Life lately: summer highlights
“Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.”
Van Morrison
happenings
Oh, look — I actually do still blog, in case you wondered! I don’t make as much time for writing here as I once did, but I still enjoy this little creative outlet. I’m currently working on setting more of a routine in place with the start of the new school year, so I’ll likely be writing more.
Seems like every summer I get on a kick to reorganize, repaint, or re-do something in the house. My biggest project this summer was our dining area. I found (on craigslist) a beautiful trestle table and bench made of reclaimed wood from a historical home, an outdoor patio rug (because kids) on clearance, and a giant brown china cabinet I bought super cheap (facebook marketplace) and spruced it up. That cabinet was gross but now it’s gorgeous, if I do say so myself; I’ll share before/after photos another time but for now, go ahead and ooh and aah.
We had a record-setting sea turtle season this year and I was in charge of two nests this summer. It’s hard to get photos when the nests hatch because it’s dark and we don’t use lights, but if we have babies to release at a nest excavation, it makes for good photo opportunities. Read more about what we get to do each summer: Volunteering as a Sea Turtle Nest Parent.
homeschooling
Now that Kathryn, the one child I taught at home since kindergarten, has graduated, my days as a homeschool mom are winding down. I still feel passionately that homeschooling is awesome and a great option for many families, but I’ve never felt it’s the ONLY option. Our new school year starts this week, and Scout will be attending the local middle school in 6th grade while Jem learns at home for 5th grade. Most likely, he’ll attend school next year.
what we’ve been reading
The stack below is of my July reads, and I’ll be sharing my August reads this week on instagram. I’ve read a number of good ones this summer but I think the best book I’ve read lately is The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood.
on the blog (in case you missed ’em)
- one year ago: Our best summer ever + 3 things that helped
- two years ago: Are we unschoolers?
- three years ago: Fave homeschool items for under $100
- four years ago, we became grandparents: Baby Carter is here!
Happy almost-September, y’all!
Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »
