Saturday, June 29, 2013

Parsonage Porch

We have a wonderful front porch.  We have always loved it and spend quite a bit of time on it; reading, eating, sitting.

It is north facing, so it is always cool and comfortable.  We love eating meals on the picnic table.  Over the past ten years, we've put the porch to good use and it shows on the floor .





This week I finally picked a color and began the work of showing the porch floor a little love and thankfulness for all the enjoyment it brings to us.



Since I finished, we all have enjoyed our porch even more.  The cheeriness of the color, the smoothness of fresh paint under our feet, but most of all, the return to relaxing and enjoying our parsonage porch.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Summer Surprise

On June 14th, we watched as Hannah and Ellie boarded the MegaBus and headed to Chicago.  They planned a surprise visit to their best friends, Ramona and Lydia.  The reason?  Ramona's 18th birthday.

We were told they were completely surprised and many squeals of laughter filled the moment and the few days Hannah and Ellie could stay.

Hannah, never without her camera, took enough pictures to capture practically every moment.  Which is great fun for us who didn't get to go.  You can see them, if you haven't already,  here and here.

And these four girls are setting quite the precedent.  Here is another music video they did while together.  I think it is my new favorite.

22 from Hannah on Vimeo.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Learn From Experience

I get a lot of questions about homeschooling.  Many are looking for how it is done, what it looks like in my home, trying to quell the never-ending fear that arises when a parent adds the responsibility of educating their own offspring.

Today I've realized the best piece of advice I should be giving is simple.

Build floor to ceiling and wall to wall bookshelves.

Yes, you read that right.  Pick a room and a wall or two, measure, and then either shop at Ikea or, if your the handy type, the lumber store.

Doing anything less and you'll only regret it* as the years progress and the books pile higher.  At which time, you'll pick a room, measure a wall or two and head to Ikea.

Sure your shelves may start out looking like there is plenty of room. . . 


But before you know it, they'll look like this and you'll wonder which other wall would be good for more shelves


*Speaking from experience and a room full of piles until the new shelves are able to be put it into place.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

I'll Never Understand

Why do people wash the plastic plates and cups?

Wasn't the purpose of buying those things to make clean-up involve not washing?


Red Solo cup, I love you because I don't have to wash you.

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Live and Learn

Homeschooling families don't necessarily follow the brick and mortar school schedule.

That means they don't have to be doing school from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. Monday through Friday late August till early June.

They might be.  More than likely, though, they are not.

They are living life as their family schedule dictates.

That means that they might be doing school during summer!

Maybe it is to catch up. Maybe it is to finish a book. Maybe it is starting a whole new subject that sounds interesting. Maybe their life is just easier to do school work in the summer more so than in the fall or winter or spring.

Homeschool families are that - families living and learning throughout all of life.