April marks Autism Awareness month. When I told my oldest that, he asked what I meant. “Doesn’t everybody know about Autism already?” I tried to explain to him that it exists so people can keep it in their minds, and not forget about it. There are people who don’t know and love someone with Autism,…
Do you make up an Easter basket for your children? We do some years, but not always. Our boys do not expect them from us, though Gramma is pretty consistent. 😉 We do not do the Easter bunny. Our boys know the real meaning behind Resurrection Sunday. Baskets are just for fun, to show we…
It had been a really exhausting day, and it was only 3pm. The doctor for my son’s surgery had been running almost an hour behind, so we’d been out much longer than we’d planned. My hungry boy wanted pizza, and Earth Fare was the only fast place I could think of. As we pulled into…
What’s so great about CTC Math? Have you ever heard of it? It’s an Australian math site that is amazing! For years, math for my 11 year old meant tears. Lots of tears. Lots of whining, crying, balking and complaining. Hours and hours just to get through a couple pages of problems. So I looked….
6 Reasons Elf on the Shelf is Not for Our Family, and a few possible alternatives. When the Elf on the Shelf came into huge popularity several years ago, I was pretty freaked out at first glance. The more I learned about him, the more disturbed I became. (To be fair, I have actually seen a few ideas that…
Disclosure: As a member of the Parenting UnChained Launch Team, I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and promotion. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Bear with me here – this is my…
Please note that I was given a free digital copy of this book to write an honest review. Hi, everyone! Is it just me, or is anyone else shocked that we are nearing Thanksgiving, to be followed closely by Christmas? It seems this year has flown by faster than any before it. I’m so pleased…
The Family Toolbox, by the National Center for Biblical Parenting, is a DVD/video-driven program that brings parents and teens together for constructive dialogue around significant issues of discipleship. Conversation is sparked by engaging video clips. Sixteen Life Success Principles are communicated through eight lessons that give parents and teens biblically-based, practical topics for discussion. The…
I’ll Do Better Tomorrow, I Promise ~ Giveaway Read the words of this delightful book and tell me if you’ve ever had similar experiences: I’LL DO BETTER TOMORROW, I PROMISE Dear God, are you still awake? Have you got a minute or two? You’re pretty good at understanding, and I really need to talk to…
In honor of my youngest’s fifth birthday today (crazy!), a list of ways to show your child that you love him. There are as many different ways to show love as there are different kids. And that’s a lot. So this is obviously not an exhaustive list. Please note that since I have four…
Being a mom of four boys (currently 11, 9, 7 and 5), I hear things like, “So you gave up trying for a girl, eh?” “Are you trying to go for a whole team?” “Um, they’re all yours?” “Just kept trying for that girl, didya?” the old “You know where babies come from, right?” and…
I can’t remember the last time I’ve written a poem! Today, while snuggling and kissing my almost five year old (how is that possible?!), I had to stop to write this down, because it just hit me. I love hearing their giggles and laughter. I love that they still love kisses (well, at least he…
Homeschool Day is September 12, and to mark the occasion, Dolphin Tale 2 opened in theaters. I had heard of Dolphin Tale, but had no idea there was a homeschool connection with it. It turns out that the people who run Winter’s aquarium are a homeschooling family!
Disclosure: I did receive a complimentary copy of this unit study / curriculum, in exchange for an honest review. We are a homeschooling family consisting of Mama, Papa, 4th-almost-5th grade boy (Jeremiah/Jerem/JT/J1), 2nd-almost-3rd grade boy (Josiah/Joe/JB/J2), Kindergartner (Jamin/J-bug/JZ/J3), and preschooler (Jace/Jacey/JIP/J4). The big boys and I have recently been using the first Homeschool Unit Study in the…
Most parents know that they need to teach their children how to manage their money. Perhaps it’s because they have had to learn the hard way through their own mistakes because their parents did not pass on the information to them. Maybe it’s because they have struggled financially for a long time. It could be…
Jerry and I stayed up too late last night to watch Gifted Hands. I’d planned to go to bed when he turned it on, but it pulled me in and I watched the whole thing. I feel glad that I did, because I have to say, it was probably one of the best movies I’ve…
Sometimes (a lot!) it’s the kids who teach a lesson. My boys give me ideas often, and this is the most recent. Boys are something else. No matter where they are, they can turn playtime into a game of war. Have you caught your boys playing war lately? Today we were at the school playground,…
I was blessed to receive a copy of the book Just 18 Summers by Michelle Cox and Rene Gutteridge. From the back cover: “After the tragic death of Butch Browning’s wife, Jenny, four families begin to realize how precious—and fleeting—their time together is. Each is at a different stage in life: Butch is facing single…
