Discover

 Every year, since 2010, I have chosen a word of the year. Every year, I blog a little about it.

This year, not so much. I am posting the link to the post to my word for 2024, Open, and that starts a chain of links, backing up in time, where you can read more, if you so desire.

I am keeping it basic this year for this blog post, and am simply saying that my word for 2025 is

Discover

2021-2022 home learning

I kept thinking I would come and post about our school year at some point after posting about the Caldor fire in the mountains, but I never did. The clock kept ticking, tomorrows kept coming and going and here we are. I am writing this a chunk of the way into the 2021-2022 school year (winter break!), but I might post it to the appropriate time period (Aug/Sept 2021), just for my own chronological documentation! I am pretty sure no one reads this blog anymore. (Who even blogs anymore?!) 

(Additional update, summer 2022, school year complete; I never did post this during winter break with a current or August publish date, so I am doing so now, with no edits to what I wrote in December/January. Just the way the school year rolled!)

Before writing this, I went back and read last year's start-of-year post. 2021 proved to be much harder than 2020 for us. It could be the length of the pandemic by this point, growing changing teens in isolation, the strain of tensions and strife in our country, all of the above, and more. But we took a full-on, desperate break from schooling over the summer. We crawled to the finish line of the 2020-2021 school year and I didn't even manage to celebrate the start of summer for or with the kids. 

There was quite a bit of reluctance to begin this 2021-2022 school year. Anxiety and stress were very high, showing up to things was difficult, but there were activities to show up to for the first time in months (over a year!). Also significant for us is that this is Brown Mouse's (and therefore our family's) last year with our beloved homeschool charter. For these and other reasons, we did a slow entry into the school year, and looking back, I refer to the first few months as "fun fall." Basically, we had been socially isolated so long, that if an activity was happening that a kiddo wanted to do, we tried to say yes. We put the priority on social and mental health and growth. It was slow going for Brown Mouse, not the kiddo we had expected to have a difficult time, but by mid-October, he was in a better place and a healthier groove, and I would say that both kids are thriving more now.

This year we have an 8th grader and 11th grader! Both my kiddos have learning differences, both have anxiety, and one was finally confirmed as Autistic (with PDA) this year. These differences deeply affect and shape their educations, our family, and their days.

I have been trying to hang onto Together Time, but it is hit or miss. This is the only piece of our intentional homeschooling that we still do all together and I try and bring content, conversation, books, and games that fill gaps and are short and sweet. One kiddo has really been struggling with auditory overwhelm, which is the primary reason it is hit or miss.

This autumn, our 8th grader got to take an ecosystems science class (in person, outside) with his charter, followed by an incredible series of field trips that included Lala Bug and me. The staff quickly noted how much the (small group of) middle schoolers were struggling post/mid pandemic, and have since also instituted a weekly middle schooler game time. At home, we have been working together through math and writing/language arts most especially. Science and history are easier to touch on naturally in our homeschool. Moving into winter/spring, he has again (4th year for him) joined the Shakespeare class. The students will be performing A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Club soccer resumed this fall and Brown Mouse was thrilled to participate. What we didn't anticipate, however, was how much pain he would experience running the full sized fields after such an epic growth spurt (8+ inches), so we paired soccer with physical therapy. Shortly after soccer season wrapped up, he very happily began mountain biking club, which will roll for the next 5+ months. (Both kids have been mountain bikers for a few years, really ramping it up during the pandemic.) Biking and bike mechanics are his primary passions, so he's a happy kid.

(Resources for him include; ALEKS, All About Spelling, Brave Writer, Write Shop, and others.)

Lala Bug didn't return to club soccer, but she did return to ballet since it resumed in-person. She danced all fall and is continuing to do so, adding club mountain biking for winter/spring. (Unfortunately for me and scheduling, the kids are in different biking clubs.)

