Mother’s Day and a Changed Life

mama and I www.LinesFromTheVine.com

Mother’s Day is approaching. There are many, still very raw thoughts, and many feelings. I realize I probably share more than most are comfortable with, or even care to read.  😀 This time of year, it is easy to think on my mom and her passing. I’m still very much grieving. I’m not sure you ever really stop grieving over…

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Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

Jon's 10th Birthday LinesFromTheVine.com

Jonathan Patrick is already another year older. His 9th year has practically flown by. These 9 year old’s have proven to be quite a challenge for Paul and I. Terrible 2’s? Not in this house. Three year old’s tend to be very “active” and require a lot of attention. They are smart enough to get into pretty much everything while…

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Book Review: 5 Minute Bible Stories

Tracy / September 1, 2015

I’m sitting down to (finally) write my book review of 5 Minute Bible Stories. Our school days are well under way. We are a few weeks in and the time seems to already be passing so fast, I can hardly keep up! (Can you believe it is already September??!!  -YIKES.) While the older children are busy with school work, the…

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Teaching Children to Pray

Tracy / September 1, 2015

I have written through the years of being a little girl visiting with my great-grandmother. The example of her faith in the Lord planted seeds in my life that have continued to grow though she has been gone for many years. Of my many memories, I remember listening to her pray. She would later tell me how she prayed for…

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ETHAN Project: Enjoy the Mess!

Tracy / August 11, 2015

The last week of the summer 2015 ETHAN Project assignments has arrived. We’ve enjoyed each week of this project- each one brought an adventure. We made lots and lots of memories. “Enjoy the Mess” is the final assignment. I’ll admit, this one gave me a little bit of a scare. I mean, I spend lots and lots of time trying…

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Evening Routines

I’ve been working to post my home management/diligence card system today. It is still a work in progress. I foresee cards for evening chores, a mid-day routine, school work, a reading list, and I’m not sure what else. These cards have worked so well for us, I’ve found myself wondering why it took me so long to figure all of…

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Morning Routines

I wrote earlier today about the DILIGENCE BOARD and the morning chore cards we have created for our family. I’m planning to make a little video a little later today about these cards. Our morning routine cards are a little different than our morning chore cards. The morning routines (especially the printed cards), lay everything out for my children in…

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Morning Chores

If you are here for the first time, I’m so glad you stopped by! We are a “larger than average” family. I guess some would consider us a big family. 🙂 I am asked ALL THE TIME how we manage our home so I decided to start a series on this topic. Our home is so far from perfectly clean.…

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Unexpected Excitement

Paul heard the cats hissing from his office window a few weeks back. Look what we found in the driveway! (Well, technically the cats found him first.) The unexpected things make for the best homeschooling days, ever!

Slime

“WHAT are we making?” “EEWWWwwwww“, and then there were giggles all around. Mix equal parts of liquid starch and clear glue. Add a FEW drops of food coloring and mix well. (You may have to mix it some with your fingers.) *This slime will not stain your fingers after it has been mixed well! Also, the longer it’s worked, the…

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Teddy Bear Breakfast and Shirley Temples

How many times do we have plans and ideas and thoughts on things we want to do with our children? I wish I could say I was better about following though. The truth is I have lots and lots of ideas and very little time, as most days are full of what must be done to make our family go.…

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Life in 2014

Tracy / September 10, 2014

We’ve graduated. Two months ago we had four children, four and under. Now, we have four children five and under- it’s a big step in a world that threatens to be dominated by little people. 🙂 After falling out of his crib trying to escape, we packed up our second crib. Now we only have one. Jackson is officially sleeping…

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