-
Latin Everywhere, Everyday: A Timberdoodle Review
First, can we all just agree that it’s a ludicrous system we’ve all created and sustained that we should think about or plan for the NEXT year of homeschool during the months of January or February? Those are the exact months where I want to quite EVERYTHING. At least one day in February my brain literally rebels and I question my sanity and why I ever boarded the homeschooling ship to begin with. (I like to start off my reviews with a real boost of positivity and encouragement. It’s my love language.) Alright, so we know it’s difficult to think about the next year while we’re drowning in the dregs…
-
A New Deal – not like the FDR kind, just like the regular kind
This is an affiliate post. Well. It’s a post I want to be an affiliate post. I’m going to tell you about a website and if you are interested and sign up like I did, I’ll get a kickback. That makes it an affiliate post. I guess. End of disclaimer. __________________________________ It doesn’t sound like it should work. I don’t even know how long it will work. But, currently — it does. It’s a website that offers discount codes and deals on Amazon. Maybe you already know about it. (I’ve never claimed to be first at much of anything. Not in a race. Not in discovering new music or…
-
Don’t decorate early – but do buy these early.
I’m officially Team Wait Until After Thanksgiving to Decorate. (It’s fine if we aren’t cheering for the same squad. I still like you.) But I am also officially Team Plan Ahead Shop Ahead Buy Early because – well, mainly because I’m also a charter member of Team I Have A Lot Of Children And A Small Budget paired with my membership to Team I Like To Make Lists and Get Things Done. Which means, if you’re keeping up, that although I never (and I do mean NEVER) decorate before Thanksgiving, I absolutely do plan Christmas before the turkey day trots along. I buy presents when I find sweet deals…
-
A Grove Giveaway, A Question About Dish Soap (is there a correct way to apply it to a sponge?), and a Cute Red Caddy
This post is sponsored by Grove Collaborative. I’m going to share my thoughts and my experiences completely and honestly, but it is an affiliate link. It’s Saturday and that’s not a day I traditionally post. But then I received a reminder from Grove* that it’s a giant giveaway weekend and it ends on Tuesday and that just doesn’t seem like enough time to make a decision so here I am, making a Saturday post. Plus, it’s a REALLY good one with the absolute best scents so if you have never ordered Grove before, this is FOR SURE the time to do it. (These make such great gifts too…
-
101 Doodle Definitions: A Timberdoodle Review
This is a sponsored post by Timberdoodle. All of the opinions are my own. __________________________________ This year our homeschool has been a bit more streamlined than it ever has before. Less fluid and more structured. Some this has to do with life circumstances. I need the schedule to be more predictable so I can arrange meetings and work hours around what is known and planned. Some of this has to do with the ages and grades of my children. Older students have greater demands on their school days, a larger amount of studying is required for say, Chemistry, versus a nature walk for a second grader. Some of…
-
August Offers at The Grove
I wrote a list for myself about companies I needed to contact to have things switched and moved from one house to the next. Contact Duke Power. Cancel our trash service here. Acquire new trash service there. (I wonder if curbside recycling is possible at our new address?) Change my Amazon Subscribe & Save address. (Which, turns out, has been the most obnoxious to change. While I appreciate their security levels, I find myself sort of annoyed at the extra steps it is taking to shift my cat and dog food delivery to the new house.) And on that list was, of course, Grove Collaborative. Switch it…
-
Just What We Needed: Rapid City/Black Hills KOA Review
We’ve been back from our Ranch Adventure all summer and between buying a house and preparing to move and running a business and taking care of five kids I’ve not taken the time I meant to to write some reviews of our experiences back and forth across these lovely United States. Our route this year was heavily influenced by our strong and whole hearted desire to circumvent Kansas pretty much entirely. I’m willing to forgive Kansas for her poor treatment of us, but forgiveness does not equal embracing. On the drive out west we were under time constraints to get to the ranch by a certain day…
-
The Friday 5: a new bag, cat photos and some things of more lasting value
I know it’s not called The Friday Five. But maybe it should be. This week has been one where I have been the taxi driver – even with daily carpooling to theatre camp, it’s felt like an awful lot of to and fro, which is what a portion of parenting is, of course, but it is still not my favorite portion. funny It’s funny how ridiculous my children act about our cat. That we’ve had for over a year. She’s so shamefully well-loved. Adored. Treated as if she is some sort of demi god. It is not at all unusual to find these sorts of photos…
-
Grove Collaborative – we’ve been friends for a while ….
Sometimes you jump on a bandwagon because other people are doing it and you want to see what all the hype is about. Sometimes your friend or your cousin or your sister convinces you to give her favorite new product a try so you go for it because you love that person. Some of those new products and new companies keep you along for the ride for a few weeks or a few months and then you try out the next thing that comes across your Facebook page or your email account. But, every now and then, something sticks – right? Sometimes some product or company stays around a…
-
Grove Collaborative Giveaway: I’m Still a Fan
I’m starting to think that everyone I know already uses Grove Collaborative. Which is cool. And I don’t blame them. I’ve been partnering with this convenient little company since before they were even called Grove. I have loved it since I started working with them. The kids have grown used to their products too. I’m almost out of my dishwashing detergent – I usually use their Seventh Generation option or sometimes their Method tabs too. We’ve used up our last Mrs. Meyer’s kitchen spray and although I often also make my own with essential oils – and I do like that too – there’s just something so pleasant about…
-
A Beautiful Reminder: Holy Week Calendars
I’m always saying I have such talented friends. And it just keeps being true. Two such gifted friends have collaborated and have created a beautiful Holy Week Advent calendar. I wish I could say that I am intentional about talking to my kids about Easter in a planned or intentional way. I’m not. (In fact, I’m usually a little surprised every year as it seems to sneak up on me.) This calendar is a simple and lovely way to engage your own heart and to guide your family in preparation for Easter Sunday. I’ve shared my friend Beth’s work before. She’s a talented artist with beautiful hand…
-
Me and Young Living: At the Beginning
So. Essential oils. I’ve been learning slowly about the benefits and the uses of essential oils for years. A friend of mine calls it voodoo magic and that makes me laugh. She and I both joke about that title and we both seem to pair skepticism along with a willingness to give it a go. That and more than a handful of occasions where the voodoo crossed into experiential fact and here I am today writing this post about essential oils. I definitely like the smell of oils. And at first, perhaps, my dabbling in them was primarily because I like stuff to smell nice. And a house that…
-
Grove Collaborative Giveaway: My Favorite Mrs. Meyers loot
It’s been a while since I’ve hosted a giveaway with Grove Collaborative but it’s only been about two hours since I’ve used a Grove Collaborative product. (Peppermint scented Mrs. Meyer’s dishwashing soap, if you’re curious. And also Method’s dishwashing tabs. Fun fact – Otto calls all of the Mrs. Meyer’s products Mrs. Myrtle Clean. Neither of us have any idea why.) This is one of my favorite Grove Collaborative giveaways because it’s all the good stuff. The stuff I use over and over and keep on my routine list of orders. I think the Mrs. Meyer’s products make great thank you gifts or whatnot too. (In fact, I may…
