a big (little) family

Trying to maintain my sanity and live to blog about it.

Stellan the Rule Breaker and other bits of my week

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I’m finished painting. Finally. I finished yesterday morning and put the room back together today. It took days more than I expected, but Blaine even caulked the trim. I took saddle soap to the couch. The room has never looked so good! I love it. I moved bookshelves out of there and it feels so […]

TOS Review: Institute for Excellence in Writing

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Poetry has been a part of our homeschool from the beginning. I have vivid memories of Liberty standing to recite the poem she’d recently learned back when she was doing kindergarten. Somewhere along the way though, we got away from it. Too busy, it got pushed to the side except for the rare occasion the […]

Worst enemies: Paint and Paperwork

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I planned to paint my living room last week. Monday morning I was awakened by the electric pole replacement company bright and early, left without electricity all morning, and quite talked myself out of it on Monday. Tuesday was co-op. Wednesday Pierce had a doctor appointment to get a wart frozen off his foot. I […]

Bonus points… Or not.

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Happy mother’s day! I got more perfect handmade gifts than I can count, spent much of the day at church, got Chinese food and came home with it because I didn’t feel like being the spectacle that comes in taking many small children to a restaurant. (Not the kids, they do great, just the kids… you know. […]

Cold Potatoes and Firetrucks

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We’re wrapping up school for the year! We survived! The last math lesson and English lesson were finished today, and all that remains are the final spelling tests for Sterling and Ruby. To celebrate, I ordered next year’s school books. I know, the irony. Just when I think I might have my sanity back for […]

TOS Review: The Pencil Grip, Inc.

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As part of the Review Crew, I’ve gotten to review lots of great curriculum, some fun games, even some things for my babies. But when a review for The Pencil Grip, Inc. came up as a possibility, I got pretty excited. As a momma to many who has seven dear children who love to paint […]

Shopping

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We went to a bunch of community rummage sales Friday. Everyone had a great time, in spite of the rain. Elliot scored a little Pottery Barn sink/cupboard that has suddenly become the busiest place in my house. I dug out the pretend food and pans she didn’t know we owned that were stashed away. I […]

Scarecrow

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Keep the girls out of the boys’ bedroom, Sterling style: It’s enough to make you jump when your walk into the room and he’s right there in the closet. I think Sterling is trying to keep his sisters out. It’ll work for Elliot anyway. She’s scared of everything… Real or imagined.

TOS Review: YWAM Publishing

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Around this house, YWAM Publishing is a well known company. Short for Youth With a Mission, YWAM Publishing has published some of our very favorite books – books we have incorporated into our homeschool. I own more than a dozen, and I hope to own them all someday. When the Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s Review Crew was […]

TOS Review: Devonian

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Twice last year, I reviewed products Koru Naturals, including their emu oil. You can read those reviews here and here. A few months ago, I was given the opportunity through the Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s Review Crew to review for Koru Naturals again, – this time for their plant-based emu oil alternative, GREEMU, by Devonian Health and Beauty. I received a […]