Notes From Home -- A Gentle Return
A new baby, finishing our school year, and a fear of bees
Hi there! Welcome to This Evergreen Homeschool—a place where I write honestly about homeschooling, share reflections on motherhood, and offer practical ideas to make life at home feel more sustainable and joyful.
This week marks one full year of writing on here! Looking back, I’m reminded how life-giving the habit of writing can be. During my last pregnancy (our baby girl is now five weeks old), I had very little energy or motivation to write, be productive, or even solve the everyday challenges that come with life at home with four kids.
But now, I’m ready to begin again—and I have so many ideas to share!
This week, I’m starting something new…a shorter, newsletter-style post called Notes From Home. My hope is that this becomes a steady place to share pieces of our week, like things I’m thinking about, small shifts that are helping, tips for moms, little wins or struggles, and simple things we’re enjoying—without the weight of a longer, single-topic post.
Short and simple, but full of what matters most.
Thanks for being here!
Notes from Home — A Gentle Return
The past few weeks have felt like a welcome, gentle return to real life after having our fifth baby, Sage. Before she arrived, I planned to take two weeks off from homeschooling to adjust, recover, and ease into life at home with five kids.
As we step back into our rhythms, we’re moving more slowly while still keeping the basic structure of our days. Mornings start a little later, we linger longer over breakfast, school is focused on only the most important parts, and there’s more time to play and soak in all the newborn snuggles.
1. What’s Working
Homeschooling while having a baby or toddler in tow is one of the hardest parts—I’ve always said that. For the rest of our school year, we’re sticking to the core subjects and setting the rest aside (like typing which my kids despise).
That means math lessons and math facts, reading and spelling, and our daily Bible time together during our morning snack.
If all goes well, we’ll squeeze in a history lesson before afternoon quiet time.
We worked hard in the other subjects earlier this year, so lightening the load for this final month feels like a gift I can give myself.
2. A Small Shift
Having my kids make their own breakfast has been a great way to build capability and independence—usually cereal, oatmeal, or toast with fruit. But lately, I’ve realized they need something more filling to carry them through the morning without constant snack requests.
This week, I started making a simple, protein-packed breakfast instead.
I make one large cheesy omelet and divide it between the kids, add a slice of sourdough toast, half a banana, and a small sausage patty (honestly, the sausage is the motivation to eat everything else!).
From day one, it’s worked beautifully—and kept them full far longer than a bowl of Cheerios. Next week I’ll share our favorite smoothie recipe and how I freeze the ingredients in individual bags to make mornings even easier!
3. A Gift We Received
Our church Sunday school class provides meals for families after the birth of a baby—for six weeks!
We’re now in week five, and it has been one of the greatest blessings. Not having to meal plan, grocery shop, or prepare dinner has freed up time and energy I didn’t realize I would need so much.
If someone in your life has a new baby, this is one of the most meaningful ways to support them. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, even a simple breakfast casserole or a few lunch items can make a huge difference.
4. Conquering a Fear
One of my boys has a persistent fear of bees. It may sound silly, but the moment he sees one, he runs inside in tears. He’s missed out on playing outside with siblings and even family walks because of it.
He’s never been stung, and I’ve tried to gently explain that the risk is low. We’ve had many conversations, and while he’s made some progress, the fear still lingers. Ironically, one of his favorite foods is honey—he even asked for his own bottle for his birthday!
One thing I’ve learned since becoming a parent is to meet these moments with prayer rather than trying to solve it all myself. For him, I’m praying for a spirit of courage rather than fear. For resilience to face hard parts of life even as a little kid.
5. One Thought to Keep
A home doesn’t need to run at full speed to be thriving.
Right now, that looks like getting up when my kids wake (instead of my usual hour before them), starting school later, and making simpler meals.
This is a season with a newborn and four other young children, finishing out a homeschool year while keeping a home running. Comparing it to other seasons only leads to frustration and unmet goals.
So I’m trying to see it for what it is—a full, meaningful, and slower season. One day, our home will pick back up to all its normal rhythms and routines but until then I’m trying to live in the season I’m in.
And that’s enough for now.
If you enjoyed this post, check out some favorites from my archives…