Mom's Plans

Home Schooled: A Memoir by Stefan Merrill Block {A Book Review}

2026-05-05T00:08:02Z

This post contains affiliate links. I always read books about homeschooling with interest because most of them, unfortunately, don’t have much good to say about homeschooling. I read Homeschooled: A Memoir by Stefan Merrill Block, and I found that he, too, had very few positives to say about homeschooling, but the title of the book is misleading.

About Home Schooled by Stefan Merrill Block

Stefan is in 4th grade when his mom pulls him out of school to homeschool him. The family has just moved from Indianapolis to Plano, Texas, and his mother decides to homeschool him to nurture his brilliance. (Another reason is that she is lonely at home alone and wants Stefan with her.)

However, Stefan actually receives very little homeschooling. His mother likes to take him out to eat and to the beach. She has him drive by his old school and shout “suckers” to all of his classmates who are outside for recess. Her version of homeschooling is more like unschooling, but it is often no schooling at all, especially when she starts a tutoring business out of their home.

A better title for this book might reflect something about his mother’s mental state. Stefan’s maternal grandfather was in and out of a mental hospital, and I wonder if his mother might have also had mental problems. She has some strange beliefs, like having Stefan crawl around on his hands and knees all day, every day, to help his handwriting get better. (He has dysgraphia.)

My Thoughts on The Book

While this book is a reflection of his mother’s disturbing mental state, it’s also a reflection of Stefan himself and his difficult and unhappy childhood. It’s more a coming-of-age book in the shadow of a mother struggling with mental issues and codependency.

Stefan does eventually give some background about why his mother is the way that she is, but I would like to see more information about her life that led her to the place where she felt her youngest son was her entire reason for living. I would have also liked more perspective from Stefan’s older brother and his father. Those two are barely mentioned in the book except in passing. How did they feel about Stefan and his mother’s relationship? Did they notice anything off about it? Or were they just happy not to have her attention on them?

I give Homeschooled: A Memoir by Stefan Merrill Block 3 out of 5 stars on the Mom’s Plans’ scale.

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My Goals for Week 31 and a Recap of the Past 7 Months

2026-05-04T14:14:01Z

I haven’t written about my goals for a while, but I’ve still been working towards them. First, here the goals I want to accomplish this week:

My Goals for This Week (Week 31)

Walk for 10 minutes after breakfast and lunch.
Go to the gym 4x this week.
Write up three book reviews for the many books I’ve completed this year but haven’t written about.
Study Japanese for 60 minutes this week.
Continue to track my food intake and use the hunger and fullness scale.

A Recap of The First Seven Months’ Accomplishments

We’re almost at the halfway mark for my goals! Here’s where things stand:

1.) Go to the gym regularly (4 to 5x a week) and increase all the weights I’m currently lifting over the next 12 months (Goal=200 times this year). I went to the gym 10 times in April, 13 times in March, 12 times in February, only 2 times in January (it was a crazy month!), 8 times in December, 11 times in November, and 16 times in October, so 72 times so far. (36% complete)

2.) Master the stair master and climb 100 flights of stairs. This was on pause for about four months due to my knee. I just started again yesterday; I started the year at 6 flights of stairs, and I’ve worked my way up to 20 flights. (20% complete)

3.) Eat 6 to 10 fruits and vegetables a day. This is hit or miss. I definitely have to focus on this more.

4.) Honor my body and all it does for me by learning and practicing intuitive eating. I found a nutritionist who specializes in intuitive eating and have seen her 4x. I am getting the hang of it, slowly but surely.

5.) Walk 1 to 2 miles most days (Goal=200 miles this year), I’m taking this goal off the list. I find it cumbersome to count my miles, and I’m doing other cardio, so I don’t always walk as much as I need to to meet this goal.

6.)Do yoga or Tai Chi regularly (Goal=150 times this year). So completely failing at this one right now! I did Tai Chi 1 time in February, 2 times in January, 5 times in December, and yoga 3 times in November for a total of 11 times (7.3% complete).

