Well, well, what do you know? Summer break is almost over. We start school next week and that means 11th grade and 9th grade for us. What do we do this last week of summer break?
Bear cubs in our backyard
To be honest, we have already started SAT prep with our son, who will be a junior this year. He plans to take the PSAT in October. With only eight weeks to go, we thought he might as well get on a regular schedule with his test prep. Continue reading
August is here and soon it will be September 1. Do you know what happens on September 1? Let me tell you then: TeenPact registration, at the lowest price of the year.
TeenPact Registration opens soon. Get ready!
If you live in Tennessee, please know they have three dates available. We are just that kind of a state: we care about teaching our young people about government, civics, and the political process. Continue reading
Have you started seeing “Back-to-School” signs everywhere? It’s not fair. But if we already have “Christmas in July” signs, might as well accept that school is around the corner.
Four Seasons – paintings in a doctor’s office in Knoxville
Mentally, I am not ready to start a school year, in all honesty. I was going to start the week before we start going to co-op, but then I got to thinking… Why? Why make it complicated? It is hard to have the number of school weeks be one off compared to the number of co-op weeks. Continue reading
Writing goals down is the key to success in achieving them. There is a second key. One must check in on one’s goals on a regular basis. Success coaches recommend you read through your goals daily. Some say, copy them down. Every day? Yes, every day.
Our son holding one of our cats, OC – a reminder to not take ourselves too seriously as we review summer goals
This way, you stay with your goals and your goals stay with you, in the forefront of your mind. You remember where you are supposed to go and you stay on track. Also, you find ways, means, and solutions for your challenges.
Our daughter attended Cohutta Spring Teen Camp last week, with an emphasis on Mountain Lore. That’s code for Arts and Crafts.
My daughter and I on drop off day at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp
Every day, the campers go through four rotations, of different activities. However, they have one main emphasis and you can choose which one you want. This year, our daughter wanted to focus on Mountain Lore because she really enjoys making candles and crafts. Continue reading
We live in a mountain resort and many black bears live here with us. They visit our neighborhood daily and go by our house at different hours of the day. There is no routine, so I do not walk around our neighborhood that much anymore.
Black bear on our patio – a daily occurrence
I miss walking through our neighborhood because it is so hilly and wooded, it is simply a beautiful walk. But these bears are everywhere these days, at all hours of the day and night. They trigger our cameras at odd times so we cannot detect a routine or a pattern. Continue reading
When your homeschool is on summer break, you should also be on summer break. These are the dog days of summer, when you can take it easy and schedule some fun things for yourself.
Posing just for fun
Taking Care of Mamma must be a mantra you repeat to yourself throughout the school year and especially during a break. Put your oxygen mask on first, then assist your children. It is basic training for survival. Continue reading
Our son chose to attend the paintball camp at Cohutta this year. So far, he has gone there eight times, we think. He started going when he was 7, but missed a couple of years because of the pandemic and then one year he just did not want to go.
My son and I at Cohutta Springs this morning
This year, he decided to try not a regular camp, where they rotate through different activitie, but a rad camp. A rad camp at Cohutta specializes in only one thing, which you choose. It could be wake boarding, arts and crafts, wilderness survival, paintball, you name it. Continue reading
If you have never heard of forest bathing, you should probably look into it. We humans living in the Western Hemisphere, spending most of our day indoors, in front of a screen for legitimate work, are suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder. The solution? Spending time in a forest, also known as forest bathing.
My son sunbathing on a river rock, Old Sugarland Trail
While simply hiking will bring you physical benefits, it also helps with your mental state. Forest bathing implies that you engage all your senses while in the forest: you see trees and plants and animals and birds. You hear squirrels scuttling nearby or birds singing. Or you can touch different tree bark textures or run your hand through a rushing mountain river. And, naturally, you can breathe in amazingly clean air and absorb the sunshine. Continue reading
Our son just returned from a week in Cleveland, TN where he participated in TeenPact NatCon. The National Conference for TeenPact, this camp prepares teenagers to become leaders and to understand the political process, while strengthening their Christian worldview.
TeenPact NatCon Audience
This conference brings together 1,000 homeschoolers from 50 states and it happens only two hours away from our house. So many have to fly in or drive for umpteen hours to get here.
For the past eight years, our children have attended the TeenPact State Class in Nashville. Our son wanted to participate in the National Conference but our daughter did not show an interest. Continue reading