children – Treasuring Home

July 2025 ~ Being there; Gifts for Dads; Projects on the farm; Pumpkin patch and more…

Published on July 12, 2025July 12, 2025 by JenniferLeave a comment

This was supposed to be a June post, but it has now become a July post. Somehow we always have too much going on around here, but as Steve said recently, “That’s just how we roll.”

It’s good to remember that your own crazy life will look a little different (or maybe a lot different) from anyone else’s. God isn’t in the comparison business; He knows you, and He made you and your family unique.

So here are my ponderings and ideas for this month (updated from June to July!), along with a few happenings, for whatever they’re worth!

Thinking: The Gift of Being There

I hear the door open and a family member enters the house. I may be in the kitchen cooking, or in the back room folding laundry, or working at my desk. After a few moments I inevitably hear the words, “Where’s Mom?” And I call back, “I’m in here!”

My husband or big kid comes to chat for a few minutes about wherever they’ve been, or whatever they are doing next. What a gift it is to be able to simply be there, to be a grounding presence in the lives of my people.

As women we may often feel inadequate. We may not always know what advice to give or how to respond to various situations, but let’s remind ourselves that just being there, lending a listening ear when needed, and providing a steady foundation goes a long, long way.

Gifting: Two gift ideas for Dads

Alas, Father’s Day is over for this year, but dads also have birthdays and may need a few Christmas gifts… so here are two items you may want to consider.

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Helping your child discover his unique gifts & talents

Published on June 18, 2025 by Jennifer2 Comments

Each child is uniquely gifted by God. One of our roles as parents is to help the child discover those gifts and seek to draw them out to a place where the child is empowered to use those gifts to bless others and add light to the world. How can this be done? Here are some points.

Notice when your child “lights up.”

What activities do they do that they can’t wait to talk you about later? What makes their eyes light up?

One of my sons was looking back on a picture of himself walking in as a player to his very first football game. “Look at my face, Mom. That is pure joy right there.” Yes, it was pure joy, and starting into his fifth year of football, it is still pure joy.

Another son once told me one evening, “Tomorrow morning we are going to be down in the field filming a scene for my shortfilm.” You are?! Well, ok! This happened in a chain of events that did indeed lead up to him producing his first shortfilm.

Listen to what others say.

Other people can be extremely perceptive about your child. Where is your child naturally gifted, where does he shine? Sometimes others will easily pick up on it and they will likely comment on it. I heard someone say about a young man during a drama presentation, “He’s such a gifted communicator,” and I agreed—he delivered his lines with unusual charisma and finesse.

Allow/enable them to try new things.

One of our daughters wanted to make cakes. She wanted to spend her own money to get this cake-making kit {affiliate link}. After she brought it up several times, we ordered the kit. So far she has produced three cakes, each with two layers, with a homemade buttercream frosting. I worked with her step by step on the first cake. Since then, she has needed very little help from me.

Annalise’s Memorial Day cake that she designed and made.

The night before making one of her cakes, she said, “I’m going to get up early tomorrow because I’m going to be so excited about making my cake!”

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April 2025 – Quiche; Child-raising; My new favorite soap… and more

Published on April 14, 2025 by JenniferLeave a comment

Cooking: Quiche

With all our farm eggs, I decided to make quiche recently. This easy recipe turned out to be delicious (I didn’t put any veggies in it, this time). I used frozen pie crusts and it came together in literally minutes.

Happenings: Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents’ Day at the children’s school was a special, heart-warming occasion. As I observed all the grandparents with the grandchildren, and heard the memories and “favorite things” shared by the children, it made me think about this role in new ways. (Food was mentioned most frequently of all.)

Toby, Olivia, Annalise, Micah, with my Mom (Grandma). It was so special having her there.

Here’s my grandbaby… look how big she is already! ~Little Miss Autumn~

Thinking & Growing: The Journey of Child-Raising

Each child truly is an individual for whom God has a plan, a unique path.

As parents we have the trick of at first choosing for them, then guiding them, then eventually seeing them take flight to chart their own course, all while praying and providing advice and feedback along the way. It’s a process of relinquishing control.

There is no box; no magic formula. Although we can’t be certain of the outcome, we can be certain that God will push us out of our comfort zone(s) in parenting, in ways we never expected.

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The crisis nobody is talking about (as deadly as the worst pandemic)

Published on June 2, 2021 by Jennifer2 Comments

We are blessed with beautiful parks in Illinois. Every town here has them, and in general they are well-kept and inviting. We went up to one for Memorial Day. We wondered if we would find an open grill, but we needn’t have worried. These peaceful Illinois parks are sometimes a little too peaceful. Where are all the people? In particular, where are all the children?

This playground has tall metal slides, the kind I whizzed down when I was a child. It has a giant wooden “hamster wheel”… it goes around and around when you run inside it. The park has swings, basketball courts, a batting cage, lovely pavilion, knobby and knotty trees, a merry-go-round, monkey bars, softball field… you name it. It even has a pond where Sammy caught 27 fish. No joke! (No worries, he threw them all back.)

All of this, and almost no children running around.

All afternoon, it bothered me. This nice park in the middle of this quaint American town…. but no people? We saw about four people all afternoon (on Memorial Day, no less), until late in the afternoon a couple came with their little boy to fish, and sat beside the pond. Of course, they would do this at the exact time that I was making a fool out of myself trying to rescue Toby’s football out of the middle of the pond by creating waves with a giant plastic jug (but I did get the football out). 😄

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Where children flourish

Published on May 7, 2021 by Jennifer5 Comments

Anything created by God will flourish best wherever it is placed by God. Remove that created thing from where God placed it, and it will die (at worst) or not reach it’s full potential (at best).

“…the wise tried to see where God placed individuals in the natural order of things, the assumption being that since God is good, the environments that He puts things in naturally help them to flourish.” – C.R. Wiley

As we seek to raise a child so that he will thrive, not just survive, in this harsh world, we should remember where God placed the child to start with. The child is placed within the mother’s body first, and then in her arms, and then by her side– and all within a home and in a family. This placement has everything to do with allowing the child to flourish.

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There is no future in that

Published on February 6, 2021 by Jennifer5 Comments

The lines of separation between good and evil in our society are now drawn more clearly than ever. Evil is definitely raising it’s ugly head and gleefully having a heyday. As we observe the chaos of our times, one phrase keeps coming to my mind: “There is no future in that.”

Meanwhile, I’ve been reading and re-reading Psalm 37, which speaks to the same theme– those who have a future, and those who do not.

God has made His world to work by certain unchangeable principles. He tells us who will have the future. Although we find ourselves living in a time that is not for the faint of heart, take courage and take comfort from this Psalm, which presents a clear contrast between the good and the evil.

Repeatedly mentioned in this Psalm is the phrase “inherit the land.” This phrase strongly implies a future.

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Photo Post: Tie Dye

Published on January 25, 2021 by Jennifer2 Comments

Although I’m not much of a crafty mom, I do love tie dye. Olivia received a tie dye craft kit at a Christmas gift exchange and so we took our opportunity for a little mid-winter crafty fun! This kit was for dying a bandana and three scrunchies.

I love these enamel pans. They are so homey and come in handy for various and sundry purposes.

After soaking in the soda ash water, items are ready for die to be applied.

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How to find those matching gloves and mittens (never dig through a bin again)

Published on November 19, 2020 by Jennifer6 Comments

We’ve probably all been there. Excited kids on every hand, freshly fallen snow outside, and suddenly you find yourself lost in a bin full of mittens, gloves, scarves, hats– all sizes, shapes and colors, and no matches in sight. Arghh! Just get these kids outside to play already!

I decided this would finally be the winter to conquer the winter gear problem, once and for all (if such a thing were possible). (Spoiler– looks like it might be possible!)

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How do you homeschool when it’s CRAZY? (Homeschooling with babies and toddlers)

Published on September 15, 2020 by Jennifer1 Comment

Are you homeschooling with little ones in the mix— underfoot, climbing on the table, needing snack every 4 minutes, causing general havoc?

I have lived this life for quite a few years. Somehow we all survived and now my two oldest are homeschool grads and in college, so apparently they must have learned something along the way, in spite of shrieking toddlers and their mom being on her last nerve much of the time.

Starting around 2011 when Toby (our fifth) was born, things got crazier and more difficult every school year. Just this year, I am starting to come down the other side of this particular rugged mountain experience. The peak of the mountain was probably in 2017, when I had five in school, 1st grade to 12th grade, and three too young for school, ages four, two and nine months.

Amanda recently sent me the question below. I have heard at least three other moms voice a similar question in the past few weeks. Amanda has Annie who is 10 years old and in 5th grade. She also has James and Leah, twins (adorable pics throughout!) who will be two in October. This conversation is shared with Amanda’s permission.

(I also added a few more ideas at the end, that didn’t necessarily apply to Amanda’s situation, but might be helpful for others.)

Amanda: Hi! With the “virtual” school year approaching…I have a question for you!

Just how in the world do you homeschool on the HARD days? The days where the little ones are throwing fits every 3rd minute? The days where no one is listening? The days where it’s just plain hard?! We amazingly are getting to keep Annie home from school this year (one good thing I can blame on covid!) ..still enrolled in public school but it’s not going to be enough instruction, so I’ll be doing additional math and reading/language arts with her and Bible!

Even with reviewing math all spring/summer with her it’s been hard at times, but given the situation we were able to be super flexible. But with her being home full time now, I want to establish such a schedule that it’s still “school” to her..not a whole bunch of free time, etc? How do I do it?! 🤷🏼‍♀️😬😆

Me: Great question, and believe me I get it!! Homeschooling with little ones in the mix is just plain hard! Here are my thoughts and suggestions, for whatever they are worth: 😅

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I don’t mean to disagree with my husband

Published on February 13, 2020February 13, 2020 by Jennifer4 Comments

Steve said these are arrows, not dominoes.

At Joshua’s high school graduation, as I envisioned each child reaching this same milestone in quick succession, I remarked that the “dominoes were beginning to fall.” Steve replied, “Not dominoes. Arrows. Today the arrows are beginning to fly!”

I know he’s right, of course. They ARE arrows and it’s super exciting to watch them fly.

But I have to be honest, it sure does seem like dominoes at times. All of a sudden, I find myself looking around and thinking, “Where is everyone? Is this everyone I’m supposed to have?” Continue reading “I don’t mean to disagree with my husband” →