Blessed Martinmas! For those celebrating, here is a tale to enjoy! The Children of Oakrise and the Great Lantern Festival By Amber Hellewell A very long time ago, in a small village called Oakrise, there lived a small, but hearty people. Although they were no larger than the doves and chickadees, they were [...]
Before I moved to rural Michigan, the darkness and length of winter were alleviated by the lights and activity of the big city. We celebrated Candlemas with candle dipping and crafting and singing, and it was lovely. It was a sweet tradition, but I didn’t really understand why it had been observed for centuries. Our [...]
During the season of Advent I get caught between two extremes: a desire to cuddle up on my couch, surrounded by quilts and the entangled arms and legs of my children AND to miraculously deep clean my entire house, complete my resolutions from the beginning of the year, teach thoughtful/engaging/life changing lessons and create homemade [...]
Meet Nicola Piccola, one of the wonderful homeschool mothers that Has inspired me in my own journey. Nicola is an in tune and intentional mother who homeschools her children in Northern California. Her honesty in her posts has always resonated with me and I find myself wandering over to her blog when I need [...]
It is starting to feel frosty in the mornings, which makes getting up early a little intimidating. But my tea and morning basket are calling me and after years of fighting this advice from my mentors, I am answering the call. I am not running a mile or meditating for an hour. In the past, [...]
I really should have known better. It was 15 minutes into our day and the stress breathing had already begun. My youngest was exhausted, and the older two were wishing that at 8 in the morning they were anywhere but in the car. As we started off our new homeschool year calendar overstuffed with co-op [...]
Hello my dear friends and fellow creative mamas! I hope that this month finds you fully present in making wonderful memories with your family. Some of those memories will of course be of tantrums, messy houses and maybe a mama meltdown (or two!). But, hopefully it is being sprinkled in with lovely moments of nature, [...]
It was a normal homeschool morning. Train tracks and jammies were strewn across the floor, remnants of breakfast had yet to be put away and I was wearing my apron and my best “can do attitude. My mental pep talk was keeping me going. It probably sounded something like this: Ride that wave [...]
Fashion used to be a HUGE part of my life. I lived and breathed TJ Maxx and Salvation Army racks. I used to consult Instyle Magazine much more than my Bible. I still have a giant three inch binder full of outfit ideas (going through that monstrosity is next on my list!) There [...]
Oh August.... I am finding that the fullness of summer is even more enjoyable when the winters are so long- it seems as though this time of year Michigan explodes with ripe berries, fragrant herbs, golden flowers, and greenery. In past years, this was one of my most dreaded months. Blistering, parching, soul-sucking heat. Here, [...]
