Things I'm Loving This Summer

Sometimes the thunderstorms bring in
weather cool enough to open the doors!

Other than VBS at church, this summer has been pretty quiet.  The older I get, the more I really value down time and sleep!  I am very protective over it and am grateful to be a stay at home mom with our almost teenager.  The toddler years took a lot more physical energy, but the middle school years have taken more emotional energy.

Some of these things I'm loving will show you just how much down time I've had!  I hope your summer has been just as nice and I hope you try some of this lovely stuff.  I know you'll like it.

1.  Youtube
Youtube is an amazing resource that I am super late to discover.  I really started watching it regularly last year - I think it was the fall.
Here are my favorite channels, in order of which I love the most (they are all homeschoolers):
Our Tribe of Many - I literally love this family.  I feel like Sarah is my friend, I want Kara to marry their oldest son, I love them.
This Gathered Nest
Angela Braniff - good makeup stuff, homeschool, she's funny
A Farmhouse Full
Homeschool on the Hill
Curriculum Reviews
Youtube is super helpful for school too.  Whether you need mitosis explained or you find your geography book desperately boring, we use it a lot.
Our favorite youtube channels are:
Geography Now - I have learned so much and love the way this info is presented.  I highly recommend you check these out!  (We are going through them based on where they are in the world - Asia first, now Europe.)

TED-Ed - this was a great alternative to health for Kara (even though they have more info besides just health).  After she watched every health video they made, we are using the textbooks she doesn't like as much to make sure she hasn't missed anything.  She tells me every week she hasn't learned anything new, meaning TedEd was pretty comprehensive.

2.  Podcasts
This has been the media of choice for me to be in the Bible daily.  Sitting down with the physical Bible and a notebook and pen doesn't happen daily for me.  And assuming that is the only way to do it is too legalistic of me.  So, I have been really enjoying these, along with some fun ones.  Here are my favorite channels, in order of which I love the most:
BigBooCast - Two moms talk about their only children who are in high school - super super funny.  And they love college football.  (SEC!)
Popcast
The Bible Binge - the COOLEST way to learn about the Bible.  I recommend it to every person on the planet.
The Bible Recap - Read through the Bible in one year - she posts every day about what was read.  I am not reading through the Bible with them, but am learning plenty by listening to what she says.
The Busy Mom - Christian homeschooling mom encouraging women
The Happy Hour - Jamie Ivey interviews one awesome woman a week - usually someone who has just written a book.
Beth Moore - once a week, a one hour sermon

3.  Word-brain
Just a silly free game on my phone that I enjoy playing while I listen to podcasts, watch youtube, or watch tv with Kara.

4.  Mary Kay cream to powder foundation
This is the best because in the summer I sweat quite a lot.  Since this turns to powder, I don't look like a fool as I slowly sweat it off in places.  I either dab my face with a napkin (or wipe with the back of my hand), and it looks good.

5.  Hulu
We have Hulu free with Kara's Spotify premium subscription.  I got it for her because she listens to music all day every day, and because she traveled back in May.  (Premium not only has no commercials, but you don't need the internet for your music - which was great on the plane.)  For a short time, Hulu came free with it, so I've kept paying for Spotify premium.  Hulu is like Netflix, and my favorite shows have been:

Daria - I watched this in high school when it came out and I just love it.  It's a snarky cartoon and something about the simple way it was drawn and the 90s references just make me so happy.

Scrubs - this show never fails to crack me up with every. single. episode.

6.  Cats
Listen y'all.  You know I love my cats.  I know it's annoying to hear about how much people love their pets because you don't know their pets and it's weird for people to love an animal so much.  I also know dog lovers tend to hate cats with a fiery passion.  But, you don't know my cats.  Since they have been inside, they have learned how to communicate with us even more.  Since Kara always kisses Shiloh on the forehead, Shiloh always greets Kara with touching her nose to Kara's forehead.  Since I always greet the kitties with a "hey sweet kitty" when I enter a room, they come in a room and meow sweetly at me.  They love being brushed, they love when I pick seeds off of them from outside (it feels like I'm their mama bathing them), they love letting me hold their little paws.  They look at us and slow blink which means, "I love you."  When I talk to them, they raise their tail in the air, which means, "what's up."  They shed like they are going bald, but it's worth every hair and every sneeze.  They are so much company.

Here's a cute video of Shadow.

7.  Unit Studies
When I went to Nashville back in March for the homeschool convention, I really felt God was speaking "unit studies" to me.  Here is my blog reflecting on that convention.  Unit studies are outside of my comfort zone.  I want a textbook that has 180 lessons and I want to get them all done, checking off the boxes, one by one.  I want to do quizzes and homework and tests.  Unit studies aren't as structured, but this is exactly how Kara needs to learn right now.  Yes, she is getting high school credits (you don't have to use a text book - you can learn the same list of things that need to be learned and keep track of your hours - one high school credit hour is 160 hours.  I can do a separate post on this if you'd like.)  Kara doesn't like change (she loves a routine), so we study the same unit for 5+ weeks so we aren't skipping around every other week.  I am having so much fun planning.

8.  Eating Healthier
Michael found out he has high cholesterol (and I'm sure I do too), so we are changing the way we are eating.  I am making fish once a week and have found out I like salmon (I really love the texture especially).  I am making one meat free meal a week (beans are so yummy - and so is roasted cauliflower).  Good old Pinterest is helping me with recipes.
We are having salads just about every other day, which is yummy.  Michael is snacking on fruit (red grapes and pineapple, mostly), and he has discovered he likes avocado, which is so good for your cholesterol.  I wish he would eat more nuts, but he doesn't love them like I do.  I am finding ways to get them into recipes.
Michael is a very picky eater, but I'm happy to say, he has been liking most or all of the newer recipes.  Praise God!

9.  Books
Some books I'm reading are planning for those unit studies, but some are for me.  I just finished this one:

Here is a link.

10.  Michael
You have no idea how much a person with anxiety needs the person they live with to be super calm and peaceful.  My anxiety has been kicking up again lately (for no rational reason - my life is nice and chill these days - yes, I will be making doc appointments this week), and all I need is for Michael to be in the room and I feel better.  I could go on and on, but I'll just say, he is one of the things I am loving.