tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41447950125041142302024-03-04T13:23:06.748-07:00Old-Fashioned MotherhoodOld-Fashioned-Motherhood: Embracing the ideals of traditional homemaking and motherhood.Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.comBlogger307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-73541243319577505572020-02-05T14:39:00.001-07:002020-02-05T14:39:39.486-07:00LAST POST: You Are Still "In Process"<h3>
PREFACE:</h3>
<i>Dear OFM Readers,</i><div>
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<i>I am sure you have noticed that I have posted less and less as time has gone by, and maybe you have forgotten that I ever blogged on a regular basis.</i></div>
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<i>As happens to all of us, we have seasons of life that ebb and flow. My season on life where my focus was completely on my children and family has moved into something different. And while I miss those days, and <u>ache</u> for the time when my children filled my world, and I filled theirs, I also know that the path I am now on is inspired by the Lord, and is His new plan for my life.</i></div>
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<i>This past September, almost one year from the day my husband suffered a terrifying stroke (Don't worry-- he completely recovered!), I embarked on a terrifying and exciting journey of personal education by going back to college to earn a degree in Music Education with a Choral Emphasis. It has been extremely difficult and <b>busy</b>, but also hugely rewarding.</i></div>
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<i>Though I am gone to classes 5 days a week, I <b>do</b> still homeschool my children, but now they are more independent in their studies using the <a href="https://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/rc/homeschool-curriculum-excellence/" target="_blank">Robinson Curriculum.</a> We all miss spending so much time together, but I am also grateful that they have each other, that they have graduated older siblings at home to help them, and that their dad works remotely from home. So far, it is working well, and I am so grateful that they are still able to be home together.</i></div>
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<i>This last post is something I wrote recently to a sweet young mother who was feeling overwhelmed, and who was struggling to see the greater purpose in the day to day drudgery of life. My heart went out to her, and I realized that my work encouraging other mothers has come to an end, for now. But I wanted to share those final thoughts with all of you, dear readers, who have stuck with me through these nearly 13 years of my blogging here at Old-Fashioned Motherhood. I hope that this post, and the posts I have written over the years, will continue to bless and uplift other mothers who have a desire to give God their best efforts in mothering their own children.</i></div>
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<i>With so much love,</i></div>
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<i>Mama Rachel</i></div>
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Dear Overwhelmed Young Mother,<div>
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Sometimes we just need a change of perspective. </div>
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You ARE in the middle of getting an education— the most difficult education we can get in this life. </div>
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As a mom of 13 children who is coming out of the other side of the child bearing years (my oldest is 26, youngest is 5), I can tell you that it is a difficult season of life, but it doesn’t last as long as you think it will. </div>
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Is it exhausting? </div>
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Yes. </div>
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Those years of giving birth, nursing babies, changing diapers, and potty training blur together as I look back, and yet I miss it. I got good at it. I learned a TON! I became an expert on that phase of life, and then it all shifted and changed. The level of difficulty went up, but in a completely different way. </div>
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But it is ALL needed. </div>
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It is ALL part of God’s plan for His daughters who are called to be mothers. </div>
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<br /><br />I know you get tired of hearing things like “This too shall pass,” or “It goes by so fast!” </div>
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I know you feel like you are drowning. </div>
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I know that the daily tasks can become heavy drudgery some days. </div>
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I know that you don’t know who you are anymore. </div>
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But please consider that you are still in process. </div>
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YOU ARE STILL IN PROCESS. </div>
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God is forming you into the amazing Queen and fantastic woman He plans for you to become. </div>
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Motherhood is the refining process. You are existing in your melted form right now. The dross is separating from the pure silver. </div>
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It hurts. It’s uncomfortable. It looks bleak and never-ending. </div>
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But you are still in the flames. Your beautiful, shining, solid form is <i>coming</i>. </div>
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YOU, the real you, is coming soon. She is being formed RIGHT NOW. </div>
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Hold on, trust the Master, move through the fire. </div>
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You will be DAZZLED by who you become.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Mama Rachel</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-74196640915267518972019-10-18T15:25:00.001-07:002019-10-18T15:25:53.113-07:00"Be not conformed to this world"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my youngest "babies" being silly</td></tr>
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When my husband and I were married as a young couple back in 1992, we were committed to each other and to the covenants we made in the temple, but we did not fully understand the Lord’s plans for our family. The Proclamation on the Family had not yet been created, but I am grateful that we began our marriage with a firm conviction that parenthood was the most important work we could do in this life. We both had strong testimonies that “Children are an heritage of the Lord”, and we knew we were on the right path.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, we began to feel confusion about when we should bring our first child into the world when all of our friends-- who were active, faithful members of the Church-- greatly discouraged us from starting our family while at college. Yet the Spirit had begun prompting my husband and I to not prevent our children from coming in the first few months after our wedding. We were young, and began to wonder if those around us might know something we didn’t. Luckily, when we discussed our future family as a couple, we both knew that the promptings we were having were from the Lord. And so, we prepared to become parents and I became pregnant right away.<br />A few years later, after having one miscarriage, and then two small children immediately thereafter, President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” in General Conference, and we felt so grateful that we had followed the impressions of the Holy Ghost and had ignored our seemingly-sophisticated friends. As the early apostles told the followers of Christ in their day, we learned that we should “Be not conformed to this world” and that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God”. <br /><br />The important convictions we gained from the Lord’s reminders found in The Proclamation were vital to our family right after our first son (our second child) was born. My new baby was six weeks old, and I was driving to my postpartum appointment when I reflected on my nurse-midwife’s question regarding our plans for birth control. As I prayed to the Lord on that short drive, the Spirit impressed my mind strongly with the thought that the Lord needed to send another baby to our family very soon. This surprised me-- our baby was brand new! But the prompting was unmistakable, and we decided to once again put our family size in the Lord’s hands. (We had our third child, a boy, almost exactly thirteen months after our second child.)<br /><br />The passage on welcoming children into a family found in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” has resonated in our family again and again over our 27 years of marriage. <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.”</blockquote>
Becoming parents is an integral part of our Father in Heaven’s eternal plan for His children. We have been given a wonderful opportunity in this life to become more like Him by having and raising children. Elder L. Tom Perry expressed the importance of marriage and family this way:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“What the restored gospel brings to the discussion on marriage and family is so large and so relevant that it cannot be overstated: we make the subject eternal! We take the commitment and the sanctity of marriage to a greater level because of our belief and understanding that families go back to before this earth was and that they can go forward into eternity.”</blockquote>
I believe that welcoming children into our eternal families is one of the greatest blessings that the Lord can give us in this life. Elder D. Todd Christofferson emphasized the importance of establishing families in God’s plan:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“A family built on the marriage of a man and woman supplies the best setting for God’s plan to thrive—the setting for the birth of children, who come in purity and innocence from God, and the environment for the learning and preparation they will need for a successful mortal life and eternal life in the world to come.”</blockquote>
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“For [God’s] work to succeed to ‘[exalt us] with himself,’ God ordained that men and women should marry and give birth to children, thereby creating, in partnership with God, the physical bodies that are key to the test of mortality and essential to eternal glory with Him.”</blockquote>
Our advice to our children as they have grown up and started families of their own, is for them to follow the principles and doctrines found in The Proclamation on the Family: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.” </blockquote>
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“The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”</blockquote>
Our adult children have sometimes voiced their concerns about the difficulties of bringing children into our troubled world today. My husband and I have done our best to encourage them and remind them of the blessings we receive from following the Lord’s plans for our lives. <br /><br />President Hinckley’s encouraging words are a reminder for us all:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I see a wonderful future in a very uncertain world. If we will cling to our values, if we will build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we will simply live the gospel we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful way. We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness.”</blockquote>
We are so grateful to have been blessed with thirteen children in our family. We acknowledge that not every family should be as large as ours, and we firmly believe that family size and timing is between couples and the Lord. But we have also learned firsthand that the Lord will qualify those He calls to be parents. We can trust in the promptings we receive! Our Father in Heaven will always bless us for following His plans for our lives.<br /><br /><br />With love,<br />Mama Rachel<div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">References Used</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romans 12:2 “Be not conformed to this world”</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 3:19 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God”</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Psalms 127:3 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212225; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Children are an heritage of the Lord”</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proclamation: </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212225; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proclamation:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk: </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1995/10/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” President Gordon B. Hinckley</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk: </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-plan-and-the-proclamation?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Plan and the Proclamation” President Dallin H. Oaks</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk: </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/why-marriage-why-family?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why Marriage, Why Family” Elder Todd D. Christofferson</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk: </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1997/10/look-to-the-future?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Look to the Future”</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Gordon B. Hinckley</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/why-marriage-and-family-matter-everywhere-in-the-world?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why Marriage and Family Matter-- Everywhere in the World” L. Tom Perry</span></a></div>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-69898933225720839122019-01-31T13:23:00.002-07:002019-02-11T17:11:05.626-07:00"Come, Follow Me": Implementing the New Scripture Study Program in Our Home<span id="docs-internal-guid-17dbbff3-7fff-3d1e-bd2b-a1d3a1d49f28"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-17dbbff3-7fff-3d1e-bd2b-a1d3a1d49f28"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/come-follow-me?cid=HP16CFM&lang=eng" target="_blank">the Church’s “Come, Follow Me” program</a> was announced, many homeschooling mothers rejoiced, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Hooray for free curriculum!)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but some women-- homeschooling or otherwise-- felt overwhelmed at the idea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honestly, I fell somewhere in the middle. I was excited and felt the Holy Spirit witness that the program is divinely inspired, but I had concerns about how I was going to add something new to our family study time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have pondered a few initial questions I had, and found some wonderful answers from many of our Church’s leaders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why do we need to study the scriptures even more than we already do?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The simple answer is that we live in more difficult, complex times than any generation before us! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/church/news/2019-come-follow-me-curriculum-will-fortify-primary-children-general-leaders-say?lang=eng&_r=1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a recent interview with the Church News</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sister Joy D. Jones</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Our children will be strengthened at a time when they need it most, when they are being bombarded by the darts of the adversary. This will suit them in their protective armor every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“There is remarkable faith and strength in today’s children. You can see their light and courage in their actions and examples. I pray for the children and for their families to be happy. I am so grateful for the love of our Savior and Father in Heaven for each of us.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her counselor,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sister Harkness </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">added: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Children are facing increasingly difficult challenges at younger and younger ages. This new curriculum will fortify families and children as they study the scriptures together and learn how to apply them as they serve and love each other.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does a home-centered, Church-supported curriculum look like? And how do we implement it in our homes?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #1</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Jump in and try it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just as with our homeschooling, every family can and should implement the new program differently. The beautiful part about how the lessons are structured is that we are given several things we can cover, but ultimately, we should seek the counsel of the Holy Ghost on how to teach the given scriptures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For us, we have found that diving right into the scriptures has most easily brought the Spirit into our lessons. Our children are used to reading rich, beautiful, inspiring words, but even for families who do not usually read together, the scriptures are the best examples parents can have of living books! We take turns reading different verses, and then we discuss them using the questions provided, or we ask the questions that come to our minds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The practice my kids have had doing narration has really prepared us for using the “Come, Follow Me” program. Our children know how to listen, and are not shy to answer questions or retell the stories we have been reading in their own words. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #2</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Let the children help teach!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the article mentioned above, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sister Joy D. Jones also said: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Children are very sensitive to the Spirit, and they will be a strength to their families in this wonderful revelation process. We hope our children will share their voices, ask questions and give their thoughts about what they are reading and what they are feeling. In doing so, we know they will be an influence for good in their families. Their little voices will have such an impact.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our home, our younger children especially love being assigned to teach! </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Teenagers are another matter, but we keep presenting them with the opportunity...) </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Church has so many wonderful resources that can help, such as The Friend and New Era magazines, not to mention the multitude of resources like coloring pages, videos, stories, and images that can be found for </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">free</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on</span><a href="https://www.lds.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> lds.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many other programs out there that women have created to supplement the “Come, Follow Me” lessons, but with all the other Church materials we have access to online, I have not found any supplements necessary for our family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #3</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Prepare myself to teach the lesson.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This wonderful new program makes it super easy for us to simply open up the book and begin teaching, which works great, but I find that our lessons are much more spirit-filled and impactful if I have studied them beforehand. We cannot rush the Spirit, and there may be promptings we will miss if we come to the lessons unprepared. I love that these inspired lessons work well for group learning AND for personal scripture study.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #4</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pray to know the needs of your family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we homeschooling mothers know, no two children learn in exactly the same way. Hopefully, we have some ideas about the struggles our children are facing. We can receive precious inspiration that can truly help them during our sincere study and discussions using the “Come, Follow Me” program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some of our best inspiration can be found in the quiet, reverent rooms of the Lord’s house. We can attend the temple</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with questions on our minds and more easily find the answers we are seeking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The important thing is that we should involve the Lord in our lesson preparation. He knows what you need to teach and it is essential that we are as receptive to the influence of the spirit as we can be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parents love their children more than anyone else, with the exception of the Lord. Working together with the Holy Spirit to teach these sacred truths will give our children the spiritual armor they need to battle the attacks that the adversary is waging in these turbulent times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #5</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Use Music</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sister Harkness </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the Primary General Presidency suggested: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sing with your children! Primary music has the ability to plant the seeds of doctrine deep into the hearts of your children. Talk about the gospel as you sing — it will help them apply gospel principles to real world experiences. Look for the songs suggested in the ‘Come, Follow Me’ lessons. Have fun singing them as a family during the week. These songs will provide strength and protection for them as they grow. Your children will remember the gospel truths you sang about as you studied the scriptures together.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music is a very important teaching tool in our home, and I have found that nothing brings the Holy Spirit into learning more quickly than a sacred hymn or Primary song.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Answer #6</u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Teach Doctrine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Boyd K. Packer</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> once said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “True doctrine understood changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will change behavior quicker than the study of behavior will change behavior.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The “Come, Follow Me” curriculum teaches us and our children in a powerful way. I love that we are not just learning abstract principles, but that we are diving into the scriptures to find the basic, pure doctrine. We are being given the opportunity to learn at the feet of the Master Himself as we study His life and His teachings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So how do we keep going, even through the difficult times?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elder Steven R. Bangerter </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the Quorum of the Seventy said: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Every parent faces moments of frustration and varying levels of determination and strength while raising children. However, when parents exercise faith by teaching children candidly, lovingly and doing all they can to help them along the way, they receive greater hope that the seeds being sown will take root within the hearts and minds of their children."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord knows that we are not going to be perfect teachers, but He can send His Spirit to make up for our weaknesses. All He asks is that we keep doing our best to implement His teachings that we receive through His holy prophets. This program is great practice for us to do just that.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love what the inspiring speaker </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hank Smith </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has said: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Strive for improvement, not perfection. … There is a difference between the ideal and real... but we have to deal with the real… There will be wonderful moments when the real becomes the ideal, but don’t stress out when you have to deal with the real most days.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a sincere testimony that the “Come, Follow Me” program is inspired of the Lord. He will not leave us to implement it alone-- He will help us every step of the way, if only we ask for His help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With love,</span></div>
