I’ve been blogging here at Lessons and Lessons for several years now! I’ve been having a great time, and am still going strong with my blogging!
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Recently, I made the move to go blog at a self-hosted site. There were many reasons for this move. But, I have not stopped the blogging, bottom line.
I want to invite you to come over to my self-hosted blog, RidgeHavenHomestead.
If you go there and sign up as a subscriber, you will get the entire post each time, not just an excerpt, like here at Lessons and Lessons. This will minimize your clicks to read the full post.
Note that currently I am posting my original articles at RidgeHavenHomestead, and reblogging a portion of each post here to get the word out to those who may still be following/reading here.
Follow here, or follow there!
If you prefer to keep following here, I don’t mind, but you’ll have more hoops to jump through to read the post. If you follow me at the new site, you will still be able to find me on the WordPress reader.
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Wecome Autumn too! I’m so excited because autumn is my favorite time of the year! Our days have been becoming a little more breezy, and our nights are downright delightful!
But I’m also very excited because our family (finally) finished our roofing project this week for our cabin! So relieved to have that dangerous job done!!!! Please check out my post about how we made the roof in my post linked to this hop: Super-Insulated Cabin Roof. And…we survived! Whew!
I’m eager to see what’s new in the blogging world! We’ve been so busy that I’ve largely ignored it by necessity! But we have to work while we can!
Thanks for coming by, and for sharing your great blog posts here!
Now on to the hop…
Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading:real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to’s, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more! Basically anything related to homesteading.
At Ridge Haven Homestead these last couple of weeks, we’ve been working on our cabin! Namely, the roof!
Thankfully, everyone has stayed safe, and we have made good progress! Our boys are the main roofers, and their skill has been improving steadily! I am excited just thinking how all this newfound carpentry skill can be put to work here for our cabin project.
By the way, our boys are 13, 14, and 16! I’ve been impressed over and over at their strength and stamina as they’ve helped us build!
Schoolwork currently involves carpentry . Check back and we will shift gears to the books soon! But, as they say, “make hay while the sun shines!”
We are thankful that the sun has been shining to give us plenty of work time!
What’s new with your world?
Mention it in the comments below!
Now on to the hop…
Homestead Blog Hop will take place every Wednesday and is for all things homesteading:real food recipes, farm animals, crafts, DIY, how-to’s, gardening, anything from-scratch, natural home/health, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, natural remedies, essential oils, & more!Basically anything related to homesteading.
If you’re hitting brick walls with your kids —finding that you are having a difficult time connecting with them, and they just don’t seem to LIKE you — maybe you need to know about the Twinkie Approach!
Curious?
Are you thinking that this gal has finally headed right off the deep end? I mean why would anyone in their right mind give Twinkies to a difficult kid? Solve your attitude problem with junk food? Give me a break, right?
Just stick with me for a minute, and maybe you will change your mind. The Twinkie Effect is the results of applying the soon-to-be-famous Twinkie Approach in your home. You heard it first here.
I have added some affiliate links for your convenience. If you choose to click on the highlighted links, then make a purchase, I may make a small commission, but you’re price is exactly the same as it would be by purchasing without the link. This helps to fund this website, so I appreciate any help out there!
Bringing the Twinkie Effect Close to Home
Sometimes in our home, we hit that brick wall. It’s really bad when it’s with every kid in the house, but it happens, and more often than I’d like to admit. I’m not talking about school only, but it shows up there too. It’s when the people of the home feel like they’re not appreciated, and resulting sad/sour/hurt/angry/(you fill in the blank) attitudes follow.
So we all know that something has to change, but it’s a real challenge to do it, even if we know that we should. It’s that “stuck in my rut” mentality of always responding in the same way.
Enter Twinkie.
Let’s back up a few years. When my husband and I were first married, we had two cats: Buster and Bubbles. They were our kids back then, and we had a lot of fun with those two!
Buster (orange and white) was the rascal, and Bubbles (pure white) was the old lady. They got along quite well, except when old Buster kicked into his play mode! But, they were a good pair, nonetheless, and our little animal world felt complete.
BUBBLES’ LOOK-ALIKE
BUSTER THE WELL-LOVED CAT and Andrew when he was little
Sweet Little Stray
Then a church member brought us Twinkie, a little stray they had felt sorry for and rescued, who needed a home.
Could wepossiblygive this little black kitty a home? Why not, we thought. So we took her in, and within a week we discovered the little secret that the church member hadn’tnoticed. Little kitty Twinkie was a teenage pregnancy, and we were the happy grandparents-to-be! What joy! “What a bargain,” we groaned.
Twinkie the Mommy
So poor little Twinkie kind of had a bumpy start in our home. It wasn’t her fault, but she was a very young cat, and not exactly equipped to be a mama. So, when her little tribe arrived, she spent more time playing with them like a sibling than mothering them. She always retained a bit of the wild cat mannerisms.
Twinkie–What a Boring Cat!
Once her kittens were homed out, Twinkie stayed with us, but always rather like a dark shadow on the sidelines, and not as much like a family member. Maybe it was because of her wildness, or maybe she just had a boring personality — we didn’t know. She just didn’t click with us like the other cats. We fed her and cared for her, but never really bonded with her much, and we never gave it much thought.
The Twinkie Experiment
Then one day when my husband and I were talking, he said to me, “I think I will do an experiment on Twinkie. Every time I pass her by, I will pet her and say something nice to her, and I just want to see what will happen.”
