Better Cleaning Products

Can you believe that I have NEVER posted about the cleaning products I use?!?  Say what?  Now that's just some crazy business!

In the last year I have made some BIG changes in the products I use in my home.  This was one of my New Year's goals a few years back and I'm happy to say that I actually accomplished that one.  Praise Jesus, it's a miracle!

That means that the majority of the toxic crap has officially left the building.  While I had made some pretty decent headway in years past, last year brought about a whole new CLEAN product revolution.  Everything has seen a face lift to products that are more earth friendly and better for my family's health.  I seriously don't know why I didn't do this sooner but perhaps the mountain was just too overwhelming mmkay.  So to make it easier for all of you to embark on your own clean product REVOLUTION, I'm going to list for you all the products I currently use.  Many of these are homemade and some are not.  I've tested my fair share and these are the products that work time and time again.

It might be helpful for you all to know that my home is GROSS.  Ok, maybe that's too harsh of a word.  But my house was built in the early 1980's and still has the originally flooring.  Let's just stop and think on that one for a minute all right?  Ick.  The dust is out of control.  I can dust EVERYTHING and literally 5 minutes later, it's like it never happened.  In addition, we have the Buddy Boy who enjoys running outside in the mud and then tracking it over the entire contents of my home.  Add in the boy child who seems to be oblivious to anything dirt related and you've got a recipe for disaster.  Ugh.

My point here is that I've got my work cut out for me.  I want my home to freakin' SPARKLE and I want it to LOOK and SMELL clean.  Not like dirt and dog and dust and boy and grossness.  So my cleaning products simply MUST live up to the hype.  And y'all- they totally do!

I'm breaking it down room for room, so get out your notepad and let's do this!

Living Area:

• All purpose cleaner.  This stuff is a staple throughout the entire house, it works in ALL THE PLACES.  I stash a bottle of this in every location I can- you should too!  This one is homemade, here's how you do it.  Combine 3 tablespoons rubbing alcohol, 3 tablespoons liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronners) and 30 drops of essential oils (I use the cleaning blend found here) into a spray bottle.  Fill the rest of the way with water.  And that is it!
•  Glass cleaner.  I am still mourning the loss of my SprayWay Glass Cleaner- you know, the blessing from above in a blue bottle.  Out of everything, this has been the hardest for me to find a suitable replacement.  I am currently using Mrs Meyer's glass cleaner and while it gets the job done, it's no Sprayway.  The lemon verbena scent is nice and it's available in almost all the products, so to keep the "smell continuity" throughout my home, I only use this scent.  Plus the lavender smells like old lady perfume.  Sorry but it's true.
• Carpet cleaner.  Pets and children means you clean your carpets on the regular and I am clearly no exception. For spot cleaning, I simply spray FULL STRENGTH white vinegar directly onto the spot and allow it to soak in.  Then rub it out with a rag.  I have also been known to sprinkle my carpets with baking soda and then vacuum up.
• Hard floor/tile cleaner.  One to two small drops of liquid castille soap in a bowl of warm water and that's all you need for the "hard surface" floor cleaners.  One word on this- do a little test run on a small area to make sure it won't ruin your floors.  It shouldn't but it's always better to be safe than sorry!
• Essential oils.  I bet you're wondering why this is even here on the list?  Well I keep a diffuser in my living room and it adds an amazing clean, fresh smell. Plus it has the added benefit of releasing GOOD THINGS for your health directly into the air you are breathing.  Now who wouldn't want this?  If you are currently using ANYTHING Glade or plug-in or Fabreeze scented, stop it right now.  Just stop.  Instead, reach for your essential oils.  Psst- here's a link to the diffusers I use.  I can NOT recommend these enough!  I have 2 currently and just purchased the newest model for the kiddo's bedroom.

Kitchen:

• Dish soap.  I keep this Mrs. Meyer's dish soap in my NEW automatic soap dispenser sitting on my kitchen counter at all times.  This is the soap we wash our dishes with and the soap we wash our hands with- I do not have 2 separate soaps.  This soap smells great and FEELS clean, leaving no yucky residue.  It doesn't produce as many suds but it still gets the job done and no, I do not have to use extra soap.  It works just like my old Palmolive but it's better for you. 
• Dishwasher detergent.  Again, I find myself reaching for the Mrs. Meyer's products.  I tried a few others and they simply couldn't get all the bits and pieces off.  For the longest time I could NOT find anything that compared to my previous detergent.  But then....HALLELUJAH!  I found the mother load in this soap.  NO residue and it removed every single food yucky off my dishes in my jam packed dishwasher.  Yay!
• All purpose cleaner.  Again, with this stuff!  Gah, it's so good!  I clean ALL THE THINGS in my kitchen with this cleaner.  The floor, the cabinets, the counter, the stove- everything! 

Laundry:

• Laundry soap.  I make my own you guys!  In a pinch, I keep a bottle of Seven Generation laundry soap but I MUCH prefer this homemade version.  It is super simple to make and pretty darn cost effective.  One word on this- I prefer to make a powder version because I simply do not have space to store gallons of liquid.  And in my cramped laundry area, space is at a premium.  Here's how you make your own- combine 1 bar of grated (use a cheese grater or your food processor) castile bar soap, 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda.  Then to use, simply add 1 tablespoon to a small load of laundry or 2-3 tablespoons for a large load.  So easy!

  

  Homemade laundry soap lasts forever!

• Bleach.  Yes, I am still using bleach.  I would really love to find a better alternative because as I told the husband recently bleach is a corrosive, toxic, bacteria killing CHEMICAL and can cause all sorts of health issues like respiratory concerns, skin irritation, migraines, damage to the nervous system, vomiting and more.  Not to mention that it releases dioxin that has been proven to contribute cancer and that's not even discussing the pollution it releases into our water supply.  So yeah- I'm working on this one too.
• Stain fighters.  Homemade is nice and all but can it really get out BOY and HUSBAND stains?!?  Well, actually....it does a pretty good job.  But when I've got some really tough stains I always reach for my bar of Fels Naptha.  Wet the stain area with just a bit of water from your wash and then rub the bar over the stain.  That's it.  And a bar of this stuff is around $2 and lasts OVER A YEAR.  I'm sorry- what?!?  When was the last time you spent $2 for a year's worth of stain fighter/remover?  Exactly.

Around $2 a bar!!!!

• Smell/stain fighter.  Another trick up my sleeve is the spray bottle of full strength white vinegar that I keep on my laundry shelf.  I reach for this for more minor stains (so regular dirt, normal food stains, dirty sleeves etc) and also use it to remove smells.  Because the reality in my house is that the dog barfs or poops or pees at least once per month and the rags are DISGUSTING.  So I spray them down with the white vinegar before adding them to the wash.  Cheap, easy and it works!

Bathroom:

•  Toilet bowl cleaner.  I used to reach for the Clorox bleach toilet bowl cleaner but now I opt for this great stuff from Mrs. Meyers.  It does a pretty decent job and I personally really enjoy the Lemon Verbena scent.  You can also use your all purpose cleaner here as well.
• Counters/sink/shower/bathtub cleaner.  Is anyone really surprised that I use the all purpose homemade cleaner here as well?  For the nasty pink soap scum, I spray a little extra and simply allow it a few minutes to really set in.  Then grab a scrub brush and go to town!  It does a really great job and I love that I'm using a homemade, natural product!

Miscellaneous:

I think you can guess that pretty much everything else in my house is cleaned using the all purpose cleaner.  There's truthfully not much that it won't clean.  You can also opt for different essential oils in the cleaner to make something with even more disinfectant properties.  This stuff simply makes my house smell CLEAN and I love that!

My favorite essential oil to use in the all purpose cleaner is the one aptly called, Cleaning by Eden's Garden.  It is a blend of lavender, lemongrass, tea tree and rosemary and smells WAY better than it sounds!  I buy it off Amazon and so far it has lasted a very long time, highly recommend!

General dusting is done with a duster or wet rags (no cleaner/sprays/products) that get run through the wash.

I do not use wood polish.

My kitchen table is cleaned with a damp sponge.  NOTHING else.

I use my diffuser every night in our master bedroom and I'm super excited to try these new blends that I just purchased.

$24.95 on Amazon!

 I also run one daily downstairs in our living area.  My favorites for nighttime are thieves and lavender and for daytime, thieves and orange or lemon.  I also switch out the essential oils depending on the season and our health.  So typically I diffuse a LOT of thieves in fall/winter as we try to combat the cold and flu season and I firmly believe it has helped to keep us healthy!

Well there you go!  This is my current arsenal of more natural cleaning products and I do hope that it has provided some helpful guidance and encouragement to you!  It's possible to keep your home looking and smelling clean and use products that will keep your family and the environment healthy.  If I can do this, YOU can do this!

Friendships & Betrayal Take Two

Is it really any surprise that this post tied for the #1 spot last year?  I mean...really?

People suck.  Friendships are HARD.  Women friendships are complicated.  Mommy friendships even worse. And I repeat- people suck.

Gah, sometimes I can be such a cynic but if I've learned anything in my 34 years it is this truth.  How very sad mmkay...

Now that I've had a bit of time to process "the event" that led me to write the original post, I wanted to give you all my thoughts.  They are still a bit messy and scattered but I suppose that's just me.  And since this original post resonated so clearly with so many of you- I figured an update was in order!


First, while I did receive an apology, I do not consider it one.  I know...I know...but listen y'all- there's a right way and a wrong way to apologize.  MOST definitely.  So when you are experiencing some strife in any of your relationships, I hope you'll keep this in mind.  A really terrible and insincere apology can actually make things worse.  I've apologized SO MANY TIMES and have even explained to the kiddo the "right" way to offer one.  We've also discussed that you shouldn't personally offer an apology unless you are actually feeling apologetic and remorseful.  Basically, DON'T apologize unless you mean it!  Because y'all- people can tell when your apology is fake and lacking sincerity.  Trust me on this one.

Below is simply an example of how we feel an apology should go.  Don't freak out now, it's simply an example.  But I hope you'll keep in mind that an apology should really come from the heart.  It doesn't need to be perfect but it does need to be real and true.

I am so sorry.  I apologize for my actions, for what I said and did that may have upset you.  Please know that I will do my very best to not do those things again.  I am sorry for hurting you.  I value our relationship and would like to continue being friends, can you forgive me?

Step #1- Say the magic words, I'm sorry.

Step #2- Acknowledge what you did/said that caused upset to the other person.  Do NOT place blame on them.  Your apology is about you and your actions.

Step #3- Learn from your mistakes.

Step #4- Show you value and respect the other person.

Step #5- Ask for forgiveness.  Understand it might not be given.


Would you believe there's people walking this earth who don't know how to properly apologize?  You best believe I'm teaching my child the importance of apologies, forgiveness and grace.


The second issue I'm currently dealing with is my own anger at the situation.  Now that the shock and hurt has faded, I am knee deep in the PISSED OFF MAMA mode.  I am beyond angry that someone I thought was my "Mom Friend" would think so poorly of my child when her own are far from perfect. Far.  From.  Perfect.

I am also pretty angry at myself.  I never saw this coming.  I am angry for trusting these people with my child.  Hurt me, hurt the husband- ugh, fine.  You suck.  Hurt my child?  Unacceptable.  It is extremely hard to process this anger when you feel as if you are the one to blame for placing trust in the wrong people.

Finally, this entire situation has forced us to work even harder on our friendships.  I want and deserve to have good and loyal friends.  I give nothing but my best to any relationship be it work, marriage, family, motherhood and yes, friendship.  I am not even close to perfect but that's just the very best part of any relationship- being yourself and being valued for who you are.

In addition, I have encouraged the kiddo to reach out to more friends in his homeschool classes and we've even had a few playdates and birthday parties.  We've also discussed a few of his "less than desirable" friendships and talked about how to improve upon them and how he can personally be a better friend.  The thing is, we don't just know how to be a good friend, we have to learn how to do this.  I want my child to value his friendships and understand when he is not getting the same loyalty and respect in return.

Friendships, relationships- they are hard.  Like, HARD hard.  But here's the thing, if they are worth anything at all, then you put your seat belt on and ride over the bumps together.  If not, you bail before you hit the storm.  Some people are RIDE or DIE and some are dead weight- you've just got to learn for yourself which is which.

And for all that's holy- when someone shows you their true colors, BELIEVE THEM.

Good luck y'all.  I wish you wonderful, blessed relationships and the strength to move on from those causing you upset.  And when you find your people. treat them well for their worth and value is beyond measure.

Update- It's the 14 Days of Love Challenge

This post is the "OFFICIAL" update to the 14 Days of Love Challenge posted almost two years ago here on the blog.  Wow.  Two years already?!?  Good-Ness.

The challenge itself is simple- do one nice thing for your spouse each day beginning on February 1st and ending on Valentine's Day.  Since I do a few fun Valentine things for the kiddo, I try to keep this challenge to strictly the husband.  I'm also not made of money honey- so you best believe it's on the cheap.

Psst- here's the link to the original post.  Click here mmkay....

Since I've been doing this challenge for several years now, I wanted to take a moment and share with you my observations.

#1- Plan ahead.  

Good Lord but I get stuck on this one every single year.  It would seem that I don't give myself nearly enough time to put together 14 fun and different items for the husband.  Some of them are quick & easy (like buying his favorite candy and putting it in his lunch bag) but others require much more thought and planning.  So my suggestion is to simply brainstorm AHEAD OF TIME, like prior to January 31st, a list of things, tokens, notes, items etc that you can use for this challenge.

#2- Creativity Stalls.

Somewhere around week #2, I hit a slump.  This is where your planning will really come in handy!  I shoot for 4-5 really GOOD and creative things and then try to mix it up with the easier, more simple items.  Get crafty, spend some time on the Pinterest, read about great love stories- do what you need to do to get inspired.

#3- Plan a "BIG" night out on the weekend before Valentine's Day.

The husband and I have always celebrated our Valentine's Day either before or after the actual date.  Because nothing says UNROMANTIC like being in a crowded restaurant, eating overpriced food, surrounded by people who are only going out because it's what's required of them.  Yeah, no thanks.

We started doing things this way and it has since evolved into a bigger night out during the weekend sometime.  This is also a GREAT time to incorporate some of your fun things for the love challenge!  And once you have kids- well....the celebration changes.  Valentine's Day is now reserved for the other special man in my life, the kiddo.  This day is all about making it fun for him- sorry husband, you've had your turn.

#4- Keep YOUR spouse in mind.

There are seriously so many good and fun ideas but it won't really be special if it's not something your spouse would personally enjoy.  So please take care to be doing things that are geared towards them- AHEM and not you.....

For example- a midweek movie date?  Well if they are already overloaded at work and hate going out in public, this one probably is more for you than for them.  But a movie date at home complete with popcorn and the newest release they've been dying to see?  Yeah, this might be a better choice mmkay....

#5- Have fun!

This challenge is not at all meant to be anything more then just fun.  Keep it light, do some silly things, get creative, whip out your construction paper and markers and just be yourself!

The really great thing about this challenge is that it pushes you to really think of your spouse and put them first.  You are doing something sweet to make their day just a little bit better and as a result, it makes your day better.  Have fun with it and just enjoy the challenge!

Awkward Family Photos

I do NOT believe my sweet little family is very photogenic.  Yes, we are adorable but for some reason that just doesn't transfer well to the camera.  I usually end up hating the angle or my smile, the kiddo is either FULL ON smile or none at all and the husband's eyes are almost always closed.  Every.  Single.  Time.

However, what we do really well is the candid shots.  You know...walking the dog, baking cookies, sitting at the desk doing school work....  The real shots as I call them- yeah, those are our JAM.  But get the three of us in a studio, with a professional pointing a camera straight at our bodies and suddenly we are all sorts of messed up.  And because I'm a perfectionist, none of these photos ever looks "good" to me because no matter how amazeballs the photographer is, they simply can't capture the real us.  The natural us.

So it was with some trepidation that I shared our first real professional photo in about four years over on the Facebook page.  Psst- it's now my profile pic mmkay....  The story behind this photo is just a bit funny and you just know that I can't share the photo without the story behind its conception.

Here goes!

It all started with my Mom's genius idea to do a family photo session while visiting family over Thanksgiving.  For my Mom, it was the first and probably last time that she will have all her people in the same room.  So GOOD LORD but you know you better jump on it and not miss out on this golden opportunity to capture the entire clan in all it's disfunctional glory.

Now, at first, I thought we were doing more "natural" shots.  Why?  Well because that's what I was told mmkay....NATURAL photos are my THANG.  But turns out that we were doing posed, studio pics.  EEK- what we do for family right?  But then we had to wear matching In-N-Out t-shirts.  So you guys...can I just say that I look good in quite a few things but a man's/unisex t-shirt is simply NOT one of them.  Yeah, no.  And to commemorate this less than ideal fashion look FOR THE REST OF TIME?  Gah.  Thanks Mom.

But I put my big girl panties on and dealt with it.  I could rock this.  Not my first choice but we made it work.  Kinda....

Picture day comes and one of the MAIN CHARACTERS of this show happens to be sick.  I'm sorry but what?!?  I'm not even joking- out of the 2 main people in this large crazy circus, one of them was a no show.  GREAT.

And then we show up at the studio and 6 of the 19 people are not wearing the approved dress code.  Fab-u-lous.  If I would have known that I could just do whatever the hell I wanted to do, you better believe I wouldn't have shown up in this outfit mmkay....

Deep breath.

Chaos.

Deep breath.

More chaos.

Big family picture.  Smaller group photos.  And finally my sweet little family was up next.  I'm not even joking with you but I made these poor photographers take our picture MANY times over.  Like, lots.  Because as I said earlier, we simply don't do well with the posed photos. 

The final image turned out alright.  It's certainly NOT my favorite picture of us and I would have MUCH preferred a different setting and different clothes but it's growing on me.  I think the story behind this shot is funny.  I was having some major hair issues, the kiddo refused to smile and the husband looked ridiculous without his hat.  And what in the ever lovin' what is going on with the husband's eyes?!?  Gah.  So it's as "us" as it's gonna get folks.

Maybe someday I'll get around to updating this photo.  The husband and I have joked about recreating some "Awkward Family Photo" moments but I kinda think we already did mmkay....

Family photos.  It's a whole thing yo.

The WSLP

The bane of my existence mmkay....

WSLP stands for Written Student Learning Plan and I hate it.  Seriously- HATE.  IT.  Each month I have to update this plan with what we've done in our homeschool, the progress the kiddo has made, the activities, the curriculum, approximate time spent on each item as well as test scores and grades.  But here's the kicker- you have to do this all a MONTH BEHIND.

So let's just stop right here.

We are Eclectic Homeschoolers who follow Unschooling whenever possible.  I triple dog dare you to figure out a way to measure this business in a WSLP.  Go ahead- I'll wait.....

Exactly.

Can't be done.  We don't test.  We don't follow a set curriculum.  I never know from one month to the next what we will be doing, let alone try to remember an entire month back.  Ugh.

The second part to the dreaded WSLP is the twice yearly update.  This one is more exhausting and seems to be at the whim of state legislators as it's requirements change each time.  It's here that we have to plan out an entire six months worth of homeschooling.  SIX MONTHS.  Yeah- no.  We do this at the very beginning of Fall before 1st semester begins and again after Christmas before 2nd semester begins.

I have learned to type in the words and phrases that the state wants (at this moment) and then simply copy and paste from the first plan to the second.  I also NEVER do any of this work ahead of time because as I've said- the requirements change each time.  I clearly am not about to waste my time.

And y'all, this isn't even discussing the fact that the program that contains the WSLP seems to NEVER be working correctly.  No joke.  This thing has not run smoothly in the six years we've been attending.  How is this possible?  I just can't even....

I GIVE UP

So why am I telling you all of this?

Well- if you're going to be attending Edmonds Heights K-12 or any public school funded homeschool program, be prepared to deal with this nonsense.  While we have enjoyed our time here at EH, putting up with this ridiculousness has put a big damper on my desire to continue with this program.  Add in the fact that they got rid of many of the free classes taught by certified teachers and instead replaced them with expensive "workshop" classes and that they've had several recent threats to the campus and this Mama is seriously about to pull the plug.

While there are some benefits and I'm hesitant to leave a community that we've been a part of for over six years, it's come to a point where independently homeschooling is easier than being a part of this program.

I'm jumping through hoops and for what exactly?


So here's what the husband and I have decided-

• For now, the kiddo will still attend this public school funded homeschool program.
• We will be reducing the amount of hours/days he's at this program.
• No longer will we use this program for core classes.
• This will be an extension of our homeschool rather than the focus.
• As a result, we will be changing how we do school at home.

The kiddo greatly enjoys the socialization found here.  He loves his Spanish class and I'm sorry to say it- but this Mama is simply NOT going to be busting out the Rosetta Stone anytime soon.  Pottery is fun and while he won't admit to it, he's really enjoyed his Myth, Fable & Fairytale playacting class this year.

These are all good things.

For now, the good is still outweighing the bad.  However I will say, that in recent years- it's a close race and the scales are more evenly divided.  If our state (Washington) keeps making changes to the requirements for public school funded programs such as ours, it will no longer be worth it to attend.  And that's probably their end goal.  I would not be surprised if "they" sit in their offices in the capital and dream up obstacles for programs such as ours to "encourage" families to drop out and then enroll in a more traditional public school.

But jokes on them- 

We will just drop out completely and become 100% independent.  Adios WSLP!  Peace out....

New Year, New You

This last week has seen a TON of messages come my way from those of you wanting to make some healthier choices in your life.

Holy Buckets but I'm so excited for you!!!!!!!

These questions can really be divided into two main categories.  #1- I want to eat less meat.  #2- I want my family (especially my husband) to eat healthier.  First can I just say how thrilled I am that you've turned to me for a little guidance!  While I am in no way an expert at this, it's clear that I've been on this journey for quite awhile now and have had some BIG success in getting my family to get a mostly plant based, whole foods, organic diet with very limited meat.  In short- we are Flexitarians!  Each year, I feel like we personally make big strides in our health and our diet and I completely understand the desire to do better and make healthier choices!  With that being said- let's address those questions y'all!

#1- So you want to eat less meat?  Love, love, LOVE IT!!!!!

Let's just address a big misconception.  Protein.  Good Lord but the moment you tell people you want to go veg, they suddenly become nutritionists and experts on protein.  Yeah, no.  Here's the truth- if you are eating a well rounded diet full of LOTS of veggies, they you are most likely getting enough protein.  Plants have protein, lots of protein.  My own personal truth here is that when we started eating more vegetables, reduced the carbs a bit and focused on whole foods from the earth- I felt full faster and longer.  In addition, my entire family has had yearly physicals and blood work done and we are NOT lacking for any vitamins or nutrients in our bodies.  In fact, we are healthier than we've ever been!  So this really does work!

Secondly, lets talk about what kinds of foods you should be eating when you decide to eat less meat.  Please for the love of God, do NOT run out and buy a ton of "vegetarian" or "vegan" marketed processed foods.  I'm talking, Morningstar Farms, Quorn, Yves, Gardein and the like because these things are filled with chemicals and GMO's.  Sure- they might be OK every once in awhile as a special treat but they should never be a mainstay in your diet.

So if you shouldn't buy prepackaged vegetarian foods, they how are you going to feed your family?  Well folks- you're gonna need to learn to cook.  You'll also want to experiment with grains and legumes- quinoa, lentils, beans OH MY!  I've learned how to take some of my family's favorite foods and substitute these healthy protein sources in place of chicken, beef and pork.  Quinoa works well in most dishes that you would normally use chicken and lentils are a great substitute for beef.  Of course, you can also simply add in extra veggies and leave out the meat entirely.  I do this ALL the time!  I have many of our family favorite recipes here on the blog- be sure to check it out!

Want to read more?

• Eating Well When You Don't Have the Time
• Transform Your Health: A Husband's Journey
• Tips For Food Shopping

#2-  How do you get your husband and other picky family members to eat a healthier diet?  Well you guys, this one is simply all about persistence.  Slow and steady will win this race.

It took us 7 years to get to the point we are at currently which is pretty much no meat in our house AT ALL and many vegan dishes throughout the week.  We are 95% organic and homemade and we no longer eat out at many fast food spots and other restaurants.  True story- I bought a pound of organic ground beef from our local farmer and it took us two months to eat it.  No joke- TWO MONTHS.  Wow!  What a change from just several years ago.

I wrote a great post recently on exactly this topic, you can click here to check it out.  But I'll just summarize for you here and tell you that the true key to success with this is to go slow, keep at it and look for foods and dishes that your family already likes.  Do NOT try to serve anything to "weird" or out of the ordinary to your family right out of the gate or they will approach every meal with skepticism.  A few other tricks I've learned is that flavor is very important to vegetarian dishes- SPICES are your new best friend and when in doubt, put some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream on it and call it good.  Seriously, don't underestimate the power of cheese mmkay...


As you begin this journey a few other things to keep in mind are this- simply look for ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your meals.  Start snacking on the whole foods instead of the processed foods.  Begin with one meatless meal each week and slowly increase that over time.  Remember- slow and steady.  You got this!  And can I just say how proud I am of you all for making this choice!  I promise you that you won't ever regret it!

Measuring the Immeasurable

When you homeschool, there are SO many moments in time that reinforce to you that you are making the right choice.  It's hard to even put these moments into words and even more difficult to explain them to the peanut gallery.

Today, a moment happened.  Like so many other days before....but I just wanted to stop and share it with all of you.  Here's what I posted over on the Facebook page.

The kiddo & his trusty sidekick, Buddy Boy.
Because "dogs make everything better."

The kiddo just completed a mini science lesson & was walking to the couch full of complaints.

"My back hurts."
"My gut hurts."
"I'm tired."

He sat down, turned on the rest of his movie, Air Buddies, called for his trusty sidekick Buddy Boy & promptly snuggled under his blanket.

Then I hear- "dogs make everything better Mom."

GOOD LORD but this may be the sweetest thing ever. And you know what- I'm here. I get to see this & experience this because we homeschool.

Sometimes it's hard to express to people all those immeasurable benefits to homeschooling. How do you put this moment into words? You can't except to say that we are BLESSED to live this life.

Because Homeschooling.

2015: It's in the Rearview Baby!

Well here it is, just one day from a brand new year.  ONE DAY PEOPLE!!  As I was thinking back on 2015 and what it's meant for myself, my marriage, our child, this blog- it's been equal parts amazing and hard.  Sounds like any true journey- you take the good with the bad mmkay....

But as always, I wanted to end this year with a recap of your favorite blog posts as well as include the TOP POST OF ALL TIME!  Because....well...I've been blogging here for about 3 years now and have well over 400 published posts and it still surprises me what hits that #1 spot.

The Top Five Blog Posts of 2015

#1 & #2- For the first time on the blog, we've got a tie for 1st place!  Both posts have THE EXACT SAME NUMBER OF VIEWS and could seriously NOT be more different in nature and content.

• Friendship & Betrayal
• Puppy Stew

#3- A personal favorite of mine and literally ONE VIEW LESS then the #1 and #2 posts.  Now that's some crazy business mmkay!

• An Open Letter to Those Thinking About Homeschooling

#4- Such a wide variety of topics are covered here on the page and this just proves that y'all are liking what I'm throwing down for you!  This was seriously one of the most fun posts for me to do because I LOVED looking back at a year of food.  I enjoyed it so much that I'll probably do it again this year!

• So What Do You Eat?

#5-  And finally- the straggler of the group was a post about the kiddo's homeschool program and my interaction with one of his teachers.  Y'all got FIRED UP with me and I just loved that!

• I Am Fired Up: The Sequel

Finally, THE #1 BLOG POST EVER on this blog-

• Marriage: A Traditional Housewife

2015 truly was a great year here- I feel as if this is the year that I've grown the most.  My marriage is ROCK SOLID and I feel like I've got this homeschooling business in the bag!  I'm happy, my family is healthy and we are living this amazingly blessed life.  I am thankful beyond words to be able to share all of that with you.

We've got some BIG things planned for 2016 and I just can't wait to share them with all of you but for now I'll simply say, 

Thank you for being here.

Loves,

The Homeschooled Housewife