New Year Plans 2012

I always get excited around this time of year because I get to plan. I am a notorious planner by nature (even though I have mellowed over the years) and when the New Year comes around the gears kick in, pen and paper come out and I am dreaming of what next year could look like.

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home had an amazing year last year--we launched our first ebook, True Christian Motherhood which had made it to Amazon's bestseller list, we contributed to the hot newly released book, Queen of the Home: Essays, Poetry and Quotes on the Honor, Power and Nobility of Biblical Womanhood, now available at Vision Forum, we grew our blog consulting service Wise Woman Consulting, was asked to speak as a keynote at a blogging conference, we gained ownership of the popular blog, Raising Homemakers, a new church planted unfolded,  blog readership doubled, a TCM discussion group was launched of over 300 women who came together and learned about motherhood, and so much more. But *truly* the greatest experience has been being able to see lives transformed to His image. To see women encouraged and passing down a godly legacy, now THAT is what I love to see!

So what do I have on the agenda this year? I am sure you would love to see my notes--they are quite exciting I assure you. But the greatest thing on my list, I must say is that I want to spend more time in my home caring for my children.

What, you say, don't you already stay home and do that? Yes, I do, but my heart actually longs for more. I want more time with my children--reading books, playing games, teaching, engaging in heart to hearts, and all the glorious revelry that goes with it.

I remember as I was nearing the end of finishing all the work that went into True Christian Motherhood, it was a lifetime dream realized that I had waited 30 years to accomplish--to finally write a book! What did I find myself doing? I was staring out my window thinking about how much I was looking forward to just spending MORE time with my children after the book launch.

Times have changed and this momma is different. This momma wants a heavy dose of home, family life, legacy-leaving and CHRIST.  This is what I would like to see in 2012.

Yes, I have other big plans, but this will guide it all.

To God be the glory!

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As a special end-of-the-year gift to our readers

True Christian Motherhood is now 50% off and just $3.50

Wise Woman Consulting is now $80

and Queen of the Home is on sale 55% off for only $8.10

get it HERE.

(My sales end at midnight.)

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Purposeful Summer Planning

Every year when summer rolls around  I love planning out a list of goals and such to accomplish. I am a list person by nature and therefore thrive under organized conditions. I have realized that summers can quickly be over in a blink of an eye so I must be careful to seize the opportunity that lies ahead since the new school year will be upon us before I know it.

I also like to plan goals because I see that my children do well with goals as well. Structure is a good thing and without it all can become amiss in our bustling household.  While I love the laziness of a summer schedule and do plan in several days of glorious nothingness, I especially look forward to including those things that my normal schedule does not allow much time for. I usually have two categories--the things that need to get done and things I would personally love to do.

Here is a quick glimpse of some goals on my summer agenda:

• Domestic: practice new recipes to add to our repertoire, garden, canning, redecorating, organizing garage, repaint homeschool room, redecorate/paint certain rooms, train puppy, hold a garage sale, organize/purge toys, make special summer memories
• Children: emphasis on character/scripture, listen to sermons, go through book studies, summer chores, music, typing, travel, summer reading lists, and plenty of fun, possibly launch a business
• Family Ministry: hospitality, baking for unsaved neighbors, reaching out and focusing more on loving people, mentoring and praying about potential nursing home ministry, (did you know my husband used to be a part of a prison ministry and preach to those in jail?), serving in our community
• Online goals: This category has expanded for me with my blog, consulting and other endeavors. My list for this category is a bit extensive at the moment so I will spare you from all the lengthy (and exciting) details! I do have it all written out systematically so that I can accomplish what I'd like to see done, if the Lord allows.

  

I know some categories might go undone and I am perfectly fine with that--the point is for me to just have a plan and to try to accomplish what we can! I personally like to look at time as a precious commodity and gift from God--something definitely not to be squandered on a larger scale! I also find satisfaction in knowing I did not waste the fleeting summer days.

Whatever you have planned this summer--make sure first to pray about it! The Lord may direct you in an entirely different path and you will want to be flexible. Maybe your list only includes two or three things and that is just fine. We are all different and will have different goals for our family--whatever you do, take advantage of the time to do something special for both yourself and your family.

Have fun planning out your summer and celebrating the season doing what is important to you!

Here is a look back at my previous summer goals:

Summer Planning

Large Family Summer Scheduling



What do you have planned this summer?

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Duggar's New Book! A Love That Multiplies

I know that many of you just love the Duggar family just as much as we do 

and that is why I know you will be DELIGHTED to know that they have a brand spankin' new book that is available for preorder now entitled 

A Love That Multiplies:
An Up-Close View of How They Make It Work

Here is are the publishers comments:

In this second book from the Duggars, they focus on the principles that equip them to face life's challenges—drawing from their most recent challenge with the 3-month premature birth of their newest child, Josie. They also share the new challenges their older children are facing as they prepare for adult life. Central to the book is a section on the principles that the Duggar's have consistently taught their children. These simply worded principles are basic to the Duggar family and are shared in a way that other parents can incorporate in their own homes. A special chapter on homeschooling gives valuable information to parents who are considering this route or are already invested in it. The world continues to be amazed by their nineteen well-groomed, well-behaved, well-schooled children and their home life, which focuses on family, financial responsibility, fun—and must importantly, faith. The Duggar's show how parents can succeed whether they’re rearing a single child or several.

Table of Contents

Preface: Our Biggest Test Begins

Part 1: Little Baby, Big Challenges 
 1. Little Eyes Watching
 2. More Babies on the Way!
 3. A Surprising Test Begins
 4. Praying without Ceasing
 5. Miracles and Milestones
 6. Difficult Priorities
Part 2: Shaping Hearts and Minds
 7. Living under the Microscope
 8. Opportunities to Reach Out to Others
 9. Developing a Servant Heart
10. Making Faith Fun
Part 3: Big Hope for Our Children’s Future
 11. Homeschool, Duggar Style
 12. Vocations, Goals, and Roles
 13. Daily Training, Tips, and Practicalities
 14. Life Is a Classroom
Part 4: Big Hearts, Full of Love
 15. Protecting and Cherishing Our Relationships
 16. Michelle’s Heart for Children and Moms
 17. Jim Bob’s Lifelong Hobby
 18. Do the Duggars Date?

 P.S. Answering the Big Question




What an encouragement it is to have a mom of 19 children take time in her day to minister to women!
It is wonderful to see Titus 2 women rise up and bless those around them even with busy schedules like Michelle's and especially be a testimony to the lost.

Be sure to get your copy and

preorder new the book here!

(they have it in hardcover, Kindle and audio)


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Wise Woman Tip:

Family movie nights are a great learning experience and kept wholesome when watching the Duggar family in action in their hit TV show 19 Children and Counting.

 You can get their movies here 
starting from ONLY  $4.49!

How to Plan for a Homeschool Year

I was recently listening to Family Strategies "How to Plan for a Homeschool Year" and began to think about how I personally like to plan for a year of school and thought I would share a bit with you! Every year at tax time we like to take a portion of our return and by some or most of our curriculum (like I am sure so many of you like to do.) So I like to spend time looking over catalogs and picking out what we will use for the following year.

Now because I have a large family I have had to develop a system of how to do this efficiently and wanted to share my little binder method of how I keep records of everything in tact especially with eight children!

I have a binder labeled Fuentes Christian Academy Curriculum and within that binder I have a section for every year like 2009, 2010, 2011 and each section contained there is an entire page devoted to one child. I put their name at the top and under that I list all their mandatory and desirable subjects to be covered that year. I also like to put in ideas, prices (to compare), and mark what I already have available since we have alot of books that can be handed down. This has helped me so much in the past years to keep things orderly and efficient. I can look back and see what we used 5 years ago and if I own the teachers edition to it without having to search for it when buying curriculum online.I also have one bookcase devoted to curriculum which is not active and just for storing and another that is actively being used for the current year.

