A Head Start on Christmas Decorating

My home this Christmas is filled with greenery, and touches of red...

We are not done. We will get our trees and wreaths next weekend.

I also still need poinsettias and paper whites for the window sills.

But I feel like I've achieved a pretty good start.

Come on in, I'll show you around...

My banister and mantle garlands are from Hobby Lobby.

I think they're really beautiful embellished with faux roses and berries from Walmart.

Pine cones and deer antlers are a nice addition, too...

I used fresh greenery from around our yard in the kitchen,

and up in the front room as well...

Pine cones, red berries, boxwood, and pine can all be found on nature walks and it's free!

I tend to always go a natural and authentic route with seasonal decor. I feel it satisfies my old farmhouse better than what's new and trendy.

My home is 107 years old. She is very much stuck in her ways and doesn't want her glory days forgotten.

It would sure hurt her feelings if I were to force modern decor on her!

I have been happy to respect her history.

"Although it is a common temptation at Christmastime to be extravagant with decorations, staying true to the essence of a home's design theme may be even more impactful."

- Victoria magazine 

But having said that, I did cave and purchase battery candles (above). Even though real wax and flame candles are superior, having them among fresh greenery makes me nervous! I've been happy with these. I found a box of twelve for $8.00 at Walmart. They "flicker" just like the real thing!

My antique rocking horse gets a bow around his neck, and lighted garland at his feet every year...

He's never complained.

And my pine topiary ball receives a red berry garnish...

There's still much more to do, but that is my head start on this year's Christmas decorating.

Now if we'd just get a fresh blanket of snow!

You can see that we need it!

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and hope you are, too!

Have you decorated yet?

xo,

~ Courtney ~

Presentation Day

Today was a special day in our homeschool journey...

Today was "Presentation Day!"

(I'm not sure why Soren is saluting, haha.)

Aren't they cute?

They did a great job!

Being a homeschool mother means taking on the huge responsibility of educating your children all by yourself.

Yikes!

But I don't like to think of it that way.

I prefer to look at it like I get to have my children all to myself, pioneering a way of life for us that suits our family perfectly.

That means, we do what we want!

So we pursue interests, like last winter when we made individual little hot dog roasters...

Or last week when we spent the afternoon watercolor painting at grandma's house...

When a weakness in personality arises, I can address the issue in whatever way I see fit.

Recently I noticed a habit of mumbling in one of my children, along with a tendency to get bashful while speaking.

Remembering back to my own childhood of having to give speeches, like oral book reports in front of class mates, I created an opportunity for each of them to give a talk today.

Each child wrote a speech based on a topic they chose.

I provided guidelines and tips like...

- Provide a visual aid

- Include three main points

- Speak clearly and confidently

- Don't ever turn your back to the audience

etc...

It was a special day. Our "audience" consisted of my mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and aunt.

The kids were up at 6:30 this morning setting up the living room and getting things ready...

Elsa's speech was about flamingos...

Roman's speech was about lions...

Nola chose to talk about wolves...

And Soren gave a talk about socks...

(He's got a goofy sense of humor. Notice the sock banner, ha!)

Today felt special and fun since we had some relatives over, so I put together a nice lunch for us afterward...

The kids did really well with their speeches and even asked when we could do this again!

What a fun day!

Recently a veteran homeschooling mama told me to create such an environment at home that home is the place to be! 

I love that mission.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." -Proverbs 29:18

I hope to continue purposely crafting a home that is unique to us.

That is my vision.

How do you create a culture in your home for your family?

You are welcome to leave a comment.

Thanks for reading, friends.

xo,

~ Courtney ~ 

A Simple Day at Home

We awoke to quite the surprise this morning, didn't we friends?

The first snow of the year is always such a delight...

I could hear my children rustling around downstairs while I laid in bed, still sleepy-eyed in the early morning darkness, wondering what all the excitement could be!

Of course, as I have written before, where we live old man Winter can be such a boss to the other seasons. I couldn't help feeling sorry for poor Autumn. She gets her pumpkin toes stepped on this time of year. I'm sure she had a talkin'-to with him today... "Excuse me, Winter, it is not your turn yet. Quit cutting in line! Your snow is making a mess all over my mums and gold leaves!"

