Hi! I’m April. I am an artist, law enforcement wife, homestead enthusiast, and homeschool mom living in the Pacific Northwest. I love drawing, writing, and learning new things. This blog serves as a creative outlet for me to share stories, art, and other things I make. I mostly write about daily life on our little homestead and our homeschool shenanigans. I hope you find some value here.

Art

I’ve been an artist my whole life. I took a lot of art classes in high school and college, and I still try to learn all I can from other artists online. I don’t have as much time to draw these days as I’d like, but I do my best to make time for it now that the kids are getting older. I mostly draw with ink in my sketchbook, and finished artwork I do digitally on the iPad. I don’t have a lot of art on the blog currently, but I’m slowly adding more. You can check out some of my illustration posts, or scroll to see some of my artwork on Instagram.

Homeschool

We started homeschooling back in 2017. It has taken a few years, but I have finally developed a measure of confidence in my ability to homeschool my boys. I’ve also realized that our homeschool doesn’t have to look like public school, and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s homeschool either. I want my boys to enjoy their childhood, and reduce their stress as much as I can. I recognize that homeschool isn’t an option for everyone, and I’m very grateful that our current circumstances allow us to do so. If you’re interested in homeschooling, check out some of my homeschool resource posts.

Homestead

Our family built a home on 5 acres in the woods and we moved in October of 2018, two weeks before our youngest was born. We do a lot of gardening and experimenting with homestead stuff. We raised meat rabbits for a few years, we currently have a flock of chickens, and we’d love to get a cow and some goats or sheep someday. It’s all a massive learning experience, and I like to try and share what we learn when we find something that works (or doesn’t work).

Faith

I believe in God. I see evidence of his hand in nature. He is the ultimate
artist and designer. Every flower that blooms, creature that breathes, and fire
that burns is evidence of his handy work. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God. I believe that he was sent to this earth to give us an example of how we should live, and to atone for our sins. I believe that each person has the freedom to live as they choose, and that each of us, through Christ’s atonement, has the ability to repent when we make mistakes and become better people.

We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Philosophy

I believe that having gratitude can make a huge difference in our lives. I want to soak up the good things and hold them with me forever, and I hope I can teach my children to do the same. In a world that can feel so full of hate, I want to teach my children to love and serve. I want to teach them to see God’s hand in their lives daily. I want to teach them to work hard, be kind, and respect others while standing up for what they believe in.