“Bookshark literature-based homeschool curriculum provides parents with engaging full-grade learning programs that offer unrivaled educational outcomes” Source: Bookshark is Literature-Based Homeschool Curriculum | BookShark I was a bit bummed this past weekend. I happened upon Bookshark, and thought, “Wow! This looks great – it’s Sonlight without the religion.” Then, I took a closer look. Unfortunately, Bookshark’s …
End of the Week Traditions in Homeschooling
Another week is done. What do you do to make it special? Do you think it’s important to mark the end of the week? Most of our Fridays end with Princess Boogie’s violin lesson. A few others end with a class at our local zoo. We’ve started to add in a special treat each week: …
Penmanship Practice
How strict are you when it comes to sitting properly for penmanship practice? Princess Boogie, 4, is just learning how to write, so I haven’t been a stickler about having to be 100% about her posture (In fact, I’m not sure I was strict about it with College Boy, 19, either). Right now, it’s student-initiated. …
Book Review: True Stories from an Unreliable Eyewitness by Christine Lahti
I have a little bit of a confession: I spent many hours watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. So many, in fact, that every time I run I wonder if maybe I’ll discover a body. That’s neither here nor there, because I’m about to tell you why i’m telling you about my previous SVU obsession: Christine Lahti …
What Life Skills Are You Teaching Your Children?
My small ones love helping around the house with various tasks. Here they are, using the stud finder and measuring tape to “help” mount the television set in our master bedroom. What sorts of chores/tasks do you let children help with? Do you have a list of skills you’d like them to learn by the …
A Secular Homeschooler in Wichita
I figured that before I start writing about all sorts of homeschooling topics – finding secular curriculum, educational philosophy, etc. It would be best to start the journey here by introducing myself and talking a bit about my own personal homeschooling journey. First of all, I live in Kansas (I actually come from California), and …
Book Review: How We Work by Leah Weiss
We can all use tips for being more productive in the workplace. In How We Work by Leah Weiss, she explores how to be more productive, successful, and mindful in our daily interactions with the work we do. Her book is another addition to the genre of business success books that advocate practicing mindfulness as a …
Book Review: Scenes and Sequels by Mike Klaassen
As a writer, I know it’s important to continually improve my craft. So, when I was offered a review copy of Mike Klaassen’s Scenes and Sequels: How to Write Page-Turning Fiction, I jumped at the chance. Klaassen gives two definitions. He writes: With that in mind, I define a scene as a passage of writing in which …
Gardening with Kids When You Don’t Garden – Guest Post at Minnesota Country Girl
I am participating in the blog tour over at Minnesota Country Girl, where I provided a guest post for her series: “Summer in the Outdoors: A Series of Gardening, Foraging, and Nature Studies” In preparing for writing the post, I was faced with a little bit of a dilemma: I run. I hike. I love …
Book Review: A Mother’s Book of Blessings
May the strength of the wind and the light of the sun, The softness of the rain and the mystery of the moon Reach you and fill you, May beauty delight you and happiness uplift you, May wonder fulfill you and love surround you, May your step be steady and your arm be strong, May …