Rooted In

Easy Homeschooling - 2nd Grade Learning Objectives and Plan

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:11:07 GMT

2nd Grade Homeschool Objectives and Materials...

English

Our focus is to read more!
Reading items we will be including as family read alouds...
The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans C. Andersen
Dick Whittington and His Cat by Marcia Brown
The Little House by Virginia Burton
Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel b y Virginia Burton
The Ugly Duckling by Lorinda Cauley
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh
The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Doctor De Soto by William Steig
The Box-Car Children by Gertrude Warner
The Velveteen Rabbit by Marjorie Williams
We are also focusing on writing simple sentences,

Texts we are using: Abeka Grade 2 Kit

Math

Our focus is fluency in numbers
Understanding numbers up to 1000 and skip counting by 5s, 10s, 20s, 50s and 100s
Doing 3 digit adding and or subtraction problems
Understanding simple geometric shapes
Completing 2-step problems
Using a ruler successfully

Texts we are using: Abeka 2nd Grade

Science / Health

Our focus is learning about the world God gave us
We plan to complete additional science units with our local Co-Op class.

Texts we are using: The Good and The Beautiful

History

Our focus is understanding the places around us.

Texts we are using: Notgrass History - The Great Big World (This curriculum is also literature rich, which we LOVE!)

Books to accompany the Text:

Electives

Typing - These skills are being practiced as we type our English papers - not a set curriculum

Handwriting but moving into cursive - To become more fluid

Gym - To promote continued body care and maintenance (We live on a farm, so gym is a daily occurrence)

Art - To improve drawing skills we are participating in a drawing class through our local Co-Op.

Music - Our Co-Op is offering a Music Appreciation class for this elective!

Bible - Our Co-Op offers a chapel class where the boys are working on verse memorization. We are also big fans of The Adventures in Odyssey and found this Devotional .

Our Learning Checklist

(See below for a FREE downloadable Blank Version)

Remember that homeschooling can be challenging! If you are looking for more help, I have an option for you! Check out our New Homeschool Consultation Services!

Easy Homeschooling - 7th Grade Learning Objectives and Plan

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:18:29 GMT

7th Grade Homeschool Objectives and Materials...

English

Our focus is to read more challenging material, work on summarizing and analyzing deeper meanings within those texts and gaining more experience in spelling and proper use of the English language within writing and speaking.
Reading items we will be including
Amos Fortune- Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
Bound for Oregon by Jean Van Leeuwen
The Windeby puzzle: history and story by Lois Lowry
Only the names remain: the Cherokees and the Trail of Tears by Alex W Bealer
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyam
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
The Last Crusader - Christopher Columbus by George Grant
The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
Streams to the River, River to the Sea by Scott O'Dell
The Good Master by Kate Seredy

Texts we are using: Language Lessons for Living Education - 7th

Math

Our focus is Pre-Algebra - u nderstand integers, work with fractions, work with decimals, apply ratios and proportions and understand and apply basic geometry concepts.

Texts we are using: Abeka Pre-Algebra ,

Science / Health

Our focus is exploring more about the Earth God gave us
We plan to complete additional science units with our local Co-Op class.

Texts we are using: Cornell University - Veterinary Science

History

Our focus is understanding civics and government

Texts we are using: Notgrass History - America the Beautiful (This curriculum is also literature rich, which we LOVE!)

Books to accompany the Text:

Electives

Typing - These skills are being practiced as we type our English papers - not a set curriculum

Handwriting and Cursive - To become more fluid in cursive

Gym - To promote continued body care and maintenance (We live on a farm, so gym is a daily occurrence)

Art - To improve drawing skills we are participating in a drawing class through our local Co-Op.

Music - Our Co-Op is offering a Music Appreciation class for this elective!

Bible - Our Co-Op offers a chapel class where the boys are working on verse memorization. We are also big fans of The Adventures in Odyssey and found this Devotional .

Our Learning Checklist

(See below for a FREE downloadable Blank Version)

Remember that homeschooling can be challenging! If you are looking for more help, I have an option for you! Check out our New Homeschool Consultation Services!

Homeschool Check-Up and Planning for the Next Year

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:16:48 GMT

"Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul."

Matthew 11:28-29

This time of the year always feels heavy to me... maybe it is the cold, bleak weather outside and the stir-craziness of my kids inside. Maybe it is that feeling like we are only halfway through the school year and I feel behind but we also need to start planning for next year! Honestly, it is probably a mix of both and to be frank I feel tired. It doesn't help that we have been struggling with earaches and sinus infections, not only in the kids but also in my husband and myself. But the days have been rough running on fumes and coffee.

For some, signing up for homeschooling may seem like the "easy way out" in terms of schedules. I mean you can sleep in; you can do school in your pjs, you can just flow through your day rather than having strict schedules which for many stay-at-home moms works and that is wonderful! However, I've been arguing with myself lately because I don't feel that our life fits that homeschool description. With the livestock, with the podcast, with the blog, with all these other things on top of schooling, with Waylon coming home from public school at a certain time, with my husband being home in the middle of the day, with all the extra farm work that the kids get pulled to help with. We don't have the same schedule every day and I keep trying to fit us into a schedule and then get frustrated when it goes out the window. I was listening to a podcast last evening and the speaker was describing her life as a work-from-home, homeschool mom and now I see that that life description makes more sense for us. So, what does classification really matter? It doesn't honestly except that now I feel like there is someone out there who understands a bit more what our daily life looks like and is living similarly. Does she know me no, do I know her personally no but any time that we can find that we are not alone in a life situation, it can build our confidence and help us on those struggle bus days.

So here we are a good halfway through the school year and it is time to do some checking in as well as planning for the next year. It's easy to get overwhelmed at this point. Are my kids where they need to be, are they learning the right things, am I being a good teacher, am I missing things, will they be behind? All are valid questions, but we need to start with reviewing why we are homeschooling. For us, I believe God called us to homeschool, so I know that we need to be doing it even when it doesn't feel like I am winning. What is your why?

Matthew 5:14-16 says “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

When I think about our WHY for homeschooling, I want my kids to be a light for others. I want them to be able to work with people of all ages, not feeling like it is socially awkward to work with the young or old. I want them to not feel limited in their goals or dreams simply because those ideas are different then the norm. I want my kids to have a brotherly bond that is unbreakable. I want my kids to root themselves in God for all aspects of their life. As parents we are literally building the next generation. Psalm 127 really called me out this week, so let's break it down a bit.

Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep."

As we are looking over what we have done so far this school year and what we want to do next year, if we are trying to build our homeschool, build our home, build our business, whatever it is that we are trying to create, if we are doing it with our own strength and ambitions rather than asking God for the instructions, then we are doing it in vain. We will continue to struggle and never get anywhere because God isn't in it. I mentioned in Episode 1 of this season's podcast "Understanding and Applying Gods Biblical Order to our Life" that God should be the first one we consult for anything and everything. He has a path that has been designed just for us and thinking that we can do better than what he has planned for us is just silly. If God called us to this homeschool journey, then he has a plan for it and there is no need to lose sleep over the ups and downs of the daily journey. We need to have faith and trust that he will open the right doors at the right time. The struggles may seem pointless now, but there is always a purpose, even if we never figure it out.

I don't know why my son Waylon was created mostly non-verbal or why he would have seizures or why he would struggle with his muscles and motor skills. I don't know why I have an auto immune issue. I don't know why we work so hard and are often still 5 steps behind. I don't know and I probably will never know, but God knows and he has a reason and I have to trust him. There is no point in being anxious, I realize that is often easier said than done but wasting nights sleeplessly worrying over what we cannot control changes nothing. When we are feeling those anxious feelings, we need to pray that God will take them and give us peace. Sometimes our human flesh continues to chew on those thoughts, and we have to keep handing them over again and again and again. I don't know why it can't be a once and done thing, but God does.

I've been thinking a lot about what my kids will do once they are out of school. What will their futures look like? And that can lead to a whole other set of anxieties, but we are not called to figure it out for our kids. We are to help them, guide them, and then give them back to God because rightfully that is who they belong to. They are only here with us temporarily. So, when I am thinking over what we have accomplished this year, I want to keep in mind that my goal is to lead my kids to God #1 and help them to find the path he created for them. I'm not sure if that takes the pressure off or turns it up...

Ok so let's up into a review session. Grab a sheet of paper and you can work this out as I work ours out.

Question #1 Did you invite God to this meeting and review? It may sound silly but honestly any time you are working you should be asking God to join you. Asking him to highlight things for you. Maybe it is things you need to change or areas that you need his encouragement. You wouldn't have a business meeting without the CEO present; life without God in the daily meeting is the same.

Q uestion #2 How far have you come? Sometimes when we are just chugging along from one day to the next, we can forget how far we have actually come! So, I took a sheet of paper and jotted down each subject along the one side and added each kid to the other side. Then I went through subject by subject and wrote down what lesson we were on, what units we had covered, any highlight activities that had taken place in that area and then I also wrote down how many lessons were remaining or units yet to be covered. This gave me a visual encouragement that we were on the right track but also gave me a boost as to where we need to plug harder.

Question #3 What were things that really worked well and what didn't? This I broke down into more specific areas like: Texts and Resources, Activities, Co-Op, and Routines. On another sheet of paper, I made another graph for each of these areas and listed out what we had done under the worked or didn't work sections.

In terms of texts and resources , I love using a combination. I need more structure to keep me on track, but I also appreciate flexibility. So, we used Masterbooks for English, Abeka for Math and Notgrass for History. The rest of our resources were pulled as we needed. Some came from amazon, some the Dollar store, some the library and so forth. For next year I do want to add in Science units from The Good and the Beautiful as well as exploring the Teachers Pay Teachers site for book study units.

In terms of activities , this year we have been attempting weekly library visits and that has been hit or miss. The boys love it, I love it but some days life just gets in the way and we don't have the time. I would like to continue to pursue that adventure thought. Two of our boys also participated in sports: one did wrestling and the other archery. These were both winning activities and the boys loved them. So definitely want to keep that in if we can but they are limited to just one activity each because it can be a lot of extra running and then weekend time for matches.

In terms of our Co-Op , this was a win and we will be doing it again next year. So, our group is small, only a handful of families and I love that. It gives all the moms a chance to really know who all the kids are but still is enough kids that your children can meet and mingle and enjoy their time without being overwhelmed. Even our two younger boys really love going and are able to participate in many of the activities. I also love that it gives me a chance to collaborate with other moms in similar life stages. We share wins, loses, struggles, challenges, and overall are a support system for each other and I need that.

In terms of routines , I feel like we have a pretty steady daily flow but there are things I would like to change, I'm just not sure how to go about that productively. I have come to the realization that I need to treat my life stage more officially as a work-from-home mom and take my work contributions more seriously rather than just dabbling. With that mindset shift I know I need time that I can dedicated to taking off the mom hat and putting on the work hat rather than trying to multitask because inevitably if I am trying to work and mom at the same time, the kids will override my focus and then I get frustrated and that isn't the mom I want to be. I have been trying harder to establish quiet time. So my husband leaves for work around 3pm and that's when quiet time starts for our three younger boys, not including the baby because he kind of does his own schedule. But I will go upstairs with them and lay down till the youngest is asleep. The other two know they are not to get out of bed till that toddler wakes up but that they don't have to sleep, just rest. At that point our son Waylon is home from school and typically enjoying some snacks and watching VeggieTales while the older boys are out finishing their afternoon chores. The goal is to use this time of quiet to work. Some days it happens, others I have to wait till everyone is in bed and it might be closer to midnight till I get work time. Not ideal but I do feel so much better when I can get some work done. Sometimes I can squeeze a work block in during the day when my husband is home and the kids are occupied but that can be very inconsistent. I am also trying to get a sitter to come just 1 day a month for about 6 hours to help me out and watch the kids so I can batch my work but even that, I'm still around home and the boys know it and there will be interruptions. So, routines, I feel like is more of a work in progress, but I know that we need to create a more structured schedule that includes time for me to work while the kids are occupied.

And too hopefully the seasons will shift here soon and then the boys will be more apt to go outside. Then we will also have a shift in our days because there will be lawn work and garden work. I also like to start our outside work earlier to beat the heat and then we can do school inside during the hot parts. But honestly, I think this shift is still a bit away... my husband said their calling for more snow next week.

Something that I know does not work for us and is a challenge over the summer is TV time. My kids can not be allowed to watch TV during the day because then that is all they want to do. During the day when my son Waylon is at school, this isn't really an issue but over the summer when he is home this can become a huge issue. We are going to be ramping up our Yoto Card collection for this summer and one of my hopes is to remove the TV and replace it with the Yoto.

The biggest thing to remember as you ask yourself these 3 questions is that there is not right or wrong way to homeschool. If something isn't working, cut it out and try something new! I had to remind myself twice this week, "Ma'am you are the adult. You are not your children's friend. You are looking out for their futures." And it may sound silly but sometimes we can forget that! But here is your reminder, it is ok to say no. It is ok to ask for help when you don't know something, you are not failing even on those hard days, and the time you are investing into your kids now is going to make a difference within their future self.

God has given us these children for a reason. He has laid the desire to homeschool on your heart, and he wouldn't do that just to let you fail. Growth does hurt, sometimes more then we can comprehend but the end product, the foundation that you are laying for your child to grow closer to God and encouraging them to find the path God designed specifically for them is worth it. The Bible tells us we don't need to be anxious, Gods got this. We can rest in peace each night knowing that he is going to work it out in the end the way it is supposed to work out.

Want to hear this instead of reading it? Check it out on the PODCAST at Rooted In Faith Family Farmlife - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Easy Homeschooling - 8th Grade Learning Objectives and Plan

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 19:27:57 GMT

8th Grade Homeschool Objectives and Materials...

English

Our focus is to read more challenging material, work on summarizing and analyzing deeper meanings within those texts and gaining more experience in spelling and proper use of the English language within writing and speaking.
Reading items we will be including
Getting Away with Murder by Chris Crowe
David Livingstone: Foe of Darkness by Jeanette Eaton
God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel
Bruchko by Bruce Olson
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Texts we are using: Abeka 8th Grade Kit ,

Math

Our focus is Pre-Algebra - u nderstand integers, work with fractions, work with decimals, apply ratios and proportions and understand and apply basic geometry concepts.

Texts we are using: Abeka Pre-Algebra ,

Science / Health

Our focus is exploring more about the Earth God gave us
We plan to complete additional science units with our local Co-Op class.

Texts we are using: Elevate Science , The Good and the Beautiful Units: Safety and Health and Body .

History

Our focus is understanding civics and government

Texts we are using: Notgrass History - Uncle Sam and You (This curriculum is also literature rich, which we LOVE!)

Books to accompany the Text:

Electives

Typing - These skills are being practiced as we type our English papers - not a set curriculum

Handwriting and Cursive - To become more fluid in cursive

Gym - To promote continued body care and maintenance (We live on a farm, so gym is a daily occurrence)

Art - To improve drawing skills we are participating in a drawing class through our local Co-Op.

Music - Our Co-Op is offering a Music Appreciation class for this elective!

Bible - Our Co-Op offers a chapel class where the boys are working on verse memorization, but I also would like to include The Bible Recap for Kids .

Our Learning Checklist

(See below for a FREE downloadable Blank Version)

Remember that homeschooling can be challenging! If you are looking for more help, I have an option for you! Check out our New Homeschool Consultation Services!

Bad Days Happen... but Don't Stay There!

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:11:24 GMT

Life can be a dumpster fire some days...

One thing that I strongly value is transparency; especially in a world that passes every picture through a filter or crops the edges before posting it for the world to judge. This can easily create a sense, especially in motherhood, that someone woman really have all their ducks in a row! Yet, the reality is that we are all dealing with different struggles. In the past, there were certain woman that I had set on pedestals because clearly, they were better mothers, handled homeschooling better, had better behaved children, kept a calm and orderly home; all the areas where I struggle on a daily basis. And yes, the Bible does tell us to learn from those "older" woman, but it should be in a positive manner not a "I'm better then you" situation.

