[Read more…] about How to Make a Meal Schedule That Your Family Will Love
Archives for 2017
Here are 25 Yummy Dutch Oven Dinners & More
Do you LOVE your dutch oven? I do! I got mine from Costco about 4 years ago. It is such a nice piece to cook with. I love that it can go on my stovetop and just as easily bake something in the oven. You can’t go wrong with it. Here is a fabulous list of the 25 best dutch oven recipes to help you get dinner (or dessert) on the table! [Read more…] about Here are 25 Yummy Dutch Oven Dinners & More
Warning: Don’t Forget to Make a Meal Plan Now — It’s Sunday Night!
23 Ways to Teach Science with Leaves
I love Fall and what I love even more is integrating things that are happening all around us into our homeschooling. What better way to teach science to your pre-k and elementary kids than looking around us at the wonders of Fall. This list is comprised of the 23 best ways to teach science with the leaves in your own backyard!
Are you a Mom of Special Needs Kids? You need to see this…
Are you a Mom of Special Needs Kids? You need to see this…
The Planner for Special Needs Families
Contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
I love organization and planners. I’ve tried so many through the years and they are awesome except for one small… little… problem. I hadn’t found a planner for special needs families. I mean really, when you have a special needs kiddo, you have an entire separate part of your life that you need to organize. Am I right?
[Read more…] about Are you a Mom of Special Needs Kids? You need to see this…
22 Colorful Ways to Make Cute Leaf Art with your Children
Just last week, at our homeschool co-op, the 4th and 5th graders did the most amazing project. It was kind of a pixelated tree sitting atop the horizon line on the canvas. The colors filled the palette that were both warm and cool, which made for a very nice affect. I love incorporating what is all around us into our homeschooling — even into our homeschool art time.
So here are some of the best 22 leaf art projects for kids from across the web!
[Read more…] about 22 Colorful Ways to Make Cute Leaf Art with your Children
Are you sick and tired of not having dinner on the table?
I thought I would try something new and publish our weekly menu and our weekly meal planner printable. I get asked a lot how we meal plan for so many kids. The truth is if I didn’t have a weekly meal plan printable to fill out I would I have trouble staying focused because there is always so much going on. I do need to remember to buy more milk and bread than I normally want to buy (out of habit, I guess, I sometimes forget we have 7 kids! Ha!)
[Read more…] about Are you sick and tired of not having dinner on the table?
How to Break Through Your Child’s Screen Time Addiction
How to teach your child about personal hygiene: 8 easy steps
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8 Easy Steps to
Teaching Your Child Personal Hygiene
You know, we’ve all been there, all kids stink! I’ve noticed that by the age of 10-11 boys usually start to sweat more and take on a smell. Especially if they don’t use proper hygiene. I’m sorry if that offends anyone, but it is the truth. It is so important that we teach our kids proper hygiene — but it becomes even more trying if your child has special needs.
[Read more…] about How to teach your child about personal hygiene: 8 easy steps
22 Leaf Projects to Improve Your Child’s Fine Motor Skills
When my oldest hit his second birthday we recognized that he couldn’t hold a cup or a spoon. Soon after his annual well-check, we ended up being referred to occupational therapy because his fine motor skills were delayed. Slowly, he was able to improve his skills but most of it came at a much older age (after he started doing school work) because nothing really caught his imagination or attention at such a young age.
[Read more…] about 22 Leaf Projects to Improve Your Child’s Fine Motor Skills
Study the Bible with Your Kids {Unseen: The Armor of God for Kids Bible Study}
Behind the Scenes at the Mully Movie Premiere
My Interview with Dr. Charles Mully
My Interview with Dr. Charles Mully
Sasha: This is just such an awesome opportunity, and I want to thank you for that.
Dr. Mully: Thank you so much. It’s my pleasure.
Sasha: My children and I got a chance to watch the movie about a week ago, and we loved it. My older kids, my son is almost 13 years old, and my 10 year old daughter, and it is so inspiring, and so life changing, and so I’m just honored by this.
I’d like to start with, by asking you about your childhood, because in the movie we saw that you became abandoned. You were an orphan at age six, and in our country we have the foster care system that many people step in, and try to raise the children that don’t have families, but what was it like for you? What was that like for all those years? [Read more…] about My Interview with Dr. Charles Mully
I Don’t Like to Cook – That’s Why I Do Freezer Cooking
Contains affiliate links.
