A Simple Christ-Centered Christmas Tradition

I LOVE TRADITIONS! And I love celebrating anything and everything. So, in my enthusiasm to scoop up anything fun and meaningful to incorporate into my family's lives around the holiday, I've picked up some burdensome traditions that had to be abandoned. (PJ's on Christmas Eve is a perfect example. That one just doesn't work for us. Not all of us NEED a new pair of PJ's every year. And if we don't NEED them, PJ's for 6 is so pricey just for the sake of of tradition.)

After a few rounds of such failures, I've learned to be a lot more choosy about what I happily announce will now be a yearly part of our celebrations. I try to steer clear of traditions that are wasteful of both resources and time. If it's not something I can pull off year after year, I may chose to not even give a tradition a shot.

I've learned that both time and money ebb and flow at our house, so I was pleased to begin a tradition this Christmas that is inexpensive, simple, takes little time to pull off AND to prepare, and is Christ-centered.

Like most parents, I've been hunting for ways to put more of Christ into Christmas. At some point, probably while reflecting on my own childhood THRILL at opening presents from Santa, I let go of expecting my kids would find reverence for the Savior on Christmas morning. But allowing children to BE children, as Christ himself exemplified so well, I thought if we put more of Christ into Christmas in all the days leading up to it, letting Santa have a morning wouldn't be terrible. (Honestly, it's pretty magical in it's own way.) And by focusing for the rest of the season on Christ, it would likely leave a better impression and be more meaningful than, for example, forcing the kids to sit still to listen to Luke 2 before gifts can be unwrapped.

So here's the tradition already!

I found a box with a lid I covered with wrapping paper. I wrapped the lid separately so it could just be removed and replaced without having to tear paper. (When I first thought of this tradition I began collecting boxes - mostly shoe boxes - and was hoping to assemble 24. Then I realized I would have to wrap all 24 boxes, and doing so year after year would not only be time consuming, but paper consuming. So I opted for ONE box we opened on the 24 days leading to Christmas.)

Anyway, each night before bed we turned off the rest of the lights and gathered around the Christmas tree. Whose ever turn it was, chose the Christmas song, which we would sing and then chose another family member to open the box. Inside was a picture of Christ. (We used the pictures from the Gospel Art Kit book sold at the LDS distribution centers.) When it was your turn, you chose which picture it would be the night before, and once the box was opened, you shared with the family the "gift" from Jesus Christ the picture represented. (For example, my newly baptized daughter chose a picture of the Savior being baptized, and talked about the gift of baptism. My older son chose a picture of the Last Supper and spoke of the gift of the sacrament.)

Whomever opened the box got to take their turn choosing the picture, song, and present-opener the next night. I encouraged the kids to chose the family member whom they saw exhibiting Christ-like behavior. I don't know that the kids caught on to this aspect of the tradition, but I wanted to encourage kind, patient, gentle behavior. So when a family member was chosen, I encouraged everyone to share how that person had acted like Christ that day.

This was definitely a tradition to repeat. It was simple, took little time, and added meaning to each day leading to Christmas. I especially liked that not only were we discussing Jesus daily, but the kids were sharing THEIR understanding of Him and, in theory, feeling encouraged to be more like Him too. I hope the lasting impression is that Christ IS the gift. His very life and the sacrifice of it blesses us SO much!

Happy Holidays from my family to yours! May the coming year bring sweet moments with your children and precious, quiet moments to feel of Christ's mercy and grace.

It's the MOST Wonderful Yams of the Year

Apologies for two recipe posts right in a row. And happy belated Thanksgiving, BTW! Thanksgiving generally means a few phone calls from in-law sibs, and my own sibs who can't get a hold of my mom, wanting "that yam recipe."

Now YOU are thinking, "Actually my family isn't so into yams or sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving. If we serve them at all, it's out of traditional obligation." Actually, that is how most people felt who request I share this recipe with them. THIS recipe will change your mind and heart about yams. They are the most wonderful yams of the year - so good traditional obligations will melt away and you will hunt for excuses to whip them up and delight your family and friends with their yumminess!

Once again, so this recipe is an easy go-to for my family who never seems to write it down in any place worthy of keeping track of......   ;)

 Sweet Potato Casserole
(I know it's called sweet potato, and that is how my aunt, who first shared the recipe with my mom, makes it. So when SHE comes to Thanksgiving, we have BOTH. My preference, having tried both - though not in a blind taste test, which I love doing BTW - is to make this with yams. I think they are a bit more moist. Anywho....)

Scrub and bake for apx 1.5 hours at 400 3 BIG yams
(Put a sheet of tin foil on the oven rack beneath the rack with the yams on them. As they cook they will release their sugars which harden and blacken and the tin-foil makes for a fast, easy clean-up. You want to bake these 'til they are soft all the way through. When they cool, they will be reduced in size and the skins will easily slip off. I usually do this step a day before I make the casserole, and if I'm not using the oven, I just leave the yams in it 'til I'm ready to make the rest.)

After you have skinned the yams and placed them in a large bowl, blend in with an electric mixer:
1 cube of butter
2/3 c. milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. white sugar

Spread the yam mixture evenly into a 13x9 pan and then in a smaller bowl mix:

2 c. brown sugar
1 c. flour
1.5 c. walnuts
then cut in:
1.5 cubes of room temperature butter

Crumble this mixture on top of the yams and bake everything in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes, or until the yams are heated through and the topping is melting slightly and getting crusty along the edges. Serve warm.

Perfect Doughnuts for the FIRST SNOW!

I LOVE the first snow of the season! I love homeschooling so I can revel in the magic of it with my kids and/or listen to them whine, "When are we going to get the snow gear out so we can go play?!"

The first snow, and really all good snow storms, feel to me a bit like Christmas. (Is it any wonder I love winter?) There is something magical, unexpected and beautiful in a good snow storm. So this morning as I watched the flakes grow in size and felt my excitement, wishing my kids would hurry and wake up so they wouldn't miss it, I thought how cool it would be if we celebrated the first snow with a tradition.

Because I love to celebrate anything with FOOD, and it WAS breakfast time, naturally I turned to wondering what I could whip up that would be special and symbolically appropriate for the vision outside. The recipe I thought of WAS perfect. Sadly, we lacked an adequate supply of sour cream. But I'm going to share the recipe with you, just in case you'd like to stock-up for a magical snow moment of your own! (If YOU have a tradition at your house to celebrate the first snow, please share it with ME in the comments below.)

Anyway, I came across this recipe when my family studied Israel, so these are called Israeli Doughnuts. Feel free to rename them something more inspiring. And lest you have the same weakness I do with recipes involving yeast, fear not. These take no time to rise and contain none of that fickle leavening agent! Which is why I love them! The joy of doughnuts without the work of traditional bread dough! (Or rolling, or cutting, or flouring any surfaces... at least not on purpose.)

Israeli Doughnuts

1 C. powdered sugar (used after the doughnuts are cooked)
Oil (I use olive b/c we're used to it - used for frying the doughnuts in)

Mix: 2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

Then combine: 2 eggs
1 1/2 C. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir the wet into the dry until very wet dough forms. Drop dough by tablespoons in hot oil. (If the oil is too hot, the inside of the doughnut will be raw.) Turn doughnuts over so they brown on both sides. Shake hot doughnuts in a bag with apx. 1 C. powdered sugar. OR, if you are celebrating a good snow storm, as I hope to have many opportunities to do this winter, better yet, stick some powdered sugar in a sifter and let your kids take turns snowing on their plate of doughnuts!! YES!!! (Best if eaten warm.) Enjoy!

Reason # 444: Going With the Creative Flow

I LOVE not having to start the day by telling everyone to hurry up because we need to get out the door at a certain time, being fed, looking presentable, and taking with us all the necessary items to get good marks.

Despite my desire to have us practicing Chinese by 8:30 in the morning, the kids, since the weather has turned cold, seem to need some extra sleep. Or maybe it's just me.... so we're going with it. And having let go of starting the day on a directed learning activity note, I've found the kids naturally get off on a creative foot, if given the chance.

Yesterday my 5 year old and I were snuggling and I asked her what she dreamed about. She launched into this fabulous story about a little fairy that came home in her pocket and saved the land from the Snow Queen. It was so darling, I typed it up for her and sent it to all the folks she loves before I even got out of bed.

This morning when I got up, I found my oldest working on an article for the local homeschooling newsletter, so after helping him with a few ideas, I came downstairs to find my girls happily playing. "Mom!" they announced. "We're playing doughnuts!" They had found two shoe boxes and filled them with their socks which they had rolled like various pastries. (Girls with appetites after their mother's heart.)

What is the value of playing doughnuts? I'm not sure. But I can't help but revel in the sweet creativity and imagination that drives dreams and doughnut games alike.

Field Tripping in Northern Utah

After reading my previous post about bad homeschooling days, you may wonder why I would want to even homeschool, let alone TAKE my children anywhere. Maybe YOU aren't wondering that. Maybe I am. Don't you get sick of days when everyone is fighting, and for ridiculous reasons? Like accidentally being smacked with a baggie of carrots.... Why are we swinging baggies of carrots around, anyway? And can it really hurt so bad the neighbors across the street are wondering if they should call 911?

Yes, sometimes I'm tempted to run away. If you are having one of those days, take your kiddos with you, and hit an adventurous learning opportunity in your running! It CAN* be just the thing to get everyone out of their funk. *NOT guaranteed to be just the thing, and if the field trip fails, I'm sorry. And you can cry on my shoulder! :)

Anyway, below are a few fun destinations in the Weber County area. Many of these are so fun, and so close together I'm thinking a good stay-cation is in order! A few of them are quite handy for killing time or pulling off the road while you wait for traffic to clear, so keep them in mind for all sorts of emergencies!

Destination: Hill Aerospace Museum (right off I-15 near Roy)

The airplane of the Candy Bomber!

Time: Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9am - 4:30pm
Cost: FREE
Review: I've had this museum in my sights for years, namely because we've driven past it on our way to Salt Lake for years, and as a homeschooling field tripper, I can't help but feel a little guilty passing somewhere year after year without checking it out. So finally we did! And WOW! A natural hit for me for the cost (free!) and lack of crowds on a Friday afternoon. AND I have a little guy who LOVES airplanes, and this museum is FULL of them. The kids were bummed they couldn't actually climb into any of the planes, but you can get up close and personal with the planes both inside and out. Aside from general airplane interest, it's a great place to learn more about the Cold War, women pilots, prisoners of war in Vietnam, or the beloved Candy Bomber of WW2, Gail Halvorsen. The other thing I loved about this museum, that we didn't utilize this time around, was the Air Force Veteran Volunteers. We went completely unprepared with specific questions or curiosities. But we found quite a few volunteers available who seemed friendly enough I wished we were able to pause and glean their wisdom and experience. It's nice to know where to find great, living resources who are willing to share! We were there for almost 2 hours and barely laid eyes on it all! Due to an event at the museum that evening, we completely missed the flight simulation corner, which the family we were with raved about. But in general, Fridays are the best time for a random group of homeschoolers to catch it open. (Otherwise you can pre-arrange for it to be available for groups Tuesdays through Thursdays.) We also didn't utilize the photo treasure hunt on the desk near the entrance. I have loved such resources to maintain interest and keep us learning and moving through museums. I don't know if we learned a ton, but movement was NOT a problem. Seriously, so much to see we could go back another 3 or 4 times and still find new things we hadn't noticed before.

Destination: Catholic Monastery
Time: A great trip for the summer or fall
Cost: FREE
Review: Did you know we have a Catholic Monastery in our very own backyard? My kids were shocked to learn this, and excited to check it out after we'd learned a bit from history about some of the roles played by the Catholic church and of monasteries. I've mentioned the disaster of our field trip to the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity in a previous post, but that was due to MY kids having an off day. What should be said about this destination is this: It's a perfect day trip for the fall when the leaves are turning. It was a GORGEOUS ride there. And the town of Huntsville was darling and called to me to come play, relax, and enjoy the reservoir in the summer. As for the Monastery itself, there isn't much to see. The bookstore is small. If it had been manned by a monk, we may have enjoyed a visit, but a volunteer from the community was there and very occupied with another patron. Otherwise, we timed our visit just right and were able to catch a prayer period at 12:15. It lasted for only 10 minutes, which was 5 minutes too long for a 2 year old, but just right for a 5 year old. If I had older kids I would try to catch the evening Vespers at 5:30. Perhaps because we saw a minor prayer period, or maybe simply because there are not many monks left at the monastery (11 total, I think, at the time of our visit which is greatly diminished from the monastery's glory days), there was only a few monks who prayed Sext. So it's not Sound of Music in any way, shape, or form. But if you go with simple expectations, you will likely find it interesting enough.

Destination: Dinosaur Park
Time: We've had great luck in the off-season late spring and early fall
Cost: Homeschool Rate of $3/person!
Review: My kids, in breaking with the norm as I suppose, aren't that into dinosaurs. Not one of them. Not yet. So it's significant that they love this park. And who wouldn't? The dinos on display are in full color (rather than just the bones) posed around outside, so there is a sense of discovery as you find them hidden behind trees or tucked away into some bushes. AND there are sound effects to boot. The museum also offers "Field Books," to pull the less engaged through the displays to learn. The books are darling, free, and you get a treat for filling them out. Pre-readers will LOVE the playground. Heck, everyone in my group loved the playground. Give yourself at least a couple of hours, and bring food so you can linger and relax, while you enjoy all there is to take in. Rock and gem/geology enthusiasts will love the displays inside upstairs. MY kids preferred the fun holograms and Jurassic Park-like animatronics display found there too. If you leave wanting more, however, you should consider a family membership to the Ogden Nature Center - so keep reading!

Destination: Ogden Nature Center (right off I-15 on Ogden's 12th St. exit)
Time: We loved it in the early fall, closes at 5 on weekdays and 4 on Saturday, is closed on major holidays
Cost: Adults $4; children ages 2-11 are $2
Review: We passed the Ogden Nature Center on our way to the Dinosaur Park. Once again, that homeschool guilt kicked in: how could we just drive past a learning and exploration opportunity? So I made a mental note to return and check it out. Glad we did. First, it seemed pretty reasonably priced, and it felt like we had the place to ourselves. (As you've already gathered, I LOVE it when places meet these criteria.) My kids loved seeing the birds of prey and the walk-in eagle nest. We loved the observation tower and full size teepee. A trip to the bear den raised a bunch of questions and curiosity about bears, and I LOVE questions because they lead to more learning. We were in a time crunch, sadly, so we didn't make it to the tree house, which was most highly recommended by a five year old regular we visited with as we were entering. And speaking of walking in, the bird houses on the way to the entrance sparked fun discussion and imagination. We were there in early fall, but it seemed like a fun place to revisit throughout the year to note the seasonal changes. And the BEST part of getting a family membership to the Ogden Nature Center, aside from going back all year long, is that it's membership INCLUDES the Dinosaur Park Mondays through Fridays, but costs $15 less than the Dinosaur Park's family membership. SCORE! (Also included is Tracy Aviary on the first Thursday of each month, and another museum in downtown Ogden which we have yet to hit.)

