Shifting Seasons

(This tree was the first hint of fall this year!)

So ready for autumn leaves and a cool breeze!

It's been a busy, busy summer.  A good kind of  busy, with many worthwhile happenings such as:

a mission trip to Galveston, where we made new friends and did 4 days of street camps with the most beautiful people-

(little girls always love to 'do hair', don't they?)

(our room on a good day ... still doing laundry from this one!)

We've also been clearing and cleaning and preparing to move our Youth/Children into a new building at church (so many plans for that in the coming days!).  

And at the top of my mama's to do list this week- making home learning plans for one elementary student, one middle schooler, and a high school student. 

A tad bit overwhelming at times (on those days I'd like to go back to the beach and just stick my head in the sand) ... 

Other days, I realize that I'm just the mama, HE is the teacher.  Much comfort in that truth, I tell you.  

It's been quiet here because life has been anything but that for a season.  

Yet, fall is in the air and I'm looking forward to slowing down, sitting in the yard with a cup of tea and a notebook, baking cinnamon-spicy treats (gluten free- another 'adventure' we've embarked upon by necessity this summer!), planting cool season herbs and veggies, and spending time simply being.  

What are you anticipating in the coming season?  

What lists and plans are you dreaming up these days?

Recipes to share? 

(You know how I love to feed the Recipe Pile- gluten free would be an added bonus!)

Oh, one more thing ... I'm seriously considering moving this blog, either to Wordpress or Typepad.  I'm familiar (though not thrilled) with WordPress and it's free; but I've read such stellar reviews of Typepad (and $14.95/month isn't too bad) ... decisions, decisions.  

Thoughts, suggestions? 

Hope to hear from you.  I'd love to know what has kept you busy this summer and what great things you've in mind for fall!

Wishing you cool breezes and an abundance of simple blessings,

Catherine 

Summer School

School is not the best word for describing the learning that happens on a daily basis in our home.  Less formal than in other seasons (and even then we are very unschoolish learners); this is just a tiny peek into the learning that's happening around here (All without my help or encouragement ... ahh the wonders of strewing books, tools and educational opportunities for them to discover on their own!).

electronics

acrylics

kindle games (Who knew multiplication and division could be so engrossing? Would never happen with a textbook!)

And stack, upon stack of books being read.  

Favorites this season- 

 

and for mama:

What good things are happening in your home this summer?
Read any great books lately?  Please share your favorites in the comments!

Blessings,
Catherine

Praying and Planning

Four steps to achievement:
Plan purposefully.
Prepare prayerfully.
Proceed positively.
Pursue persistently.
~ William A. Ward


Spending time this week penning down plans for our learning adventures this fall ... so many delightful things to discover, enjoy, create!  Prayerfully seeking His path for this season ... decisions, decisions!

Love Lessons

The giving of love is an education in itself.  ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
 
Those words appeared in my Quote of the Day widget this morning and seem very fitting.
 
Loving others is an ongoing educational theme in our family.  We love others because the LORD compels us to do as He did. 
We love others even when it is hard, messy, inconvenient or costly.  Serving the homeless, the poor, the outcasts of society is seldom easy, neat, convenient or cost-free.  But it is necessary.
We love those many deem unloveable because He loves them and wants to love them through us. 
 
Recently we've had to show our children that even when those we love (and at one time appeared to love us) do not treat us with either love or respect, we must still love and respect them.  And these painful  lessons come not from reaching out, but right inside our church family, where  Love One Another should be the standard.  Sadly, we've had more conversations with our children lately about how we are to respond when others in the church don't act in a godly, loving manner, than those centered on how to reach out in love to those who don't yet know Christ.  We are open and honest about these issues because we want our children to see that just like in our own family, when issues arise they must be dealt with, but always in love.  We love because He loves us, bottom line.  Even when it is hard, messy, inconvenient, and heart-breaking.  We pray, we talk, we cry, we pray more, and we love ... and we keep on loving no matter what. 
 
How do you teach "love lessons" in your family? 
 

Free Homeschool Resource from TOS Magazine

Need a little help and encouragement planning your home learning year?
Click on the graphic below to download the latest e-book from TOS Magazine FREE-
The New School Year Planning Your Course and Letting the Lord Determine Your Steps

Autumn Sunshine

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

This is exactly how we feel these days...lovely autumn-like mornings, too precious to be spent indoors, find us heading out into the yard as soon as the sun begins to peek over the treetops. Bike riding, games of follow-the-leader and tetherball, watching the deer (who are watching us just as closely), feeding the birds and filling the birdbath, sitting together in the yet unfinished tepee, enjoying each other and God's creation around us are the first order of the day in our "school" for now.

Yes, yes, we do get to the other things- math, language arts, geography, history, etc...but, right now, we are beginning with the best, enjoying nature and having fun together!

Early evening finds us right back where we started...

Such simple joy to be found in spending a few lovely hours each day enjoying the great outdoors with my family.