Amy Scott's Thoughts

Welcome November November 2, 2022

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Getting Creative,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 6:33 pm

The start of November always feels like a finish line to me. October is my favorite month of the year, without a doubt. October is also a very full month for our family. After wrapping up birthday month and a major ministry event (Fall Fest on Halloween), I feel like taking a deep breath when November arrives. We did it! We had all the fun! We went big! We gave it our all! It was good! And now it’s November! *Sigh* My husband pointed out that November is equally “big” in it’s own right, but before the November pace picks up, I’m just going to enjoy this moment.

October actually ended a little quieter than we expected. Jeremy got a cold over the weekend, so we hunkered down at home to rest. With a big event on Monday night, we needed to be pro-active in the recovery department. I was sad to cancel our very fun plans with friends, but it was good to dedicate two full days to resting. It was time well spent.

We always end October with a bang. A big part of children’s ministry is event planning. Jeremy knows how to throw a party (with help, of course). The theme for our annual Fall Fest was Galaxy Adventures (outer space). The whole building and all the activities revolved around this out-of-this-world theme. It was nice to move this event indoors again after two years of shifting for the pandemic (we did a drive-thru event in 2020 and an outdoor event in 2021). Our kids had a blast and even dressed on theme with their costumes (astronaut costumes we recycled from 2020 – Owen’s barely fit, oops). The black light room was a favorite and Owen enjoyed helping Nana & Papa hand out prizes at the prize wheel. Almost 300 kids attended, so I would say that was quite some party! Way to go, Jeremy (and team)!

November 1st is always a bit of a recovery day. We’re all tired from the big day and late night. Yesterday, we had co-op and Owen had piano lessons, but all I really wanted to do was hibernate! Thankfully, we had a very chill evening last night and we’re starting to come out of the holiday haze! And there you have it. October is in the rearview mirror and November is staring us down. Ready, set, go!

Family game night. Qwixx is the game of choice right now. Owen got it for his birthday and is obsessed!

Candy corn blondies are a holiday tradition!

Space Panda (?!) Amy with her astronauts!

We weren’t quite sure what Jeremy was – NASA personnel? Engineer? Tech person? Maybe we should call him the Command Leader.

Enjoying the themed games in the black light room.

The show must go on. No matter how tired, we did school on Tuesday morning. Here is Graham’s science experiment – making a cloud!

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What I’ve Been Reading – October 2022 October 31, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 8:10 am

Bookish Thoughts for October

I did it! I reached my updated goal of reading 200 books in 2022! Woo hoo! October was a busier month which meant I didn’t fly through as many books. Honestly, hitting my goal also dampened my momentum a bit. We’ll see how many books I reach by the end of 2022, but I’m not feeling any pressure to keep up a certain pace. With a vacation, multiple birthdays, and seasonal activities, my time was spent differently this month. With the holidays right around the corner, I realize my calendar will continue to be full. A reading life has seasons just like real life. Some seasons are quieter with space to read and some are busier, but filled with good things and good people. It’s a balance. It’s been a fun experiment to see how much reading I can accomplish in a year. I’ve enjoyed it immensely and I look forward to two more months of adding to the grand total!

I frequently get asked how I read so much. Since it’s been a topic of conversation with my friends lately, I thought I would share here as well. Books are my preferred downtime activity. I watch very little television. Being a quick reader also helps. I can finish most books in a day or two. Non-fiction takes me slightly longer, but I can fly through novels. I’m not reading rocket science, that’s for sure! Our family schedule intentionally has margin for free time. It’s my goal to raise readers and I want to be a role model. I’m trying to create a culture of reading in our home. Books are valuable and time spent reading them is as well! Confession… I don’t like to cook. By making very simple meals, I don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen (thus more free time). I tend to be a tidy, organized person. My daily routine helps keep the house manageable. This in turn helps my reading because I struggle to read in a disordered space. I would say routine and intentional time around the house are the key to my reading life.

Tops Picks for October

Non-Fiction: M Is for Mama: A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood by Abbie Halberstadt. This book was recommended at book club. Despite the pacifier on the front, it’s really a book for all mothers in the child-raising years (Abbie is a mother of ten with kids ranging from toddlers to teenagers). I loved the Scripture through the book combined with Abbie’s encouragement. She is real and honest about the struggles of motherhood while calling women to rise up in their roles as a mama. As a person who tends to have very high personal standards, I could relate to the call of this book. For the tired, worn-out mama, this will be a gentle (and somewhat humorous) reminder that we are all human and we can turn to God in the midst of our imperfect mothering. God is our source and with him we can do great things. Motherhood is worthy calling. We have good, important work to do. I appreciated Abbie’s sincerity, optimism, and how she champions God’s Word. A very inspiring read, indeed.

Fiction: The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay. After re-reading Dear Mr. Knightley last month, I decided to read all of Katherine Reay’s novels this month. I enjoyed them all greatly. Katherine writes brilliant main characters. The characters have flaws and hardships, but I love how smart and strong they are. Also, her books are filled with literary references. She writes books about people who love books. As a bookworm, my heart is so happy to read about other bookworms! The Printed Letter Bookshop is about three women and the connection they forge in a small town bookshop. While Dear Mr. Knightley is still my favorite novel by Katherine, I gave this novel 5 stars as well!

Book List for October
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Wild + Free Family: Forging Your Own Path to a Life Full of Wonder, Adventure, and Connection by Ainsley Arment – 4 stars
M Is for Mama: A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood by Abbie Halberstadt – 4 stars

Fiction:

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (Contemporary Fiction) – 3 stars
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 3 stars
Lizzy & Jane by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 3 stars
Of Literature & Lattes by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 3 stars
The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 3 stars
A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 4 stars
The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay (Women’s Literary Fiction) – 5 stars
The London House by Katherine Reay (WWII Historical Ficton) – 4 stars
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (Contemporary Fiction) – 3 stars
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett (Children’s Fiction) – 4 stars
Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh (Sweet Christmas Romance) – 4 stars
A Cross-Country Road Trip by Courtney Walsh (Sweet Christmas Romance) – 4 stars
Royally (Re)arranged by Emma St. Clair (Sweet Royal Rom-Com) – 3 stars

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The Many Adventures of October! October 23, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Children's Ministry,Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Travels — Amy Scott @ 4:07 pm

October is such a fun month for our family! Our adventures this week included a chocolate fountain at our church growth group, a birthday meal with family, Graham’s 7th birthday, a trip to the Oregon Zoo, hosting book club, and pumpkin carving! The whole month feels like one adventure after the next. It’s been a bit of a pace – keeping up with all the good times. I love all the activities of October, but I also look forward to the hibernation vibes of November. We’ve had an unseasonably warm and sunny October. It’s been perfect for adventuring! Now the rain moves in this week and I’m honestly ready for it. Give me a reason to hunker down at home. I’m all for it!!!

Chocolate fountain at church! Then the kids got to bounce off their energy in the bounce houses.

Celebrating a belated birthday for Papa and an early birthday for Graham!

Graham started his birthday with a candle and a song!

I loved sharing cookies, cider, and books on Friday night. It was my turn to host book club and I went for all the fall vibes!

Owen’s Bowser pumpkin! This year we carved our homegrown pumpkins. Owen and I helped clean out the pumpkins, but Jeremy was the MVP who did all the carving magic!

Graham’s Goomba! Graham supervised most of the pumpkin carving, but wasn’t into getting his hands dirty.

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First Co-Op Field Trip October 15, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Travels — Amy Scott @ 5:24 pm

We had our first co-op field trip this last week. We visited the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery in Salkum, WA. It was super educational. I was surprised by how hands-on and informational it was. I’m not sure what I expected, but it surpassed my apparently low-bar expectations. We started the experience by watching the salmon get sorted at the top of the fish ladder. All the kids who wanted to participate got to help sort the salmon. Owen loved the experience and declared he could see himself sorting salmon when he grows up. Graham did not want to sort the salmon. That’s okay, too.

After sorting the salmon, we learned about the complete lifecycle of a salmon. From there, we went to feed the fry, which I learned are small salmon. The kids got to grab a handful of fish food and toss it into the tank. All the fry made the water splash as they gobbled up their meal. We all reacted to the feeding frenzy. I didn’t watch the last part of the presentation too closely. There is a viewing window in the visitor center where you can watch the employees harvest the eggs of the spawning salmon. This process was explained very well and the kids were fascinated. I just didn’t need the visual!

