Sweet Little Things

I’m thankful for every second that I get to spend with these two munchkins. 

I found this gem at a flea market recently. 💙💙💙

We’ve been going for walks in the early morning hours. It’s such a nice way to start the day.

I had my first Pumpkin spice coffee!

Endings and Beginnings

 

I can't believe summer is fading away and we are seeing the first bits of fall just around the corner. This summer was unusual--filled with heartache (death of a friend), many changes to relationships, health issues with loved ones, closed doors and the list could go on.

Yet, despite heartache, I have seen the faithful hand of Jesus. It amazes me that he answers prayers in ways we could never dream up ourselves. At the beginning of spring, we toyed with the idea of selling our home. This market is insane, but the desire to live out in the country remained steadfast in my heart. So, we listed our home, sold it within a month and found the sweetest little home with an oversized backyard. We are technically in the country but only a few minutes from own. It has been a slice of heaven for me. I am so thankful.

Most of my days have been spent cleaning, trying to organize (it's pretty bad), re-painting our house and getting settled into a new homeschool year.

The girls are growing like weeds!! I have found myself shedding tears at how quickly the time passes. I want to hold on to each stage just a little longer.

Evie is in the third grade and has taken off with her reading. She started wearing glasses last week for the first time. I am proud of how well she has adjusted. She adores animals, drawing, coloring, playing with friends, and sneaking tastes of my coffee. She also loves to help me organize and decorate the house. Most of her time is spent with legos and stuffed animals. I pray constantly that the Lord would bless her with like-minded "heart" friends.

Ella is in the first grade now. She has changed so much this summer and has grown so much. She has the most tender heart and sweetest little giggle. I have loved watching her make new friends and discover things that she enjoys. She has quite the imagination and likes to play "house or restaurant". She really loves to build things with legos and dreams up craft ideas all day long!

I guess I will end with that. I sure do miss blogging. <3

Our Rhythm and Routine

Every year, I find that it's necessary to review what is working for our life and what is not working. As the girls get older, more time is required for homeschooling. This is the most important task of my day (besides prayer, of course) and housework comes second. With that in mind, it has taken me a few months to re-tweek my "schedule". I confess, the nerdy side of me gets REALLY excited when I find a new way to do things that will help me maximize my time and talents. My day tends to go somewhat like this...

Early Morning: I tend to be more of a morning person. I don't necessarily jump out of bed singing, but once I've had my morning routine, then I'm good to go! With that said, I am up fairly early. Typically, between 6:30 and 7:00. I get dressed, make my bed, read my Bible, pray and then spend a few minutes reading a leisure book. Having this time to myself is incredibly important and one that I have worked hard to protect all my married life. 

Mid-Morning: Once my quiet time is over, I usually head to the kitchen. It's time for breakfast, coffee and greeting the girls. I usually have protein, and an iced coffee. We keep breakfast pretty simple for the girls, but they eat, then head off to play for a bit. This is my time to clean the kitchen, catch up online, start laundry, do my administrative tasks (I work a few hours for my parents business). I also like to do my workout and have the girls knock out their chores: make bed, get dressed, brush teeth, feed the animals.

Late Morning: Now, it's time for school! I have been trying to set out the workbooks, manipulatives, etc. before we get started. I really like doing this! It helps me not to feel so rushed or scatterbrained. We start our school time in the living room with morning basket. This entails scripture recitation, reading the Bible, poetry, history and read aloud. Some days we included picture books and art. It may sound like a lot, but we usually knock this out in less than an hour. Also, I have been trying to do school outside when the weather is nice!

Noon: Josh comes home most days for lunch. We break and eat a quick, simple lunch. The girls play for a bit before we return to the dining table. It's workbook time! We knock out math, phonics and science. Then we take a short break before ending the day with more read aloud time. The rest of the day the girls are free to play unless we have to be somewhere!!

Mid-Afternoon: I love this time of day. I usually make an iced coffee, browse online or read a book. I am usually working on lists, going over my planner and daydreaming about books. Hee hee. This is also when I fold laundry, dust, vacuum and tackle housework that needs my attention. I like to listen to podcasts or have a youtube video going while I do this. Once I get housework done, we will often go outside or even a nature walk.

Late Afternoon: As the day winds down, I'm usually tired. I prep dinner and read! The girls are usually outside or playing with legos at this point. I usually do a reset around the house (pick up, dust, tidy, etc)

Dinnertime: Josh gets home and we eat dinner. After this, I am wiped out! We spend our evenings usually in the living room. Sometimes, we go out, but rarely. The girls play and we try to recoup from the long day. Josh takes over the night time routine with the girls. Then we usually wind down with a show. Murder She Wrote and Frazier has been our go to lately. Then lights out. ;)

A Catch Up Of Sorts

 

How can it possibly be May?

