Our Seasonal Homeschooling Schedule!

Hello my friends, and Happy Tuesday! :)

I hope you are all enjoying your September! We're having very nice weather here, if perhaps a bit warm for this time of year. Muggy, I guess you'd say. But I'm relishing the "late summer" feel to these days ... it will be so cold before we know it ... and it will stay cold for AGES.

Anyhoo, what I have here is my (long promised) outline of this year's weekly themes. I refer to this concept as "seasonal homeschooling," but really, these themes are woven into all areas of our family and home life. I'll be expanding on these themes in a future project but for now, I thought you might enjoy seeing what we'll be focusing on in the seasons ahead.

Now, some themes are pretty self explanatory, while others might seem more obscure. The goal for me is to highlight a simple hallmark of the season and weave it into our family's life experience. Some weeks it's just a general awareness of something - pointing things out, encouraging observation and discussion - while at other times we really dive in! It all depends on how busy we are and how appealing the theme might be! In the notebook where I keep this schedule, I also list any days of note, so I've included them here as well - they make sense for my family but they might not yours! I share them in case they may help you fill in your own calendar. :)

Mostly our themes connect with the natural rhythm of the year - this is something I've observed and enjoyed since I was very young - but there are also liturgical feasts listed here, as well as national holidays and family events.

Ok, onward we go ...

 

September

5 - autumn seeds (Labor Day, Back to School, Nativity of Mary, NFL Season begins, Patriot Day)

12 - at the autumn orchard (Holy Cross Day, Apple Picking field trip, Full Harvest Moon, Apple Festival)

19 - crows & corn (International Peace Day, Autumn Equinox)

26 - along the autumn hedgerow/dragons in the air (Johnny Appleseed Day, Michaelmas, St. Therese, Guardian Angels)  

 

October

3 - changing leaves (Fair Week, St. Francis, Blessing of the Pets, OL Rosary)

10 - in the autumn woods (Columbus Day, Full Hunters Moon, First Frost?)

17 - pumpkins on the vine (St. Luke's Little Summer, Our 23rd Wedding Anniversary)

24 - goodnight garden (Pre-Halloween Week)

31 - fading light (All Hallow's Eve, Gratitude Project, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Daylight Savings Time ends)

 

November

7 - cozy nests (Election Day, Martinmas, Veterans' Day, Taurids)

14 - in the autumn bog (Full Frost Moon, Leonids, Fantastic Beasts, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Christ the King)

21 - a thankful heart (Thanksgiving Day, Nana's Birthday, Advent begins)

28 - stone walls & rock gardens (Advent Week One, St. Andrew of Scotland, St. Barbara's Branches)

 

December 

5 - from the forest: evergreens (Advent Week Two, St. Nicholas, Uncle Eric's Birthday, Immaculate Conception, St. Juan Diego)

12 - the animals of Christmas (Advent Week Three, OL Guadalupe, St. Lucy, Full Cold Moon, Earlybird's & Papa's Birthday)

19 - gingerbread folk (Advent Week Four, Winter Solstice, Christmas)

26 - winter birds & bells (Boxing Day, St. Stephen, New Year's Eve/Day, Mary Mother of God, 1st Bird of the Year)

 

January

2 - winter stars (Epiphany)

9 - winter comforts (Full Wolf Moon, My Birthday, Baptism of the Lord)

16 - snowflakes in the air (MLK Jr. Day, Benjamin Franklin's Birthday, Inauguration Day, St. Agnes)

23 - icy days, frosty nights (Handwriting Day, Burns Night, Grandma's Birthday, Chinese Year of the Rooster, Days of the Blackbird begin ...)

30 - candles aglow (Days of the Blackbird, St. Brigid, Candlemas, Groundhog Day, St. Blaise, Superbowl Sunday)

 

February

6 - by the hearthside (Full Snow Moon, OL Lourdes, Abraham Lincoln's Birthday)

13 - Valentines (St. Valentine's Day)

20 - winter citrus (Presidents' Day, Chair of St. Peter)

27 - potted plants (Ash Wednesday/Lent begins, St. David's Day, March comes in like a lion ...)

 

March

6 - thaw (Full Sap Moon, Daylight Savings Time begins)

13 - returning light (St. Patrick's Day)

20 - pussy willows (St. Joseph, Vernal Equinox, The Annunciation, Laetare (Rose) Sunday/Mothering Sunday, Uncle Greg's Birthday)

27 - spring wind (March goes out like a lamb ...)

 

April

3 - at the spring pond (Palm Sunday)

10 - eggs at Eastertide (Holy Week, Full Pink Moon, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday)

17 - April showers (Earth Day, St. George's Day, Shakespeare's Birthday, Divine Mercy Sunday)

24 - faeries in our garden (St. Mark, Walpurgisnacht/May Eve)

 

May

1 - spring fire (May Day, Cinco de Mayo)

8 - in the meadow (Full Flower Moon, OL Fatima, The Freezing Saints, Mother's Day)

15 - milk & honey (St. Isadore the Farmer)

22 - fresh air (BC Commencement, Ascension Day, Little Bear's Birthday)

29 - a family garden (Memorial Day, The Visitation, Uncle Matt's Birthday, Pentecost Sunday)

 

June

5 - strawberries (Whit Monday, Full Strawberry Moon, Trinity Sunday)

12 - butterflies (Flag Day, Father's Day, Corpus Christi)

19 - the summer sun (Summer Solstice, Bookworm's Birthday, St. John's Eve/Day, Midsummer)

26 - medicinal herbs (Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Junipero Sierra)

 

July

3 - God Bless America (Grandpa's & Aunt Ami's Birthday, Independence Day, Full Thunder Moon)

10 - thunderstorms (Bill's Birthday, St. Kateri Tekawitha)

17 - farmstand (St. Mary Magdalene)

24 - seashells (St. James, Sts. Joachim and Anne)

 

August

31 - little harvest (St. Ignatius Loyola, Lammas Day, The Transfiguration)

7 - mermaid tales & tears (Full Green Corn Moon, Crackerjack's Birthday)

14 - blueberries (Assumption Day, Blueberry Festival)

21 - bats (Queenship of Mary, St. Rose of Lima)

28 - sunflowers (Labor Day Weekend, World Day of Prayer for Creation, Sunflower Field)

 

************

 

Well, there you have it! I will be adding to the list of events as the year goes along ... field trips and social gatherings come up as they do! And sometimes I switch themes up or continue one theme into the next ... I try not to sweat it too much! For instance, we are still looking around for autumn seeds (it was drizzly that week) and I switched up autumn orchard and crows/corn as they were originally scheduled - an apple picking opportunity came up and it just made more sense!

Now, as I've mentioned - once, twice, a thousand times before, lol - what I'm doing right now is building a book around these themes, something I'll most likely self-publish - and hopefully a planner as well. (Something along the lines of the seasonal planning sheets I've been sharing this year.) I am truly sorry I have not been able to finish up this project and make it available to you as I'd hoped to earlier in the year. All I can promise at this point is to keep writing and blogging and sharing and the very moment I have something (really) ready to go - I will let you know! Thank you for all your support and encouragement - I appreciate every bit of it, every kind word, thoughtful suggestion, and friendly "wave" across the Internet. :)

But for now, I will wrap this up because dinner prep has started in the kitchen and - from the sounds of it - clearly Mama's help is required!

Enjoy the rest of your evening my friends ... I hope to be back here again very soon!

My Early Autumn Planning Sheets (Printables!)

Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your weekend! :)

Here in America we are celebrating Labor Day weekend, which means tomorrow is a holiday for most of us. It is also considered the unofficial "end of summer" since most children have returned to school by now. (We return to lessons Tuesday!) We're still summery though, weather-wise - after some rain and wind from Hurricane Hermine tomorrow, we are expecting a return to the 90s for the balance of the week! But this is how it goes at this time of year ...

The mornings and evenings ARE cooler and the light is different now, too. The signs of seasonal change are subtle, but -  if you pay attention - then over time instinctually you can tell when these little shifts are taking place. It feels good to be connected with the rhythm of the year. Like being privy to some vital (though often overlooked) information ...

But anyhoo - I am very happy to FINALLY present my next set of seasonal planning sheets to you ... once again with my sincere apologies to be so VERY last minute. sigh My computer crash definitely slowed me down this summer, but honestly, it just took me a while to get around to ironing out all the details! (Not just the plans themselves, but the colors and the clipart!) I have such fun, thinking about these kinds of things, though ... I have always maintained that if we don't plan for joy as carefully as we plan for work, then we might just miss out on a lot. Too much. There are way too many things I LOVE about autumn that I want to share with my children. And I now have a good idea just how fast the years fly ... my oldest "baby" is 21, while my newest is a very busy and delightful THREE. How did that happen?

I may not ever do everything in my plans but I am grateful for what we can do and glad I have made myself (and my family) aware of these kinds of things. These are the things that enrich the ordinary ... make the everyday special ... set one day apart from the next ... and remind us just how BLESSED we are to get to do it again, year after year ... as long as God allows.

Well, ok - time to get down to the nitty gritty! Here are the planning sheets for the next season ahead, which I call "Early Autumn" (September and October). I have my "themes and plans" overview first - one with my notes and one that is blank for you to fill up with your own ideas (though you're welcome to try mine!). Then there are the multi-week planning sheets - an overview that allows for space for you to plan a weekly theme, days of note, home & garden tasks, comforts & joys, meal plans and to-do's ... along with a little vintage clipart and a snippet of an idea from me. :) These go from this coming week (9/5-9/11) through the last week of Early Autumn (10/31-11/6).

And finally, there is a home learning planning sheet in complementary colors. You might use this differently if you don't homeschool - maybe just notes for each of your kids. Goodness knows our kids always have a lot going on! I myself have three boys I'm currently homeschooling so there is room for their lesson notes as well as a day-by-day overview. And if you need a different number of boxes, let me know - I can tweak my original and email you a new copy. :)

Early Autumn Overview (Dawn's)

Early Autumn Overview (clean)

Early Autumn Planning Sheets

Home Learning this Week (Early Autumn) 

I do hope these are of some use to you - I'd love to hear feedback if you have a minute! And please let me know if the links are wonky - I check on my end, but who knows what glitches might come to pass in cyberspace!

I will be back next - PROMISE - with the 52 seasonal themes. (I think that's the third time I've promised them!) And in another month or so - hopefully sooner than later! - I will be back with my last set of seasonal sheets, Late Autumn (November and December). It is my fond hope to publish these on the early side and include some holidays sheets in there too. But we shall see. So please stay tuned,  and thanks so much for stopping by! 

I will see you here again very soon ...

Planning a New Year + a Peek at My Lesson Planner!

Happy Tuesday, my friends! I hope your week's off to a great start!

These are heady days, aren't they? I just LOVE this time of year ... it's so full of promise and preparation. We're still enjoying the nice weather of late summer (warm, breezy, dry) but autumn is truly just around the corner so it's perfectly respectable to start planning ahead. (Great fun for those of us who love autumn and planning!) And while we're still in "vacation" mode here, it's definitely time to get our new year in order - plans, resources, learning space, official approval and all that. Part of that rhythm for me involves pulling together a lesson planner of some sort - a tool to help me iron out the year ahead. I'm very much an eclectic homeschooler, but I draw much inspiration from the Charlotte Mason and Waldorf styles of learning. Some years have leaned more one way than the other, but I am always better off with a PLAN of some sort in place.

So I thought today I'd give you a peek at the planner I've created - even though it's still under construction! This year I'm homeschooling a 17 year old, a 14 year old (with special needs) and a 3 year old who simply will not be left out of anything, lol. (Our 21 year old is a senior in college, so for the most part, he's out of my loop!)

Ok, here is the cover of my planner:

It just makes me so happy ...

I started with a plain, one-subject, spiral-bound notebook I really like and covered it with a vintage alphabet scrapbook paper. (You can see the print in closer detail in my blog banner above.) I adhered the paper to the front of the notebook with some yellow washi tape and added a fun sticker on top. "Capture the Joy" sounds about right for a homeschooling motto!

Inside the planner it's a rather humble affair ... I just used a pencil and ruler to create the pages I needed for planning. Inside the front pocket I keep a printout of the ed. plan I sent into the school system. After a title page I have a "Contact/Correspondence" log. Here is where I mark down when I send stuff into the superintendent and when I hear back. I also note our HSLDA renewal activity.

Next comes an academic year at a glance "attendance" calendar:

I shaded in the days we would be on vacation (blue) and actively homeschooling (yellow). Green shading indicates a weekend. This helped me determine how many hours per week we need to count towards the 990 total for the year. Also, I can see where it makes sense to take time off and when we can (hopefully)wrap up for the year.

Next comes the two-page seasonal homeschooling schedule:

On the left side of the schedule I have the Monday date and seasonal theme; on the right hand side I have written down any events of note. This chart runs from 9/5/2016 - 8/28/2017. (I'll share these seasonal themes in my next post.)

The next several pages are devoted to organizing our weekly rhythm (when we're home and when we're out each day, where to fit in which subjects) as well as a breakdown of goals and ideas for each of my boys. Crackerjack's page includes space for college planning, while Earlybird's allows for ABA goals and Little Bear's is just all about how I'd like his preschool years to look. ❤️

Then comes a list of all the subject areas I want to include this year (for example - poem of the month, artist of the month, a monthly field trip, weekly nature study and art project, etc.).

Next I break down the months of the year with notes in all areas - another hand-drawn chart with lots of tiny writing!

It's hard to see here, but the circled letter denotes the month. On the far left I've listed the seasonal themes that fall within that month. Then comes two blocks for things like audiobook, history topic, science topics, artist(s), music focus, geography region, field trip idea, habit to work on ... etc.! And then finally on the far right I've written down the events of note in that month. These are days that will figure into our homeschooling in some way.

After this two-page spread comes a list of back-to-school supplies and traditions. (I'm working off a rather large checklist I wrote a few years ago. You can see that list in a newsletter here if you're interested. The list is on the last two pages.)

Now comes the monthly sections! First up of course is September ...

Ok, so I get a little silly with my notebooks, I will happily admit. I love organization and tidy details, but I need to have a page for doodles and brainstorms! This is a portion of my favorite September poem and all around the edge of this page I've written out things I love about the month: apples, fresh pencils, goldenrod, grasshoppers, green tomatoes, alphabet soup, sweatshirts, spiderwebs, crisp mornings, cricket song, the harvest moon ... a kind of love letter to the month ahead. This might not be "standard" in a typical teacher's planner, but I love to include this kind of inspiration in mine!

After the title page I have a monthly planning page for September with notes on the left and a calendar on the right.

I use post-its here because I like how they allow me to organize ideas in a flexible and visual way. Each note represents a particular area of September planning: field trip, nature themes, nature study, science, geography, events of note, social studies, math, faith focus, music, crafts, good habit, literature, bird and badge of the month, and "teas" which are basically monthly sit-downs with special food and a seasonal celebration of some sort.

The calendar (as with pretty much everything else in this planner!) is hand-drawn and embellished with a little seasonal washi tape, sticker and doodle. I'll add some quotes and notes here, too.

And now for the nitty-gritty - the weekly lesson planning section!

I apologize if this is way too much detail, but that's just how I roll, lol! As longtime readers know well ... ;)

On the left side of the weekly spread is another post-it brainstorming page similar to the one in the monthly section. I've also listed the theme for the week (sunflowers this week) and any days of note. I have not yet decided if I will continue to use post-it notes here (which are fun and convenient but might bulk up my planner) or if I'll commit to a hand-drawn grid for planning. Meanwhile, on the right-hand page I have a chart where I can sketch out daily details for each of my three students. There are rows for Monday through Friday and then a large row for the weekend at the bottom. We don't typically do academic work on the weekends, but there is usually homework for my 17yo as well as seasonal, family activities to enjoy.

(Note: I'm still working on our week's rhythm - which days we do what subjects/activities. Our weeks are mostly shaped by Crackerjack's outside classes and Earlybird's therapy schedule. It's a little different this year so I'm re-thinking things a bit. Some subjects, like reading and math, are done daily - but we do need to find the best time of day for those lessons. Mornings would be ideal, mentally speaking, but with CJ going to classes some days and EB working with his therapist everyday, a lot of our activity takes place in the after-lunch hours. That said, EB's therapists are working more of his home education into his sessions, and I'm really excited for this support! Another reason to be really organized and detailed with my weekly lesson plans!)

By establishing a consistent framework (science on Tuesdays and Thursdays, social studies M-W-F, etc.), it is easier to plug activities into the chart. I'm still tweaking all of this - because as long as I've been doing this, it changes every year! - but will share more when I can. :)

Sometimes, for whatever reason, plans must change or be abandoned, and I've come to accept this is just the nature of homeschooling and life with kids. (Particularly one with autism!) Plans provide wonderful guidance, but they don't absolutely guarantee all the boxes will be checked off at the end of the week ...

But I never feel a minute of planning is wasted. Planning gives me a leg up on whatever our week brings our way. I've learned not to dwell in disappointment when things don't go "as planned." There is still beauty and value in creating plans that pan out in a way I didn't originally foresee. Sometimes I carry things over into the next week. Sometimes I save things for next year. Missed lessons are sometimes caught up with in a flurry. For the most part, I find it all shakes out in the end ...

