My Story – It was 2012 and I had 3 kids: ages 8, 4, and 1. We went to the Zoo with a large group of 20 homeschool families for an all-day field trip. My kids loved it. They had a great day with friends, seeing giraffes and elephants, running along the paths, and eating…
I was a very capable adult. I had three kids already. I had taught myself gardening, canning, knitting, and how to cook from scratch. How hard would it be to take piano lessons? I was already homeschooling my oldest two. I would often get impatient when they were learning how to read or add simple…
From the time I was a teenager earning money for babysitting and doing summer jobs I have believed in saving and budgeting. However, this is probably my least favorite aspect of adult life. I often find it difficult to line up what I believe with my daily actions. I want my financial goals to match my spending. Jim is…
In this busy season, it can be difficult to do all the things that we enjoy. All of the scheduled events, expectations from others, extra gatherings, gift buying (and wrapping)… it can all feel overwhelming. But, if we take the time to enjoy the traditions that we care about we can make memories and find…
This fall I am taking a break from writing and publishing. I am choosing to slow down. I will take more time to snuggle my kids close and enjoy handicrafts. I have an ambitious stack of books to read (with some new teas to try). I want to listen to more podcasts and audiobooks. I…
A few years ago I went through burnout. I realized during that time our weekends were so busy I did not have space for downtime, projects, or rest. I big piece of my healing was creating margin and making space for Sabbath. But even after I had slowed down on the weekends there was still…
The ocean is always been a bit of a mystery to me. Something that I watch on documentaries and that people talk about without my understanding. I am an Arizona desert native. I’ve lived in the Phoenix suburbs most of my life. I’ve never really enjoyed being in the water, getting sandy in unmentionable places,…
Leaving for a trip is hard. There’s just no way around it. There’s so much to think about, so many things to get done, so many decisions to make and checkboxes to check off. This summer I had the experience of going on a personal retreat. Jim and the kids stayed home and I went…
Homeschooling High School definitely has its challenges! I am happy to help you in this. First, I want to encourage you to keep stepping forward in faith and with conviction. You can do this! I am right there with you as my oldest graduates in May of this year. It is scary everything feels so…
As a family, we look forward to our weekend RV trips. They give us a change of pace and yet we have the comforts and routines of home. My kids see the weekend at the campground as opportunities for adventure and exploration. I see them as a way to enjoy nature, a change of pace,…
Photos are either taken by Mary Edwards or April Edwards.
Most are uploaded from the awesome site Unsplash.com.