If you’ve been following along with my blog you probably have seen that we are really trying to make some positive changes around this little cabin. I will be the first to admit that towards the end of last year I was not a very happy Momma. We were in the midst of a very rough parenting phase with my two special needs kiddos who are 16 & 11 (going on 30)… their attitudes and behavior were at a point that I really doubted my parenting skills and abilities. Something had to change, actually, a lot of somethings had to change.
Continue reading “Making Time For Devotions”Category: Inspiration
Little House on The Pond Progress (With Pictures)
**This post does contain affiliate links to products we use in our home.
I’ve been promising pics of the newly rearranged house. I know it seems like I’m always rearranging something around here but it has been awhile since I’ve posted house pics so here they are.
Many of the pics show the before we moved in and the after… which is now. It has been quite challenging getting to this point partly because having a large family means you have a lot of stuff.
Another part is that we need this small space to function in a variety of ways. We homeschool and do a lot of arts and crafts. I like to cook, sew, and blog too. Not to mention the kids need a place to play and we need to eat, relax, and maybe sleep a little bit. Previously trying to find a spot for some ‘quiet time’ has proven to be a bit difficult as well.
I think we’ve finally found an arrangement that allows for everything we need. With our new furniture pieces we can make more room when needed and move things around quite easily to accommodate whatever we might be doing. This new arrangement has also allowed the house to feel much more open and it seems like we have so much more space while still being nice and cozy.
This is the bedroom area and the view from the bedroom:

Not much has changed in the bedroom since I moved the king sized bed in here earlier this year and moved the two bunkbeds to the Main Room. I can say that having my ‘room’ has been really nice and occasionally I come in here to get a little computer work done while the kids play in the Main Room.
When we first moved in we divided this room into two rooms with a partition and added a small storage loft above the second room which is W’s room right now. Continue reading “Little House on The Pond Progress (With Pictures)”
Free Printable Shopping Guide – Makes Christmas Shopping So Much Easier!
I know, I know …. some of us just don’t want to think about Christmas shopping yet, even though I have already bought a couple of gifts. However, I am getting a lot of requests about what my kiddos want or what sizes they are wearing so I think its time to make up my list so I can send it to those people who have asked for information.
Seeing how I normally go through the kids’ clothes around this time of year it makes it the perfect time to take note of what sizes they like. I can also use this time to ask them about the styles and colors they prefer and maybe even ‘sneak’ in a quick question about what they might like for Christmas.
Continue reading “Free Printable Shopping Guide – Makes Christmas Shopping So Much Easier!”Little House On The Prairie Adventure: Week by Week Music, Arts, and Crafts Lessons
**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!
Here are our Lesson Plans For Music, Arts & Crafts
Please note that YouTube has been removing some content from its site so you may need to search for another video on the topics listed.
These lessons were made to go along with ‘The Little House On The Prairie‘ written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are planning to go through the whole series and I am keeping track of the different topics we are learning about here on my blog. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have!
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or subject simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.
You can check out my Pinterest page Little House on the Prairie Crafts for even more crafts and activities.
Many of the songs come from this book:

You can find more Native American crafts and activities HERE, HERE, HERE, and a FREE printable coloring book HERE.
Week 1: Chapters 1, 2 & 3
Crafts:
- Try one of these campfire crafts:
2. Horse Crafts
- Make a Grass Horse p. 50 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Make a Stick Horse p.18 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
3. You could start making a Pioneer Life Diorama to depict the book scenes.
- Pioneer Life Diorama p. 51 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Background Scene p. 51 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Clothespin Pioneers p. 52 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Log Cabin p. 54 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Quern p. 55 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Salt Clay Animals p. 55 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Well and Sweep p. 56 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Worm Fence p. 56 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
Art:**
- Draw a picture of Pet and Patty on their lines.
- Wagons on a raft coloring page.
Music:
- Listen to the sounds of nature on the prairie:
2. Listen to the sounds of nature at night:
Week 2: Chapters 4, 5 & 6
Crafts:**
- Try making some origami animals.
- Origami Animal Friends: Fold 35 of your favorite dogs, cats, rabbits, and more
- Caydo 50 Vivid Colors 200 Sheets Origami Paper 6-inch by 6-inch for Arts and Crafts Projects
- Animal Origami for the Enthusiast: Step-by-Step Instructions in Over 900 Diagrams/25 Original Models
Art:
- Prairie Dog Coloring Page
- How to draw a Prairie Dog
- or Free Choice
Music:
- Old Dan Tucker p.66 Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook
Week 3: Chapters 7, 8 & 9
Crafts:
- Build a log cabin with Lincoln Logs
- Make a Log Cabin Photo Frame p. 36 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Use My Book of Little House Paper Dolls: The Big Woods Collection to reenact and retell the story to someone.
- Make a Flower Mask p. 16 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Build a Pretzel Log Cabin

Art:
- Color some prairie flowers
- Draw a rock fireplace as Laura described it.
- Draw a log cabin.
Or you can try to draw a wolf:
Music:
Listen to the natural songs made by wolves:
Week 4: Chapters 10, 11 & 12
Crafts:
1. Snakes
- Snake Crafts and Activities for Kids
- Accordion Paper Snake Craft
- 25 EXCEPTIONAL SNAKE CRAFTS FOR KIDS
2. Water well
- Make a Water Well!
- Make a Water Well p. 44 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Make a Well and Sweep p. 56 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
Art:
Music:
Listen to some Native American music:
Week 5: Chapters 13, 14 & 15
Crafts:
- 9 NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTS FOR KIDS
- Indian Necklace Craft
- Make a Fringed Vest p. 13 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
Art:
Look at these Native American Bead Projects HERE or below:
Music:
Listen to some of these old cowboy songs:
Week 6: Chapters 16, 17 & 18
Crafts:
- Turkey Crafts for Kids – Wonderful Art and Craft Ideas for Fall and Thanksgiving
- 15 TERRIFIC TURKEY CRAFTS FOR KIDS
- Turkey Leaf Lanterns Mason Jar Thanksgiving Craft

DIY Paper Turkey Headdress Turkey Hat Crafts
Art:
- Make a Turkey from things found in nature: Nature Made Wild Turkey
- Turkey Coloring Page
Music:
Novum Crafts Feather Headdress
Week 7: Chapters 19, 20 & 21
Crafts:
1. Make musical instruments:
- Make a Rainstick. Instructions HERE
- Native American-Inspired Shakers
- Outdoor Musical Play – Make Your Own Bullroarer!
- 10 SIMPLE MUSIC INSTRUMENTS KIDS CAN MAKE
2. Christmas
Art:
Music:
Some more Plains Indian Music:
Week 8: Chapters 22, 23 & 24
Crafts:**
- Choose a Frog Craft

Smiling Wisdom – Jumping Hop Frog Origami Game
2. Buffalo Crafts
- Plains Indian Buffalo
- Buffalo Collage Pattern
- Make a Paper Plate Buffalo p.28 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
3. Indian Papoose Craft
Art:
Music:
- The Gum Tree Canoe p. 117Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook
Week 9: Chapters 25 & 26
Crafts:**
1. Make a Covered Wagon p. 37 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
2. Indian Headdress
- NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFT FOR KIDS: CHIEF HEADDRESS
- Paper Father Pattern (Scroll Down)
- Making a Native American Indian Headdress Hat
- MAKE IT BY MONDAY: FEATHER HEADDRESS
- Make an Indian Headband p. 13 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Indian Craft Feathers on Amazon

Amscan Thanksgiving Make Your Own Headband
Art:
- Choose a previous project that you haven’t done yet.
- Indian Headdress Coloring Page
- Native American Dancing coloring page
- Free Choice
Music:
- Experiment with making music around the house.

Westco Sounds of Nature Kit Musical Instrument Toy
Week 10: Finishing Up
Crafts:**
Make some crafts for your Indian Party. Check out these ideas HERE on Amazon. You can also check out my Pinterest board HERE.
- INDIAN CRAFTS FOR KIDS: Ideas to Make Native American Indians with Easy arts and crafts for children, preschoolers, teens
- Make a Spoon Doll p. 14 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Make a Pioneer Doll p. 32 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
- Make a Pioneer Life Diorama p. 51 Pioneer Crafts for Kids
Art:
- Choose a previous project that you haven’t done yet.
- Free Choice
Music:
**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO! TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!
Don’t Keep This Secret!
As many of us know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month but you may not be aware that it is also National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic abuse is often one of those things that we keep silent about because of a stigma that goes along with it.
Some just accept it as a normal part of life while others refuse to admit what is happening. It can happen to anyone regardless of race, gender, or social status. It can also happen in a variety of ways that we may not even be aware of.
Here is one story:
High School Sweethearts
There was a young girl who married her high school sweetheart. They were happily married for a while. Then after the second child came along things began to change.
She didn’t know what was going on but somehow she was always made to feel like it was her fault. His words were sharper than any knife and would cut her deeply time and time again. Continue reading “Don’t Keep This Secret!”




