A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START

Hello, Blog World! Before I start singing Do, Re, Mi (Sound of Music reference for those who might not get it…haha), I guess the best place for me to start is by introducing you to myself and my family. I’m a stay-home wife and homeschool mom. Some might think that means my life is boring…but let me assure you, it’s the total opposite! Every day presents a new adventure of one kind or another, and it often seems like there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done that I need to do. In fact, I’m a night owl by nature and you can often find me up late and working on something well into the night. People often wonder how I can get by on so little sleep, but I’ve been like this since I was a little girl, reading under the covers way past my bedtime!

I have an awesome husband, who happens to be English. He’s my very own Mr. Darcy. He even calls me, “Dear” which I find very sweet and old-fashioned. I always tell him his charming manners are what won my heart. Not to mention the fact that his accent made me swoon <big smile>. We’ve been blessed with three children….our oldest son who just became our first homeschool graduate in June,  our 15 year old daughter, and our youngest son who’s teetering on the edge of becoming a teenager. My husband and oldest son are karate enthusiasts. My husband holds a first-dan black belt in Shotokan karate and my son holds a second-dan black belt. If I ever need a personal bodyguard, I’m covered! My daughter is very passionate about dancing and is on a competitive dance team. Yes, Dance Mom is another hat that I wear, but I promise I’m nothing like the crazy moms you see on TV! My youngest son is also into karate, but his first love is computers. As of right now, his dream job would be game designing. Our family is rounded out with our seven year old Westie, whose favorite pastimes are begging for snacks, naps, and barking at squirrels. He was a rescue puppy and is one very pampered pooch!

We live in a small, rural Missouri town with a fairly large Amish community. We have little, horse-drawn black buggies clip-clopping up and down our street several times a week. There are hitching posts at our local Walmart. It’s almost like a step back in time. Almost. I was pretty surprised when we first moved here to discover that the Amish shop at Walmart just like everyone else and that they buy things like Wonder Bread, Cheetohs, and even disposable diapers. It totally shattered all of my Little House on the Prairie illusions!

My days are filled with teaching my youngest two, plus carpool runs to dance and karate lessons. I love the homeschool life. It truly is a lifestyle and we’re always learning, no matter the time or place. We have no desks, no tardy bells, and no homework. We read. A lot. Sometimes in our pajamas! We observe and draw nature, do experiments, and have so much fun. I’ve learned a great deal, right alongside my children. There’s nothing like watching the joy and wonder when something clicks in their minds…from learning to read that first word to “getting” fractions, or seeing a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. Another blessing that homeschooling has brought to our family is the fact that my kids are best friends. That’s not to say that they never fight, but they actually enjoy spending time together, whether it’s watching a movie, playing a board game, or building a snow fort. They also write stories together, make silly videos, and have mini-Olympic competitions, and so much more…even the oldest!

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know me and will stop by again to read about what’s going on in my little corner of the world. Please come visit me again on Wednesday, and I’ll tell you all about my new business endeavor…I’m so excited about it!  I’d love to hear any of your comments or questions, so please share or ask away!