DIY "Stained" Glass Mason Jar Candleholders

Written by Jessica.

Back in autumn, I made a simple craft project with my kids. It was an instant hit! We made a variation of it for Christmas. And for winter. At the kids' request, we’ll be making it for Valentine’s Day…spring…Easter…summer…and even in their favorite colors to use in their rooms at any time of the year.

This project is lovely enough to give to grandparents, or others, as a homemade gift. My kids love their completed projects so much that they choose to keep them on their nightstands next to their beds as “night-lights,” but they could also be used to decorate a dining or living room table.

What is this project, you ask? “Stained glass” Mason jar candle holders!

Favorite Read Alouds from 2019

Every year as I look back at the books we've read aloud, I'm always surprised at the number of pages we were able to squeeze into twelve short months.

At first blush, this year's book list was a bit underwhelming. There just weren't that many books on it.

Did we not read as regularly? Did I forget to write the titles down as we completed them? Why did our list look so sparse compared to those from previous years? I had to ask myself.

What We're Reading in January 2020

Last week I started reading Gilead, a book that has been lauded as a must-read by all my favorite book people. I trudged along for over a hundred pages, finding every possible excuse not to read when I had the chance. Cleaning the windows, folding clothes, organizing my purse--all these tasks seemed to be more appealing than reading that book.

6 Mom-tips for the Monotony of Mid-Winter Homeschooling

Written by Jessica.

With the quiet season of mid-winter comes opportunity in our homeschools to accomplish much, enjoy our children and family time, and make the most of cozy days indoors. But if we're being honest, sometimes these post-Christmas winter days can feel rather bleak and monotonous compared to the delight and extra-ordinary of the holiday hubbub of last month.

Sometimes a slight pivot or minor change in thought or routine can make all the difference and gently point you to the comfort and cozy that winter homeschooling has to offer. Here are six mid-winter ideas to help you find both:

4 Ways I'll be More Me in 2020

Seneca, an ancient Roman philosopher once wrote,

“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… Life is long if you know how to use it.” 

Seneca. On the Shortness of Life, trans. C.D.N. Costa (New York: Penguin, 2005) pp. 1-2

As I look ahead to 2020, I am reminded that unless the Lord decides otherwise, I'll have exactly 365 days to spend. It's my choice how I'll use them.