This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
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Beauty, Make-up, Popular, Postpartum • June 16, 2017

Five-Minute Makeup for Moms

This Five-Minute Makeup for Moms post is sponsored by Physicians Formula. However, I am sharing my own opinions and reviews.  Thank you for supporting the brands that help support our community.

Today I’m sharing my secret to looking somewhat put-together each day: five-minute makeup for moms. If you’re like me, though, you never liked spending tons of time on your makeup. It’s more functional (and necessary) than it is fun. That is until I discovered the products that made this easy breezy look practically effortless. I discovered Physicians Formula makeup around three years ago during my search for less toxic, drug-store price point, makeup products.

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

FIVE-MINUTE MAKEUP FOR MOMS

I can’t wait to share my picks with you. Keep reading to see a before and after of my makeup-less face (cringe) and a five-minute picture tutorial featuring products I use and love! There’s also a giveaway at the end of this post!

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 1: #InstaReady Face Primer (SPF 18)

Quick confession: I’ve never worn a primer. But when I received this product from Physicians Formula, I realized how great it is for smoothing lines before applying makeup. Plus it has SPF, so that’s a plus for summer sun exposure! The gel is also fragrance free which is amazing since I do not like synthetic fragrances.

Application: spray one to two pumps onto palm and gently rub around your whole face. Wait fifteen minutes before heading into the sun though!

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 2: CC Cream (Used as foundation)

During my search for new mom makeup I was extremely pleased to learn that the Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Cream is a great alternative to a full foundation, and that’s what I’ve used for my entire career as a mother. It goes on extremely light which is great for summer beach days. However, it’s the perfect amount of coverage. I use Light/Medium and it’s perfect for my skin tone with a good powder.

Application: I use a makeup brush to apply my foundation/CC cream. I usually just dab a bit of the cream onto both cheeks, my chin, and forehead then use the brush to make circular motions to blend around all parts of my face until it’s covered. Be sure to blend into your neck so you don’t look two-toned! I’ve used my hands to apply this in the past and I’ve also tried a beauty blender, but it isn’t for me. The brush method allows me to blend the way my face needs.

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 3: #InstaReady Full Coverage Concealer (SPF 30)

I call this stuff “sleep in a tube” haha! It honestly helps brighten my eyes so much. I never had dark circles but nowadays they’re a bit more present. This concealer keeps me looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Plus it hides unwanted blemish spots and face discoloration (which you can see from my “before” photo I have lots of.

Application: I apply the concealer to my under-eye area and then smooth it out with my CC cream foundation brush. Note: I know it’s somewhat backwards to put on concealer after the CC cream/foundation, but I find it works better for me, so that’s what I do, haha. You do what makes you comfortable though <3

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 4: Super BB #InstaReady Powder

I love the Physicians Formula #InstaReady powder. It’s super lightweight but offers enough coverage with the CC cream that I feel like I am wearing a foundation. For pool days sometimes I’ll just use this powder to soften my blemishes. It’s great for almost any look!

Application: This is pretty straight-forward. I just powder my whole face. Since I have lash extensions I try not to powder too much around my eyes because that will get residue in the extension. I also powder all the way down to my neck so that it blends it well!

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 5: Bronze Booster Highlight & Contour Palette

I used to wear only blush, but back in college I discovered bronzer and kind of only wear that all year. But bronzer is amazing if you want that sleek summer glow! I also just started highlighting so I’m a bit of a newbie, but here’s what I do.

Application: To begin, I usually dab the brush into both colors of bronzer. Then I blow on the brush and start to apply it too my cheeks while smiling so I can see where my cheekbones are. Then I take a different brush and use the white highlighter to accent above where I used the bronzer, between my eye and cheekbone. I also put highlighter in the inner corners of my eye and above my brows. You want it to be very subtle so don’t over do it!

Tip: if the bronzer is too dark you can either blend it with a cotton ball or put some loose powder over the finished look to soften it.

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Step 5: Eye Booster Feather Brow Fiber & Highlighter Duo

I’ve only been filling in my brows for a year or two. I’ve tried several types of methods too. There are gels, brushes, tints galore. I love how the Physicians Formula eye booster allows you to fill and highlight.

Application: Gently brush out your brows. Everyone has their own method but I swipe up with the brow brush, then over/up. Then I start applying the brow fiber to create dimension and make them pop. I already added a bit of highlighter above my brows with the bronzer palette, but you can totally use the highlighter instead!

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

YOU DID IT!

I know it seems like it took a long time, after reading this, but this summer look seriously takes only five minutes. I swear, it really is a five-minute makeup for moms look. I try to look put together each morning even if I don’t leave the house so this makeup look makes that possible. If you’ve never tried these products out before, I do highly recommend them. You can find all of Physicians Formula products at Walmart and online at Walmart.com but if you’re feeling lucky, I have a giveaway with both Physicians Formula and Walmart below! I hope you enjoyed this how to on five-minute makeup for moms!

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

PHYSICIANS FORMULA AND WALMART GIVEAWAY

PRIZE: win $75 worth of Physicians Formula makeup + a $25 Walmart gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

giveaway rules: open to U.S. only.

Please enter accordingly and be honest! We verify each and every entry 🙂 Giveaway ends Friday, June 23 at midnight. A winner will be chosen and notified 24 hours later. Good luck!

 

If you enjoyed reading this five-minute makeup for moms post, please consider pinning either of the images below so that other women can find this article and enjoy it too! Check out our other beauty posts before you go. 

 Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Fashion and beauty blogger Larissa of Living in Color shares her tips on five-minute makeup for moms. See her full tutorial now on the blog.

Thank you so much for reading!

Filed Under: Beauty, Make-up, Popular, Postpartum

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Comments

  1. Sara says

    June 16, 2017 at 11:38 pm

    Oh my goodness you look gorg! I can’t believe it only took you 5 minutes (though you’re a stunner without makeup, too!) I need to take a look at this makeup line!

    xo, Sara

    Reply
  2. Jessica Sheppard says

    June 17, 2017 at 1:49 am

    Great post! I love to save every minute getting ready. You make it look super fast and easy. Going to try your steps and hopefully I’ll look half as good as you do! Gorgeous, girl!

    Reply
  3. Rosie says

    June 17, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    I love the Eye Booster Feather Brow Fiber & Highlighter Duo! Everything looks so nice on you!

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    June 17, 2017 at 10:21 pm

    Cute! Need new makeup so bad!

    Reply
  5. Kimberly says

    June 18, 2017 at 1:35 am

    Beautiful! I’m definitely going to try these products!

    Reply
  6. Mandy Campbell says

    June 18, 2017 at 1:51 am

    I love the Super BB All-In-1 Beauty Balm Kit.

    Reply
  7. Mary Cloud says

    June 18, 2017 at 2:24 am

    Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Lip Oil Duo looks like it would be great for your lips

    Reply
  8. Livivua C. Chandler says

    June 18, 2017 at 3:20 am

    My favorite product is https://www.physiciansformula.com/mineral-wear-talc-free-cushion-corrector-primer-duo-spf-20.html

    Reply
  9. greentopiaries says

    June 18, 2017 at 8:42 am

    I would love to try the Sexy Booster Oh So Sexy Eyeshadow Quad. It’s so adorable and I love that it features colors for my everyday look. Thanks for the chance! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Samantha says

    June 18, 2017 at 12:46 pm

    You are stunning and your makeup is flawless! 🙂
    http://www.thefitbrunette.com
    @samanthabowers_

    Reply
  11. Amanda says

    June 18, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    I love this easy tutorial! That bronzer and highlighter looks amazing. Great tips.

    xo, Amanda
    http://www.aglamlifestyle.com

    Reply
  12. Liz says

    June 18, 2017 at 9:41 pm

    What a great post! Perfect five minute make up routine!

    Liz
    http://Www.lizzieinlace.com

    Reply
  13. Sierra says

    June 19, 2017 at 1:44 am

    Love this!

    Reply
  14. Breanne says

    June 19, 2017 at 2:56 pm

    The Eye Booster Feather Brow Fiber & Highlighter Duo looks amazing!!

    Reply
  15. Rachel Johnson says

    June 19, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    I’ve been dying to try the butter bronzer by physicians formula! Loved this blog post! I entered the giveaway! I would love to win!!! Love your blog and your Instagram account! You’ve got amazing style- you got me into overalls! Haha

    Reply
  16. Melissa says

    June 19, 2017 at 9:33 pm

    Hey Larisa, what a great tutorial. Loved the before and after. and that lip color is amazing!!
    xoxo
    melissa
    http://www.glammedevents.com

    Reply
  17. Lisa Weeks says

    June 20, 2017 at 1:37 am

    I love their #InstaReady Setting Spray the most.

    Reply
  18. Shannon | Mom Without Labels says

    June 20, 2017 at 3:32 am

    Beautiful! I need all of this – but especially the sleep in a tube! I’ll check these out!

    Reply
    • Living in Color says

      June 20, 2017 at 6:59 pm

      Hahaha right?! The sleep in a tube is basically gold.

      Reply
  19. elise says

    June 20, 2017 at 2:26 pm

    you look amazing!! I’m not a mum, but I do five minute makeup too!! Gonna use this tutorial for sure 🙂

    Reply
  20. Nataly says

    June 20, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    Your makeup looks so great! I love Physicians Formula!

    Reply
  21. Nicole Green says

    June 20, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    Love how quick this process was and how affordable the products are!

    Reply
  22. Cassie Rea says

    June 20, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    Beautiful! I am ALL about a fast and easy makeup look these days. Hashtag mom life.
    XOXO, Cassie Rea
    http://www.cassierea.com

    Reply
  23. Anna says

    June 20, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    I love this makeup look! So effortless!!

    Reply
  24. Kelssey Layton says

    June 20, 2017 at 8:42 pm

    With a 1 year old that is on the move NON stop, I have to get ready quick! This is just what I needed! xo

    Reply
  25. Lee Anne says

    June 20, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    You look gorgeous babe! And your lashes!! So beautiful.

    XO
    Lee Anne
    http://www.lifebylee.com

    Reply
  26. Dylan says

    June 20, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    I’ve heard great things about this brand. You look great.

    Dylan
    http://www.lifebydylan.com

    Reply
  27. Kate says

    June 20, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    Your make up looks amazing! I love physicians formula!

    Reply
  28. hanna says

    June 20, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    Girl your brows are AMAZING! I WISH I had your eyebrows!

    Reply
  29. Michelle Hills says

    June 21, 2017 at 2:26 am

    Ive never tried their makeup but I would love to try the face products you used!

    Reply
  30. Alina says

    June 21, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    I’m eyeing the Super BB All-In-1 Beauty Balm Kit.

    Reply
  31. Anna English says

    June 21, 2017 at 1:25 pm

    I love a good quick and easy make-up routine!

    Reply
  32. Sarah K Tripp says

    June 21, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    You are so stunning lady! Going to have to try some of these products!

    Reply
  33. Lauren says

    June 21, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    Your makeup looks stunning – and woah! Did PF redo their packaging? It looks gorgeous!

    Lauren | http://www.discodaydream.com

    Reply
  34. Stafford says

    June 21, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    You look fabulous. I love their InstaReady Setting Spray.

    Reply
  35. Sean says

    June 21, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    Love how your make up turned out. It looks amazing for sure. Their argan oil lip duo looks great.

    Reply
  36. linda says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    I really love the bronzers

    Reply
  37. rachel says

    June 22, 2017 at 12:57 am

    How perfect! Absolutely stunning!

    Reply
  38. Stephanie // A Sparkle Factor says

    June 22, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    PF products are amazing and the InstaReady collection is my FAVE! You look so gorgeous! Love this easy, 5 minute beauty look!

    Reply
  39. Natasha Stoneking says

    June 22, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    LOVING this easy, everyday makeup routine… you look gorg!!!

    Reply
  40. Tayler says

    June 23, 2017 at 3:52 am

    The perfect summer makeup! So pretty!

    XO
    http://www.taylermalott.com

    Reply
  41. Lesly f says

    June 23, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    I like the eye booster feather brow fiber highligther duo

    Reply
  42. Julie says

    June 23, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    I really love the shimmer bronzers

    Reply
  43. Amy Dendy says

    July 8, 2017 at 3:11 am

    This is my kind of routine. I would love to try the bronzer..

    Reply

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I'm Larissa. A mama to daughters and wife to my college sweetheart. I am passionate about sustainable fashion, whole foods recipes, and Charlotte Mason home education. I also love being outdoors with my family. You can usually find me sporting a wide-brimmed hat, with a baby on my back.

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This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark This week I’m writing + filming about a hallmark of the Charlotte Mason method: narration. Have you ever heard of it? What would you like to know? 

I’m focusing heavily on how we use narration in our homeschool, but if you have specific questions about it, I would love for you to 1. Take the poll in my stories, and 2. Ask any questions you may have about narration in the comments so that I can answer them in my video! ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encoura Happy Mother’s Day! I especially want to encourage those who are intentionally making a better life for their children than what they may have experienced as kids. It is not easy to change the cycle, but it’s well worth the effort. 

In the words of Louisa May Alcott, “A woman's happiest kingdom is home, her highest honor is the art of ruling it not as a queen, but a wise wife and mother."
📚 We are moving right along with term three of 📚 We are moving right along with term three of our school year. Slow but steady, we will finish up mid June and I’ll begin prepping for next school year in July and August! 📚

Here’s some of my random old and new tips + what I’ve been doing to help keep organized with the CMEC. 

01. Keep a regular day for nature outings or field trips. We have two days a week where I intentionally plan a hike or museum visit, etc. One is usually at the middle of the week and the other is at the end. It offers great variety to our weeks.

02. Notebook! I have had the girls consistently notebook this year, and it’s been such a delight to go back and see my form 1b student’s progress! I have a video coming out about how we notebook and why you should try it very soon! 

03. To stay on track with our morning timetable I’ve been writing the time we end each lesson in my logbook. It’s really changed how productive I am in making sure we get everything on our timetable done for the day. (I have a video on my logbook if you’re interested in learning more about that!)

04. And 05. Popsicle sticks! Friends, if you’re already a CMEC family, use these to help you choose which activities you review! I have on these for old singing games, French songs, folk dances or Swedish drill routines. I’ll share more on what I have on ours, specifically, but it’s fun because the girls and I get to be surprised rather than me choosing what we review!

06. Art instruction. Originally I had us doing three art lessons per week in the afternoon, but it didn’t allow for enough free choice, so we’ve reduced it down to one formal lesson a week for six weeks, then we change the method. So right now we are in week two of our chalkdrawing lessons. After six weeks we will switch to brush drawing instruction for the remainder of the term! As Charlotte Mason recommends, we draw from memory, model, and from imagination. 🌞

I hope this was helpful to you! So many of you guys are using @the.cmec next year! I am SO excited to see all of you at the online form meetings this coming year! 👏🏻 #thecmec #thecmecform1 #charlottemason
Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf o Do you keep your spices in a cabinet, on a shelf or in a drawer? This drawer is right next to my stove and it’s my favorite way to store my spices! I reuse these little jars and fill them every couple of weeks with my bulk @azurestandard spices. 🧂
Are you planting a garden this year? What are you Are you planting a garden this year? What are you growing? Containers and raised beds? Or in ground? What do you plan to grow? Veggies? Flowers? We are doing a little bit of everything. 😍

It’s my third year growing food. (And ironically, our third house 😅) We just got our @greenstalkgarden planter, several @smartpots, and six raised beds that are ready to be filled next weekend. Really looking forward to this gardening season! 🥕🥬🥦🌽🌶🫑🫐🍓🥔
“Let then once get in touch with nature and a ha “Let then once get in touch with nature and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.” -Charlotte Mason 

My kiddo had a birthday this past weekend. We do one main gift and a couple of small gifts; typically they’re  things they can use outdoors. Bikes have been a popular birthday item around here! My eldest wanted an apple tree last year. ☺️ But this year we got N a mud kitchen! Some friends of ours had one they built, and it inspired us. My kiddos have been playing on the forest floor in the mud for years now, but it’s exciting for them to have a little space in our garden for mud play. 🌳 What are some fun outdoorsy gifts you’ve purchased for your kids?
📚 When should I teach my child to read? How sho 📚 When should I teach my child to read? How should I teach my child to read? What does Charlotte Mason say about reading lessons? How did she teach children how to read? What curriculum do you use to teach your child how to read? 📚
These are all questions I answered in my blog post and video, “teaching reading the Charlotte Mason way” 📚 you can also swipe over to see some of my favorite CM quotes on teaching reading! 📚

I also shared what I do with my 3-year-old (which is very minimal) if you have younger children. You can view the post at the link in my profile! Are you up children school-aged? What do you use to teach reading?
I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more I needed to accomplish a lot today. There was more unpacking and organizing to be done, pictures to be framed, meal planning to do, laundry that needed folding, bike rides to be had, meals to be prepared, sourdough to be prepped and lesson planning + pre-reading to do. Oh and dishes. So many dishes. 😅