Galatians 6:1 says, "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Titus 2: 3-5 says, "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers of slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

I will be the first to admit I do not have my ducks in a row; most days I'm lucky if their all swimming in the same lake. Honestly, it is a daily conversation with God as to why, after 13 years of motherhood, I still can't handle things some days. But that is just the point; That's Gods job!

But back to transparency... when we are real and honest with each other, it brings trust and builds a stronger community of like-minded mamas. A perfect example with a touch of interesting side note: During the industrial revolution, so many people were moving to the cities, and they were subjected to eating whatever was available at the markets. Often the food was not in good shape, and it led to a lot of sickness. There were really no regulations, at that time, as to what could be mixed into your food to make it appear more appetizing. As well, you didn't have to disclose what was in your food. Often food was put into colored glass bottles or kept in bags and barrels so people couldn't actually see what it looked like. Henry Heinz, the inventor of Heinz ketchup, took a different approach. He wanted to build trust with his customers. He wanted to provide a fresh and healthy food option so after developing his ketchup recipe, he bottled it in glass jars. This was the first time people could really see the product they were getting. He also got his older son to eventually lobby for laws that protected food integrity. Those laws said that you had to label what was in your food and it had to be legit. There is a great documentary called The Food that Built America . It's a great add to your homeschool curriculum! But the point is, people value honesty and transparency and that is something I try to accomplish with this podcast. My goal is to help moms, specifically, grow closers to God and to encourage them to dig deeper into the life He has designed for them. I never want to be looked at as superwoman, believe me I am far from that; but God has a purpose for my words, and I want to honor that.

So today I want to talk about what we can do when life feels like a dumpster fire, because we had one of those days this week. Let me paint you a picture...

The morning started off with coffee that was sub par. I made muffins, per the boys' request, but ended up making an odd number of them so they couldn't be evenly divided between the boys which lead to an argument over who gets the remaining two muffins. My head was pounding, probably due to lack of sleep and coffee but all the noise was just too much. The boys were then dragging their feet more than normal when it was time to start chores which put us behind. Then I got a call from the school our special needs son attends, to tell me that Waylon wasn't feeling well and needed picked up. It is a challenge to get chores done and school with a house full of boys, but when you add Waylon into the mix, it can be a nightmare. So, the arguing and fighting continued into lunch and that was just the morning! Then there was dissention in the ranks and naps were refused, whining about finishing schoolwork, fussing over why Waylon gets to watch TV but the rest of us are supposed to go play, and so on. The frustrations continued on into the evening.

Now that the dumpster fire day has passed, I can think more clearly, and I know you have had those days too. So, let's chat about how to deal with those days and more importantly, move forward.

How can we move beyond the fire?

Step 1 - Accept that there will be bad days. Bad days do not equate to you being a bad mother. There is only so much you can control in a day. I have no control over the mood my children will wake up in. I have no control over outside situations of others. But I can accept that these days will happen, even to the best most prepared moms and that once they're past, you can move on to a new day.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Thank goodness for new days!

Step 2 - Assess what caused the fire and ask for help.

Psalm 121: 1-2 says, "I lift my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth."

Asking God for help is the first part of this step. Praying for help. Praying for a clear mind. Praying for peace over your home and family. Praying for your emotions. Praying for your tongue and thoughts. These are all great conversation starters. The Bible says to seek prayers from others, to confess things and share burdens. This is talking about confessing sins, but I think it also means confiding our struggles. When we keep everything pent up inside, it is easy for the enemy to pit ourselves against ourselves which can lead to deeper struggles.

James 5:16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Asking others for help can be hard but I always feel so much better when I actually tell someone what is going on in my head or heart. My husband walked into this dumpster fire and could tell right off the bat that I wasn't handling the day well. He took me for a hug and gave me a chance to unload my thoughts. He even took care of several of my half-finished house chores while I finished up things outside for morning chores. When we talk to someone else it gives us a chance to process what God is telling us about the situation, talk through new solutions or perspectives maybe we overlooked and see what the real problems were.

Step 3 - Discern and make changes. Bad days are going to happen; we need to come up with a plan to handle those days more effectively. So, what can I control? I can control my tongue; I can check my thoughts and call them out when they are negative and not helpful. I can control my reactions even if others aren't controlling there's.

Proverbs 13:3 says, "Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips come to ruin."

Proverbs 21:23 says, "Whoever keeps his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble."

Romans 8:5 says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit."

What I really need to do is make a giant poster with all these steps and verses and hang it up so that when life starts to spiral, I remember to check myself. Not only do bad days affect us, I mean I know if can affect my mood even days after... mom guilt is a crazy animal... but it also shows our kids how to act and they will copy our behaviors, good and bad. No pressure, right?!?

It's never going to be perfect because we are human, but the more we feel like we are burning in a dumpster fire, the more we need to ask God to fill in the holes. We can't allow ourselves to get stuck in the burned debris, we have to move forward and learn from our mistakes.

Want to hear this instead of reading it? Check it out on the PODCAST at Rooted In Faith Family Farmlife - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Understanding and Applying God's Biblical Order to our Life - Podcast Recap

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 20:32:40 GMT

"New Year, New Me..." but why does it fail?

As a new year starts, so many of us are reflecting on the past year and setting new goals for life, business, everything... Yet, often within just a few weeks, we are back to our old routines, old habits, and feeling down about our failures. The goals that we set or the changes we want to make are often wonderful ideas so why do they fail? Could their failure be due to the fact that we aren't considering God's Biblical Order?

You can't deny that our world today is out of sorts. Up is down, left is right, wrong is ok. Society has done a great job of distorting Gods original design. Satan is really good at putting in distractions and he plays off our emotions; we make excuses for our lack of discipline or say we will try again tomorrow. The truth is that we need to rethink not only our long-term goals for the new year, but even when we plan our daily lives.

So, what is Biblical Order? From my understanding, the Bible explains that...

#1 God

#2 Submitting to Jesus and the Holy Spirit

#3 Family with Husband above your Children

and then in no particular order you have #4 Health, Work, Church/Community

Practically speaking, what does it mean to put God first? To me this means that before we do anything each day, we need to be checking in with God. So, before we scroll social media, before we check our emails, before we have a chance to let ourselves form how our day is going to go, we need to give God the chance to influence it. Having this God time could be through prayer or reading your Bible. For the last two years I have been trying to do the Bible Recap and read through the entire Bible, and it sounds easy, but it can be a struggle! I would get so frustrated with myself for falling behind or not feeling like I could connect with the text or I was so distracted while I was trying to read that it felt pointless; but a friend reminded me last year that no matter where you are reading, on track from the recap or off, God is going to use those words for you in some way. So now when I start my day, my first thought is how am I going to put God first today? And if it doesn't happen right off the bat #kids then it is on my mind constantly until I make it happen! Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth." Any time that we get with God is going to set our minds to ponder Him and His words all day long. We need to seek God first in all our plans both daily and long standing because He is going to help us follow the path created intentionally for us. If our first goal each day is to understand God better than we are naturally going to align our thoughts and desires with His. As well, it is going to be easier to understand His desires and directions for us. Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." If we are just focused on what we want in our day or what goals we want to achieve, rather than prayerfully asking for God to open the right doors and to lead us then it makes sense that our New Year's Resolutions are going to fail or that our discipline is going to stink and we are going to revert back to our old ways. We need to align ourselves with God so that His desires will become our desires.

In terms of prayer, these discussions can look different at any point during the day; but I find that I am constantly praying, more than I ever realized! Sometimes I am praying for God to help my emotions. Sometimes it is for guidance with one of my children's behaviors. Sometimes it is for others for them to hear God and seek God. Sometimes it is for protection. Sometimes it is on my knees, other times it is while I'm doing dishes or laundry; sometimes it is while I am rocking the baby or putting the boys to bed. The beautiful thing about the Holy Spirit is that because of Jesus's sacrifice, the spirit can now live inside each of us if we ask God into our heart. That means He is never hiding from us, never gone from us. He literally lives within us, and He wants the best for us. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray, to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." If our daily focus is on God, then we align even our prayers to what He wants for us rather than what we want for ourselves. He will reveal His plan to us or at least open the doors that we need to walk through. Sometimes this is the hardest part because we struggle with discernment; but the more clarity we ask for, I do believe He will show us.

After seeking God first, we then need to submit to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. When you think of the Trinity, a great illustration is Neapolitan ice cream; you have the strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. In order for it to be Neapolitan you need all three. No one flavor can take the place of the other and all three are essential for the final product yet all three are unique. The way I think of Jesus's unique roll is that he is the one who creates this visual demonstration of character. I am a person who learns visually; within the Bible we see example after example of how Jesus demonstrated how we are to live. He showed us traits of kindness, compassion, courage, patience and total devotion to God. As we submit or give our day to Jesus, I believe this looks like asking for Jesus to show us ways and guide us to use those exact traits throughout our everyday interactions. In terms of the Holy Spirit, I often think of his role as being our inner voice, the one that is quietly in our head and heart pushing us or pulling us. His is the voice that tells me to take a breath, when I really am ready to yell. His is the voice that tells me to think things through before reacting. His is the voice of reason. Psalms 16:3 says, " Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. " Here is where a lot of people get it wrong though... We believe that God is just going to give us what we want, what we are planning for but what it really means is that if we are seeking to understand God, give our character to Jesus and allow direction from the Holy Spirit, then surely we are following the path God wants us on which means that our plans are really His plans!

So, let's recap: God comes first and then submission to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Next comes family with your husband above your children. This is an area that often times gets flipped. I'm 100 percent guilty of it! As a mom, we can become so absorbed in the needs of our kids, especially if we have little ones and it can be easy to put your husband on the backburner. But I felt so called out on this recently and I am trying harder to really get back on track. I don't want my husband to just get the crumbs of me at the end of the day because in a few short years, my kids will be grown and out of the house, living their own lives, and I don't want to have to start from scratch with my marriage all over again. I want a strong marriage that can show my boys what it means to respect and love your spouse and God loves us. One way that I have been putting more focus on my husband is through prayer. I pray that he hears God; I pray for his leadership; I pray for his safety; I pray that our marriage will grow and that I can become a better helper for him. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve on another, as good stewards of God's varied graces." Ephesians 4 calls us to be humble, gentle and patient, "bearing on another in love," with the goal of peace. Romans 12 calls for our love for one another to be genuine and to go above and beyond with zeal. When we put effort into our marriage it will bear fruit.

After our husband we are to put our children. One of our biggest goals as a parent should be to train our children in the ways of God. Our society tells us we should want to protect our kids from every hurt and hardship. We are told that it is more important to be their friend and that emotions and feelings trump all. While I do believe those are valid areas to consider while raising a child, it is off base. Deuteronomy 6 is talking about the commandments and verse 7 says, "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down, and when you rise." We should always be looking for ways to bring God into our daily interactions with our kids. If you are looking for some ways to do this specifically if you have boys, make sure to check out my chat with Alyssa Gale Season 4 Episode 16 . But my point is that at the end of the day, what is more important... your child's favor or their relationship with God?

The last three areas I couldn't find that one was more important than the next, just that we were to spend time focusing on each. So, you have personal health, your church and community, and finally your work. The important thing to notes is that any one of these areas can be taken to the extreme while the others suffer and that isn't healthy. I believe we should have some focus on each of these every day. When I think about personal health and why that is important, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body." This may look different for everyone, but I think it boils down to making smart decisions about your health: Maybe that means cutting something out of your diet or adding something to your diet. Maybe that means considering your mental health and setting boundaries in your life. Ideally, we need to choose good things that are going to build us up rather than break us down.

Thinking out our church and our community... I have seen so many examples this past year where folks that we knew stepped up to help us in one way or another and it was so humbling. Maybe you are not in a season where you can commit to help in big ways, but the little things are just as important. One way that I feel we give back is through our Meal Donation reach out, usually these are for new moms or folks who are experiencing health problems but whenever I see that someone is in need of a meal, I usually try to sign up because I know what a blessing it was when I had my babies, to have others bring us meals. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up."

And finally, we are called to work. Adam was called to physical work in the Garden of Eden because work is good for us. There are not many days where I have the chance to be lazy but if I do get one of those days, I always feel so blah afterwards. However, if I would have been productive that day, I know that I would feel fulfilled. Laziness is a problem, but a lot of times people confuse laziness and rest. We are called to rest. It is ok to set your work down and rest, but you can rest in a positive way, one that builds you up rather than zapping you of the refreshed energy you were needing. Along those same lines, we should be completing our work as an act of worship rather than dragging our feet and grumbling. Believe me there are days where cleaning out cow pens have caused me to grumble but that's not what God wants us to do. Psalms 90:17 says, "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands." If we are aligning ourselves with God, submitting our actions, mind and heart to Jesus and the Holy Spirit then it would make sense that the work we are doing is part of God's path for us and for that we should be thankful. Having a gratitude focus changes everything. Do I really want to go out in the dark and cold to milk cows, not really but I am blessed to have these animals that provide for our family. Do I always love doing 2 loads of laundry a day and line drying them. Not when I forget to bring the clothes in and they get snow covered, but all those clothes to tend to, means I have a house full of children that God entrusted us with. This list goes on and on. If we focus on the grateful aspect, it really does make the work worthwhile.

Ok, so let's recap. We need to start everything we do by putting God first in our focus. That means if you're planning out your new year and the goals you want to accomplish, you need to check and see if they are really what God wants or what you want. Even your day-to-day planning, put God first so that He is on your mind constantly. Next, submit your heart, mind, and actions to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Ask them to lead you and your responses, as well as opening doors for the interactions that are supposed to happen. Next in line is your family with your husband above your children. Finally, spend time each day considering your personal health, your activities for your church and community, as well as spending time working. Making sure to keep these last three areas balanced.

God has created this beautiful plan for our life, but He has also given us free will. He wants us to be desperate for a relationship with him. When we put our focus on God then everything else will have His essence. It's kind of like your favorite perfume; you may just put a dab on your wrist, but you find that the scent lingers on your clothes, the rooms you travel through, and it lasts even days after. We want God to linger like that in everything that we do.

Want to hear this instead of reading it? Check it out on the PODCAST at Rooted In Faith Family Farmlife - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Homeschool Consultation Services

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:22:47 GMT

Homeschooling is not just school at home... it is finding a new way to learn!

Sometimes we just need a helping hand. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." Homeschooling isn't always easy - paperwork, options, diplomas, career tracks, students' emotions, parents' emotions! My goal in this consultation service is to be a helping hand where YOU need it.

Credentials

I have 11 years of teaching experience with Mifflinburg Area High School teaching 9-12 Agriculture Education. I have been homeschooling a variety of our children since 2021. I have my teaching certification from Delaware Valley College and earned my Masters in Education from the University of Colorado. I have a passion for God and a love for learning.

What can I help you with?

1 to 1 calls (or visits if local) - Sometimes we just need to talk through our fears; say our ideas out loud and brainstorm with another person. These zoom calls or in-person meetings are great for hashing out anything that is on your mind.

Group Coaching - Another option is a monthly group coaching zoom that allows anyone with questions to pop on and ask, as well as hearing what others are going through. We often feel we are alone in struggles (not just homeschooling but mothering/parenting), but the truth is, we are often facing a lot of the same struggles! God wants us to know we are not alone!

Resources - Curriculum suggestions, standardized testing navigation, daily schedules ideas, plans for the school year... I can help you to find and organize your year and get materials ready for the next one.

Evaluations - Mid Year Progress checks are a great way to make sure you are on track, especially in those High School years! I can also preform End of the Year Evaluations.

If you would like to learn more about what I can offer you or if you want to "meet" me to see if we are a good fit, please fill out the form below and I will get back to you within 24 hours to set something up :)

Planning Your Homeschool Without Drowning!

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 02:25:54 GMT

Homeschooling should be exciting! But it can be overwhelming...

