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Wildflowers and Marbles

Finding Splendor in the Ordinary

  • Planning
    • Powersheets Goal Planner – Walk Your Plans from Idea to Reality
    • 2017-18 Simplified Planner: Reviewing | Planning | Keeping the Day Together
    • Review of the 2017-2018 Erin Condren Life Planner
    • Let’s Talk Planning!
    • Planning Series Index
    • Planning With the Temperament God Gave You
    • Planning – A Beginning
  • Organization
    • All Things Paper & Organizing
    • My Desk – In a Bag
    • Of Paper Projects and Binding
    • A Stationery Basket
  • Home Education
    • Morning Basket
      • Mother’s Morning Basket Podcast
      • A Little Morning Basket Podcast
      • The Morning Basket Series: My Master Notebook
      • Morning Basket – Ageless, Inspiring…and Still Standing
      • The Morning Basket: A Place for the Good, True & Beautiful
    • Charlotte Mason
      • The Balanced Whole In a Charlotte Mason Education
      • Considering – Charlotte Mason and Our Approach to Language Arts
        • Considering Language Arts – Narration
        • Considering Language Arts – Copywork
        • Considering Language Arts – Grammar
        • Considering Language Arts – Dictation
        • Considering Language Arts – Composition and Writing
        • Considering Language Arts – A Day in the Life
      • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday Posts
        • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – Open Doors To Avenues of Delight
        • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – See That He Knows – {Bonus: Silent Narrations}
        • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – the Common Pursuit of Knowledge
        • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesdays – It Begins With Authority
        • Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesdays: The Fine Art of Education
      • A Year Considered: Nurturing Wonder In the Preschool Years
      • Charlotte Mason and Unrolling a Panorama in High School
    • Classical Education
      • Let Them Wonder
      • Begin at the Beginning: Board Book Delights & Good Book Habits
      • Two Simple Ways to Prepare the Soil of the Imagination for an Education
      • Good To Great: Teaching Literature From Grammar To Rhetoric
    • Learning Spaces
      • You asked: What happened to the Learning Room?
      • Our New Learning Room – Reveal
      • February Refreshing – Focus and Rejuvenate
      • Kinder-Play: Play Centers for the Youngest
    • Review: Erin Condren 2017 Teacher Lesson Planner
      • Erin Condren Teacher Planner as Homeschool Planner – Video Walk Through
    • A Considered Booklist
    • Focus and Rejuvenate
    • Notebooks
      • Notebooks – Acquiring Habits with Intellectual Effort
        • Notebooks – Resources
  • Faith & Culture
    • Splendor In the Ordinary – the Household (index post)
    • Culture
      • Truth & Beauty: Rebuilding Culture By Doing the Next Thing
      • Rebuilding Culture: The Family Rosary
      • Uncovering the Beauty and Order in Your Home
    • Feast Table
      • Liturgical Displays – Why Bother?
      • Lenten Feast Table
      • June Feast Table
      • On the Feast Table this October: The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels
      • October Feast Table
      • November Feast Table – Rebuilding Culture
    • Father Oak
    • Angel Food for Boys and Girls books and the Baltimore Catechism
  • Printables
    • Planning
    • Organization
    • Home Education
      • Charlotte Mason | Classical
      • Yearly & General Booklists
      • Elementary Lesson Plans
      • Middle School Lesson Plans
      • High School Booklists
      • Conference – Speaking and Printables
    • Faith & Culture
  • Speaking
I'm off to Denver – Catholic Home Educators Conference

I'm off to Denver – Catholic Home Educators Conference

August 1, 2014

I’m so excited and thrilled to be on my way to the Denver Rocky Mountain Catholic Home Educators Conference again!  I had a fantastic time speaking to all of you wonderful ladies in 2012, and I’m thrilled that you would welcome me back again! My bags are packed and your workshops are written and ready – I’d love to see you there tomorrow!… Read More

Filed Under: Home Education, Small and Ordinary Notes

Good To Great: Teaching Literature From Grammar To Rhetoric

Good To Great: Teaching Literature From Grammar To Rhetoric

July 28, 2014

Some time ago, the CiRCE Institute shared a 2003 conference talk by Dr. James Taylor on the topic of using the Good Books and the Great Books as part of teaching literature.  It is an extraordinary talk and I took copious notes, just a few of which I’ll share with you below. As Dr. Taylor observes in this talk, The… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, Home Education, Living Learning Tagged With: great books

You asked:  What happened to the Learning Room?

You asked: What happened to the Learning Room?

July 13, 2014

I’ve shared with all of you that we are pursuing some remodeling plans. It’s exciting…and daunting. As I planned our booklists this summer, I kept in mind that our year would need to be flexible and I began to consider ways to stretch outside of comfortable routines and spaces. Earlier this summer, I shared with you that I had to… Read More

Filed Under: Home, Learning Spaces, Organization

Revisiting Morning Basket Plans for the New Year

Revisiting Morning Basket Plans for the New Year

July 1, 2014

I’m in the midst of planning week here, and I thought I’d take a minute to share the Morning Basket plans for the year and for Term 1! If you’re new here, or need extra information, check out this post on the Morning Basket: Morning Basket: Ageless, Inspiring, and Still Standing It contains history, explanations, and links to past posts… Read More

Filed Under: Home Education, Morning Basket

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – See That He Knows – {Bonus: Silent Narrations}

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – See That He Knows – {Bonus: Silent Narrations}

June 10, 2014

  How injurious then is our habit of depreciating children; we water their books down and drain them of literary flavor, because we wrongly suppose that children cannot understand what we understand ourselves; what is worse, we explain and we question.  A few pedagogic maxims should help us, such as, “Do not explain.” “Do not question,” “Let one reading of… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, CM Teaching, Home Education

A Craft in Honor of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

A Craft in Honor of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

June 5, 2014

I’m linking to an older post of mine that has a craft that we enjoyed as part of honoring the Most Sacred Heart. June – Month of the Sacred Heart – A Craft Revisiting that post was fun – the young lady that was crafting the Sacred Heart in that post has now graduated, is working as a summer intern… Read More

Filed Under: Faith and the Liturgical Year, Feast Table

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – the Common Pursuit of Knowledge

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – the Common Pursuit of Knowledge

May 26, 2014

The teaching selection I chose for this week speaks to a key component of a Charlotte Mason education – Atmosphere – and an aid the teacher must make use of to ensure a fresh atmosphere. Our own current family circumstances allowed me an opportunity to reflect on atmosphere from a unique position that I’ve really come to appreciate. From: Towards a Philosophy of Education,… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, CM Teaching, Home Education

Summertide Menus: Chicken and Pepper Jack Fajita

Summertide Menus: Chicken and Pepper Jack Fajita

May 24, 2014

I have been meaning to post some yummy recipes from my menus that we’ve enjoyed lately!  This has been a busy graduation week here – delightful though!  Since the week was busy getting ready for graduation (and I missed this week’s CM Teaching Tuesday post) I thought it would be fun to throw together a quick post full of pictures… Read More

Filed Under: In the Kitchen

Morning Basket – Ageless, Inspiring…and Still Standing

Morning Basket – Ageless, Inspiring…and Still Standing

May 15, 2014

As we wrap up our year, I’m looking back at a few plans and books to review and chat about.  Without a doubt, our Morning Basket time continues to serve our growing family.  What began around 8 years ago as a common point in the day with shared reading time, has evolved and grown into something that is full, and… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Morning Basket

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – Open Doors To Avenues of Delight

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesday – Open Doors To Avenues of Delight

May 13, 2014

I’m continuing a series that I’m really enjoying and I’m (re)learning so much!  Join me as we discuss Charlotte Mason and her thoughts on our role in teaching.  Today’s lesson:  Open Doors We wish to place before the child open doors to many avenues of instruction and delight, in each one of which he should find quickening thoughts.   School Education,… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, CM Teaching

First Communion Day

First Communion Day

May 12, 2014

I thought I’d share some pictures of my Katie’s First Holy Communion Day.  The day was such a blessing and it is a precious, treasured joy when a child receives Our Lord for the very first time in Holy Communion! (Photo credit for most of these images goes to my daughter, Sarah) I pray you all had a beautiful Mother’s Day!… Read More

Filed Under: Faith and the Liturgical Year

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesdays – It Begins With Authority

Charlotte Mason Teaching Tuesdays – It Begins With Authority

May 6, 2014

I’m beginning a series of reflections on teaching and teachers based on Charlotte Mason’s writings.  I decided to do this because in recent reading in Charlotte Mason’s volumes, I just kept coming across these little gems on the topic of teaching, and they really began to stand out to me….and sink in.  I enjoyed visiting with these ideas over the… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, Home Education

The Close of One Discussion – and the Beginning of Another

The Close of One Discussion – and the Beginning of Another

May 4, 2014

A few months ago we began a book discussion of The Living Page by Laurie Bestvater.  It’s been delightful digging into some of these ideas with you.  At the author’s request, the book discussion will not continue and past posts discussing the book’s content have not been retained on this blog. I am truly so grateful to those that joined the earlier… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason

A Noble and Worthy Goal: Read Literature to Learn and Love Truth

A Noble and Worthy Goal: Read Literature to Learn and Love Truth

April 10, 2014

This journey into home education often causes hand wringing and angst right about now as parents consider what books, what curriculum, what plan to consider for next year.  How to choose? And, unlike my mom, who home educated my brother and sister on a shoestring budget, and had minimal resources and tools to choose from, today we have a flotilla… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Living Learning

The Feast of the Annunciation

The Feast of the Annunciation

March 25, 2014

I know it’s late to be posting our simple plans for the Feast day, but I thought I’d list them nonetheless because these ideas are simple and would be easy to follow in your own home. Today, on the Church calendar, we remember one of the greatest events in all history – the Incarnation of Our Lord!  Our redemption and salvation began… Read More

Filed Under: Faith and the Liturgical Year

Useful and Free Resource: Customize Your Copywork

Useful and Free Resource: Customize Your Copywork

March 10, 2014

I have been looking for so long for a program that allows me to customize our copywork.  I used to have a friend in Startwrite, but that was several years ago.  They’ve since been through a number of wonderful revisions, but none of them work on a mac.  So, if you’re a PC user, I would definitely recommend Startwrite, but… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Language Arts

St. Patrick's Feast Day – Craft

St. Patrick's Feast Day – Craft

March 10, 2014

I’m bringing this post on St. Patrick forward since his Feast day is approaching. I thought it would be helpful to read it ahead of the Feast so you could make preparations for the simple craft if you were interested. I also updated the post with a few book recommendations we’ve enjoyed! Hope you enjoy!

Filed Under: Faith and the Liturgical Year

Claiming Technology: Novena App

Claiming Technology: Novena App

March 6, 2014

For the 40 days of Lent, Novena.com is offering a special .99 app titled simply, Novena.  (For the iphone) It’s a beautiful app with traditional images from holy cards and it’s a lovely way to use your smartphone to help you pray through Lent…and beyond. The app allows you to search for novenas under various categories: Health Occupations Situations States… Read More

Filed Under: Faith and the Liturgical Year

Notebooks – Resources

Notebooks – Resources

February 22, 2014

Please visit — Notebooks – Acquiring Habits of Intellectual Effort — if you haven’t read it yet. It contains a distillation of my thoughts on the foundational ideas from Charlotte Mason on her notebooks.  The following are simply resources and links that have been of use in our own home as we work in our notebooks – toward “acquiring habits of intellectual… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Home Education

Sunrise and Snow

Sunrise and Snow

February 13, 2014

Like so many of you, this morning, we woke up to a wintry white over everything.  I looked out my windows first thing this morning and saw this… Before the baby woke, I grabbed my camera!  We don’t get that many big snows here (other than a light dusting every now and then), and when we do they’re just breathtaking…. Read More

Filed Under: Small and Ordinary Notes

A Detailed Look Through the Learning Spaces

A Detailed Look Through the Learning Spaces

February 8, 2014

The above post is by far the most popular post at Wildflowers and Marbles and I can see {from behind the scenes} that many of you are following a {blogspot} link directed to the old blog in an attempt to find this post. Unfortunately, all the old links just take you to the new home page, and not to the… Read More

Filed Under: Small and Ordinary Notes

February Refreshing – Focus and Rejuvenate

February Refreshing – Focus and Rejuvenate

February 3, 2014

I’m focused around here right now – considering our space, refreshing shelves, booklists, and setting out February reading baskets and displays!  It’s been busy because it has prompted some honest question/answer time with myself…and the consequence of that time spent means addressing those things that may not be working, or bending things to fit better! One of the things I… Read More

Filed Under: Home Education, Learning Spaces

Notebooks – Acquiring Habits with Intellectual Effort

Notebooks – Acquiring Habits with Intellectual Effort

January 31, 2014

NOTE BEFORE THE POST :  This post originally began as a book discussion introduction.  If you arrived here looking for the original book discussion it is no longer retained (at the book author’s express wish). What remains are my thoughts and the ideas that sprung from Charlotte Mason’s writing on her notebooks as found in her 6 volumes and also from PNEU Programmes… Read More

Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Notebooks

Revisiting Chores and a Family Command Center

Revisiting Chores and a Family Command Center

January 28, 2014

As mid-winter rolls around, I know many of us are revisiting our chore routines as well as our books and plans and refreshing a bit.  It’s an excellent time for this because: We’re all starting to settle back into routines… …routines that are likely different than they were before Christmas break There is renewed vision and a desire to keep… Read More

Filed Under: Home, Organization

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