Homeschool Journal: February 2017

Welcome to the 'new' [reviving old ideas] weekly [almost] meme here on Faith and Home!  As I prepared for this week's BIG Blogiversary post and e-book I realized one of the regular posts I missed was the Homeschool Mother's Journal.  There have been various blog parties hosted by bloggers who have come and gone over the years, yet, the two timelessly on-going link-ups are at iHomeschool Network and Kris over at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers (I think it was the name that drew me in so many years ago!!

iHomeschool Network is a great resource for homeschoolers.  I encourage you to check them out (link in text) for a plethora of articles and resources.  They are the most recent hosts of the weekly-turned-monthly meme, "Homeschooling Mother's Journal", which (I believe) was started many years ago by the Homeschool Chick.  It has switched hands a few times so I may have the source wrong!  At any rate, I'm grateful to see it is still going with all the great moms linking up and sharing their homeschooling lives in the script the link up provides.

Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers  is a fun and personal site for REAL homeschooling in action!  Kris is a veteran, having graduated one homeschooler so far.  I simply love her honesty and her site, which I found back in the early days of my own blog. All these years she has faithfully hosted a "Weekly Wrap-up" where she shares pictures and tidbits from their homeschooling week (and life in general) along with a link-up where other homeschooling bloggers chime in with life as well.


As for today, I thought I would check in with the monthly link-up at iHomeschool and answer some of their guided questions for the month of February.  To see other blogger's posts in this meme you can visit this link and join me as I also link up with other REAL homeschoolers writing off script over at Weird Unsocialized...!

• In my life this month…

Started the month out sick :-(  We were planning a week break at the end of the month to coincide with the arrival of our tax return, but decided to take it this week instead so we could recuperate.

Working on getting Faith and Home blogging back into full swing as well (remember that year I hit 175 posts?  I'm aiming high this year!!  Why?  Because I love blogging!).  The fall's hiatus to manage a challenging situation is behind us.  Lessons are tucked away and well-learned as we step forward, mostly wiser, looking to God for what is next.

Otherwise, February is mostly a lay-low month as we have fully transitioned out of the holiday season and are waiting on spring.  Next month is when life really kicks up again.  For now we rest, school and plan for spring.  My gardening journal came out this week as I begin to consider which seeds I need to start soon.  It is rather ironic as snow storm after snow storm blows through our area!

• In our homeschool this month…

We took approximately a month and a half off in the fall to handle some monumental issues happening around here.  The consequence: staying the course as we headed into the new year.  So far so good and, if we hadn't gotten sick, Brenden and Brooke were more than ready to plug on and even wanted to forgo the break!

In history we are studying the constitution and the early years of our nation.  Brooke will be assembling a power-point presentation as we go. In science we are dabbling in meteorology.  I'm hoping to pull together a few experiments.

Also, I am trying to encourage Brenden in some of those "random" pursuits, so when he sketched out an idea for a shelf he wanted to build and put on his newly inherited dresser... I dropped my own plans to be sure he didn't chop off a finger!  It was totally worth it:

He amazes me.

• My favorite thing this month…

Snow! 

It is so pretty when it falls and piles, although, it will likely start melting soon.  We were told, when first moving here, that this area doesn't get much snow... and when it does, Carpi Diem because it will melt the next day.  Well, 3 out of the 4 years we have been here so far have seen piles of the white stuff sticking around for weeks... even months!  I'm not complaining!  Instead, I am inspired to pursue my amateur photographer passion (and by amateur, I mean, I really don't know what I am doing but I love to point and click and try to capture light and essence...!) 

One other great thing about snow...

... personal sized snowmen!

• What’s working/not working for us…

Our schedule and remembering how my kids actually love to do 'school at home'... they request it when I try anything else!  The longer I homeschool, the more confidence I gain to not feel like I need to try every new fad anymore.  (I'm planning a full article on this very thing!)

As far as what's 'not' working, I would probably have to say; finding a way to work in some outing time.  We have been so focused on our schedule and making up for the fall's time off that I believe we are in danger of burn-out if I don't find a way to work in some 'field trips' every couple weeks.

• Homeschool thoughts I have…

I have been hearing a lot about the homeschool winter doldrums, especially from those who find themselves 'stranded' by the weather and 'stuck' at home.  I believe this is another area I would like to pop up an article.  One bit of encouragement if this is you: have adventures!  Yes, right there in your own house... set out to adventure each day.  It could be a scavenger hunt, or a baking quest... it could be a game or a chapter book... you could even do an art project or paint a bird house to plop outside in spring!

• A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Seriously.  He's a sassy cat.  We were mid-lesson when I looked up to see him just sitting there on this stool we happened to have in front of our dry erase board. It was as if he were a child being punished with the "dunce" chair at the front of the class.  So we quick made him a hat (which he wouldn't wear for some reason!) and snapped a shot. I even caught him with his tongue sticking out!!

• On my blog in case you missed it…

  My 8th Blogiversary was on the 8th and through God's good grace I was able to launch my second e-book (feel free to click on image and pick up your FREE copy!!)

 

So that is our homeschool for this month.  I will try to be back next week with some pop-outs of topics I discussed in general here.  In the mean time, I pray your homeschool is hopping even if the temperature is still dropping (don't blame me, talk to Punxsutawney Phil!)

Blessings,

Linking up today with some of these...