Favorite Read Alouds & Read Alones in 2024

In an essay for Collected Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop wrote that books should be like mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Certain books should reflect the reader's life, others should give him a peek into someone else's life, and still, others should fully immerse a person in a brand new experience by allowing him to enter the story.

4 Ways I'll be Increasing in 2025

This past year was marked by much increase, in both big and small ways. Some of the growth has left the scars of stretch marks on my life, but mostly, it has just widened my world in immeasurable ways.

My oldest entered her junior year at a Christian university on the other side of the country and joined a church all on her own; my second-born went on a short-term mission trip to an orphanage in Belize, graduated high school, and left home to serve his country; my middle son started taking online dual-enrollment courses at a Christian university and got his driver's license; my fourth-born won the Congressional Art Competition for our district, won the Cy Young pitcher's award for our high school's baseball team, and went on an inner-city missions trip to St. Louis; my last born played on two different local baseball teams and one football team.

The 2024 TUH Gift Guide for Book Lovers

Recently, I searched online for Ferrari-themed novelties for my middle son. I didn't expect to find many. Boy, was I unprepared for the number of ideas that began to pop up? Turns out, he's not the only one preoccupied with a certain Italian racing car company. I snagged a hat, a shirt, and a handful of stickers. Admittedly, I don't love Ferrari--a car is a car to me. Not better or worse than any other. But I love my son, and he loves Ferrari. So, I make it a point to invest in his passion in order to invest in him. Sometimes, I need a little help, though. I need to be pointed in a good direction. 

Brown Paper Package Back-to-Homeschool Party, Moms Only

Homeschool moms are the unsung heroes of education. Unlike classroom teachers, we don't get a salary for our efforts. We get no holiday pay, sick days, or a fat 401K at the journey's end. But what we do get is each other. We're a tight-knit group--a sisterhood of moms who understand the many wins and losses of this unconventional schooling choice and have both the victory laps and the battle scars to prove it.

11th Grade Homeschool Curriculum 2024-2025

My middle son is a reader, writer, and indoor enthusiast. He's our resident introvert who needs plenty of downtime in the day. But don’t let his quiet fool you. He often brings the jazz hands in big groups. He loves classic cars, classical music, and classic literature. If you ever need a fun fact about Formula 1 racing or the Roman Empire, he’s your guy. Serve him chili, chili mac, or chili dogs, and he’ll love you forever. These days, he’s never too far from a thought-provoking podcast or a bench press. Conscientious driver. Closet comedian. He may be the middle child, but he’s anything but middle to us.