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Before we get too much into the nitty gritty of writing and building big blogs, we need to continue with a few more foundational posts. Today, I want to talk about the five most important goals you should have with your blog, and what you should be doing right now to reach those goals.

Single Dad Laughing is not some phenomenon that came from nothing. Though my original intention wasn't to turn it into a big blog, I certainly made being a big blogger my goal early on. With that goal came serious dedication to making it happen, whether that included time, investment, or picking up dog poop to bring in extra money. To reach my goal, I gave it my everything, I went about it logistically, and I set (and reached) lots, and lots, and lots of small goals all along the way.
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Homeschoolers kinda like snow days.

When icy roads result in cancelled choir practice, swimming lessons, or co-op, we relish the opportunity to focus on important parts of an education that sometimes get brushed off to the side when we're gallivanting all over town, making sure our children are being well socialized (wink).

Snow days are fun days where the kids look forward to long periods of uninterrupted reading out loud on the couch, the opportunity to work on projects that are more time consuming, and the folder of fun things (a.k.a. Pinterest) Mommy reserves for days when it's too cold to play outside.

Our read-aloud list includes:

• Wisdom and the Millers by Mildred Martin
• Storytime with the Millers by Mildred Martin
• Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred Martin
• The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Christopher Churchmouse Treasury by Barbara Davoll
• The Bronze Bow by Elisabeth George Speare
• The Door In The Wall by Margaret De Angeli
• The Tanglewood's Secret by Patricia St. John
• Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John
• Huguenot Garden by Douglas Jones
• The Minstrel in The Tower by Gloria Skurzynski
• The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day by Scott O'Dell
• Ink On His Fingers by Louise Vernon
• The Answers Books for Kids by Ken Ham
• The Way of the Master: Teaching Kids to Share Their Faith by Kirk Cameron

Crafts. Painting, beading, scrapbooking, card-making: these all take extra time and result in a big mess to clean up, but it's not so bad when you can devote several hours to creating something beautiful that will be appreciated and remembered for years to come.

Baking. The kids love to help me in the kitchen. They often slow the process down, but culinary skills are important and snowy days provide us with lots of time for everyone to take a turn measuring, pouring, stirring, rolling, and of course, licking the spatula.

Writing. One of my goals for our children's education is to instill in them a love for writing. I want them to be able to articulate their thoughts and express themselves in a way that serves others. Perhaps the earliest, most practical way they can do this is by mailing hand-written cards of encouragement.

Our 4-year-old learned how to form her letters using the 1777 New England Manuscript Printable Set and adores being able to write the letters I dictate to send a message to her grandparents. When she's finished writing, she gets to decorate her letter and address the envelope (another necessary skill). Few things are more rewarding than discovering that Grandpa and Grandma received her card and loved it!
Our "FUN" list includes:

The January Printables by Kristy Howard. Our kids love Kristy's printables (She also has a set of Christmas themed printables that are a blast any time of the year)! They are just as educational as they are fun, and for $2.00, they provide many hours of productive enjoyment for kids between the ages of 4 and 6. The January set includes:

The ABC's For Godly Girls activities and crafts. We're working through Lindsey Stomberg's The ABC's For Godly Children Bible Curriculum this year (you can read my full review here), and snowy days are the perfect opportunity to work on the activities and crafts included with every lesson that we don't always get to otherwise.

If you need more fun, inspiring, educational ideas, Homeschool Enrichment Magazine always comes chock full of them. Among many other great ideas in the current issue, they suggest making it through the mid-winter "slump" by learning a handcraft, taking art classes with another family, hosting a games day, and operating on an alternative schedule.

Until the end of January, you can get a 1-year subscription for 58% off the cover price for a total of $14.95. In my completely biased opinion (it's the only homeschool magazine we subscribe to), that's a deal too good to pass up!

How do you like to spend your snow days? Do you dread or welcome them?

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your support. If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox. Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Raising Arrows, A Wise Woman.,Walking Redeemed,, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family Time Warp Wife

Today is the beginning of a new year which, for most people, also marks a fresh resolve to become happier, healthier, richer, or skinnier.

It's good to make goals. Proverbs says that where there is no vision, people perish (29:19), and that when our goals are in accord with His revealed will and purpose for our lives, we can expect His blessing (James 4:3).

My goal, by the grace of God, is to love.

I'm not just talking about loving people who are easy to love: my children, husband, parents, blogging pals, and others who are dear to my heart. It takes no effort to be patient, kind, and enduring to those who share my beliefs, convictions, and ideas and love me back.
"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:32-36Love is sacrifice. Love is love when it involves how I relate to the unlovable.

Love gives, expecting nothing in return (Luke 6:35). Love gives up sleep to nurse my babe in the middle of the night; baby-sits other children without believing their parents owe me one; stuffs envelopes for ministry organizations without expecting a paycheck or a pat on the back.

Love blesses those who curse me (Luke 6:28). Love responds with a soft answer to those who troll my Facebook page and blog, watching for opportunities to leave critical, harsh, or dissenting comments that prove how little I really know.

Love does not insist on having its own way (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love enables me to give up my clothing preferences and paint color choices for my husband's and fold his socks like his Mom folded them. Love makes submission a joyful service. Love cares for families who are contagious with the flu I haven't had yet. Love puts someone else ahead of myself.

Love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love doesn't snap "Hurry up; we're going to be late!"; "Don't you get this? We've been through it a thousand times!"; or get aggravated by piles of clothes on the floor, a toothpaste cap gone missing, or toilet seat in the upward position.

Love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love is content. Love does not wish for someone else's clothes, personality, beauty, vacations, husband, degree, position, environment, fame, or fortune (Exodus 20:17).

Love does not boast (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom. Love can only boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection (How Deep The Father's Love For Us by Stuart Townend). Love remembers that Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).

Love is not arrogant or rude (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love does not engage in personal attacks, but informs and reasons in kindness and truth. Love presents opinions on educational methods, vaccines, diets, and birth control for the purpose of being helpful, not hurtful.

Love is not irritable or resentful (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love does not look for ways to be offended or take opportunities to hold a grudge. Love does not judge another's motives. Love assumes the very best of others in the same way I want them to assume the very best about me (Luke 6:31). Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love forgives seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22).

Love does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). Love does not mean I will refuse to quote passages like 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 for fear of offending homosexuals. Love is intolerant of abortion, Islam, homosexuality, humanism, adultery, theft, gambling, and drunkenness because they are opposed to Truth. When we condone sin by our silence or our fear of man rather than God, we keep people from Truth instead of leading them to it. Love desires another's salvation over their damnation.

Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Love doesn't worry about what people think of me or if they gossip behind my back. Love does not fear rejection, criticism, false accusations, disapproval, or misunderstanding. Love is concerned with keeping God's commandments (John 14:15), the chief of which is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."(Luke 10:27)

If I do not have love, I have nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2), but I can love because He loved me first and His love never fails (1 John 4:19; 1 Corinthians 13:8). He offered His only Son as a ransom to prove His love and that kind of self-sacrifice is what I want to mark my relationships in 2014 and onward.

Have you resolved to do anything differently this year? Can you sum it up in a word? I'd love to hear the goal you're pursuing this year!

***
To help you start off the New Year with a new attitude, we've put our 153-page eBook, The Pursuit of Motherhood on sale for $3.99 (reg. $7.99)! You can read more about it and view the Table of Contents here.

The Pursuit of Motherhood 153 pages
$7.99 $3.99

If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox. Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Raising Arrows, A Wise Woman.,Walking Redeemed,, The Modest Mom, A Mama's Story, We ARE That Family, Raising Mighty Arrows, Hearts For Home, Frugal Homeschool Family Time Warp Wife

Do you have homeschool a child between the ages of 4 and 8? You may want to snag the February Printable Packet created by Kristy Howard from Little Natural Cottage, which is on sale for $2.00!

