Jennifer L. Scott's Blog, page 59

Let's Talk About Homeschooling | Our First Year| Jennifer L. Scott

Today's video is all about homeschooling. This was a highly requested topic ever since we announced that we would be homeschooling our children this year. Here is an example of one of the many requests I received from readers:

Hadasah K. writes:
Hi Jennifer! Happy New Year! I’d love to see a video about your journey of home schooling so far. I know you’ve touched on it, but I’d like to know more detail. Do you feel like the minimum requirement is enough or are you very thorough? Was the transition from having the girls at school to home bumpy? Do you find that each child needs to be taught differently? Do you sit down with them x number of hours a day, or are they to some extent self taught? I was homeschooled from K-12th grade, but I like to hear other’s experiences as being the homeschooled student is very different than the teacher/parent! I have a 2yr old and 10 month yr old, so quite awhile to think about it. In the meantime, I’d love your advice!

Hi Hadasah, I believe I answer almost all of your questions in today's video, plus a lot more.

Why do we homeschool? How do we homeschool? What curriculum do we use? How long does it take us? What about socialization? Are we taking the standardized test? Do we plan to do it next year? All of these questions, plus much more are answered in today's video.

As a disclaimer that I mention in the video, today's discussion is in no way a criticism of public or private school. Every parent makes the best choice for their family and homeschooling isn't necessarily right for everyone.

As for curriculum, my Kindergartener uses Abeka almost exclusively and we also supplement with this awesome reading book called, Phonics Pathways.

My 2nd grader uses Horizons math, Christian Light Education for language arts and reading and Abeka for history and science. We are very happy with our curriculum choices for this year. I'm noticing that my daughters are retaining their knowledge and enjoying the learning process, which is a huge plus.

I truly hope you enjoy today's video.

** Please note: in the video I mention I went to public school for my entire education. I meant to say my entire undergrad education.

News



My newest eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-free Living is getting rave reviews!

Here is a testimonial from Linda A. who writes,

Dear Jennifer,

You cannot imagine what a difference you are making in my life (I'm nearing 80 years old) and the lives of my awesome granddaughters!!! I stumbled upon your Madame Chic book several years ago and shared it with a granddaughter who was really struggling finding a direction for her life at the time. Very long story short, at 16 she got her hustle on, completed high school early, spent a study semester in France before entering college. She is now enrolled at a major four-year university studying film with with minors in French and Spanish. She also has younger sisters who are also really into your books as I have bought them all. Love this course and am making sure they also take it. So, from the absolute bottom of my heart I extend my deepest and most heartfelt "Thank you! dear Jennifer for all your hard work."

Linda, I am so excited to hear that the Madame Chic books and my eCourses are benefiting multiple generations in your family! Wonderful!

On Instagram
I spy Madame Chic...

Uwielbiam zapach książek

What I Eat for Breakfast | Jennifer L. Scott

I'm sharing a typical week of breakfasts in our home. I like to eat a variety of breakfast foods: fruit, eggs, breads, oatmeal and yogurt/ cottage cheese.

This video shows a sample of what I might eat in one week. As the seasons change, so do my breakfasts... These really represent late winter/ early spring.


Turkey bacon, 1/4 blueberry muffin and cottage cheese with mixed berries


Poached eggs on whole wheat English muffin



Homemade yogurt and coconut granola with mixed berries. I use the EuroCuisine yogurt maker to make my yogurt. I will do a video on this in the future. Also, the granola recipe I truly love is from How Jen Does It.


Scrambled eggs with cheese on whole wheat English muffin with a blueberry banana chia smoothie


Cottage cheese with blackberries and a raisin energy bread bar


Coconut almond chia seed oatmeal with blackberries. You can see the recipe for this here.


Homemade heart-shaped waffles with mixed fruit and whipped cream. A perfect weekend treat!

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News


Check out my affordable eCourses: Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living and The Ten-Item Wardrobe.

Sivuonthuon L writes, "I loved this course Jennifer. It was affordable and an inspiration to push me to try to live debt free as well. Thank you!"


On Instagram
At Home with Madame Chic in Poland...

A post shared by Anna Dowgiert (@anusia_d) on Feb 23, 2018 at 3:20pm PST

Comment of the Week
Thank you for all of your great comments on Monday's Rebounder Routine video. I was nervous to put the video up because exercising in front of other people is not my favorite thing to do :) But your supportive comments were very encouraging!

Christina M writes, "I loved this video. Thanks for sharing. I've never heard of rebounding, but I'm going to look into it. My kids would LOVE it. And . . . your backyard is gorgeous."

Thank you, Christina! I'm happy you enjoyed the video and am excited for you to try rebounding.


I would love to know... what do you regularly eat for breakfast? Which breakfasts featured today do you like the best?

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

My Rebounding Routine | Jennifer L. Scott

As requested, today I am sharing my rebounding routine with you. If you read my previous fitness update post, you know how much I love using the rebounder. Not only do I love it, but my entire family loves it... even the baby!

The girls will often hop on the rebounder several times a day, giving them great exercise. I like to jump on the rebounder for a minimum of 5 minutes every day, but usually I jump longer than that.

Today, I'm showing you some of the different routines I do on the rebounder. For the sake of time, I only show a few repetitions per move, but you can extend each of these moves to create a longer jumping routine. As a disclaimer, I am not a professional, nor am I a physical trainer. This is just one of the routines that I use. If you have health issues, always consult your doctor before beginning a new fitness routine.

We use the Needak Rebounder because of its excellent quality. I also love that Needak is a family company and all of their rebounders are made in the USA. The spring lubricant mentioned in the video is included in the rebounding kit, along with instructional DVDs and articles. If you need to purchase the spring lubricant separately, you can find it here.

To read about the abundant health benefits from the rebounder, check out my previous fitness routine article.

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News



Here's another great testimonial for my new eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

DJ writes, "Hi Jennifer, I finished your debt-free eCourse last night. It was great. I just want to encourage everyone who reads your blog to take this eCourse. There is something for everyone. You put a lot of thought and work into each class and it really shows. As a side note - wow, you live in a beautiful area! I had to watch, the benefits of a debt free life, twice because the first time I was so distracted by the lovely background!!! To all Jennifer's readers - take the class - it's really good!!!"

Thank you so much, DJ! I loved your testimonial and am happy you had such a positive experience taking the course.

On Instagram
Madame Chic in Japan...

『フランス人は10着しか服を持たない 』 by ジェニファー L スコット _ ーーーーあらすじーーーーーーーーーーーー アメリカの南カリフォルニアに住む著者が、 フランスはパリへ留学したことをきっかけに それまでのライフスタイルを見直し、シック な暮らしの魅力に気づくという、体験談に基 づいた、素敵な暮らしのための本。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー _ 本屋さんでは度々目にしていたので、気にな ってはいたのですが、ライフスタイル本を読 む習慣があまりなかったのと、ミーハーかな （ミーハーです）と思ってしまったりで買わ ずにいた本。 _ 気になるのに読まないのは勿体無いなと思っ たのと、何故か美意識が高まり、〈シンプル で質のいい暮らし〉に憧れたので、購入する ことに。 _ この本で言うと日本はわりとアメリカの大量 消費社会・商業目的なところと重なり、物質 主義的なところがあると思う。 _ その中で欲張らずに、上質なものだけを大切 にするというフランス人のシックな習慣に気 づけた事が素晴らしいなって。 _ アンティークなもの、古いもの。 _ 何を大切にするべきか、考えさせられる。 _ 同時に著者の着眼点や感受性、他文化を受け 入れる能力の高さに驚かされた。 _ 私もパリに行ったことがあるのに、こんな風 に考える事はできなかった。おしゃれな人々 がいるのが当たり前で、自分と何が違うかな んて考えなかったから！ _ 留学にも、海外旅行にも沢山行く機会があっ たのに、観光スポットや旅行誌に載ってたお しゃれスポットばかり忙しく回って、〈人〉 から学べるものの大切さに気づいてなかった な。 _ これからは、その国々の人々から感じられる 暮らし方や雰囲気、話す内容に、身だしなみ とか……。 _ もちろん、ランドマークも周りつつ、人から 溢れ出る文化や暮らしを感じられる旅がした いな。本にもあったように、沢山の旅行を！

A post shared by Lumi (@lun_13ook) on Feb 16, 2018 at 10:20am PST

Comment of the Week
Karen writes, "My favorite mask comes from my kitchen- raw honey, cinnamon and nutmeg."

Hi Karen, thank you for sharing your homemade mask recipe with us. I will have to give this a try!



I hope you enjoyed today's video. I would love to know what you like to do on your rebounder. Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See on Thursday as I share one week of breakfasts.



Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my eCourse on the Ten-Item Wardrobe

Take my eCourse Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Trying Out a New Mask | Honey Belle DIY Detox Mask

Skincare week continues on The Daily Connoisseur as I try out a new mask today. I love applying a mask once a week as part of a regular skincare routine. In the past I have always used Epicuren's Volcanic Clay mask, but after using this mask for several years, I was looking for something new to try. I knew I wanted to keep it natural so I was excited to try Honey Belle's DIY Detox Mask in charcoal and cardamom.

This is such an innovative mask. You take one tsp of the powder mask mixture and mix it with 1 tsp of liquid. You can use whatever you like: water, apple cider vinegar and even milk.

I apply the mask to great results...

Also, find out what happened while I was waiting for my mask to dry... Yikes! I learned a lesson to only put a mask on at night after everyone has gone to sleep :)

Thank you to Honey Belle for sending me this mask to try. You can learn more about Iris and Honey Belle at HoneyBelleShop.com

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News


My new eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, will inspire you to change your shopping and spending habits and encourage you to live richly beneath your means. Here is what Imdur had to say, "I have listened to all of it! Amazing, Jennifer! It was so useful and helpful and I will start on that budget ASAP, and start including rice and beans regularly:) My family loves rice and beans anyways."

Hi Imdur, I joke often throughout the course about rice and beans, but truly the message is to be frugal-minded in all we do, including what with what we eat. That will be different for everyone. I am so happy you enjoyed the course!

On Instagram
I found this older picture from one of my first book signings. A reader waiting to get her copy of Lessons from Madame Chic signed. Wonderful!

Currently waiting to get my copy of #LessonsFromMadameChic signed with @whathonestwords! #AnthroEvents

A post shared by @ elaineliu on Aug 10, 2013 at 11:50am PDT

Comment of the Week
Regarding my pronunciation of the exotic ingredients in Monday's skincare review, Nadine writes, "Very good first time pronunciation of Maori. Harakeke is New Zealand flax and Pohutakawa is known as the New Zealand Christmas tree, kawakawa is used in traditional medicine."

Hi Nadine, thank you for letting us know what these are. I have always wanted to visit New Zealand. I'm sure the land is full of amazing healing plants. Wonderful!

I hope you enjoyed skincare week on The Daily Connoisseur! Today, I would love to know... do you use a mask as part of your skincare routine? Which one is your favorite?


Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my eCourse on the Ten-Item Wardrobe

Take my eCourse Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


FTC: This is not a sponsored post. Honey Belle sent me their mask to review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Nudu Natural Skincare Review | Jennifer L. Scott

It's skincare week on The Daily Connoisseur! I have had many requests to review a natural skincare line. I'm excited to share my in-depth review of Nudu Natural Beauty today.



Here are some of the many benefits of the Nudu skincare products.

Premium botanical actives with proven skin benefits.
Antioxidants for powerful anti-aging defense and repair.
Pure, nourishing plant oils to reduce water loss.
Calming ingredients to sooth red and irritated skin.
Skin-friendly compounds for tone, softness and elasticity.
Working together these ingredients help to combat visible signs of aging. They protect against pollution and the cellular damage caused by free radicals.

You'll love the silky textures and subtle natural scents of your Nudu beauty ritual.



Today's video shares my first impression of the skincare and comes back over a month later for an update.

I personally think this is a fantastic skincare line. My skin has become clearer and more radiant since I started using Nudu. I love the toner especially. It always picks up extra dirt and makeup even after using the makeup wipe and cleansing. I can happily recommend this to anyone looking for a high quality natural skincare line. Thank you, Nudu!

Nudu is offering 50% off of their skincare subscription programs to readers of The Daily Connoisseur. They have 30 or 90-day skincare subscriptions. The 50% offer stands true for every time you order from them. You can customize your skincare based on your skin type. The subscription may be canceled at any time. You also receive a free konjac sponge in your first order. Thank you to Nudu for your generous offer.

