Collage Friday - Feeling Renewed and Refreshed
Friday, January 4, 2013 at 5:00AM
I am abundantly thankful.
~ thankful for my two reasons to homeschool {pictured above}
~ thankful for nearly three weeks of no "school"
~ thankful for a day to myself where I parked it at Starbucks, played with my Christmas present, organized my blog planner, and prepared for BEECH Retreat.
~ thankful to have have my husband home for almost all of that time
~ thankful for the time he spent with EACH of us individually and together as a family
~ thankful for cold, rainy weather that forced me to do some projects inside
~ thankful for a physical and mental renewal that I desperately needed
... and thankful for so many other blessings.
Our Christmas was peaceful and focused on the birth of Christ.
Some years it hasn't been quite that way. I think we're finally "doing it right".
Christmas Eve was spent at our church, and then eating a nice dinner out with friends (who double as family). It has become a tradition to spend our Christmas Eve with another family we are close to, and this year we invited our retired pastor and his wife.
Christmas morning dad finished reading Bartholomew's Passage.
Presents were opened. Favorites were a basketball hoop, a guitar, and iTunes gift cards.
We went to granddaddy's house in the afternoon for Christmas dinner and time with family.
I need to tell you a funny story:
My husband and I went out on a date shortly before Christmas. We had a nice dinner and bought my daughter her guitar. Next, we went to FOUR DIFFERENT STORES before we found a basketball goal. We were getting nervous.
A shout out to K-Mart! We finally found it there, and had great customer service. The box, however, was HUGE. We weren't sure if we were going to be able to get it home. (We had taken my husband's Honda Fit instead of my van.)
By some miracle we drove home with a guitar and a basketball goal crammed in his little car.
We managed to hide that box (and the fact that Uncle David and dad were assembling it in the garage on Christmas Eve day) from Grant.
New Year's Eve was fun. We spent it with friends of ours that also homeschool. I was happy that I had time to complete some Pinterest projects for the evening.
New Year's Day my husband and I went on another little date.
We got coffee and talked about plans for the New Year, synchronized our calendars, and just talked.
We also went grocery shopping. Romantic, huh?
We read labels, talked about healthier options, and planned meals. My husband is quite fit and healthy. I need to join him.
My one word for 2013 is HEALTH.
- I am giving up Coke Zero.
- I would like to lose some extra pounds.
- I am participating in a Shakeology Challenge starting next Monday. Thank you, Jen!
- I am going to take my low back arthritis and treat it without medical intervention.
- I am putting my health above all else this year, or else nothing else will get done well.
Anna has been reading books that have a quilting theme.
Her aunts and a dear friend have been helping her with her first quilt.
Wednesday we were blessed to spend an afternoon with my friend who is quite the quilter. She also is an encourager, and she is farther along this homeschool journey than I am. I left her home feeling renewed.
Friendship is a gift. Always make time for it.
This week we have been getting back into the school routine.
- Anna is finishing a unit study on Galen - The History of Science.
- Grant is doing another Five in a Row book (more on that next week).
- We are reading The Hobbit aloud.
- I have a new subscription to Classical Composers Monthly. Wow, is all I can say. I can't wait to use this composer resource further with my children. It's my Favorite Resource this week!
- We're getting up early again <yawn>.
- Grant is taking frequent breaks to shoot hoops - and I'm joining him!
In case you've missed it, I have a couple of wonderful giveaways going on:
- Tommy Nelson: The Fire Prophet - fiction for Middle Grades
- The Abby & Zac Sunderland stories on DVD -- Don't miss these!
Finally, I want to tell each and every one of you who read this blog how encouraging you are to me. A sweet reader emailed me last week thanking me for what I do.
Homegrown Learners started as a way for me to document our homeschool days.
It has turned into a place for collaboration, encouragement, and a variety of educational ideas.
Blogging is something I love. Thank you for being a part of that.
If you'd like to receive email updates for Homegrown Learners, please subscribe below.
Please join me for Collage Friday!
Simply share your post about your homeschool week. (Make sure it includes photo collages.) Then, sign the linky and visit other bloggers on the list to gain ideas and offer encouragement. Be sure to grab a button from my sidebar or text link back to this post so readers can see the wealth of information the Collage Friday bloggers provide each week!
It's my favorite time of the week!
How was your holiday season? Are you ready for a fresh start in 2013? I'm looking forward to catching up with you.
