By Holly Giles | handicrafts , seasonal
I found a bag full of old wooden spools in my grandmother’s sewing box. A beautiful array of rich colors. I had an idea of how to bring them to life and re-purpose this necessity of the past. The deep pumpkin orange color caught my eye and I decided to make a necklace for the […]
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By Holly Giles | Field Trips , Florida , Great Outdoors , Recipes , Simple Living
You are invited to a Blueberry Pickin Party! The boys and I went to pick blueberries for the first time and invited a few of our friends along for the fun. In our area of Florida, there are scads of places to go, yet we never seemed to make it out during the season. It […]
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By Holly Giles | Field Trips , Florida , Great Outdoors
Taking a road trip with just one of my boys does not happen often. I took advantage of an opportunity to take Grayson to several state parks and to Alabama to see my grandmother and to reconnect with my firstborn. Whenever we hit the road, we have our Florida State Parks Passports in hand to […]
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By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors , homeschooling , Nature Study , Recipes
Our Field Study Part One was about a field trip to the strawberry fields. This season we used the strawberries to make Jam. Grayson and Grant can get overzealous when it comes to picking berries.They took off down the rows and came back with their shirts full. Before I knew it, we had $30 worth of […]
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By Holly Giles | Motherhood
I am always the one behind the camera. You know what I mean. Making sure all of those moments since I gave birth to my sons are being recorded for posterity. It also gives me an excuse to hide behind the lens. I do not wear make up most days, my hair is going gray, […]
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By Holly Giles | handicrafts , Simple Living
Mason Jar Outdoor Light Chandelier Sprucing up my back porch is a yearly effort. Florida weather can be rough on anything exposed to the elements. Therefore, each season calls for a fresh look. My free-flowing mason jar outdoor light is now a welcome sight with my morning coffee and the birds. Collecting mason jars is a […]
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By Holly Giles | Florida , Great Outdoors , homeschooling , popular , Recipes
In my book, Blaze New Trails, I devote a chapter to U-pick farms. I share how food can teach math in a hands-on way. Two families joined us and we jumped right into strawberry math at Oak Haven Strawberry Farm. Our goal is to find out how many strawberry plants are on the farm and […]
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By Holly Giles | Family , Inspiration , Mama's Musings
This morning was not anything out of the ordinary. It is the weekend, yet I had office work I needed to do. But something happened, like a bullet that pierced my heart. I am blessed to work mostly from home, yet the lines get blurred between working mom and just mom. Especially when young children […]
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By Holly Giles | homeschooling
I found three bean seeds on the kitchen counter. Later, I found a handful in Crockett’s pants pocket while doing laundry. What is going on?Grayson came in from outside and I asked him about all the seeds. He had a sheepish grin. “I have been planting them,” he said. “In the backyard?” I […]
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