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Rachel

Transitioning From Traditional School to Homeschool

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How to Help Your Kids Feel Comfortable Learning from Home

Whether you’re a die hard advocate for homeschooling or were pushed into the idea after the Covid-19 outbreak, we all need to find ways to help our kids adjust to this new style of learning. Even if they’re beyond excited for this unique adventure, change is awkward! These tips on transitioning from traditional school to homeschool will help your kiddos feel more at ease studying from home. 

Routine

When first moving from public education to homeschool, a certain amount of structure does the body well. So many things in life are changing but if you can maintain a small semblance of routine, you’ll find that everyone feels more grounded at the end of the day. 

A perk of homeschool is the flexibility to learn as you please. It’s more than okay to take breaks (it’s encouraged actually) so that you and your little ones can recharge. The daily routine is there to guide you through any given day but it isn’t set in stone. Somedays, it’ll be just to remind you of everything you aren’t going to do! Schedules are nice to start with while you’re still getting your footing, but once you feel like you and your children are embracing homeschool, you can completely shake it up. Which brings us to our next tip!

Fluidity

You might realize your child prefers to read or do art in the morning and get to math in the afternoon. Maybe they like to dedicate a few days to one of two subjects before moving on to others. However they learn best, its not a bad idea to leave wiggle room for your child to alter how it is they absorb information. Embracing new methods of learning might be exactly what your kid needed to finally fall in love with history etc. I think we can all agree that freedom often leads us towards more joyful paths and it’s no different with learning. Going with the flow could end up making your child even more curious about the world around them.

These first two tips don’t sound complimentary but I assure you these two can tango. In combination, routine with fluidity is the ideal life even for us adults. In a homeschool setting, the balance of structure and flexibility makes for a happy environment. 

Don’t Recreate School

This is a super tempting option because it feels natural but this is not the way to get your child to adapt into homeschooling. While you might be able to use bits and pieces of what you liked from public school into your new homeschool routine, it’s important to be aware of how this role changes your identity. You’re now a parent AND a teacher. Which is beautiful! Instead of separating the two, leaving your children with conflicting ideas of you, you should allow them to merge. Be their parent who teaches them by integrating authenticity with education. 

transition kids from traditional school to homeschool

Social Time

One of the biggest struggles when transitioning from public school to homeschool is leaving behind the social aspect. We are social creatures by nature and this can be a lonely part of the journey but it doesn’t have to be! Host play dates or zoom chats to keep friendships blossoming even when distanced. Not only will this make your child happy but will also teach them more about platonic relationships such as how to keep them alive. You can also turn these into learning opportunities by making the play date a field trip! 

Transitioning From Traditional School to Homeschool

Support

This is one of the most important things to have when beginning homeschool. A network of individuals you can vent to or lean on when you need to. There are so many ways to find community through homeschooling. You can seek out co-ops in your area, follow blogs with homeschool connections, or join homeschool groups to start.

This isn’t a step to be taken lightly! It’s crucial to have people in your circle that understand what you’re going through. If you’re struggling, someone else might have just figured out how to help their own child with that and can now guide you. Homeschool promotes continued learning for adults as well!

Take it Day by Day

Allow yourself time and patience as you take on this new lifestyle. Everyone adapts differently but eventually homeschooling will become as fluid a routine as the rest of your life. Enjoy this extra time with your family. The bonds you are creating are invaluable. 

Transitioning From Traditional School to Homeschool

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Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes

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The build up of anxiety over the last several months have been nothing but anxiety inducing. My anxiety baking has taken on a personality of its own, with its greatest feat being these Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes. The recipe itself is of moderate difficulty. The cheesecake combines traditional baking and candy-making. But it’s not overly difficult!

crumble cheesecakes

Why have I been anxiety baking?

First, I need to vent about something. I’ve watched countless friends and acquaintances share their photos of parties and get togethers on social media. And it’s exhausting. For those of us who have stayed on the sidelines, distancing, taking every possible precaution? We’re utterly spent and emotionally drained.

I desperately want to see my friends and family. And I long for the days of going out for a drink or a cup of coffee. But the reality is that we are living in a pandemic. And those times should look very different than ‘normal’ life. And, for me and many others, it has. But that doesn’t change the fact that here in the United States, we cannot seem to get our Covid cases under control. The complete distrust in health officials and partisan politics have led us into a horrible place.

What our family life has looked like lately

For those who aren’t familiar with our day-to-day in this house, we have gone very few places since March. When schools shut down, I decided to do everything in my power to help flatten the curve. My kids and I spend most of our time doing arts and crafts, watching movies, playing games, cooking, baking, and playing in the yard. There have been no playdates. There have been no outdoor dinners. And they have only seen the inside of a store once (Target, with my two littlest in a wagon and my oldest walking beside me as I picked up a couple of ‘musts’).