First and foremost, you know your child better than anyone else. As a mama you know their hearts, their desires, their loves and the things they disdain. You were designed to help guide them through this life. That doesn’t mean it will be easy by any means or that you won’t have a challenging determined little person who thinks they don’t need your assistance, but this too will teach both of you more than you can find in a textbook.

What do you want your homeschool year to look like?

So, the first suggestion I have is to figure out what it is that you want from the school year and what your child wants to gain. It’s almost like doing a little mini interview . Jot down their strengths, the areas or topics they are most interested in, note the areas they struggle or to the topics they like the least. Ask them what they want to do in the future and keep that in mind as you plan out the year. Make a note as to their preferred learning style. Do they love to listen to audiobooks, or do they like them physically in hand? Do they learn best from trial and error or seeing someone demonstrate? If you're not sure where your child falls, I’ve included a link for a quick learning style quiz below. It’s free and not something I am promoting per say just one that I found and took and thought was helpful.

https://www.learningstylequiz.com/

For yourself, what do you want the year to look like? Will it be days of baking muffins together or walking the local nature trails? Slow mornings at home or busy trips around the town to explore? Do you want to focus on building relationships? Certain skills? What do you want to be the main blocks of your home? Not too long ago I shared an interview with Charlene Notgrass, and she sent me the goals and objectives she had for her homeschool and I loved it. I’ll attach that as well for you all, but it had objectives like… learn as a lifestyle, help others come to know Jesus, learn about the cultures of the world, love reading, learn to communicate, have good character, learn the math you need to know. All of which I think are great! So, what are your objectives?

What should my curriculum plan be?

Once you have an idea of what your child wants to learn and what their learning style then comes the curriculum plan. Some families need a more structured traditional curriculum. One that comes will all the pieces, lesson plans, tests and quizzes, a very complete setup. Some families prefer to mix and mold their materials. Personally, we are a bit of both. Are boys have loved the Notgrass history kits which comes with the textbooks, activity books, as well as all the reading material. However, for our science I want to pick and choose based on the topics we are most interested. I love how the Good and the Beautiful has tons of mini units that you can choose from, but it is also structured enough that I don’t have to create my own lesson plans and what not. Another option would be to come up with a list of topics you want to cover and then each week you spend time exploring each of those areas. You could do nature walks to explore, do field trips, visit the library and find resources, search videos about the subject and literally just soak in as much knowledge as you can. No one way to do your planning is right or wrong; it has to be based on how you want to learn and how you enjoy the learning experience. For us, I love the idea of the third option, but I know that I need a touch more structure to be successful. So, you have to come up with a plan that suits your needs.

What should by homeschool year look like?

Once you have an idea of the type of curriculum you want to use you can come up with a game plan for the year. Are you going to aim to do school 5 days a week, 4 days? Will you do every subject every day or just certain days of the week? Do you want to have a detailed list of what lessons need accomplished each week or are you more flexible and aiming for a generic goal of 4 math lessons, 4 English lessons, 1 new book and so forth? This game plan is easier to complete once you know the curriculum you wish to use because for example, the Notgrass history is setup for 160 lessons which means you don’t need to complete it every day. Some of your math books are setup for 180 lessons so that should be a daily thing unless you plan to double up on certain days so you can skip others. What about extra activities like play groups or library days? For us we have a set plan on Tuesdays to attend a local mom’s play group and that is important to me. The boys have been doing better about getting up early to get their schoolwork and chores done before we have to leave for that activity. If you are looking for a more unschooled approach, maybe you have a family meeting on Monday to come up with a game plan for the week as to what activities you want to accomplish. That’s an awesome idea! The kids could each keep a journal about what they do and see and learn. No matter how relaxed or how structured, it is important to understand that kids learn every single day in so many different fashions. It’s important to keep some type of log be it a journal or a scrapbook or even a calendar book of what they accomplished, attempted or even experienced.

Common Myths and Fears in Homeschooling...

What if I don’t teach them everything they need?
What I have found is that when someone falls in love with a topic, they will do everything they can to learn more about it. So even if you skip "important" things to focus on other interests, your student can always dig deeper into those skipped topics if they need to later on. In most public-school classrooms, they don't cover everything they are "supposed" to because of time!

2. What if the curriculum I choose doesn’t work for us?

a. Often, we think we are stuck with our first choice but that is the beauty of being the teacher, you can change things as often as you need. When I taught high school, I did this on the daily… one day something works and the next you get crickets, so you are changing things on the fly. No one curriculum package is going to suit everyone. You may find, even in your family, that different kids need different styles and that is fine too.

The point of all this is first and foremost, if you have a desire to homeschool your kids, I highly encourage you to go for it!

Want more?

Homeschool Planning Guide!

Starting Homeschool Paperwork

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 23:45:22 GMT

Homeschooling doesn't have to be complicated!

When you are starting with homeschooling, often parents want to make sure that all I's are dotted and T's are crossed. They want to make sure that they child isn't missing anything or falling behind. And the truth is, education is supposed to be individualized; it's supposed to be encouraging; it's supposed to be enjoyable! And yes there are certain things we need to do to make sure that we cover all the basics but when kids find that learning is something they can enjoy and they can dive deeper into their own interest areas, then school doesn't have to be a fight!

Here are some great resources to you started on this homeschooling journey...

Step 1 - Contact your School District

We found that our school district had an entire packet all put together with the forms needed to withdraw a student.

Step 2 - File Correct Paperwork

Not all schools will provide this. But what you will need is...

A notarized affidavit
Educational outline
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Medical Exemption or Physical Form

Standardized Tests

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:41:44 GMT

Why do we stress so much over "THE TEST"?

Pennsylvania requires that students in grades 3, 5, and 8 take a standardized test. While this can be looked at as one of the unnecessary evils, we have the opportunity to see the bright side that it gives us an idea of what our children are retaining, and we can find comfort that even if they don't test WELL it doesn't have to negatively affect us.

When your student takes the exam of your choice, you need to include the results in your end of the year evaluation. Your evaluator will mark off that "Yes" you completed the exam and that is it! The results are not required to be sent to the school district you simply keep them for your records in case any questions ever come up.

What are my test options?

California Achievement Test
Comprehensive Testing Program (CTPIV)
Iowa Test of Basic Skills
Metropolitan Achievement Test (typically used for Non-Native English speakers)
Peabody Achievement Individual Test – Revised Version (must be administered by a trained testing person)
Stanford Achievement Test
Terra Nova
Woodcock Johnson Revised Tests of Achievement III (must be administered by a trained testing person)
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III (WIAT-III)

I am not affiliated with any of these links! They are just the resources that I have come across in trying to better understand our testing options. But the 2 that I hear most often used are the CAT and the Stanford!

More Resources

The PA Home Education Testing Requirements | Pennsylvania Home Educators Association (phea.net)

Are you getting Distracted?

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 22:45:38 GMT

With every struggle I’ve ever had it comes down to one factor… my need to put my relationship with God first.

As a mother we often find ourselves putting everyone else first because that’s what needs to happen. I always tell myself I’ll read my Bible once the baby is down for a nap, but then the toddler wants to read his book, and then the dishes need washed so you can make and serve lunch, and then the washer buzzer beeps and you need to get the clothes on the line and then the older boys need your help with their school work and then you hear the baby is up from his nap and by this time you need to get started on prepping dinner, getting the clothes in off the line, getting afternoon chores done, changing the millionth diaper for the day and before you know it the day is gone and bedtime is just around the corner. Where was there time for you to do anything for yourself and your relationship with God?

I tell myself I will get up early but then the baby refuses to go back to sleep in his crib and I'm trapped and its after 11 till I finally get the last child to bed for the final time but enough is enough I have to find a few minutes in the mix of my day to make this time a priority so my Bible Recap and my Bible are on top of my planner and it is written in my planner. No more excuses! If you want to jump in, the Bible Recap is a great way to do it!

But back to my main point, it is easy to get distracted with daily life. It’s also easy to get distracted with what’s going on in the world. I am one that gets suckered down bunny trails, no pun intended, but I go down these trails for example I know not everyone does the whole Easter Bunny thing and I never thought much of it but really it is no different from Santa and we don’t celebrate Santa. My boys know the story of Saint Nicolas and that Santa is based off of him but that there is no magical man that comes into the house to deliver gifts.

So, I was listening to someone criticize Christians who do participate in all the traditional festivities because they said it was founded on a pagan principal. So, then I was curious about what they were talking about, and I start researching more and find that in 325 the Council of Nicaea decided when Easter would be observed and so then I was like well does that mean we aren’t actually celebrating the real dates of when these events happened? And then I was reading that the original calendar had 13 months until 1775 and then I started getting confused about whether it was actually that important that we know the exact date or if the importance was the reason we were celebrating. And then I was thinking "But what if we are doing something wrong by not celebrating the Biblical Feasts" because someone said that’s what we should actually be doing, and all these thoughts are rambling through my brain while I was milking our cows the other evening and all at once I heard in my mind the phrase “ You're getting distracted ”. And I had to stop what I was doing and I’m like “wait, what?” and I heard it again, “You’re getting distracted”.

The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 that we are to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

That means that we are responsible when our mind wanders. We have to keep our thoughts in check. So I started to process “Ok what is distracting me, what does this statement mean?” And the image of Jesus on the cross came into mind and I saw the 2 men nailed next to him. I had to get my Bible to make sure that I remember it correctly but in Luke chapter 23 verse 40 to 43 it is talking about how everyone is throwing insults at Jesus when he is put onto the cross, even the one sinner next to him also nailed down is like if you are so holy just get yourself down and verse 40 starts...

“But the other criminal rebuked him (meaning the second criminal is speaking to the first criminal) It goes on to say, “Don’t you fear God,” he said “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This criminal probably wasn’t a regular service attender, he probably wasn’t donating all he had, he obviously wasn’t on the right side of the law, but he saw who Jesus was and recognized how important Jesus was. Even as Jesus was suffering the most unimaginable pain, he could have rebuked this sinner like “who are you to talk to me?” but Jesus was concerned with this lost sheep even as he was dying. God doesn’t care about how many church services we attend or how many committees we serve on or how much we give financially; he cares about the state of our soul.

Do we know him? Do we realize we are broken, and he is the only glue that can put us back together? Do we desire to do his will? That’s what I believe God cares about.

So, no matter if you do a sunrise service or you do easter egg hunts or no easter bunny I think we get distracted with all those extras and we argue with each other over what is ok and what is not when in reality that isn’t where our focus needs to be. This is a season where we are celebrating the fact that Jesus finished it for us.

In the Bible he cries out “It is finished” or that is what the English translation is. The Greek word would have been “Tetelestai” which interestingly enough had several meanings in that time period.

#1 In a business context it indicated a literal debt was paid.

#2 In a judicial setting it meant that a sentence was fully served.

#3 In a military context it meant that a battle had been won.

So, Jesus was declaring that the debt of sin had been fully paid, the sentence of sin had been fully served and the spiritual battle against death and Satan was won! To me that is huge and a giant reminder that this historical event is what I need to stay focused on, not the bunny trails that my brain often wants to wander.

It is our job to keep our thoughts in check. Have you ever considered why our minds wander? If you think back to the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. I believe that it is human nature to be curious and to seek understanding but how much of that comes from the initial sin in that garden?

God provides us with what we need, it is human sin and the freedom we have been given to choose sin over good that is what leads to the destruction of people and the evil things that happen daily. These events can also be distractions. It isn’t a bad thing to be informed of what is happening in the world because you don’t want to be naive, but it can also be a fear tactic that the enemy uses. There was a bridge that just collapsed in Maryland the other day and all-over social media you see people saying how this is going to affect supply chains for this and that and how now is the time to buy all these supplies and get prepared for not having access to this and that and how this is just the beginning of the world shut down and all this. But events like this don’t need to frighten us.

We have to keep our focus on God and his path for us. We have nothing to fear, we don't need to worry about the distractions in the news. Psalm 121 says “Lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watchers over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

I thought it was really interesting, I was reading in my Bible Recap about Saul towards the end of his life. So he is about to go into battle with Philistines and he is asking God for guidance and is not getting a response so he goes to a medium who supposedly can talk to the dead and he asks her to bring up Samuel who has died. Now my understanding of mediums is that either they are faking it or when they bring a spirit up those are demonic spirits. And people will be like “no they really were talking to my family member because they knew things that no one else would have” It is scary to think about, but Satan isn’t stupid, he studies us. He knows us. So of course he is going to know the inner workings of us. Of course, he is going to be able to pull off a stunt like that but anything to do with mediums or readings all of that stuff is demonic.

So, when this medium calls forth Samuel he appears, and she screams. My understanding is that this was not what she was used to, and the Bible Recap explains that in this situation God was actually intervening and Samuel was actually there based on this lady's reaction. But Saul says to Samuel what am I supposed to do, God is not answering me. And Samuel is like, you don’t get it, you didn’t follow Gods path, why would he keep talking to you if you weren’t going to listen in the first place. Sometimes when we allow ourselves to become so taken with the distractions around us, we veer off the path God set for us and then we are asking for help, but we want his help on our new self-created path and he is like nope I’m not helping you until you come back to the starting point where I wanted you.

And that is why it is so important for us to invest in our relationship with God. Reading our Bible even if it is only a verse or two; it gives us something to maul over, something for our minds to focus on. And second is talking to God. We don’t have to have a prayer closet, we don’t have to have a daily on our knees prayer session, it can be while your washing dishes or rocking the baby. Telling God what is on your mind, asking for clarity, asking for guidance, thanking him for what he has given you. God wants us right where we are. He doesn’t want the world to distract us from the fact that even the most broken can be fixed through him we just have to ask.

I pray that this can be an encouragement for you as you go through your week. No matter how broken we feel, God can glue us back together. Until next time I pray that your coffee is strong, your patience is stronger and that your light shines the strongest.

If you enjoyed reading this, make sure to listen to it on my podcast !

Love,

Lindsay

Thank a Mama - Mama Nomination

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 17:02:31 GMT

Do you know a mama who gives it her all and could use some encouragement?

We can be so hard on ourselves that we miss the everyday wonders and beauty of what we do. I want to give back to those mamas that just need a reminder that they are doing amazing things! Feel free to fill out the Nomination Form below to enter your mama friends! Each month we will recognize one mama on the podcast Rooted In - Faith, Family, Farmlife and that special mama will be sent a small gift.

If you would like to help sponsor a special mama Click HERE !

Pressure Canning Salsa

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:06:45 GMT

Salsa goes so well on everything! Why not make it at home?

When it comes to pressure canning your own food, many people will argue that it isn't worth the time and effort and I can sympathize with their thoughts. Especially if you are a mom with littles, what should take a few hours, takes all day long! But... if you are able to eliminate the extra "junk" they add into processed foods by making it yourself, then it is totally worth it!

What do you need to get started Pressure Canning?

Pressure Canner

Jars

Accessories

Here is the recipe I use...

Click on the Image to get a copy of your own for free from my store!

Step 1 - Deal with your tomatoes: De-Skin, De-Seed, De-Juice...

I found that ROASTING them to De-Skin them was the easiest method! Lay out your tomatoes on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool and then peel the skins right off! While your at it, cut out their core and squish out the seeds and extra juice. Let sit in a drainer till you are ready to chop them all up.

Step 2 - Mix all your ingredients and Simmer

Dice your ingredients as you prefer. My kids like them diced small but my husband prefers it chunkier! I love using my Pampered Chef chopper for this part!

Simmer for about 30 minutes. While doing this go ahead and get your canner prepped. You can water bath this recipe as well, but I don't like putting that weight on our glass topped stove.

Step 3 - Pressure Can or Water Bath

I prefer to pressure can just because it is less water on the stove top however pressure canning can take longer because you have to vent, meet pressure and then wait for it to depressurized before switching batches. So, personal preference is best here.

Wash and warm your jars, lids and rings.
Fill warm jars with warm salsa leaving 1" head space.
Wipe rims with vinegar and cover with lids and rims.
Place in pressure canner, add your lid and wait till it vents.
Let vent about 10 minutes (this part always makes me nervous for some reason!)
Add your weight (10lbs is all you need) .
Once the weight starts to let pressure out, set your timer for 10 minutes.
Once your time is up, remove from the heat but DO NOT remove pressure gauge or lid till it is totally depressurized!