We played around with the visitor center displays for a while after the tour ended. Soon, it was lunchtime and part of our group made our way down to the river shore to eat sack lunches on logs. The kids wrapped up our field trip by throwing all sorts of rocks and sticks into the river. Nothing quite like being kid – throwing rocks into the river on a sunny day. Life is full of simple pleasures.

Field trips are one of my favorite parts of homeschooling. I love adventuring with my boys. We all learned so much at the salmon hatchery. It was an unforgettable experience. The rest of our week has been quieter. The boys combined their birthday money to buy the biggest LEGO set they’ve ever had. 1,216 pieces. It took them about 24 hours to complete it (with sleep in the middle, obviously). They are so proud of themselves! We had friends over for tacos last night. I attended a baby shower today. Tomorrow we’ll do a chocolate fountain and inflatbles with our church growth group. We are thankful for friends, community, field trips, and October sunshine!

Graham would only touch the plastic salmon…

So excited for the biggest LEGO set they’ve ever built!

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Sunriver Sunshine & Owen’s Birthday! October 8, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Travels — Amy Scott @ 6:33 pm

We just got back from a wonderful vacation to Sunriver, OR this last week. We visited the Sunriver Resort four years ago and absolutely loved our time there. Since Graham was two at the time, he had no memories of that trip. We decide it was time to visit again and make new memories.

When we arrived at Sunriver Resort, we discovered the condo we rented was right next door to the one we stayed in last time. It felt very familiar and welcoming. On our first day there, we hit the Cove (aka the pool) and took a twilight bike ride. Uncle Eric gifted the boys lights for their bike tires and we put them to good use that evening!

The next day, we took off for Crater Lake. Graham had never been there and Owen couldn’t remember his visit at 20 months old. It’s no secret, we love national parks. The week before our trip, the boys worked on Crater Lake Junior Ranger books so they could get their badges in the park. The weather was perfect! The sky was blue and the water was even bluer!

When we got back to the resort, Jeremy and I rented bikes so we could take family rides on the paved trails that weave all around the resort. Honestly, I was very nervous about riding bikes on this trip. It had been over 20 years since I’d ridden a bike and I wasn’t sure it really comes back to you. Fortunately, it did! We didn’t start small to break me in. Instead, we went for a five mile ride around the river loop. It was a beautiful ride and I’m so thankful that I was able to do it (especially without injury). We wrapped up our day at the pool. We stayed till dark and got to view the sun fade while hopping between the indoor and outdoor pools.

Lava Butte was our first destination the following day. We walked the path around the cinder cone and then took a walk through the lava fields below. It seems our vacation was really a geology field trip. After a volcanic morning, we went into Bend for lunch and shopping. Our afternoon included another family bike ride. This time to the resort playground. We returned our bikes after that ride and went for ice cream and souvenir shopping in The Village at Sunriver. We went to the Cove for our final swim, only to discovered that it was closed. Such a bummer, but we changed plans quickly. We went back to play at the park and then we grabbed a sweet treat to eat by the fire pits behind the Sunriver Lodge.

We were so sad to pack up and leave our Wildflower condo on Thursday, but we left with so many good memories! We loved our volcano adventures, our biking, our swimming, our relaxing at the condo. The whole trip was wonderful! I would have never guessed many years ago that outdoorsy vacations would be my thing, but my boys have certainly changed me in the best ways. Our final stop on the way home was Smith Rock State Park. We made this a quick stop to take in the view and look for rock climbers.

Which leads me to today! It’s Owen’s 9th birthday! Halfway to adulthood! Yikes! After such a full week, Owen requested a chill birthday. He wanted pizza, cake, and video games. He, especially, wanted to participate in his island birthday party on Animal Crossing. Usually, we try to do big, special family adventures on birthdays, but I agree with Owen on this one. It was nice to have a laid back day at home.

Birthday month has treated us well so far! From family celebrations, to roller-skating, to vacation, to chilling at home! It’s been good. So good! We are only one week into the month! Still lots more fun to be had!

Settling into our condo! Owen fell in love with that pillow and kept it by his side when we were at the condo.

We called this slide the polar plunge! It was freezing!

Walking around the Lave Butte cinder cone

Looking for rock climbers at Smith Rock State Park

Owen’s birthday requests – Animal Crossing, pizza, and chocolate cake!