For 11th grade, Lala Bug is tackling Algebra II, World History, English, and Italian. In the fall, she also had Psychology on her learning plans and for winter/spring, she's studying Astronomy/Rocket Science. And always, she gets credit for art, which, for her, is sewing, knitting, fashion design, pattern writing, pattern drafting, and more. She is getting more and more skilled and it likely to pursue these passions beyond high school. 

(Resources for her include: Khan Academy, Write Shop, edX MOOC, Mr. D Math, Crash Course, and more.) 

Both kids are also participating in a couple projects in 4-H; hiking and an environmental stewardship project.

I am trying to stay on top of providing resources, encouragement, teaching life skills, supporting mental health, and all the things, but I am also gently beginning to consider what I want to be when I grow up and retire from home educating these kiddos.

 

thrive

 

 

2020 has been a monumental year of unexpected challenges, one after another, all around the globe. 

Each year, since 2010, I have chosen a word of the year, and for 2020, it was the word Light. (Re-reading my post and the links within it was incredibly meditative for me.) 

When I choose a word for the year, it becomes an anchor for me, so even when I am not doing enough of anything else to care well for myself, I can think of the word and consider what I envisioned when I selected it.

I have a list of possible words for 2021...really good ones, like resilience (Lala Bug's urging) and connection, but the word thrive keeps coming back to my mind.

2020 has been a year during which I have wrestled with feelings of gratitude, joy, appreciation, privilege, struggle, overwhelm, frustration, desperation, anxiety, and guilt, all in one tangled mess. I have felt as though we are surviving; working hard to stay physically healthy, stay safe (in so many versions of the word), stay employed, stay connected, all while being mindful of the mental and emotional health toll this is all taking, up and down all day, everyday now. I feel as if I am "on" 24/7, as though I am the lighthouse for my family, but my light is unstable.

I want to Thrive, so that is the word I am choosing for 2021. 

I hope you, too, thrive, in 2021 and I hope you found some glimmers of light (some silver linings) in 2020. Namaste.

no little cabin in the woods

On this day last year, we packed up and headed home from our annual trip to the lake.

Two years ago, when it was time to schedule some time at the lake, we were told that there wasn't a time slot for us. After a little (probably a lot) of shifting and likely some sacrificing of days on the part of the growing (now multi-generational) family that owns the cabin, we got a week up there. We knew not to take it for granted.

This year, with the pandemic, the scheduling date came and went. We have had our own health concerns and uncertainty about travel, so when word came back that the family had filled the summer schedule due to no other travel plans, and there were no days for us, it was expected. But I turned off the computer and I cried.

This is the first summer that we don't get to spend time up there at the little house in the woods. This special place, accessible only by water, has been an annual get-away for my family since my older brother was an infant.  Every summer, since I began blogging, I have written about it, and I have to do so this year, even though I have no new moments to share, because a piece of me is missing. This place is my marker of time. It is where the cycle of my year is re-calibrated. Even now, typing this, seeing these images, posting links to past posts (below), I am emotional.

2020 is full of grieving, isn't it? So many lives lost. So much living lost. Racial, political, economic loss and tension. This is the year when nothing is the same. (And yet everything is the same, day after day, lost in sameness.)

There have been moments this summer, when I have been out for a hike or near water, and the splashing sound, or breeze through the trees, or the certain smell of the sun on the earth will spark a whole body feeling of being up there, and if I just close my eyes...

We have talked about taking a road trip up to the lake, just to hike or paddle. There is hesitation. "It's not the same." A few days in the cabin on the lake is the kind of sameness we need. We crave the celebratory anchors. We have known our time there might come to an end, but I will hold hope for next summer.

The last 4 years of posts from this particular blog.
2019
2018
2017
2016

December's Countdown 2019

 

Every year, we do a countdown from December 1 through January 1. (In a row of little infant socks we clip to a string of twinkly lights.) This year, as with all things recently, felt a little different. Both kids wanted to do the countdown, but we didn't do some things we usually do (that were not missed) and did do some special things outside the countdown socks, which I was told were special enough that maybe they should be a countdown again next year.  This was a year of change and growth, but also unexpected occurrences that effected the holidays, so I have made some notes and am curious to see what next year brings.