You guys. I have a confession to make. I do NOT like cooking.
Please don’t judge me.
I really, really, have never liked to cook. I used to tell my mom that I would just have to marry a guy who could cook when I grew up because I just didn’t like doing it. That isn’t easy to admit, but … it’s true. And no, not the part about marrying a guy that likes to cook. The sad part of it is we are both pretty bad cooks. [Read more…] about I Don’t Like to Cook – That’s Why I Do Freezer Cooking
Autumn Nature Hunt Bingo + Free Printable
My kids and I went to co-op today and had a nice little surprise. My daughter’s gym class did a scavenger hunt to look for items found in Fall. This was so much fun for all the kids. I decided I wanted to recreate it for use with my other kids ~ but with a twist! I wanted to make an Autumn Nature Hunt Bingo and I ended up making two, which can both be downloaded in the same file. One is slightly “easier” and might be appropriate for younger kids (like Kindergarten and First Graders). The other nature hunt bingo document can be used for any age, but might be better for grades 4th-7th. [Read more…] about Autumn Nature Hunt Bingo + Free Printable
Mully – The Movie Everybody Must See
Mully might just be the most powerful movie you ever see. I was recently given the opportunity to pre-view this breathtaking true story before it is released to theaters for a special nationwide showing next week. [Read more…] about Mully – The Movie Everybody Must See
Yummy & Easy Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Muffins
On Friday, I shared with you how my family enjoyed a tea-party to usher in Fall. We love tea times because it is a way to connect with my children. We share some yummy snacks, and we get to enjoy some beautiful poetry. [Read more…] about Yummy & Easy Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Muffins
Kick off to Fall: Poetry Tea Time
Today is a special day… it’s the First Day of Fall! Yay!!! On Monday when I filled in my schedule for the week I quickly jotted down the words “Poetry Tea Time” for Thursday but when I did that I didn’t notice that it was technically the last day of Summer. [Read more…] about Kick off to Fall: Poetry Tea Time
Simplify Your Homeschool with Notebooking Journals
Facing Darkness: A Movie to Watch
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Facing Darkness: A Movie to Watch
Last month, as the school year approached, I decided that we should do something a little different for our geography, social studies, history curriculum. We decided for our Fall Semester we would just study one continent — Africa.
As I gathered my resources together, I chose a few missionaries that I wanted to study in depth and few books we could read. I remembered a movie that I watched with my husband, in the theater, not too long ago. In preparation for this school year, I added Facing Darkness, to our list of what we would watch this year.
Special Needs Life Skill: Mowing the lawn with Autism
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Dreams. All of us have them. Some of our dreams our big and some small. Some of our small dreams are big dreams to others. Like today when I read that a little boy wrote to the White House to ask President Trump if he could mow the White House lawn. His dream came true when he was able to do just that.
Most of you know that my oldest son, Adam, has special needs. He was diagnosed with Autism and Cerebral Palsy as a young child.
We knew at an early age that Adam struggled with his gross motor skills. We later realized that he had fallen further and further behind his peers in other skills (fine motor, speech, and cognitive skills).
As the years marched on, we hired a group of therapists that would work with Adam, many right out of our home. We created a list of life skills and goals that we wanted our son to achieve and learn. I was taught, early on, by his ABA therapists that we need to always know what rewards him. We used a lot of positive reinforcement in his sessions to motivate him toward good and positive behavior.
[Read more…] about Special Needs Life Skill: Mowing the lawn with Autism
5 Fun Baby Finds to Help You Stay Organized as a Mom
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Last week I shared with you my top 3 picks from The Chicago Baby Show. You have no idea how hard that post was to write. There were so many products and vendors at the show that I seriously lost count. Truthfully, it was a blast but because there were so many fantastic companies, it was also a tad overwhelming to pick only my top 3. So many baby products I found to be outstanding and deserve to be shared with all of you. I love finding and researching the best baby gear on the market, especially if it makes my life easier!
So, I present to you five fun baby finds that I think will help you stay organized as a mom.
