I’ve been quiet this month. I’ve put blogging on the backburner for the past few weeks. However, I have a few posts up my sleeve for the coming months that I’m excited to share. And one that I’ve shared earlier this week. You can find a link to it below, along with other inspiration from The Grace-Filled Life and around the web. I hope you enjoy this edition of The Week in Review.

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Mary-Ann

This Week on TGFL

• Homeschooling Through Difficult Circumstances: When Life Happens and School Doesn’t – Perhaps it’s because of illness. Perhaps it’s because of grief. Perhaps it’s because of a happier event like a new baby or a vacation or a big renovation. Whatever the case, there are times when school just doesn’t happen. In this article, I talk about some things you can do when life happens and school doesn’t.

This Week in the Outdoors

That polar vortex? It was something else entirely! We avoided the cold as much as possible. This coming week promises to be warmer, with temperatures soaring above the freezing mark. I’m looking forward to getting out!

This Week in Books

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Children’s Books

We’ve had the coziest afternoons this week, snuggled under blankets with our read-alouds. We’ve read a number of books over the past week and all of them were wonderful:

• Little Pear by Eleanor Frances Lattimore – My girls loved this glimpse into the life of Little Pear, a mischievous boy who lives in a little village in China. It was a wonderful springboard for some further, interest-led learning.
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo – This book is absolutely EVERYTHING a good chapter book should be. I highly recommend it as a read-aloud. Just make sure you keep your tissue box nearby. You will laugh; you will cry; and you will love every. single. second of Edward Tulane’s journey.
• The Little Riders by Margaretha Shemin – Another amazing book. To kick off our study of WWII, we read Little Riders this afternoon. It’s a short novel but beautifully written. The book takes place in Holland during the occupation and tells the story of Johanna, a little girl who promises her father that she will help her grandfather take care of the little riders — knights on horseback that ride around the church steeple when the clock strikes. Little does she know, she will need to risk her life for their safety and the safety of her grandparents. If you’re looking for a gentle introduction to WWII, I highly recommend this beautiful work of historical fiction.
• The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum – It’s always hard to find the right balance when teaching my young children history. I certainly don’t want to sugarcoat atrocities that have been committed, but at the same time, I don’t want to burden their little hearts with the ugliness and depth of those evils. I’m so thankful for living books like The Winged Watchman, which strike the right balance of teaching without weighing down.

Adult Books

• Better Together by Pam Barnhill – This book, by one of my all-time favourite homeschool bloggers, talks about how to build relationships through Morning Time.
• The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah MacKenzie – This book, by one of my all-time favourite homeschool podcasters/authors/speakers, talks about how to connect with your children through reading aloud.

Homeschool Highlights

From spelling tests to blanket forts to cookies to K’nex creations, it has been a week filled with sweet moments. Perhaps the most exciting is that my oldest daughter started the Winter Promise Equine Science course, something she has been excitedly awaiting for months now. The second most exciting thing? The older girls have started learning multiplication in math class.

Homeschooling has its challenging days, but the Lord reminded me this week that all the little seeds sown will result in harvest. I’m so thankful for His promises!

Snippets from Around the Web

Looking for some extra inspiration? Here are some wonderful articles from around the web:

• Ditch the grammar and teach children storytelling instead (The Guardian)
• A new study shows that children learn way more effectively from print textbooks than from screens (Business Insider)
• Motherhood: Just because it’s difficult, doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong (Not the Former Things)

Don’t forget to check out The Grace-Filled Life Facebook page. It’s your one-stop spot for encouragement, inspiration and laughs throughout the week. You can also find TGFL on Pinterest and Instagram.