{This and That} :: A June Update

Hello friends! Last time I was in this space, I shared about Christmas baking; somehow six months flew by and now it's June. Time for an update...

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We finished our school year back in April, so have been on break for the past six weeks or so. I always begin summer break with really high hopes for all I will be able to get done. Then about a week or so in, I realize that I still have children to care for, meals to cook, and all the usual life tasks to stay on top of, even if it is a "break." So I have to put my projects in perspective and go through a few iterations of a summer schedule before I find one I am satisfied with.

I like to treat each month of our break a little bit differently. So for the last few weeks of April, I  finished up my filing for the year, re-shelved books (and got out the books for next year!), made my pre-reading plan for the summer, and met with the kids to set up their summer plans. For example, I added my boys' chess tournaments to the calendar, signed my daughter up for a literature class she really wanted to take, helped kids pull book stacks for free reading, did some catch-up cleaning from those last few weeks of the school year that were so busy, etc. I think of this as launching summer break, not summer break itself -- it helps me feel better about all the effort it takes! 

We also fit in a good number of fun trips those first few weeks, including the beach and the art museum. And Easter was in April! It was a busy month.

Then in May, we set up a schedule and some goals for the month. One thing that has helped us all stay on track: I decided to continue with Weekly Meetings through the summer. With so many kids to manage, this has helped my life feel more manageable. Basically I have a short (5-10 minute) meeting with each of my older kids and any of my younger kids that have a request. We do coffee and cookies just like during the school year (though we may swap to something like lemonade once it gets really hot!). It's a time for me to handle any small things that have come up over the course of the week -- books they want me to request from the library, reminders about upcoming events, questions about projects, etc. Having these collected into just one day a week has made my mind feel a lot clearer, and my kids like knowing I will have time to chat if they want it.

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Another big help this summer has been Cate's Preschool!

On weekends when my husband is off with the boys at their chess tournaments, I hire Catherine to spend two hours with the youngest four (ages 8, 6, 4, and 2) doing some fun activities. She draws a timetable up on the white board and then executes -- all on her own. It usually involves her reading aloud a chapter from their current novel, drawing time, work on a sewing project, singing games, picture books, an Italian game, folksong singing, etc. In the meantime, I spend the two hours working in my bedroom. I only have a few rules for her: everyone has to be included, everyone has to be happy-ish, and no one can ask me any questions. ;) It is going wonderfully and she is now asking if she can do "preschool" with them more often. I think I will have her do a daily block with them the last week of this month when I'm ready to tackle some more of our school planning.

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One of these days I will have to round up {What We're Reading} like I used to, but for now, I thought I would highlight three books I have enjoyed lately...

During my morning prayer time I have been rereading Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers by Fr. Lejeune. I forgot  how good a book this is! It covers in a basic way the spiritual life for mothers. It has helped me build back some fruitful habits and rework some elements of my routine to strengthen my interior life. (This copy is a really nice hardcover reprint with a pretty cover and nice readable font. There are a few annoying typos here and there, but they do not detract from the meaning at all.)

My older kids will be reading Uncle Tom's Cabin this year as we study the Civil War. I had read selections in college but had never read it in its entirety, so it was one of the first big novels I picked up this summer. I found it enthralling as a historical document and painfully touching as a story. You see quite clearly Stowe's biases, but you also see a certain fierceness and fortitude that I found moving and admirable. It speaks to a very specific time and place, but it also speaks to our day in surprising ways -- and it offers an interesting example of a persuasive argument that I know my older students will want to analyze. A very difficult but worthy read. Some local friends and I will be discussing it next week for our little book club. (This copy has original illustrations and a pleasing typeset -- I recommend it. Just be aware it does not censor the n-word and is unabridged.)

Bruchac's Sacajawea was my other first novel of the summer, which my Form 2 and 3 kids will be reading next year with the CMEC. In telling the story of Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea; the chapters go back and forth between perspectives; sometimes I find this jarring in novels, but here I found it made a enjoyable and intriguing combination. Bruchac did careful research for the book, and it shows -- the characters are brought to life beautifully and respectfully. There are a few difficult moments, so I would be cautious giving this to a sensitive young reader, but otherwise, it makes a great companion to or replacement for Daugherty's Of Courage Undaunted.

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I wanted to let you know of a couple places I'll be speaking this summer:

The CMEC Summer Retreat is back! We will be meeting at the beautiful Merion Tribute House outside Philadelphia on July 11-12 to consider "Our Constant Joy: Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in Home and School." There are just a few spots left, so if you'd like to attend, be sure to sign up soon. We are hoping to offer this year's retreat as a package for sale, like we have in the past. So if you can't make it to Philly this summer but are interested in learning more, keep an eye out for that coming later this summer/early fall. 

I will be speaking about artist study, composer study, and notebooks, and I am learning so much through my research -- as well as pulling together some of our family's "best practices" that I have always wanted to share in a more thorough way.

I also have pre-recorded an brief "Introduction to Charlotte Mason" for the Catholic Homeschool Conference happening this weekend -- with registration closing today! If you will be attending, I hope you'll look for my talk, "Educating Persons." And if you have Catholic friends interested in learning more about the Mason approach, encourage them to check it out as well!

(Speaking of the CMEC, registration is currently open for the 2022-23 School Year! We have two live chats scheduled in June: one for community learning and one about summer planning. You can find all the details at our website and request our Information Packet to learn more. I also plan to give the Fall Mini-Retreat this October, which is free for members, either in person in Philly or broadcasted live online to watch from home!)

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Some of my projects this summer, besides working on my retreat talks:

Thinking through college visits (how did we get here?!) and prepping for the SAT

Editing Gianna's second novel (hoping to get it out this fall!)

