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Recap

Recap this month. Recap the last 6 months. How much time did you spend outside? Did you meet your goals? Did you make an effort to be outside more? How did your efforts affect your kids? Do you see a shift in yourself? Your children? Your family as a whole? Write about it without judgment.

“The women whom I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because shit worked out. They got that way because shit went wrong, and they handled it. They handled it in a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

A Page from Our Kids

Take a page from your kids. Watch how they play and interact with nature. Watch how they let go or interact with nature and give their version a try.

“A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full or wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantment of later year…the alienation from the sources of our strength.” – Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Resilience

There is a notion that the most resilient adults were also resilient as kids; specifically, they were children who went outside in all types of weather. What do you think of this notion? Does it ring true to you? How resilient are you? How much did you go outside as a kid? Did you go out in all types of weather? How resilient are your kids? How much do they go outside? Are they okay with or afraid to go outside in all kinds of weather?

“Turns out, the most beautiful things in my life were never on my to-do list.” – Rachel Hollis

Virtual World

Doing an honest analysis of yourself, how much do you feel you live in a virtual world of devices? Are you able to look at and analyze the difference between your life online (social media, video games, tv shows, movies, etc.) and your life offline? How much time do you spend in each? Are you happy with the balance between the two? Can you see that nature does not exist in the virtual realm? Do you use nature in your offline life to balance out the lack of nature in your online life? Write about it.

“Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate.” – Spencer W. Kimball (Miracle of Forgiveness)

Connection Over Convenience

We are constantly fed the lie that parenting is supposed to be convenient, that if we buy this baby product or do this thing our lives will be easier, better, and just convenient. I’ve asked many, many parents to name one thing that is “convenient” about parenting or motherhood. No one has ever given me an answer. That’s because there is nothing convenient about having children. It’s not supposed to be about convenience. Mothering is about connection. It’s a relationship, a journey with ups and downs…but it always comes back around to our connection with our child. Write down your thoughts on this. Have you aimed for convenience? Have you fallen for the illusion of convenience? (I know I have). What do you feel parents need to focus on instead of convenience? What real tools or ideas do you rely on as a parent in your relationship efforts? Does nature or being outside appear anywhere in those tools or ideas? If so, where? If not, do you think outside could have a place in those tools and ideas?

“Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.” – Herodotus

Make a Commitment

Being outside is as essential to the human spirit as water and food are to the human body. Make a commitment to yourself, your children, and your family to make experiencing nature a priority. Write about it. What do you need to commit? What do your kids need to commit? How do you feel about this commitment? What do you need to make it sustainable?

“Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.” – Paulo Coelho

Make a List

Think about your family’s values. What are they? Make a list of them. Do any of the items include an appreciation of nature or being outside? Do any of them include valuing time to de-stress?

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” – Roy E. Disney

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I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with my children for anything in the world. Homeschool has allowed us to learn and grow together. Right now we have the joy of traveling together on our own schedule. This time with these beautiful children is the greatest gift. 💙 

This audio is perfect for this memory. Staying at campgrounds you run into a lot of retired people. They light up around babies and children. You can see memories of their own children and grandchildren twinkle in their eyes. They “get it” in ways those of us in the thick of young seasons can’t sometimes. 🥰

We stayed at the KOA in Billings, Montana (the very first KOA ever, 10/10 recommend). There was an older couple playing mini golf behind us. The older woman said, “Your children are wonderful. You obviously spend a lot of time with them…it shows.” (Oh, my heart 🥰) I told her we homeschool. “Good for you,” she said. “A lot of people are taking that route…I think it’s good.”

