
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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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’…

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.…

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…

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…