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Welcome

What started as a digital diary to document a newfound journey as a stay at home mom / wife has quickly evolved into my own little corner on the internet where I share all that life brings my way -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. Thanks for stopping by; I hope you stay awhile!

9.08.2020

Homeschool Diaries : Our Why + Pre-K Curriculum and Plans


Felix is starting pre-k today -- someone pinch me. I can't believe my firstborn is officially a school-aged kid. As we approached the school year, my husband and I have decided that the best place to learn for our kids is at home -- with me. If I'm honest, we've never really thought about placing them in the public school system; it's always been learning at home or private school for us. We cannot currently afford a good private school at the moment, so I am gearing up to start homeschool with the boys. 

Felix is turning four this fall; then I have a two-year-old and a one-year-old at home -- both of whom I plan to incorporate in the studies. My Marcus always wants to have + do what my eldest is doing, so even though he may not understand all the material, it's good exposure. 

I am basing this next year on learning through play and have finally decided on the curriculum + things I am going to purchase and use for the 20-21 school year. I will be mixing material from several sources to teach the boys. The next year of teaching the boys will comprise of: 

The Kindergarten ToolKit

multiple sets of flashcards + lesson booklet with 10 goals that little ones need to have mastered by next fall. I really love that this will be in a physical format and isn't a digital copy like the other curriculum I am getting. It will be the outline I will be going off of.

The Habitat School House

will be the main curriculum that I will be using this year. It's not only beautiful, but it incorporates elements of nature in the studies.  I will be purchasing a digital copy of their curriculum even though they have physical curriculum available. I have two boys and will need two of everything; plus, in a few years, Alex (and maybe a few other babies) will get to use these too. It makes the most sense to print it out, even though I'd love to have the workbooks bound. I am planning to get binders for the boys and place their completed worksheets in them as we complete the material. I will be purchasing the base instead of the comprehensive digital copy because I am supplementing flashcards with other types of learning (chalkboard, sand trays, trace boards, etc).

Chalk Full of Design

I stumbled across them on Instagram last year and knew that I would implement them in my homeschool journey when the time comes. Here are the boards we will be getting throughout the year for the boys / to start our collection. 


While the habitat schoolhouse has a wonderful selection of nature studies, I love the preschool nature guides that the peaceful press offers (bonus points because it offers mini bible studies for our littles). We'll be starting off the fall with their tree guide and then move to something in their nature bundle and the Christmas guide when the holidays roll around. 

Supplementary Curriculum

these shops have the most beautiful mini guides which I will be using to complement lessons as needed. they are the places that I will be coming back to time and time again throughout the year as I prep for each week / lesson theme. 

Safari Ltd

we've basically gotten all their life cycle sets and are collecting their animal figurines + toob sets for our sensory table activities and animal / habitat studies. These are great tools for the homeschool classroom, but when the lessons are over, the boys can use these for open-ended play which they love!

annnnnnd they've so graciously given me a code to share with my followers + blog readers if they want to snag some stuff from their online store. so, use code "mainlymarta" to get a little something off your purchase!

Tiny Theologians

also found them on Instagram and I love their passion for teaching children about the Lord and church history. I'll be getting their ABC bundle and will be using the cards in our alphabetical studies. I'm also going to get their mini-lessons on the fruit of the spirit and prayer cards.

Subscription Boxes

Lovery Play Kit -- this is for Alex, but I am almost sure that his brothers will love this box too. it's filled with toys for baby's developmental stages and I am hoping these toys keep him busy while mama is tending to the big boys in the classroom. 

Freebies

Upon my research, here are some freebies I found that I will also be utilizing during our homeschooling journey. I thought I'd share these with you because some of these finds are too good not to share. I'll be updating this section as I find them throughout the year.


European Homestead

I've set a space where I will share all things homeschool; in addition to essential oils, food, faith, and home decor.  It's a space where I plan to focus on homey things without the pressures of content numbers. 
You can follow that journey on Instagram at @theschoolingsquares or you can come to the blog and peep at its page -- here. 

I plan on blogging about our homeschool endeavors + our activities via this space as well. I am going to talk about what I am using, what supplementary things I opt to buy throughout the year + what is working, what isn't and how we're progressing for anyone who is curious!

