tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206357202024-03-13T16:42:33.027-05:00The Accidental HomeschoolerEncouragement for the Homeschooling LifeKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.comBlogger419125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-12993190000096043602021-06-15T21:04:00.000-05:002022-05-19T13:38:59.268-05:00Down a Rabbit HoleLast week I spent a week in soul-deep fellowship with 23 of my new best friends. It was the first annual Close Reads Podcast retreat, where people from all over the US, who happen to listen to the same podcast about books came to discuss, well...books. For six hours each day we discussed poems, essays, and books by the inestimable Wendell Berry: A Native Hill, The Unsettling of America, The Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-76504624074129639122021-06-13T20:48:00.000-05:002022-05-19T13:39:39.977-05:00How do I Know What I Think Unless I Write?I write to know what I think. If you happen to read it too, that is fine with me, but ultimately I write for myself. For a long time this blog was the outlet I needed to process what was happening in the educational journey of my family, as well as to encourage fellow sojourners in home education. Then the phrase, "Mom, don't you dare post about that" was heard more and more from my Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-4736036906507720332018-10-28T07:01:00.002-05:002018-10-28T07:01:41.342-05:00My Life With Latin
So, at the tender age of 40-something (and x > 45), I am taking up the study of Latin. My brain is not fresh, my eyes require bifocals, and Latin is hard. I have heard all of the reasons for studying Latin, but in our own homeschool, without the impetus of having an external pressure requiring me to do it, Latin was never going to get done. Becoming a Challenge B director was the needed Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-53420861968031327522017-09-15T09:27:00.000-05:002018-02-15T09:30:21.373-05:00All that Fuss and Worry!I spent a lot of this past summer fretting about this upcoming school year. The things we are doing look so different than things in the past, that I just wasn't sure I was going to have enough space on the proverbial "plate" for it all.
Turns out it really didn't matter. As it is, I got hit with some viral bronchitis that laid me out for about 18 days. We haven't had a day of school yetKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-75735076959517549942017-08-27T08:35:00.001-05:002017-08-27T08:58:02.044-05:00Fun Family Acquisitions!We have a new family member! My daughter finally took possession of her birthday present on August 7, since I had been sick with Lyme and basically missed her birthday in May. Even so, she had requested a hedgehog for a pet, and after many years of wanting one, we finally took the plunge, but gently--she's prickly! We all love her to bits and she is the cutest thing I've ever seen!
Meet Holly Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-87995711253530097752017-08-10T10:24:00.003-05:002017-08-10T15:47:39.936-05:00Training for the Heavy Lifts
Yesterday was Matt's 16th birthday. He decided to close the day by lifting weights. Cleans. NBD. Every lift seemed to lead to another one, and after a while we had all gathered in the garage with him to watch as they got heavier and heavier. He decided to stop at 200 lbs.
Matt has trained as an olympic weightlifter for several years. He went to Youth Nationals in Austin, TX in 2016. It was aKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-89574102886802782572017-07-20T19:47:00.000-05:002017-07-24T10:20:06.865-05:00Going, Going...
It's strange to have my little boy--the one that I remember as a tike, full of fists and thumping, Buzz Lightyear and Transformers, then later, Legos and nerf guns, suddenly not be a little boy any more. I wish someone could have told me which day it was going to happen because I would have prepared for it. On the other hand, would it even be possible to prepare for it? It seems as though he Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-16450358553210096772017-07-19T17:26:00.000-05:002017-07-20T20:49:02.134-05:00School Year 2016-17: The Wild Ride
How has it happened that we are here in this place? I'm posting a photo of my family with my son who is taller, done with braces, shaving often, driving with a permit, and about to start...college? My daughter is interested in everything, rides horses, is about to try out for a play, wants to take French and creative writing and will soon have her very own pet hedgehog. Between trips to Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-64333443054606352142017-03-12T16:30:00.001-05:002017-03-12T16:30:22.861-05:00Spring AssessmentI'm still here...It occurs to me that the first blog post ever published on this site was in December, 2005. It is now 2017. More than eleven years later, and I have had seasons of real consistency, and seasons when I had much less to say. This has been one of those seasons. Looking back it seems like 2010-13 were my most prolific blogging years, and then things got tough for my mom in her Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-78054828976110864792017-01-03T07:26:00.000-05:002017-01-03T07:26:43.639-05:00Whole 30 2017: Day 1 - Cooking ExtravaganzaWe started our planning and preparation for Whole 30 a few days ago, and mentally over a month ago. That is the first thing anyone taking this on should be advised of--this is not just a "okay I'm going to eat healthy for a month" schtick. Taking on Whole 30, or any kind of dietary change such as a switch to more paleo style eating, vegetarianism, or even just eliminating sugar, takes a lot of Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-74145444946668696092017-01-01T15:20:00.002-05:002017-01-01T15:20:19.275-05:00Whole 30 for 2017I'm doing it again.
I've done something called the Whole Life Challenge once before, and Whole 30 before once, and loved it. Let me rephrase that. I didn't "love" it. I thoroughly, deeply appreciated it. I lost weight, felt awesome, slept like a big, hairy bear in deep hibernation every night, and cooked every single day. That was the part I didn't love, come to think about it. The Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-37961600023713664132017-01-01T14:32:00.003-05:002017-01-01T14:32:52.203-05:00Happy New Year 2017!I'm ready for this new year.
Many are saying 2016 was the "worst year ever" It wasn't. It was a tad stressful, mainly because of the election, but the drama-babies that feed on social media and media in general are way overblowing things. I had some personal challenges, indeed. One of the biggest I've ever faced, to be honest, but it's past and time to move on.
Our family had some Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-83521669479223354662016-09-04T07:08:00.001-05:002016-09-04T08:44:00.746-05:00The 2015-16 School Year - Here We Go
With one warm-up week under our belts, it's time for the traditional start of the academic year. Every year on the first day back to school social media is flooded with photos of all the kids in their new stuff headed out, holding signs "Some Grade" or scowling with displeasure because they are really to old for this and mom won't let go of the tradition.
I always feel a little strange on Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-89468588582918006292016-08-19T19:57:00.003-05:002016-08-20T20:54:39.350-05:00When you Know Someone Famous...The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer was a bedrock foundation for me when I first started homeschooling. I have now purchased my third edition of this, the fourth that has been published.
The Story of the World, also by Susan Wise Bauer, was without question my favorite history series, a foundation and spine for our study of history. Even when I began using Tapestry of Grace, we Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-25325792923403163762016-06-30T21:07:00.001-05:002016-06-30T21:07:28.998-05:00Summer 2016I am writing this after a lengthy hiatus from blogging.
It has been a very full school year with very little time to spare. In spite of the fact that I so often find myself longing to process things in writing, I seldom have the time and energy. Sitting down for any amount of time usually results in me thinking "wow, I want to go to bed," and so I do.
Today, both of my children are down Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-22573398091776137912015-10-03T20:15:00.000-05:002015-10-03T20:15:38.735-05:00Week 6: Six Reps of Anything...It might have been mentioned here before that the kids, my husband and I all do CrossFit together. In any warmup, workout, or set of any kind, six reps is manageable. Six pushups are fine, six pull-ups, six kettle bell swings, six cleans...after that is where the struggle begins.
I'm pretty proud to say that I did 100 burpees today. Ten sets of 10. Every single set that number 7 rep felt pretty Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-17369906275706046042015-09-27T15:45:00.002-05:002022-05-19T13:46:28.822-05:00Week 5: Thinking About ArtThis week has blown by, and now it's Sunday and I realize that I haven't written anything! I know that I'm hitting a groove when I find that I have little to say about the school week and begin thinking about non-school things like watching Downton Abbey (again), and art, and playing the guitar, all of which are in the forefront of my mind at the moment.
