🫣 I Was Wrong, Term 3 Reads, Teaching kids about $$ [Big Bookish Update]

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." — Cicero

I'm a minimalist at heart (except when it comes to books—a weakness I'm sure many of you understand all too well!). 🥰

When we moved to Florida, I made what seemed like a practical decision: packing away mountains of beloved homeschool books our oldest had already completed.

Since our youngest learns so differently than our younger child, I convinced myself those carefully chosen treasures wouldn't be needed in our new chapter.

But I was wrong…

As I sit here planning our 2025/26 homeschool year, (which I can’t wait to share more about soon), I find I am repurchasing many of the same titles I left behind in storage.

Those living books are timeless titles that launched our son to become an honors student at his current academy—they're irreplaceable parts of our homeschool journey that I now realize transcend different learning styles.

(And yes, buying them again is still less costly than flying back to sift through dozens of book boxes in storage, but oh, the irony isn't lost on me!) 🤦🏼‍♀️

I did think to bring books like our Narnia series and biographies from New West Press, Living Book Press and Yesterdays Classics… but my online used book cart is still SO heavy!

I share this as both confession and caution to any fellow homeschoolers facing moves or storage decisions: when in doubt about a book's future value, perhaps keep it within reach. Our carefully curated collections have a way of finding purpose again, sometimes in ways we never anticipated.

I’m excited to share what our book and curriculum choices are for fall soon!

Until then, I’m sharing what my daughter and I are reading RIGHT NOW…

*I never ask for narrations from our lit reads - only our history/science/biography…etc. reads.

She and I started a little local tween book club so she quickly read through a few early chapter books like Dolphin Treasure and Manatee Rescue simply to have more titles to recommend to her friends when we gather.

Our 10yo current historical biography: The Story of David Livingstone. Her older brother enjoyed this book, Sir Walter Raleigh and Napoleon.

Diving into our morning read alouds: Anne of Green Gables. Song for a Whale - (we finished The Dreamkeeper Saga and decided not to read the second book in the series).

Although I had reservations about two of the books in her stack, especially Wings of Fire with its problematic later volumes (she'll stop before reaching those)—I'm taking a different approach than I did with our oldest and The Hunger Games. Rather than enforcing an age restriction, I'm allowing her to read what her friends recommend, but we'll pause for thoughtful discussions throughout to process challenging content together.

And we’re listening The Green Ember on audio in the car together.

And we’re plugging our way through Robin Hood on audio in the afternoons (I read it to her brother when she was a baby)!

Whew! I’m so glad she loves reading and listening to great stories as much as I do!

The Story of Mankind is one of the many purchases I made for fall - there’s nothing more satisfying than purchasing vintage books!

Now, for adult reading, my April Book Challenge is “Bloom.”

I read 14 books in March - many of them were amazing, several of them were duds, but I decided to include a little book stack image since that’s much prettier and fun than not including one. (See below).

Some books in my stack are completed, some are still in the works, and many aren’t included because they’re either on my Kindle or I returned them to my library.

Norms and Nobility is something I’m chewing on slowly, while listening to a podcast that discusses each chapter.

We are teaching our kids financial responsibility and wealth management, subjects completely skipped over in most schools. So I’ve been diving deep into “building wealth” books so I can turn around and help our kids learn how to build generational wealth as well.

So books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, Simple Money, Rich Life (a Christian read), and Invest Like a Girl, are some books I’ve been diving into this spring.

I received an arc of What’s a Christian Anyway? on NetGalley and can confidently say this was a wonderful Kindle read, with multiple highlights!

I always listen to audiobooks at night and The Quiet Librarian was spellbinding. It tells the story of a teenage soldier-turned-legendary assassin during the Bosnian War.

And I ran to the Goodwill Bookstore for a few quick reads this coming month: Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets, The Old Man and the Sea, Investing for Retirement, and more…)

And my non-fiction historical exploration read heading into April is Realm of Ice and Sky.

Finally, I'd like to address summer homeschool conferences and the subtle pressure many of us feel to attend these large events.

While I've attended numerous conferences over the years (primarily when I was finding my footing in homeschooling) - from Charlotte Mason gatherings across the country to Classical instructor training in Moscow, Idaho, and Wild + Free conferences in Portland and Texas - they're wonderful opportunities to connect with fellow homeschoolers. However, I firmly believe no homeschool parent should feel obligated to attend one every summer. Many conferences involve significant costs, travel, and time away from family. Sometimes that break is exactly what we need - a chance to think clearly or enjoy a cup of coffee while it's still warm!

For 2025/26, I feel confident and settled in my Charlotte Mason approach jumping into our 11th year of homeschooling, so I don’t plan to attend or speak at any conferences.

