During the summer my kids are like little mice–always in the kitchen scurrying around to find a snack. They especially love a sweet summer treat. Of course, chocolate chip cookies are a favorite for us so I thought I’d share a cookie recipe guest post from Lathe Weymouth. It’s one that is a sure winner… [Continue Reading]
homeschooling
Homeschool Curriculum Unboxing~Sonlight 2019
One of my favorite times of the year is when my new homeschool curriculum arrives. The last couple of years I’ve used Sonlight to homeschool all my children together. It works great!! I’m doing the same thing this year, too. My children are Level D (ages 8-11) and Level 100 (ages 12-16) in the Sonlight… [Continue Reading]
Giving Your Children a Heart for the World {Guestpost}
Our Life I felt like the worst homeschooling mom ever. While other parents were taking their kids on nature walks and art classes, I was dragging my three children along with me to the pregnancy resource center that I just helped to start. Cory, Leslie and Nathan—all in elementary school—helped me to fold baby clothes… [Continue Reading]
How to Balance a Busy Writing Schedule and a Busy Life
I’m a wife, homeschooling mom to ten kids (yes 10!) and best-selling author. I’ve had 60+ books published, and I lead a Teen Mom support group in inner-city Little Rock. The number one thing I’m asked by others is, “How do you do it all?” If you were to see the piles on my… [Continue Reading]
Spring is a Celebration!
They say ‘April showers bring May flowers.’ But when you’re an author (and a homeschooling mom!) it also brings a busy conference season! However, when May comes around the first thing I think about is my WWII friends. Because my first novel From Dust To Ashes was inspired by the liberation of Mauthausen Concentration Camp… [Continue Reading]
Sleep as a Benefit of Homeschooling
I’d been a homeschooling mom for twenty years when I was forced to have kids in the public school system. I say “forced” because we had kids in foster care and DHS would not let me homeschool them. So for the first time ever I filled out paperwork and had to figure out the schedules… [Continue Reading]
How to stop your child’s angry cycle
The flash of anger in my tween daughter’s eyes surprised me. We’d been camping, and Maddie’s 6-year-old sister, Aly, had just burned her finger on hot ash. As I treat the wound, Maddie strode up. “I hurt myself, too,” she said, with attitude. “Last night when we were making S’mores.” “Hold on,” I said. As… [Continue Reading]
3 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Have you ever stopped to think about why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Did you know that Patrick was a real man who brought the gospel to Ireland? Or did you think St. Paddy’s Day was just an excuse to wear green, pinch people and talk like a leprechaun? Enjoy this… [Continue Reading]
How to Get Your Kids to Pay Attention While You Homeschool (Through Crafting!)
We brought our kids home to homeschool after adoption. Because the older girls had been in public school for all their lives they had an idea of what school looked like—lots of lessons and worksheets and counting down the hours until they can play. When we started homeschooling with Sonlight, they didn’t know what to… [Continue Reading]
50 Read Alouds to enjoy with your child for Read Across America
One of my favorite times of the day is when I get the kids settled in a night and it’s time to read. Bedtime reading has been a tradition that we’ve done for the last 20+ years. We make sure all electronics are turned off, the kids get ready for bed, and we sit down as… [Continue Reading]
Advice for a new Homeschooling Mom: 33 Things I’ve Learned in 25 years of homeschooling!
When I first started homeschooling I had an idea of what it would look like. I ordered a huge box of curriculum, bought old school desks and prepared to do school at home. I’ve learned many things along the way. Here are things I wish I’d known 25 years ago: Don’t compare! Don’t compare yourself with… [Continue Reading]