Nacho Pie

Ingredients

• tortilla chips (corn/gluten/dairy free? http://www.beanfieldssnacks.com/our_snacks.html)
• 1.5 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/8-1/4 cup taco seasoning
• 1 can (16 oz) chili beans, undrained (see recipe below)
• 1 can (16 oz) refried beans 
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes)
• shredded mozzarella cheese (or peperjack/cheddar) (dairy/soy/gluten free? http://www.daiyafoods.com/)
• Sour cream for the nondairy free people

Directions

• Place chips in a pie plate and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain if needed. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Add tomatoes and mix. Add chili beans and mix. Spoon over chips. Top with refried beans, and cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15-17 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Chili beans! 

• Make sure kidney beans have soaked overnight (or pop out the can)
• Place beans in pot and cover with water just above beans. Add chili power, cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper. 
• Simmer on low until water is almost gone and beans are cooked but not mushed. 

The pressure to homeschool early

There is this constant pressure from other parents to start homeschooling at an early age. Why? Why do kids need to go to school this early? Why should a child age 2, 3, or 4yrs be sitting at a table learning out of a book? Even though these are not things I agree with I still feel the pressure. I hear comments like I want to keep (s)he with their peers, or they are advanced for their age, or they love to learn so we are starting kindergarten at age 3yrs or 4yrs. I know to each their own and we all feel we do what is best for our family but why do we need to pressure others to push their kids as well?

I know that my kids are happy and intelligent. I look at what these other parents are doing and it seems like exactly what I have been teaching all along just not from a book or at the table. So why do I still feel pressured? I don't know.

Well at our house all we have done so far is learn from play. We color, make crafts, bake, cook, count, add things together, workbook activities, read, games, etc. Somehow without a structured learning environment they have learned many skills like reading, writing, coloring inside the lines, fine motor movements, bible stories, to love God, how the body works (eating to birthing babies), adding and subtracting, baking, cooking, science, etc. It is really amazing all the things kids can learn throughout a day. Really they are sponges.

Yes we will start using some homeschool ideas like using a calender and telling time as Rowan has asked to learn these skills. We will continue to foster what they desire to learn with focus on their strengths. This week we have been blessed with dramatic plays every night before bed. From puppets to ballet dancing, it has been amazing to watch them every night as they entertain us. So for now we will continue along the path we are currently headed and hope that the pressures will slow. The girls can continue to be 2 and 4yr olds enjoying life to its fullest.