Our first day of homeschool, for our K and Pre-K littles, began this week. My children are excited and I am equally motivated to try our new Master Books curriculum as well as continuing to use the ready-to-go curriculum from Easy Peasy All in One Homeschool. Another year of learning for us all!

This is an exciting time where not only am I excited but comfortable and confident in my homeschool routine. As a former public school teacher, being able to adjust to what works was not always possible. This is my second year of homeschooling but my first educating two of my littles and our toddler running through the house as well. Just know that it is possible to homeschool. It is something that will take time and many changes to your routine.  It is a long road but it is worth every moment. 

​Soaring Pine Private Academy nurtures awareness of Christian faith, ethics, and integrity creating a firm foundation in the Word of God.  We nurture our children and encourage them to strive for excellence.  They are taught that success is the product of effort, good habits, and self-motivation.  Our hope is to create a love of learning that will inspire our children to become leaders!  

We understand the basic responsibility of Christian parents is to obey Biblical instruction, which gives us the ultimate responsibility for the education of our children (Deuteronomy 6: 7, 8; Proverbs 22:6). 

​Soaring Pine Private Academy allows us to embrace the task of teaching and guiding our children in the knowledge of God and the Christian way of life.

​Who is ready for some breakfast? My English Muffin Egg Breakfast Sandwiches are a convenient make-ahead meal for your family. Make-ahead sandwiches are always a good idea for any family that is on the go!  Breakfast, in our little homeschool, is the most important part of our day.  If my kids do not eat a well-balanced meal, filling their tummies full of good protein and carbs, they stay in the kitchen all day begging for food.

Making these ahead and popping them in the freezer also makes them a handy and healthy grab and go breakfast. After you have baked the sandwiches allow them to cool. Individually wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag.  When you are ready to grab your sandwich from the freezer, remove the tin foil and wrap the sandwich in a paper towel, pop it in your microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until desired warmth.  ​

Let’s talk about boiled peanuts a true 𝒮𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓃 delicacy! I used to cook boiled peanuts all day in my crockpot, but you can cut your cooking time down substantially in a pressure cooker. My 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬 recipe is delicious, the peanuts come out tender, and it is so easy to make!  Boiled peanuts are the perfect summertime snack. If you have never had the pleasure of eating a boiled peanut, you need to try this recipe. It’s kid-friendly and southern mom approved!  Now that I know how fast and easy it is to make my life is just about complete.

Ingredients:
2 pounds raw peanuts
1/3 cup salt 
Water to cover

Instructions: 

1. Place peanuts in Instant Pot.
2. Add water to cover the peanuts.
3. Place the Instant Pot steamer rack on top of the peanuts and gently push the peanuts down. You can keep this rack in the Instant Pot during cooking to help weigh them down.
4. Place lid on Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing position.
5. Set to Manual Pressure for 90 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off let it natural release for 30 minutes. Then open the valve to release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.

Side Notes: 

• I keep the peanuts in the pressure cooker for another hour and stir every 30 minutes.
• Bag them in quart bags and place them in your freezer! 

These perfectly moist Healthy Homemade Blueberry Muffins are a fun way to bring smiles to your breakfast table. This recipe is my healthy way to serve a less fattening, calorie-rich breakfast to my kiddos.  What I love about this recipe is you can use fresh or frozen blueberries or feel free to use other fruit instead like blackberries! 

A fun alternative to this recipe is adding a few drops of Lemon essential oil. The added lemon oil gives them that lemony zest and makes them even healthier. I make sure to drink lemon oil in my water daily to detox my body and create an alkaline PH. It is so important for us all to create an alkaline PH in our body because cancer can grow in a body that has an acidic PH, not an Alkaline PH. Lemon oil is the easiest way to achieve alkalinity. 

If you have leftover muffins simply put them on a cookie sheet and place it in your freezer for about 30 minutes.  Take them out and put them in a freezer bag and store in your freezer. You can take them out and wrap a paper towel around them and set it to defrost for a few seconds in the microwave.  How is that for a healthy, quick breakfast or a tasty treat anytime you want! 

For Blueberry Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Coconut Oil, melted
2 large eggs 
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries-fresh or frozen(thawed
1–2 tablespoon flour
sugar for sprinkling

Optional: 
3 drops of Certified Organic Lemon essential oil (I use Revive Organic essential oils) 

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees and spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners.

2. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar and then add the yogurt, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the essential oil here as well. 

4. Using a wooden spoon, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together being sure not to mix it too much.

5. In a small bowl sprinkle blueberries with 1-2 tablespoon flour and toss them until all blueberries are coated with thin layer of flour and then fold them really gently in the batter.

6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about 2/3 of each cup. Sprinkle the blueberries generously with granulated sugar.

7. Place them in the oven and bake about 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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8. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

As a mom of three toddlers simply getting out of bed in the mornings can be a challenge. Our body's contain serotonin which is a brain chemical that regulates your mood and if you are not in the mood to get up and get going you are going to struggle! Our serotonin dips during the winter especially when we stay inside too much and especially during this at-home quarantine. The best method to increase serotonin is to get outside in the sunshine and get some exercise because exercise is one of the greatest things to boost your mental health and immune system. If you are one of the many who has experienced gaining those pesky extra pounds known as The Quarantine Fifteen, have no fear I have some workout tips that you can find time to accomplish throughout your day! 

​First, let's focus on you and why you must be healthy and have all the energy to be at your best. Let's pretend you and your family are boarding an airplane. You first stow away your luggage, strap your baby into the seat, and you get comfortable as your flight attendant begins speaking over the loudspeaker. You hear her say "If there is an emergency, place the oxygen mask over your face first and then help those around you." Getting oxygen first guarantees you will have the mental and physical abilities necessary to take care of your children. Lifting your baby over and over again for the next few years is going to wear on you. You must begin getting stronger by lifting weights, strengthening your core, and don't forget the importance of cardio exercise when you are having to run after your little tyke! 

Here are my four tips for finding time to exercise when you're a busy mom of toddlers: ​

If you are searching for a kid-friendly fish and creamy pasta dinner with hidden greens that your kids will love, then taste the deliciousness.  My kids love pasta and Mommy wants them to have plenty of protein and greens too! So, here is a recipe that keeps us both happy. Pasta is a go-to around our kitchen my kids would eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, every day, but I love my greens so there needs to be a little balance!  This simple yet impressive, Baked Salmon and Creamy Parmesan Sauce with Pasta and Kale is a favorite in our household, however, because I like to limit my carbs I keep the pasta separate and only add it to the kid's portion. This is such a quick and easy dinner that will amaze you.  So delicious, easy to make for your family, and can be made ahead!  Simply pop the salmon in the oven to bake the day before you plan to serve it, and it is ready for you to add to the warm creamy sauce all in under 30 minutes. 

Here are the ingredients: 
1 lb. salmon skinless and boneless
1 lb package of uncooked pasta I use angel hair for the kiddos
3 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion chopped
kale (1 package of pre-washed kale, or a big bunch)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
2 garlic cloves minced
salt and pepper to taste

How to prepare: 
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Place salmon on cookie sheet drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle each filet with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145 degrees.
4. Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the kale and cook it for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. 
6. Add the heavy cream, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer on low heat.
7. Just before serving add salmon. Stir together and serve (adding the pasta on the kids plates first and mix on their plates. 
8. Garnish with grated Parmesan.

Hello and welcome to my homeschool blog y'all! I am thrilled you are here to learn more about me and check out my homeschool blog!  I love writing and can not wait to share with you about our homeschool journey, recipes from our kitchen and how to maintain a productive, healthy lifestyle.  For about fours years I wrote monthly and dedicated a ton of time to my online retail website, but after the birth of our third child it led me to set aside that venture and focus on more important things - my family!
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After taking a much needed break from my online retailing venture, I missed blogging and having that outlet for myself to write about our life and family.  I decided to relaunch a new blog focusing on our homeschool journey but without the tedious work of running an online retail store!  I know my blog and what I have to offer may seem like a needle in a haystack of so many professional bloggers who never cease to amaze me with their creative ideas and content.  I will admit it is a little intimidating to think about how my little blog will fit into the world of bloggers. Just as anything in life we must remember that God has a specific plan for us and we will not accomplish that plan by comparing ourselves constantly.  My hope is that you will find at least one thing that I share to inspire you in your own home! 
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Again, thank you for joining me and welcome!  If you like what you see, I hope you will follow me on social media and subscribe to my YouTube channel once I get that launched as well!