[Read more…] about 5 Fun Baby Finds to Help You Stay Organized as a Mom
A Letter to the American Church: Why we need to revisit September 11th
Dear Christians of America,
I wake up early. It’s 6 a.m. and my alarm clock is ringing beside my head. I’m groggy but I pull myself together and head down the stairs. It’s Bible study time for my big kids. I sit for a moment to compose my thoughts and start with the date. Today is not like any other day. Today is a day that will live in my mind forever. Today is September 11th.
We read our Bible study – which today happens to be about being ready to share the Gospel…the Gospel of Peace. We read together Ephesians 6:15, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” And I stop and think.
[Read more…] about A Letter to the American Church: Why we need to revisit September 11th
My top 3 picks from the Chicago Baby Show
I was so elated and honored to be invited to attend the Chicago Baby Show, a couple of weeks ago, and to explore a host of new and exciting baby products. You might be wondering what a mom of seven needs with more baby supplies.
Ok – I admit it … I get giddy around this stuff. I mean, what mom wouldn’t love to explore aisle after aisle of baby gear? It’s like going to a mall specifically designed for me and my family.
Quickly, before I get started, let me do a quick shout-out to Mom Trends for their awesome Blogger Lounge. They had toys and fun stuff for the kiddos – and comfy chairs for the grown-ups. I think Baby Pip adored the toys he got to play with, too.
[Read more…] about My top 3 picks from the Chicago Baby Show
Part 4: Our Big Move {8 Things I’ve Learned From This Move}
Part 4: Our Big Move
God’s in the Big Stuff and the Small Stuff
This is Part 4 of our Series on Moving.
So, we began the work of unpacking all – of – our – stuff.
I’ve learned a few things from this entire experience.
1.) We have a lot of stuff. Perhaps too much stuff.
2.) I LOVE books.
3.) This whole thing wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
We got to work pretty quickly after moving in. Our dining room looked like this for a couple of weeks. And so we had days of unpacking and cleaning up behind us, ahead of us … and we broke it up with our days of fun.
But I’ve learned a few more things, too.
4.) My husband was right about the house. I don’t know what would have happened had we picked the other house but I know what wouldn’t have happened. We wouldn’t have met the friends we’ve already made. We’ve met some lovely neighbors (I’ve even met a homeschool family that share a lot of similarities to ours.) I’ve enjoyed getting to know some other moms and spending time relaxing at the park together. (This has been such a blessing).
5.) I’m ecstatic to have two laundry rooms. I didn’t quite realize what a big difference that makes in getting laundry done. It is certainly a luxury – but one that I’m glad we took advantage of with this home.
6.) I’m actually enjoying having a smaller kitchen. I never thought I would say that, but it has forced me to downsize to what I really need. I also feel that everything is easily accessed and found (no more searching through a million cabinets.)
7.) We found a good school for our oldest that has a wonderful team of teachers and therapists on board. We are praying that this school year is a good one for him as he continues to grow and excel. So far, it seems fair to say it looks like a good fit for him.
8.) I was stressing out and mentioning (in a somewhat frantic way) to my husband that we needed to get our home school room in order so that we could start our school year. He is so much more laid back than I am. All I could see were the pile of books, notebook, papers, pencils, just a chaotic mess … no table … no where to work. <Not quite hyperventilating while thinking of all that needs to be done…>
So on that note, we started looking for a new table (we sold ours in the move).
I got this fun idea to look for used tables. I thought maybe we could save a little bit of money that way. I even created a search on Facebook Marketplace. I started searching for tables.
A few we were interested in sold and fell through. Then it happened. It was a Friday night and a notification came up of a new used table. And here is the best part: It was FREE! A family was giving a way an old, big, solid wood table that they no longer needed. My husband was able to pick it up the next morning and set it up for our school work. What a blessing.
Things have just seemed to fall into place between homeschooling groups and extracurricular activities for our kids to tables and chairs for the house. And you know, it has taught me one huge lesson. While it is good to be proactive and try to plan some stuff… being obsessive or worrying over every little thing isn’t healthy and isn’t what God has called us to.
He has brought us half way across the country and planted us just where He wants us. I’m thankful that we chose to listen and we chose to go.
From where I’m standing I can see so vividly that God is in the big stuff and He is in the small stuff.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26
This post is the 4th part of our series, Our Big Move.