7.) Read 5 books about health/wellness. I am almost done with the first one, Glucose Revolution.

8.) Study Japanese, or read a book, or do some combination of both for 45 to 60 minutes a day. Japanese study didn’t happen at all, but I did finish these books in the last seven months:

When the World Fell Silent (review coming soon)
Heartwood,
The Man Who Fell from the Sky
The Housemaid,
The Runaway Sisters,
Yellow Crocus, (review coming soon)
I Can Fix This, (review coming soon)
Nobody’s Girl, (review coming soon)
Mustard Seed, (review coming soon)
Beyond Seven Forests, (review coming soon)
The Shining, (review coming soon)
What the Silent Say, (review coming soon)
Homeschooled: A Memoir, (review coming soon)
The Correspondent,
The Flower Sisters, (review coming soon)
Book of Forbidden Words, (review coming soon)
Necessary Lies, (review coming soon)
The Emancipation of Veronica McAllister, (review coming soon)
Golden Poppies, (review coming soon)
The Changing Lives of Joe Hart, (review coming soon)
The Personal Librarian,
The Second Life of Mirielle West,

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The Correspondent by Virginia Evans {A Book Review}

2026-04-28T20:55:28Z

This post contains affiliate links. I had heard the hype about The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and was intrigued. However, around 80 pages in, I couldn’t figure out why. I did persevere and finish the book, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

About The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The entire book is written in letters–letters Sybil sends, and ones she receives. I actually enjoyed this format. I know some people found it difficult to keep all of the characters straight, but that wasn’t a problem for me. The problem for me was Sybil herself.

Sybil Van Antwerp is 72 years old when the book opens. She is a divorced, retired lawyer who has two grown children. She is rigid in her routines, doesn’t like to travel, and won’t go overseas to visit with her grown daughter. A neighbor has taken a liking to her and is always thinking of her–giving her treats and flowers.

Through the letters, it’s clear to see that Sybil can be sharp and critical, especially with the words she writes to friends about her children; sometimes she comes across as cold and unfeeling.

But as the book continues, her world slowly opens up, and Sybil begins to change. The story ends nearly a decade after it started.

My Thoughts on the Book

I considered not finishing the book because I didn’t like Sybil. She was mean and two-faced, especially when talking about her children.

As she got older, she mellowed, but honestly, I didn’t believe the way she turned her life around in her late 70s. I just didn’t buy that she would change that much.

I did appreciate that as she aged, she was able to self-reflect and see the wrongs she had done. I wish the author had made it clearer if she restored her relationship with one of her children. I’m guessing from the adult child’s end, there isn’t much peace about their relationship.

I give The Correspondent 3.5 out of 5 stars on the Mom’s Plans’ scale.

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My 2026 Spring Cleaning To-Do List: Update 1

2026-04-22T14:52:46Z

We’re making progress! Over the last two weeks, we’ve gotten several items done on our spring clean list. Here’s the update:

Master Bedroom

~~Changing out winter bedding for spring bedding;~~
~~Wash winter bedding and put it away (It’s so thick, this will require a warm spring day, which may still be a few weeks out)~~
Clean windows
Dust bookshelves
Vacuum the entire bedroom (move furniture to get in typically unreached areas)
Bring out spring clothes & put away winter ones
Clean the closet
Buy & install room-darkening curtains

Master Bathroom

Clean the window–All I have left to do to knock out the list for this room!
~~Change out the winter shower curtain & bath mat~~ (I did this, but now I feel like the bathroom is darker. My husband told me to give it a few days to get used to. Clearly, it doesn’t matter to him!)
~~Clean baseboards and heating vent~~ (Cuddle Bug did this for us, thankfully!)
~~Sweep & mop bathroom~~
~~Deep clean the tub~~
~~Change the shower liner~~

Kitchen

Deep clean oven inside and out
Clean the refrigerator inside and out
Sweep and mop the floor
Wash all rugs
Wipe down cabinet fronts
Deep clean the dishwasher
Clean the toaster

