Category Archives: Homemaking

May24

Old habits die hard..leaving the paper calendar and other ramblings

Posted on by
Old habits die hard..leaving the paper calendar and other ramblings

 calendar

I have always loved the paper calendar. I get so much enjoyment out of writing different appointments on the calendar with different colored pens.

However, I had always liked the idea of having my calendar with me at all times.  Needless to say it was time to go to a digital calendar.  This is been the second full year that I have used just a digital calendar.  Boy, that hard switch for me. The actual switching part wasn’t really very hard at all. It was letting go of my enjoyment of my colored pens. I would always feel such a sense of accomplishment once I had written different people’s schedules on the calendar.

I can now say though, that having a calendar with me on my phone has been awesome when I’m out and about. It has also been great when schedules get changed around so much with our six kids… No more needing to cross things out or white them out. I can just delete or change it on my phone.

The next thing to change in my digital change over has been a home organizer.  I have looked and looked over the last couple years to find some sort of app that would act as my paperless home organization or management system. However, I never have found one.

I wanted something that would keep track of all kinds of my family’s information as well as chore charts, meal planning, and schedules.  Of course there are apps that do some of these things. But none that do them all.

However, it was all about to soon change when I was asked to review an e-book called Paperless Home Organization.  Stay tuned to read about how awesome it has been….review to come in a couple days! (Don’t purchase it just yet, when I post my review there will be a code for 30% off!)

 

May22

Quick Update

Posted on by
Quick Update

After a very busy April and a 2 week vacation we just got back from I am trying to get back into the swing of things. I will try to post some pictures soon from our vacation to the East Coast of Florida. We spent 2 weeks in a condo on the beach. My husband and I thought it was funny that we had to drag the kids to Legoland, all they wanted to do was the beach and pool! We loved Legoland by the way.

Also, a quick FYI that they have a homeschooling discount! Make sure to check that out before you go, you have to make reservations in advance. Our family of 8 was able to go for around $100! One ticket is normally $65!

Also, I have a review posting about Paperless Orgnization that you won’t want to miss coming up in the next few days! What a great product!

So, while we are done with our regular school for the summer I am still having my kids work on math, wrtiting, and whatever review items we get to try out. So this means Latin for some as well as a drawing/ cursive handwriting program!

Looking forward to a more relaxed summer. Yeah right! I have us signed up for the Bible Bee (really looking forward to that) as well as kids and hubby in another musical…Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Plus, I have a list a mile long of things I won’t to get done or work on around the house and on school curriculum!

Apr19

WORDology:Free Scripture Memory CD Download for kids!

Posted on by
WORDology:Free Scripture Memory CD Download for kids!

My sister forwarded this info about this really cool Scripture memory CD that is free to download!  We are really enjoying listening to the music. So I wanted to pass the information on to you…What a cool resource to add to your arsenal of Bible Memory techniques and tools!

Here’s a quick blurb about it from the website:

This project started as a hobby five or six years ago when I started writing simple Bible songs, inspired by my morning quiet times. One day, moved by Mark 9:37, we decided to try to recording these songs. Many unexpected twists and turns later, we have our first album. Our prayer is that parents will find these songs helpful for their children to become familiar with some important Bible verses. It was recorded simply, using acoustic instruments and an old laptop with GarageBand. My wife Lisa sings lead, along with Kaela, Lizzy, Zoe, Maria, Kallie, Rosey, Ellie, Audrey, Cora. I sing some backgrounds, along with playing the instruments. The project was mixed excellently by Dan Dybing. Artwork created by Zoe B.

Just click the here to download WORDology and start listening today!

Follow WORDology on Facebook!

Apr18

“No more perfect meals”–A change at our house

Posted on by
“No more perfect meals”–A change at our house

My husband texted me yesterday about a new product he wanted to try out.  He looked at it at Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and came home without it. However, this morning he woke me up and told me he was running out to go to the store to get it!

I bet you’re wondering what it is?

Enter the NutriBullet…

NutriBullet

We’ve have by no means eaten even close to perfectly at our house.  However, we think this might be a step closer to getting a little bit better at breakfast.  At least we will be eating more fruits and vegetables…a step in the right direction.

NutriBullet

I think that we can all say that we can improve what we are doing in the realm of eating.  I think it is important not to get down on ourselves but to make baby steps towards better eating.  Maybe that means just trying to eat more meals at home rather than the drive-thru between your kids activities?  Maybe it means not having a second soda during the day?  Maybe it means trying to plan to eat a vegetable at every meal?

I don’t know what it is at your house but for us right now it is trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed food and we think this might just be a great way to do it.  (We will give you an update in a month or two and let you know how it is going and if we still love the NutriBullet.)

What can you do to eat a little bit better this week?

This post is a link up to Hearts at Home Third Thursday Blog Hop.  Check out what others are saying about “No More Perfect Meals”.

Hearts at Home Blog Hop

Apr16

Making Time for the Littles

Posted on by
Making Time for the Littles

I love my kids!

It’s hard as a homeschooling mom of many different age groups to get “equal” time with everyone! Making sure everyone is getting their schoolwork done and meals on the table, as well as feeding a newborn and changing diapers can leave a mom a little harried and little ones feeling like they aren’t getting enough “mom time”.

I remember all the neat projects and trips I took my 2 oldest on when they were little and before the rigors of homeschooling upper grades set in! I tend to feel a bit of guilt that my younger ones aren’t getting all of those same experiences. (I know, they are getting a whole bunch of different experiences my older ones never had at their ages.)

Anyways, today was a day I had some time to do some mommy time with the younger ones. Faith was sick and unble to go to our weekly homeschool co-op so we took advantage of some time together with her younger sister and baby brother!

Finger painting

Faith, Grace and I had so much fun painting.  Yes, I painted WITH them.  Sometimes I get the paints out and sit with them while they paint but today I painted too.  They thought that was so cool.

Here are some of the pictures we painted:

finger paint collage

 

And I had to save the best for last…Faith made this one for me:

I love my mom finger painting

I am so thankful for the time I had with them today….just them….something that doesn’t happen very often.  I took the time today to be just with them…I had plenty of things I needed to get done…but those will wait.