We are quickly coming upon the end of this homeschool year and that makes me think on all the good things – counting homeschool gifts. I find that I am very nostalgic with a graduating senior. Our very first homeschool graduate! That is something to celebrate! Also these children that are soon to be a rising: senior, ninth grader, fifth grader and third grader.
I’m pausing here to let that sink in for a minute. Deep breath. Smile.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
Helpful Habit: Counting Homeschool Gifts
After a very full April, I am counting the homeschool gifts. I am also looking forward to many more next month with graduation celebrations, drama productions, a piano recital and – what am I forgetting?
Yes! Graduation! and of course a celebratory chalk pastel tutorial.
Counting homeschool gifts from early April to present plus a homeschool wrap up in collage form. Spring break, college preview weekend, allergy-friendly conference, homeschool studies, music concert and, of course, a whole lot of art…
1.We will now pause for a moment of appreciation for straightened shoes. Brief though it may be. Plus a recognition of the addition of sandals and flip flops in the mix. #HappyFriday #SpringBreak #itsthelittlethings #1000gifts 2. Lovely afternoon for a new place to walk along the Chattahoochee. #SpringinGeorgia 3. This is a big deal, y’all. An allergy friendly picnic! With our SunButter on the go cups and some gluten free/egg free bread – we can take SANDWICHES and enjoy the local parks and our state park pass! #allergyfriendly #thischangeseverything #nutfree #eggfree #glutenfree 4. When you are limited in what you can eat due to allergies and food sensitivities, it is always a blessing to find some new favorites! It has been a while since I have shared about our allergy friendly journey. Since we recently attended the Atlanta Gluten Free Allergy Friendly Expo, I felt it was time to share our top gluten free and allergy friendly favorites. Because there really is so much that we can eat. Top Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly Favorites 5. A morning hello from the Hodgepodge family pet, Oswald the Bearded Dragon.
1.Preview weekend at @toccoafallscollege 2. Yay for @sunbutter allergy-friendly and on the go! This spring break we are enjoying picnics with on the go cups. Easy to tuck into a backpack for hikes and homeschool on the go too. Can you tell we ❤️ SunButter? 3. Picnic with Grandma and Grandpa and some geese at Red Top Mountain State Park. 4. Yay! New planners for next year from @aplaninplacehomeschool 📚 We returned from college visit/audition for our eldest to find these had arrived. A high school planner for our rising 9th grader (our 3rd high schooler – wow!) and a homeschool teacher edition for me. These are our favorite planners – customizable and a wonderfully practical record keeping tool. We use our planners for our weekly planning meeting for all our ages and of course, daily. So great for our Hodgepodge of needs! I love the brainstorm board for me, a place for meal planning, goals, checklists. (I make so many notes) and much more. The high school planner not only has weekly planning sheets but also a spot for curriculum used, attendance, grades, weekly time keeper, character trait, week in review, book journal, progress reports, transcript builder and more – oh this is AMAZING! Highly recommend ❤️ You can get yours at www.aplaninplace.net – Excited for 2016-17! 5. I love, love, love that we can have evening walks on the trail again. #staycation #HodgepodgeSpringBreak16 #lifeinthesouth 6. See how blessed I am? ❤️ Up here to pick up our eldest.
1. Blue books on the mantle with the blue summer sea acrylic my children and Nana painted. Books within sight are a big help for us and we’ve long used the mantle in this practical way. Especially for @tapestrygrace 📚 Plus, arranging books in a like color is just pretty. #ihsnet #TapestryofGrace 2. Art afternoon 🎨 When you are inspired by @apologiaworld Astronomy ☄ and George Winston 🎹#YouAREanArtist #Astronomy #acrylics 3. Take a look at this box of awesomeness from @doverpubs 📚 Yes I am already thinking of long summer afternoons, road trips, around the town errand days. Plus ART afternoons. 🎨 Oh the FUN and the learning for all our ages! Watch for a review and a giant giveaway in early May. 🎉 #HodgepodgeHomeschool PS: Don’t miss the 25% discount code from @doverpublications in the sidebar of www.thecurriculumchoice.com 4. These golden hours…5. Looking over the NEW 2nd edition of Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Astronomy 6. Making a capacitor with leftover SunButter to Go containers. 7. “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” -John Muir
Fine arts church activities come to a close and are celebrated with a concert! 1. Puppets ministry (our youngest has the blue puppet). 2. Fourth grader loves beginning handbells. 3. My guys! 4. Two solos by fourth grader and she sang so beautifully! “And on that day when my strength is failing, the end draws near and my time has come…still my soul will sing your praise unending…”
1.This homeschool moment brought to you by second grader doing handwriting at the kitchen table. 2. Pancakes! Pancakes! We’ve been reading a big stack of Eric Carle books we checked out from the library after our trip to the Atlanta High Museum of Art for the Art of Eric Carle exhibit. 3. When the box of Schar arrives, one of the six loaves becomes snack time 💛 because we are just that excited #glutenfree #eggfree #nutfree #allergyfriendly www.schar.com 4. The older three went on an adventure at the local park. When the torrential downpour came, I went on a rescue mission with the van (photo taken through the window and the raindrops making them blurry). 5. Dandelion and dump trucks.
So Much Art Fun this month! 1. Our latest – Chalk Pastels: Art in Space just in time for May the 4th Be With You. 2. A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels: Summer Games just in time for the start of the Olympic torch relay 3. Spiral Galaxy VIDEO Chalk Pastel Art Tutorial (my first video tutorial!) 4. Giving away TWO full You ARE an Artist curriculum bundles in celebration of Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Day with Apologia! 5. Nebula Chalk Art Tutorial – and giving away 5 copies of Art in Space at Homeschooling Today! 6. The Ultimate Guide to Chalk Pastel Art.
Looking ahead to next year and looking forward to sharing reviews of these from Apologia!
My daughter (rising 9th grader) absolutely loves new school books and especially any sort of spiral bound notebook. She sat down last night and listed the things she would like to study through her homeschool years – on one of the pages in her A Plan in Place High School planner.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 36:5
Linking up and sharing in the fun with Mary’s Collage Friday, Finishing Strong at Education Possible and Kris’ Weekly Wrap Up.
What homeschool gifts are you counting?
What a beautiful life lived to the fullest! We have two graduates this year, which leaves me with a 9th and 7th grader left for next year. The homeschooling nest is feeling a bit empty.
Phyllis! Two graduates! Big hugs to you. I know you all will celebrate it well. Congratulations all!
You have so much going on and you have me so many new books to investigate. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you – yes, we have been having such fun with Summer Games and Art in Space!
One of my boys graduates this year. I’ll have to have my homeschoolers make the chalk pastel graduation pictures in his honor. 🙂
I love looking at all your art ideas! We’re trying desperately to bring art back! My boys have been passing on all my art ideas lately but I warned them that art is coming back; in a big way.
Tricia, it’s hard to believe you’re at the point where the oldest in the Hodgepodge clan will be going to college. I loved reading your recap — and I just love that you called it Counting Homeschool Gifts. Hugs!