Since we started our world geography unit with France, we decided to stick to European countries first and then move onto other regions. This week we learned all about Germany! Basic Information About Germany: Germany is a country in western Europe. It is boarderd by Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Germany is typically cool and cloudy, with mild summers. The northern region of Germany is mainly flat plains, while central and southern Germany is covered in forested hills, with several river valleys. Capital: Berlin  Population: 83 million  Size: 357,021 square kilometers  Currency: Euro Type of Government: federal r epublic   German Flag: National Anthem:  Lied der Deutschen National Animal: The Federal Eagle  Famous Places and Monuments: Neuschwanstein Castle Neuschwanstein Castle- Photo by Mark Neal  Neushwanstien Castle in Bavaria, Germany is o...

 We're studying world geography this year by choosing several countries from each region of the world to spend a couple of weeks studying. Our plan is to learn about the basic geography, important monuments and natural features, some basic history, do a cooking project or two, and do some sort of craft or art project for each country.  T he first country we chose to study this year was France. We mostly chose to start with France because we love French food, and my girls were excited about making crepes and French onion soup, but also because I took 4 years of French in high school. It's a country I already know a lot about, so that made it an easy place to start. Basic Information About France: France is a country in western Europe, boarderd by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, and the Mediterranean Sea. The north western region of France is mainly plains and rolling hills. The south eastern regi...

I tend to get really dry skin in the winter time, but I'm not a big fan of the ingredients in most store bought lotions. A few years ago I decided to give homemade lotion a try, but couldn't find a recipe that didn't leave my skin feeling really greasy. I finally came upon a couple different recipes for lotion bars and tried them out. I immediately decided lotion bars were the way to go. They didn't leave my skin feeling greasy, and they're super simple to make. After a few adjustments, I settled on a recipe I really like.  Why Avoid Store Bought Lotions? There are a lot of potentially harmful ingredients in most mainstream lotions, including: parabens, artificial fragrances, and triethanolamine. Parabens are often added to lotions to prevent bacterial and fungal growth but are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to various types of cancer. Many artificial fragrances are also endocrine disruptors and can be irritating to the respiratory system. Triethanol...

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for new healthy snacks my kids will actually eat. In this post I share 20 of my kid's favorite simple but healthy snacks. - Apple slices and nut butter - Frozen banana slices - just slice a banana and stick in the freezer for about an hour until the slices are frozen. - Multi-grain chips with salsa or guacamole - Dill Pickles-  always a favorite in our house. - Fruit Kabobs - put various fruits and slices of fruit on a kabob stick. Our favorites for this snack are grapes, strawberries, pineapple chuncks, and marshmallows. - Trail mix - I love trail mix because you can make it with so many different ingredients. Our household favorites are peanuts, cashews, dried coconut flakes, craisins, and vanilla yogurt chips. - Smoothies - this is another simple snack with so many different options. Berry smoothies with greek yogurt and almond milk are a favorite in our house. If you need some inspiration, check out th...

One of my family's favorite summer treats is Greek yogurt pops. They're a healthier, but still really yummy, alternative to mainstream popsicles. And they're super versatile. You can add just about any fruit to create whatever flavor you like. In this post I will share my recipe for fresh strawberry Greek yogurt pops. This recipe is really simple and only requires a few ingredients: -2 cups of vanilla Greek yogurt (this recipe works with coconut milk yogurt too for a dairy free treat) -2 cups of fresh strawberries (or substitute with any berry or fruit of your choice) -Popsicle molds Wash and slice your strawberries into small thin slices and stir into the Greek yogurt. Pour into popsicle molds and pop into the freezer until they are completely frozen. And that's it! (You can put the strawberries and yogurt in the blender and blend until smooth before freezing if you prefer popsicles without big chunks of fruit.) If you ...

Many household cleaners contain ingredients that can be damaging to our bodies and the planet. My family really tries to avoid using those types of products, but the non toxic alternatives are often pricey! In this post I share some simple recipes for making your own non toxic household cleaners for a fraction of the cost. All Purpose Disinfecting Spray: I use this for almost all of my everyday surface cleaning. It's simple and kills most germs.  -1 cup of water -1 cup of white vinegar -20 drops of your choice of essential oils (optional)  Add all the ingredients to a spray bottle (preferably a glass spray bottle) and shake to mix. Always shake gently before use.  For occasional deep cleaning of your household surfaces, I recommend hydrogen peroxide. My daughter and I did an experiment testing the germ fight abilities of various natural cleaners. Hydrogen peroxide killed everything. I don't use it daily because exposure to germs is good to an e...

I have slowly been reading the books from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Collection to my daughter over the last couple years. Farmer Boy was a new one for me. For some reason I skipped this one as child, maybe for the same reason my daughter was hesitant to read it, it's about a boy, not our beloved Laura. After reading it though I think it's both mine and my daughter's new favorite in the collection. I just loved reading about farm life and Almanzo and his family are just as lovable of characters as Laura and her family. In this post I will share some fun hands on learning activities we did while reading the book and instructions or links so you can try them too. Plant Potatoes From Eyes (or plant a whole vegetable garden): Planting potatoes from eyes like Almanzos family, is super simple. You just grab a potato, one that's been sitting in your pantry awhile and has some growth started is preferable, but not necessary. Cut the potato into 1 inch chunks...

My family really strives to avoid products that are toxic to humans or the environment, this includes mainstream insect repellents, most of which contain DEET or other harmful chemicals. DEET has been found to inhibit the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme in both insects and mammals ( source ). I n this post I share a simple recipe for an effective kid safe bug repellent. Kid Safe Non Toxic Bug Spray Recipe: Ingredients:  -1/2 cup natural witch hazel -1/2 cup of water -1 tablespoon of vodka -20 drops of lavender essential oil -20 drops of citronella essential oil -10 drops of lemongrass essential oil Instructions:  Add the essential oils and vodka to a glass spray bottle and shake to combine. Add the witch hazel and shake again. Add the water and shake again.  And that's it. Now you have an effective bug repellent that is safe for your family. Be sure to shake well before each usage. Also note that this recipe ...

In this post I will share my recipe and step by step instructions for my all purpose healing salve.   First though, I need to tell you about an amazing backyard herb I like to harvest for this salve called plantain. Plantain- A Magical Backyard Weed: The plantains (there are several varieties)  are a medicinal herb that can be found growing just about anywhere.  Chances are you have some growing in your yard or near your home. Plantain is anti-inflammatory and has both antimicrobial and analgesic properties. It's soothing to minor wounds and insect bites and can even help stop bleeding. Plantain reduces mucous production, making it a good choice for colds and other respiratory issues.  For more information and to learn how to identify this awesome little herb, check out this  post  from Gwen's Nest. If you can't find any growing near you or would rather just order some, Mountain Rose Herbs sells dried plantain leaf. You can order...

On the Banks of Plum Creek and all the books in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House collection are a fantastic way to teach your children about the pioneer era. I've been slowly reading them all aloud to my 7 year old. We read Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie last year. This year we did On the Banks of Plum Creek and I think it's probably my favorite book in the collection. I spent some time scouring my brain and the internet for fun and educational activities to go along with book while we read it.  In this post I'll share all the On the Banks of Plum Creek themed activities we did and instructions or links so you can do them too. Paint a Prairie Mural: Laura very vividly describes the prairie around her family's homestead in the first several chapters. Get a large piece of cardboard and some paint and paint a mural based on her description. Learn About Prairie Wildflowers: Laura spends almost an entire chapter des...