This is my 9th year homeschooling. I have now graduated 2 and have 1 more to go. Time sure does fly by!
When I was first getting started, it took some time to find the perfect planner. Not only did my kids need to know what was expected, but I also had to keep up with all 3 of them. That's a lot to keep up with! I finally found the perfect planner. It had all the right things, record keeping, ways to outline each topic/student/week. The problem was that I could only purchase this planner in ONE store and for a very limited time. If I didn't grab it when I first saw it, I was likely to miss out all together. Not only that, it was a pretty thick planner. It took up so much space that it wasn't easy to just grab and go. And, as my kids got older, they really. needed their own planners...or just mine to glance at. It really wasn't used much past the first couple of weeks of each semester. So the cost + the BIG spiral = not always worth the purchase.
Then I had another problem...none of the smaller planners that were inexpensive and easy to just grab and go had the pages I wanted. I was so spoiled with the other planner. So I set out to create my own planner. My goal was to sell it as a printed copy online. A few years went buy and it just wasn't happening.
Enter, DIGITAL PLANNERS. What.a.game.changer. I'm happy to announce that I finally have a homeschool planner available! It's currently available in one color option (cool, calm colors), complete with a sample sticker sheet. Yes, you can use stickers in digital planners! So MUCH FUN! You can find out more about it here. It's currently available as a pdf download that can be used in note-taking apps like GoodNotes or Notability. But it will soon be available as a regular pdf download so that you can print the pages you want.
Next up, I'll be creating more sticker sheets for individual purchase. I also have a few other planner ideas that should be available soon. I have had SO much fun creating the planner and stickers. I'm not sure I'll be stopping any time soon.
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I love being organized and have a dream of "a place for everything and everything in it's place". But if I'm being honest, it's a struggle to actually accomplish that dream. However, I am a work in progress and it's heading in the right direction.
A couple of years ago I found this book and it changed my life! I realized I could become 
certified in being a Certified Organizational Specialist and I jumped on it! For once, I had found someone who spoke my language. No, it's not an exact match, but it was the first time things really clicked and made sense to me. I finally felt like I could make some changes, declutter, and finally become organized.I'm still a work in progress, but I have made a lot of great changes. I have realized that it doesn't really matter how much I get done at once, as long as I am making progress in the right direction.
certified in being a Certified Organizational Specialist and I jumped on it! For once, I had found someone who spoke my language. No, it's not an exact match, but it was the first time things really clicked and made sense to me. I finally felt like I could make some changes, declutter, and finally become organized.I'm still a work in progress, but I have made a lot of great changes. I have realized that it doesn't really matter how much I get done at once, as long as I am making progress in the right direction.This newfound love for decluttering and organizing also lead me to one of the most amazing online organizing events I have ever seen. It's a virtual summit with 100+ speakers. There's SO much information and SO many ladies that know what they are talking about. They cover all areas of life (faith, decluttering and organizing all areas of the home, finances, food...everything!). I have no doubt everyone can find a handful of speakers that they can relate to.
This will be my 3rd year attending the summit. I seriously look forward to it every year. Getting the All-Access Pass is a no-brainer. I can't tell you the number of times I pull it up throughout the year to help me get things moving again.
What is this amazing summit? It's called Get Organized HQ. Trust me, you will wan to join. You can get a FREE pass here. Yes, you'll gain a lot, but it will be near impossible to watch them all. That's why I highly suggest making the small purchase for the All-Access Pass. It's more than worth it!
Also, for you moms, I'll be looking over the summit and sharing my favorites with you over in my Facebook Group, Lavender & Coffee. I'd love for you to join in on our discussions!
It's time to Get Organized!!
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Whether you homeschool or send your kids to public school, this time of year is the time of year that we tend to focus on staying healthy for the upcoming winter months. When my kids were in public school, I didn't let them leave the house before rubbing Thieves Essential Oil on the bottoms of their feet. And guess what? If they did get sick at all, it was very mild and only lasted about a day. I was amazed! Obviously you have to do more than just rub an essential oil on the bottoms of your feet. It also includes having a generally healthy lifestyle, eating healthy, and having a clean home (now I'm not talking about a 100% magazine picture perfect house...but clean, non-the-less).
Here are a few products I suggest to help keep your kids above the wellness line this season:
1. Thieves® Essential Oil Blend
- Benefits: This blend is excellent for supporting the immune system, especially during the school year when kids are exposed to various germs.
- Usage Tips: Diffuse it in the morning before school, apply it to the bottoms of their feet, or add it to a homemade hand sanitizer.
2. KidScents® MightyVites™
- Benefits: These chewable multivitamins are designed specifically for children, offering essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support overall wellness.
- Usage Tips: Include them in your child's morning routine to ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need.
3. KidScents® MightyZyme™
- Benefits: These chewable tablets support healthy digestion, which is important during the school year when diet changes can affect digestion.
