Advent 2016 planner

One of the traditions my girls love most about this time of year is Advent. For us, Advent starts on December 1st, and ends December 25th. What we do each year varies depending on how ambitious I am.  This year, I have decided to try and plan a different craft, activity, game, movie, etc for each day of December.  Thank you, Pinterest, for making this slightly easier on me!

To help me plan out our Advent activities, I created a little planning page to motivate me.

Would you like to use this simple page to help you plan your advent?  If you click below, the link will take you to google drive where you can download and print it for your own personal use.  I used graphics by HarperFinch designs, and I just love them!

Download Advent 2016

How do you celebrate Advent?  I'd love to hear in the comments below.  Feel free to share by linking to this blog post so your friends can get their own copy of the 2016 Advent planner!

Book(s) of the week, October 31, 2016

Happy Halloween!  It is so hard to believe it is the end of October!  Normally, I choose one book for the book of the week, but the girls wanted me to share all of our favorite Halloween themed books.  I keep bookshelves in the basement with all of our books, and rotate them as the season or events change through the year.  That way there is always something new to read, and the girls aren't overwhelmed with choices (and I am not overwhelmed with books all over the floor!)

Here are our Halloween selections.  The girls look forward to these books, and I usually add one or two each year. 

Some of these are my old books from when I was a kid.  My mom kept them all these years, and I was happy to take them when she cleaned out the attic library.  The first book the kids go for when I bring these books back upstairs is Mucumber McGee and the Half Eaten Hot Dog.  It's such a silly book and has been a favorite for several years.  

Last year I purchased Pinkalicious Pink or Treat, and Spooky Pookie.  It is kind of funny to me that my girls are generally very sensitive.  They get scared easily, but they absolutely love Halloween books.  I make sure they aren't super scary or gory.  I guess it is just enough of a scare to be interesting and different from what they read all year.  

Do you rotate your books?  What are your favorite Halloween themed ones?  

Book of the week October 17, 2016

Adventures of Barefoot Critters by Teagan White

We found this little gem of a book at the library last week and just got a chance to read it.  The illustrations are beautiful, and it isn't the same old ABC book where just a random list of things start with each letter.  Instead, it is a story about a few animal friends and the letters are incorporated.  My favorite part is that the story is told in a seasonal way, with events for each month of the year.

Aren't they such sweet illustrations?  And look at this adorable cover! 

Talking to the land

This morning I decided to take a walk around the property. It was not as cold, and much of the snow had melted so I thought it would be a good time to begin evaluating the lay of it, explore the plants, and figure out what it wants to be.

I talk to my yard. Is that weird?  Well, if it is I don't mind. I enjoy it and I think it does, too. It is so neat to walk around this land and see how it has changed in the few short months we have been here. It's much easier to see what needs to be pruned, cleaned up, and overall what is here. There are going to be so many awesome surprises in the spring, I am so excited. 

Right now my focus is on this patch of land. After our morning conversation, we have decided it wants to be a beautiful garden, full of delicious things to eat. I know I've got my work cut out for me, because it has been farmed for several years. But it promised to forgive my mistakes, and I promised to do my best. We are looking forward to getting to know each other. 

Updated planner for January - December 2016

I finally got around to updating the Spiral Watercolor Waldorf Inspired Homeschool Planner.  You can check it out in my Etsy shop, and I do still have a few printed/bound planners there as well!

Advent day 1

Each morning, I try to wake an hour or so before the kids and have some quiet time to pause, reflect on yesterday, plan today, to write, and just be still.  I am so grateful for this short period of time I gift myself.  Some days it is the only quiet time I have, alone, and it helps me get through the day.  

It is dark outside right now and almost 7:00.  I feel for my husband who leaves for work early and comes home after dark.  I cannot imagine not seeing the sun each day, but that is just how this season goes.  

Today is December 1st, and for my family it is the first day we celebrate of Advent.  Normally we listen to these wonderful Advent stories by Sparkle Stories, but since we have listened to the same ones for two years, Jujubee has requested we do something different.  I can’t blame her, but I did love that little pause at the end of the day where even I could listen to a story, instead of being the host.  

