Farm & Family

How I Became an Accidental Entrepreneur

At the beginning of our marriage in 2003, we had a lot of debt.  Over $80k, to be exact.  It seemed insurmountable, but with some great resources (more on that later), and God’s provision, we were debt free within three years.  And we did it without high paying jobs and while continuing to tithe 10% of our income.

Press On, Weary Mama

Mothering is hard, exhausting work.  And that’s on a good day!  There comes a season for every mother when she is tempted to throw in the towel (if only she could find a clean one, as Crystal Paine likes to say), when she genuinely wonders whether her failures as a mother can possibly be redeemed.

Will You Love Me?

I’d Rather Be Doing Something…Alone As a type A, task-oriented, “high functioning introvert”, some of my best moments are spent alone–creating, reflecting, accomplishing.  Crossing items off my to-do list.  Making things happen. Motivating others. Planning great things. If you’re familiar with the biblical account of Mary and Martha, I’m definitely a Martha.  I’m a doer.…

Shakespeare for Children: One Family’s Tale and 3 Recommended Resources

Much Ado About Shakespeare I have always loved Shakespeare.  Who doesn’t?  His words are witty, his characters familiarly flawed, his story lines delightfully convoluted. And so, when our homeschooling book list included selections of the famous poet’s tales for children, I was delighted.  That is, until my poor firstborn son showed signs of difficulty in…

Non-Candy Valentines: You’re Out of This World!

  Looking for fun DIY valentines that don’t include candy?  Try these outer space valentines–they’re out of this world!

More Than Anything

Although Yankee Homestead is a healthy living blog with the usual topics of essential oils, natural remedies, real food / gluten-free recipes and nontoxic products, etc., sometimes I like to share here what I’m learning as a mother (wife, friend, child of God). This is one of those times.

Christmas Traditions: Family Memories on the Tree

O Christmas Tree A favorite Christmas tradition for many families is decorating the tree.  I get sort of nostalgic thinking back over the evolution of my family’s collection of ornaments, hodgepodged together over the years…

Samaritan’s Purse: A Different Kind of Christmas Catalog

Do your kids like to look through the toy catalogs that appear en masse in the mail box at this time of the year?  While most Christmas catalogs are pure commercial marketing pitches aimed at our kids, this is one catalog you’ll want your children to pour over.

5 Tips for a Successful Nature Walk with Kids {Bonus Tip-Read Up}

Before this Nature Walk series comes to an end, I can’t resist sharing one final bonus tip.  It’s super easy and fun to do, and will add much more meaning to your nature walks…

5 Tips for a Successful Nature Walk with Kids {#5-Keep It Simple}

I hope this series has inspired you to get out and explore with your own pint-sized crew!  So far, we’ve covered several basics of planning a nature walk: Find a Buddy Make it a Habit Choose the Right Spot Gear Up Today, let’s talk about what to do on a Nature Walk with Kids.  Are you…