I have a New Year’s resolution (in addition to my homeschool word for 2019)
It includes documenting our daily goings-on in weekly What We’ve Been Up To Lately posts.
Sometimes we see a blog and only see the shiny. We only see the perfect curriculum, the well manicured children, and the homeschool supermom.
I’d love to give you an accurate picture of our life - our life as a homeschooling family - on the verge of graduating their oldest. A life of a homeschooling family where mom is a working mom. A life of a homeschooling family that only has teens at the moment.
Welcome to What We’ve Been Up To Lately!
Visiting:
We traveled to Southwest Florida to visit my 88 year old dad last week.
My kids are seasoned road trip folks.
Here’s my dirty little secret: I turned on my internet hotspot and let them spend the ride on their devices. I think someone watched a lot of Dude Perfect, and my daughter told me she watched a few movies on Netflix.
I finished a WONDERFUL book.
We were stuck in traffic. My back has been teetering on the edge of going out for the past week. I was uncomfortable.
People were getting a little crabby.
But we made it!
The weather has been gorgeous here, and my dad is the best I have seen him in a year.
So much of my children’s time has been spent watching my husband and me care for our aging parents. What a gift this has been.
My dad is the only one of my kids’ four grandparents still living, and we cherish him.
We gave him (in my opinion) the best present I have ever picked out!
The sunsets have been gorgeous - just picture perfect.
We had fun one evening snapping photos on the beach, and my goofy Grant just couldn’t resist an opportunity to photo bomb.
These times are dwindling with my children. Quickly.
I want to make the most of them.
Celebrating:
Even though the water was cold, he went in all the way and watched the sunset from there.
Goodbye 2018 - Hello 2019.
Playing:
From my dad’s we traveled a short bit north to my sister and brother-in-law’s house.
My sister is always a wonderful hostess. We eat such good food and she always has fun things planned for everyone.
We have a game of Monopoly (still going on, actually) that has drawn everyone in.
I don’t know how that happened, because I do NOT like to play that game!)
My husband and sister and brother-in-law took the kids on a kayaking trip this morning.
I’m so sad I couldn’t go with them - I think my poor back wouldn’t be happy with me if I crammed into a kayak for a couple of hours right now.
Reading
Everyone is reading something this trip. I love it.
I just finished the audio for 84, Charing Cross Road. SO charming!
Then, I started The Time Traveler’s Wife. The jury is still out on this one.
My husband is reading Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans - he is a history buff so he’s enjoying this one.
My son is trying to finish the Pendragon Series because he claims he has bigger fish to fry after this! But, he has really liked this series.
My daughter (who much to my chagrin isn’t much of a reader) brought along the The Diary of Anne Frank graphic novel and has told me she likes it. (I read it and loved it!)
On a side note, I’m knee deep in SQUILT LIVE! lessons right now.
January is a month of musicals and I find myself falling down rabbit holes preparing engaging lessons for all of my students.
I just ADORE teaching kids about great music.
What have YOU been up to lately? Tell us about your homeschool goings-on in the comments below. I love to hear how other like-minded families spend their days!
And, if you’d like to subscribe to these What’s We’ve Been Up To Lately updates, just fill out the info in the box below: