Every year I do a look back post, but this year I almost forgot! This post is particularly helpful to those who may have recently joined Raising Arrows, or those who are busy and might have missed a post here that would be of interest to them. For me, it is a fun way to remember the year.
The highlight of January was the birth of this little guy:
Obviously, I took a lot of time off that month, but I did write a post on how we store our snow clothes, and talked candidly about why homeschool moms get burned out.
In February, I announced I was determined to get fit and healthy and lose weight! I also answered a reader’s question about what to do when your family isn’t happy about a new baby, and another reader’s question on how to heal and handle the fear after losing a baby. I also introduced you to our yummy Elvis biscuits (had them for Christmas breakfast this year!) and told you how to have a no-stress medieval feast in your homeschool.
In March, I told you how I had lost all my pregnancy weight, gave you tips on breastfeeding, did a whole series on using Technology in your homeschool, and played Chopped! with my family (this is what we did for New Year’s Eve this year! We even invited another family to join us!).
In April, I shared our Whole Wheat Pancake Mix recipe and Apron Prayers as a way to stay focused on Christ all day.
I told you how I prepare precooked meals for when grandparents are caring for our children, and also dug deep into what actually makes a curriculum biblical.
In May, I gave you 12 Ways to Raise Strong Daughters, and shared with you my thoughts on “Quiet Time”. I also posted a family favorite recipe – Asparagus Ragoo (ragout).
In June, I did a series on Homeschooling with a Newborn. I also shared our favorite cinnamon roll recipe (this recipe is quick and doubles as a roll recipe!), and how we have created a “Special Night” for each of our children.
In July, I whined about hitting a weight loss plateau. I gave you an awesome homemade granola bar recipe and shared a checklist for teaching home management to your children. We also started having our children do their own laundry (what a great thing that has been!) I finally learned to bloom where I had landed, and I shared with you how to build a blog that reaches out.
In August, I shared with you one of the best home management tools I use – my At-A-Glance Schedule. We started doing “Special School” time to get those extras in that are so important to heart-schooling your children. I gave you a recipe for family-friendly jumbalaya and talked about how I felt being the lowest pre-pregnancy weight I’ve ever been.
In September, I shared how meal planning has become the backbone of our schedule and also how we change chores in our household (this is still a work in progress, by the way!).
I shared a recipe for yummy Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole and I also told you some of the foods I really do not like – I think I shocked a few people! I ended the month with a post that was very difficult to write, but very necessary – The Selfish Side of Grief.
In October, I experimented a bit to make our caramel corn recipe healthy – and it worked! I also had a little rant over Date Nights and a big rant over Burned Out Homemakers. I started doing Google+ Hangouts with other homeschool moms and wrote a post about how other moms handle their toddler and preschoolers during school hours that incorporated one of those Hangouts. I shared a craft we do every year in the Fall called a Blessing Tree and I did a vlog on being a consistent mother.
In November, I had a lot to say! I rejoiced over 60 pounds being gone and shared some of my favorite Trim Healthy Mama tweaks and resources. I also talked about what homeschooling looks like when you only have small children, and I shared some great affiliate ideas for bloggers. I told you about the Real Me and shared our Mother-Daughter journals. I gave you Granny’s Homemade Dressing recipe, gave you tips for having a great Large Family Thanksgiving, and offered a free Thanksgiving service for your family. And as if all that wasn’t enough, I even told you how to homeschool multiple ages with something we call Chain-Link Learning! Phew!
And finally, in December (which seems light years away now!), I shared some Christmas outfits and ideas, our favorite Hot Punch recipe, and how to survive a large family Christmas. I put together a home office for myself and I started offering a weekend newsletter to my email subscribers (you can sign up HERE!). I shared our family’s Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with all of you, and I also told you what it is like to be a grieving mom during the holidays.
And here we are on the very first day of 2014, which happens to be my 6th born child’s 5th birthday! When the clock struck midnight here, we said Happy New Year and sang Happy Birthday to our little guy who is now a “whole handful.”
Now, I must be going – I need to make our traditional New Year’s Kuka and Slumgullion Stew (recipe coming, I promise!) and celebrate with my family! Have a blessed day everyone!
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