Right now, many parents have found themselves in the role of teacher, as well as caretaker and entertainer with no warning. It’s daunting to take on a new responsibility when there’s been very little time for preparation. Naturally, I started looking for some guidance, and found a gem that I think will help you, too.
I started reading Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence by Jamie Erickson. As a mom who has spent some time homeschooling young kids, this book changed how I approached teaching my children, and it really made a huge difference in our little classroom. Frequently I struggle with self-doubt, especially when it comes to homeschooling. As a parent, you desire what’s best for your children, and although I strongly believe that during this season of life having them home with me is best, I often question if I made the right choice.
Homeschool Bravely offers homeschooling parents the encouragement to boldly approach homeschooling as a calling from God, rather than a chore. Erickson offers tips on routines; she shares curriculum ideas and provides activities that will fit right into your lessons for the day. This book is grounded in faith and has scriptures woven throughout the pages. Having strong words of comfort with God’s own Word there to reinforce it did wonders for me. This book granted me encouragement and refreshed my confidence on this homeschooling journey.
I closed the book, reassured that I’m not ruining my children or preventing them from experiencing something greater than what I provide. My perspective shifted tremendously, and I realized the importance of speaking life into myself and our homeschool classroom.
Additionally, this book is different from the other homeschooling books I’ve read because it provided direct insight on issues I am currently juggling—having kids with different learning challenges, ages and interests. I also love that all the content is pointed back to trusting God’s plan throughout this journey despite all my fear, doubt, failures, and even victories!
Demario Davis… to know him is to love him. To hate him… I’d say you should self-reflect. Why? Because you’re only hating greatness, lol! Of course, I’m biased!
He’s an excellent combination of The Lion and The Lamb. On the field, he’s ferocious! But, off the field, he’s a gentle giant and so much more than an athlete.
Football is his platform; it’s what he does. But it’s not who he is. If you were to ask him who he is? His first response would be, “I’m a Child of God.” I love that he’s able to identify and make decisions in light of that.
Although he’s an elite athlete, he’s also an unbelievably selfless, humble man of faith! He’s brilliant and sacrificial—constantly searching for resources to grow individually, while also seeking to provide opportunities to encourage the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth of those around him.
Demario is in constant pursuit of his relationship with Christ. More than ever, he’s seeking opportunities to ensure the gospel goes forward on every level—locally, nationally and globally. Additionally, he’s the most disciplined person I’ve ever encountered, and his burning desire for greatness is contagious!
I’m constantly learning from him in every area of my life. Doing life with him is one of my greatest joys. He’s absolutely a tremendous asset!
The most valuable lesson he’s ever taught me is how to live fervently for the Lord! I’m in awe that on his best day he seeks the Lord just as much as he does on his worst day. Having him lead our family is one of the things I’m most grateful for in life.
Classic s’mores, one of our kids’ favorite snacks. And it doesn’t require lighting a fire outside! Even more than not being outdoors to enjoy it, I love that I can make lots for the house all at once using a very large cookie sheet in the oven. Here’s an extra tip If you want a little more than classic: Add an oreo in the middle. It makes this quick treat more tempting!
Let’s dive in:
Ingredients
4 graham crackers (broken in half)
4 large marshmallows
1 Hershey’s bar (broken into 4 equal parts)
Instructions
Place the graham crackers on a clean cookie sheet.
On half of the graham crackers, place a marshmallow.
On the other half of the graham crackers, place a portion of chocolate.
Repeat with remaining graham crackers.
Broil in the oven for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on them! The marshmallows will brown quickly.
After removing them from the oven, match a marshmallow top to a chocolate bottom to create the s’more sandwich.
Enjoy while warm! Let me know how your kids love this snack while at home.
While most of us supermoms don’t have a team of organizers to get our pantries into Instagram-worthy shape, it’s still achievable! With a good bit of strategy and work overtime, I’ve been able to whip my pantry into order — photo-worthy order!
Here are my tips to help you create your own:
Invest in your pantry, without breaking the bank.
I absolutely love OXO food storage containers, iDesign Lazy Susan cabinet bins, and baskets of all sizes. With so many container options out there, it can become overwhelming and expensive, fast! But don’t worry; you can absolutely create the pantry of your dreams on a budget.
Most of my organizing items can be found on Amazon, the Container Store, or at HomeGoods. I shopped at all of these locations and didn’t purchase everything at once. My pantry is an ongoing project! I encourage you to start organizing with what you have before making an investment in containers and bins. Feel free to get creative!
Create a plan, and stick to it.
I have a master shopping list of things we LOVE (which I can’t wait to share soon) that I keep on hand. This great guide I’ve created keeps our pantry stocked with the essentials, plus more. I encourage you to take some time to create your own master shopping list. How do I get mine started? Typically, I do a weekly inventory of what’s needed, preparing to have everything stocked.
Having a shopping list is great for those on a budget or anyone trying not to overbuy. It’s also an excellent way to stay organized. Once everything arrives, we unpack boxes and bags and add everything to the containers. Doing this right away keeps the pantry organized long-term and makes the process less daunting.
Involve the kids.
It’s important to get the kids involved! I like to have certain snacks that are stocked low enough for my older kids to reach if I need them to grab something for me. (They gotta earn their keep! Just kidding! lol.) They love helping Mommy tackle endless things, so I try to create systems they can help with as well. Having items at kid-level also allows my children to create their own pre-packaged snack for community day. They can get to those items without a problem.
Don’t be afraid to rearrange more than once.
Remember, your pantry is not a one and done project. As your needs (and your family’s needs) change so will your pantry’s. It’s a good idea to rearrange your pantry periodically to keep the layout fresh. Often, I play around with things in my pantry. I even consider it to be one of my favorite hobbies. I perform a trial and error test of what looks the best where, and other times, I think about accessibility, depending on what we have going on. Being a mom and achieving a photo-worthy pantry doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive! Like any good project, do it one step at a time. Finding out what works for your family is the most important part of this process, so let that (and the tiny hands grabbing for snacks) guide you as you figure it out. These tips are a great place to start!
How does our family get ready for game day Sundays? Well, we start on Saturdays! We start by laying out our jerseys and favorite game gear.
The kids and I will usually rock our favorite jerseys, custom shirts and jackets. My son loves to bring his football to throw around with some of the other players’ kids in the family area after the game. I pack a massive clear bag (*rolls eyes) to be in line with NFL policy.
Before the game starts, we facetime our favorite Saint (Daddy) and give him encouraging words! I usually send him a sweet text right before the game as well. Once the game ends, we all hang out as a family! It’s some of our fondest moments to have our entire family together to laugh and fellowship with.
Now, for away games, it’s a bit different. We either have a fun watch party with some of our close friends, or the kids and I indulge in game-day snacks, cheering Daddy on from the sofa!
Here’s what always stands true: Game days are fun, intense, emotional — the list goes on. But, we’re grateful for every opportunity and all that comes with it. We absolutely love supporting Daddy and letting fans know who we’re invested in.
More about our fits:
My girl’s tunics are custom made by my sweet friend and fellow sister Saint Makenzie Line.
Enjoy a space to connect, be empowered and educated to seek Jesus wholeheartedly, identify blind spots, seek growth, learn to love, forgive, laugh, cook amazing food, and understand that living the in the spotlight is not always roses & candy.
