Dwell

Meet the author of the new book, Ancient and New: Storied Pathways of the Kingdom Coming, Danielle Mellama. Danielle, wife and mother of four, chats with Renee and Karen about how God meets us in our everyday lives and how there are no ordinary things, but rather windows to see God's grace and beauty if we open our eyes. Her book contains 30 short chapters: stories from her own life with references from Scripture, classic stories, and saints' lives, each followed by suggestions for further meditation from literature and art. Available at Cultivating Oaks Press.

We all want to be hospitable: to welcome friends, new and old, into our homes for delicious meals and conversation. But with the busyness of our lives, hospitality can be neglected, even with the best intentions. Renee and Karen offer ideas for easy make- ahead meals and tips for getting together with other families. It doesn't have to be fancy, and simple is the way to go!

If you are a new homeschooler with a 4 or 5-year-old and maybe a toddler and baby in tow, you may be feeling excited or terrified or both. Renee and Karen offer tips to help you get started regarding expectations, curriculum (maybe none is needed!), daily habits, ideas to invest in your own education, and more. Join us!

In this episode, Renee and Karen talk with Jennifer Degani about homeschooling on the road with their four kids and two pets. For the majority of the school year, they travel for work, living in various states and making each place feel like home while carrying on the routine of homeschool life.

Listen as Renee and Karen recap the summer conference: A Contemplation of Revolution. They chat about what makes this conference so special—the community of old and new friends, the contemplation of ideas together, the culinary delights for body and soul. If you attended and want to listen again, or if you wish you could have come, you can listen to the recordings on the CiRCE website and be refreshed for the start of a new school year.

Andrea Lipinski, mother of two grown sons, one in training to be a Navy pilot, the other a firefighter, joins Renee and Karen to reflect on her journey of motherhood. She offers wise counsel for those raising boys, but mothers of girls should also be encouraged by her story and her most important piece of advice: know your children.

In this episode, Renee and Karen talk with Buck Holler about his new curriculum, Hodie Latine: A Daily Liturgy for the Active Latin Learner. Written for children in the pre-grammar stage, it offers a recitation, a song, a game, all in Latin, along with illustrations for ease in understanding. It is not a textbook, but a "little book of delights meant to invite students into the joys of learning Latin." Buck also describes another project he is currently working on: the retelling of familiar stories in Latin. Stay tuned for more on that!

Renee and Karen offer tips for planning out the coming school year: get a good planner/calendar, map out the big life events, add the scheduled things, the seasonal events, plan your typical week, give structure to your day, and leave space for the unexpected!

In this episode, Renee and Karen chat about how to let your curriculum serve your goals and the needs of your children. Remember that education is cultivation, and it takes a long time to produce fruit!