Friday, March 20, 2026
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Resources for Spring Learning
Spring has officially arrived here in Northern California. In fact, it's seemed to come on with a vengence. A case of coming in like a lion! It's about this time of year that I turn into an unschooler and want to spend all day outside... gardening... watching birds... hiking in the woods.
If you ask me, there's nothing better than hands-on nature learning in the spring. In fact, my head is full of plans for planting sunflowers and hatching butterflies. Even though my kids are older, there are still a few projects we enjoy repeating year after year. And there's really nothing like a hone grown tomato.With that in mind, I've been collecting spring resources... remember the younger years of our homeschool and how in the spring we turned to the outdoors. I hope you'll find these to be a blessing.
Looking for More Ideas:
*Watch for signs of spring like new buds appearing on the trees
*Sketch a spring bulb as it blooms
*Watch for the first birds to arrive in the spring
*Hatch caterpillars
*Fly a kite and notice where the wind takes it
*Catch tadpoles and watch them grow
*Learn more about organizations like BudBurst
*Learn to identify the different wildflowers in your area
*Search for your state flower and learn more about it
*Start seedlings in seed trays and transfer to your garden
*Watch earthworms and take about how they aerate the soil
What are your favorite ways to include Spring in your homeschool?
Monday, March 16, 2026
Easter Resurrection Eggs
*This post was originally published on 3/11/13. Enjoy!
We've been making lots of cross and flower crafts. And I'm planning the menu to include Resurrection Rolls as part of our Easter breakfast. While we're at it, it's time to pull out the Easter eggs and make our Resurrection Eggs. Resurrection Eggs are a twelve day countdown to Easter using symbols and verses that recap the significance of the holiday. It's a great activity for hands-on learning as the kids can touch, taste, and smell each symbol hiding in the Easter eggs.
With that in mind, these are the symbols and verses included in our Resurrection Eggs:
Day One:
Symbol: Leaves
Verse: So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" (John 12:12-13)
Day Two:
Symbol: Sample of perfume
Verse: For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. (Matt. 26:12)
Day Three
Symbol: Cracker
Verse: As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it into pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying "Take it, for this is my body." (Mark 14:22)
Day Four
Symbol: Small flowers
Verse: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." (Matt 26:36)
Day Five
Symbol: 3 dimes
Verse: Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. (Matt 27:3)
Day Six
Symbol: Gold pipe cleaner crown
Verse: So Pilate asked Him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "You have said it." (Luke 23:3)
Day Seven
Symbol: 3 nails
Verse: Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. (Mark 15:24)
Day Eight
Symbol: Dice
Verse: They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing. (Psalm 22:18)
Day Nine
Symbol: Sponge soaked in vinegar
Verse: Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture He said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, He said, "It is finished. Then he bowed His head and released His spirit. (John 19:28-30)
Day Ten
Symbol: Linen cloth
Verse: When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud (cloth) and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. (Matthew 27:57-60)
Day Eleven
Symbol: Rock
Verse: (And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men (Matthew 28:2-4)
Day Twelve
Symbol: Empty
Verse: (But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. come, see the place where He lay." (Matthew 28:5-6)
What family traditions do you have at Easter?
Friday, March 13, 2026
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
2026 Homeschool Goals ll February Check-In
Happy March! It's time for my monthly check-in for our 2026 Homeschool Resolutions. I'm trying to keep these resolutions at the top of my mind so I can keep making progress. I felt so convicted about at the beginning of the year., but I'm afraid February might have gotten away from me. Two months in and life is already distracting. :-)
So I'm doing a check-in to keep myself accountable. I've copyied my resolutions here and I'll put my February updated thoughts in bold, just to help keep things at the top of my mind.
Our 2026 Homeschool Resolutions:
1. Reading Scripture together--While my kids each have their own devotional and Bible study times, I would like for us to incorporate some Bible reading together. I'm hoping this will open up some dialogue about what we're reading together and start our day on a good note.--We're continuing to read through Mark. It's probably the shortest gospel, but the chapters are long. So some days we only get through a half chapter, and we're only reading on school days. We should finish halfway through March and then I'm not sure where we're going. Any suggestions? The nice thing is that this has really become an automatic habit. It's nice to find that we're just rolling into our reading without it feeling like a chore.
2. Praying together each morning--I realized our prayer times together have become route. The idea is that having this prayer time in the morning will open up an opportunity for us to share a little more freely. And practicing public prayer will make it less intimidating to pray with a group.--This goal continues to be a struggle. First of all, I don't even remember to put it into my morning routine so we'll go for multiple days without praying. Ugh... now that I'm thinking about it, I'm going to put a note in my planner right now. Trying to find more organic ways of praying with my teens, but it's still feels very foreign.