Mama Rachel</span>Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-7428037760046298602018-08-09T08:50:00.001-07:002019-02-11T16:09:50.854-07:00How We Transitioned from Unschooling to Structured Homeschooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Now and then I enjoy participating in some homeschooling Facebook groups. Yesterday I was asked a question about our family's transition from unschooling to structured homeschooling. I thought I would share my response here, since some of my readers might be interested in how we changed our homeschool six years ago.</i><br />
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<h3>
Question:</h3>
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How did you transition [from unschooling to a structured homeschool] and do you feel like your kids are thriving? Do you feel like they still love learning?</blockquote>
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<h3>
My Answer:</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Looking back, it happened gradually. First we added a set time where we gathered together for a short learning time. We held a Charlotte Mason-type meeting where we did copy-work, worked on memorizing a short scripture, listened to a scripture story while doing some crafts or coloring, sang a song together, read something about the subject of the day (history, art study, music study, geography, or Shakespeare), and then I read aloud from a classic novel. The short lessons that Charlotte mason espoused REALLY helped us, and I tried to keep it light and fun.<br />
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My kids LOVED it, and my older kids watching me told me that they wished I had done homeschool with them life that. I was SHOCKED, to say the least! I thought they loved being in charge of what they studied, but they made it clear that they wished they had had more guidance during their homeschool years. As they became adults, their self-esteem plummeted when they discovered all that they had never learned. That helped me keep going and working hard to TEACH the kids still at home.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
After a short time, we added an online math program, and I learned how to keep transcripts. We are still not yet strong in science, but so far we have made a good start with Nature Study (Botany!) and Astronomy. We plan to start some online science classes in the Fall. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My kids do still love learning, but they now feel more strongly about setting goals and feeling confident in what they know and are learning. My older kids (3 "graduated" as unschoolers, two graduated with more structure and completed transcripts) still tell me that they love how I homeschool now, as opposed to how things used to be.<br />
As a side note, my younger kids still have a more relaxed learning structure, but we are no longer unschoolers. They read a LOT, and do some writing and math every day. We watch science videos, and they do chores and science experiments. Then as they become teenagers, we add more academics and more structure. They take classes outside our home here and there. Their self-esteems are thriving because they KNOW where they stand academically.<br />
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Some may take the ACT/SAT and go to college, and some might not. But now they have OPTIONS, where my older kids feel they are "too dumb" to go to college. They are charting a different course, and I don't actually CARE if they go to college or not, but it makes me sad to know that they do not feel they are capable of thriving there, if they wanted to go.</blockquote>
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I feel a great deal of peace with how things have worked out, in the end. I have regrets, but my older kids hold no grudges. When we know better, we do better, right? We are moving forward and utilizing all the wonderful resources that are out there. </blockquote>
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I am happy to answer any questions my readers may have about our journey in homeschooling. I want to be open and honest about our failures as well as our successes because I am so grateful for all that I have learned through this process!<br />
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Below are some of our favorite resources that have helped us along our way.<br />
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<h4>
Favorite Resources:</h4>
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<ul>
<li>A great resource for LDS Charlotte Mason practitioners: <a href="https://www.ldscharlottemason.com/">https://www.ldscharlottemason.com/</a></li>
<li>Learn to make your own transcripts at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehomescholar.com%2F&h=AT0gL48vgXiFfOooBTHaoMEdL1GyijxGRtUs20Ctus9BcN2s9xnCJFp5-2tKFchzwX4gi3nBVAUdnliqQOpuU2ag0aoj0Ey5xeLiqsOyUma6KkIL7ki7WKy6wFpadat0lO0ZG7w">www.thehomescholar.com</a> </li>
<li>My kids' favorite math program to date: <a href="https://coloskys-math-academy.thinkific.com/">https://coloskys-math-academy.thinkific.com/</a></li>
<li>Another great online math program: <a href="http://www.ctcmath.com/">www.ctcmath.com</a></li>
<li>The LDS online school my kids will start taking some classes from this Fall: <a href="http://www.ensignpeakacademy.com/">www.ensignpeakacademy.com</a></li>
<li>A fantastic resource for free high school courses: <a href="https://allinonehighschool.com/">https://allinonehighschool.com/</a></li>
</ul>
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I wish you all the very <i>best</i> in your family's homeschool journey!</div>
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Love,</div>
<div>
Mama Rachel</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-11401850867830268122018-07-20T18:34:00.000-07:002018-07-20T18:34:01.520-07:00Wisdom in Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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https://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/05/put-your-shoulder-to-the-wheel?lang=eng<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Whatever the mix of work, the hardest work you and I will ever do is to put off our selfishness. It is heavy lifting!</blockquote>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-13018342159323080882018-07-13T18:13:00.001-07:002019-05-30T17:10:20.286-07:00TEACH: 5 Reasons Why I Stopped "UNschooling"<div class="separator" id="ssnoshadow" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<b>PLEASE NOTE:</b><i> I recognize and acknowledge that this is could be a sensitive subject for some homeschoolers. It has taken me yearsto come out and openly discuss my personal experiences, but after seeing far too many brand-new homeschooling mothers receive the advice to unschool from fairly novice homeschooling moms, I realized that my silence could lead others to the same paths of heartbreak and confusion I experienced.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Of course, there </i>are<i> some mothers who feel fine about their unschooling experiences, and that is great, but in my personal experience and in the experience of many other homeschooling mothers I have known over the course of 18+ years, most unschoolers end up sending their children to public or charter high schools when they approach their teen years.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>If there are unschooling mothers with a different experience than mine, I welcome your comments <u><b>after you have read this entire post</b></u>. <b>Please keep all comments and discussion civil and polite-- rude comments will not be approved.</b> I honestly look forward to hearing your perspective!</i><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
How I Am Defining "Unschooling":</h2>
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In writing this blog post, I have talked with a number of people privately and online about their personal experiences with unschooling. One of the things I found was that I need to identify precisely what I am defining as "unschooling." </div>
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<b>Here are the beliefs of unschooling with which I am taking issue:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Curriculum is unnecessary, unneeded, and un-wanted. (Hence, UNschooling.)</li>
<li>Parents planning daily subjects and lessons is frowned upon-- the child should lead all the learning.</li>
<li>Children should <b>not</b> be required to fulfill assignments given by the parents.</li>
<li>Children should be able to study whatever they want to study, whenever they want to study it. </li>
<li>Children should not be pushed or challenged academically because it stifles their creativity and/or free spirits.</li>
<li>Parents are facilitators of learning, creating a learning atmosphere rather than teaching daily lessons.</li>
<li>When a child is ready to study and learn, they will take the initiative on their own. The parent just needs to make sure they have lots of time to study the things they want to study.</li>
<li>When a child is struggling with math or reading, don't worry about it. They will eventually figure it all out, and they can catch up later in a relatively short period of time.</li>
<li>Simply living life teaches a child all they will need to know to be successful.</li>
</ul>
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Before unschoolers stop reading here and protest that I don't know anything about the subject, I would like to share my own personal experiences with our <b>12 years</b> of unschooling.</div>
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<h2>
Our Family's Unschooling Experience</h2>
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The bulleted list above accurately describes how I homeschooled my children for the first twelve years of our eighteen year homeschool journey. I believed with all my heart that I did not need to teach my children reading writing, or math. I was sure that they would figure those things out as they needed them, just through their life experiences.</div>
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I got rid of boxes of curricula, and got busy and active in my homeschool community. I spoke at events all about how to successfully unschool, and I counseled many other homeschooling mothers on unschooling, and all its benefits.</div>
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I was ALL IN.</div>
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And then, my children started to grow into teenagers. And the hoped for results did NOT happen. Not only that, but because my children had never answered to anyone else but their own authority, they became nearly <u>unTeachable</u>! They would not accept assignments from outside mentors. They only studied the subjects that they liked-- which was usually just personal entertainment. </div>
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This personal entertainment was not video games-- those could only be played for half an hour on Saturdays. It was not television shows-- we did not own a television. It was not the internet or social media, as their time there was extremely limited by our family rules.</div>
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They were busy, but they were stuck in a rut of favorite things to do, and were happy to avoid going beyond those things they already knew. They were reading, but they read the same entertaining series of books over and over again.</div>
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They were bright, happy, and content, but they were not progressing, challenging themselves, or thinking on anyone or anything outside of their own desires. They were growing into adults physically, but academically and intellectually they felt they already knew it all, and they did not see any reason for their handwriting to improve, or for math facts to be learned (beyond baking-- they knew basic fractions, because baking was math, right?).</div>
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My oldest children were getting to the age of adulthood and they were <b>vastly</b> unprepared for their futures. The promises of unschooling that I had embraced and taught were not yielding the fruit that I had envisioned. </div>
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<b>And I had no one to blame but myself.</b></div>
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<h2>
Five Reasons Why I Stopped Unschooling:</h2>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"...seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith; Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i>{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/109.7?lang=eng#6" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 109:7-8</a>}</i></blockquote>
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Now that I have told you a little about my personal experiences with my own children, I'd like to identify the "fruit" that I have found unschooling can bear. Of course, all of the five points I will address grow from my personal experiences. I am sure there may be some successful unschooling families out there. </div>
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Having said that, I will also share below the experiences of several OTHER families who experimented with unschooling in their own families, and found similar results to my own.</div>
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<h3>
1. Unschooling Promotes Selfishness</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
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<i>"Do not let the children pass a day without distinct efforts, </i><i>intellectual, moral, volitional; let them brace themselves to understand, let them compel themselves to do and to bear; and let them do what is right at the sacrifices of ease and pleasure."</i></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>{Charlotte Mason}</i></blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
When a child can do whatever they want to do, whenever they want to do it, they begin to feel the world revolves around them and their interests and whims. Their focus becomes more and more upon themselves. After all, when the adults in their lives ask them what THEY want to do, what THEY want to learn, the message sent is that their desires are the "right ones." They are the highest authority on where their efforts should be, and it's all about THEM.</div>
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2. Unschooling Creates Bad Habits</h3>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"The home is the cradle of virtue, the place where character is formed </span></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">and habits are established." </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">{President Gordon B. Hinkley}</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When a child decides their own schedules, there is usually no consistency to their daily habits. If they rely solely upon their personal wishes, they do not see the need to overcome their "natural man" tendencies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Even if an unschooling mother insists upon morning routines and personal care habits, there are learning habits that are necessary according to natural law-- the <a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2015/11/law-of-harvest.html">law of the harvest</a>. Some of these learning habits include handwriting and math practice. If those subjects are not practiced every day, development in those areas of study is stifled and frustrated.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Even though I was an experienced a musician, it took me those twelve years to recognize that just as growth in musical abilities comes little by little through daily practice, so too does handwriting and mathematics.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Practice is what makes progress.</span></span><br />
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3.<span style="font-size: normal;"> </span>Unschooling Breeds Pride<br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/93?lang=eng" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 93:42</a>}</blockquote>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As I said in my story above, youth who are never taught or had academic efforts required of them have difficulty submitting to a teacher or mentor when the time comes for them to venture out and receive instruction.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> They literally become unteachable, prideful, and presumptuous. But their pride is actually hollow, because they really don't know all that they DON'T KNOW! They assume their own intellect is above others, since they are the absolute expert on themselves.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> How can any instructor guide or teach a pompous know-it-all? They simply can't! The knowledge the child could have received falls on deaf ears and hard hearts.</span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">4.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span>Unschooling Limits Future Choices</h3>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"There can be no doubt, none whatever, that education pays. Do not short-circuit your lives. If you do so, you will pay for it over and over and over again."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
{<a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-17-continue-in-the-great-process-of-learning?lang=eng" target="_blank">President Gordon B. Hinckley</a>}</blockquote>
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I now have four homeschool "graduates." The older three who were almost exclusively unschooled are getting along in life relatively well. But their choices for their futures were severely limited. College has not been an option for them, with the exception of one of those children, who is attending a tiny liberal arts college that has a very alternative approach to usual upper education. <br />
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I am grateful my daughter is there-- it is just what she needed. But it was also her only choice. She has a lot of gaps in her knowledge, and would not be able to take or pass college entrance exams.</div>
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My other graduates are doing fine, though none of them could pass college entrance exams, either. Two of them say they have no desire to attend college, which is fine, but I know that one of them insists that "I'd never get into college, anyway."</div>
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Whether we like the rules our society has set for college entrance is really immaterial, in the end. If we want what college has to offer, we do have to meet their requirements. And trying to cram for the ACT or SAT tests without already having the basic foundations of literacy, math, and science with not give us the results we hope for our children. It takes years of planning and effort to prepare for a university education. And that will require the knowledge and help of parents.<br />
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5. Unschooling Destroys Confidence</h2>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life <i>through his diligence</i> and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/130.19?lang=eng#18" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 130:19</a>} </blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"...if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/38.30?lang=eng#29" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 38:30</a>}</blockquote>
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In talking with several former (and current) unschoolers, there is a common thread: the despondency a child feels when they recognize that their peers have learned things the unschooled child has never studied.</div>
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This happened to my children several times. One experience we used to joke about, which now breaks my heart, goes something like this: </div>
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My son was in his little Sunday School class at church, around the age of 8 years old, and the teacher asked him to read a passage of scripture. He frankly told her "I can't read. I'm homeschooled!" </div>
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On a later occasion, this same boy came home from scouts very discouraged. He was crestfallen to discover that all his friends knew the multiplication tables, and he had no idea what they were talking about. They had all laughed at him, and told him that he wasn't learning anything in his homeschool. Since that day, this child has never had confidence in math. even when I tried to teach him, he always ended the conversation saying that he just wasn't good at math, and would never learn it. That breaks my heart to hear that from my intelligent, now-grown son!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
The Experiences of Other Former Unschoolers</h2>
<div>
<br />
In order to share more than just my own failed unschooling experiment, I asked several friends and complete strangers to share their experiences with me and my readers. These were their responses:</div>
