Feature Friday: April E

I found April from ElCloud Homeschool on a Facebook group for Christian bloggers. When she told me she’d like to be featured here on Frosted Fingers, I checked out her blog. I was completely amazed that she has 8 children and home schools. I’d love to have the patience for that! I will be trying again in the fall to home school Monkey for preschool.

Let’s get to know April a little better:

Can you tell us a little about yourself and family?

My husband and I have been married almost 17 years.  We met in college, and knew before we ever got married that we wanted to homeschool our children. We wanted to give them a Christian education, and be able to tailor their education to suit them.  We didn’t know we’d have 8 children, though.  We live in the country, try to garden, and we have a few finicky chickens, some lazy cats, and a chicken-killing dog.

How did you first get involved with blogging?

I had a few friends who were blogging, and it seemed fun.  I started out blogging with the intent of keeping our long-distance family updated about our family.  I thought grandparents, aunts and uncles would like to know what the kids were up to.  In the end, that didn’t exactly work out.  My family didn’t really check my blog, but I fell in love with blogging. I enjoyed sharing my thoughts and getting feedback from others.  I especially loved knowing that something I wrote had encouraged another mom.  I enjoyed interacting with the homeschool community at homeschoolblogger.com, and even when I had dry phases and thought about giving up blogging, my husband encouraged me to keep writing.

Tell me how your daily schedule works to be able to homeschool so many children.

Um … schedule?  We aren’t really schedule people.  We try a new schedule occasionally,  but always give up.  We just get up every day and start with our checklist of what needs to be done.  Every day looks different, but we just keep pecking away at the checklist (not always a literal list).  Homeschooling works best for us when I am available to the kids, not being too busy to help each one as needed.

That’s kind of the approach I’ve been taking lately, too. I’ve been making a to-do list every night before bed and just try to get it all done by bedtime the next day.

Tell me about some of the people you’ve met while working on your blog?

The fellow bloggers on the TOS Homeschool Crew have been some of the greatest blessings of blogging.  It has been wonderful to meet so many other homeschool families from all walks of life as we review homeschool products for the Crew.

What do you like to do outside of blogging?

I enjoy spending time with my family most of all.  But reading, scrapbooking (not as often as I should), and watching movies are some of my favorite things to do.  When life isn’t hectic and crazy, I enjoy hanging clothes on the clothes line. But that’s one of the first things to go when things get too busy.

What is your favorite food/recipe?

I really don’t think I have a favorite food or recipe, but I have a favorite ingredient — dark chocolate.  I love Italian, Mexican, and Chinese food, though my picky children keep me from cooking many of the recipes I’d enjoy eating.

What was your best McGuyver moment?

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a true McGuyver moment.  I feel a real sense of accomplishment when I figure out a new way to arrange the house, or a different way to use something that helps the family home function better.  The dirtiest work I’ve done has been plumbing work with my husband … replacing a toilet, and also cleaning out old clogged iron pipes under the shower and bathroom sink.  But even if I don’t have McGuyver skills, I do have SuperWoman skills like dodging legos on the floor, leaping over laundry baskets, and juggling little ones while multi-tasking.  Okay, that would be more like a super power if my home were always neat, supper was always on-time, and the kids always did their chores.  But alas, that isn’t so.

I like referring to those abilities as a super power! I tend to have those same abilities! 🙂

What is your favorite post and why?

I’ve been blogging for five years.  It’s hard to choose a favorite or track one post that had the most comments over five years.  There are two that stood out enough to me that I gave them their own page tabs at the top of my blog.  One defines me in a way others can relate to, and the other one lists some of the lessons I’ve learned about homeschooling so far.

Who is April?

Lessons I’ve Learned About Homeschooling

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

I don’t have a goal for my blog in five years … other than to continue to encourage other homeschool moms.  For my family, I want to have graduated my first few children, and see them happily preparing for their future … in college, or working.  I want to still enjoy homeschooling them.  I want to continue to raise them up for the Lord, and still be best friends with my husband.  For myself, I hope I continue to grow in the Lord, and that I’ll be more organized than I am now.

April, you have some great goals! I’m glad to have gotten to know you a little better and I hope some of my loyal followers will give you a shout out on your blog!