Kristy makes a new set for every month (and sells them for far less than they're worth!) and our 4-year-old adores them. It's all "fun" to her, but she's improving her penmanship, learning how to count by two's, discovering special days and people, developing her critical thinking skills, and much more.
This month, we're learning about Ground Hog Day, Black History, Valentine’s Day, Random Acts of Kindness Day, President’s Day, Abraham Lincoln & George Washington.

Last month, with the January pack (which you can still get for $2.50), she learned how to set goals, fill in a calendar, and all about matching, opposites, gratitude, and Benjamin Franklin.
The printables are a great, inexpensive supplement to any homeschool, and the perfect solution to eager students who think "school" should happen on Saturdays when your plan is to catch up on housework. ;)
Get the February set for $2.00, the January set for $2.50, and stay tuned for the March edition which promises to be just as good!

If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox.In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your support.

One of my many goals this year is to avoid unhealthy snacking, both for myself and for our kids. I have a huge weakness for chips and chocolate, and I fear I've passed my bad habits onto our kids. So, I'm taking extreme measures and have committed to not purchasing packaged snacks; if it's not in the house, we can't eat it!

Of course, that means we need to replace the junk with snacks of the healthy variety. In addition to these ideas, Coconut Oil Banana Muffins fit the bill perfectly! These muffins are moist, flavorful, and melt in your mouth. They're also egg-free and dairy-free.

Coconut Oil Banana Muffins
Time: 15 min. prep; 16 min baking (per batch).
Yield: 3 dozen
Egg-free, dairy-free

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut or almond milk
• 2 cups coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 5 very ripe, mashed bananas

1. Preheat oven to 385 F. Insert paper liners into muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift and stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil and milk together until coconut oil has just liquefied. Pour into a large bowl and add coconut sugar and vanilla. Blend together
4. Mash bananas and stir into wet ingredients. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and fold together until just combined.
5. Fill muffin cups half way (this batter spreads!).
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before removing.
8. Freeze, or enjoy warm!

Are you making a conscious effort to snack healthier, too? What's your favorite resource for quick, budget-friendly, healthy treats (besides Pinterest, I mean)?

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. Thank you for your support.
If you enjoyed this post, you may wish to follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, or have them emailed directly to your inbox.

Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I've been picking raspberries nearly every summer at the same farm. Originally it was run by my great aunt and uncle; now it's managed by their daughter and her husband.
Over the years, the pick-your-own fruits and vegetables business has suffered greatly. I asked my great aunt why she thinks this might be. She attributes the declining interest to a two-income society that 1) doesn't have the time to pick their own produce between jobs and a pleasure-seeking lifestyle and 2) would rather pay a premium to have someone else do the hard work for them.
I don't think she's way off base in her conclusion. Those reasons, coupled with a government that regulates small farms to near extinction and the toll feminism takes on traditional homemaking has resulted in very few people who have experienced the pleasure of gleaning their own harvest and preserving their food. Even very basic skills like picking berries have almost been lost!
One of the goals of this blog is to help restore such traditions and revive glorious homemaking. So without further ado, here are 10 tips to help you pick a successful raspberry harvest (these generally apply to other fruit-bearing bushes like blueberry, blackberry, and gooseberry)!

Tips for picking raspberries:

1. If you don't grow your own, find a patch that's closed on Sundays and go on Monday. The berries will be most plentiful after an extra day to ripen.
2. Typically, the nicest berries are found the second or third week into the season.
3. If you're picking to make memories, bring the whole family along; if you're on a mission, you may wish to leave small children with a sitter in a place where they can keep cool. Raspberries are grown in direct sunlight and it can get intolerably hot very quickly for babies!
4. Go in the early morning or late evening to beat the heat.
5. Bring along mosquito repellent if you're going before the sun is at its peak. Mosquitoes love raspberry patches!
6. Wear old clothes; raspberries stain! A wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face is recommended too.
7. Use pints or quarts (my preference) instead of larger baskets to keep the berries from getting squished. Plus, for the same price, you can fit more into six individual quarts than you can in a 6-quart basket. Don't forget to top 'em up!
8. Pick with two hands. Set your container on the ground (or inside a berry picking harness) and use your thumb and index finger to roll the berries into your palm. Empty your hands once they are full.
9. Work your way from the bottom of the plant to the top. Start on your knees (or squat) so you can get all the berries near ground level without busting your back.
10. Take empty quarts with you as you work down the row. Once a quart is full, leave it on the ground and continue picking. When you're finished, get a flat and walk down the row and set all your filled containers inside.

