Balance
Black Friday and Thoughts on Contentment
I saw a cartoon on facebook today that said,“Don’t you think it’s ironic that Americans spend the most money on new things the day after they say they’re grateful for what they already have?” This made me stop and think. Why are we so discontent with what we have? Why the push and the need for…
Thanksgiving Lessons-Learned List
Happy Thanksgiving! Here in the U.S.A., today is set aside as a day for worship, family, and food. If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner (or if you’re responsible for any preparations beyond just showing up at Grandma’s house), you will probably spend some part of this holiday consulting a list. You might think your grocery list…
Homeschooling, Homesteading and Living to Write About It
by Mary L. Allen Cold weather has arrived in the mid-west! Usually this means fewer outside chores for yours truly, but this fall on our homestead, I still have pastured poultry field pens to move and a hundred chickens to feed. Then it’s time to tote wood from the shed up to the house for…
Writing a Meal Plan
I recently had a nightmare about destroying my laptop by accidentally setting it on a hot burner on the stove. Once I awoke (and backed up my work), I made a decision: no more writing while cooking! This resolution lasted about two days, and if you’re a writer who is responsible for the cooking in…
Sacrificial Moments in a Homeshool Fishing Booth
Two of my homeschooling friends hosted a Fall Party this weekend. Perfect weather for it, too. We had outdoor games such as a “caramel apple walk”, treasure hunts, egg-and-spoon relays and a picnic-bonfire with a guitar-led sing-along time. At the outset, I found myself with another mom, slightly older than me and a complete stranger,…
Write Like an Eagle
What are your writing habits like? Do you wait for a break in your schedule before you sit down at your computer? Does the mood need to hit you? Do you only write when the moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars? (If you’re too young to get the reference, Google.)…
Breaking Sedentary Habits Through Vertical Work Stations
by Michelle Discavage Today I bring you practical tips to break your life of sedentary habits. I think we all know that prolonged periods of sitting and sedentary lifestyles are not in our best interest. We know we should be exercising, lifting weights, and eating well. Right? But did you know that in the January 18,…
Letting Go of Appearances
You already know the signs when something’s got to give. Overscheduled and overtired, you dread what you once enjoyed. Overextended and over-budget, essentials find their way to negotiable status. Daily living takes on a frayed look, tattered around the edges, which you most likely recognize because you’ve been there before or you’ve been there a…
The Sweet Rewards of Back to School!
This is my favorite time of year! The winds of fall bring fresh challenges, a renewal of perspectives and clean slates. Unexplored schoolbooks, sharpened pencils, excited children, motivated mama! I’ve found over the years, that *building up* the back-to-school plunge does wonders in terms of the ripple effect response in my kiddos. So every year…
Scheduling Your Family: How Do You Choose?
I hate to bid farewell to summer, the season of flexibility and spontaneity. Eventually, though, summer schedule gives way to fall, and the freedom to be flexible is replaced by appointments, deadlines, expectations. The whole family shifts to a more disciplined, scheduled life. And the hardest part, I think, is the time of transition when…