I've never gotten the impression that Wisconsin Winter cares.

He just stomps around whenever he pleases.

Nevertheless, the fresh snow is beautiful, so one just can't help but enjoy it!

Part of how we enjoy each change of scene is by searching our bookshelves for stories that relate to what we're experiencing.

After our family read-a-loud at breakfast (we are reading through "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott at the moment), I told the kids to search the house for "winter" books.

Roman found "Emily's Snowball" by Elizabeth Keown (today's snow was the sticky kind, perfect for making snowballs)...

I found "The Mitten" by Jan Brett (one of my favorites!)...

But Soren came back with this Little Golden book...

 (It used to be mine from my childhood.)

And it provided the perfect inspiration for our snow day.

Nothing extraordinary. I'm never doing anything real important. I spend my days schooling children and doing laundry. But the way to make an unexciting life feel brighter is by taking delight in all the little things. So why not bake the pumpkin pie we read about in the book? Isn't this why we dig through books? 

The children were very happy to know a pie was in the oven when they came in from playing in the snow.

The cat ran in behind them and found her bed soaking up a warm sunbeam. I couldn't object to this...

This is why we're home. To enjoy life.

Today was an uneventful homeschool day, but I've noticed our simplest at-home days are often the nicest.

We live life how we please.

We pursue what interests us.

Roman spent a big amount of time today writing out a detailed outline for an upcoming presentation he is scheduled to make.

Soren and Elsa played "Pirates" once their school work was complete. They changed into costume and everything! 

And Nola played the piano for what seemed like all afternoon, trying to perfect "Carol of the Bells" for her next recital. (How did her piano teacher know that is one of my favorite Christmas carols?!)

My older children are now at a level with their piano skills that listening to them play is quite pleasurable. I get to go about my work while my own children fill the house with live music. What a lovely thing!

I set a pretty table...

(Ordinary days are great days for setting a beautiful table! I think it lets our families know that they are important to us! It even has the power to lift the ordinary off of the day and turn dinner into something special.)

We enjoyed our pie with real whipped cream afterwards...

Today felt like a true start to the cold weather months I know lie ahead.

I have been out of practice.

To end this simple day at home (and to refresh my memory of how winter evenings are done) I warmed the house with candles and twinkly lights...

Yes, feels like winter.

Except we know Autumn won out in the end. *wink

She stood her ground all day. We watched the snow slowly melt in the bright sunshine.

We have our October back.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." -Anne of Green Gables

At least for now...

xo,

~ Courtney ~

Teaching a Happy Heart-Attitude

I've made an observation.

ALL kids have minds of their own and want their own way.

Some are stronger-willed than others, but they will all try, at one point or another, to "buck the system."

I've made another observation.

What never would have been tolerated in generations past, is now being encouraged, or ignored at best.

I'm talking about a rebellious, stubborn spirit in a child.

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child..."

- Proverbs 22:15

Contrary to popular modern-day opinion, children are not wise and do not know what's best.

It is our job as parents to train and correct them.

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction drives it far from him."

- Proverbs 22:15

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

- Proverbs 22:6

I've said to my children more times than I could possibly count, "I am your mother. I know what is right and best. I expect obedience with a happy heart-attitude."

When my children were babies and toddlers I was militant in training them to obey me.

I never allowed them to say "no" to me.

I considered that a serious offense!

It can seem cute when a little child shouts "no" to his mother, and it's very tempting to think it is harmless at such a young age.

But what a child is at two, he will be at fifteen, if his faults are not corrected.

My baby and toddler years are now over, and I am so glad I taught my children to obey me with a happy heart-attitude!

It certainly is a lot of hard, frustrating work when they're young, but the Lord rewards those who diligently do what is right.

"Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul."

Proverbs 29:17

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

- Galatians 6:9

So, if you are a young mother reading this, I would encourage you... do not be afraid to go against the grain of today's culture. 

You do not have to live a defeated life in this area.

YOU are the mother!

What you say, goes!

This is good and healthy, and makes for a very peaceful home.

Expect your children to respond to you respectfully. And administer a consequence when they don't.

