Recent Posts

A Day In Our Life

A Day In Our Life

    Wendy’s homeschool day with an 8, 7, 5, 4, 2 year old, and 8 month old: I am not a get-up-before-the-children kind of mama. My husband and I are both night people, and since I don’t believe in being out of bed before 7:00, 

Freezer Meals for a Large Family

Freezer Meals for a Large Family

 Freezer Meals Click here to download the Freezer Meals Planning Worksheet Freezer meals have been saving us for years Until recently, Jamin’s music studio and business were located in our living room. This meant we had clients coming in and out of our front door 

Christmas Countdown and Advent Calendar

Christmas Countdown and Advent Calendar

Using a Countdown for Family Christmas Projects

Click here to download the free Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar

FROM WENDY:

Our Christmas Countdown Tradition

We have been doing a Christmas countdown in some form since the oldest kiddos were barely big enough to count all the way to 25. This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions with the kids because of the anticipation it creates, but also because of the ability to incorporate new ideas in with old favorites.
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Parenting Fails – Pitfalls to Avoid

Parenting Fails – Pitfalls to Avoid

Our Parenting Fails FROM WENDY: My parenting fails and struggles this week…and what I’m learning from them Consistency is hard because it’s…well…constant I know that my kids need clear boundaries and consistent follow through. I know this one. I’ve watched it in action time and again 

BONUS – Puppy Search Episode 1

BONUS – Puppy Search Episode 1

The Puppy Search Is On! We screwed up! Have you ever heard of the fog of war? Any good counselor will tell you that sometimes crazy decisions make more sense in the heat of the moment. In the pressure of trying to sell the idea 

Shopping for Your Kids – A Minimalist Christmas Shopping Guide

Shopping for Your Kids – A Minimalist Christmas Shopping Guide

Christmas Shopping for a Large Family

FROM WENDY:

This post should actually probably be called NOT shopping for a large family…

We are pretty minimalist when it comes to Christmas, or even when it comes to toys in general. We have several bodies in our not-super-large home, and there is not a lot of room for stuff! At some point pretty early on, I made the “we will only have as many toys as will fit in these cubbies” rule, and established regular toy-purging times in our year to ensure that things stay pared down to non-crazy levels.
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Should I Have Another Baby

Should I Have Another Baby

How We Answered “Should I Have Another Baby?” FROM WENDY: I have actually asked Google this question more than once. I know, I know, we have a lot of kids. Why am I asking, right? But it never fails, baby fever hits one of the 

Behavior Charts and Free Printable Behavior Plan

Behavior Charts and Free Printable Behavior Plan

Free Printable Behavior Charts We Use Every Day Click here to download the free printable behavior charts FROM WENDY: Less talking + more action = happier parent-child relationships It’s that moment when you realize that you’ve given the same kid the same instruction five times 

Taming Crazy Behavior and Reducing Chaos

Taming Crazy Behavior and Reducing Chaos

What We Do When Behavior Is Getting Out of Control

FROM WENDY:

Six kids can be crazy.

Children in groups have this special way of amplifying one another’s attitudes or behaviors, and when one kid starts getting amped up, things can spiral fast. The key is to recognize the circumstances that lend to crazy and interrupt them as early as possible, before things get out of hand.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling

Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling

How We Weighed the Advantages of Homeschooling Click here to download the Advantages and Disadvantages checklist FROM WENDY: The advantages and disadvantages I planned for, and the ones I actually found. We did not set out to homeschool. In fact, once upon a time (not