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support.
Linking to: The Prairie Homestead, Frugally Sustainable

After several months of collaborating with ten fellow homeschooling mamas from around America (yes, I'm the lone Canadian contributor to this eBook!) Homeschooling Day By Day, a 40-chapter thriving guide for mothers is finally here!

Homeschooling Day By Day
$4.99 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions)
PDF Version:

KINDLE version:

If you've ever wished for a homeschooling manual- or better yet, a mentor- you will love Homeschooling Day by Day. It is the spilling over of hearts into words from eleven mothers who, like you, are in the trenches raising and educating their children at home.

Some are at the beginning of our journeys (such as yours truly), three of us are second-generation homeschoolers (also including yours truly!), some have very large families (seven kids or more), and some are homeschooling children with special needs.
All of us are passionate about the opportunity to teach our own children. No one has a teaching degree and yet we all homeschool because we believe the One who has called us to this momentous task is able to provide the wisdom and grace to be able instruct the children He has given us day by day.

Don't buy Homeschooling Day by Day if you want to be told that homeschooling is easy or if you've already got this thing licked.

This book is for homeschooling mamas who struggle, grow weary, wonder if they're doing enough or if they're pushing too hard, worry that they're in over their head, deal with criticism, or desire plenty of practical advice and helpful hints to make this glorious calling worth the life-changing road it's bound to take you down.

Table of Contents:

Part One: The Heart Of Homeschooling

1} The Worst Homeschool Year Ever
2} Debunking Super Mom
3} Homeschooling Heroism
4} How Pride Hurts Homeschoolers
5} Facing The Mirrors
6} Your Greatest Critic
7} Teaching Without Words
8} Embracing The “Want To”
9} The Most Important “R”
10} God's Word: The Heart Of Home Education

Part Two: Challenges Of Homeschooling

11} On Getting It All Done
12} Can I Homeschool For Free?
13} Homeschooling & Dyslexia
14} Homeschooling A Child On The Autism Spectrum
15} Homeschooling The Strong-Willed Child
16} Homeschooling & Working From Home
17} Homeschooling While Working A Full Time Job

Part Three: Seasons Of Homeschooling

18} Balancing Multiple Ages
19} Homeschooling Teenagers
20} Preschoolers: Q&A
21} Obedience Training
22} Seasons Of Survival

Part Four: Homeschooling Foundations

23} Traditional Homeschooling
24} The Classical Method Of Homeschooling
25} The Unit Study Method
26} The Charlotte Mason Method
27} Eclectic Homeschooling
28} Other Homeschooling Methods
29} Learning Styles
30} Covering All The Bases
31} Making Homeschool Fun
32} Six Ways To Simplify Curriculum

Part Five: Tools For Successful Homeschooling
33} Keeping First Things First
34} Steps To Prioritizing
35} Mama's Schedule Fiasco
36} Building A Homeschool Routine That Works For You
37} Menu Planning Helps
38} How To Create Lesson Plans
39} Creating & Working Toward Goals
40} What It All Looks Like In Reality

Homeschooling Day by Day covers the following topics in a down-to-earth style:

• Homeschooling methods

• Learning styles

• Homeschooling children with learning disabilities

• Homeschooling teenagers

• Homeschooling preschoolers

• Managing multiple grade levels

• Dealing with criticism and insecurity

• How to handle bad attitudes and expectations

• Lesson planning

• How to keep up with housework, meals, your marriage and so much more!

Homeschooling Day By Day eBook: $4.99 PDF version

KINDLE version:

It is our prayer that Homeschooling Day by Day will equip, empower, and encourage you to give homeschooling a chance for the very first time or bring fresh vision and refreshment for those who are in the thick of it.