Sometimes adult life can become repetitive or dull. I find that when that happens I am often stuck in a loop of output without exciting input. My theme for September has been “delightful education”. I have discovered that as a homeschool mom (and simply as an adult bringing up children) it is my job to…
What is a Commonplace Notebook and how I use it. Tips for life-long learners and those who love to journal. As we write the words of others, we develop our own ideas, building upon the concepts of those who have come before us.1 I was introduced to the idea of a Commonplace notebook when I…
We are all writers and readers. We live in a society with massive amounts of written communication. I like to go back to why those stories and words were made. Who wrote them and for what purpose? The non-fiction books on my bookshelf were written by people who have learned difficult lessons. They have picked…
It has become my annual project to take everything off the shelves from all the places in the house and sort the books. I dust, organize, and categorize all the books. I also take the time to set aside the ones we will need for the next school year. (Those get placed in bins in…
I was introduced to the idea of a Commonplace notebook when I read The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. I had 2 kids under the age of 4 and I was reviving my learning after being consumed with caring for little ones. I have always been fascinated by journaling and writing out what I…
I have always been intrigued by studying personality types and how they frame our lives. Over the years I have read shelves of books about personality types. It is also one of my favorite topics for late-night YouTube binging. My favorite channels explore the humor in the Enneagram, MBTI, and Introvert/Extrovert tendencies. (I will list…
This book and this moment in this picture above were exactly what I needed. It was something that felt quintessentially “summer”. Reading by the pool today was just perfect. Like “the moments I see on Instagram” kind of perfect. The kind that I do not even attempt to achieve. The words from Big Magic are…
I read through these books looking for inspiration for my fall semester and the start of the school year. I hoped to find some reasons why I do this difficult work. Some motivation to continue on with fortitude and grit. So much of my work is invisible and long-term. It can be hard to see…
My Story & My Struggles as a Reader I have a deep love for reading. Books, and the words within them, are treasured in my house. I have shelves of well loved books and stacks ready to read. However, I have struggled to have consistent reading time for years. Does that surprise you? When I…
Why Getting A Lamp and Taking My Shoes Off Helps Me Read. I have a deep love for reading. I have worked to cultivate the consistent habit of reading for as long as I can remember. When I arrive home from a family vacation I am annoyed that there was no time to read. I…
Photos are either taken by Mary Edwards or April Edwards.
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