<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>From a mom of Special Needs children:</b></h4>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I will say that I firmly believe in seasons of life and that unschooling was a necessary blessing/(curse) for our family. (A blessing because it was something We COULD do in the midst if the chaos of having a severely mentally ill child threatening our lives every day.....and it was a curse because I feel like I relied on it a little too long and now we are playing catch up.) </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We still believe in passion led learning, but with how chaotic our life had become with all we dealt with literally trying to keep everyone alive every day...we needed more structure. Special needs kids require more structure anyway. I spent some time feeling like a failure when I couldn't get those 2 needs (passion led learning...and the need for structure) to line up and be successful. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>So...now we use some workbook based curriculums to provide a framework...but we also follow "sparks" that those curriculums inspire, and are hopefully getting the best of both worlds.</i></blockquote>
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<b><br /></b></h4>
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<b>From a mom of a struggling reader:</b></h4>
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<i>I tried unschooling when my son was young. He really struggled with reading and every unschooler I knew told me he'd learn when he's ready, or boys don't click with reading until after 9 or 10. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>It weighed on my heart and his confidence in himself was crumbling. I decided to try a systematic reading curriculum and it became painfully clear that he had severe tracking issues. The Spirit led me to vision therapy. He's just finishing up a 16 week course of treatment and finally reading!!!</i></blockquote>
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<h4>
<b>From a now-homeschooling former-public school teacher:</b></h4>
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<i>I haven’t used [unschooling] with own children but as a public school teacher, I received children who were the ultimate at un-schooled level because they had no language...At age 5,6,7, or 8 years of age with no language. I could see it working with some personality types. But I can’t see it working for everyone.</i></blockquote>
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<b>From a mother who found a happy balance:</b></h4>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>When we started homeschooling 9 years ago, we basically did public school at home. I am a planner and like my life to fit in nice little boxes, so this worked perfectly for me. This pretty much worked for us until my oldest was in 4th grade.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>That year I had everything laid out, a schedule all made up, and we started school. Barely a week into school, my 4th grader wanted to practice her piano, but it wasn't her "scheduled" time. I told her no, and to go do whatever subject she was "supposed" to be doing. She had a complete meltdown, and for the first time ever asked if she could just go to school.</i></blockquote>
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<i>This was a huge wake up call for me. While I loved the rigid structure, my child was dying inside. We threw the whole plan out the window and my kids unschooled while I tried to find my bearings and find what would work for all of us. I WANTED [unschooling] to work for us. I WANTED to see the love of learning, the curiosity, the love of reading..... but frankly it just didn't happen. My kids used it as an excuse to do absolutely nothing. I was more than frustrated because I felt there were things that needed to be done and taught that just weren't getting done. This went on for probably 18 months to 2 years before I put my foot down.<br />
<br />
We met in the middle. I got the structure I needed, while my kids got the freedom they craved. Now, we have certain subjects that are mandatory until they hit a certain level of mastery, but they are also free to choose a few things for themselves as well as the ORDER they go in each day. I feel that everyone is happier now. I feel balanced because there is some structure, but my kids are happy with the freedom they have within the structure.</i></blockquote>
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<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>From a mom who stopped homeschooling as a result of her unschooling experience:</b></h4>
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<i>I have my kids in public school now after ten years of homeschool, mostly using [unschooling]. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>My experience was mostly good but I so wish that all the experienced moms would not have told me "It's okay for your boys not to do math, just wait till they are ready." And "Oh, don't worry about the writing. All boys hate writing. They will write when they are ready."</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Well I think sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. That's life! I took their advice to heart, and I hate math so it was another excuse not to do it. I now have a 14 year old that feels so bad about himself because he can't write or do math. The teachers make him feel so bad about it, saying, "You should have learned this or that a long time ago."</i></blockquote>
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<i>I look back and almost wish I never would have homeschooled. I think he might be dyslexic and so I feel like they would have caught that. I'm having a lot of guilt. </i></blockquote>
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<h2>
What We Do Now</h2>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/88?lang=eng" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants 88:78</a>} </blockquote>
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As a word of encouragement, rather than negativity, I can honestly say that our homeschool is now prospering! My children are no longer aimless and wandering in their educational efforts. They now have parental guidance and planning. My high school students have written transcripts with plans and outlines of the subjects they will study. We have daily lessons and schedules for academic subjects. We have assignments and accountability. We have structure and order.</div>
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My new homeschooling philosophy is to "lead, guide, and walk beside" my children. I have a firm belief that our Father in Heaven sent these precious children of His to be taught by my husband and I. I believe that they need instruction, challenges, praise, accomplishment, and to strive for excellence in everything they do.</div>
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I like a LOT of things about Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education, though I'm not a purist. I plan out our homeschooling for the coming week every weekend, and put it in a document I can look at while I teach. I hold my children accountable for the assignments I give them. I follow through and make any adjustments, as needed.</div>
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Some things that we have NOT changed about our homeschool:</div>
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<ul>
<li>I do not expect rigorous academic work from my younger children. But I DO require that everyone reads, writes, and does math exercises EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. (Monday through Friday)</li>
<li>I still read aloud to my children from the classics, or we listen to the classics on audiobooks.</li>
<li>I fill my home with beautiful works of art, music, and other things that create a learning atmosphere.</li>
<li>The kids follow some of their own interests, like art, music, engineering, computer programming, ballet, etc..</li>
<li>I sit down and pray about each child and what they need. I try to follow the inspiration I receive.</li>
</ul>
<div>
To read more about our homeschooling journey, and how we found the things that work for us, you can read some of my blog posts from 2015 (the year of our biggest homeschool changes) and more recently below:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2015/09/lead-me.html" target="_blank">Lead Me</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2015/09/guide-me.html" target="_blank">Guide Me</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2015/10/walk-beside-me.html" target="_blank">Walk Beside Me</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-day-in-our-homeschool.html" target="_blank">A Day in Our Homeschool</a></li>
<li><a href="http://leadguidewalkbesidehomeschool.blogspot.com/2016/05/planning-planning-planning.html" target="_blank">Planning, Planning, Planning</a></li>
</ul>
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<h2>
One Last Word</h2>
</div>
<div>
As an answer to a question posted recently in a Facebook group for homeschooling moms, I wrote the words below. I want to share them with you, because I think they apply to ALL homeschooling mothers, whether they unschool or not:<br />
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Remember, you are running a HOME, not a school, no matter what [anyone] might say. The learning can fit beautifully into your day, with much less pressure than when you had to meet outside expectations from the school. BREATHE. Pray. Listen. Repeat. The Lord cares IMMENSELY about you and your children, and He sent them to your home to be in your care. Never forget that those are the ONLY credentials you will ever need! You’ve got this, mama!!!</i></blockquote>
<br />
<b>I wish ALL homeschooling families the very best in all their efforts!!!</b><br />
<br />
<h2>
With love, Mama Rachel </h2>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-82989510357434678332018-02-03T14:23:00.002-07:002018-02-03T14:23:59.185-07:00Charlotte Mason vs. Thomas Jefferson Education<span id="docs-internal-guid-eedca673-5d4b-d6f5-b402-8fd275b59df4"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4pRN7vxNCYmOOGSfLPETp5dj6YZqcko4yKfxkJMzz2qclFD8giWmIZ1TbZodZskhBHFzm9FUcHMr0YCCmCq_g1mj6_FNH2NE2btTOd5M3WGHkZcfgn4PGx28oGn-fgO6SyhB5sSYeAI/s1600/CM+vs+TJEd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4pRN7vxNCYmOOGSfLPETp5dj6YZqcko4yKfxkJMzz2qclFD8giWmIZ1TbZodZskhBHFzm9FUcHMr0YCCmCq_g1mj6_FNH2NE2btTOd5M3WGHkZcfgn4PGx28oGn-fgO6SyhB5sSYeAI/s640/CM+vs+TJEd.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*This post was originally published on January 25, 2018 at </span><a href="https://www.ldscharlottemason.com/the-charlotte-mason-method-vs-thomas-jefferson-education/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">LDSCharlotte Mason.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></i></div>
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"The home is the cradle of virtue, the place where character is formed</div>
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and habits are established." {President Gordon B. Hinkley}</div>
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<h2>
<span>My Homeschooling Background</span></h2>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ve been homeschooling since 1998, and for most of our homeschooling years (11 of those years, to be exact), I tried to follow the ideas found in the book “A Thomas Jefferson Education.” I attended every TJEd seminar and conference I could get to, and I eventually taught the principles at TJEd conferences and in my own community. I started and ran a state-wide TJEd group in my state, and solidly believed in the principles.<br /><br />That is not to say that I implemented the TJEd method perfectly in my home. Looking back, I am sure that I had formed some vast misunderstandings of how to “do” TJEd. I truly believed that my kids would beg to learn when they wanted to, and that they should be the ones to design their own learning, charting their own courses for their lives. <br /><br />I personally translated TJEd to be unschooling with classic novels strategically placed around my home, reading classics aloud, all while inspiring my kids to be leaders by watching me teach and lead other moms in my community. It all made perfect sense to me all through those years, until my oldest children started to leave home, which showed me where we succeeded, and also where we had floundered in my homeschooling. <br /><br /></span><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">"You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction."</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/93?lang=eng">Doctrine and Covenants 93:42</a>}</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />After some devastating educational and spiritual failures in our family, in the year 2013 I abandoned my unschooling ways, and turned to an intense study of Charlotte Mason. There I found all the high expectations and structure our children needed, and yet discovered that Miss Mason’s methodology maintained the beauty and inspiration I desired to expose my children to.<br /><br />I want to be frank about my failings as a TJEd homeschooler simply because I want you, as readers of this article, to understand why certain differences between TJEd and Charlotte Mason’s methods stand out so starkly for me in my own personal homeschooling journey. <br /><br /><b>I do not claim to be an expert in either TJEd nor in Charlotte Mason</b>. H<span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">owever, I </span></span></span><span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">am</span><span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a homeschooling mother of many who has used both methodologies with her children, and I feel privileged to share my personal experiences and insights with others.</span><br />
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<span>How Charlotte Mason and TJEd are Similar</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since there often seems to be some confusion among some homeschoolers about the differences between TJEd and Charlotte Mason, I’d like to begin by sharing the things the two methods have in common.</span></div>
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<ol>
<li>Students should read good, classic/living books and avoid boring textbooks.</li>
<li>The learning environment and atmosphere should be rich and inspiring.</li>
<li>Classical influences of great authors, artists, composers, music, such as Shakespeare and Plutarch are shared and embraced.</li>
<li>Small children should not be pushed to perform academically at a young age.</li>
<li>Good habits and principles should be taught in the younger years, and throughout the life of the child.</li>
<li>Customized education is needed for individual children. (<span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Children are persons”</span><span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></li>
<li>Learning becomes more rigorous as the student grows.</li>
<li>Mother-Culture/Inspiring Parents are pivotal to learning success.</li>
</ol>
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<span>How Charlotte Mason Differs from TJEd</span></h2>
<ol>
<li>Charlotte Mason espouses structured, planned learning time vs. unstructured learning with lessons in specified areas of study, such as Art Study, Music Study, Geography, History, Nature Study, Poetry, and Shakespeare. TJEd students only study subjects that interest them, which will eventually help them in their life’s missions.</li>
<li>CM embraces the ideas of parental academic requirements, expectations, and assignments with follow-through for the work assigned.</li>
<li>Oral and/or written narrations are assigned in CM to be done by the students, versus the TJEd emphasis on casual book discussions being held as a group.</li>
<li>Habits and character training are more strongly emphasized in CM with the goal of establishing full attention and best efforts in the students. </li>
<li>In a Charlotte Mason homeschool, the learning is parent-led <i>(Spreading a Feast of Ideas)</i> as opposed to child-led, passion-driven learning.</li>
<li>Developing academic skills in handwriting, spelling, arithmetic, recitation, and memorization are expectations with continuous, gradual, incremental improvement, rather than the relaxed expectations on reading and math skills of TJEd practitioners <i>(“They’ll learn it eventually...”)</i>.</li>
<li>The goal in CM is to expose children to living thoughts and ideas <i>(“The question is not, -- how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education -- but how much does he care?” ~Charlotte Mason)</i>; TJEd emphasizes that youth have important “life missions” to perform, but this is a vague, undefined goal that will come to light later in their futures.</li>
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<span><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span>How Our CM Homeschool Compares to Our TJEd Homeschool</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to emphasize once again that I believe </span><span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I may have misinterpreted TJEd principles and ideals in my own homeschool</span><span style="color: #4b4f56; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But I DO know how my teaching in my home has changed since I switched to following the Charlotte Mason method.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using TJEd, our home environment was helpful and important. But looking back, I can now see that our environment of rich resources and lovely, living books </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was not enough</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I worked hard to set an example of personal study and a thirst for learning, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">but it was not enough</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What we needed was consistent, every day, regularly-scheduled home-schooling time with scheduled subjects of study and a plan to follow.</span></div>
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"Do not let the children pass a day without distinct efforts, intellectual, moral, volitional;</div>
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let them brace themselves to understand, let them compel themselves to do and to bear;</div>
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and let them do what is right at the sacrifices of ease and pleasure."</div>
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{Charlotte Mason}</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though we have made MANY changes since embracing the Charlotte Mason model, there are many things that have stayed the same in our homeschool. </span></div>
<br /><u>Some of those things are:</u><ul>
<li>We still read lots of good books together, and on our own.</li>
<li>We gather to discuss great ideas and great books and other great works.</li>
<li>We work hard to teach our children to recognize and develop good habits and virtue.</li>
<li>Each individual has personal interests they pursue, as part of, but also beyond, their academic studies.</li>
<li>We all work together to take care of our home, yard, and each other.</li>
<li>We are active in our homeschool group and within the homeschool community.</li>
<li>We try to keep our focus on God and family.</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The biggest changes in our homeschooling include</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
<ul>
<li>A greater focus on building good habits and communicating high expectations of the students to give their best efforts to their academic work.</li>
<li>Daily academic assignments are given to each child over the age of six years old.</li>
<li>Oral and Written narrations are now assigned for each book read and subject studied by our children.</li>
<li>Each child has a list of books assigned to them to read and to narrate.</li>
<li>Each day we have group lessons in the weekly subjects of History, Art study, Music study, Geography, Shakespeare, and Nature study.</li>
<li>Each child has daily assignments of math lessons.</li>
<li>I follow through with each child on the assignments that have been given, and keep a record of the work they have accomplished.</li>
</ul>
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<br /><br />"...seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith; Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"<br />{<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/109.7?lang=eng#6">Doctrine and Covenants 109:7-8</a>}</blockquote>
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Because of these changes, greater expectations and accountability have been established in our homeschool, we are learning that we all have to do difficult things we don't necessarily want to do-- and that's life! Everyone is also feeling a greater sense of accomplishment and progress in our educational efforts. </div>
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<br />As I ponder on how our homeschool has changed over these last few years, I can see how making well-thought out plans give us direction that was sorely missed in our unstructured studies. Rather than having too many choices to choose from, and an enigmatic goal of “a life’s mission,” my children now know what they need to do and when they need to do it. I customize their individual learning through the booklists I make for them, and the assignments I give them, as directed by the Holy Ghost through prayer. Instead of leaving my children to try to figure out what they needed to learn, and when they needed to learn it, they now have parental guidance and life experience to help them meet their futures with greater confidence. Each child can study and work with tangible goals in mind, rather than not knowing which direction they should turn next.</div>
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<br />I see Charlotte Mason’s methods as a beautiful roadmap that opens up a path of purposeful inspiration to parents that will help them guide their children. I love her reminder that parents are the divinely appointed teachers of their children, and that the Holy Ghost guides mothers and fathers to the resources and lessons that each child needs. The peace and order that has come to our family as a result will bless all our children in the many years of homeschooling that still lie ahead of us.<br /></div>
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Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
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<span><i>Great Articles on Charlotte Mason:</i></span></h3>
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<li><a href="http://simplehomeschool.net/7-characteristics-of-a-charlotte-mason-education/">http://simplehomeschool.net/7-characteristics-of-a-charlotte-mason-education/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://simplycharlottemason.com/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/">https://simplycharlottemason.com/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://charlottemasonhome.com/charlotte-mason-the-method/narration/narration-the-key-to-a-charlotte-mason-education/">https://charlottemasonhome.com/charlotte-mason-the-method/narration/narration-the-key-to-a-charlotte-mason-education/</a></li>
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<span><i>For More Information on TJEd: </i></span></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tjed.org/new-7-keys/">https://www.tjed.org/new-7-keys/</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tjed.org/about-tjed-learning/parents-mentors/">https://www.tjed.org/about-tjed-learning/parents-mentors/</a></li>
<li>h<a href="https://www.tjed.org/2011/06/homeschooling-excellence-phases-learning/">ttps://www.tjed.org/2011/06/homeschooling-excellence-phases-learning/</a></li>
</ul>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-62513978599861280762017-10-13T08:52:00.001-07:002017-10-13T08:52:50.392-07:00Heritage Recipe: Grandma's Busy Day Cake<span id="docs-internal-guid-b7ad3de2-a4ca-fd97-68a1-fd3f9f73e77c"></span><br />
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This recipe was one of the first I hand-copied out of my mother's recipe book when I was a young bride. I have made it many times over the years, and it always turns out beautifully!</div>
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You can read a bit more about my AMAZING, faithful, hard-working, inspiring <a href="http://blog.oldfashionedmotherhood.com/2014/03/women-of-god.html" target="_blank">Grandma Nielsen here</a>. She was reunited with my loving Grandpa Nielsen in heaven in August of 2014. I treasure every memory I have of her, and that is one reason why this recipe is such a special one. I can picture her busy in the kitchen, baking this cake for her eight children, and then for her multitude of grandchildren.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgps43D91qIawBslpH3EM81EFpJUU60poMNacZY2njkScnP6CEkg9MvY3diLjsvRvulwaYf_uIBSTV_dXHmIIs9w9UjizDh9o65Lsf8GFBng8dwOUPJgczckj4tNIsKuG_tAeXOfvrVLJo/s1600/IMG_4974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgps43D91qIawBslpH3EM81EFpJUU60poMNacZY2njkScnP6CEkg9MvY3diLjsvRvulwaYf_uIBSTV_dXHmIIs9w9UjizDh9o65Lsf8GFBng8dwOUPJgczckj4tNIsKuG_tAeXOfvrVLJo/s320/IMG_4974.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the words and artwork added by my son Lliam many years ago. He's now 21 years old.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kBRe8YllpYo0w6v28eEFGtJQLzlrakMUYC223H5Rul0/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE</a></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-b7ad3de2-a4ca-fd97-68a1-fd3f9f73e77c"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grandma Nielsen’s Busy Day Cake</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{From Grandma Lawana Nielsen}</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 ⅔ c. flour</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼ tea salt</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 ½ tea. cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ tea. nutmeg</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼ tea. cloves</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 ½ tea. baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 c. sugar</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 egg</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">⅔ c. milk (@ room temperature)</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">⅓ c. shortening</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Topping Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 Tbl. melted butter</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 Tbl. brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3-5 Tbl. cream or evaporated milk </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(regular milk will do in a pinch.)</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ c. coconut and/or chopped nuts</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees. </span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sift dry ingredients together. </span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add remaining ingredients to dry ingredients.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BEAT on high for 2 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake in the preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make topping.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove cake from oven.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spread topping on top of warm cake.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Return cake to oven on high broil-- </span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">watch it carefully</span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove from the oven as soon as the topping is brown and bubbly.</span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Serve warm!</span></div>
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</span>Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-24356887464837480052017-10-07T08:59:00.001-07:002017-10-07T09:14:41.981-07:00Homeschooling During Sickness<div>
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*PLEASE NOTE: This post <b><i>does</i></b> contain some affiliate links.</div>
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In a homeschooling family, there are days-- or weeks-- that are less than ideal, and we just so happen to be in the midst of such a time this past week.</div>
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The great thing about homeschooling is that learning can even happen in our pajamas, if need be. <i>(Not my personal preference, though I know several people love homeschooling that way.) </i><br />
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During this week of coughing and sneezing, we have been able to <i>at least</i> complete the bare minimums, but then also added a few things to fill in the time when we're all feeling pretty icky.</div>
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When mom and the kids are feeling sick and can't do much, we can supplement with audiobook listening, and a few extra science and history videos. </div>
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<b><i>When Mom is too sick to read loud, audiobooks can be life-savers!</i></b><br />
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Here are a few favorites we have enjoyed listening to or viewing together over the years:<br />
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<b><u>Favorite Audiobooks</u></b><br />
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<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2fZzqcf" target="_blank">The Peter Rabbit Collection</a> (Beatrix Potter is always delightful!)</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2z6w63I" target="_blank">Caddie Woodlawn</a> (A true CLASSIC for our family.)</li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2g0hsX4" target="_blank">Treasures of the Snow</a> (A new favorite read-aloud-- so uplifting!)</li>
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<b><u>Favorite YouTube Learning Channels and Videos</u></b></div>
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<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/scishowkids" target="_blank">SciShow Kids Channel</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEBTfxJ13zkpZVbZTF3aukg" target="_blank">Eyewitness Video Channel</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoBXrEGqsMY" target="_blank">Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDUTMxBd9-o&t=2s" target="_blank">LEGO Shakespeare: Two Gentlemen of Verona</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvshtiEYdOQ" target="_blank">Journals Through History: Ancient Egypt- Constructing Civilization</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1y8N0ePuF8" target="_blank">Building the Pyramids of Egypt</a></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2xp8ASp" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXszcyHnbofbY-YW5FnSCxRuwCT2Sr7k085Rgz9WdOz1DCb5HWyph2aBrfUDhyphenhyphenlmteeZqN0NfIdxiqjp-7Qqo0x0S1w8l9NPtsedppjs14UrFPoNxaRuga78jnXxBi1CsLLnXKQEQLGJA/s320/6191nyQwb2L.jpg" width="241" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2xp8ASp" target="_blank">Our current audiobook</a></td></tr>
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Gathering Time</h3>
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Below is the list of things we did in our daily homeschool Gathering Time for everyone yesterday. We don't always accomplish these things <i>every</i> day, but it is so good to have a list to follow and a goal to aim for. <br /><br />(Find <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/17bWQHwfZJSsx1JtQVn0UyEAQYTLkPC4ZR2q14mD_xuM/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">the full document below on Google Drive at this link.</a>)</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gathering Time</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prayer</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Song:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/the-golden-plates?lang=eng" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Golden Plates</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture Recitation and Memorizing:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2.27?lang=eng#26" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Nephi 2:27</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”</span></div>
</li>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; list-style-type: upper-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Copy Work:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2.27?lang=eng#26" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 Nephi 2:27</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penmanship practice can be done during the scripture story reading and the music listening below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scripture Story:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2kudEPy" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illustrated Book of Mormon Stories</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pgs. 20-21: “The Nephites Separate from the Lamanites”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music Listening: </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2yvCsg0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choose one or two pieces to play while the children finish up their handwriting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poetry Reading:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45359/the-lady-of-shalott-1832" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have decided to read one section at a time of this epic poem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paintings for visual reference during the reading:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/John_William_Waterhouse_-_I_am_half-sick_of_shadows%2C_said_the_lady_of_shalott.JPG/749px-John_William_Waterhouse_-_I_am_half-sick_of_shadows%2C_said_the_lady_of_shalott.JPG" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lady of Shalott: ‘I Am Half-Sick of Shadows’</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.jwwaterhouse.com/paintings/images/waterhouse_the_lady_of_shalott01.jpg" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lady of Shalott: Looking at Lancelot</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/John_William_Waterhouse_-_The_Lady_of_Shalott_-_Google_Art_Project_edit.jpg/1200px-John_William_Waterhouse_-_The_Lady_of_Shalott_-_Google_Art_Project_edit.jpg" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lady of Shalott (in the boat)</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Read Aloud or Audiobook</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: upper-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Little Men </span></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2ytQMGa" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Complete and unabridged book</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2ksYk5y" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Audiobook recording</a></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-e6613ac7-f283-ca74-3514-b01bc37cf844"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">During the time when we listen to audiobooks, the kids can color, draw, build with LEGO pieces, embroider, knit, crochet, or other crafting. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhel-dlFq8-ZxZnfcU_lYQpM-KMkhOEWfzC0-fUxJY-5CZPfNNyfuPkzyn-8_CvUpZVvOSPd20Uo90O6g6_YAB9ls9NJFknti6TH3pcvCxYfhUHM9auYVcaZT9eR4k3_yT0bH9_U7McrME/s1600/IMG_5249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhel-dlFq8-ZxZnfcU_lYQpM-KMkhOEWfzC0-fUxJY-5CZPfNNyfuPkzyn-8_CvUpZVvOSPd20Uo90O6g6_YAB9ls9NJFknti6TH3pcvCxYfhUHM9auYVcaZT9eR4k3_yT0bH9_U7McrME/s640/IMG_5249.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My three year old LOVES coloring! I am pretty impressed with how well she does for her age.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">As for me, I have made some real progress on a quilt I've been working on for years-- I actually finished hand-stitching the binding just this week! And yesterday I made a apron for a former Shakespeare student of mine who got married. It honestly helps my sense of well-being to accomplish some little things when I'm sick and can't do as much physically as I'd like to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>What is happening in <i>your</i> homes this October?</b> Are the weather and the leaves changing where you live? How are you preparing for winter and the upcoming holidays?</span></div>
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I wish you all the best in your homemaking and teaching efforts this week.</div>
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Love,<br />Mama Rachel</h2>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-85974705796329876542017-09-15T14:14:00.003-07:002017-09-15T15:18:23.700-07:00Applesauce Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1dVydgJ1wX6nMi8bBnvDSOaTt2DfwLCNZaZBvJcOEiDfs3hChpJDykKZzSbrQhdU-8H3z0oD5mm5aabMTnLv55aKy3etStNQv4gMXXZy74mQE3y8JtXKnuv1dkzRX8TJ_kvkJpWTTKs/s1600/ApplesauceMuffins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1dVydgJ1wX6nMi8bBnvDSOaTt2DfwLCNZaZBvJcOEiDfs3hChpJDykKZzSbrQhdU-8H3z0oD5mm5aabMTnLv55aKy3etStNQv4gMXXZy74mQE3y8JtXKnuv1dkzRX8TJ_kvkJpWTTKs/s640/ApplesauceMuffins.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">These delightful muffins are perfect for an autumn breakfast!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>What does a mother do when it's raining and the temperature outside is in the mid-40's? She bakes her babies applesauce muffins for breakfast!<br /><br />I found this delectable recipe online, but had to tweak it slightly for my family. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>(And no, I did not partake, myself. I was good!)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as mine did! The recipe is below...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Love,</i></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Mama Rachel</i></span></h3>
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Applesauce Muffins</h2>
<h3>
<i><u>Ingredients</u>:</i></h3>
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<ul>
<li>1/2 c. butter, softened</li>
<li>1/2 c. shortening</li>
<li>1 c. granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/2 c. brown sugar</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 c. <u>unsweetened</u> applesauce</li>
<li>4 c. all-purpose flour</li>
<li>2 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>1 tsp. ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1 tsp. ground allspice</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. ground cloves</li>
<li>1/2 c. quick oats</li>
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<i><u>Instructions</u>:</i></h3>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</li>
<li>Cream butter, shortening, and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add applesauce and stir until well incorporated.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients together. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients until just combined. </li>
<li>Line muffin tins with cupcake papers. Divide the batter evenly between 24 muffin cups, filling each one 3/4 of the way full.</li>
<li>Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.</li>
<li>Serve warm or at room temperature.</li>
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Makes 24 muffins.</div>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-70730051211640847302017-08-23T15:41:00.000-07:002019-02-11T16:15:39.360-07:00Striving for Excellence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Men [and women] cannot... rest content with mediocrity once they see excellence is within their reach." ~Thomas S. Monson</div>
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<h2>
Content with Mediocrity</h2>
For most of my life, when things started to get difficult, or I got tired of doing or trying something, I would often use the phrase "that's good enough" and move on to something I already knew I could succeed at easily.<br />
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Honestly, many things <i>do</i> come fairly easy to me. I'm not "great" at them, but I'm pretty good, and so I've been content to sail along in ease, without difficulty. I always told myself that I was just easy-going by nature, and didn't need to push myself to do more, or be better.<br />
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But over the years, I have come to recognize that this attitude is not always a positive thing. Yes, there are times when the mentality of being content with what we are is healthy. However, I know that deep down inside, I was just in the habit of being lazy.<br />
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<li>Ten years of piano lessons, and I felt fine just being mediocre and quitting to do something I liked better.</li>
<li>After singing in groups for most of my life, I decided that I was better at acting, so I dropped music and focused on theatre.</li>
<li>As a homemaker, I did the bare minimum for years-- and my "bare minimum" standards were pretty pathetic, I admit.</li>
<li>After trying my hand at homeschooling for a while, I got really stressed out and decided to "unschool" instead for several years.</li>
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Now, before anyone thinks this post is devolving into a self-bashing article, I just want to clarify that I eventually worked for excellence in some of the areas I mention above. And I'm very proud of the hard work I <i>have</i> done.<br />
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But I also want to acknowledge that there are decisions to give up that I wish I had not made. And I want to <i>learn</i> from the regret I feel and remember it when I start to give up on difficult things.</div>
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A Lesson in Excellence</h2>
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When I was a young mom with four or five kids, I used to get together with a dear cousin of mine each week to do some crafting. <i>(Hi, Nat!) </i>We would laugh and talk, while our kids played and made messes.<br />
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It was a wonderful opportunity to do something creative that could not be undone at the end of each day. <i>(Here's looking at you, laundry...)</i></div>
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I will never forget when my cousin taught me a very important lesson during one of these "Sister's Days," as we called them.</div>
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We were making invitations for the baby shower of another cousin's wife. The stamps, colors, and papers we were using were so adorable, and we were having a great time. We had been working on the design for quite a while, and I wanted to be done because I knew we still had all the cards to make. I looked at what we had put together, and felt that it was "good enough." So I told my cousin that it was cute, and I thought it would work just fine the way it was.</div>
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But she was not satisfied with the design, quite yet. She felt it still needed a few more details, and so we tried a few more things.<br />
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I watched in astonishment as we completed the final design. It was beautiful-- professional, even! The end result was so much better and more beautiful than I had envisioned it could ever be. It was not just "cute," or "fine," or "good enough." </div>
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<b><i>It was excellent</i></b>.</div>
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Many years have gone by since, but I have never forgotten how it felt to create something with all my very <u>best</u> efforts, until it was truly finished.</div>
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The Principle of Striving for Excellence</h2>
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Okay, so a little card for a baby shower is not an earth-shattering creation. But the lesson of the principle of striving for excellence CAN be life-changing.<br />
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Why would I remember that experience all these years later?<br />
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Because the lesson had begun to change my heart. It gave me a little glimpse into the potential we each have to become better. To create excellence.</div>
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Fast forward to this past year. After one terribly failed choir audition the previous year, I made it into the greatest choir I have ever listened to in a live concert. </div>
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I was <i>so</i> excited to sing with such an amazing group, but also a bit terrified. I had a damaged voice from a very long illness, and I had not sung anywhere but in church for several years. Would I have what it took to participate? After support and kind words from friends, I dove in head-first, determined to give it my very best efforts.<br />
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Oh, man, was it HARD! That first rehearsal, I felt like I had been trying to drink out of a firehose. The level of professionalism and the quality of my fellow singers, the pianist, and the director took my breath away. I knew I had to step up my game.</div>
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Over the months that followed, I discovered that my desire to excel and succeed was flowing into my every day life, as well as into my musical efforts. I found that I could not experience so much beauty and merit during our rehearsals and then go home and just do the bare minimum there.<br />
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It occurred to me that the care of my home and family was a divine calling from God. My singing with the choir was just a rare gift that I knew would only last for a short time.<br />
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I wanted to finally become the homemaker that God had been leading me to be for many, many years of learning and struggle.<br />
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And because I had experienced putting my heart and soul into praising the Lord through some arduous musical efforts, I knew that I was ready and able to step up my game...</div>
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<h2>
Effort Equals Excellence</h2>
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Am I a "perfect homemaker" now? </div>
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<b><i>Um, no.</i></b><br />
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However, I go to bed every night with the satisfaction of knowing I have given my family, my home, and the Lord my very best efforts at creating a comfortable, ordered environment.<br />
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I am still busy, yes, and there are days when I don't complete all-the-things. But I have PEACE, because I am not giving up before I should, and saying "Oh, that's good enough." </div>
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So what am I doing differently?</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>I usually go to bed later than everyone, so I can tidy up the kitchen and living areas before I go to bed.</li>
<li>I do my very best to put things where they belong, rather than setting them down somewhere convenient. I avoid saying, "I'll move that/put it away later."</li>
<li>Every <b>thing</b> has a home, and if I find something that's "homeless," I find it a home, and declare it out loud, so everyone knows. (That's not to say that <i>they'll</i> remember, but speaking it helps me remember better...)</li>
<li>I do <i>something </i>with the laundry every. single. day.</li>
<li>I never go to bed without loading and running the dishwasher. <i>(I know this is probably a no-brainer to most homemakers, but I'm a slow learner, remember?)</i></li>
<li>I don't keep things I don't need-- I am unafraid to throw away or donate things that do not truly bless our family. </li>
<li>I clear off cluttered surfaces I see in my field of vision.</li>
<li>I have made a schedule for cleaning throughout the week, and included my kids in it. <i>(New post on that coming soon...)</i></li>
<li>I remind myself that I AM THE MOTHER HERE. There is no other. I'm all my people get! If I don't do it, who else will? </li>
</ul>
<h3>
And the biggest thing:</h3>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">I have come to see that I am telling my family how much I love them by the work I do in our home. </span></b></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">We mothers are serving out of the same kind of sacrifice and perfect love that the Savior has for each one of us-- freely given, <b><i>without</i></b> <b><i>expectation of appreciation or reciprocation.</i></b></span></div>
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<i>And that selfless sacrifice is truly excellent.</i></div>
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With love,</div>
<div>
Mama Rachel</div>
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P.S.-- In case you might want to hear something from the wonderful choir I got to sing with last year <i>(and had to leave when we moved to another state *sniff*)</i>, check out the video below:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v7AL7LajZ90" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-20202858542276656642017-08-15T14:33:00.001-07:002017-08-15T14:33:39.707-07:00Our Home: Babylon? Or Zion?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One morning last week, I awoke with a question in my mind:</div>
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Is your home like Zion? Or is it more like Babylon?</blockquote>
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This question startled me. But it also made me think seriously about the atmosphere in my home, and I began to ask myself more questions, such as:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>What am I spending my time doing? </li>
<li>What activities are a true priority for me, based on my actions, and not just my words? </li>
<li>What kind of media is our family exposed to? </li>
<li>Are there attitudes and ideas creeping in that are leading us down the wrong path? </li>
<li>How do we speak to one another in our home? How do we treat one another?</li>
<li>What messages am I sending my children?</li>
</ul>
I then sat down to write a list of words in my journal that describe the two cultures of Babylon and Zion, and I came up with the lists below.<br />
<h2>
Words that describe Babylon:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Proud </li>
<li>Wicked </li>
<li>Selfish</li>
<li>Annoyed </li>
<li>Judgmental</li>
<li>Critical </li>
<li>Negative </li>
<li>Mocking </li>
<li> Rejection </li>
<li>Derision </li>
<li>Impatient</li>
<li>Contentious</li>
<li>Angry</li>
<li>Snobbish </li>
<li>Rude </li>
<li>Mean</li>
<li>Unfriendly </li>
<li>Sarcastic</li>
<li>Immodest </li>
<li>Lustful</li>
<li>Ungrateful </li>
<li>Fearful</li>
<li>Worried </li>
<li>Irritated </li>
<li>Vain</li>
<li>Materialistic</li>
<li>Stubborn</li>
<li>Trendy </li>
<li>Haughty</li>
<li>Rebellious</li>
<li>Filthy</li>
<li>Dismissive </li>
<li>Frustrated</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Words that describe Zion:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Humble </li>
<li>Loving </li>
<li>Kind </li>
<li>Patient </li>
<li>Giving </li>
<li>Generous </li>
<li>Happy </li>
<li>Unselfish </li>
<li>Peaceful </li>
<li>Content </li>
<li>Positive </li>
<li>Encouraging </li>
<li>Faithful </li>
<li>Obedient </li>
<li>Clean </li>
<li>Pure </li>
<li>United </li>
<li>Supportive </li>
<li>Beautiful </li>
<li>Holy </li>
<li>Teachable </li>
<li>Hopeful </li>
<li>Loyal </li>
<li>Courageous </li>
<li>Safe </li>
<li>Honest </li>
<li>Grateful </li>
<li>Joyful </li>
<li>Sharing </li>
<li>Helpful </li>
<li>Forgiving </li>
<li>Simple </li>
<li>Willing </li>
<li>Understanding </li>
<li>Sympathetic </li>
<li>Integrity </li>
<li>True </li>
<li>Service </li>
<li>Righteous </li>
<li>Trustworthy </li>
<li>Christ-like</li>
</ul>
<h2>
A Litmus Test</h2>
<div>
After pondering on this on my own, I decided to discuss these questions with my family, and we came up with a list of things we wanted to stop doing in order to eliminate "Babylonian" culture from our home. We also made a list of things we have been <i>doing</i> that make our home feel more like "Zion-like," that we want to continue doing. And lastly, we made a list of things that we want to add to our family culture that will help our home feel more like Zion, and less like Babylon.</div>
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Some things on our list that the kids suggested was spending less time on computers and devices, less time watching movies, and more time playing games together. We also wanted to continue our daily family prayers and scriptures study.</div>
<h2>
A Free Family Home Evening Plan</h2>
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If you would like to use the lesson we shared in our home, below is the link to the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PZ42JvWyEIuX-Szl0LQzBb_h0bxGcgq60wYabXz73Lg/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Family Home Evening plan on Google Drive</a>:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VTpXYCQzwpXtbrF48g9FfCsXhpEKIfWxd6Sc-GqEMoZcoJ1PRrbxuEaVsWzWtP6XWox4IbDyEcmuWdKQtVDNXsf67Ql8MyiUfK0d6SRensrvqRULbszIJHLU2mtYDQEmZTXbM1-R-zU/s1600/Our+Zion+Home+FHE+Kit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VTpXYCQzwpXtbrF48g9FfCsXhpEKIfWxd6Sc-GqEMoZcoJ1PRrbxuEaVsWzWtP6XWox4IbDyEcmuWdKQtVDNXsf67Ql8MyiUfK0d6SRensrvqRULbszIJHLU2mtYDQEmZTXbM1-R-zU/s640/Our+Zion+Home+FHE+Kit.png" width="492" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PZ42JvWyEIuX-Szl0LQzBb_h0bxGcgq60wYabXz73Lg/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Our Zion Home FHE</a></span></div>
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With a prayer for each of our homes,</div>
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Mama Rachel</h3>
<br /><br /><br /> Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-79189972070153746752017-07-14T11:26:00.000-07:002019-02-11T17:23:26.543-07:00Old-Fashioned Homemaking Rules<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXQyJ4kiqV_utjU26KbaXuu-kr54DYhZXBezo2oGUYHEnGEWj69eX6969XjQCBobgcDYjJ3V3lQVZkIlpYlhRM1bsCR8zlPT6gbty8yA-ax_24douTVpp194jW7jhLIyio67bcGCRXdg/s1600/OF+Homemaking+Rules.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXQyJ4kiqV_utjU26KbaXuu-kr54DYhZXBezo2oGUYHEnGEWj69eX6969XjQCBobgcDYjJ3V3lQVZkIlpYlhRM1bsCR8zlPT6gbty8yA-ax_24douTVpp194jW7jhLIyio67bcGCRXdg/s640/OF+Homemaking+Rules.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photogrammar.yale.edu/" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Photos are from the U.S Farm Security Administration photo archives found at http://photogrammar.yale.edu/ .</a></td></tr>
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Now that we have moved to our new home, and we are getting settled in at last, I am excited to get back to posting about the homemaking systems I use to keep my home running smoothly. </div>
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These are the rules that have proven the most successful for me in my personal homemaking journey. It is my prayer that they may help you in your Divine Calling as a homemaker, as well!</div>
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<h2>
Homemaking Rule #1 -</h2>
<h3>
<b>Keep Routines:</b> </h3>
<div>
Keep your morning and evening routines EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Your routines are the blessings that keep your home running smoothly and your kids feeling secure, even in difficult times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pn1iAp_ZsygovoP3p3KM_uR7rWo4BpdpyxTo3Iw5QQTANx6im4g2YJGHDzrxIno-Eb-QejBHCrGnyccirKjn5WkHp_RIVoAlvbpdaPv9jgwHAKVT1OBN4qp2W8dYLCskOMNq4uypckI/s1600/baked_goods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="380" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pn1iAp_ZsygovoP3p3KM_uR7rWo4BpdpyxTo3Iw5QQTANx6im4g2YJGHDzrxIno-Eb-QejBHCrGnyccirKjn5WkHp_RIVoAlvbpdaPv9jgwHAKVT1OBN4qp2W8dYLCskOMNq4uypckI/s400/baked_goods.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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<h2>
Homemaking Rule #2 -</h2>
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<h3>
<b>Dress the part:</b> </h3>
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Get dressed and prepared every day for your job as a homemaker-- you should be prepared to leave home at a moment’s notice. And alway, <u>ALWAYS wear an apron</u> when cooking or cleaning! Your wardrobe will thank you, and you will feel “official” in your “mother uniform.”</div>
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<h2>
Homemaking Rule #3 -</h2>
<h3>
<b>Prioritize:</b> </h3>
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<div>
1) Serve the Lord, and follow His guidance for what you should do and when you should do it.</div>
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2) Nurture family relationships. Your husband and children should be your highest priorities, second only to the will of our Heavenly Father.</div>
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3) Care for the home. Yes, serving your family is very important, but make sure that the way you care for your home doesn't harm the relationships that you have with your husband and children. </div>
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Homemaking Rule #4 -</h2>
<h3>
<b>Tidy Constantly:</b> </h3>
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Though the work of keeping a home tidy is really never “done,” cleaning up after ourselves and others as we move through our days is the secret to a truly “tidy” home!</div>
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<h2>
Homemaking Rule #5-</h2>
<h3>
<b>Plan Ahead:</b> </h3>
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“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” </blockquote>
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Plan menus, holidays, days, weeks, and even years using planners or apps-- the choice of "how" you plan is up to you. But please PLAN! Your life will run more smoothly, and you will have peace in your heart if you are prepared.</div>
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<h2>
Homemaking Rule #6 -</h2>
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<b>Don't Procrastinate:</b> </h3>
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Whatever it is that you know you should be doing, DO IT NOW. Putting things off until later causes regret and frustration. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPd3L1ezQeKqvrC6O6SchSo2KTa-TzosjXiqLSSjWVmv7xof1bbKJTWtQsEL0fCnfnax0P61mRsEQQTwGgYsj3zdgbbYdk0eedGMBn0TW6U5daVyr34_dqMgzx72-nGruLZvIWzVR0dtA/s1600/fugelberg_family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="517" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPd3L1ezQeKqvrC6O6SchSo2KTa-TzosjXiqLSSjWVmv7xof1bbKJTWtQsEL0fCnfnax0P61mRsEQQTwGgYsj3zdgbbYdk0eedGMBn0TW6U5daVyr34_dqMgzx72-nGruLZvIWzVR0dtA/s400/fugelberg_family.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Homemaking Rule #7 -</h2>
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<b>Remember Your Divine Calling:</b> </h3>
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NEVER forget that God has called you to be the mother of your children, and the keep of your home. The humble service you give to your family every day is a way to show them that you love them, and that their happiness and sense of well-being is important to you!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFyvg7opR4fKpsEmgSHpLnDqsioiZHY1X_ZjJ-V4ebAGapXudgDIh_ISp8LwF07pVCCsiOBonaqHfatAx7WexG7w7InKA9V5WMrCvhrT-WF9bayqfwrsy50-MQWhON-x3d5N3Gog6tcE/s1600/making_stew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="494" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFyvg7opR4fKpsEmgSHpLnDqsioiZHY1X_ZjJ-V4ebAGapXudgDIh_ISp8LwF07pVCCsiOBonaqHfatAx7WexG7w7InKA9V5WMrCvhrT-WF9bayqfwrsy50-MQWhON-x3d5N3Gog6tcE/s400/making_stew.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Homemaking Rule #8 -</h2>
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<b>Let Go of Guilt:</b> </h3>
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Every day, every moment, we can begin again and improve! Don’t allow feelings of discouragement or guilt to bring you down and keep you from trying again. Satan uses those tools to keep us from becoming the mother and homemaker God wants us to be. If you stumble, ask forgiveness from your family and from God, and then move forward with a “brightness of hope.”</div>
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<i>We can do it!</i></h3>
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Never forget that the Lord will give you the strength and ability to care for your home and family in a way that is pleasing to Him. You do not have to be just like your neighbor, and you don't have to follow the world's standards for homemaking. If you seek the Lord in prayer, and follow the answers He gives you through His Holy Spirit, you WILL be the successful homemaker that He has called you to be! </div>
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With love, Mama Rachel</h2>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-12001697723287353572017-04-20T16:41:00.004-07:002017-04-20T16:41:30.423-07:00Routines and Habits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzALYN48FANzrltsqCQoSQHqAG56Jtqgvd4f1wgOv4IROxJPYXdAu6a2-9sJm6TVDOt0vszC2enR5_nPRSNPHEu-ydb4rKXTVuWWac3biwtxLqAk8M7Z-fG8_9Vl0NDhiM21iTZt0c2Y/s1600/Good+Habits.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzALYN48FANzrltsqCQoSQHqAG56Jtqgvd4f1wgOv4IROxJPYXdAu6a2-9sJm6TVDOt0vszC2enR5_nPRSNPHEu-ydb4rKXTVuWWac3biwtxLqAk8M7Z-fG8_9Vl0NDhiM21iTZt0c2Y/s640/Good+Habits.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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There have been numerous <a href="https://drclaudiawelch.com/using-a-healthy-daily-routine-to-relieve-decision-fatigue/" target="_blank">studies done</a> and <a href="http://simplehomeschool.net/decision-fatigue/" target="_blank">articles written</a> on the power of daily habits and routines. Our mothers and grandmothers <a href="http://blog.oldfashionedmotherhood.com/search?q=weekly+schedule" target="_blank">had daily habits</a> that helped them work through the duties of the week. In this modern, busy world, why would we ever try to go through our days without habits and routines?</div>
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“We are all mere creatures of habit. We think our accustomed thoughts, make our usual small talk, go through the trivial round, the common task, without any self-determining effort of will at all. If it were not so– if we had to think, to deliberate, about each operation of the bath, or the table–life would not be worth having; the perpetually repeated effort of decision would wear us out.” ~ Charlotte Mason</blockquote>
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I want to keep this post short and sweet, but I also want to share a few things that have helped me create daily and weekly habits to get through the busyness of life.<br />
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Daily Routines</h2>
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It is not a difficult thing to sit down and make a simple morning and evening routine for yourself and/or your family schedule. It will take a mother about 10-15 minutes to think through what they'd like to accomplish each morning upon waking, and each evening before bed.</div>
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Now, mamas: BE KIND TO YOURSELF! Don't make these lists so long and ambitious that you could never complete them! Be practical and realistic about what you can do every morning and every evening.<br /><br />To see what my personal morning and evening routines look like, check these printables out here:</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8UnGwrQTGSENU1UcC1ncDRRQ0E/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Morning Routine</a></li>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8UnGwrQTGSEaWJYdldxU09tQXc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Evening Routine</a></li>
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Tools for Getting Things Done</h2>
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My husband, teenagers and I are all having a LOT of fun working together to get things done by using the website and application at <a href="http://www.habitica.com/" target="_blank">www.habitica.com </a>.</div>
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Essentially, it is a role-playing game that is also a way to get things done and solidify habits. I have been AMAZED by how much I get done each day-- and how little I forget these days! </div>
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I have been known for spacing appointments and important events in the past, but using technology has really helped me to be more dependable.</div>
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Along with Habitica, I also use the alarm on my phone and Google Calendar reminders to help me remember the commitments and appointments that I have scheduled.</div>
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<i>It feels really good to <u>finally</u> be a mother that is</i> <i><b>where</b> she needs to be <b>when</b> she needs to be there!</i></div>
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<b>So, yes; the irony of this "old-fashioned mother" using modern technology to finally become organized is not lost on me! </b></div>
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<h2>
One Less Daily Decision</h2>
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If you've been following me on Instagram or Facebook, then you have seen my posts about our new family color-coordination.<br /><br />I stole the idea from a wonderful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32NjXTymKCSPhc3CqhcE1g" target="_blank">homeschooling mama on YouTube named Andrea Mills</a>. I found her idea right at the moment when I was overwhelmed with all the laundry of our family of 15. I had had enough!!!</div>
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(insert angry emoji here.) </div>
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But instead of throwing everything away and starting over, I went through EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. of CLOTHING. that each person owned, and I decided on a color for us to all wear for each day of the week. (And yes, that was partially based on what colors everyone already had.)</div>
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I <i>did </i>end up getting rid of lots of clothes-- six garbage bags full! But each person has two shirts in each color, and a few pairs of pants. I keep everyone's (except the grown-ups) shirts in the boxes you see above, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc5_1896ro" target="_blank">we fold them Kon-Mari style</a>, so everything fits beautifully. </div>
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PLEASE NOTE: If my teens are doing their own laundry, I do not require them to match with us. Some of them do, just for fun, but I only do the clothes-matching thing for the people whose laundry I have to clean and fold.</div>
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This idea has REVOLUTIONIZED the way I do laundry. I only have to do ONE load a day, and the colors of the loads is timed perfectly according to who wore what on which day.</div>
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It's been working beautifully for us!</div>
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To close...</h2>
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You don't have to do all the things that I have suggested above to create good habits in your home, but I love sharing what has been working for<i> our</i> family, and I hope these ideas might inspire you to try something new to establish habits and routines in <i>your</i> home! </div>
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HAPPY Homemaking,<br />Mama Rachel</h3>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-54282540808906675382017-03-16T21:21:00.003-07:002017-03-16T21:22:06.524-07:00Thoughts from the Hearth: Week Three<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo source unknown, found on Instagram</i></td></tr>
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<i>*Please note that I was too tired to put any affiliate links in this post. Just FYI! *</i></div>
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Okay, so this is a VERY late "Week 3..." I apologize for falling off the consistency bandwagon. We have had a CRAZY-BUSY month since I last posted...<br />
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<b>On my mind-</b></h3>
Trials. Change. Times of transition. Our family seems to be getting a lot all at once.<br />
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We are planning a move at the end of May to the area where my husband and I grew up-- both sets of our parents are still there, and we decided it was time to move our family near them. </div>
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We have not done a BIG move out of our area or state since 2010, and our kids-- especially the teenagers-- are not completely looking forward to it. Honestly, it is a very difficult move for me, too. Arizona has been our beloved home for the most part of fourteen years. We will all miss the culture, the beautiful winters, the amazing people... and the lack of Daylight Savings Time...</div>
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Yeah. </div>
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But it feels right, the employment issues are working great, and things are falling into place. Which leads me to...</div>
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<h3>
Grateful for-</h3>
We found a house in our new state! And after TEN YEARS of renting, we are actually able to buy this one.</div>
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THAT feels awesome!</div>
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My hubby and I took a plane ride up to our new state to look at some houses that we'd been researching for quite a long time. We knew we could not make a good decision unless we looked at them in person.</div>
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It was quite an exhausting experience, emotionally and physically. The house that we had been SURE we wanted and loved turned out to not be the right house for us, which broke our hearts. And then, we found something AMAZING and perfect, but it was more than we really wanted to spend, and would have been overwhelming to take care of. And so, we broke our hearts again.</div>
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Then, the last few hours before our plane took off to take us back home, we found something unexpected in an area that wasn't on our radar. And so we made an offer the day after we got home, and it was accepted.</div>
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We are buying a house!!! And I am so grateful.</div>
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Pondering-</h3>
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BIG changes have been happening in our family, and they are only going to be coming faster and more often as time marches on.</div>
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Our oldest daughter got accepted to a little college in southern Utah, and she is THRILLED. We are excited for her, but we are going to miss her terribly. She begins her new adventure right around the same time we move up north.<br />
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And then, there's our married son and his bride that will be staying here in Arizona. It will be sooo hard to leave them behind. SIGH.<br />
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Our 20yo son is not planning on coming with us, either, which is worrying this mama to death. I just don;t like this whole idea of children leaving the nest. Yeah, I know I'm a wimp. But I don't like it. One. Little. Bit.</div>
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SIGH. <i>SIGH.</i> <b>SIGH.</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My messy business notes</td></tr>
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<h3>
Organizing-</h3>
I have had a enormous breakthrough in organizing my business thoughts this week! Consolidating all my business ideas has been something that has hounded me for several years, and I have never been able to find a way to bring together all the things I have wanted to do, such as: promoting and encouraging traditional motherhood, sharing homeschool methodology and curricula, Shakespeare.</div>
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I mean, what could these things possibly have in common?</div>
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Well, I feel that the Lord gave me an epiphany or two on how to bring all those things together during a few quiet hours without distractions in the dentist's office this week. And I am excited to share them here in the coming months!<br />
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Creating-</h3>
Okay, since my thoughts have begun to get untangled, I am facing the work I have before me. I have many things to write, and loads of planning to complete. It's not going to be quick or easy, but at least I now have a direction! Yay!</div>
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Reading-</h3>
Oh, I do still love the principles of Japanese "tidying up." I began what we now call "The Great Purge" back in 2015 using the principles in "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo. It was the only way we were able to move into a house half the size of where we were living at the time. We got rid of a TON of stuff at the time, and I have been able to maintain the tidying I did at the time, but we never did finish the entire process, due to life-happenings.</div>
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Well, I just got Marie Kondo's most recent book, called "Spark Joy," and I am really enjoying reading it! It is more in depth than her first book, and also addresses more complex issue like how to deal with other people's stuff, and how to tidy with your kids.</div>
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I am again thanking my lucky stars that we color-coded the kids clothes, because that means that the process of tidying all the kids' excess clothes is already done! Check off step one of tidying for the kids.</div>
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Homemaking-</h3>
The cleanliness of our home is definitely where I wish it were right now, but I am hoping that the tidying/de-cluttering and the packing of the house will eventually help over time.</div>
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One other big issue we are having in the homemaking department is that our washing machine quit working, and so the laundry (especially all the bedding that we pulled off everyone's beds last weekend) is back-logged. </div>
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The repairman is coming tomorrow, so I'm hoping we can get that fixed very soon.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Nqi2MivzK-e0aGQDQwrlfblswI9_Pn1-QkWZCLfZWHZsObaSoh0hL0tATwPKTDJ9dlHZdaY-8xxybRvc0xemCHZQb00BRSUWIqOw78uhCTsBR27r1Z43L7Xf45nx0Iz9fBvbVoLig2o/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Nqi2MivzK-e0aGQDQwrlfblswI9_Pn1-QkWZCLfZWHZsObaSoh0hL0tATwPKTDJ9dlHZdaY-8xxybRvc0xemCHZQb00BRSUWIqOw78uhCTsBR27r1Z43L7Xf45nx0Iz9fBvbVoLig2o/s400/IMG_0380.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking lemons off our lemon tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Songhaven Homeschool of Fine Arts-</h3>
We are on Spring Break, and it has been a blessing, since I have had time to begin the packing process. We begin our third term on Monday. Yay!</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Scripture Study-</h3>
I am still really enjoying my study of the Doctrine and Covenants. I am constantly amazed at how much love the Lord has for us, and how often He calls us to repentance. He is waiting there to save us, if only we just turn to Him!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, saying: Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you. O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!" Doctrine and Covenants 43:23-24</i></blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm_Lu73Ve6d0M9rULxLYYC1socHJ8iPFQXZ5C6g-sxRWq89I0aVPbss1A-m4v2SRZltMaLBJ7t4VsP481fu9hVOQHEQj7LPOO_A5kbyQIkJl4rqtuqDF6pm_pOj53uJuFrpKOI30wYtk/s1600/IMG_0858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm_Lu73Ve6d0M9rULxLYYC1socHJ8iPFQXZ5C6g-sxRWq89I0aVPbss1A-m4v2SRZltMaLBJ7t4VsP481fu9hVOQHEQj7LPOO_A5kbyQIkJl4rqtuqDF6pm_pOj53uJuFrpKOI30wYtk/s400/IMG_0858.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink is the color for our "Common Room," where we do most of our homeschooling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Something to Share-</h3>
We have moved a TON of times. I am embarrassed to even say the number of times out loud, but it should suffice to say that it is more than most military families I know. It crazy, really.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today I just thought I'd quickly share some of the helpful methods of my moving process here, in case they might help someone else.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First of all, I begin with decluttering and organizing storage items, and also start packing the MANY books we own. I usually get cardboard bankers or paper boxes for packing our books, but this time when I went in to Staples to buy their usual $1 each paper boxes, they said they don't do that any more. *sad face* So I bought some over-priced shipping boxes-- I don't know that I'll do that too many more times. (Boo, Staples!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My other favorite boxes to pack in are the large plastic bins you can buy at WalMart for around $5 each. One has to be careful not to over-pack these, so that they're too heavy, but they stack quite beautifully, and are VERY sturdy. <br />
<br />
I use color-coded sticker labels for both kinds of boxes, and cover each label with clear packing tape, so that the labels don't fall off. I also label the heck out of each box, putting labels on all four sides, and also on the top of each box, so that I won't have to turn the boxes during the moving and unpacking process to see what is in each one. It might be overkill for some, but it is a HUGE help for me!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Aw, I can't believe I'm moving again... Bleh...</div>
<div>
<h3>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA6kicHUwZ7PZ5cxG-GKo6TWqwsnKR-FCYBf51cJUz8RfD44pXBKunY_bZqYJ0kCrrohVe1ieCseHWNYE2rfqUIJdaIk7WW31YcPauR0S-3EKZdcTDBdq8IFAdTHchu441CEBQazluXY/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA6kicHUwZ7PZ5cxG-GKo6TWqwsnKR-FCYBf51cJUz8RfD44pXBKunY_bZqYJ0kCrrohVe1ieCseHWNYE2rfqUIJdaIk7WW31YcPauR0S-3EKZdcTDBdq8IFAdTHchu441CEBQazluXY/s400/IMG_0864.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storage boxes always have plain, white labels. <br />
I put clear packing tape over each label so they don't fall off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Final thoughts-</h3>
I am very tired, but satisfied about all the things I got done this week. I still have a LONG way to go before we are ready to move at the end of May, but I can now say that I have the VISION to do it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>We can do hard things, Mamas!!!</i><br />
<h2>
Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-25650419589574557642017-02-17T06:58:00.002-07:002017-03-16T19:33:13.348-07:00Thoughts from the Hearth: Week Two<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGy5pfDxVWthsnAJ9rDZ2oa0Ilo4-IP1WV1xVokFhh3lR4sXjAwALMX45Mss-TCdwpmQYvbocbOibxFqpV8i0xsidBCnKVf-mHk6mXNSWujzyHSjA13av-NnKUcvWGslMCXSrVZRzvnY/s1600/adolphe-william-bouguereau-the-storm-1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGy5pfDxVWthsnAJ9rDZ2oa0Ilo4-IP1WV1xVokFhh3lR4sXjAwALMX45Mss-TCdwpmQYvbocbOibxFqpV8i0xsidBCnKVf-mHk6mXNSWujzyHSjA13av-NnKUcvWGslMCXSrVZRzvnY/s640/adolphe-william-bouguereau-the-storm-1874.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"The Storm" by Adolphe William Bouguerea, 1874</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><i>*</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "times new roman", times, freeserif, serif;">Please note that some of the links I put in this post are affiliate sales links. You will not be charged any extra for clicking on an affiliate link, but if one buys the product at the link, Amazon pays me a small commission. Thanks for your support! *</i></i></span></div>
</div>
<br />
Hello, wonderful readers! I am happy to be back sharing some of my random thoughts from this past week. I hope all is well with you and yours!<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<b>On my mind-</b><br />
<br />
<div>
Popular feminism.<br />
<br />
I am beginning to see it rearing its ugly head again in the rising generation, and it is deeply troubling to me.<br />
<br />
With the recent "Women's March," I have seen an upswing in the amount of young women who are blaming the universe in anger as "victims of oppression." I have even seen grossly ignorant statements comparing the "struggle" of today's women with the persecution of Jews during World War II, and prejudice against blacks during the civil rights movement.<br />
<br />
Honestly, the above thoughts made me sick to my stomach, and caused my blood to boil.<br />
<br />
Only truly uneducated, UN-OPPRESSED generation could <i>ever</i> make such a claim. The literal suffering, pain, and bloodshed of MILLIONS can in no way compare to what the modern woman "goes through."<br />
<br />
There are no bodies hanging in trees after vicious lynching by mobs. There are no cargo trains filled with sobbing men and women traveling to death camps. There are no people being forced to "sit at the back of the bus." There is no starvation or victimizing of human beings in our country or in the Western world.<br />
<br />
But there IS death. There IS murder of the innocent. There ARE millions of lives being snuffed out every year.<br />
<br />
And that depraved work is being promoted and carried out by the very women who are crying "victim."<br />
<br />
And that is why it makes me ill to see vicious feminism gnashing its teeth and crying "oppression" when THEY are the oppressors.<br />
<br />
I have said enough on this subject for today, but I am sure it will come up here again. <b>I just know that I feel called to defend the Family and the divine calling of Motherhood with all that is in me.</b><br />
<br />
That's why this blog was created ten years ago, and I have no plans to stop now.</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Grateful for-</b><br />
<br />
My husband is so very good to me, and I am grateful beyond words for the loving care he gives and the sacrifices he makes to support our large family.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I have rarely had to spend my time outside our home working to help provide for all these people we are raising. I know that the burden he carries is heavy, but he continually rises to the occasion every morning as he leaves us to work "by the sweat of his brow" to give us what we need and desire.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
I know that I often take this daily sacrifice of his for granted, and I want to acknowledge and show appreciation to him more than I have lately.<br />
<br />
Thank you, thank you, Honey. You make our comfortable lives possible, and I honor you.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Pondering-</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
In the last few years there have been people I admire and love abandoning their faith. <br />
<br />
<i>And it breaks my heart.</i><br />
<br />
But it has also made me examine my own heart and standing with the Lord, and brought me to my knees before God in prayer.<br />
<br />
<b>With every fiber if my being, I hope that we each realize how VITAL it is that we give sufficient time each day to studying the scriptures and praying to our Father in Heaven.</b><br />
<br />
Approaching each day without those two things is tantamount to going out to fight in the most challenging and deadly of battles with the most skilled enemy without using any protective armor, or without even a weapon.<br />
<br />
We CANNOT face life in the modern world without the strength that the daily nurturing of our faith provides.<br />
<br />
We MUST NOT go into our daily battles, unprotected and unarmed.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Organizing-</b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzs0pqPnh-I0k_zlV23VJM6LLW4W-o6scnIn9PUkkxX87ut14iRqGOcLOJflX6qIg7JJQ8CeT8g-uXbPkddCgHy-KWDj9fPVx0M5-UbD52aL4W-58e_SQnBMDH37VIzjJmbgDT262aGXM/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzs0pqPnh-I0k_zlV23VJM6LLW4W-o6scnIn9PUkkxX87ut14iRqGOcLOJflX6qIg7JJQ8CeT8g-uXbPkddCgHy-KWDj9fPVx0M5-UbD52aL4W-58e_SQnBMDH37VIzjJmbgDT262aGXM/s400/IMG_3428.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I am LOVING the color-coding we are doing with our family's clothes! For the first time since my first born child was an infant, I have a good grasp on what clothes each of my kids own and wear. For so many years I have been drowning in an inordinate amount of laundry to wash, but now I have a complete inventory of every article of clothing that each person has to wear.<br />
<br />
I made a spreadsheet that mapped out each day of the week, and then chose a color for each day. I gave the boys some choices on a couple days, since they don't love pink or purple. Ha! When I specified each color, I decided that the colors did NOT need to be exact. That helps a lot.<br />
<br />
This has NOT been a quick process, and I have had to do a little bit of shopping at the thrift store to replace some of the worn out, old clothes that I got rid of. Everybody who depends on Mom or big sister to do their laundry has matching shirts, and then I just make sure each person has enough pants, shorts, or skirts to wear with those shirts.<br />
<br />
My teenage daughters are not participating, because they do their own laundry, and don't have so many clothes that overwhelm our laundry process. Plus, they are a bit more "fashion conscious" than the rest of us.<br />
<br />
Just in case you might be interested, here is a list of the colors we wear:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Monday-</b> Red</li>
<li><b>Tuesday-</b> Pink OR Gray</li>
<li><b>Wednesday-</b> Purple OR Brown</li>
<li><b>Thursday-</b> Green</li>
<li><b>Friday-</b> Blue</li>
<li><b>Saturday-</b> Black and/or White</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Sunday is not assigned a color, though I did go through and purge a LOT of my little girls' Sunday dresses. With five little girls under age twelve, you can imagine how over-loaded we were in the dress department!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're all enjoying matching one another-- it feels like we're all on the same team. And it makes it easy for me to pick my kids out in a crowd, so that's helpful, too. <i>(Notice that we're all in Thursday green for our trip to the park in the photo further down in this post....)</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
The last things I need to purge/organize-- and hope to finish this weekend-- are the pajamas. Wish me luck as I face that mountain...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Creating-</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
You know how I was working on my Shakespeare curriculum, and was sooo excited about finishing my Table of Contents? Well, something went wrong and <b>IT ALL DISAPPEARED from off my computer.</b><br />
<br />
... (cue screaming here)...<br />
<br />
Yes, technology can be a blessing, and it can also be a curse at times.<br />
<br />
SO!<br />
<br />
I am going back and looking at everything again, and trying to take in the idea that all my work is gone. I have decided that there MUST be a reason? Maybe I was on the wrong track, and need to re-think it all again.<br />
<br />
I choose to see this as a happy accident, and a new chance to start again.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Reading-</b><br />
<br />
I recently read Sarah Eden's "The Kiss of A Stranger" and it was good Regency fun, I can tell you! It was just a fluff read, but I need those now and then. Sarah Eden is the ONLY modern Regency writer I can tolerate. For the most part, if I want to read a good Regency romance, I'll just look to Miss Austen! But Sarah has done enough research, and writes in such a way that I am never jerked back into the modern world until I close that last page.<br />
<br />
My other favorites by her include "Seeking Persephone" and "Courting Miss Lancaster" (my personal favorite of hers).<br />
<br />
Maybe one of Mrs. Eden's books will help you endure the last of winter this year.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Homemaking-</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>Reducing our family laundry by six garbage bags has been so freeing and helpful! I can now do just ONE LOAD of laundry a day, people!!!<br />
<br />
MONUMENTAL.<br />
<br />
If you missed it, I go into more details above in the section on organizing. ^^^ </div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Songhaven Homeschool of Fine Arts-</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JH_mXj89wHweGx3i_I7bhmcbdlTu9Bi4CSaeZt6I2nL2cX-chib_eJ7MeB7EOfwqDU0hN0amzdTX3HaewUW1OBRLsXZGPt24ojS0GhUDiZ3lQq2krHm-8cFWQRbzR1qTL7-1m1CVzdA/s1600/IMG_3590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JH_mXj89wHweGx3i_I7bhmcbdlTu9Bi4CSaeZt6I2nL2cX-chib_eJ7MeB7EOfwqDU0hN0amzdTX3HaewUW1OBRLsXZGPt24ojS0GhUDiZ3lQq2krHm-8cFWQRbzR1qTL7-1m1CVzdA/s400/IMG_3590.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homeschool Outdoors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This week's beautiful weather simply called for some outdoor reading and learning time. So on Thursday, we packed up lunches, put all our homeschool supplies in a box and the kids toted their backpacks down to the park with me.<br />
<br />
We are really enjoying reading <a href="http://amzn.to/2kGGsik" target="_blank">"A Little Maid of Massachusetts" by Alice Curtis</a> for our American History read aloud. The kids get so involved emotionally, sitting at the edge of their seats, and yelling at the characters. Lots of good lessons for kids in this one so far, all contained in the backdrop of the American Revolutionary War.<br />
<br />
We're also reading <a href="http://amzn.to/2kRQeiE" target="_blank">"The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"</a> together, since there are some among these younger ones that have never heard the book. Reading C.S. Lewis NEVER gets old for me! He never fails to inspire, and I love sharing his writings with my children.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Scripture Study-</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have started reading the LDS Doctrine and Covenants over again this month, and I'm really enjoying "hearing" the voice of the Lord as he counseled His imperfect servants at the very beginning of the Restoration of the Gospel.<br />
<br />
One of the scriptures that stood out most to me this week was this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end. Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." <i>~<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/10?lang=eng" target="_blank">Doctrine and Covenants</a></i><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/10?lang=eng" target="_blank"> <i>10:4-5</i></a></span></span></blockquote>
<br />
I don't know any mother who does not need the support of heaven in this all-important work. I know that <i>I </i>cannot do it alone!<br />
<br />
I hope that we are good to ourselves and to others, and do not compare ourselves to other women who seem to "have it all together."<br />
<br />
<b>Ladies, NO ONE HAS IT ALL TOGETHER.</b><br />
<br />
We are all just trying the best we know how.<br />
<br />
And so we need to take care that we do not "run faster or labor more than we have strength." We can rely on the arm of the Savior to make up the difference when we feel we are falling short of where we want to be. If we trust in Him and ask Him for His help, he can fill in all the gaps we might be worrying about.<br />
<br />
Truly, He is there for each one of us.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Something to Share-</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNNVagFqgiQJSI86INoVN-ge-n7mYuhBLkRPbxJqdfE4yei-gYzOmKuNxiWo86lqvpmsJARn8fkeipsd11x-2BKQPQNO85CWKk6beMptk7jAyiAgr77mV0go2_53a-rBV-lCM2LGcR6U/s1600/2017-02-15_20-59-56_985.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNNVagFqgiQJSI86INoVN-ge-n7mYuhBLkRPbxJqdfE4yei-gYzOmKuNxiWo86lqvpmsJARn8fkeipsd11x-2BKQPQNO85CWKk6beMptk7jAyiAgr77mV0go2_53a-rBV-lCM2LGcR6U/s400/2017-02-15_20-59-56_985.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
My husband is one of the greatest cooks I know-- no joke! I have been spoiled by this since the day we got married. <i>(I am keenly aware how lucky I am, ladies!)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I just want to share a yummy treat recipe he came up with for our kids the other day:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Yummy and Easy Chocolate Shake</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Made from all the cheap ingredients you probably already have at home</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>2 cups whole milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. vanilla extract</li>
<li>pinch of salt</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. cocoa powder</li>
<li>Enough ice to reach the 32 oz. marker on the blender</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Blend and serve!</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Final thoughts-</b><br />
<br />