So, this year, I am trying something different.  I have dug a basket out of the boxes still in the basement and decided to put a note, activity, book, movie, etc in it each day for the kids to find.  Today, they will find our Advent spiral and candles.  They will build it on our plant window and we will light a candle for each day as we progress through Advent.  Now, I just need to plan the other 23 days…

My Little Planner

People often comment on how much my oldest, Jujubee, looks like me.  Though she is tall and thin like her father, she has tan skin, brown hair, and brown eyes like me.  Even more than looks, she is much like me in personality.  Quiet, shy, very timid, embarrasses easily, is quite emotional, and...

LOVES to plan.  

  

This was her desk when I went in to her room to find her.  Her current book (Magic Tree House - Thanksgiving on Thursday), planner, spelling list, scissors, and lots of colored pens.  (And that adorable mushroom fairy artwork?  My friend Paige painted it.  Isn't it adorable?)

She color codes the subjects like I do.  

I gave her one of the planners I make for this school year, and she was so excited I thought she might cry.  She immediately broke out her pens, her syllabus, and her dry erase board.  Also like me, she has to plan before she can plan.  Don't want to mess up your pretty planner!  

Starting a farm

Starting a farm… is that what we are doing?  For so long we have dreamed about our new home and what kind of adventures it may bring.  Now that our house on land is a reality, I am bursting with excitement and trying to focus on what we need to do first.  

The house and land are pretty much blank slates.  Outside, a large, open field that was previously farmed by a neighbor.  It isn’t a ton of land, just four acres, but plenty to start with.  There is a lot of pretty landscaping (we won’t know exactly what we have until spring, as it was a tad overgrown!), a few trees, and, so far, good neighbors. 

Inside, mostly white walls and open spaces.  It is a little bit dated, but not much (and I happen to like oak).  The carpet… well, there isn’t much we can do about that right now.  It is in like-new condition and I can’t feel good about tearing it out just yet.  Thankfully it hasn’t clashed *too much* with our current style and I’m quite alright with making due with what we have.  Wood floors are something we are dreaming of, after finally putting them in our last house.  A lot of paint, our furniture and decor, and it really feels like home now!  

The outside is where my wheels are turning.  We already have 5 chickens that we brought with us.  Hopefully all of our Buff Orpington, Lucy’s broodiness will work out in the spring and we can hatch a few chicks.  (Fingers crossed they aren’t all roosters!)  We are also beginning plans for a nice big garden.  Behind that, we will likely allow our neighbor to harvest another year until we can build our barn.  Eventually I would love fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, and enough space to grow some of our own hay/feed.  

A barn is an expensive item, and not one we can afford immediately.  We have an attached garage but no outside storage whatsoever, not even a shed.  I am thankful we at least have the garage, that is where all of our lawn, garden, tools, etc are stored currently.  However, I would prefer to use the garage for - of all things - our cars.  Not to mention, I don’t think goats in the garage would be a great idea.  

We aren’t positive on the goats. Not yet.  But we are reading, researching, studying, talking.  Though making a little side money is certainly a benefit, we are most interested right now in becoming more self sufficient.  Our garden will help tremendously, the chickens are great little egg layers and compost makers.  The next logical step for us, is goats.  Milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, etc.  Goats are a lot of work though.  They have to be milked and fed twice a day, drink lots of water, let out to pasture, their stalls need mucked out, and so much more.  Thankfully I have 3 little helpers and an awesome husband, but I know much of the work will land on me.  I still have some thinking to do.

The possibilities are endless, and I am enjoying thinking of as many as I can.  

2015/2016 homeschool planner

I had good intentions for this year.  Could it really be November already?  I am happy to say I did, at least, get a new planner created.  I had so much fun with the woodland design and am so thankful to Harper Finch for allowing me to use her adorable designs in the planner.

