Life in the past few months has been exceptionally hard. This season that I am in right now is full of days where I wake up and just focus on the next few hours. In my house there are interrupted schedules, strong emotions, and lots of family. I am not ready to write about my…
We went on a 3-week trip from Arizona to Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado in the summer of 2021. The goal was to plan a trip without reservations made in advance. We wanted to make plans as the trip progressed so we could relax and have more time for spontaneous activities. It worked! We loved it!…
I’ve been nudged by my inner voice to have time away from my phone for years. But I’ve always brushed it off as being too extreme or too legalistic. Then I made the decision in the summer of 2020 to put my phone away each night. So, I took the leap and tried it. It’s unbelievable…
Here is a glimpse into what my day looks like. I sit at the schoolroom table with 4 kids (with 4 different grade levels), 2 dogs, 3 cats, and my cup of coffee. It is a Wednesday and we are working on our schoolwork. Two kids are reading on the couch, a dog is playing with…
Let’s pretend that you and I could sit down for a cup of coffee and chat. We all need some encouragement in the job of homeschooling. If we were in person I would listen to what is hard. You could share your struggles and mishaps. And if you asked me for advice I would say…
What is restful to one person might be stressful and overwhelming to another. A calm and smooth transition to one person might seem abrupt and difficult for someone else. We all slow down in different ways and at different speeds. We can be kind and gracious to each other with understanding. The way that each…
What can I do today that will help me tomorrow? How can we be kind to the future version of ourselves who is tired and worn out? How can we do the thinking right now so that we do not have to do that later? The difficult part of tasks is often the thinking and…
I love the beginnings of the New Year. I enjoy the fresh calendars, the new planners, the clean crisp notebooks, and the restructuring of my routines. I enjoy having some time for reflection and goal setting. In my time spent planning my next year, I have been thinking about 4 major topics. Ways to find…
Christmas is always a time of “extra things”. It is a level of busy that is unmatched in any other part of the year. Just thinking of all that goes into the space between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is exhausting. Multiple family gatherings, performances, end of the semester school events, finals and major tests, decorating…
I want to be fully present in this season. As I tackle the long list of all that must be done, I get discouraged. I begin to lose my energy and my enjoyment of celebrating the holidays with my family. I get through, make it special for others, I make all the special dishes. But…
Photos are either taken by Mary Edwards or April Edwards.
Most are uploaded from the awesome site Unsplash.com.