I do essentially all of the inside housework aside from taking out the trash + recycle, but for a season my husband helped out while N was small by doing dinner dishes and sometimes even preparing dinner so I could nurse her after we ate. But as of late, I’m trying something new where I don’t ask my husband to clean up after dinner and instead I do it myself. I don’t mind it, and since my girls are old enough to get their own pj’s on now, I’ve been doing dinner clean-up (as well as lunch and breakfast clean-up and prep!) before I head upstairs to tuck them in, read them a story and sit with them while they fall asleep. Call me old fashioned, but I’m happy to do it, and I delight in my husband being able to enjoy some time with the girls after dinner instead of clean up a mess after a long day of working.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post - I’ve felt pulled in so many directions today and it’s something I feel often, (and I’m sure so many of you can relate) but after five months without a home to care for and nurture I simply can’t feel frustrated or annoyed at my list of 10,000 things I need to do. Instead I pray my way through each task. I sip tea in between. I light a candle and wear my great-grandmother’s apron as I work. I read notes like the one my six-year-old left for me this morning and I weep tears of gratitude and joy. Happy Sunday, my friends. ❤️ 
.
(swipe to read her note 🥰 + a transcription in the comments!)
Remember that word we heard so often when we were Remember that word we heard so often when we were parenting infants? Attachment.  What comes to mind? Breastfeeding on demand. Co-sleeping. Babywearing. All of those things that come pretty natural to us when taking care of a baby. But did you know that attachment doesn’t just end when your child gets bigger? Attachment is actually necessary THROUGH adolescence. 😳

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté is a brilliant book that stopped me in my tracks. The book addresses the severe lack of attachment to parents that is incidentally replaced by an attachment to peers. I wrote all about it on my blog, but if you swipe over you can see a few passages that I underlined, highlighted, and wrote down in my notebook. 

Peer culture is more prevalent than ever. Not only because our society now prefers it that way, but because of social media’s ability to unite our youth in an unprecedented way. What we need is a shift in how we pass down culture to our kids from a horizontal attachment (peer to peer) back to a vertical attachment (family to child). I’ve often felt this long before I read this book, but we prioritize our Children’s friendships and relationships with others before we prioritize their relationships with us. We don’t value the family unit the way we used to decades ago, and it’s to the detriment of our children. 

I will gift this book to every new parent I meet from now on because of the wisdom the authors share. I wish all parents would read it so we could be on the same page as a society and those of us who choose to hold on to our kids wouldn’t be going against the grain. So this is my plea to you. If anything I’ve said piqued your interest, or struck a chord, please read Hold On To Your Kids! ✨

(For those of you who have read it! Share your thoughts with us! Help me convince everyone to read it! 👏🏻)
I promised I would share how I teach foreign langu I promised I would share how I teach foreign language the Mason way✨

When my oldest (now 6) was younger we loved and used @theculturedkid but since beginning formal lessons we’ve switched to this wonderful book by @cherrydalepress. 

Mason recommends that students learn 5-6 new French words a day and that they use them frequently. She writes in Home Education, “…children should learn French orally, by listening to and repeating French words and phrases; that they should begin so early that the difference of the accent does not strike them, but they repeat the French word all the same as if it were English, and use it freely…” (p. 80) she then writes about how important it is to employ the use of French vocabulary words during time out-of-doors. My kids and I have taken this to heart, because it isn’t uncommon for us all to be walking along the hiking trail, singing our French folk songs together. It’s something I’ll remember that we do together for many years. 

The Cherrydale Press program allows the child to learn common phrases, orally, a bit at a time. Along the way, they learn common verbs and vocabulary. 

Each “series” lasts about 2 weeks.
So here is the process we go through in that time:

01. We practice and memorize the English phrases. 
Here’s an example: 
I take the book.
I open the book.
I close the book.
So we say the phrases as we ACT THEM OUT, which is crucial to this method of learning French and retaining it! It’s helped me tremendously as a non-native speaker.

02. We then learn the French verbs from those phrases in French: je prends, j’ouvre, and je ferme. We memorize how to say them and act them out!

03. We learn the whole thing in French as we act it out. 
Je prends le livre.
j’ouvre le livre.
je ferme le livre.

After my daughter can say/act them without error, on her own, we move on to the next series!

Thanks to The Living Page, I keep a French notebook where I record the phrases or words we learn! (That’s what I shared in my stories the other day!)

In addition to this program, we have two French folk songs, one French vocabulary song per term (we sing daily) and a story we listen to in French, thanks to @the.cmec and their support!

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