For all the naysayers out there, there are others who are cheering for you, Mama. 💙 I’m cheering you on, too. We are allowed to enjoy our children without pressure and criticism. If you find yourself feeling pressured or discouraged today (from the outside or inside), do something to release that pressure valve and return to just enjoying being a mother to your beautiful children. Look in their eyes. Give them a hug. Tell them something you admire about them. Tell them you love being their mom. Maybe do something fun together just because. 💗
I found my laminator & binding machine after almos I found my laminator & binding machine after almost 2 years of being packed away in boxes. 🤩 I’m ready to laminate everything! 😂

We are on an RV trip…part homeschool, part work, part fun 🥰 I found a whole bunch of free road trip printables for kids, printed them, laminated them, and now we are enjoying them in our RV! 🥳

There are soooooooooo many free homeschool resources on Pinterest 🥰 The trick is to search for exactly what you are looking for. For this I searched “road trip printables for kids.” You can type in “learning the A printables,” “Little House on the Prairie curriculum,” etc. Be specific (or general). Play around with it. 🙂 You’ll either find what you need or be inspired to create what you need.
First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! 🤩 Most 1st graders are going through “the 7 year change”…so between their maturing notions of life and the pleasant topics of first grade lessons and stories, it is just so, so fun! 🥰

@oakmeadowschool first grade curriculum is lovely. I lean into it for first grade and beyond. 🙂 Their curriculum comes to you already bound and organized. It’s pretty easy to follow & easy to either follow as is or pick and choose what works for your family. 🙂
Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing are found outside the classroom. They are found in beautiful books. And in daydreams. And in our backyard. And in observing others in our hometown. And in our travels. For us, they are not found in an environment where “learning” is dictated and judged against what others believe. It’s not found in grading our performance. We’re not here to perform. We’re not here to be judged. We’re here to learn—for our whole life! Learning never stops…but the passion for learning can. 

Homeschool is amazing in that way…it gives you the space to provide your children with the opportunity to be put in the way of things worth observing. 🌺 Want to homeschool? I can help.
I read once that mothers promise to love our kids I read once that mothers promise to love our kids when they are babies. How we treat our children then becomes their personal definition of love. This notion really gave me pause. What am I communicating to my children? What is their definition of love based on my words and actions? What am I bringing to the table as a mom and keeper of our home? Am I falling for the cultural messaging of “cool” moms who make fun of their kids constantly? Am I acting like they are in my way? That they annoy me? Am I giving in to the victim and martyrdom messages about modern motherhood? Or are my values and actions aligned…? 

It starts with figuring out what I value and what I believe:

I love my kids. 
They are not in my way.
Convenience is not important.
I am not a martyr.
I can be brave and honest about how I’m showing up as a mom.
I can apologize.
I can do better.
I can be gracious with them…and me.

Opt out of the messages about motherhood that divide you from the deep connection you have with your children. 😘
Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that bring hope to your heart and light to your life. @ruthchousimons new book Pilgrim is phenomenal! It’s gorgeous, it’s thoughtful, & filled with biblical wisdom. 10/10 recommend this stunning book!

Bonus: Ruth is going to be on the podcast! 🥳 One of the next episodes of Elevating Motherhood will feature Ruth talking about this book! 🥰
My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My k My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My kids have been reading it and singing the words all day 😄 It’s a cute book for Fall & Halloween! Available on Amazon! 

Way to go @afconsultingteam 🥳
Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, mama. 🍎 This marks the beginning of a year of growth for you, too. 😘

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #firstdayofschool #homeschool2023 #homeschooling #homeschoolidaho
You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method You guys, I fought this book. I fought this method of teaching my kid to read. 🙈 I scoffed at the layout. I talked myself out of using it because I knew there were ”more beautiful” ways to teach reading. (Ugh…how embarrassing…)

I almost missed out on this helpful tool that helped my oldest daughter learn how to read and style that she understood well. And that’s just what it is…a tool. It is not the only way I teach my children how to read. It is one piece to a big, beautiful puzzle. 

Using this book + waiting until they are developmentally old enough to learn + exposure to great literature + reading to them daily since they were babies + a million others things is how I teach my kids to read 🥰

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #learntoread #teachyourchildtoreadin100easylessons #teachyourchildtoread #homeschoolidaho #homeschoollife

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