News



My new eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, is receiving rave reviews! Thank you to all who have taken the course and commented. Here is a testimonial from Vinusha, who writes, "I am so happy, and I feel so blessed that I was able to take this course. I am more motivated and inspired to save and pay off the student loan. This course also helps me to prepare for the future. Thank you for this beautiful course, and thank you for making our lives brighter!
With Love,
Vinusha from Norway"

Vinusha, I am excited for you! Thank you for sharing your testimonial with us.

On Instagram
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic in Saudi Arabia...

No one is born a Madame Chic. Dignity, grace, style, and elegance are all learned behaviors

My Interview with TeriGigi + Marie Antoinette & The Hidden Door of Versailles

Today I'm interviewing the fabulous Teri Reynolds on her new book,Marie Antoinette and the Hidden Door of Versailles.



Here is the book's description:


Follow Marie Antoinette on an unexpected journey where she must choose between love and duty. Place: The Palace of Versailles Date: November 1773 A young Marie Antoinette has left her home in Austria and fulfilled her duty to marry Louis XVI. Late one night she steps through a hidden door and enters a world she does not know or understand. She must find courage and resourcefulness in order to survive. On her journey she encounters 2 strangers: a young man who seems honest and trustworthy, and an older, sinister man who looks at her with knowing eyes. When she inadvertently finds out her future fate, the stakes grow high. Her very life hangs in the balance. Marie's sense of duty and loyalty demands that she find a way back to her former life, but she is torn. She has a choice to make. The door stands open... but time will not stand still.

Teri has a wonderful YouTube channel called, TeriGigi.

I had the opportunity to read Teri's rough draft for this debut novel and I found it unexpected, fun and intriguing. Well done, Teri!

Mentioned in the video: Teri's Review of Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic and Teri's review of At Home with Madame Chic.

I hope you enjoy today's interview with Teri. We discuss writing, Marie Antoinette, what it's like to be YouTuber and so much more.

News


My new eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, is receiving rave reviews! Thank you to all who have taken the course and commented. Here are some sample testimonials:

Nikki writes, "Hello Jennifer, I needed this. Honestly, I just bought the course because I want to support you I just realized that it actually helped me. A lot. Thank you so much."

Rhina F writes, "Jennifer, thank you very much for this wonderful course and for making it so affordable for everyone. I love the ideas and tips you shared. Regards from Spain!"

Sarah writes, "What a wonderful course - thank you for making it so affordable. It’s given me a lot to think about and has inspired me to continue to make positive changes in my debt free journey."


On Instagram
Don't you just love this picture featuring Lessons from Madame Chic?

A post shared by The MamaLama’s

Bloopers Episode No. 3 | Jennifer L. Scott

I'm back from my break! The past two weeks I was able to make great headway on my book, do our taxes and just relax a bit. I even found time to play the piano. Thank you to everyone who has taken the debt-free eCourse. I've had so much fun connecting with you over there. It's been truly an amazing experience. So now I am back and I have many great things planned for the blog this month. Starting off with today's fun video.




The Daily Connoisseur is never short of clips to add to a bloopers video! You get to see Mr. Connoisseur losing it a bit, Jamie Cat Callan's generous offer, my stuttering, and how animated my children are while I'm cooking (now you know why I always have to do voice-overs for my cooking videos). I hope you enjoy today's video and that it brings you a good laugh!

News


My new eCourse, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, will inspire you to change your shopping and spending habits and to live richly beneath your means. Here is what Katrina had to say about the course, "I'm loving the course!! Thank you so much for telling your story and giving us a glimpse into how it all worked for your family. I'm amazed what early and late hours you keep to get the business done each day! Wowzers!"

Thank you, Katrina! I'm glad you enjoyed the course and yes, I do keep crazy hours to get my work done, but it is totally worth it :)

On Instagram

A reader shares Lessons from Madame Chic

Currently reading this lovely book

My New eCourse: Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living

I am so pleased to present my newest eCourse for the blog, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.



Those of you who follow the blog know that our family recently made dramatic changes in our life in order to become completely debt-free. This isn't something that just happened overnight... we have been working toward this goal for over a decade.



In my new eCourse, I share our personal debt journey and all of the principles that we have adhered to in order to achieve our goals.



With well over two hours of brand new video content, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living covers fresh and unexpected ways to live richly, yet beneath your means.



Just like the Ten-Item Wardrobe eCourse, this new course debuts at only $5. I want to make the course affordable for everyone, without it being a burden on your wallet.



The low price of $5 will only last for two months, however, as I must cover the costs which Teachable charge me to host the course.



Once you purchase the course you may complete it at any time and at your own pace. There will be a lively comment section full of debt-free connoisseurs, who will provide encouragement and fellowship.



I'm truly looking forward to connecting with you through this new course!



This pictures in this post share only a portion of the topics discussed in the new course.



I have put so much work into this for the past few months that I am going to take two weeks off of the blog. I will be spending this time resting and also working on the new book.



Thank you for all of your support. I appreciate every one of you and truly hope you enjoy Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.



I hope you enjoy today's video. See you in the eCourse! And see you on the blog in two weeks.

Love,

Jennifer

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my eCourse on the Ten-Item Wardrobe

Take my eCourse Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread | 2 Loaves | Jennifer L. Scott

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day. We celebrated with family at home and my husband cooked us up a proper English roast. It was delicious!

The day, of course, was darkened by the horrible tragedy in Florida. My prayers go out to all of the victims and their families...



For today's post, I'm sharing one of my favorite quick bread recipes with you.

Whenever my bananas are too soft to eat, I like to whip them into this delicious banana bread.



The special ingredient in this bread is the chocolate chips. Eat a warm slice slathered with a tiny amount of butter and a cup of tea or coffee. What a treat!



Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
makes 2 loaves

4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
6 mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the rest of the wet ingredients: mashed banana, vanilla extract and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix. Lastly add the chocolate chips. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. I like to enjoy one loaf and freeze the other for a later date. So delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. Enjoy!

For this recipe I used my Kitchen Aide and double loaf pans.

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
Congratulations to Christina G., who won the Bizond steamer giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

On Monday, I'll be launching my new debt-free course before going on a two-week break. I am so excited to share the new course with you! I have been working on it for months. The reviews from my ten-item wardrobe eCourse have been excellent and I know you will love the new debt-free course too.

On Instagram
A beautiful photo of Madame Chic on a rainy day...

. . "Rain, tea and a good book." ☁☕

Comparing My Two Favorite OPI Shades

In today's video, I'm comparing my two favorite OPI shades: Barefoot in Barcelona and Tickle My France-Y. These shades are very similar in color, but with subtle differences. Both are great colored neutrals with mauve undertones.



I always find these reviews helpful because there are so many choices out there. It's nice to hear a recommendation and see a comparison.



The base coat I use in the video is OPI Natural Nail Base Coat Polish. The top coat used is Seche Vite.

I hope you enjoy today's video. I would love to know... which one is your favorite?

News
My brand new eCourse on debt-free living is going to launch in one week! Until then, I hope you enjoy my eCourse on the ten-item wardrobe. With over an hour of never-before-seen video instruction, notes and quizzes, you will feel prepared to create your own ten-item wardrobe. For those of you who already do the ten-item wardrobe, this course will keep you on track and provide further inspiration. The course is self-paced and includes a lively comment section with other ten-item wardrobe enthusiasts. Enjoy!



On Instagram
Bayleigh's Books sharesa beautiful snap of Lessons from Madame Chic

Monday morning is off to a good start! • #bookstagram #lessonsfrommadamechic #jenniferlscott #bookflatlay #agathachristie #hickorydickorydock #instaxmini9 #tea #bed #book #read #bookstagrammer #bookishfeatures #igreads #bookfeaturepage

A post shared by Bayleigh's Books (@bayleighs.books) on Feb 4, 2018 at 4:41pm PST

Comment of the Week
Claudia C writes: Hi Jennifer!
I sometimes have oatmeal... but usually I’ll have pearl barley instead... I like that you actually have to slow down and chew it and... it is also very healthy.

I cook a large batch on my rice cooker and add some cinnamon sticks and orange peels.
When it is done and has been cooled, I place individual portions on small ziploc bags and freeze them.

Every night I take out my barley bag and put it on the kitchen table. When I wake up, the barley is not frozen anymore... I put it on a large cup and add fruit, cinnamon, nuts, sugar and almond milk...

Yummy!!!

Hi Claudia, your pearl barley breakfast sounds delicious. I'll have to try it! Thanks for sharing your method with us.

Thank you for watching today's video. I would love to know which is your favorite shade of the two and what other shades you are loving this year.

The music in my video is Handel, Bourre og Air.

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my eCourse on the Ten-Item Wardrobe

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.