Basket shop updated (this is my fave), as well as my etsy with lots of vintage clothes (and there’s a sale going on there). Are you following WOVENFOLK on instagram? Do so here!
Obsessed with making bimbimbap lately. I use this recipe, but leave out the meat and use this recipe for tofu.
We love the new Taylor Swift song and we’re rooting for her. I always tell the girls that no one ever makes us do something, so we dissect the song and discuss her message, so while I don’t agree with it, it is catchy and clever. It’s fun watching the video and trying to discover her hidden meanings. That Swift knows exactly what to do to generate buzz and cash.
Um, heatwave… please leave. This no AC home is kind of hot and we’re sweating all the time. lol We have AC, but we don’t run it for energy and money saving reasons, but saving is the biggie.
I’m trying this probiotic moisturizer for my eczema. My friend is making me a roller with natural oils. I’m not an oil person, but I’d like to be a believer.
Aside from egg and cheese, we rarely eat meat. We mostly do tofu and beans, so I was so excited when I went out with friends this week and had a burger!
We are so sad about the devastation that Hurricane Harvey has left. I’ve been encouraged by my daughters’ request of praying for those affected during our family prayer time. My in-laws were bracing for the storm in San Antonio, but it moved north instead, and SA didn’t get much. We’re praying for all of you affected.
We survived! Week 1 of year 7 of homeschooling has been completed! Good routines, early bedtimes, organized lesson plans, and checklists has all been so helpful in getting us off to a strong start. My plate is feeling extra full, so I’m making sure I have things organized and that one of the balls I’m juggling doesn’t drop. I even have to plan “hang out with the girls” time in my schedule because even though I’m with them all day, they need chill out time with mom. We watched Lost in Oz for a chill time together.
The most helpful thing for me this week has been resuming my 5:30am wake up calls. I’m able to have my quiet Bible reading time, journal, and sometimes get to emails or other work things. Once Ben is up, we both work out together, after which, I make his lunch and get dressed ready to start school at 8am. I’ve been wanting to relax at night by reading a book, but I’m so tired by then that all I do is end up watching something on my iPad until it’s time for bed.
For the first couple days, I felt bad because I couldn’t check off the “read a chapter from a book for my soul” from my to-do list, but I’m learning how to ease up on my expectations of myself. I’m a rule follower by nature (though I probably like to teeter the line from time to time), so sometimes it’s difficult for me to diverge off my plans/checklist for my day, and if it doesn’t get done, those unchecked boxes make me itch a little. Anyone else like that?
I have to remind myself that Jesus paid my debt in full and I can chill out because life isn’t all about getting things done (though it does feel like that sometimes), but life is enjoyed when I continually trust in the one who did. Jesus died for me on the cross, and that’s where my joy and security should lie. Not in my abilities, checklists, and get everything done self-sustaining nature. That is a challenge for this control freak, but I’m thankful for the grace given when I fail, learn, grow, and opportunities to rejoice in victories everyday.
This is my seventh year of homeschooling and we are still following the classical education style of teaching and learning. This book has been the most helpful resource throughout the years. I like the structure classical education provides, so we have stuck with it. Of course, we continue to adjust to fit our needs and interest, but for the core subjects, we stick to the classical curriculum. We are a multi-age classroom and I pair the girls off for our instructional time. True and Brave are on the same level (though one is in 6th grade and the other 5th). Soul and Glow receive similar instruction, but I do have to adjust a lot for Glow since Glow is in kinder and Soul in second grade. Below is the curriculum list I use for each pair of girls:
Additional activities: Piano, guitar, swim (though I’m thinking of not doing it this year). Brave has an interest in theatre, so I’m looking for acting programs to get her involved in.
I do a lot of modifying for Glow since her reading, writing, and math ability isn’t the same as Soul’s due to the age difference. This was a similar case with True and Brave when Brave started homeschooling, but their age and grade levels are closer together than Soul and Glow’s. Now, they are both at the point where they can do the exact same things.
You might notice we don’t use an art curriculum. We’re always making things or studying artists, so our art study is pretty fluid, and we kind of go wherever it takes us, so we don’t use a book for it. One day it might be sewing, another day art history, and another day studying an artist and their preferred medium.
We are not part of any co-op, but the girls go to school all day every Friday through our charter school program. Thus, my main instructional days are Monday-Thursday. I’m sure you’re curious about what a school day looks like for us. The days are very full, but True and Brave are quite independent, so there’s a lot they’re able to do on their own. I’ll give a more detailed time schedule of typical school days for us in another post next week.
If you have any other homeschool questions, feel free to ask in the comments! This is from a couple years ago, but here’s our schedule then, a curriculum post a few years ago here, and another curriculum post here. Here’s a post on how we get Spanish lessons done too.
I took a chance on these jeans. There wasn’t much of a description on them on Depop. There wasn’t even waist, rise, or hip measurements, but all the tag said was size 3. It was made in USA, so I had an idea of its age and based on the sizing, I kind of guessed it would be close to my size, at least I hoped. The jeans were $8 though, so I took the chance. When they came in, I was slightly disappointed that the rise wasn’t as high as I’d like (I prefer 11″ and these are just shy of 10″), but otherwise, they’re pretty perfect. I love a good find at a great deal; definitely makes me do the happy dance.
No more digging under the pillow trying not to wake up your child while you look for their tooth. Make this pillow and place the little teeth safely in the back pocket. Get the full tutorial here at Babiekins Mag.
Well, it’s the end of summer and back-to-homeschooling on Monday. EEK! Most of the summer was spent at home or swimming, with little adventures strewn in throughout. It was a pretty chill summer, and here we are about to enter our 7th (7!) year of homeschooling. I’m excited and nervous… or as my girls would say, “I’m nervousited!” I have big plans for this school year, and it will take work to juggle homeschooling, craft styling gigs, and Wovenfolk, mixed in with regular life and church life stuff, but I am up for the challenge.
The goal is to get back to waking up at 5am to get in my personal quiet time, exercise, and some work time in before the school day starts at 8. I have my schedule for the girls almost figured out and I have to finish lesson planning this weekend.
Summer, you’ve been great. I’ll miss you and I look forward to seeing you again (Lord willing) next year.
I have a large growing pile of fabric scraps. I refuse to throw them away because I am sure they can be used for something. I have been seeing different types of interesting necklaces made of buttons, beads, and fabric. Then, I figured why not make one out of my scraps...
I think it made my white shirt a little less boring. This was so quick and easy to make.
How to make a recycled scraps necklace (which is very similar to the straps on my braided tablecloth bag):
1. Take your scrap fabric, I cut a .5''-1'' snip and tear the rest of the fabric down for a nice frayed edge. Used 3 different fabrics for each strand.
2. Take 3 of the torn pieces and tie the ends together with a rubber band.
3. Braid the 3 pieces together and tie ends together with rubber band when done.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for more strands. Remember you can make the strands any length you want, if run out of fabric, just weave more into the braid.
5. Once all the strands you want are braided, gather one end of each strand together and straight stitch together with sewing machine. Repeat for the other ends of the strands. Snip off any excess.
6. Gather ends of the necklace and sew together (snip excess) or a ribbon can be sewn at the ends to be able to tie the necklace closed, but I just sewed both ends together.
7. Voila! A nice way to make use of all your lovely scraps.
Sorry if the directions get you a little lost, but it really is easy. I promise. Maybe I should put some in the shop. Please share any other good ideas you may have of things that can be made with scraps. I would love to hear (read) them!
This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…