9. Once the canner is depressurized you can remove your jars to cool. Wait 12 to 24 hours before removing the rings, washing and storing.

10. Enjoy!

Making Butter

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 11:21:05 GMT

Butter can be made from home so easily which helps you avoid the added "extras" as well as saving money!

Prices on all food is going up! One way to avoid those spikes is to make at home what you can. Over the last 2 years, I have also become more involved in understanding WHAT is IN my food! There are so many unnecessary added ingredients that I would like to avoid. So CHEERS to making things at home that you can!

Butter is an easy one to start with! We milk Guernsey Cows so they have a higher butterfat content. As well our girl Jean is an A2A2 cow which means the proteins in her milk have been found to be more easily digested for those that normally have issues with milk. I start each day by pulling at least 1 gallon of milk from the cows to set aside to collect the cream off of for butter. The rest we either drink or turn into cheese.

How to Make Butter

Step 1 - Collect your Cream

Here is a gallon of milk and you can see the cream has risen to the top (notice the color change!) Depending on your cow breed and what they are eating, will affect how much cream you are getting. Guernsey and Jersey cows typically give the most cream.

I simply scoop out the cream either into a container to save for later or directly into the blender (you can also use your stand mixer, but we don't have one of those and the blender does a great job)

Step 2 - Blend!

Our blender only has 2 speeds so we opt for LOW. Your cream will go through 2 phrases... WHIPPED and then CURD. When you hit the WHIPPED stage you may have to add some water to the blender because it gets thick and then blade likes to stop working.

Here we are at the WHIPPED stage... Add a bit of water and keep going.

Now the curd stage!

Step 3 - Drain and Press

Make sure to collect the buttermilk that you squish from the butter. You can use this in anything! I use it in just about any recipe that calls for water! Some use cheese cloth I prefer a fine mesh strainer (it's easier to wash in my opinion)

Once the majority of the buttermilk is drained off, start running cold water over the curds and use a metal spoon to fold and press the butter curds till you start getting a ball. You can use your hands as well, but I don't like the feel of the butter on my fingers :)

Keep folding and pressing till there is no more milk squishing out. You can then mix in salt if you want, I never do.

Step 4 - Store

If we are in a surplus of butter, I will typically bag this butter and store it in the freezer. Otherwise, you can container it and pop it right in the fridge.

Classic Beef BBQ Recipe

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 11:12:54 GMT

Beef BBQ has never been easier!

I personally love to have over salad or maybe a side of mashed potatoes or even mac and cheese! My boys prefer it with chips to dip or in sandwiches. But that is what is so great about BBQ... you can have it so many ways! It is so easy and you can switch up the presentation so no one gets bored with it!

If you love the recipe make sure to check out my SHOP and download your own copy of the recipe card for FREE! Just click on the picture below and it will take you there :) Happy Dinner Making!

Ingredients

2lbs ground beef
1 small onion
1 green or red pepper
1 cup ketchup
Making your own is easy with Mrs. Wages seasoning mix!
1/4 cup mustard
1 cup brown sugar
Did you know you can make your own!?!
Just mix 1 cup of white sugar with 1 T Molasses and BAM you have brown sugar!
2 T Worchestershire sauce
Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Chop up your veggies. My kids prefer them very fine.
Sauté your onion and pepper in some butter.
Add in your ground beef.
Brown till almost done then add in the remaining ingredients.
Continue cooking till fully browned.
Enjoy!

Easy Homeschooling - 5th Grade Learning Objectives

Fri, 19 May 2023 17:56:37 GMT

5th Grade Learning Goals don't have to be Hard

English

Summarize and paraphrase information from a text
Read and interpret charts, graphs and other graphic representations in a text
Analyze a writer’s point of view and compare points of view from various writers on the same topic
Use punctuation in titles correctly with proper capitalization, quotation marks, underscore, and italics
Use correlative conjunctions correctly in a sentence: not only/but also, either/or, neither/nor
Use perfect verb tense correctly and understand how they convey time of events

Texts we are using: Abeka Language B , Spelling 5 , Penmanship , Reading Comprehension , and Writing Prompts

Math

Use place value to add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals
Apply formulas to solve various customary length/weight/capacity/temperature problems
Calculate the probability of an event

Texts we are using: Abeka Math 5

Science / Health

Understand the movement of matter among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem
Knowledge of the different changes of state, chemical reactions, solutions and mixtures
Identify solutions that help reduce negative impact on the Earth
Comparing and describing different properties of matter such as state, texture, and mass
The four different spheres of the Earth (biosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere)
The relationship of the sun, Earth, and moon to shadows, constellations and yearly patterns

Texts we are using: The Good and the Beautiful Units - Arthropods , Birds , Paleontology , Weather and Water , Safety

History

Explain the new system of democracy in Ancient Greece and how it would impact future governments throughout the world
Demonstrate an understanding of U.S. history during the Westward Expansion period from 1820-1850
Locate all 50 U.S. states on a map as well as their capitals
Contributions of distant dynasties
Understand influences of Green Philosophers
Political science and the purpose of government

Texts we are using: Abeka 5

Electives

Typing - To become more fluent in typing

Handwriting - To become more fluid in cursive

Gym - To promote continued body care and maintenance

Art - To improve drawing skills

Music - To learn guitar

Foreign Language - We will be working with Pennsylvania Dutch

Sweet - Soft Bread and Rolls

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 19:32:17 GMT

Fool Proof Bread!

If I can make it, anyone can! We go through so much bread in our home that it was silly to keep buying loaf after loaf especially when you realize all the "extra" ingredients the commercially made loaves, contain! THIS IS NOT MY OWN ORIGINAL RECIPE but I've tweaked it to find what works best for us! The original came from YouTube somewhere!

Supplies Needed

Large Mixing Bowl

Bread Pans

Measuring Cups

Ingredients Needed

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 T yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup melted butter or oil

5-6 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose but it doesn't get as light and fluffy in my opinion)

Directions

Mix yeast, warm water and sugar in a bowl. Set aside a few minutes to proof (will look bubbly like the picture above).
Once proofed, add in your oil, flour and then salt. Incorporate well with a spoon till it is starting to look like the picture below...

3. Continue to mix into a smooth dough ball, at this point you can use your hands to start kneading. Make sure to flour hands well before hand. Knead for a few minutes and then place back into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

4. At the end of the first rising, punch the dough back down into the bowl, recover and let rise again for 1 hour.

5. Once the second rising is done, dump the dough out onto a floured surface, knead a few times and then divide into 2 sections. Now you have a choice - make bread loaves or make rolls. I like to do a bit of both!

FOR BREAD - Flatten out your dough and then roll it up, hot dog style. Pinch the seam to hold in place and tuck in the ends. Place into a greased pan and let rise 30 more minutes.

FOR ROLLS - Divide dough in half. Each half should make 18 small/medium size dinner rolls. Take each dough section and either roll it up into a ball or stretch the top of the dough smooth and pinch the bottom of the roll to hold in place. Set into a greased pan and set rolls very close to each other.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

7. Cover with melted butter if you so choose; otherwise, enjoy!

Simple and Lite Peanut Butter Icing

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 02:14:00 GMT

Simple, not too Sweet, Peanut Butter Icing

I finally found the right mix!

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup 10x sugar

Beat together till you get a good texture!

Try it over a Chocolate Cake like the one from The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe | Just One Bowl! (glutenfreeonashoestring.com)

Finding Happiness in the Everyday

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 31 May 2022 01:37:58 GMT

Are you HAPPY, like for real?

The other evening my husband and I went out for our 11th wedding anniversary and after dinner we went to see a movie. One of the lines they said several times was to the main character… “Are you happy?” And the premise was, all through the movie the main guy was like, yeah why wouldn’t I be? I’ve accomplished so much when in reality he wasn’t, and he had to come to terms with being happy in the now moment not dwelling on the past. I think so often we do that. We smile on the outside but are we truly happy? The Bible says there are seasons for everything, and I don’t think we are meant to feel happiness all the time. But I think we can get so focused on the next step that we miss being happy right where we are. The bigger problem with that is there are so many lessons and experiences we can learn in those seasons.

During our weekly Bible study, we were discussing the seasons of being single verse being married and importance of each season. For example, a season of singleness can help you to draw closer to God and figure out just who you are as an individual. What your strengths and weaknesses are… develop a relationship where you can truly focus on God. Paul talks about if you are single, it is a great way to stay because your attention isn’t divided, and you can totally focus on God. In the season of marriage, the Bible says that it is better for man to not be alone. I believe marriage was designed for one man and one woman, to strengthen each other and build each other up. There are so many people that no longer put a strong value on a God focused marriage and then when trials and tribulations come along the marriage crumbles or if God was never present in the marriage, then there is no foundation to start on. And no matter if we do marry or stay single, we need to find happiness where we are in that moment and not try to rush to get to the next moment.

So that got me thinking, am I happy in the moment that I am in or am I waiting for the next moment. And the truth is, I think there is balance. Although I am excited for the next chapter in my life of staying home full time with my boys and focusing on homeschooling them, but I am happy in my current season too. Sometimes that happiness can get clouded because of our emotions or maybe things don’t go as planned but I want to share with you a few ways to focus on your happiness and build it up so when the cloudy days come, you have some sunshine in reserves.

Number 1 - Spend Time with God

We have so much to be thankful for and when we start off filling our cup with God then it runs over into every other cup that we are trying to juggle. In a season of having little ones, it can be hard to find quiet alone time without falling asleep… or maybe that’s just me. But what better way to model the importance of studying Gods word then with your children at your feet. Often, I will sit down to read and at least one needs to be on my lap and the others are usually playing nearby. It isn’t usually quiet, but we make it work. But if you are building up that relationship with God then when those harder days come where you don’t feel happiness per say, then you have God to confide to and he can help you walk through it.

Number 2 - Spend time doing something you Love

In our home there are many things that I enjoy doing but some that I would say I love. I love working in the garden, reading and I love sewing. When you have a long to-do list though, sometimes those loves can just become another chore because they need to get done so you can move on to the next thing. My husband made that comment the other evening. I forget what I was doing but he was like, I think you need to get back into sewing or quilting again. There are always going to be things that take priority for one reason or another but call it "self-care" or whatever you want but we need to find things that we do just for us. I was listening to a podcast the other morning and she was saying that in our world where we use social media to highlight so much of our lives it is ok to not share everything. We can have something just for us to enjoy. Maybe that is your morning routine? My dad used to get up way earlier than he had too, and he would make a cup of coffee and just sit in the dark on top of our living room radiator and sip his coffee. He cherished that quiet alone time before the day started. My Grandma Newswanger used to quilt the most amazing blankets. I could sit and watch her for hours. My Grandma Weaver would do the same with puzzles. Often, they would sit there and work away, not saying much, just enjoying themselves in their work. It was something they did for them. What is something that you do, just for you? Find a way to spend time doing that because it fills one of your cups.

Number 3 - Slow Down

We have a culture of "go, go, go...". This morning as I was working on a few things I sat down at my son's school desk and just listened to the outside sounds. I watched the heifers sauntering across their pasture and I listened to the birds chattering away and took in the beauty of the morning. Life is meant to enjoy; we need to just slow down. Not to say that you should be productive. I stack habits often especially in the morning. I will listen to my podcast or my bible reading app while I get ready for the day but there are some days where you just need quiet and to be still. Nature is a great reminder that everything else works just fine without needing the hustle and bustle. This one can be challenging because we want to get everything done on our list to make sure that our home runs the way it should, and our homestead is taken care of and all the things, but the reality is that there is more to life than just checking things off a list. If it doesn’t get done today, there is always tomorrow. So, take the extra moment and read with your kids, step outside in the sunshine and drink that cup of tea or coffee while it is still hot, put your phone aside and spend some quality time outside focusing completely on who you are with.

Number 4 - Romanticize your Life

What I mean by romanticize is more like ways to make the everyday special. I heard this from one of my favorite YouTube mamas Megan Fox Unlocked. These are little things to spruce up the norm. That might be making your coffee a bit fancier in the morning. I know I have a favorite mug . I can drink my coffee from anything, but I enjoy it more when it’s in that mug. I know some folks use special syrups or they make a little coffee bar just something to step it up a notch instead of going out and paying 6 bucks for a fancy coffee. It could be using a special pen when you fill out your planner. One that makes you feel special. I found these ones that are erasable! My life has changed lol. They are beautiful colors, and I can fix mistakes. It could be adding some decor around your home. We have added some plants around the inside of our home, and it just makes me so happy to see them. For example, our bathroom is very small, but I added a macramé hanging plant holder and planted a cascading Wandering Jew plant in it and it just brings me so much joy now every time I walk into the bathroom which sounds so silly but is legit. My students made me a beautiful wooden piece. It looks kind of like mismatched pallet wood and then it has a cross on the front and I purchased these clear mounted vases that I am going to put onto this wooden piece so I can put the Golden Pothos cuttings that I started a few months ago into the vases just to add a touch of beauty to our upstairs hallway.

The point is we don’t need to have Pinterest perfect homes or have all the things to be happy. There are so many ways that we can make our everyday life special which in turn is going to increase our gratitude which increases our happiness. We can’t be giddy all the time, there are moments when life gets cloudy, and it rains but there are so many little things that we can do to enjoy life more. So, as you go through your week, I hope that you take note of the little things you already do that bring you joy. Maybe you realize there was something you used to do that you no longer do, and you bring that back into your life. We are only given one life to live, and I believe God wants us to be healthy and happy in that life. So, make the small changes that are going to help you achieve that.

**The links included are affiliate links which means your price for those items doesn't increase but I may get a small percentage for you using them. Please know that I greatly appreciate your support of this website and in turn your support for our family**

The Benefits of Lavender

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:19:28 GMT

Essential Oils... it's not hocus pocus!

The use of Oils are dated back to biblical times. They were used to anoint, to heal, and even to unite. Personally, I use oils for my mental and spiritual state (in terms of balancing emotions) as well as for my physical state. One of my favorite oils is Lavender as it has many purposes. It is an oil that can be diffused or rubbed on directly!

It has a Calming Effect
If the boys can't go outside to play because of the weather
I am feeling stressed out... I will apply lavender to my wrists as well around my neck. I also have a rice heating bag that is infused with lavender. When you apply it to your back or stomach, the heat mixed with the scent is so soothing!
I rub it on the bottom of the boys feet if they are having trouble sleeping
It has healing properties - I use this on scrapes and burns that they boys get from playing to rough. I use it on spots of swelling and painful joints. I will use it on the back of necks for headaches. I've even used it on our babies but rash!

Lavender Oil Recipes

Diffusing - Peace

2 drops Lavender
2 drops Frankincense
2 drops Orange
2 drops Copaiba

Diffusing - Hormone Balance

3 drops Lavender
2 drops Clary Sage
2 drops Pink Pepper
1 drop Ylang Ylang

Diffusing - Keep Sickness Away

4 drops Tangerine
3 drops Lavender
3 drops Eucalyptus

Direct Application - 1 drop with some coconut oil massaged into affected area

Cleaning with Essential Oils

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 24 May 2022 12:01:09 GMT

Essential Oil Cleaning Hacks for the Busy Mama

I’ve been on a focus lately of creating a better home and there is so much more to a healthier home than just the products that we us. For example making sure that God is present within us affects the values and morals that we instill in our children and how we treat our relationship with our spouse. But there is something to be said about finding ways to take care of your home in a more wholesome fashion. So today I am partnering with Barbara Franck, an independent consultant with Doterra . This company has a long standing reputation with high quality essential oils and essential oil products. I started my journey with oils about a year after our son Waylon was born. I was going through some emotional times and physical struggles dealing with everything Waylon was having to overcome. He had been in and out of his spica casts, he wasn’t sleeping or eating well and I just wanted something to support what we were already doing. So a friend of ours had suggested trying essential oils. To be honest I wasn’t 100% sure they would work but over the last few years and more so here recently, I’ve really put them to the test. I now use them to help me regulate my emotional state as well as days when my joints hurt. No matter where you get your oils from, make sure you do your research. Personally I trust both Doterra and Young Living for my oils. If you pick them up at Walmart or the gas station their integrity has probably been compromised even though they say 100% pure just like I would never trust gas station sushi. You know you just don’t want to flirt with that line lol. So today I want to share with you a few easy swaps that we have made in our home in terms of essential oils!

