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Tina Robertson

How to Rock Freezer Cooking While Homeschooling

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How to Rock Freezer Cooking While Homeschooling @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

This year, I have been sharing my 31 days of dinner ideas with linked recipes because I want you to see how you can have it all while homeschooling.

Don’t give up well-planned meals because you are busy homeschooling kids. Did I mention that I have a passion for cooking?

I have not always felt that way because in the beginning, my total focus was on homeschooling. I didn’t really plan on giving up cooking and though I didn’t, it was meager at times.

Besides menu planning for 31 days, I have always believed in freezer cooking.

So I was over the top excited, when a fellow homeschool mom put together a freezer cooking course that doesn’t take too long to go through.

What makes it so different than other things out there is that the homeschool mom lives my life. Okay, well you know not my life literally but because she homeschools, her priorities are my priorities.

I always value taking courses from persons who are living my homeschool lifestyle because I am always up for learning anything new or a trick or two that I didn’t know.

There is always room for learning more especially when I know the tips would be ones that I can realistically use while homeschooling.

The eCourse didn’t disappoint and I was excited to get started right away.

What I love about the course is that.

  • I like having tips for when I freezer plan a smaller number of meals like I did, or when I need meals for a longer period of time.
  • You know me, I love step by step directions like I give for my planner, so I love the fact that it’s explained step by step.
  • Too, I loved watching the videos for practical how-tos.
  • I love having everything that I need to get started; recipes, tips and even labels all ready to print.
  • The teaching tips are easily adaptable for a large family, a family with multiple wannabe cooks (like mine with my teens) or a family with fewer kids.
  • I could show you all my pretty new kitchen utensils I got since we moved back to the states. (okay, okay)
  • It didn’t take a whole lot of time to go through and the best part is that
  • I learned so many quick and fast tips for freezer cooking.

Freezer Cooking

I would have loved to have made more meals, but my freezer is so teeny tiny that I only cook and plan for one week.

I needed two more meals to complete my meals for the week, so I got them together quickly following the Freezer Meal 101 eCourse.

I just took from the program the help I needed this week.

Freezer Cooking 1

Too, since we moved back to the states I have been stocking my kitchen back up after I got rid of so many kitchen things. I really needed a do over and I’m glad moving game me permission to do so.

These measuring spoon which are round for liquids on one end and rectangular on the other hand for sticking into spice containers is fabulous for not only cooking but to use when freezing several meals at one time.

I used mine to make the Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe in the eCourse. I made my own Jamaican Jerk spice following the recipe in the course and can’t wait to try it on my chicken.

Freezer Cooking 2

I followed the tips in the eCourse to make freezer cooking easy because I know in the past I have complicated it by not being prepared with everything I need.
I also have been loving using my new eco-friendly measuring cups. I love the colors.

Freezer Cooking 4

Like I mentioned before, I love the fact that all the labels are premade in the eCourse.

All I have to do is print off. Since I didn’t have the correct label size, I just used what I had and wrote the directions on it for the Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Chicken Hurry recipes in the course. I will be getting the labels soon so that I can just print them and stick on the meals.

Hands down the best part of freezer cooking is that you can quickly make a month’s worth meals and not cook, which I love.

Too, I will be getting a new freezer soon and can’t wait to fill it with more meals from the Freezer Meals 101 course.

What do you like best about freezer cooking? If you need tips on how to be organized with your meals, be sure to scoot over and sign up for the Freezer Meals 101 course.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 1

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10 Days of Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be). Day 1. Patience Is Not Instantly Bestowed

Jumping into homeschooling is a scary thing. Just ask any homeschool educator. Whether she is new or not, she vividly remembers the uneasy feeling of beginning.

Looking at homeschooling from the outside in is quite different than looking from the inside out and I want to give you a peek into our days as homeschool moms.

Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be).

Too, so that you can step into my toes (or is that shoes, sorry couldn’t resist) I will be sharing this series of 10 Days Why A Homeschool Mom Is Not Better Than a Public School Mom (but could be) starting with day 1 why patience is not instantly bestowed upon us.

Saying that we are going to homeschool doesn’t mean our personality as a mom is immediately going to change.

You would think that choosing curriculum for our children is the only fear, but right up there on our list of top concerns is the idea that we will need to exercise some extraordinary amount of patience.

Though I am in my 18th or 19th year of homeschooling, I admit patience is not the shining trait that bubbles forth from my kids when they describe me.

Does Patience (Calm) Equal Closeness While Homeschooling?

One definition of patience is to wait calmly for something. Normally calm is not a word that synonymous with me.

What I can say is that learning to not rush judgment on my boys while schooling them or judging other homeschoolers for their choices has made me closer to them.

Seeking calm and quite while homeschooling is key though to successfully blocking out the negatives thrown our way.

Though I never achieved perfect homeschooling, I’ve found a perfect calm for whatever situation we faced at the time.

Patience IS Power!

Beginning homeschooling with an overconfident attitude is the difference between a homeschool mom and a wannabe homeschool mom.

The point is as homeschool moms we struggle just as much as a public school mom when it comes to teaching our children patiently or waiting on them to reach a milestone.

Through the years we have learned patience through the many challenges we have met.

Learning that patience is a sign of strength and character that is tested and strengthened while on the job, not at the beginning of it, you have to be willing to learn as a homeschool mom.

If you begin homeschool with an unteachable attitude as a teacher or try to wear your feelings on your sleeve and never accept any suggestions to change, you can set yourself for failure. Who wants that?

Being patient is not about being hesitant or unsure, but it is about taking time to change your personality so that you not only savor the special moments of homeschooling, but so that you become a rock star teacher.

It’s true. The difference between a homeschool mom and a public school mom is that a homeschool mom learns patience on the job and then her enthusiasm for teaching overflows. Her children are affected by the excitement she brings to the learning table.

Today, I do admit that if you were to ask my boys about me being calm while I’m explaining a new point to them, they’ll admit I have that mastered.I still have plenty to work on though.

And don’t get me wrong, patience is never mastered, just cultivated all the time and especially while homeschooling.

I will be sharing 9 more ways why a homeschool mom is not better than a public school mom (but could be).

Do you feel that you have mastered the art of patience?

Also look at these three articles 3 Homeschooling Myths Debunked, Should A Child Have a Choice to Return To Public School and Looking Back To Stretch Forward.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

3 Reasons to NOT Avoid the Homeschool Middle Ground

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3 Reasons to NOT Avoid the Homeschool Middle Ground @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Fighting mini battles while we homeschool becomes part of our homeschool lifestyle. And it’s true that for many issues involving education, homeschoolers don’t wade in lukewarm waters nor take the middle of the ground approach. Being firmly decisive is key to surviving the harsh amount of negativity that is thrown our way.

Standing Firm on Homeschool Middle Ground

However, many things in homeschooling are more successful when you can step back and straddle the middle road. Sometimes taking an all or nothing approach can be counter productive, even extreme at times.

Look at these 3 reasons to NOT avoid the homeschool middle ground.

ONE/  When you do a unit study with multiple ages of children.

You can set your homeschool day up for failure when you use a learning resource that is too high above your oldest child’s head or one that is too young below it.

It’s a common mistake; choosing a unit study resource that is the grade level of your oldest child.

The secret to individualizing a delightful unit study topic is to  choose the middle grade between the ages of your children.

Seasoned homeschool veterans know that it’s easier to scale down activities for younger grades. Use the example of a plant unit study.

Younger students can color, label and dissect a plant. Older students or high school students can use the same unit study, but expand the activities on it to a high school level.

For example, older students can include plant history, learn about the local plants in your area and even spend some time in an apprenticeship learning from local professionals about herbs or plants. Ideas to use for an older student spring from the middle of the grade resource that you are currently using.

Not all ideas are so easy to round up for an older learner, but they are more useful than a resource used for your youngest learner.

TWO/ When you mix and match homeschool curriculum.

It’s easy to use the same curriculum provider with all of your children. Why would you do that though?

Each child is as unique as each homeschool family or should be.

Take the middle ground, avoid the extreme by choosing just one homeschool curriculum and use pieces and parts of a boxed curriculum, unit study and another curriculum to create a study that is unique for each child.

If you’re using just one type of curriculum, then one or more of your children may not be benefiting from it as much as another child. Mixing and matching homeschool curriculum will ensure a better fit for all of your children.

THREE/ When you begin homeschooling high school.

I did it too when I started homeschooling high school and that is to right away in 9th grade take a sock it to him attitude when planning.

High school is not about controlling your teen through his high school years, but it’s about working alongside each other. It is a give and take.

You give because your teen is a different person than you and your husband and he has goals and inspirations now that he too wants to meet. But it’s a take also because you don’t want to give up all your goals or plans for your teen’s future and some things will be must-haves in high school.

What I’m saying is that you choose the middle ground in high school when you help a teen keep balanced in all subjects until he decides his goals.

Some adults don’t even know what they won’t do, so don’t put a lot of pressure on a teen. Take the middle road by keeping subjects balanced until a mommy track, college track or job track is decided.

Also, grab some other tips from my other articles Homeschool Confession – My Homeschool Mistakes, Go Ahead and Make a Mistake: Homeschool Without Fear and Homeschooling – Beginnings are Usually Scary, Endings are Usually Sad, but It’s What’s In the Middle that Counts!.

Don’t give up the fight in touting the decisive ways we need to take a stand when it comes to homeschooling, but just know that the middle ground can not only be productive, but necessary many times in your journey.

What else do you take the middle ground on while homeschooling?

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

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Free 2017 Year Round Homeschool Planning Form

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2017 Year Around Planning Schedule Waves @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Homeschool Planning Forms that Rock and are Beautiful

I never want you to get confused with the different types of forms that I offer each year.

First, remember to visit my Curriculum Planner Category here on my blog to see all the latest printables. Sometimes I don’t always have them up on each  STEP (or page) they normally go on because it takes me some time to get them up.

Also, remember that I offer this homeschool planning form 2 ways. One way is following the academic year from July to June and the other way is the physical year from January to December.

The reason I offer it both ways is that not only do we start our homeschool year at different times, but I have followers in other countries which follow a physical year.

In addition, for many years I followed the physical year to begin and end our homeschool year because it felt more natural.

Curriculum Planner Pages

This is the first option color choice, which I named Waves (I have to name my forms) for the 2017 physical year.

Too, remember it is NOT a calendar for glancing or writing down your appointments. You can grab those here on Step 2. Choose Calendar/Appointment Keepers.

This form is prepared each year for you to highlight which days and weeks you will homeschool and which ones you will not.

In addition, you track the days and weeks and use the key at the bottom to see if you met your goals.

It is a one page glance to help you stay on track when it comes to scheduling. Don’t try to write down appointments here, I give you plenty of room to do on the Appointment Keeper.

Download here 2017 Year Around Planning Schedule Waves by Tina Robertson

Also look at these beautiful forms that you can use to mix and match.

2017 Year Around School Dreaming 600x @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x
Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x

Important: READ THIS FIRST if you purchase an item.

Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

  • All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
  • Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
  • The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
  • Hotmail and AOL can sometimes flag my email as SPAM no matter what you do. Though your order will be complete, your email provider can block my email from my store. You can create an account on my blog and download your order that way too.
  • Links are TIME SENSITIVE, meaning you need to download right then AND save to your computer. Please do not email me a week, two weeks or a month later telling me the “link is not working” because it has expired or because you did not save it to your device. I will not respond to those emails.
  • If a link is not “clickable” when you get your product download email, then copy/paste the link in your browser and your digital product will open.
  • Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. I value your business and value you as a follower. I stand behind my products because they are actual products I use and benefit from too. Though I cannot refund purchases after you have been given access to them, I will do what I can to be sure you are a pleased customer.

Begin Building Your Unique Planner!

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

Linking up @ these places:

5 Homeschool Things to Toss By the End of Summer

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

5 Homeschool Things to Toss By the End of Summer @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

If I lived in the perfect world of just organization, I would ideally label one box give away, another box labeled to keep and another one to throw away or recycle. But I don’t live in that world because I need to homeschool too.

Homeschool organization is quite different than having all day long to organize, which of course I would love but it won’t happen as long as I homeschool.

Why Homeschooling Simply is of Lasting Value?

Because my time is limited, tossing has always been my go to option. Unless something will bless a homeschool family right away and in a large way, clutter multiplies if you don’t get rid of it soon.

Too, because we are sharing living and learning spaces, a lot of the things I do at the end of summer spills over into my home organizing.

I find that back to school or the beginning of a school year, after I have chosen my curriculum is a great time to take a peek at my home to see what I need to toss.

Look at 5 homeschool things to toss by the end of summer…

ONE. Toss old food, containers and items from your pantry. Mark containers clearly.

Toss old spices and food items @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

toss old containers

When I need to make room for food that my family will eat because their likes and dislikes have changed, I find that cleaning out my pantry for the new homeschool year gets me ready.

It’s hard to cook well when there is a mess to begin with. Take time to toss what you won’t eat this next year or take it to the food pantry for others to be blessed by.

Then, get rid of containers that make it hard to see what you have on hand when ready to cook. I love see through containers and I mark them clearly (no corny pun intended) so I know what I’m grabbing when time is rushed.

TWO. Toss recipes that you do not use.

You know I have mentioned before that though many apps exists for recipes, I like to put my recipes in a 5 inch binder.

Homeschool-Organization-Are-you-Collecting-Cookbooks-or-Recipes_thumb.png

I don’t like my hands touching my devices while I’m cooking. And with page protectors I can turn the pages easily in my binders and wipe them off to sanitize them.

It’s the way I roll and so I always try to go back through my 365 recipes for the year and toss ones that just don’t make top marks with my family.

THREE. Art projects. Do you have some of these lying around the house?

Perish the thought that I don’t keep every crafty piece of art that my sons have done, but I don’t. I would be living under a suffocating pile of heap-o-junk.

A long while back I had to have a reckoning with Tina Day. I was in homeschooling for the long run, which meant I had to make some hard and fast decisions about art projects to keep and which ones to not keep.

toss old art projects by the end of summer @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I do cherish each one and take several pictures of each project.

How to be Happily Homeschool With What You Have and not With What You Don’t Have

And though I do love free cloud storage, I prefer to use a huge external hard drive because I don’t want to rely on free cloud storage that may come or go.

I use the Toshiba 1TB portable external hard drive because it has tons of storage (1TB) is slim and I can travel with it. I take lots of pictures of our projects through the years and store them on the hard drive.

FOUR. Sorry, but I don’t pass on nasty broken crayons or map colors to the younger siblings.

Unless I have a preschooler in the house, which chunky crayons are for, each kid gets brand new crayons or map colored pencils.

Even younger kids are smart enough to know that they are getting second hand crayons and they don’t want those old nasty things.

I guess you could have a party with the crayons and melt them all to make an art piece but then you’re back to needing to store that project.

FIVE. Toss or tear down old science projects. Recycle if you can.

I say toss loosely here because sometimes we can use the same parts over when we have built something previously.

Toss or recycle old science projects @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

We have loved every contraption and gadget we have made through the year but the end of the summer is a great time to part with them and make room for new creations.

We break them down and keep only the parts that look like we may be able to use again.

Those are just a few of the things that I am happily sorting through.

What about you? What do you toss or recycle by the end of summer?

Also, look at my article, How Can I Achieve Simple Homeschooling and Get Organized – Rev Up for the New Homeschool Year.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.