Rural Simplicity

Week 19 - Mother This is my mother playing Grandma to my son. I can never pay my parents back all that they gave me, but I can share with my children what my parents taught me and watch another generation grow up with good values! Week 20 - Up  Spring sky, beautiful clouds, look up and rejoice in the Lord!  Week 21 - Smile/Face She is five, he is one. They are best buddies, and both firecrackers! There are so many smiles and giggles that float around our house, I am a privileged momma! Week 22 - Blue Baby blue diapers drying in the sun.  Next months topics are: Shadow, Father, Summer, Patriotic  Want to see more? Here are the previous weeks journal entries.  Weeks 1-5 Weeks 6-9 Weeks 10-13 Weeks 14-18 Sarah 

This is part three of a six part series. If you haven't read the previous posts please start there. Habit and Routine - Read it here . Finding Your Personal Space - Read it here . You've done the brain work, and now it's time to do the muscle work. You will start with the room or space you have chosen as your "personal space". Once you work through posts 3-5 you will start again on the next room of your choice. It's going to get more messy before it gets beautiful.   In the room you have chosen (or if it's too full, in a nearby location) create four spots. This could be a section of the room, bins, trash bags, or paper signs marking an area.   - 1 - Trash - 2 - Give Away/Sell - 3 - Keep in this room - 4 - Keep in a different room  Start pulling things out of drawers, off of shelves, under beds, out of closets, off the floor, and put them into one of the four piles. Keep grouping like things together until you have the room cleaned o

Every month I do a post about books, books I've read, books I recommend, non-fiction, novels, adults books, children books, pictures books... how do I know which books are the good books? How do I always have so many good options? I'll tell you... Book Lists  The number one way to find a good book is to have a friend with similar values and taste to reccomnd a book to you, the second best way is to find a book list compiled by someone with similar values and taste.  1) Read-Aloud Revival with Sarah Mackenzie  Sarah Mackenzie is becoming a leader in books. She has an amazing blog, podcast, and community. I highly recommend listening to all of her past podcasts. You will get to here so many tips and ideas about reading with your kids, you will hear interviews with authors and book lovers, and you will get a ton of book recommendations. You can also send your e-mail address to receive FREE access to her very, very large online book list.  If you do all of that and

Today I am pleased to share some thoughts from my dear  friend  Martha. Martha and I went  to  college together for one year, and then didn't see each other for ten years - until last weekend when I was way out in Washington state  visiting my  brother and had the pleasure of  spending a lovely afternoon with Martha and her sweet children. It's amazing how good friends can be kept through long distances and even long bouts of no communication. After reading Martha's post please show her your appreciation by commenting with your thoughts and experiences.  *      *      *  A great big thank you to Sarah for asking me to do a guest post on her blog!! I was thinking of different topics I could write on.  I am the kind of person who can be extremely socially awkward.  ("Sorry! I'm awkward! Sorry!")  I have a hard time with small talk.  But if you want to talk about something deep, I'm there.  Not that I have all the answers or consider myself an

Week 14 - Macro I don't have a macro lens, so this is as good as it gets. Old rusty nails, don't step on 'em! Week 15 - Emotion This is my drama queen, she is all emotion, all heart, full force life-liver!  Week 16 - Blessings There are two kinds of moms. Those who anxiously wait and pray for babies and those who are content without. I prayed for this sweet girl and she is a huge blessing and help to me every day. She is also a handful and feisty and naughty, but so am I.  Week 17 - Earth  It's so important to me to get my kids outside as much as possible, to get them in the earth, touching bugs, planting seeds, and noticing nature around them. These grubby little hands are one of my favorite things to see! Week 18 - Under  Emma got this umbrella for Christmas and started using it the very next day. It's been used for snow, rain, sun, and a host of other things that a 5 year old can think up! Under, what children do