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Birthday Month! October 2, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures — Amy Scott @ 6:45 pm

Birthday month is here! Our boys will turn 7 and 9 in October. We kicked off birthday month with a day full of family celebrations. We had brunch with my family and dinner with Jeremy’s family yesterday. I’m so thankful for our families. They loved on our boys and made them feel special! I also love having a combined birthday party at the beginning of the month. It’s an exciting way to start birthday month. On our boys’ actual birthdays, they will get to choose an activity for us to do as a family. More celebrating is still to come!

This weekend was BIG, so we had a fairly chill week to prepare. We visited my friend, Christa, on Monday. She offered to let me borrow her bike this month, but sadly it didn’t fit in my van. She passed along her scooter instead which started a new scooter obsession with the boys. We love visiting Christa and walking her neighbor together. She has a cool neighborhood lake and a great view of the mainline of the train tracks.

On Tuesday, Owen started something new! He is now taking piano lessons from Nana. He has had one lesson and has been diligent to practice every day. As a homeschool mom, I struggle to teach music as a part of our curriculum (since I’m not musical). I’m so glad Owen is getting this opportunity (thank you, Nana). The boys have also started kid’s choir at church on Sundays. We’ve been listening to our practice CD non-stop in preparation for the December performance. I love the musical opportunities we have this fall!

Before running birthday errands, we visited the corn maze on Friday. We got there right when it opened and we had the whole maze to ourselves! The kids had a blast and didn’t want to leave. I love getting outside and adventuring as a family. I don’t follow the corn maze map every well, but Jeremy has an excellent sense of direction. I just happily follow along, getting my steps in and enjoying the outing.

We spent part of today recovering from the big birthday extravaganza yesterday. After kids choir, the boys came from home from church to play with their new gifts. I used the time to do some chores around the house. After a restful afternoon, we took off for a church skate party. This was the boys’ first time on roller skates. I opted to watch from the side. I was a little worried about injuring myself! We had a great turn out from the church and I was super proud of the boys from trying something new.

October has been a blast so far! We are looking forward to all the family fun this fall has to offer. Birthday month is always special and feels like one big month long celebration!

Starting something new! Owen is learning to play the piano.

I’m a big fan of theme parties! Love adding all the Mario details to their party.

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What I’ve Been Reading – September 2022 September 30, 2022

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf — Amy Scott @ 8:25 am

Bookish Thoughts for September

September was a glorious book month! I had fun money to spend so, of course, new books were added to my home library. Two of my favorite authors had new releases which I pre-ordered for signed copies. I’m apparently that reader now. I picked up The Giver Quartet after reading the series this month and watching the movie on Netflix. I can see myself reading the books again and passing them along to my boys when they are older. I purchased Mr. Malcom’s List – both the book and the movie. I borrowed the book a few years ago from a friend and enjoyed it. I wanted to read it again before watching the movie.

I’m just a few books away from reaching my updated reading goal for 2022. I’m currently at 194 books. Three of those books I’ve read twice this year, so I will have read to 203 in order to get 200 different books read this calendar. I’m curious what my total for 2022 will end up being! I was telling my husband that I don’t plan to read as intensely after 2022. I would like to re-watch a few TV shows in 2023. He started laughing at me saying no one says “watching more television” is their goal for the future. We all know that if I read less next year, I will still read a lot! No worries there!

Apparently signed copies are my new thing!

Occasionally, I enjoy a book and movie comparison.

Top Picks for September

Fiction: Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning by Sally Clarkson. I appreciate Sally Clarkson as a resource for not only homeschool moms, but also as an inspiration for the spaces we create in our homes and the way we raise wholehearted children. She is full of grace and encouragement. Her words are soul-stirring and bring out the hopeful best in me. This book took a while to read because I started it at the busiest time of my month, but it was worth every page I could sneak in here and there. This is one I’m sure to add to my home collection eventually!
Non-Fiction: Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay. I read this book last September and gave it 4 stars. I read it again this month and decided to bump it up to 5 stars. It has so many things I love in it! The main character is smart and well-read. She had a rough childhood and found survival in books. There is so much compassion, intrigue, and literary goodness in this book. It rose to the top this month!
I couldn’t pick just one book this month! I’m adding The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber to my top picks this month. Originally, I gave the book 3 stars after the first reading. I was so surprised by the ending that I read the whole book again in the same week to catch elements I missed the first time through. Upon a second reading, I changed my opinion to 4 stars. The end of this book is such a doozy. I’m still reeling! I can’t stop thinking about what comes next in book three of the series!

Book List for September
1 Star = I did not like it. 2 stars = It was okay. 3 stars = I liked it. 4 stars = I really liked it. 5 stars = It was amazing.

Non-Fiction:

Wild + Free Book Club: 28 Activities to Make Books Come Alive by Ainsley Arment – 4 stars
Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley – 4 stars
Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child’s Heart to the Beauty of Learning by Sally Clarkson – 4 stars
Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life by David Thomas – 4 stars
Adventuring Together: How to Create Connections and Make Lasting Memories with Your Kids by Greta Eskridge – 4 stars

Non-Fiction:

How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor (Sweet Rom-Com) – 3 starrs
Just One Chance by Jenny Proctor (Sweet Rom-Com) – 3 stars
Her Last First Date by Jenny Proctor (Sweet Rom-Com) – 3 stars
The Christmas Letters by Jenny Proctor (Sweet Rom-Com) – 4 stars
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Animal Fiction) – 2 stars
Maude: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Melanie J. Fishbane (YA Historical Fiction) – 4 stars
The Giver by Lois Lowry (YA Sci-Fi) – 3 stars
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (YA Sci-Fi) – 3 stars
Messenger by Lois Lowry (YA Sci-Fi) – 3 stars
Son by Lois Lowry (YA Sci-Fi)- 4 stars
Worthy of Legend by Roseanna M. White (Historical Fiction) – 4 stars
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber (YA Fantasy) – 4 stars
Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay (Literary Fiction) – 5 stars
Mr. Malcom’s List by Suzanne Allain (Historical Fiction) – 4 stars
Miss Lattimore’s Letters by Suzanne Allain (Historical Fiction) – 3 stars

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Sailing Through September September 24, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Travels,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 3:46 pm

We are swiftly sailing through September. The month has disappeared in what feels like a blink. I’m not used to the pace we’ve been keeping. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that the last week of September is upon us. The good news is October is my favorite month and it’s full of fun. While I’m baffled that September is almost over, I’m very happy to welcome October soon! Autumn adventures are the best and now I can fully revel in all that is fall!

My last post found us in the thick of hunting season for Jeremy (and the boys) and a conference for me. Prepping for a conference with Jeremy out in the woods wasn’t always ideal. Thankfully, Jeremy had the boys with him a few times so I could practice for my workshop without kid chaos in the background. The boys love tagging along during hunting season. While I had girl time during the conference, they had boy time in the woods. Win-win.

The day after the conference, Jeremy and I dropped the boys off with Nana & Papa so we could attend a staff retreat with the church team. The turnaround of conference prep, attending the conference, packing for a trip (for the kids and myself), and curating school (so Nana could substitute teach) meant I came into the retreat worn out. Fortunately, there was plenty of time for this introvert to recharge in the schedule. It was a good mix of conversation and connection while still finding time to be quiet with a book and journal. My highlights were our conversations about the Enneagram (which I adore), our rides on the golf carts to and from meals, and taking morning walks with the sun shining on the Columbia River.

We got home on Wednesday and I had Thursday set aside as a recovery day. We still did school, but the rest of the day was very chill. Jeremy took the boys out for the final evening hunt of elk season. I was able to recharge enough on Thursday so we could adventure out on Friday. We met some friends at the Ape Caves yesterday for some spelunking. We hiked our way through the more challenging cave and did another hike at Lava Canyon. I didn’t feel it yesterday, but I can tell today I climbed over boulders yesterday. It was a very fun outing and I got a chuckle that on a beautifully sunny day, we went underground for our recreation.

September sure has kept us busy. It’s been good, but I’m tired! I’ve been able to rest more today. A quiet home day is doing wonders for my soul. It’s the small things like working through the laundry, making mac & cheese, and sitting down with a book that fills me up. God has been so good to sustain me through this non-stop month. I’m certainly ready for things to slow down a bit!

Hunting buddies! I love the memories they are making out in the woods.