This planner was both fun, and challenging for me.  Once I got going, it was a blast and all came together so well!  The challenge was deciding what to improve from the last version, and choosing a format.  My downfall, I think, was too many options!  I am one who want to please everyone, so I made several formats available.  However, it seemed to be overwhelming to my wonderful customers, and I have to agree.  I didn't have a way to really explain the differences in the planners, so everyone just thought "which one do I need?!"  I also noticed that many of you preferred last years version - the spiral watercolor.  I am unsure if it was because of the wonderful watercolor images, or the format.  (Feedback welcome!!)  I did keep aspects of the previous version and designed it with Waldorf and Oak Meadow homeschooling in mind once again.  (Though I didn't label them as specifically - some thought it was a little too restricting)

As for my good intentions, well, I have big plans every year!  I had planned to get a student planner out, as well as an A5 format for those of you who prefer a smaller planner.  I did make this planner less seasonally inspired so I wouldn't exclude anyone in the Southern Hemisphere.  And of course, I somehow let a mistake or two slip past me.  It is such an embarrassing thing to have happen.  I am thankful to those of you who pointed it out with grace and understand that I am human.  As of right now, I am still just a one-woman show and had quite a bit going on this summer during the planner creation.

Don't forget, you can still get them in my Etsy shop in both PDF files as well as a printed and bound version!

So, what are your thoughts?  Did you like the new planner?  Prefer the spiral watercolor?  Which format do you prefer?  Or... what do you wish it would have instead!?

New Journey Through Love planner!

A couple months ago, I released the new version of my homeschool planner.  I am even more pleased with this version than the last - what I love most is the artwork!  The cover art was created by a friend of mine - Paige, who runs the shop Whimsi Doll where she creates lots of amazing artistic creations.  I also love the watercolor artwork on each page inside.  Below, you can see how each month has a different watercolor.  These are carried throughout the planner.  I just love them <3, though they are not by Paige.  

I included lots of space for planning.  Each "quarter" has this (below) planning section.  

Then between each month section, you will have a month calendar and planning space for your resources, field trips, notes etc.

For the weekly view, I made space for form drawing, festivals and holidays or upcoming events, and plenty of planning space.  I personally use the spaces as circle time, morning main lesson, afternoon main lesson, and leave the last spot for notes or events happening that day.  There is also menu planning space at the bottom of each week day, and a notes section for groceries, to-do's, etc.  

Another way you could use the space is a block for each child, and a block for lessons the family will do together.  But be creative and use it however works for you!

The planner is available on Etsy, there is a traditional (not Waldorf specific) version available there as well.  This version is 15 months (June 2014-Aug 2015) so remember to not print the months that you no longer need!  I am hoping to have a printed version available very soon!  

Do you use the Journey Through Love planner?  Tell me what you think!  I'd also love to have you link back to a blog review you have done!  

Blessings,

Nikki

Menu 1/13-1-/19

     We have done really well with sticking to the plan!  *pats self on the back*  Our rhythm is getting stronger every day, we have only ate out once unplanned, our budgeting is going great.  I thought I'd share our menu with you for the week.  Please be gentle, I know it isn't the healthiest menu in the world, but like I said in my original New Beginnings post, I am taking baby steps!  I will begin working on healthier meals once I get comfortable with our new changes.

The Menu - 1/13-1/19

Monday  B: Bagels with cream cheese
                L: Ramen noodles, carrot sticks, apple sauce
                D: Taco ring
                S: Annie's bunny grahams

Tuesday  B: Banana splits (banana, peanut butter, yogurt, granola)
                L: Peanut butter and jelly (Didn't think that one through, peanut butter twice.  LOL)
                D: Spaghetti, homemade italian bread (This is the best, easiest italian bread - ever)
                S:  Vanilla wafers

Wednesday  B: cereal
                     L: pizza rolls
                     D: chicken, cous cous, peas
                     S: cauliflower, ranch

Thursday  B: oatmeal
                 L: Peanut butter and jelly
                 D: Meatloaf, green beans, homemade mashed potatoes
                 S: crackers and cheese

Friday   B: cereal
             L: tuna or egg salad
             D: Pizza and movie night
             S:  carrots and ranch

Saturday  B:  eggs, toast and sausage links
                L: Leftovers
                D: pigs in a blanket, macaroni,
                S: graham crackers

Sunday  B:  oatmeal
              L:  grilled cheese
              D:  porkchops, corn, applesauce, baked potato
              S:  smoothies

School Rhythm

     Getting a good School Rhythm is high on my priority list for my New Beginning challenge to myself.  When I have a good school rhythm, it helps our entire day.  Lucky for me, our first school block for January is a math block focusing on time/calendar/rhythm.  I'm going to take advantage of this and really focus on our weekly rhythm, and teach Jujubee about daily rhythms.

