:: 1 ::
Ah, the new year, how I love it. I love coming back to homeschooling and the blog after taking a long, leisurely three weeks off. Back when we first started homeschooling, we only took two weeks off at Christmas. I was basically following the schedule of the local public school. But one year I realized I always felt worn when we started back. I poured myself into Christmas and New Year’s. We celebrate Christmas for 12 days, so many times “Christmas” was still going on when I was trying to get school off the ground. Plus, one of our daughters has a birthday during that time.
I added a week to our break and it was a huge sigh of relief. I felt like after the break — which isn’t really a break for Mom (and I’m totally okay with that) — then I got a break. It’s been so nice.
:: 2 ::
Anyone make any interesting New Year’s resolutions? Some years, I make a big deal out of Resolving Things. I didn’t feel particularly motivated this year, other than to start tracking a few more things compared to last year.
I was resistant to the Scholé Sisters 5×5 Reading Challenge when Mystie first invented it. I didn’t want to have a reading plan. But then I decided that if I’m basically done pre-reading midyear (having read almost every book assigned in all twelve years of AmblesideOnline because my senior is graduating), it’s probably time to make a plan of my own. I do better with a plan, even though I get a claustrophobic feeling if I think about them too much. The problem is that when given the chance to be spontaneous, I waste too much time. Plans help me be a better steward.
Anyhoo. I filled our my 5×5 Challenge sheets and now I’m feeling eager. The first check-in on the Sistership is at the end of the month and I’m pretty stoked about it.
:: 3 ::
We finished reading The Fiddler’s Gun aloud. I have mixed feelings about this book. The language and content are such that they are definitely not for younger kids. My older daughter is in love with the book, but all four of my kids (who are brown belts in Goju Ryu) found parts of the book ridiculous. It is our guess that authors who think a young woman can beat up a grown man have zero experience in actual fighting. And if you’re like our family and watch or participate in fights (we call it “sparring”) every week, it’s hard to suspend your disbelief.
I find the main character unlikeable. My kids aren’t in love with her, but they like her a lot more than I do.
Do I recommend the book? I suppose so. I don’t not recommend it, if that makes sense. Some kids love it. It’s not twaddle (but it’s also not literature). It’s a decent adventure book and teens will probably like it.
We started on the sequel, Fiddler’s Green. I’ll let you know what I think when we’re done.
After we finish that, I’m inflicting another Dickens title on my children. I feel this is only fair. 
:: 4 ::
This month in 2017:
I had a ton of fun writing this post because it was a fusion of so many things I love: Charlotte Mason, MBTI personality typing, Socrates, and more.
:: 5 ::
Podcast episode of the week:
- The Highwire with Del Bigtree: Who Is Lying to You?
- I have always appreciated Del Bigtree and his fight for parental rights and informed consent, but I appreciate him all the more lately. Big Pharma companies have gotten incredibly aggressive over the past few years and it pays to know what’s going on. I read a lot of research, but listening to some of it summarized saves me some time. This is a fabulous episode if you’ve never listened before. It’s also available as a show on YouTube, but I don’t watch; I listen.
:: 6 ::
This week’s links collection:
- The real case for independent schools by Roger Scruton
- In honor of Scruton’s death, I thought I’d share something he wrote in 2019.
- In my opinion, homeschools are the ultimate in independent schooling.
- Christopher Tolkien dead: Son of Lord of the Rings author JRR dies aged 95 from Mirror
- Sob. The Last Inkling is dead. I am mourning in my heart.
- Pelosi hands out souvenir pens, Dems slammed for gloating as House delivers Trump impeachment articles from Fox News
- Does anyone else think these pens look a little like bullets on the end?
- Did they hand out souvenir pens when President Clinton was impeached? Does anyone know if this is normal behavior? I thought it was of poor taste, but maybe it’s tradition and I just don’t know?
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