Our Morning Collective

Our morning collective consists of basically the same 4 elements every day. With children ages 8 through 16, it is still one of my favorite homeschool routines! It is getting trickier to do as high school schedules encroach more, but I'd rather give up other things than this. Learning together is one of my big WHYs for homeschooling, so we keep it … [Read more...]

Snacks & Homeschooling Go Together Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

Tips from homeschooling moms who are in the know. Having snacks available will make every day go smoother. And that's not just true for the kids. :) Here is a short list of our favorites - Protein bites - we make these in batches & stock our freezer with them. Once they're made, I have a hard time keeping them around, because everyone (but … [Read more...]

Preparing Your Student for Challenge B

My oldest and I just completed his year as a Classical Conversations Challenge B student, and my first year directing Challenge B. As I begin preparations for next year's crop of students, I thought it might be helpful to share what we've learned here. (Really, sharing it was a suggestion from a friend. Thanks, Candra!) Typically, in the summer, … [Read more...]

Our Kids’ Favorite Toys

These favorite toys are the ones our children reach to play with again and again. They also don't break easily. Unless I specify otherwise, we've owned these toys for at least a year and most for much, much longer. Over the door basketball hoop - Y'all, we live where the temperatures drop so low your fingers hurt if you play outside in the … [Read more...]

Christmas Advent Resources for Children and Families

Growing up, my family lit the candles of the advent wreath each night at dinner. Beginning 4 Sundays before Christmas, the same candle was lit every day for a week. The second week, that first candle plus one more was lit, so by the time we reached Christmas all 4 candles in the ring were lit. On Christmas morning, we also lit the center candle. … [Read more...]