Afternoon free time means introvert recharge time. Nothing like reading a book surrounded by pillows on a comfy bed.

Caves might not ever be my happy place, but they are cool!

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September Snapshots September 17, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Parenthood,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 6:02 pm

Today’s blog will be more pictures than words. I just got home from a women’s conference at our church. It was a Friday night and most of the day Saturday event. I led a workshop this morning based on the book Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley. I don’t get many opportunities for public speaking so studying and practicing my notes was a big portion of my week. Now that it’s done and the adrenaline rush is over, I can feel the crash coming. Thus, a post of mostly pictures! A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Right!

Constantly being left in the dust now that these two are always on their new bikes!

My parents were on a trip this week so the boys and I checked on their dog and watered the plants while Auntie (the house-sitter) was at work. The kids loved their daily doggie duty. As you can see, TC just patiently put up with us.

Chess with co-op has started! In PE, Graham got 2nd place in the mile run. The boys love co-op and can’t wait to go back next week!

We took home Junior Ranger books from Fort Clatsop in August. We completed them and the park ranger mailed our boys their badges. We love the Junior Ranger program!

MILESTONE! Graham lost his first tooth this week. I was starting to get nervous since he is almost 7. This experience was even more memorable because he accidentally swallowed it while eating his cereal. Oops! The tooth fairy was very understanding, though.

‘Tis the season to dress like a tree! Jeremy has been out elk hunting all week. The boys got to join him Thursday evening and today!

No need to visit the pumpkin patch. Jeremy grew our pumpkins this year! They are so beautiful!

I didn’t take any pictures at the conference, but here are my cookies that I decorated in the afternoon workshop. YUM! Love the fall colors!

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The Many Adventures of September September 11, 2022

Filed under: Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Travels — Amy Scott @ 2:09 pm

I always think September is going to be a month of getting back into routine after the hubbub of summer… But in reality, September isn’t that month. Each week is different and it makes finding our normal tricky. I looked at the calendar yesterday and realized that our first normal week in September is the last one! It’s always like this though… the things that make September zany are annual events. I should see this coming, but alas, I’m surprised every year! So October… November… those are my fall into routine months! The bonus of being in our third of homeschooling is that we fell back into our school routine fairly easily. Muscle memory kicked in and we’ve picked up where we left off. It’s taken way less energy to get back into the swing of school than in years past. I am grateful for that. And as much as I wish September would be more chill, I am thankful for the many adventures of September!

Let’s recap our excitement for the last week. Over Labor Day weekend the boys had a sleepover with their cousins. They’ve been asking for this sleepover since May and we finally made it happen. Jeremy and I got a hotel room nearby. It was Graham’s first sleepover (other than with grandparents) and we wanted to be close by in case he needed us (which he didn’t). Jeremy and I were able to enjoy dinner and breakfast without the kids. It was a win-win for the kids and the parents.

We kicked off our homeschool co-op with rocket launches this week. Jeremy helped facilitate the launching and families came with their rockets ready to fly. This was the third year we’ve used our silver rocket and it’s now basically held together by packing tape. It’s lived a long life and seen many a launch. The kids always love this activity and it was a fun way to kick off our co-op year.

Bikes have played a big part in our week. Graham mastered riding without training wheels! We also upgraded the kids to bigger bikes since they have outgrown theirs. The new bikes are actually birthday presents for our October birthday boys. We gave them their present late last year (Disneyland in November), so why not give them their present a month early this year? The main reason we opted for early gifting is we’re taking a trip this fall and we wanted the kids to be comfortable on their bigger bikes before we travel. They are definitely ready to hit the trails!

The final highlight of our week was a field trip to the Tillamook Creamery and a stop by Hug Point (beach). We love to have family adventures on Fridays! Our fall field trips are some of my favorites. We can enjoy the last bit of summer and the good weather that seems to stay through October. Winter field trips are limited to inside, so it’s nice to get outside while we can. We watched them package three different types of cheese at the creamery. It’s always exciting to see what is being processed. On Friday, it was Monterey jack, sharp cheddar, and pepper jack. We went through the sample line (possibly twice) and had ice cream for lunch. Our time at Hug Point was spent cooling off in the ocean and exploring the rocks and caves. We even found a small waterfall! It was an excellent field trip!

Wow! We packed a lot into one week! More adventures still to come!