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The Moody Mortal

Moody home inspiration, living authentically, & embracing your weird

Tackle Spring Cleaning with the whole family

Have you ever felt buried beneath your own stuff - muddling through mess day after day? Do you also have kids with stuff? Perhaps you also have pets that come with their own…stuff. Join the club. I’m all too familiar with feeling overwhelmed with stuff. It just so happens that two adults, five kids, two dogs, six cats, a tankful of fish, two birds, two guinea pigs, two geckos, and a ball python all come with a heap-load of, you guessed it, STUFF (welcome to my circus). But really, there are a ... VIEW POST

Simple ways to sprinkle spook part 1

"Spooky scary skeletons send shivers down your spine," *dun dun dun* (tell me you're singing it in your head, now - or aloud - even better!). It's no secret I love spooky season. As a lover of all things spook and as a fun mom (well, I try), I'm always looking for simple ways to sprinkle spook around the house. I'll be sharing a series of ideas for anyone with littles (or you know, for yourself) that will bring ghoulish giggles to everyone involved! Jump right on in to simple ways to sprinkle ... VIEW POST

Get them reading with the Tower of Books Challenge

Parents and kids everywhere are feeling the 'end of the year slump' as summer approaches and dreams of closing up the books mix with summer plans that often don't involve a lot of reading. We began feeling that familiar slump after taking a mid-year break of our own (beauty of homeschooling year-round) that left me looking for new ideas to inspire more independent reading in our house. Thanks to Teachers Pay Teachers, I found a great way to get them reading with the tower of books ... VIEW POST

Raise them to love the unloved things

...raise children who love the unloved things... I've always had a knack for seeing the beauty in things that might otherwise seem repulsive -- cupping roving spiderlings in my hands to escape quick-footed spider-squashers is what I do (everyone keeps a tarantula under their bed in college, right?). I don't think I've ever intentionally trampled a spider, come to think of it. Seems ridiculous, I suppose, but I feel for the unloved things.  Creepy crawlies and critters that slither might ... VIEW POST

Simple Activity Station Ideas for Kids

I'm often asked, "Jess, how do you function with five kids and a circus of animals?" The answer? Girl Scout cookies and wine (I kid, I kid...mostly...more milk than wine). Cookies aside, since beginning a life of schooling/working at home, I've found that we are all happier when we have options - lots of options. So, I'm going to share a few of my simple activity station ideas for kids that will keep them (and you) happy! Simple Activities - Stay Organized! Before jumping into ALL OF THE ... VIEW POST

Glittery Glowing Monster Jars

Glitter. You either love it or hate it. I'm in the "love it as long as I don't have to clean it up" category. Let's be honest, if you decide to bust open the glitter, you're committing to one to two weeks of picking it out of everything. Like, every nook and cranny. You'll probably even find it in your underwear. It doesn't matter how hard you try to contain it. Once you release the sparkle, it's "game over." Whether you love or hate glitter, you're almost certain to appreciate this colorful, ... VIEW POST