Freckles Home School Year 2013~2014

It's that time of year again...Getting back to the books, studying and building character. This last year was kind of a messy season in our life, and Freckles missed a lot of school due to unforeseen circumstances. There was a lot of stress and change going on in our home, along with our son moving away, not having a place to call home for 6 months and a move just before Summer...We just kinda put things on the back burner. We decided since we had missed so much that we would pull her back a little to catch up on some things we missed. That is the forgiving and beautiful thing about homeschooling...You can work at your own pace. She will be able to catch up in no time at all. The thing is she will be right where she is supposed to be...Not a grade or going by anybody else's standard.

 

This year we are very excited to have met a delightful family from church...Whom is like minded in the very things we believe our family to be, with faith, family dynamics and the way we raise and teach our children. This particular family has opened the doors to an Ambleside Home school group...(Charlotte Mason) which we have dabbled in throughout the years. Freckles will be involved in their Performing Arts program as well, studying Shakespeare, recitation and music/solfege.
We will also be doing the Ambleside curricula this year with a couple of
my own lessons in which I have tailored in for a full, enriching education.

 

 

 

We pray the Lord will bless our school year, as He grows us in character and in faith in Him. We pray that Freckles will learn and will glean from her lessons in life, that she will gain confidence in herself and grow meaningful/like minded Christian relationships with people that will only lift her up as well as accept her for who she is. We are looking forward to a great year ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More to come...
Have a great week...

Here & Now

 

In my Shop

Today I will not worry about yesterday or worry about tomorrow...I will focus on Here & Now...Today I will find true joy in my life whether big or small. I will remember today and always that He loves me no matter what.. I have so much to be thankful for and so many gifts & blessings to count.

    

Sorce:Wheatfield

Enjoy your Here & Now.

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7. Knowing I don't have to pick petals off

a flower to tell me that He loves me.

8. How someone took the time to make

 all these wonderful afghans (gannies)

9. Hot cocoa with whipped cream and

colorful sprinkles on a chilly afternoon.

10. Old books...to read to my girl every night before bed.

11. Little things that remind me of my childhood. Like when my

Uncle got me my first Kewpie Doll when I was a young girl about ten.

12. For the Here & Now

Our Little House Got A New Look....

 

I have been a busy beaver this week. Since cleaning up Christmas, I have been purging and organizing as well as preparing for future possible move after Mr. Darling graduates in May. I happily donated 9 big black trash bags of clothes, and 7 boxes of old stuff, some left over from our garage sale last Summer. We even went and recycled all the bottle and cans we have been collecting. Extra pocket change is always nice. I also sold some stuff on Etsy this week so thought it was time for a fresh look. Our son saved up his money and bought the family a new t.v.... So it needed a new place...

 

(One of my favorite children's books...Found last Summer for $3.00)

  

We took our armoire upstairs to our bedroom and put the old T.V. in there...Then I had to come up with some wall art for the living room where the armoire was. I got this cute Family Rules canvas for Christmas from my parents. The star was free from a garage sale, a little red paint does wonders...Then I used some letters to spell out PRAY. I had the A and the R...so found a P...

covering it with sheet music and found the Y at Michael's.

  

I found the T.V. cabinet thrifting...it was an ugly boring brown...(forgot to take pictures) Once I got paint in my hands, I couldn't stop to take pics. I painted it Sea Breeze Blue for just a few bucks a can. ( I used 2) Then I took some handy sandpaper and gave it a little aged look. Then I put two mismatched door pulls on each door. The Open was from Michael's for $1, the polka dot one was from Hobby Lobby for $1.25. ( YEP...HOBBY LOBBY is here...Just opened a couple months ago..."GRIN") I love how the cabinet turned out as it has added some charm and a pop of color that goes with all my reds so nicely. I had some red paint so decided to paint the little chair I have had for the last few years...

It needed color and a monkey to sit on it of course.

  

Okay Okay...I couldn't stop painting stuff...I painted our wooden candlesticks holders which were black in the left over blue I had... I love how it added a splash of color and coordinates with the cabinet.

  

In the picture above...You can see the alcove where I put my children chairs, doll and old globe....That is where our old T.V. was. I love the change. It has been two years in this house without changing it much...I love change sometimes. This was a good change for me.

 

Oh yeah...Remember the bottles and cans I recycled? I bought this with the money.

It was half off at Hobby Lobby...(woot woot). I pray that the Lord will continue to bless our home with much love and laughter this new year. Anyone up for a movie nite? Come on over I'll pop the corn.

Thrifty Finds and a bit of This & That...

