Hello homeschool friends! Sharing some HUGE Life updates and what weāre doing in our homeschool this winter. š Please remember, these resources fit our children best as we are a Charlotte Mason / Passion & Interest-Led Homeschoolers (with some Classical mixed in). Thank you for watching and I hope this helps inspire you in your homeschool journey! šš»š
Read More2025: Setting Peaceful Priorities
As a homeschool parent for over 10 years, Iāve seen the New Yearās resolution hype play out year after year. Big promises, sweeping changes, and ambitious goals that often fizzle out by February.
This year, Iām choosing something different: Peaceful Priorities.
What are Peaceful Priorities?
Theyāre the opposite of resolutions that demand āmoreā and āfaster.ā 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 sonās passion for baseball has shaped a big part of our decisions this year.
Heās 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? Weāve reclaimed our evenings. šš» 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 giftāless 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, weāre 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. Hereās what Iām focusing on this year:
Non-Numerical Book Challenges: No pressure to hit a numberājust 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, Iām 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.
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 itās 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 weāre learning to adapt as needed.
Instead of chasing what society tells us we need to do, weāre focusing on what brings peace, joy, and growth to our family.
As we step into this new year, Iām reminded again that thriving isnāt about doing moreāitās 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?
Iād love to hear from you!
š My Favorite Books of 2024 (More than I thought!)
This year, my reading journey has been a little unconventional. As I write this, Iāve read well over 120 books in 2024 and I enjoyed 50+ of my reads. WOW! (Iām considering doing a non-numerical reading challenge next year āstay tuned!)
If you just want my TOP 10 books (what I would consider 6 āļøāļøāļøāļøāļøāļø in a list - keep scrolling!
Looking back, I can now see amid our familyās 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. š¤
Quick disclaimer: Some books on my list include open-door scenes or explicit content that doesnāt fully align with my personal values āā 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 ācuratedā 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 chamberāit 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).
Itās a bit of a paradox: some of my favorite books this year stood out for their literary merit, even if they didnāt 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. ā„ļø
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 youāll enjoy? Check out my Find Your Reading Style Pack so you can stop wasting money and time on books that arenāt right for you and stack your bookshelves with more books you LOVE! šš»š
Now for my ABSOLUTELY TOP 10 FAVORITE 6-āļøāļøāļøāļøāļøāļø 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 Iām 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.
ANYHOOā¦
Thank you for being here and Happy Reading!
š Simple + Screen-Free Advent and Gift Ideas
As our family embarks on an exciting new chapter (I canāt 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 wonāt 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 itās one of the sweetest books. We enjoyed Jennifer Pepitoās 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
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 Pilgrimās 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 ā 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 moreā¦ 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 ā 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) - Iām snagging this for both kids!
Coffee Produced in Bird-Friendly Habitats (Another gift Iām asking for!)
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.
āļø Skill-Based Learning, Book-ish Updates, Fall Lessons and Moreā¦
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, Iām sharing some books Iāve read (or am reading) this fall below, and I started a couple new book journals Iām excited to share more about in a later update.
Secondly, our Winter LIVE Classes are now enrolling. Theyāre about 1/3 full so while thereās still room if youāve been on the fence, I wouldnāt 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!
Skill-Based Learning:
If youāre feeling tired and unmotivated ā just know youāre not alone.
We ALL hit these slumps!
Sometimes lessons arenāt as fun as we think itās going to be. I think thatās 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. Iām not doing anything crazy ā in fact, we go slowly through each lesson and Iām privy to her individual needs ā however, math just aināt her thing (nor is it mine, no matter how āCharlotte Mason-ishā or āMontessori-ishā or hands-on I try to be).
Iām not ashamed to share this because I KNOW Iām 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 donāt 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 sheās naturally gifted with.
And when in doubt ā read aloud! (Check out our favorite read aloud guides from past autumn months):
Letās dive into the books!
Hereās a list of all the books Iāve been reading lately (they are not all clean - so please advise āit wouldnāt be fall without a bit of spooky mysteries and vampires!)
