We can all use a few more hands
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy made May 15 National Peace Officers Memorial Day and that full calendar week National Police Week. Today, we honor those who have given their lives for the protection and safety of others. Today, we honor their families who were left behind.
Looking for a way to support your local officers? Check out our instructions for Police Officer Appreciation Week Goodie Bags.
As some of y’all know, I’ve been reading and semi-following the Trim Healthy Mama plan. One of the things that they discuss is all the great benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar. It can help lower blood pressure and help you lose weight among other benefits. It’s great for your body but it doesn’t taste that great by itself.
Several ladies have come up with concoctions for apple cider vinegar and are referring to them as Good Girl Moonshine. Many recipes call for strawberries and lemons. I opened the fridge this morning and released we used all our strawberries making Strawberry Shortcake last night. What we had left were some blackberries since they are only $.99 at Aldi this week. I decided to give it a whirl and see if I could come up with my own concoction. It does have a bit of a zing to it from the ginger. Here’s what I did:
Of course, to each his own, but we enjoyed it and my kids even drank some. I still think strawberry is my favorite version, but sometimes you work with what you have!
With my recent post about making a Survival Kit for Law Enforcement Officers, I’ve received a ton of new readers on Facebook. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! I thought it was time to introduce myself!
I’m Erin! I’m a stay at home mom of 4 and wife of 12 years to my husband who is a Corporal with the local sheriff’s department and we live in NorthEast Georgia.
This blog was created so I can share deals and tidbits with my friends and grew from there. We now have over 16,000 Facebook fans and I’m increasingly surprised about how many people take the time to read this little blog.
We love going camping, enjoying the outdoors, and we also homeschool. Our days are filled with fun and adventures with a little blogging on the side. Thanks for taking a moment to stop by our little world and enjoy the ride 😉
In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15th falls, as National Police Week. This year, the week is Sunday, May 11th through Saturday, May 17th. That’s next week! My husband works for the local Sheriff’s Department so I’ve been coming up with a Police Officer Appreciation goodie bag to pass out to his fellow deputies. My goal is to make 50 bags from our family, but I think it would be super awesome if some of y’all wanted to make some as well!
First up, the printables. I have uploaded them so they are easy to print. 2 print per page and then you cut them to glue to the white bags.
Next, simply put together the candy needed for each bag. 
Fold over the top of the bag and punch 2 holes. Using the same length of the black and blue ribbons, cut off enough to thread through the holes and tie in a nice bow. Ribbon can easily be found at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or even some Walmarts. Now all you have to do is drop off with your local department and make their day!
Thanks so much for helping to support our officers! What are you doing during police officer appreciation week?
It’s Cinco De Mayo! Time to pull out some food and get cooking! Here are a few of my recipes that you may want to use today:
Crockpot Unstuffed Pepper Medley
Simple Crockpot Chicken Quesadillas
Enjoy!
My husband’s grandmother drove down here all the way from New York and we have been having a blast. Yesterday we went to Washington Farms to conquer our strawberry fix. We picked 3 gallons of berries within just a few minutes and had an absolute blast! Pickings are great!
Now we had to figure out what to do with all those beautiful berries. I decided I would whip up a simple strawberry shortcake.
For starters, I washed the strawberries, cut the green off, and sliced them. Lightly sprinkle with sugar and stir. Let them sit in a bowl for the time it takes to make the cake. I used 1 gallon of strawberries since we had a bunch of people over, but you could easily do less.
While the strawberries are resting, start working on the shortcake.
When the cake has cooled, cut into squares. Each square, cut in half as you would a hamburger bun so you have 2 square pieces.
Place one shortcake piece on a plate, layer with a helping of strawberries. Place the other on top and add more strawberries. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
My friend Robin over at the Georgia Homeschooler Community has given me permission to post her newsletter info for you guys! I love how she gave a little shout out to Mommy Octopus on one of the deals 🙂 To get this info delivered right to your inbox weekly, sign up HERE for their newsletter. Not a homeschooler? You are still absolutely welcome on these outings!
FREE 5th Battalion Ranger Training Open House, Dahlonega, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Georgia Homeschooler will be there!
FREE Rick Hubbard Concert at Red Clay Theatre on April 27th – Duluth
Eddie Owen Presents Rick Hubbard and his Kazoobie Kazoo Show at The Red Clay Theater for a Sunday Matinee Kids Concert, on April 27 at 2:00 PM. It’s music, comedy, and fun for the whole family. Every kid gets a chance to be on stage with Rick Hubbard and everyone gets FREE Kazoobie Kazoos. How cool is that? Well, it’s even cooler because this special kids concert is FREE ADMISSION, so bring all the kids and have a blast.
FREE Entry and Tours at Bremen Jewish Museum on April 27 – Atlanta
Receive free entry into the Bremen Jewish Museum on Sunday, April 27th in honor of Yom Hosoah, the 49th annual community-wide Holocaust commemoration.
FREE Entomology Class on Thursday in Arnoldsville Dr. Hinkle is offering a free entomology on Thursday, April 24 from 2-3:30 p.m. at Corinth Baptist Church cabin (behind the church) in Arnoldsville. Dr. Hinkle has asked all who attend to wear shoes for outside. If you plan to attend, please RSVP Lisa Harris at lisakayharris@yahoo.com.
FREE Pizza Day at Stevi B’s on April 27th –
A big thanks to fellow Georgia Homeschooler and blogger Erin of http://mommyoctopus.com who shared that Stevi B’s is offering a free thin crust Margherita pizza to go on April 27th for their 6th Annual Pizza Day. Download the coupon and enjoy!
