Living Hale

This year has started with complete changes for us. I had to leave my job (which formed the basis for everything we have done for the past five years) and I am now looking for a new job (which may mean a new career path). My wife’s company was sold, and that has brought changes to her work, with more potential changes on the way. So, as we have started this new year, we have been evaluating and re-evaluating every thing we do.             Before the new year began, I started listing some goals I have for the new year. These were divided into a few categories, including health, mental well-being, and spiritual categories. However, as we have started to walk through this new year, my wife said that she wanted a year in which things were more simple. That idea has really taken hold with us, and so simplicity has become our objective for this year.             What does it mean to live a simple life? There could be many definitions, but for us, it means that we are eliminating

School is back in session. I think our kids are receiving a decent education. But there is one area in which I want them to get more help. Unfortunately, our school district has adopted a reading program which, while it is great at teaching kids the basics of reading, falls short in the area of giving our kids great literature to read. I want my children to hear Aesop’s fables, or read a classic like The Velveteen Rabbit . Unfortunately, there seems to be little time available in the classroom for this. So, I researched and found a solution that is working for my family. I pass it on as a resource for your family.             Last Winter, I searched for reading material that would engage our son. He does not like the prescribed reading material used at school. Also, he enjoys non-fiction, science, and history. So, I searched for reading resources. I stumbled upon Ambleside Online and it changed our reading life. You can see the materials and curriculum used at www.amblesideonl