Home-schooling Adventures

My middle child is graduating!  When she was little she attended public school half the day except one day a week when they were there the full day. I hated her being away all day! Her little sister was lost without her and we couldn't wait for her to come home.

I will never forget the day, 12 years ago, when I completely forgot what day it was and thinking that it was the full day (it was only a half day) I was out and was not home when she was to be dropped off. I got a phone call from an annoyed office worker and I had to pick her up at the school. My baby looked so sad. This was, at the time,  the most absolute worst mistake ever and I felt awful. I truly was The Worst Mommy in the world! Sadly, I have let my children down many times over since then. I have learned that home-school moms always feel like they are short-changing their kids; not doing enough, not meeting deadlines and failing at the most important job a person can have. I wish that these statements are just overly critical self-assessments and that there was no truth to them... but, regrettably, there is.

By the time that year was over it was apparent that public school was not what we wanted our children. We never in a million years thought that the Lord would be calling us back to home-schooling but there we were. (My eldest child, now 30,  was home-schooled for a couple years in the 8th and 9th grades.) Our first year back was tough as I tried to make a public school setting in my home using workbooks and time schedules. Ugh! Life was yucky and hard like that and learning was no fun. This was not the home educating experience I was hoping for. All the sweet times were being eaten up by the militant momma. I cried, she cried and we were not joyful! Where is the Charlotte Mason moments and the child who appreciates all that I was attempting to do and where were the bluebirds and and sweet teaching moments that could have been documented as the perfect home-school family on the cover of a home-school magazine???? What was I doing wrong?

Eight long months into the first grade year a sweet woman (sent by God, I think) at the local home-school conference unlocked our chains when she explained that it was okay if we do not finish every problem in every book in the limits of one school year. What?!?! That was crazy! I am a type A person. The rules, the rules, it is all about the rules and every problem being done and, and, and ..... whew. The weight fell off my back. I felt free like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress.

I shopped the rest of that conference for some fun learning stuff. That was the beginning of my love of unit studies. We began with a curriculum called Konos; no work books, no regimented schedule. Essentially, a unit study incorporates a theme or period of time of study and builds literature, history, spelling, social studies, ect around that time period or theme. Each subject is related and keeps the learning cohesive. We used this program for a couple years. We saved the work books for mathematics only. We met with two other families for music and art on Fridays. For us this was a much better way of learning. We learned that we could have fun while we learned!

My girls would dress up like Native Americans each day as we learned about the early days of our country.

 We went to the grocery store dressed like that! Another time we dressed up in colonial garb and went to Sturbridge Village.

Those early years were filled with dress up and playing as we learned. We journaled our way through science drawing dragon flies we saw in the backyard along with our renditions of fern spores. There was peace in our home and learning that we were enjoying and loving. My children spent afternoons curled up with me reading on the couch or when nicer weather permitted we moved outside at a local park as we played Lewis and Clark gathering local specimens to bring back to Washington for President Jefferson.

Tea parties were necessary as we studied King George's reign over the colonies.

Eight years ago we switched our curriculum to Tapestry of Grace; a different unit study curriculum and I will tell you more about that another time.

For now, if you are struggling with what your child is missing or if like me, you feel you are doing more harm than good at times or if you are just beginning to consider educating your children at home I want to encourage you. There is not a more difficult or rewarding experience as a mother. While there will be days you may question your abilities and whether or not they are learning what they need you are spending time, pouring your life into theirs and that cannot be matched by anyone, anywhere and it will not be in vain.

I think this is my absolute favorite photo of these two sweet babies.

The only worthwhile piece of advice I can give is to know why you want to home-school. For us it was and is to raise our children in light of the Word of God. I need to remind myself of that often as I doubt and fear. We love our children and they are a gift from the Lord. Nobody wants better for them than their father and me. I could not have made it through one year, one semester, one quarter, one week or one day without my God leading me.  Very early in my home-schooling adventures, a godly woman and mother of twelve (if I remember correctly and thank you Mrs. Mohan wherever you are) prayed with me. Her prayer was this, "Lord, in order to do what you are calling me to do- I need you! I need you like Peter needed you on the water." I would sink, the waves would be too high and I would lose heart if God did not rescue me, my children and our feeble attempts to honor Him as we learn.

Our main goal is to raise children who love the Lord. We stress character over grades. Have I failed my children? Yes, and a thousand times, yes. Has God failed them? Never! He is faithful, he will surely do it. If you are homeschooling for the same reason, preach it to yourself daily and walk in the truth that God will supply all your needs. If this is the road you are feeling led to your calling is high and lofty. I am reminded of Augustine's famous quote, "Lord command what you will and provide what you command."

Un-do Pressure

It has been more than two years since I started this blog! When you write a blog you have this thing inside pushing you to get stuff done so that you have something to write about. I imagine that I am not the only blogger that feels like this. (It makes me feel better to think there are others like me.) I can justify a week with nothing to write about but I feel guilty the whole time. I have not yet opened my blog to advertisers so I have no responsibility there but I don't want people who read my blog to loose interest. I realize that those words can sound incredibly vain and conceited. I struggle with thinking people are waiting for the next blog post. I know there are several blogs I follow and often I don't look at their latest posts because I don't have time. I don't want to take you for granted, either, thinking you will come back around when I have something to say. Ugh! This is the mind of a Type-A  Personality.

