Designing a home-centered life: learning, exploring, and creating with our five littles
"...he called out, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'" Luke 8:8 Christmas is such an exciting time in our home, as I'm sure it is in yours too. We want to seize this exciting time to tell our children over and over again about Jesus. To praise His name, to speak of our love, to tell His story. It naturally provides even more … [Read more...]
"Art is one of the basics for little children. They love talking, listening to stories, and drawing or painting." Isn't what Susan Schaeffer Macaulay shares in For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School true? Put two of those together and I think you have some of the best building blocks for teaching art. I've made … [Read more...]
At the end of each school year, I pencil out a simple, summer schedule. Mostly full of hopes for our summer and a tiny bit of intentional learning. This year, I’m keeping it even more simple than ever before. Because I’ve learned something this year. I don’t want more, I want more in our less. I want to pick some really good stuff and … [Read more...]
Guys, seriously so many good books in this world! I get so excited when I find some we love and I love sharing them with you. Here are some books we love reading that just so happen to teach us great things about animals. They're like science in a storybook. 1. I Love My Daddy, Because... - In beautiful drawings of daddy animals caring … [Read more...]
Ever since I read this article, I've been wanting to talk with y'all about it. These statistics on biblical illiteracy reveal a sad state of affairs. Researchers George Gallup and Jim Castelli put the problem squarely: "Americans revere the Bible--but, by and large, they don't read it. And because they don't read it, they have become a … [Read more...]
{I say with the utmost affection,} You might be a math geek if you play board slam at home at night with your husband. You might be a competitive math geek if you happen to forget to tell your husband he can use cubes and squares to get the answers he needs. Ha! But, either way, here are some ideas for keeping the game interesting … [Read more...]
I saw Valentine's Day Envelope Chairbackers similar to these years ago in a Pottery Barn catalog. Adorable, but more money than I could spend for them. I figured out a DIY which was so fun and easy to do. My littles have loved them now for more than a few years, so I'm super glad I made the effort. Even though they are white, they've held up just … [Read more...]
I've used and (unintentionally) abused my Homeschool Classical Planner for the last several months. I still feel badly about the water spill which soaked and wrinkled its pages. But, in spite of my goofs, it's lasted through it all. The parts which have been my favorite: 1. The pockets. I've used them lots to stash all manner of papers … [Read more...]
Okay, confession time. Our CC memory work review time has been a little chaotic. I blame the children. ;) Truly, there are four of them. They move and talk and distract. Then add in the toddler (he makes 5) and it's all a big fat mess. My threshold for frenzied school times is low, so we've modified how our review time works a little bit in order … [Read more...]
“Moms, let me say it again. You can’t help him too much. Okay?” These firm, but gentle, generous words from my son’s Essentials tutor washed over me for the second week in a row and I realized what freedom they had brought to our homeschool experience. I had been warned the first year in Essentials could be overwhelming and it's certainly … [Read more...]