living food?” 

Yes, my children are VERY familiar with the Young Living brand.  After all, it is what they ask for before an icepack or Arnica.

I am thankful that one meal is replaced with the Balance Complete shake.  I know that I am steering away from my standard granola-like eating . . . but I have to make some radical changes for a season.

(For example, instead of eating at church with the boys the other night . . . I brought my shake and just added water.)

I have to die to old habits.  And for me, that requires radically changing my eating habits for a season.

Don’t worry, I’m still going to be taking my multi-vitamins, super duper green algae, probiotic, and cod liver oil.  I will continue to use high quality butter, coconut oil, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  You can bet that meat will still be in my diet, along with raw milk and raw honey.

BUT not my precious.  My precious mochas. 

Thanks to Humboldt County Tea and my electric hot pot I am surviving on significantly less coffee in my life.

I am a total food addict.  I am purposing in my belly to eat to live not to live to eat.

Here is my new eating pattern.  Lord help me.

Breakfast: 

• Balance Complete meal replacement shake (probably with some frozen fruit and kefir)
• NingXia Red

Mid-morning snack:

• 2-3 drops Slique Essence in water kefir
• fruit, steamed veggies, or nuts

Lunch:

• Slique Tea 15 minutes before meal
• 2 Essentialzymes-4 with meal
• light, well-balanced meal (many of my recipes are from Perfect Weight America)

Afternoon snack:

• 2-3 drops Slique Essence in water kefir
• fruit, steamed veggies, or nuts

Dinner:

• Slique Tea 15 minutes before meal
• 2 Essentialzymes-4 with meal
• light, well-balanced meal (many of my recipes are from Perfect Weight America)

Before Bed/evening snack:

• 2-3 drops Slique Essence in water kefir, water, or low calorie beverage

Many of you have left wonderful comments wishing me the best, but that due to the cost of Slique you could not join me in this journey. 

I completely understand financial limitations.  Were it not for my growing Young Living Oil home business, I too, would not be able to afford my Slique Kit. 

And I have something to admit.  I’m not all that keen on the taste of Slique tea. 

So, I have partnered with my friend Dan from Humboldt Tea Company.  He is the one who originally got me hooked on drinking Oolong Tea for easy weight loss and pain free daily cleansing. 

What is so special about Iron Goddess Slimming Oolong?  Humboldt County Tea  says,

Dr. Oz references slimming oolong regularly as a method of adding a natural metabolic booster to one's diet.  Ti Quan Yin, or Iron Goddess of Mercy, is the preferred choice of tea masters the world over for its perfect balance between the health characteristics of green and the depth in taste of black teas.

By simply drinking 3-4 twelve ounce cups of Iron Goddess each day, it alone will account for 7 - 10 lbs. of weight loss in a year.  Considering that one single dose of Iron Goddess leaves will steep 5 - 6 cups easily, it's a real value.  This tea is good for your vital organs and your blood pH by alkalizing your fluids, and by de-toxifying the tissues.

Want to lose weight with me?  But you don’t want to purchase the Slique Kit?

For every ounce of Iron Goddess Slimming Oolong you  purchase, Dan will include a free ounce of Cedarberg Rooibos Herbal Chai . . .

Why drink an after-dinner tea? 

The Cedarberg Rooibos Herbal Chai is an excellent cup in the evenings to chase the munchies away, satisfying the indulgent impulses that come after dinner, but with no caffeine. 

Rooibos nurtures the liver with micro-nutrients -- containing over a dozen trace minerals and several vitamins. It is excellent for digestion.

Mothers in South Africa bottle feed their infants who suffer from colicky cramps, easing their tummies and providing relief.

Last but not least, Rooibos contains more “anti-aging anti-oxidants” than green or white tea, and is excellent for the skin, providing elasticity and protection from the sun's harmful effects.

The coupon code for your next cup of tea is GRANOLAMOM.

Caveat:  a $10 minimum purchase is required.  In exchange, one full ounce of Organic Cedarberg Rooibos Chai will be included with any order of Iron Goddess of Mercy Slimming Oolong ordered with the above code.  As always for my readers, Dan will include a complimentary sample of something new with every order.

Go give Humboldt County Tea a visit!  And allow the man with the grey outfit come to your mailbox in his white truck.

Need help picking some other teas out?  Check out this blog post, Can I Make You Some Tea?

Only Pay Half of Your Taxes

Did I get your attention?  Good.

Just wanted to pass on a little sale.  Remember that book I read a few weeks back, about blogging and taxes and home businesses? 

Well, that book is half off. 

Read my review . . . but even better . . . if you purchase this book . . . you have access to the author, Nikki Hughes.  You can email her DIRECTLY with any tax questions you have. 

March 15th is the tax deadline for businesses.

April 16th is the tax deadline for individuals.

Which are you?  One or both?

It was $4.99 and for the first 50 people it is 50% off  (here is the math for you . . . according to the Paypal check out:  $2.50) with the coupon code: 50forMarch15

Head on over to Tax Talk and Tips.  (And yes, I am an affiliate.)