Organizing in 2021: The Planner

This is the first in a series of little posts about organizing I'm going to do in 2021.  I meant to post this earlier in January, actually, but life intervened for a couple of weeks.  And that's alright. 

 Ever since I was 14 years old, I have used some kind of planner system.  I cannot imagine living without one.  There is no way I could do what I do now without a planner.  The orthodontist appointments, dental appointments, haircuts, ballet lessons, music lessons, meals, and homeschooling would be a wreck if I didn't use a planner, because--very honestly--my memory just isn't that great. 

There's a lot to running a household, too.  There are chores to do.  There are random things to remember (returning that jacket; ordering new pants for a quickly-growing child; dropping library books off to avoid late fees; sending a condolence card...).  My brain just isn't good enough to do all of this on its own. 

For years I used Mead Academic weekly planners.  They were my bread-and-butter throughout high school, college, graduate school, and law school. 

I used different things in different years in my adult life, and went through a fairly long Moleskine planner period not long ago. I loved those planners!

More recently, inspired by Anna, I began using an A5 Filofax.  I've used the Filofax for a few years now and it works very well for me. I don't particularly like the Filofax planner sheets (plus, they're pricey!) so I purchased some custom sheets on Etsy a couple years back.  Unfortunately, this seller hasn't created 2021 calendar pages.  But I still use the other items: the weekly planner and meal planner are my top two, and I use them every week.

I appreciate that I can tuck things into the front cover of the Filofax.  I keep my beloved Sharpie pen there.  In the little slits, I keep the name of the metal to which I'm allergic (gadolinium, if anyone cares!) and little cards containing my godchildren's baptism dates.  A reminder to pray for them.

Inside the front cover are random items I may need to reference: in this case, I think there's a prescription sheet for a new prescription the doctors gave my husband, plus some cash. I try to remember to keep a little cash on hand, so I don't have to go borrowing from the Bank of Finn. Ha!

The front of my Filofax has a sticker from the lovely and talented Paper Cactus Designs on it. (Leah is the daughter of my "blog friend" Roan.  I just love the stickers she creates!) 

Just behind this I have a couple of pages of yearly layouts. 

When I took these photos, I hadn't yet filled in anything for the months yet, but I do plan to jot down a few reminders and goals for each month. Nothing major!

The first section contains monthly calendar pages--that's where I see the layout of the whole month. (I took a photo of a month where I hadn't written anything yet!  Except my note that we might go to Asheville in July. ;))

After this are the sections! I have six sections in my planner. 

The first section is called "plans." I set this up to accommodate my left-handed life.  I use the Filofax ruler as my page marker.  On the right side, I have my weekly planning page, where I plot out the week. On the back of my weekly planning page, I write out the week's workouts. 

 On the left, I have blank papers. I use the left-hand side for taking notes (daily to-do lists, people to call, etc--the messy stuff) while the weekly planner on the right guides and structures the week. I like my blank papers to be pink, of course!

 On the page after the weekly planner, I have my weekly meal planner (more on that later).  Beyond that, I have my printed daily routine, our chore chart (pictured only to show my kids' chores), and my weekly routine (not pictured).  And finally, I have several pages of typed exercises that I use when I plan my workouts.  

The next tab section is "Lists."  I am a list-maker.  I have a list for nearly everything!  This is where those lists live.  I have a list of places I'd like to visit locally.  Of places I'd like to travel "one day." A list of books I'd like to read, or would like for my children to read. I keep a list of items to take when we go camping (so we're not marooned outside without, say, umbrellas or extra batteries at 3am). I have a list of thing to write about on this blog, a list of YouTube videos I might one day make (if I ever decide to do that; I have so many ideas, but technology and I are not friendly with each other, and I'm shy! But I was inspired by seeing a page that features a man whose father died young, and he creates videos for young men to teach them the stuff they need to know--how great is that? As someone whose mother died young, I completely understand his motivation).  I have lists of items to sew.  I have a list of passwords (cryptic enough so no thief could possibly understand them).  I have a list of poem ideas.  I have a page for ideas and thoughts on a book I might one day write.  I have a home project list--all those pesky to-dos that pop up and need to be written down and addressed.  There's also a list of items we need for our lives or home, such as snow boots for one child (and the size needed), what size bedside lamps I'd like to get, etc. For me, a list is a therapeutic brain-emptying activity that helps me stay organized.  

The next section is "meals."  I keep my meal planning pages in this section, and just pull one out each week for jotting down what we'll have.  I also have a list of healthy meals and snacks here for myself--so that I have no excuses. :)  In addition, I have started to keep a list of things my husband cannot eat now that he has had oral cancer surgery.  Salmon fillets? No way, Jose. Sometimes I struggle to remember what is and isn't easy for him to eat, so this list helps me out.

