Joyful, Healthy Living

Here's inspiration for a classics-focused class for high school homeschoolers. Over the last year and a half, I've worked out the kinks and built a successful classics-focused program for local teens called Liberty Scholars. My goal with this program is to help kids be prepared for adulthood, civic duty, and leadership, with a solid foundation in US constitutional principles and classics. Overall, this is what the program looks like: Reading two classic books per month (gene

Ranch dressing is a staple item in our household. We use it as a salad dressing, as a dip for veggie sticks and homemade pizza, and as a sandwich condiment. But storebought ranch dressing is loaded with unhealthy soy/canola oil, with a dash of MSG. No thank you! Fortunately, homemade ranch dressing is easy to make and much healthier! Here's the recipe I've used for 10+ years, based on sour cream, raw milk kefir, and organic spices. The milk kefir adds wonderful flavor and a

Hiking has been an essential part of our homeschool curriculum for many years. Through hiking, kids can learn how to do hard things, gain an understanding of the natural world and different ecosystems, enjoy the restorative powers of nature's beauty, and get plenty of movement, fresh air, and sunshine (for Vitamin D). Sometimes, there are bumps or bruises, insect bites, or fatigued muscles along the way, so I like to bring along a few homeopathic remedies just in case. Scroll

If I had to sum up our homeschool routine for high school in one word, it would be f.l.e.x.i.b.l.e. With high school comes many scheduled classes and learning opportunities, more time spent with friends, plus changes such as kids driving independently, getting jobs, taking dual credit classes at the university, and more! Our routine has needed to flex every semester, and sometimes even every week, in order to accommodate the plethora of things going on. Our homeschool routi

If you're considering camping with your kids, here's some encouragement to make it happen! I've been camping with my kids 1-2x yearly for the last 9 years, and it has become a cherished tradition for us all. Top 5 Reasons to Camp with Kids Bonding: Spending dedicated time together leads closer relationships, teamwork, and trust-building. Adventure: Camping brings you up close to nature, unpredictable weather, camp fires, "roughing it," and more. Disconnect and Reconnect: We

Here's an Einkorn muffin recipe that makes the most of summer's early bounty of cherries. It's cherry season! Do cherries grow where you live? It's too hot to grow cherries at our house in the desert, so we drive to the mountains to go cherry picking instead. This has been a beloved tradition for our family since my kids were toddlers. We come home with oodles of cherries, and then it's time for baking! Here's a recipe for Cherry Chocolate muffins that I hope you enjoy as mu

Cherries + Chocolate = 😍 Here's a grain-free recipe that makes the most of summer's cherries. Although the kids and I have been noshing on Einkorn cherry chocolate muffins, my husband Ryan generally doesn't eat grains (as part of the management for his autoimmune diseases). So I developed this Cherry Chocolate Clafoutis recipe as a way for Ryan to enjoy the summer cherries, too. He loved it! This nourishing recipe for Cherry Chocolate Clafoutis is loaded with eggs and healt

My daughter Alina has now graduated from high school! She was homeschooled all the way through from K-12 and is now ready for the next phase of her education. What's Next? Alina's long-term goal is to become a fiction author, writing novels. Because she has been doing well in her dual credit classes at New Mexico State University (NMSU) for the last few semesters, Alina was offered a very nice scholarship for $$$ thousands per semester (on top of free tuition, which is alread

Here in the desert, the mosquitoes arrive with summer weather. I've always been one of those people who is highly attractive to mosquitoes, and I can be literally covered in mosquito bites in just a short time outside. I passed this trait on to my son Ian as well. 😝 Time for mosquito repellent, but I'm not willing to risk potential health problems by using conventional mosquito repellents. Did you know that DEET is banned in some European countries due to toxicity concern

Outdoor play and work are in full swing, and that often means sunburns! Here in the desert Southwest, we have an intense amount of sunshine. Long days spent gardening or playing in water can result in sunburns, especially when I forget the sunscreen. Homeopathy to the rescue! Here are the two most-often-indicated homeopathic remedies for sunburns. These remedies will take away the pain and prompt the body to heal the sunburned areas much more quickly than if left untreated.