 

Countdown:

        December

1. Sparkle Stories Advent stories begin!
2. Change the nature table for winter
3. Pull out holiday books
4. Visit the toy store and choose a toy each for a child in need.
5. Think of others today. What can you say to or do for someone that would be especially kind?
6. Do a little holiday shopping. Happy St. Nicholas’ Day! 
7. Pull out Christmas decorations.
8. Build a gingerbread house
9. Treasure hunt! (Find little trees to decorate for your rooms.)
10. Make a card or gift.
11. Decorate wreaths to leave as a surprise for grandparent.
12. Make paper snowflakes 
13. Go to the homeschool make and take fair (We opted not to go so made art at home.)
14. Go see holiday light displays.
15. Get a Christmas tree
16. Treasure hunt! 
17. Choose at least one book to donate, then visit the library book store to choose a book as a gift.
18. Do some holiday baking today.
19. Go to the reuse store and see what you can find to make a gift.
20. Make blessing bags for homeless.
21. Enjoy hot cocoa with a fire in the fireplace. (After seeing a holiday play with Grandma and Nonno.)
22. Hanukkah begins, light the menorah.
23. Make space for new goodies.
24. Neighborhood day; deliver homemade gifts, pick-up trash, and add a book to the little library.
25. Merry Christmas!
26. Choose a candy cane from the tree.
27. Play dreidel.
28. Make latkes and applesauce.
29. Today is to take care of and watch the birds. 
30. Thank you notes!
31. Make a collage with your dreams for the coming year.
    
    January

1. Light a candle tonight and make a wish or set an intention for the New Year.

summer at the lake 2019

This summer has been somewhat different from previous summers. When asked at the end of the school year what our summer would look like, it seemed as though it would likely be some basic learning activities, punctuated at the beginning, middle, and end with travel. And that is what it has been, but it felt far more busy and lesson summer-like than I imagined. It also felt short, as I knew it would.

To launch our summer, we took a family road trip north to Portland and back. We camped our way home and, on the whole, had a really wonderful trip. The truth is that we deeply needed some time away, just the four of us, and that was quite restorative.

The middle of the summer took us to north Lake Tahoe. That trip was short and affected by kiddo high needs. While it was beautiful up there, it wasn't a relaxing break. We did enjoy family and the women's world cup soccer final and win!

And the end of the summer took us to the wilderness of the mountains again, to our special place we have been lucky enough to visit every year since before I was born. It is the anchor of my year and where I want my ashes scattered after I die. This year was a little different for a few reasons. There were some quirky things happening at the cabin that needed fixing, so we fixed those. Our kiddos, who were so kung-ho to hike hard before the trip, were rather subdued once there, and not quick to be overly motivated. We had multiple boot failures, most notably mine completely falling apart on a hot rocky trail, with about a 30 minute hike (without boots) left to return to the boats. (It took me longer, and some tears, to get back to the lake.) I never got to some favorite spots during our week away and found I had to grieve this a little. I also got very little quiet reading, writing, drawing time. A little, but not a lot. Regardless, it was soul soothing setting and felt so good. The photos are all from this trip, because I share some every year.

And in between, some language arts and math work for both kids and an incredibly successful coding class for our girl, complete with presentation and demonstration of their developed app at the end.

And summer? It is only early August, yet I must turn my attention to the school year ahead, since our beloved charter didn't get the memo that August is summer!

learning period 5: 2018 - 2019

I have posted previously about how our charter follows learning periods. (Here is my post from learning period 4, which links to those before.) I shifted into posting monthly at the start of 2019, but since I was specific about subjects in these learning period posts and I started the school year this way, I am doing both to finish the school year.

This learning period, April and May, flew by. My word for the year is present, chosen, in part, because this was my eldest's 8th grade year, so I really wanted to soak up our time together before big transitions. Having spent most of the year addressing extra needs, high school tours and applications, and more, I have only now finally felt able to slow down and be present. Boo. In April, our kids went through state testing, which also took a small chunk of time and a fair amount of emotional bandwidth. 

 

Brown Mouse cut and sewed this knife pouch himself. He wrapped a cordage handle on the knife and put the whole thing on a belt he also made himself. This was one of several things that show his growing independence, capabilities, and interests the past few months.

Social studies: We wrapped up learning about the Great Depression through literature; Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz. We also took a tour on a tall ship, which opened conversation back up on many of the topics and the time period we studied earlier this school year.

 

Lala Bug loves fiber arts of all sorts. This doll outfit is one of a number that she made this year. She made the leggings (from an old t-shirt), then the dress (from an old sheet). She entered the dress in the county fair for judging. Her sewing creations have increased in complexity and speed of completion this year.

Language arts and Writing: In addition to using the Brave Writer Arrow guide alongside Esperanza Rising, there was writing for 4-H for both kids this learning period. In addition, Lala Bug was getting weekly support from a teacher at our charter school and Brown Mouse is still working through a reading and spelling support program called REWARDS.

Math: Teaching Textbooks for Brown Mouse and Khan Academy for Lala Bug. Both kids did the evaluation for ALEKS and Lala Bug liked it, so she will be using that over the summer for some support. We all like Math Antics videos for review and always games! A big highlight in April was participation in their first Outschool class. The one we chose was a math class for review of certain concept under the guide of designing their dream homes.

Science: During this learning period, we continued our nature exploration through 4-H and as a family on the weekends. We also enjoyed several science experiments using the DK Smithsonian books and Mystery Science. We found tiny Anise Swallowtail caterpillars on our fennel. We had to identify them because we have never had them before. We moved fennel and the caterpillars to our butterfly net house to raise. It is amazing watching them grow! Perhaps the highlight, though, has been following (on bird cam) a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons from when they laid 3 eggs. Two eggs successfully hatched and the chicks are nearly ready to try their first flight now. This bird cam is especially meaningful to my two young birders because they even had a chance to go and speak with an ornithologist about these birds.

And finally, our charter is now finished for the year. Our family participated in and attended a sweet, personal graduation celebration for the dozen 8th graders. It was such a celebration of each child, homeschooling in general, and our charter community. I declared May 31 our final day of school. We still need to bind main lesson books and share them with family. We are ready for a break! That said, both kids will be having mini math and language arts lessons consistently through the summer and we will need to compile record books for 4-H.

Happy end of school year! How are you celebrating?

March 2019

March brings our 'coastal snow,'

as flowers bloom and white petals blow. 

~Nicola

Dates of Interest:

March is the month dedicated to celebration of women. We will be reading extra stories of strong and unique women during read-aloud.

March 8: International Women's Day

March 17: St. Patrick's Day

March 20: Shakespeare performances day in our world

March 21: Holi

Homeschooling:

Homeschooling in a little smoother as we begin this month. We are through the application process with our oldest for high schools and are now waiting, talking, and making decisions. I had not anticipated how much stress and anxiety my girl would experience from participating in this process. Change is inevitable and hard.

For both kids we are going to shifting back into using Brave Writer Arrow or Boomerang guides paired with literature. We had taken a break while steeped in Shakespeare.

Fifth Grader: Not much has changed since last month's post! He is working on weekly homework for his Exercise Physiology class, as well as his Globe Theatre project for his Shakespeare class. He is using Teaching Textbooks and Key To workbooks for math and we are using games to review. We are continuing to use REWARDS to support his progress with language arts differences.

Eight Grader: She just completed her Shakespeare project and is working on memorizing lines so she can be an understudy for a couple of other characters, if necessary. She has been working through Khan Academy and Key To workbooks for math and she is getting a small amount of outside support for language arts and math.

Self-care:

I have been tired. My priority has been climbing into bed at a reasonable time and reading a little before sleep. There are so many other self-care things I want to be doing, and if I am honest, I feel like I deserve. If I stop and consider, there are little things I am doing...a hot shower (alone for 5 minutes of thinking and meditation), light exercise, listening to podcasts, and nature time, among others, but it is the time I have alone that is most meaningful to me. Recently, my brother came for an overnight and took the kids mountain biking for the afternoon, so M and I had a little conversation time alone together before he went for a hike and left me alone in the house. I did some clean-up, but it still felt restorative because I was by myself. I really haven't been getting this kind of time much. It is so important to know these things about oneself!

Parenting:

Parenting, as always, is about connection, empathy, play, limits, listening, and love. I am working on talking less and listening more. Brown Mouse just went away for a couple of days for special adventure time with Grandma and Nonno, leaving Lala Bug to get some special time with us. It was what everyone needed.

Home life:

We are making very slow progress on clearing, cleaning, organizing, and re-arranging, but progress in baby steps is still progress. We have had a lot of rain and we can see where we may need to pause until it is dry enough for us to haul some things outside, but also that items like roof patching and fence securing are getting bumped up on the list. M and I are working to carve out time to really connect and communicate with each other about all. the. things; kids, schooling, home, work, future, finances. We are definitely at a point where we are both feeling worn and changes are needed. I feel the winds shifting.

Crafting:
Lala Bug's itch to knit has been rekindled. I am pleased to see her creativity re-blossom. M has been making some tools for his shop that haven't required power, since his finger is still recovering from the table saw. Brown Mouse has been working on a model Globe Theatre for his Shakespeare project. Me? I have been mending things and decluttering my crafting area, readying it to be packed up for a room rearrangement.

And just like that we slide toward spring! What is happening in your world?

February 2019

In February we say good-bye

to the migrating Monarch butterfly. 

~Nicola

Dates of Interest:

These are some of the days our family is celebrating this month or simply things we are taking note of or interest in.

Birthday celebrations in our family!

February 14: St. Valentine's Day

February 15-18: Great Backyard Bird Count

Homeschooling:

Just to keep it real; homeschooling is hard right now. We are simultaneously trying to address some learning and developmental challenges, while planning for the start of high school next year for our eldest. It is clear the combination is bringing up a lot of intense feelings, worry, and confusion for all of us.

Fifth grader: He is working on weekly homework for both his Shakespeare class and Exercise Physiology class, as well as his project for his Shakespeare class. His chosen topic is the Globe Theater.  He is using Teaching Textbooks and Key To workbooks for math and we are using games to review. We are continuing to use REWARDS to support his progress with language arts differences.

Eighth grader: She is working on homework, research project, and practicing lines for her Shakespeare class. She is getting a small amount of outside support for language arts and I am trying to work with her on math. Right now, we are focusing heavily on emotional health and skill building.

Self-care:

This has continued to be very difficult for me. Due to high needs parenting, I think I have gotten depleted enough that I really need some deep care to restore myself. I am trying for daily exercise and deep breathing. (A practice of 3 slow, deep breaths, in through the nose, hold, out through the mouth. Breath 1 is just the breath. Breath 2, expanding and stretching my body. Breath 3, thinking "what is important right now?" and focusing on that.)  I need to increase my water intake. My journaling has been spotty. What I think I really need to address next is a therapist or new listening partnership.

Parenting:

Parenting and homeschooling are all so deeply woven together! I have been saying yes just about every time Brown Mouse asks me to play our made up basketball trampoline game. Laughter, connection, and physical exercise are wonderful. With Lala Bug, I am making myself available when she seeks me out and I am working to reduce the corrections and increase the positive comments. Following M's power tool accident and subsequent emergency department visit (he is okay!), our highly sensitive girl has really struggled with us. Fear is a powerful thing to a sensitive being that is both both teen and young girl in one growing, changing mind and body.

