Well, look at that. I blogged. But not here. : )
This month’s post is up over at Jelly Telly!
This past weekend my husband and our three oldest children attended a wonderful homeschooling conference. For two and a half days I was inspired, encouraged, exhorted and challenged as a parent. … and then there was Monday morning.
Read the rest here!
Photos from our Classical Conversations end of the year night. Top picture is N2’s class (she is on the far left); middle is N1 (she is in orange, 2nd student from the right); and the bottom is B and me (she is standing next to me).
Last day of CBS until fall. E’s teacher is a gem. We are really going to miss her next year when he moves up into a “big boy” class.
A big adventure coming up for one of the girls this summer.
This boy + this dog. The girls were the one that wanted the dog, but the boy is the one that loves him the most I think.
Roses that have started blooming this week.
A few moments sitting on the back patio on a Friday afternoon. Dad and girl playing catch (not seem are a boy and dog rolling around on the ground in between them). Fresh coffee. Notebooks of ideas. Herbs from a wonderful family gifted to us.
A blessed and very full week.
Outside my window... the day is starting around our neighborhood. I hear birds and the sun is up. It’s supposed to get up into the 80’s today and I’d love to be able to get some of that sunshine on my skin.
I am thankful... that the end of our school year is in sight! Spring fever has hit all of us and we are in the homestretch! We have approximately 15-20 days left (depending on what girl) and are looking forward to a nice break from formal school days in June and July. N2 has completely all of her 1st grade work and has started on her 2nd grade material and N1 is not far behind … our 3rd grade math is what we are buckling down on right now.
In the kitchen... lots of baking for end-of-the-year gifts for the munchkins’ different teachers. Nutella peanut butter cookies and chocolate coconut granola were whipped up this week and I have had to use all the will-power I have to stay out of both of them. Those nutella/pb cookies? Can’t say enough yummy things about them and so super easy. I actually even made an easier version by buying a bag of peanut butter cookie mix from Target to whip them together. So so good.
I am wearing... my grey capri pants and two tank tops from Old Navy. Will add a cardigan to the mix before I leave the house today!
I am creating... time in my schedule to catch up with Project Life. I have been printing pictures … and that’s about it. Time to catch up.
I am going...grocery shopping. It’s a new month and I have the empty fridge to prove it. My fresh stuff has been slim pickings so I’m excited to restock over the next couple days. There will also be a last minute run to Target today for some tights that a girlie has to have for a choir/dance rehearsal this evening. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
I am reading...
I am hoping... and praying for a friend who’s husband was in a serious accident a couple weeks ago. My heart is so heavy for her and I have had her on my heart and mind so much.
I am looking forward to...life slowing down just a wee bit this week. Last weekend was the official end of soccer, although B has one makeup game this coming weekend. We had our end-of-the-year celebration for Classical Conversations last night and now that is on hiatus until fall. This Friday is our last Bible study of the year, Sunday is our little girls’ choir concert, and next Wednesday wraps up Awana. I’m looking forward to some breathing room in our schedule! 
Girl with the game ball!
I am pondering... these two posts on living big, living dangerously and doing the hard thing that you are wanting to do. Lots of pondering and maybe… some doing.
A favorite quote for today...
Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.
Habakkuk 3:18-19
One of my favorite things... I hesitate to admit this … but running is quickly becoming a favorite thing. Right now I’m sneaking out of the house three mornings a week to go run at our local rec center and it is becoming addictive.
A few plans for the rest of the week… I think I mentioned all the wrapping up of all the things this week / weekend? That’s where I’ll be. And the grocery store to feed people during all of said wrapping up.
A peek into my day...
She can’t put these books down. This is where I insert “I told you so”. : )
Blogging over at Jelly Telly today on God’s pruning in our lives…
Occasionally I trimmed a branch that had a dead flower and a brand new bud on it and realized that sometimes you have to sacrifice something good along with the bad to get something even better – more new growth!
Read the rest over on the Jelly Telly blog. : )
I like to bake. A lot. I just don’t ever take time to do it. There always seem to be other things that are pressing on me with more urgency. However, I spotted these little goodies on Pinterest some time ago and have been waiting for an opportunity to bake them up – they just cry spring to me.
