Summer Fun Report

I might have to call these Summer Fun Reports… “when I get to writing them reports” because the every week schedule seems to be morphing into an every other week schedule. Okay, that would be way too long of a title! So, Summer Fun Report, without a “week” number, is how it is going to be today.

Last time I reported, I talked a little bit about failure and goal setting, this week I want to talk a little bit more about the journey. This summer has been a journey of a lifetime. It has been different than any other summer, but it has been the realization of so many dreams.

Summer Journey

In my very first blog post, I wrote a little bit about why I was starting A One-Room Schoolhouse. This is what I wrote:

My School Story

I always said I was going to start a school. REALLY. When I was fourteen, my struggles in school came to a head and I was given a label: GIFTED DYSLEXIC. I felt like a walking conundrum.

That was when I realized that the one-size-fits-all school system was not really fitting anyone. I determined, right then and there, as a ninth-grade student, that I was going to create something better.

I was going to create another option for families when choosing a school. Something that would flex, adapt, and reach students. A school system where learning differences, learning styles, strengths, weaknesses, and fundamental child development were honored.

More than two decades later, God has taken my heart and mind on a learning journey, guiding me to reimagine what has already been created. To modernize the past. To add in the future. To create A One-Room Schoolhouse.

-Choosing a School

And, that, my friends has been this summer. This summer, that teenage dream came true. The space has come together (still have some final touches), the parents have registered, materials have come, and the school year is going to start.

Although this has not been quantified on my 100 days of summer 2020 tally sheet, it has been the driving influence behind so much of what I have been aiming for. I am over the moon excited and I am so glad you all have been along to follow in this journey.

But, when we set goals…

When we set goals, make a tally, or track our progress it is not really about the destination. The destination is nice. Filling in that last square on my “1000 hours outside” chart is going to feel amazing. But finishing is not the purpose. Finishing is the cherry on top of the delicious journey cupcake.

The journey this summer (and we are only a third of the way done) has been playing outside, camping, catching fireflies, swimming, paddling, finishing desks, meeting parents, reading books, playing songs, eating apples, and roasting marshmallows!

What has #100daysofsummer2020 done for me? It has helped me find a balance between working on the school, doing school with my kids, and having some family fun!

I’m so glad I can check in here with all of you to remind myself to re-check that balance and refocus on making this summer The Best Summer Ever!

No Idea What I am Talking About?

We are making this summer count with the #100daysofsummer2020 challenge!

If you are new to this summer fun challenge, head over here for all the details and some cool downloads. But here is a short summary of what we are doing this summer at A One-Room Schoolhouse:

Did you know that between Memorial Day and Labor Day there are roughly 100 days each year? (This year it is 105… but close enough!) Those are the 100 days of summer! The 100 days of summer 2020 need to be epic!

Let’s be honest, spring 2020 has been a bit of a letdown. (Heck, this summer is off to a rocky start!) The world has been in turmoil and our lives have been turned upside down. So with all of the distress in the world, I am issuing a challenge to make the 100 days of summer 2020 count!

#100daysofsummer2020

That’s right! This summer is going to be amazing. To make it truly epic, I challenge each of you to do some really amazing things. Let’s grow! Let’s make a difference! Make ourselves a little better, our family a little better, and our world a little better. Head over here to get your checklist!

Week Something-Or-Other Report

My Almost-Six-Year-Old Boy:

• Read 100 books (Twenty -nine books read! Honestly, I would like this number to be a little higher. Teaching this little guy to read has been a journey and I have backed off a little at the moment. Not that we aren’t reading but just taking things slowly at the moment.)
• Travel over 100 miles from home (We need to get our next camping adventure on the books and it needs to be 100 miles from home! )
• Build 100 Lego structures (Totally on a drawing kick at the moment. Although last night I caught him sleeping with a bag of Legos so building might be coming back into favor!)
• Spend 100 hours at a zoo, museum, aviary, state/national park, or historical site. (These kinds of places are finally open! I AM SO HAPPY! We are head to the Natural History Museum tomorrow. I can’t wait to report on this next week!)
• Play 100 songs on your instrument (Thrity-three songs down. I was thinking the other day that I should join him in this goal. It might be helpful for me to play a song or two after he plays his songs for the day.)

My Four-Year-Old Boy:

• Spend 100 hours outside each month (Let’s just say this one is more than done for June! Time to start a new tally for July!)
• Play 100 board or card games (Twenty-seven games so far, but I think I might have missed tallying some of the ones Dad has been playing with him. I need to get out more games for him during “school” time. Just a little reminder to myself. )
• Roast 100 marshmallows (Still six. Our last marshmallow roast was rained out, but we have another one planned for the Fourth. )
• Swim 100 hours (We spent another day at the lake this past week and I believe we are now up to forty hours of swimming. I hope to get to the pool today, so we should be getting a few more hours here too!)
• Eat 100 apples (Twenty, I don’t know, this one has been hard to count. Do I count the dozens of half-eaten apple? Your kids don’t do that, right?)

Parents:

• Read aloud 100 pictures books (We are at fifty books with my last count, so half-way there! I am so glad I have been intentional about sitting down daily, right after lunch, to read to my kids. I may be doing lots wrong, but I fell like this is one thing I am going right!)
• Do 100 hours of home improvement (Did you see the basement transformation update? Oh, how I have poured myself into this one! I believe we are at fifty hours. But, I still have materials and furniture coming in and the desks are almost finished. I am sure we will hit 100 hours before this project is done!)
• Walk/hike/run/bike 100 miles (I don’t even want to report on this. I did walk up to the neighbor’s house yesterday. Sigh.)
• Get rid of 100 things you don’t need (I did not count, but earlier this week, I helped the boys deep clean their room. We got rid of an entire large garbage bag of stuff. I am sure it was well over 100 items. So DONE! But I am still going to report on this one as I have further dejunking to do!)
• Camp for 100 hours (Um, DONE! We camped for 139 hours at camp week and loved almost every minute of it!)
• Do 100 workouts (I am hopeful this one is going to start happening. My baby FINALLY slept through the night last night! Ugh. You see, she was sleeping through the night, and for some reason, quarantine was not good for her sleep! It has been a struggle, but if I can get some uninterrupted sleep, I might be able to start working out again!)

Looking Forward

This last week, we also hosted our VERY successful Homeschool 101 parent night. It has wonderful meeting FIFTEEN different families all getting ready to homeschool this coming year. It was a great chance to build a community of support and friendship!

If you missed this first night, don’t worry, we are doing one more event. You can join us on July 11th! Check out this post for more details and make sure you RSVP to the Facebook event!

Invite…

It is never too late to join us! You don’t need 100 days to do these challenges! Show off your progress through the summer by taking pictures of your chart and your adventures. Post them to social media and use our hashtag #100daysofsummer2020.

Of course, I will follow the hashtag but also tag @aoneroomschoolhouse and I will be sure to share as many as I can in my stories!