Oils for Cleaning Bathrooms

With 5 boys and only one bathroom, you can imagine how fast it gets dirty. Honestly, cleaning our bathroom had become one of the areas I strongly disliked lol however a few things have helped!

General Cleaning Spray

I use this for everything but in the bathroom I use it in place of soft scrub. I spray down the shower, the toilet surfaces, the sink and even the bathroom walls. When you are making anything with essential oils you want to be careful about homing them in plastic. Some of the oils can actually eat away at the plastic so using glass containers works better. I found these glass spray bottles on amazon and have been using them. Not only do they work really well but they are more aesthetically pleasing.

Need

Glass Spray Bottles
Thieves or OnGuard Cleaner

Directions

1 cap full of Thieves or OnGuard Cleaner into the glass spray bottle
Fill the rest with filtered water and shake well

Thieves has a mixture of clove, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus and rosemary which is an awesome antimicrobial properties mixture. These oils are known to help with breathing and congestion issues as well as boosting immune systems. OnGuard is similar in terms of mixture but also includes wild orange. Not sure about you, but the last time I used bleach to clean, it burned when I would breathe it in. In comparison, I rather enjoy the smell of Thieves and OnGuard.

Toilet Bombs

Need

Directions

In a zip lock bag mix the cornstarch, citric acid and baking soda.
Add a few spritzes of water and mix around till you get a pie dough consistency.
Dump your mixture into a glass bowl and add in your oils. Mix around and then scoop it into your mold.
Let sit overnight

Don’t overfill because they will expand as they dry overnight. I'll link all the molds and items in the show notes, but one batch of this size fits perfectly into one mold try for us. Let them dry overnight and then the next morning, pop them out and place in a glass jar. The best way to use it is at night just drop one or two and let them do their thing. I like to use them in between toilet scrubbing adventures.

Soap Scum Remover

Lemon oil is great for all cleaning things. I love it for getting crayon marks off furniture and windows (in case you have small curious children like I do)

Need

Directions

All you need to do is add the ingredients into a glass spray bottle and shake well.
Spray on the scummy areas and simply wipe away!

Mold and Mildew Prevention

This weekend I took off our shower curtain to soak because it needed some loving lol so I just used a cap full of the Thieves cleaner and a 5 gallon bucket of water. Let it soak outside for an hour or so and then hang it in the sun to dry. But Barb shared with me this recipe for Mold and Mildew Prevention so I plan to use this on the bottom of my shower curtain to prevent issues in the future.

Need

Directions

Add all items to a spray bottle and shake well
Spray anywhere that has mold or mildew each day till it is gone!
Do not rinse but rather repeat daily till it is gone.

Laundry Detergent

We started making our own laundry detergent after having some concerns with the cost and for me the ingredients in store made detergents. So a friend shared this recipe with us and personally I like the clean smell of it but my husband asked that we add oils to it next time just to give it a different smell.

Need

Directions

Grate 1 bar of the Fels-Naptha into a pot and add enough water to cover the shredded pieces.
Set this pot on medium heat and let it melt. You do have to stir this quite a bit and really keep an eye on it, as it can boil over pretty quickly.
Once it’s all melted down pour the mixture into a clean 5 gallon bucket.
Then add 2 cups of Borax and hot water. I just fill the bucket up about half way or so and mix well to dissolve the borax.
Then add 2 cups of the super washing soda. Keep stirring and adding water till your bucket is almost full I would say about 2” from the top.
Mix it really well and then let sit for 24 hours.
Once it is cool you can add you essential oils if you so choose.
Then each time, before you use it, mix it really well. You only need 1 cup per load!

You may have to play around with the amount of oil depending on the strength you are comfortable with or the one you are using. Some smell stronger then others. Also I know some folks question using Borax. Personally it has been a safer swap in my opinion to other options although there may be better ones out there. So what you do is pretty simple,

Dryer Sheets

Need

Directions

Cut an old tee shirt or sweatshirt into squares
Mix ½ cup of baking soda and a little hot water
Stir it up and then add a ½ cup of vinegar and continue to mix.
Drop in 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Plop in the cloth squares into another glass jar.
Pour the mixture over top and close with a lid and store it till you need them.

When your ready to use them, shake the container good, pull out the desired number of clothes and toss them into the dryer with your wet clothes. At the end of the drying cycle just toss the clothes back into the container for the next time.

Lavender Hanging Plants

Another neat hack we are trying in our laundry room is lavender plants! So my sister bought me this hanging assembly that you put over top of your window and it then you add plants and they then hang in your window basically. Well our school greenhouse grew a bunch of lavender this year so I got some and planted them in these hanging containers. Now in the mornings when I walk by I just wiggle the branches a little and the whole room smells of lavender! It is so neat! And it looks so cool in the window!

Plant Hangers

Breaking Down the Barriers you have put in God's way

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Mon, 16 May 2022 17:39:59 GMT

"God...Why can't I hear you?"

Last night as I was feeding my sourdough I realized I only had bread flour left in the cupboard so I figured no big deal and as I poured it in I took note of how soft and fine or maybe refined is the better way to describe it. And today as I was feeling in a bit of a slump I told a friend about this wall that I feel like I’m stuck at and how I feel like God has been quiet the last few days. It’s like when you are getting your teacher evaluation and the principal is sitting in the back of your room taking notes but not saying anything about how you are doing. That’s how I am feeling at this moment and to be honest it isn’t a feeling I like. I want to feel God speaking to me because that is so reassuring to know that we are on the same train of thought. Have you ever had a conversation with someone and you are on topic a and they’re already on topic e and you're like “wait what is even going on right now?”. That miscommunication can cause a lot of confusion and stress. So I’m telling Annette about this way that I am feeling and she pointed out that often when we feel like there is a barrier it’s not because God’s not talking but rather it’s because we have the music of life turned up to loud, my words not hers. But we are putting things before our time with God and it’s drowning him out. Ironically I was listening to a podcast this morning as I was getting ready for the day and she was talking about idolatry and I read over the description before I hit the play button and it really was an episode that I didn’t think would have much resonance for me but you never know. So I’m listening and she is talking about the times of Leviticus and how idols where such a big thing and in today’s day how we can have idols that may not look like golden calves in our front yard but we essentially go to them for comfort and healing rather than turning to God. Ok so what does this have to do with my slump?

Sometimes when we feel like God is distant it’s because we are trying to solve a problem or heal an issue without him. Like that fine flour, God uses these times to refine us. Many times we create these barriers innocently not realizing that is what we are doing and even still sometimes the things that we are putting before him are good or even great things, we have just misplaced the order of importance.

So I am sitting here asking for God to show me what I have out of order and it’s like he is showing me a glimpse of my day and asking, “where was I today?” So in response I feel I have to defend myself. Well, in the morning I was listening to a Christian Podcast and on the way to work I rode in silence hoping to hear you but not really praying just more or less being, I tried to read my Battlefield of the Mind book which brings in scripture but again my Bible was sitting unopened till I wanted to read a specific verse, not the who chapter for context, just the verse and I realized that yes I am going through the motions of good things but I had not actually invited God into any of them. I wanted him to just tell me his thoughts so I sat waiting but I never asked him for guidance or clarity. Our God is a patient god and he doesn’t force his will onto us if we don’t ask for it. But let me tell you right now, I want it lol I want to be filled with him so that I am teaming over with his joy and his wisdom. I don’t like this feeling of distance lol ask my husband about that one. If I am ever in a bad mood it can be fixed with a simple hug or a holding of my hand. I crave that physical reassurance and that relationship. But if I just expect my husband to take those actions, he won’t because that’s not his love language. So I need to take the first step. My poor husband doesn’t always like that I need him to hug me or hold my hand but he allows it lol. God isn’t going to force his will on us unless we ask him to do so.

So how do we figure out what barriers we have put up? We ask! If you feel like there is something there hindering you, get down on your knees and pray for God to reveal to you what it is because let me tell you when you realize what the problem was and ask for forgiveness, those flood gates open and God comes rushing back in like the water in the Frozen 2 movie that almost washes away their city. It’s that simple! And yet so frustrating because no matter how hard you try to then stay on that straight and narrow path or not make that same mistake, we are human and we are going to continue to mess up. It all comes back to that recognition and repentance.

And the crazy thing is that a barrier can be from anything that you place in front of God and usually these are things that we go to as sources of comfort. So back to the podcast I was listening to the speakers described these “things” as idols; it could be money or love or even pride. I never want you to think that I am coming from a place of saying that I have it all together, it’s actually quite the opposite. So looking back on my conversation with God that morning I had to let down my defenses and own up to what I had been putting before God. So I think I mentioned it before but I have been a high school teacher for 11 years and I have loved it. When people ask who I am it is one of the first attributes I use to describe myself. But this is going to by my last year because next school year I will be homeschooling 3 of our boys and when I handed in that letter to our school board I felt such peace about it. Needless to say, finding the right person to replace me has not been going well and I was asked to stay. So now I’m back to God having a conversation like is this a sign that I am not suppose to leave are you reopening this door?

The other day we were on a field trip to Longwood Gardens with my Horticulture and Landscaping students and as I am walking through these amazing gardens just thanking God for their absolute beauty this thought kept hearing “you need to trust me”. As a teacher my family had monetary comfort, we have stability and I put so much of my identity into that and to turn from that and trust that God is going to open the next set of doors is scary. I wish when God spoke to us that there was a voice change in our head so we would know for sure that it is God and not our self. But I’ve always put more stock in my ability rather than asking God to handle things because if I take that role then I know it will get done or won’t get done, it’s on me. It’s like when your paired with someone in a group project and you don’t know if they are going to follow through with there part so you just do everything so you know it gets done and in turn, not trusting that other person not only can it hurt them but it also teaches them that they aren’t trustworthy in your eyes. I don’t want God thinking that I don’t trust him and stepping back from me. I want to put all my eggs in his basket. And what I am realizing every single day is that even when I think I have an element of life figured out, it is so easy to slip back into our old routine or ways, so this journey is a constant work there is not finish line, anyway I don’t think there is at least not here on earth. The Bible says if we repent God will forgive us and we can move on. There is no limit to the amount of times He will wipe us clean if that is our true heart desire. We should always be striving to be better and do better.

So as you go through this week, I hope you take some time to sit and talk to God. Ask him to show you what you are putting before him. We are at a point in this crazy world where I want to hear God guiding my every step I don’t want to think of him sitting in the background just shaking his head. I will do that to my students sometimes. I give them instructions and they feel like they know better so they do it their own way and then when it doesn’t work out they come to me and say I don’t understand why this didn’t work. Don’t be that kid!

Old Fashioned Ideas for Better Mothering

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:22:36 GMT

What Old Fashioned Habits can we use in Motherhood Today?

Tonight while the boys and I were out doing our evening chores I was watching Steven and at one point he stopped and picked up something. I didn’t see at first what he had but his face lite up with the biggest smile and as I got closer I realized he was holding a simple stick, but he was so proud of his discovery and he carried it around with him for much of our chores that is until he found a plastic soda bottle. Then the stick was left behind as a new treasure had taken it’s place. And this simple joy that he had struck me. Like why can’t we as adults just find the simple joys.

As the evening went on I found myself singing an old song my Grandma Newswanger use to sing. I don’t even know the name of it but it says “thank you mama for praying for me, if you hadn’t then where would I be. They call you old fashion but you love the lord. Your prayers touched the master as your tears touched the floor.” And as I’m watching Steven and singing this tune or my version of singing lol my boys would probably disagree and call it screeching but ya know, a joyful noise… but it really got me thinking about this idea of being old fashioned and enjoying the simple things in life. Ironically enough earlier today I was at the post office. I stood at the window for only a second but the postman, Mr. Mike finally saw me and said oh you should have rung the bell. I was just scrolling on my phone and didn’t see you right away. And then he says, gosh what did we do before cell phones, seems like all anyone ever does is mess with them nowadays. And as I sat down to write today, those events kept popping up in my head. I know I’ve talked about it before but this idea of slowing down and being old fashioned as the song describes, I use to think those ideas were silly but now that’s all I want to do. We spend so much time trying to get everything done and we tell ourselves that everything on that list is a must but is it? By no means am I saying that all technology is bad I mean I would literally be lost without my cell phone. Like actually lost! My lacking sense of direction is scary and the days when I had to print out mapquest directions or read one of those fold out maps, those were scary times lol but we have replaced even the simplest of things with apps and google. We are so dependent that life without sometimes seems boring in comparison.

So this morning as I got up and went about my morning I usually have a podcast playing while I'm getting ready and then some type of music or YouTube video in the background as I clean up the kitchen and get the laundry going but this morning I just felt the need for silence. I wanted to just hear what was around me and really take in the sounds of the morning. Watching the sky turn brighter and the birds sing to each other was the most peaceful way to start the morning. I went outside and just sat on the deck for awhile with the dog just watching the heifers as they started to mosey around. And I guess the thoughts I was having were that I need to be more intentional about slowing down and getting back to a more old fashioned life. What I mean by that is that I want to tap into the resourcefulness that God has put in me. Have you ever felt like God was giving you a warning heads up about that you were going to have some challenging times coming up soon? I feel like every devotional that I’ve read recently and even the Bible passages I’ve been led to, have all had similar messages about suffering and hard times. So what does that have to do with slowing down and being more old fashioned? To me it has to do with this idea of being prepared rather than being naïve and caught off guard. But prepared for what? That’s a really good question and honestly I don’t know.

Point #1 Go to God with your prayers but make sure you are seeking his will not your own.

So how can we be prepared when we don’t know what is coming? This is where I think we can learn a lot from our grandparents. One of the biggest things I remember from my grandmothers was that God always came first. Any time I visited with Grandma Weaver she always wanted to know how she could pray for us. She would remind us that everything was in Gods hands but that we had a part to play as well. This week I was reading though Malachi and it talks about how the priests were using imperfect animals for their offerings and God wasn’t impressed. When we expect God to follow through 100% He expects the same from us. We need to make sure that we are putting our best foot forward each day to do better then the day before and to seek after His will. Have you ever given your child a treat and told them to share with their sibling? My boys are really good at sharing the bare minimum. I say share these 2 cookies with your brother and instead of giving the other boy and entire cookies so they each have one, the giver will break a tiny piece off of one cookie and hand it to the other. They are technically doing what I asked but not the way I wanted them to. How often do we act as my boys did with their snack? We give God the minimum but not the best? What does that even mean, to give God our best? Some days as a mom and a wife and a teacher, I struggle just to do the bare minimum between the boys fussing, the animal chores that don’t go smoothly, the supplies for my lessons not showing up on time or the general hiccups of the day. Those are the days that I am so glad that God is gracious and merciful and realizes that we are human and we mess up. But the point is, if we are putting God first then we have no reason to fret or panic when troubling times come. So point #1 Go to God with your prayers but make sure you are seeking his will not your own.

Point #2 is finding ways that make sense for you and your family to be more resourceful.

