Mountain Mother Runner

🍁 Each year we try to do new leaf activities like wax crayon rubbings, observation drawings, and color sorting. This time around, we put on our rain boots and explored the yard, collecting fairly flat items in a basket.  Autumn Suncatcher craft!  Capture the beauty of fall with this fun activity.  Lay one piece of wax paper out and arrange your leaves however you desire. Lay the other piece of wax paper on top (you want the shiny sides touching together), cover with a tea towel, and slowly iron until the wax pages fuse together. This may take longer than you expect, just lift the towel to check as you go. Cut out a frame using cardboard and tape along the backside so it isn’t showing. Hang in a window to allow light to shine through and enjoy your nature creation!  Supplies: •wax paper (2 sheets) •iron  •leaves/petals/nature goodies •cardboard  •tea towel (or pillowcase) •scissors •tape

A fun and easy autumn craft to get excited about Halloween! Use a white crayon to draw your web, then paint over using watercolors. Experiment using a variety of techniques such as wet on wet, dry brush, blending, and salt. We also discussed different types of spiders and the webs or homes that they make. If you want to disrupt bedtime, watch YouTube videos about spiders building their webs, wrapping up their food, and creeping around! 🕷 

As a first time homeschooler, selecting a curriculum to use can be completely overwhelming! How are you supposed to know what your child’s learning style is? What if you start out using a pricy curriculum only to find out that you don’t enjoy it? Some parents want to use a ‘boxed set’ which literally has all subjects and teaching manuals in one package. This can be easier to try as a rookie. Others may want to piece together a variety of curriculums to meet your wants/needs, but this will require more time planning and organizing lessons.  Before you fully commit to buying any expensive curriculum, make sure to search for USED options! That’s the cool thing about school, kids move on to the next grade and their parents either keep the curriculum for younger siblings or try to sell it for a little cash return. The process is a little more tricky with online searching, but it can save you a ton of money with a little extra effort! We found a teaching manual for our math course that t...

  🌟“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” -Robert Frost.  This week we’ve really been preparing for the upcoming school year...cleaning, decorating, and organizing our homeschool space. Eisley has helped me sort her kindergarten work/curriculum and replace it with the new. She said, “Mom, you’re getting me so crazy excited about starting first grade!” which made my heart flutter. 🖤 I also realize this current time of uncertainty can be scary and stressful for parents whose children typically attend public schools, who aren’t able to homeschool due to work, whose schools haven’t announced the upcoming opening plans yet, or are trying to decide if homeschooling is the way to go. I am here for you. Other seasoned homeschoolers are here for you. Know that you are supported and are free to ask for help or any question at all! We, as parents, are all in this together.

For those considering homeschooling next year, know that it is nothing like what you’ve experienced these last few months! Each state has their own specific laws and regulations, many being relaxed and others...not so much. Many parents were told by their children’s teachers that younger ages (kindergarten/first grade) only need about 30 minutes of instruction per day. That may have been fine with the unusual COVID public-school-turned-distant-learning circumstances, but it doesn’t cut it for legal homeschooling.  There are FIVE big Colorado laws to consider for homeschooling. Our regulations here are fairly strict compared to other states and it does require a decent amount of planning as a parent. Before starting in the Fall, I printed off our local elementary school’s schedule and printed off a blank calendar for me to fill out. I basically marked the days for us to ‘do’ school and the days we would be on break, which was a loose framework to go off of. It helped make sure we sc...

We just finished up a big step in this surrogate journey...the Mock Cycle! Whenever I’ve heard the word “mock” before, it made me think of “mock trials” in high school or “mocktail drinks” before turning 21. So, what exactly is a Mock Cycle?  This process is done to determine how your body will react to hormone medications and exactly how much is needed for your endometrium to thicken (that’s a fancy word for uterine lining). A thick (ideally >8mm) lining is ideal for the embryo to implant during transfer. Some women swear by drinking pomegranate juice, taking Vitamin E supplements, getting weekly acupuncture, and many other methods to assist the medications in this process.  After quitting birth control and starting my menstrual cycle, the nurse scheduled me to begin meds on day three. Every other day I would stick on Vivelle patches which are transdermal Estradiol. The number of patches increased over time and Estradiol tablets were taken also. During this specific schedu...

💌 Some people may think of “snail mail” as a thing of the past, but it’s alive and well in our household! I grew up handmaking and sending cards to everyone for their birthdays, holidays, and even just because. Checking the mailbox and finding an envelope addressed to YOU with your own name on it can be exciting as a kid! It’s a little less exciting as an adult since it’s probably junk mail or a bill, but that’s besides the point. 🙃  Writing letters can be done at a young age. We started out by me writing whatever our daughter wanted her letter to say on one piece of paper, then she could look at it to copy the letters/words on her own piece of paper. I’ve never seen a child that excited to do their copywork before! We are developing handwriting skills, word recognition, reading, and more with this fun, fulfilling activity.  Learn how to address an envelope with Eisley! Materials used and steps are covered. The supplemental book read was “Send It!” by Don Carter. 📚 This sit...