Living Room

Clean the ceiling fan
Try to get the acrylic paint out of the carpet (Any suggestions for how to do this?)
Clean the windows and put the screens in
Vacuum the stairs

Household Maintenance

Call the counter company about the crack in the corner of our new(ish) counter
Call the window company about replacing our screen/storm door that is broken
Get estimates for having the house power-washed and get it done
Have the air conditioner maintained
Change the heater filter
Repaint the front door

Car

Vacuum Car
Wash car mats
Install hatchback cover

Landscaping

~~Pull out two small bushes~~
~~Plant 2 rose bushes where the other bushes were~~ (We pulled out two of the bushes, but the one bush that is still here was too large; we’ll work on that later. The rose bushes are protected by chicken wire because the bunnies will strip the rose bushes clean; it will take a few years before I see roses, I think.)
Edge the sidewalks and driveway
Put down new wood chips in the landscaping because ours are mostly gone.

Whew. That’s our list, and it’s a big one with our time constraints, so we plan to chip away at it little by little and hopefully have it done by June.

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My 2026 Spring Cleaning To Do List: Keep Me Accountable!

2026-04-07T11:13:26Z

Last year was crazy because multiple family members had health issues that took several months or more to resolve. We were in crisis mode, and I didn’t accomplish much anything around the house. This year, life is much more peaceful, and I’m suddenly seeing everything that needs to be done! So, I created this spring cleaning list and hope you will keep me accountable.

Master Bedroom

Changing out winter bedding for spring bedding;
Wash winter bedding and put it away (It’s so thick, this will require a warm spring day, which may still be a few weeks out)
Clean windows
Dust bookshelves
Vacuum the entire bedroom (move furniture to get in typically unreached areas)
Bring out spring clothes & put away winter ones
Clean the closet
Buy & install room-darkening curtains

Master Bathroom

Clean the window
Change out the winter shower curtain & bath mat
Clean baseboards and heating vent
Sweep & mop bathroom
Deep clean the tub
Change the shower liner

Kitchen

Deep clean oven inside and out
Clean the refrigerator inside and out
Sweep and mop the floor
Wash all rugs
Wipe down cabinet fronts
Deep clean the dishwasher
Clean the toaster

Living Room

Clean the ceiling fan
Try to get the acrylic paint out of the carpet (Any suggestions for how to do this?)
Clean the windows and put the screens in
Vacuum the stairs

Household Maintenance

Call the counter company about the crack in the corner of our new(ish) counter
Call the window company about replacing our screen/storm door that is broken
Get estimates for having the house power-washed and get it done
Have the air conditioner maintained
Change the heater filter
Repaint the front door

Car

Vacuum Car
Wash car mats
Install hatchback cover

Landscaping

Pull out two small bushes
Plant 2 rose bushes where the other bushes were
Edge the sidewalks and driveway

Whew. That’s our list, and it’s a big one with our time constraints, so we plan to chip away at it little by little and hopefully have it done by June.

Do you have a spring cleaning list? If so, what’s on yours?

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What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford {A Book Review}

2026-03-31T19:45:58Z

This post contains affiliate links. I know we’re early in 2026, but I just finished What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford, and I loved it! This book will definitely be one of my top reading picks for 2026!

About What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford

Brothers Raymond and Jimmie Sellers do everything together until their father forces Raymond to go to Clemson, where he trains for the military.

Raymond is always the responsible older son, so when his father tells him he’ll go to Clemson to military school, and if he doesn’t, his little brother, Jimmie, will go instead, Raymond goes even though he does not want to. What no one knows is that in just a few short years, World War II will begin, and Raymond, and eventually Jimmie, will be swept up in the action.

While Raymond is at Clemson, he meets a woman, Evelyn, and falls in love. He plans to go back home and work for his father, but World War II changes those plans. Instead, Raymond is shipped off to lead a command in the South Pacific.

Meanwhile, Jimmie lies about his bad back to also get into the war action.

