One thing that the changing of the months and years brings us is this steadiness.  In an ever changing life and an ever changing world, the months, seasons, and festivals will always be turning round and round.  It can bring us and our families peace and stability if we choose to embrace it.

There are so many glorious things to celebrate about May:  flowers and greenery, bees buzzing, spring time alive, and the activity of children everywhere perking up.  The world is ready to be outside in May in the Northern Hemisphere, and we feel the liveliness and promise of Spring.

What we are celebrating this month:

May Day – May 1

50 Days of Eastertide

Ascension Day – May 9

Mother’s Day – May 12

Memorial Day – May 27 ( a great time to look at summer plans)

Other things on my mind:

• De-cluttering and deep cleaning with natural cleansers
• Skin care (yes, skin care).  Time for radiant, dewy skin in May!
• Spring tales for children and puppetry for small children
• Gardening
• The lake and the pool. Our pool is opening for summer this week, and the lake is beckoning
• Spring menu planning!
• Exercising. I exercise 5 days a week and it helps keep me sane.

These are a few of my favorite things for small children:

• Hiking on The Feast of Ascension, watching clouds
• Making Pentecost crafts
• Gathering for May Day and dancing around a May Pole!
• Making crafts for Memorial Day, Memorial Day parades
• Pedal toys – trikes and bikes! Have your own Memorial Day parade

These are a few of my favorite things for grades-aged children:

• All of the above, plus
• Swimming and miniature golf
• Playing in the water and sand
• Observing all the dragonflies, bees, and butterflies
• Calming rituals for rest times and the end of the day.  

These are a few of my favorite things for teens:

• All of the above, including screen free week
• Spring cleaning and spring decorating of the home, gardening tasks
• Spring cooking, making special treats for The Feast of Ascension and Memorial Day
• Planning surprise May Day baskets for neighbors, and doing things to serve others.
• Picnics at the lake
• Later night walks in the warm air – great time to talk after the smaller children have gone to bed

These are a few of my favorite things for myself:

• Celebrating our family with family meetings and family game night.
• Celebrating our marriage (32!) with a night out.
• Drinking lots of water and herbal teas.
• Acupuncture

I would love to know what is on your mind for this month of May.

homeschooling/education:

Our older two children (22 and 19) have graduated from homeschooling have jobs and live on their own. Our rising high school freshman will have classes two days a week, and will be volunteering one day a week at his former middle school homeschool program to assist the teachers and mentor younger students.

We will have some blocks of learning at home as well, so will be happy to post those plans as we go.

where is the blog these days?

Well, unfortunately no one really reads blogs anymore.  Compared to its heyday, readership here and in blogs in general,  is super low.  I write mainly for myself at this point, I think, and still hope to compile all these posts into ebooks at some point in the future.

For the most part, you can find me on IG (I am on Facebook as well, but I don’t always like the negativity and divisiveness of FB and therefore think about getting off Facebook daily, so IG may be your best bet to follow me).  I will continue to write here as well, but I do wonder if it will drop off to be just IG in the next few years.

The other place you can find me is on the  wonderful forum that The Child Is The Curriculum.  It is an amazing place, and has all your curriculum shopping needs, discussion groups, book studies, and everything all in one place!  I love it, and hope you do as well.

Lastly, you can always email me admin@theparentingpassageway.com to set up a consult by phone – I have half hour and full hour paid slots. 

Can’t wait to hear what you are up to in May!

Blessings,

Carrie