Dave Ramsey Financial Literacy Scholarship Contest for High School Students
Financial expert Dave Ramsey is inviting high school students to test their personal finance knowledge by taking the $15,000 financial Literacy Challenge by April 24. Three lucky seniors will each win a $5,000 scholarship to the college of their choice, and three underclassmen will each win a Google Chromebook. Winners will be announced by May 16!
FREE Family Concert at the Carlos Museum, Sun., April 27th, 4 p.m. – Emory
The Emory Chamber Music Society and the Carlos Museum present Lois Reitzes, legendary voice of WABE, who will narrate two favorites: Peter and the Wolf and the Carnival of the Animals performed by Keiko and William Ransom at one piano. Free public parking is available at Fishburne and Oxford Decks. Perfect for all ages. Reception Hall, Level Three.
GHEA Seeks Volunteers for Homeschool Convention
GHEA is seeking volunteers to help with the homeschool conference. This year’s conference will be June 5th-7th at Gwinnett Center in Duluth. Currently our needs are many and varied. Help unload vendors, at registration, hosting speakers, the graduation ceremony and other areas. PLEASE contact Lisa Lewis today! lisalewis31@msn.com
FREE Concert Hosted by Lauren Cohan from The Walking Dead – Atlanta
Lauren Cohan, main cast member of the Golden Globe-nominated television series The Walking Dead, will host the Atlanta Music Project Orchestra’s 2014 Spring Concert. The concert will be held on Saturday May 10, 2014 at 12:00pm in the Altitude Ballroom on the 27th floor of the W Atlanta – Midtown. MailChimp is the Presenting Sponsor for the concert.
May 9th – Homeschool Day at Six Flags
FREE UGA Herp Society’s Day on the Lawn is Tomorrow – Thursday – Athens
UGA Day on the Lawn – Thursday, April 24th – is Warnell’s Herping Society Outreach program. All manner of amphibians and reptiles will be on display. While many parents may shrill at the sight of reptiles, students who love wildlife will touch many slithering skinks and lizards and much more. It’s all day and all hands-on. This event is held on the front lawn at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. The address is 180 E Green Street • Athens, GA 30602-2152 • 706.542.2686. Event is 9-3 p.m.
FREE Fri. Night Family Fun in Downtown Duluth – Intl Dance and Jugglers Day
Events and Adventures Update from Georgia Homeschooler
Below are tempting new Georgia Homeschooler events and adventures to complement your homeschooling journey.
Our May 16 Behind the Scenes Tour of Lockheed Martin is full with a wait list. Email me at robin@rsgfundraising.com if you have trouble downloading any of the registration forms or have additional questions.
Thurs., Apr 24 – Herp Day at UGA – Athens – FREE – No need to register
Thurs., May 1 – May Day at Suwanee Library – FREE
Thursday, May 8th Behind the Scenes – Lunchtime in the Studio – 3 spaces left – Decatur
Mon., May 12 – Tree Top Quest, Buford
Tues., May 20 – Secluded Sapelo Island, Great Barrier Island off coast of GA – limited access island
Fri., June 27 – June on Lake Jocassee, 3 hrs northeast of Atlanta in S.C.
What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly publication from GA Homeschooler. Free or cheap events of interest to the Georgia homeschooling community are included. Please email robin@rsgfundraising.com by Monday (before noon) of each week if you want to post. All information must include contact info. I do not post open houses for programs, classes (unless free), or ads for organizations.Businesses or organizations desiring to advertise in What’s Up Wednesday may contact me at robin@rsgfundraising.com.
A year or so ago, my husband let me get new curtain rods and curtains in our old house. When we moved, I was very sad because my large curtain rod that I loved didn’t have a home. We put it to the side until we came up with a use for it. I know eventually it would be put back to use!
In this house we have had a major problem with art projects. With four kids, that’s four times the art and it’s everywhere! We decided we’d use our old curtain rod to organize it! My husband installed it right on the wall in our dining room, which is also where we do school.
We bought these Drapery Clip Rings to hang on the rod and use to clip our art projects. I love the end result! We now have plenty of hanging space and I love seeing my children’s treasured art hanging up together.
I’m always looking for new ways to make healthy items delicious for my kids. We figured out how to make chick peans (garbanzo beans) delicious! These beans are filled with fibrous goodness and my kids simply gobble them down!
First, open up a can of chick peas and rinse the beans. My family usually cooks 2 cans at once since they do not last long! This is mainly to get all the stuff packed in the cans with the beans off. Then pat dry with paper towels.
Layer on a cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle with olive oil. Stir to coat.
Now is the fun part! Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings! We like using Mrs. Dash and sea salt. Sometimes we just use sea salt. Sometimes we add nothing!
Then bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until crispy.
If you like this recipe, be sure to see a similar recipe for Simple and Delicious Kale Chips. This is also a great recipe if you are looking for THM (Trim Healthy Mama) recipes. This would be an E recipe.
This Sunday is Easter and the first time in years that my husband will have this holiday off. We are so stinking excited! That means tomorrow is his last day of work until after Easter. I decided to quickly whip up some cupcakes for him to take to work tomorrow. Normally I cook everything from scratch but due to lack of time (and energy) I decided to use a store bought mix.
If you’re looking for something simple and easy to make for the kiddos or for a treat, check these out!
The only ingredients needed – boxed cake mix prepared as cupcakes according to directions. Canned green icing spray and Peeps. Then decorate! I’m totally NOT a decorator, but I think they turned out cute enough! I know his shift will appreciate them!