Free Home School Planning Printables 

I've compiled a few planning worksheets that I will be using to help myself to stay organized and I'd love to share them with you. My plan is to keep a binder of these sheets and keep track of our progress. Right-click on each image and save these files to your desktop, print, and start planning mama!




Ready, Set, Homeschool! 

As we start our journey, I am planning to blog about our journey often and sharing resources / material as often as I can. I am excited and nervous about teaching kids that are not on the same level, but at the same time, I am happy that I can watch my boys grow and learn. I hope to give them the comfort of a steady pace that isn't constantly pressured by things like benchmarks. Here's to a wonderful year! 

↓ S H A R E ●  S A V E ●  P I N  ↓






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9.01.2020

the new normal; a short essay of dissent.

 


I’ll pass.

before you call me selfish know that I wear a mask because my city mandated it, buuuuuuuuut, that’s where it stops. I will never accept any of this as normal because it’s not.

you know what is normal?

- condemning violence no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.
- letting children hug each other and play together.
- letting people worship in their churches.
- not retorting to ending friendships the moment you find out they’re voting differently than you.
- allowing people to express their views and holding civil discourse on the topics you seem to disagree on instead of harassing them and sending hateful messages.
- having the option to wear a mask / refuse a vaccine.
- recognizing the difference between a protest and riot.
- understanding that diversity and inclusion means you have to mingle with those who do not think like you.
- not rejoicing over the murder of someone who thinks differently than you.
- bringing actual ideas of change to the table instead of trying drown out opposing voices.
- not encouraging bloodshed on the streets.

THESE THINGS ARE NORMAL.

& they have been thrown out the window.
this is why I am choosing to pass on accepting this as the "new normal."

angry at these words?
that’s okay.
we can disagree.
i respect your point of view.
even if you dislike me for it.

y’all.
my parents fled a socialistic communist state.
my father’s cousin was shot down in his car trying to escape an actual police state.
my mom has family members that went to prison for distributing bibles.

I know what socialism is.
I know where it leads.

I’ve heard the stories.
I’ve seen the tears.
I’ve felt the painful memories.
... all caused by socialism.

we are applauding the silencing of people’s voices + individual freedoms.
we are embarking on a dark road friends.

we often omit history.
evil always comes disguised as justice or reform.

Russia overthrew the Czar in the name of reform.
Hitler blamed a group of people for all of Germany’s problems.
Mussolini started off wanting to overthrow government and form a new one.

All of these leaders started off with one idea.
that dismantling a current government and implementing socialism would create a utopian society.

but, it did not.
it caused pain, destruction, suffering, and the murder of the innocent.

my heart broke when I saw people on the streets of Portland cheering on a man’s death
all because he thought differently than they did.
this is the state of america's heart.

my heart shattered when the media retorted to blame the victim for being on the street.
citizens who are unhappy with the way their city is being run are told to stay out of the streets.
is this america's definition to freedom; are our rights slowly dissolving?

my heart is sinking as we watch our cities go up in flames.
murder, destruction, and violence is never the answer.
no matter the side you are on.

how is that promoting justice?
how is that preserving humanity?
what part of that is considered part of the road to reform?

they say riots are the voice of the unheard.
they justify violence in the name of reform.
innocent blood spilled on the streets is becoming acceptable in the name of justice.

when does it start to sound like a utopian realm, friend?
when does the arson stop and when does the peace begin?
at what point will we stop drowning out dissenting voices and give them a seat at our table?

when they are all gone?
when they are afraid to speak up?
when they shut up and deal with it?
when we kill them? 

a bit dramatic for your taste, right?

but, do we know:

how will it happen?
who will lead the way?
what will replace what we have now?

answers that no one has. 
chaos is beating a loud drum.
we are falling asleep at the sound of it's rhythm. 

wake up America. 
before it’s too late. 
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8.31.2020

Playroom Reveal



Hey loves! So excited to finally be sharing our playroom with you guys! This has been in the making for MONTHS and I feel like it's finally complete enough to the point where I can share it with you! I'm still eyeing + searching for more pieces, but I just cannot wait any longer to share. I've had so much fun dreaming up this space, searching for items, and bringing that dream to life.

As always, I'll have a list of products linked down below just in case you want to snag something for your space. I'll also have a list of "coveted" products that I'm keeping an eye on -- waiting for a price reduction or searching for a dupe / something similar.  


Before




Annnnnd, The Refresh! 












*paint colors from Behr / all bought at Home Depot 

Products

Rug

Chalkboards 

Weather Station

Wooden Plates -- my dad bought these in Romania twelve years ago. 

Rainbow Stacker

Mini Globe -- bought three years ago from Marshalls.

Plants 

Nugget Comfort Couch -- we bought two in the color beanstalk

Table and Chairs -- thrifted + painted by us, but I've linked the original shop.
Play Kitchen -- revamped by us :: read about that here.

Little Alarm Clock -- from HomeGoods

Cabinet -- we diy(ed) this by buying a bookcase + doors & then painted doors to match the play kitchen. 

Mini Painted Ceramic Plates -- also bought by my dad in Romania

Farmer's Market -- also revamped by us :: read about that here.

Dollhouse -- painted by us; inside revamp + furnishing coming soon!



& there you have it -- that's our playroom! 

we are having tons of fun playing and making memories here. Now that the room is finally done, I can't wait for November to roll around so I can start decorating for Christmas! I'm thinking of turning the farmer's market into a bakery because you know this mama loves decorating and then redecorating! I'll keep you guys posted as the seasons come and the room gets little spruces, mini refreshes, and so forth. Thanks for following along!
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8.30.2020

simple side dish | mini greek bliss


today, I'm sharing a super simple tasty side salad that is always a hit at our house! 
you can whip this up in 5 minutes and pair it with whatever you've got on your plate as this goes great with all kinds of meat and potatoes.  

you'll need:

- cherry tomatoes; halved.⁣
- kalamata olives; pitted.⁣
- onion; diced. ⁣
- feta cheese; crumbled. ⁣

⁣
to make the dressing

- olive oil.⁣
- red wine vinegar.⁣
- pinch of dried basil. ⁣
- garlic + herb seasoning. ⁣
- pinch of salt and pepper. ⁣
⁣
ya'll so simple and so yummy. ⁣
⁣
a little note: 
I am what you'd call an eye baller when it comes to certain recipes -- especially salads. I am also known to impulsively toss in an ingredient to a dish because I think I'll enhance it. Basically, I will just toss stuff in until it tastes + looks good enough -- so no measurements / quantities are available for this recipe. I am leaving it all up to you, the maker's discretion & taste buds.  




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8.25.2020

Recipe | Peach Berry Cobbler

Hi friends, today I'm sharing one of my favorite late-summer desserts: peach berry cobbler. This past week I made three of them -- one for us and two for family members and y'all they were a hit! I've had several of you ask for the recipe when I posted to my Instagram stories, so I thought it'd be fun to document the process via the blog while sharing the recipe and getting my little guys to help. 

This dessert is loaded with seasonal berries and fruit which makes it the perfect option for even the healthiest of eaters. I also love this recipe because it's quick and simple -- the perfect recipe for an action-packed day. 

Below, I've listed ingredients as well as step by step instructions paired with pictures of the process. At the end, you'll find a recipe sheet that you can pin, save, and print. so, let's get baking! 


What You'll Need

Betty Crocker Super Moist Vanilla Cake Mix

1 box

Eggs

3

Canola Oil 

1/2 cup 

Cold Water 

1 cup 

Peaches

3 to 4; whole, pitted + skinned, thinly sliced

Flour

1 cup

Seasonal Berries 

3 to 5 cups; as desired

blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries all go great with this recipe. 


+++++++ Prep Time: 10 mins ++++++++ Bake Time: 30 to 45 Mins +++++++


How To Make 

Step One. 
set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
grease pan with butter or cooking spray. 


Step Two. 
empty cake mix into a large bowl.
add eggs, oil, and cold water.
mix until smooth.
set aside. 




Step Three. 
wash, pit, and peel peaches. 
thinly slice them and place a layer on the bottom of the pan. 
sprinkle a handful of flour on top of peaches.


Step Four. 
rinse and strain berries. 
layer them on top of the peaches. 
sprinkle a handful of flour on the berries. 



Step Five. 
add batter to the pan. 


Step Six.
evenly spread the batter to cover the fruit. 
then, add a layer of sliced peaches on top of the batter. 


