The Comfort Zone, Getting Organized in 2014: Living Room

Getting Organized in 2014: Living room.
Well here we go, a picture of our living room. The homeschooled young man was working on taking down the Christmas tree and putting away the ornaments. Then some how, for some reason, why I have no idea, the homeschooled young man STOPPED...lol and left it like this.

the after Christmas mess...


So as you can see clutter starts where we stop. I see school books, boxed up ornaments, a Christmas tree, photo packets, wrapping paper, wooden craft decorations and Sunday school materials. Just dropped and left. So let us see what we can come up with.

Check back next time to see where we are and what area we plan to work on next. Remember our theme for getting organized in 2014. Romans 14:13 "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Is my method of being a keeper at home causing my homeschooled young man to stumble? To learn messy ways? To try to take the easy way out? Am I teaching my homeschooled young man to be a Godly husband to my future daughter in law? Am I teaching my homeschooled young man what a Godly wife and mother is like?
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

Ok, Homeschool Mamma's (and non homeschool mamma too, I know several that read my blog) out there how many of us can relate to the second half of this verse? LOL...yeah, most of us are ready to faint at any moment! But we need to look at the first part of the verse, obviously the Lord knew that we would be weary and ready to drop over in doing well (His idea of well and not the world's idea of well! REMEMBER THAT!)

Share your own favorite ways to get organized in the new year.

Chicken with Gluten Free Dumplings...warm winter recipe just for you

This looks so yummy chicken gluten free dumplings using my favorite brand of Gluten Free products from Hodgson Mill!! I plan on trying this recipe very soon. I will let you know what I think. I know one thing for sure, I think it will be cheaper to make than using my normal GF Bisquick.

Will you stay in your comfort zone in 2014??

Will you be staying in your comfort zone in 2014? Why not stretch yourself and work on getting organized in the coming New Year!!! Join me as I work through different areas that need attention in the home. I got this idea from a Facebook post from Homeschool Mamma Lori (well she is now a homeschool mamma at heart, she has graduated her 3 girls already).

As I look into 2014 I think of the following verse as it relates to my family.

Romans 14:13 "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Is my method of being a keeper at home causing my homeschooled young man to stumble? To learn messy ways? To try to take the easy way out? Am I teaching my homeschooled young man to be a Godly husband to my future daughter in law? Am I teaching my homeschooled young man what a Godly wife and mother is like?

Let us get organized in 2014...here are some great ways to get there! Just click on the links. These are some of my FREE printables This one is totally my style.
printable goal list, planners-goals-calendars-church-and-ministry, Love this one! Check it out.

To get healthy in the New Year try this how to succeed with your new years.

If you are a label person, I'm not, but there are some pretty COOL things to print out on Avery type labels on this site.

FREE return address label templates, VERY CUTE! I even made me some  :)

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

Ok, Homeschool Mamma's (and non homeschool mamma too, I know several that read my blog) out there how many of us can relate to the second half of this verse? LOL...yeah, most of us are ready to faint at any moment! But we need to look at the first part of the verse, obviously the Lord knew that we would be weary and ready to drop over in doing well (His idea of well and not the world's idea of well! REMEMBER THAT!)

Share your own favorite ways to get organized in the new year.

Stocking Stuffers For Teens?

I am so stuck for stocking stuffers for the Homeschooled Young Man. I've looked and looked and looked. Any ideas? Seems like most stuff is for little kids. I've got a few things up my sleeve, but need some ideas.

We have had some fun caroling and visiting shut ins this holiday season.
Merry Christmas.

Gluten Free Homemade Culver's ButterBurger?

 

Yep, here it is folks!!! A classic favorite around here. The Culver's ButterBurger! Only a Gluten Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free version. YUM!

 

I used the recipe World's Easiest Sandwich and Hamburger Buns that I found on Better Batter's website. This recipe was so EASY! After they cooled I sliced them in half, took one, spread on some margarine toasted it in a pan, spread on some mayo and mustard added, then added my hamburger patty and lettuce. Oh, my was this good! The homeschooled young man (gluten eater) ate one too and was pleased.

Check out Better Batter and see what YUMMY treat you can make. I needed something new since with the holiday festivities going on I was feeling deprived. So I found my new thing! I've got a dozen of these babies in the freezer.

 

A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

 

Got this off of the website http://medicalschoolhq.net/ it says it all. And makes me remember that my God is in control of all things. I just need to trust Him and take things one step at a time.

 

Doc Documentary of the Pre-med Pre-Med student

Well here we are, fall has gone and winter is here! This is a time when we hunker down in our homeschool, snuggle under a warm blanket and really tackle the books.