Reader Comments (21)
Oh my goodness - funny to hear the story behind the basketball goal! And I love dates at Starbucks - planning dates are such a blessing! :) Yes, so much to be thankful for Mary. Thanks for hosting us.
Sounds like a wonderful break, Mary. Thanks for hosting!
I had to laugh at your date of Starbucks and groceries, it sounds like us and a day that we would love! I'm so glad you are doing the challenge, I think you will be pleased with the results and I'm proud of you for taking charge of your health!! 2013 is going to be a great year!
My husband and I go on grocery shopping dates too! Have a happy, healthy, fun, and pain free New Year! I am very much interested in your back treatments!
My husband was home the week of Christmas! It was wonderful. I'm glad you got to spend time with your husband too.
I need to give up Coke Zero too. Unfortunately, I am not yet as committed to that as you are. I am, however, trying to incorporate more movement into my day. This body needs some exercise!
Happy New Year, Mary!
Great post, Mary. I'm glad to hear that you and your husband's dates. It is so easy to overlook the time together in a marriage but it is one of the keys to having a good marriage. Thankful you all are doing that!
Also, you'll have to tell me more about this shakeology thing you are doing. A few years back I got a Vitamix blender and I don't use it as often as I should. But for a while I was doing vegetable smoothies for breakfast and lunch and enjoyed it a lot. However, a busy life turned into more meals on the run and out of the house ... which meant fewer healthfood shakes for me. That's really a habit I should get myself back into.
"Health" is not officially my word, but it's definitely a focus this year for me, too!
Love that your daughter is making a quilt! I made my first one when I was 17 based on instructions from a book I bought at Walmart. ;) Haven't made another full-sized one since, but I have made baby quilts. I really enjoy it but it's one of those things I put on the back burner. Maybe I should bring it back to the front and get a little quilty creativity going on around here.
I think health is a great word. Let us know how you are working on your pain. It is helpful to others. Blessings to you in the coming year.
Dawn
I love your blog, Mary! I pray your health improves this year.
--Gena
Happy New Year. Those are great goals. You're right, health is so important and intrinsically linked to productivity.
I'm linking up for the first time. I don't know how to create a collage of photos so I'm not sure if I'm acceptable?! (I'm useless at all things electronic!) Feel free to delete me if I don't meet the criteria!
Have a great 2013!
Great minds. . . we did basket ball goal and guitars for Christmas this year too! And I also went to 4 different places - finally made the score i needed at Target. I am so excited because when hubs gets home later tonight - I get to head off to Panera for some blog time & BEECH prep! ;)
Looks like you guys are off to a great start! We loved reading the Hobbit out loud together. It's such a great book! I need to be better this year about taking care of myself, thanks for the reminder!
My husband and I have gone to get groceries or run to Walmart on dates! Funny but it's still time to talk without interruptions and just be together.
Good luck with your focus on health and your back pain. I try to remind myself of the same thing--if we don't take care of ourselves we can't help others.
Miss Mary, may your new year be full of blessing- since your blog continually blesses many homeschooling Mamas, especially me! :0)
Happy New Year, Mary! What a beautiful picture of your kiddos:) They are growing up!
The girls and I love quilts, so I am totally checking out those books for us to read. Thanks!
I love your new header, Mary! Also, I got a giggle from the image of your big basketball hoop box in Hal's little car! Happy New Year!
This is a beautiful post, Mary :) I am so happy to hear that you had a lovely Christmas and New Year's. Thanks for the link to Favorite Resources...it has meant a lot to me to have your support. All my best wishes as you pursue better health. I have a few goals in mind for myself in that regard! Happy 2013 my friend!
Gosh, Mary, it sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas break! And I love your word for the year. I haven't chosen mine yet. LOL There are SO many! Oh, and how's The Hobbit going? It was a big reading aoud flop here!
Great post, Mary. We are focusing on physical, financial, spiritual and relationship health this year. 2012 was the year of my spine, so I am hoping 2013 is the year of new beginnings.
I've been a reader of your blog for quite a bit of time now. Actually, I won one of your giveaways recently! I have always wanted to participate in your Collage Friday posts but had an off year with blogging due to some personal things. This year I am back at and looking forward to participating weekly. This week wasn't too schooly since we have been on break, but I wanted to get in the habit of linking up anyway :)
The best thing I did for myself over the past three months was start Weight Watchers and Zumba. Both have allowed me to lose almost 20 pounds and feel so much healthier. If your back can take it I would highly recommend finding a good Zumba instructor, so much fun and works so great.
Blessings
Diane