3. 12 Read Alouds in the Year--We love our read alouds. And I love that reading good books together gives us a chance to adventure together... even on a limited budget. As the kids have gotten older and the books longer, 12 books feels like a good goal for the year.--We read Jennifer A. Nielsen's new book, Magnitude this month, bringing our read aloud total to 3 books so far for 2026. We love this author, and were excited to be a part of her launch team. Read alouds continue to be one of my favorite parts of the day.
4. Go on 12 Hikes this year-- Ok, we've made hiking goals before and failed miserably.. So I'm keeping it really simple this year. Only 12.. should be doable.--This month we hiked Chamise Peak. Our homeschool group met and hiked this one today. It was just long enough to feel like a challenge without being too overwhelming.
5. Celebrate Lydia's graduation--I can't believe I'm graduating my second kid. Unbelievable! I have a feeling the way we celebrate this one will be very different from the way we celebrated the first. But I want to make it just as special so it's time to start planning now.--I sent out the date to friends and family, and started working on a graduation announcement. I can't believe we're only a few months away at this point. Feels so unreal. I'm hoping to get that announcement done this month so I can send them out in April.
6. One on One Dates--Yes, this is parenting. But with homeschool, parenting and education bleed into each other. Having strong relationships and time to listen can only allow for more openness and connection during our homeschool days.--We didn't get any one on ones in February, but my daughter has been driving with my husband on the weekends. That counts right? :-)
7. Plan 6+ homeschool field trips--Having one kid graduated and two in high school, I realize more every day just how small this window of time really is. So field trips mean so much. Making time to enjoy learning, experience new opportunities, expand their horizons... I have 2 in the works right now, with multiple tabs open for potential learning over the next year.--This month I organized a group of homeschoolers and we went to the symphony. This year's focus was on American composers and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But with 40+ people in tow, we had a great time. I was absolutely floored by the music that was familiar, but I didn't know who to attribute it to. We had a great time.
8. Stay invested in our homeschool group--Our high school home group has been a lifeline this year. Giving my kids an opportunity to make likeminded friends AND be mentored by other quality parents... WIN/WIN! I'm definitely making time in our schedule to keep this going.--This was the group we went hiking with and we also played disc golf. We also hosted a home group time at our house once in February.
As you can see, my theme this year is CONNECTION, CONNECTION, CONNECTION! Now more than ever, I'm well aware of how important relationship is in our homeschool. Everything flows from that starting point. So happy to be raising my very best friends.
Are you making homeschool resolutions this year?
Monday, March 9, 2026
Christ Centered Easter Basket Ideas
*This post was originally published on 3/12/19. Enjoy!
As Easter approaches, I've been thinking about what I want to put in the kids' Easter baskets. It's a fun opportunity for me to treat the kids a little bit and purchase them a few fun surprises. While I've always leaned toward filling their baskets with practical items, the past couple of years, I've also looked for opportunities to point my kids toward Christ.
But building a Christ Centered Easter Basket requires forethought and intentionality. It's so easy to get lost in the pastels of bunnies, chicks, and jelly beans. As I've brainstormed the contents of our baskets this year, I thought I'd share with you a few ideas for building your own Christ Centered Easter Baskets.
Bibles--I like to gift Bibles when my children are transitioning from one life stage to another: entering elementary school, Jr. High, or graduation. Or when my little ones are transitioning from storybook Bibles to developing quiet times. These are a few of our favorites:
The First Message Bible
The Adventure Bible
The Action Bible
Teen Life Application Bible
Books--Books are always a favorite in our house. There is rarely a holiday that goes by that I'm not gifting my children some sort of book. And again there are so many wonderful characters and stories to pass on good morals to our children. There are just a few:
Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story
Easter in the Garden
God gave us Easter
Berenstain Bears Easter Sunday
The Story of Jesus (Little Golden Book)
The Parable of the Lily
The First Easter
The Tale of Three Trees
Amon's Adventure
Our Favorite Easter Picture Books
The Mandie Books
The Sugar Creek Gang
Devotionals--I've been trying to lead my kids in a deep quiet time this year and help them develop the habit while they're still young. In earlier years, we've gone through devotionals together as a family, and now as they're growing we leaning more toward personal quiet times. These are a few of the tools we've used and continue to use:
3-Minute Devotions
The Names of Christ
Prayer Journal
Gratitude Journal
Bible Study (to complete with mom or dad)
Jewelry
Fancy cross necklace
Nail cross necklace
Cross bracelet
Toys and Crafts
Easter activity book
Stained glass coloring book
Stuffed lamb
Bible Pictionary
What items do you add to your child's Easter basket?
Friday, March 6, 2026
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Best Preschool and Kindergarten Picture Books
One of my favorite parts of parenting has been reading with my kids. Almost from the time they were born, we've had read alouds going in our family. Board books were gifted, visits to the library were a regular occurrence, and sharing good stories were a normal part of our family culture.
