“Cursive sounds like it would be hard, but it’s actually easier.” -Levi, age 8 As a homeschool mom, I think one of the hardest things for me to overcome is my own tendency towards defaulting back to how I was taught. Anything I come across that’s different throws me for a loop. I resist changing […]
U.S. History Bites & The War Rages On
It’s amazing to consider what children can accomplish. Take Solomon Schmidt, for instance. At age thirteen, Solomon has already written the first two books of an educational history series for young children. His 16-year-old sister, Cecelia, has also published two works of historical fiction set during the American Civil War era. Let’s take a moment […]
Cultivating Virtue through Poetry
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 As a child, I did not learn to value poetry, […]
Sneak Peek at Six Weeks
I’ve been intending to provide a weekly sneak-peek-at-our-week for about seven weeks now, but… our weeks keep running together! Instead, I’ll provide a six-week snippet of how things have been going in our neck of the woods. Most of our efforts have surrounded the launching of a new family side-business venture: Half-a-Hundred Acre Woodshop. I’m […]
Loops Schedules: Fine Arts, Hymn Study, and Western Civilization
We wanted to take a moment to share our loop schedules of the past with you, but when our family returns to a study of world empires, we will be using a different reading plan called Mission: World Wonders, a study that incorporates a cohesive, integrated study of missions, geography, hymns, and science, along with […]
World War I Hero: Alvin York State Park
“I had orders to report to Brigadier General Lindsey, and he said to me, ‘Well, York, I hear you have captured the whole… German army.’ And I told him I only had 132.” – Alvin C. York “On the way back we were constantly under heavy shell fire and I had to double time them […]
CC Challenge Planner Page {Free Printable}
After observing our oldest son’s efforts at using the planner pages provided in the Classical Conversations Challenge Guide, I’ve finally decided to design a page that’s better-suited to our needs and preferences. Alas! He now has a planner page which provides a place to record family activities and to-do lists, along with assignments for the […]
A K’nex Birthday Party & Roller Coaster Cake
What to do when he asks for a K’nex birthday party and I just have no idea? When Levi threw me this curve ball (in the form of a birthday party I could not find much for on Pinterest), it left me with a single idea: practicality. What can the boys do to build this birthday […]
Hands-on History: Industrial Revolution, WWI, and the Great Depression
Our oldest son is now in high school. As the years pass and he takes on more and more responsibility (and as he also surpasses my height), I’m fully aware that his childhood is fading into a collection of memories. Six years ago seems so recent yet so distant. One moment there’s an eight-year-old sitting […]