How I Stay Organized...and Baby Bear Feet

I first found the world of blogging while I was online searching for a way to organize my days, and find out how other homeschooling mom's managed their responsibilities.  What I found that benefited me the most was using a Household Management Binder.  I am one of those people who works better with a list. I abandoned my binder in late pregnancy/early baby days...well, now my baby bear is starting to crawl, we finished our homeschool year, and I need to get back on track!!  

In my binder, I have my morning routine page, to get me off to a good start, followed by a poem entitled, No Time for God...(read poem here) to remind me what's important.  Then I have tabs, each with a clear pocket to tuck important papers in, and extra notebook paper to jot little thoughts onto.

My tabs are: To-Do's (with lists printed from OrganizedHome.com); Meals/Recipes; Cleaning; Activities/Projects; Budget/Finances -with pockets for incoming bills to pay, and outgoing bills to file; School Info and Records; Books (to request, read, write notes on); and Purchases to Consider.  I feel so much better having a place to write things...and to remind me to do everything! Rather than being busier and more hectic with a whole list of to-do's, I am more productive and efficient.  I end up getting to spend more quality time with my children and husband! 

Speaking of the children, look at my baby's bear feet: Aren't they adorable?!

A Simple Fall Craft & A Great Blog

Here's a little art project we did last week when the weather felt like fall...this week it feels like summer in the desert. :-(

My daughter watercolored the background, we added foodcoloring to some rice for grass, glued on cotton ball clouds, and glued on a variety of colored punched leaves.  The kids really liked this craft.  Today, we are going to do the sheep we found on Just Next Door.

I love all the blog homeschool resources that are out there! I just recently discovered Confessions of a Homeschooler, and it is amazing!! There is enough valuable resources on that one site to keep you busy for a long time.  It is hard to believe the creativity and organization that one person can have! Check it out if you get a chance!

Linking up to



Also Linking up to Red Ted Art's Blog for Kids Get Crafty!
And, Linking up to Homeschool Creations Preschool Corner.

This and That

Lately, I have been preparing for an upcoming visit with my sister.  I have three sisters, so they probably get frequent mention on my posts.  I also have a brother who recently visited.  Only one of my sisters lives close to me, but we are all close in heart.  Sisters are such a blessing! 

Also recently we made some homemade playdough, so easy to make, and were soon serving up tasty playdough cakes.  Later, the children had a tent made with the dining room chairs, and I saw strips of playdough hanging over the rungs of the chairs.  The children explained that a blizzard was coming, and they had hung smoked meat up in the attic, like Pa and Ma of Laura Ingall's Little House in the Big Woods. I love the creativity of little ones!

On our read-aloud list for homeschool was Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham. We have read that, of course, many times before, so to add an element of fun, I made green scrambled eggs. We don't eat ham, so I served it with smoked turkey lunchmeat. It was well received, especially by my little one, who loves eggs made every way!  My older daughter is in her first year of homeschool, and we are using Memoria Press Curriculum, which you can view here: Memoria Press. We are 11 weeks into the lesson plans, and I am so pleased with it!  This is my first year to homeschool, and I wanted an easy to follow, challenging, and yet not boring, curriculum.  I am so glad I found their package!  My daughter is now reading many CVC words, counting to 100, learning her addition facts, memorizing scriptures, hearing lovely music, and seeing beautiful artwork. 
If you homeschool, what do you use for homeschool curriculum?

A warm welcome to my new blog

Lately, my life has improved because of one simple change. That change was starting to read blogs! I have benefited so much from the information and resources and thoughts people have shared on their blogs.  I have found delicious recipes, household organization tips (which I really needed!), hairstyle tutorials for longer hair, homeschool ideas, and christian living inspiration.  To all of you stay at home moms (and daughters) who are sharing a piece of your lives, it is not in vain! You are really making a difference, one person at a time.  I enjoy this new blogging world so much, I thought I would give a try at joining in.  I plan to write about projects I am working on, fun or interesting activities I do with my children, thoughts about christian life, food I've made and enjoyed and more. I hope you might take away a little inspiration or an uplifting.