I've slowed down on the blogging since I have retired from The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew, but I am still up for accepting offers for reviewing products and services, just not as a full time job anymore.

The homeschooled young man won a book from a podcast that we enjoy listening to (thank you Dr. Ryan Gray, M.D.) and that made me think that I have not updated you all on why I have retired from full time product reviewing this year. So here goes.

During the last school year, the homeschooled young man went in search of volunteering opportunities in the medical community. He came up empty handed over and over again. "Too young." "HIPPA policies." "Must be 18 or older." It was amazing how many applications he filled out and was then called for interviews on, then when they found out how old he was and it was a no go. So round about March of this year he was getting pretty down about it, but thought he would keep looking.

On our trip to Mayo Clinic (you can search my blog for more details on that trip) he met a doctor that spent some time with him explaining about health histories, dictation and actually did some dictation right in front of him. That spurred him on and he started checking out a few medical facilities in our state that he was interested in. He found a program for high school students and emailed the doctor in charge. This emailing went on for several months.

This past summer I spent working out the details of a medical field trip for homeschoolers. We got to tour a cancer center, a women's health center, had a question & answer lunch with three medical students (all of which looked tired and hungry...lol), then we rotated to different medical fields of discussions. I think there was gastro, ED, OB/GYN, oncology, histology, and a few PhD's lol...I won't even try to explain what those guys talked about, it was WAY over my head. One was doing research on a virus of some sort. The students then got to go to the hands on area and learn about PBL, problem based learning, they got to be behind the two way mirror (I think that is what it's called?) to listen and watch in the patient rooms (of course the patients were aware of this going on, they are paid patients called Standardized Patients).

The students also got to put on fake blood, make fake bruises and fun stuff like that. Then they went to the Micro Surgery Skills Lab, this was the homeschooled young man's favorite area. He was having a ball in there stitching away. Many commented on how he was holding the instruments in a near proper manner. LOL...little did they know that he had watched hours of YouTube surgery videos in his short lifetime. Then came the exciting time of getting to meet the physician that the homeschooled young man had been emailing back and forth. This then led to a discuss in the doctors office regarding the high school program.

Applications filled out, letters of recommendation in hand, personal essay written and it was all done. We just waited for contact to see if he was granted an interview. That day came and he was interviewed by a panel of 4. He was accepted into the program and attended his first White Coat Ceremony. The entire process was done to show students just how the medical school application process is done. The students were also warned that if they could not keep up with their high school studies and the program requirements that they had ought not even apply for medical school because they will not make it.

White coats waiting to be given out to the students.

This is why I have been gone, it has been a busy time around here. The weeks that he has class we are gone most of the day as the classes are a long journey away from here. But the experience he is getting is well worth it in the end. I just take some books or my Kindle and relax for the day.

So far he has done the following: learned about biochemistry and had medical terminology classes, 2 medical cases using Problem Based Learning, CPR/AED training, learning the head to toe physical examination and getting to practice this, a tour of an Emergency Department's trauma bay, hospital laboratory, radiology, physical therapy and occupational therapy departments. The first module concluded with bus trip and a tour of a college campus, the highlight of this tour for the homeschooled young man was the anatomy lab. Before the trip he had commented. "I hope I get to hold a human heart and examine it close up." That came true, along with getting to hold, handle and examine human lungs, livers, spleens, brains and other organs. "This is nothing like looking at photos of at human organs in my textbooks." They also toured the Histology lab and made their own slides of animal kidneys and intestines. They had a chance to meet with some first year medical students. Those medical students were so shocked by what the kids had already gotten to do as just high school students. 

The program is AWESOME! And the homeschooled young man is so thankful that he was given a seat. The program lasts for 4 years of high school and comes with a list of requirements including continued evidence of superior academic performance in a rigorous high school college-prep curriculum, attendance rate of 90% or higher, extra curricular, volunteer and/or community service activities. After graduating from the program, alumni will be eligible for a program sponsored scholarship and will be followed during their undergraduate program; periodic reports of their progress and ultimate career paths will be made and catalogued in a data bank for purposes of reporting and quality improvement. (love blogger.com, no rhyme or reason for a blue font to show up here...lol).

The homeschooled young man says about the program. “I think it’s fun, exciting, and a great experience for my future as a medical student. It has been fun getting to meet and work with new people and get to talk with actual medical students. I am eager to begin shadowing physicians to get a good feel for the area of medicine I want to pursue. It was an honor to be given a seat in the program and I look forward to the next 4 years I’m in the program.”

 

Wow what a year we have been blessed with! (here is that blue again!).