Step Seven.
place into the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
when the outer crust is brown, take a fork to the middle of cobbler.
if the fork comes out clean, your cobbler is done. 
if batter sticks to the fork, leave another 10 minutes.
repeat the process until the fork comes out clean. 

Step Eight. 
take cobbler out of the oven.
sprinkle powdered sugar on top. 



Step Nine. 
serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
or let the cobbler cool off & top with fresh fruit + whipped cream. 
but most importantly, enjoy it! 

Some Tips 

about the flour -- if you're wondering why I'm always sprinkling it on the fruit, its to soak up some of the fruit juice as it's baking. no one likes a soggy cobbler, am I right? 

berries not in season -- one thing I love about this recipe is that berries and peaches don't have to be in season to make it. frozen fruit works great! just remember to rinse the ice off the fruit and use pieces that aren't frozen into big clumps. 

get creative -- with the top layer design, with the ingredients, and with how you serve it. drizzle some jam, sprinkle some granola on top for some crunch; there is always room for an extra dash of cinnamon. the possibilities really are endless! 


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8.03.2020

DIY | KidKraft Uptown Play Kitchen Makeover


Hi Friends!

Today I want to share our play kitchen makeover -- I shared my grocery story turned farmer's market last month (read that here) and now it's time to reveal the play kitchen!  The kitchen was in pretty good condition but the faucet fell apart from the constant rough play -- my little guys love pretending to wash dishes. Another thing that drove me crazy was the fact that the play kitchen didn't have a full backsplash. Our play dishes and utensils would find their way behind the kitchen and the boys would try to pull the kitchen to retrieve them. 

So with that in mind, I set off to give it a makeover. I wanted the kitchen to match the playroom as well as the farmer's market. I have a KidKraft Uptown Play Kitchen we gifted Felix for his first Christmas and the goal was to give it a modern refresh. Here's what the kitchen looked like before. 



So, to start I had my husband unscrew all the doors and stove burners on the play kitchen. We painted the doors with the paint colors I had chosen (from Home Depot) to paint a table and chair set we got off of craigslist list.  I also went to Micheal's and got some spray paint to paint all the handles of the kitchen as well as give the stove burners a refresh. 


I chose these Behr paint colors because I wanted earthy tones to compliment our Nugget comfort couch that's coming in September. I want the whole playroom to give off an earthy vibe. Something that's not going to make your head hurt the moment you walk in. I also wanted colors that would look great in pictures as the boys spend a lot of time in the playroom and spontaneous pictures are a lot easier if the things in the backdrop aren't loud and too colorful. 

I didn't take too many pictures of the painting process as I was out with the kids while my husband painted all doors and handles, but he managed to send me these shots of the handles and knobs (stove burners not pictured because I spray painted them beforehand to see the color. 



So, after we painted all the things, I went searching for the backsplash and new faucet materials. I started by reading a lot of blog posts on what to do regarding a backsplash. While there was a TON of people to gave the IKEA play kitchen a mini revamp, I couldn't find anyone who refreshed an Uptown KidKraft Play Kitchen!

I decided that since I didn't have a full backsplash, I had to make my own.  I went to Amazon and purchased two plastic boards + a $9 modern wallpaper roll with a print that I thought would compliment the new kitchen colors. I also wanted something that I didn't need to glue, so the wallpaper I was looking for had to be a peel & stick. 

Then I moved on to researching faucet replacement ideas and fell short. KidKraft didn't have it listed as an option on their replacement part. I couldn't find a seller that made them. I even looked into other brands like IKEA, but found nothing that made any sense. The DIY ones looked so tackey, so I went to Amazon and found a modern-looking faucet that didn't break the bank and purchased it. 



Once everything came in the mail, it was time to install it all. My husband screwed back on all the doors and we took the current backsplash and stuck the wallpaper on it as well as measured how much board would be needed to stick underneath the shelf unit to continue the backsplash -- no pictures of this because it was messy and stressful. Luckily, I bought a set of two because I can't cut straight to save my life. I had my husband come to save the day (... like he always does)! 

After the backsplash was done, we super glued the faucet to the kitchen and it was a whole new world! 





Isn't it just so much better? I am loving how it turned out. I'm going to put some fake plants in white pots on the top and then change up the decor as the seasons change -- so I'll be sure to share those with you guys as well!

↓ S H A R E ●  S A V E ●  P I N  ↓



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