This book traces both brothers’ journey through the horrors of war, though the emphasis is on Raymond’s experience. The end of the book made me sob, and it was one of those books that I didn’t want to end. When I was done reading, I missed the characters and their story.

My Thoughts on the Book

This was a great book, but what made it even better was knowing that it’s based on the author’s family members. She wanted to tell her own family members’ stories, but she also sought to bring life to the men her relatives served with when she realized all of these soldiers’ stories were being lost with the passage of time

But it’s not only the soldiers’ stories that are compelling. Ford also shows what life was like for the women the men left behind, especially Evelyn and Raymond’s mother.

I give What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford 5 out of 5 stars on the Mom’s Plans’ scale.

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Meal Prep & Menu Plan for March 16, 2026

2026-03-16T10:42:27Z

The following post contains affiliate links. It was a good week for staying within the grocery budget and eating yummy meals (except one that my family hated!). Here’s what we had:

Saturday
Lunch–leftovers or sandwiches
Dinner–homemade sushi, miso soup

Sunday
Lunch–Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower
Dinner–Broccoli Cheddar Soup, fish sticks, salad

Monday
Lunch–Cashew chicken, rice, cucumber slices
Dinner–leftover Broccoli Cheddar Soup, breaded chicken sandwich, salad

Tuesday
Lunch–Chicken quesadilla, cucumber slices
Dinner–Shepherd’s Pie,

Wednesday
Lunch–leftovers
Dinner–Crab Cakes (from Aldi–my family hated these), salad, rice

Thursday
Lunch–leftover Cashew Chicken, rice
Dinner–Chicken Pot Pie,

Friday
Lunch–Tuna melt, chips, carrot sticks
Dinner–Out to eat

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My Goals for My Goals for Week 23 (February 2 2026) and a Recap of The Last Week’s Goals & First Five Months’ Accomplishments

2026-03-04T12:02:13Z

This post contains affiliate links. I have finished 5 months of my 12 months of goals, and, wow, I’d better get busy if I want to accomplish all of my goals!

A Recap of Last Week’s Accomplishments

1.) ~~Eat 6 fruits and vegetables a day~~. Yes.

2.) ~~Write in my journal 3 times this week~~. Yes

3.) Do 3 sessions of yoga or Tai Chi. No. I only did this once.

4.) Climb 10 flights of stairs on the stair stepper 3x this week. Sadly, no. I climbed 10 flights twice, but after physical therapy, both my knee and my hips were bothering me, so I couldn’t do the last one.

5.) Do 4 sessions of yoga or Tai Chi. No. I did one.

A Recap of The First Five Months’ Accomplishments

We’re almost at the halfway mark for my goals! Here’s where things stand:

1.) Go to the gym regularly (4 to 5x a week) and increase all the weights I’m currently lifting over the next 12 months (Goal=200 times this year). I went to the gym 12 times in February, only 2 times in January (it was a crazy month!), 8 times in December, 11 times in November, and 16 times in October, so 49 times so far. (24.5% complete)

2.) Master the stair master and climb 100 flights of stairs. This has been on pause the last two months due to my knee. I started the year at 6 flights of stairs, and I’ve worked my way up to 20 flights. (20% complete)

3.) Eat 6 to 10 fruits and vegetables a day. This is hit or miss. I definitely have to focus on this more.

4.) Honor my body and all it does for me by learning and practicing intuitive eating. Definitely still working on this one.

5.) Walk 1 to 2 miles most days (Goal=200 miles this year), I might need to modify this goal as I’ve been spending more time on the StairMaster rather than walking. I walked 4 miles in February, 5 miles in November, and 20 miles in October. (14.5% complete)

6.)Do yoga or Tai Chi regularly (Goal=150 times this year) I did Tai Chi 1 time in February, 2 times in January, 5 times in December, and yoga 3 times in November for a total of 11 times (7.3% complete). For right now, for whatever reason, yoga just isn’t my thing, so I have changed this goal to add in Tai Chi as an alternative. I’ll have more success with that.

