Category Archives: Celebrations Around the Year
Mom Advice For Myself
I hate this video, because it made me get all emotional and I HATE that. What would you tell your just-about-to-become-a-mommy self? I think I’d tell me, Enjoy every minute, it’ll be gone so quick. Happy Mother’s Day Bookmark on … Continue reading
Writin’ With the Irish
Here are a few fun writing ideas for some St. Patrick’s Day fun: Imagine you found a lucky four-leaf clover that will bring you great luck for only one day. Write about your perfect lucky day. At Christmas time, Valentine’s … Continue reading
Green Pepper Shamrock Stamping
Getting excited for St. Patrick’s day around here! The kids and I {yeah, me too – I couldn’t stay away from the paints for this cool project} made these very cool shamrocks using green peppers as our stamps. I made … Continue reading
Pi Day
Happy Pi Day! It’s 3.14, so today, you’ve got to teach your kids about Pi! For every circle, no matter it’s size, the distance around the edge (the circumference) is about 3.14 times longer than the distance across the circle … Continue reading
Leap Day
Leap Day is coming up! Legend has it that St. Bridget struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow for a little role reversal on leap day. She bargained that women be allowed to propose to men instead of the … Continue reading
What’s Special About February 2nd?
We’re all watching for that cute little groundhog to come out and tell us what kind of weather to expect, but why is Groundhog’s Day on February 2nd anyway? Well, the 2nd of February is a cross-quarter day celestially speaking, … Continue reading
Veterans Day Learning
Four US soldiers watching the allied bombing at Normandy. Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day and celebrated the day the treaty was signed ending WWI, November 11, 1918. In 1954 the congress declared the day be renamed Veterans Day and that it … Continue reading
Remembering 9/11/01
It’s September 11th, the tenth anniversary of the Twin Towers destruction and an act of war committed by radical Islamists. Most kids even up through high school barely remember the event or weren’t even born yet. My oldest, now a … Continue reading
Flag Day
It’s Flag Day in the United States. I hope that no matter where you live, when you see your flag, you feel the same feeling I do when I see my flag. I remember even as a child watching a Boy Scout flag ceremony … Continue reading
Memorial Day Learning
Crafts are fun and can fill time, but if you want to really learn about Memorial Day, you have to learn about why America is worth fighting for and why people in the past have pledged their lives, fortunes and … Continue reading
Felt Shamrock Game
I’m re-entering the world of teaching a per-schooler after a few years without one. . . I had almost forgotten how much I love to teach this age. My 3 year-old, Isabel, just seems to be delighted with the world. … Continue reading
Groundhog Forecast: Spring Weather?
On February 2nd my kids eagerly waited for the news . . . would it be six more weeks of winter or not? I burst their expectant little bubbles by telling them that in North Idaho there is never any uncertainty about whether winter will … Continue reading
Meaningful Activities For Kids On Washington’s Birthday
When teaching my own kids I don’t just look for cute activities around a theme, like Presidents Day. I mean making a puppet of George Washington would be fun, but what would they learn? I always approach a lesson from the idea … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day Origins and Customs
St. Valentine illegally marrying Christian couplesafter the Roman Emperor forbade all marriages. Valentine’s Day goes back clear to 500 AD when it was established as a Catholic holiday by Pope Galasius I. As with many other of the Catholic holidays, … Continue reading
Baucis and Philemon, A Greek Love Story
Near a swampy lake in Phyrgia there is a low wall enclosing tow trees–a linden and an oak. Long long ago Zeus visited this land with his son, Hermes, the messenger god. The two gods traveled through the land, disguised as ordinary … Continue reading
Homemade Valentine Cards
This year let your kids get creative making their own Valentine cards. It’s great practice cutting, pasting, and writing, and they’ll also learn to put a little of themselves into the gifts they give. Over the years I’ve kept ideas for … Continue reading
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement
Every homeschool and every classroom and every family in America should spend time on Monday learning about and talking about the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King. Once a year is certainly not too much time to spend on a chapter of our history both so recent and … Continue reading
Happy Constitution Day!
This much ignored holiday should be one of our most celebrated. The United States Constitution is the supreme achievement of mankind in the area of government to date. We have never done better than when we followed its guidance and governed ourselves with the limits placed … Continue reading
Earth Day Exploration
Today is earth day. I’m not a fan of pushy environmentalists or the trendy “going green” thing, though I do value our planet and its many natural resources. I do believe we should take care of the planet, though I … Continue reading
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Shamrocks are Ireland’s most recognizable symbol. Here are a few fun tidbits… St. Patrick used them to explain the trinity concept–The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, 3 entities, but all joined as one just like the 3 leaves joined … Continue reading
President’s Day Activities
Today is President’s Day in the USA! Learning about our past leaders gives great insight and understanding into who we are as a nation. Looking at past leaders, their strength’s and weaknesses, their characters, their triumphs and failures also helps … Continue reading