The Art of Living: The Classical Mannual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness (Iām 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)
The Serpent and the Wings of the Night (Duology, caution advised)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Audiobook with the kids ā 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 ā 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 Iāve apparently seen this movie before but I canāt for the life of me remember how it was - he tells me it wasnāt 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 youāre not comfortable with this)
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (2nd book in the series)
Burn (I love Peter Heller books since theyāre super outdoorsy (too much unnecessary cursing IMO) but this one was a disappointment IMO)
On my TBR before Fall ends
(I canāt 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 (Iāve enjoyed T. Kingfisher short novels when itās 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, Manās Search for Meaning, Red Rising (All have been sitting on my shelf while I continue to collect and read other books).
I hope you enjoyed this weekās update! Iām not super consistent when things are busy for us but Iām so glad youāre here š„°
Autumn Book Lineup, Geocaching Fun, Fall FREEBIE + More!
Weāve just kicked off Term 2 (Term 1 flew by!), and today Iām excited to share our new fall read-alouds, literature picks, biographies, our new Fall Tree Freebie some Geocaching fun and more!
Read Moreāļø Homeschool Lessons Before Your Coffee Gets Cold [Tutors, Gifts + More..]
Helping our kids grow in their independent homeschool lessons.
Read MoreTeaching Citizenship with Purpose to All Ages
I received this email recently from a homeschooler: āHello!!! 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 donāt even know where to begin, and I saw you mention in one of your videos itās one of your favorite subjects to teach.ā 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 āsocial studiesā and ācivicsā and when homeschoolers talk about things like Rome and Plutarch and your child is 5 years oldā¦ 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.
Thatās why today, Iām diving into how we can teach citizenship with purpose to all ages.
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 donāt structure our homeschool like a traditional school, with social studies workbooks and tests.
Still, I firmly believe that citizenship encompasses the whole personātheir 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.
Hereās a brief overview of how weāve approached teaching citizenship over the past 10 years:
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.
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)ābiographies of notable Greeks and Romansāare considered foundational in classical education, including in Charlotte Mason's method.
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.
We also incorporate daily Current Events (as Charlotte Mason recommends). Weāve been using WORLDWATCH for a couple years and the kids BEG to watch it daily.
Click Here and use code āCRYSTAL4ā for FOUR FREE MONTHS of WORLDWatch for your family.** The deal starts with a free 7 day trial, after this you will be charged $0 for the next 4 months.Diving Deeper into Plutarch: As we progress, we read Plutarchās 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.
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 isnāt 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 Donāt Keep Secrets š„¤
Hi friends! Iām really excited to share some exciting things shaping up this season. Until then, like most of you, weāre aiming to keep our homeschool healthy. Because without our health, weāre 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 Iāve used for years is FeelGoods. āLike 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 usāan 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.ā
If you love natural remedies like us, use code CRYSTAL87233 for $10 off of any purchase. š„¤
A few more things weāre focused on this year is LESS is MORE. IYKYK
Morning Circle Changes:
The past several years, Iāve 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, Iāve 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
Thatās it! Weāll 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 canāt WAIT to share with you soon!
Planning is Personal āš» 4 Homeschool Fall Planning Tips + Ideas
As homeschool parents, we wear SO many hatsāteacher, planner, chauffeur, chef and more. And if you also run a small business or are a creator/entrepreneur (like yours truly šš¼āāļø), itās A LOT to manage, especially when each child is at a different stage in their learning journey.
So Iāve put together a few tools and tips belowšš» 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 Iām sharing our plans, remember that planning is personal!
Please donāt feel like you need to replicate what you see hereāthese 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 Mondayāespecially with weekends full of activities and sports (just like yours, Iām sure)!
This year, Iāve 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 weāre 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 didnāt plan to) the day before.
As you can see, we do try to cover multiple subjects and topics each day and term. But we donāt 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 didnāt 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
Iām 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 donāt progress.
But at the end of the day, time with God, our family and my childrenās 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 doesnāt mean you should fill in each hour! Stay spontaneous!
Bonus Tip #2: These are āgeneralā hourly breakdown allotments, oftentimes our oldest will have a class or homework during the time I have my āworkā scheduled - so again - theyāre 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 youāre 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 wonāt 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.
Iām 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!