So we’ve decided that the kiddo will continue to be homeschooled this fall. Between the Delta variant and the fact that he can’t be vaccinated yet, keeping him home a bit longer seems like the right thing to do. After months of waffling, I’m definitely feeling the relief of simply making a decision about this too.

We’re very lucky to have this option, and the grandparents and great grandma are enjoying their extra time with him after that time was shortened due to Covid last year. Thanks to their vaccinations, they can have their full normal days with him again. Homeschool may never have been on our radar, and it won’t likely be our choice long term, but it’s been a good thing for now.

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Friday’s Frugal Five

1. The kiddo declared Friday to be “Family Fun Night.” We popped popcorn from the local farmers market (as our dinner) and played Parcheesi together.

It was such a lovely family night, and I’m glad the kiddo pushed for it to happen. Definitely something that should be in our regular rotation. It’s been fun as the kiddo has gotten older and is up for longer games and strategy (he really didn’t need our help for his moves). Plus, it was pretty much free, since we already owned the board game, and popcorn is a very inexpensive food.

2. Becky and Austin stayed overnight on the weekend on their way through the area (they’re living in a van they built out themselves and looking to hit all the national parks).

For dinner while they were in town, we made homemade pizza with the homemade pizza sauce we canned last year from our tomatoes and herbs. For toppings, we picked a bunch of different stuff out of the garden fresh, plus some canned items like garlic scapes. I think next year I might buy some scapes for pickling, because the few cans we make from our garden really isn’t enough for how much we like them.

3. We also showed them our backyard trails before they left the next day. Exploring our neighborhood with folks who have never been to our area before is a great reminder that we really do live in a lovely spot.

While hiking though, we noticed how low the water levels were – the lowest we’d ever seen them in areas. Streams gone dry that we’d never seen dry before. We may not be in the same level of drought as other parts of the Western United States, but it’s still very dry here. Cross your fingers for the rain we’re supposed to get through the weekend – we need it.

4. I help with my parents’ garden every year, and this year, my grandmother has gotten really into helping out. She’s been watering and checking on the plants each day, and it shows. They’re flourishing.

I planted a few acorn squash at her request, and when I was over this past week, she proudly showed off the large squash growing on her plants. It’s been so much fun to have another family member as excited about gardening as I am, and we already have plans for a larger garden for them next year.

5. As I’ve mentioned here before, my mother has been a parenting author ever since I was a child (thirteen books translated into more than thirty languages). More recently, though, she’s started to write fiction, something that’s been on her “someday” list for a very long time.

This week, she’s published her third book in her cosy mystery series Destiny Falls. If you’re looking for some fun, light escapism, this series is perfect for that (hello, Covid, that’s been a lot of my reading these days). She also makes sure to have a diverse set of characters, and the relationship between the two cats is pretty great too. Highly recommend the reads – and the first in the series is on sale for 99¢ right now!

Exercise Update

Friday was two long walks (one during the work day while I listened to continuing education), and then a Minecraft Cosmic Kids Yoga with the kiddo out in the front yard at the end of the day.

Saturday was a twenty minute run with the kiddo, and Sunday was the hike through the trails with Becky and Austin. Monday was more long walks (almost 20,000 step day) plus some squats and modified push ups. Tuesday was another run, but this time by myself. Thursday was another hike through the woods.

Is Delta changing your plans at all? How so?