I have had a couple experiences this week that reminded me how important it is for us to stand up and defend Families, Traditional Motherhood, and our roles as homemakers and nurturers.<br />
<br />
<i><b>This is a stand worth taking, ladies.</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
My hope and inspiration for creating this blog has always been with the aim of taking that stand. And I believe it is more important now than ever.<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you for standing with me!</b><br />
<br />
<h2>
Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
</div>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-19660956861826247662017-02-16T15:46:00.001-07:002017-02-17T05:50:57.732-07:00System #1: Tidying<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image source unknown</i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Please note that some of the links I put in this post are affiliate sales links. You will not be charged any extra for clicking on an affiliate link, but if one buys the product at the link, Amazon pays me a small commission. Thanks for supporting our work!</span></i><br />
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I have never had a talent for keeping things neat and in order. It has been something that has taken me YEARS to overcome, and though I am not perfect at it, I have improved a lot over the years.<br />
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I have a daughter who is especially good at tidying. She was born that way, and tidies at least once a day in my kitchen when she can't stand the chaos any longer. I love her. I hope to be more like her when I grow up.</div>
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There are a couple of really great tools that have helped me learn to keep and organize my home over the years.<br />
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Organizing Resources</h3>
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Way back in 2000-2001, I started using <a href="http://www.flylady.net/" target="_blank">FlyLady</a>'s emails to get my house in order. She helped me overcome procrastinating household chores, and taught me some great lessons about wearing a "mom uniform" and shining my sink. I don't agree with every part of her philosophy, but there are habits I learned from her that I have continued to use more than a decade later.<br />
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I also LOVE the classes and blog posts that Becky Edwards at <a href="http://purposedrivenmotherhood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Purpose Driven Motherhood</a> has. I was privileged to stay in her home while I was speaking at a homeschool conference in her state, and to say that I was impressed with her organizational, homemaking, and mothering skills would be an understatement. She was so warm and welcoming, and her children were gracious and kind. Her home was not a mansion, but it had a wonderful feeling there. Her home and schedule were orderly, but comfortable.<br />
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<a href="http://purposedrivenmotherhood.blogspot.com/p/do-you-feel-like-youre-drowning-in_15.html" target="_blank">Her online class on organizing</a> really moved me forward into being consistent in my daily habits-- something I was woefully lacking in. I tell every mama I can about Becky-- she is truly inspiring! You can find her at <a href="http://purposedrivenmotherhood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">her blog</a> and also <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Purposedrivenmotherhood/" target="_blank">on Facebook</a>. I just love her and what she teaches!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="465" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dBRO4AfXW3te0g-Xxuws_FkEzxEoWddnbWVE03OVGLbIn21mHs84JDQNH_k6yrgvbsepqnFAE19lZTolkSH0HOWVaZNtP4PsGq-YoNyX1nTP_Op8UUZ1QdXIdsouY5O6fHIu_R7F" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my drawers, after using the KonMari method of "tidying" </td></tr>
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Our Great Purge</h3>
More recently, I have had wonderful experience using <a href="http://amzn.to/2kNWism" target="_blank">the book </a><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2kNWism" target="_blank">"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</a>" (Also known as the "KonMari method.") We were making a temporary move to a house half the size of the one we were living in, and I knew I had to reduce the amount of stuff we had.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">As a little bit of background, I am a <i>very</i> sentimental person, and have been known to hang on to things in a pretty desperate fashion. </span>I have always been the type of person that strongly associated memories with "things," so, needless to say, I have been surrounded by clutter throughout my life. <span style="background-color: white;">I had begun decluttering a LOT using </span><a href="http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/decluttering/" target="_blank">Fly Lady's method</a><span style="background-color: white;">, but it never seemed to stick. My heart had not changed, I was just getting braver about getting rid of things. <i>(Which was a step in the right direction, for sure!)</i></span><br />
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Keep in mind that I am a homeschooling mother to thirteen-- yes, that's 13-- kids, only one of whom has left our home for good. You can imagine how much stuff we have!<br />
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In August of 2014, my 91 year old grandmother passed away, and my mom and her family were able to take care of her things she left behind easier than many, because my grandmother was so organized. However, there were many things that needed to be passed around the family, and I inherited really too many of them. (My mom brought a truck full of stuff for me two states away. She associates stuff with memories, too.)<br />
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As I have been going through many of the things, I realized that most of them hold no memories for ME, even though they did for my grandmother and my mother. And then I was startled to realize that my sweet, amazing grandmother had to leave all of those things-- that she longer needed them! She has moved on to be with my grandpa and her other family members, and those memories she has are also always <b>with HER</b>.<br />
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This realization has been so absolutely FREEING for me! The main reason I hold on to things is so that I can be reminded of memories and people. But now I know that the memories are REAL-- in my heart. WOW.<br />
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If I had not learned these things, I could never have been able to embrace the KonMari method! While I still worry about what my mom will think, at the same time, SHE didn't want the things she gave me! There are special things I inherited from my grandmother, but I have also been able to let many things go.</div>
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And for me, that has been ground-breaking, because it is MUCH easier to keep a tidy home when one only keeps the things that they love and can care for. It's really is "like magic!"</div>
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"Tidy-Up Time"</h3>
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Now that I've told you about how I tidy up myself, I'd like to share how I get my younger kids to bring some order the disarray they inflict upon our house...<br />
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"Tidy-Up Time" happens at a couple of key points in the day. We aim to gather around the homeschool table at 10:00am each weekday, so I use that as our first "Tidy-Up Time" of the day. (I mean, who can learn in a room of chaos?!)<br />
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Then after their school work is done, they might want to go to a friend's house or outside to play, so I require another "Tidy-Up Time" before they can go out. And then, before any fun family evening activities or desserts happen, they need to tidy one more time.<br />
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I will often add a "Tidy-Up Time" before Dad comes home if our front room is cluttered. After his long day at work, I know that he hopes to find some peace in order to decompress. <i>(He's an introvert that works in a very loud, sociable company.)</i><br />
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Okay, so maybe he won't find PEACE, but I try to make sure that he doesn't come home to a disaster. It's the least I can do for his diligence in supporting us all!<br />
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Some things that help motivate kids to help with the clean-up, rather than dragging their feet, includes fun music, racing a timer, playing "I Spy", or some other fun game, and let's face it: bribery.<br />
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<i>(I admit it-- it has happened here a time or two...)</i><br />
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Tidy Boxes</h3>
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I learned this many moons ago from my amazing mother-in-love who raised eleven children. </div>
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When tidying a room, I want to have QUICK success, so I grab a box or plastic bin labeled "Tidy Box" or "Misplaced Items," and I put all the homeless stuff in that one box, then I can carry it around to put things away.</div>
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I sometimes even have a box like this sitting at the top of my stairs, and one at the foot of my stairs, so that I can put everything away when I make it down or up stairs. It works much better than just chucking stuff over the stairway, let me tell ya.<br />
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I hope some of these Tidying tips help you in your homemaking efforts. Tidying is one thing that will never go away for we humans, so it's nice to know that there are methods we can use to contain the madness.<br />
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Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-7393486015238172272017-02-07T15:58:00.002-07:002017-02-07T15:58:11.389-07:00Thoughts from the Hearth: Week One<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsPsiOWvJrhGUPPhXrFnrDf2ov5TiYmIFstPkau-XtCFRv7oIF9XxppyT64QsITEkAaaRs5L_5jeOh2-Nxg7JWm1p7LZR39-7JEDTlDm8z0Hd2eq8-5OoAiqjkWlR-5aVLCxg91oAQBQ/s1600/bringing-home-the-sheep-ernest-walbourn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsPsiOWvJrhGUPPhXrFnrDf2ov5TiYmIFstPkau-XtCFRv7oIF9XxppyT64QsITEkAaaRs5L_5jeOh2-Nxg7JWm1p7LZR39-7JEDTlDm8z0Hd2eq8-5OoAiqjkWlR-5aVLCxg91oAQBQ/s640/bringing-home-the-sheep-ernest-walbourn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: "Bringing Home the Sheep" by Ernest Walbourne</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*NONE of the links in this post are affiliate links. I just thought you'd want to know.*</i></span></div>
<br />I was inspired by <a href="http://ladydusk.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-simple-womans-daybook-for-february.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ladydusk+%28ladydusk%29">another blogging mama</a> to share some small and simple things about me once a week. I thought it might be a good way to motivate me in pursuing my goals with some accountability.<br /><br /><br />Y'all don't mind being my accountability partners, do you? <div>
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Here goes...<br /><br /><br /><b>On my mind-</b><br /><br /><div>
While I was working on my son's wedding plans, my husband took over the menu and the grocery shopping. He is really great at it, and has a talent for logistics, but I was starting to feel out of the loop. He handed those two things back over to me today, so I am at my computer working on the menu before retrieving the high schoolers from seminary class.</div>
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I am kind of excited for the alone time, actually. Ha!<br /><br /><br /><b>Grateful for-</b><br /><br />Does anyone else love <a href="https://drive.google.com/" target="_blank">Google Drive</a>? </div>
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Oh, man, it has been a lifesaver for me! I used to dislike the interface, but they've finally improved their spreadsheets to the point where I prefer them over Libre Office. I love that I can just go right to our menus online and tweak as needed. I can share the link with my husband and with the daughters who cook different meals. </div>
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Goodness! I can even <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CVG8A1ytasUzQgC7o_zjPpeTT7LRPBYYf9ZOjJNj7mA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">share our menu with all of you</a>, if you care to take a peek.<br /><br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Pondering-</b></div>
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I am looking at more ways we can possibly simplify things at our house. I never totally finished our KonMari purge, so I'm picking that back up. I have personally stayed very "tidy" with my own things, but I still have a lot of children to win over, and LOADS of kids things to go through.</div>
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Which brings me to...<br /><br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Organizing-</b></div>
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I am currently going through every piece of my children's clothing (at least those under age 13). I am implementing a color coordination to see if that helps me decide what to get rid of, and what to keep. It is working beautifully so far! I still have clothes to go through, but I am starting to see a light at the end of my crowded laundry tunnel. It feels great!</div>
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I stole <a href="https://youtu.be/n52r0taoRIY" target="_blank">the idea from Andrea Mills' YouTube channel</a>. I really love how down to earth and REAL she is! You can find <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32NjXTymKCSPhc3CqhcE1g" target="_blank">her channel here</a>.<br /><br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Creating-</b></div>
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This week, I plan to work on writing some in my updated Shakespeare curriculum. I finally got the Table of Contents all finished and worked out (whew!), and now I just need to write the scripts for each lecture. Now I just need to decide if I want to film a lecture video after I finish writing each one, or should I write all the lectures, and then film everything in one blow... I think I know what my mentor would say. <i>(I'm now hearing your voice in my head, Suzanne! Hee!)</i><br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Reading-</b><br /><br />I am still slowly reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cozy-Life-Rediscover-Through-Concept/dp/1530746493/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486397820&sr=1-1&keywords=cozy+hygge" target="_blank">the book "The Cozy Life"</a> which is about implementing a "hygge" lifestyle. My hubby and I redecorated our room <i>(thank you Goodwill and IKEA)</i> to be more hygge, and our whole family has noticed a difference. </div>
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I'm also re-reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486397954&sr=1-1&keywords=magic+tidying+up" target="_blank">"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" book by Marie Kondo</a> while I continue our home purge. </div>
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I really love it-- it has made such a difference in how I declutter and organize. I'm still a BIG fan! If you haven't read it yet, can I be another witness that you should? Your library should have a copy of it by now. Let me know how you like it!</div>
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<b>Homemaking-</b></div>
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<b><br /></b>Mondays are always our "House Recovery Days". Why is my house always so trashed Monday morning?! Someday, I will solve this mystery... </div>
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In the meantime, we will put on the happy cleaning music and race to get the house put back in reasonable order. (Notice I did not say "perfect...")</div>
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<b>Songhaven Homeschool of Fine Arts-</b></div>
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We are in Recovery Mode after this mama was sick for more than two weeks. It is so hard to start over again after our false start after Christmas-- my son's wedding was two weeks after New Year's, and <i>then</i> I got sick, of course. Oy!</div>
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HOWEVER, we finally got in a rhythm this week. We are continuing with our study of the following:</div>
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<li><u>Gospel Study</u>- New Testament</li>
<li><u>History</u>- American History</li>
<li><u>Composer</u>- Mozart</li>
<li><u>Artist</u>- Titian</li>
<li><u>Science</u>- Botany</li>
<li><u>Shakespeare</u>- Check out the LEGO Shakespeare videos on YouTube. My kids love them! <a href="https://youtu.be/mSDTm8tOLjs" target="_blank">This version of "The Tempest"</a> is one they go back and watch again and again.</li>
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<br /><b>Scripture Study-</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/7.48?lang=eng#47" target="_blank">Moroni 7:48</a> "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."<br /><br /><br /><b>Something to Share-</b><br /><br />I got to start back to rehearsing with <a href="http://www.millennial.org/" target="_blank">my wonderful choir</a> this week, and it was so great to be back singing with such an amazing group! I was thrilled to begin rehearsing <a href="https://youtu.be/5iBwB0mUYdM" target="_blank">Lauridsen's "O Nata Lux"</a>. I look forward to performing this gorgeous piece on our program for the Spring concert!</div>
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<br /><br /><b>Final thoughts-</b><br /><br />I really enjoyed <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-3-cultivating-an-attitude-of-happiness-and-a-spirit-of-optimism?lang=eng" target="_blank">a very uplifting lesson</a> during my women's meeting at church on Sunday. We are studying the teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, a past president of our church. I love this quote from him:</div>
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"How magnificently we are blessed! How thankful we ought to be! … Cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving for the blessing of life and for the marvelous gifts and privileges each of us enjoy. The Lord has said that the meek shall inherit the earth. I cannot escape the interpretation that meekness implies a spirit of gratitude as opposed to an attitude of self-sufficiency, an acknowledgment of a greater power beyond oneself, a recognition of God, and an acceptance of his commandments. This is the beginning of wisdom. Walk with gratitude before him who is the giver of life and every good gift."</blockquote>
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<b>P.S. - </b><br />
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Ladies, we have got this! We can do this motherhood thing, and do it with grace, and gratitude, and love. We are daughters of God, and He loves us! He will help us through it ALL.<br />
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Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
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Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-30786421554104479502017-01-24T12:33:00.003-07:002017-01-24T12:37:05.984-07:00Homemaking Systems I Use for My BIG Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome back, friends!</div>
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As I started working on this post, I found that my outline was getting more detailed. Which means that this article could get waaay too long in short order. <i>(That's never happened before here, has it?! HA!)</i></div>
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And, so, I thought I'd use this post to give you the outline of the five systems overall, and then I will break down each one into more specifics in a new blog post each week. </div>
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This is going to be so fun!</div>
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1) Tidying</h2>
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First of all, I like to "Tidy Up" whatever area I will be working in. This makes me feel more successful in my day, and even helps the kids function better. No one-- not even squirrelly children-- truly functions well in chaos. I am a creative-type person, so I know from experience that messes are made in the midst of inspiration, but it is easier for me to <i>get</i> inspired once a place has been "tidied."</div>
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Tidying, by <i>my</i> definition, is <b>not</b> making things pristine. It does not mean that you deep clean to create an immaculate place where your neighbors are going to come and do dust inspections.</div>
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Tidying means clearing away trash, consolidating piles of papers into stacks <i>(papers are my personal Kryptonite)</i>, putting away the most egregiously out-of-place items, and doing a quick sweep and wipe-down/brush off of obvious surfaces.<br />
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It means stacking dishes in the sink so they don't look like a bottomless cesspool, and putting small pans inside larger ones to take up less room on the counter top.<br />
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2) Cleaning</h2>
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This word means exactly what you think it means. I define "Cleaning" as the scrubbing, wiping, washing, shining that needs to happen in order for a home to feel welcoming and comfortable.</div>
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And so people don't get deathly ill.<br />
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I have a few methods I use that make cleaning in this house full of people MUCH easier for all of us. I will cover those in depth in my upcoming post on Cleaning.<br />
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3) Deep Cleaning</h2>
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I have a confession to make here. If you've been following my blog for many years, you will know that I move a lot. No, I mean, a <b>LOT! </b></div>
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I once compared the numbers of our moves with a guy who grew up in a military family, and we had moved twice as much as him.</div>
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It's pathetic, actually.</div>
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When we move, I deep-- I mean DEEP, clean. But then, there are other times we should be deep cleaning, as well. Not everyone is as crazy about moving as I must be!<br />
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There are times and seasons I schedule for this, one area at a time. It makes what can be an overwhelming task easier to manage well.<br />
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4) Maintaining</h2>
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One thing that really is different between homeschooling moms and moms who send their kids to school, is that homeschooling moms never really have hours of time to clean each day. I think that is the most frequent comment I get from other moms: "When do you get time to CLEAN?"</div>
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I have a couple of witty answers to this question, but to be brief, let's first just say that my standards of clean may not be as high as some.</div>
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<i>AHEM.</i></div>
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Secondly, in the case of my family, the <b>cause</b> is also the <b>cure</b>.</div>
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Yes, folks, we resort to child labor around here. This mama of thirteen is not equipped to clean up after thirteen people alone! If anyone is outnumbered in this arena, it's mothers-of-many. And so we make our minions contribute. </div>
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It's good for them!</div>
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5) Beautifying</h2>
Once a young man, a friend of one of my sons, walked into our house and declared "Your house looks like a Grandma's House."<br />
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Even though his tone of voice was not complimentary, I could have kissed him.</div>
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<i><b>Yes, that is what I am going for, son! </b></i>Comfort. Sentimentality. All the feels.</div>
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When it's YOUR home, you should make it a place you never want to leave. The Joneses don't figure into this area of the Homemaking Arts, and neither should we worry about being Pinterest-Perfect.<br />
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Homes should be places where our families feel loved and content. They should be a haven from the storms of life, not photos that belong in magazine pages.<br />
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I am really looking forward to sharing more of my thoughts on the subject of Beautifying, as well as all the other systems I use.<br />
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I'd love to hear more about YOUR tips for homemaking, so please share them in the comments below.</div>
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Here's to creating the homes that make family life sweet!<br />
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<h2>
Love, Mama Rachel</h2>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-82102617660609247612017-01-21T18:15:00.001-07:002017-01-21T18:15:22.208-07:00Courage and Vision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a confession:</div>
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I do NOT wish that I were out marching in the "Women's March" today.</div>
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I feel that my callings as a wife, mother, and homemaker are greater than anything a protest could cultivate for me in my life.</div>
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I have work enough to do.</div>
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<i>And I am the woman to do it!!!</i></div>
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Love,<br />Mama Rachel</h3>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-40180766553853912592017-01-16T19:24:00.006-07:002017-01-23T14:42:09.289-07:00Helpful Homemaking Skills Part 1: Vision and Domains<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Introduction</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLntem2tcUP-epUZu-029OUX1EFpGGzb4OCy7tIS3eii559QYPi_Db6_wqkvh0n7pQjqLEtCiK7DjRzEZuqLyd3wCT2h4brHinW1EziLULXvR2ULk_sbtcjldD4qp8IHOAj39ovk4VtA/s1600/2014-04-20+17.12.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLntem2tcUP-epUZu-029OUX1EFpGGzb4OCy7tIS3eii559QYPi_Db6_wqkvh0n7pQjqLEtCiK7DjRzEZuqLyd3wCT2h4brHinW1EziLULXvR2ULk_sbtcjldD4qp8IHOAj39ovk4VtA/s400/2014-04-20+17.12.58.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six of my eight daughters in 2014<br />
(One was on a mission for our church, and one was in my pregnant belly.)</td></tr>
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<i>Christmas is over, my son is married, and I am excited to share some of the things I have learned about Homemaking as a mother of 13 children!</i></div>
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First of all, I want to make it clear that I am <u>not</u> claiming to be The Perfect Homemaker with a pristine house, or an organizing guru, or a devoted scheduler.</div>
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TRUST ME-- <b>I am NONE of those things</b>.</div>
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However, I <i>am</i> a homeschooling mother of thirteen children who is actually able to keep my head above water in the homemaking department, even while running businesses, and doing other things that I love, like <a href="http://www.yeshakespeare.com/" target="_blank">this</a>.</div>
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I have been studying homemaking and managing a household for MANY years-- not to mention two plus decades of life experience under my belt-- and now that my daughters are beginning to grow into lovely women, there is sooo much I want to share with them so that they will be better-equipped than <i>I</i> was to manage a thriving home.</div>
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I want to make this new series one that I would (and will!) share with my own daughters, who are growing up into amazing women. And so, I plan to write this series as a number of love letters to my own girls.</div>
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It is my prayer that these ideas might help other mothers, or simply inspire them to keep trying, keep improving, and keep devoting themselves to the beautiful life of old-fashioned motherhood.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My oldest girls on our eldest daughter's return from her mission</td></tr>
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A Vision to Remember</h2>
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Dear sweet daughters,</div>
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In the last 24 years of homemaking, I have had many ups and downs. </div>
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I began my homemaking journey knowing some sewing, some basic cleaning, how to change diapers and make bottles, how to bake some treats, do my own laundry, and how to make a few meals.</div>
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BUT, I had never planned a menu, gone grocery shopping, or run an entire household! I had no clue how to plan a housecleaning schedule, organize clutter, or tame the paper monster. <i>(Admittedly, as you well know, I have not yet tamed the Paper Monster completely...)</i></div>
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In fact, it has taken me years to learn that tidying is a different thing than organizing, and that maintenance is a separate task from cleaning...</div>
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But, I'm getting ahead of myself.</div>
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You see, Homemaking is just one facet of the beautiful gem we call motherhood. But it <i>is</i> the embodiment of Christlike service that we women are called by God to do. It is the physical evidence of our love for our families, our husbands, our children.</div>
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<b>Homemaking is love in action.</b></div>
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This vision of your role as a homemaker will help you keep going when the day-to-day repetition discourages you, or when you are so tired you can hardly stand, or when another child starts to come down with a sickness you already nursed his sister through. </div>
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Knowing that you are demonstrating your love for your husband, your child, and your Father in Heaven will make the difficulties of your duties more bearable.</div>
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So, as I begin these series of letters filled with the practicalities of Homemaking, <i>never, <b>never</b></i> forget that what you will be accomplishing is a Divine Directive given just for you and your improvement. </div>
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From the moment you become the queen of your own households, you will be creating your future, eternal selves-- women more glorious and refined than you can begin to imagine.</div>
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You see, none of the work you will be doing is about doing the laundry, scrubbing toilets, or decluttering. It is about building something greater than a more beautiful home. You will be building a more beautiful YOU.</div>
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The Five Domains in Your Homemaking Kingdom</h2>
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"She who is the mother and housekeeper in a large family is the sovereign of an empire, demanding more varied cares, and involving more difficult duties, than are really exacted of her who wears a crown and professedly regulates the interests of the greatest nation on earth." <i>--The American Woman's Home, 1869</i></blockquote>
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I like to think of myself as the Queen of the Kingdom of My Home. That does not mean that I am some kind of tyrant who sits around and bosses my servants all the day long. That is not my true stewardship.</div>
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As Mother, I truly am the Heart of my home and create the culture my family thrives in. I set the tone. I have the power to bring sweetness or pain.</div>
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I have duties that are mine alone, and in order to fulfill them, I have divided them into five "Homemaking Domains":</div>
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<ul>
<li><b>Maintaining</b></li>
<li><b>Tidying</b></li>
<li><b>Cleaning</b></li>
<li><b>Deep Cleaning</b></li>
<li><b>Beautifying</b></li>
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Each of the weekly posts in this series will cover one of the Domains above. I will define each-- how they are different, and my methods for successfully implementing them all.</div>
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It is my goal to encourage and inspire you all to be the Homemakers that God and your families will need you to be.</div>
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Until next week and a post on the "Systems" I use to manage my full house!</div>
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Love,<br />Mama Rachel</h3>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-43904281642563482962017-01-04T13:31:00.002-07:002017-01-04T13:37:36.263-07:00A Wedding and a New Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since October, I have been BUSY BEYOND BELIEF.</div>
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Now, I know what you're going to say:</div>
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"Of course you were! We were ALL going crazy with Christmas shopping, parties, recitals, concerts, events, etc."</div>
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Ah, but have I mentioned that MY SON IS GETTING MARRIED???</div>
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<b>Okay, so I guess I did <a href="http://blog.oldfashionedmotherhood.com/2016/11/so-many-great-things.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </b></div>
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It is a wonderful thing, and we are so excited!!!</div>
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I am also stressed. Out. Of. My. Mind.</div>
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"But you're just the mother of the groom! You don't have to do much."</div>
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Au contraire, mon ami! You are talking to The Girl Who Volunteers.</div>
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It is just the way I am wired. </div>
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<u>And I like it that way.</u></div>
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*COUGH-control-freak-COUGH*</div>
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Here's What I'm Doing</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHl-nf2Juho_ZQS_Z-xaPNXpfv1BbhCPhRO6WOGaKEypzybpxXHqjtME8hIm-fMCW8MKxI45_lPYaRPjWQtgASMMC2p8wesgaLQI5B9pvbHFcnG32yvG1IHeE1rtPPQ5dwIvlSj8dDF8/s1600/IMG_3216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHl-nf2Juho_ZQS_Z-xaPNXpfv1BbhCPhRO6WOGaKEypzybpxXHqjtME8hIm-fMCW8MKxI45_lPYaRPjWQtgASMMC2p8wesgaLQI5B9pvbHFcnG32yvG1IHeE1rtPPQ5dwIvlSj8dDF8/s320/IMG_3216.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowergirl Dresses and Bridesmaid skirts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I am sewing! Yes, I get to sew beautiful dresses!</div>
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Five flowergirls, two bridesmaid skirts, two adorable bowties, and one official bridesmaid dress.</div>
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Aaaand...</div>
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I'm doing the decorations for the wedding.</div>
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Yes, I am crazy in the head. </div>
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But I also REALLY love weddings. And decorating. And sewing. And <strike>being a control freak </strike> helping out.</div>
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<i>Why in the world are you blogging right now???</i></h3>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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So here I am, nine days before my son's wedding, and yes, I still have stuff to do... BUT I also want to start the 2017 year of the Old-Fashioned Motherhood blog off right.</div>
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With that little introduction, I hope you will come back here, around two weeks from now, for my newest blog series: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg8OHWr16ByhPYb95nj0EEQPvValPSaP-QZ0983ikcugXIgBUCmwaT9v6kuIq75r7riP_53iQpwFrysjz_Ora1yCDuuhtTClbGVtT9MnVi-VahDPR2Glq3hx5oOS9YkVa9Yf1cDdNgls/s1600/Homemaking+Tips.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg8OHWr16ByhPYb95nj0EEQPvValPSaP-QZ0983ikcugXIgBUCmwaT9v6kuIq75r7riP_53iQpwFrysjz_Ora1yCDuuhtTClbGVtT9MnVi-VahDPR2Glq3hx5oOS9YkVa9Yf1cDdNgls/s640/Homemaking+Tips.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Helpful Homemaking Tips <i style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">(From a Mom of 13 kids)</i></h2>
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I like to think that I have learned a thing or two about taking care of a home FILLED to the brim with people-- and I don't just mean on the weekends. </div>
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That is not to say that I am perfect at it-- okay, not even close-- but there are systems that I use that make life a LOT more manageable in the midst of mayhem.</div>
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And I want to share them in the hopes that other moms will find a tip or two that might better help them manage <i>their</i> mayhem in the coming year.</div>
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<b>HAPPY 2017!!! </b></div>
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<i>And see you in two weeks...</i></div>
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Love,</div>
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Mama Rachel</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-8252513852056778282016-11-29T21:08:00.001-07:002016-11-29T21:08:55.659-07:00FREE Christmas Devotional Booklet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszzckR2nkEvR6agNLMzKFDVH_V0YSWbP5I1qcmtj6uhPo6InsulqOsxW4xHfM-V6FMP5na8ucpEhhsXewgAvKan6oy5XcNJ6Kqmu_G8vENbDI0KOeQCdWIIv82g0J3r8-XfZrVdXp1wU/s1600/2016+Devotional+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszzckR2nkEvR6agNLMzKFDVH_V0YSWbP5I1qcmtj6uhPo6InsulqOsxW4xHfM-V6FMP5na8ucpEhhsXewgAvKan6oy5XcNJ6Kqmu_G8vENbDI0KOeQCdWIIv82g0J3r8-XfZrVdXp1wU/s640/2016+Devotional+Cover.png" width="494" /></a></div>
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I am so excited to share my latest project with my readers and homeschooling friends!</div>
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I have put together a FREE e-book of one of my favorite traditions that <u>will be available DECEMBER 1st!!!</u>: </div>
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<ul>
<li>It's a Homeschool Christmas Devotional book for short and sweet, daily homeschool lessons during the holidays, </li>
<li>OR a Devotional Booklet for <i>any</i> family that would like to implement family Christmas devotionals as part of their yuletide celebrations.</li>
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What are Homeschool Christmas devotionals?</h3>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Each year at Christmastime, I used to feel over-whelmed at the thought of continuing a full home-schooling schedule. </span></div>
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But then, I found that if I combined an old family tradition of nightly Christmas devotionals with our daily "Table Time," I could still be consistent with covering some learning basics.<br />
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This idea also enables me to simplify our daily lessons, help my children build their testimonies of Jesus Christ, and allows us to enjoy the festivities and lovely feelings of this very special time of year.</div>
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The booklet will have SEVENTEEN devotionals that you can use between December 1st and December 23rd. That is enough devotionals for 5 days a week from the beginning of the month until Christmas Eve.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This new resource will come directly to the email boxes of those who subscribe to this blog.</span> </div>
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<u><br /></u></div>
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<u>To do that, fill in the "Subscribe" box on the right sidebar. </u>>>></div>
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How do the devotionals work?</h3>
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<span style="text-align: start;">There are several options for each day's devotional-- and the beauty is that each family can choose what to include in their own devotional, and what they don't need. But the options are there for them!</span></div>
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For our family, I like to include:</div>
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<li>A scripture for copy-work (handwriting practice)</li>
<li>A Christmas carol to sing together</li>
<li>A beautiful piece of artwork to study and discuss or replicate</li>
<li>A short story or poem to read aloud</li>
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Another great thing to add is a chapter book that the family is reading aloud together throughout the season. (See the booklist of suggested Christmas read-aloud books at the back of this booklet for some ideas.)</div>
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I hope you will enjoy these devotionals as much as our family does.<br />
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<i>Don't forget to subscribe to this blog in the right sidebar to get yours on December 1st!</i></div>
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Lots of love,<br />
<div>
Mama Rachel</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-10936538736082313262016-11-28T11:03:00.001-07:002016-11-28T11:06:59.010-07:0025 Days to Light the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O8Fcnl4hRzozRq1ZAubESDe4J0-78LICo-h-dvsbEMjBSWdycN_GSX_eYQ_dfldSWhZFcNhlcycrSSYZg6fZehyphenhyphenqMlIvbuNQ8M6FkVD__K_UmKsGcRdOuaLhJZPbTZN4JA46LuEb3No/s1600/1nb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O8Fcnl4hRzozRq1ZAubESDe4J0-78LICo-h-dvsbEMjBSWdycN_GSX_eYQ_dfldSWhZFcNhlcycrSSYZg6fZehyphenhyphenqMlIvbuNQ8M6FkVD__K_UmKsGcRdOuaLhJZPbTZN4JA46LuEb3No/s640/1nb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Can you imagine a world where millions of people are looking for ways to help and serve others in need?<br />
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Can you envision how it would feel to get involved in loving and assisting your fellow men in small, simple ways for just twenty-five days?<br />
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Can good people everywhere put the needs of others before their own for just one month?<br />
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Can God's children try their best to follow the example of His holy, perfect Son?<br />
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We CAN! And it's happening, beginning this December first.<br />
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<i><b>The idea of this thrills me to me to my very core.</b></i><br />
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Millions of individuals will be making the world a better, more loving, more giving, more holy place in the Christmas season to come.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Will you join us???</span><br />
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You can #LighttheWorld , too.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mJmAV0gTp_Q" width="560"></iframe><br />
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With love and hope for a BRIGHT December,</h3>
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<br />Mama Rachel</h3>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144795012504114230.post-75569075377879772322016-11-12T09:12:00.003-07:002016-11-12T09:14:10.095-07:00Strong and United Families<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAGZgtWJwXsbW01KDX7SSktru7vNzzKtsRYoIMhLA4ncewzmi5ImMKilXM_2vY43-vzq4UXNCNb7TPysMXt06HMWCFe_82aENX16NK-_I0V6qfF9ZExUH0mE5hYG1MalRME0_pkqsh8M/s1600/FAMILY.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAGZgtWJwXsbW01KDX7SSktru7vNzzKtsRYoIMhLA4ncewzmi5ImMKilXM_2vY43-vzq4UXNCNb7TPysMXt06HMWCFe_82aENX16NK-_I0V6qfF9ZExUH0mE5hYG1MalRME0_pkqsh8M/s640/FAMILY.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even when we have struggles, when a child goes astray, or outside difficulties cause despair, we can still be united in love and kindness as a family. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In fact, it is the LOVE we have for each other that carries us and brings us together as a powerful force for good.</span></div>
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If we daily repent, keep praying together, share the word of God with one another in order to keep the Holy Spirit in our home, and then love UNCONDITIONALLY, we can still have an STRONG, UNIFIED family!</div>
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Even though I have have a struggling son, he knows that we love him and that he is always welcome in our home. He continues to be an integral part of a family who needs him.</div>
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And that is making all the difference in the healing of our relationship.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Mama Rachel</div>
Rachel Keppnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17193834789450018423noreply@blogger.com1