Discovering New Places: The Really Big Field Trip

This month, we went on a Really Big Field Trip to Costa Rica. It was wet, it was windy, it was…well, the weather was actually quite similar to our usual weather in the Pacific Northwest, except that it was a lot lighter and a fair bit warmer. Being in a new environment is another big part of going on a Really Big Field Trip. A lot of what I value about travel is the physical memory of being in a place. It’s not always about the culture. It’s also about the feeling of standing in a certain place and getting … Continue reading →

Different Cultures: The Really Big Field Trip

This month, my homelearner and I went on a really big field trip. The field trip was so big that it began in December and ended this past weekend. We went to Costa Rica for a month, the result of a year of saving and planning. Now we’re back in the cold and wet of the Pacific Northwest, and I am longing for good mangoes again. What can I say? The field trip was for me too. One of the joys of homelearning is that you have the flexibility to do things off the school schedule. While most families are … Continue reading →

Selling Your Old Curriculum on Ebay

Are you a curriculum hoarder? Are you one to rid your shelves of the old to make a place for the new in record time? Or are you like me and have boxes filled with old curriculum with every intention to either sell it or find a good home for it? Whatever the case, at one time or another every homeschool parent needs to find a new home for old curriculum. I currently have enough homeschool curriculum and books for three boxes just waiting for me to decide what to do with. t? A popular method is to sell on … Continue reading →

New Favorite: Hip Homeschool Moms

Homeschooling is viral and the epidemic is spreading. Many homeschooling moms use the internet for support, ideas, and recommendations. The internet is exploding with groups, networks, blogs, swap boards, and resell sites pages dedicated to homeschooling. Homeschoolers have been using the internet as a tool of education for years so it is only natural to turn to this source for all homeschooling needs. Homeschooling mom bloggers increase in popularity every day. These women are gracious with their time and open with their support. Today, I want to introduce you to one of my new found favorite online homeschool resources and … Continue reading →

When the Kids Get Burned Out

Usually when homeschool burn out occurs it is on the part of the mom. This is with good reason as the homeschooling mom (or dad) has a full plate. A homeschooling parent has to juggle teaching multiple grades, keeping the kids involved outside of school, keeping the house from burning down, keeping the family in clean underwear, and pursuing personal goals and pursuits. We know that homeschooling is a full time job when we decide to take it on and expect it will take a balancing act of love and patience. Homeschooling is one of life’s greatest joys for the … Continue reading →

Midway Through the School Year

If you are following a traditional calendar then you are about halfway through your school year. The halfway point is a great time to evaluate how the year is proceeding thus far. Time to take inventory and plan out the rest of your year considering all you have accomplished or still need to accomplish. This January I have made big changes which included a complete overhaul in how school runs in my home. I have written before about the change my children are experiencing from homeschool to online schooling. This is a significant change by itself along with my first … Continue reading →

Zylie the Bear Sends the Right Message

She is 12 years old, adventurous, curious, stylish, brave, and she’s a bear! Zylie the Bear is like the American Girl of bears. Mary Beth Minton and her son, Matt, created Zylie to give children a play experience that is not only fantastic but educational. In a world where toys are plastic and steal the imaginations of children with fixed ideas, Zylie and her friend Shen the Panda are a breath of fresh air. Quality toys that inspire imagination, spark curiosity about the world around the child, and will forever live in a child’s mind and heart is rare thing. … Continue reading →

Handling Teaching a Co-Op Class

Teaching in your own home to your own kids is not the easiest job in the world. It takes quite a bit of patience, a lot of love and a ton of organization. Even on your worst unorganized days you can muddle through and your children will actually learn something. Really, they will. You never do as poorly as you think. After some practice and experience soon you are a pro homeschooling mama! Once you get the hang of it in your own home you will soon gain the confidence to teach at your local homeschooling co-op. Confidently you walk … Continue reading →

Getting Organized with Mayfair Lane

My struggle is organization. I have a 7th grader, a 5th grader, a Kindergartener, a toddler, one dog, one husband and a home. That is a lot of work by itself but when you add in homeschooling, writing, blogging, writing unit studies, and tackling a mountain of laundry life can seem overwhelming. Homeschooling alone is a full time job. So anything that can help keep me on track, sane and organized catches my eye. However, I also need organizational tools that are easy to find, easy to manage and basically in my face. This is where Mayfair Lane comes into … Continue reading →

What You Can Learn From a Dragonfly

The other day, my daughter studied dragonflies. Many kids would study dragonflies by taking a look at a book and learning about the coloration and flight habits of dragonflies. She studied dragonflies by taking a long, hard look at one. It was on its last legs, and she studied its colors very closely, debated whether or not she could hold it without injuring it, and watched it fly away. This reminds me of a debate I had with myself at age eighteen, when I was trying to decide whether to go to China on a Mandarin study tour. I was … Continue reading →