Maxwell Marmaduke Rich

Though he deserves a page of his own, I will try to give him ample billing here on my blog. He is very large, very sweet, and quite unique. From his mulit-colored eyes to his pink and black padded paws, Maxwell Marmaduke is one of a kind. Living with Max is like having another person [...]

Learning to Let Go

Our Geography Project: Post Card Collecting

For the past few months we’ve been swapping post cards with people all over the U.S. and Canada. We joined an online group called Post Card Kids and have collected some really cool cards. We have put up a map and we highlight the cities and states we receive cards from as we trade. It’s [...]

Mother’s Day is fast approaching

Mother’s Day is May 11th. Don’t forget your mom! Here’s a cute idea for a Mother’s Day card that kids can make for mom. Or, it could be adapted nicely for Grandma (or even daddy for that matter- his day is 6-15). I found this crafty idea on Hot Chalk. If you don’t have [...]

A day of history

We live in a very historically rich area in Virginia, and there is no shortage of historic sites to visit. We’re minutes away from the Historic Triangle, which includes Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. We love these sites and I highly recommend them if you ever have the opportunity to visit.
We recently took a [...]

A few thoughts on beginning homeschooling and blogging

One of the things I love about teaching my own kids is the open exchange of ideas that happens between homeschoolers. I stumble upon so many gems of wisdom, great project ideas, fabulous books, fun websites, and more through the many conversations, web searches and group lists I engage in that it seemed a shame [...]

Earth Day Lesson Plan Ideas and Links

This is a cool project related to Earth Day and involves measuring a tree, graphing, and several math skills. Be sure to check out the rest of the site for links to lots of other lesson plans.
The next one is for preschoolers to learn about how plants grow.
We recently raised a Grow-A-Head Pet. This is [...]

Celebrate Earth Day 2008

We try to respect and celebrate our planet every day by recycling, choosing environmentally safe products, buying organic and growing plants together in our garden. We teach our kids about conservation and try to lead by example. We’re not perfect and we don’t own a hybrid (yet), but we do make a conscious effort [...]

My Daily Reminder Not to Yell at My Kids

Children Learn What They Liveby Dorothy Low NolteIf a child lives with criticism,He learns to condemn.If a child lives with hostility,He learns to fight.If a child lives with ridicule,He learns to be shy.If a child lives with shame,He learns to feel guilty.If a child lives with tolerance,He learns to be patient.If a child lives with [...]

So what’s my story?

I am a native of southeastern VA. I was the middle child of three girls growing up in a Navy family. I attended public schools and hated every moment of it. My true love was ballet and I danced six days a week. It’s what got me through the agony of adolescence. I [...]