4 State Parks, 2 National Sites, 3 Days and 1 Boy!
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 […]
Continue reading
Strawberry Field Study, Part II
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 […]
Continue reading
Mom, Your Wrinkles Matter, They Tell Your Story
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, […]
Continue reading
Mason Jar Outdoor Light Chandelier
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 […]
Continue reading
A Field Study in Math Picking Strawberries
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 […]
Continue reading
Parenting Can Be Like a Bullet to the Heart
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 […]
Continue reading
Bean Seed Boy- A Modern Johnny Appleseed
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 […]
Continue reading
God Bless America and the Sanford Armory
By Holly Giles | Field Trips , Florida , homeschooling
We met up with a few families to tour the Sanford Armory last week. The sergeants told us they don’t really do field trips, but would give it a whirl. By the end of our tour, my boys decided this was the BEST field trip ever! I am ashamed to tell you that the armory […]
Continue reading
Measuring Success Through Life Skills
By Holly Giles | Family , handicrafts , homeschooling
Life Skills The Giles Frontier had a booth at the Gifts of Grace arts and crafts fair. It was an opportunity for success and teaching life skills to sell our repurposed feed sack totes, lip balm, jewelry, homeschool curriculum, and slingshots. It can be a lot of work setting up a display, spending most of […]
Continue reading