My favorite subject to teach is Math because it is tangible, you know...black and white! It’s fairly ironic because I was always pretty average in Math classes.  To get an “A” would require SO much studying and effort compared to my other classes. Looking back at the teaching methods used then, versus the ones we’re utilizing now, it all makes sense! I love the challenge of creating hands-on lessons and games to bring Math to life!  This activity can be created with materials you probably have hanging around your house. You will need: •Empty large coffee bin •Legos (or other small textured items) •Note cards •Black marker or pen •Scissors •Dry erase markers •Dry erase pouch  •Plain sheet of paper •Bingo chips/coins/beads/etc First off, cut a circle in the lid of the coffee bin that’s big enough for your kiddo to stick their tiny hand in. Depending on the level of Math you’re child is working on, choose equations that they can practice. We did simple addition equations wit...

My memories of growing up in public school are dominated by worksheets and lectures, with some projects, pop quizzes, and videos mixed in (thought I’ll never forget The Magic School Bus, Bill NYE, or Eyewitness on VHS)! What about fun and games? Why were those usually left for the substitute teachers and not incorporated into our daily routine? You may think that your homeschool schedule is already full, and the idea of adding daily games seems “extra” or “unnecessary”, but it might be easier than you think! As a child, what sort of emotions did you feel when presented with a workbook versus a game? Playing educational games provide a multi-sensory experience while developing skills such as: •Following directions •Good sportsmanship  •Critical thinking •Hand-eye coordination •Fine motor skills •Attention and focus •Cooperation and flexibility  We play games on a daily basis, while trying to rotate different types of games so Eisley doesn’t get burnt out. Follow your ch...

A list of FREE home education websites to help you on your homeschooling journey. Whether you are homeschooling, or are needing something for your kiddo to do after school, this is a great staple list to choose from! It drives me crazy to have to search through saved websites or pins on my Pinterest page because it can be so time consuming. Having a group of resources together in one place makes it easier to find, and more likely that you’ll use them! Harvest for Healthy Kids: Do you have a picky eater? This site contains 13 different activity kits that are totally free! All you have to do is enter your email address to unlock access to all content. Each kit includes an activity plan, picture cards, recipes, and a Teacher Bites Newsletter. This program was designed to help children develop healthy eating habits through activities that teach math, literacy, and science. Beets, asparagus, winter squash, potatoes/sweet potatoes, cabbage, berries, winter root vegetab...

We have been reading about life in the dessert and one of our favorite things is the cactus, obviously! They range from big to small, and some even have beautiful flowers! Not only have we looked at pictures and watched videos about them (did you know some types absorb rain water and swell up?), we have been able to hike and view them locally, as native species! Very cool! Here's a short educational video for you to watch with your child before starting this craft! Salt Dough Cactus Craft You will need: 2 ½ cups flour ½ cup + 2 tablespoons salt 1 cup water Large bowl Wooden spoon Baking Sheet Parchment Paper (optional) First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Now, add the flour and salt to your bowl. Pour the water in slowly and begin to mix with a spoon. Switch to mixing with your hands (or your kiddo can have fun doing this) to thoroughly knead the dough and get a sensory experience! If sticky, add a little bit more flour. If too dry...

I am SO excited to share this Camping Study freebie with you! It requires nearly zero prep as the parent or teacher, and will provide a variety of fun and engaging worksheets for your little one to explore! I’ve written a brief explanation of each page with some extra discussion ideas to expand their curiosity and critical thinking. This download has been designed primarily for Kindergarten children, but it can be adapted for Preschool-Grade 2 students. There are a total of five pages to be completed with a focus on sorting, matching, number recognition, addition, and practicing mindfulness in the outdoors.  Make sure to scroll to the bottom for your   free download of this printable!  At nearly five years old, our daughter was finally able to go ‘real’ camping. Anything that isn’t ‘real’ means that the tent is set up in our living room or somewhere else within our house. After our move back to Colorado, we were invited to go camping in the mountains. It was ...

Being a new mom, many of us cuddle up with our baby and explore a nice board book together. Their little eyes are developing new strength while looking at the bright colors and bold pictures. As they grow, we start to read books with basic concepts and simple words. Three, four, five years old…the words become short sentences, which soon create paragraphs. Easy reader chapter books may be introduced during this time too! Picture books made up the majority of our early years book collection, but many were donated as our daughter grew up. Recently, I got a beautiful picture book as a surprise for Eisley. She quickly began flipping through the pages, looking up at me with a bit of confusion. “Mom, how are you going to read this book to me? There aren’t any words in it!” she said. “I’m not going to read this book to you. You are going to read this book to me!” I responded with a smile. I quickly grabbed a pencil and some paper. Then, I explained that she was going to look at the p...

Who doesn't love DINOSAURS? They are so interesting, unique, and mysterious for children and adults alike! In addition to the main curriculum we are using ( BookShark , a literature-based homeschool program), I enjoy incorporating subject-related books at the local libraries, songs/videos on YouTube, crafts, games, and field trips. I am not sure if myself or Eisley were more excited to kick off our kindergarten homeschooling with a Dinosaur Unit, but either way, we wanted to share some resources with you! Books: Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Creatures You Can Draw   by Nicole Brick & Patricia Stockland. A major hit in our household, this book features step-by-step instructions for drawing your favorite dinosaurs like the Triceratops, Ankylosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus Rex! All levels of artists can create by either following the steps, free styling the dinosaur image, drawing over with tracing paper, or using paints and multimedia instead. Fun facts are included with ea...