Mama’s Mission of the Month: October 2012 {and Sept Accomplishments}

Welcome to Mama’s Mission of the Month! My hope is that this will help me {and you} follow through on some of the goals that we have set for the month! So, if you are a mama and you want to join in, check out the intro post! (If you have already read the rules, you can easily grab the buttons from the Buttons Tab on the top of the sidebar.)

September Mission Update:  Well, I started strong this month and then had a few curveballs that sort of derailed my progress! But, considering, I am still pleased with the progress I made. It wasn’t all that I had hoped, but I headed in the right direction!

Personal:

1. Begin Pursuit of Proverbs 31. I am loving this study! It has been so enlightening and freeing!

Marriage:

2. Flirt daily!

Parenting:

3. Update the kid’s chore charts. What a relief it is to have the kids pitching in around the house again!

4. Make Give/Save/Spend pouches for the kids.

5. Finish reading Good and Angry:Exchanging Frustration for Character in you and your Kids. I haven’t finished this book because I decided to order the B90 Bible and begin the B90 plan. I do, still, plan to finish Good and Angry…B90 is just taking up most of my reading time right now.

Homeschooling:

6. Have the kids write thank you letters to the firefighters that gave us an impromptu tour of the fire station. Rough drafts are written…final copies this week.

7. Finish making the Bible printables to coordinate with our curriculum.

8. Complete another African American history unit.

Homemaking:

9. Meal Planning…as much as I have fought the idea, I have GOT to just sit down and do this! Honestly, I am sick and tired of answering the question, “What are we having for dinner, mom?” with the answer, “I don’t know.” I’m still answering with “I don’t know.” Gotta do something about that…

10. Mend clothes.

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family:

11. Write 2 letters.

12. Update and add to my family/friend birthday list.

Blogging/Online Activity:

13. Continue to resurrect my other blogs.

14. Share the cards that I made to use along with the SHE Method. In progress.

15. Write a new workbox post showing how we have changed up our old workbox system.

 Other:

16. Complete 10 scrapbook pages. I did one…

17. Frame and hang some of the kid’s artwork. I framed some but have yet to hang them.

 

My Mission for October 2012: 

As you can see, I was really derailed in September! So, for October, I just want to focus on finishing everything I had planned for September:

Personal:

1. Continue Pursuit of Proverbs 31 Bible Study!

2. Stay on track with my B90 Bible reading plan.

Marriage:

3. Have two date nights.

Parenting:

4. Make Give/Save/Spend pouches for the kids.

5. Finish reading Good and Angry:Exchanging Frustration for Character in you and your Kids.

Homeschooling:

6. Have the kids write the final copies of their thank you letters to the firefighters.

7. Finish making the Bible printables to coordinate with our curriculum.

8. Complete another African American history unit.

Homemaking:

9. Meal Planning…just do it!

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family:

10. Write 2 letters.

11. Update and add to my family/friend birthday list.

Blogging/Online Activity:

12. Continue to resurrect my other blogs.

13. Share the cards that I made to use along with the SHE Method.

14. Write a new workbox post showing how we have changed up our old workbox system.

 Other:

15. Complete 10 scrapbook pages.

16. Frame and hang the kid’s artwork.

What is your October mission of the month?

If you participated last month, how did you do?

Feel free to link up and share! It is a great way to hold yourself accountable! Need a visual reminder of your monthly missions? Download the Mama’s Mission of the Month Checklist!

For more information on how to join in, please read the intro post. The linky will be open until midnight, October 5th.

Like what you've read?
Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

{This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Please review my disclosure policy.}

School Is Where the Home Is {Winner}

Thank you so very much to everyone who entered to win the giveaway for School Is Where the Home Is by Anita Merllott.

Commenter #16, Joan Concilio Otto!

For those of you who didn’t win, you don’t want to miss out of this little gem! Please consider helping to support Anita! You can purchase School Is Where the Home Is on Amazon or directly from the Judson Press Publisher’s website!

Like what you've read?
Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

{This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Please review my disclosure policy.}

School Is Where the Home Is: 180 Devotions for Homeschool Parents

School Is Where the Home Is by Anita Mellott is a devotional book for homeschool parents filled with 180 short nuggets of inspiration, encouragement, and practical helps.

