You can save money by reusing items instead of throwing them away. One year, I wanted Christmas stockings for my family. Rather than buy them at the store, I went through old clothes that I didn’t wear anymore and fabric leftovers that I keep for some unknown reason and used these materials to make the…
Life is full of shifting roles and a wide range of emotions that accompany the changes. Who would expect grief to become my companion after I sent my youngest off to public high school after spending over 20 years educating my children? During my first year of homeschooling, I found myself weeping on the doorstep…
One question I received was whether a homeschool curriculum is needed. Yes, I think one is. How else will you know if what you are teaching is age appropriate or grade level? How will you know for sure that you are going in the right order? Homeschool curriculum offer valued guidance I know how to…
Dear Homeschooling Mom, Quit being so serious—that’s one piece of advice I wish I’d learned earlier in my homeschooling days. You see, I worried constantly about messing up, not doing enough, missing some vital piece in the educational process. I feared not measuring up, letting my kids down, failing them. I let my insecurities rule…
Groceries are getting expensive! Here are some money saving food tips to help stretch your dollars. Common ways for saving money on food Don’t eat out except as a rare treat. Eating out is a fast way to spend money. It’s nice once in a while, but don’t make it a frequent habit. Somehow these…
Different stages means Christmas changes. I don’t just mean that we share our children with their in-laws; I mean the way I approach celebrating changes. It’s the way life goes. Remember the days when you tucked the little ones into bed in anticipation of Christmas morning, and they woke up earlier than ever? Groggy-eyed, I’d…
The holidays approach at lightning speed as they do every December. This season of celebrating Thanksgiving, the birth of Jesus, and the possibilities of a fresh, new year is supposed to be the most wonderful time, yet it can be difficult for some. Some holiday stressors are grief, finances, seasonal changes, loneliness, and overloaded schedules.…
Today’s the day I relaunch my blog. Here is what you can expect each week in my blogs. I’ll still include blogs to encourage you to embrace who you are and to be a God pleaser rather than a people pleaser. (I need reminders that God loves me, so I figure others do too.) But…
Veil of Winter is a Dericott Tale by Melanie Dickerson, a YA clean romance novel. In the novel, Princess Elyce’s father tells her she is too emotional and disgusting to him. He tells her God disapproves of her for not obeying her father, although her father is evil and unloving and should not be obeyed.…
Dead Air, a Waco Mystery by Mary L. Hamilton, addresses lies people believe because of clouded pain from past experiences. These erected walls cement bricks of pride and unforgiveness that lead to tragedies. Frustrated that her unemployed husband won’t accept less than his dream job, Kit Squires gives him an ultimatum. While listening to the…