Not Back to School

 I can hardly believe that it's time for school to start again. The day before the public schools started, we spontaneously did a "Last Day before School Starts" adventure and went bowling and mini golfing at Fat Cats. The kids had a great time, and I'm just so grateful for these fun friends of ours. (Bless the Ward Family and how good and kind they are. They have been the best friends for our kids and such good friends to David and I. We are blessed to have them in our lives.) 

And with the first day of school right around the corner, that means one thing... our annual NOT BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY! 

One of our favorite traditions is to hang out at the pool with our favorite homeschool peeps and swim and eat donuts while all the other kids are getting on buses and headed back to school. 




This celebration reminds me that we are intentionally choosing this path because of the many opportunities it gives us, especially the joy of spending more time together. It also reminds me that we are part of a beautiful, brave, creative community of amazing people that are learning and growing with us. Pool+sun+donuts+people I love= the best way to start a new school year.

Back to School

And suddenly, it's that time again! Summer is over and it's time for Back to School. This time is always a little tricky, because everyone is filled with the excitement of new shiny school supplies and new teachers. We are holding steady in our course of teaching our children in our home and allowing them time and freedom. Allowing for quantity AND quality time with family. Allowing us to explore the world around us, learn at our own pace, immerse ourselves in goodness, and be together. 

 

We have a busy fall, but we are excited for the new school year! 

(I took a back to school picture, too)

Lydia, 5th Grade: 

US History, Mentor Coop, OlaNani Coop (crochet, cooking, color theory), Digital Art, Piano, Sports, Sewing. 

When I grow up I want to be: an author. 

Austin, 2nd Grade: 

PE, Math, LA, Savvy Reading, Science, OlaNani Coop (Math in Art, Board Game Design, KiwiSTEM)

When I grow up I want to be: a builder.

Caleb, Kindergarten:

Math, LA, STEM, OlaNani Coop (Math in Art, Animals, Cooking), Upstart 

When I grow up I want to be: A builder and a scientist, too! 

Mom, Teacher: 

Teaching all core subjects in the home. Personal focus of Physical and Spiritual Fitness. 

Teaching OlaNani classes in: Digital Art, Kiwi STEM, and assisting in the administration of the Coop.

When I grow up I want to be: a homeschooling mother, a lioness at the door

More pictures because I love them: 

I considered sending Lydia and Caleb to Fox Hollow this year. Most of Lydia's friends are going back to public school and we are going to be loosing our tight group of homeschoolers in the neighborhood (Lily and Iris's dad teaches 5th grade, so they will go back to be in his class). I feel a little like Lydia is being left behind and I've had to do a lot of thinking about WHY we feel that this is the path for us and whether or not this is the time to change. Ultimately, staying home still feels like the right thing to do. Thankfully Lydia wants to stay home. If she really wanted to go back, I think the conversation would be a lot different - but she wants to stay and I want her to stay and we are building a schedule that is going to be rigorous and rewarding for her. 

I'm looking forward to the Tuesday Coop that Lydia will be in both because I think that it will be so good for her, but also because it will give me a whole day to focus on Austin and Caleb. I feel really strongly that they need my attention this year and I'm looking forward to some fun Unit Studies and quality time with them. 

David ended up getting Covid before our big "Not Back to School Party" and even though WE didn't have Covid, we felt like it was probably best to cancel the party. When I sent out the text that morning to cancel, I crawled into my bed with the blankets over my head and was just... sad. But I got out of bed and decided we would go swimming anyway. I basically told David that we could go swimming on the day the other kids went back to school or we could send our kids on the bus. I was clearly feeling the need to keep our homeschool traditions alive in the aftermath of choosing homeschool over public school. We picked up McDonalds kids meals and played in the pool all by ourselves and it was good. 

(I told my brother Jacob about how we go to the pool on the first day of school for our "Not Back to School" part and he was highly amused. He said that was a "total homeschooling flex" which is cool-kid speak for "showing off something that you can do" or some such thing. Which is true. But also it is for ME. To remind me that we are choosing homeschool and that along with the hard things also come the pool-and-donut days. 

Not Back to School 2.0

We still held our "Not Back to School" party with all of our homeschooling friends and it was so wonderful to be there with SO many kids and moms. There was a moment when I stood apart from the others and just let the sounds of the laughter and happiness wash over me. I was standing in the shallow end of the pool and I closed my eyes (I was wearing sunglasses so no one really noticed). I felt the spirit touch my heart in acknowledgement that this was an answer to my many, many prayers. I have prayed for years to find a group of people to walk this homeschooling journey with. That my kids can be friends with and that can lift and support me, too. This is group of strong, brave women. Women who have the same desire and willingness to create something different for their children. I am SO grateful to be surrounded by them. I am so grateful that my prayers have been answered and this community has been built up bit by bit until it is what it is now. We are joining some other homeschooling communities this year, but in this moment - I am just so very grateful for THIS community as we start our year. 




Happy Not Back to School! 

Kindergarten

Kindergarten. She's been so excited and I've been basically ignoring the fact that it was coming. I already miss her, and can't help but feel that this is just the beginning of the end. The beginning of the end of my complete involvement in her life. Have I prepared her enough? Have I loved her enough? Will I be able to be a good enough mom to her through this next phase of her life? But she is such a wonderful girl and is so ready for this next adventure, and so- with hope and prayer and faith, we are going to make the most of this new adventure together. 

My friend, Abby Corbett, said it perfectly so I'll steal her words: "To go through this transition painlessly would take away from the past 5 years of sacred work and the incredible bond between us and our firstborn. So, we will cry a little today and maybe some tomorrow too, and as always we will enter this new phase of parenthood hopeful and prayerful. All our love to you, Lydia, on your very first day of Kindergarten. We are so proud of you and can't wait to see all the things you will learn and do." 

Lydia has Miss Johnson for her teacher, who seems really nice.

The night before her big first day we laid out her clothes and David gave her a Father's Blessing to help prepare her for this big step in her life. He also gave me a blessing to help me feel prepared and peaceful. 

The next morning David made her a special breakfast with the special "It's your A Day mug" and we asked her to take pictures with us, then she was headed off on the bus!  She gets to ride the bus and leaves at 8:50 in the morning and gets home at 12:25 (for 9:10-12:00 school). She held hands with our neighbor Lily and was just so big and excited getting on the bus heading out on this great new adventure. 

I'm really glad that she has some good friends from the neighborhood who will ride the bus with her. They are good at taking care of each other, and I hope it stays that way. It's been good for my mama-heart because she's come home several times talking about someone who didn't have anyone to sit with on the bus and how she moved over to sit by them. We've spent a lot of time talking about making sure everyone has friends and how to be a kind friend. 

We are so proud of you Lydia! We hope that you will be able to learn a lot and be successful in your classes. We hope that you'll learn to work hard and be kind. We hope that you never lose the happiness that glows from within your sweet self. This is a new adventure for you, and it's going to be great. Always know that no matter how far you go, we will be right here for you.

**Brief update: Lydia comes home every day saying "Kindergarten is SO great!" Like, every day. It's darling.**