I have been busy around the house but just have not completed anything! This week we have been busy preparing for a graduation ceremony that will take place next month. My middle child will be finishing her high school career. It seems like not too long ago that I sat with her on her first school bus ride. She was going to kindergarten and she was excited for it. 

1st day of school.

The year was long and short. Here, kindergartners attended school half the day except one day a week when they were there the full day. I hated her being away all day! I will never forget the day that I completely forgot what time the bus came and I was not home when she was to be dropped off. I had to pick her up at the school. She looked so sad. This was surely the most unforgivable mistake ever and I felt awful. Since then it has been a constant stream of goofs and bumbles by mom. I have often said that I think I have learned more from them than they have learned from me. When kindergarten was done we brought her home and have homeschooled ever since. We are not finished yet but we are working on it.

Another project started and not finished is the stairs going to the bedrooms. For 13 years they have squeaked and bent as you walked up or down them. Mister has been working to sure them up and we are in the process of repainting them and lightening up the entry way. Oh, and the vinyl flooring glued down was removed, too. The hardwood continued under it. We assumed someone had covered it because it must have been horribly damaged but it is not. There is still some glue to get off so that is not a finished project either.

New entryway color and wood floors! 

And, because I am a loon, I decided that I was tired of looking at my sad attempt of a gallery wall in the living room. I took everything off the wall and laid it all out on the floor, editing and adding, rearranging and questioning my sanity.  It is almost done but not quite so I don't want to post pictures yet. There are two spots that are driving me a little loopy and I haven't figured them out yet.

So, this post is full of un-finished projects and great expectations (at least for me) of what the future will bring.

I don't think I am the only diy-er out there has four or five pans on the fire, at least I hope I am not the only one. Most women I know have at least five projects of some sort going on in their lives. I want to encourage you to press on and change it if it is not working for you. If you're like me and the projects are your homes-take as much time as you need to get it the way you want it. By design, God has made us keepers of the home and it is only natural for us to want to make them beautiful and comfortable. It is where we serve in our most important ministry,  our family.

I hope you will continue to be patient with me. I will be sure to write individual posts as the projects get done. There are literally thousands of other blogs you could be reading right now with pretty pictures of finished projects so thank you for spending time with me.

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Embark On The Journey

Counter Chairs

Paint and fabric and dishes and furniture. Those are some of the things that can attract my attention in a heartbeat.

Mister used to warn the girls before he left for work not to stand still too long or "... mommy might paint you!" I was all about stenciling everything in the 80's and 90's. I often cajoled friends into painting a room (maybe a bit more daring color than they were ready for) by reminding them "it's just paint". At the time it was not hip or groovy to paint wood and to paint grandma's heirloom table would have been unforgivable. Fast forward to 2016 and everybody is painting everything!

I have shown you my fabric stash before. It is shameful. Over and over again I end up with a project that I could use one of my lovelies for but find I cannot part with it so I purchase something similar and keep my treasure tucked safe away for that "one day" project that will require My Precious and I know I will want to keep it forever. No, I am not on medication. Yes, I probably should be.

Dishes....I could have china hutches filled with Royal Doulton or pretty chintz tea cups, ceramic bowls and iron stone. My first stop in Home Goods is always the dishes. I ooh and aah and sometimes even come home with a piece or two...or more. Funny because my everyday dishes are white, I figure it safest so that I can add anything I want as an accent.

Then there is furniture and I have a cache of abused and abandoned pieces waiting in my basement for my attention. I intend to rework them, paint them and sell them in an attempt to keep funding my hunts for the other addictions. I have shared that Mister is not a fan of all that furniture in my basement but what you may not know is that sometimes he brings furniture home to me! Yes, he does!

Recently he brought home a pair of counter height bar stools. They are black metal with a pleather seat. I immediately put them up for sale on our local yard sale sites on Facebook at a reasonable price and got no interest. I dropped the price three times and didn't even get a nibble. By that last price drop I was asking 1/2 of what I had originally posted them for. I don't think I was being unreasonable in the pricing and was practically giving them away and still nobody wanted them. It was sad. So, what's a girl to do. I yanked them puppies from the sites, took the seats off and started painting!

I used Waverly's Chalk Paint in the color Agave. I purchased it at Walmart for $6 a while ago for another project. Each chair got two coats.

 I then sealed the paint with a spray coat of Rustoleum Crystal Clear Enamel.

Go figure, I have a blurry picture of the Crystal Clear Enamel. Sorry.

Had to wait for a nice day to spray coat them.

Why not just spray paint the color vs. chalk paint? I had that paint on hand!

Originally, I thought I would cover the seats in some of my fabric stash. I have a ecru colored canvas that I thought could work.

I intended to stencil something onto the material; a bee, a number, maybe just a couple stripes.... Naw! I ditched that idea and decided the chairs needed a fun fabric-something summery and playful.

Armed with a Joann Fabrics coupon and a vision I hit the road. I forgot to bring a paint sample with me so I was winging it. I returned with $5 worth of fabric that was spot on for the colors!

I left the pleather on and used the seat as my pattern. I cut a square about 3 inches wider than the seat so I had fabric to wrap under. Starting on opposite sides I stapled the fabric in place, pulling it smooth but not too tight. For stapling think 12 and 6 on a clock. Next I stapled at 3 and 9. Now smoothing the fabric in between the staples I kept moving along each time opposite the last one to keep the fabric smooth and taut. I trimmed the fabric to make it neat and reattached it to the frame.

And... here is the finished product.

In my kitchen, even though there is really no room for them here. 

Taken with my phone.Ugh! 

I had the paint, the chairs were free. It cost me a few dollars for fabric and hopefully, I will get the price I want for them now. I can just see them in someone's Cape Cod home or summer rental. What do you think?

Party Time!
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A Frenchy Craigslist Night Stand

About a year ago, maybe longer, I found a cute little frenchy kinda looking nightstand on Craigslist.

It was in rough shape and needed some TLC but for $12 (yes!) I could not pass it up. At the time my middle child was in a larger bedroom and I thought it would look nice in there or perhaps the younger one's bedroom if I did it up in pink and black. That was a year ago!

I brought it home and eventually it made its way to our field stone basement. Once things are banished to basement it is hard to bring them back. I have a hoard of mismatched, unloved furniture in the basement. Occasionally Mister will comment about my "sickness" but his patience goes only so far. He is wanting to do some work in the basement and that means that my stock pile of furniture projects will need to diminish-drastically!

I brought the little nightstand back upstairs and cleaned her off (and yes, with those cute little legs it has become a "she").

I mixed my favorite version of POP paint from some old paint I had used in the bathroom. The first coat was too blue.

The blue doesn't show well in this photo but it was too blue.

I cut it with some white paint left over from the trim color on our main floor.

The centers of the drawer faces got a coat of Waverly white chalk paint from Walmart.

I painted the side panel white but changed my mind as I went along.

I painted the handles in the same white chalk paint and hit them with silver Rub n' Buff that I used on the dining room mirror.

When the paint was thoroughly dry I tried some antiquing glaze but did not like the look, not for this piece so I painted over it. I tried the Rub n' Buff on the detail on the drawers but did not like that so I had to paint that part, again.

After it dried I used a silver paint pen to outline the drawer faces and side panels.

The whole thing got a coat of Annie Sloan's wax then was buffed for a nice finish.

Much has changed in my daughter's bedrooms since I bought the piece so neither on of them will be using her. Hopefully, I can find a nice family who will love her.

**UPDATE
I came a across a discarded mirror that had been in my youngest daughter's bedroom before her room was made over. Since I had some paint left over I decided to paint the mirror to match Frenchy. I sold them as a set!

Taken on my phone so a little blurry, sorry.

Party time!
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Vintage Thymes Monthly Market Is Back!

Vintage Thymes Monthly Market had been a favorite shopping event for me. (You can find old posts about them under the Out & About button at the top.) I loved going and finding one of a kind items and at the very least I would leave with boat-load of photos for you and inspiration for my own home. Imagine my disappointment when they announced that they were loosing there "home" that had afford them the luxury of being opened for only one special weekend a month. They did open a fall market at a farm last October (see it here) and the day and setting were perfect but left them still with no permanent home.

About a month ago the happy news came that they had found a home and they were ready to start up their monthly markets again! (Insert happy dance here.) Robin and Nancy contacted me and asked me to let you all know....now we can all dance together! As I have been following their Facebook page I have become increasingly excited about the different vendors that will be contributing to April's market. There are some old friends like lovely Mary Ellen from 23rd and Bird 

23rd and Bird's old space in Norwood.

Fleurish Home and Garden

Fleurish Home & Garden

and  Carole from Fleurish Home and Garden and many new (or new to me) vendors  readying themselves and their treasures for the market. I can't wait to meet them.

From their official press release:

 "Vintage Thymes is a monthly antique market run by Westwood residents Robin Hanlon and Nancy Murphy.  The only market of it’s kind in the Metro South area, Vintage Thymes offers themed shows one weekend a month.  The markets feature a hip collection of vintage, shabby-chic furniture, garden and home décor, as well as treasures from Hanlon and Murphy who are known for their creative ability to breathe new life into tarnished and dusty vintage items."

Ooh!  So, with just a little over a week away I wanted to let all you know about it. Who couldn't use a little decorating inspiration, a trip out of the house and chance to shake off those winter cobwebs? Me, me, me and hopefully you, too! My camera and I will be there. Hope to see you there April 8,9 &10!

Vintage Thymes Monthly Market  500 Providence Hwy, Rt.1, Norwood, MA

Here are some examples of things you may find there: