Today we’re interviewing a 2005 and 2007 Homeschool Blog Award’s winner, The Common Room, and the Headmistress, zookeeper is joining us. She is a Christian homeschooling mom of seven living in the Great Lakes area, who enjoys being a SAHM along with the tasks of menu-planning, homeschooling, homesteading, and things that clean themselves!

1. Please tell us about you, your family and your home-life. Your profile says you’ve lived in three different countries as well as living in twelve different states.

My family growing up moved around a lot (dad was a preacher), and we lived in Canada for five years, as well as several other states.
I am the oldest of three children and the only girl. My husband is the youngest of three children and the only boy. My folks are still married to each other (46 years). His divorced so early he does not remember then ever being together, and he was raised by his grandmother.

He joined the Air Force and was in basic training for our first anniversary, and after that we moved around even more than I did growing up. When I have lived in one house longer than 5 years, that will be the longest I have ever lived anywhere.=)

When we married, I said I wanted six children, he said he wanted two. We have seven children, two by adoption and five biological, from 24-9 years old, two miscarriage- one at 16 weeks and one the same day I realized I was pregnant.
I have always been a stay at home mom, and never wanted to do anything else. My mother was a career woman- going back to work when I was 6 weeks old. She felt she had to financially, and I understand why she felt that way, but I did not enjoy daycare, and I can see as an adult that it really wasn’t best for my character or for our relationship.

2. What is an average homeschool day for you and your family? What gets you out of bed in the morning and helps you start your day cheerfully?

I am afraid we do not have an average day. Our oldest two are graduated, although they still live at home. Instead of rent, they do most of the cooking and a lot of the cleaning. I think if they TRIED to pay me rent I would not take it- this is very nice. Our third daughter is severely disabled, and her ’schooling’ is primarily practice dressing herself, keeping her out of the kitchen (she sneaks food), and taking her to the bathroom often.
Ideally, the way our homeschooling works is that our next two are high school students, and they do most of their schooling on their own. I write them a schedule and give them a book list, and they run with it. I do schedule certain things each day for them to do with me- these are all things they could do on their own, but this way they have to come talk to me.;-)
The youngest two have a combination of things they do alone and things they do with me. We curl up on the couch with two crates of books for two or three hours and work through them.

What gets me out of bed and helps me start the day cheerfully?

Lunchtime.=)
If not lunch, then at least a cup of coffee.
3. Why did you decide to homeschool? And why Charlotte Mason?

It was an extension of my desire to be with my kids, to be involved in their lives in a way my mother couldn’t be in mine. It was the way we wanted our family lives to work. We did put our eldest in kindergarten at a public school- I am not sure why, since we decided to homeschool when she was 2, the second I heard of it. It didn’t work- the teacher didn’t welcome our involvement, our child was bored, and there were activities incompatible with our Christian beliefs. Plus, we were military. One year the military would have had my (then 2) kids in four different schools! As our family grew, there were times when I would have had my children divided between a grade school, a middle school, a high school, and a fourth school for our special needs child. I don’t function well when my life is that incoherent and fragmented.

Charlotte Mason- because that’s the way we were already living our lives- lots of rich literature, art, music, and nature study. Basically, it’s a generous and rich liberal arts program for kids, and that’s a great fit for our family.
4. Your profile also says you like organic, gardening, and homesteading. Do you live in the country? Do you have any farm animals, and do you do a garden every year?

We do live in the country. We’ve had chickens, ducks, goats (both dairy and meat), pigs, and horses. Currently the only farm animals we have are horses- the goats are in the freezer. I want to do hogs, a grass fed cow, and chickens again this next year.

I do not do a garden every year- we’ve often moved at inopportune times. and I am not a very good gardener At All. But I am trying. We’re in a new house on new soil, and most of our land is shaded, so I tried container gardening on our deck last year- we made some mistakes I hope to fix this coming spring.

5. How long have you been blogging? Is it something you thoroughly enjoy or just something you do with spare time?

It will be three years in February. It was not only something I thoroughly enjoyed, but something I needed to do, the way an artist needs to paint. But I’ve been going through a dry spell this last couple of months.

6. If you could only read five blogs who would they be?

I really can’t answer that question.

7. What is a favourite Bible story and why? What is your favourite verse in the Bible?

Currently, when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. I’ve just been rereading it, and I have a whole new appreciation for Martha- she gets a bad rap, but Jesus LOVED her, and she is the one who raced out of the tent to greet him and meet Him on the road as soon as she heard He was around.
Verse- so, so many. Romans 8:18-21:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
8. Who would you say has been your biggest influence and inspiration?

I’m not sure. My grandmother. Two Sunday school teachers I had in 6-8 grade. My husband. Mary Pride (author of The Way Home and All The Way Home). James Dobson, where I first heard of homeschooling. Charlotte Mason.=)

9. I see you love Pride & Prejudice as well as Lord of the Rings and the Fiddler on the Roof… all are my favourites! Who is a favourite character from each one and why?

P&P- Eleanor, of course (I know I spelled that wrong, and my eldest girl will not be happy with me)- she has so much self control and decorum, and high moral principles along with a good sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself.
LOTR- Faramir- Noble, full of integrity, kind. I hated what Peter Jackson did to him.
Fiddler: Reb Tevye or the poor tailor- Tevye makes me laugh, and, of course, he sings. The tailor is just sweet.
10. What’s your favourite food?

The kind you eat? I like so many things - Asian, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Thai, it would be easier to list the foods I do not like than those I do. Unfortunately.

Thank you so much for taking some time to answer my questions. It’s been a pleasure getting to know one of the writers behind The Common Room. Visit the Common Room daily for updates and great posts.

Thanks for joining me!