Finding Splendor in the Ordinary
I challenged myself to do one small thing: clean out my desk drawer. I have one very useful desk drawer with my desk, and it had become a conglomeration of a mixed number of useless items layered in and amongst needed tools. So….I emptied the drawer, sorted items, added back only what was needed, and challenged myself to organize with… Read More
Click on image to enlarge After the joys of living Christmas and Epiphany, our home is beginning to get back to some ordinary routine. I love feasting, I do. And I love the ordinary, too. I do! Now is a really good time to sit down and invest some thought in how the home is working, and as a part… Read More
After posting about my oilcloth projects, I’m eager to share with you a new setup we have for our art center. Charlotte Mason speaks of Masterly Inactivity and what she says has always struck me: “We ought to do so much for our children, and are able to do so much for them, that we begin to think everything rests… Read More
“Life exists for the love of music or beautiful things.” G.K. Chesterton Perhaps it has been too long since I really set time and space aside for the purpose of creating. I suppose as a part of living out a practical vocation, one can become so much a part of living out the practical and pragmatic that one simply begins… Read More
You know, I’m a fan of technology. I really enjoy my gadgets; they are fantastic tools! I even have a Kindle and do truly enjoy the tool it can be in the home learning environment (my but all those free ebooks are such treasures for voracious readers!) At heart though, I’m a paper gal. I just love the look of… Read More
You laugh. You’re incredulous perhaps? A design notebook? What for? You’re very comfortable with your design expression of ‘Contemporary Crayola’, thank you very much! Or perhaps you find your style most likely resembles “Baroque”n furniture. 😉 Or maybe you don’t feel like your home has a style at all? I’m not sure how I’d describe our style. I’m certain eclectic… Read More
Well, it’s February! You all know what that means, don’t you? Time to review the year thus far, do some brainstorming, reflect on current challenges and needs, and make a few changes to let in a little more light. Time to focus and rejuvenate! Rather than turning your thoughts to what hasn’t been done, what is left unfinished, areas of… Read More
For a bit now I’ve been thinking of creating a stationery basket. Writing. With pen and paper. A letter mailed, and received. Now, don’t misunderstand – I enjoy email. I do. And I have no intention of ceasing my email communications! Sometimes, a quick emailed note is just the thing! But that doesn’t mean I can’t also take… Read More
I’ve had a number of requests for the information I posted (buried in a Daybook post — sorry!) on these amazing clip on book supports so I thought I’d just repost the information in a post all it’s own so it can be searched and found more easily! Hope this helps! Clip On Book Supports I TOTALLY organized all of… Read More
Cup Hooks A simple cup hook is a terribly useful thing! I’m always looking for ways to get papers off of horizontal surfaces. It’s just a better use of space AND it’s readily visible as you walk by. But, it can be a challenge! How often do we seek to hang something….yet all our wallspace is spoken for? Or…perhaps you… Read More
As promised, I’m here to give you a glimpse into our year-considered. There is nothing that gives me more delight than this time of year! The plans are carefully considered, and books are delightfully arranged in baskets, on shelves, and in stacks, inviting all to look closer…to step inside. The learning spaces are freshened and updated, and children are eager… Read More
Heather writes: Mind sharing what is in all your inspirational homeschool planning this time of year? What fun! I’d love to start a few planning posts. I’ll start with a general one – one that shows you how I work my way in from considering the big picture down to the year and from there into smaller baskets of work. … Read More
Casey writes: I was wondering if maybe you could give a young mother of two babies under 2yrs of age in a very small apartment some advice. I am in great need of a purging of childrens’ toys after Christmas, but I am unsure how to decide what to keep and what to give away as I do anticipate there… Read More
Happy Feast of the Epiphany! It’s so cold here!! Our temperatures have not budged above the freezing mark for days and snow is expected soon! SNOW!!! What a special delight! We’re planning all kinds of snow fun for our lessons if we get to see a bit of snow. One of the treasures we’re most excited about is perhaps seeing… Read More
I can’t resist showing you my home education planning notebook! One of my favorite rituals is rethinking and redesigning my planner notebook at the beginning of each year. This planner notebook really is only for notes and ideas pertaining to home education. It is a simple (1 inch) 3-ring binder. It’s pretty non-descript really…white with those pockets all the way… Read More
After the Detailed Look Through the Learning Spaces post, Jaime asks… “I would love to hear more about how your daily routines go….how does your day flow?” Keep in mind that organization and order are helps to the busy mother. There is an investment of time on the front end of organizing something – whether that is your school room… Read More
*NOTE* This post reflects our learning spaces in 2009. Since then we have remodeled. You may be interested to check out the new learning room here. I’m offering you the VIP tour today. I took lots of pictures ’cause you all asked…and I do so love getting ideas from each of you as we peek through these digital windows into… Read More
I have a special fondness for baskets. I use them for everything….setting out small groups of toys, arranging a family of books together for display, setting out a collection of tools for a small activity, gathering small hand puppets together. If you read here at all, you know how much I adore a charming display of objects in pretty baskets…. Read More
I have missed blogging so much. I miss getting these words out, and I have had so many words lately that I’ve wanted to share with you. But, we have started the school year as of about 3 weeks ago. I can’t begin to express how wonderfully the days are moving along. The rhythm being set is comforting and easy… Read More
I have posted before of my frustration with iCal. I just could not intuit how to use it…at all… …until now! Oh, what a joyful day. Blissful even. Sweet, sweet software of my dreams! I have, in one afternoon, mapped out my lesson plans for the first of three terms for my schoolyear. I’ll add in a few details throughout… Read More
I finally finished working on the learning room. This is an activity that must be accomplished for me to get any planning done over the summer to prepare for the next year. I’m pleased with the results. I begin by emptying all shelves – everything comes out of the room and is stacked in the hall. Books are re-grouped by… Read More
“…all things should be done decently and in order.” I Corinthians 14:40 In putting together a post on the challenges of merging Montessori in the homeschool, I discovered a side topic that really belonged on its own. I found it to be particularly pertinent during Lent, because this is the time when many of us are really trying to purge… Read More
This has been a weird year in terms of getting started with school, well getting any kind of routine going really. I’m still struggling. But, I’m finally starting (just starting) to get that “we’re starting to settle in” feeling. I’ve cut out almost all outside the home commitments (like our Monday homeschool co-ops) because I wasn’t doing a good job… Read More
