What a great trip we had to INK (Interactive Neighborhood for Kids) in Gainesville! Each of the unique rooms gave us countless opportunities to allow our imaginations to soar! If it were only creative play that was offered, that would have been enough. But there were so many areas of learning as well! In just...
Eight years ago, we decided to skip Christmas gifts and do a family TRIP instead. Little did we know, this would become our FAVORITE FAMILY TRADITION! With Ross getting older, it was such a treat to take him to the place he’s always wanted to see- New York City! I’ve had a few people ask,...
Maybe it’s just MY family, but we joke that we love the ‘IDEA‘ of camping. In other words, we ADORE the outdoors, campfires and time together. But we always dread all the work it requires. I get grouchy when no one volunteers to help me pack camping supplies. Matthew gets grouchy when we arrive and...
When my family walked into Calvary Chapel, the Smiths were the first ones who surrounded us with love. When doubts and fears were flooding my mind about unenrolling the kids from public school, the Smiths helped us to see the joy, beauty, simplicity and GIFT of HOMESCHOOLING! Whether through Contra, homeschool groups or (my PERSONAL...
Looking back, I wasted so much of my summer worrying about my upcoming plan to homeschool. Top on my ‘Unnecessary Worry List’ was the curriculum. Thankfully, in addition to having a wonderful family guide and supply me with the perfect (engaging and Biblical worldview) books, they encouraged me to allow each child to follow his/her...
Back in 2015, Matthew had an idea. Instead of FILLING UP OUR HOUSE EVEN MORE WITH ITEMS NONE OF US TRULY NEEDED ‘buying gifts,’ we should take a TRIP and create family MEMORIES instead! Since we’ve never taught the kids to believe in Santa, we were able to simply explain this idea to them. Although...
As the evening crowd started to disappear and the noises faded, we began our ‘Sleep Under The Sea’ at the Georgia Aquarium! Our wonderful tour guide, Jess, gave us a behind-the-scene tour of, not only all the popular exhibits, but the hidden, inside-systems it takes to run the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere. Some...