Each daily devotion is titled, categorized, backed by scripture, and includes engaging, real-life stories to encourage, inspire, challenge, and help you as a homeschool parent. Plus each devotion concludes with a thought-provoking question for you to consider in your homeschool journey!

The daily devotions are divided into 8 categories:

A Faith of Their Own: Encourages parents to guide their children into intimacy with God, to help them develop a personal walk with Jesus. And a Child Will Lead Them: One of the amazing benefits of homeschooling is seeing life through the eyes of our children and learning from them. Gifts We Give Our Children: Encourages parents to focus on the intangible gifts that we can give our children, and to be intentional about discipling children and nurturing their hearts. Homeschool Basics: Practical help and encouragement for each homeschooling day: communicating in school, planning, organizing, making decisions about curriculum, dealing with challenges – mental blocks, frustration, and perfectionism, and encouraging our children’s potential. Homeschool Foundations: Highlights the biblical fundamentals of what homeschooling is all about and why we homeschool. Homeschool and Family: Handling the impact of homeschooling on every aspect of family life, like time, relationships, and marriage, with encouragement and practical tips to keep a balance. Homeschool and You: The impact of homeschooling on the primary educator: setting boundaries, pride, the importance of community, lightening up, tough love, dealing with disapproval, and comparisons, and encouragement of the primary educator, mainly the mother, to take care of herself. Spiritual Vitamins: Spiritual refreshment for parents. {quoted from School is Where Home is, p. x}

 

My Thoughts:

As a mom, particularly a homeschool mom, I feel like I am continually in need of encouragement. While I love being inspired by other moms who face the same joys and challenges of homeschooling, I also appreciate being challenged to grow and change those things in my life that need to be adjusted so that I can become a better mom! Other times I just need some practical tips to help me through all of my responsibilities as a homeschooling mom! I was thrilled when I discovered that I could find all of this and more in this daily devotional book!

Since receiving School Is Where the Home Is I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through it. The short, easy to read passages make it simple for me to fit the daily devotions into my busy homeschool day! In fact, throughout the day, I often find little pockets of time where I am able to squeeze in multiple daily devotions in one day ~ Yes, they are THAT short and easy to read! But, don’t get me wrong, they definitely pack a punch! I am regularly amazed at how these short, little passages can have such an impact on me!

I love how author Anita Mellot is able to take stories from her own life as a homeschooling parent and draw out nuggets of truth that inspire, encourage, challenge, and transform!

Many times I walk away feeling encouraged and inspired to press on! While other times I feel the sting of being challenged in particular areas of my life that needs to be changed! And still, other times, it is as if the light bulb has been turned on as I discover a new way to make our homeschool day run more smoothly!

 

About the Author:

While I am loving the devotions, I can’t continue without telling you more about the amazing lady behind this little jewel, Anita Mellot! Below is a quote from Anita’s About page:

“Life’s ups and downs have included job loss, the death of loved ones an ocean away, chronic illness, and infertility. Despite a recent diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative auto-immune disorder, I believe and have experienced that “though weeping may last for the night, joy comes in the morning.” So I continue to write and speak of hope in spite of life’s challenges.”

Being a mom is not easy! Homeschooling is not easy!

I cannot begin to imagine being a mom, much less a homeschooling mom, living in chronic pain with a degenerative auto-immune disorder. Yes, in spite of walking the path that was not her choice, Anita’s hope and desire to encourage others in the midst of her own pain and suffering is simply remarkable! I am utterly in awe of her strength, courage, determination, and hope! You can read more about Anita’s story over on Classic Housewife!

 

Support a Fellow Homeschool Mom:

Please help me support Anita by visiting all of my friend’s reviews and giveaways below!  We know you will be blessed by this sweet book and you will bless Anita by helping us share her book with others! 