Home life:

We have made expectations more clear, limits more clear, and everyone is helping a bit more. This is something we will continue to work on! We have done a couple more chunks of purging and I have a load to bring to the donation place, although you can't see the dent! We also did a deep clean of our bathroom (we have moisture problems during winter) and you can see the difference there!

Crafting:

Brown Mouse has been building. He got interested in earthquakes again and made a shake table and some buildings. He has also been playing with his Tinker Crates. (These were a birthday present from us. They come from KiwiCo. I have no affiliation and yes, I would recommend them.)  M had to take a rest because of his hand injury. Lala Bug has favored reading over crafting the past couple weeks and I have been deep in paperwork during my "extra" time. So little crafting has happened. Just typing that motivates me to put out some crafty "morning invitations!"

Happy February to you all. I know many homeschoolers dislike February, but it is one of my favorite months. I think of it as a "red" month, full of celebrations, picking up a little cheer after "blue" January. It has been wet and cold here. We even got snow here in coastal California last night! Be well.

(You will enjoy Carrie's monthly The Parenting Passageway post, here!)

learning period 3: 2018-2019

I have posted previously about how our charter follows learning periods. (Here is my post from learning period 2, which links to learning period 1 as well as other posts.) I shifted into posting monthly at the start of 2019, but since I was specific about subjects in these learning period posts and I started the school year this way, I am going to do both to finish the school year. (Note: I am writing this at the beginning of March, having forgotten to share about learning period 3, December 2018 and January 2019, so will back-date this to post it chronologically!)

December and January were what I would call heavy on learning but light on academics. We had a number of appointments lasting into December, the holidays, the move of the kids' beloved occupational therapist, high school applications, and some deep stresses and anxieties all affecting our homeschool. There was joy and learning (you cannot stop it, even if you try), but less documentation.

Social studies: We continued with our American Girl history project, had a fabulous hands-on field trip to a Native American history site, and during this learning period, we watched a number of documentaries that lead to a lot of big conversations. (I subscribed to Curiosity Stream when there was a $1 per month deal and we also really enjoyed the Netflix series Tales by Light.) Towards the end of this learning period, the kids began classes through our charter school. Both chose to participate in the Shakespeare class being offered. As part of this class, there are weekly homework assignments and a history research project.

Math: Teaching Textbooks for Brown Mouse, Khan Academy for Lala Bug, games, and Key To... series workbooks for both kids. We are more consistent with math this year, but it still seems to be slow going.

Language arts and Writing: This third learning period, both kids joined a weekly book group offered by one of our charter teachers. They read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. This was a non-required precursor to the Shakespeare performance class I mentioned above. I used Brave Writer ideas as we read through Nine Gnome Nights by Sieglinde de Francesa of Teach Wonderment. Lala Bug is getting weekly support from a teacher at our charter school and Brown Mouse is still working through a reading and spelling support program called REWARDS, which he is having success with.

Science: During this learning period, much of the science we covered was through our nature studies; overwintering ladybug beetles, migrating birds, weather, earthquake exploration, and some chemistry.

Onward into learning period 4 already!

Holiday Countdown 2018

Each year, we countdown during the holidays. I know I am a little late in posting this, but the reality for us is that we didn't feel all that Christmasy until it was all over. We had a little get-away after the new year and came home feeling a little more in the spirit, so I am finally posting on 12th night.

This is our December countdown for 2018. It took us through December, through January 1, 2019. I change it to adjust to my growing kids, who still love and ask for this tradition each year. This year, I noticed that perhaps we don't need the countdown after Christmas quite so much. I have always included this to ease some of the post-holiday let-down. Next year, the kids will let me know what they want and need. I love this tradition, too.

1. Sparkle Stories Advent stories begin!
2. Special holiday event with friends.
3. Light the Menorah. (The kids were given a new build-your-own Menoroah.)
4. Make latkes
5. Make a holiday decoration for Grannie (They decorated a wreath, which we hung on her front door.)
6. Happy St. Nicholas and Play dreidel (The kids were given a dreidel decorating kit.)
7. Pull out the holiday books!
8. Pull out Christmas decorations and start to decorate.
9. Get a Christmas tree!
10. Decorate the Christmas tree and watch Yogi’s first Christmas (a tradition)
11. Treasure Hunt!  (The kids found a mini tree to decorate for their room, their dolls and stuffed animals.)
12. Make a card or gift.
13. Pull out instruments or sing. Practice a Christmas song. (We had such a fun jam session!)
14. Take care of the birds.
15. See the hillside nativity scene.
16. Attend a holiday concert.
17. Choose a candy cane from the tree.
18. Treasure Hunt! (Each kid found a new article of clothing.)
19. Bunny day! Take extra care of our rabbit.
20. Neighborhood day! Pick up garbage, deliver toffee and cards.
21. Winter Solstice! Visit the library book store and choose a book for yourself and one as a gift.
22. Get out in nature! Super high tide today What unusual shore birds can you spot?
23. Bake cookies. Celebrate Christmas with family.
24. Take a rain walk and get a kettle corn treat.
25. Merry Christmas! Celebrate Christmas with family.
26. Make paper snowflakes.
27. Have a play date with friends at the park.
28. Write thank you notes
29. Take a hike.  See the ladybugs.
30. Go see Mary Poppins Returns with friends and perform and act of service for neighbor, family, or friend
31. Winter Spiral
32. (January 1): Make a ‘dream garden’ collage for 2019
    
    

     

    

    
    

    

    
    

    
    

learning period 2 of 2018-2019

I really haven't been blogging much and when I have, it has been more of a documentation and sharing of our homeschooling than anything else creative or economical. I shared learning period 1 and "our 168" (hours per week) in October and didn't post in November at all!

I am back to share a little about learning period 2, which was October and November. Here we are in December and time is zipping by always more quickly than I would like.

October and November were filled with numerous atypical appointments. December, in addition to all the celebrations, will have its fair share of appointments too.  I love the winter holidays, but I am slow to get into them right now, because I am dragging a bit and worn from our inconsistent rhythm. I need to create something to look forward to in January, when appointments are done, new rhythm can be made, and that helps ease the bleakness I tend to feel after the holidays.

Can you tell we did a block on chocolate? I had intended for this to be more of a math block and began with Marsha Johnson's History of Chocolate guide, but one book lead to another, which lead to maps (we love Map of the Month) and history and science. So we did a little math, but we learned more about the history of the Americas, how chocolate was made originally, how it is made now, how it spread in popularity, and we taste tested various chocolates. We even made chocolate. This was a wonderful block!

Social studies: We studied the history and geography of chocolate. We studied early U.S. history a little more through various avenues...our American Girl 4-H project, reading Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, and through the Constitution class Lala Bug took through our charter school. The class had them exploring different parts of the Constitution, choosing a topic, writing a paper, and giving a speech, as well as multiple quizzes. Between her love of history and 4-H speaking experiences, Lala rocked the class.

Math: Teaching Textbooks for Brown Mouse, Khan Academy for Lala Bug, games, and Key To... series workbooks for both kids. We are more consistent with math right now and all I can hope is that it is enough. Brown Mouse took a math class through our charter, where they covered a lot about ratios and fractions and Lala Bug, of course, knit a lot and continued writing knitting patterns.

Language arts and Writing: We are loving Brave Writer for language arts and writing. This second learning period we read and worked through the Arrow guide for Frindle by Andrew Clements (just a fun book) and we are working through Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes right now. The Constitution class Lala Bug was in gave her the extra writing work she needed and for Brown Mouse, we are working through a reading and spelling support program called REWARDS, which he is having success with.

