EKjourney Backup

I did not imagine that "summer break" would affect me as hard as it has.  For the past 18 years, we counted on part of June, all of July, and most of August to regroup, catch up from the year, and prepare for the following year.  We worked on our urban farm, Phil did odd jobs, we adventured (hiked, camped, went on family excursions).  We  (mostly me) always did a big house clean and purge.  I canned and dried foods, planned, and prepared for the following year.  For me personally, it was a season of rest and catch up.  Phil was able to help out so much with the household and the children and I was able to put time and energy into things I normally couldn't.  This summer season became increasingly more important when we had a growing family and begin homeschooling.  Summer felt pivotal in the key to having a smooth and successful school year. Last year, we moved 6 weeks before summer break started and lived in remodel chaos, working like crazy...

I felt bad about Father's Day.  We had church, Phil had ushering, then it was home to do watering, clean up, and make dinner before my parent's came over.  There was really nothing special that we did besides a family dinner on the porch. What was special, was the incredible storm that blew through.  While we were eating dinner we were watching lightning over the Cascade Foothills.  We normally don't get weather patterns that move East to West so it was surprising when the wind became intense and the storm clouds moved overhead.  There was fierce wind, loud lightning and thunder overhead, a downpour, and a beautiful rainbow.   Finishing up dinner and watching the approaching storm. When the wind kicked up, the children ran outside with kites. This cloud moved overhead bringing with it flashing skies and thunderclaps.  We had everyone move inside at this point. Then a downpour. Followed by a subtle rainbow. I think watching this storm, from our bea...

I took a sketch class on Saturday.  I have to say, it has been one of my favorite art classes so far that I have taken.  Not so much because I learned anything extra ordinary but the combination of getting to go to a special class, be outside, sketch "alone" but with a group and as an assignment (so I was focused), and I felt successful.  We had 4 different exercises in class, sketching things around the classroom (at the Art Department) before we went outside on location.  I found the first series of assignments enlightening and quite funny! Exercise 1, put your water bottle under the table and draw it from memory.  Well, I sort of knew the shape and that it had a spout LOL.  Clearly I have no artistic memory.  This was really eye opening for me.  I think this is why I can't just sit down and draw something.  I need to have something specific that I am looking at. Exercise 2, blind contour drawing of the waterbottle.  This is basically ...

This piano recital officially marks the end of our school year in many ways because we no longer have a regular school agenda outside the home.  Piano lessons are over, science club has ended for the year, tutoring is finished, Awanas ended some time ago.  The last several weeks of beautiful weather and finalizing our extra curricular activities made me in particular a bit stir crazy so we took several field trips and had a more relaxed school schedule here at home.  I have been trying to put together plans for the summer since I want to continue tutoring a couple times a week and I want the children to do math and reading as well.  Truthfully, I am so burnt out, I am wondering if I will be capable of continuing on without a break.  I am also trying to figuring out what our next year will be like.  I had no planning time last year and that really was difficult for me and contributed to a very unorganized year all on accounts.    This is what ...