Our Homeschool Plan...for this year

Long gone are the days around here where a lot of our homeschool days were spent on the couch, reading chapter books, learning Bible lessons, and discovering bits of history together.

chapter books

With one homeschool graduate out traveling the country in his new job, there are just two of us home during the day. As much as I would love to spend time with her 'doing school together', she is bit independent and prefers to do her schoolwork on her own.

Since the last few weeks were a bit busy, we are only on our second week of homeschooling (the perks of private homeschooling in our state!). We sat down last week and 'planned' out the year and put together our Course of Study (one of the requirements for our state).

Course of Study

So what grade level are we doing? We always get asked this question while out and about. To be honest...I am not really sure!

My daughter is in high school, but I am not too concerned about assigning a grade level. We have already talked about some of the expectations we have for her to finish high school, but at this point, we really don't have an end date in mind.

Our plan is to tackle each year as it comes and evaluate whether she has finished enough work to complete her high school education. This gives us a bit of freedom to refocus as she learns and discovers new things that are interesting to her.

Curriculum for this year

It seems so strange to me to be at this end of our homeschooling journey. I know we have a couple of years left, but as I look back, it is amazing how very quickly the time has passed by.

So my advice to new and young homeschool moms just starting out?

Enjoy the time you have, create fun learning opportunities, take time for day trips, and spend lots of time reading aloud to your kids. You won't regret it!

Snowflakes in September

It is mid afternoon here in Central California, about 100 degrees outside, and about 80 degrees inside my house. So why am I talking about snowflakes??

Since it takes a good couple of months for our letters to be received by our Compassion sponsored children, sometimes, I like to plan ahead and talk about things in the upcoming future. For instance, today, in my letters to my Compassion kids, I talked a bit about the seasons.

Coffee Filter Snowflakes

And since I was talking about the seasons, this was the perfect opportunity to make some coffee filter snowflakes to include with my letter! I made a few for each of my Compassion kids, then put them inside a ziploc bag (along with a photo of Yosemite in the winter). Then I stapled the bag to the back of the letter. I made sure to include my sponsored child's name and number, as well as my name and sponsor number, to the front of the ziploc bag. This way, if the bag becomes detached from the letter, they can match up the ziploc bag with the right letter.

I have to say, I am loving the convenience of the Compassion app, but I love to send extras with some of my letters. And I know how much the kids love to receive photographs!

What fun thing have you mailed to your Compassion sponsored child lately?

Breaking Up With My Books

I love books.

I love books like some women love shoes.

I love books like some women love clothes.

I love books like some women love jewelry.

I love to shop for books like some women like to shop for...I think you get the picture.

My earliest memory of my love for books was reading late at night with a flashlight when I was suppose to be asleep. When my parents took away the flashlight, I would read by the light coming in from my bedroom window.

I love the way words on a page create images in my mind.

I love the sound a new book makes when it is opened for the first time.

Over the years, I have added many, many...probably hundreds of books to our home library.

But one thing I have realized (especially after reading Kathi Lipp's book, Clutter Free), is that I have hundreds of books in my home, that frankly, I just do not love. So why am I keeping books in my home that I do not love?

I kind of like the idea of a big home library, but there are many books I have read that just really aren't my favorites. They were good books, but not ones I plan on reading again.

So, I made a decision today...I need to clear out my home library and only keep books I love.

To be honest, this is going to be one of the hardest things for me to do. When I told my husband what I am going to do, he had to ask me twice what I was going to do.

Large stack of books to sort through

Tonight, I attacked one section of a very large bookcase in one room of our home. Basically, I put the books in two piles: did I love it and would I read it again? or did I read it and I don't think I will read it again?

Books I love

I surprised myself...my love pile was smaller than the other pile...

Books that need to go live somewhere else

Now to figure out how I am going to get this other pile of books to live somewhere else...

Excuse me while I go sort another shelf full of books...

Life is so unfair

We get frustrated at so many things in this life. I know I do...

Costco stopped carrying frozen orange juice concentrate

It is Monday which means I need to do laundry, meal plan, and grocery shop...again!

There are potato chip crumbs on the couch

We need a new roof and currently don't have any funds available to pay for a new one

But then, I watch a documentary like 'The True Cost', or read a book like 'Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate', or receive a letter from one of our Compassion kids...and it makes me wonder...

What about my life is so unfair?
Why do I feel I have the right to be frustrated?
How can I even try to make a difference?
I am only one person, so why should I even try to make a difference?


I understand that many of the problems in this world are really too big for any one person to tackle...

and I believe that God orchestrates and plans for each person to be on this planet at just the right time for His purpose...

So where can each one of us begin to make sense of this unfair life?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. - James 1:2-4

Educate yourself - read up on topics that stir your heart, make your blood boil, and that you deeply care about.

Educate others - share quotes from books you read, share statistics about the impact of organizations you are involved with

Volunteer - seek out volunteer opportunities with an organization you can partner with

Life is so unfair

Yes, life is so unfair...but each one of us can use our voice and our actions to make a difference in the lives of many who are less fortunate than we are.


First Steps to a Clutter Free Life

When people come over to our home, at first glance, most things are in their place and you normally don't see a lot of clutter around.

Our mostly clutter free front room

However, once you turn the corner and see my desk...

My cluttered desk

...or the pile of magazines...

Magazine pile

...or if you happen to be one of the very few people who get to see the dresser in our bedroom...

The cluttered top of my dresser

I am almost embarrassed to post these photos...especially this last one! Yikes! Look at all that dust! Unfortunately, these are not the only areas of clutter in my home...

But I met someone this past weekend who I believe is going to help me make those first steps to a Clutter Free Life.

Who did I meet? I can hear you asking...

Clutter Free by Kathi Lipp

I met Kathi Lipp!

Kathi was one of  the speakers at our local homeschool conference over the weekend. I had a chance to talk with her a bit on Thursday evening after I introduced myself to her as a Compassion Advocate in the area. Kathi is a speaker and writer who has recently partnered with Compassion to help more children find sponsors at her events.

She graciously gifted me with her new book 'Clutter Free' which I have practically devoured over the past couple of days. I still have about 50 pages to read, but I love her approach to identifying why we have clutter, and her three questions to help us identify what has earned a right to be in our homes.

In fact, just this morning, I had a pile of stuff to go through from VBS (yes, I know VBS was weeks ago, but I just kept procrastinating going through the stuff!) In about 15 minutes, I was able to go through two boxes and it feels so good to have it done! I am looking forward to finishing her book and taking more steps to live a more clutter free life!

Simplify your space...take back your life.
— Kathi Lipp

If you are struggling with clutter in your home, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Kathi's book.