Number Sight Words- FREE Download

If you can get me a single material that allows for instruction in various skills, you have me hooked!  This is one of those activities!  I made these number sight word cards for Dutch back in March for 0-10, preparing myself for the fact that this would probably be too advanced for him.  Well the kid crushed it..... in less than 30 seconds. So to make it harder, I added 11-20.  Today, I want to share these cards with you today as a FREE download, and THREE different ways that you could use them with your preschooler.
First you will need to download these cards here.  I printed & laminated my cards so that we could use them for a while.

One of the most obvious tasks you can practice with your child is letter recognition and handwriting.  Using a dry erase marker (or a pencil if you didn't laminate your cards) you can trace the letters.  To practice phonics, you could give your child the card, and ask them, "Trace the letter that makes the _____ sound"
To practice number recognition for 0-20, you could point to the numbers for your child to identify. If your child is learning sight words you could just use these cards as flash cards for number words.
For an even more advanced task, you could give your child mini clothespins or wooden blocks, and get them to identify the number digit that corresponds with the number word.  If your child is not quite there yet, or just learning sight words, I have provided a Matching Card in this set.  Your child can hold the card and find the word that matches the one of the flash card, and then use a clothes pin (or other manipulative that you have) to identify the digit that matches the numerical word.
So, wow ok, I thought there were just 3 concepts at first, but since I've been writing this post, I realize that there are many more activities and uses with these cards:

letter recognition

handwriting

phonics

number recognition for 0-20

flash cards for number sight words

identification

matching

If these are interesting to you and you think your preschooler would enjoy these, please download these for FREE!!!! (download here)
I hope your family enjoys these as much as we have ;-)

The Small Things: July 2018

If we were to go for coffee, either in a coffee shop by ourselves or around my kitchen table, what would I tell you?  I would share with you about the small things in my life that are just making life easier or more joyful.

recap: January ~ February ~ March ~ April ~ May ~ June

I splurged on these shoes and I have ZERO regrets!!!  I remember the original Birkenstocks, and y'all I had a pair.....I might still have them in my closet right now (don't tell anyone!).  I saw that Birkenstocks were making a come back, and then I saw this color, and, well, I didn't have any self-control at that point.  I ordered them on a Tuesday from a shop in Italy and they were here by that Friday. I kid you not folks!  It's says they are copper, but I would really say it is more of a rose gold, which I far more prefer. They are still just as comfortable as the original; I've actually been wearing them around the house lately.  The bottom sole is white, but that is the only design difference, besides fun colors, that I have noticed.

This collection by Julia Rothman I should admit that I purchased for my kids.  Initially.  I really did!  But I must also admit that I have yet to share these with them yet.....oooops!!!!  These books are incredible!!!!  The most thorough & educational books, with spectacular whimsical water colors I have seen in a LONG time.  I love flipping through these pages about the farm, food, & nature.  I know my kids are going to consume these so I have to get a chance while I can.  I think these books would be great coffee table books, books on a side table in a guest room, and of course for kids!

Okay friends, tell me what small things are bringing you great joy right now?

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review; I just really like these products.

Lemon-Basil Chicken with Zucchini Noodles

We are in the thick of summer, and we need light and refreshing meals, and I have just that for you today!  This meal is delightfully light and very low calorie.  It is great for the summer time, losing weight, or a dinner with your girl friends.  This takes me about 35 minutes to make from start to finish.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup, plus 1 tbs, all-purpose flour
1 lb chicken tenders (or 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
sea salt
ground pepper
2 tbs EVOO
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I use this)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbs cold unsalted grass-fed butter (I use this)
1 1/2 pounds zucchini noodles (I buy fresh, pre-cut spirals to save time)
Red pepper flakes, for topping

Directions:
1.  Pat chicken dry so that seasoning will stick.  I usually skip this step for other dishes, but don't skip it with this one.  Spread flour on a large plate. Season the chicken with salt & pepper, then dredge in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering, then add the chicken and cook until golden and almost cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
2. Push the chicken to the edges of the skillet, add the shallot & basil to the middle and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1 tbs flour and cook 1 more minute. 
3. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the heat and simmer, turning the chicken occasionally, until cooked through and the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and swirl in 2 tbs butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
4. Melt the remaining 1 tbs butter in another large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in some more chopped basil.
5. For serving, plate the noodles, and top with the chicken and then some of the sauce.  Then sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
6. Enjoy!

Books For Motherhood {Homeschooling}

Books for motherhood. Does that sound like an oxymoron to you? It does for me.  I buy SO many books for my kids, and I'm reading to them constantly, but let me tell you something: I struggle A LOT with finding time for myself to read & to grow myself.  It is a major challenge for me.  I love reading and I want to model a lifestyle of reading for my children, but it. is. hard.  Finding time to read, is one thing, but finding time to read and not fall asleep is an entirely different battle.  Despite the challenge, I want my kids to see me reading, so I'm working hard at it.  I've round up some of my favorite books that I always come back to for various reasons in three different categories: infertility & pregnancy, the early years, and homeschooling.  I've made this a 3-part series so that my brain isn't overwhelmed.  Today, I'm tackling my favorite books on the early years.

Also in this series:

Infertility & Pregnancy ~ The Early Years

Before I really start I have to say: parenting books are not my thing.  I'm NOT a big parenting book person. Parenting books are overwhelming, over the top, unrealistic, don't apply to me, make me feel worse about myself, or I just plain don't agree with the presented philosophy.  All that to say, I'm very selective about what book I'm actually going to try really hard to read.  I don't have a lot of time so I'm not going to waste it on just any book.  Occasionally I find a gem of a book that works really well for me and these are the ones I'm sharing with you today.

This first book goes in all of the categories.  I can't tell you how many copies of this book I have gifted to others, because it addresses ALL of life's issues.  The Greatest Book of all time, the Bible. I like this one just because it's pretty :-) There is a devotional that goes with it that I just ordered to try.

Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace: Homeschooling is hard.  It is especially challenging for the Type A person.....that's me :-)  I can often get wrapped up in making sure I get all the checks for completing all the things.  Frequently I rush and forget to make sure I come from a place of rest and peace.  That place is better for my sanity but it also promotes better learning for my kids.  This book I have reread many times to remind myself to calm down, focus on the calling of homeschooling, make sure I'm focused on what I desire for my kids to learn, & to not compare myself to other homeschooling families.

Our Read-Aloud Family Journal: This is not a book you read, but a journal (duh Darby, the title told them that!) of what you have read.  It is also the same author as the above book (Clearly, I'm a big fan).  This was a gift to me from someone who knew I love to read to my kids, and I have already gifted it to others because I love it so much.  This journal gives you a place where you log each book you read together.  I ask my kids what their favorite part was, if they had a favorite character, what was sad or funny, etc.  I can already tell that I like it because I have flipped through some of our first entries and remember some of the funny things they said.  This is a great journal for reading families.

Are You Enough? Encouragement for the Overwhelmed & Exhausted Homeschool Mom: You are NOT enough.  BUT GOD. But God.  But God equips the called.  If you have been called into the homeschooling world, then He will provide everything you need to be the best teacher for your children.  When I attended the Homeschool Convention at the beginning of June, I attended the author of this book's session.  I can't express how refreshed I was after hearing her speak.  I immediately purchased the book, and have referred it out so many times already.  The author has 4 children that she homeschooled and she tells what she learned along the way.  She provides so much Biblical encouragement and resources from her own story of humility for teaching your children, thriving your marriage, & deepening your relationship with the Best Teacher.  I absolutely love this book!

The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling: This book revolutionized my mental set as a homeschooling mother.  I find that a lot of homeschooling books are written so eloquently.  And while they are beautiful, I am at a point in my life where that does not interest me.  I need parsimonious writing, that is clear, and to the point with a lot of tips for application.  This book does just that.  My biggest mantra that I adopted from this book is: CALM DOWN DARBY! 

After The Fall: Yes, this is a children's book, and I would absolutely recommend it for kids, but I would also recommend it to a mother.  You are going to fall, and it's going to be a hard fall.  But for your kids, you have to get back up.  And this is the story of how Humpy Dumpty got back up on the wall.  You can read it to your kids for character development, but you're also going to get a bit out of it too.  I know in my own life sometimes I fall, or I experience trauma, and it is really tough to pull myself back up.  Especially after a particularly challenging homeschool day, it is hard to keep coming back with a smile.  Maybe it is the very simple language, but I think children's books can be very powerful for adults.  I highly recommend this book to children and adults.

These are a lot of great books out there but there are definitely my favorites right now.  What others have you come across that you would add to this list or recommend for me to read?

Don't forget to check out my other book recommendations:

Infertility & Pregnancy and The Early Years

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review; I genuinely enjoy these books.

Honestly Hawley {June 2018}

June......I know that it happened, and I see the pictures, but I honestly don’t remember it.  It went by so quickly.  Like it was here and now it is gone.  What happened between “here” & “gone”???? I have no idea! Thank goodness I took photos of this month, because at this moment......Yeah I’m completely clueless what happened!

Here are the honest, unedited, unscripted
scenes of our June life :-)
2016: June ~ July ~ August ~ September ~ October ~ November ~ December
2017: January ~ February ~ March ~ April ~ June ~ July ~ August ~ September~ October ~ November ~ December

2018: January ~ February ~ March ~ April ~ May