Reading Dr. Suess, LeapFrog and Mini Apple Pies

Tomorrow we will be wrapping up week four of our first year homeschooling (and week one of our first week back at the gym but I'll save that one for a rainy day). Gosh, has it really been four weeks already?  So we've managed to make it through the first month!  Praise GOD!

It has been rough for me and I'm sure it has been rough for the boys too. Homeschooling is no picnic!  A few days ago, one of the workers at the gym stopped me on my way to pick up the boys from the nursery.

"Your boys are so cute. I've got to tell you what one of them said before you pick them up."

Elijah is a natural born character so there was no doubt he was the one who had said something hilarious.

"I asked them if they liked school and Elijah says, 'NO!' So I asked him why and he says, 'Because I'm HOMESCHOOLED!'"

This was so heartbreaking.  It's only been four weeks and he hates school?!  All week long and probably the week before I've been wondering how far I should push school with Elijah.  He was whiny, uncooperative, and inattentive.  We were both frustrated. So I've been racking my brain (and Pinterest) to come up with fun things to do and backing off the worksheets a little.

Letter "O" Owl art

Sight Word Twister

  

Lowercase Letter Match-up available from
Erica @ Confessionsofahomeschooler.com

Can you imagine my hope when both Phillip and Elijah jumped at the opportunity to read for 15 minutes a day (with a little incentive of course)??!!  Pizza Hut has a very generous program for homeschoolers. If you register your homeschool, Pizza Hut will send you coupons for each of your students to receive a free personal pan pizza EVERY MONTH for any reading plan you implement.  My boys LOVE pizza and for me, their coupons couldn't come fast enough.

(click here for info on the Pizza Hut homeschool reading program)

Phillip has been reading short words for at least 6 months and now that he's getting more practice he's enjoying reading to his little brother. I HEART THIS!!!!!  Just within the last two days I've seen Elijah's confidence putting three letter words together with the vowel sounds we've learned.  I could NOT be happier!!

God I pray he doesn't really hate school.

 Elijah reading Leap Scrubs Up and Phillip
laughing at Fox in Sock by Dr. Suess

I promised some talk of mini apple pies so here you go, my modified apple pie recipe in perfect proportions. I used a jumbo muffin pan to bake these and except for needing more apple slices and less pie crust, they came out near perfect. ;)

The nutritional value chart comes from SparkPeople.com's recipe calculator. Please tell me how you liked it if you make them!

Mini Apple Pie with Frozen Yogurt by Suzette James

Mini Apple Pie

Nutrition Info
Calories: 239.9
Fat: 7.0g
Carbohydrates: 34.4g
Protein: 2.7g
Ingredients

For apple filling:
5 medium Gala apples
1 box of pie crust mix
1/8 cup Splenda (optional)
Cinnamon (to taste)

For Topping:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (can be substituted for whole wheat flour)
1 stick Smart Balance 50/50 butter
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
1/2 cup Splenda (1/4 cup can be used if too sweet)
Directions

Preheat oven to 450.

Prepare pie crust mix as directed (optional). Spray a large 6 count muffin pan with nonstick spray (I do not suggest using paper muffin cups). If using crust, form small balls of dough and flatten to cover the bottom and sides of each muffin. Be careful not to leave the dough too thick in the pan because it will fluff up and you will end up with a dough pie instead of an apple pie. Follow packaged instructions for baking the pie crust.

For apples:
Peel and thinly slice 5 Gala apples. In a medium bowl, sprinkle cinnamon and 1/8 cup Splenda (optional) over apples. Toss to coat. Divide apples into muffin cups.

For topping:
Using a pastry blender, combine both white and wheat flour, 1/2 cup Splenda, 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar blend. Add stick butter and blend with pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of apples.

Bake at 450 degrees for ten minutes or until topping is slightly golden. Lower temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until apples are soft.

Serve with low fat, sugar free frozen yogurt. (optional-yogurt not included in nutritional value)

Serving Size: Makes 6 mini apple pies. Serves 6.

Number of Servings: 6


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