Soapy Preview

I’ve got three great soaps that will be ready in September!  Here they are:

Oatmeal Milk and Honey Soap with Oat Extract.  This is by far my most popular soap.  It’s warm, fragrant and super-moisturizing.  Oat Extract is used in the treatment of such skin problems as acne, pimples, blemishes, eczema, and dermatitis.  Look for this soap in my etsy shop the second week of September.

Applejack Peel Soap is the quintessential fall soap with scents of apple, cinnamon and cloves.  And with Sweet Almond Oil and Avocado Oil, it’s perfect for itchy fall skin.  Look for it the around first of fall.

And for when you start to miss summer, Hawaiian Tropic soap will bring the smells of summer to you.  Coconut, Vanilla and a hint of Mango will remind you of sunny days on the shore.  Its moisturizing abilities will wash away dry, winter skin.  Look for it toward the end of September.

Check out all the other wonderful soaps that are currently available in my etsy store.  A portion of profits help the Lorraine family with their adoption.

The Joy of Homeschooling

The other morning I walked past the back door to see the kids having a morning meeting on the trampoline.  They had eaten breakfast, scooped cat litter, fed the pets and were waiting for Mama to start school  On the other side of the house stood neighborhood children; their backs laden with heavy packs while they waited for the school bus. 

I managed to snap this picture just before they realized I was watching them.  It’s mornings like these that remind me how blessed we are to home school and how much I cherish their childhood.  I’m so thankful that they’re not standing out on the street; waiting for the bus to take them away from me where someone else makes the rules and the decisions about what they think is best for my children.

And now, for PE. 

Making Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Every time we have brown bananas, Jacob wants to make banana bread.  Well, today he finally got his wish.  He did a great job mashing up the bananas and mixing in the ingredients.

Do you see that look of uncertainty, as in, “Mom’s really going to let me pour this in all by myself!?”  Yes, I’m a bit anal when it comes to messes in the kitchen, but I’m trying to get over that for the sake of my kiddos’ culinary education.

Who knew mixing could be this much fun?!

Delicious!!

Back to School

We are back to school!  Well, we don’t have far to go…just to the kitchen table.  But it’s definitely a change from our lazy, summer days and I, for one, am glad for it!  And I have to say, I’m very proud of my kiddos for the way they’ve jumped right in!  Maybe they were ready for some structure and order to the day, even if they would never have admitted it. 

One of my favorite subjects this year is studying the book of James with them.  They each have their own book called, Boy, Do I Have Problems which is an inductive Bible study by Kay Arthur.  The picture above is of Caitlyn working through her study with her colored pencils; marking common words.  I love that they are learning how to study the Bible on their own and how to apply it to their lives. 

The greatest challenge so far is keeping Abraham content while I focus on the big kids’ school.  He’s almost two years-old now and can throw a mean tantrum when he doesn’t get his way.  Which means, we have our fair share of interruptions.  On the other hand, he’s loves to play with his cars and trains and is content to do so while we get some school done.  And there is usually an older sibling willing to entertain him while the other gets some one-on-one schooling.

I’m praying that this positive attitude toward school will continue (I overheard the kids saying, “School is FUN this year!”) and that I don’t let the constant interruptions bring me down…like I did today.  I love to be a part of what my kids are learning!  And, I love my kids!