I would get down on my child's level, eye to eye, and firmly say, "Your response shows me that you do not have the right heart-attitude. I want you to have a happy heart! I expect that you obey me with a happy heart-attitude!"

Sometimes their emotions are so out of control that swift discipline may need to be applied. Or they may need to be sent to their room to cool down.

Other times they quickly shape up and I can see a change of heart immediately. When that's the case, I simply allow them a do-over. I repeat the instruction and when they reply agreeably, I smile at them and remind them that this is what I expect every time!

Homelife should be peaceful and pleasant, but chaos reigns when parents have no control.

Let's take back our God-given place, mamas!

We can do it!

"The beauty and power of home life is hard to overestimate. Godly women are called to take responsibility for this realm. In doing so, they build homes with an investment in labor and love for beauty and stability that would make a home a center of the ministry of the church; a source of peace for all who enter there."

- Lori Alexander

I hope I have encouraged you today!

xo,

 ~ Courtney ~

Making Elderberry Syrup

We've put in a full week of school so far.

It's been going great! 

It sure feels good to settle into a school routine again.

But it's always sad to bid another summer farewell, isn't it?...

Thankfully the homeschooling life allows much free time.

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."

~ Plato

Life has been very well here at the Downs' farmhouse.

Our hens are still laying beautiful, colored eggs...

Roman's still working on the illustrations for my book...

And I've been trying to make good, nourishing meals as often as I can...

Recently, I discovered a recipe for homemade elderberry syrup and decided to give it a try.

We've had elderberry bushes on our property all these years, but this is the first time I've ever done anything with the berries.

Did you know that elderberries have long been used for medicinal purposes?

They are not safe to eat raw, but once cooked they can be used as a dietary supplement.

I've read that elderberries are helpful for minor diseases like the common cold or flu.

This is the recipe I found on-line...

~ 3C fresh or 1.5C dried elderberries

~ 3C water

~ 1C raw local honey (I used 3/4C and it's still very sweet.)

~ 1-4 cinnamon sticks

~ 3-5 whole cloves

After I foraged for my berries, I had to separate them from the stems and leaves, and wash them thoroughly.

This was the worst part.

Not hard work, just time consuming.

Elsa helped me.

Her job was to pick out any green berries.

I had planned ahead for this project, and purchased a juice container for my finished result.

I made sure the berries and the container were washed really well.

The recipe says to place the berries, water, and spices in a pan and bring to a boil...

Once it's at a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Smash the berries to release the remaining juice, then strain the mixture.

After 30 minutes of cooking, the berries look like they have given up on life, haha...

All their color is gone...

Allow the liquid to cool before stirring in the honey...

And ta-da!... My elderberry syrup is ready for cold and flu season!

I read that this will last stored in the fridge for 2-3 months.

But I really don't think mine will last that long.

I've been feeding it to my children each morning with their breakfast...

And I drink a teaspoon of it in my tea each night at bedtime...

I think I might walk back out to my bushes to see if I can find more berries to make a second batch before winter.

But truthfully, I saw elderberry syrup in the homeopathic/vitamin section at Walmart just the other day, haha... That sure seems like the easier way to go!

What kinds of tricks do you do for your family to stay healthy this time of year?

Have you ever tried making elderberry syrup?

I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Until next time friends,

xo,

~ Courtney ~

Getting Ready For a New School Year

Hello again, friends!

It's been such a wonderful summer that my blogging has become less frequent.

But don't think that you all haven't been on my heart and mind!

I just love the connections I've made as a result of this blog, and you all have been so kind to tell me you're reading. 

So, it feels good to be writing again!

I hope you have had a lovely summer!

I've been a busy bee lately...

Finishing up our "Summer To-Do" list with the kids, AND getting the house and our curriculum ready for a brand new school year.

I am happy to say we are ready to begin!

This is our little "School Corner"...

I say corner because we don't actually have a school room.

We've always just used the kitchen and dining room tables.

But Micah made this little table (it's only 19 inches from the ground) for the kids to work at this year.

(Several years ago this corner was just a messy play room. It's fun to look back and see how the house has evolved based on the needs and growth of our family.)

