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Uncle Sam and You: A Timberdoodle Review
I’ve always enjoyed our Ambleside and Charlotte Mason inspired history “curriculum”, which is actually not a traditional curriculum at all, but a guided list of non text book readings about history and historical characters. The past two years we have enjoyed the whole family approach of the Simply Charlotte Mason history guides. I admit, I did find myself a little nervous when I found myself staring at the trio of middle schoolers and wondering if we had studied history “enough”. Pretty sure this is a common homeschooling parent’s fear and, although it plagues me from time to time, it is not one that rests too heavily for too long…
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what I learned at the parade
The people watching at a well attended event is pretty much as interesting as the event itself. I mean, sometimes. Somehow, despite living in this area for nine years now I think, we have never made it to the “big city” Christmas parade. (We are faithful attendees of our small town version.) This year the timing was right, we had hot cocoa and marshmallows to put into a thermos, we had no plans; so parade watching it was. I was reminded, however, that I am not a gigantic fan of gigantic crowds. We arrived early, enjoyed our refreshments on the sidewalk and waited for the parade. People arrived later,…
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Five Finds Friday (picking out a Christmas tree and eating Chinese food)
It sort of didn’t feel like Friday last week because I didn’t do one of these routine little posts. Funny how small habits keep you on schedule. But I’m all on track this week and there’s no holiday pushing at our backs so here we go ….. FUNNY I mean, I think my kids are funny. They think they are hilarious. It’s a daily something or other. From London adding to her school list: Be Awesome. (Oh wait. I’ve already conquered that.) To Bergen entering a room and telling us to forget we ever saw him taking whatever item he just took and then waving his…
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The Fallacy Detective: A Timberdoodle Review
I can’t believe my year working with Timberdoodle is drawing to a close. A year? I mean, we aren’t quite there yet – but almost! Every item I’ve received from Timberdoodle has been a new-to-me choice. Until this review. The Fallacy Detective was a logic book that I purchased and worked through wth Riley back in the day. I held on to that book actually – when I let most of her curriculum go as I quickly morphed into primarily using exclusively Charlotte Mason methods with the younger kids. My copy is an older version and this edition from Timberdoodle has a workbook inside the book itself,…
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not according to plan, but maybe exactly according to plan
This week has not gone as planned. Pretty much not one part of it. The meals were planned ahead of time – written on the board and everything. But we haven’t followed too many of them just yet. I know it’s only mid-week, on the front side of that, even. But it’s still been a messy week. I’m taking a bit of advice from my friends tonight and I’m going to turn in early. (I mean, early for me, you know.) My list will be sitting tidily waiting for me in the morning. Despite an unpredictable start all around to this week, it’s not been entirely awful. …
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Beautiful, Wearable Art : The People Who Make It & A Code For You To Buy It On Sale
I first noticed her because of her arm warmers. It’s true. I was signing my Piper into the three-year-old nursery at our church and I didn’t know many people there yet and I loved those arm warmers. Also, Piper Finn liked Melanie too. That was a big deal. Piper dreaded Sundays because the transition from hanging out with me to crossing the threshold to stay at nursery had been a battle her whole tiny life. Melanie was all regular smiles and beautiful tattoos. And she treated not only Piper as if she was important, but Eagle too. Yep. Life weary old Eagle, Piper’s faithful sidekick and bosom companion,…
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good vs. evil. let the one outshine the other.
It’s been Romans all year. Last school year the Romans were the subject of our history curriculum. For most of this year, the sermons at my church have focused on a close verse by verse study of the book of Romans. It’s been on my mind; you can see why. The last part of Romans 16:19 says . . . but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. This quote was shared when that chapter was read. I want to see you experts in good, and not even beginners in evil. JB Phillips When I think about raising my kids…
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And the winner is …….
We’ve got a little business to take care of today! It was fun to interview Rachael at Twinflower Heights and to GIVE AWAY a fun gigantic height ruler! So – let’s do that now. You know – the giveaway part. After a super complicated procedure where my youngest son wrote down all the names on paper and then he cut the pieces of paper and then he drew them from a cup . . . . . . . The winner is ———- Vicki Hart! Congrats winner! Send an email to me at SoEveryDay@gmail.com and we will connect and I will hand over this cool ruler and then you…
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A Little Black Friday Giveaway
Thanksgiving was lovely. Simple and well spent. Full of far too much food, games of Monopoly that lasted just sightly longer than they should with victory just out of reach for me. Our table was loaded with friends and family and sweet potato pie and grateful hearts. I’m not really into whatever comes after Thanksgiving day unless it involves pie for breakfast and one turkey sandwich on white bread with mustard only. You can count me out of trips to the mall or to Target or to any store at all actually. I might occasionally partake of an online Black Friday deal here or there if it lands in…
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The Instant Pot: A Review
Months ago – was it this summer? – someone shared an Amazon deal on their Facebook page about this little creation called The Instant Pot. I had never heard of it. The comments were aglow with praise for this magical pot. I chimed in with a few questions about why this deal should be scooped up and why – in amazing two days prime shipping time – the Instant Pot should be sitting on my counter changing my life too. I was on the fence when my phone alerted me that a text had arrived. I was on Facebook. My neighbor was texting me from her house…
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Aquarelle: A Timberdoodle Review
Watercolor is one of those artistic endeavors that both intimidates and frustrates me. The intimidation part stems from the fact that I find blending colors and controlling the amount of water vs. the amount of color difficult. That color wheel graphic just doesn’t live icy mind as vividly as it does in an artist’s mind. The frustrating part comes from the mess watercolor can cause. The drippy paintbrushes on the kitchen table. The soggy paper that sticks to the table if I forget to put something else down first. Some place to dry the art for a few days. You know, all those details. But – lest…
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spinning plates ….
Imagine a monkey standing on one leg. Imagine he is spinning six plates on his left hand. Imagine he is also eating his dinner. Furthermore, someone is pelting him with water balloons. Additionally, he is reading a novel out loud to a room full of other monkeys. All while standing on hot coals with his bare monkey feet. Is that monkey you just imagined in your mind wearing my face? Because that’s how I’m seeing myself this past week. (Or – maybe past two weeks, more accurately.) There’s a lot going down and going around and going on and going up and going all around. Some of it is…
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Five Finds Friday (fried eggs, pricey skirts and funny kids)
FUNNY While lying in bed this week, my youngest son and I started a discussion about the quantity of hair upon his seven year old legs. “I have tons,” he said. To which I agreed. And then he said, “Sometimes I lick it. It’s salty.” FASHIONABLE During legging season, I like to wear them. Like, you know, every day. And I’m not here to start a debate on whether leggings are pants because, well, the answer is in the title. Leggings. We call them leggings and not pants. But hey, to each her own, and as long as you are not my daughter still…
