The house is quiet but for the ticking of the simple, blue-rimmed clock on the wall. Blue because that's my favourite colour. I love everything about this place, from the beautiful wood bookshelf that once haphazardly adorned the front curb of a rundown shop in the roughest area of town—the shop owner assured us it … Continue reading Some thoughts on the day before my birthday…
At the very end of elementary school, I discovered I could run. It shocked everyone, myself most of all. You see, I was painfully awkward. I was always the last to be picked when we divided into teams in gym class. I liked playing sports about as much as I like eating fried liver. Which is … Continue reading The Day I Ran and What I Learned (The Secret to Winning at Motherhood and Life)
Summer is almost here! We're looking forward to sunny trips to the beach, tall glasses of homemade iced tea, and chasing fireflies at dusk. We're also looking forward to spreading a blanket in the cool shade of the backyard and reading a stack of good books. This year, we've chosen five novels to read aloud … Continue reading Five Family Read-Alouds for Summer
I can hardly believe it. We're finishing up our third year. Three years of this crazy experiment that was only supposed to last for one. Three years of doing the most amazing—the most challenging—thing I have ever done in my life. Three years of homeschooling. Officially, anyway. Some days crawl by. And yet the weeks … Continue reading Reflections on Three Years of Homeschooling and Togetherness
Before I was born, my parents spent just over a year living in Papua New Guinea. They packed up my older sisters—a toddler and a preschooler—and moved to an outpost in the middle of the jungle where supplies and mail were brought in by plane. Maybe it's because of the stories I heard growing up … Continue reading Five Missionary Stories/Series to Read to Your Children
When we left, the morning quiet enfolded the city like a mantle despite the lateness of the hour. After stopping briefly to watch a ship make its way through Burlington Canal. we drove until we were out of the city, then through another, and then another. When we were finally free of the lingering smog, … Continue reading This Week in the Woods: Weekend Adventures in the Near North
I creak my eyes open slowly. The profusion of chirping outside my window is as loud as it is beautiful. Early morning sunlight streams through a crack in the curtains. It is mid-May, but our year-end field trip has already come and gone, and it feels like summer. I don't want to go to school … Continue reading Springtime Motivation: Five Things to Do When it’s too Nice Outside to Homeschool
