My Ten Favorite Authors

I love to read.  Reading is pure bliss for me.  I spend my day getting stuff done so I can go lay in my hammock and read or my bed or the beach, or just about anywhere.  I have always read authors.  If I find a book I love, I look for more books by the same author.  Authors all have a style, a voice, a worldview that comes across in their writing...if I like it, I read all of their books.  The authors I love tend to share my interest in emotional analysis, they tend to have the same morals and values and views on politics and religion.  It's not uncommon to find out that they love Bruce Springsteen or each other's novels.  Sometimes I find myself missing the voice of a favorite author, I want to hear her message and so, I read another of her books or search for when her next novel is coming out and make sure to pre-order it!

The authors I tend to go back to over and over are:

1.  Jodi Picoult
 I love how Jodi Picoult shows things from different characters' points of view.  In Nineteen Minutes, she took the readers inside the head of the boy who shot several classmates in a Columbine-type shooting and she made me cry for his mother.  In The Tenth Circle, she brings you inside the world of a girl who becomes trapped by a web of lies and all of those that are affected by her lies.  I have read every single one of her books and they are all awesome.

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2.  Laura Moriarty
I just discovered Laura Moriarty this fall, just before Hurricane Sandy.  So, while the power was out, I read all four of her books.  The Center of Everything is an amazing book about a girl who is exactly my age, it starts when she is 8 and ends when she is in college and she nails what the world was like then.

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3.  Lisa Genova
I just recently discovered this writer, who is a neurosurgeon.  She combines her vast knowledge of the brain with fiction to help readers understand autism, amnesia and left neglect.  I love her voice and that her characters are so real and likable.

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4.  Elizabeth Berg
Simple.  Elizabeth Berg's writing style is so simple and sometimes I just crave that.  She has a simple way of looking at things and she touches on so many women's issues.  I just want to hang out with her because I am sure she would reassure me that everything is going to be okay and sometimes, when I need that, I read one of her books.  Talk Before Sleep, which I read back in the late-nineties, about a woman dying of breast cancer and her friends gathering around her, remains one of my favorite books of all time.

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5.  Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Weiner is light and funny but she delves into complicated issues.  Sometimes I just need her sense of humor.  Jennifer Weiner went to Princeton and she lives in Philly, so she writes about an area that I know, love and live in...I love that familiarity.

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6.  Elin Hilderbrand
Summer would not be summer without Elin Hilderbrand.  All of her books are set on Nantucket.  One glorious summer, I read every single one back to back while at our local swim club.  When I went to Book Expo, Elin Hilderbrand's booth gave out full-size Corona beer.  I was one of the first in line and right up front when she came out, there was a several minute wait between when she came out and when she started signing books and we chatted it up.  She was very down to earth and likable.

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7.  Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah takes a whole year to write a book.  Her books are so well researched.  Years ago she wrote romance (I am not such a fan of those).  Then she wrote about women's relationships, that was when I discovered her books and couldn't get enough.  Now she tackles even more emotional topics.  The Magic Hour, about a feral child is one of my favorite books of all time.

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8.  Luanne Rice
I have read every single book.  Even her very first and several articles and short stories that she wrote before she published a novel.  Most of her books take place in the fictional art colony, Black Hall, in Connecticut, on the Long Island Sound.  She has very distinct political views and I find myself feeling very understood when I read her books.  She is also an avid Springsteen fan and I was one of her first followers on Facebook and we have sent personal messages back and forth and even "chatted" on Facebook.  Once, when the girls and I were watching "Beach Girls" on DVD, she and I started chatting on FB and she posted her photos of the real people and places that the movie was based on--that was a pretty amazing experience for me!

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9.  Barbara Delinsky
Like Kristin Hannah, she used to write romance and I am not a big fan of that part of her career.  Coast Road was the first book I read by her and it remains one of my favorite books.  She has a deep, rich style of writing that really allows you to get inside the heads of her characters.

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10.  Marisa de los Santos
Another Philly author, Marisa de los Santos writes about women and family and sacrifice and love.  Her second novel, Belong to Me, actually made me sob, not just cry, but sob out loud in a doctor's office.  She tackles very modern problems for women, such as: is being a mom enough?  should we want to also have a career?  What if we don't want a career, does that make us less of a person?

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10 Random Good Things - July Edition

1.  Every time I think I am more into Instagram than blogging and maybe I will give the blog up...something happens, like I get an email from someone trying to get up the courage to homeschool or Math-U-See links to one of my posts and I get 1000 hits in an hour!

2.  Since getting rid of Disqus, I am getting TONS of comments on my blog.  I am so sorry that Disqus was such a drawback for so many.  I am so glad I got rid of it!!

3.  I think I have caught the running bug.  I woke up late this morning and I had somewhere to go, so I didn't get my run in. I am counting down the hours until I get out of work and can go for a run!

4.  Not since breastfeeding have I seen such a huge change in my body as I have with running!  Seriously, peeps, my clothes are baggy in all the places I wanted to lose.

5.  I went to see Springsteen & I last night.  I am still processing it.  It was a packed house.  I was relieved as I left the theater that I was not the only one crying.

6. The art classes at the art school I want the girls to take classes at are offered at the MOST perfect times for us--I love when our schedule easily falls into place!

7.  Today the girls and I were reading about the Women's Suffrage Movement.  I told them I wanted one of them to write a paper on Women's Suffrage and one to write a paper on Woodrow Wilson.  Allie chose to do a paper on each.

8.  My husband won an award at work.

9.  We've been swimming in our neighbor's pool almost daily.  We are so lucky to have great neighbors!

10.  Last week was super hot here in the Northeast.  We got some rain over the weekend and it's now much, much milder and nicer with a nice little breeze and a lot less humidity.

10 Unexpected Benefits to Homeschooling

1.  I am closer with my girls.  When we decided to homeschool, people claimed my girls would hate and resent me.  Being together so much would be difficult and our relationship would suffer.  NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.  My girls and I are tight.  We are all each other's best friend and confidante.  I know their crushes and their dreams, we spend hours talking and giggling and laughing.  I know their pet peeves and the things that make them laugh.  We would not have nearly as much time for this if they were in school.

2.  My girls are closer with each other.  My girls have always been very close.  Their personalities compliment each other well.  They have several days a week where they don't see other kids, it's just how it works out, but it's not a big deal because their best friend is there.  They tell each other EVERYTHING.  They enjoy each other.  They make each other laugh incessantly and are there when the other one is upset.  They support each other and encourage each other.  If they were in school, they would not spend as much time together and there would be other friends that might take the place of their sister; the saying goes: you will have a lot of friends, but only so many siblings!

3.  We are not influenced by trends or peers.  My girls don't care what everyone else is doing, what everyone else has or wears or wants or whatever.  They care about what they like.  Comfortable clothes or funky clothes, art supplies and time to be creative, good books and small pets.  When we first told the girls we were going to homeschool, Allie stopped asking for an iphone and started asking for a guinea pig--and Jason and I thought, she has her whole life to have a cell phone, but when will she ever want a guinea pig again?

4.  My daughter can spend whole days in her art studio. There is no limit to her creativity.  I believe creativity can not be confined or bound in a box, it needs lots of time and open-ness.  Allie will literally spend whole days in her art studio and forget to eat!  She will come out covered in paint, fingers stained with ink, glitter in her hair and a look of total contentment on her face.  She would not have the opportunity to spend as many hours in her art studio if she were in school, and she may be more inclined to think within the parameters of an art teacher or program instead of seeing art as wide open!

5.  We have the coolest friends.  I love our group of eclectic, hippie, fun, back-to-nature friends.  Not everyone does the organic thing and that's ok.  Not everyone is creative and that is cool, too.  But we all have something to offer and none of us follow trends.  None of our homes are ever perfect, but we will give you a glass if you prefer one ;-)

6.  The world literally feels split wide open.  The world is our classroom.  There is nothing we can't explore, nowhere we can't go, nothing we can't learn about.  It is all open and at the ready for us and I am giving my girls the tools to figure out how to delve into anything they want!

7.  My girls read so much more.  When my girls were in school they read because they had to log in hours.  There was a lot of talk about reading levels.  As soon as we brought the girls home to learn, I let them pick whatever they wanted to read and told them they could stay up as late as they wanted reading (which was a mistake!).  Allie reads 2 books a week, on average; but sometimes she reads a book a day.  Piper reads a book a week.

8.  My girls both have part-time jobs.  Piper walks our neighbor's dog while the kids are in school and the parents are at work.  Allie works as a mother's helper one day when I am at work.  They do these jobs when other kids are in school.  These jobs have provided a means to teach about money management: both girls are required to put HALF their earnings in their savings accounts.  They can spend the rest.  Often, they ask me to buy something and I say, "How much money do you have?"  They reply with an amount and I will say they can afford it OR I will pay the difference...nine times out of ten they don't want to spend their money on whatever it was they wanted me to buy, so why would I want to spend my money on it?

9.  My daughter was able to launch a youtube channel!  A few months ago, Piper launched a Youtube channel with 6 other homeschoolers.  Piper maintains the site, takes care of all correspondence and administrative duties with the site.

10.  My girls have stayed younger longer.  My girls still play.  They are not influenced by what is cool.  They still cuddle with me.  They still play.  They are still silly.

Ten Things About Me You Should Know

1.  I have two girls, ages 11 & 13.  They are creative and they both to love read.  My youngest came up with the idea of having a youtube channel for homeschoolers, she does all of the planning and administrative work for the channel.  You can check that out here: 7 Cool Homeschoolers.

2. My husband and kids are my life.  All I ever wanted to be was a mom and a wife!

3.  We are relaxed, interest-led eclectic homeschoolers.  We use a variety of methods depending on what we are learning.  As my girls are getting older and more independent and I see them pursuing their own interests, I am more and more interested in letting them lead and take responsibility for their learning/education.

4.  I am a librarian.  I was a teacher before I had kids.  I dream of opening a day care/learning center when my stint as a homeschool mom is over.

5.  I am a complete homebody and I love books.  I thought the hurricane that left us without power for 8 days was fun because I didn't have to leave my house and there was no computers and internet and other things to distract me from reading!

6. I live a half hour from Manhattan on the Jersey side.  I love Bruce and the beach.  Around here, James Gandolfini's death a few weeks ago was like losing a family member, one of our own.  I love where I live and the sense of community and family.

7.  I love yoga.  I try to practice every day.  I feel so much better when I do.

8.  I don't eat meat.

9.  I pride myself on being very open minded and trying to see all points of view on something and doing MY OWN research before deciding how I feel about any given issue.  I am an issue girl when it comes to politics.  I no longer identify with either party.

10.  I am a deeply spiritual person, I found my faith grow most when I embraced all religions and all faiths: Protestant, Catholic, Buddhism, Muslim, Hindu....we all worship the same God and I think there is something to learn from all of it.

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Ten MEATLESS Meals My Family LOVES!

I have an eating disorder so eating healthy is a big priority for me.  I have always encouraged my family to make good choices when it comes to food.  We don't ALWAYS eat organic, but we try to as much as possible and we try to eat healthy and well.

I buy a variety of snacks depending on what appeals to me or my family in the store or what is on sale.  But, we always have plain Greek yogurt, lots of fruit, pretzels and non-GMO popcorn kernels available for popping.

I wish I was better about preparing breakfast, but I'm not and it tends to be cold cereal unless Allie makes herself oatmeal or scrambled eggs.

Lunches in our house tend to be salad for me and leftovers of dinner, oatmeal with lots of fruit, smoothies (green & fruit), cheese and crackers or good old p,b &j for the girls.

Dinner is where we try to rock it!  I don't eat meat and for a while neither did my youngest, but now both of my girls and my husband all do eat meat.  It's not as much of a challenge as you would think.

Here are our top 10 MEATLESS Favorite Family Dinners!

1. Lentil Salad with grapes - I've caught my girls coming in for a midnight snack on this one!

2.  Shrimp and Grits - Comfort food at it's finest.  I have made it with and without bacon (I won't use fake bacon--too many preservatives!)

3.  Red Lentil Coconut Curry (I make with Jasmine or Basmati rice) - we all love it!

4.  Tacos - I usually make black beans for myself and steak or chicken for Jason & the girls and we all share the tomatoes, cheese, rice, guac, etc.

5.  Vegetable Curry with Tofu - my oldest asks for this meal every single week!

6.  Summer Veggie Rice Bowls - my husband claims this is his favorite meal of ALL TIME!

7.  Irish Nachos - HOLY YUM FUN!  I have been known to put bacon on half for the fam!

8.  Vegetarian Chili - My husband, who fancies himself a chili connoisseur, says this is amazing chili!

9.  Lemony Lentils with Kale - Ok, this is a fave of mine, but my family eats it with relish!

10.  Hoppin' John  - My kids BEG for this!  No joke.  I have been known to use real bacon in it, but don't tell the vegetarian police.

Of course, pizza, mac & cheese, veggie burgers (when the fam eats all beef burgers), breakfast for dinner, veggie quiches, omelets, & fritattas and gourmet grilled cheese (with goat cheese & figs or brie and chutney) are always a hit as well!

If you are looking for more meatless family meals, please check out my Pinterest boards!

Ten Things You Will Always Find in My Fridge

1.  Fruit & Vegetables - I have a drawer full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

2.  Organic Spring Mix or Artisan Lettuce - I eat salad almost every day for lunch and there is always a huge Costco tub of lettuce in my fridge!

3.  Spa Water - I have been trying to drink more water.  I keep a big pitcher in the fridge with lemons and limes and cucumbers in it to keep me inspired to drink it!  It works!

4.  Cheese - I love cheese.  Cheese is my weakness.  Cheese makes me weak in the knees.  You will usually find several varieties of cheese in my fridge, ALWAYS, always a block of Parmesan, usually goat and feta and Monterey Jack and quite often some other cheese that whispered my name as I walked by it at the grocery store.

5.  Milk - My friends say my fridge looks like a dairy case.  I buy organic 1% milk at Costco for the girls, Skim milk for me and Half n Half for Jason's coffee.

6. Organic, free range eggs - My youngest daughter and I don't eat meat, so we get protein from other sources, like eggs.  Quite often there is a bowl of hard boiled eggs in there, great quick little snack especially around 3pm when you feel sluggish--protein works better than caffeine or energy drinks!

7. Nuts - Since Piper and I don't eat meat nuts are another source of protein for us.  I buy almonds and hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios in bulk.  We keep them in the fridge because it's the oils in nuts can go rancid quickly.

8.  Acidophilus - We usually have yogurt, but if I have not been to the store in a while we may not...even so, when we get bellyaches, we always reach for the Acidophilus.

9.  Whole Grain Bread - I keep bread in the fridge because it seems to get moldy fast if I don't.  My mom always kept bread in the freezer, but sometimes it gets freezer-burned, so we keep it in the fridge.

10.  The weirdest thing in my fridge is lipstick!Yes, you read that right, I have lipstick in my fridge.  It is the lipstick I wore on my wedding day almost 17 years ago, it has survived 5 moves in two states and it is in my fridge. Yes, I can still buy the color but for some odd reason that tube is really special to me.  I don't know if it really makes a difference or not, but I feel keeping it in the fridge helps preserve it.

10 Things in My Kitchen

These posts are so fun, I want to play along!

Ten things you will find in my kitchen:

1.  This beautiful bowl that my uncle made sits on my counter and I keep tomatoes and other fruit in it.  It reminds me of my uncle and I always loved cooking with him in my kitchen so it's really nice to have this there.

2.   A lot of heirloom pieces - when my Naunie passed away, I took some bowls from her house and some other things that remind me of her.  I did the same thing with my uncle.  I get comfort from using these things and feel like my Naunie and my uncle are right there with me.

3.  Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar - I love this stuff.  It is so good for you!  Many years ago, my mom cured my dandruff with ACV.  I drink approximately 1 tbsp. diluted in water every day, it promotes digestion, helps control weight, removes toxins from the body.  I have an ulcer and when it acts up, I drink an extra glass of water and ACV and it neutralizes my stomach acid and works better thank OTC remedies.  I use it on my salad every day.  I even got my dad to start drinking it!

4.  Glass jars of flours and grains, popcorn kernels, flax seeds, chia seeds - when I was a kid my friend Tami's mom had glass jars lined up on her counter with different pastas and rices and grains and I loved the way it looked.  I vowed then that when I had my own house, I would do the same.  And a few years ago, I did!

3.  Fiestaware - We have open shelves for dishes and I love the way the bright Fiestaware looks against the white shelves.  The only thing that bums me out is that I got these colors 17 years ago for my wedding and now they no longer make these colors so I can't add to my collection (the new colors don't match well).

5.  Stoneware and Le Crueset - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE baking on Stoneware and cooking in Le Crueset.  I really do think it makes a difference.

6.  Kitchenaid Blender, Mixer and Food Processor - I can make green smoothies that are perfectly smooth with my blender.  I love having my mixer on the counter -- I have promised both of my girls that I will buy them a Kitchenaid mixer when they get married--I use mine ALL the time--pancakes, bread dough, mashed potatoes, you name it!

7.  A lot of heirloom pieces - when my Naunie passed away, I took some bowls from her house and some other things that remind me of her.  I did the same thing with my uncle.  I get comfort from using these things and feel like my Naunie and my uncle are right there with me.

8.  Sourdough Starter - when Jason had hernia surgery last fall, he started making sourdough bread and we have kept it going.  We make a couple loaves every week.  It pares well with soups and stews or salads.  It makes the house smell awesome and it's just nice and comforting to have home baked bread.

9.  Photos of friends and family - My fridge is plastered with photos of friends and family, artwork that my girls made either recently or when they were little and artwork and notes kids give me at the library.  I have also been known to print out favorite poems and quotes to put on there.  Years ago I was a teacher and I had a bulletin board in my room that looked like this, all things people gave me or things I loved...now all that is on my fridge!

10. An inordinate amount of cookbooks and cooking magazines - I have amassed quite a collection of both over the years and despite my best efforts to purge some, the collection grows as I inherit family members' books with notes in the margins.  The worst part is, with the exception of a couple tried and true recipes that I have not memorized, I never even look at cookbooks anymore--I pin recipes and check Pinterest for menu ideas!

My 10 Favorite Online Yoga Classes

I love yoga.  Yoga is something that I want to shout from the rooftops about.  When I first started doing it, I felt like I had uncovered the key to the universe and happiness and all that is good and right with the world.  Seriously.  I am calmer, more focused, saner, I breathe deeper, I feel better, I am more grateful, I am more in tune with my body and the world...I could go on and on...when I do yoga.

Originally I practiced at a yoga studio and that was awesome.  But, now with the girls and their friends and our busy schedules I just can't commit to ONE MORE THING.  I can't get in my car and drive somewhere, do something, drive home...for ONE MORE THING.  There is just not enough time in the day.  So, I often do yoga at home when I have a spare half hour or hour...it could be 6am or 8:42 pm, there is an online yoga class available when I am.

Here are some of my favorites:

1.  I have scoliosis, so sometimes I experience back pain.  When I do, this is one of the routines that ease the pain :)  I find something about Neesha's voice so soothing and comforting and I love how she reminds you to connect to the earth and be grateful.


2.  I love this class because it feels like I am in a yoga studio and it's a great workout.


3.  Part of yoga for me, is maintaining inner peace and a spiritual connectedness and this routine helps me do both.  If I am a little grouchy or crabby or just feeling emotional, this is the routine I do.


4.  If I only have 20 minutes, but I want to challenge myself and get some good core work...this is the one!


5.  I love the three minute kriyas of Kundalini.  I LOVE Breath of Fire.  I love how Sarah Kline talks about how an exercise improves your thyroid or some other gland, that keeps me going when I want to give up.  I want to strengthen my adrenals.  I want to do things now so that when I get old, I am still in good shape.


6.  Kundalini is all about awakening chakras and creativity.  If I am feeling uninspired and I only have 20 minutes, I do this routine.


7.  Kripalu is amazing.  If you like yoga, you should really try to get there at some point in your life.  Kripalu yoga tends to be very gentle with a lot of stress on doing what is right for YOUR BODY.  At Kriplau you really learn to listen to your body and what your unique body needs.  This workout, in my opinion, is more restorative than difficult or a real toning workout.  But, when I need to pamper myself...this would be the one I would choose.

8.  Turning 40 has been rough...I can't keep weight off as easily.  I love this workout.  It's quick and effective and Adriene is funny and keeps me motivated.  I wish she would come out with more routines.  Adriene?  Are you out there?  Are you reading this?  I love the poses, but I would really like more full routines!

9.  When my scoliosis is REALLY bad, I do this routine.  It. Is. Amazing.  Yin yoga is all about holding a stretch for several minutes.  It does wonders for my back.

10.  My back (because of scoliosis) and my belly (because I am over 40) tend to be the two areas I focus.  If I only have a half hour and my back is in pain, I do this routine.

Ten Things That Make My Day

I have been really enjoying reading these lists, so I decided to join in the fun!

The Top Ten Things That Make My Day are:

1.  Being intentional with my time - It is SO easy for me to get lost in "the bliss of the computer" as someone I know called it.  I can just go from site to site to site and check facebook and Twitter and blogs and blah,blah, blah all day long and let laundry pile up and my kids scrounge for food and my house go un-cleaned.  But I don't feel good when I do that.  I need to be intentional with my time.  For me, that often means making a list of everything that I want to accomplish and checking things off--something about those checks makes me happy, too!

2.  Yoga - The Big 4-0 has not been kind, people.  I am eating the same as ever, but gaining weight like never before.  I have an eating disorder, so this is all pretty concerning for me.  I am not supposed to diet, but a few weeks ago I did...and it was just a really bad downward spiral.  Anyway, after a loooong talk with my awesome husband, I got back on track and after weeks of trying to do more intense exercise, I realized why I LOVE Yoga.  It works my core and it helps me feel grounded, at peace, happy, centered, good about myself...unlike some other forms of exercise.

3.  A Big Bowl of Air-popped Corn and a Good Book - Yes, I have an eating disorder, my only two safe snacks are air-popped corn and grapefruit.  I love popping a bowl of corn and getting into bed with a good book.  It's my absolute favorite thing in the whole wide world to do!  Fortunately, I get to do it a couple times a week thanks to my hard-working hubby!

4.  Breathing - I know that may sound silly, but when I get upset or stressed, I just take a few deep breaths through my nose and think how awesome it is that I can do that, that I can breathe and that calms me down.  Also, just the feeling of deep breathing makes me feel good.

5.  Hanging on the Deck with my Husband - Several nights a week and most weekends, my husband and I just hang out on the deck together.  Sometimes we read.  Sometimes we talk.  Sometimes we listen to music.  Sometimes friends join us.  Sometimes we grill stuff.  Sometimes we drink beer or tropical drinks or vodka and cranberry juice or gin and tonics.  Sometimes we drink green smoothies.  But it is ALWAYS a time of relaxation, rejuvenation and bonding.  We don't really do regular date nights, but hanging out on the deck is a lot like a date--we usually send the kids away and focus on each other.

6.  Talking with my Girls - When ever I see someone with a baby, I always tell them it just gets better and better.  I remember when my girls were babies, I kept thinking, "It can't get better than this!"  And while I would love to go back to their baby days sometimes, I also really like the young ladies they are becoming.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to just sit and chat with them.  Individually works better, otherwise they start bickering--sigh!  Almost every night, when I go to say good night to them, we sit and chat for a while, about the world, life, they ask me questions, we talk about their dreams, what they think of things, the world, what is going on in the world, my dreams for them....

7.  Watching TV with my Girls - I am really not a TV person, but my girls have gotten me into a few shows and it is our "thing".  Jason - crazy man - prefers to get up at 4am (he could get up at 6, but he likes to be up SUPER early) to do yoga, read, play guitar when the house is quiet and the kids and I are not bothering him (he likes to focus on US after work).  So, this means he is sound asleep at about 8 or 9pm and the girls and I watch our shows Switched at Birth or Life Unexpected.  They are honestly pretty mindless, but by that time of night, that is about all I can handle and sharing them gives the girls and I a point of referencer for other discussions.

8.  Silence - There was a time in my life when I ALWAYS had music on.  Then I had kids.  Now, when I can have silence, I breathe in and expand in that silence.

9.  My friends - I have been blessed with several friends, some of whom are lifelong, one of whom is my mom, some of whom I just recently met through homeschooling, with whom I can share my heart.  We can talk about our lives , our concerns and anxieties and troubles and we can wrap warm arms around each other and just be there for one another.  So, so important to me.

10.  Blogs - We said "YES" to everything for a while in late winter-early spring this year and it really took its toll on me in many ways.  I need down time.  I need free time.  I need time to not be looking at the clock.  I need to not feel rushed.  And, once I found time to read blogs again, I realized that I need TIME TO READ BLOGS.  You all help keep me centered and focused and your provide great inspiration and I need that.  I am thankful for all of your wisdom and advice and support.  My favorite blogs are ones where people just share their lives, what they are doing, just regular people living lives, sharing what they learn, what inspires them.  Love it.  Need it.

10 Christmas Gift Ideas & Stocking Stuffers

I despise clutter.  Toys that are not played with are clutter.  They lay around, take up space and need to look organized.  In the past I have bought for the sake of buying and having a HUGE presentation under my tree...then I realized that I really don't want my girls to get caught up in that aspect of Christmas...although I guess there is a part of me that is happy they will remember walking out on Christmas morning to PILES of gifts.  But now I try to keep it simple.  I observe what my girls enjoy doing and buy accordingly.

Here are our favorite gifts that will be used for years to come and probably passed down to their kids:

1.  Citiblocs - these are a less expensive version of Keva or Kapla blocks, but they are the EXACT same thing.  We love them.  They are all exactly the same size and weight and with them you can build all kinds of things from ramps to towers to arches.

citiblocs are great for teaching many things

2.  Good Quality Art Supplies - we've learned the hard way that the better quality art supplies are usually worth the money, especially paint brushes.  Cancel cable, give your kids art supplies and set them free!

3.  GeoSafari Digital Recording Lab - we don't actually own this yet, but my friend Karen suggested it and it sounds super cool!  Kids get to play around with circuitry and record their voices and sound effects.

4.  Snap Circuits - we do own this and we LOVE it!  I was not sure how much my girls would use it--they can't get enough of it!  We started with a small kit and added on to it.  We all enjoy seeing how things will work and altering things to see if a different configuration will work the way we think it will.

5.  Digital Camera/Camcorder/editing software - my girls use these for stop animation or to make videos with friends.  They use their ipods and ipads for this, too, but they say they feel more "official" with the cameras and I like that the software they use to edit is not quite as easy as the ipod software (don't get my wrong, I love IG and ipod/pad apps as much as the next girl, but I like that my kids are learning video and photo editing software).

6.  Legos - no explanation needed--hours of fun and creativity!

7.  Tikatok Gift Certificate - my girls got these last year and I still need to write a review.  Basically, this is AWESOME!  Kids can write a story and illustrate it, mail it in and have it bound into a high quality book.

8.  K'nex - my girls have made ferris wheels and catapults and all kinds of things with these.

9.  Games

10.  School Desks & Chalk/whiteboard - we bought two old metal school desks from a Catholic school that was closing and a whiteboard and my girls have spent DAYS playing school.

Stocking Stuffer ideas:

I hate to put a lot of candy in the stockings.  We always have so much junk in the house around the holidays, anyway.

• body washes, shampoos
• nail polish (girls)
• gloves, mittens
• toothbrushes
• dental floss
• fashion/entertainment magazine
• fancy pens
• itunes gift cards
• hair clips for girls

10 Favorite Television Series to Watch with Kids

We canceled cable in the spring.  Best thing we ever did.  Neither Jason nor I are big TV people and we kept restricting the girls "screen time" so much that it suddenly dawned on us to just cancel cable altogether.  We kept our Netflix account and we have been VERY happy with that.  I thought we would get cable back for football season, but Jason went out and got an antenna that works great and we are able to get all of the Philly and New York games!

1.  The Christy Series - This televisions series was based on the Catherine Marshall novel.  Christy is a well-off girl from a North Carolina city who goes to the backwoods of North Carolina to teach in an impoverished area.  This is one of my favorite shows ever--the grit and determination of the people faced with such hardships and the emphasis on what is truly important in life.  I love it and I love the message it sends to my girls.

Image from: DVDTalk

2.  Sarah Plain & Tall - based on the novel by Patricia McLachlan, starrring Glen Close.  If you are not familiar with the novels, a widowed Mid-western farmer sends for a mail-order bride to take care of his two young children.  Sarah is from New England and rather well-to-do, she took care of family members since she was young, which left little time for courting, but really wants to be married and have a family of her own.  Such a great story, again lots of grit and determination and good, solid messages.

3.  Little House on the Prairie - I am a HUGE fan of anything Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I loved this show as a kid and I LOVE sharing it with my girls...values, grit, integrity...what REALLY matters...great life lessons!

4.  The Waltons - a Depression era story set in the hills of Virginia, a large family and their honest values and morals.  They don't make shows like this anymore.

5.  Anne of Green Gables - are you sensing a trend?  I really like historical stuff and shows based on books.  Poor orphan Anne goes to Prince Edward Island to live with her eccentric aunt and uncle after her parents die.

Image Credit

6.  Family Ties - ok, so a departure from books and history...but again, good solid family values.  A lesson is learned in almost every show.

7.  The Brady Bunch - I have been a fan forever...I could not make a list without including it.  In college, we played Brady Trivia until late in the night...do you remember the one where Bobby & Cindy tried to beat the record for being on a seesaw?  What about when Peter (swoon!) saved the little girl in the toy store?  Remember the one where the parents wanted to sell the house and the kids made it seem haunted?  or when Alice gets locked in the freezer at Sam's butcher shop?

8.  The Partridge Family - Everybody, come on get happy....  Sometimes when we play Rock Band, we fantasize about buying a big bus and traveling around singing.

9.  Downton Abbey - This is more for older kids.  Allie is as addicted as Jason and I are.  I do think there is some historical substance to this show, it shows how both royalty and the working class lived in turn of the century England.

Photo Credit

10.  My So-Called Life - again, for older kids.  Allie and I watch this show together and discuss it.  I am a HUGE Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick fan and own all of their programs on DVD.  This show is definitely somewhat dated for about twenty years ago...but the topics are still relevant and it gives Allie a glimpse into what my teen years were like.  yes, I was an angsty one ;-)

10 Favorite Family Games

1.  Blokus - a great strategizing game!

2.  Apples to Apples  - great for vocabulary and expression.  When we play we try to "sell" the person deciding whose word is the best example on the word we chose, even if we know we didn't get a good hand.  This is Piper's favorite game.

3.  The Dictionary Game - this is a game we played with friends after college where one player looks in the dictionary for a word they've never heard of.  They write the word on a piece of paper and show the other players.  Each player tries to figure out the meaning, the player that comes closest wins the round.

4.  Bananagrams - great for spelling!  It's in a small little sack and is super easy to chuck in your purse to bring places where you may be waiting around for a while.

5.  Kerplunk  - strategizing?  I am not sure, I just like this game.  My grandma had it when I was little and playing it always brings me back to fun times with my cousins when my Grandma would have us all over for dinner.

6.  Jenga - great for strategizing.  We have seen this game used in various ways to teach various concepts from soil erosion to marine life...I love the diversity in this game.

7.  Cranium - what is not to love about a game where you get clay to shape into different things and have other players guess what it is?  Years ago Starbucks sold "add-on" packs for this game and we collected several of them ... we can play this game for HOURS.  It's probably our family favorite.

8.  Perfection - Last year I read a study that claimed that kids who played games had better test scores and kids were able to raise test scores just by playing games.  I think Perfection exercises the brain and it's one of the few games you can play alone!

9.  Scrambled States of America - teaches geography.  This is Allie's Number One favorite game of all time.

10.  10 Days in Europe - I love this game because it teaches geography and logic.

My 10 Favorite Books to Read to My Kids

1.  Just in Case You Ever Wonder... by Max Lucado
This book is EVERYTHING I want my kids to know.  I will always be there for them and God will ALWAYS be there for them.  I always give this as a baby shower or christening gift.

2. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch and Sara McGraw
I can barely ever make it through this book without crying.  I only hope that my children love me that much one day.

3.  Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney
I remember reading this as a pre-school teacher and then when I read it to my own kids it took on so much more meaning!

4.  Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
A classic.

5.  If I Could Keep You Little... by Marianne Richmond
Isn't it so true?  I love watching my girls grow up and see the young women they are becoming, but there will always be a part of me that will miss them as babies.

6.  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
This is actually Jason's favorite book.  A friend of his mom's had a copy and he would always read it when he went their house.  He loves to read this book to our girls and it has, in many ways, had a huge impact on his life and worldview.

7.  Where the Sidewalk Ends, Falling Up, The Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
These are Jason's special books with the girls.  I am not allowed to read them.  Jason makes up funny voices and gets really into acting out each poem.  It was a bedtime ritual since the girls were teeny tiny...and sometimes even now he will read a few poems.

8.  Unstoppable Me by Wayne Dyer
I love the adult and the children's books by Wayne Dyer.  I love the message in all of them...a positive message of a spiritual influence in our lives.

9.  The Mitten by Jan Brett
This was a favorite when I was a a pre-school teacher.  I love how the animals get together to make a difference.

10.  Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman
Being the mom I want to be means putting my children first all the time, without question.  I like to find books to read to them that show what this means...sometimes I think my words and actions are inadequate, or I just do them and say them so much that they lose meaning...I love finding books that convey this message in different ways.

Ten Things I Would Like to Tell a New Homeschooler

1.  Follow your instincts.  You decided to homeschool for a reason.  I am guessing because you love your kids.  Spend time with them, cuddle them, make the most of your time, enjoy it.  Don't sweat the small stuff in homeschool.

2.  Go with your gut.  When picking curriculum, go with what sounds best to you.  Read reviews of that product, but you may make yourself nuts if you read reviews of every math program.

3.  You know your kids.  Just because another homeschool parent is touting the merits of program x or doing things a certain way or unschooling or Charlotte Mason, doesn't mean it is best for YOU and YOUR FAMILY.

4.  Don't try to do everything.  When picking curriculum, everything looks exciting and fun!  Your local homeschool group may email you activities or classes or field trips and you may be tempted to do all of them because they all look great and you want to meet new people!  You will burn yourself out this way.  At minimum, try to start out with at least one or two days where you don't schedule any outside activities and can focus on your kids.  Slowly you may want to add a few activities in.

5.  Enjoy it!  Our kids are only kids for so long...enjoy every minute with them.

6.  Take breaks.  If you are feeling overwhelmed or burned out, take a break.  Whether it is an hour or a day or a week...taking a break will help you recharge and renew your commitment to homeschooling.

7.  Get your kids involved.  Ask your kids which science experiment they want to do or what they want to learn about.  They may surprise you!  They probably have some ideas you may not have thought of!

8.  It gets easier.  In the beginning everyone is overwhelmed, wondering if they can do this and if they are doing it right.  It gets easier.  Unfortunately, it's mostly trial and error until you realize what works and what doesn't for your family and what is important and what is not important to your family.

9.  You won't always feel overwhelmed!  I promise!  Once you find a balance between what works and what doesn't; what is important and what isn't...you will start to find your footing.

10.  Say "No" to things.  This year I have had the courage to say "NO" to co-op, to buying more curriculum and to some outside activities.  We are prioritizing our time and our money so that we can better invest in the things our girls really want to do.  Saying "NO"  allows you time to focus on what is really important.

Ten Reasons I'm Excited for the New School Year!

1. Brand spankin' new built-in bookshelves my awesome, amazing, wonderful, fabulous husband built for me this summer.  We had a classroom, but working at the dining room table felt more natural to us and I want learning to be natural, you know?  Having all of our homeschool resources on bookshelves in the living room as opposed to in closets and our old classroom will be super helpful!

 2. I have decided on a "Less is More" philosophy.  I am simplifying.  We are not trying to do everything all year.  I have actually said "no" to activities and resisted the temptation to buy workbooks when we still have workbooks that are not complete.  I have decided that we won't try to do everything all year, but will focus on a few things intensely in the fall and give other things more attention in the spring.

2.  Not studying science and history at the same time.  At the end of last year, we finished science and not our history curriculum (even without consciously deciding this, we seemed to focus on one or the other and not both).  The girls and I completely lost ourselves reading chapter after chapter day after day of history.  The events coalesced and made more sense than when we did history a few days and then science right after or on alternate days.  The girls read biographies of historical figures and books set in the time period and the whole experience was really pretty amazing!

4.  I am gaining confidence.  When we started homeschooling two years ago, I thought we would unschool...but I lacked the confidence.  Then at the end of the first year, I thought of doing history in the fall and science in the spring...but I lacked the confidence.  Now I finally have the confidence to know what works for me, for my girls, for our learning styles and my teaching style and for our family and to actually implement those things.

5.  I know where to spend our money and I have a budget.  I spent the last two years buying so much curriculum just because it looked and sounded great.  I never considered if we actually had time for it.  Now I am.  I am prioritizing our time and spending our money on activities and supplies that suit my girls' interests rather than trying to do everything!  Saying no to some expenses will allow us more money to spend on activities or supplies for projects that really matter to us.

6.  Notebooking!  Just writing summaries was getting dry and dull and Bor-ing last year.  So, at the end of the year, we started notebooking...and these creative girls of mine fell in love!  Notebooking is almost like scrapbooking information.  My girls love the idea of creating beautiful notebooks of what we learn.  I have spent this summer reading Jimmie's book and am feeling very confident that we will build beautiful notebooks this year!

7.  Our Cleaning Schedule.  I will admit it, I am a bit of a neat freak.  I like a clean, tidy house with everything in its place.  I hate clutter.  I like things simple.  I have spent a lot of time lately taking everything out of a closet and only putting back what I want to keep and donating the rest to the Goodwill.  Our house is very tidy and neat now.  I created a cleaning schedule.  The girls are responsible for vacuuming (A), dusting (P), washing floors (P) and washing down cabinets (A) once a week, in addition to keeping their bedrooms neat.  I 'assign' these things along with certain school things.

8.  Allie and I are closer than we have been since she was a baby.  One of the reasons we spent two years trying to decide whether or not to homeschool was that everyone told me that my kids would hate me.  You know what?  Those people could not have been more wrong.  My girls and I are closer than ever.  Piper and I have always been close, but Allie had issues in school and I came down on her hard, as the school advised and we had grown apart.  Now we are as close as I could imagine being.  We have so much in common.  Sometimes she says something and I swear I could have said the same thing!

9.  Mother-Daughter Book Clubs.  Allie LOVES to read.  Last year she started a book club with 7 of her homeschool friends and their mothers.  We pick one book a month, read it and get together once a month to discuss the book.  I love that Allie started this.  I love that we have this time with friends.  I love the books we have read and the discussions we have had.  I have seen my girls GROW so much with this book club and I know they will continue to grow this year with the club.

10.  Beating winter blahs and working together toward a common goal.  Inspired by Jess at Teachable Moments and Cath at Wholeschoolers, we have decided to work toward a common goal this year with several of our homeschool friends.  We have not yet chosen a goal.   But we will be meeting sometime after Christmas to discuss this, choose a goal and then get together once a week during the dreary winter months to work toward a common goal, be it a goal of social conscious-ness, a Rube Goldberg invention, a weekly youtube video show or any number of other things that the kids come up with this year.  After Christmas, during the dreary snowy days of January, I always get a little cabin fever, so knowing I have this to look forward to will hopefully help stave off those winter blues!

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