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About Me

One day, I woke up on a beautiful farm with a speckled flock of hens, cute milk goats, and gardens full of vegetables and savory herbs. I realized I had three healthy children to nurture and homeschool. It was my happy place! I took a big bite of this idyllic life, and it tasted good -- But my husband, Jesse, looked around and saw a drafty old farmhouse, fences to be mended and bills to pay. I was living my dream, and he was living his nightmare. That year, he lost his closest friend to brain cancer, and the US economy tanked. Jesse became severely depressed. We needed a big change.


In 2012, we moved our three kids (ages 6, 11 and 14) from a farm in Northern Virginia to a beach condo in South Florida. The change to our homeschool days and lifestyle was massive, but the core of my parenting and educational values remained stable. I strove to find ways to keep our healthy-living, nature-studying, book-loving, independent-learning world turning in a new universe. 

Hi! I’m Jen Dowell, a mom, wife, artist, writer, home-educator and fitness instructor. I’m homeschooling my third (and final) kid while fulfilling my dream of going back to school to complete a degree in communications at UF. Someday, I hope to be the editor of a major publication. Today, I’m blogging to chronicle my family’s healthy homeschool adventures. 

In my blog, http://thebeautifulhomeschool.blogspot.com/, you will find my photo journal of our homeschool lifestyle and tips to encourage and inspire you. You will also find curriculum, book and music recommendations for teaching students of all ages. 

In my blog, http://healthysongbird.blogspot.com/, I share my family’s favorite healthy recipes, menus, and science-based nutritional advice. As a certified Pilates Method fitness instructor, I also share family fitness tips and Pilates fundamental insights to help moms find freedom from back, shoulder and neck pain.

Welcome to my blog! Here’s to making our parenting and personal dreams come true wherever we wake to find ourselves along the journey!   

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