Instagram-replay: more summer fun

This last month has been crazy! But next month will be even crazier! We are moving in a few weeks, but not sure where to and then into a house we are buying after a month more of paperwork. In the meantime here is a look back at what our summer has been like.

Barbie fashion shows have been all the rage at Grandma Jackie's house. Aunt Katie and Aunt Abbie dug out their dolls and 90s clothes. Big hair and bright colors!

It was warm outside so we found things to do inside, like going to air conditioned movie theaters. Both girls enjoyed the new Spider-Man movie. 

We finally got end of the year dance photos done, only a few months late, oops.  The piggyback photo was their request and it turned out so cute!

The library continues to be one of our favorite places.  In fact one of my biggest concerns about the upcoming move is "will we like the new library?" And it's going to be a library, what could we possibly not like!

15 years! Not sure what else needs to be said.  We went camping with the family for our actual anniversary but have a movie night planned, so it's all good.

While camping we went to the Sea Lion Cave. It was fun looking at the wild Sea Lion and exploring the dark area of the cave set up for visitors.  

Biggest event of the summer was the eclipse! We had so much fun making pinhole projectors and glimpsing the sun through our protective eyewear. Totally Amazing!

Living just outside of one of the major viewing areas, after the eclipse we had an equally unusual event, traffic backed up in front of our house.  Since I had leftover water bottles from camping, I put some out for the weary travelers. I heard it was taking over 2 hours to get 30 miles! 

So that was summer, even though it's not quite over yet between my classes starting again and the moves coming up my mind is moving on to Fall.

Sixth grade lesson plans

It is almost August, we are a month from the the next school year, yet I felt like I was trying to beat the clock finishing up my lesson plans!

The house we are living in is being sold so we thought it might be a good time to look at moving.  We'd been talking about buying a house for the past year and now it is time. So between shopping and cleaning, packing and touring next month promises to be a busy one. I didn't want to wake up on the first day of school and not be prepared so I preemptively got it all (mostly) ready now!

With the exception of a few workbooks I still need to purchase, all of the sixth grade curriculum is in this file box.

And I've made a checklist and lessons plans for each week!  While my plans are not yet final, at least one subject will be reevaluated after the first week, it's nice to have them done.

That's one less thing to worry about during our big move.  Now I just need to make sure I don't lose the crate!

Insta-replay: family time!

What another update? But it's only been a week? I can hear you all wondering at my new found reliability.  Truth be told, I sat doe to work on homework and my computer decided to update, so instead of homework I thought I would blog!

We have had some delightful time with family! Our small family made it to 7/11 on 7/11 for the free slurpee!

Our Walters family had a camping trip together.  It involved relaxing round the fire and the girls played paper-dolls. I'm so glad those dolls are getting some use!


The trip also involved icecream! They were some of the biggest cones.

Next we had Ward family time at the Enchanted Forest, our local theme park. It was so much fun, and is a great place to spend with little kids and big families!

Merry had some one-on-one time with a cousin, they are definitely kindred spirits!  Yet both so unique.

And then we were back to our little family, Charry and I clogged at our local art fair. And we as a family wandered for a bit before going home to nap.

So that's what we've been up to.

"Insta"-replay, keeping track of time

Dear Diary,

I should be cleaning and getting ready for camp but... oh wait this isn't my diary, it's a public blog. Whoops.

So what have I been up to? Spoiler alert, it's not cleaning!

We celebrated with Grandma Jackie!  She finished treatments for breast cancer.  And we went all pink to show our support and love 💕.

Celebrated Fourth of July with small town style! Dressing up and watching the parade.  We skipped the late night fireworks but saw quite a few on our car ride home.

Biggest excitement came in the form of a branch landing on our car.  Now we are dealing with insurance, which is no fun.  

Spending time with my family is always important!  Right now I just have the one little sister living close by, so we were excited when she had a day free to spend with us.

And we had our first clogging demonstration at the county fair.  Speaking of fair, I don't think it is fair my daughter is as tall as I am!

So that was my busy week, full of celebrations and family! And I'm excited for more family and celebrating with camping and visitors planned in the next weeks!

Planning highschool

I'll be honest, the closer my kids get to highschool the more I think, "I should blog about their preschool days."  After all write what you know.  And I know they can both read and write now, so I must have done ok.

But highschool, I don't know how that will go yet.  I've started making plans, buying curriculum, and scheduling next year.  But will things go as planned?  Am I scheduling enough time?  Will this curriculum work for the year?  So many questions!

So I'm going to give myself a little advice, the same advice I would give someone starting homeschooling their kindergartener.

First: This isn't a one day process, just like you don't learn to read in a day, there is very little that is learned in just one day!  Highschool lasts 4 years, so don't cram everything into the first year! It's better to ease into somethings.

Second: You aren't starting from scratch. When I started homeschooling, I had already spent 5 years watching my daughter grow and play.  I already knew her personality.  So I was able to choose learning options that I knew she would enjoy, like worksheets with princesses and mermaids.  Now I've had 8 years lesson planning and used a variety of curriculums.  I know what has worked and what has not.  Just because now it's highschool level doesn't mean previous experience won't help.

Third: Breath!  As much as I would love for everything to go smoothly next year, it won't ruin my child if a subject doesn't work out.  After all I thought I had ruined her love of reading when she spent an afternoon crying under the kitchen table, cause "sounding out words was too hard." (After that we took some time off schooling, more coloring and watching PBS) But she reads for fun every chance she gets now!  So maybe being relaxed will help her, as well as me, next year!

So that's my advice, fingers crossed I'll follow it!

"Insta"-replay: summertime

Hello Summer!  June is gone but the heat remains!

 

Merry bridged to Girl Scout Cadet, the junior high level.  She's still excited about the club and this year will be the only one where she and her sister are at the same level.

 

End of year recital is always an exciting, busy time.  They did beautifully! Every year I am amazed at how much they grow, as dancers and as people!

 

This was Merry's first spring recital without Toby dancing too.  I think I missed Kim the most! Not having my sister backstage with me meant I had to talk to other dance moms, which wasn't too bad I suppose.

 

Random find in the checkout line.  Jon likes to bemoan the fact that "kinder eggs" are illegal in America, so when I saw chocolate eggs with toys inside, I had to buy them.

  

June ended with temperatures in the upper 90s.  So thank you inlaws for sharing your pool!

Hope your summer is going well and that you are staying cool!

"Insta"-replay: are we there yet?

The end of the school year is drawing near, so near, yet it keeps just out of reach, sigh.

 

 

With summer here we are doing summer things, like toasting marshmallows.

 

And taking trips to visit family.

 

Idaho is much better to visit in the warm early summer than the snowy winter.  And we made the trip in just one day.

 

Seeing family was worth it, but it did add two more days to our already running late school year.  But then again that is one reason we homeschool, I get to make our schedule and decide on days off.

Just like using a rest stop on a long car ride, taking a break makes the journey longer but more enjoyable.