 

Science: Lala Bug took a personal interest, deep dive into the history of the U.S. exploration of space, particularly the moon, which, of course, covered a lot of science, as well. The interested began with the book Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon by Suzanne Slade, which was excellent. We also explored science during our chocolate block and Brown Mouse took a Nature Detectives class through our charter. He really enjoyed that and because of our weekly nature studies, he really got a chance to shine, sharing some of his knowledge with his friends and teachers.

Nature plays a big role in our homeschool, with time spent weekly exploring and monthly at the farm with 4-H. This past month, our state was heavily hit with devastating wildfires. The smoke from the fires blew our way and settled to stay for a couple of weeks. It affected our ability to be outside and made for some interested observations, recordings, and conversations.

Moving into December and the new year, I need to take some time to re-evaluate where we are and where we need to shift. We have toured several schools now and I have also attended more discussion groups about homeschooling high school. It is time for us to begin putting in applications for high schools and our family to sit down and discuss wants, needs, goals, and plans. Lots ahead of us!

learning period 1 of 2018-2019

The year before last (how was that so long ago?!), I shared about our homeschool year, one learning period at a time. We homeschool under the branches of a charter school that we love, and the charter follows us in two-month chunks, called learning periods. Learning period 1 was August and September. Here is a little snapshot of the launch of our year!

Nature study weekly; I had planned for Fridays to be our nature study and library day, but several weeks in, although desired and beautiful, it wasn't so smooth. Walking alongside me one week, my wise little guy says to me, "Mamma, what do you think if we do our nature walks on Monday mornings? Maybe they would be better for starting the week." And he was right! It doesn't matter what school or work we human beings head into each week, MOANday mornings tend to be hard. Nature walk has been a much gentler start to the week and we have cherished slower home rhythm on Fridays.

I am realizing that, while I am deeply inspired by Waldorf as my home teaching and parenting foundation, our best flowing "us-school" days are perhaps a little more unit study-like. (That term makes me cringe. I don't know why.) This year, I am using Brave Writer Arrow and Boomerang guides for writing mechanics and grammar, something with which we needed to become a little more consistent. I chose to start us with Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, the 1956 Newbery award winning biographical novel of Nathaniel Bowditch, written by Jean Lee Latham.

I could never have imagined the journey Nat would take us on. We were gripped by his story ("Just one more chapter, Mamma!") and how he quietly, yet deeply affected history. We were then hurled through time, backward from Nat to Galileo and forward from Nat and onto the west coast for The Coast Mappers and a tour of a modern ship, the one my brother works on. This one chapter book had us eagerly chasing math, science, history, writing, and language arts, and had the kids making connections and expressing curiosity and excitement with what they were learning. This is fuel for the homeschooling mama soul.

 Along with our read alouds and all-things-Nat, the kids did regular math lessons, another subject we had become inconsistent with. Brown Mouse is very happily engaged with Teaching Textbooks now. He worked his way through the free trial and into a full membership for the year. Lala Bug has been doing Khan Academy, supplemented with Key To... series practice booklets (which our charter school provides). It feels good to have math anchors without push back. I do think the year that I backed off and made math more about play and living experiences made a huge positive difference in math attitude now.

So much cooking and baking, below. Lala Bug got interested in and immediately skilled in baking cakes in the spring, and we always meal plan and meal prep for the week, so a lot of cooking and baking has been happening around here, particularly with September being full of birthdays.The praise "this is the best cake I have ever had!" is positive feedback Lala Bug has loved hearing, and since we are gluten-free bakers, that was encouraging to me.

Soccer is successfully and joyfully underway, 4-H projects and charter classes are beginning this week, and probably the most meaningful things we are doing right now is going through a series of appointments for the unique needs of one kiddo and health-related challenges I have been having. For this reason, alone, the success of our basic weekly rhythm has been so encouraging to me. We are now moving onward into learning period 2. We are studying chocolate and its origins, the constitution and natural history (both through our charter classes), and excited about the playful learning of 4-H.

I hope your learning year is starting smoothly and joyfully!