And though I'm always honored to be invited as a speaker, I recognize that in certain seasons of life (like my current one), my primary calling is to be present with my children - homeschooling, , homemaking and parenting well. Perhaps someday I'll return to the podium to inspire fellow homeschoolers, but this isn't that season.

If you're unable to attend a conference this year - whether due to your location, financial constraints, or family circumstances - please don't worry! Today's technology offers abundant opportunities to learn from experienced homeschoolers worldwide. I encourage you to embrace a season of rest, whatever form that takes for you.

This perspective might also explain why I'm less active on social media and why my emails have become less frequent as my children grow. Our family life in Florida is increasingly filled with the true, good, and beautiful things that demand our presence and attention!

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Has anyone else experienced the "great book purge regret"? Or am I the only one who's learned this lesson the hard way?

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*New Members in April: Your free monthly guide will be emailed directly to your inbox within 48 hours of your membership purchase. Please reach out if you didn’t receive it!

Links you may be interested in:

❤️ Simple Studies Monthly Membership
Simple Studies: Fortitude 🐕
Exploring Political Ideologies🗽
LIVE Online Classes using our guides
Simple Studies: Jungle Creatures 🦜
Simple Studies: Poetry + Color (a Biblical Guide) 🌈
Simple Studies: Middle Ages🛡️
Simple Studies: Desert Creatures 🌵
Form 1 Guide
Form 2 Guide
Form 3 Guide
First Grammar Lessons 1
First Grammar Lessons 2
Simple Studies: Treasure 👑
Simple Studies: Just So Stories 🐘
Simple Studies: Pond Creatures 🐢
Simple Studies: Journey 🏔
Simple Studies: Earth and Sky 🌔
Simple Stories: Volume 2
Simple Stories: Volume 1
Simple Studies: Farmyard Animals 🌻
Simple Studies: Courage 🏕
Trust Today: Inviting God to Lead Our Days
Simple Studies: Meadow Creatures 🦋
Simple Studies: English Fairy Tales 🧚🏼‍♀️
Simple Studies: Night Creatures 🦨
Simple Studies: America 🇺🇸
Burgess Birds: A Simple Studies Guide 🕊
North American Animals Simple Study 🦊
Seashore Animals Simple Study 🦀
Heroes + Hope Simple Study 🎗
Simple + Free Amazon Store

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🦅 Journey to Joy: What Memories Are You Forging Together?

Is homeschooling just another big task in life’s journey, or a profound calling?

If it’s a profound calling and conviction, for most of us, then we feel the weight of that decision daily.

Since our move to Florida and enrolling our son in a private academy to pursue his passions, we've navigated a new landscape in homeschooling our daughter solo.

This shift means creating fresh routines and seeking a community that resonates with our values—a place where our daughter can thrive and make new friends.

Yet, the transition has been anything but simple.

Despite Florida's allure with its sun-drenched beaches and lifestyle freedoms, finding a community of homeschoolers hasn't been straightforward.

Our experiences in Oregon, Idaho, and now Florida reveal a consistent truth: it requires persistent, dedicated parents to find—or create—their tribe.

But I'm not in a hurry.

I'm savoring every precious moment with my daughter, knowing these mother-daughter days are fleeting. Before long, she'll be absorbed in new friendships, and these quiet moments together will become memories.

In fact, we moved to the same state as several wonderful friends! However, we didn't anticipate the long drives and the challenge of synchronizing our schedules to meet up regularly!

Regardless, today was a testament to the joy of our journey.

We hiked over five miles through a STUNNING nature preserve, just the two of us after some new friends canceled last minute. It was a day filled with laughter, bird songs, and the endless sky above. All timely gifts from God. 🦅

Homeschooling is my responsibility, and I don't take it lightly.

Yet, the pressure to pick the perfect curriculum or the right social group sometimes clouds the simple, profound joy of just being PRESENT with my children.

I am committed to doing homeschooling justice—it serves a crucial role in our lives and the lives of our children.

However, truly excelling at homeschooling means also excelling at LIVING.

Adapting to a new area is challenging, but I envision a future rich with friends and activities.

One day, I'll reflect on these current days, just as I now fondly recall hiking weekly with both my children through Oregon's misty, evergreen forests.

So, if you find yourself burdened by the weight of homeschooling responsibilities, and are starting to focus on your intentions for next year, I encourage you to pause and ponder:

What memories do you want to forge over the next 5, 10, or 15 years?

I have a hunch it’s not simply sitting at a table doing math lessons each day or driving to and from a million homeschool activities… but spending INTENTIONAL time together.

