6 Back to School Ideas (Homeschool Edition) + link ups!

Dear Reader,

Like many other families in America, we bit the bullet and are diving into homeschooling this year (and depending on how this pandemic goes, maybe next year, too?)  Our first day is just around the corner (September 1st), and as I was looking up "first day ideas" to mark the occasion I thought - hey, why not share some thoughts about it in a blog post?

                         But first, pin this image for future reference:

Why we are homeschooling this year (and which curriculum we picked!)

Dear Reader,

I apologize for my absence!  Three weeks is way too long, and I missed my little blog immensely.  Of course, it was for good reason - we have been working hard on room organizing (specifically my son's room), and setting up our new homeschool space :D (and lots of home reno projects, and decluttering and lifeeee).

So if you'd like to take a little peak into what that looks like (well, the beginning stages of it - there's still a few more things to do to make it look pretty!) - and see which curriculum we picked, and why, then read on.

                                           But first, save this pin for future reference:

How To Survive Homeschooling During A Pandemic (and words of wisdom from a therapist)

Dear Reader, 

These are tough times, there's no way around it.  We are in a global pandemic, the likes we have never lived through in our own lifetime.  And though it's incredibly powerful and validating to read encouraging posts and articles about how we are all in this together, there is an equal necessity to acknowledge that this is a hard time.

You probably clicked on this post, hoping to read about how to do homeschooling, or distance learning, or some combination of the two.  You likely were thrust into an uncertain learning model, and even potentially weeks in, feel no closer to having it figured out then when our schools first shut down.  If you were hoping for a perfect fix to this situation, I'm sorry but this post is not for you (though I will give some tips and resources promise!) . . . but first, I'll share some words of wisdom my therapist said that helped me keep things in perspective:

"this is not homeschooling.  This is crisis learning."  

That puts it in perspective doesn't it?  

Introduction

Hello dear Reader, 

My name is Katharina, and I'm a 30-something military brat, who's been married for 12 years to a Minnesotan, and have two amazing boys*.  Make sure to click the "read more" to see a little more in depth response to some of these bullet points (and pics!) ♥

For the general mission of my blog, check out the "start here" page.  For the disclaimers/terms of service/privacy policy, click here.

Don't forget to check out both my pinterest, and instagram for the blog for inspiration pins, and sneak peeks for upcoming blog posts.  Facebook group page coming soon ;)

Anyways, now onto the fun stuff (in no order) . . .

• half German, half American (and yet hope to semi retire to Ireland, who would have thought?)
• a Catholic (patron saint is St. Joan of Arc), as well as a Lay Dominican (what used to be called Third Order Dominican) - it means I love to study and pray, and share the fruits of that contemplation ;)  And I am also an Anchoress for our local Seven Sisters Apostate (which dedicates an hour a week of prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the benefit of an assigned priest).
• a partial homeschooler (as in, summer and holiday break homeschooling, to keep the kiddos brains sharp)
• a bohemian, hippie, crunchy mama kind of gal who loves the traveling spirit, and the philosophy that we are strongest from within.
• a spoonie: chronic illness advocate, who has A1AT, asthma, and COPD.
• way too into personality tests: I'm an ESFP, 6w7, Scorpio Sun/Leo Moon (though I promise I don't read horoscopes, I just like the memes), and have done far too many "Who are you -?" buzzfeed quizzes (sshh - I'm a Luna Lovegood/Rapunzel/Jane Austen's Emma mix, just saying).
• I like to do all things art, but especially craft, and sing, and interior decorate.
• I love to read, study and research.
• I love to connect people, in all sorts of ways, including volunteering with my church, at my son's school, and helping to run my local MOMS Club chapter.

Read on to see more in depth answers, but this is a good and well rounded start :)