{This and That}

We are back from a very enjoyable Retreat at the Beach and I'm finally caught up on sleep! ;) I posted a sneak peek over on Facebook and Instagram.  (And so did Amber.)  I'll be recapping the experience here on the blog soon, but for now, I'll just say it was a blessed weekend: the weather cooperated, the ladies were all friendly, and I came away inspired and challenged.  I can't wait to share more with you.

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We are officially finished with our school year!  Our exam week ended up being the week right before the retreat, so I was able to put aside our school stuff for good before focusing on the final retreat details.

It was a successful year--lots of learning and growing took place in all of us. But it's always hard to get it all done with a baby in tow, and I'm happy to be on break!  We're taking completely off until May, when we'll start a light summertime schedule.

In the meantime, I've got some big to-dos I'm hoping to hit.  This week's assignment is The Great Summer Clothing Switch-Out of 2016, perhaps my least favorite seasonal chore.  (I know I'm not alone in that!)

To make up for it, I'm promising myself some more time to go through John Muir Laws videos in the afternoons--I sit down with scratch paper and a pencil and spend about twenty minutes listening to one of his workshops, and it's been both relaxing and helpful.  His feed is a goldmine of practical tips and encouragement in the principles of process and observation.  (And, of course, I'm going to work through the book too!  So lots of nature journaling this summer.)

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Reading around...

Dawn is celebrating fifteen years of blogging, and that reminded me to direct you once again to her free e-book, which would make a great addition to your Morning Basket!  Pam also recently interviewed her for Homeschool Snapshots--definitely worth a listen.  And if you're so inclined, head over to her anniversary post today and link up your favorite Wednesdays With Words post.  I'm still deciding which of mine to share...

I'm a couple days late, but Amber reminded me of this annual novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel that she prays as she discerns her upcoming school planning.  If you'd like to jump in now, I don't think Our Lady will mind! ;)

Have you seen Legends and Lace?  Lizzie is an AO mom who makes beautiful Charlotte Mason-themed bracelets. She's running a giveaway right now, so head over there to learn more! It would make a fun Mother's Day present to yourself or might be just the lift you need to get you through the rest of the school year.  (And just to be clear, I'm not getting any finder's fee; she's just a homeschooling e-friend who does lovely work.  I mean really, CM jewelry?!)

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Xavier turned SIX yesterday.  As I said on Instagram, he is one of those wild-and-crazy boys that loves to snuggle.  I overheard him telling his sister how much he wanted a Schleich crocodile mother and baby, so we gifted him a set.  He was so surprised and pleased.

But you know what he said he was really hoping to get?  A school binder.  Ha!  That is a Year 1 right of passage in our house, so he's going to have to wait the long summer through until he starts first grade in the fall.  Poor binder-less guy. ;)

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Speaking of Xavier, he and Gianna have an arrangement in which she quickly doodles him a page to color in each day.  This morning's, based on those crocodiles he got yesterday as well as his Schleich knights...

I love seeing her skills develop and how she shares those skills to please her younger siblings. :)


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And Justin is now big enough to join is in the high chair at the dining table for Morning Basket!  He doesn't last all that long, but it means I get to do a bit of reading without bouncing him on my knee, so I'll take all I can get.  He's also army-crawling now, which means he's happy to play on the floor with some toys for a few minutes in the mornings.  My schedule-happy personality loves these little steps toward predictability.  (I know that you fellow Type A moms of babies know what I'm talking about!)

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In the next couple weeks, I'll be posting What We're Reading for April, a retreat recap, and an overview of our year and Term 3 exams.

And a quick reminder: if you'd like to add a post to Keeping Company, head on over!