The whole experience has been a delight.... reading on a picnic blanket at the park, snuggling on the couch with a good book, reading before bedtime... the shared moments between parent and child as the day winds down. And getting lost in a really good story.
This was especially true when my kids were in preschool and kindergarten. We would load up on books from the library each week, but I found it really only took 2-3 really good picture books and we'd find ourselves reading them over and over again. My kids loved the predictability of hearing the same book multiple times. Often they were memorize the story so they could flip through the pages and "read" it to themselves.
Now that they're older, I still look back on many of these books with fond memories. These were the portals to new and exciting adventures. And these are the books that I recommend over and over again. These were our Favorite Preschool and Kindergarten Picture Books:
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff & Felicia Bond
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson
The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
Make Way for Duckings by Robert McCloskey
The Little Red Hen (Fairy Tale)
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
Our Apple Tree by Gorel Kristina Naslund
Applesauce Day by Lisa J.Amstutz
The Very Busy spider by Eric Carle
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Curious George by Margret Rey & H.A. Rey
Go, Do, Go! by P.D. Eastman
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Good Night, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
Ox-Cart Man by DonaldHalle
Around the Year by Tasha Tudo
Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
Stone Soup (Fairy Tale)
The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Fairy Tale)
The Autumn Visitors by Karel Hayes
Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
Bear says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin
Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pikney
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas by Jane Yolen
Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Britain
What are your Favorite Preschool and Kindergarten Picture Books?
Monday, March 2, 2026
14 Ideas for Family Night
*This post was originally published on 10/12/15. Enjoy!
But every once in awhile, family night needs a little shake up. We need something new. So here are 14 Brainstormed, Super Fun, Fantastic Ideas for Family Night:
1. Movie Night--Of course, this if our favorite. Our usually consists of pizza and popcorn. But maybe your tradition includes a bowl of ice cream. Or fresh cookies. Whatever it is, make it special.
2. Dance session--Crank up the music and dance till you fall on the floor. Then listen to some great music together. Mix up the genres and expose your kids to new styles. Then catch your breath and dance some more. Giggle and laugh and break loose.
3. Ice Cream and cookies--Maybe it's cookies and ice cream around the table or picnic style on the floor. Or a buffet of flavors and toppings. Talk about your week. Sweets create a bonding experience and open up conversation.
4. Serve others--Search out opportunities to serve together. Sort clothes at a pregnancy center, serve meals at a homeless shelter, or hand out coffee. Make sure you debrief with your kids afterwards. This will open up your kids to so many life lessons.
5. Board Game night--Who doesn't love a night of Monopoly and Scrabble? There are so many games to accommodate a variety of ages and interests. This is a great idea for laughing together with your kids.
6. Bike Rides--This is a great time of year for getting outside in the evenings and taking a walk, or better yet a bike ride. We're finally getting to the age where the kids can all ride and we're having a great time together.
7. Rollerskating--While I have yet to get my husband on skates, the kids and I have had a blast rollerskating together. It's a fun way to be active together and there's nothing like rollerskates to keep you from taking yourself too seriously.
8. Camp fire with s'mores--Get a fire pit in the backyard. Doesn't have to be anything too fancy. Stock up on graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Nothing says family time like a s'more.
9. Campout in the living room-- Whether you pitch a tent or just pull out the sleeping bags, be sure to make shadow puppets with the flashlights, snuggle in together, and tell ghost stories.
10. Host a potluck--Why not host a potluck night with a couple of other families? Invite some families for dinner or dessert. Family night can be laughing with other moms and dads.
11. Extended family dinner--On that note, invite the grandparents, aunts, uncles, the whole lot.. sometimes you just need to interact with the larger family. And an extended family dinner is a great invitation for your kids to serve and learn from other generations.
12. Play restaurant--My kids have a play kitchen that they love. But even a few little kitchen items like these felt foods can provide hours of entertainment. Let them serve you for a change. You'll be surprised how much they remember from their own eating out experiences. Have fun with it. Make a poster for the restaurant, change up the decor, and assign jobs. This one's sure to provide hours of fun.
13. Picnic dinner--With the cooler season, it's the perfect time to enjoy a meal on the patio. Just the change of scenery can open up a whole new set of ideas and questions and conversation. Plus it's a great way to get some fresh air and open moves the fun to playing outside after dinner.
14. Funny pictures/video--Our computer has Photo Booth and my kids love to make funny pictures and movies on it. It has some great filters and ways to change and distort images. But they really love it when mom and dad get involved. Not only is it fun to play with all the settings, but it's even funnier to flip through the photos afterwards.
What about you?
What are your favorite ideas for Family Night?
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