On this journey of my families to healthy living, we've recently taken the plunge to dump our toothpaste. Yes, our whole family has dumped our bottles of Crest and Colgate and made the switch to natural toothpaste. Before we get started, I'd like to thank Redmond Trading Company for sponsoring this post and sending me a lovely box of goodies to try out, including their awesome toothpaste. Why You Should Switch to Natural Toothpaste Let me give you the low-down on why you should make the switch. Here are three chemicals that are in most of the conventionally available toothpastes on the market today. Now, there may be ...Read More
Back to Homeschool: 5 Tips for Helping Your Kids Stay Focused
School is back in session at the Gilkerson house. Yes, and with it comes distracted kids who would rather be playing than doing school work. It’s hard for many kids to focus in any sort of educational setting, whether it be public school, homeschool, or even college. Let’s be honest. Some subjects just aren’t that interesting! There are a few tricks and tips that may help, though. 1. Make sure they get a good night’s sleep the night before. Especially when homeschooling, you may have a tougher time with this one. It’s easy for the child (and sometimes the parent) to rationalize staying up late because there is no ...Read More
When God Stretches You: The Day My Husband Died
This month my co-hosts and I are focusing on Spiritual Wellness. Though it may seem to be a strange topic to some given what we typically talk about for Wellness Wednesdays, we decided we wanted to devote a month to this topic. Spiritual wellness truly is more vital than physical wellness. Our relationship with God is what determines our eternal destiny. This week, I want to talk about an event where God was able to stretch my faith. Anjanette at Raising the Barrs and Elsie at Richly Rooted also have posts on the same this week. Be sure to stop by to read about their story. In January 2005 my husband was killed ...Read More
5 Great Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize About Complaining
I've collected some great Bible verses about complaining for kids to memorize as a parent teaching tool. Even when our children are eventually obedient to our wishes, nothing is quite as discouraging as hearing those words, "But Dad..." or "Do I have to?" Following these words are usually a flurry of complaints. On a really bad day, parents might debate about what is worse to deal with: disobedience or grumbling obedience? Need more positive ideas for raising Christian kids? Check out my book The Heart of Humility: Teaching Your Kids to Put Other's First. Below are some great verses for your family to meditate ...Read More
Basic Grain-Free Meatballs
Grain-Free Meatballs. Meatballs. Meatballs. Yummmmm.... Meatballs make the perfect appetizer. Or the perfect dinner. Or the perfect snack. You get the idea. I could eat grain-free meatballs any day, any time...well, except maybe not breakfast. Yes, I enjoy meatballs. There is so much you can do with them too! Curry meatballs, meatballs with marinara and spaghetti squash, Swedish meatballs (a personal favorite), Korean meatballs—the possibilities for these grain-free meatballs are endless. And with all the options, you'll never get bored! Looking for gluten-free recipes and resources? This Everything Gluten Free ...Read More
100+ Memory Tools for Homeschoolers
There are many memory tools for homeschoolers that are available for parents who want to help their children memorize Bible verses, math facts, famous speeches, states, capitals, poetry, science facts, historical events, phonics, grammar, and spelling rules. Below you'll find links to more than 100 books, flash cards, memory systems, music, apps, DVDs, online programs, and games that will aid you and your children in memory work. "...anything and everything which can be usefully committed to memory should be memorized at this period, whether it is immediately intelligible or not." (Dorothy Sayers) In the early ...Read More
Blueberry Custard Pie
My boys love blueberries. I love making blueberry treats. Our family has been going through several pounds at a time. After making my blueberry cheesecake, I got a hankerin' for blueberry custard pie. I knew it wouldn't be difficult to come up with a gluten-free and sugar-free recipe! I was right. Looking for gluten-free recipes and resources? This Everything Gluten Free page is a library of everything gluten free we’ve worked on. Our family loves blueberries, and I love that they're one of the lowest-sugar fruits (blueberries, strawberries and other berries are all fairly low in sugar per serving compared to ...Read More
Historical Fiction to accompany Veritas Press Explorers – 1815
I you ask Bradley what his favorite subject is, he will unequivocally declare it to be history. And why not? History is like adventure. When you study history your imagination is opened up to times and places that you could have never thought up on your own. This year, we are using once again the Veritas Press self-paced online history program. We've written before about how well done this history program is. It's incredibly engaging. On top of this history program, we believe that reading plenty of historical fiction also livens up a history program and ignites the imagination. Below is the list of historical fiction ...Read More