Category: Posts

  • Camp Manzanita, Oregon Coast

    Camp Manzanita, Oregon Coast

    My generous mother treated our family to a weekend away at the coast. It was a creative way to thank us for boarding her chickens when she recently moved. A restful retreat was just what the Nurse Practitioner ordered. We booked the same darling beach cottage that we’d enjoyed nearly a decade prior, as a young family of four,…

  • Bookworms Anonymous

    Bookworms Anonymous

    Influenza struck our home this week, so we’ve sidelined our regularly scheduled activities and the bulk of our schoolwork for Netflix & blankies, Gatorade, Jamba Juice, Riccolas, chicken noodle soup, rest & relaxation. Being sick is the pits. Thus far we’ve missed the following engagements: Science & writing co-op, Bible study, speech therapy, youth group, dance…

  • Brave Learners

    Brave Learners

    Newsflash, compadres: Not every homeschool day is lollipops and kumbaya. In our homeschool we occasionally deal with squabbles, back-talk, sass, laziness, and tears– and I’m not just talking about the students. When difficult days do inevitably arise, my tried & true method of turning things about is to call on my fave homeschool cheerleader– good ol’…

  • The 80’s

    The 80’s

    My sweet grandma turned 80 years young today. Family gathered to celebrate, and our kiddos debuted an original movie they filmed in honor of her beautiful life. It was a fabulously fun homeschool project– we wrote a script full of family jokes, assembled costumes, crafted sets & props, and Center Sister edited the entire thing–…

  • Palentine’s

    Palentine’s

    We must be surrounded by hopeless romantics because we are presently awash in Valentines. My mom and stepmom each delivered goodies, and today we’ll sport pink and red and pass out our own. For us, the day isn’t all romance and chocolate and flowers —though we do partake of all three-– it’s camaraderie, creativity, and gratitude…

  • Year of the Pig (Chinese New Year)

    Year of the Pig (Chinese New Year)

    Xin nian kuai le! For the first time in our six years of celebrating the occasion, we didn’t cook or clean for Chinese New Year. Still, we feasted… to ring in the Year of the Pig we hosted a festive family dinner at our favorite local Chinese restaurant and let the professionals do the heavy…

  • Winter Term

    Winter Term

    Puxatony Phil did indeed spy his groundhoggish shadow yesterday, so there are to be six more weeks of winter, officially. We’ve already had a full and fun winter term of homeschool… the following’s a photo compilation of recent shenanigans, for posterity’s sake. Juicing the final apple haul from much older Sister’s orchard. Visiting the resplendent and enigmatic…

  • Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Part 2

    Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Part 2

    It’s here, it’s here! Multicultural Children’s Book Day is today! I was grateful to participate in this movement again this year, as in past years. The mission behind the movement is to reflect a broader spectrum of cultures and heritages within the pages of children’s literature and libraries– something I can get on board with! I already…

  • Multicultural Children’s Book Day

    Multicultural Children’s Book Day

    Guess what day is right around the corner? Multicultural Children’s Book Day! I was thrilled to be selected to participate again this year, ever eager to expand our home library and our perspective via quality, diverse reading material from all corners of the globe. This year I’m reviewing Bonnie West & Diane Carter’s new book,…