I keep an actual grocery list on a magnetic pad on the side of my fridge. The second I detect that we are running low on something or need it from the store, I write it on that pad of paper!  It's a lifesaver, I tell you!

The next section is "money."  The first page is our annual budget, which I like to make in January each year.  I try to keep track of our spending in major categories, so on the pages following the budget, I have one page per month, and that's where I will keep track of expenses to see how we are faring.  We are not particularly diligent at keeping track of a budget (my husband thinks it's a waste of time, but he is THE most frugal person!), but I appreciate having a basic idea of how much I should spend on groceries, clothing, etc.  Our goal is not to live within our means; our goal is to live below our means. Having a rough estimate of where we are financially is helpful to me.  But I will say that I haven't made a budget for 2021 yet, and I haven't tracked the first expense yet.  I may pick that up in February or March. 

The next tab is labeled "health." In this section I have my notes from my Louise Parker Method learning, and any other health tidbits that I feel are helpful to me.  

The last section is "seasonal."  Here's where I have planning pages for Christmas.  A comprehensive list of what we'd like to do during the season, plus all the gift lists and checklists I need for helping the holiday run smoothly. 

  The back cover contains a few sentimental things (a poem, a letter from an acquaintance, a photo), that I like to keep as reminders of the good things in my life. 

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The point of all of this is just this: I think organization starts with planning.  It doesn't have to be complex and it surely doesn't need to be a Filofax.  I think what most people need is quite basic:

a calendar

some sort of weekly or daily plan--can be as informal or as formal as you like!

a meal plan

pages for lists you want to keep/make

That's really it.  Everything else just depends on your unique life circumstances.  But having a place for the calendar, the meal ideas, the plan, and the lists, is extremely helpful. I like to have them all in one place, but some people may prefer to use a digital device for some of these lists, or a paper on the fridge for the menu plan.  Whatever!  The nuts and bolts don't matter as much as just having something that will serve you well.  You want to be able to remember appointments, have a good idea of what to eat during the week, and have a general outline of what must be done during the week. That's it!

As far as which planner to use, I must say, there are some very expensive ones out there.  The Filofax isn't cheap (I bought mine on Amazon for a good price a few years back), but since I don't have to purchase a new planner every year--I just print pages--I feel it was a good investment.  But I must say, for years I made great plans with planners I purchased for $10 or less.  Places like TJ Maxx/Home Goods sometimes have great planners that are quite pretty for really good prices!  Frankly, even a 20-cent composition notebook from the grocery store will work if you're willing to draw a little calendar for each month. Don't let price be a sticking point. 

If you have any planning tips or tricks, let me know. I love learning how other people structure their days! 

Winding Down

 January is beginning to wind down, and I'm enjoying the idea of "winding down." I'm also hopeful that February will be very, very "wound down."

I am reading a lot right now.  With no yard work to do and very little housework to accomplish (just the normal rounds of laundry, tidying, and dishes), spending time in books has been a real treat this month.  I'm also taking up my knitting needles again for the first time in a long time, and I foresee some cozy February afternoons of knitting while listening to Audible books! I hope so, anyhow!

Because this month threw a couple of curveballs.  

First, I began to be very tired and have a strange sinus-y feeling (not even sneezing, but just a strange smell/feeling).  This happened just a few days before my father was supposed to come stay with us.  I felt tired enough to schedule a covid test, and I tested negative.  Even so, we were reluctant to be in the same house together, so plans had to change for his visit.  (I'm fine now, although still fatigued.) So I spent a fair amount of time resting.  No one in my family got sick, and I never had anything more than fatigue and the mild sinus change, so all's well, but it did change my plans in a way that was unanticipated and did not please me.

Second, we had an unexpected death in the family that hit me harder than I initially thought it would when I first heard the news.  My father and I attended the funeral together yesterday.  I won't go into the complex history of my family of origin; I'll just say that the person who died was someone we loved, and someone who was an important part of my formative years, although I hadn't seen her in around 20 years.  I was surprised at my emotional exhaustion, and have decided to spend the next 3-4 days taking it very easy and gently on myself as a result.  Hot baths, good books, tea, cold walks outside, sleep.  Therapeutic things. :)

And speaking of therapeutic things, here's what I woke to this morning!

{the view up to the house that used to be my grandparents', but now belongs to my aunt and uncle}

The children and I kicked off of school early and went out to traipse around.  It was good medicine for my soul.  Lots of wind blowing snow, lots of joyful chasing after the little snow tornados.  The farm is beautiful in the snow.  I love being outdoors in God's creation.  It always settles and soothes me.  

I am grateful for the flexibility in our lives to do that, and then come inside and make hot cocoa...and now my children are watching a movie!  Why not?  It's a snow day. :) 

{looking north-east over the valley}

{just behind the house}

All those photos are taken from our back deck, which is just off of the dining area where I sit and drink coffee in the morning.  Just beautiful. 

So I'll be taking the next few days not worrying about productivity (it's overrated anyhow, I suspect!) and instead I'll just be unapologetically kind and gentle to myself. The older I get, the more I see the value in that!

Consistency: The "One Thing" Approach to Changing Habits

 This is the time of the year when we turn our minds to resolutions, to big goals, to what we wish to accomplish in the coming year.  The lure of a fresh start is strong!  But I think often we plan big, but fall short quickly, and then give up altogether.

The key to success in any endeavor, based on my own experience and in my opinion, is super simple. 

Consistency.

I've touched on the value of consistency before (actually: last January!).  

 I believe firmly that consistency is the key to unlocking the good life. I cannot think of any aspect of life that is not improved by basic consistency, even if it's just a few minutes a day. The value is in the habit.  Over time, the habit snowballs and adds up.  If you write one page a day, in a year you'll have a book!

If you're struggling to start a new habit in the new year, don't think about changing the habit completely.  Instead, think of what one small thing you could do each day that would turn the ship around.  Then do everything you can to do it!

For instance, if you don't read to your children enough, decide that you'll read to them while they eat breakfast (they're a captive audience anyhow!).  Then just read a little bit at breakfast each day. 

Fitness: commit to being consistent with exercise.  I don't mean trying to kill yourself 3 days a week. I mean spending 15-30 minutes in moderate exercise 6-7 days a week.  Fifteen minutes is enough to keep the habit going.  I learned this from Louise Parker and she's right. 

Weight loss: this comes from food, not exercise.  So don't be fooled into thinking that joining the gym will actually help you lose weight!  It may have a tiny impact, but it's ultimately about dietary change.  Pick one thing in your diet that you know you must change.  Change that one thing.  Do it as consistently as possible, exercising self-discipline. For me, back when I lost a lot of weight, that was mindless eating, and particularly eating after dinnertime.  There was a lot more to my weight loss than that, but I think if I'd just changed that one habit, I would have still lost 10-15 pounds.  

I don't care what it is--Bible reading, music practice, homeschooling, housekeeping, saving money--whatever the goal is, just picking one simple thing to do per day, that doesn't take more than 15 minutes, will get you where you want to go faster than having a grand, complex plan that isn't sustainable. Because what we're looking for, after all, is just this: sustainability. 

It's not sustainable for me to work out two hours every day.

It is sustainable for me to take a walk each day and do 15 minutes of resistance work. Often I do more. But the minimum is sustainable for me. 

Just pick one small thing.  And focus hard on that thing. Some people can make several changes at once, but I think most people should just try to focus on one thing at a time.  In a few weeks, you'll have a habit; it won't be such a struggle to do that one thing, because you'll be used to it, and you can move on to something else! 

Winter Plans/Update from the Farm

 This afternoon on the farm is cold, overcast, and windy--and noisy, because a calf got separated from his mother, and she is admonishing him sternly (and repeatedly).  Also, the bull escaped from his pasture and is now casually grazing in our lower field, munching whatever green stuff he can find (not much!), and secure in his knowledge that none of us want to brave the cold to drive him back to his usual spot. (But I wouldn't do it even if it were warm outside; the bull and I are not on speaking terms.)

Annie asked me to teach her to crochet, and so although I only know the chain stitch, we went to the craft store last week and acquired a huge skein of yarn, an ergonomically-friendly crochet hook (she didn't want to use my all-metal ones), and a book on easy early crochet projects for kids. She just turned 10, so we'll see if she has the patience for learning to crochet.  I have my doubts, because Annie is a highly-kinesthetic, active, always moving, ballet dancer kind of child who rarely sits still even for schoolwork, much less to learn to crochet.  But maybe if I play an Audible book for her she'll be able to sit still for 10 minutes.  We'll see!  First lesson is today, since it's a quiet weekend day.....

Annie (who is, obviously, a primary driver of fun around here) decided that she wanted all four of us to read the same book and have a book club discussion.  So January's book is The Mysterious Benedict Society.  My husband finished it a few days ago.  The kids are almost done.  I'm in the middle--lagging behind because I was so into another book I am reading. My husband gets to pick the book for February, and then I get to pick a book for March.  What shall I choose?! It needs to be a book that will be appropriate for a 10 year old, a 13 year old, and 2 adults.  (My husband originally suggested Ten Thousand Leagues under the Sea for his book, but I suggested he start reading it first.  He came to me later and admitted that it's too hard for Annie! Which I figured....) Suggestions welcome....

The first two weeks of January have been very busy for us here. I thought it would be quiet and wintry, but it has just been busy.  Annie had to start physical therapy due to tendonitis, so she has PT appointments now and stretches to do.  We had a big day of dental appointments. Annie had her top braces removed one week and the next week she had to get her retainer.  Finn was invited to record a piece for a local honors piano recital, and it must have taken me an entire day to figure out how to properly record and send that video--but first, we had to get our piano tuned.  And our piano tuner is blind, and his driver was getting tested for covid, so I ended up going to pick him up and take him home!  That took nearly a whole day!

On top of all of that, we are investigating a hybrid academy for Finn for school for next year. It's a private Christian academy that offers classes on-campus a few days a week with classes at home the rest of the time.  It's also half an hour away, in the city.  The kids and I went to an information session one morning, then our family went for a family interview and facilities tour another afternoon. In a week, we plan to have Finn shadow a student there. (If nothing here changes due to the virus.)  So I've invested a lot of energy into this--not just the organizing, driving, and applying (we had to apply to do the family interview), but also the mental energy of thinking through whether or not we really want to do something like that next year. I am rather torn about it. On the one hand, it could provide some good new experiences, and the faculty looks great; on the other hand, we would sacrifice a lot--most notably, time, energy, and freedom. (Annie would not attend the academy.  She will still be home with me, reading books.)  My role with Finn would shift from primary educational enforcer to facilitator/encourager, and some days that sounds great, but other days that sounds terrible! :)  

Other tidbits:

-I am reading several fascinating books. Happiest activity of most days is crawling under the duvet to read for a while. Second-happiest is drinking tea while talking to my children or husband. (I drink Yorkshire Gold in the afternoon, but my new favorite when I don't want caffeine is Bengal Spice by Celestial Seasonings--it's so cinnamon-y and warming and delicious!)

-My friend helped me redeem some wool yarn that I'd tried to make into a felted cloche hat years ago (and I stopped about 2/3 of the way through because I didn't have enough yarn and Annie was a baby and I was utterly exhausted....etc...), and thanks to her inspiration I figured out my Ravelry username and signed on (I hadn't been on there in *years*), and I'm hoping to start a new knitting project sometime this winter.  I want to make a new hat for myself.  Actually, I don't think I've ever knitted a hat for myself!  I've only ever made hats for babies before.

-We are gearing up to have our kids' bathroom (which also doubles as the guest bathroom) demolished and re-done. It will probably be summer before the project begins, because I'm still in the very early stages of trying to decide what to do, but soon we'll get a quote from our contractor. It's a room that has an exterior wall, but no window, so part of the plan is to cut a window into the wall, but that's also in the shower stall, so there will be tile, and there's a lot to think about and plan there!

-The newest member of the farm is my second-cousin, three-month-old Baby J, whose delicious shock of black hair and soft cheeks are the best things to happen on our farm in years.  He is darling!!  Three-fourths of us in this household are crazy about babies and I would hold Baby J all day if I could.  He's so precious.

And here are my hopes and plans for the next two or three months, until the forsythia blooms:

-Knit a hat!

-Read copious quantities of books. Listen to books. Books, books, and more books.....

-Write.  I have a retreat scheduled for next weekend. I will be spending part of Friday, all of Saturday, and much of Sunday in a remote spot, alone, writing. 

-Figure out what school may look like for 9th and 5th grades.  :) 

-Exercise as many days of the week as possible. 

-Homeschool diligently 

and--most of all--

-be kind and loving to my family.  Always my top goal!

Organizing in 2021

 I have many flaws, but one strength I have is that I am a pretty well-organized person.  This trait has helped tremendously over the years as I had to learn to manage a household, raise children, and homeschool, all from scratch.  I had zero domestic training as a teenager and young adult.  I was trained to read, think, write, and practice law.  I was not trained to run a household. (I won't be making that mistake with either of my own children!)

The learning curve was steep, but eventually I got pretty good at these domestic things, and I think that one of my innate strengths--organization--really helped.

There are times in life when I'm not as "together."  During most of 2018 I used my executive functioning skills on the practical aspects of being caregiver to a cancer patient and meeting my children's emotional needs.  It was time well-spent; it was worth every minute.  My closets may not have been as tidy as I'd like, but I was doing what was most important in life, and I have zero regrets about that.  

So this year I plan to do one organizing post per month, because--let's face it--most people don't have time to organize constantly.  But perhaps one tip per month will help someone out there who, like me, is perhaps struggling to learn how to run a household smoothly, efficiently, and (most importantly), with love. 