On Friday the 18th Molly and I went into Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-45797100606337257252015-09-15T17:54:00.000-05:002015-09-15T17:55:22.814-05:00Week 4: Day in the Life of a High-School Homeschool7:30 - Woke up this morning and it hurts to breathe. Don't worry--it's only the 90 bar-hanging knee raises I did yesterday. Next week I will have abs of titanium and then it'll be fine. Showered. Dressed. Made the bed. Considered all the clothes I need to put away. Didn't do it.
The Packers beat the Bears this weekend so I'm not overly depressed or concerned about the week, though theKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-63622581390441312572015-09-12T12:46:00.001-05:002015-09-12T14:53:23.125-05:00Week 3: In Which I ExhaleWe have successfully sustained three full weeks of school work. I find that I place high standards upon myself, especially when we first get started. I have the habit of over-planning, and then having to pare back a little from my original plan--kind of like grocery shopping when you're hungry. You get home and ask yourself, "Why on earth did I buy all this food?"
Anyway, yesterday Molly and IKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-23557930044171408932015-09-06T21:12:00.002-05:002015-09-12T12:47:20.683-05:00Week 2: Law of InertiaWe had another great week--busy, tired at the end, but very productive. It appears to be a season of hard work for our family, and we are okay with that. Work hard, play hard--I know we will be grateful for the breaks when they come.
Over the last year since losing my mom, life has gradually taken on its regular pace. I am very glad that I allowed myself the time to grieve and to take school andKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-63584748673669359062015-09-02T18:31:00.002-05:002015-09-02T18:33:53.157-05:00Week 2: Starting Back to Co-opIt's Wednesday. That means co-op for us. It's a great day for the kids to look forward to a break from the regular grind and gives them accountability and an opportunity for them to interact with other students and the material they've been studying.
Today was our first week of 27 that are planned for the whole school year.
It looked something like this:
From 9:30-10:45 the younger (upper Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-27890724473573211342015-08-29T07:03:00.000-05:002015-08-30T07:08:51.739-05:00Analytical Grammar - A ReviewIn my circle of friends I am pretty well-known to be a grammar-nazi. I grew up with a grammar-nazi-English-French-Latin teacher. That would have been my mother. I have distinct memories of sitting around the dinner table which is now in my own dining room, listening to my mom and sister (10 years older than I am) debate nuances of sentence structure over the evening meal.
Today over lunch a few Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-23678146606647682002015-08-28T20:50:00.003-05:002015-08-30T07:02:37.724-05:00Week 1: Tired. Delusional. It's Fine...I went out to lunch today with three of my favorite homeschooling friends to celebrate one of our birthdays--not mine. All but one of us had households who started back to school routines this week, and the fourth is easing in.
We three who had started back into it sang the praises of our kids--how hard they worked, how they proved themselves, how they checked off all the assignments we gave Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-90326368810955707122015-08-26T16:06:00.000-05:002015-08-27T14:29:49.904-05:00Week 1: Settling into Routine
Last night I was so tired I went to bed before 9:30. Getting my head around this routine without feeling overwhelmed has been tiring. To help work it out, I went to the gym yesterday afternoon and PR'ed a lift and worked out really hard. I felt much better after that. I actually felt just a little bad-a**.
Note to self--Never skip your workouts. Never, ever. Unless you are at death's door Kelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20635720.post-22864500719906025792015-08-26T15:37:00.000-05:002015-08-26T18:49:39.606-05:00Week 1: Getting Back to Routine, Starting High School!!!Wow...I'm pooped! It was a good, but full day! I'm so proud of how both kids jumped right in and got to work on their academics.
Today marks the beginning of my son's high school journey, my daughter is starting 5th grade (whatever that means) and my hubby is attending his first graduate class for his MBA! It's going to be a busy year!
Looking ahead at the year, I am feeling slightly dauntedKelly http://www.blogger.com/profile/10563623937012064727noreply@blogger.com0