"The" Catholic Homeschool Magazine

I don't know if there's more than one Catholic homeschool magazine out there. Definitely, there are newsletters, websites, blogs, and a myriad of resources and support. But the only actual print magazine specifically for Catholic homeschoolers, that I am aware of, is Mater et Magistra, formerly Heart and Mind.

I received a subscription to this magazine, thanks to a give-away on my blogger friend Alicia's Studeo blog some weeks ago.

Being almost finished with homeschooling (my youngest is finishing up his junior year in high school), one might think I would not get much out of an issue focused primarily on the little ones: toddlers, preschoolers, and the primary grades. On the contrary, being passionate about educational methods, and being a writer of children's books, I was fascinated by all of it, and it is a "keeper".

I don't know what the theme of the next issue will be, but I can only look forward with joy to receiving it, knowing what a great job the editor and writers have done with this issue.

This magazine is about wonder and love and all the beautiful things of childhood. I highly recommend it!

Weekly Household Schedule

Tonight I got an idea. Perhaps assigning certain types of jobs to different days might help me to keep my sanity and to accomplish more. So I wrote up a plan. If it works for me, I'll try to remember to come back and tell you about it.

LIVING AREAS – Monday/Tuesday

Mental:
Process mail. Straighten.
Pay bills.
Balance checkbooks.
Sort papers.
Make business phone calls.

Physical:
Straighten.
Dust.
Vacuum living area.
Decorate.

EDUCATION - Wednesday

Mental:
Check Peter’s work.
Discuss progress with Peter.
Plan curriculum.
Work on my personal goals and study plans.

Physical:
Gather library books.
Return library books.
Distribute surplus books.

KITCHEN – Thursday/Friday

Mental:
Plan meals.
Make shopping list.
Process coupons.
Explore recipe ideas.
Pre-process foods.

Physical:
Clean refrigerator.
Organize cupboards.
Clean counters and boards.
Mop.
Shop.

BED AND BATH - Saturday

Mental:
Plan clothing needs.
Mend.
Iron, if needed.
Choose any items to give away.

Physical:
Clean bathrooms.
Dust bedroom.
Vacuum bedroom and hallway.
Change bedding.

Clutter (or Declutter) the Little Way

The clutter is back. Oh wait. It never left. I tried; I really did. But when you get rid of a few things at a time, sometimes it's one step forward, one step back.

I used Freecycle to give away a crock pot carrier and an oversized duffel bag. I gave a pre-paid phone and a hoodie to a friend. I took my library books back to the library.

Then I cut coupons and checked sales, and over-stocked on groceries. I bought Peter's schoolbooks for next year. I brought home five books from the library.

All of that would be okay if I had ample "homes" for everything. But all of that replaced what I gave away...and what I gave away was already taking up a little bit of "extra" space.

You might be shaking your head at me as a hopeless case...or you might relate. If you relate, then I have a word for both of us: No. We can't give up. What if I had given up a long time ago? What if I had not given things away and taken back the library books? I would have even less space, wouldn't I? (not to speak of a large library fine).

When we can declutter in a big way, it's so much better. But when we can only declutter in little ways, that's good too. And when I can only sit and read, I can get inspiration to keep it moving.

Here I would like to share with you some of what inspires me tonight:

Unclutter Tips These are great tips for deciding whether to keep an item or give it up.

Workspace of the Week: Classrooms are Workspaces, too.
Although I don't have little ones anymore, I love the baskets and the picture labels here...and the idea that our workspace might be a kitchen or a workbench, wherever it is that we work.

And the ultimate jump-start (and follow-through): 18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess.