Homeschooling 
Memorization is an important part of learning for children. I put together this ultimate list of history and geography memory tools to help both you and your kids figure out the best way to learn more about history and geography in your homeschool setting. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." - Ambrose Bierce The Christian study of geography and history is about understanding the world God has sovereignly decreed. What major events have moved human history from one era to the next? How are the peoples of the world divided ...Read More
6 Reasons We Use Teaching Textbooks with our Twins
Independent learning is a quality we work hard to foster in our kids. Why? Well, there's a number of reasons. But for a mom of... ...a brand new high schooler, ...an inquisitive 5th grader, ..a baby who needs lots of mama's attention, ...and twins... two (count them, 2) little 7-year-olds who are still working on learning to read proficiently... ...fostering independent learning isn't just something nice: it's a must in our house! There's only so many things we mamas can do at one time. AmIright? But not only does raising independent learners help us as homeschool parents juggle all of the demands of homeschooling ...Read More
Foods Red White and Blue Fruit Tart (Dairy, Egg, Sugar and Grain-Free)
My Red White and Blue Fruit Tart was inspired—to be honest—by just a hankering. I was craving a tart. I hadn't had one in so long. I love almond-flour-based pastries and for the first one I made, I had some almond flour on hand. That one was also full of butter, dairy, and eggs. It was fabulous! Then I got to thinking, so many people need dairy-free and egg-free delights—I best make some for them. (Looking for gluten-free recipes and resources? This Everything Gluten Free page is a library of everything gluten free we’ve worked on.) I remember the days when we were egg-free and dairy-free. Just a few years ...Read More
Homeschooling Twins: 1st Grade Curriculum Guide
Freelance writer Tricia Marrapodi once said that being a twin is like being born with a best friend. And it's true. I get a front row seat to that reality every day as I play both teacher and parent to my twin boys. But just as sure as my twins are best friends, they also know how to get on each other's nerves better than anyone else. This makes homeschooling a real challenge, at times. The success of our homeschool day is often determined by how well I'm able to steer their energies away from competing with each other and towards helping them work together to learn something new. This past school year was the ...Read More
Copycat Keto Chocolate Frosty
Creamy. Cold. Chocolatey. And delicious. My kids can eat chocolate frosty any day of the week any time of year—they love them spring, summer, fall, and winter. And what about me? Yeah, even me (who's not a chocolate lover) loves a chocolate Wendy's Frosty®! I should back up...my tastebuds love Chocolate Frosty, but the rest of my body goes a little haywire with all that sugar! What's in a Chocolate Frosty? You're probably over there saying, "Everything in moderation." Right? But if you just grab a small chocolate Frosty, it packs in a whopping 47 grams of sugar. Yikes! That's more carbs than I want in my diet in a ...Read More
Homeschooling 5th Grade: Curriculum Guide
Our second-born, Cameron, finishes 5th grade this year, and we are happy to say so much of our work educating him has given way to a healthy independence. Much of his schooling this year was hands-off for us because he's grown into a self-motivated kiddo with enough foundational knowledge, he can really pursue his own education. Not that he teaches himself everything. Far from it. Rather we've been able to steer him with the help of some great curricula. Curriculum Guide for 5th Grade Math Just like the past several years with Cameron, this year we used CLE (Christian Light Education) math. This year he ...Read More
How to Improve Handwriting: a homeschooler’s guide
Improving handwriting is no small task for the sloppy writer. To this day, I wish we had done more with our oldest son to improve his handwriting when he was younger. My second-born kiddo really takes pride in his penmanship; my youngest are still learning. But my oldest makes pencil strokes on the paper like Zorro carving initials into his defeated foes. But I've learned through trial and error—and some research—some tips on how to improve handwriting if your child is struggling to write legibly. Handwriting skills are a very important developmental task for kids. Improving handwriting is an important aspect ...Read More
Not Just for Kids! Make Your Zoo Trip Fun and Educational (free printables)
Probably one of the cheapest—and best—investments we ever made was our family pass to the local zoo. It's a small zoo, but since it's an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), we also have free access to hundreds of other zoos, aquariums, safaris, and nature centers all over the country. There was one year we traveled to probably 9 or 10 zoos in different states—some on multiple occasions—over the course of a year! Can we just pause for a moment and appreciate how incredible it is that we can even go to zoos? In ancient times, precursors to modern zoos could be found in Egypt, Assyria, ...Read More