     Another reason I feel this is important, is because we decided to pull Cocobear from her playschool, so she will need more activities to keep her happy and allow me to do lessons with Jujubee.

Cocobear at her Christmas program with her class.  She is second from the right in the top row. 

     I had a nice chat with Melisa at Waldorf Essentials, and she helped me realize that in order for us to have a good rhythm, I really need to work on my sleep.  Kaybug has been bedsharing or cosleeping with me for the past 18 months, and she wakes a lot.  So we are working on getting her into her own bed and me getting more sleep.  While working on that, I am working on making sure we bring our school rhythm back.

Our January Rhythm

Wake up
Morning chores
Prepare and eat breakfast, clean up
Gather for circle time
Main Lesson
Free play (if time)
Lunch
Naps for the younger two, handwork or reading for Jujubee and I.  (or dinner prep if needed)
Afternoon Lesson
Free play
Prepare and eat dinner, clean up
Free play
Bedtime routine (bath, pjs, teeth, tea, story, prayers, sleep)

     I am working on having at least two weeks planned in my Homeschool Planner at a time, and continuing to plan in my free time.

Budgeting

     Many people don't find budgeting fun.  I love it.  Don't laugh, I really do!  There is something satisfying about putting it all down on paper or in a spreadsheet, and making it work.  In the past, I haven't really tried to stick to a strict budget.  I had a general idea of what we made, what we spent, and had alerts set on my bank and credit card for when we got close to a number I didn't want to exceed (or go under).  It worked for us.

     For as long as we have been married, we have purchased everything on credit cards.  Every month we pay them off completely - we do not carry debt besides our home and vehicles.  I often read about Dave Ramsey's envelope system, but I have to admit... getting the 5% cash back on our Discover Card made it hard to make the switch.

     Well, I wanted to get serious about budgeting, and the only way for us to stop making mindless purchases was to go all cash.  I had a chat with my husband, we both decided to give it a try.  I'd love to make these cute cash envelopes soon, but for now I'm using plain old paper envelopes.

     Right now, I am only using cash for food.  I don't have any money budgeting for anything extra this month besides birthday presents for our niece and nephew.  Gas is the only thing allowed on the credit card to make it easier on my husband, and will get paid every month.  Our paycheck goes directly into our account, and I pay our mortgage, cars, insurance, and phones online, so I couldn't really justify getting the money out just to put it back in...  

     For January, I have budgeted $100 for eating out (pizza night, and any unexpected outings), and $500 for groceries.  I cringe at $600 for food, but we were way above that in December.  Part of our plan to stick to this food budget includes meal planning, and weekly grocery trips, and no more eating out with our pizza movie night being an exception.  

     I can do this!  Do you have a budgeting method?  What helps you stay on track?

     

Menu Planning

     As part of my "New Beginning" for January, I wanted to start meal planning in an effort to stick to a budget, and stop eating out so much.  It was getting a little crazy how much we were eating fast food or out during the holiday season.  I justified it by telling myself we were so busy, I had more pressing things to do, etc.

     This will be a good way to work on my will and our rhythm, also.  I really have to will myself to make a meal plan every week, grocery shop every week, and - the most challenging - actually make those meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack!

     Back to basics.  Cheap and easy, tried and true.

     In order to make this work, I have to take baby steps.  Trying to make a month long meal plan of 31 different meals is not going to work for me.  At least not right now.  So I am going back to basics.  I will use the meals I know best, aren't super expensive, and my family will eat.  And I will limit myself to only a handful of selections.  Also, I'm going to allow myself a little grace, schedule in a pizza night, and not beat myself up if I slip every once in a while.

     The best way for me to do this, is to make a meal plan that has a general theme of the day, and repeats somewhat.