If I've established an atmosphere that promotes learning, they will learn. If I've encouraged an attitude of curiosity they'll be curious. If I've shared my own joy and wonder at the world, then the world will be a source of joy and wonder for my children. If I can check boxes off in my planner I'll be thrilled, but there is room to see where my children might lead me, too.

 🍎

OK, I'm going to sign off now because I'm getting a little rambly and clearly I could just go on and on here ... I will share my 52 seasonal themes in my next post. For those of you who remember I'm working on a book (and yes I am still working on it!) these themes are my book's outline. So this will be a little sneak peek, if you will. :)

Other upcoming posts:

A look at this year's file crate.

A tour of my brand new desk!

How I'm using my Day Designer ...

Early Autumn Planning Sheets!

So I hope you all enjoy your  week and what's left of this summer season ... thanks so much for stopping by!

I will see you here again very soon ...

Planner Chat & Q & A

Happy Sunday, my friends! A quick(ish) post today to follow up on some "planning sheet" questions AND to share a little bit of planning news!

First my news: remember last month I participated in a live planning chat "webinar" with Mystie from Simplified Organization and Jen from Wildflowers & Marbles? Well I'm so pleased to announce that we are going to do an encore webinar NEXT Saturday, January 16th at 10 a.m. (EST)! I hope you'll grab yourself a cup of coffee and join us for some more planning chat!

Now, if you signed up for our December workshop you will get an email reminder for the talk (plus the link for playback) but if you missed us last time, you can go HERE to sign up and join in the fun. I believe we are going to focus on seasonal planning this time around, but please let me know if there are some specific questions that you'd like to see addressed. You can also ask (or type!) your questions for us during the live chat, but I'd love to hear what's on your mind these days when it comes to a new year of planning!

:)

And speaking of planning, and switching gears a bit, I wanted to answer a few questions that were raised about my printable planning sheets. I'm so glad the links worked and that they are of interest to some of you! :)

From Michelle:

I would love to see how one looks when it is filled out with your daily routines. Also, I was wondering how you incorporated your cleaning schedule into these sheets?

Michelle, I will share a planning sheet "in action" in a follow-up post. I am waiting for our new printer to arrive so I can print out more sheets - our old one died a few days ago! (It's scheduled to arrive tomorrow - you've gotta love Amazon Prime!) I will print out next week's planning sheets and then, in another post, I will show you all how I'm filling them in. And I've incorporated my cleaning schedule into the planner itself (the spiral-bound notebook I've made up and will share in a post this week). I have listed my housekeeping tasks in my weekly agenda, in checklist form.

    From Deb:

I especially love your "Deep Winter Overview" and would love to see how it flows through and works into your week(s). Your themes change weekly, time flies so quickly, how do you establish each theme? Crafts, menus, books, decorating details?

Deb, some weeks the theme features more prominently in our plans than others ... but I always like to have a theme! It helps me grasp some of the beauty of the season. I've done this since I was a child ...

What I do is sit down and and brainstorm the year as I see it, filled with so much joy - as I go through my past journals and read through some favorite seasonal resources I take notes of things that I love about the seasons. Using this large list of ideas  - events, qualities, remembrances - I work themes into the weeks of the year. Some of them just fit with certain weeks because they match up with a full moon or a feast day - eg. winter stars at Epiphany, candles at Candlemas, maple during the full sap moon, snowflakes for St. Agnes, etc. With this outline of themes, I schedule activities and observations where I can - in our homeschooling, craft projects, family meals, our weekly book basket, and sometimes just my own thoughts and personal activities.

So, for example, next week my theme is "warming drinks." I chose this theme to be part of January because it is National Hot Tea Month and because I feel hot drinks to be such a comfort and joy at this time of year. It is also my birthday week, and tea (and coffee) is such a big part of my life! So I want to celebrate it a little ... with a "birthday tea" for myself and with my kids (who prefer cocoa) and perhaps a cleaning out of my china cupboard - dusting my pots, cups and saucers. (Remembering the tea I shared with my late grandmother - in those very pots! - whose birthday is also this week.) I retired my autumn and Christmas mugs and found my "new" mug for the winter season - a cheerful, golden mug that holds a very generous volume of beverage!

It would also be fun to explore hot drinks through the world and over time - what do people drink where? What are some global tea customs? How and where is tea grown? We could take a look at the herbs used for tea - and sketch a tea garden for the spring, with plans to make our own tea blends next year? (Homemade gifts!) Perhaps a look at the history of tea in New England, with a visit to the Boston tea party ship and museum? Any or all of these things could be woven into our home learning this week ...

I keep it fairly low key - or not, depending on time and interest! I just like being aware of all those beautiful "comforts and joys" that are part of the year itself. My aim is to come up with all kinds of ideas (like the ones I mentioned above) so I can pick and choose what fits with our needs each year. Like, we didn't do much with "winter stars" last week ... but maybe next year we'll visit the planetarium, hang shiny window stars, and bake star-shaped spice cookies for Little Christmas ... 

Naming "themes" to the weeks is just my way of organizing a large umbrella of many ideas. And these are the ideas (and framework) that are making up my book which I hope to "publish" sometime this year. For now though, these ideas live in my planners and posts and binders - and, of course, in my heart! I carry them around with me and nurture them when I have time to sit and reflect on just why I love the seasons. :)

Well, I got a bit rambly, Deb, but I hope I answered your question. Please let me know if I can clarify further! 

Here's another question, from Shelly:

I am wondering.... did you do these in Word? The reason I ask is that I would like to create a 'deep winter' overview, but my lists would have different things to focus on.

Shelly, I did these sheets in an application called, "Pages" on my Macbook. I don't know how or if that would work with Word, but what I did was I went back into the Deep Winter Overview page and deleted personal text. I left the dated nine weekly blocks and the snowdrops graphic. If that would be something you could use, feel free to grab it! I had someone ask if they would be able to make the pages editable, but I'm not sure how that would work.

