The 2016 Monologues

Au revoir, 2016; the new year beckons… Alas, ere we bid you farewell forever, let us take one last look back at the past twelve months, for nostalgia’s sake.

Sometimes a weary homeschool mom’s prone to wonder, “What have we done all year? Have we accomplished anything at all?” Sure, you might recall a few of the highlights, but there’s a lot that’s also forgotten in the day to day humdrum. Like when my own folks would ask me at the end of the day what I did at school, and I’d blankly reply, “I don’t know… nothing.” Au contraire, mon frere!

It’s times like these that I’m grateful for this blog. Looking back I can verify: We’ve done stuff! Fun stuff, educational stuff, meaningful stuff, and silly stuff. My kids already enjoy reading each entry, perusing the archives at leisure– I hope one day they’ll see the collection as a photo album of sorts, a time capsule of their childhood. ‘Cause the good Lord knows I’m never going to get anything into a scrapbook!

January –  Resolute; We Were on a Break; Daddies Don’t Babysit; State of the Homeschool Address; Gratitude, A Practical Definition; Busy Moms Do Piano; M-I-A

February – Anne of Green Gables, My Daughter, and Me ; Year of the Monkey; Monkey Business (Chinese New Year 2016); As For Me and My House, We Will Dress Up; My Funny Valentine(s); Making a Bookworm — 10 ways to woo a reluctant reader; Still I Will Praise Him; Oscar-Talk; Hands-On Homeschool

March – Signs of Spring; The Unhurried Homeschooler; Countdown to Cousin Camp; An Irish Holiday; Cousin Camp 2016; Easter Cliff Notes; Class Pets; Two Years As Five

April – Fight the Power: A Chicken Campaign; April Foolin’; Potterheaded Muggles; Becoming a Writer; How to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget; For the Love of Manatees; 11 Years Ago Today; A Virtual Birthday/LAN Party; Ketchup

May – Infestation; A Seed of Hope for a Journey Through Grief; The Simple Mother’s Day That Actually Wasn’t; Life & Death; 1 Hour Photo; Save the Manatee Run; Wizards for a Day; LA Confidential; California Dreamin’; ISO: Cross-Country Pen Pals

June – Sprunger; Our Rose; It IS a Small World, After All; Zootopia; Let Her Eat Cake: A Marie Antionette Birthday Tea; She Sells Seashells by the Seashore; Crystal Anniversary; Homesteadin’ Tater Salad; Summer Scrapbook; Simple Joy

July – Constant Gardener; Independent; Checkout Line Bullies, and other musings; A Frequent Picnicker’s Guide to Jellystone; Kimchi From the Garden; Awakening East; A Simple Star Wars Birthday; Countryside Menagerie

August – Back to Basics: Strategy for the Sleep-deprived Parent; Thrifting Tips; Stars in a Dark World; Operation: Drink More Water; What Kind of Plant Are You?; 4 Years a Montanan– a list of lessons learned; Adoption At Any Age; Mermaid Shoppe; Lip Service; Falling Free; Kimchi Continued; Growing Up Around the World: a slice of life in Montana

September – Back to School #SquadGoals; State of the Garden, Autumnal Update; Course Correction; Old School; Harvest Moon; Fallish Days; Class In Session; Personality Test

October – Peas & Carrots; Throwback Thursday; Rainy Day Recess; 25 Reasons Why I Know She Can Homeschool; Lineage; Then & Now; Life In Season; Weekly Wrap-Up & Throwback; A Few of My Favorite Things; #TBT: Halloween Edition; The Temporary Tightwad

November – A Homespun Halloween; Mock United Nations; Tardy Throwbacks & Friday Feels; The Journey to Oregon 1934; Adoption in a Nutshell (National Adoption Month); When I Grow Up…; Thankfulness: Homeschool Edition (an exercise in gratitude); A Christmas-y Bucket List; Thanksgiving Continued (what I’m REALLY grateful for)

December – Early December Throwbacks; O’ Tannenbaum; Yule-School vol. 1; Weekly Wrap-Up & Thursday Throwbacks; Gift Guide for Schmucks; A Christmas (baking) Miracle; Yule-School vol. 2; Bon Voyage, Grandma; Last Minute Gift Guide 4 Mermaids; Yule-School vol.3: Neighbor Treats; Christmas Digest

Auld lang syne!