Until recently, I would have considered that an oxymoron. I grew up in a family that was really into coffee and its attendant paraphernalia. My parents were ahead of their time and owned a restaurant coffee maker. When I was a teen, they obtained a commercial espresso machine. Later came a coffee bean roaster. As … more
Every woman needs a tote bag, right? And we all have ideas of what a tote should be. One sees everything from posh designer leather to plastic grocery bags being used as totes. (Don’t be too quick to discount the grocery bags. There really is nothing better for putting wet or poopy clothes into.) I … more
I decided to do something new this year and post a quick review of the curriculum we used last year so we can all see how well it worked. 10th Grade Jacobs Geometry – I will admit it was a rough start, since Dusty was transitioning to self-teaching with a textbook from a video-based program. Once … more
I don’t know if there’s anything more overwhelming than shopping the vast beauty industry. At least for me. When I was younger, it seemed like every other girl had a natural knowledge of skincare, haircare, and makeup that I lacked. I floundered for awhile, then was swallowed into the super-conservative world for several years. Faces … more
Dusty – 11th Grade Precalculus – Dual-credit online class through LeTourneau University – LeTourneau is a college we are looking into for Dusty. When we found out that they had dual-credit online classes for half the cost of another online class we considered, we decided to give them a try. Center for Lit English classes … more
I never thought that one day I’d be lucky enough to have a homeschool retreat of this type in my own neck of the woods. Melissa, a friend who blogs at Reflections from Drywood Creek, is putting together a one-day retreat for those interested in classical and Charlotte Mason education. We will be honored to … more
In my small, specialized world of classical and Charlotte Mason homeschooling, a lively debate has taken form over the last year. A book had been written, and then a critique, and the ensuing conversations have created two “camps” in the previously-homogeneous crowd of Charlotte Mason educators. What are those two views? One, that Charlotte Mason was … more
One of my spring cleaning projects this year was to go through my linen closets, which probably has not been done since, well, at least the last baby (four years ago). I purged and washed and folded. The built-in hallway linen storage that came with our 100-year-old house has the old-style drawers on wood runners. … more
You may have noticed my mentions of pens in posts regarding our schooling. Yes, we do use pens. I had heard pens, specifically fountain pens, recommended for children who are learning to write and who become fatigued by pressing too hard. I was told it was how children learned penmanship here in the past as well as … more
I can’t tell you how many times I hear this question come up in the context of homeschooling: What can I do to keep my toddler occupied so she/he doesn’t constantly interrupt and derail our school? After this question will come a torrent of suggestions, usually about curating a number of preschool-like activities to distract the … more