How do you want to remember living and loving with your children?

Embrace that vision – because I’ve found, it’s a conviction worth embracing. 🦅

I hope this was helpful! Want to read more on this topic? Check out Setting Peaceful Priorities Post Here.

Term 3 Homeschool Books & Curriculum Updates: Grade 5

Hello friends!

I plan to make a video on what we’re using for our Form 3/2A (Grade 5) daughter this term but I often wait until we’ve been successfully using our new books and curriculum for a few weeks. So thanks for bearing with me…

*Our oldest child, turning 15 soon, is currently enjoying a local sports school academy but we may eventually bring him back into the homeschooling fold in his upper high school years… we’ll see what God has planned!

While moving to Florida has opened us up to many new incredible outdoor opportunities, and we’re enjoying most of what we’re diving into this last term of the year, not everything is as peachy as it looks. Math continues to be a struggle, so we switched things up (see below) and we employ a sweet lady tutor from Grade Potential who comes once/week to help so my daughter and I can enjoy our relationship more in the areas I’m more comfortable teaching (reading, writing, science — basically anything BUT math).

Our daughter is also attending multiple, in-person marine biology & micro-science lab classes in our local area that appeals to her interests around science and animals, including special homeschool gatherings at our local aquariums and nature preserves.

Finally, she is enjoying a little homeschool community here where she’s learning Italian and life skills. (Hence the Italian copywork book we decided to get last-minute which she adores using)!

Here’s our weekly loop subjects and books:

We’re reading through a simple and sweet girls devotional each week.
Our daily read-aloud is The Dragon and the Stone in The Dreamkeepers Saga - not sure what we’ll choose next!
Artist study: Homer by Simply Charlotte Mason - this is our second time studying this artist who spent time in our area and has several paintings in Florida we can see in person.
Folk Songs: Ambleside Online YouTube Folk Song lists
Poetry: The Book of Animal Poetry and The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet
Geography: Simple map drills using blank maps
Math: We paused Saxon - it was a lot of daily strife for us both so we’re praying about our other options. A tutor comes to our home 1x/week. Business Math by SCM - this is one thing we’ve changed up this month. A friend of hers is also completing this guide so they get to discuss it in person, which we used for our oldest as well.
History:
America: Continuing reading through America: Our Stories
Ancient: The Story of Civilization, D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths - a few gods each week
World: The Age of Chivalry (audio version), King Arthur and His Knights (can be listened to in a day - read by Jim Weiss)
Handwriting/Copywork/Narration:
Narration after each read aloud - draw a picture and write a few sentences (or tell back orally)
Italian Handwriting (because she’s passionate about it!)
Writing and Rhetoric Book 3 (and looping in Easy Grammar)
Keyboarding daily - we no longer use lessons but she types frequently and we work on hand placement and posture, along with increasing type speed.
Citizenship:
Plutarch: We put this aside for spring and will pick it back up in fall.
Current Events: WORLDWatch (use code CRYSTAL3 to get your first 3 months free).
Shakespeare: Archangel Audiobooks
Handcrafts: Life skills in person at co-op
Foreign Language: Italian in-person immersion classes at co-op
Science: We put down the science books for Term 3 after finishing Beetle Busters lessons from Alveary in lieu of her attending in-person marine biology/oceanography and nature preserve gatherings.
Literature: Independent reading and audiobooks. She enjoyed A Wolf Called Wander so she’s now onto A Wolf Called Fire, along with several other independent chapter books of her choosing from the book store.
Audiobooks: Recently: The Giver, The Mysterious Benedicts Society Book 4, A House with a Clock in its Walls, The Chocolate Touch, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them… and more depending on what she’s currently interested in.

I hope this is helpful for those of you with students her age. Let me know if you have any questions!

💌 February Book Picks + Fresh February Members Guide

Hello friends – I have a few exciting things lined up for you in February!

First, our new February Membership Simple + Fresh Guide will be available and ready to download Feb 1. We’re exploring the History of Chocolate, Quilting Stories and the Science of Shadows.

Don’t forget to download January too!

This month’s “Word of the Month” Book Challenge is “SHADOW.” (I listed books I’m reading and read in January below).

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What I read in January:

A Beautiful Ugly ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jaws: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Connie: A Memoir ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What You Are Looking for Is In the Library ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Melania ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clean ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Close Your Eyes ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Deadly Game (A book that won a ton of awards by a local Floridian author) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

February Books:

So far, The Sword of Kaigen is proving to be a favorite 2025 book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And you can NEVER go wrong reading Norms & Nobility: A Treatise on Education.

I’d love to hear what YOU’RE reading in February!

