I woke up later than usual today, and so did the kids. Breakfast was late. And leisurely. We lingered and talked, and I had a second cup of coffee. Our morning routines are behind; although they are slowly getting finished. There have been several quiet moments like this (pic above) as the bigger kids haveContinue reading “Out of the Ordinary Days”
Category Archives: Parenting
Simplifying & Gifts
If you’ve tried to simplify or declutter at all, you’ve probably come to realize that birthdays and holiday gifts can seem to quickly undo any progress you’ve made. I used to feel a lot of stress around this, and tried to keep tabs on what was being given by whom, and ask folks not toContinue reading “Simplifying & Gifts”
Brotherly Love
One of my hands down favorite things about homeschooling is the bond our kids have with each other. This morning, Mr. 7 and Mr. 14 sat side by side working on math together—and they truly enjoy (most days) spending time with each other. Of course, there’s arguing, and wrestling, and frustration…but more often there’s laughter,Continue reading “Brotherly Love”
How Candles Can Change Your Mornings
Good Morning, Mama. How do you start your mornings as a family? Our breakfast table often looks like this; as sleepy children wander in to the kitchen, they’re greeted with candles glowing and glasses of cold water waiting at their places. It’s amazing how candlelight can transform the mood of the morning! As we gatherContinue reading “How Candles Can Change Your Mornings”
Content Where You’re At
We don’t have a huge backyard. But we sure are thankful for the little green space behind our house. We play out there daily. We planted a little garden. We drag our picnic benches back there and paint with watercolors. We search for earthworms and play card games on a blanket. It’s a small spaceContinue reading “Content Where You’re At”
Are Your Routines Serving Your Family?
Good Morning, Mama. It’s going to be a beautiful day here in the Northeast, so we plan to speed through a few morning chores so that we can spend most of the day outside. While we usually take Friday mornings to tidy up as a family and get the house ready for the weekend, weContinue reading “Are Your Routines Serving Your Family?”
Simplifying & Legos
Let’s talk Legos, Mama. Legos are BY FAR the most beloved toy in our home. My four older kids play with them for hours each day. And so we gave away the majority of our other toys, and turned our tiny playroom (it used to be a porch) into a room for Legos! There’s aContinue reading “Simplifying & Legos”
Easy Election Resources for Kids
Pausing our regular routines to talk about the electoral process today! Here’s a link to YouTube to see a handful of simple, kid friendly videos our family is watching. Each one is between 2-7 minutes long. Watch one or watch them all! My littles particularly loved the first video, a reading of the book: “TheContinue reading “Easy Election Resources for Kids”
A Steady Presence
Good Morning, Mama. It’s Election Day, and there’s a lot of energy around what today may hold. But no matter what happens, you are still called to be a Mama to your kids. A steady presence. The one they can count on. So take time to pause, and listen to His voice. Fuel your bodyContinue reading “A Steady Presence”
Our Journey to Simplifying
When I first started out as a mom, I thought that part of being a good parent was providing quality, creative, imaginative toys for my children. And although we didn’t have a ton of money, I carefully curated, through gifts and Craigslist and estate sales, a beautiful and quite large collection of “quality” toys. WeContinue reading “Our Journey to Simplifying”
Next Door Hope 