Bring on Summer~

Yay, summer!  Bring it on!

I have always loved summer.  I think it started when I went to school.  That last day of school was so amazing!  Imagine, two months to do anything I wanted or nothing at all!  No getting up at the crack of dawn or homework.  Just a lot of empty hours waiting to be filled with whatever I wanted!  Heaven!

I spent many of those hours reading, crafting, playing outside and reading. We played marathon games of Monopoly, played house outside, rode bikes in the yard and dug lots of holes.  And we could even go outside after dinner.  Wow!  My Mom didn't even drive then so we just stayed at home and amused ourselves, me and my four sisters.  It was such a relaxed, laid back time.

Today, I still love summer because I still yearn to throw all schedules to the wind, to go where the day leads me and do nothing if I want to without feeling guilty. 

I don't set my alarm since the sun wakes me early anyway.  I just take my time.  I brew a cup of coffee and sit out on the deck and enjoy the peace and quiet of hearing no school buses.  I watch my birds at the feeders and bird bath and just start my day in an unhurried way.  It seems to make the rest of the day feel less crazy, no matter what it brings.

I try to share this philosophy with my own children, even though they are homeschooled.  We think of fun things to do.  For instance, the girls are going to read all the Trixie Belden books in order.  Last year it was the Hardy Boys. 

The girls want to try and learn to sew.  They are all learning to swim in our above ground pool we bought two years ago with change we had saved in gallon jugs.  We eat outside at every opportunity.  We would like to go to a new spot for a big family picnic.  We are just going to savor this summer! 

Don't let this summer fly by!  Slow down!  Take a deep breath.  Look around at the beauty of summer and the relaxed smiles on your children's faces and your own.  Treat each summer day as a gift to be opened and try to think like a child again.  I promise you, you won't regret it!

Homeschooled 13 Year Old's Favorite Books

I thought I would share my daughter's favorite books.  She is an avid reader and aspiring novelist. You will rarely find her without either a book or pen and paper in hand.  


l.  The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan
2.  The Brotherhood Chronicles by John Flanagan
3.  Both Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
4.  The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
5.  The 39 Clues by various authors
6.  The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
7.  The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
8.  Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine
9.  Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
10.  The Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon
11.  Jack Blank by Matt Myklusch
12.  Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo


She has read these books over and over while still managing to fit in new reads.  She is amazing!