Here's the lineup:

January: The Planner

February: The Fridge  

March: The Pantry 

April: The Leaving-the-House Items 

May: The Seasonal Stuff 

June: The Meals 

July: The School Books and Bins 

August: The Important Documents 

September: The Car 

October: The Library 

November: The Holidays 

December: The Chores 

I am not sure that I have anything too earth-shattering to share (you may have great ideas, too, and if so, I welcome them! I love learning new tips and tricks), but perhaps these posts will help someone!

New Wall Color Review: Benjamin Moore's Soft Chamois

 Earlier this year I began the arduous process of choosing a wall color for our main room.  We have an open concept home, so the kitchen, stairwell, living area, dining area, and small hallway are all essentially the same space and need to be the same color.  On top of that, we get some eastern light, some southern light, lots of northern light, and plenty of western light, because when my mom designed this house, one of her top three requirements was "lots of light!" (The other two requirements were lots of electrical outlets and a closet in every room....can you tell that we had lived in old homes for a long time?) I was extremely tired of our Benjamin Moore "Golden Straw" walls; and besides that, after 15 years, they were looking pretty shabby!

{this section under the front windows was downright grimy!}

(All photos are unedited to try to show true colors.)

I finally decided on a color that I was sure was perfect: Benjamin Moore's Classic Gray.  It seemed perfect--a warm gray that would surely blend well with the piano, the kitchen countertop, the china cabinet.....

When I sampled it, I was immediately horrified.  Classic Gray read very, very blue--possibly the influence of the northern light.

I tried it all over the place.  I tried it against a white backdrop to be sure I wasn't reading it wrong. I tried it on every wall. It looked terrible against our oak-colored banister and awful near our brown leather furniture. 

(Here's a tip! If you know you'll paint soon, but maybe not immediately, sample your paints on various walls behind your large paintings. Then you can re-hang the paintings and hide the samples!)

I had to admit that it would never work. 

Earlier this year I'd bought a sample pot of "Soft Chamois," and for some reason I decided to go try that next to the Classic Gray.  I'm not sure why I had written off Soft Chamois; I think I thought it was "too white" earlier this year.  I went to the garage and dug it up, and I loved it.  So I painted a whole skinny wall with it.  I still loved it!

After spending a couple of days looking at that small wall, I was convinced.  I bought four gallons of paint and got to work.

And the end result is: I love it!

When I had read about Soft Chamois online, I had read that it was "cream" and had a yellow undertone, which I felt I could live with. I really didn't want a pink undertone, so I was okay with this.  But as I began painting, I saw a different undertone announcing itself. 

Green!! 

I worried over this a bit, but kept painting--after all, I'd purchased four gallons of paint. And once the walls were painted, and the furniture in place, and artwork back up, the green settled down. 

The color is a chameleon. In some lights, it is gray.  In other lights, it's creamy.  Sometimes, especially at night, it does seem greenish.  (We did switch out our lightbulbs, too....)  At times, it looks grey. It changes throughout the day. I actually kind of love this.  I think I'm sort of a chameleon, too. :) 

One description of this color that I read was that it's a "milky beige." I know Benjamin Moore classifies it as an off-white.  It has no yellow undertone, no blue undertone, and no pink undertone. I love that it feels so fresh and clean.  I love that it's neutral without being white, and I love that it looks great with all wood tones--it looks good with my pine floors, the oak railing, and the mid-tone piano and china cabinet.  It looks great with the leather furniture that my husband just loves.  It doesn't look great with my kitchen countertops, but it's livable for now, and since those may be replaced next year and the cabinets re-painted, I consider this a minor issue!  It fades into the background nicely so that our paintings--the one thing I actually "collect"--are the visual focus. 

This year I've gotten rid of most of the overly-warm tones that bothered me in our main room. The brown rug? Gone (the day Bosco died I rolled it up and threw it out; I'd held onto it because he loved it).  The yellow chair? Slipcovered.  The peachy piano bench? Slipcovered!  I painted our dark dining room table and chairs a creamy white, painted our dark wood side table the same white, painted our black front door "Yarmouth Blue."  The Golden Straw walls?  Covered now in a calmer neutral!  I even slipcovered the large brown leather sofa in white!

Here are two photos with the two colors:

Soft Chamois in the foreground, and Golden Straw still in the hallway:

And here, a side-by-side comparison!  I just love how "quiet" our walls are now. That gold was a little noisy.

Much better!  