Growing up I loved hearing stories about my dads growing up years and the adventures he would have on the farm. Dad used to say that the only time Grandma sat down was if she was mending something. She worked hard and was resourceful with what she had. There are so many ways to be resourceful and nowadays taking the time to mend socks is not one of them lol I’ve tried that and my husband was not super appreciative of his brightly decorated heels. But there is something to be said about learning how to make some of your own things. I’ve attempted my own summer dresses a time or two and the last one actually turned out nice! Lol to be honest I kind of surprised myself! But being resourceful could be reusing items or buying items that can have multiple purposes. I love the idea of handy-me-downs. We have bags of clothes that circulate between 5 or 6 families in this area. You take out what you can use, add what you don’t need and pass it along to someone else. Growing up that was one of my favorite Sundays! We had a mom from church with what I thought was a rather stylish daughter and I loved getting her old clothes! With that being said, the idea of minimizing the clothes that you do have is also a way to practice being more intentional plus it takes up so much less space. A few episodes ago I mentioned that we did a big clothing and stuff purge. I can’t wait to be able to finally put the winter stuff away and pull out the summer clothes because I want to once again go through all their winter items and downsize what we don’t really need. Being resourceful could also look like being creative in terms of meal planning. My Grandma Newswanger was an amazing cook but she was very resourceful about making meals and using leftovers and not wasting. I need to get better at this one! Ok so point #2 is finding ways that make sense for you and your family to be more resourceful with what you have so you don’t have access and waste.

Point #3 is to get out of your comfort zone, get your hands busy and be creative about how you can help your family.

I guess this one kind of ties into the last point but I love the saying that we should thrive for busy hands not to be a busybody. Both of my grandmothers were very hard workers and always were creative in helping to make ends meet. I was listening to the Joy Filled podcast the other morning and she was talking about all the different ways you can get creative and make money for your family so that you can afford to stay home with your babies and that is what our Grandparents had to do as well. Grandma Newswanger helped with the family dairy farm but she also did side hustles, if you will, like quilting for others, raised and sold guinea pigs. Some folks sell their homemade crafts, some sell with an MLM like I do with Monat, some work online as proofreaders or social media managers or they babysit for friends. The possibilities are endless. But the idea is those woman were always working. They were doing something that was going to benefit their family. Just thinking of how the Proverbs 31 woman was described. She sold things in the market and made land purchases. She wasn’t just sitting around idly. So point #3 is to get out of your comfort zone, get your hands busy and be creative about how you can help your family.

Point #4 is that we need to find gratitude and contentment in every day and every situation

A final characteristic that I saw both of my grandmothers display was contentment. Society has this comparison trap that it loves to set for us to fall into. I mean just simply scrolling through social media those thoughts can start running rampant. I wish I had this or that, or man life would be so easy if I was so in so or had what they have. That is not to say that we should want to do better for ourselves and be looking to improve our situation quite the opposite. I think God always wants us striving to be better. There’s this idea that God made us perfect just the way we are and although yes he took a lot of time and effort into the creation of each one of us, we are still imperfect. It is only with Christ that we can become whole and unbroken. We need to learn how to find joy right where we are even though we are striving to do better. So point #4 is that we need to find gratitude and contentment in every day and every situation because complaining and comparing does nothing positive.

What old fashioned lessons can we apply now?

Ok so let's recap. If I want to be more prepared for the unexpected I need to #1 Put God First. #2 be resourceful with what God has given me. #3 Have busy hands but not be a busybody and finally #4 Find gratitude and contentment where I am at but always realize that God has more doors to open when His timing is right. These four areas seem so simple but when those hard situations arise, it can be easy to miss the obvious. So as you go through this week, no matter if you are in a easy time or a hard patch keep these four ideas in the back of your mind and its my prayer that these words help you. I know sometimes when I write my thoughts I feel like God just pours the words out and then the next time… I wonder if I heard him right lol but I know that God is always working even when we can’t see him in action. I would love to hear what old fashioned lessons you use to make life smoother!

- Lindsay

How Can we Mother Like Mary? - Everyday Lessons that Mary can teach us

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 16:52:57 GMT

Have you ever considered that Mary was just any other young mom, like you and I?

I know mothers day is a few weeks away still but sitting in our Easter Service this past Sunday had me thinking about Motherhood in a different perspective… Mary’s perspective. I think sometimes we do one of 2 things. We either overlook her completely even though she was a young mother, just trying to figure it all out, as many of us are doing. Or she is put up on this pedestal as being almost a celebrity, anyway that’s my perception looking from the outside at varying religious aspects.

But when I think of Mary I think she would have been just another mama in our weekly Bible study, chatting over a cup of coffee about the silly things her son did that week or asking questions about how to lead that same child down the right path. Motherhood hasn’t changed .

The situations may look a little different but I believe the questions were probably the same .

Is my child meeting his or her milestones the way they should be?
Am I meeting their needs, not codling but not being to hard on them?
Are they going to thank me when they get older or did I mess up somehow?
Am I creating a strong enough foundation for them in God’s ways that they will be prepared for the future?

And I’m not sure if this should be a comfort or a worry that in all these years, we are still facing the same questions… In some respects I think motherhood has to be easier for us then it was for Mary because I mean she had some added pressure on her shoulders. She was raising God’s son! But we have to remember that even though Jesus was God’s son, he was still human. That’s another fact that sometimes we forget. Just like our babies he had to learn to crawl and then walk and talk. He still felt sadness and pain when he fell and scraped his knee. I’m sure he felt joy and humor when someone told him a joke. I’m sure he got mad or frustrated when he had a hard time learning something new and Mary had to help him to learn and understand how to handle those emotions just like any other child. Yes, Jesus was perfect and sinless but he still had to learn.

We don’t see much insight into Jesus’s growing up years but I assume Mary had many conversations with God asking for guidance. I am sure when he was older and had started his ministry that her prayers turned to asking for her son’s safety and that his message would be received well. We do the same thing. And when the events of their life take a turn for the scary or painful we are praying to take that away from them. Years ago I saw the movie The Passion of the Chris t and the scene that has always stuck out to me but now more so as a mother myself is when Jesus is carrying his cross and he stumbles. Mary is in the crowd and she cries out to him, reaching for him to comfort him and it pans to years before when as a toddler he fell and hurt himself and Mary scooped him up to sooth his pain. That is all we want to do, we want to protect our children to keep them from experiencing any pain or heartache but we can’t always do that. I think of the mothers who see their children go through drug and alcohol addictions and as mothers we question what did we do wrong to allow them down this path, or the mothers who children are suffering cancer or a disease that is incurable and they see their baby withering away and there is no rime or reason that we can understand for the cause of this pain and we question why this had to happen to our baby. There is so much pain in this world and as mothers so often like Mary we just want to take it away from our child. We want to catch them before they fall or we ask to take their suffering.

But what we can’t fathom in those hard moments is what the bigger picture is. Jesus knew that he had to finish his path in order to save us all and Mary had to allow that to happen even though the pain Jesus went through was unimaginable. She had to trust that God knew what he was doing. When I started this message today I honestly wasn’t sure where God was going to lead it but I want to encourage you. Hard times will come. We do the best we can as mothers and the rest we have to hand over to God because we are not enough without him. We don’t know the bigger picture of our heartaches and pains especially when it comes to our children but I want to encourage you that those experiences are not for nothing. God wants to hold us in our struggles and comfort us just like Mary wanted to do for Jesus but He also sees the bigger picture which we can’t. So as you go through this week and even the next few, think of Mary when you are struggling with motherhood and realize she was just like us. Another mama trying to do her best and build her son up to his full potential. Remember that God is on our side especially in the hard moments when it feels like we are alone.

So how did Mary do it?

Prayer and Sacrifice

Because Jesus hadn't yet died for our sins the Holy Spirit was only to be found in the temple. He/It however you want to word it, didn't reside IN US yet. So I am sure that Mary did all she could to keep in the guidance of God.

Patience and Understanding

She had to be willing to hand over her fears and worries to God and understand that HE had a bigger plan. Even though Jesus was blameless and never sinned, Mary still had to teach him about life which I am sure took patience I mean here was a kid who could do no wrong and was 100% honest about how he felt so that had to be frustrating for Mary sometimes. I know when my kids have 1000's questions and I'm exhausted I just want them to accept my response. I could see Jesus as a kid who kept asking why.

One day at a time

We can only take care of one day at a time. Mary knew that Jesus was meant for something more but I don't think she knew what that meant in the end, not really. We don't know what trials and tribulations we are going to face, but we have to take each new day on as just that... a new day.

Following in Mary's footsteps is no easy task but we have to remember she was no different than you or I. Just another young mother trying to figure it out, day by day, asking for guidance from God with each new challenge.

If you would like to hear more on this, make sure to hop over to my podcast for a similar message but with a voice to match and a few more examples.

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that with purchases I may earn a small percentage. Please know that your purchases cost you nothing extra and your action helps to provide for this site and in turn our family*

-Lindsay

Books to Add to your Homeschooling List

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 19:37:10 GMT

What Books are Best?

Reading is so important! Instilling a love for reading happens early on. Here are some of our favorites to use not only for homeschooling but also for everyday use! This is going to be a growing document so please come back often and visit! As we read more or I find the kids are drawn to certain stories, I will add them to the list.

Kindergarten

Wipe Clean Number Writing by Usborne

Big Book of Big Tractors by Usborne

Dr. Seuss Collection by Dr. Seuss

Curious George Book Set by H.A. Rey

NIV Adventure Bible

First - Third Grade Text (Read Aloud and Independent Reading)

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrim by Rush Limbaugh

Rush Revere and the American Revolution by Rush Limbaugh

Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner by Rush Limbaugh

Magic Tree House Book Set by Mary Pope Osborne

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla

Beginner History Box Set - Published by Usborne

Beginner Science Box Set - Published by Usborne

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

The River by Gary Paulsen

Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen

Brian's Hunt by Gary Paulsen

Brian's Return by Gary Paulsen

What are some of your favorites? I'd love to hear!

Easy Homeschool Evaluation Binder Checklist

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:39:30 GMT

What should I include in my Homeschool Binder to be Evaluated?

One of the most stressful activities as a homeschool parent can be prepping for the annual homeschool evaluation! I wanted to make sure that I didn't mess up and cause issues when I know that my son had accomplished so much during the year.

What I found was that I had nothing to worry about! In reality, the goal of an evaluator is to make sure that your child is progressing. They should give you suggestions as to how to improve but overall it should be a positive experience.

Gabe and I showed up to our first evaluation with 2 3" binders holding EVERYTHING we had done during the year. Every worksheet, every packet, EVERYTHING! I was informed that I had overprepared. So that was a breath of fresh air!

To make my life easier this year, I created a checklist and printable of highlights to keep it simple and uniform from year to year. I have 5 children, 4 of which I plan to homeschool all of their years so I don't have space to keep 2 3" binders for each year for each child. Space saving is important but I also want them to be able to look back and see their accomplishments.

What areas should I include?

I created a FREE Easy to Use - Homeschool Evaluation Binder Checklist and Guide covering the following areas.

Cover - "All About Me" Picture and Highlights - This is one of my favorite parts because it allows a snapshot of my child. When I look over the years I want to see how my kid has grown and what their favorites were from one year to the next!

Attendance Sheet - For planning purposes I use my Rooted Planner to keep track of all the lessons we do day to day but most planners overlap in years, so I do keep them just somewhere else. But I want to have, again, a snapshot of what days we did school. So on the calendar sheet I simply mark with an "X" which were school days.

Homeschool "Curriculum" Plan - Everyone's objectives may differ based on how the run their school program but at the start of each year I come up with the goals I want my child to complete by the end of the year. Usually in January I do a review and see where we are at and what we still need to accomplish. Then on this page I make notes of if we accomplished the goal, if we are still working on it, or if it needs to be moved to the following year.

Reading Book Log - The more children I have and the older I get, the worse my memory seems to be! Each year I work hard to keep a running list of all the books and authors that my child reads independently as well as ones we use for Reading Together. This reading out loud was something our last year evaluator really emphasized as being super important and I can remember my elementary years where I really enjoyed that. It allowed my creative mind to picture what was being read rather then having to focus on the words themselves. So why right them down? That way the next child that hits that grade, I have a list of what we enjoyed to work off of and add to.

Field Trip Highlights - I believe in hands-on learning and a great way to do that is through field trips. Immersing yourself in a situation that uses different brain parts can really excite kids to learn, I know I really enjoy it! This is another one of the pages I am excited to look over in the future to remember all our fun experiences!

Subject Samples (English, Math, Science, History, Art, Music, and Bible) - This is where I went overboard in the past! Focus on a select number of samples (like 5-10) that show growth and mastery of a subject or that really highlight something your child did well in. Maybe it is the public teacher in me... but I always keep the quizzes and tests that we take in this section as well.

Year in Review - Finally, this part is kind of a journal entry to me as well as to my child. I add things that were highlights, what worked well, what didn't work well, what I would do differently and what I am looking forward to in the next school year.

Make sure to check out my FREE PRINTABLE Homeschool Evaluator Checklist and Guide to save yourself headache and time! Feel free to tweak it as you see fit! I also have several links below of items that we found helpful when organizing our Keepsake Binders!

What supplies do I need?

Expanding File - To organize papers throughout the year

1" Binder - Just the right size to keep the highlights but not everything

Tabs/Dividers - Easy way to divide each section

Hole Punch - Must have for homeschooling

Some of the links within this article are affiliate links which means it doesn't cost you any more purchase but I may receive a small commission. Please know that I only recommend products that we actually use and that each purchase with these links helps to support this business and in turn, our family.

Easy Homeschooling - Kindergarten Learning Objectives and Plan

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:56:08 GMT

Kindergarten Homeschool Objectives and Materials...

There are so many foundational lessons taught this year that parents don't want to mess up, but the truth is, your children are going to learn to read, write and do math eventually and no one is going to ask them if they learned it in preschool, kindergarten or first grade! So, take a deep breath and know that you can do it!

Reading

Word Study

Letter sound
Sight words
Rhyming

Fluency

Reading aloud as a family each night

Comprehension

Tell a story using wordless pictures
Sequence story events using pictures
Identify characters, setting, and events of a story
Make predictions in a story and ask appropriate questions

Texts we are using : The Good and The Beautiful K Language Arts

Writing

Writes legibly

Print correct letter shape, size, spacing, and smoothness

Written language

Sight words
Interpret own writing

Speaking

Speak effectively with appropriate volume
Participate in discussions
Remain on topic

Listening

Listen effectively by looking at speaker
Respond to and ask appropriate questions

Texts we are using : Memoria Press - Copybook K

MATHEMATICS

Numeration
Complete and produce patterns
Recognize and print numerals 0-100
Count using 1:1 correspondence
Count by 2’s to 20
Count by 1’s, 5’s and 10’s to 100
Identify numbers before and after

Operations
Solve simple addition and subtraction problems

Measurement
Sort objects using varying attributes
Recognize a penny, nickel, dime, & quarter
Tell time to the hour

Geometry
Identify shapes

Texts we are using: Abeka K

SCIENCE

Our focus is learning about the world that God gave us.

Texts we are using: The Good and the Beautiful

SOCIAL STUDIES

Our focus is to learn about the unique continent that we live on.

Text we are using : Notgrass History - Our Star Spangled Story

PERSONAL SKILLS

Color neatly
Knows address and phone number
Can use a scissors safely
Identify left and right
Knows birthday
Print first/last name

GYM

Physical skills
Daily chores
Run and play outside daily

Cooperation
Play cooperatively with others
Identify and demonstrate basic safety rules

ART

Identify basic colors, shapes and lines and use them in a composition
Use tools and materials appropriately
Demonstrate use of fine motor skills
Clean-up workspace

MUSIC

Move and play to a steady beat
Distinguish sounds and the way we use our voices
Discriminate sensory contrasts – fast/slow, loud/soft, long/short, high/low and same/different.
Sequence and sing words and actions for songs

Our Learning Checklist

(See below for a Downloadable Version or a FREE Blank Version)

Remember that homeschooling can be challenging! If you are looking for more help, I have an option for you! Check out our New Homeschool Consultation Services!

Easy Homeschooling "What Should I Accomplish" Checklist - 3rd Grade

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 19:56:29 GMT

What do we REALLY need to know by the end of 3rd grade?

When we started homeschooling my husband wanted to make sure our oldest son was where he needed to be, content wise. At our first homeschool evaluation we were told we needed to relax a bit because we were overdoing it. It can be hard transitioning from the teaching in the public school to teaching at home... there are some wires that need to be reconnected and we are working on that, but I do think you need a good game plan. Here is the checklist we are using this year for third grade. These points have been gleamed from many sources and modified to our own liking.

Math?

I can multiply and divide within 100 to solve word problems
I can find the unknown number in a multiplication or division problem
I can fluently multiply and divide
I can use place value to round numbers to the nearest 10 or 100’s
I can fluently add and subtract within the 1000’s
I can multiply one digit numbers by multiples of 10’s
I can tell time to the minuet
I can measure liquid volumes and masses of objects
I can represent data in a graph and analyze the data
I can measure half and fourth of an inch (ruler work)
I can measure area by counting unit squares
I can solve perimeter problems
I can label fractions on a number line
I can explain equivalent fractions
I can categorize shapes based on attributes
I can divide shapes into equal parts and express it as a fraction

English?

I can identify and define common suffixes and prefixes
I can decode mult-syllable words
I can read and write all my sight words
I can read with fluency and comprehension
I can identify the moral of the story
I can understand how characters affect a story
I can ask and answer questions about text
I can identify the main idea of a nonfiction text
I can compare and contrast two nonfiction texts on the same topic
I can identify and explain nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs
I can form and use irregular nouns and verbs
I can write using correct capitalization and punctuation and spelling
I can write an opinion piece
I can write a detailed narrative
I can write an informative / explanatory text
I can conduct a research project about a topic

Science?

Planets, sun, moon - More in depth about characteristics of each
Understand the food chain and animal life in more detail
Basic concepts of geography (oceans, lakes, states, etc.)
Understand how scientists, their careers, and contributions relate to scientific discovery and advancement
Demonstrate an ability to engage in scientific inquiry
Participate in hands-on activities and simple experiments to learn basic scientific concepts and take on the role of scientists
Understand how Earth science and Biology are intermixed
See how scientific concepts apply to daily life

Social Studies

Get into details of how other people live around the world
Identify the purposes of government and how the U.S. government functions
Explore competition versus economic impact and how global economies have an interdependent relationship
Expand their understanding of geography, in relation to physical elements and processes, and how people and their activities shape the environment

Other Goodies?

Bible - Daily Devotions
Art - Doodling
Gym - Jujitsu
Life Skills - Cooking and Sewing
Typing - Basic Skills

Why have a Checklist?

At the end of each school year, homeschools visit with an evaluator. This check list not only makes sure we are on point to finish everything we need to be successful but it also makes prepping for that evaluation even easier! If you are curious about the materials we used for each of these categories make sure to check out Homeschooling for Beginners!

Simple Homemade Laundry Detergent

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 03:35:49 GMT

Why is it so hard to find a GOOD laundry detergent?

If you are like me, I am always looking for something better, something more sustainable, and something more effective! Searching for something like laundry detergent sounds so silly but we needed a product that met these demands...

It had to work well ! We live on a homestead and life gets messy!
It had to be acceptable for sensitive skin . Both Odin and I react to almost everything fragrance wise!
It had to be cost effective . There is no need to spend an arm and a leg on detergent when you have 5 babies to feed!

Needless to say, we struggled to find one that worked with all of these areas... So, what's a gal to do except make her own!

Here is an easy-to-follow recipe that DID hit all of our needs!

All you need to get started is...

Directions

Grate 1 bar of Grandma's Lye Soap into a pot. Add enough water to cover shreds and on medium heat, melt. Make sure to watch closely because this can cook over fast!
Pour melted mixture into your clean 5 gallon bucket.
Add 2 cups of Borax to the 5 gallon bucket and start adding hot water. Stir to dissolve.
Once dissolved, add 2 cups of Super Washing Soda. Keep stirring and adding water till you have your bucket almost full. Stop about 2" from the top of the bucket.
Mix well. Then let sit for 24 hours.
Mix well before each use. Use 1 cup of mixture per load of laundry.

I would love to hear how this recipe worked for you! Make sure to leave a comment below.

Easy Blueberry Sourdough Scones

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 04:27:57 GMT

Why are baked goods so much better at coffee shops?

I needed to find a recipe that would take care of my craving so I wouldn't need to spend the time or extra money stopping at the local coffee shop for a quick breakfast. After playing around with this one for a bit, I think I have it nailed down! I am one who needs easy baking, and this is a great option!

It will not last long that the boys actually WANT to help me with things... So I am trying to remind myself how important it is to include them now! This morning as I mixed up the scone dough Clayton asked to help. I was listening to a podcast later in the morning and she commented that we need to teach younger generations skills like baking, homesteading, homemaking... because many of those items have been lost on my current generation. I want my boys to appreciate what it means to have homemade food.

What do you need?

1 Cup Cornmeal

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Sugar (I use just under 1/2 a cup)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Stick of Butter (It works best if this is really cold and chopped into pieces

2/3 Cup Sourdough Starter

2 Eggs

1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 Cup Blueberries (frozen or fresh)

Honey (drizzle topping)

Directions...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and Bake for 15-25 mins (Stones take more time, Metal Pans take less time)

NOTE: If you are using a Stone to bake on, preheat your stone in the Oven.

Mix Cornmeal, Flour, Baking Powder, Sugar and Salt well and set aside.
Mix eggs and vanilla together well then add to dry ingredients.
Mix gently. Then cut in butter and create a crumbly mix. Fold in your blueberries as well as you can. If you use fresh it can be hard not to squish them...
Once everything is incorporated in, create a log of dough and then cut into triangles. Lay out on a Stone or Greased pan. If you are looking for new cookware, make sure to check out the link below for some Cast Iron!
Drizzle with honey before baking
Bake for 15-25 mins.

Enjoy!

3 Additions to our Home for an Effective Simpler Living - My Wishlist

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:55:51 GMT

10 ways to Ditch the Modern and Start Over Simpler!

As the boys are growing, I am seeing the importance of living simpler. I think that starts with our mindset and then shifts to our environment. Recently, I talked about downsizing the clutter in my Podcast Episode: Less is More . Along the same lines I am wanting to focus on a healthier and more sustainable life for my kids. So, here are the top 10 items I am hoping to add to our life in the next year!

Simply Living - What I hope to switch to...

#1 Cast Iron - Dutch Oven

In a move towards healthier living, I am trying to move my family towards SOUR DOUGH! I am currently using my Pampered Chef Rockcrok but I am looking for an additional method. From the research I've done, cast iron seems to be a much healthier option compared to non-stick. I am excited to add this Dutch Oven to my kitchen! See the link below for the one I would like to add!

#2 Cast Iron - Loaf Pans

So many times people think sour dough has to be in a beautifully decorated lump but when you have boys that eat a lot of sandwiches, you need bread that is a bit more uniform in size! We have 2 tin loaf pans that NEED replaced! They are falling apart! This is what I want to replace them with because I found a great tutorial HERE on the loaf shaping! Click on the link below to see the ones we would like to add!

#3 Emergency Lighting - Oil Lanterns

It never seems to fail that if we are going to lose power, it happens at dinner time when food is cooking or when the sun has just set. I have created quite a stockpile of candles over the years but have some concerns about the "healthiness" of their ingredients. SO an alternative is Lanterns. I would like to hang 2 hooks in the kitchen corners, 2 in the living room and one in the back room, that way when we lose power I have the downstairs pretty well covered and I don't have to worry about candles all over the place! Click below to see which ones we hope to add!

Planning Your Garden In 3 Easy Steps

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 17:18:50 GMT

What to plant? When to start? When to transplant?

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel! Here is what I have created for our garden this year. Hopefully, it will help you.

Please know that are affiliate links in this post, which means that I may get some commission off any purchases. But please understand that I only suggest products that I myself would use and love, and I hope that you love them too!

#1 What to plant?

It can be so hard trying to figure out where to start when you want to create your own produce. You need to take into consideration your Growing Zone and Frost Dates. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ is a great resource to find your Zone. As for Frost Dates, check out https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates

Consider what your family eats regularly and make a list of what you want to grow. Then start researching where you want to get your seeds from. A few of my favorites are ...

https://www.organic-heirloom-seed.com/

https://rohrerseeds.com/

Make sure to mention you heard about them HERE!

#2 and #3 When to Start Seeds and Transplant Seedlings?

Once you have laid out your planting schedule, you need to make sure you have supplies for starting those seeds! Check out my post Growing Simple Foods in Your Kitche n for some more tips and tricks, but below are items that also might be helpful! I would love to see your garden progress! Feel free to share them with me at rootedinfaithfamilyfarmlife@gmail.com

Best Books for Christian Moms

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 02:36:15 GMT

How can we grow as Christian Moms?

The saying, "you can't pour from an empty cup" has never been truer then when you're a mom! My boys take so much from me, mentally, emotionally, physically and I love them dearly, but I need to make sure to refill myself daily. With their ages ranging so much, I think that is why I have been drawn to podcasts. But, after starting our church ladies' study, I realize that I absorb more, if I am actually looking at the pages and can mark them for later. So, today I wanted to share with you two books that I am reading right now that are winners in my eyes!

#1 Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyers

I have found this book to be very thought provoking. If you have never heard or read Joyce Meyers materials, she can be very “in your face” but in a good way. She doesn’t beat around the bush. She is very point, there is no fluff. It may seem obvious that our mind is a battlefield, but I had many lightbulb moments while studying this book. Our mind controls so much of our life and we have to keep it keen! If we don’t realize how those “things” around us are affecting us, we can fall victim to the enemy without even realizing how he is manipulating us! Her material is easy to read, using language that is easy to digest. Looking back, I have marked up this book a lot! Many good points that I want to be able to refer back to when I need a reminder. I highly recommend this one!

#2 #Momlife Devotional Study by Alison Wallwork

I found this devotional last year and have been working my way through it. The way Ms. Wallwork writes, it speaks directly to my heart! She uses her own life experiences, never glossing anything over but laying it out right as many of us mamas are living it. She takes a section of verses and focuses on that for an entire week; breaking down the meanings and digging deeper into helping you to apply the lessons to your own situations. With little time for quiet reflections, I like that each day's reading takes only a few moments, but it gets my mind in the right focus for the rest of the day. So, I can get at least a few sips of hot coffee and my morning devotion before having to start my morning routine with the kids. If you were to follow this devotional daily, there are 16 weeks' worth of materials and I have loved every word!

*This post does contain affiliate links. Please realize that if you purchase any of the items above, I may get a small commission. I have reviewed each one personally and would not recommend them if they weren't products I love and think you may love as well.

Growing Simple Foods at Home - Successful Tips from a Not-So-Green-Thumb

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:43:02 GMT

How can I grow my own food without a garden?

This time of year, I get that fever... the garden fever! It always happens when the coldest days hit, and I am trying to think of warmer days to come. Doing small growing projects during those cold months keeps that fever at bay. We just started the lettuce pictured below from a head we bought at the local grocery store! You can see the new leaf growth on top of the plant after only 3 days.

There is such a misconception about growing your own food. The idea that you need a large outdoor garden scares off many folks that could be growing their own produce right in their kitchen windows! Here are a few tips and tricks I have discovered when it comes to growing things indoors and in containers!

What should I plant?

Pick foods that you eat on a regular basis. Some are definitely easier than others! Lettuce, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, even potatoes are all pretty fool proof! You can opt to start seeds or in some cases you can use your unused produce from the store. Lettuce for example, if you leave about 1" remaining from the bottom of the plant, eat the rest, then take that bottom section and stick it in some moist soil. Within a few days you will start to see new leaf growth! Potatoes is another easy one. If you have one that starts to sprout in your fridge, you can plant it whole or cut it up (make sure there are eyes in each of the chunks) and new potatoes can grow!

What supplies will I need?

There is nothing wrong with starting small. All you really need are a few pots, some good potting soil, and what you want to grow! If you have the space for a larger vertical unit that's another great option! Below are a few options of supplies. Please know that are affiliate links, which means that I may get some commission off any purchases. But please understand that I only suggest products that I myself would use and love, and I hope that you love them too!

#1 Containers - You will need to consider your space as well as what you already have! There is no point in buying containers if you have things that you can make work. If you have windowsills available, these white rectangular planters are a great design. They even have a small water reserve window so you can make sure that there is enough water in the basin for your plants. Another option is to have an array of container sizes. This makes sense if you are growing herbs compared to tomatoes. Make sure they have some type of water catching tray on the bottom or you will end up with water all over your counters. These containers can easily be moved outside on a deck or patio when the weather gets nice. A third option is to go vertical! These stackable planters are great if you live in a tight space. You can also get grow lights if that is an area of concern. Again, use what you have though. If you have mason jars or 5-gallon buckets, use them! They may not look as pretty, but they get the job done!

#2 Soil - For the most part a basic potting soil will work just fine. As your plants grow if you notice any change in the leaf colors, you may need to do some research to see if you need to add a fertilizer to your care regimen. If you are starting seeds you may want to go with a specialized soil mix. These are better for moisture retention, but you don't have to. The same goes for choosing an organic version over a conventional. Either will get the job done, it's your personal preference. We try to grow our food with the least amount of chemicals that we can, but we are not fully organic. I do think that it is important to know what goes into and onto your food.

#3 Seeds and Starters - There are many seed companies out there. I have bought from Burpee, Walmart, our local hardware store... and to be honest they all seem to do about the same germination wise. This year I decided to try to Country Creek LLC . So, we shall see what their germination rate is. We also saved plenty of our green-bean seeds from last year's plants, so I am excited to see how they do! If you are going to use items from your grocery store, I haven't found that it matters what variety or type it is. So, before you toss out that tomato that sat too long or the end of the lettuce that no one eats, plant it!

No matter what you grow or how you grow it, the importance is that you are supplying for yourself! You may not be able to replace all the food that you eat in your windowsills, but it is a good start.

Finding Clarity through life's Fog - The Battlefield of our Mind

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 04:55:01 GMT

How do we protect our minds through life's battlefield?

It amazes me how much control we allow Satan to have over our minds. Most times not even realizing that we are allowing it to happen. Joyce Meyers writes in her book Battlefield of the Mind, “One of the devil’s strong points is his patience” she says “He begins by bombarding our mind with a cleverly devised pattern of little nagging thoughts, suspicions, doubts, fears, wonderings, reasonings, and theories. He moves slowly and cautiously… He has studied us for a long time”.

Ok, first off, does that scare anyone else!?! I have always pictured the devil as this creep, lurking in the dark, never coming out until he sees a vantage point. I never thought of him as one who was planned out. I think we often overlook his intensity and his art of strategy. We need to remember that his end goal is destruction and death! And that focus is not just placed on us, but he is zoning in on those around us, specifically our children.

So how do we fight Satan and his lies?

That phrase, you are what you eat, is so relevant when we talk about our mind. We are what we think…. Meaning our thoughts become our actions. So, we need to make sure that our minds are sharp and uncluttered. The other night during our ladies Bible study, our leader used the example of carrying around two trash bags. Think of them teaming and overflowing with all the fears, doubts, negative thoughts, anxieties, and so on.

Ephesians 6:13-17 says “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

I don’t know about you, but I can only juggle so much. There is no way that I am going to be able to carry those two bags of trash full of Satan's lies while wearing the armor of God! And that is what she was trying to illustrate. In order to grab our sword, we have to drop the trash!

So, if we want to keep our focus, we need to keep our weapons sharp. The Bible is our main weapon. I know that is an area I am working on. The more you read and study and absorb the faster and more confident your reaction can be when Satan tries to throw more trash at you! In the same respect, when you have a better understanding of what God’s truths are, you can pick out the devils lies a lot easier.

Don't you love those Lightbulb Moments?

In the last two or three weeks I have been so much more aware of my thought patterns. You know when one of your kids is trying to be sneaky, but you literally see them doing the act and you call them out and they try to play it off real cool. I have had several times this week where I have thoughts pop into my head and that is automatically what I imagine. I see the devil trying to sneak in these negative thoughts or these doubts and when I call him out on the action, he does one of those “you didn’t see anything” magic moves and runs off, like my kids do when they’re sneaking a cookie after I told them they couldn’t have it.