7.) Read 5 books about health/wellness. I am almost done with the first one, Glucose Revolution.

8.) Study Japanese, or read a book, or do some combination of both for 45 to 60 minutes a day. Japanese study didn’t happen at all, but I did finish these books in the last five months:

My Goals for Week 23: February 2, 2026

Time to step up my pace this week:

1.) Investigate signing up for a Tai Chi class near our house.

2.) Eat 6 fruits and veggies a day.

3.) Walk for 10 minutes every day after lunch.

4.) Create a list of things I want to do when I become an empty nester.

5.) Go to the gym 5x this week. (That’s the minimum I need to go weekly to reach my yearly goal!)

6.) Do Tai Chi or yoga 5x this week. (That’s the minimum I need to go weekly to reach my yearly goal!)

7.) Walk 6 miles this week. (That’s the minimum I need to go weekly to reach my yearly goal!)

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Menu Plan & Meal Prep for February 28 2026

2026-03-02T11:33:05Z

I set a grocery budget of approximately $1,200 a month this year. (Last year, we spent an average of $1,564 a month on groceries.) This includes feeding the two runners in our house who weekly run half-marathons and are hungry, hungry, hungry. Sticking to the grocery budget so far has been easy because we have a freezer and pantry surplus. We’ll see how easy this is as we eat through the surplus. For February, I spent $1,191.81 for the month. Here’s what we ate last week:

Saturday

Lunch–sandwiches, chips, cucumber slices
Dinner–hamburgers, french fries, broccoli

Sunday

Lunch–Spicy Salmon Rice Bowls (the girls liked this so much last week, we made it again)
Dinner–leftover Turkey Tetrazzini, salad

Monday

Lunch–chicken & veggie quesadillas
Dinner–Stuffed Peppers, rice, cauliflower

Tuesday

Lunch–Hummus wrap with chicken & veggies, cucumbers
Dinner–fish tacos with cabbage and salsa

Wednesday

Lunch–turkey & cheese wraps, chips, cucumber slices
Dinner–Spaghetti with meatballs, broccoli

Thursday

Lunch–leftover fish tacos,
Dinner–leftover Stuffed Peppers

Friday

Lunch–chicken quesadillas,
Dinner–Okinamiyaki, breaded shrimp (picture is a previous meal when we had it with salmon)

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The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

2026-02-15T11:22:59Z

This post contains affiliate links. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray has been on my to-be-read pile for quite a while. I had it in my mind that it would be a great book, but, unfortunately, it fell short for me.

About The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

The first part of the book intrigued me. Here was a woman, Belle de Costa Green, who was black, but she could pass as white if she lied and said her grandmother was from Portugal. Not only was she passing as white, but her entire family was, minus her father, who left the family years ago.

Belle obtains a job as the librarian for the Pierpont Morgan Library and goes on to provide financial support to her mother and siblings for most of her life. Not only does she have the heavy secret of protecting her identity, but she bears the burden of being financially responsible for her large family.

In her new job, Belle hobnobs with the rich and famous, and her boss, J.P. Morgan, gives her free rein to buy what she must at any price. Green does this all as a black woman passing as white during a tumultuous time in history.

My Thoughts on the Book

I loved the book at first, but then it delved too far into her romantic life, which I didn’t care about and was annoyed by most of the time. I felt there was so much to explore with Belle and her lifestyle and career, but instead, the reader is left learning about the weird relationship habits of the rich and famous, which Belle easily falls into. While I felt sympathy for her at first–after all, she didn’t feel she could have a legitimate relationship and marriage because that might result in a child who could betray her identity–when she kept making the same stupid mistake over and over and over again, I wanted to bang my head against the wall.

Honestly, the last half to one-third of this book was a slug for me, and I was glad when the book was finished. While the story was based on a real woman and real people she dealt with, I had no desire to learn more about any of them, unlike how I usually feel when I finish a book based on real events. I’ll leave Belle de Costa Green in the past, happily.

I give The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray 3 out of 5 stars on the Mom’s Plans’ scale.

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