So, for now, my reality looks like this: Expect a lot more anxiety baking. You can also expect to see us transitioning to full-time distance learning (perhaps even full-on homeschooling). We will continue to do our best to avoid being a statistic — for ours and your health.

salted caramel crumble cupcakes

But now, Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecake!

My anxiety is your reward, friends! Here are my ‘tips’ for this delectable dessert: Instead of making your own caramel sauce, grab this one from Amazon.

Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecake

cheesecakes

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • ¾ Cup of graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ cup of unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • ½ cup of sour cream
  • ¾ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of salted caramel sauce

Crumble Topping Ingredients

  • ½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ¼ cup of flour
  • Salted caramel sauce for drizzle

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Using a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until combined.
  3. Using a tablespoon, scoop the crust into the cupcake liners.
  4. Using a flat bottomed round cup, press the cup into the crust to make a firm crust.
  5. Set aside.


For the cheesecake:

  1. Using a hand mixer, beat together the sugar and cream cheese until combined and smooth.
  2. Beat in the sour cream, salted caramel sauce, vanilla and salt until combined.
  3. Beat in 1 egg at a time until combined.
  4. Scoop 2 ½  tbsp of the cheesecake mixture into the crust.
  5. Bake in the oven for 17-22 minutes or until the edges are firm and a really light golden brown starts to form.
  6. Allow the cheesecakes to cool for a few hours in the fridge.
    salted caramel crumble cupcakes

For the topping:

  1. Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl.
  2. Using your fingers, mix ingredients together until combined and crumble like topping the cupcake.
  3. Top the cheesecake with the crumble.
  4. Drizzle the caramel sauce on top.
  5. Enjoy!
    crumble cheesecakes



      © Rachel

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      Delicious Copycat Cosmic Brownies Recipe

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      I’m in full on back-to-school mode over here. I’m trying not to be, but the deadline of school/homeschool start is quickly approaching. This year I’m getting creative with lunches and snacks. The past few months have given me a new confidence in the kitchen. And, despite how strange this school year may look, I’m ready to tackle lunches and snacks like a pro with these Copycat Cosmic Brownies recipe!

      Copycat Cosmic Brownies Recipe

      I have to admit — my guiltiest of guilty pleasures are the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies. I don’t know what is so glorious about them. Nostalgia, maybe? I’m not certain what it is — but these Copycat Cosmic Brownies contain all of that same magic!

      Make school snacks fun

      As we all know, this will be an unprecedented school year. No one really knows what it will look like for our kids — or us. Although I have decided to keep my kids home full-time and do distance learning, my plan is to still keep the school day structure. Before the pandemic started, I saw the writing on the wall. I watched what was happening in other countries, and I knew schools would be shut down in the US. So I stocked up on snacks and craft supplies. Those lasted approximately two weeks. Ha!

      spatula with dessert

      Now that I have a bit more time to prep for what’s to come, I was able to prepare in other ways. I bought a few sets of bento boxes from Amazon. My goal is to still make ‘school lunches’ for the kids. That way they aren’t trying to snack all day.

      Cosmic Brownies or Bust

      Copycat Cosmic Brownies Recipe

      My love for Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies is apparently a trait I passed on to all three of my kids. And I can’t blame them! Fun fact — I’m not a big fan of chocolate, especially in candy. But these copycat cosmic brownies?! OMG — SO good!

      spatula

      You’ll have most of the items you need to make this recipe. The one ‘specialty’ item would be the rainbow chips. If you’ve ever eaten a cosmic brownie, you know those aren’t just regular chocolate chips on top! Nope! Those are candy coated chocolate chips. I bought a bag here off Amazon and it was the best priced per ounce.

      The full Copycat Cosmic Brownies recipe

      Copycat Cosmic Brownies

      Copycat Cosmic Brownies
      Prep Time 15 minutes
      Cook Time 35 minutes
      Total Time 50 minutes

      Ingredients

      Brownies

      • 1 cup granulated sugar 
      • 1 cup brown sugar 
      • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
      • 2 large eggs plus 2 yolks 
      • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted 
      • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 
      • 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
      • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
      • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

      Glaze

      • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
      • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
      • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

