My Evening Project

Tonight I finally finished working on de-cluttering the desk.  Well, at least for the most part!  Brian really pushed me to do it.  At dinner he said he would treat me to Dairy Queen if I finished.  When the kids heard that, they jumped on it, and the whole family wanted me to clean the desk.  In the end, I asked Brian to take the family to Dairy Queen so I could get a few moments’ peace and quiet to myself and start the project!

First, I must prepare you… Some of you will still want to be my friend after seeing this photo because it will make you feel good about the hotspots in your house.  Others of you will shun me, leave my blog, wonder why you were ever friends with me in the first place, and never speak to me again.  Nonetheless, here is how it looked before the clean-up process began.

The desk tends to be a hotspot in the house,

and I am continually trying to fix that!

The first thing I did was clear the surface and dust it with some spray and a rag.  I thought this would make me feel good and bring inspiration!

 

Then I divided all of the material into groups and piles:

Recipes

To Do

To File

For Hubby

Coupons

Magazines

Catalogs

Homemaking

Memorabilia

 

I put things in the laundry basket if they had to travel somewhere.

I came across beautiful things like this that warmed my heart and gave me more energy to work!

 

After all was said and done…

The desk now looks like this:

I’ve got some coupons in the tray next to the computer monitor.  In the holder next to it, three folders are housed thus far:  To Do, File, and For Hubby.  In front of the folders, lays my recent purchase – a simple, but so far efficient, organizer for myself.

 

I am feeling good!

 

A cluttered surface attracts more clutter, but a cleared surface magically stays clear.

(taken from “Steady Mom”)

I hope it’s true!  ~wink~

Tips from Other Blogs

The other day I read a helpful post on how to stand firm in your convictions and what you are doing as a family.

Check it out at “Life As Mom”.

__________________________________________________

Also, don’t forget …. “Simple Mom” reveals her third hotspot today: toys and kids’ clothes – something we have been working on lately ourselves!

Have a great week!

Thinking of Japan

Photos taken from “The New York Times”

I have seen online that some bloggers have joined forces today to do a “Blogger’s Day of Silence” for Japan, and they are collecting donations.  With that notion in mind, I want to encourage you to consider sending financial support to Japan.  We are so blessed here in America, in our plush homes, with our gourmet food, cozy homes, and loved ones.  Think of those who have been through so much devastation and how it would be so beneficial and good for us to help.  Talk it over with your spouse… Pray about it… and give accordingly.

My heart and prayers go out to Japan!

Homeschool Curriculum Review: Bob Jones English

As I mentioned in a previous post, I use First Language Lessons to teach first and second grade language. Once my oldest son hit third grade, I started using Bob Jones English (BJU Press).

What initially drew me to this curriculum is its combination of writing and grammar, alternately, throughout the book. I wanted to teach both of those skills and felt the variety would be good to keep the student motivated.

The book is easy to use. Each lesson starts with a small instructional part. Following that, there are guided practices on the first page and independent practices on the second page. With this layout, my son is able to do his English fairly independently at times – which is always helpful!

I purchase my English through Christian Liberty Press. It is more economical, basically because CLP produces its own teacher’s version for the book. Their teacher’s edition is compact and simple.

At this point, I am only planning to use Bob Jones English through 6th grade. I used the 9th grade level for my niece when we first took her in, and that turned me off from the higher grades. The 9th grade level was very tedious with little instruction, in my humble opinion.

My next review will cover mathematics. If you have any questions about the curriculum I am reviewing or curriculum, in general, leave a question here in the comments section or on my Facebook page. I will try to keep my eyes open for it!

This post is linked to The Homeschool Curriculum Review Round-Up.

Thoughts About Spring Cleaning Projects

If you did not simplify your wardrobe with “Simple Mom”, but had all the best intentions in the world, or even a small inkling, don’t feel bad!  Let me encourage you with this:

You don’t have to follow a particular timeline.  I know it is easy to feel pressured by someone else’s project deadlines, but no one said you have to follow them.  Start the project when you can and finish at your pace.  Better late than never!

It is important to keep the needs of your home in mind.  My home life is very demanding, and I know that I can not always get to every idea or inspiration I see.  I must prioritize and use the ideas as fuel and tools, not as weights hanging over my head!

Be inspired!  Let others’ ideas about spring cleaning get you motivated to do what you need to do in *your* home.  Think about what would bless you most right now to declutter.

If necessary tackle your project in bits.  On Sunday I worked on my sons’ bedroom.  We couldn’t do it all at once, but we worked for about 20 to 30 minutes twice.  We still have more to do, but we are in progress!  Set the timer if it helps!  At least do something for a short amount of time.  Life does not always give us time for everything.  We have to make time for what we have to do.

Ask your husband what HE would like you to do.  Over the weekend, when I was talking to my husband about how I wanted to work on my closet, he said, “I guess I just need to start a blog.”  He knew I had gotten the closet idea from a blog I read; he had his own desires about what he would like done in the house.  I realized that I should be checking in with my husband to see if there is anything he would like for me to focus on first!

Remember – anything you do to spruce up

your home will be a blessing to you and others!

Spring Cleaning–Reminder and Report

Reminder to check in with “Simple Mom”

today for Hotspot #2 – paper clutter!

I am curious if any of you tackled “Simple Mom’s” challenge last week of cleaning out your wardrobe.  If you did, I want to hear about it.  Leave a comment and a link to your blog, if relevant.

My week was hectic, as always, but I was determined to try to work on my wardrobe.  I had actually weeded things out mostly, recently, but my closet still needed some work. 

I was only able to tackle the hanging items, the floor, and the shoes.  I did it swiftly and still found great reward.  Even my husband said, “The closet looks great, hun” – and that is without cleaning it entirely.  Remember – a little goes a long way!  Do what you can do!

 

 

 

 

Before:  The floor needed attention!

My shoes were in disarray.

Items were not in any specific order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After:  The floor and shoes are tidy.

I sorted my clothing items according to color and season.

 

 

 

 

 

I still have to get to the shelves above, which I haven’t even shown you yet – gulp!  Hopefully this week.  ~smile~

Tomorrow, I will post some encouraging words about spring cleaning and simplifying in general.

 

Homeschool Curriculum Review: First Language Lessons

I started using First Language Lessons by Jessie Wise years ago with my firstborn. I was interested in using an oral approach to language at the time and discovered this book. The curriculum is engaging, interactive, instructional, and varied. It includes aspects of the classical education mindset such as: oral narration, copywork, memorization, and picture study.

Levels 1 and 2, which are included in this book, are good for the first and second grades. I actually lumped my first and second graders together this year, so I didn’t have to teach this curriculum two years in a row. We are just finishing first grade and will probably finish the second grade level before autumn. Note: I did notice that the levels are now split, so you have to buy the grades separately. There are also levels for higher grades, through grade five.

The only down side to this curriculum is that there are times when I have felt it is too repetitive or boring. When I come to a spot like that, I just lump lessons together or skip something. Remember this is curriculum – a tool for your good use!

This post is linked to The Homeschool Curriculum Review Round-Up.