Lots of pre-reading!

Building our swimming skills (see goggles below!)

Organizing the garage and decluttering the bookshelves

And my littles keep me so busy: plotting out a delightful Kinderleben year for this guy (on the far left) and running after this sweetheart on the right!

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So what are you up to this summer? Will I see you in Philadelphia, or will YOU see ME (ha!) at The Catholic Homeschool Conference? Do you have any advice for college visits? (We're looking for a college that's super friendly to traditional Catholics.)

And I'll have to come back with a recap of our school year. It was a great year.

Motherwell and More

First: I want to announce a couple upcoming retreats I will be at this summer/fall...

In July, I'll be back in Philadelphia with Amy Snell for the CMEC Summer Retreat! This is a very special event and I'm excited to start preparing my talks in earnest. I'll be discussing habit training for younger and older kids, as well as building character through the content and methods of the Mason curriculum. This event will also include immersion opportunities (from singing games to Plutarch!), a dinnertime lecture with a prominent scholar (who just happens to be a dedicated homeschool mother as well!), and hands-on instruction in handicrafts and brush drawing. I can confidently recommend this event both to newcomers and to very experienced moms; Amy and I aim to offer some inspiring ideas from Mason no matter what stage you are in. If you are on the East Coast, I hope you will consider coming. More information here.

And for my western friends: in September, I'll be speaking at CM West :: Retreat at Puget Sound. Even though this is a CM West event like we have here in NorCal, I am not part of the organization team. I'll just be going to give a talk -- and to share in all of the retreat goodness, of course! What a treat. :)  I went to the last CM West retreat held at Palisades and the site is so peaceful and beautiful. It really does feel like a getaway.

The team has come up with the fresh idea of inviting attendees to narrate, discuss, and reflect on the main talks of the retreat in small groups; the concept sounds inviting and friendly -- and oriented toward growth and really wrestling with rich ideas in community. I think this will be a great combination of principles-based talks and practical chat regarding the outworking of those principles in our homes and homeschools. There will also be a variety of hands-on activities: folk dancing, handicrafts, nature walks, and more. I am looking forward to attending! More details here.

If you'll be at either of these events, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below. :)

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And now on to a recap of my Motherwell adventure for those of you that might be interested!

I flew in on Wednesday night and Amy picked me up at the airport on her drive down from Princeton. This was a full day before the event, but coming from the West Coast, I always have to choose between flying in a day early or flying in late the night before the event -- and I find the latter to be a physical challenge. And so we took advantage: we spent the night with a friend in DC, then drove in to the city to visit The National Gallery for the morning.

What a wonderful time! This was my first visit to DC, and I felt like we spent it just right. Art museums are my very, very favorite. I just couldn't have been happier with the collection there. Breathtaking!

We were joined on our museum trip by my friends Dawn and Jessie -- whom I am sure you know if you are in the AO crowd! The four of us had such a nice time. Dawn had a plan to get us a great parking spot, and she came through: we literally could not have been parked any closer. Yes, that is our car, and no parallel parking required! She said she learned her ways from our friend Maria, so I guess we have both of them to thank. Either way, it made our trip so much easier. :)

I took pictures for my kids of all the pieces we have studied over the years. They oohed and aahed over all I got to see! (AO moms: how many do you recognize??)

A few other highlights: they have a Tintoretto exhibit there right now and it was stunning. Large scale pieces with so much movement and yet so much stability -- if you are in that area, I highly  recommend getting there before it ends in July.

After lunch, Amy and I made the two-hour trek to Charlottesville and checked into our little airbnb. We ventured out for dinner and for a walk about the UVA campus...and for a stop at Trader Joe's. (Priorities.)

The event itself began on Friday morning. The retreat team did a fantastic job. It was in held a fresh and airy meeting center right in the heart of the charming dowtown. The second-floor space looked out onto the pedestrian thoroughfare, lined with coffee shops, restaurants, and used bookstores. (We totally took advantage of all three!) They decorated simply and tastefully with lettered signs and flowers. Everyone was so kind and welcoming -- so much southern charm!

 

The schedule was organized into talks and breakouts. It worked out to two talks in the morning after a short introduction, split by a break and followed by a simple (delicious) catered lunch, then a couple hours of Mother Culture-oriented sessions, then a final talk for each day. The breakout sessions offered new skills like sourdough bread baking, flower arranging, clay modeling, lettering, herbal tincture preparation, and more. All of the mothers were so enthusiastic about the sessions they signed up for -- so many great conversations about how refreshing it was to try out these mama practices.

oganizer Liz Wetzel

Amy and I had a great time presenting and both of us got so many interesting questions and comments during the narration/discussion portions of the workshops. Liz Wetzel and her local friends included so many thoughtful details and demonstrated a heart for offering something beautiful to the moms of that area. I was happy to play a part in that and to experience the retreat myself!

And of course a BIG bonus was the time I got to spend with Amy! We had a blast exploring Charlottesville together. On Sunday, we packed up and with our good friend Lynda. went to Mass and visited Monticello before driving back to DC. Even though we woke up to a drizzle, the rain cleared and it was gorgeous by the time we got up the hill. The grounds at Monticello took my breath away -- what a perfect time to visit, when everything was in bloom! We took an excellent tour of the house and had some great conversations while we walked.

Another big highlight: I got to see a cardinal and a blue jay, two birds we don't have here in California even though they are so common everywhere else! My bird-loving son was particularly jealous. :)

And then it was time to head home. It took me five days to recover (who's counting?! LOL) but I am now easing into our summer schedule with fresh inspiration and lots of wonderful memories. Thanks, Motherwell team, for inviting me!