Organized bookshelves? Clutter? HELP ME!!

Moody Radio's In The Market Place with Janet Parshall Hour 2 today was entitled "Too Much Stuff"

It made me do some thinking and I even had my son listen to it. I plan to get the book. You can listen by going to Moody Radio. Here is a snapshot of Kathryn Porter talking with Janet Parshall today.

"Clutter expert Kathryn Porter joins us to clean up
our houses, and our hearts. Her popular book,
Too Much Stuff, now has a second edition.
She’ll share how God loves us amongst our messes"

Kathryn also has a website Clutter Wise check her out and see how you can conquer what is cluttering your life and it may not just be stuff that is cluttering it up.

So this brings me to my blog post for today:

I'm in need of some ideas on how to get our bookshelves more organized. I really think that we would use more of our materials if we could find them! lol.  Our son has been bored (we don't use that term, but for lack of another word I will  :-)  this past week and so he started digging through the bookshelves and found some science experiment books. He asked if he could do some and I told him that was fine, but to make sure that he marked the pages so that I could count the hours for the up coming school year ~YEAH for the teacher who has a Thinking Cap on!~ 

I also reminded him what science is all about: (Did I say that I just love this homeschool thing!?)
 *thinking ahead (what is going to happen),
 *thinking about why it's going to happen (cause/effect)
 *thinking about how it happened (process)
 *thinking about the outcome (was I correct in my assessment).

Got to love homeschooling and how kids love to learn. The teacher even told him that he could write in the book. GASP! In the past I have said "Don't write in that! I'll resell it." Well, I'm changing my tune on that one as of today, why not use it if you bought it. So write away! lol

Ok, now that I have taken us down that little rabbit trail (friends  you know how I am with rabbit trails, I've never met one that I won't follow!).

So on to organizing the books. I'm just not sure how to do it. I've got several different grades of materials and also many subject areas. One of my main areas that drives me CRAZY is the second shelf from the top on the right side. It's all the CD's DVD's, VHS's that are school stuff. What on earth can I do with those to get them orderly? It's just a mess and I try to hide it with my cute little shelf sitters. I have 2 snowman (ya know I can't pass up a snowman.) and a cute little scarecrow girl that falls off the shelf all the time. GGRR!  There is clutter on those shelves too, I have some recipe books and such that has made there way and other misc. items that need homes.

So send me some ideas on how I can get our school year off to an organized venture!  Feel free to post your areas that need some help and we can put our heads together.


Hugs,
Moe

Illness strikes so please pass the Lysol

I'm thinking all I am going to get to is a picture to make you chuckle. We have been passing around a cough/sore throat/fever/headache thing. So here ya go  :O)

I found this cartoon very amusing as I was at a yard sale today with 2 mommies that have young kids and they were tired mommies needing a break. But no sitter today during the yard sale. It's easy to forget how those different seasons of life are.

Psalm 127:3
"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."

Have a good weekend!
Moe

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!!

School is fast approaching and I wanted to give you one of my all time favorite websites for cooking during the school year  the Crockpot 365 blog.

The entire site is gluten free, but the recipes are for everyone!  Look under the Slow Cooking tab and click on Index for a listing of the recipes. She also gives a review along with reader comments after each recipe.
We love the  Baked Oatmeal, Chicken Teriyaki , Rotisserie-Style Chicken (this is WONDERFUL! and tastes like the expensive store bought). After I make this one I add about a cup or so of water to the chicken broth in the bottom of the crockpot and then I freeze it for later use YUM!
Check it out for easy meals during the school year.
Moe

10 Ways to Make Your Homeschool Day Run Smoothly

10 ways to make your homeschool day run smoothly was a blog post that I really needed to read! I hope that you will check it out also. So many simple things to do, yet we get wrapped up in other things and we don't do these 10 simple things. I can think of a few others that would work for me if I kept up on them. I'll give you 5 of my best to go along with the 10 from The Homeschool Classroom

1. Go to bed early.

2. Keep a running shopping list so I don't have to run to town for something each day.

3. Read over the Science lessons a month in advance so that supplies can be ordered and ready for experiments.

4. Do not over schedule, it's called homeschooling and not carschooling!! It's so easy to want to join everything and do everything. And to socialize our child.......LOL. Read Rick Boyer's book The Socialization Trap.

5. If you struggle in teaching a certain subject, look ahead and consult with someone who is in the know. Pray about this, we did this with Math. I'm not real great with Math, but the Lord has provided a good friend that has a masters degree in Math and another friend is a public school Math teacher.

Yes, the Lord provides just what we need when we need it. Philippians 4:19 " But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Moe

Rainy Daze Activity Sticks

I just found a really cool idea for the new school year! It's called rainy daze activity sticks. I can't wait to make these!! I saw them over at How To Next For Less blog. Erin has a list of ideas to put on the rainy daze activity sticks on the blog along with full detailed instructions on how to make them. I think with having an older child I will make different activities than she has. Here is a finished project from her site.

So head on over and make one of these for your homeshool!! I'm thinking of some nice fall colors to use on my sticks. Post a picture of yours. I will do the same when I get mine finished.

Take time to think through some fun ways to spend time with your child this school year. What are you looking forward to when school starts? I'm looking forward to campfire school!!  My husband made me a very nice fire pit for our campfire school. We love to sit around the fire and do school.

Have a wonderful week!
Moe

Deuteronomy 6:7
"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Love homeschool science "Solar S'mores"

It's so HOT that we are making smores in the sunshine!  A fun science experiment that brings in weather & climate, cause & effect, observation skills and some fun summer time memories. Nothing like schooling year round, it doesn't even feel like school!

Try something fun with your child today.

Happy Summer.

Moe



Happy Independence Day!!

I am blessed to live in this wonderful country know as the USA!!
It's been a busy time for all of us I am sure. I've not been feeling 100% as I think I have been getting traces of corn in my diet somehow, the culprit may be some brown sugar that I bought from Kroger, the ingredients should have tipped me off, it just said BROWN SUGAR. Guess what? You can't grow brown sugar, so it must have something else in it. I called and they can't tell me if it contains corn, but said it could. THANKS FOR NOTHING! So they have lost my business.

So since I know that we are all busy this time of year, I thought I would post a few blog postings that have really touched my heart. And this one sure did. It revealed to me that I needed to ask our son for forgiveness in the area of being snappy when he wants my attention through out the day. I get engrossed in something like cooking, reading labels or trying to find something to eat that is gluten free, corn free and any of the other things that I am allergic too free....lol...besides a celery stick or carrot stick...hahaha.

Doing or Being? is the name of the blog post article. Read it and put it to good use this summer before school starts again and we get super intense on getting things done. I think that this hit me hard as I just read in my daily devotions of Martha/Mary and how Jesus responded to Martha, he made time for her, listened to what she thought she needed and did not get snappy with her, even though he was busy teaching with Mary and others at his feet.

Luke 10:38-42
^{38 "}Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Happy Independence Day!
Moe

Got clutter? Check this idea out.

This is such a great idea!!! I plan to start this up right away. chores for my ransom box.
$aving Make$ Cent$ website has some really neat ideas.
Thought this might help with the summer messes that kids seem to make around the house. She has some great chore ideas on her blog.

Have a great week!
Moe