I already mentioned that last week was our week off from school; it turned out to be a great change of pace. As the week went on, I noticed I was still so busy that I couldn’t really relax. Sure, the kids were enjoying their time off, but I didn’t take a break. On Thursday, I decided if I didn’t intentionally take …
Did you know you can make mashed potatoes in a crock pot?! Maybe I am just behind on the times — and everyone already does this — but if I am not the only one, I want to share this. Crock-pot mashed potatoes are a very convenient dinner dish I can get ready with only a few minutes of …
It always amazes me how much my kids learn from different apps. Sometimes I use them during our school time to occupy the younger kids or during a doctor’s appointment when I have to take all the kids along with me. Below are some of the apps we are using. Feel free to comment and let me know your favorite …
I have a commitment problem —not with people but with following my own plans. I know myself well enough to recognize that I need change to stay motivated. Doing the same thing day after day for months burns me out. I also tend to like structure to my days and weeks. My kids thrive on structure …
I feel pretty strongly about having my kids be as independent as possible in their homeschooling. It saves me time and energy, as well as helps them take responsibility for their own work. My kids are still very young so I am sure we will see many changes and adjustments to things over the next few …
With all the planning and strategies in the world, sometimes everything still manages to fall apart. Maybe a big problem comes along, but most often it is the little things that add up to the point of becoming overwhelming — lack of sleep, spilled milk, siblings fighting, whining, a broken vase, flour dumped all over the floor. …
For moms, I think the idea of a Sabbath or a day of rest seems pretty far-fetched. There is no day when the kids suddenly need nothing. But I do think that as moms, we tend to expect too much of ourselves; at least I know I do. There is all this guilt that happens when we are not …
1. Use creative pointers for reading We use different objects to point to the words to make sounding out words a little more fun and, in the case of my boys, a little easier. In the photo above, you can see Levi using a monster finger to point to the words as he sounds them out. …
If I am going to be honest, prayer is something I have greatly struggled with in recent years. There was a period of tragedy and unanswered prayers that kept me from even contemplating the idea of prayer. I’ve avoided it for a while, all the while telling God that I was avoiding it. I’ve since …
I mentioned in an earlier post that I try to have a morning activity set out for my toddler and preschooler to help occupy them while I do school with the older kids. These are a few we have done recently. A coffee mug tree and napkin rings Ok, I think that is a coffee mug …