      Topping

      • ¼ cup Rainbow Chocolate Chips

      Instructions

        1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
        2. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
        3. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl.
        4. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler, then whisk together until fully combined.
        5. Whisk in the vegetable oil.
        6. Pour the chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and mix until fully combined. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa.
        7. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
        8. Meanwhile make the glaze.
        9. Place chopped or grated chocolate into a medium-sized, heatproof bowl and set aside.
        10. In a large heatproof bowl combine your sweetened condensed milk and butter.
        11. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.  Microwave another 30 seconds.
        12. When the butter is melted carefully add your chocolate chips and stir in until melted.  You can also microwave for 15 seconds more until chips are all melted and ganache is smooth.
        13. Pour the ganache over the brownies and immediately sprinkle with the rainbow chips. 
        14. Let cool completely before slicing.
        15. ENJOY!
      © Rachel

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      Summertime Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza

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      This was our first year trying to grow our own vegetables in our backyard garden. We have quite a bit of space, but decided to start small with just two raised garden beds. I went a bit crazy with seeds, thinking very few would take. But I was really wrong and now we have an abundance of veggies! What’s a mom to do with all the veggies?! Make the perfect Summertime Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza, of course!

      rainbow veggie pizza

      This is one of those recipes that the kids can be really involved in. In fact, my kids have been super involved in the whole gardening process! They helped me plant the seeds and starters and they help me water every day. You should have seen the reactions they all gave to our first teeny veggie!

      I figured that this would be our summer “lesson” in unschooling. And thus far, it has worked! My oldest (almost 8), has had so many questions about how and why plants grow. I do my best to communicate the science behind it, but truthfully, YouTube has been much better at it!

      rainbow garden veggie pizza

      Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza

      This pizza is as easy as it gets. Instead of traditional pizza dough, I opted for something easier — and perhaps even tastier — pita bread! Another great alternatives to traditional pizza crust would be naan.

      As far as veggies are concerned, we used most of the items we could find in our garden. Yellow and red bell peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes! As far as veggies are concerned, the possibilities are endless!

      rainbow garden veggie pizza

      The pita bread (or naan) is just the perfect size for kids. They can put on whichever veggies they want, and leave off what they don’t! My middle daughter, for one, wanted her rainbow veggie pizza to consist of nothing but cucumbers and broccoli! No arguments from me, that’s for sure.

      RAINBOW GARDEN VEGGIE PIZZA

      Getting the kids involved in the process just increases the odds of them actually eating it. So my advice to you would be this: clean and cut the veggies and place them in separate containers. Ahead of time, mix the cream cheese mixture together. Set out the pita or naan on individual plates. And let them go for it! The worst thing that could happen is that they eat even more veggies!

      Rainbow Veggie Pizza

      Rainbow Veggie Pizza

      Ingredients

      • 1 cup sliced cucumbers
      • 1/2 cup cauliflower
      • 1/2 cup broccoli
      • 1/4 cup sliced rainbow carrots
      • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
      • 1/2 cup of red / yellow bell peppers (cut into chunks)
      • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
      • 4 ounces of cream cheese
      • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
      • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
      • 1 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp pepper
      • 4 pieces of pita bread (or naan)

      Instructions

        1. Wash and cut vegetables
        2. Using a 9x13 pan, add pita bread to cover the bottom of the pan.
        3. In a bowl, mix softened cream cheese, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, and
          salt and pepper together well.
        4. Spread mixture onto pita bread
        5. Evenly spread vegetables and cheese atop pita
        6. Enjoy!
      © Rachel

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      How to Host a Social Distancing End of Summer Cookout

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      Summer will be over before you know it, and what used to be a fun season of cookouts and fun summer hangouts has turned to waving to your neighbor from across the lawn. If you are looking for a fun way to celebrate the end of summer, you can still have a fun end of summer cookout, safely. Here are some tips to help host a social distancing end of summer cookout.

      girl with american flag

      Keep things clean and sanitized

      If you are going to have a cookout where you will be sharing items and touching surfaces, you want to make sure that you are keeping things clean! The main reason for social distancing is to reduce the number of germs being passed around, so ensure that you are keeping your areas clean and sanitized often. Have sanitizing wipes readily accessible, and don’t forget to wash your hands often.

      purple and blue wine

      Seat in sections and grab food in rotations

      If you are serving food, make sure that you spread out seating and implement food rotation areas. This should help prevent contact between others and still allow you to talk to one another without shouting! Try to avoid sitting too close to each other and take advantage of your full yard or block if you live on a less busy street. It may not be the best option for every situation, but you can still have a decent celebration this way!

      man cooking on grill

      Bring your own food and supplies

      If you want to avoid cross-contamination, bring your own supplies. This includes food, drinks, and whatever else you will need. While it’s not as fun to have everyone bring their own supplies, this can keep people from getting sick from contacting another person’s stuff. Having everyone bring their own things could end up being the best option if you’re feeding a lot of people. Just make sure that you still keep your distance from each other, even if everyone brings their food and supplies.

      flowers with pie

      Get single-serve materials for serving, drinking, and more!

      Single-serve options are not usually an excellent idea for the environment. In this case, they could be lifesaving! Encourage people to use canned sodas instead of a 2 liter and avoid contact hot spots. Encourage the use of disposable products and single-serve items that don’t require you to wash afterward.

      Move to the front yard

      Normally cookouts take place in the backyard huddled by the grill, but instead, bring your cookout to the front yard! Have all your neighbors sit in their yards and enjoy cookouts together! Each person can make their own dish, and you can still be near each other even if you can’t sit right next to them. You can also play fun games that don’t require you to be near each other or play contact games. 

      While nothing can replace the fun of standing next to your neighbors and friends to celebrate the end of summer, hopefully, this will help ease the pain of not being able to hug your loved ones from afar!

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      Perfect Peach Recipes for Peach Season

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      As a foodie, fewer things are more exciting than peach season. My husband has always had a knack for picking out the ripest and most beautiful peaches from our farmers market. Of course, this year the markets are looking a tad bit different. So I decided to finally try ordering from The Peach Truck, which has left me with plenty of peach recipes for peach season!

      Peach Recipes for Peach Season

      What you need to know.

      You can’t walk up and order from The Peach Truck. They take orders online for several months prior to the dates in your area. Packages start at 25-pound bundles to peaches, pecans, and cookbooks.

      Before you pick up your peaches from TPT (The Peach Truck), you’ll receive a barcode. You arrive during your allotted pickup time, stand in the line, and scan the code when it’s your turn. The line is honestly a bit daunting, but they are super efficient. I was in and out of line within 3 minutes!

      I have my peaches, now what?

      Your peaches will be fresh. Like, picked within the last 48-hours kind of fresh! So they won’t be quite ripe enough to eat yet. You’ll want to spread the peaches out on your kitchen counter (if it’s large enough!) or the kitchen table to ripen.

      Ripening the peaches will take only a couple of days. You’re going to want to have a plan on how much you can eat and/or bake in a relatively short period of time.

      Separate and set aside.

      So twenty-five pounds of peaches is a lot. Like, a whole lot! Since you’ve taken the time to get a plan of action in place for your peaches, you can now separate them into what you will use now, and what you will store for later. Instructions for freezing your peaches can be found on TPT’s website.

      For those peaches you don’t freeze, I have several peach recipes to help you out!

      Peach Recipes for Peach Season.

      Sure, you can just eat peaches. But what about grilling them? Or baking them? Or making a delicious adult beverage with them?! We tried the grilling method. Oh my stars, were they delicious! But after some time on the charcoal grill, they were not at all pretty.

      Peach Mojito

      peach recipes peach mojito

      We also tried making them into delicious and perfect peach mojitos. Y’all! If you love mojitos (and who doesn’t), you will absolutely die for these. They are perfect for a backyard cookout or, heck!, pre-make them for a camping trip!

      Peach Recipes for Peach Season
      Yield: 1 drink

      Peach Mojito

      peach recipes peach mojito
      Prep Time 5 minutes
      Total Time 5 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 2-3 slices of fresh peach
      • 2 slices lime  
      • 1 sprig of mint
      • ice
      • 2 ounces of rum
      • 1/2 ounce of simple syrup
      • 3 ounces of soda water

      Instructions

        1. In a glass of choice muddle the mint and lime then add slices of peach.
        2. Add ice.
        3. Then add rum, simple syrup, and top it off with soda water. 
        4. Stir and enjoy.
      © Rachel

      With just the perfect amount of mint and peaches, this drink is incredibly refreshing!

      Peach Recipes for Peach Season

      Peach Angel Food Cupcakes

      Summertime is not the time for ‘heavy’ desserts, am I right? It turns out that peaches and angel food cake, which is light and airy, are the perfect combination! For these peach angel food cupcakes, I used boxed angel food cake mix, because it was the quickest! But they’re delicious!

      Peach Recipes for Peach Season

      If you’re looking to step these up a bit, top them with frozen cool whip and fresh peaches!

      Peach Angel Food Cupcakes

      Peach Angel Food Cupcakes
      Prep Time 5 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Total Time 20 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 1 can of halved peaches (or one pound of fresh peaches)
      • 1 box of angel food cake mix
      • 1 teaspoon of almond extract

      Instructions

      1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
      2. Cut peaches into small chunks.
      3. Follow box instructions for angel food cake. Then fold in peaches and almond extract.
      4. Pour into muffin tin.
      5. Bake for 15 minutes (until golden).
      6. Let cool. Enjoy!

      Notes

      Add fresh whipped cream to make it extra delicious!

      © Rachel

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