love to paint

I met a mom yesterday at the library who put her two little girls in school in January (she had homeschooled the first half of the year).  We had a great conversation about homeschooling and I enjoyed meeting her. Where I live it can be hard to get connected to other homeschoolers, but once you do make a few friends you'll be off and running.  But, that first few connections can be really tough sometimes because I live in a very homegrown community.  I remember this well. This morning I remembered a book that I wished I'd recommended to her.  It's one that I love.  When I read it, I remember thinking--that's exactly what I would have said--and I wish I'd had this the year I taught kindergarten to my oldest daughter. The book is called When Homeschooling Gets Tough by Diana Johnson.  It's out of print, but there's lots of used copies out there on Amazon.  I thought I'd mention this in case anyone happens to read this post and want a little homesc...

This week has been an unusual one.  It's one of those weeks that many homeschooled kids wish they weren't homeschooled around here because all of the public school kids have been out of school--ALL WEEK!  My kids did not complain much and I am thankful for that.  But, I tried not to keep them from missing out on all the fun. It's tough when snow storms happen in the middle of the week.  We usually just press on and take some time off in the afternoon so they can play outside or go sledding at the school playground (which has a nice hill) near us.  I was thankful for this storm because we were able to go sledding on Sunday afternoon. Monday morning rolled around and we... well, we did school work.  The tricky part about Monday and Tuesday was that my husband was home.  We didn't mind him being home, but it does change the dynamic of how things get done around our house and when they get done.  Instead of just juggling the kids, I'm juggling him...

I don't read as many books as I used to, but everyonce in a while I plow through several at time.  Recently, I seem to have gone on a bit of a reading binge. I started with Julie Klassen's most recent book, The Painter's Daughter .  I like Julie Klassen's plots and so I'm always game to read her new books.  But, every time I read one, I wonder if I will read another.  I'm really not sure.  The characters of Sophie and Captain Stephen are interesting and likeable.  The book begins with Captain Stephen picking up the pieces again and chasing after his negligent brother.  There isn't really a way to explain any of the plot without giving away important details (and I hate when book jackets do that!).  Sophie is obviously, the painter's daughter.  She had fallen in love with the Captain's brother and he literally absconded with her heart.  The captain arrives as she realizes that she has to put the pieces back together.  They enter i...

A week or two I read an article on Relevant Magazine's website.  The article was actually the reprint of something that Derek Webb posted on his Facebook page.  I thought that it was very wise and helpful to read.  Here's a link if you have time:   CLICK HERE . Derek Webb is the ex-husband of Sandra McCracken.  The divorced last year.  He is the founder of the website Noisetrade.  He and Sandra McCracken are both musicians themselves.  I remember being sad when I heard about their separation (and divorce).  It grieved me, but I also knew that it wasn't really any of my business.  I was puzzled and saddened at the same time.  This article was helpful and encouraging to me.

One of the benefits of having Netflix is that you can skip super easily to the end of a bad movie--or of a movie that you only want to know how it ends.  I find that with many movies today, all I want to know is how it ends.  That's how it is with the one I'm listening to right now.  It's called Ask Me Anything.  And I did just hear a very wise section of dialogue... The scene has a young woman and an older man (much older) who owns a bookstore.  He's giving her advice about how to move forward with her life because she's been having an affair with a married man.  They are coming out of the store when she says she hasn't been reading, but that she's been writing--on a blog.  His response?  Well, he's not pleased, per se.  She thought he would be.  He goes on to explain that he appreciates writing as an expressive, creative means of communication, but that her generation (millenials--teens and 20 somethings) is addicted to attention. ...