BRIGHTER DAY PRESS BLOG

Each November, I ask my children to choose their favorite book from the past year, and I paint it onto a Christmas ornament. This has quickly become one of my favorite Christmas traditions, and I hope to continue this for years...

Whether your marriage is thriving or just hanging on, prayer is powerful not only for changing others' hearts but for aligning our own hearts with the will of God. Let's commit to covering our husbands in prayer. Write these short...

It is a joy to share our brand new watercolor class: Watercolor Class: Winter & Christmas I’ve chosen a beloved winter- or Christmas-themed picture book to accompany each of the ten watercolor tutorials. These are completely optional, but would make...

I want to share something that has been a game changer in our homeschool, especially as our kids have gotten a little older: independent notebooks.  Here's what I do.  I've created weekly checklists for each of our kids (you can find...

When we first began homeschooling six years ago, I was wary of introducing technology into our daily rhythm. Research has shown the many cognitive, emotional, and social advantages of limiting screen time for kids—so we did our best to use screens sparingly. Doing...

  Our family just spent seven days in northwest Arkansas and it was truly one of the best family vacations we've ever taken! We stayed in Bentonville at this adorable Airbnb that we loved and would recommend for families.      When...

This year, our homeschool curriculum requires quite a bit of printing and binding. And honestly, I don't mind at all! I truly enjoy and prefer printing from home instead of outsourcing this job to Staples or another print shop. If...

I am delighted to share the curriculum we've chosen for our upcoming school year, which we began this week! This year, we have a 5th grader, a 3rd grader, a 1st grader, and a preschooler. A reminder: Choosing curriculum can...

In the fog and busyness of motherhood, it's easy to fall out of the habit of praying for our kids. Or when we do remember to pray, sometimes it's hard to know what to pray. I've written a few prayers that...

For the past year, our kids have used (and loved) their Yoto audiobook players. If you're unfamiliar with Yoto, I've written a post with all the information you need and a list of our favorite audiobook cards: All About the Yoto...

In the last few months, the Lord has repeatedly impressed this phrase on my heart:Seek to serve.Could there be more countercultural words?The idea of seeking to serve others flies in the face of a world that's constantly pushing us to...

I get a lot of messages from moms who are discouraged that their kids don't like to read (or be read to).My best advice? Just keep reading.This, of course, isn't a guaranteed formula to raise a voracious reader... but perseverance...

I'm learning the enormous value of two tiny words: Lean in.   On our best days, you might look in our window and see this:Our family reading a bible story,singing a hymn, rehearsing a memory verse.You'd also see a child climbing on...

I've learned over the years that what often brings peace to our chaotic days with toddlers and preschoolers is to make art. While it feels a bit counterintuitive to hand art supplies to lively little ones, it's pretty amazing what...

  This is the perfect craft for little hands. There's no wrong way to arrange the flowers and it's very low mess. These would make lovely grandparent gifts, too.Here's what you need: Dried pressed flowers (if you don't have some...

This 20-minute rhythm is simple enough for any family to implement, and I believe it has the power to change the world.  Our family begins our day this way, but you could easily do this at night when your husband...

Last summer, my children and I walked into the children's section of a local library and were confronted with a display that flew in the face of our Christian values. It was unavoidable, and it brought lots of questions from...

For the last few years, I've taken photos almost exclusively with my iPhone. It's super convenient, but depending on the lighting, the photos aren't exactly photo album worthy without a little bit of editing.So I thought I'd share how I...

As a homeschool mom with a passion for children's literature, I've read and enjoyed thousands of picture books. So to narrow it down to just 10 favorites is nearly impossible! But for me, these 10 have risen to the top....

To the brand new homeschool mom who's choosing curriculum, reading blogs, and feeling nervous about the beginning of something new...Do you have a willing heart to learn alongside your children? Access to great books? Time to spend outside? Those are...

It's easy, as a new homeschool mom, to scroll through social media and feel defeated when looking at other homeschooling families who have been doing this for a while. (Trust me: I did it.) So for those who might feel...