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ABC's of Homeschooling: E is for Early Learning

I have a passion for early learning - it may have something to do with my mom, who has been in the early childhood education field for over 25 years. I worked as a nanny and taught preschool for a while before my children were born and I also provide free preschool resources on my blog. I believe that it is NEVER too early to start teaching our children. As homeschoolers, we do not follow the public school guidelines for many things - so why would we follow their idea of when a child should start learning?  If 85% of children's core brain structure is developed by the age of four ( Source ), then early learning is a crucial aspect of educating our children.  Nationally, less than 10% of public investments in education and development are spent on children, ages four and younger ( Source ). This is yet another area in which homeschooling parents have the opportunity to step outside of the societal norm - and take advantage of this crucial and exciting time in your ch...
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I am Not a Disappointment

You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail... You asked us to...and so we stepped out - in faith. We walked away from Pastoral ministry, walked away from our home, walked away from comfort, walked away from "normal". We were scared - but we wanted something radical, we were done with mundane. Still, I heard the voices... You are failures. You are ruining your kids' lives. I knew they were lies. You told us - job, home, church. Quickly You provided a job for Ben. We moved into an RV - 6 people in less than 500 square feet of space. My brother and sister-in-law allowed us to park the RV next to their barn. We worked hard to make it feel like a home, and we began to settle in. We found a church that welcomed us - not because we were Pastors, not because we were doing anything for them - but simply because. And there I find you in the mystery, in oceans deep, my faith will stand... We started to see the light at the end of a long and...

Faith in the Face of Cancer

About a year ago, I felt God was pressing me to step away from blogging for a while. I didn't know exactly why or for how long, but I wanted to be obedient. So I walked away. I was in the early stages of my 4th pregnancy and ended up having a lot of sickness for the first half of the pregnancy. I began to focus more on my children (especially my spirited 2 year old, who needed mama's attention), homeschooling, my husband, my home, my church. It was nice to take a break. A few months later, my dad had a bad fall and broke his femur, requiring surgery. My husband started helping my parents out with things around their house and yard, and we were spending a lot of time at their house. Then, on August 5th, 2014 we welcomed our newest blessing ~ Clementine Hosanna ~ through a beautiful homebirth (story to come soon). We were settling into life as a family of six, when one night in November I received a phone call that took my breath away. Now seems like a fitting time to start b...

Where Do I Belong?

I know I haven't been around much lately. I have been taking a little break, focusing on my family...and just waiting for God to lay something on my heart. Well, He definitely did and it is raw and personal for me. I hope that it speaks to your heart... Where are you from? The question stares back at me every time I log into my Facebook account. It is a simple enough question for most, but I honestly don't know how to answer it. My parents are both originally from Zanesville, Ohio. My dad joined the air force after they were married and I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska. My family moved to Michigan before I was two. At age six, we moved again to Colorado Springs so that my dad could attend a bible college after feeling called into the ministry. We lived there for only a few months, then moved to Ohio because my maternal grandmother had cancer. That was my 1st grade year and I attended three different schools, in three different states. From that point on, I was a Pasto...

Does Your Homeschool Need A Fresh Start?

Today, I am sharing some ideas on how to start fresh this new year in your homeschool on FreeHomeschoolDeals . You will also find a FREE 2014 Goals chart printable !  I don’t know about you…but my school year has not turned out the way I planned.... I am in desperate need of a fresh start. I have spent far too many mornings sleeping in later than I should. I have spent far too many days rushing through school so that I can run errands or finish up some project I am working on. I have spent far too many afternoons loading the dishwasher instead of creating science experiments or instead of curled up on the couch engrossed in a magical story. Read the rest, and print the FREE Goals chart here . 

4 DIY Christmas Crafts

Today, I am sharing 4 DIY Christmas crafts over at Frugal Homeschool Family  as part of the 25 Frugal Days of Christmas... To find out how to make these crafts, click here ! 

Host a Pinterest Party

Christmas is the perfect time to host a Pinterest party! Last year my mom and I put one together, and let me tell you - it was a blast! In reality, it was super relaxing and enjoyable. Four hours of fellowship, food and crafting - what more could a girl want? ;) We made recipes we found on pinterest, and each guest brought one craft to share with the group. We provided hot glue guns, scissors, ribbon and glitter snow paint - plus bags to take our crafts home.  Our bags said "Saw it. Pinned it. Did it." - a Pinterest idea ;) The yummy food... My mom's famous punch - not from Pinterest :) Chocolate Dipped Oreos & Peppermint Cookies Chocolate Caramel Truffles as favors Chips & Salsa Bar Layered Taco Dip Mini Wonton Tacos Our crafting gear The ladies crafting away :) Popsicle Stick Snowflake Wreath Stick Vases Christmas Craft Frames Stick Stars & Scrapbook...