Seasons of Busyness

by Carrie Cannon 

This past year was the YEAR OF WAY TOO BUSY! I started this school year with three part time jobs and two extra children (not to mention Orchestra, Band & Choir, Speech Club, Co-op, Bible Study and AWANA).   I woke up tired and went to bed even more tired. We were getting hardly ANY school work done; and I knew I could not keep up this pace for too long, but wasn’t sure what would have to give. It is so easy to say yes to everything before we have counted the cost. If you find yourself on this same end of crazy, I hope you are looking for ways to get out of some of your commitments or to slow down, but here are some tips to get through it.

— Organization is KEY: Developing a plan is essential to keeping your head on your shoulders during a busy season.   This will look different for different families, but calendars, meal planning, budgets, cleaning schedules and lesson plans can be included in this category. The more time I spent in this category, the better things went for me. ESPECIALLY with meal planning. If dinner is taken care of, ALL IS WELL!   Have you heard about the Bullet Journal method? This is a system that I am just beginning to implement. I am a pen and paper girl trapped in a digital world. I LOVE this system. I’ll let you know how it goes.

–Focus is VITAL: Keeping the important things in their proper place is so very important. We get trapped in putting out the fires of the urgent while the important slips by. Why answer the phone in the middle of a conversation with your teenager? That phone ringing is grabbing our attention away from a conversation that could turn into something that could never be recreated. I have a precious friend who has created a beautiful little book to help us keep these first things FIRST…I will talk more about it next month, but it is a sweet little book that I highly recommend. You can find This Beautiful Life here. This wonderful tool helps me keep focused on those things I want to intentionally keep front and center.

–Simplifying Life is ESSENTIAL: This is not the time to make things more difficult than they are. When I was at the busiest in this season, I was making things as easy as possible. Easy meals, easy cleaning schedule, easy lesson plans (If you could really call them that…school consisted of all the extra things. Co-op, Band, Choir, Speech, Home Ec). This was not the time to introduce Latin, sew everyone’s clothing and cook gourmet, multi-course meals. The crock pot was my best friend, with freezer meals a close second.This was one of my favorite meals in this season.

–Teamwork is IMPERATIVE: I cannot stress enough what a blessing my family has been to me in this season of busyness. They have, of course, ALWAYS been a blessing, but when the pressure is applied, you find out the stuff you are all made of. My family really came together and were exceedingly helpful doing chores, meal prep, holding babies, and just really taking care of all the things that needed getting done. One of our favorite methods for getting things accomplished is the Job Jar. Many hands make light work!

–Clearing the Calendar is CRUCIAL: I know I cannot keep up this pace forever, and have already taken steps to slow things down a bit. I have quit one job, and the hours on another job have cut back significantly. We are evaluating our out-of-the-house activities to see if there are any that do not make the cut for next year. Some of these decisions may be very difficult to make, but insanity is ugly and I am closer to it than I want to admit. I see the light at the end of the tunnel though as some things are coming to an end. School books have been dusted off and are being cracked open and the lesson plans are singing with completed work being checked off. Now that we have a driver in the house, I am able to have that child run errands and be the taxi a little more, so that I can be home attending to things only I can do. I know that you cannot get rid of everything and you may need to continue in a season of busyness longer than I have done so far, this too, will look different for each family. Prayerfully consider the things that remain on the calendar and see if they align with the goals you have for your family. So many things look good, are beneficial, but do not accomplish what you desire.

–Taking Care of You is REQUIRED: Seasons of busyness are sometimes unavoidable. If you find yourself in one, try to make sure you are taking care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep, eat as healthy as possible, try to exercise at least a little, do something to pour into yourself. Living off energy drinks and four hours of sleep a night will not be a sustainable lifestyle for very long. You need true energy and stamina to get through this season.

Hopefully, all these tips will help you get through your season of busyness too!

(*This was written ALMOST 2 years ago and it is not at all lost on me that I could say the very same thing past school year as this year that I was writing about!  I am planning on taking my own advice this year!  Keep me to it, OK?)

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

It’s That Time of Year…Already

by Carrie Cannon 

Even though we try to continue schooling throughout the summer, at least to some extent, Fall is the great kick-off for us for a new school year. New books, lesson plans and fresh optimism flow as the box of crayons are opened for the first time, we can actually FIND several pairs of scissors and pencils are sharpened in anticipation of the BIG DAY. As many of us are gearing up, planning, buying curriculum and trying to have a clue about what on earth we are going to do, let me share some of the things I am doing right now to get ready for the big day!

Planning:

A good lesson plan book is an invaluable resource. My personal favorite right now is The Ultimate Homeschool Planner by Debra Bell. There are many good helps in the beginning of this planner that make it THE ONE for me. Yearly, Monthly, and Weekly planning sessions keep me focused and remind me of our priorities for our school and for each child. I will also try, once again, to develop that important life skill of time management with my older children using student planners.

My other favorite planning tool is My Home School Grades.This helps me keep my grades in one place that I can access at any time and will create, when I am ready, a professional transcript for my child’s academic and extracurricular achievements. Created by a homeschool Dad and a homeschool grad, this is an extremely user friendly tool. One thing I LOVE about My Home School Grades is their FANTASTIC customer service.  I really cannot say enough about this WONDERFUL resource!  It really is AWESOME!

Organizing:

One thing MOST homeschoolers LOVE are BOOKS! So as the summer winds down, make time to go through your bookshelves and see what you already have, before contemplating what you need. Perhaps there is a treasure awaiting you in there somewhere. If not, what can you clear away before adding more into our stores of books? Maybe there is something you can sell, consign, or give away to a friend. Not only will this be a blessing for you, either in earning you some school money or in being a blessing to someone, but this will make room for more BOOKS! Things you will actually use.

After you go through the books, go through your supplies to see what you need for the upcoming year. I LOVE to use plastic shoebox size containers to gather like things together. This helps all of us locate what we want quickly, provides a consistent place to return supplies to AND helps you to see fairly quickly what you need or will need soon. Stocking up on supplies in the summer is smart because of the rock bottom prices most stores offer at this time.

Don’t forget all those OTHER things that pop up as September approaches. Sports, Weekly commitments like AWANA , Music lessons, or Co-op, and work schedules all play a HUGE factor in both your “school” time AND your budgeting needs. Look for good deals on sports equipment and band instruments, buy a few things here and there now, set aside money you will need for fees, dues, and supplies you will need for these extras. Often, we need several hundred dollars for these activities all at once and September (or August) hits us with a whammy. You KNOW it’s coming…prepare for it now.

One Last Thing:

Take a moment and write down your hopes and dreams for this year and seal it into an envelope and slip it into the back of your planner or tape it to June’s calendar page. Really think of what you hope to accomplish…academically, relationally, spiritually, physically, etc. Try to be as detailed as you can. It is my prayer that when you open these at the end of your school year, that you will be encouraged and energized as you recount your days in view of your hopes and dreams. In the trenches, we can often lose sight of the goal and focus on the things that were not done, books not finished and all the defeats. Remember and celebrate the victories. These are usually NOT measureable in a standardized test or in the grade books, they are measured in your child’s heart.

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

Just Whistle While You Work

by Carrie Cannon

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho…it’s off to work we go…

We do chores a little differently in our home…It has worked very well for us and I thought I would share some of the things we do with you this month. We have never paid for chores (well, I shouldn’t say NEVER, but we don’t USUALLY pay for chores). We are all part of a family, each one contributing to the mess and each one contributing to the upkeep. I know there are many different views on this, but we have treated house work with a teamwork mentality. After all, many hands make light work! We do not do all of these every day or week…we shift everything around from time to time to keep things fresh and interesting. The first two ideas I mention are our main ways of handling messes though.

Speed Cleaning – Everyday (well, it should be everyday…) we have three speed cleaning periods. We dedicate 20 minutes around breakfast time, around lunch time and close to Daddy coming home time to work together to clean up the major messes. This is ALL hands on deck time as everyone takes on a particular area and puts it back into shape. This is also time to unload/load the dishwasher and washer/dryer. We may have to do that more often than three times a day, but that keeps things moving when we get caught up in our daily duties. The timer is set and we race around tidying up. This is NOT a time for deep cleaning, this is “get things looking ship shape quickly” time.

For those heavy spring cleaning times of life where the mess is more overwhelming than you can deal with, we do a job jar. Everything gets cleared off the calendar and all the jobs go onto individual slips of paper into a container to draw from. Each of us, one at a time pulls a job out of the jar. We set the timer for 20 minutes and everyone works together on that one particular job. So if we pull out Living Room, we are all working to put that space back into order…including dusting, cleaning windows, etc. If the job is complete when the timer goes off, we throw the paper away. If not, we put it back into the jar. I have found that we can all focus and work well together this way, because the jobs change frequently and we also throw in some surprises…read for 20 minutes, watch TV for 30 minutes, snack time, 20 minute break and things like that. This has helped us IMMENSELY for the big cleaning days.

Room a day is another way we get everything done…well it is NEVER DONE, but you know what I mean. Using this technique, we schedule a particular room on a day and everyone works together cleaning that room. So, this is when bedding gets washed, rooms get vacuumed, etc. When we have worked through all of the rooms, we just start over again. When we use this technique, we schedule about 2 rooms a week (I put them into my Outlook Calendar so reminders pop up on the day of!). Some rooms, like bathrooms need to be cleaned more often, other rooms, once a month is good for me. Some spaces, like the kitchen, are cleaned up regularly, but don’t get deep cleans done often and this is a good way for those things to get done. When we use this method, we do not set the timer, but work together until the job is complete. It does not take very long when you work together like this.

You can also find household planners that schedule in duties for you and just follow their recommendations. I have used this method from time to time, but for it to be truly effective, you need to actually LOOK at the planner. I have enjoyed the planner that Susan Heid created at the Confident Mom. She breaks down weekly tasks into bite sized daily chunks and includes things I don’t think of, like wipe out microwave, wipe down all appliance doors, disinfect trash cans. I really do love this planner for keeping on task for my housework!

Ok, the last method I use does involve money…this is the MOM IS GOING TO PANIC and I don’t care how much it costs me, this house better be clean today method. This is only pulled out RARELY, but motivates because of the bribery element everyone wants to bless mom while she is freaking out. This is usually saved for the days we have Bible Study at the home or company for dinner, or something like that. I pay for these instances, because my children are giving me a gift and helping out in instances where I am caught off guard and super stressed out.

Well, that is pretty much how we handle chores around our home. While what we do really works well for us, I want to encourage you to find the groove that works for your family. Each family has different circumstances, needs and giftings that make certain methods work well for your need

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

Swimming With Faith

Swimming With Faith: The Missy Franklin Story
Written by Natalie Davis Miller
Zondervan Publishing
Cost: $6.99
Ages: 10-14 ish; Swimmers of all ages

From the Zondervan Website:

Missy Franklin is one of the most talented swimmers in the world.  She is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and currently holds the world record in the 200-meter backstroke and American records in bother the 100-meter and 200- meter backstroke.  She was Swimming World's World Swimmer of the Year and the American Swimmer of the Year in 2012.  This story tells of her rise in fame and humbleness  in the sport.

Swimming with Faith takes a look into the life of Missy Franklin, mostly focusing on her high school years.  I have to say, we have not had television for about 10 years and I really did not know anything about Missy and what she had been through.  It was an interesting look into the life of a girl with a passion for swimming and goals she was reaching for and convictions to do what she felt was the right thing.  She sounds like an amazing young woman with a big faith in our great God.  I love that she is presented as someone younger people can look up to as an example...I would LOVE to my daughter to read this book.

Right now, as we speak, Missy is competing in Olympic Trials to see if she will have a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swim Team...so this is unbelievable timing!

So, I did really enjoy the information in this book.  The hard part for me was the writing style.  It read a little more like a newspaper (or something) than a book for me.  There were SO MANY citings in the book that disrupted the flow of the text for me.  This might be the way books are written these days, but I am more used to just having the citings in the back of the book.  This could be a personal thing for me...

Anyway, a cool feature in the back of the book is a swim dictionary to explain what all those swimming terms mean. 13 pages of terms help readers unfamiliar with the terminology keep on reading.

I think this is a fantastic book for young people to read!

* I received this book in exchange for a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and opinions may vary.

NIrV Minecrafters Bible

NIrV Minecrafters Bible
Zondervan Publishing
Cost: $24.99
Ages: 8-12 ish

My initial thoughts...Minecraft...are you kidding me?  I cannot believe that I get the opportunity to review this item...My boy was SO EXCITED!  I am not personally a HUGE Minecraft fan, but my boy is...and it is pretty cool to combine the Word of God with something he finds fun!

So what this is:
Complete text of the NIrV...Genesis to Revelation

24 color tip-in pages featuring full color illustrations in the style of the wildly popular virtual world building game.

Featured stories such as Creation and great builds of the Bible

So, my thoughts...as you know...My boy LOVES IT!!!  We have some different standards to measure by though!

So, the text is NIrV, which I have said before is not at all my favorite.  I would prefer a standard NIV to this...2 pages at the very front of this Bible explain why NIrV...I have read this several times...and I get what they are saying...Not a fan though.  I will leave that there and let you decide for yourself on that.

Also, the text is just essentially a standard Bible...No commentary, no intros to the books of the Bible...Just the plain text.  The words of Christ are NOT in red...just in case you are wondering.

What makes this Bible unique are the 24 color pages.  These pages are full color in the style of that particular game (this Bible is not endorsed, sponsored, authorized or in any way, shape or form affiliated with that particular game)...and many of the pages have a building theme.  Some just have aspects you might find in that particular game...like planting, stones, or weapons.  A few just show the picture in the style of that particular game.  It is a little weird seeing Jesus in the shape of that guy...is his name Steve?  I am really not in the know here...this the the BIG draw for fans of that particular game.

I think I am neutral towards this Bible...I don't love it, but I don't hate it either.  It is an acceptable Bible.  My boy LOVES this Bible.  I think he just looks at the pictures though...and those, no matter how much fun they might be, are not inspired.  So, there you have it!

* I received these items in exchange for a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your result and opinions may vary.

God Bless...Land That I Love Books

God Bless America
God Bless Texas
God Bless Florida
Illustrated by Peter Francis
Published by Zonderkidz
Cost $ 9.99
Ages: All

Today, I bring to you three books from the Land That I Love series.  I will take these one at a time...so you can get up close with these cute board books!

First stop...God Bless Texas!  Texas--Larger than life!  As we come to Texas in this book, we get to take a look at landmarks, Like Guadalupe Peak, the Alamo, and the Capitol.  I won't give every detail, just a small taste!  Children will follow the sweet bear Henry as he travels throughout the state to see the fun adventures he will have.  The text has a Rhythmic cadence that children LOVE and the books are a good length to keep attention for the youngers that these are mostly designed for...it is a board book after all!
Children get to learn little snippets about Texas through the text of the book...For instance, on the Alamo page, children will learn that the Texans fought Mexico for thirteen straight days for freedom.
At the end of the book, we see Henry on his knees praying, thanking God for the things he saw.  Very, Very CUTE!
The illustrations in this book are colorful and sweet!

Ok, our second stop today is Florida!  In God Bless Florida, we take little peeks into Tallahassee (capitol), Daytona, and the Space Center.  This book follows the same pattern as the one above, just new sights to see.

In the last book today, we get to take the speed tour of the United States.  In God Bless America, some of the sights we get to see in this book are Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and National Mall.  Two of the sights in this book were in the other two books...I would have liked to see something else brought in...but there you have it.  Once again, this book follows the pattern of the one above!

Speaking of that, essentially, the first four pages and the last four are pretty much the same, with the names changed to protect the innocent...oh, sorry...the names changed for this book.  It is annoying to me to see that as I look at it with a reviewers eyes, but some children really do like that!

If you are travelling to any of these places, it could be fun to add pictures, receipts, etc to the books as a memory book of sorts (I Love altered books!).  Or add postcards of other places you went to in the state or country.   This is why I gave it the ALL age range...the text is really written to younger children.

I think for the most part, your family will LOVE these books...I do have one caution though...in each one, Henry buys souvenirs...Now, I am not sure how your family feels about souvenirs, but our family does not buy them for the most part.  They are often expensive and not worth the asking price.  Also, when you have several children, you may have to come up with a lot of extra dollars in your budget for souvenirs... And just do not even get me started on all the stuff they already have without souvenirs added in.  This may or may not impact your child.  Again, I am looking at all three books together and it gives me the impression that this is normal and what we do when we travel.

*I received these items in exchange for a frank and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Your results and opinions may vary

Grads, Dad, Brides and Birthdays

by Carrie Cannon 

Spring ushers in a season of gift giving opportunities as graduation announcements, wedding and birthday party invitations fill your mailbox.  Giving gifts is not about how much money we spend, but in celebrating someone special in our life.  Thanks to the internet, fresh ideas abound and ways to get creative on a budget  are at your fingertips.  I will warn you though…giving gifts is my love language and I am SURE I go way overboard on this…I just can’t help myself, but I am learning to cut back a little.

Graduation gifts are always a challenge for me.  You often see people suggesting books, a watch or loads of cash.  Cash is ALWAYS a gift that is appreciated!  Maybe you can give it in a creative way.  Search Pinterest for “Graduation Gift Ideas”   to see some of those creative ideas.    A gift card to Target or another store of your choice is ALWAYS helpful.   Creating theme kits might be fun too – laundry soap and quarters, or a basket full of cleaning supplies, midnight munchies or bathroom supplies are very useful at this point in a graduate’s life.

Birthday Parties are the next hurdle to get over. Figuring out which Lego set a child DOES NOT have, what THING is THE THING this year and finally giving up and getting a gift card or giving cash.  Some ideas I am kicking around are movie tickets (Thank you, Costco), zoo, aquarium or museum tickets.   I find that my children do not need more STUFF, and I am trying to think of things we can do to create memories for them instead.  I think that sometimes we get all worked up if we give cash.  My children LOVE to get cash as a gift, because they do not often get money for things. I would not write that off completely, but maybe scale back on the amount you give.  I like to give dollars equal to their age.  I think it makes the gift a little more memorable.

Weddings are made a little easier for us with registry lists.  Often, we can find a gift on a registry within our price range and call it good.  One special gift I have created a couple of times now is a homemade cookbook.  This works beautifully if you have known the bride or groom for a long time.  Recently, I created a cookbook for a dear friend from a Smash Book and scrapbooking supplies on hand.  I did this start to finish in one evening, so it is completely possible, I just don’t really recommend it!  Currently, I have been scouring Craigslist for a used Kitchen aid Mixer  at a FANTASTIC price for a precious friend who is getting married soon.  My Kitchen aid is one of the best gifts I have ever received and has lasted more than 20 years. Other ideas might be to create an evening out with dinner gift card and movie tickets, or a date night in with popcorn, movie, and treats.    There are so many ideas; have a look around Pinterest for wedding gifts or DIY wedding gifts, or even think about the best gifts you have received and I am sure you will be inspired with an idea.

Finally, Dads . . . Dads are really tough  because they often aren’t helpful with what they would like.  How about something for the barbeque?  New cookbooks, cedar planks, or seasonings get those creative juices flowing and bring blessings to the whole family.  What about a basket of different hot sauces – my hubby would LOVE that!  Gift certificates to go out to a nice dinner or Starbucks to grab some coffee on the way to work are great options too.   Coupons for a foot massage, a car wash, or some yard work ease Dad’s burden a little.  If none of these ideas apply to your guy, you can always grab him another tie!

The best advice I can give when gift giving opportunities arise is to focus on the person you are giving your gift to.  As you think about who they are and what they mean in your life, I am sure you will come up with the PERFECT gift idea!

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics