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Stress Check

Each week this month we’ll do a “stress check” to see how we’re feeling, what progress we’re making, etc. So check in with yourself today.

How are you doing? How are your stress levels? Take the time to do an honest evaluation of how you’re feeling physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Write about it. Note whether you feel the need to make changes.

Self Care:

Rest:

Sugar & December

Those two things seem to go hand and hand, right? Sugar has a HUGE influence on our body, mood, immune system, and overall well being. Are you aware of your daily sugar intake? Are you aware of your children’s daily sugar intake?

There is a cookie at every turn during the month of December. Sugar is everywhere. So much so that the massive amounts of candy, treats, and alcohol available has become part of standing jokes about the holidays.

What if you took an honest look this year at your sugar intake on a daily basis? What if we made more of an effort to balance out the excess sugar with limits and nourishing foods? What if we pointed this out to our children and encouraged them to take a healthy look at how many nourishing foods we’re putting into our bodies vs. how many treats and how this influences our health?

Write down your thoughts about sugar as it relates to your family. Having a goal in mind will make the daily temptations (multiple times a day!) easier to handle with less guilt so that treats can truly be treats.

Self Care:

Rest:

Budget & Spending

Do you have a budget in place for this month? If so, why? If not, why? Are you easily swayed by sales? How much of your holiday spending is budgeted and how much is impulse buying?

How do you feel about your answers to those questions? Would you like that to change? Observing ourselves is very powerful. Awareness is the first step.

Make mindful spending a goal. Be honest about what you can afford so that you don’t overextend your family and carry debt into the New Year.

*Bonus: Pear down your gift list to accommodate your budget.

Self Care:

Rest:

Outside Influence

There are a LOT of opinions floating around out there about how the holidays are “supposed” to be, what they are “supposed” to look like, and what your role is in all of it. Today’s goal is to take an honest look at how much we are or aren’t influenced by others when making our December decisions—everything from gift buying to events.

This influence on our expectations can also come from television shows, commercials, advertisements, store displays, books, social media, etc. Expanding on yesterday’s prompt:

Take an honest look at outside influences in your life. What effects does it have on you? Do you feel pressure to buy more? Do more? Decorate more? Spend more? Does it turn you off and make you want to do less? What about obligations? Do you make decisions about where to be and when based on other people’s “supposed to” requests? Write about it.

* Bonus: If you could throw all these outside influences to the wayside, what would your perfect December look like?

Self care:

Rest:

Honest Evaluation

Take a look at your lists from Day 1. Look at your intentions, gifts lists, to dos, events, etc. and answer the following questions:

How much of it comes from the heart? Is any of it about greed? How much is obligation? How much of it is peer pressure? How much of it is the influence of our society? How much of it is attainable? Does anything from your lists feel unrealistic? Is there anything you could cut out? Do you expect to do it all? How do you think everyone in your family would feel if you did all of it? None of it? Some of it? Do you feel your lists are flexible or could be? Do you have a plan in mind for when/if illness or exhaustion comes along?

What’s motivating your list? Are you happy with that motivation or would you like to shift it? Write about it.

Self Care:

Rest:

Self Care

We read about it briefly yesterday, but today we’re focusing on self care. You cannot pour from an empty cup…especially at holiday time.

Have a daily self care plan in place to take care of your needs during this busy time of year. Write about what that looks like for you. Get really clear on what you need to do for you to make sure you’re not running on empty.

Some examples: making time for coffee or tea every day, taking time to read for pleasure, eating healthy foods, completing your workout despite extra activities, taking a walk, etc. Record it each day.

Self Care:

Rest:

STOP!

Gather your thoughts. Today’s goal is to stop, take a step back, and really look at what our goals are for the month of December, the holidays, and the end of 2018.

Make lists for yourself (as well as your family). Really identify every event you’ve been asked to attend, events you’re interested in, gifts you’re considering buying, meals you’re considering making, etc. …and then write the “why” next to each “what.”

Go into the holiday season with a clear plan of what you want to focus on this month. Having a clear vision will help align your actions with your goals and family values. It can also help you say “yes” or “no” without guilt. There’s so much freedom in clarity.

Every day this month we are going to practice self care as well as rest. Take time to take care of you every day during December. Also take the time to honor your need for rest—even if it’s simply 15 minutes of unplugged time where you simply focus on the moment. Record your daily self care and rest.

Self Care:

Rest:

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I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with my children for anything in the world. Homeschool has allowed us to learn and grow together. Right now we have the joy of traveling together on our own schedule. This time with these beautiful children is the greatest gift. 💙 

This audio is perfect for this memory. Staying at campgrounds you run into a lot of retired people. They light up around babies and children. You can see memories of their own children and grandchildren twinkle in their eyes. They “get it” in ways those of us in the thick of young seasons can’t sometimes. 🥰

We stayed at the KOA in Billings, Montana (the very first KOA ever, 10/10 recommend). There was an older couple playing mini golf behind us. The older woman said, “Your children are wonderful. You obviously spend a lot of time with them…it shows.” (Oh, my heart 🥰) I told her we homeschool. “Good for you,” she said. “A lot of people are taking that route…I think it’s good.”

For all the naysayers out there, there are others who are cheering for you, Mama. 💙 I’m cheering you on, too. We are allowed to enjoy our children without pressure and criticism. If you find yourself feeling pressured or discouraged today (from the outside or inside), do something to release that pressure valve and return to just enjoying being a mother to your beautiful children. Look in their eyes. Give them a hug. Tell them something you admire about them. Tell them you love being their mom. Maybe do something fun together just because. 💗
I found my laminator & binding machine after almos I found my laminator & binding machine after almost 2 years of being packed away in boxes. 🤩 I’m ready to laminate everything! 😂

We are on an RV trip…part homeschool, part work, part fun 🥰 I found a whole bunch of free road trip printables for kids, printed them, laminated them, and now we are enjoying them in our RV! 🥳

There are soooooooooo many free homeschool resources on Pinterest 🥰 The trick is to search for exactly what you are looking for. For this I searched “road trip printables for kids.” You can type in “learning the A printables,” “Little House on the Prairie curriculum,” etc. Be specific (or general). Play around with it. 🙂 You’ll either find what you need or be inspired to create what you need.
First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! 🤩 Most 1st graders are going through “the 7 year change”…so between their maturing notions of life and the pleasant topics of first grade lessons and stories, it is just so, so fun! 🥰

@oakmeadowschool first grade curriculum is lovely. I lean into it for first grade and beyond. 🙂 Their curriculum comes to you already bound and organized. It’s pretty easy to follow & easy to either follow as is or pick and choose what works for your family. 🙂
Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing are found outside the classroom. They are found in beautiful books. And in daydreams. And in our backyard. And in observing others in our hometown. And in our travels. For us, they are not found in an environment where “learning” is dictated and judged against what others believe. It’s not found in grading our performance. We’re not here to perform. We’re not here to be judged. We’re here to learn—for our whole life! Learning never stops…but the passion for learning can. 

Homeschool is amazing in that way…it gives you the space to provide your children with the opportunity to be put in the way of things worth observing. 🌺 Want to homeschool? I can help.
I read once that mothers promise to love our kids I read once that mothers promise to love our kids when they are babies. How we treat our children then becomes their personal definition of love. This notion really gave me pause. What am I communicating to my children? What is their definition of love based on my words and actions? What am I bringing to the table as a mom and keeper of our home? Am I falling for the cultural messaging of “cool” moms who make fun of their kids constantly? Am I acting like they are in my way? That they annoy me? Am I giving in to the victim and martyrdom messages about modern motherhood? Or are my values and actions aligned…? 

It starts with figuring out what I value and what I believe:

I love my kids. 
They are not in my way.
Convenience is not important.
I am not a martyr.
I can be brave and honest about how I’m showing up as a mom.
I can apologize.
I can do better.
I can be gracious with them…and me.

Opt out of the messages about motherhood that divide you from the deep connection you have with your children. 😘
Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that bring hope to your heart and light to your life. @ruthchousimons new book Pilgrim is phenomenal! It’s gorgeous, it’s thoughtful, & filled with biblical wisdom. 10/10 recommend this stunning book!

Bonus: Ruth is going to be on the podcast! 🥳 One of the next episodes of Elevating Motherhood will feature Ruth talking about this book! 🥰
My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My k My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My kids have been reading it and singing the words all day 😄 It’s a cute book for Fall & Halloween! Available on Amazon! 

Way to go @afconsultingteam 🥳
Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, mama. 🍎 This marks the beginning of a year of growth for you, too. 😘

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #firstdayofschool #homeschool2023 #homeschooling #homeschoolidaho
You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method of teaching my kid to read. 🙈 I scoffed at the layout. I talked myself out of using it because I knew there were ”more beautiful” ways to teach reading. (Ugh…how embarrassing…)

I almost missed out on this helpful tool that helped my oldest daughter learn how to read and style that she understood well. And that’s just what it is…a tool. It is not the only way I teach my children how to read. It is one piece to a big, beautiful puzzle. 

Using this book + waiting until they are developmentally old enough to learn + exposure to great literature + reading to them daily since they were babies + a million others things is how I teach my kids to read 🥰

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #learntoread #teachyourchildtoreadin100easylessons #teachyourchildtoread #homeschoolidaho #homeschoollife

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