I am so excited for this new book!

This new book, The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming, is written by two of my favorite people (Sally Clarkson and her daughter, Sarah Clarkson) who happen to be two of my favorite authors.

It is a lovely, practical book about the value of home.  It comes out next week and I couldn't be more thrilled.  I was privileged to review the first two chapters and it drew me right in with practical ideas.  The different viewpoints from mother and daughter lend much to the book.  Go order it now.  Really.  Today, it's less than $10 on Amazon and will be sure to go up with the release date.  There is also a companion book with more stories and more ideas organized by month.  Sigh.  Loveliness.

I did receive the first two chapters, but was under no obligation to write a review.  I just love these people and their writing and no single family has influenced my parenting more.

There are affiliate links in this post.

Mom Heart Resources #5: Oodles of Great Things

This post has lots of fun suggestions for you and your family.  These came from two Mom Heart meetings- my ladies have seriously wonderful ideas!

First- two war books to gently introduce the World Wars

Next - a grand and wonderful book (for you, not your children.)  Hilarious, intriguing, I can't recommend The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery highly enough.  One of my favorites of the year.  (And I've been reading A LOT of fiction this year as I lay on the couch with first trimester nausea.)  

This Shakespeare book I have mentioned at least once before, but again, something I can't recommend highly enough.  A simple way to teach your children and yourself some Shakespeare.

The above are both simple, fun books for your children.  

and a fun video to inspire your lego fanatics!

Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Readingis a great introduction into analyzing literature with your children.  I do not recommend all the books at the ages they do (Animal Farm in 4th grade?  No thanks.)  But their methods and discussion questions make it easy to apply in your own home.

This comes recommended by a group member with extensive experience in fermenting foods.  Health benefits galore!

If you haven't discovered the Read Aloud Revival Podcast yet, don't delay.  I often listen to these on my phone or kitchen computer while prepping meals,  Awesome and practical inspiration to read aloud with your family as well as a plethora of other tidbits of goodness.  

And lastly, some links to places for inspiration, planners or worksheets for planning;

http://www.homeschoolcreations.net/

http://www.donnayoung.org/index.htm

Well Planned Day Planners

This post contains affiliate links which means that I earn a few pennies at no extra cost to you when you purchase things through those links.  Thank you for supporting our book habit! :)

Recharging with Nap Times

My creative space during a nap time art making session

Many of us relate to the feeling of relief that happens when a fussy child finally falls into peaceful rest.  Many women run around like headless chickens while their babies are napping or having a quiet rest time. While this is effective for keeping up on the housework, it may not be the best use of these hushed moments.

When my boys were small, a wise women told me not to use nap time to accomplish work that can be done when the babes are awake.  Now, every mother reading this immediately thinks, “Okay. I understand that. That means I should fold the laundry and sweep the floors and prepare dinner. I certainly can’t do those things with littles underfoot.”  Guess what? You CAN do those things when your children are up and with you.

Read the rest here.

Where Does Inspiration Come From?

I been thinking about where I find inspiration to create art and I've discovered it to be much more varied than I would have thought. The easiest place for me is in photographs because I am having so much fun making personalized collages with photographs.

But where else do I find it? Yesterday, I was totally inspired by the movie, Bright Star, about John Keats. It was absolutely visually beautiful. Awesome. I'd like to go again just to check out the backdrops more carfeully.

I also find inspiration in songs- a line of a song will trigger a thought or a picture or an idea of something to chase creatively.

So.... look around you, listen, observe... find inspiration. Then write or draw or pray or glue or decorate or plant flowers... get creative and get yourself out of your mommy brain!

love you!