Sept 17:  Jennifer: Jennifer A Janes
Sept 17:  Jenn: Mama Jenn (That’s me! You can enter my giveaway below!)
Sept 18:  Lisa: Chaos Appreciation
Sept 18:  Meg: Homeschoolin Mama
Sept 19:  Laurie: Our Abundant Blessings
Sept 19:  Amber: Classic Housewife 
Sept 20:  Kris: Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Sept 20:  Susan – Momma Hopper 

iHomeschool Network is proud to support Anita, her fabulous book, and these book reviews. As an expression of that support, iHN will be paying to ship the winners' books to them.

Giveaway Info: Would you like to win a copy of School Is Where Home Is? The first and mandatory entry is to simply leave a comment letting me know that you would like to win! Optional (Additional) Entries: The following are additional ways that you can enter to win. However, you MUST complete the mandatory entry above. (Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!) Tell me which devotional category {listed above} you would be most interested in reading more about. Leave a comment naming the category. (max 1 entry) Visit Anita’s blog and read an except from the book. (See the left side bar on her site.) Leave a comment letting me know that you read it. (max 1 entry) Enter any of the other 7 giveaways (listed above) for School Is Where Home Is. Leave a comment for EACH giveaway that you enter telling me the name of the blog hosting the giveaway. (max 7 entries) “Like” School Is Where Home Is on Facebook AND/OR “Like” Mama Jenn on Facebook. Leave a comment for EACH like. (max 2 entries) Follow Anita Mellot on Twitter AND/OR Follow @MamaJennBlogs on Twitter. Leave a comment for EACH follow. (max 2 entries) Follow Mama Jenn via Google+ AND/OR subscribe to Mama Jenn via RSS and/or via email and leave a comment letting me know that you do. Leave a comment for EACH follow or subscription. (max 3 entries) Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment letting me know you did. You can just copy, paste, and tweet the following: @MamaJennBlogs is hosting an #iHn #giveaway for 180 Day #homeschool devo by #AnitaMellot Enter thru 9/21/12: http://bit.ly/NwC3wg #freeHS The giveaway ends at midnight on Friday, September 21, 2012! One winner will be randomly selected and emailed. Winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and a way for me to contact you in case you win! Giveaway is open to US Residents ONLY. Must be age 18 or over. Comments (giveaway entries) ARE moderated and will appear after they have been approved. ONLY comments posted on the actual blog post count as entries!

This product was given to me free of charge. I do not have to return the product to the vendor. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Like what you've read?
Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

{This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Please review my disclosure policy.}

Pp for Penguin {MFW Kindergarten Printables}

As much as I love the hands-on activities and crafts in our My Father’s World Kindergarten Curriculum, I was not very good about doing the Words to Remember badges with my daughter. So, I came up with something a little different for the boys. I created printable art/copywork pages for them to work on their penmanship while creatively depicting the Words to Remember.

This is the Lesson 16: Pp for Penguin page from one of my older boy’s kindergarten school year. To make the penguin, you need: construction paper (white, orange, black), glue, googly eyes. We used varying sizes of bottle tops to trace circles onto the construction paper as shown below.

Directions:

1) Glue the two black circles onto the page.

2) Glue the larger white circle (which is slightly smaller than the black circles) onto the bottom black circle.

3) Overlap the two medium sized white circles and glue them onto the upper black circle.

4) Cut the medium sized orange circle in half and glue them on to form the feet.

5) Trim the small orange circle to form a beak and glue.

6) Add the googly eyes and that’s it!!!

Visit the MFW Kindergarten Words to Remember blog post for information on downloading all of the Words to Remember copywork pages.

PLEASE NOTE: These copywork printables are only for students who are reading and writing easily. This type of copywork is not a regular part of My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum.

Like what you've read?
Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

{This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Please review my disclosure policy.}

Mama’s Mission of the Month: September 2012 {and Aug Accomplishments}

Welcome to Mama’s Mission of the Month! My hope is that this will help me {and you} follow through on some of the goals that we have set for the month! So, if you are a mama and you want to join in, check out the intro post! (If you have already read the rules, you can easily grab the buttons from the Buttons Tab on the top of the sidebar.)