Deep Winter Overview (Clean Copy)

And finally, from Kelly:

I could see using these as brainstorming sheets, and then transferring the ideas/thoughts to my planner (monthly, daily, and weekly to-do's). Thank you for sharing these! Isn't planning such a joy, especially when it helps us live out our lives more intentionally?

Kelly - yes! Exactly. I use these sheets (and exercises) to brainstorm seasonal ideas that can (possibly, hopefully) be funneled into my weekly activities - things I might do with my family and/or on my own. The planner - which I will show you all this week - is where I get into the "nitty gritty" of the week. It shows me what is happening when and where I might be able to squeeze in a little seasonal appreciation. :)

Planning IS such a joy, Kelly - and you nailed it when you said: "it helps us live out our lives more intentionally." YES. THIS. Time flies, joy passes by - and I love to find ways to harness it, appreciate it, and share it with my family when and where I can. And the blessing is, seasonal living is a joy we get to revisit every year! :)

~❤~

Well, my friends, I'd best wrap up now, but I hope you enjoyed this post! Please let me know if you have any questions - regarding the planning sheets or perhaps my upcoming chat with Mystie and Jen on Saturday. I would love to hear from you! And I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday ... we've got Downton tonight! Woohoo! So let's chat about the episode tomorrow! :)

See you here again very soon ...

A Fresh Start: Printable Planning Sheets

Happy Friday, my friends! I hope this week is treating you well.

I have some really fun posts coming up - there's a new "Planner Tour" in the works and of course "Masteriece Monday" as well as a "Birthday Tea" on Tuesday! - but for today I'd like to share some printable planning sheets with you all ...

Now originally, I was designing these sheets as part of a "spiral-bound, weekly planner-book kind of thing." I was also creating another set of pages for further description of seasonal projects and homey little "assignments" ... but this all became a bit overcomplicated (not to mention oversized!) so I decided the planning sheets would work well enough with my file crate folders. I've been looking for a way to make the FCS more useful and this just might be it! So I went on to transform a simple store-bought notebook into a more user-friendly weekly planner (details soon) and the seasonal project/assignment pages are (slowly) being churned out and set aside for that someday (soon I hope) book. :)

Anyhow, since I very recently figured out how to make a document a PDF and link it here at my blog - I thought it would be fun to share these sheets here in case they might be helpful to someone in some way ...

I have two page designs - one is for general planning and the other is for lesson planning. I am stapling them to the front cover of the folders, with general planning on the outside and lesson planning on the inside. You could also use Washi tape to attach them, or a decorative paper clip, perhaps ... but so far, stapling works for me!

I only have my first season (aka two months) done so far, but if there is interest, I will share the following seasons as I complete them. So here first is my Deep Winter Overview 2016 PDF which breaks down the season by weeks and themes, and will perhaps give you a better idea of what those project pages cover. This particular sheet I have attached inside my notebook planner, at the start of the Deep Winter section, secured with some pretty washi tape. 

(Edited to Add: Here is a clean copy of the Deep Winter Overview Planning Sheet.)

And here is a link to my lesson planning sheet:

Home Learning This Week (Dawn's)

Home Learning This Week (blank)

 (I've included my own personalized sheet just to give you a better idea of how I use it, as well as a clean copy for you to use if you wish.)

And, finally, here are the Weekly Planning Sheets for January and February. There are sections for planning "days of note," a weekly "theme," suppers, to-dos, crafts & comforts, home & garden tasks/projects, and thoughts & prayers. I also had fun choosing a bit of vintage clipart and adding a simple seasonal "suggestion" for the week.

Deep Winter Week One Planning Sheet (12/28-1/3) PDF

Deep Winter Week Two Planning Sheet (1/4-1/10) PDF

Deep Winter Week Three Planning Sheet (1/11-1/17) PDF

Deep Winter Week Four Planning Sheet (1/18-1/24) PDF

Deep Winter Week Five Planning Sheet (1/25-1/31) PDF

Deep Winter Week Six Planning Sheet (2/1-2/7) PDF

Deep Winter Week Seven Planning Sheet (2/8-2/14) PDF

Deep Winter Week Eight Planning Sheet (2/15-2/21) PDF

Deep Winter Week Nine Planning Sheet (2/22-2/28) PDF

I can do a follow-up post to show how I fill out those blocks. This sheet shown above was hot-off-the-presses and just set on top of a folder for a photo-op.

Now as I mentioned, I also have my notebook planner going on, and I use that more actively than I do these folders/sheets. I refer to my folders/sheets for ideas and direction, but I have daily checklists and a weekly agenda in my planner. I hope this will all make more sense once I give you the full planner tour - WHICH I am hoping to have up midweek! I have a busy weekend with family visits and such, but I will be working in my planner as I find time and taking pictures to share. My goal is to post the tour by Wednesday!

So for now, I will let you go, but I hope you enjoyed this post and seeing all my Deep Winter planning! I would love to hear your thoughts on them if you have time! I would also love to write more about how I'm using the sheets but nap time is nearing its end so I'd better wrap up. I will be back very soon, however, and for now I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

*❤*

A Christmas Books Giveaway!

Happy Wednesday, my friends! It's a good day for a giveaway!

As I was going through our Christmas book collection I set aside some duplicates to pass on to someone else:

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona!

Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here ...

Christmas in Noisy Village

And I'd like to offer them to one of my readers! So someone will win a pretty little package from me, filled with these books and perhaps a few other seasonal delights, too ... :)

If you would like to enter your name in my Christmas Books Giveaway, please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear a suggestion for the blog - a post topic or question you might like me to answer - but you can just say, Hey, Happy Advent, too! ;)

I will announce the giveaway winner in Monday's Advent Tea post!

(And speaking of ... folks who send (or have sent) me Advent Tea comments/pics/links get entered in the giveaway twice!)

You can leave a note for me here or send me mail at:

>> bysunandcandle AT gmail DOT com <<

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, my friends ... hope to hear from you soon!

November Nightfall

It comes so early now ... the night. And some might say too early, but it's all just part of that rhythm. Outside there's a fading of color and a sharpness to the air ... while inside we have our lights burning and there are extra blankets on the beds. At this time of year the comforts of home seem all the more comforting, but the outside is still welcoming too, especially on evenings like these ...

Sunset, 4:20 p.m. Sunday. Just before the Patriots Game.

:)

How wonderful for a little one to get all rosy-cheeked and leaf-littered on a cool autumn evening ... then to come inside for a warm bath and a good supper before bed. I love teaching my children to appreciate our days in ALL seasons and by "teaching" I mean, sharing my own joy right alongside them. That's the best lesson, I think - what we show them. Because those little eyes watch us so closely! Little Bear might not read his mama's blog yet, but I know he can read my moods ...

You know, I've been working on that book of mine, and trying to figure out just where I'm going with it ... getting distracted sometimes, or maybe even a little defeated ... but when I look back at this post, I can see it. This is what makes me tick, and this is where I zoom in: on the simple, little joys ... the easy, homey comforts. Every week brings something new to learn and share ...

As organic as it seems it should be to just follow the seasons and accept nature's rhythm, I find that Life As We Know It often gets in the way. So I create a little structure - weekly themes and file folders - and hope that by planning ahead we'll make more of the moment. The seasons pass so quickly - not to mention the years! So this week we're watching our world get sleepy and dark and we're feeling grateful for things like light and warmth (and peace) ... in nature we're observing a fallen log and exploring the tart curiosity of cranberries, while baking breads to bring to neighbors across town ... 

November days - are they dark? Yes, they can be. But dull? No, they don't have to be. There's much to be thankful for and so many ways to explore this big, blessed world. It is my hope to highlight these joys in each week of the year ... to work them into my "plans" so they become more than just ideas, but actions ... and then to share them all with my family, and you!

So anyhow ... that's where I'm at right now. I mostly just wanted to share all these happy photos and then I got carried away. (You all know how I get.) And now I'm watching another (early) sunset, lighting a candle on our seasons shelf, and conjuring some good smells in the kitchen ...

And putting the laptop down, for now. But I'll be back here again sometime soon ...

(Good Night!)

Creating Seasonal Themes: Corn Week!

(Plus a bit of book news at the end!)

Happy Wednesday, my friends! Sorry I've been a bit out of touch lately ... we've had a lot going on here at the house these days!

We're gearing up for a new year of home learning, and we're getting Bookworm ready for his move back to BC, and we're starting Earlybird on a new, daily, home-based, fairly intensive, behavioral therapy. All very good things, but all things requiring a lot of time, energy and attention. (And did I mention, energy?) Also, as August winds down, we're trying to squeeze the very last drops of goodness out of this fast-fleeing season ... we'll have warm weather here for several more weeks, but for all intents and purposes, Summer pretty much ends after Labor Day.

So I thought I would share some of my notes for this week with you all! As I have mentioned before, I enjoy shaping my family's year by assigning seasonal themes to each week. This helps me weave in all the little comforts and joys of the season I might otherwise overlook. And though I really get into planning these themes out with all kinds of details, I try not to set my expectations too high. Because real life often runs over my plans, and a particular "theme" might not get explored very much ... so some years we might manage something small (a special recipe, perhaps) while other years we might go all out and really work that theme into our homeschooling and home life! Either way, I think it's always good to have a plan. And to be aware ... I think as seasons pass, the beautiful rhythm of the year truly wraps itself around my family however much attention we pay it. That is my end goal! :)

Anyhoo, this current week is devoted to the very timely topic of CORN. In New England (and I suspect, across much of the country) corn is in its peak season these days. Corn-on-the-cob is just heavenly right now - partaking daily is not out of the question - and cornstalks will factor into our home decorations in the coming weeks ...

But enough gabbing on my part! Here are some of my thoughts:

The Full Green Corn Moon will rise on Saturday, August 29th @ 2:35 p.m., and it's a Supermoon this month! We'll have to be sure to look for it after dark and plan a special farmstand supper - starring corn, of course! - for that night. 

🌽

We'll visit a local corn field ... we drive by it often and always marvel at its size. This time we'll stop the car and get out - observe the field, its sounds and smells. What wildlife is flying overhead or scurrying underfoot? What do we hear? (Is that the corn making that sound?) What can we smell? (Vegetation, earth?) How does the air feel right now? (Hot, humid?) Now, we won't touch these stalks because we don't have permission, but we might visit a local farm and ask to do just that. I'll see what our schedule allows and how much interest has been piqued. Before we go, we'll take pictures of the cornfield from various angles. 

🌽

We'll visit our favorite farmstand and buy plenty of ears of fresh corn. We'll ask where the corn comes from and how many ears they sell each day. We'll buy some to eat and some to use for exploration/activities ...

At home, we'll pile some ears on the table and take out our colored pencils and sketch pad: "Still Life with Corn!"

🌽

We''ll enjoy some nice books from the library all about corn:

The Life and Times of Corn

Corn

Corn is Maize

The Popcorn Book

Raccoons and Ripe Corn

(These might be in a basket or set up as a display on a nature shelf.)

🌽

We'll play some pretty lullabies ... and discuss how/why corn was so important to Native Americans. 

Under the Green Corn Moon (Native American Lullabies)

For craft day we'll make a corn husk candle - a small glass votive surrounded by corn husks with a tiny beeswax tealight tucked inside. That will look nice on our table! (We could also try making this or this ...)

Or we could try making a corn husk doll (and research the history behind it) ...

We will pop popcorn for snack ... and we might even make marshmallow popcorn bars for a tasty treat!

We might do a taste test: boiled corn vs. grilled corn. 

On baking day we will make a pan of corn bread, and serve it with honey butter.

🌽

We'll learn a poem called "A Green Cornfield" by Christina Georgina Rossetti. We'll add that poem to our nature journal, along with our pictures/sketches.

 The earth was green, the sky was blue:
I saw and heard one sunny morn
A skylark hang between the two,
A singing speck above the corn;

A stage below, in gay accord,
White butterflies danced on the wing,
And still the singing skylark soared,
And silent sank and soared to sing.

The cornfield stretched a tender green
To right and left beside my walks;
I knew he had a nest unseen
Somewhere among the million stalks.

And as I paused to hear his song
While swift the sunny moments slid,
Perhaps his mate sat listening long,
And listened longer than I did.

🌽 

We'll consider "Kansas Corn Field," a painting by artist John Steuart Curry in 1933:

***

I also have notes for some Indian Corn activities but I'm not sure if I can get it at the nursery yet. Also, those might wait for a later week in the fall. This week is really more about fresh, or green, corn. :)

So there, in a nutshell (or a kernel!) are my simple ideas for celebrating the goodness of corn during this last week of August. Remember - they're all just possibilities! I can't imagine fitting them all in in any one given year.

How do you enjoy corn at this time of year? Perhaps you grow it yourself or have a favorite recipe ... let me know in the comments below! In the meantime, and before I go, I wanted to mention my book briefly, because I've had a few people ask recently about how my progress is going ...

So, I have been working on it this summer - here and there, not as often as I'd like! - but it took me a while to get going because I wasn't entirely sure WHAT I wanted to write about. I have a few subjects I enjoy very much and there are a few topics people ask about more than others ... well, I finally found my focus! And that enabled me to get rolling ...

I am going to do a book about the file crate system - describing how I do it (and why) and the basics of setting a system up for yourself. That will be the first half of the book ... the second half will focus on seasonal learning (and living) ... and how I use my FCS to manage my family's year. So my hope is to have an outline of 52 (weekly) *seasonal* themes to present  along with activities and books and observations. And tips for using the folders to make it all happen! (Or most of it ... some of it ... well, you get the picture!)

Sometimes when I describe this it all sounds so straight forward and simple - these are my two favorite topics, after all! It seems like the two sides of the equation should work well together ... I need the folders to make the plans happen! But it's possible I may need to separate the two topics ... goodness knows I can get wordy!

(Case in point, this post.)

I will most likely be self-publishing so I'll need to do a WHOLE lot of research into that. I have my eye on a neat contraption that will allow me to bind things at home ... and I am looking into permission for using things like scrapbook papers and poems, illustrations, etc. 

Much to do, much to do! But I'm excited ... so I wanted to update you all .. and I will of course keep you all posted. For the time being, if you have a prayer to spare, or good energy to send, I would be grateful ... I'm desperately trying to find the time in my new schedule to just ... get 'er done!

 :)

Thanks so much for stopping by my friends ... enjoy the rest of your Wednesday and I will see you here again very soon!

My 2015 Planner (Living the Seasons)

Happy Weekend, my friends!

In tonight's post I am finally going to show you my newly made weekly planner, and in a follow-up post I will show you the rest of my planning tools and how the new planner will (hopefully) fit into the overall planning repertoire. Such as it is.

(This post is about planning in case you weren't sure, lol.)

But to be honest, I'm a bit shy about showing you now, because it's really a very simple thing. Like, super simple. It is though, all hand-drawn because ... well, I'm just that persnickity. And so it took me a bit longer than usual to pull it all together. And if the hand-drawing part wasn't enough, I also have a toddler in the house ... and a few more boys plus a husband ... and a couple of cats ... and there was that little thing called Christmas that happened ... ;)

Anyhoo! It's a weekly planner - because I really look at my time in increments of *this week* and all that applies to that framework of time. How busy will we be? When are we in/when are we out? What special events are we noting/observing/celebrating perhaps? What will our Sunday dinner be? What learning themes are we working around? What's happening at Church this week? What household projects am I tackling?

And now for the breakdown ...

1. Planner Cover: a pretty piece of scrapbook paper seen above, plain and simple. (I've since attached a label as seen in the top photos.) I declined the plastic cover sheet offered by Staples when I had the binding done, just as I always do. "But it's free," the Staples associate said, eyebrows raised. Well, that plastic just doesn't sit right with me, so I guess I'll have to take my chances.

2. Planner Paper: Ok, bear with me now ... I used all Staples-brand, loose-leaf, college-ruled paper. (I told you this was nothing fancy!) I have been journaling on this particular paper for a long time and it just feels good when I write on it. (Paper-and-pen enthusiasts will know what I mean.) It's very smooth, the lines are light and I'm very comfortable with it, so when I was getting my planner started I thought, why not use my regular ol' loose-leaf? So what if there are holes along the edges? I can overlook that. (I'm pretty sure.) And it took the coil binding just fine.

3. Title Page: "Living the Seasons ~ at Home * in Nature * with Faith ~ a weekly planner for 2015" Now, I've never named my planner before, but as I've mentioned, I'm trying to planning to going to write a book this year and I'm hoping this planner will provide something of an outline for my writing.

(You see how simple this all is? Just regular pencil on everyday paper ... I was tempted to try using colored pens or pencils ... maybe washi tape ... and get a little more creative with it, but I held off. I hope I will add my own random flourishes through the seasons as inspiration strikes.)

4. Emergency and Personal Information - I didn't include a photo of this page for privacy reasons, but this is on the backside of the title page, and includes numbers I need to know and remember (for myself or someone else should they need it). Allergy information, and the like.

5. Months of the Year Overview: (Shown above.) Basically, this is an outline of the major events of the 12 months of the year. Things like birthdays, feast days, Sacraments, full moons, major sporting events (the ones we care about) and daylight savings time, etc.

6. Weeks of the Year Overview: This might seem redundant, but it helps me to see each week listed out this way. It's a two-page spread with one line for each week, Jan-Jun on the left-hand page and Jul-Dec on the right. With this overview I can see at a glance (and maybe underline or highlight in some way) the specific events we will focus on, and this will give shape to my weekly themes. (eg. 1/19-2/25 snowflakes and shortbread)

7. Monthly Appointment Calendars: Because I envision myself taking this planner out and about with me, I'll need these calendars when making appointments at the doctor, dentist, hairdresser, etc.

*By the way, I used an engineering ruler to make all the grids, columns and rows, etc. (My dad is a structural engineer and I've always preferred this style ruler.) It seems like a lot of work - but while it is time-consuming, it's not hard at all. It's actually quite rhythmic.

8. Looking Ahead to 2016: Notes for that year ... any big plans or events or hopes (academic activities, career goals, home/garden projects, travel plans, etc.)

9. Weekly Goals/Routine: An overview of how I wish to use each section in the weekly planning page: of note, theme, suppers, to-do, at home, in nature, with faith, blog, $ log, intentions

10. Around the Home ~ Monthly Projects: I have a monthly cleaning schedule for myself this year - I've divided the house by rooms/zones and assigned walls to weeks. That sounds strange, I know, but I will explain more in a future post. (January is assigned the Master Bedroom and I begin with one wall a week ... hoping to complete the circuit of the house by Christmas, 2015!) I have it typed out on my phone (written during nursing/naptimes!) and will transcribe the schedule here on this page.

11. The Months & Weeks of the Year: And here we are at last at the heart of the planner! Each month has a pretty vintage paper divider (and I might eventually add a tab), a sheet for a monthly letter from myself to ... well, myself, lol. About homey, domestic, garden and parish matters and such. And then there are two planning pages per week which I have shown below ...

*Note: I've already changed this part a bit - instead of that chatty letter, I am using this sheet for general notes for the month. For example, "Visit New England Aquarium" in March and "Attend backyard chickens seminar at local co-op" in April. The "domestic letter" is being moved to another spot ...

The February divider page:

The April divider page (back side) and the April, 2015 domestic letter page:

The weekly planning sheet for Week #14 (March 30 - April 5):

The planning sections I created are: of note (special days/events) * theme (tea/craft) * suppers * to-do * at home * in nature * with faith * blog * $ log * notes * intentions (prayer). (This is the sheet I used to staple to the front of my file folders.)

The week-at-a-glance agenda:

I modeled this planner set-up after a Payne planner I've used off and on through the years - and though I liked it, it always left me wanting something a little more personal. I have space all around for notes and quotes, scribbles and remembrances ... and the space at the bottom of each column is for daily chores and reminders (eg. clean bedrooms (M), clean bathrooms (T), etc.).

The weekly review:

(Sorry this picture isn't so great!) The final page in each week's section is a review page with a section for each of my four boys, where I can jot down notes about their week. Lessons/activities/things they said or did. The college boy's section is the small spot at the bottom since I'll probably have the least to say about him!

(Ok, true confession - I only finished drawing the pages up through May so far. But all the pages and sheets for the rest of the year are bound in there ... they just need a little pencil work and they'll be ready to go. I will get them done soon as I like to plan ahead as much as possible.)

***

Now, the last section of the planner is just an extra bunch of sheets for notes and then at the very back I have a piece of tagboard to make the planner sturdy:

(Fyi, I bought a package of tagboard for a couple of dollars at the Paper Source.)

Here's a look at all the divider pages - each month has such a pretty page with floral/seasonal images on front and then old-fashioned text on the back as seen here ...

 On New Year's Day, I brought my (mostly) done planner to Staples where a very nice associate bound it for me for all of $4. (I always choose coil over comb binding.) It wasn't the first time I had a planner bound here but I am always a little shy about doing so because well, some people just don't get it. Not that anyone's ever said anything to me, but I sometimes wonder what on earth they are thinking as they see all my scribbles and goals and designs. But what was kind of neat was this woman happened to be an avid letter writer (she thought I might be making a journal) who has pen pals all over the world. She said I had given her an idea to have her letters (all hand-written and many pages long) bound in this way, as keepsakes. I was very glad to have given her an idea and support a fellow (sister?) paper-crafter!

(I also left thinking ... could I write and bind my own book ... and then sell it online? Hmmm. Totally getting away from myself now ... and the subject at hand!)

 

So there you have it, my friends - everything you ever wanted to know about my new weekly planner - and then some! (Though if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.) I've only had it a few days, but so far I LOVE IT. The planner lies flat and the paper is smooth and the pages turn comfortably ... it looks and works like a regular spiral-bound notebook, only I hand selected the pages myself. Most of all, I'm hoping it helps me keep up with my busy household while truly savoring the seasons as they pass ... :)

 *❤*

I'll wrap up now - I've kept you so long! But I thank you as always for joining me and wish you all a pleasant evening and a happy Sunday tomorrow. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones ... and I'll see you here again very soon!

Oh my goodness!

I am just so overwhelmed by the amazing response to my "Opinions, please" post! THANK YOU, everyone, for taking the time to offer your opinions and suggestions for my "maybe-someday-soon" book. I am grateful for all of your kind words, your offers of assistance and all your generous encouragement. Please know I cherish each and every opinion - they are feeding my focus and energy for this project!! In fact, I am printing out every comment to keep in my newly established "work" binder - to read, hi-light and consider. Your many specific ideas are really helping me to define my ideas - and are shaping my vision and goals. I definitely can see a common theme in all your suggestions, and believe me I'm taking all of them to heart!

I will keep you all posted on my progress, and hopefully I'll have something to share with you before too long ... :)

But for now, have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends - keep warm and keep well! I will talk to you all again soon. 

 

p.s. Today is the last day for the Special Offer from Night Owl Paper Goods. Be sure to stop in and take a look at all those charming jotters and journals! :)