New cleaning job

 A few months ago, I was talking to this older couple I know, and they were having a hard time with their cleaning lady. She did a decent job, but she was on her phone so much. They had asked her repeatedly to not use her phone so frequently, and she would be a little better, and then revert back to her phone-using addiction. I told them that I could come to clean their house, and they could pay me less. I could use the money since our oldest daughter is getting married soon.

I began cleaning for them in September, on Friday afternoons. My Fridays tend to be slower days, with not a lot going on in the afternoons. It has been fun to get out of my house and earn a little money. The couple is very sweet, always happy to see me, and so are their two dogs. The dogs are funny because one is very gentle, mild-mannered, and almost never barks (and old).  The other dog is younger, barks a lot more, and snores when she sleeps. They are cute. 

I usually chat with the man when I get there for a few minutes while I clean. I use all of their cleaning supplies, but I bring my own rubber gloves. They use a lot of Norwex products, and we do too, so I am already familiar with them. I usually clean the kitchen, then the bathrooms, then dust (some weeks), sweep,  and spot mop the wood floors, and then I vacuum the carpets in the bedroom and living room. I also clean the glass & mirrors and wipe the doorknobs and light switches. Some weeks I will wash the wood floors, dust high shelves, clean cobwebs, clean the bathroom floors, vacuum the furniture, etc.,

Sometimes the couple even takes a nap while I am there. One week I left and they were both sleeping. They are hard of hearing, so they just turn their hearing aids off and they can even sleep through the vacuum!

This is their sweet, gentle dog named Saki. He is the only dog I have ever really loved. He is 16! He sleeps a lot when I am there too!

They are happy to have me clean for them. I know that I always do the job well since they taught me how to clean when I was a child. If you haven't guessed by now, the older couple is my own parents! I enjoy seeing them and chatting with them each week when I am there and seeing their dogs too.

They always tell me that I work so fast. I can get the whole house clean in 2 or 2 1/2 hours. The first 3 weeks that I came, my mom gave me books. I do not have as much time to read as she does, but I took the books. I've only read one of them so far! Maybe I can read more in January after our daughter's wedding and Christmas.

The only two weeks that I have missed are when we went to state with the marching band, and the other time was the day after Thanksgiving. I just make up for it when I clean the next week. A lot of times when I clean I think that their house is so much cleaner than mine, but it is also a newer house. It is a privilege to help my own parents. They are a joy to me, and so sweet. I know this job won't last forever, so I treasure the days I see them now. God has blessed me with wonderful parents!

Room swap!

Several weeks ago, our oldest daughter moved out of our house. We have slowly been adjusting to her being gone, the first week or ten days was the hardest. She has worked a lot the past several years, as well as going to school, so we didn't see her a lot anyway. But at least we saw her in the evening or morning, and sometimes for a meal. She does still come to visit, or to chat, or to have dinner. We always love seeing her, and now the nice part is that she doesn't have a bedroom to escape to!

My younger girls have been planning for a year (no exaggeration) about how and who will get Rebekah's old room. Mallory wanted to have her own space since she and Bethany had nearly always shared a room. So Mallory moved out of their room into Rebekah's room. She liked the gray walls that Rebekah had painted in the room recently. Of course, Rebekah took her curtains and her trash can, as well as her hamper. These were things that Mallory and Bethany had shared. We bought Mallory new white curtains and a mint colored trash can.

Bethany's room now...

We took the bunk beds apart, so each could use a bed on their own. We debated getting a new mattress and box springs, and leaving the bunk bed together, but decided we couldn't spend the money for it now. Bethany's bed had always been against a wall. She decided that she wanted the bed in the middle of the room, with space to play on either side. They both love their new arrangement!

It has taken some getting used to, but we like it. The first few nights, Bethany was sad and missed Mallory. They always talked before they went to sleep. Bethany has enjoyed the perks in having her own (bigger) room. Bethany still has the big closet, so some of Mallory's toys are still in that closet. Mallory's room seems a little empty, but she doesn't mind. I'm sure she'll fill it up as she can. Maybe she'll get a bean bag for her birthday! Eventually, we'll probably get her a desk for her bedroom, like we did for Rebekah. Enjoy the pics!

Mallory's room now...

Stop by to see us, we'd love to show you the "new" rooms!

Genesis 24:22-24 (Isaac and Rebekah)
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.”

Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

John 14:2
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

Baseball mom's bag

My son has been playing baseball for 11 years now. I remember watching him play t-ball and thinking how big the majors kids were, or the juniors level kids. Now my son is older than them, and taller than me! We've sat through many, many baseball games. Some years he played two or three seasons-- spring ball, summer ball/ All-stars, and fall ball. Now that he is in high school, it is pretty much just spring baseball. He decided to play summer ball this year, and it has been fun to see him grow and develop. He never played on a competitive or traveling team until high school though.

In my years of experience, I have gathered some items into a bag to take with us to the sports field. I don't know why it took me so long, but this past spring I painted a canvas bag with the words "Team ---" (our last name) and pictures of a baseball, a bat and musical instruments-- since that is what our girls are into.

Inside the bag are:
-snacks (usually ziplock bags) such as Cheese-Its, graham crackers, pretzels, granola bars, and my own nut/ raisin trail mix.

-an umbrella to be used to block out the sunshine and the rain.

-Sunscreen

-Bug spray (for night/evening games)-- I usually pack an essential oil blend...

-socks (in case my feet get cold)

-a hat to block out the sun

-a visor (sometimes I don't want to cover all of my head!)

-a buff to cover my head in wind and cold

-a fan for keeping cool

-Peppermint oil to use on the neck to keep cool

-Books for younger sisters to keep busy (now that they are older, they carry their own bags)

-The ever essential water bottle (the girls usually carry their own) or two.


That is basically what I have found that we need and use the most. For early spring and later fall, I'll pack a warm hat and mittens too. They have helped us many times! We usually leave our camp chairs in the van for sitting at different fields, and we have bleacher seats too. We have used our bleacher seats for several years, and we bring them to graduations, our local baseball team games and other baseball events nearby. They have been a good investment!

Are you a sports parent? What items do you pack in your bag?



Isaiah 40:30-31 
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Spring break home renovation

Several weeks ago, on our spring break, we decided to repaint our living/ front room. We knew it needed repainting badly, and we are so happy with the results! The biggest part of the job was moving the furniture and BOOKS, lots of books, out of the room so we could paint it.

 These are the before pictures of the arrangement and the paint color...

 This was after we completed the first walls and corner, and put some furniture back in this new arrangement...

 These are the main paint colors that we chose for the other two walls...

 At first the red looked really drastic and a little bold, but as we painted more, the more we liked it...

After we cut in around the edges...

 Here I am rolling the bold red wall!

 We did a majority of the work on the weekend, and my hubby's day off. The kids helped some, especially our 11-year-old! It took three coats of the red paint!

When I was moving a bookcase back into the room, I got a large sliver in my right hand. It was tough to get it out! OUCH!

My hubby downloaded an app that helped us with furniture placement. This helped us rearrange the room, which we never would have thought we could do! 

After we moved all of the furniture back in, we took some time off to do "fun" things on Spring Break, such as go to the local pool, complete a puzzle and go to paint pottery. It was fun and relaxing after all of that work!

Here is the final result, and we are really pleased with the difference!

 The gray and wood coffee table in the room is new too!

 I liked going through most of the books and folders and getting rid of things too!

After we got all of the work done, my hubby said he is leaving town for Spring Break next year, so he won't have to do any painting work! ;-D It is the 2nd Spring Break in a row that we have worked on a room in our downstairs... maybe this summer I'll paint the family room or our bedroom!

What is your favorite part of our "new" room? 

Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Revelation 21:5
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Homeschool organization

 Today, I am going to show you some of the ways that I organize our homeschool room. Ever since I was in junior high,  I have used 3-ring binders to organize papers. When we began homeschooling, I bought a large 3-inch 3-ring binder for each of my children. My oldest has a binder for every year of her homeschooling. When the year is over, I put the binders in a bank storage box and into storage. I have kept them just in case a lawyer or someone from Social Services comes to my house and says they need proof of our homeschooling. Now that my daughter is graduating, I can probably get rid of most of her binders!

I usually have the kids decorate a paper for the front of the clear binder cover. As they get older, I just print one from the computer for them. They can color on it or decorate it if they would like. I just like to have the binder labeled. 

 Inside the binder, I have each subject marked with a section and a divider. At the end of each week, I take all of their papers and divide them into the subjects and put them into their binders. When I have a meeting with an advisor, I can grab their binders and go to the meeting. I have all of their papers for the year in it, and it does get quite heavy by the time May rolls around!

In the binder, there are sections for spelling, grammar, handwriting, reading (younger kids), science, math and art. We have a separate small binder for history/ geography. A lot of moms leave the pages in the workbooks for different subjects. I have always torn the pages out, partly because they have answer keys in the back, and partly because I want them stored in the binder. It is easier for me to keep track of one book than several small workbooks. I like to reuse the workbooks from year to year, so I usually copy the pages out of the workbooks to use. Then I can use them with my other kids, and sell them again when we're done using it. After I make a copy of the page, I always punch holes in it, because then it is easier to slip it into the binder when it is completed and graded.

This is how I organize their papers after they are graded each day. I try to keep up on the grading as I can, in case they have learned something wrong, it can be corrected quickly and they won't continue on working in the wrong way. This is especially important for math papers.

 I have three crates to keep their binders and other papers/ projects in. It is handy to divide their things so I can easily grab something if I need to refer to it.

This is our bookshelf with curriculum, dictionaries, answer keys, games and math books. There are math manipulative on the bottom, as well as extra spelling cards and science kits. 

I know this is not the only way to organize, but this is what works for me right now. I like the binder system, and have told several friends about it. My advisor is always telling others about my binder organization. It is much nicer than throwing a bunch of papers in a box to show the advisor!

How do you organize your homeschool papers?


1 Corinthians 14:40
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Genesis 43:33
The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment.

Proverbs 24:27
Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

School funding...

In our area, we have lots of homeschoolers. There is an "Umbrella" school that we are under, also called a charter school. We are accountable to the program for the work that we do each week, set goals for the student's school work each year, and then we receive funding from them for school resources. We receive $2000 per child at this point, for approved school related items, such as paper, pencils, crayons, staplers, tape, ink cartridges, binders, and some curriculum. Since it is a non-Christian entity, they will not pay for any Christian items, or anything by a Christian publisher.

We have enjoyed it, because the kids get tested there, and I don't have to do it. Caleb's drum lessons and baseball fees have been paid for. They changed some of the funding guidelines this year, so they don't cover most sports-related clothing, any more furniture (last year we got two big bookshelves!) and several other things. They will pay for most educational games, books, math curriculum, construction paper, and more. I like that I can get most school supplies paid for. They even have paid for Rebekah's college classes this year. That is a HUGE help!

Usually at the end of the year though, the younger girls especially, have funding left over. We already have lots of books and curriculum from the older kids, so it can be a small challenge to utilize their funds. I have gathered a list of items that we have gotten before to help other homeschool families in my area gather ideas.

Here is what we have gotten before:
A set of 100 colored pencils
Solar system kit, paintable to hang
pencils/ scissors organizer for the desk
pencil cases, erasers
A local trip (within 350 miles), one night hotel stay
A ball to sit on (great for my ADHD kids!)
Scissors, crayons, glue, glue sticks, markers, rulers, Sharpies
pencils (mechanical too), pencil lead refills
dry erase boards and markers
Sticky notes, index cards
Large pack of construction paper (300 sheets? Maybe 500?)
Scotch tape and dispenser
a case of paper
a magnetic/ white board for our spelling curriculum, eraser
Maps
backpacks
Educational puzzles, esp. maps
Computer, printer, ink
IPAD with case
swimsuits (no longer fundable), dance clothing, baseball pants, etc., (may not be fundable anymore)
Drum/ piano lesson fees
Crossover class fees (classes taken at a local school, such as band)
Magnet kit, butterfly kit, ant farm
Many, many, many books!

Great books with a historical emphasis!

Trebuchet kit
Drawing books
Large binders to organize papers, page protectors, subject dividers
folders
Art supplies- paint, paper, brushes, watercolor paints
Money kit, calculators
Tangram puzzle/ game cards
Handwriting books
Books for Five in A Row curriculum
Math, reading curriculum, spelling curriculum/ magnets, workbooks (secular only)
Museum admissions, art museum, pool punch cards, pool admissions
Swim lessons
Bicycles, bike helmets
Rollerblades
Telescope
A new stapler, staples
Clay for art
Pencil grips for pencils
Internet fees (but not cable)
Mileage to/ from classes
ACT or SAT assessment (one per year)
Class fees outside the home- choir, speech, dance, etc.,

This was at Office Depot, I found it cheaper on Amazon.co

X-Acto school Pro heavy duty electric pencil sharpener
Many games: Ticket to Ride, Ticket to Ride Europe, expansion packs for Ticket to Ride,  Sum Swamp, Math Dice, Rory's story cubes, Wordplay, Flag Frenzy, Timeline, Sequence, Blockus, Bananagrams, Quiddler, Set, Speed multiplication, Spelling Bee, and many more. We love playing games!

Here are other ideas that we have not purchased, because we either already owned them, received them as gifts, or don't need them:

jump drive for computer
math manipulatives
teaching clock
Flash cards
Dictionaries
Microscope
Boggle Jr. game
Scrabble Jr. game
Educational camps (science, art)
Kindle for reading
GLOBE
Organizational items- bins, etc.,
Storage boxes for spelling cards or flash cards
Clipboards (useful for not working at a table)
Twistables colored pencils
Mr. Sketch markers
Poetry books
Science kits- Magic School Bus or Young Scientist
Magazine subscriptions- National Geographic, Highlights (?)
Art supplies, or art curriculum
Blue tooth speaker (unsure of funding for this item)

I am unsure yet what we will spend the rest of our money on. We will probably go to a museum or two before the end of the school year. We may buy more books for the summer reading.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.


Matthew 21:15
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

Command center update!

This summer has been very full of organizing! It is one of my favorite things to do, and I like the rewarding feeling of a new look, something old gone, and the accomplished feeling that comes with organizing. This summer I have gotten rid of many cookbooks (I just don't USE them!), reorganized my recipe box/ pared it down, reorganized some cupboards and more. 

One of the main areas that I reorganized is our calendar/ command center. I had the wall calendar on the side of a cabinet before, and I moved it next to the fridge. It is easier to see for everyone in the family. 

Some of my more diligent readers may remember that in the beginning of 2013, I posted about getting rid of my calendar planner. It was then that a found a week at a glance calendar that I liked. (link found in that post). I used the same week at a glance planner and printed it onto a magnet sheet! Now it is on my fridge instead of on the table near my chair at the kitchen table.

On Pinterest I found this pin and printed the magnets that are included. She had many that we will use, and some we will not (vet for animals, gymnastics, tennis match, etc.,) but many that we will use-- play date, family event, special event, girls' night, doctor appointment, dentist appointment and birthday party. She even had a page with some blank labels. I printed those on magnetic sheets as well, and wrote some of my own to customize it (baseball game/ practice, and other events we do often.) I stamped the date numbers onto magnets and trimmed them. So below is my new weekly calendar! (I have another one for the school year.) I have a small mints box on top of the refrigerator with the extra magnets in it.

After visiting our family's home on our recent trip, they had a magnetic pen/ pencil holder. I found one in the school supply aisle (along with locker curtains, a locker disco ball and a locker chandelier...???!) It had a mirror on the front which I took out. It has a spot in the back, behind the pens for other things. I placed a party invitation in there. I also clipped other cards and library book receipts onto magnetic clips nearby the calendar. 

I love it! It will be fun to have a new, freshly organized space for my command center!

What about you? Do you have a 'command center', where you keep important things? I'd love to hear all about it!


1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.


1 Corinthians 14:40
"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."

WFMW: Organizing

Works For Me Wednesday- Organizing
Some of you that know me well know that I love to organize. I am happiest when my house is neat and organized. With kids, most days I am fighting an uphill battle! But I keep trying...

This past Sunday, our Pastor spoke about how sin can be clutter in our lives. I thought about this, and decided that I really liked this analogy. Sin distracts us from God, separating us from Him and His way. It gets in the way of what God desires for us. Clutter is much the same-- distracts us in our lives from Him and His purposes of being clean and orderly. Clutter can distract others in our home from the work that is needed to be done. I know it distracts my kids when cleaning their room... like finding a "new" old toy or book.

So in an effort to contain clutter in my home, mind and life, I have books that I have gotten at Goodwill or thrift stores that help. But even the books can become clutter! Maybe an e-book would be better...?

I found a few quotes online by Vicki Norris that I like...

"I think that being organized is intrinsically connected to your quality of life,” she says. “Also, we don’t live this perfect Martha Stewart life. Being organized doesn’t mean that you live in a magazine. That scares people and it doesn’t seem approachable to people.”

At Restoring Order, Norris and her staff prefer to live an “ordered” life versus an “organized” life.

“Living an ordered life is living life on purpose, putting first things first,” she explains. “Think how your life feels when you can find things and you’re not embarrassed to open your garage doors so your neighbors can see ... then you can live in peace. When you order your life, you regain peace, and that’s priceless.”  (emphasis mine)

Here is a blog that I found that I like, with lots of posts on organizing... go check it out!

http://www.neatlittlenest.com/#!

You can find more organizing posts on my blog here.

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

Psalm 32:5

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Acts 8:22-24

Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

Decluttering tips, part 2

Decluttering tips, part 2
READ PART ONE HERE

Do you have too much clutter in your home and life? Read on for some great tips...

Several years ago, I read a book called "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett.  I really enjoyed this book and took notes from it while I read. Here are more great thoughts from this book...

-Hang photos instead of placing them (on piano or shelves).

-Gifts do not need to be kept forever, not meant to be a burden. The message is not in the gift but the heart of the giver.

-Take a picture-- you do not need to keep old plaques, ribbons or mementos.

--You don't have to buy something to experience it! For whom are you keeping your keepsake? ( i.e. that odd figurine you bought at an amusement park or museum...) You don't need proof, you experienced it! Miniaturize it-- photo, scrapbooking, etc.,

-Don't save all those little papers, write it down and toss it OR file it and go through it every 3 years, keeping files organized.

-Don't save old, out-of-date books. There is new information all the time!

-Cookbooks- you can save only the recipe you use (copy it down) and get rid of them!

-Clothes- get rid of them if the piece is uncomfortable, the wrong color, fit or size OR if it is damaged.

-Shoes-- you won't wear uncomfortable shoes! Get rid of what you don't use!

-Car clutter- keep to a minimum-- don't take it ALL on vacation!

-Too much eating is bad too... we live lives of excess! Think of all of the extra space and time you'll have after you declutter your home and office!



Ecclesiastes 5:9-11
 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the
fields. Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.  As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.


Ecclesiastes 3:1-6
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away...

Decluttering tips, part 1

Decluttering tips, part 1

Do you like to read books about organizing? I know I do, and this book is a great one full of tips!

Several years ago, I read a book called "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett.  I really enjoyed this book and took notes from it while I read. I know, I know--> so nerdy!

Here are some of the notes from the book which I liked...

-Identify your clutter and its effect on your life.

-Living is doing, not having!

-More is not better! We have sufficient for our needs.

-Clutter makes cleaning take longer! (So true! It is faster to wipe an empty shelf than move 25 things and then dust it...)

-Storing and caring for clutter costs. The value is in using it, not moving and guarding your thing.

-If knickknacks regenerate or soothe you, keep them as long as they serve a purpose. A friend said that she gets rid of things if they don't make her smile-Good thought!

-Give kids a place for their stuff, not too much excess, makes clean up easier (i.e. moveable toy box)

-Hang light things in garage, mount your hand tools. You can buy and use a wall cabinet for it!

-China and silverware that are never used-- it takes energy to keep those things!

-How many Bibles do you have? Are you leaving space for HIM in your life?

*Here is a link to a post about another clutter book I blogged about a few years ago.

COME BACK TOMORROW FOR PART 2 ON THIS SUBJECT!

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Some wonderful Bible verses which apply to this subject:

Matthew 6:25
 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?


Matthew 6:28-29
 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Summer Fun Book

I have gathered summer fun ideas for several years. Some of my loyal readers may remember that I posted a "Summer Bucket List" last summer. I usually make my own list of things to do each summer for us (swim lessons, VBS, Regal Cinema movies, etc.,) but it's always nice to have a wide variety of ideas.

Inside the front cover

One of my printed summer ideas lists...

I've also included lists that I've gotten from some of my favorite homeschool websites over the past several years.

Summer Learning Ideas from homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com

Crosswalk.com has a list of 22 ways to learn during the summer

On Pinterest, I've found lots of great ideas to do each summer with kids. One of my favorites was a list of 100 free things to do with kids this summer. I also have printed two other bucket lists from here and here. I also like this Summer Schedule and this one, both found on Pinterest.

So what I've done is printed these lists, hole-punched them and put them in a binder. I've got the bucket lists on the covers. I also have ideas from Family Fun magazine that I've ripped out from old magazines and I put them into page protectors. Their website has lots of printables too! This is a great book for the kids to glean ideas from when they need something to do!

We've recently made rocket jumping cups , and a tether balloon, which I can't find on Family Fun's website! I like this list of 20 Years of Summer Fun, 40 Cool Summer Crafts for Kids, and 10 ways to Make Summer more Fun. Family Fun has so many resources, you could find something new to do each day!

Each summer, I have my kids do Mad- Libs, writing once a week (or so), and math worksheets from Math-U-See to keep them sharp on their school skills.

We do puzzles each summer, here is a post where I wrote about puzzles. I also have fun sticks that they can use to pick an idea or activity. You can read that blog post here.

So I hope that gives you some ideas of things to keep your kids busy this summer! You can make your own summer fun binder!
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Here are some great verses that apply...
Genesis 8:22
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”


Mark 13:28
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.


Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.




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#3- List your top 7 ways to entertain kids during Summer break.

Works for Me Wednesday: Kids' Bins

On this Works for Me Wednesday (WFMW), I am going to feature some kids' bedroom organization. One place that I have gathered some great ideas on organizing kids' rooms is from this MOPS book:

Kids Stuff and What to do With It by Leigh Rollar Mintz and Mary Beth Lagerborg


One idea that I had recently as I was organizing my three and five-year-old's girls bedroom was to take a picture of what was in the bin, and then tape the picture on the front of the bin. Not a majorly huge task, just took a few extra minutes. I grabbed my trusty camera and took pictures:

After I had the pictures developed at our local Walgreens (with a coupon, of course!), I set them on the counter for two days. (Honestly!) I grabbed them from the counter in a moment of energy and desire to complete the task, and off we headed to the girly's bedroom. My younger daughter happily found each bin that the photo went with, my 5 year-old grabbed her scissors (Is it a good idea that she has a scissors in her room... not sure!?!). After trimming, locating and taping, the task was finished! Hopefully my non-readers will utilize this organizational method more than the labels that were on the bins. And maybe, just maybe, the bins will stay organized? (I'm not holding my breath!)

I hope this inspires you to organize your kids' stuff, and hopefully they can keep it that way! (at least for a day!)


Here is a few favorite Bible verses relating to order:
1 Corinthians 14:33
 ^"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace —as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people."


1 Corinthians 14:40
"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."






Linking up with We Are That Family's Works-for-Me Wednesday Blog Hop