10 Books We Love on Art and Creativity

steal like an artist

We love books around here.  As a matter of fact, even though I don’t often make the time to just sit and read, I can’t help but want more books.  Printed books are my very favorite when it comes to books on art and/or creativity. 10 of My Family’s Favorite Books on Art and Creativity 1. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon This one was a fun and easy read.  Seriously, {Read More}

Many Little Links

An Imperfect Homeschool: Revelations from Behind the Blog – Jimmie’s Collage An honest account of some of their homeschooling truths, which don’t often come up on homeschooling blogs.  I loved this post so much, and it’s a great reminder that bloggers’ lives aren’t always what they appear to be on their blogs. 9 Awesome Baked Donut Recipes – Mom Advice We loved when we were using our donut pans last fall for pumpkin donuts from time to time.  I would {Read More}

7 Quick Takes: May 17, 2013 (Vol. 151)

good brother

~ 1 ~ I upped the WPM (words per minute) goal for both of my boys on our typing program this week.  Back when we started it, the program suggested a starting goal of 15 WPM for the kids.  Now, they consistently beat the goal.  In fact, this week, Noah did a speed test and came up with 26 WPM. I told him that I definitely needed to increase his goal.  He suggested maybe I should increase it to 16 {Read More}

10 Toys that Toddlers Love

10 Toys that Toddlers Love

  It’s been a while since I’ve had toddlers around my house.  However, after I was done having toddlers around the house, I spent five years working as an in-home developmental therapist to children under three with developmental delays and disabilities. That gave me a chance to try out a lot of toys and materials with a lot of different kids.  One of the things that I thought was especially fun about that was being able to see trends in {Read More}

Many Little Links

Many Little Links

  My best dozen pieces of homeschooling advice – Simple Homeschool Such fabulous homeschooling advice!  Heck – I think an awful lot of it is just great advice for parents in general. Why You Don’t Need Another Productivity Tool to Manage Your Time – Work…Your Way I’ve been guilty of this before.  You know, thinking that one more shiny gadget or planner or office supply is going to be the answer to all of my productivity problems.  None of those {Read More}

7 Quick Takes: May 10, 2013 (Vol. 150)

First Communion 2013

~ 1 ~ I can’t believe that I haven’t shared a picture of the most exciting thing that happened around here last month… And, with this wonderful event, all three of our children now receive Holy Communion. ~ 2 ~ I was getting pretty misty-eyed on the morning of the First Communion.  I couldn’t decide if it was because Molly is our only girl or because she is our youngest or if it was because I thought about helping her {Read More}

10 Things I’ve Learned about Myself While Homeschooling

family statue

I’m excited that just like last year, iHomeschool Network is hosting their 10 in 10 series starting now through the next 10 weeks.  As a member at iHN, I’ll be participating, and it will also mean some new faces in the link up for Top Ten Tuesday as well.  Fun! Don’t worry, non-homeschoolers, only a few of the weeks have topics that are specifically about homeschooling.  But, this week happens to be one of them.  I’m sharing some things that {Read More}

Communion Cards Review Plus a Giveaway

First Communion Cards

We feel very strongly about having big, special First Communion parties because we think that it is just one way that we show our kids that we think it’s one of the biggest, most special days of their lives.  While we’ve done a variety of things as far as invitations have gone over the years, it was a decision that came up each time. I recently got to check out the invitation offerings from Communion Cards, as well as some {Read More}

10 Ways to Relax When You’re Too Stressed

10 ways to relax when you're stressed

What helps one person get through a stressful situation is definitely different for each person. Here are some things that I’ve found that have helped me with either stressful situations or just times in life that have seemed more stressful in general. 10 Ways to Relax When You’re Too Stressed 1. Prayer. It’s a pretty darn good go-to in most situations, isn’t it? I find that sometimes when I’m super stressed though, I’ll start rehashing it all to God. Of {Read More}

New Experience #8: Taking the Kids to Adoration

taking kids to adoration

This is part of a two week series on Many Little Blessings where either I or my family try something that is a new experience and then reflect on it.  Check out all of the new experiences. —– The New Experience This is kind of true that it is a new experience.  The kids have actually been to Adoration once before while we were traveling and stopped in at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  However, they were all {Read More}