2025: Setting Peaceful Priorities

As a homeschool parent for over 10 years, I’ve seen the New Year’s resolution hype play out year after year. Big promises, sweeping changes, and ambitious goals that often fizzle out by February.

This year, I’m choosing something different: Peaceful Priorities.

What are Peaceful Priorities?

They’re the opposite of resolutions that demand “more” and “faster.” Instead, they focus on finding peace, leaning into where we thrive, and simplifying our days. For us, this means trusting God and embracing what truly works for our unique family dynamic.

Keep scrolling to see how that looks IRL for us as we settle into our new life in Florida:

For Our Son

Our son’s passion for baseball has shaped a big part of our decisions this year.

He’s now attending a sports academy near our new home, which combines his love for baseball with academic classes.

He trains each morning, bikes home for lunch, and then heads back to campus for his afternoon classes.

The best part? We’ve reclaimed our evenings. 👏🏻 Back in Idaho, we were constantly shuttling him to evening practices which made it difficult to sit down to dinner each night as a family.

Now, evenings are family time again. This shift is a gift—less hustle, more heart.

For Our Daughter

For our daughter, Peaceful Priorities mean stepping away from activities I think she should be doing and leaning more into opportunities that align with her natural gifts and goals.

Here are some of her new ventures:

• Entrepreneurial Community: Hands-on learning in activities such as auto mechanics, holistic gardening, carpentry, crafting and more.

• Animal Care: Monthly in-person opportunities to explore her love for animals here at the local marina.

• Exploring Together: Visiting local gardens, nature preserves, and animal sanctuaries for enrichment and connection. We buy yearly passes so we can visit anytime.

• Back to the Basics: Learning how to make homemade meals, doing household chores together and the art of homemaking.

Instead of overwhelming her schedule, we’re focusing on experiences that inspire her creativity and growth from a young girl into a young lady.

For Me

Peaceful Priorities extend to my personal life, too. Here’s what I’m focusing on this year:

• Non-Numerical Book Challenges: No pressure to hit a number—just reading for pleasure and growth. This includes exploring more Greek classics and memoirs: After loving Meditations, The Wide Wide Sea and The Art of Living last year, I’m diving deeper.

• Creativity & Rest: Prioritizing nourishment for body and soul. Not feeling guilty when I work on new projects because it is part of who I am and what brings me joy as an entrepreneur!

• Not Complaining: A tough but transformative challenge, especially after a cross-country move.

• Daily Planning: Writing my hourly schedule the night before to combat decision fatigue each and stay on track.

These small, intentional choices are helping me find peace.

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A Little Extra Help

One of the most freeing decisions I made for this upcoming year is hiring a math tutor for our daughter.

Through Grade Potential, we are paired with someone who truly enjoys the subject, with the goal of helping bring joy back to this subject for our daughter.

We still use Saxon Math because I believe it’s a fantastic option especially for those older grades, but having a tutor to guide her once a week will help alleviate any strain in our relationship.

Speaking over the phone with Grade Potential was seamless, (they are super kind!!) and their flexibility allows us to meet at home, the library, or even a coffee shop.

Sometimes, letting go of doing it ALL ourselves is the best choice we can make for ourselves and our relationships.

Our family always takes life one season at a time.

Homeschooling, home life, and personal goals all ebb and flow, and we’re learning to adapt as needed.

Instead of chasing what society tells us we need to do, we’re focusing on what brings peace, joy, and growth to our family.

As we step into this new year, I’m reminded again that thriving isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.

How are you approaching the new year?

Are you setting traditional resolutions or leaning into your own version of Peaceful Priorities?

I’d love to hear from you!

🎉 My Favorite Books of 2024 (More than I thought!)

This year, my reading journey has been a little unconventional. As I write this, I’ve read well over 120 books in 2024 and I enjoyed 50+ of my reads. WOW! (I’m considering doing a non-numerical reading challenge next year —stay tuned!)

If you just want my TOP 10 books (what I would consider 6 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in a list - keep scrolling!

Looking back, I can now see amid our family’s nation-wide move, some of my book choices turned into much-needed escapes from the chaos of such a big transition. I also jumped headfirst into the Romantasy genre. 🤭

Quick disclaimer: Some books on my list include open-door scenes or explicit content that doesn’t fully align with my personal values –– in many cases, I find myself skimming pages as I keep my eyes on the main plot. So many fantastic and fun books could do without so much spicy content!

(Also, why does my automated “curated” recap below not include non-fiction titles!?!")

That said, I still read some classics and educational books but otherwise, I intentionally stepped outside my comfort zone to explore perspectives and stories beyond my own echo chamber—it keeps my reading life varied, vibrant and thought-provoking.

