Author: Mia
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Feasting, Hall-Decking, & Hustlin’
For the first time in nearly a decade, we ventured over the mountains to feast with Husband’s folks for Thanksgiving. Once home, we availed ourselves of a stately conifer and set to decking the halls for Christmas. Besides merry-making, hall-decking, and shuttling offspring hither and yon to activities, I’ve been reading even more than usual…
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Giving Thanks
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. -1 Chronicles 16:34 “… set apart the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” -Abraham Lincoln A brief account of things I’m particularly grateful for: “Summer days are…
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The Misadventures of Home-Education
Sometimes homeschool isn’t all lollipops and roses, read-alouds and kumbaya… … Sometimes a routine car-ride requires extra division in the back seat. … Sometimes compliant completion of copy work requires extra coercion. … Sometimes it takes three tries to find a suitable film adaptation of Shakespeare’s MacBeth, as the 1970’s rendition turns out to be a…
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Battle of the Bands Halloween
For me, Halloween is alllllll about the costumes. I confess I had the girl’s costumes planned and purchased by February. From there we added the others, and though unintentional, a theme emerged– this year’s costuming became a bit of a battle of the bands. Growing up my bedroom walls were PLASTERED with Spice Girls posters– but only…
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Patchwork
Often the very best traditions are the ones that manifest organically; that simply spring forth year after year, nearly forgotten, like daffodil bulbs. I’d wager my kids actually prefer customs that require less micro-management, lest the fabricated memory-making render Mother an anxious, worn-out cruise director and squelch their fun. For decades my family’s visited Vince Woods’ humble…
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Lifesavers
The following are ten random, tangible blessings that are keeping me afloat lately; though this list is certainly not exhaustive… 1. Two words: Creamer frother. The most unassuming little gizmo arrived alongside my Nespresso machine and I almost dismissed the saintly ditty upon unboxing; but thank you, Jesus! I didn’t because it elevates plain ol’…
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Fall Y’all
We’re having an unseasonably warm and wonderous fall. A born and bred Oregonian, I actually adore romantic, gloomy gray days sprinkled with intermittent rain-showers, but even the most passionate pluviophile can appreciate temperate blue skies and organic vitamin D pro bono. We recently gathered chestnuts from a local park, one of our fave fall pastimes.…
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Seasonal Introversion, Social Atrophy, & Living in Community
This week’s been bananas, but my extroverted heart is full to overflowing. To say nothing of homeschool, real-estate work, and juggling the kids’ own burgeoning social calendars, I’ve had a full week: Monday I had lunch with a girlfriend, followed by an afternoon pedicure with my sister-in-law. Tuesday I lunched with another sister, then met two…
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Homeschool, Inc.
We’re in the midst of another busy week of homeschool, pinballing around our city betwixt activities– curricular and extra. Often we tote our studies along, ala carte, including our latest read-aloud: the third enchanting book of the Penderwick series: The kids’ most recent pet-sitting charges include two fiesty flocks of chickens and a blind 17 year old Siamese…