The plan

Monday - Some sort of Mexican meal.  Tacos, burritos, taco ring, etc
Tuesday -  Pasta.  Spaghetti, buttered noodles, lasagna...
Wednesday - Chicken.  Chicken and cous cous and peas, or quinoa, or stuffing, or noodles.
Thursday - meatloaf.  Every week.  (I make several at a time and freeze them to cook each week)
Friday - PIZZA DAY!  We order pizza, pick it up, and enjoy pizza and a movie.
Saturday -  Quick and easy.  Pigs in a blanket,
Sunday - Comfort food.  Pork chops, pot roast, that kind of thing.

     I put all my meals into my Homeschool Planner (available HERE) on Friday, make my grocery list, go shopping, and do any prep work over the weekend (like making extra meatloaves, hamburgers, separating hamburger or chicken from the bulk packs).

     If possible, put the plan on a chalkboard, dry erase board, etc somewhere prominent.  I have a large dry erase board in my dining room with our meal plan, notes, grocery list, and homeschool notes.  Having it available to everyone really helps eliminate the "what are we having for dinner?" questions twenty times a day, and also allows my husband and I to be on the same page.  If he knows we are having spaghetti and I need some help, he can throw the noodles in the pot for me until I'm available.

A New Beginning...

   

     Many of us tend to use the start of a New Year to change things we didn't like last year.  Improve, adjust, add.  I am one of those people who love a blank slate, a fresh start.  But all too often, I find I put too much on myself all at once.  I want to change everything on January 1.

     It is insanely stressful and unrealistic when I do that.  Budget, eat completely clean, focus on the kids, minimize internet, be an amazing homeschool mom, keep a spotless house, organize every room floor to ceiling, clean out the basement... the list goes on.

     Not this year.  This year I decided to take things in chunks.  In January I am going to focus on our rhythm (home and school), and budgeting.

January Goals:

• Create a school rhythm, and work home into it.
• Create a budget.
• Make a reasonable plan for sticking to the budget.
• Only eat out for pizza night and the occasional spur of the moment meal. (Note:  Occasional is not every day...)
• Work on my will

     Yes, I'd love to start eating clean, lose weight, take care of myself, and all those wonderful things.  But trying to create an entirely new menu of healthy meals and still stick to a budget and not stress myself out just isn't going to happen.  Instead I am going to start with meals I know, easy meals that will ensure my success.  Then, once I start feeling comfortable (or when I get an itch to try something on pinterest) I will add in a new recipe.

     That is the plan!  Happy New Year!

Our education room

A few months ago, Coco Bear decided she wanted to room with Jujubee in the bunkbeds.  So, I took full advantage of this (once they were settled, of course!) and we are using Coco's room as the education room.  Some people prefer not to have a school-like room.  I, however, need the organization and like being able to have everything in one place.  We're on day 3, and while we do some subjects out in other area's of the house, we tend to start our day here, with our version of circle time, and seatwork like math, handwriting, etc.

It's not fancy, but it's ours.  We actually spend a lot of time in here when it isn't school time as well.  

Our desks

My area, and a closeup of my organizer.  It keeps all my teacher manuals, pens, etc close at hand.  It has a place for files (I put the materials for Monday-Friday in those ahead of time), and it spins so I can get to all four sides.  I LOVE this thing.  I think it is called "The Desk Apprentice".  I got it at staples on sale, and used a coupon.  :) 

I also have a file cart under my desk where I keep important papers, like our intent to homeschool papers, extra forms, etc.

Lennon (dog) spends a lot of time in here with us.  We all love our window seat!  Our bookshelf is nearly filled and we have a huge one downstairs also filled. 

Below is an earlier view of the closet portion of our room.  

Workboxes with detachable (velcro) subject tags.  

I keep our library books in the pink basket on top so we don't lose them.

I laminated a sheet of paper with the subject name to use as a dry erase "to do" list for each subject.

Our subject binders where completed work goes at the end of the week.

Right side of our closet houses different types of paper, supplies, binding and laminating machines and more.

Left side houses books we aren't using this year, math manipulatives, extra notebooks, paper, copy paper.  That's my recorder from college hanging in the tan bag.  ha!  memories...

A few games we play often. (My wedding dress and the girls baptismal dress on the side.  Nicely preserved, don't you think?!)

And that's it!  I am not sure how I would manage this without our education room.  I know plenty of people do, but just looking at what all we use daily makes me wonder how they do it!