And naturally, several books on my list are family-friendly read-alouds I enjoyed with my kids (ages 14 & 10).

It’s a bit of a paradox: some of my favorite books this year stood out for their literary merit, even if they didn’t completely align with my values. What can I say? I embrace the complexity!

In the end - I really enjoyed many of my book choices this year. YAY!

Click here for the entire list. ♥️

view all my favorite 2024 books here.

Interested in learning more about YOUR reading style so you can zero in on more books you know you’ll enjoy? Check out my Find Your Reading Style Pack so you can stop wasting money and time on books that aren’t right for you and stack your bookshelves with more books you LOVE! 👏🏻💖

Now for my ABSOLUTELY TOP 10 FAVORITE 6-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reads:

The Art of Living
Welcome to the Hyunum-Dong Bookshop
Spark of the Everflame
The Lion Women of Tehran
The God of the Woods
The Wide Wide Sea
Heartless Hunter
Weyward
Enders Game (and Scythe but I’m doing my best to cap this at 10!)
The Most

Man that was TOUGH. I keep looking through my list and have to say, so many could have been swapped out onto this list because most of my non-fiction reads tend to be 5-star reads.

ANYHOO…

Thank you for being here and Happy Reading!

🎁 Simple + Screen-Free Advent and Gift Ideas

As our family embarks on an exciting new chapter (I can’t wait to share more soon!), I wanted to share some of our favorite Advent and Christmas gift ideas.

We love creating a simple, screen-free holiday atmosphere (with the exception of classic movies like Christmas Vacation and Home Alone), so you won’t find tech gadgets or gizmos on this list. 

Advent Ideas for your homeschool:

Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel's Messiah by Cindy Rollins - One of my all-time favorite guides.

All Creation Waits by Gayle Boss - We did this one when the kids were younger and it’s one of the sweetest books. We enjoyed Jennifer Pepito’s printable guide for this book.

My personal adult Advent daily reading I enjoy the most each year - super simple daily bits to read and reflect on: Joy to the World: Daily Readings for Advent by Charles H. Spurgeon

We plan to use Let Heaven and Nature Sing: Advent Art and Poetry Lesson Plans for All Ages from the Circe Institute this year with the family if we can get to it.

And just for fun because our family loves Escape rooms, puzzles and solving riddles together: EXIT: Advent Calendar - The Hunt for The Golden Book

Crack the crate

Crack the Crate - Both my kids (14 & 10) worked together to crack this case - and it’s really well done. Digging dragon eggs and solving crypto clues and it was the perfect difficulty level - not to difficult and not to easy! 

Screen-Free Gift Ideas:

Fahlo - Our kids LOVE animals, so we track about 10 animals with these unique bracelets that to help saving endangered species around the globe! Get 20% OFF Using code SIMPLE20 

Little Christmas Carol - If you enjoyed Little Pilgrim’s Progress, you might love this book too!

Book Lovers Gift Set (Okay, this one might be more for me!) haha

The Harry Potter Mystery Box – If your kids love receiving mail or subscription boxes, this would be the perfect gift that keeps on giving! Each box is filled with exclusive items from the Potterverse including memorabilia, artwork, accessories and more… cancel anytime!

More than a Puzzle! Our family adores putting these puzzles together and then taking it a step further and solving the clues to find the answer to each mystery! Some do say 14+ but our 10yo helped us solve multiple clues! Here are our favorites so far:

Jungle Escape Puzzle
The Art Studio Escape Puzzle
Midnight Garden Escape Puzzle

Zero Waste Gifts by Me Mother Earth – for the eco-conscious friends and family in your life

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien (A Graphic Novel) - I’m snagging this for both kids!

Coffee Produced in Bird-Friendly Habitats (Another gift I’m asking for!)

FREEBIE!

Before you go, don’t forget to download my FREE 5-Day Gratitude Journal for you and your family! way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

As we prepare for the holiday season, I hope these Advent and Christmas gift ideas inspire you to create meaningful, tech-free traditions with your loved ones. Whether you're savoring quiet moments, enjoying classic holiday films, or diving into festive activities, may this season be filled with joy, connection, and cherished memories. 

☕️ Skill-Based Learning, Book-ish Updates, Fall Lessons and More…

Despite our family going through some major shifts, I still read as regularly as possible. In fact, reading helps me self-regulate! (You too?)

First, I’m sharing some books I’ve read (or am reading) this fall below, and I started a couple new book journals I’m excited to share more about in a later update.

Secondly, our Winter LIVE Classes are now enrolling. They’re about 1/3 full so while there’s still room if you’ve been on the fence, I wouldn’t wait too long!

Thirdly, I just completed another NEW, FANTASTIC Simple Studies Character Guide (woo hoo!) It releases November 12 - so be sure to check your email that day!

Love books? Me too! So glad you’re here!

Skill-Based Learning:

If you’re feeling tired and unmotivated – just know you’re not alone.

We ALL hit these slumps!

Sometimes lessons aren’t as fun as we think it’s going to be. I think that’s the case for so many of us who maybe enjoy our read alouds and then get everything in order, sit down and open up our daily lessons with our kids.

Just this week, our daughter was in tears (again) over math. I’m not doing anything crazy – in fact, we go slowly through each lesson and I’m privy to her individual needs – however, math just ain’t her thing (nor is it mine, no matter how “Charlotte Mason-ish” or “Montessori-ish” or hands-on I try to be).

I’m not ashamed to share this because I KNOW I’m not alone.

So instead of trying to crush math lessons every day, we take it a little bit at a time and instead, allow her to spend more time focusing on what she loves.

We don’t skip math but I can at least give her plenty of free time to explore the topics and activities she does enjoy to help set her up in life to use skills she’s naturally gifted with.

Encourage your kids to spend 80% of their time nurturing their natural strengths and passions. Dedicate the remaining 20% to building foundational skills in essential subjects—those areas that may not come as naturally but are valuable for life.

And when in doubt – read aloud! (Check out our favorite read aloud guides from past autumn months):

Let’s dive into the books!

Here’s a list of all the books I’ve been reading lately (they are not all clean - so please advise –it wouldn’t be fall without a bit of spooky mysteries and vampires!)

The Art of Living: The Classical Mannual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness (I’m taking diligent notes as I slowly chew on this book)

Odd and the Frost Giants (audiobook with the kids by one of my all-time favorite authors)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Read aloud with my teen)

River Sing Me Home

The Serpent and the Wings of the Night (Duology, caution advised)

Meditations

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Audiobook with the kids – we have like 15 hours remaining and waiting for a roadtrip to knock it out!)

Our Narrow Hiding Places: A Novel (Audiobook)

The Secret History (Just starting this one - it begs to be read during the autumn season and comes highly recommended)

Just finished:

Woman in the Polar Night (One of my favorite books of the year. Talk about resilience! Last year I read Letters of a Woman Homesteader – I just love this non-fiction genre)

Weyward (They had me at the cover)

Blackbeard Audiobook (Short story based on a true story from 1920s - production was wonderful!)

Gray After Dark (based on a true story here in Idaho)

Into the Drowning Deep (Loved the creepy, marine biology/scientific approach to mermaid murder mysteries! Major caution advised with this one and I skip the parts that).

Annihilation: A Novel (My husband reminded me I’ve apparently seen this movie before but I can’t for the life of me remember how it was - he tells me it wasn’t that great).

Madwoman (a BOTM Club pick: Motherhood-focused mystery/fiction/thriller - kind of dark at times)

God of the Woods (Not bad! Not the best 500pg book out there but I love me some wilderness mysteries!)

Heartless Hunter (First in the Crimson Moth series - Better than I thought it would be but contains witchy stuff if you’re not comfortable with this)

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (2nd book in the series)

Burn (I love Peter Heller books since they’re super outdoorsy (too much unnecessary cursing IMO) but this one was a disappointment IMO)

On my TBR before Fall ends
(I can’t honestly recommend any of these yet so please advise!):

Why Literature Still Matters by Jason Baxter (available Dec. 1)
The Will of The Many (Over 4.5 stars on Goodreads I simply need to stop procrastinating and dive in! I see this being recommended everywhere!)
The Wild Huntress (a BOTM Club pick)
Here One Moment (a BOTM Club pick)
HEIR (Spontaneous impulse purchase)
A House with Good Bones (I’ve enjoyed T. Kingfisher short novels when it’s dark outside)
What you are Looking for is in the Library (Because I love books about books and libraries)
The Story Collector, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Man’s Search for Meaning, Red Rising (All have been sitting on my shelf while I continue to collect and read other books).

Click here for 50% Off first hour of tutoring

I hope you enjoyed this week’s update! I’m not super consistent when things are busy for us but I’m so glad you’re here 🥰

Teaching Citizenship with Purpose to All Ages

I received this email recently from a homeschooler: ”Hello!!! I would LOVE and even pay for a beginners guide to teaching citizenship and Plutarch. It feels so overwhelming to me for some reason I don’t even know where to begin, and I saw you mention in one of your videos it’s one of your favorite subjects to teach.” Warm wishes! - KM

I DO love teaching citizenship! But sometimes it sounds intimidating and I can understand why. Public school approaches these topics through subjects like “social studies” and “civics” and when homeschoolers talk about things like Rome and Plutarch and your child is 5 years old… it can feel confusing and overwhelming.

My initial response is to suggest checking out Heroes & Hope and Exploring Political Ideologies for older students, but these are launching pads to dive even deeper and appreciate this subject area.

That’s why today, I’m diving into how we can teach citizenship with purpose to all ages.

Reading through our Heroes & Hope book with my kids in April 2020!

Charlotte Mason viewed citizenship as an essential part of education, helping individuals understand their role and responsibility within society. Her approach was rooted in character formation, moral integrity, and a deep understanding of history, government, and social order.

We also don’t structure our homeschool like a traditional school, with social studies workbooks and tests.

Still, I firmly believe that citizenship encompasses the whole person—their values, beliefs, internal moral compass, and leadership development.

One key aspect I should mention is that I approach citizenship differently with my son and daughter, based on their God-given strengths, skills, and interests. In other words, our son is wired differently than his little sister. Nevertheless, they both deserve exposure to Plutarch, for example. While they may not both be naturally inclined to pursue studies in battle leadership, they are both inclined toward character development and ethics.

Here’s a brief overview of how we’ve approached teaching citizenship over the past 10 years:

1. Starting in Form 2B (Grade 4): We begin by gradually reading Stories from the History of Rome by Ms. Beesly. The children give an oral or a drawing narration.

2. Moving to Citizenship Primers: After completing Stories from the History of Rome, we introduce a citizenship primer like The Young Citizen Reader by Paul Reinsch. Alongside this, we start reading through a Plutarch Primer to familiarize the children with the lives and teachings of Plutarch, the Greek historian and biographer. Plutarch's Lives (or Parallel Lives)—biographies of notable Greeks and Romans—are considered foundational in classical education, including in Charlotte Mason's method.

3. Incorporating Other Stories, Current Events and Guides: While working through the primers, we also explore other historical stories and biographies, using resources like Heroes & Hope, Courage and Exploring Political Ideologies to discuss the ideas and values tied to citizenship. We enjoy poetry like Lyra Heroica, and books like Ourselves and the Socratic Dialogues. There are a plethora of great books depending on what you think your child might enjoy reading and discussing! I offer more ideas in my form guides which you can find here and here.
   
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4. Diving Deeper into Plutarch: As we progress, we read Plutarch’s Lives together and discuss the various lives. Initially, my son and I read together, using guides from communities like The CMEC, The Alveary, and Ambleside Online. However, as our schedule became busier and I was reading aloud for most of the day, my son transitioned to online Plutarch classes with a community of students. For the past two years, his favorite has been classes with Thomas Banks from House of Humane Letters.

5. Engaging in In-Person Discussions on GREAT books: Finally, our kids participate in in-person groups where they get to discuss good books and citizenship values with their peers, focusing on the good, the true, and the beautiful. These can include things like sci-fi or fantasy fiction novels, historical fiction and more.

The key is to not box yourself in! Sure, we can enjoy a path with what others have studied for history AND we can include exciting books and dialogue with others based on modern society and the world we live in and the ideas and challenges we battle today.

In the end, as homeschool parents, our role isn’t to teach everything. It's about exposing our children to a rich feast of ideas and allowing them to explore these topics at their own pace.

I hope this is helpful!

Successful Homeschool Parents Don’t Keep Secrets 🥤

Hi friends! I’m really excited to share some exciting things shaping up this season. Until then, like most of you, we’re aiming to keep our homeschool healthy. Because without our health, we’re limited in our joy and our achievements.

To help boost our immune systems each fall, we consume things like bone broth, raw milk, and a slue of homeopathic, natural remedies.

One of my favorite immunity brands I’ve used for years is FeelGoods. “Like most kids, we'd run to our moms when we had a cold, tummy ache, or just felt crummy. And they always had some remedy for us—an herbal potion whipped up out of nowhere. After years of testing and tasting endless botanicals, meeting with homeopathic experts, and staying true to mama's healing touch, we crafted our first mix. And Feel Goods was born.”

If you love natural remedies like us, use code CRYSTAL87233 for $10 off of any purchase. 🥤

A few more things we’re focused on this year is LESS is MORE. IYKYK

Morning Circle Changes:

The past several years, I’ve packed so many beautiful subjects into our morning circle time together. But when it came down to it, our kids were less likely to enjoy their independent lessons the longer our morning circle time went on. Our oldest, in particular, became grumpy knowing he still had a lot on his plate AFTER we spent an hour together.

