Hello, my dear readers!

Hello!  I've missed you all and writing in this space.  As many of you know, I've gone back and forth with privacy settings on this blog.  It's crazy, isn't it?  With such easy access to information about people... I didn't ever imagine that it would mess with me so much.  I want to share about our days and our journey, but then I worry I'm putting too much out there for the entire world to read about our family. What's the perfect balance for my family?  I don't know.  That's why I've gone back and forth so much!  :)  You may have recently received an email update from Mission Minded Mothering, and that's because I just took off the privacy setting again.  I wanted to lead you to another space we've started.  More specific details will come soon - but I'm switching gears and praying hard about starting a business!  A Homeschool, Lifestyle blog.  For now, let me introduce to you - www.chicksandtoads.blogspot.com.  It's all about keeping things simple and trying to better today than we were yesterday.

At Chicks and Toads, you'll find me writing about our lives at home, education and beyond.  We homeschool 2 (ages 8 and 5) of our children and 1(age 10) goes away to a public school, so it can be a space for all people fascinated about living a life of going against the grain, slowing down and trying to be better today than we were yesterday.

So, before I lock down my former blogs, I have a favor to ask - if you're a reader here, would you please hop on over to follow Chicks and Toads?  Follow through blogger and/or sign up to receive the email updates.  Also, please share with any of your friends who may also enjoy following along!

1 more favor!  What are some of your favorite posts here?  I'll be sure to move them over to Chicks and Toads!

And... 1 more favor:  Would you pray for me?  That God would lead me where I'm supposed to go?  Thank you!  <3

Fall book basket:

How to make butter...

The little chicks and toad and I had a super fun day today continuing our study of Pilgrims and making butter!

How to make butter:

:: Buy a pint of organic heavy cream.

:: Fill a glass jar with a tight fitting lid 1/2 way full.

:: Shake for 15 minutes.

:: When the shaking gets boring and everyone's ready to give in, turn on The Cha Cha Slide.

:: You'll start to notice that the cream is turning hard, and you're not hearing liquid shaking around.

:: Add a little salt to taste.

:: Taste it.

:: mmmmm!!!!  It's sooo good!

:: All gone.

So simple and fun!

Virtue of the month...

After listening to a talk on the book Parenting with Scripture, I rushed home, logged on to Amazon (yay, Amazon!!) and purchased the book.  No regrets!  I must share.

It's logical, so simple, spiritual and wonderful!

I've been choosing a virtue of the month, using the book as my guide, posting the virtue on our darling chalkboard in a high traffic location and talking about it as the teachable moments arise.

The book defines the virtue and provides specific scripture, discussion questions, action steps and parenting tips.  Everything is so simple and easy to use - appropriate for my 4 year old - 9 year old.

For August, we discussing being "self-centered".  Imagine that!  <3

A glimpse of our days...

We've had a really great start to the school year.  Last week (Wed-Fri) was what I like to call the honeymoon phase.  I love structure, so I was very happy to be getting back into the swing of things - after a beautiful summer.  This week was a little more difficult.  For me, there's a little funk that comes with back to school - even loving structure.

Monday was fine.  On Tuesday, I felt very heavy.  Almost like life was a mountain that I just couldn't climb.  I didn't sleep well on Sunday and Monday nights, so by Tuesday morning - I just felt heavy.  Very tired and overwhelmed.  I sunk down into my chair in my little happy place, where my bible and other favorite books are located, and I just felt too tired to take on the day.  So, I opened my bible and went straight to Psalms.  Psalms is medicine for me.  Psalms and my garden.

On Tuesday, my bad day, I admitted to the kids by 10:30 a.m. that my behavior was unacceptable.  I ordered everyone out to the garden.  Take off your shoes, everyone must be barefoot, and we're harvesting.  The sun shone down on our little souls, and I was healing.  The earth will do that to me.  Goodness, I love God and all He created and the medicine of it all.

There are a few phrases that continue to run through my mind as I face the days and walk through the moments that I just don't feel strong enough to climb.

:: I GET to do this.  I'm so grateful that I get to do this.

:: What a GIFT - this life, for me and my children.

:: SHELTER.  This word can be twisted into such a negative, but what a beautiful gift this is to our children.  Sheltering for as long as we can.  They have a lot of nasty to look forward to in life.  Let's shelter for as long as we can.

Oh Lord, I love You and the Holy Spirit and Your word that breathes life and phrases into my soul and mind when I'm feeling too heavy to walk another step.  I pray that You would whisper into the hearts of all the mothers out there who are feeling too heavy to face the day.  Remind them that it's a gift to mother.  What a gift.

First Day of School...

We had a fabulous first day of school!

Sophie is in 4th grade and is attending a fabulous public school in our neighborhood.

She was very excited and a little nervous for the first day of school.

She did great walking in and finding her seat.

Halle and Ian are enjoying school at home this year.  Halle is in 2nd grade and Ian is in his last year of preschool.  He will be a kindergartener next school year - crazy!  :(

We have a lovely homeschool bestie, Katie Grace.  Her mother and I love working together and help each other out the best we can.  They are both such an answer to prayer!

After we got Sophie off to school, we packed up our math, spelling and a few books and headed to the park.

The girls enjoying doing their math outside at the park.

I just love this picture!

They also spent about 2 hours building the best fairy house EVER! 

It was incredible.

And then they walked 1 mile - preparing for their kids marathon in September.

It was a fabulous morning.

I forgot to get a picture of the cookies.  :)  Just left over milk and crumbs.

We baked cookies for us all to enjoy, celebrated the first day of school and eagerly welcomed Sophie home.  We were happy to have her home and back with us.

It was a fabulous first day of school!  <3

I am soooo excited about this school year!