Carrot cake donuts with a pineapple cream cheese frosting. So so good. Please do not judge me on my mad frosting skillz. Because I don’t have them. : ) However, I do have a donut pan and it is so fun to use.
Approved by all the children. Even from the munchkin that didn’t know that the donuts had both shredded carrots and pineapple in them and was somewhat aghast when she found out. Score.
Note: The recipe also calls for toasted walnuts sprinkled on the top, but I didn’t have any and my people aren’t huge nut fans. However, if I had been eating the whole pan, they would have surely been covered in them. : )
I love Instagram on my phone. I thought I’d share a few of this week’s photos … snippets of what has been going on around here. (You can follow me on Instagram @stephanie_simplethings).
A fun evening with old friends. Some that it had been way TOO long since we had seen each other.
Just hanging around and reading.
Ran 22 minutes. In a row. Without dying. Worth noting. : ) (Using this free app).
Took a tree climbing break one day this week.
“Mama. Picture. Tree.” He was pretty proud he got up there on his own.
Two more weeks of Bible study. I will be sad to see this study of Kings and Chronicles end.
Our Classical Conversations formally ended a week and a half ago, however the last week has seen a flurry of review work as both the N’s worked toward achieving mastery in three of the subject areas that we memorized this year. (There were seven total: timeline, history, science, English grammar, math, Latin, and geography). Both of the girls chose history, Latin, and English grammar.
Both girls passed with their tutors (who check them on every. single. fact. in their subject areas) and our director (who does a random check so you don’t know what’s coming). So proud of their hard work and am very inspired to try and do it myself next year. : )
A rare hour alone before picking up the munchkins.
Never ending soccer and softball right now. Soccer ends next Saturday and then we just have softball. We have loved all this time outside in the sunshine (when we have seen the sun).
Starting my pile of books for this next year’s school reading. My favorite.
Loving on a new baby. Missing having one that size around our house. The recent one climbs trees now, ya know? : )
Happy Friday!
Our school room got a little facelift last week … unexpected and much enjoyed by all of us!
You can see a little of the room in this picture below.
Basically, we flipped the room and suddenly it seems like it’s a whole lot bigger.
Outside my window... a grey day. It looks like rain and they are talking storms. Typical spring for us. But, with all this rain, come the blooms. (And the spring allergies, but I’m not going to go there). : )
I am thankful... for an unexpected morning off of school. The oldest is taking a standardized test as a nearby church and when I was doing a recent check on our days of school we’ve completed, the little girls have enough extra days that I decided they could have the day off. We took N1 to her test, stopped and picked up coffee for Daddy and delivered it to him at work, and have had a nice easy morning around the house. It wasn’t something that I had planned for but we are thoroughly enjoying our slower pace today.
In the kitchen... I’ve been craving any and all things Mexican lately. Last night I made these crunchy black bean tacos (using taco shells instead of corn tortillas because that is what I had) and they were super fast and good before we had to run out the door to Awana. Over the weekend, I made not one, but two batches of this Mexican Caesar salad and even tinkered with the dressing to make it healthier (subbed non-fat Greek yogurt for the mayo and you can’t tell the difference). So good.
In the schoolroom... we are trucking along. N2 finished up both her 1st grade math and handwriting this week and as far as her materials go, she’s technically done for the year. However, there is that pesky matter of another 35 or so days that we still need to get in the next month and a half. So, on to her 2nd grade work it is! B is still plugging along on her reading lessons – there are good days and bad days – but we are taking it nice and slow and I’m encouraged about the progress I am seeing. She’s a very different girl from her sisters and that makes her B in all areas including how we approach her schooling.
I am wearing... blue skirt, white tank top, blue cardigan. Spring clothes.
I am creating... schedules, menu plans and lists to get us from here to there for this month. We are full into both soccer and softball and most of our evenings are spent soaking in the sunshine at one field or another. This is when I am so very thankful for our homeschooling days which make the many evenings out seem easier to manage. That said, I’m trying to come up with portable dinner ideas that aren’t sandwiches every night and don’t involve a drive-thru. Takes more planning on mama’s end.