We need to realize that this battle with Satan isn’t going to end while we are here on earth. He is patient as he continues to plot away. We don’t have to let that frustrate or discourage us! As long as we know how to identify the enemy, we can battle him. We need to realize that we are not in this fight alone. The Bible says that it is not through our own determination but through the Lord that we will succeed.

We also need to realize that we are human, and we will mess up. But there is no screw up so big that God would ever walk away from us. Yes, we have to be the ones to repent and come back to Him. But God will always be there waiting for us to see our error and return home. So, rest assured of that fact. Genesis 28:15 says “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” God has a plan for every single one of us. We have each been designed differently with unique gifts. We need to find those gifts and use them for glory!

God has a better plan!

The more I think about my past, the more excited I am for my future! God’s plan is so much bigger than our plan. He is placing us where we need to be, around the people we need to be around and in His perfect timing. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 .

We don’t know what God is going to call us to do. And the more I dive into understanding my God Gifts (that’s an upcoming blog post!) I am realizing how much more He wants me to be! But in order to use our gifts to their fullest possibilities we need to keep our minds focused on the prize, focused on salvation!

If you haven’t read the Joyce Meyers book Battlefield of the Mind , please grab a copy. I will put a link below. This book has changed my thought process; and in just the first few chapters I’ve already experienced lightbulb moments! The link below is an affiliate link which means I may get a small commission if you purchase through it. But please realize that the items I suggest are ones that I love and hope that you will love too!

Cloth Diapering - If I did it all again...

newswangerlr@gmail.com (Lindsay Spurrier) — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:00:03 GMT

How do I get started with cloth diapering?

Consider your reasoning for starting with cloth diapers
Set a budget range that you want to keep
Compare and contrast your cloth diaper options to find a setup that will fit your needs and budget!

In my episode Kinda Crunchy Mom Mode, I mention some of the basics to our cloth diapering journey. In the next Thursday's episode, I dive much deeper into the options, but here are the basics of what I would recommend for anyone starting their cloth diaper journey or I should say if I had to start all over, this is the route I would go.

Why should I cloth diaper?

#1 Cost - In an article by CostStudy.org the average family spends $2,445 in disposable diapers for one child… Not including pull-ups and overnight diapers for the potty-training stages. We have 5 boys so that adds up fast!

#2 Environmental Concern - Amber Keefer wrote an article for oureverdaylife.com and explained that in a landfill it takes a diaper 500 years to decompose because of how they are buried… Diapers need to be exposed to light and oxygen to break down and when they are buried that doesn’t happen. In her 2018 article she explains that the EPA reports an average of 20 billion disposable diapers go to the landfill each year! That blew me away, I didn’t realize it was so much!

#3 Chemical concerns - Noreen Kassem does a great job explaining all the ingredients that go into a disposable diaper in her 2017 article on hellomotherhood.com. I have personally known several babies allergic to disposable diapers. We did have a concern with that for Odin; he seemed to react to certain brands. Call me naïve, but I never thought to question the ingredients in products till later in life!

Where can I find my cloth diapering supplies?

There are so many different options but if I were doing it all over again in my current season of life, this is what I would go with!

Prefolds and PUL Covers - For a newborn I would go with 36 newborn diapers and 10 covers. The Kawaii Baby brand or Thirsties makes adjustable covers that can grow with baby. I really like those, but you can also get different sized covers if you prefer. I would get 1 pack of snappis and make sure I have a diaper pail bag. As well, the diaper sprayer attachment is a must!

83.85 (36) diapers

50.82 (10) covers

9.99 (1) pack of small snappis

19.95 (1) large wetbag for dirty diapers

39.95 (1) sprayer

Total = $204.56

As baby grows, I would add 24 of the medium size prefolds. With our boys we have been able to use that size up until they were around 2 years old.

76.00 (24) diapers

10.00 (1) pack of large snappis

Total = $86.00

Then I feel like potty training is the hardest stage because each child is different as to how they go about this. When Steven gets to that point, we will probably go with 10 of the Thirsties Potty Training pants. We found with Odin that the “no pants” method worked well and thankfully he picked up on the whole concept fast.

197.50 (10) potty training pants

Total = $197.50

So overall you are looking at less than $500! And on top of that, if you have multiple kids, you can reuse your supplies!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the concept! Make sure to message me with the connections below!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention extra inserts! At night time (if you cloth at nighttime, you will want to bulk up your diapers since the babies are hopefully sleeping longer. We use a cloth prefold and add a charcoal bamboo insert! That seems to work well.

If you are doing some shopping make sure to check out GreenMountainDiapers.com and use the code ROOTED7CE for 7% off any Clotheez items! As well, I have a few links below if you can't find everything you need at Green Mountain!

*There are affiliate links in this post that I may get a small commission if you purchase from them, but know that these are products and brands that we know and love, and I hope that you will too!

Homeschooling Beginner Basics - How do we do it?

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 18:00:03 GMT

What do I need to get started homeschooling?

#1 A reason why you want to homeschool - this is important for the hard days when you see the school bus go by and think "man that would make life so much easier!"

#2 An explorative mind - You may need to try different things before you find what works best for your child

#3 A sense of determination - This time with your kid is going to be so worth it in the long run. Don't give up and don't give in to the nay-sayers!

What can homeschooling look like?

For Christmas two of the boys got these “Digging Adventure” activities. I was basically this hard clay brick with gems inside, and they had to chisel away with their little wooden mallets and chisels to find all the treasures. I loved watching them whittle away at the project! They sat for several hours working to free all of the gems and then our oldest spent even more time examining each find. This led to some great discussions about rocks and how each of the stones were different. This is the type of learning I want my boys to experience! There is nothing wrong with the brick-and-mortar school; I have been teaching at one for eleven years and I believe I have made a positive impact on my students and their learning… but that isn’t the only option!

We are currently using a mix of curriculum because I think that works best for us. We do all traditional paper versions. As the boys get older and the subjects get more complicated, there is always the option for videos or online activities but for now I think our kids are surrounded with too much technology as is and if I can reduce it during school time, at least a little, I will.

What materials do we use in a "typical" day?

Our typical day looks like Bible, English and Spelling, Math, Science or History, and Reading. Then as we go, we add more units here and there based on what we think Gabe needs. In the afternoon we encourage the boys to do Legos or arts and crafts. I make a hard effort to get the boys outside as much as possible, not just because our house is so small, but the fresh air is needed!

For Bible we are currently using The Action Bible Devotional by Jeremy V. Jones. The boys are all really big into superheroes, so this type of devotion book keeps their attention. It has lessons that are short and sweet, but there are a few questions at the end, all of which prompt you to look up a Bible verse. There are other times I will have him simply read certain verses, if I feel like he is struggling with certain things, or I want to emphasize certain life lessons.

English, Spelling and Math are strictly Abeka. I love that they are repetitive. I know for some kids they get bored with that style, but I feel like the repetition is needed for Gabe. There is always the option to skip a section if he has those skills down pat but most times the speed is good for him. We do add extra activities with the Spelling units just because I believe spelling and vocabulary are super important! There are parent guides that come with these. I am not strong in English, so I did get that one, but not the others.

In Science we do use Abeka’s main text, but I found Gather Round Homeschool materials by Rebecca Spooner and am loving adding in some of her units based on Gabes interests. Right now, he is big on birds, so we are working through her North American Birds unit! So, we do this on and off with the Abeka science.

For History we are loving the Fun-Schooling American History Timeline by Thinking Tree Books and plan to use their United States book this spring! It is structured with learning units, but the actual content is very open ended, so you have more freedom to be creative with how you want your curriculum to be structured. For example, when we were focusing on the Pilgrims, we read Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh, Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Bulla and even watched "FreeBirds". All of these items intertwined to add substance to our unit, and we were able to use the Fun-Schooling text to create timelines, draw pictures of the characters' lives, write down notes about important character details and so forth. Sometimes with less structure, there can be more creative discussions because you aren’t trying to cover point a, b, and c to finish the lesson.

I was a lover of books growing up. So that is another thing that I strongly encourage with all of the boys. Gabe is enjoying the Imagination Station series right now. We do read aloud as well but I try not to specifically schedule time that he has to read because I want him to do it because he wants to. So far that hasn’t been a problem!

For gym we attend jiu-jitsu practice at a local place every Wednesday and he also is on the Mifflinburg Elementary Wrestling team, so he has practice Monday and Wednesday evenings. Otherwise, he has chores every morning and evening with the animals and is often jumping on the trampoline. We encourage as much outside time as we can get the boys to do.

We are still trying to find a good way to do an actual music class. Right now, he loves to listen to all different types of music, and we would like to get him into playing an instrument, but I also don’t want him to have too much on his plate.

Homeschooling has been a great fit for us because I want to make sure I am seeing first-hand what my children are learning! It is hard and there are some days where I question if he is actually getting all he needs, but then I remember all the life lessons he is learning, and it is all worth it!

Will we do it differently next year for Clayton in kindergarten? Probably! But he is a different type of kid compared to Gabe so we will need to find a teaching style that fits him best. And that is the great thing about homeschooling, you are not set to any one type of teaching or material! I am also very excited to be adding in our own Agricultural Curriculum starting in 2022! Make sure to check in the SHOP area for the upcoming units!

Below are a few links to materials and supplies we have used and loved! They are technically affiliate links so I may get a small commission from any of the items your purchase. Rest assured they are items that we know and love and hope that you will love too!

Balancing Mom Life and Work Life - What does our day look like?

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 16:15:17 GMT

Is life balance really achievable as a mother?

As a teacher I learned long ago that to be on plan d, e, or f is something to be expected! I have tried to apply that flexibility in my life as a mom, but I have found that to be more of a struggle. I want to be the perfect mom, the best wife, a Pinterest homeschooling teacher, bossing it in my businesses, all these things and what I have learned is that perfection is not something I need to strive for. Just because I understand that doesn’t mean that it makes it any easier to accept. I am constantly praying for patience and guidance because I tend to get overwhelmed very quickly. My goal needs to be to move forward everyday with God as my focus. Even with that mindset, it doesn’t mean that I won’t have to chase the cows in my pjs when they escape or that the kids won’t break a window playing too rough in the living room, it just means that I can take a deep breath when those things happen and hear God's whisper saying, “it’s going to be ok”.

A day in our life varies based on if it is a weekday or a weekend. Right now, we are all home for the holiday season, so I’ve been experiencing an extended weekend flow. Sadly, this routine won't happen for long... then it is back to working as a full-time high school teacher by day, mom by evening and business owner by night!

8:30am So right now our morning starts when Odin and Clayton tend to wake up. I have always wanted to start my day before they get up, however, in this season of life, I am finding that I tend to get more work done after the boys are in bed. As I make breakfast, I love to have the kids playing at the table. I’ve heard of a lot of homeschool moms that use a “morning basket” and started that! It’s not a physical basket because we don’t have the space in the kitchen, but I have a small pile of goodies. We have Play-Doh, coloring books, mazes, just little things to get their brains working and to keep them out from under my feet while trying to prepare breakfast.

9-11am After eating, I will let the boys go play while I clean up the kitchen and get laundry started. If the kitchen at least can be clean, I feel like my brain works better. So, I focus on getting the dishes taken care of, prepping any baking that needs done, sweeping up and putting any toys or clothes the boys have dropped around the kitchen, away. Laundry is an ongoing battle. With five boys, laundry adds up quickly! So, we tend to do 1 to 2 loads a day. We do not have a dryer, so everything has to be line dried. The goal is to get one of those loads out on the line before lunch. While I’m working on these things, I have Gabe and hopefully Odin and Clayton go outside to do morning chores. With the animals, they need to be fed, they need watered, and they need to be cleaned. So, Gabe is a big help to care for the smaller animals. I also try to spend some time with baby Steven during this time. If he is clingy, I throw him in my baby carrier, and he is along for the ride while I do dishes clean up.

11-1pm Lunch is usually pretty simple at our home. Many days we do sandwiches, leftovers, or if Waylon is home from school, we might do ravioli or mac and cheese. He can be very very picky about what he wants to eat, the other boys, not so much. After eating Gabe jumps into schoolwork and the other boys go play. Steven usually goes down for a nap. I am so thankful he is a good napper because I need time to get work done too.

1-4pm During this time I help Gabe with his schoolwork. Thankfully he is very independent in his work so I set up my workstation near his school desk so I can be there to help him as he needs, but I can also work on my two businesses. This is also the time that if I need to do any sewing, household paperwork, ect as long as the younger boys are occupied, I can get work done. Often, I will have to take breaks to help the boys with drinks, or to play, or to referee.

4-6pm Meals can vary a lot at dinner time. I am not a strong meal planner but something we have started is that certain day's equal certain meals. Tuesday, for example, is always Tacos. Fridays are usually spaghetti. We often do Breakfast for Dinner at least one time a week, especially if we have an abundance of eggs that need to be used up. One thing with boys is that we don’t usually have leftovers; if we do, they are usually kept for lunch and not reused at dinner time. Steven usually wakes up from his nap as dinner is just finishing up.

6-9pm Evenings I try to keep for family time. Gabe has evening chores to do after dinner. I usually go out and help with the chickens as they are more my project than anyone else. The baby goes to bed around 7:30/8:00pm and then I can focus on the older boys. We read books, finish any schooling that Gabe didn’t do earlier, play games, do bath time and wait for Michael to come home from work. He has been working at two local dairies in the evenings from 4 to 8ish.

9-11pm Once the boys are finally tucked in, I get to work on my two businesses. Not only do I have Rooted In to work on but I am also involved in Monat.

It is crazy to think about all that happens in a day's time to make a home run. I have tried so many different schedules and time planning methods, but this example of block scheduling, I have found to be the most productive. When I am doing my worktime I try to have a list either on paper or mentally of what needs to be accomplished so I don’t try to multitask! That’s where I lose a lot of productivity… when I try to do too many things at once. Same for family time; I don’t want to be distracted from my kids. When it is family time, that needs to be my main focus.

How do you schedule your life? I’d love to hear your methods!

Make sure to check out my podcast for some uplifting mom moments! Just click the Listen Now button below.

The Cultivation of Rooted In

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 14:14:28 GMT

From my days of 4H and FFA, to High School Teacher and Mom...

I have taught high school agriculture education for 11 years! Growing up, 4-H was a big part of my life. I was in love with horses and joining 4-H was the perfect way to grow that passion. In high school I then added FFA to my extracurriculars. I knew I wanted to do something with animals and thought that veterinary work was where I wanted to head. My senior year I was elected as president of our 4-H club and realized that I loved teaching the younger kids. Paring this new love of teaching with my passion for animals, becoming an agricultural educator seemed like a solid fit!

During my college years I worked at Turpin Meadow Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming which cemented my horse fascination! I also had the opportunity to work for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau as an intern in the Agriculture Foundations family specifically developing curriculum materials for their Mobile Ag Lab!

Earning my first teaching position at Mifflinburg Area High School has been a whirlwind of experiences! I will always cherish the students that I’ve seen grow and the experiences that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Without all of these chapters in my life, I don’t know that I would have been brave enough to step onto this new path.

Rooted In – Faith, Family, Farmlife was created out of my desire to help others. I wanted to share my passion and experiences in terms of our homesteading and homeschooling chapters! When I made the decision to leave public education and follow my heart to homeschool my boys, I didn’t want that ability to influence others lives, to end. I still felt like God had put words on my heart that needed to be shared! Mom life is hard and I wanted to be a positive voice for moms just like me; hence the birth of the Rooted In podcast.

From the original idea of the podcast, this website was an extension. I needed a home for all my ideas. The deeper I have dug into homeschooling, I’ve realized there is a lack of agricultural learning materials for kids who are not involved in 4-H or FFA and I wanted to create those guides. I wanted to share tips and tricks for other moms looking to create more sustainable lifestyles for their families.

As you explore this website, it is my hope that you will find bits and pieces to encourage you, build you up, give you new ideas and inspirations! We are not meant to just live through life, God designed us to thrive!

-Lindsay

Rooted In

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