Destination: Treehouse Museum
Time: Important to note that during the school year, this museum closes at 3pm on Mondays
Cost: Children 1-12 are $6, 13+ are $5
Review: I confess that for this review, I'm drawing on my memory of this museum from a few years back. I believe it was one of the wisemen who gave us the gift of a family membership to this museum for a year, and we loved it! The slogan for Treehouse Museum is "Step into a story," and that is just what the exhibits invite you to do. It is a fabulous museum for kids who like to explore and pretend. That being so, my 10 year old was almost too old to enjoy it when we went back for a random visit after our membership had expired. (Almost. Not totally.) But for the 8 and younger crowd, it's a solid hit. I loved the cultural themed exhibits. What is cooler than stepping into a mini Mongolian yurt!? My kids gravitated to the dress-ups and stage with an Arthurian theme. Doll lovers would love the extensive doll exhibit. My littler people could play with the trains for hours. And the huge tree? Well, we could climb and explore that forever too. We were there often enough to get to enjoy some of the storytimes and other live presentations, which were big hits. This museum is almost always busy, and I definitely think the crowds cause it to lose it's charm. (Not a surprise.) So pick a solid school day, and you could even call ahead to confirm there aren't any field trip groups scheduled for the day you chose. There is NOT a lot of measurable learning to be done (though we love the imaginative sort), so for me, the cost doesn't deliver an educational bang for one's buck. But the kids will have a blast, so find a day that you can spend AT LEAST 3 hours there, and enjoy yourself. It's pretty much right across from the Ogden temple, so if you are LDS, go with a friend, and you can take turns watching the kids while the other mom hits a session! (The link above is actually to the discounts page of the website. Go there to get $1 off/person admission for visiting the site!)

An Attention-Getting Pumpkin Dessert

Honestly, I'm not a pumpkin cookie fan. I like a nice pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting, but that's not too far from cake, which isn't my thing. And I like pumpkin pie, but once I discovered freshly baked pie, I'd take a berry pie over pumpkin pie any day. What's a gal to do during pumpkin season? Well, try THIS fabulous recipe which gets rave reviews each time I serve it to guests. Of course, it's easy as pie - in fact even easier - or it wouldn't get MY thumbs up! So for your eating (and cooking) enjoyment....

Fabulous Pumpkin Dessert

1 large can of pumpkin
6 eggs
scant 2 cups sugar
6 tsp pumpkin pie spice
scant 2 cans of evaporated milk

Blend the above with hand-held mixer 'til smooth and pour into greased 10x15 cake pan. Then, one at a time, dump/pour/sprinkle on top:

1 package of yellow cake mix (yep, just the mix, unmade - the recipe calls for "golden vanilla" but I never have that on hand)
1 1/2 c. walnuts chopped
1 cube melted butter.

Pop all that in the oven and bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes or until browning and set in the middle. Cool slightly and serve warm with cool whip.

No tie in to homeschooling this time. Just plain yumminess!

Bad Hair and Homeschooling Days

Nothing is more discouraging than thinking YOU are the only one who can't pull something off, whether it's gorgeous hair or those magical homeschooling days when everything comes together and you feel you've met the needs of each of your children.

When it comes to hair, I had a great mantra that helped me. (Past tense, because now I'm a mom my hair is almost always pulled up and out of the way, and on the rare occasion I make an effort to do anything fancy, the effort is good enough, right?) But back in the days when hair and make-up mattered, I would remember EVERYONE has bad hair days, and then I would say to myself:

The best part about BEING beautiful is that you don't have to LOOK beautiful all the time.

Well, I can't think of ANYTHING so snappy and helpful for homeschooling. On those days that have been filled with the ridiculous bickering of little siblings, somehow "The best part about BEING a loving family is that you don't have to ACT like a loving family all the time," just doesn't work! Ha! Nor does, "The best part about BEING a pulled-together mom is that I don't have to pull it together ALL the time." If you have a saying that does work, please share it in the comments below.

In my last post, I DID mention how helpful it is to let go of unrealistic expectations of daily glory. Even the payed professionals at the public schools have off days. When we were kids in school, we probably didn't know that was what was going on - why the lunch room "duty" was so grumpy about us being quiet while we ate one day, or why on another day we watched a random film - but when we look back as adults, we realize the ups and downs, for even the "schoolers" and their educators, are a part of life.

So, as I'm all out of sound-bite wisdom, I thought I'd share my own, recent homeschooling bad hair day. I hope you find the same comfort in it as we all feel looking at the pictures of movie stars without their hair and make-up done.

I decided suddenly this past Thursday morning to take my kids on an adventure. We had had plans filling the morning, but within the space of a few hours the day before, they were all cancelled (or so I thought) so I decided we should squeeze in another field trip. Destination: the Monastery in Huntsville, UT.

It turns out, we weren't the free birds I thought we were. I completely spaced my son's tennis lesson - didn't remember that I had spaced it 'til that evening. But it gets worse than me dropping balls, because honestly, I do THAT on a somewhat frequent basis.

We headed out, me in high spirits, dampened occasionally by some of the bickering I mentioned earlier, and bouts of UN-helpfulness on the part of my kids, but I was determined to press on. I was sure once we got going, things would smooth out. I had filled the car with what snack food we had, which was far from a meal, but it WAS food my kids would eat, and hungry kids on the road are the worst, I'd already discovered from other failed homeschool adventures.

The drive was gorgeous. The Monastery, which I'll review elsewhere, wasn't engaging for the crew, so we took the opportunity to eat some of the food we'd brought while we waited for a chanting session. While eating, my 5 year old kept shouting at the rest of us if we were sitting many yards from her instead of by her side. I kept trying to adjust her volume for the meditative atmosphere around us. And the big three kept attempting to "share" their corn chips by handing each other leaves from the grass, which led to more bickering and frustration. Finally, I declared our make-shift picnic over and put the food back in the car. 

We then approached the church. I reminded the crew that inside was a sacred space and that we needed to be quiet and respectful. But inside my 2 year old (age appropriately) just wanted to go places visitors were not allowed, and my 5 year old, though whispering now, could wake the dead with her whisper. I finally just snapped at her, "STOP talking."

The chanting only went for 10 minutes, but my little guy only made it through 5. So I left the big three inside and walked out right in the middle, trying with one hand to clamp his mouth shut.

Once that ended, there wasn't much else to see or do, so we decided to explore the local town. All the while my kids were probably wondering when the fun would begin. That wondering probably made them anxious, which translated into impatience and griping. We got out of the car near the "town center" to snap a few pictures. The kids kept wanting to run and climb on stuff that wasn't appropriate. I kept trying to engage them with stuff they COULD do, but I didn't find a lot. Finally we discovered an open restaurant and I told them I'd get them a snack.

After I'd ordered, I went to pay and discovered I had no money, nor check book, nor cards in my purse. I apologized and took the 5-bight sample I'd already been handed to the table where my children were not-so-quietly waiting. I told them I didn't have any money and we needed to go. They voiced their complaints, which didn't make for a very graceful or swift exit, and then outside proceeded to yell at each other that they didn't get very much of the sample I told them they could share. As if one of them expected to have even a mouthful. 

Well, I had hit my limit of resistance. And lacking the funds to make anything more meaningful happen, I loaded them into the car to head home. I was just grateful we had enough gas and enough food to make the return trip comfortably. But my gratitude was NOT shared by my kids. They started protesting all their wants and demands. I tried explaining again that we didn't have ANY money and I wanted to be sure we had enough gas to get home. Then my 8 year old, from the back of the car starts wailing that this was the worst field trip ever!

