BRIGHTER DAY PRESS BLOG

Easter Resurrection Cookies
Making Easter Resurrection Cookies is one of our family's favorite traditions on the Saturday evening before Easter morning.  As you make these cookies with your children, you'll read specific Scriptures which will reveal the next ingredient to add to the...
10 Beloved Books for Spring
Happy spring, friends! As a mom, spring has become my favorite season because we're able to soak up the perfect weather before the Texas summer heat sets in. This season also brings some of our favorite seasonal books, full of planting seeds and...
🌿 How to start a nature club 🌿
Since moving to Texas, our family has sought to connect with other homeschoolers in our area for a nature club—but so often, the options have required a long drive or haven't fit our schedule.So we gathered a few other homeschooling...
Creating a "Feel Better Basket"
I hate to see my children hurting. But it's also such a privilege that they run to me when they are. In that sacred few minutes, I'm able to offer comfort and nourishment not only for their bodies, but for their hearts....
The one decision I've never regretted as a homeschool mom.
I've had regrets when it comes to homeschooling: Pushing a child too hard through a rigorous curriculum out of fear we'd fall behind Not accepting outside help that I desperately needed But can I tell you the one thing I've...
March Book Madness 2022
I am thrilled to share our family's choices for this year's March Book Madness! I hope you'll join us.  My children and I have selected 16 picture books we hope you'll love, and we've put them into brackets in a printable format....
St. Patrick's Day book list
St. Patrick's Day is around the corner, and I wanted to share a list of our favorite picture books (along with a couple video recommendations). These books go hand in hand with our brand new St. Patrick's Day guide - a...
Ten Favorite Chapter Book Series
Do you have a voracious reader in your house? Chapter book series can be so helpful to keep your child satisfied, and I want to recommend a few our family has loved! For most of these, we've read book #1 as...
MLK Day Book List
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is coming soon, and I wanted to create something as "open and go" as possible to help families learn about Dr. King's life and mission.  If you only have 10 minutes, watch his "I Have a...
Our Natural Medicine Cabinet
I want to share our family's natural medicine cabinet, including the vitamins we take on a daily basis. This is not medical advice; please just take this as one family's journey toward wellness.     I am a registered nurse,...
Recipe: Upset Tummy Popsicles
This morning, I made "Upset Tummy Popsicles" to store in the freezer for the next time one of my children complains of a tummy ache. These contain fresh ginger for reducing nausea or calming an upset stomach, turmeric which can improve indigestion, peppermint...
Valentine's Day Book List
Mark your calendars: The brand new Valentine's Day guide is coming on January 5!  I believe there is no better time to teach our children the truth about love and marriage through a biblical lens. In this 5-day study, we'll go beyond...
Our Weekly Dinner Rotation
Every week, our family has a rotating dinner menu that keeps meals predictable and nutritious... and keeps us from driving through Chick-fil-A every day. I aim for meals I know my family will enjoy, that don't take too much time, and that...
Resources for Simplifying in the New Year
Are you (like me) ready to declutter and simplify for this upcoming year?  I asked you for recommendations on decluttering your home and simplifying your routines, and these were the wonderful resources you sent my way. (Thank you!) Here are...
Free Download: Life Skills for Children to Learn
A couple weeks ago, I polled you all for life skills you hope to teach your children before they leave home. I absolutely loved your responses! I compiled the most frequent responses (and added a few of my own) and organized...
DIY: Watercolor Air Dry Clay Ornaments
Did you know you can paint with watercolors on homemade air dry clay? You can find this project in my newest Christmas guide, Come to the Manger, but I wanted to share it here as well! This is a super frugal,...
Santa Claus, St. Nicholas Day, and how our family navigates this season.
December 6 marks St. Nicholas Day when people around the world honor St. Nicholas, a 3rd century bishop whose radical generosity inspired the idea of Santa Claus. Our family doesn't celebrate Santa, but we are planning to learn more about St....
Favorite Christmas Read-Alouds
Does your family read aloud during the Christmas season? There's so much activity in December that I find settling down under a cozy blanket to read with my children - even for 15 minutes a day - brings peace to our...
Independent Bible Study Resources for Kids
Our oldest children are now 11 and almost 9, and both have professed a saving knowledge of Jesus and have been baptized. We are seeing fruit in their lives that only the Holy Spirit can produce: more love, joy, patience...
Mama Gift Guide 2021
Our family keeps Christmas delightfully simple by choosing three gifts for each person: something to read, something to wear, and something to play with. We use this system for children and adults! If you're anything like me, it's much easier to...
Screen-Free Gift Guide 2021
Since having children, we've adopted a 3-gift rule at Christmas: we all receive something to read, something to wear, and something to play with. This keeps things delightfully simple. Our kids have never asked, but if you're transitioning to a "lighter" Christmas this...