August Mission Update:  We started up our school year this month and it has been a bit more time consuming and demanding than I had expected! I guess, having two kindergartners, two 2nd graders, and a 4th grader is a bit more work than I had expected. Plus, I have kinda changed how I “do” school with the kids which has resulted in more involvement on my part. But, I am loving it! Anyhow, I did fairly well with my missions…considering!

Personal:

1. Get up before the kids everyday during the week so that I can exercise and have my prayer time/Bible reading time. My new/used treadmill off Craigslist has made exercising so much more “do-able.” The light bulb finally clicked on and I decided to add this to my 21 Days to Becoming chart rather than my list of monthly missions! FYI, I am struggling a bit with though because I find that I stay up way to late enjoying alone time {aka when the kids are fast asleep.)

Marriage:

2. Find a way to flirt with my hubby daily in spite of his busy work schedule!

Parenting:

3. Update the kid’s chore charts. Oh how I need to get this done! I am ready to relinquish some of my responsibilities to the kids! I had hoped to get this done before we started school, but better late than never, right!!

4. Make Give/Save/Spend pouches for the kids.

5. Finish reading Good and Angry:Exchanging Frustration for Character in you and your Kids. Almost done…

Homeschooling:

6. Complete lesson plans for the upcoming school year. What a relief! I always feel so much better about going into the school year with the year loosely planned out!

7. Purchase and organize all of the supplies needed for our projects, experiments, crafts, etc. Last year I had “planned” to do this, but never got around to doing it, which meant that we ended up skipping a lot of the fun, hands-on activities… because I didn’t have the needed supplies. Well, I am so glad that I won’t have that problem this year! I plan on sharing with you all how I organize all of our supplies this month as well!

Homemaking:

8. Revamp my cards and restart the SHE Method. I love that I don’t have to “think” about all of the various “things” that I need to do at regularly throughout the day/week/month! FYI, I have printable cards that I plan to share this month.

9. Try making sour dough bread from a starter. I am so proud of my little container of starter sitting the the refrigerator. I’ve just got to find a sour dough bread recipe that I like! (I tried a few, but I am still looking for one that is soft and fluffy…like what my mom used to make!)

10. Clean and organize our school room.

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family:

11. Write 2 letters.

Blogging/Online Activity:

12. Begin to resurrect my other blogs. I have done some behind the scenes work and I hope to make more “visible” changes this month!

13. Write a new workbox post showing how we have changed up our old workbox system.

 Other:

14. Update our budget again.

15. Complete 10 scrapbook pages.

 

My Mission for September 2012: 

Here is what I plan to accomplish this month:

Personal:

1. Begin Pursuit of Proverbs 31. I am SO excited about this Bible study!

Marriage:

2. Flirt daily!

Parenting:

3. Update the kid’s chore charts.

4. Make Give/Save/Spend pouches for the kids.

5. Finish reading Good and Angry:Exchanging Frustration for Character in you and your Kids.

Homeschooling:

6. Have the kids write thank you letters to the firefighters that gave us an impromptu tour of the fire station.

7. Finish making the Bible printables to coordinate with our curriculum.

8. Complete another African American history unit.

Homemaking:

9. Meal Planning…as much as I have fought the idea, I have GOT to just sit down and do this! Honestly, I am sick and tired of answering the question, “What are we having for dinner, mom?” with the answer, “I don’t know.”

10. Mend clothes. I have a huge stack of the kid’s clothes that need to be mended and I need to widdle it down before the kids run out of clothes to wear!

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family:

11. Write 2 letters.

12. Update and add to my family/friend birthday list.

Blogging/Online Activity:

13. Continue to resurrect my other blogs.

14. Share the cards that I made to use along with the SHE Method.

15. Write a new workbox post showing how we have changed up our old workbox system.

 Other:

16. Complete 10 scrapbook pages.

17. Frame and hang some of the kid’s artwork.

What is your September mission of the month?

If you participated last month, how did you do?

Feel free to link up and share! It is a great way to hold yourself accountable! Need a visual reminder of your monthly missions? Download the Mama’s Mission of the Month Checklist!

For more information on how to join in, please read the intro post. The linky will be open until midnight, September 5th.

Like what you've read?
Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your inbox!

{This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Please review my disclosure policy.}