I didn’t give that much thought. Twinkie was just there, and I figured that was how she’d always be — that quiet presence.
Changes…
It was probably several months later, maybe more, that we realized that the experiment was having an effect after all.
Self-Care for Homeschool Moms. Are You Taking Care of Everyone butYOU?
As we begin a new homeschool chapter, I have been chewing on what my first educational blog post of the year should focus on. I have many ideas for the future, but the one thing that keeps coming back to me is this —how is mom holding up?
Self-Care for Homeschool Moms, No Matter Your Season
Some of us are “seasoned” homeschoolers, whatever that means. Some of us are just starting out. I think I am in the “half-baked” stage — not done yet, and so I still need some more seasoning. So much to learn, and at times I feel like I need to unlearn some things so that I can have more flavor in our school. Life would be pretty boring if every family school consisted of the same ingredients. It’s something to chew on.
But, as we begin a new year, I am reminded of mom. Most likely, you are the principal teacher in your homeschool. I realize there are exceptions, and I’m not trying to exclude anyone; if this applies to you as dad, grandma, or whomever, then take it to heart. I know it applies to moms.
Self-Care Amidst Your Busy Schedule
As teaching moms, we get excited about new projects, new curriculum, methods of teaching, craft supplies, fun field trips, and the list goes on and on, doesn’t it? We drive our troops to music lessons, practices, clubs, counseling sessions, play dates, Bible studies, birthday parties, service opportunities, jobs, and Grandma’s, not to mention the hours at the table, in the garden, reading on the sofa, or in the woods taking nature walks. And then, there’s often a husband who has needs and expectations too!
But, what about you, homeschooling mom? How do you meet your needs? How do you avoid burning the midnight oil to get everything done? How do you avoid burning out because you’re so busy doing good for everyone else that you forget about your own needs?
Close to Home: Self-Care for Homeschool Moms like Me!
As I sit here on a Friday afternoon, reminding myself to guzzle more water to battle a nagging UTI, I just want to encourage you — not because I have it all together as a home educator, but because I see a genuine need in all mothers who tend to take on too much.My words to you are these: It is not selfish to take care of your own physical needs.
Your family needs you, and you are very much aware of that. But, they need you healthy. They need you cheerful, and that’s very difficult to pull off when you’ve stayed up until midnight again. How do I know this? Well, because I’m living it!
We are instructed to teach our children cause-effect relationships. But, we have to be real with ourselves and realize that bedtime is not just for babies; our bodies need water; and a little exercise and fresh air will do wonders for our attitudes as moms, just as much as for our children.
Home educating is no joke!
It’s not a tea party, and despite what some will think, we do much more than just sit around and do crafts with our children! We have real stresses. We worry about our children’s attitudes and characters — a LOT! We wonder about their futures, and wonder if we are doing it all right, because we don’t have a second chance. Often as we take on all of those unknowns, we find ourselves running around to grab at any perceived learning opportunity, maybe even to the detriment of our peace of mind.
I can only share with you what I am learning myself on this enjoyable, yet, exhausting road. These tips are not in any particular order, except for the first one.
We as home educators absolutely need our time with God! I find that I can get so edgy and driven with my children if I don’t have the softening influence of the Holy Spirit for myself! And, praying for my family particularly helps me to look at them differently. •Sometimes I wake up late, in a rush, and find that mid-morning, or sooner, I have to go close myself in my closet with the Lord to regain my perspective,and to just cry out to Him for help.Satan will capitalize on any chink in our armor, so putting on the full armoris so important! This is truly the best gift we can give to our children and husbands — a heart that has met with Jesus and surrendered, so that when we deal with them, we will treat them with grace.
Sleep. I can’t say how much youneed, but I know when I need more of it! That’s when I get irritable about little things, feel like weeping over trifles, and start to feel fuzzy in my head the next day. I have gone through times when literally every time I sit down to read with my kiddos, I knock out. A little more sleep is needed!
Do you love apples?I do! I enjoy many different varieties!
With September here, it’s back to school time, Autumn is just around the corner!That always makes me think of apples!
Apples for the teacher, applesauce making, and bobbing for apples are just a few fun Autumn Apple activities. But apples are just perfect to hide in a pocket or sack for a healthy snack, dessert or breakfast.
What goes well with apples?
Of course, thisSimple Autumn Apple Dip!Thanks for asking!
For added nutrition, I love to make my Simple Autumn Apple Dip–in fact, I make it almost every day for breakfast! I’ve been making this dip for years now, and never tire of it. I love to eat this dip with Pink Lady apples–they’re my absolute favorites, but you pick your favorite!
In good times, in bad times, that’s what friends are for. A song with a powerful message, and stories that illustrate the meaning of this popular song
— Read on www.ridgehavenhomestead.com/
My reason for a Blog Planner and the Blog Hop Log. These days I see a lot of my blogger buddies sharing acrossBlog Hops and Link-Up Parties!Why would you not?Blog Hops give you a chance to get your work out and to see what others want to share! Besides,Blog Hops are fun! Here are some good ones to try!
For me, though, after I’ve shared posts on several blog Hops for several weeks, my mind starts to jumble all up.Which post did I share where?I have to keep track, and I’m sure that you do too!
. Check back and we will shift gears to the books soon! But, as they say, “make hay while the sun shines!”
Lessons...and lessons 