This is the center table arrangement I put together with fresh crayons and pencils...

It's always important, as a homeschool mom, to sit down at the end of every summer and really think and pray over the next school year.

I do this before ordering books and signing my kids up for activities.

I think about the past school year and decide what worked for us and what didn't...

I think about the good habits we've developed that I wish to strengthen in the next year, and about the bad habits we accidentally settled into that I want to eliminate.

I think about the goals I have for my children... what I want them to learn... what I want them to be involved in.

I consider their weaknesses, and make a note to look for a workbook that could help with it.

Recently, I sat down with our daily school schedule from last year, and revised it.

I didn't need to change much.

Overall, I was happy with our schedule and it worked for us.

But I did make a few changes...

(The schedule sits a top our school bookshelf, and is for our "at-home" days.)

This year I've decided to look at our school day in three segments...

1. Arithmetic

2. Language Arts

3. Reading / Writing

I eliminated from last year their morning run and folder worksheets, and instead want to push to have all Arithmetic and Language Arts done by lunch.

That will really free up our afternoons for reading, writing, and playing.

Each child has two Arithmetic books, two Language Arts books, and a handwriting book.

(We're using these wooden file holders this year for their daily work. I had tried the cardboard ones last year and they just didn't hold up.)

I am excited about Nola's cursive workbook this year.

Abeka created a new 3rd grade handwriting book, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

This is something I would have loved as a child...

Cursive ~ Journaling ~ Imagination ~ Truth

Isn't that great?!

One little tip I can share about Abeka, is to look ahead to the end of the books.

They will sometimes have supplementary worksheets and extra practice at the end.

I mention this because I didn't realize last year, in Nola's cursive book, that these pages were in the back until we were closing out our school year, and by then we missed it!

I never waste curriculum that I've paid money for, so I tore out all the pages and put them in a binder for Soren's handwriting practice this year...

Nola has really beautiful cursive handwriting, so I don't feel she's missed out on anything.

Plus, I've saved a little money not having to buy a handwriting book for Soren.

Perfect!

(We homeschool mamas can sure get creative at times, can't we? *wink)

As for the "extras"... Science, History, Art, Music, etc... We just fit them in here and there.

For example, my children take piano lessons, so I consider that their "Music."

We have History, Health, and Science text books that we use throughout the year. I will read aloud to all the children, or Roman will take a book that's suitable to his grade, and read it quietly to himself.

We also look for activities in the community to help us with these "extras", like STEM classes for Science, museums for History, etc.

We are lucky that we live near a nice community center that offers homeschool classes during the day.

This semester my children will take a sculpting class there once a week, and that will be their "Art."

(At Titletown last night for a little play time after STEM class...)

A new idea I am trying this year is something I'm calling "Sibling Helptime," you may have seen it on the schedule I wrote out.

This idea was birthed from some heightened conflict among the children this summer.

We've been working on deepening our relationships as a family, serving one another joyfully and looking at our homelife as our most important ministry.

So, I had the idea to carve out a little time each day for the kids to pair off...

Roman will take Elsa, and Nola will take Soren.

The older ones will help the younger ones with any school work they may have questions about, or they can use the time to read together.

I think this will accomplish several things.

First of all, my plate is full. I am using this as a way to delegate and have the big kids help me with the littles. Even if it's just 20-30 minutes a day, I can use that time to prep supper or finish the laundry.

Also, we all know that the best way to really learn something is by having to teach it. So, I'm hoping this will go both ways, and everyone will benefit.

And lastly, I want to give my older kids a little more responsibility in our family.

I think this may allow them to get a little skin in the game and feel they have purpose here.

I am really looking forward to this next school year!

My intention for writing about homeschooling on this blog is to not only have a record for our own use, but to also show that nothing special is needed for a homeschooling life.

Anybody can do it!

You don't need to be skilled. You just need to have a heart for it.

I hope that my posts communicate that.

I don't feel qualified or called to do it. I just have the desire to do it, and the Lord has blessed that.

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act."

- Psalm 37:5 

Thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog today, friends.

How do you get ready for a new school year?

Maybe we can learn from each other!

xo,

~ Courtney ~