Reading to Your Children May Be More Important Than You Think

From Kelly Crawford at Generation Cedar

Home was once the place where hearts could be filled with “good treasure”, and reading played a significant part in that. Good literature was an integral part of the Christian home and the formation of character depended much on parents reading and instilling the love of reading in their children.If we relinquish our commitment to intentionally form the mind and hearts of our children toward what is good and noble, we give it to someone else–other influences and voices fighting for their allegiance.

Click here to read the rest

We’re still here!

It has been almost four months since my last update but we are still alive and kicking! Our precious new baby boy (Child # 8) arrived in January bringing us to an even four boys and four girls; ages 11 to almost 3 months :-) Life has been even more blessedly busy and pretty much anything beyond survival and laundry and survival OF laundry has been pushed to a very crowded back burner. We are settling in to a bit of a routine though (Using “routine” rather loosely there…) and I hope to be back to posting again a little more frequently as I’m able. “Hope” and “little” likely being the key words…;-). However, that is quite alright by me. These wonderful, crazy days of real life are so full and go by so quickly, the virtual world will have to wait it’s turn. A new twist on the classic poem sums it up:

Blogging and posting can wait ’till tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow.
So I’m logging out, Facebook; Laptop go to sleep,
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Thanks for your patience!

"Not" Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week

Lots of inspiration and ideas for homeschooling and book organization in big and small spaces at the "Not"  Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week!

Home Book Binding Without Special Equipment

From Large Family Mothering:

It's just wonderful the opportunities we have to read old books and other digitized manuscripts for free. But I am not alone in needing to read these nifty tomes on paper—electronic devices just don't seem "right" to me. Besides that, I do not want my children staring into a computer monitor for long periods of time—I am sure there are a profusion of studies relating to just how a child's brain can turn to mush from staring into a box of flashing lights for hours (none of us need any help in that regard.

For a while there I was printing books out on my handy-dandy inkjet and zipping over to the office supply store to have them comb or wire-bound. This was great for the first 20 or so, but I'm passionate, and so are my children; we want a whole collection of superior, educational books. It's just that the cost of all that printing and binding, not to mention all the "zipping", was taking its toll on me.

So I went on an odyssey, surfing the Net for better alternatives. I am so pleased and excited with what I have found that I have to share it with you all!

Click here to read the rest

50% off Coupon Code for "31 Days to Clean" EBook (Plus Videos for Book Owners!)

From Sara Mae at Raising Homemakers:

Beginning on Monday, August 1st, there will be a new video each day encouraging you and helping you along the way with the Martha Challenges from 31 Days to Clean (see a sample video at 31daystoclean.com right now)! Jennifer Ross, a reader, has done a wonderful job showing you that you can complete the challenges…and not go crazy!

And for those of you who would like the eBook but have been holding off, it will be available for 50% off on Monday (and the whole week) by using code: BLOOM

Why “BLOOM”? Great question!

Tune in here (the Bloom book club) on Monday because I’ll be talking about the heart of 31 Days to Clean and my heart for YOU each day during the week – I hope you’ll join me!

Let's try this again...

It has been a long time since I've updated this poor, neglected blog. Life has been a bit upside down this year and everything not vital for our survival has fallen by the way side (this includes laundry.) I shall give this another try though and we'll see how it goes. :-)