Internet Resources for Homeschoolers

I put together a list of sites that are generally helpful to homeschoolers. Try them out, and see what you think.

Cathy Duffy Homeschool Reviews – www.cathyduffyreviews.com
Debra Bell’s Homeschool Resource Center – www.hsrc.com
DonnaYoung.org Printables and Resources – www.donnayoung.org
Enchanted Learning – www.enchantedlearning.com
Classical Christian Homeschooling – www.classicalhomeschooling.org
1000 Good Books List - www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html
Curriculum reviews - www.homeschoolreviews.com
A to Z Home’s Cool - homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/index.htm
Starfall – www.starfall.com

Product Review: Jif Natural Peanut Butter

Product Review
Jif Natural Peanut Butter

For quite some time, I've been making my own peanut butter using my Vita-Mix. It is delish. Lately, life has been hectic, and I've fallen off the homemade peanut butter bandwagon. So, imagine my excitement when I noticed Jif Natural Peanut Butter on the shelf at my local WalMart. I was even more excited to learn that the price, although higher than regular Jif, was not that much higher.

Now that my family has consumed a number of jars of Jif Natural Peanut Butter, I can tell you that we are big fans. The consistency is creamy and spreadable. And, the taste is pure peanut. In comparison to Jif Natural, ordinary peanut butter tastes like peanut flavored shortening.

The label on the jar of Jif Natural states that it does not need to be refrigerated or stirred. Well, yes and no. I do stir it when I first open a jar because it is just a little oily on top. After the initial stir, I don't need to do it again. When the summer heat set in, I refrigerated the jar to maintain a good spreading consistency. Now that fall is here, our jar is back in the cupboard.

Perhaps you've noticed that Skippy also has a natural peanut butter, and we've tried that one, too. It's good, but in our opinion, it's just not as good as Jif Natural. Jif Natural just seemed a little more peanut-y to us.

Some may be drawn to Jif natural because it doesn't have the artificial ingredients found in other peanut butters. I do prefer that my family's food is made with plain, ordinary ingredients. That's why I began making my own peanut butter in the first place. But, I continue to purchase Jif Natural Peanut Butter just because we like it so much. It makes a great peanut butter and jelly sandwich when paired with homemade bread and homemade jelly.

What to do with the Nut Dust and Crumbs

I noted in my review of True North Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters that there is a lot of breakage that results in excessive nut dust and crumbs in the bottom of the package.

Now, I have found two delicious uses for the nut dust. First, I sprinkle it on my oat bran hot cereal. This is absolutely delicious. Second, I sprinkle some on my yogurt. In the past I have included it in my homemade granola, but I definitely prefer it on my hot cereal and in my yogurt.

I'm almost ready to take a hammer to my bag of clusters so I can make more nut dust!

Things That Really Are Cheaper at Sam's Club

I'm not a huge fan of Sam's Club, but I do shop there. Many things I look at just aren't cheaper than I can get at WalMart or sale prices at other stores. But, I thought I'd put together a list of things that I've found that really are cheaper at Sam's club:

• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Yeast
• True North Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters
• AA batteries
• Splenda packets
• Cheerios (just a little cheaper, awkward packaging)
• Soda at the snack bar (get your cup at the checkout)
• Gas (usually about 3 cents cheaper than other stations)
• Ice cream sandwiches

Train Yourself to Be Godly

I Timothy 4:7-8 tells us to train ourselves to be godly. If the Bible instructs us to do something, then it must be possible. Being sinners by nature, how do we go about training ourselves to be godly?

In a recent sermon, our pastor shed some light on this topic. Here are three scriptures that are useful for training different aspects of our being. Can you think of more verses and how we can use them for training ourselves in a specific realm?

Train the mind: "Take captive every thought" (II Corinthians 10:5)

Train the will: "I have been crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20)

Train the affections: "Delight yourself in the Lord" (Psalm 37:4)