May 2 2025

Ice Skating Lessons

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My daughter and I have been taking ice skating lessons at the Ice Chalet in Knoxville since January. We started out as beginners, aka Pre-Alpha level. After nine weeks of lessons, the teacher tested our class during lesson #10. Could we execute the six skills required for the next level? We could! We graduated to the Alpha level.

My ice skating gear

My ice skating gear: skates, soakers, hard protectors, towel, and bag

What a great opportunity to bond with my daughter even more. The drive, the errands we ran before the class, the class itself, learning how to buy ice skates and the rest of the gear – all these stepping stones bonded us. Continue reading »

Apr 30 2025

Tears (of Joy?)

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Slipping through my fingers all the time – ABBA sang this in the 1980s and I was a small child and did not quite get it back then. Now I do. As a mom, don’t you feel like these children of ours are growing up a little too fast? Time is slipping through my fingers. They keep on doing new things and tackling new phases in their young lives.

Preston and Ava

Our son and his girlfriend at the Junior Prom

We are happy our son has started dating a lovely young lady whom he met at our homeschool co-op. They are very precious together and the happiness on their faces gives us joy. My husband and I have always said that if our children wanted to date after age 16, they would be free to do so. While they are still under our roof, we can offer guidance as needed and support if necessary. Continue reading »

Apr 27 2025

Junior Prom

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My children attend a homeschool co-op which organizes spring formals every year. Call it Junior Prom, call it a banquet, call it a dance, call it whatever you want. It is a fun evening spent with friends, fabulous food, and music. Everyone gets to dress up and act like they know what they are doing.

Teenage siblings hugging before prom

My children posing before prom

For all the negative comments about homeschoolers and socialization, our children have so many opportunities to socialize. Arguing against the stereotype of weird, unsocialized homeschoolers is so easy. I can promise you these homeschoolers in high school, who have been homeschooled since the very beginning, have better manners and social interactions than public school students. Continue reading »

Apr 17 2025

2025 Graduation Gift Guide: Thoughtful Ideas for Kindergarten, 8th Grade, High School, and College

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We blinked and it is the middle of April. Graduation season has arrived. Do you need kindergarten graduation ideas? Even if your children are not graduating from Kindergarten, 8th grade, or high school, you probably know somebody whose child is. Instead of a check in the mail, why not buy your friend’s child a thoughtful graduation gift?

Graduation Gift Guide 2025

Homeschool Graduation Gifts

Below, please find a list of items I have personally enjoyed. Or gifts somebody I know has found very, very useful. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Thank you! Without further ado, here is my gift guide for graduates 2025: Continue reading »

Mar 25 2025

Purple Power Smoothie – Hide Your Greens with This Kid-Friendly Recipe!

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One of the most fun things for me is to make smoothies. You can pack a lot of nutrition in a glass of deliciousness. In this video, I show you how to make a purple smoothie. If you have picky eaters who cannot stand green foods, this is your ticket.

Purple Smoothie Recipe

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Blueberries and bananas conspire together to hide the green color of the kale. Add soymilk (or any other nut milk), orange juice, water, and whatever else you want. If you wanted more protein, you could throw in chickpeas or chia seeds, flax seeds or even tofu. Endless possibilities.

Mar 20 2025

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 7 of 7 – Sustainable Success Systems

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Last but not least, we look at success systems that are sustainable. You know how we could start pretty much anything with enthusiasm? And then we drop this new routine a few days or week later? That is why you need to carefully consider what type of systems you have in your homeschool. You can assure continuity with only a few tweaks.

Homeschooling Made Easy 7 of 7

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In this last part of the Homeschooling Made Easy (or simple) series, I help you take 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon, and 30 minutes in the evening. It is amazing how much you can accomplish in only 30 minutes. The clarity you obtain will guide you and sustain you, especially if you keep it before you on a daily basis.

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Mar 12 2025

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 6 of 7 – Building Your Support System

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You know about systems by now. We do not rise to the level of our dreams. Instead, we fall to the level of our systems. Homeschooling is a long, arduous process. Depending on how many children you have, you could be homeschooling for 20+years. How are you sustaining yourself? How do you recharge your battery? This is where your support system comes in.

Homeschooling Made Easy 6 of 7

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We do not homeschool in a vacuum. At least, we should not do that. Most of the people who give up homeschooling do so because they lack support. In this YouTube video, which is Part 6 of 7 in a series aimed at homeschool moms who are getting organized, I show you how to build a support system. Continue reading »

Mar 10 2025

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 5 of 7 – Life Management Systems

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Hello, beautiful mamas! I am excited to continue to share with you the rest of the series. In Part 5 of Homeschooling Made Simple, we look at Life Management Systems. We do not rise to the level of our dreams and goals, we fall to the level of our systems. So what are your systems for doing laundry, making meals, making the beds, teaching the kids how to take out the trash and other life skills?

Homeschooling Made Easy - Part 5

We are almost there! Day 5 of 7 – Don’t give up now. Get organized.

Even if you think you do not have a system for anything, you have one. You just do not know it consciously. Awareness is the first step. Then, you continue with intentionality. That’s where this video series comes in, to guide you every step of the way. Implementation is the key. So watch Part 5, take some notes, and take action.

Let me know what your favorite systems are for your life management. And if you have received value from my content, please subscribe to this blog and to Homeschool Ways on YouTube. I really appreciate it.

Mar 7 2025

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 4 of 7 – Smart Scheduling

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In Part 4, we look at scheduling your homeschool: daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Personally, I love organizing and planning, so this is probably my favorite part of the week.

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 4 of 7 - Smart Scheduling

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 4 of 7 – Smart Scheduling

As in the rest of the Homeschooling Made Simple Series, we help you set up three planning session: morning, afternoon, and evening. At 30 minutes each, these extra quick tasks should not interrupt your existing schedule too much. Continue reading »

Mar 6 2025

Homeschooling Made Simple | Part 3 of 7 – Beyond the Books

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In Part 3 of 7, we go beyond the books. Just like in a regular school program, your children will want to take art, music, sports, etc. They could also join a chess club, 4-H, scout troops, etc. Part 3 covers the extracurricular activities homeschoolers could get involved in and how you can prepare for and/or research them.

Homeschooling Made Easy Part 3

Homeschooling Made Easy Part 3

I know from experience how busy homeschool moms are, so I keep the videos short. I also keep the tasks short and to the point, with clear, actionable steps. Do it now, do it fast, and move on – kind of thing. Continue reading »