The Memory Box

I read last year about someone who had a good system for memorizing, but it involved a box.  Boxes for 4x6 index cards can be really pricey!  I hunted for months for one that I could afford (basically, next to nothing), but couldn't find anything.  Finally, I asked my husband if he could make me a memory box and showed him what I needed.  It was the best present I've received in a long time when he finished it for me!  A couple of pictures and explanation about how I use it.

This is the box.  It looks and feels heavy-duty with the wood and large brass, doesn't it?

The inside of the box has three compartments (next time I would probably go with four compartments; my only change).  The first compartment holds the memory items we go over every day.  The second compartment (right now holding our continent and planet flashcards) will hold items that we have mastered to the point that we feel once a week is enough.  I will put dividers in there when we are ready which each have a day of the week on them.  The last compartment right now holds pieces that we have yet to work on.  Later it will hold items that we only need to go over once a month (dividers for each day of the month).  My ideal fourth compartment would be used for what I am using the third compartment for now.  In the corner of each card, I put a letter to represent what that item represents: S for scripture, K for knowledge (general), M for music, P for poem.  Thinking about it now, I might change that around a bit...it's just something to help me quickly pull out a card from a certain subject.

The twins wanted to do school this morning, so they pulled out the letter flashcards and we went through them, covering the letters and all their sounds.  Then we pulled out the math manipulatives and counted circles, then guessed how many pieces would fill a circle (in fourths, twelfths, fifths, etc).  They can't get enough of learning, and it's exciting to watch!  Now if I can just rekindle that excitement in my somewhat lazy six year-old....

Turning Four!

Yesterday the twins turned the ripe old age of four.  This is a big step for my girls, which didn't go unnoticed by them.  As Aria informed me, "When you're four, you don't take naps; when you're four you don't suck your thumb".  A bit of nice self-motivation there!

To begin the day, I asked Daddy to make them some crowns to wear.  They kept them on the entire day (and even have been wearing them today).

After lunch we headed out, venturing into the heat to find some amusement for the afternoon.  I had printed off coupons from Chuck E Cheese (they have some great promotions if you check out their website and sign up for the birthday list), so we headed there for their twenty free birthday tokens.  They shared some with their older sister and played and played, even getting to "meet" the overgrown mouse in person!

(One great thing about homeschooling is that places like this are ALL yours during school hours!)

After the fun time at Chuck E Cheese, we drove on over to the mall and played in their playplace for a little bit, looked at the puppies, and got samples from the chocolate store.

We had one more place to stop at before going home: Walgreens.  It was there that I let them each pick out their birthday present.  The one and only thing that they have wanted and craved and begged for many months now: A Pillow Pet.  The mall had them, but at a much higher price.  So, $20 a girl and dreams came true.  Happiness for a four year-old!

I was a bit worried about what I would do for a "cake" since our oven is broken, but finally struck gold (after a suggestion from my  mother; thanks,  Mum!) at the infamous Waldemart when I happened upon a couple of loaf size angel food cakes.  Sliced in half, slathered in strawberry jam and covered in cool-whip and flower sprinkles and stabbed with curly candles, they each got a cake, making their day absolutely complete in their eyes.  (The cakes were strawberry flavored, so they were pink, and we served them with strawberries and strawberry ice cream.  See a theme yet?)

Aurora gave them each a princess puzzle and a birthday card, then gave them each a headband that she had decorated with barrettes and pieces of paper (there is no stopping that girl!) and our birthday celebrations were completed.  All in all, a good day (even if the drive was super hot, darn the broken air-conditioning)!

Sinful Pleasure

We made the most perfect recipe for a Godiva-like dark chocolate ice cream the other night and I just have to share it.

7 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken
1 1/2 c heavy cream
3 egg yolks
1/3 c water
1/4 c sugar

1- Whip the cream in a chilled bowl until soft - not stiff.  Set aside.

2- Beat the egg yolks until they appear to be the color of a lemon.

3- Dissolve the sugar in the water in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Let boil about 2 minutes, not letting the water evaporate.  Turn off heat and stir in chocolate until completely melted. (Will be thick.)

4- Add the hot chocolate mixture to the egg yolks; beat until smooth and thick.  Continue stirring until the mixture comes to room temperature.

5- Stir about 2 Tbs of the cream into the chocolate mixture.  Continue adding 2 Tbs of cream at a time until the mixture is the same consistency as the cream.  Then fold the chocolate into the rest of the cream.

6- At this point you can add to an ice cream maker and let freeze.  If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can pour into ice cube trays, cover with foil, and freeze for about 2-4 hours.

Absolutely lovely with a raspberry coulis.  Very rich and perfect in small doses.  We girls really liked it!