Firsts ~ Snow

We woke to a much-anticipated dusting of snow last night and the girls could not wait to get James outside for his first snow. He was not impressed. :) A lot of "WHAAAAAT THAT?" and "Nooooooooo" and "Coooooooooold". Just wait until we have several feet on the ground ~ last January we had about 90" in that  month alone. {insert evil chuckle}

(Thanks for looking past the jammies, jackets, snow boots, Converse, and missing hats and gloves. We were all too excited to wait for such details.)

Firsts ~ Toes-in-Sand

Being from a small tribe on the Sudan border of Ethiopia, James does not have oodles of experience with the ocean, especially with a beach as wide, dark, rocky, and cold as our nearest sandy spot.

First parent fail ... explain in broken "English" that one who cannot swim must stop running into the water.

A sweet time was had by all, including Uncle Nate visiting from North Carolina. Oh how we loved having his company!

Winter hats and flip flops ... our kind of bliss.

Ah, my girl.

What must have been swirling in his head?

Just love this boy so very much.

Four special reminders to live fully and intentionally and with childlike abandon.

Let It SNOW!

The first fresh snow of the season is predicted for tonight.

I am one of the (very) few who long for true winter and our little pocket of the world never disappoints. 

I can't wait to wake up all the kids as those first flakes fall.

For Fun, Homeschooler-Style ...

Cindie at Our Homeschool Journey tagged me in a fun bloggy get-to-know-whatcha-love post.

1. One homeschooling book you have enjoyed.
Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola ~ wise words on home educating simply and beautifully ~ but so that I can choose more than one book here, I'll say that this is more of a daily reference tool and not so much a book that I eeennnjoy. You know. 


A book that I have utterly enjoyed (okay, two, but they're a series!) is Pocketful of Pinecones and Lessons at Blackberry Inn, also by Andreola. 

2. One resource you wouldn’t be without. 
My Tozer KJV Bible.

3. One resource you wish you had never bought.
Oh, where to begin ~ I am admittedly a curriculum junkie. My husband is likely much better apt to answer this one. :) I wish I had not bought and re-bought MFW Adventures four times. I should have either kept it for reference or found peace with my decision to return it the first time. Finding our own groove apart from MFW was a hard shift this year, but oh we've found such peace. (Still adore the heart of MFW, please don't misunderstand.)

4. One resource you enjoyed last year.
Come Look with Me picture study series.

5. One resource you will be using next year.
Simply Charlotte Mason Module 2 for Bible, History, and Geography.

6. One resource you would like to buy.
A large--very large--framed chalkboard painted onto our school room wall.

7. One resource you wish existed.
A never-expiring free shipping coupon for all homeschoolers, always.

8. One homeschool catalog you enjoy reading.
Rainbow Resource

9. One homeschooling website you use regularly.
Simply Charlotte Mason Discussion Forum

10. Tag other homeschoolers.


Nikki at starrchasers
Becca at rejoiceandbeglad

Set on His Heart

James is (in the neighborhood of) an early five-year-old who does not yet know all of his colors, shapes, numbers, letters, how to write a straight line, how to hold a crayon, how to hold a book right-side up when looking at the pictures ...

HE reminds ME each day, with words that number a mere handful in his entire English vocabulary, that Jesus loves us. 

God already set on his broken little heart what will take him furthest in life.

That and his smile.

School ~ Week 4

 Pictures paint the best story of our week's lessons. Enjoy.

Learning to spell the days of the week with the rhyme Solomon Grundy.

LeapFrog fridge phonics ... dreamy for the boys (a little irritating for me).

Loving our new language arts ... English for the Thoughtful Child.

Still so thankful for all the ways that ReadyWriter has gifted Viola, who is severely dysgraphic.

Viola can't get enough of her math. Favorite part of her day. Nah, she loves it all!

The Nina, the Pinta, and we ran out of foil for the Santa Maria (who runs out of foil?).

Wind power.

A little notebooking.

Coloring the Explorers. Really wonderful book, Land Ho! 

Drawing Columbus's ships with Draw Write Now.

Homeschooling at its best ... lunch and school all smooshed together.

The light of my day.

Sun catchers on a dreary day.

MY favorite part of homeschooling. Watching my children learn and get lost in books.

Sweetest thing ever.

YES He Does