And let me just say: painting this area of our house was so much work, I can't believe I pulled it off (without drama or major messes) in two weeks before Thanksgiving, while still homeschooling. It was extremely time-consuming! Let me tell you, though: I don't plan to do that again!  Next time I paint this bear of a "room", I'm going to make sure my children are adults first! 

Next on the painting list: kitchen cabinets.  But not until summer. :) 

A Path to Plutarch, Part Two: Beginnings

 I wrote a little bit about why to study Plutarch, and when, last month. 

So now we'll discuss how to start! 

The way I look at education is by examining the end goal. What's the point?  In citizenship studies, the point is to study the lives of other humans in order to gain wisdom and discernment on how we should live our own lives.  There are plenty of ways to do this. Plutarch is just one.

Right now I have a fourth-grader who is in what I will informally call my "Plutarch Prep Period." Here's the path that I take, and the rough ages of when, to prepare my children:

In the early years of Form 1 (roughly grades 1-3), Charlotte Mason advises that students should read tales, fables, and biographical stories. When I have a very young child, we read Aesop's Fables--such pithy little lessons! We have lots of versions, but the most-used one in our household is the Milo Winter edition.  To get a young-ish child used to narrating, read the story, then act it out.  I used to read my children one of the fables, then give them 5 minutes to grab props and organize themselves.  Their "acting narrations" were hilarious and on-point!  Then we would discuss the fable--what's the lesson here?  Do we feel it's the same lesson that Aesop presented?  

The next book that I enjoy using for younger students is the classic Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin. The stories are short and fairly easy to understand.  For a very young student, I'd go slowly, stop to discuss/narrate often, and keep expectations light.  Annie, who is now in fourth grade/Form 2, can hear an entire story now and narrate it, but we have worked on this skill for a few years.  

By Form 2 (grades 4-6), Mason notes that citizenship is a "definite subject" that centers on the inspiration of good citizenship, as opposed to simple facts about government or civic duty. The book that I like for this age range is Stories from the History of Rome by Mrs. Beesly.  These are, of course, stories based on ancient Roman history, and they're a good way to prepare a child to begin learning about some of the major characters in the ancient world. The stories aren't at all dumbed-down, so most children will need to go slowly and narrate often.  (When my son did this book in co-op, they did a LOT of acting narrations!)  Annie, who is in fourth grade, is still doing the Baldwin book.  I will probably transition her into Mrs. Beesly's book in fifth grade or so.  

The last "intro" book that I like is one that I'm actually using this year with Finn, who is in eighth grade and Form 3.  We are reading selected lives from Plutarch's Lives for Boys and Girls by W.H. Weston. This book goes a step farther than Mrs. Beesly's book about general Roman history; it actually is a retelling of Plutarch for children.  At first I was skeptical, but when I read it, I was impressed.  Lofty language and well-chosen details of each life make this pretty good reading for the student who is inching in the direction of reading North's translation, but isn't quite "there yet."  Last year in our co-op, I used this book because my juniors and seniors in high school had moved on, and I only had a couple of middle schoolers.  Weston's book was perfect! I simply choose two lives per year and focus on those.  We don't try to read it cover-to-cover. 

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As with anything in parenting, choosing when to begin teaching citizenship is highly individualized.  Mason's recommendation is that a child in Form 2--roughly 5th grade--would begin reading Plutarch.  In my own experience, I have found that my children appreciate an easing-in.  Finn was in no way ready for North's translation in 5th grade, and he's a language-loving reader who has been hearing Elizabethan English via Shakespeare since he was tiny!  The Holy Spirit does give us judgment and discernment and direction regarding our own families, and I think it's wise to follow the lead of the Spirit and study your own child.  I have no doubt that some children could tackle Plutarch in late elementary or middle school and flourish.  I also have no doubt that some children would wither. The great thing about being a homeschool parent is that, in general, you make the rules! :) 

Next time, we'll talk about preparing to teach the actual translation of Plutarch's Lives.

(It'll be fun! I promise!)

2020 Reader's Journal

This year was a pretty good book year for me. The greater time at home, combined with huge painting projects and my subscription to Audible, allowed me to enjoy a fair amount of books this year. Next year my goal is to read 44 books--since I'm turning 44 years old. :)  (I originally got this idea from Nancy Kelly; her list for 2020 is located here.)

I'll highlight my top picks, then post the entire list below!  An asterisk means it's a book I would recommend. Most of the books I read this year are asterisk-worthy. I don't count my Bible reading, my devotionals, and my liturgical readings--I cycle through many of the same things each year. 

The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

I had never read this book before, and I picked it up off the bookshelf on a whim earlier this year.  Soon I was absolutely spellbound; I was transported to the brushy hot woods of Florida. I was eking out a bare subsistence with the Baxter family.  I was completely immersed in Rawlings' wonderful prose, her exquisite descriptions of the fauna and flora of Florida, and the heart-wrenching coming of age story that this book presents.  Out of 5 stars, I give it 10. I adored this book. My husband read it after I did, and he felt the same way!

Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

It's hard not to love Leif Enger's prose. He is a masterful craftsman of the English language. This is another coming-of-age story, of a sort, and is beautifully-written with a genuinely funny narrator.  And of course, there's Swede.  Everyone has to love Swede.  Enger's incorporation of straight-up miracles into his story elevates this book into a spiritually-inspiring tale of love and sacrifice and faith.    

Middlemarch, by George Eliot 

The beauty of Middlemarch rests in its characters. (Of course, Eliot was a great writer, too!)  Oh!  The characters were so rich!  I listened to this book while painting a lot of furniture over the summer.  I was on tenterhooks some of the time.  I loved it so much that my husband gave me a beautiful copy for my birthday, along with the George Eliot film collection! I finished the book on a warm day in the flower beds, and had to put my tools down and just look at the sky as I listened to the very end.  I just loved it!  I look forward to reading another George Eliot book this year. 

The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom

The true story of the indefatigable Corrie Ten Boom, whose Christian family sheltered Jews in the Netherlands during World War II.  Unfortunately, the Nazis discovered the Ten Boom's hideout.  Corrie spent time in Ravensbruck concentration camp. While there, she and her sister led Bible studies and tried to bring the light of Christ to a dismal, horrific place.  The stories of their time there are amazing! This will be required reading for my teenagers.  I appreciated her story so much that I immediately read Tramp for the Lord after I finished this book. That is also an excellent, wonderful story of her faith and her ministry after the war.  

How Not to Die, by Dr. Michael Greger

Agree with Dr. Greger or not, but no one can argue with his thorough, research-based approach to nutrition.  I'm a nerd.  I loved it.  Dr. Greger presents study after study on various ailments that plague humans, and in many of these studies, one clear solution to the problems is....eat more whole foods, especially plants! This is common sense, yet so many people in our Western culture eat far too many processed foods and/or meats.  Dr. Greger divides foods into green light, yellow light, and red light foods.  The greens are whole, unprocessed plant foods. Yellow light foods are slightly-processed plant foods or whole, unprocessed animal foods such as yogurt, fresh eggs, etc. Red light foods are highly processed plant foods or animal foods such as bacon, lunch meats, and so on.  I appreciate his approach, which is to encourage people to eat abundant quantities of green-light foods, and limit yellow light foods....and eat red light foods as seldom as possible!  I am of the opinion that it's best for our mental and physical health to live a life of thoughtful balance, so I personally would never cut out entire food groups (unless I had a medical condition!). I love that he isn't an all-or-nothing thinker when it comes to diet, but he still presents solid research and evidence that following a plant-based, whole foods diet is a great way to experience increased health and well-being. 

Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson

This is a book about access to justice, and as an attorney, it was right up my alley. It's a book about justice, mercy, and redemption.   (There is a film by the same name. I haven't seen it.) I read the book after seeing pastor Tim Keller interview the author.  Bryan Stevenson presents stories of the cases he has worked on as a criminal defense attorney representing some of the most outcast members of society.  The primary focus is the story of Walter McMillan, who was sentenced to die for a crime he did not commit.  But Stevenson also touches upon the stories of children, some as young as 13, who are sentenced to extraordinarily long prison terms after brief and disturbing childhoods with scanty parental guidance or support.  I appreciated it so much, and it's another one that I am putting on my list for reading and discussion with my (older, nearly-adult) teenagers when the time comes. 

Ourselves, by Charlotte Mason

This is one of those "I wish I'd had it when I was 15 years old" kind of books. Peppered with timeless wisdom, this is a book that Mason wrote for adolescents, but it's absolutely invaluable to adults.  Absolutely worth your time.  I read it as part of a Living Education Lesson session. I plan to read it with Finn when he is in 9th grade--next year!

Those were my top picks this year, but I also read a lot of very good other books.  Here's the full list!

1. The Restoration of Christian Culture (John Senior)* (I'm not actually done with this book; I sort of read it on and off throughout the year)
2. Goodbye, Mr. Chips* (a sweet, short book, nice winter reading!)
3. The Slight Edge (Jeff Olson)(he's preaching to the choir with me, but a good book if you need motivation)
4. The Element (Ted Robinson)
5. Mere Christianity (CS Lewis)(parts of it)*
6. Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
7. Peace Like a River (Leif Enger)*
8. The Orchard (Adele Crockett Robertson)* (an interesting book about a woman who tries to save her family's orchard during the Great Depression)
9. Daddy Long Legs (Jean Webster)(this is a book I loved as a teenager, and I wanted to re-read it again as an adult. It's cute.)
10. The Journals of Father Alexander Schmemann* (another ongoing book that I'm in no hurry to finish. I love it!)
11. Spoken from the Heart (Laura Bush)* (audiobook)
12. Patina Farm (Brooke and Steve Gianetti)* (just a beautiful book)
13. The Little Book of Hygge (Meik Wiking)
14. Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art (Madeleine L'Engle)*(I'm not done yet, but this is going to be a top pick of 2021, I am sure of it!)
15. Middlemarch (George Eliot) (audiobook)*
16. The Hiding Place (Corrie Ten Boom)*
17. Tramp for the Lord (Corrie Ten Boom)*
18. Under Our Skin (Benjamin Watson)*
19.  How Not to Die (Michael Greger)*
20. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie)*(good if you enjoy this genre; it's not my favorite genre, but this one is a classic!)

21. I Capture the Castle (Dodie Smith)(a re-read) 
22. Awaking Wonder (Sally Clarkson)(I'm not done with this one yet)

23. The Yearling (Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings)*

24. Discipline (Elisabeth Elliot)*

25. The Dutch House (Ann Patchett) (audiobook)

26. The Story of a Whim (Grace Livingston Hill) 

27.  French Country Cottage (Courtney Allison)(beautiful photos)

28. Running for My Life (Lopez Lomong)*
29. Ourselves, Our Bodies and Our Souls (Charlotte Mason)*

30. Just Mercy (Bryan Stephenson)(audiobook)*

31. Deep Work (Cal Newport)*

32. The Common Rule (Justin Early)*

33. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)*

34. Christmas at Fairacre (Miss Read)* (a sweet Christmas story)

35. Modern Etiquette Made Easy (Myka Meier)*(I love Myka's fresh take on etiquette, one of my own favorite topics)


BONUS: Books I Read To or With my Children (not counting poetry, some school books, Bible....):

1. Tumtum & Nutmeg (Emily Bearns) (such fun little stories! Annie and I read them together and often had to read "just one more chapter" to see what happened to these two adorable mice)
2. Coriolanus (Shakespeare)
3. Johnny Tremain (Esther Forbes)(I actually read this on my own and loved it, while Finn was reading it)*
4. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)(cried off and on all the way through, and as an adult, furiously wrote down some of Marmee's wonderful wisdom)*
5. The Golden Goblet (Louise Jarvis McGraw)*
6. Anne of Green Gables (LM Montgomery; on audio book)(not done yet!)*

7. Understood Betsy (Dorothy Canfield Fisher)*

8. Old Mother West Wind (Thornton Burgess)

9. Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare) 

10. The King of the Golden River (John Ruskin)*

11. A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)*

Here are my previous lists: 

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Happy reading!

Happy New Year!

Here we are! 2021 is here, and I think many people were glad to see 2020 go.  I know it was a difficult year on a global scale.  The pandemic and its collateral damage were pretty unprecedented events. 

I was extremely grateful to be able to celebrate Christmas with my father, stepmother, and sister.  I had only seen my parents once since last New Year's, because of the pandemic and an uncle who was undergoing cancer treatments (my parents helped him).  It was my greatest hope to see them for the holidays, but when my sister's place of employment erupted in a vicious covid outbreak in early December, we weren't sure we could make it work.  I was quite concerned. 

However, thanks to N95 masks, covid testing, and extreme care, we did all congregate together on Christmas Eve.  We had about 5 days together, and it was wonderful!  We made gingerbread houses, ate cookies, opened gifts, played games, talked, drank copious quantities of coffee, and just enjoyed each other's company.  For five days I didn't think about the virus, didn't wear a mask, and didn't spend an ounce of mental energy on thinking about anything other than our Christmas together. It was delightful!

One additional delight was that late on Christmas Eve, some surprise snow began to fall.  And when we woke on Christmas morning, we had a white Christmas! I was overjoyed!  It was Annie's first white Christmas; the last one we had was in 2010, when she was just a couple of weeks away from being born.  What a gift!  It was like another little mercy after a strange year. 

And then the snow lingered for several days....how lovely to wake early in the morning and look outside at it!

Back in the fall after I turned 43 I made a little list of dreams and goals for the year ahead.  I am not making any new year's resolutions or goals, because I have already articulated my ambitions for the coming year!

In this blog in 2021, I have many thoughts I want to share.  I'm excited about these ideas. 

If you're reading this, I want you to know that I wish you a happy new year, and am saying a prayer for your health, happiness, and safety.  Thanks for reading this little corner of the big, wide internet!