For Women
The Six Month Purge
I have been reading books about the Thomas Jefferson education. They are really interesting reads if you are interested in homeschooling. Oliver and Rachel DeMille are founders of this educational philosophy based on how the great thinkers and our Founding Fathers were educated. They co-author the books. I have read two of the three main books discussing what a Thomas... »
A Longer Donation
I was so proud of my daughter last week. Kyla decided to donate her hair to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program. I made that same decision last month. Kyla has not had any real haircuts her entire life. She loves her long, blonde hair. It grows very thick and slightly wavy. When brushed straight, it came to the small of her... »
Alternative to Perfume
I may have a soft spot for chocolate, but when it comes to scents that I like vanilla wins by a landslide. I never have been a heavy perfume wearer. I remember one time when I was in 9th grade. I got dressed to go to my mom's one woman art show at a fancy gallery in Houston. I was all... »
A Long Donation
I have always wanted to donate hair to an organization that makes wigs for women and/or children. My hair is straight as a board. It is healthy. And, it grows well. I have had long hair all of my life. Sometimes it is long and sometimes it is super-long. It was super-long up until yesterday. Before I donated my hair, I... »
Love Languages
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Every year I have mixed emotions about this holiday. It is such a commercialized racket. Card companies, florists, and chocolatiers rake in the money. Public schools and office buildings turn into temporary florist shops as people send one another flowers. Now, I am not against flowers, cards, and/or candy. I am not against romantic evenings... »
Dryer Balls
One of the most thoughtful gifts I received for Christmas was from my son, Jake. He decided to use some of his own money he earned from working for my father to go shopping for a few people on his Christmas list. I happened to be on his list. Early one morning he happened to see part of an infomercial on... »
Don’t Be Scared; Be Prepared
One of my personal flaws is that I under-react. When Hurricane Rita was heading our way a couple of years ago, I was not prepared at all. Luckily, we only got a little taste of a storm. When Hurricane Ike was rolling toward us like a freight train, I begrudgingly went out to the store and tried to purchase a... »
Mountain-Climber or Valley-Dweller?
I have mentioned before that I attended the Texas Home School Coalition's Annual Conference. I listened to many dynamic speakers. One of which was Sally Clarkson. I literally laughed so hard at one of her stories that I cried. Not only is she a great storyteller and dynamic speaker, but she is able to really speak to your heart. I... »
The Need for Mother Culture
Presented with an opportunity to change the look of my bedroom, I am seizing the moment to create a space for my husband and myself only. For years our room has been wall to wall furniture, including a crib, changing table, desk, etc. We moved our son, Isaac, out of our room... »
Be-YOU-tiful
I really like the company Beeyoutiful. It is an online company that sells natural products, vitamins, essential oils, etc. Inspired by their name, I wrote an article, but I slightly changed the spelling to fit my purpose. They printed it in their latest catalog. It is not up on their website so I have chosen to post it below. I... »
No Shampoo? No Worries
In my search to find household products without formaldehyde in them, I ran across several websites that discouraged the use of shampoo. One only wanted people to use water to clean their hair. I have to say that I was not quite comfortable trying this water-only method. Several used baking soda and vinegar in many different ways. Regardless of the... »
Mother’s Day Video
In honor of Mother's Day, I thought that I would leave this video in case you have not already seen it. It is inspiring to see the love and care that mothers of all kinds are capable of providing. This video showcases some truly extraordinary mothers when you would least expect it. I want to personally say "Happy Mother's Day!" to... »
Enjoy Your Surroundings
As a homesteading family of seven who owns one acre in the country, we have to be practical about the use of our limited space. After living here for almost a decade, I finally splurged some of my time and a little of our money and put in landscaping. We built beds at the front of our home with plants... »
My Year Without Make-up
About a year after I quit my job, I stopped wearing make-up when I was at home. Who wants mascara running down your face while weeding the rows in your garden? Not me. While at home in my work clothes and clean face, people would unexpectedly drop by for a visit. My initial reaction would be, “Oh, no, I look... »
