The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{recording life} Currently…



time : 7:00 AM
watching : morning cartoons with the boys 
reading : almost finished with Just Start and then I plan on starting Those Who Save Us
feeling : Gosh, where do I begin?  Crazy busy…overwhelmed…like life is simultaneously flying and dragging?  I’ll be able to share more details soon, but please know any prayers would be so appreciated!    
creating : to-do list after to-do list.  Between moving, starting our school year and preparing for a new baby’s arrival, my list never seems to grow any smaller.  And OCD confession: am I the only one who will re-write a to-do list after a bunch of items have been crossed off?  I like my list nice and neat…ha!  
thinking : about the beginning of our school year.  I’ve finally set the “official” first day to the first week in August.  Now to take the boys on a special school supplies trip to Target 🙂  
hoping : that my one-hour glucose test (that I took for the second time this pregnancy) will come back in a normal range, so I’m spared from taking the three-hour test again!  This has been a source of major stress for me.   
needing : free labor to come and work on our landscaping.  My Operation:Curb Appeal has been slow going with 100 degree temps and a huge pregnant belly.  I’ve still got lots of weeding and “prettifying” (why yes, that is a made up word!) to do, but not a lot of motivation to do it.   
wondering : how I’m going to “do it all”.  In my head, I know that something’s got to give and unfortunately that may be this blog for a little while.  I plan on popping in as frequently as I can, though, so keep checking back!  (If you’re interested, sign up to get posts in your e-mail or add me to your blog Reader!) I am so thankful for all of you readers and the friendships this blog has created for me.  You are the best!  

{link list} 7.25.12 Edition

Source: google.com via Ashley on Pinterest

1. Confession: I am a very hesitant mantel decorator.  (Oh what a first world problem.)  I’m always second guessing myself and getting frustrated to the point where I give up and just leave it alone!  Mantel decorating is a skill I want to conquer though, so I’m taking notes with this post: A Year of Mantels.

2. New dinner recipes to try: Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps and Easy Garlic Chicken.  Oh and this guacamole…I love guac this pregnancy!  And for dessert?  Paleo-friendly German Apple Pancakes!

3. My kids love a good joke, but I usually quickly run out of ones that they (1) understand or (2) think are funny.  This post on 30 Kid-Tested (and Kid-Approved!) Jokes is on my must-print list.  M and D aren’t going to recognize this hilarious Mamma!

4. I love the look of these burlap placemats framed in simple IKEA frames.  So cute and perfect for the kitchen!  That Emily A. Clark is so clever!  

5. With all of the focus on preparing for Kindergarten, I’ll admit that I really haven’t put much thought into preschool for the D-man.  Oops!  So when Julie at Creekside Learning wrote Homeschool Goals for my New Preschooler, I actually cheered, ha!  So many good ideas there and I love how she’s broken them into goals…I’m definitely going to be printing out the list.

6. You must read the story behind the bakery, Mama Mead’s….so interesting, right?  I’m really curious to try some of her sweets – can gluten-free really be so delicious?  My top picks: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sea Salted Dulche de Leche Brownies, and Mama Os.    

7. Did you catch this cool Placemat Clutch DIY on Camille’s blog?  LOVE the idea and can you imagine the different possibilities??

8. I can’t believe a whole year has passed since I mailed in my Box Tops to Joplin!  I’ve kept an envelope in the kitchen and add as I come across them.  It’s a painless, easy way to really give back.  I plan on sending out my latest batch this week…if interested, you can find more information on their Facebook page.    

{wishlist} Vintage Finds for the Nursery from Beatrice in Blue

I love antiques.  LOVE.  From a design perspective, I love the look of aging and the wear.  But what I think I love most is imagining the story behind each piece.  Was this bowl a wedding present for a young bride, eager to begin life with her beloved?  Was this framed piece of art purchased to go in a living room or maybe the bedroom?  How long did it take  to sew this quilt completely by hand?     

I really would like to include more pieces like this in our baby girl’s nursery.  Decorating has come to a stand-still with all of the moving preparations lately, but I’m still dreaming and scheming behind the scenes! 🙂

I recently came across the etsy shop, Beatrice in Blue, and fell in love with a bunch of her items!  Check out a few of my favorites:
I. I am totally in love with this little teddy bear serving set!  Can’t you imagine some sweet baby eating her first meals with it?  While it’s not recommended for my Little Miss to use, I can picture it on display on a shelf in her nursery.

2. This pink and white chenille bedspread reminds me of my Gram’s house.  I love the subtle detailing and the distinctly feminine touch.  $56 for a full-sized bedspread with so much history?  What a deal.

3. Look at that little girl saying her prayers!  I can picture her in a vignette (similar to the way it’s styled above) on a tall dresser/bookcase or even on the wall as part of a big collage.

4.  This wooden divider box is so versatile and I can think of a million ways to use it!  For the nursery, I would use it next to the changing table to hold diaper rash creme, lotion and baby powder.    

{learning} Our Homeschooling Plans: Kindergarten 2012-2013

The beginning of our first “official” homeschooling year is just about to begin!  This may be a boring post for some of you, but I always enjoy taking a peek at other families’ school plans…maybe you do too?  Homeschooling is the best choice for our son this year, but we plan on taking each year as it comes.  I look forward to seeing us both grow and learn as we embark on this adventure together!   

Religion
On Monday and Friday, we will read a story from an Illustrated Children’s Bible (similar to this).  Then I plan on using these free Draw & Journal Printable sheets to have M narrate and draw what we read.  The plan is that by the end of the year, he will have his own illustrated Bible storybook!  On Tuesday and Wednesday, we’ll be working from Who Am I? Religion Series with lots of discussion and crafts.  Thursday will be an easy day with a read-aloud from Once Upon a Time Saints while the boys listen and work on a coloring page.   


Phonics
I was really hesitant to shell out the cash, but with such amazing reviews, I knew I had to take the chance.  We are really excited to start reading using the Sing, Spell, Read and Write: Level 1 curriculum.  

Math
I am using the free lesson plan site, Lesson Pathways, as a guideline for this year’s math program.  I love how this blogger incorporates the BUILD system and I plan on doing something similar.  We’ll be using a lot of living math elements: games, math literature, and hands-on manipulatives.  I know he’s going to love it!

Literature 
After such a wonderful PreK year using Five in a Row, we are going to continue with something similar, only with my own spin.  I have chosen a year’s worth of books with an “Around the USA” theme.  Some books come from the FIAR curriculum, some do not.  Each week, we’ll study a new state and while we won’t get to all 50, I’m hoping to give him a pretty good introduction to the wonderful country we live in.  This is also where we will incorporate geography, art projects and science experiments too.  

Art
Lastly, my boys love art, so I knew a “formal” art curriculum was something I may want to look into.  When I found the Home Art Studio Kindergarten program, I knew it was perfect!  The boys are chomping at the bit to dig into all of the new art supplies!

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