Isn’t it a blessing that we can begin anew each day? It’s comforting to me that every morning I can start again, setting aside that which did not serve me well yesterday, and building upon that which did.
I can leave yesterday behind me. Today I can try again. Today I can recreate.
Every day is ours: to enjoy, to learn, to love, to experience, to grow, to live.… Continue reading
With the school year just beginning, people seem to be especially curious about how and why our family homeschools. Questions regarding our motives, our practices, our most- and least-favorite parts of homeschooling, and more seem to come daily.
In an effort to answer some of these questions, I decided to put up periodic pieces that give a peek into our homeschooling lives. … Continue reading
It’s always good to know when to take a break (see HERE). Over the last week or so, several factors have come together to let me know that this is the time.
Last week my computer died. One morning it was working fine. The next time I went to turn it on, it simply wouldn’t start. It suffered from a major hardware failure, and was completely done.… Continue reading
Last weekend I traveled across the country for a memorial (see HERE). It was an emotional weekend, but in the midst of it my heart was happy to be reminded of the kindness of strangers.
I prepared for a weekend of travel. I was traveling by myself, and prepared myself for all sorts of possibilities (I’m a planner in that way).… Continue reading
I was preparing to fly out of town for a memorial. In and of itself, that made my trip last weekend feel like an emotionally big trip. To add to the feelings, this was the first time I had left either of my boys over night. While my husband travels frequently on his own, I don’t.
The latter factor felt both liberating and a trifle worrying.… Continue reading
It’s summertime, and this week it’s very hot. In our house, this means it’s time to make ice cream.
We haven’t made a lot of ice cream so far this summer. I’ve still been mostly sugar free (see HERE) and we just returned from our second big road trip of the summer (read more details about our adventure HERE), so we’ve been gone quite a bit. … Continue reading
This simple advice of Mary Oliver’s is often quoted, and understandably so. I love how it captures so much in so few words.
Pay attention. Be mindful. Be intentional. Look around you. Observe the details, they’re often where the greatest everyday joys can be found. Life is full of beauty and grandeur, we simply need to open our eyes to see it.… Continue reading
We returned earlier this week from our second big road trip of the summer (see HERE). The trip went well. We had a great time visiting my extended family. We celebrated my brother’s marriage with his fabulous wedding party. It was a good trip.
We drove home and made it from Southern California through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and through part of Colorado.… Continue reading
While I tremendously enjoyed our last trip (see HERE) and I’m looking forward to the two other big road trips we have planned for this summer, today my soul is rejoicing in some time spent alone.
We all need to make room for quiet in our lives (see HERE). Whether it’s taking a walk alone (see HERE), taking a relaxing bath (see HERE), spending time reading a good book (see HERE), snuggling with your little one (see HERE), or simply pausing for a minute of purposeful quiet in the morning before you step into the business of the day, it’s those moments when we can reconnect with our better selves.… Continue reading
We are one of the few families I know who don’t have an in-door water and ice dispenser in our refrigerator. (This is by choice, those models tend to be much less energy efficient than their solid door counterparts.) This means that cold water is not a given at our house, nor is it instantaneous.
If your refrigerator is similar to ours, than this tip is for you. … Continue reading