I can't decide what to post about first, so I'll share a bit of a recap:

• We had a quiet and uneventful January, as usual. I decided to re-arrange our living room and master bedroom to better accommodate our book shelves. I have enjoyed our new set up.
• Our read aloud time together has been my favorite thing this spring. We have read through Farmer Boy, Understood Betsy and The Hundred Dresses. We just started the Betsy-Tacy series, and the girls are enjoying it. I have not read them before!
• The girls are winding down their dance year. We have chosen the girls to have one outlet each year and ballet won. However, next year, I am hoping we can find a more non-competitive dance route. I have so many thoughts on that. Maybe another day, I'll share.
• A couple of months ago, I discovered the world of Podcasts. I must live under a rock. It's a new addiction that I'm rather fond of. Ha! I enjoy listening while I'm washing dishes or driving.
• We've been considering moving again. It's a complicated situation as the housing market is still insane. I know that He will close doors or open them. Praying accordingly.
• I also started an online bookshop. It has been fun hunting for much loved book titles and thinking through marketing idea. I really needed a new hobby, and this is perfect for me. ;) You can find me at @thekindredbookshop

I'm off to formulate a few other posts! My coffee must be kicking in today. <3

A Monday

Today, we are having a much needed stay at home day. We traveled quite a bit for Thanksgiving and I’m feeling it! So, laundry, coffee and a bit of re-arranging are in store. 🎄

 

Costume Fun!

 

I love watching the girls excitement over dressing up for Trunk or Treat! 😍

Just A Happy Little Post

September is here! And with that comes all things pumpkin and fall decor. Which makes me so happy. And these little every day things means so much right now.

That is all. *wink*

Finding Joy

 

The last few weeks have taken a toll on my heart. The news. The hate. The heartbreak of lives lost in Afghanistan. The heartbreak of knowing what others are facing. 

I found myself needing a slower pace. Quiet days at home. The gentle hum of everyday life. I want to be faithful in these small things. In doing so, I’m embracing the freedom and opportunities that others have given up their lives for. It’s an honor to be here, doing these ordinary, everyday things. It’s my own way to deal with grief.

And I will continue to pray for the mothers, fathers and spouses whose world has been turned upside down. For the underground church in Afghanistan, the courageous leaders who are still working to help those left behind. 

American History

 

I adored history as a kid. I was homeschooled and history was a big part of our life. We read books, took field trips and watched a plethora of historical films. I remember cooking meals from an old White House cookbook, and tasting Peanut Soup at Mt. Vernon!

I also vividly remember going to the library and scouring the historical biography section. People and events came to life and my love for history was born. My fondness for library editions has no bounds. They are such treasured gems! 

Needless to say, my book collection whole heartedly reflects my nerdiness. Specifically, American history. 

I’m excited to share my love for American history with my girls! A few of the series that we will be working through:

•If You Lived Series: These are perfect for young readers. Just enough information to peek their interest without going into a lot of detail.

•D’Aulaire Books: I hemmed and hawed over this purchase because they can be very expensive, but ya'll...they are worth every single penny. I binged on these books when they arrived at my front door, and have now made it's way to the top of my favorite books ever list.

•Corerstones of Freedom: I enjoy collecting vintage books and these are newer to my collection. I will probably wait until my girls are older to read these. 

We have also enjoyed The Who Was series as read alouds, although at times they needed to be edited.

When it comes to collecting my books, I tend to shop second hand. Thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and E-bay. I occasionally have found them through online yard sales as well, but they sell quickly!

Do you enjoy history!? What are some of your favorite favorite resources? I love getting new ideas.

First Day of School

Today, we started back to school! This momma is ready. We follow a year round method so that we can enjoy a nice fall break and a longer Christmas break!

Ella starts Kindergarten and Evie starts 2nd grade. We are using a mixture of curriculums. I also implemented morning menus for our “magic hour” also known as a morning basket.

I’m so thankful for the freedom to homeschool. Our time together is so precious to me.

 Happy Monday, friends! 

Garden School

This morning, we clipped herbs and flowers to make a little bouquet. I think garden school is exactly what we needed this year. We can chalk up this lesson to sensory, fine motor skills, fresh air and following instructions. 😉

We planted zinnias and sunflowers from seed. It’s been a lesson on patience and waiting. It has made me so incredibly happy watching each flower bloom.

I love seeing the unique and intricate details of each flower. It’s been a simple reminder that all creation points back to our Creator. He is magnificent. 💙

Happy Friday!!