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. With my daughters party, tooth aches and trying to catch up...I have been a bit occupied. This last week I had to have mouth surgery getting three teeth pulled...It has been a time of suffering through a lot of pain and emotions. Freckles also took a babysitting~first aid~CPR class and is now certified to babysit. She is really excited about that. We've also been rearranging her room and decorating. She received some money from family and friends for her birthday so she decided to buy a few things for her room....We will share pics. soon! I have been so out of it the last several days, but still wanted to pop in and say hello. Thought I would share a few things I had thrifted recently.

I picked up another vintage sheet to add to my stash...something will surely be re-purposed from it...I also found this sweet lil' Holly Hobby rag doll. I couldn't resit...she was 50 cents!
 I will add her to my rag doll collection.

And of course...I picked up a couple more vintage children's books. This one I thought was a happy book...
A Child's Garden Of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.
 I have several different versions with different illustrations and verses...
So I couldn't pass this one up, since I didn't have it of course!

Monday we pick our son up from the airport!!!YAY!!!....
He has spent the last 3 weeks in The Czech Republic...
Which I will share some of his pics. when he is settled.
I am wishing you all a Happy Weekend!!!!

Saturday....

 This morning I tied my apron strings and got busy with keeping the home. I am doing a thorough deep clean before Fall...School starts soon! And we're throwing our daughter a Mad Hatter Tea Party this coming weekend for her 11th birthday. She didn't have a party for her 10th so we are making it up since we won't have another until probably her 13th. Big parties every year wouldn't make things special anyway. Can't wait to show you some of the ides I found for her day! I am also making her gifts!

I made a hearty, country breakfast to get the day going and I was off !

 I love pancakes,scrambled eggs and sausage,YUM!

 
I also love my new apron..I got it for pennies,
 literally..It was $1.00!

Enjoying my new chair.... I sold a few things on Craigs list and Ebay to buy my chair since my old chair was too awkward in that space and starting to rip. It is the cutest find with it's sweet plaid upholstery full of happy colors, jumbo rick rack for whimsy and pockets on each side.
A perfect spot to keep remotes, toys and my Bible for quiet devotions.

Today I swept, vaccumned,scrubbed,mopped,dusted and moved things around for a little change of scenery.Everything smells and feels so Summery fresh!!!
Also enjoying moments with my daughter, reading our vintage childrens books.
 She loves to be read to every night...well, almost every night, when there is time.
And...Playing with dolls. This sweet doll has been with us since Freckles was a baby.
 It is an Anne Geddes Rag Doll. We are also missing our son while he is currently out of the Country on his Mission trip to Czech. We got an e-mail from him the other day which was wonderful and very encouraging. Two more weeks and he will be home! Tonight we prepare for The Lord's Day...Church and fellowship with our Summer internship congrgation and hopping over our friends house afterwards for an overdue visit. hope you all are having a great weekend!

A Little Bit Of This & A Little Bit Of That

Every Wednesday this Summer we go up to the Church where Mr. Darling is interning and spend time at the park playing volley ball and having a nice picnic dinner. Last week there on a picnic table was this sweet flower wreath made by someone...I couldn't resit making it into
a heart shape and snapping a shot. It was so pretty....Don't ya think?

Little Miss Freckles has been doing a little baking on her own...She made this yummy pound cake with homemade whipped cream and strawberries on top...It was delish!!! She did an awesome job...So here is the recipe from Gooseberry Patch.
Grandmother's Pound Cake
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1 C. softened butter
1 2/3 C. Sugar
5 eggs
1/2 t. Vanilla
2 C. All-Purpose Flour
***
Beat butter until creamy.Blend in sugar, eggs & vanilla. Gradually mix in flour; pour into a greased and floured 9X5 loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 8~10.
 
I went to the Thrift Shop for a little browse since they were having 50% off...And found 8 more children's books to add to my collection..WOO WOO! They were .25 cents each!!!! Total cost $2.00. Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Also found these little Cuties...Sweet Cupie Dolls still in it's old original packing...for $2.00!!! It reminded me of when I was Freckles age. I went to visit my Aunt & Uncle for a couple weeks one Summer... My Uncle & I went to the store to get a couple things and he bought me one of these babies. I will never forget!
I am also doing a little sewing. Trying to finish things on the work table...Slow moving...maybe it's the heat. Well, two days and my boy is off to Czech for 3 weeks. Can't believe the time is finally here. What's a Mama to do when he won't be able to call me everyday??? He may only have the chance to e-mail a few times here and there..sniffle sniffle. I see it as a preparation of sorts for when he will leave home and be his own man someday too soon! How do you deal with your babies leaving the nest?
Well...Hope this finds you all well...
 Happy Summer!!!