Dinner at the ballpark on Tuesday.
I am going... to pick up my biggest girl from her test in a bit and a soccer practice for another girlie tonight.
I am pondering... on friendship. Pursuing, cultivating, tending, encouraging, coming alongside … all that.
I am reading... No Name for the Reading to Know bookclub. I’m a little over half-way through the book and though it’s slow going, I’m eager to get back to it every time I get a spare minute. N1 picked up the first Harry Potter book last week and is now on to book two. I’m driving her nuts asking her where she is in the stories and what is happening. : )
I am looking forward to... time with old friends that are in town for a quick trip this weekend. Time to catch-up and marvel over how big each other’s babies are.
I am learning… lessons in kindness, most especially from my husband.
Around the house... lots of spring purging. I went through all the kids’ clothes when we were on spring break last week and we’ve handed down what we can to siblings and friends and the rest is gone, never to be seen again. The little girls’ room also got a major overhaul by daddy and we’ve cleaned out quite a few things that they have outgrown. For several years we have had a wonderful wooden kitchen in their bedroom that has been well played with. We definitely got our money’s worth out of that toy! However, my little girls have asked for desks for their bedroom and therefore the kitchen has to go. I love that they want desks (I can certainly relate to that), but I’m a little sad that one of our well-loved toys is a thing of the past. This growing up is hard.
A favorite quote for today... this verse from my Bible study last week:
The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble,
And He knows those who take refuge in Him.
Nahum 1:7
God knew this was one that I needed to be made known of on a week that I saw several friends hurting. God is good to give us His scriptures!
One of my favorite things... Classical Conversations and what a blessing it has been for us this year! We have our last tutorial this Tuesday and have finished our year minus some memory testing that two of the girls have chosen to do and our year-end celebration. We have loved getting to know the other families in our community and I’m very excited about our parent practicum (three-day training) that’s coming this summer where I get a chance to get inspired and encouraged for next year. (If you have wondered about CC and what it’s about, Monica at The Homespun Heart has been doing a blog series on CC that is very thorough. Part one and two are here with part three still to come. Worth a read if you are interested!)
A few plans for the rest of the week… soccer practice, softball practice. Soccer games and a softball game on Saturday. A concert at our church on Saturday night to raise money for a well in Guatemala. Friends in town to catch-up with. And the normal things of life like making sure we have food to eat and clean uniforms to wear.
A peek into my day...
He is such a boy.
It seems like I’ve dropped blogging about Project Life completely (and that hasn’t been entirely intentional), but I’ve still been working on it!
These are just a few photos from the week of March 11-17. I didn’t take a ton but just a snippet to show you what I’ve been working on. This is such a mish-mash of journaling cards – I just grabbed and didn’t try to match or work with a theme at all. But it’s done. : )
On the left:
On the right:
Another simple week in the books.
Project Life is a product and a system created by Becky Higgins and available on Amazon.com. It can be anything you want it to be. You can view all my posts about Project Life here. I'm always happy to answer questions about how Project Life works for me, if you have any.
It just feels like a day for some link-love.
I’ve made a few recent finds on Pinterest and thought I’d share a few successes.
Oven baked fajitas. I may have this on the menu two more times this month. These were so good.
Chicken and white bean enchiladas with salas verde. Another winner. I made a few of these with corn tortillas instead of white ones and they were tasty as well. (Crumblier, if that’s a real word, but good).
Protein ranch dressing. No picture, because my jar is about half gone and messy, but seriously good.
Leprechan floats. An annual St. Pat’s tradition for us. Sprite + lime sherbert.
Swig Sugar Cookies. These have been all over Pinterest of late, and they are so very, very good. I had plans to make them for Easter but a sick girlie postponed some of our Easter plans to Monday. Worth making even though we didn’t get to share them over the Easter weekend.
It feels good to make my time on Pinterest productive lately! : )
For more Pinterest stories you can visit Keeping Up With the Johnsons. : )