Here are some great books that I like to review and read to encourage me to get focused before a new school year:

Managers of Their Homes
this book helps to get mama's, homes and families organized. I like to refer to this because the Maxwell's are great encouragers when it comes to being good stewards of time and this helps me to refresh my focus for a new school year (also used by the Duggar family)

Managers of Their Schools

-now that you have organized your home it's time to do the same with your school!
This book defends the text book approach and has great ideas that I had never thought of for cutting your time in half  homeschooling especially with a large family. Valuable information!

Charlotte Mason Companion-teaching the gentle art of learning. I like this because I want to remember to lighter and fun side of homeschooling making it natural and great ideas here too.

Here is a favorite tried and true method of teaching little ones to read---I have used it with 5 of my children. Right now my  little Joshua is going through it and is already reading 5 word sentences at lesson 18! Love it!

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

it works I tell you, it really does!

Last year I purchased this nifty book and found it worth every penny:

Story Starters

--my daughters and sons were highly motivated to jump into creative writing using this book. The book contains half written adventurous stories and the children get to finish them any way they like! My boys loved it--and trust me, they are not the kind that like to write! They would much rather be in the yard somewhere hunting helpless squirrels...(can anyone relate?)

And by the way...can you guess what  the mystery product for the day at Vision Forum is?

That's right! It's Building a Winning Curriculum---and it's 90% off----

today only just ONE DOLLAR!!!!

What a wonderful resource to help us with our planning and so timely!

And in case you haven't been read any of my other posts this week, here is a quick reminder to let you know that this is the FINAL DAY of Vision Forum's amazing Spring Sale ending at MIDNIGHT.

You are not still here, are you?!?

Click here to see all deals less than $5.

Here for less than $10 or here for all of them!


I'm off to shop for our little school----see you there!

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Wise Planning for a New Week

I like to do my weekly planning for the week on Sunday night. Last night I was able to plan the entire week and even get some extra Bible reading time in which was the icing on the cake. I was thinking about how I used to plan when I was a younger wife, I would plan in many things that were unnecessary and by the end of the day I was exhausted. My husband would come home and I would have tears of frustration because I had too much on plate that day and he would wonder why. Well one look at my list and it was easy to see why!

Then I read a book about a wife who would try to structure her day around the Bible verse Titus 2:4-6. You know, love your husband, love your children, etc. She would get her planner out and ask God what he would have her to do that week and then write them in (ex: read her Bible daily), then she would think about what her husband would like her to do and she would write those things in  before she got to anything else. Usually our husbands do not demand too much of us. They are happy with the simple things such as a cooked meal, clean clothes and children that are alive when they get home from work! 

When I come to think of it, many godly women I know also do this. They put God first, and their husbands right after that, then  they tend to their children's needs, homeschooling, etc. I think this is wise, because it is so easy to ignore our husbands and have the house and children dominate our time and day if we are not careful to make sure we are tending to our husbands needs first.

I also think that planning that way helps us to respect our husbands more. It is reserving a special place for him in our hearts to serve him, this way we also know we are actually DOING it. We can have good intentions, but actually never really do anything with those intentions. So many times we can start the week off running and never think twice about how we can really help our husbands. Then little things might not get done such as ironing his shirts, making his lunch or preparing (timing) his coffee for him before he runs out the door.

Think back with me, ladies. What has your husband been suggesting to you? What things do you notice that you are not doing for him but he has been quietly not saying anything about? Let us tend to our husbands needs for this is how we love our husbands. If he requests nothing but taking care of the children and schooling them, then do it well. If he asks you to help run his business, then make that a priority in your life before everything else you would like to do, knowing that you are serving the Lord wholeheartedly.

Because at the end of the day you want to know you did everything you could to be the best wife possible with your priorities in order! (Well done good and faithful servant....Matt 25:23)

For those of you who are already implementing some of this--

how do you try make your husband a priority?





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