My 8 yr. old's posture says it all!

Well, I had had it with their lack of cooperation and gratitude so I pulled the car over and shouted back to her that if she wanted the worst field trip ever, she had got it and that we wouldn't move from that spot 'til she pulled it together. The sorry's were slow and begrudged. Finally, my 5 year old, who is generally a pretty perceptive thanker told me thanks for taking her on this trip. The older kids managed to dry their tears and thank me too. So we went on our way and came strait home.

OUT of the frustration of the moment, it was pretty big of them to thank me. It MAY have been the worst field trip ever. But it was a trip. I DID try. I probably need to end this post and thank THEM for thanking me for the failed attempt at adventures in learning. I made an effort, and they also made an effort to be content with the less-than-stellar. In the end, all our efforts were less than they might be. But I guess we can learn from that too!

The Crushing Weight of Lofty Expectations

Maybe if I start a blog post at 9:50 at night, I'll stop eating peanut M&M's....

On Monday, I had been listening to two moms with new babies talk about their stresses - regular homeschooling moms in the thick of raising kids and providing an education for them on top of it. As so many point out, we homeschoolers are an "ambitious" bunch. Well, we are. These moms were no exception, with grand visions of pulling it all off. A few hours of school, one on one time with each child, enriching activities and field trips and extras for everyone depending on their talents and interests, AND healthy food (preferably home grown and canned), AND a clean house, and nursing babies with eco-friendly cloth diapers too. (Okay, they didn't talk about cloth diapers. That's mine for dramatic effect.)

As I listened to the stress they were feeling, I sensed they felt they were failing, and those feelings reflect a host of worries. After all, we often set such lofty expectations for ourselves because we're worried "What if we don't." What if we don't keep up with the pacing of standardized classes? What if we don't teach discipline and structure? While we're worried about that, we may simultaneously worry that our structure is killing the joy and discovery of the learning process. What if one focus might misplace or delay another? And perhaps more than anything, seeing the fabulous potential of a child, what if our actions or lack there of, permanently harm that potential/curiosity/inner drive?

The result of such stress was two maxed out mothers who didn't seem to be having much fun. I wanted to hold the two baby boys for them and tell them to let go, shake all the worries and doubts from their shoulders, figuratively and physically, tell them that they are doing great and important things and that it WILL be hard to do it all AND change diapers, AND NURSE, AND not sleep through the night, but that they don't have to do it all RIGHT NOW.

Such wisdom, right? Well the very next day I was struggling through my own teaching experience, in dance class.

I had a rough class this past week. NOT the fault of my little dancers. They are adorable, good kids, and there is actually great potential in the class too. But that's what got me.

I was thinking about how great they were, how they could do great things if they wanted it and worked hard, and IF they had good help along the way. That would be my part. So I started to stress. Was I helping them enough? Was I helping them so much we lost the fun? Was I emphasizing the right stuff? I feared I was going too slow. I'm pretty sure in the standard classes for dancers their age, the students are learning more steps. I feared I was bogging everyone down in trying to make sure the steps, and all that goes into them is done correctly WITH a correct knowledge of the how and not just dumb luck. I felt torn between teaching more steps and teaching good technique.

Sadly, I think this inner battle was felt by my sweet little dancers. Probably not in any way they could put their fingers on. But our last class was off, and I knew it, and I think they knew it too. I don't remember how the light bulb went on, but I thought of those stressed homeschooling moms and saw them in my ballet teacher self.

I set about taking my own unspoken advice and began to mentally tear down and shake off my crushing expectations. Instead of expecting my students to be as good as or better than their peers, I can expect that I will instruct them to the best of my ability every time we are together and work on exactly what each dancer needs to know to progress. Perhaps most importantly I can detach my ego and identity as a ballet instructor from their dancing. Making the mental shift actually isn't all that difficult. Who cares that what we are working on is different than what might be covered if they were in a standard class? Who cares that they might know fewer steps than their peers? (In fact, the steps DO hardly matter. If you dance well, you can learn steps quickly and prestigious schools and companies will be happy to teach you. If you dance poorly, lots of steps don't make it better.)

Now my challenge will be to remember this shifted focus....

Isn't that a challenge for all of us? How often to our lofty expectations kill relationships? How often are our expectations born from fears of judgement or a desire to feel better about ourselves, our teaching, or our experiences?

Thankfully I had already begun the practice of shedding such burdens. I have learned to expect of my children that we will learn to clean. I don't expect to have a clean home for more than a few minutes at a time. I expect to continue to instruct them many times on good manners and getting along with family members - I don't expect to say, "No fighting with your sister" once and have that be the end of it. And when it comes to school, I expect that I will help my children learn, and more importantly, learn to learn on a regular basis. But I don't expect that each day we will have fabulously planned lessons, or that they will be ahead of their peers at each benchmark.

After shaking off the crushing ballet expectations, I'm excited to get back to my ballet class this week. An expectation that the magic will be back and that we will all have a great time? Yes, I suppose it is. Seems I can't help setting expectations. And I don't think all expectations are wrong or bad. But I'm recommitting to examine which expectations serve me, or help me serve others, and which are just heavy burdens that kill the joy, and rid myself of those. As I tell myself from time to time while wildly waving my arms, injured-ballerina-swan style, "Flap it off, Steff." Join me in the flapping.

Silver Linings on Sick Days

My little guy has a mild stomach flu. And I have a cold. Which isn't so bad.

When I was a mom of just one child, that child happened to love to snuggle and nap with me. I thought I'd get to enjoy the life of cuddly afternoon naps for all my years of having little ones around. But my second stopped napping before she could walk. And my third, very maturely, wanted to be left alone to sleep. (I didn't know children like that existed. So it came as quite a shock when she settled down and went to sleep once I finally figured out to leave her alone.)

And mostly with my last, he's been like my second, whom he looks nearly exactly like.

But yesterday he and I were under the weather. When he woke up from his rare nap, I was feeling just ready to catch a few winks myself. I invited him to join me, and low and behold, he rested right at my side until both our eyes closed and we were out!

What a rare moment to enjoy, before I dozed off and after I woke up! It took me back to how much I secretly loved when his big sister, generally active and head-strong, would get a little bug and be mild and cuddly. Ah, the strange moments we mothers cherish.

Anyway, getting to be so close for those moments to an otherwise very busy little guy reminded me of the one quote I loved in the article I've been ranting about ever since I read it. (Your can read my direct rants, and link to the article here.) But the quote on the interviewed homeschooling mom's wall says, "When your children are in your arms, they are no longer under foot."

I love this quote! It's so true. And as much as we may sometimes feel the time we give up to be with our kids is so long or great, it flies so quickly, and with some children, time flies even more swiftly than with others. I'm glad I have sick days to remember to cherish my little ones always!

Math Mysteries

Like many homeschoolers, I started the journey envisioning me as the teacher, teaching the things and ways actual school teachers taught to my students, or well behaved children, who would learn everything I "taught" as eagerly as they listened to stories. After all, I was their mother, so I could love them and teach them at the same time, and I knew what eager learning looked like for each of them. School would be school, but a simple extension of our lives and relationships.

As it turned out, my son was not all that eager to sing the ABC song while I pointed to the alphabet I had so faithfully posted in our "school room." When, one day his younger cousin sang the Leap Frog Letter Factory song and knew all the letters AND their sounds - a feat my faithful drilling with my boy had not accomplished - I decided short cuts were acceptable. We ditched my school methods, bought Letter Factory, and after a few times of watching, without quizzing or prodding, my son knew his letters and their sounds too.

Check. Our kindergarten instruction was coming right along. Now for math.

Again, I dutifully purchased flash cards with the numbers AND illustration of how many the numbers were. I found flash cards I thought might seem exciting to him - ones with Super Heroes and Sesame Street characters on them. But he wasn't engaged. He was wiggly. He didn't want to sit in our school room and do flash cards with his mom. To my shame, this annoyed me and I probably communicated that annoyance. "C'mon!" I'm sure I said to him, "We are only working on 5 numbers. This was the same as it was the last time we went through it. Can't you remember 5 numbers?"

Well, it didn't seem that he could, and I noticed that I wasn't acting towards him like the loving mother I wanted to be. So I gave myself permission to wait a bit, and told myself we'd try again later.

We did. He had made some progress without instruction from me. Somewhere he picked up which numbers were which, so we advanced to addition. And hit a wall, again. Why could he not remember that 2 + 2 = 4. Every time. Without counting. It just was what it was. And WAS it so hard to remember? It seemed to be.

By this time, and as a blessing to my ego, he was reading a bit ahead of grade level, so again, I told myself math could wait. I read somewhere kids struggled with abstraction 'til they were about 8 years old. I told myself maybe 2 + 2 was an abstraction (despite my attempts to teach it first in the real world) and we'd try again later.

When he was 8 (or 9) we got around to math again. At that time, a friend had told me about Khan Academy, so I pulled it up and sat him down in front of the computer for some instruction on addition. He was pretty excited about having work to do on the computer. He liked the smiley faces he got when he got an answer right. He seemed happy enough that I thought I'd just leave him to his work. He learned how to pull up Khan on his own and did a bit of "math" everyday. When I checked back in with him, he'd moved from addition, through subtraction, and onto addition and subtraction of bigger numbers. This was a few days, maybe a few weeks later.

Whoa! We'd begun math at kindergarten level. For some reason I assumed it would take him the equivalent of one year to master what the kindergarteners learn. Not only had he learned it in less than a month, but he'd learned it almost entirely on his own AND was enjoying his newly acquired skill.

This experience taught me a few things. First, what and how they teach in schools is not always the best or most important approach for each child. It taught me that much of what kids learn in school when they are young, they might learn OUT of school if given the time and space and freedom. And I learned that so much of the rote repetition in math, but also in English, can be skipped if kids can start later and learn what interests them or when they find a use for it.

Recently, a friend shared the following link about these phenomena in math studies. I want to share it on my blog because it's what I've come to believe from my own experience. I don't plan to do a two month cram session of math (what the article suggests is all it can take) in the future and not touch it 'til my kids beg. In part because my children, in fact, already NEED math in their lives, and beginning now, I can help them master the tools they'd like to use. And partly because I, myself, can never focus on any one thing much past 3 hours, so any plan that requires 6 hours of focus a day on one things sounds like too much... for ME. So we do math, now. For fun. For practice.

But if you or yours are struggling with math, NOT feeling like it IS fun or enjoying the practice, consider waiting. Waiting might not only bless your relationship with your child, but it also may bless his or her relationship with math!

A Sample of Our Not-at-Home Schooling

IS homeschooling a family learning around the kitchen table? Well, the beauty of homeschooling is that it can be whatever you want and need it to be. I've been on an extended rant these days about the NON-sheltering, NON-isolated benefits of homeschooling. This post is, in part, a continuation of those thoughts. And in part it is a shout out to my friends, to whom I keep saying, "We're so busy," though when asked I can never seem to remember more than one or two of our "extras."

We are, in fact INCREDIBLY busy by our standards. I do not mean to imply busy is best. This year may simply be what our family needs to make up for a few pregnant school years where I did a lot of laying on the couch as a literal "captive audience" to the kids' spontaneous performances.

For whatever reason this year has packed itself so full, so far so good. We are maintaining our sanity (though we are only a month into it). And I feel like supporting my kids in their learning adventures and pursuits is exactly what I am supposed to be doing, so it is satisfying too.

For the record, here is what we've got going on:
Mondays: our most sacred cleaning day (which with older kids has turned mostly into cleaning morning), piano for my oldest daughter, and Makers Club (programming, mixed with robotics mixed with electronics and engineering mixed with imagination) for my oldest son... and we're looking to add tennis to the mix and, for 3 months out of the year, a ballet lesson taught by me for my youngest daughter ....

Tuesdays: Once a month we host our beloved Culture Club here. Otherwise there is just ballet, ballet, ballet. Literally. Ballet lessons at the ballet school for my son, before which I'm teaching a ballet lesson for my daughter and her peers, and if interest expands beyond the class on Monday, adding to that a beginning ballet class for my younger daughter's peers. PHEW!

Wednesdays: Once a month we hit Biography Club. Twice a month the girls go to American Girls Club. My son is starting a journalism class on this day next month and thereafter working on our community's homeschool newsletter, AND he has a weekly ballet lesson Wednesday night.

Thursdays: Boys Science Club is in the mornings. (So many boys in the club have little sisters in American Girls that this will morph to be on the same day which will really free our Wednesday mornings. Wow!) And the boy who wants to be a professional dancer has yet another ballet class too. Looking at adding a tennis lesson to this day as well. (Twice a month my daughter has a church group called Activity Days on Thursdays. My son's scouts should also be added to the mix, though I'm not sure what day. They are waiting for the critical mass of boys to have birthdays to reboot the program... I think.)

Fridays: To give him the best edge, I am teaching this son ballet Friday mornings. After which I've tried to keep the day free for weekends away and fun field trips. (Destinations on the calendar and to be reviewed include the Dinosaur Park in Ogden, the Monastery in Huntsville, and the Air Force Base Museum. Recently we've hit the Orthodox Church, the Hare Krishna Temple, and a couple of museums in Provo I reviewed for this post.)

You know, when I put it all down like that, it doesn't seem too bad. Maybe I'll stop telling everyone I'm SO busy. Maybe we're just mildly busy, though busier than WE have ever been. I'm pleased with our schedule because each activity represents a quality learning opportunity for my kids AND a chance to get in that all important socialization. More beautiful is that there is only ONE night where we aren't together as a family - Wednesday night, due to my son's latter ballet lesson. Every other night our evenings are free to enjoy dinner and life and our family and friends together! We are also incredibly blessed to have such a great group of homeschooling friends right around us, so while we may not be home, we aren't more than 5 minutes away.

Some say we homeschoolers are an isolated bunch. I submit that if that is so, it is by choice, and not by the nature of homeschooling. Others say it is ambitious to homeschool. When I think of the peace of our family getting to enjoy one another almost every evening, without the pressures of homework or running like crazy people to get our kids to their extra-curricular stuff, I think homeschooling is the answer for those who rather take a moment with the people they love to soak it all in.

When Life Gives You Zucchini, Make Zucchini Pie!

Now isn't that better advice for those of us here in Utah, who are a lot more likely to get zucchini from life than lemons?! So here is yet another recipe to add to the collection on my blog. And like the others, a bit unconventional and boundary-stretching. But only if you want it to be. It is so delicious, you may want to keep the zucchini a secret and just call it "apple pie."

From my mother (and FOR my mother who called me because she'd lost her recipe):

Mock Apple Pie
1 pie crust
5 cups peeled, sliced zucchini (peeling and slicing zucchini by hand is infinitely easier than apples! I use the giant zucchinis this season produces with gusto, and just scrape out the inside stringy, seedy part after I've got the zucchini in half crosswise and again lengthwise.)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. real lemon juice
3/4 c. water

Boil zucchini, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water. Simmer 'til soft. (I haven't scored myself a monster zucchini yet, so it's been since last season that I made this, but if I remember correctly, I don't add nearly that amount of water or lemon juice. I give the apples a good splash of lemon juice - after all, it's part of creating the flavor. And I pour a bit of water into the pot, but I keep in mind that I am making a pie filling, so I rather steam and keep all the liquid than need to pour some of the sugar away before I bake it. THAT said, pie fillings are really about taste anyway, so you could eyeball ALL the amounts and adjust according to preference.)

When the zucchini is soft, pour the filling into the unbaked crust and top with crumb topping. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Let cool. This pie is perfect to eat strait and a bit warm. It's actually not as good with ice cream.

Oh, so here's the crumb topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp butter (at room temp or just a tad cooler)
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up 'til it's crumbly.

Now, does this recipe have a metaphor? Absolutely! Are all homeschooled kids special or gifted? Yours may be. Mine are about as average as zucchini. But with a little creativity and willingness to think outside the box, I am hoping to help them become something surprisingly remarkable! Enjoy the pie, and your own creative, unconventional process of parenting! If you have a hit recipe for turning out fantastic, sweet kids, be sure you share it here! :)

"The World is Our Classroom" - A Field Trip Guide to Utah County

"The World Is Our Classroom"

Does that sound familiar? We discovered this weekend it is BYU's motto.... Or at least it's directly under the main "Brigham Young University" sign on campus. Who knew?! So BYU, and by extension ALL good Mormons, should embrace the possibility that homeschoolers have the best opportunity to learn for their augmented access to the world! Right?

Okay, I'm just kidding about the "all good Mormons" bit, but we here in Aggie land had no idea that BYU was so supportive of how we are trying to educate our kids.

Yes, we got out into the world, and this weekend we spent some time in Utah County. We rarely find ourselves there and were delighted to discover so much to do! So if you are like us, here are just a few destinations to get you started! (This pales in comparison to the field trip guide to the Salt Lake area. It's not to say there is less to do than in Salt Lake. WE just don't find ourselves in Provo very often, so here is where we started!)

Destination: BYU Museum of Art
Time: Mondays-Saturdays all year long
Cost: FREE
Review: I must confess the state of my people for this museum. My little 2 year old was under-slept and was howling to be let out of his stroller so he could run around and attack the exhibits. My older 3 were hungry. So we did NOT spend the time the museum deserved. So, as we sped through, warding off melt-downs of various kinds, I was able to appreciate a few things. First, the cost. Free is hard to beat. Unlike the Museum of Art at the UofU, this one is ALWAYS free. It is a tad smaller, but MY kids don't have the kind of art appetite that takes in a whole museum of art anyway, so the small size was just fine. We were there for "Cut," an exhibit featuring 40 historical costumes from movies. So we got to see THE ACTUAL clothes Johnny Depp wore playing Jack Sparrow. Hard to beat. Well, actually ALL the lovely, historic gowns beat Jack Sparrow's get-up. And it was cool to read which stars wore what. I could go on and on about how thrilled I was my fashion-interested girls saw this, but this was just a temporary exhibit. It seems the museum brings in some great stuff from around the world and is worth it! Visitor parking is on the north-east side of the museum and is very convenient.

Destination: Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum at BYU
Time: Mondays - Saturdays all year long
Cost: FREE
Review: This museum was actually our first stop. We parked in the Art Museum's parking lot and walked up the ramps (my kids called them the "Disney World of Sidewalks" - gotta love small pleasures!) to this museum. (If you do the same, the entrance to the building is on the east side. OR if you want to park closer, there is a lot on the north side of the Life Science Museum you can park in and get a pass for once you come inside.) This museum was lovely too. Free is hard to beat. And the displays feature mostly the real animals (dead and stuffed, obviously) so you get a sense of scale, which is thrilling for animals like elephants, giraffes and leaping lions and standing bears. The museum doesn't overwhelm the visitor with too much information to take in. My kids just wanted to run from animal to animal to see who would first spot the next cool thing. I'm sure we'd learn more on a second visit. THAT said, I don't know that there is so much there a third would add a whole lot. We probably spent between 60 and 90 minutes there. If the kids had slowed down, we could have learned more and maybe even been done in 2 hours. I must say, I preferred this over the zoo. First, you could get closer to the animals, and second, how often when you go to the zoo are the animals just laying around? Here, they were up to much cooler business (albeit very frozen business). Other notes: we missed the live animal encounters, but those do happen daily; and there is a good nursing spot in the basement ladies bathroom, but otherwise the basement isn't worth going down to see. Oh, AND we were there on a Saturday morning and it felt almost like a ghost town - so lovely to have it almost to ourselves!

Destination: Allan Hall Museum of People and Cultures at BYU
Time: Mondays-Fridays
Cost: FREE
Review: No review yet. I didn't realize it wasn't open Saturdays. Boo! Oh well! Hope to hit this one soon!

Destination: Provo City Library
Time: Standard City Library hours
Cost: FREE
Review: This was the spur of the moment back-up when we discovered the Museum of Peoples and Cultures was closed. I am a sucker for old buildings! This one is the origin of BYU - the old Brigham Young Academy. (And if you are a fan of the Great Brain books, the school Tom Fitzgerald actually attended. Cool!) So the building was fun. And it had a great children's section that the kids killed a lot of time in. I really like "The Attic" - a gallery on the 4th floor. The exhibit we caught was of original "Loony Tunes" still gels. The kids were thrilled it was cartoons, and we learned about how cartoons are made. Again, this exhibit is not permanent, but it looked like more cool stuff was to come.

Destination: Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork
Time: I think your best bet is to hit one of the many festivals hosted at the Temple
Cost: Tours are free, though donations are encouraged. Food is cheap - $6 for an adult plate; Festivals are also cheap.
Review: My son told his Sunday School class today about our experiences at this Temple yesterday. I wondered what they thought. There may be some people who feel children shouldn't be taken to places or events that don't reflect their beliefs. But it's hard to experience the world as any sort of classroom with that attitude. We seek after the virtuous, lovely, and of good report. We found it at the Krishna Temple. We were there for India Fest. We loved the relaxing music and we were entertained by the dancing. Before the entertainment began and between performance segments we explored and learned. We saw believers in the act of worshiping. We were invited to be blessed by the priest, and were, though we didn't understand what was said. We learned the Hare Krishna believe sound is an inlet to the soul. And we had our own beliefs affirmed - namely, that we are eternal beings clothed in bodies and that we find peace by being in tune with the divine. The girls LOVED the temple - they thought it looked like Jasmine's palace. I read reviews of it being run down, dangerous, and creepy. Here are my thoughts about those reviews. First, I think they clean the place up a bit before major events. Second, that such a place even exists in Utah without a large, tithe paying congregation is nothing short of miraculous to me. And third, it IS NOT Jasmine's palace. So it may not be worth the journey if you are an adult in search of a fantasy. BUT if you are interested in seeing and learning whatever the people and place have to teach in the moment, I bet you will come away with something beautiful. (If you go outside of an event, find someone to answer questions. We were there before things for India Fest got underway. Perhaps folks were busy, or at least I assumed they were, because no one stepped up to help us, point the way, or answer questions, and there was little informational or instructional literature laying around. I'm interested in going back just to have my many questions answered!)

Destination: Museum of Natural Curiosity in Lehi
Time: I don't know that there is a less-crowded time to go...
Cost: $15/adult; $12/child 3-12 years old
Review: (this was not on our most recent trip to Utah County, but part of our summer adventures. Read more about them here.) So if it isn't yet abundantly clear, I am a cheap skate, and first of all: OUCH! Wow, does that price tag sting! So if you've plopped down $51 dollars like I could have, you'd better have a great time, right? (Well, I was a guest with my sis-in-law who has a Thanksgiving Point membership, so we didn't pay THAT much. And STILL it WASN'T cheap.) We went when my sis-in-law hoped it would be less crowded - the middle of the week, around 4pm so right at dinner time. Our plan was foiled. The place was CRAWLING with kids! I couldn't imagine it MORE crowded. (I'm sure it could have been. I just have low crowd tolerance.) Anyway, my kids don't suffer from the same throng-phobia so they walked in, their jaws dropped, and they thanked me before doing anything, for bringing them to the best museum of their lives. They LOVED it! They climbed, crawled, leaped, sprayed, reached, jumped, felt and saw as much as they possibly could. We were there 2.5 hours and could have stayed longer but we were STARVING. If I had it to do again, I would plan 4+ hours at this place and bring food for a picnic if we get hungry. That said, though the kids would be thrilled, I don't know that I would do it again. Of all the museums, this one delivers the info in the most fun, engaging way. But there isn't a lot of info to deliver, so outside of the fun, physical nature of the exhibits, my 11 year old isn't going to learn a lot. Not enough to merit 2 visits. But that assumes he DID learn on the first visit. And in a place so packed, though you may want to take your time for some fun and simple instruction, if you do, 12 kids will jump in front of you, or 3 toddlers will be wailing where you are standing so trying to teach or learn anything begins to feel incredibly futile. (Speaking of toddlers, having one is a blessing. Going to a place this crowded with anyone else besides a toddler makes the protective mother in me cringe. It's a stranger-danger nightmare.) So yes, in my kids' dreams we go back. And IF we do, it will be a SCHOOL DAY from like 2-6 (to avoid field trip throngs), and either dad will be there or my two year old won't.

Reason # 2: Exposing Children to the World

This post is long overdue as being one of my tallest homeschooling soap boxes. My frustration boiled over recently as I read an article in the Deseret News titled "Back Home to School."

The following is a quote from that article: "Some parents express a desire to shield children from inappropriate influences, while others argue that isolating a child makes them ill-prepared for the realities of a diverse society."

I contend these statements are not mutually exclusive. Yes, many parents with children schooled at home AND in the public school system desire to shield children from inappropriate influences. My goodness! Much of our laws are designed to do just that! From drinking ages to movie ratings, we can all agree that children are not developmentally suited to handle all things all the time.

Now some of us, going along with the state law model, have decided that children SHOULD follow similar maturity patterns and pacing. Let them all drive at 16. Let them all see explicit nudity at 13. Send them off for 7+ hours per day, day after day at age 6. If your children follow these broad generalities, I have no criticism. 

But if parents, looking at their children as individuals and not as an average demographic, choose to shorten or extend some periods of various protections, why are so many willing to thumb their noses at that choice? Who best determines for YOUR child what an inappropriate influence is?

Now to the point that "isolating a child makes them ill-prepared for the realities of a diverse society." I couldn't agree more (except to point out that it would be more grammatically correct to argue either that "isolating children makes them ill prepared" OR "isolating a child makes him or her ill-prepared). Bad grammar aside, why on earth would we champion a school system that segregates elementary students not only by age, but also by subject aptitude? What kind of broad exposure is this?

Furthermore, to those folks who live in rural Utah, let's be honest. How diverse are the populations of our elementary schools? Don't most of your child's peers at school live in your neighborhood, enjoy roughly your same standard of living, and adhere or at least acknowledge most of your core beliefs?

So when we say we are exposing school kids to "different people with different points of view," what we really mean is "different people from our corner of town, that are the same age and excel or struggle with learning in similar ways." Now, is this what we are calling the non-isolation that really prepares children for the "realities of a diverse society?" After all, in most work places, employees aren't within a few months of the same age. They don't all commute in one huge vehicle from the same corner of town. And they don't all share the same knowledge, experience, and skill set. That being so, how exactly does school prepare children for the realities of our diverse society again?

"Now Stephanie," you interject, interrupting my rant (and spelling my name wrong again!). "The diversity in elementary schools may, in fact, be minimal, but you must concede it certainly exceeds the diversity in your family." (Nice comment! See, you are a poet.)

THIS is what I have to say about THAT.

The article quoted a woman who had been homeschooled growing up who felt her 'isolated worldview that resulted from learning at home was not necessarily a positive experience for her and her siblings.' She concluded "there's also something to be said for being exposed to different ways of thinking."

True. And I can hardly question the reality of this woman's experience. BUT must it be the reality for any other homeschooling family? Only if they chose to make it so! In another post, I argue socialization is the FIRST reason to homeschool your children. In that post, I expand the vision of homeschooling beyond a family gathered around the kitchen table reading text books. If that is the approach, might not a parent match a teacher, breath for breath, in worldly, diverse fact spewing? (And as some parents may try, how are their children worse off for having this brand of "world exposure" from a parent instead of a teacher?)

But homeschooling can encompass so much more! (And with budget and time constraints placed on schools, be EASILY more than is offered there.) Though we are not yet like the homeschooling families that travel the country and the world, my elementary-age children have 60-year-old NON-RELATIVES they count as friends. They have been to meditation circles and synagogues. We go to cultural events - the celebrations of the holidays of other countries, pow-wows, drum circles. And do you know who we tend to run into as we are OUT in the WORLD having EXPERIENCES rather than sitting in a room at a desk? Other homeschoolers. I don't know why this tends to be so. Perhaps the kids in school have too much homework to do, and too little time for any of the exposure the schools hold so dear. As it turns out, if you live in rural Utah, though the schools may be a safe place, if you really value exposing children to the world, homeschooling may just be the BEST bet!

Little Sister dressed as Moroccan Bride for Big Sister's presentation on Moroccan Weddings

PS As I have mentioned elsewhere, I don't believe homeschooling is the best choice for everyone. And I do respect the thoughtful choices parents make in the best interest of their children. We all know kids who seem to be damaged by their upbringing. Some of those have been homeschooled. Some have been public schooled. This post is to dissuade reasoning people from concluding homeschooling (a very large umbrella over a very diverse group) must necessarily lead to a diminished exposure to diversity in points of view. Let no one pride himself in open-mindedness and label all people who approach education differently as being isolated or close-minded.

It Takes a Village - A Few of the Offerings for Homeschoolers in the Cache Valley Area

I organized a Potluck Social for my homeschooling community. I hope a great time was had by all. There we announced and posted a few of the goings for homeschooling families in the coming school year. I've re-posted them here as an easy reference page for people wanting more details or contact info.

Cache Valley Homeschool Cooperative Group

Designed especially to support families who have teens as their oldest children, classes are for all age levels of kids – teen and elementary.   Our focus is on making sure we have a great group of teens.  Thirty families are currently involved in this group, and we could support just a few more families with teens.    Yet we sometimes have room for families that do not have teens yet, only elementary.

We offer several different choices of classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and your family can come one day, two days, or just for one class. We also have options for teens to attend, without having their families.

Please contact Janet Summit at summitsonthetop@gmail.com for more information.

Homeschool Family Choir

Beginning this fall, we will be meeting at a church in Logan most likely every Thursday evening. It will be free. Anyone can participate in this choir even if they are not homeschooled, as long as they have somebody in their family that homeschools. The more youth the better.

I plan on directing the choir for the fall and during Christmas. Plans are not firm for after Christmas yet.

If interested, please contact Mylie Laing at 435-239-7267, or 435-237-2179, or Mylielaing@gmail.com.

Journalism Class and CVHS Newspaper Team

Is your child interested in being a journalist?  Does your child want to be on the staff of the new CVHS newspaper?  Students ages 11 and up who are truly interested and self-motivated writers can join us for 6 weeks of classes on the ins and outs of journalism, followed by monthly meetings for further instruction and newspaper collaboration.  

We will meet weekly at the Logan Library on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm beginning October 1, with monthly meetings thereafter being the first Wednesday of each month.  Due to the nature of a newspaper, spots in this class/team are limited to 20 students/staffers.  Each student will need to pay $5 for class supplies and purchase his/her own copy ofThe Reporter’s Notebook – Writing Tools for Student Journalists by Mark Levin.  

Sasha Takis is the mentor for the class and the newspaper.  Email questions or requests to join to sashtak@digis.net.

Biography Club

All ages are welcome to join us on the second Wednesday each month at the Logan Library from 10:30 to 12. We will begin in September and run throughout the entire school year. Come to just listen or to share about any historical, fictional, religious, contemporary, or imaginary biographical subject or your choice. This year we hope to be adding a 30 minute presentation by local professionals who use the skills of public speaking and presenting in their everyday lives. You may attend the entire session or just come for the biographical presentation. We even sometimes have treats!

To find out more, please contact steffaniecasperson@yahoo.com.

Intermediate Ballet Class

This year I hope to be offering a ballet class for students ages 8 and older with at least 2 years of ballet training. These classes are primarily to supplement current instruction, and not to replace it. I hope classes will be offered once a week at the Whittier Center, likely on Friday mornings. They will last 1.5 hours and cost $30/month.

I am a former professional ballerina with two children who claim to want to dance professionally. I am offering these class to help them and anyone else with an ambition to be the best ballet dancer they can be.

To find out more, please contact me at steffaniecasperson@yahoo.com.

Service Club

We meet the first Tuesday of each month from 11-12 am.  Details of upcoming projects are posted on the yahoo calendar as plans are made. The kids involved so far are ages 9 and younger.   Thus far, we’ve made Linus blankets, sang Patriotic songs at an assisted living center, wrote letters to soldiers, and assembled activity bags for the hospital to name a few of our activities.

Please email questions  to Amy Waters at amwa_1950 at yahoo.com.

CVHS History Fair

Start thinking of what kinds of things you’d be interested in sharing from your history studies! This event features tables for project displays such as posters, dioramas, models, art, etc. and a program for performance entries such as recitations, readings, enactments, etc. Tentatively scheduled for November 7, location TBD, more information to follow.

Direct questions to Sasha Takis at sashtak@digis.net or watch for further information on the Yahoo group and the CVHS newspaper.  

2015 Northern Utah Homeschool Poetry Contest

“Colors” is the theme for the 2015 NUH Poetry Contest.  Entries must be submitted electronically by noon on Friday, February 13, 2015.

For rules and other information contact Sasha Takis at sashtak@digis.net or watch for further information on the Yahoo group and the CVHS newspaper.

Homeschool Swim Lessons

The first lessons will be the last week of August (held the 26 & 27) and classes are held Tuesdays or Wednesdays at noon. (You chose the day.) Registration begins next week. You do NOT need to be a Sports Academy member.

Call Sports Academy to register for homeschooler class.  

Harmony Ed’s Options Day

Harmony Ed's new Options Day program may start here in Cache Valley. It is a co-op type group that would meet at the Whittier Center on Wednesdays for three hours. From 9-noon. Classes are for teenagers and elementary. We also need teachers and they are compensated.

Contact Layna May at 435-713-5651 or laynamayjojo@yahoo.com

Chess and Strategy Game Club

Bring a chess board if you have one. Parents who know chess are welcome to help teach. Those who don't are welcome to learn. We try to get each child through 3-4 games, 1-2 with peers, 1-2 with adults. Those interested in the BSA Chess Merit Badge can complete all requirements here (please find a merit badge worksheet online and bring a printed copy). Other games we have played include King's Table (hnefatafl), 9 men's Morris, Dominion, and Agricola.

We meet every other week on Friday nights starting in September (Dates TBA via CV-HS listserve). Come at 7pm and stay until 9pm. If you want, bring a treat to share. Recommended for ages 6+. Parents must attend (no drop offs please). Younger children are welcome to play in the basement/backyard if a second parent is available to help monitor them. Unattended and unruly children will be put to work weeding the garden.

1080 Grandview Dr. Providence. RSVP requested by 6pm the Friday of each club meeting (reply to CV-HS email or via text to 574-323-7006).

Figuration

Because practicing figures takes iterations, I am thinking of starting a math fun practice activity for ages 5-8 or so.  It would meet weekly at the Logan Library, probably on Fridays and would include math art, games, stories & crafts.  

Kirsten Swanson at 512-1440, kirstenis@gmail.com

Park Days

Wednesday mornings at 10 for now, a different park each week. Weekly locations and times are posted on the calendar. If there is any interest, we will probably continue into October.

Cara Crump - organizer. cararicks@yahoo.com

Guardians Group

We are having our final planning meeting this Tuesday, AUGUST 5th from 9 am to 12 pm at the Deweyville Park. Bring the kids for that planning meeting. We will be deciding final mentorships, fees, etc.

This is a not-for-profit commonwealth and we utilize TJED principles . We offer fundraising to help offset the small costs we do have for supplies. We meet at two homeschooling families homes that are right next to each other in Garland, Tuesdays from 9 am to 3 pm.

Thursdays are optional and are our club days. We have a Liberty Girls, YASA, Knights of Freedom, Belt Loops, Youth- service, Temple trips, games, dancing that will be rotated. In addition, there are FHE nights, book clubs for moms, monthly field trips, theme nights, movie nights and other activities for youth as well.

If you have questions after looking at the website, ww.guardianscommonwealth.weebly.com, please feel free to email Tammy at wcheftammy@msn.com.

Lively Learners Group

Lively: full of life, active, animated, keen, strong, vivacious, exciting

Learners: students who acquire knowledge or skill by instruction and experience

Our Mission

To provide group learning projects and mentoring for students who love to learn, primarily between the ages of eight and thirteen years old, and their parents, within our homeschooling community, through projects taught by the parents and based on what the parents are passionate and excited about, with input from their children about what they want to learn, connecting a network of strong families to support one another, as well as a positive social environment for their children.

Most classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-12 at my house in downtown Logan. Examples of classes are: A Little House on the Prairie Christmas (the 6 weeks before Christmas break), Science Fair prep (6-8 weeks before homeschool science fair), Things that Go, etc., as well as a Keepers of the Faith Club (for girls age 7-14) and a monthly book club.

If anyone is interested, please contact any of the following:

Greta Ward        greta7302000@gmail.com    435-512-3574

Heidi Hillman    hillman.heidi@gmail.com      801-637-8910

Tammy Jensen  tammyjensen1@yahoo.com  208-852-0405

Nature Study Group

Meets once a month at different locations in the valley (and some outside the valley also). The focus is primarily on nature exploration, secondarily on instruction. Participation is free unless we go on field trips that require a fee, but that would be infrequently. The Nature Study Group includes activity like short hikes, looking at pond life, going birding, learning tree and flower

identification, completing nature journals, etc. Mild to moderate activity level.

Interested persons should contact Jamie Wilde at jamie.wilde@gmail.com

Homeschool Karate

Homeschool Karate is held Wednesdays at 5pm. Cost for the homeschool class is $25/month. Students may add more classes each week at the regular rates. (Classes twice a week cost $60/month, 3x/week is $80).

For more information contact Matt Lundgren 435-881-4877.