- Usage Tips: Give these to your child before meals to help with digestion, especially if they have food sensitivities or are eating at school.
4. GeneYus™ Essential Oil Blend
- Benefits: Part of the KidScents® line, this blend supports focus and concentration, making it perfect for homework time or school projects.
- Usage Tips: Apply it to the back of the neck or diffuse it while kids are studying.
5. TummyGize™ Essential Oil Blend
- Benefits: Helps soothe tummy troubles that can arise during the school day.
- Usage Tips: Apply it to the abdomen to ease occasional discomfort.
6. SniffleEase™ Essential Oil Blend
- Benefits: This blend is great for respiratory support, helping to ease seasonal sniffles.
- Usage Tips: Diffuse it in your child's room at night or apply it to their chest.
7. Thieves® Waterless Hand Sanitizer
- Benefits: A convenient way to keep hands clean and free of germs throughout the day.
- Usage Tips: Pack it in their backpack for easy access after touching shared surfaces.
8. NingXia Red®
- Benefits: A powerful antioxidant drink that supports overall wellness, including energy levels and immune health.
- Usage Tips: Give your kids a small serving daily as part of their morning routine.
If you would like to take a closer look at these products, you can find them here. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. I'm always happy to help!
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In order to save time and money, I like to buy foods in bulk. One of the items I like to buy in bulk is rice. I usually get it from Sams in either a 25 or 50 pound bag. Before I go any further, let me state that I have not done the proper research to know exactly which rice is the healthiest and best for my family. For now, this is just a budget-friendly option that I choose.
As you can imagine, this large of a bag takes my family a few months to go through (we use a lot of rice!). I usually bag it into gallon size bags and freeze it until I'm ready to use it. This time I decided to use my air-tight sealer and some half-gallon jars I had on hand. I kept one jar open for use and sealed another 7 jars. I dated the top and will store these in my pantry.
Again, I haven't done a ton of research on this option. I have seen that you can just simply seal them without any oxygen absorbers. This should keep the bugs and pests out and also help it remain fresh. However, for super long-term storage (like 10+ years), I think I'd prefer to add the oxygen absorbers for that extra bit of preservation.
Here are the supplies I used (other than the rice):
Vacuum Sealer - this is just a generic link. My sealer is so old it is no longer available. It is a Black & Decker brand. Just be sure the sealer you use has an way to hook up an external hose for jar sealing.
Oxygen Absorbers (optional)
There really isn't much to it. Just fill the jars with a little bit of head space. Attach the hose to the sealer, put the lid onto the jar, place the sealer firmly on top, and hit the seal button. Once the seal is completed, I have found it best to disconnect the hose first, then remove the top (what fits over the lid) off of the jar. Otherwise, the top seems to want to undo the seal and take the lid with it. This doesn't happen every time, but when I remove the hose first, it almost never happens.
Then, just remember to store the jars in a cool, dark place.
This post is where I got my information for getting started. It states to either air-tight seal or use the oxygen absorbers. It also gives tips on proper storage.
Happy Storing!
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Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
As a busy homemaker, homesteading mom and wife, it can be hard to find time to "just be". Our days are filled with grocery shopping, housework, keeping things organized around the home, keeping the schedule straight for the family, making meals from scratch...the list seems endless. So what can we, as moms, do when our days seem so overwhelming and we just have a hard time functioning and keeping up?
First and foremost, start your day with God. This can be a prayer or meditation as you start your day. It may be a quite study time as you have your first cup of coffee. Whatever it is, always start your day with God.
Make a list of things that you need to get done. Prioritize your list and choose your top 3 that HAVE to be done. This helps clear your mind and free some space to help you manage your day.
But what if you have done these things and you still feel overwhelmed? That's when I like to do a quick little mind reset using the Aroma Reset. It's a branch of the Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT) that is super quick and very beneficial. I keep a roller bottle with the Memory Release Blend of oils in it, ready to use at a moments notice. When I feel overwhelmed or super stressed out, I grab the bottle and roll it on my wrists and the back of my neck. I take a moment to breath it in and relax. Seriously, it only takes about 60 seconds and my brain resets and I am able to better accomplish the task at hand.
Need to know more about this quick reset? I offer a 30-minute one-on-one coaching call where I not only walk you through this reset, I also walk you through an extended version (also super quick to use!) so that you have the tools you need to do these techniques throughout your day as needed. This session also includes a sample of the memory release blend that you can carry along with you and use as needed.
Trust me, your whole family will benefit from you taking a minute here and there throughout your day to reset your mind and let go of the stress and overwhelm.
If you want to know more about the Aroma Freedom Technique and how it works, check out these related blog posts:
The Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT)
The Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT)
#deepbreath
#inhalepeace
#exhaledoubt
#regainclarity
#inhalepeace
#exhaledoubt
#regainclarity
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
