“Yes Day” Challenge

Relaxing feels like we are dropping a ball, but so often it is putting a yoke back on us. We return to the guilt and the drain over and over again because it is familiar. I push myself harder than I need to at home with the kids because I have to prove that this job is  important and important has to mean exhausting.

Advent with the Jesus Storybook Bible

  There is frost on the trees at my house and the glittering crystals are getting me excited for the most wonderful time of the year…Christmas. I love Christmas. The lights, the smells, the snow, the look of wonder on my children’s faces, the giving of gifts and, most of all, the pause to celebrate Jesus

“Little Kitchen Table”

Ever since I can remember, I have been one of those people who gets excited for the first day of school. The smell of new books and fresh notebooks without a single scribble in them, just bursting with possibility. I love the crispness of fall air and the new dreams waiting to unfold. As I

Mud Pie Magic

I have been busy lately; busy trying to get this blog off the ground, busy doing yard work with my husband as we fight against the short Alaskan growing season, busy with housework that always stacks up, and with trying to keep up with family and friends as 2020 keeps throwing tidal waves at us.

Emotion Placemats with Play Dough Recipe

Parenting intentionally is hard work. The act of raising self-focused children into loving adults takes a lot out of me somedays, even though it is my driving force. My biggest wish for parenting is to raise kind humans; I strive to model compassion, to sow seeds of love, and to have healthy conversations about emotions.

Lumberjack Stoves

Our art time usually takes a nose dive in the summer months, there is too much green to be played with and too many hills to climb. We don’t often make time to just sit still, and we always want to enjoy the sun when it comes out. Every once in awhile, though, there is

Early Reader Treasure Hunt

My kiddos love doing scavenger hunts. In the past, we have used pictures. Hand-drawn by yours truly, and devoid of much artistic talent. It is a good thing children care a lot more about our presence than our perfection and they have never complained about my poor drawings. I decided, however, to do something different

Bee Hive Counting Game

We spent the last few weeks of the school year focused on Bug life and gardens. We read through The World of Pooh with a special interest in the honey bees and decided to create some hives of our own. I am not a master craftswomen so this style of paper maiche was right up