According to a recent report from the Washington Post, 50% of American adults read 0 books in 2023. 33% finished reading at least 5 books. And sitting at the very top, 1% of the population read 50 books or more. The 1500-person test group represents a very small cross-section of humanity, in my opinion. Nonetheless, the statistics are disheartening and bear severe implications for the dwindling vocabularies, attention spans, and overall knowledge base of our citizenry ..read more

Since the inception of the interwebs, viral has become a tricky word. It has its roots in things like viruses, infections, and germs. And yet, in our digital days, viral speaks more of popularity than poison. I guess we can chalk it up to our ever-evolving zeitgeist which is, unapologetically, like a virus--moving, growing, and multiplying in contagious ways ..read more

2023 was one of simplicity and small joys. Before I move forward, I have to first look back. I have to take stock of how I did or did not honor the commitments I made to myself last year. Like always, I set four goals for myself. They were as follows ..read more

For a season that is draped in tradition, Christmas often has a way of making everyone feel a little frazzled and foggy-brained, especially moms. And while there are definitely many extras added onto the month of December--parties to attend, treats to bake, gifts to wrap, decorations to put up--most of the hubbub that happens around the holidays is routine. The to-dos happen every year at exactly the same time in exactly the same way ..read more

I've been told there are three types of homeschoolers in December: those who stick to a regular school routine until a few days before Christmas, those who take the entire month off and completely embrace the delights of the holidays, and those who incorporate seasonally-themed learning activities to create Christmas School. I kind of land somewhere in the middle, taking a full three weeks off during the month to sprinkle in lots of Christmas traditions and learning activities into our days. Truth be told, I've never done an open-and-go Christmas curriculum but have always preferred to piecem ..read more

There are ten of us in total. We gather in my living room every fourth Monday of the month. Scootching our chairs close together, we open our books. Whether we loved it or hated it, we're always ready to talk about it. We've got big thoughts about the month's title and even bigger thoughts about books in general. We're a book club. Before settling in for a great discussion, I almost always pass out a slice of this or a scoop of that--a sweet treat for the women to enjoy. They balance their plates precariously on their laps and hold a hot cup of something in their hands. In the last two years ..read more

As I write this, The sun is barely peeking up from the horizon. My husband and children are all still firmly nestled in their beds. I'm a morning person living in a house full of night owls. Knowing this, I do my best to steward my moments--to squeeze the most work out of any available downtime. I'm a work-at-home mom ..read more

Written by Krista Smith. You’ve stuck with me for three out of the four parts in this 4-part series on organization, and we’re finally in the home stretch. In Part 1, I showed you the ugly underbelly of my early homeschooling years and how these years were the impetus for a big change in the way I plan and organize everything from the macro (yearly) level down to the nitty gritty micro (daily) level ..read more

Written by Krista Smith. In Part 1 of this 4-part series, I confessed that after limping along for a couple of years, one day, I finally realized that something needed to change in my homeschool. I needed confidence and better daily systems in order to love, serve, and teach my kids well. In Part 2, I shared why planning out some things in the homeschool day and setting them on autopilot can be life-giving and sanity-restoring, whether you use the particular methods I suggest or come up with brand new ones that work better for your unique family. I also walked through STEP 1 in the 4 ..read more

Written by Krista Smith. In Part 1 of this 4-part series, I gave you a peek behind the curtain to see the Miserable Failure of Oz (or what I had become whilst trying to herd the many cats that make up a homeschool day). In this post, I’m hoping and praying that the things the Lord has been teaching me (mainly by hard knocks) and which I have been privileged to teach to other mothers, will breathe life into your homeschool, reduce stress (for you and your kids), and bring order to your chaotic days ..read more