So this year, I’ve backed off a tad. We only tackle about 3-4 things each morning circle - and on busy days, we might only tackle two subjects that take us 20-25 minutes max.

Our NEW current morning circle loop schedule:

Monday: No morning circle b/c we have community.
Tuesday: Bible, Artist/Picture Study, Read Aloud 1-2 chapters
Wednesday: Bible, Poetry, American History Mysteries, Read Aloud 1-2 chapters
Thursday: Ancient History, Recitation, Read Aloud 1-2 chapters
Friday: Bible, Poetry or Recitation, Geography, Read Aloud 1-2 chapters

That’s it! We’ll switch to Composer Study in winter in leu of our Artist Study. Subjects like Shakespeare, tales and Folk Songs are done at different intervals each week, depending on our workload and extracurricular classes and activities.

I hope this encourages YOU to take your health and happiness into account as the temps cool down.

Stay tuned for some exciting fall updates I can’t WAIT to share with you soon!

Planning is Personal ✍🏻 4 Homeschool Fall Planning Tips + Ideas

As homeschool parents, we wear SO many hats—teacher, planner, chauffeur, chef and more. And if you also run a small business or are a creator/entrepreneur (like yours truly 🙋🏼‍♀️), it’s A LOT to manage, especially when each child is at a different stage in their learning journey. 

So I’ve put together a few tools and tips below👇🏻 to help you simplify your homeschool planning and stay organized throughout the year based on how my homeschool planning and record-keeping has evolved over the past 10 years. 

Before we dive in, I want to share a little disclaimer: 

I love spontaneity!

When things get too rigid or over-planned, I can start feeling boxed in and tempted to scrap everything. So, while I’m sharing our plans, remember that planning is personal!

Please don’t feel like you need to replicate what you see here—these are tailored to our family's unique rhythm, and no two days ever look exactly the same!

1) Plan at the End of Each Week 
(Instead of the night before):

Each Friday after lessons, I take 10-20 minutes to plan and prep for the upcoming week. This simple habit allows me to head into the weekend with confidence, knowing things are set for Monday—especially with weekends full of activities and sports (just like yours, I’m sure)!

This year, I’ve been using this teacher planner because of all the blank spaces and logbook all in one (In past years, I used this Moleskin and draw out each week myself).

2) Post-Plan, a Birds-Eye View Logbook

My Logbook is my birds-eye view of how we’re doing each term. I break it down into 6 week chunks (12 weeks = 1 term). 

It takes me 2 minutes to fill this portion out for the day while my kids are immersed in their independent lessons, filling in last-minute things we might have covered (but didn’t plan to) the day before.

As you can see, we do try to cover multiple subjects and topics each day and term. But we don’t try to cover them ALL.

Instead, we generally heavily focus on something specific such as specific science or history lessons or curriculum and then switch to something like a new foreign language or music the second term. 

No way we could fit everything in each week!

*Bonus Tip: Even if you didn’t cover a specific topic in your lessons but maybe your kids watched a video, listened to an audiobook in the car or did something creative like writing or painting in their free time, these are are equally important and valuable - so yes, mark it down!

3) Hourly Goals: At-a-Glance Notebook

I’m not super consistent with this yet, but I do find writing down hourly rhythms the night before allows me to wake up, stay focused and be more efficient with my time. 

Since I own a small curriculum business, I have to allot time to work on it or things don’t progress.

But at the end of the day, time with God, our family and my children’s education are my main priority and all else gets shoved aside.

I use this Moleskin Daily/Hourly Breakdown Notebook.

Bonus Tip #1- Just because you have an hourly breakdown in front of you doesn’t mean you should fill in each hour! Stay spontaneous!

Bonus Tip #2: These are “general” hourly breakdown allotments, oftentimes our oldest will have a class or homework during the time I have my “work” scheduled - so again - they’re guides, not absolutes!

4) Let your kids plan WITH you!

Why should mom be doing all the planning? Get your kids involved! Let them sit next to you as you discuss what your (and their) goals are and upcoming activities and weekly plans.

As they get into their middle and high school years, if you’re comfortable with this, let them decide how to spend their time and when/how they complete their lessons.

This helps kids learn time management skills and how to plan their own lives (because they won’t be under our roof forever). 

Our oldest uses this Student Planner to keep track of his daily lessons, homework and activities.

Whether you're a meticulous planner or prefer a more flexible approach, our Simple Studies Curriculum Guides are designed to adapt to your teaching style, are super flexible (simply open and do the next lesson) and give you confidence in your homeschool structure.

I’m here to help you enjoy this homeschool season while making it as smooth and stress-free as possible. Let me know if you have any questions or need some encouragement!