#57 - “Maybe THIS will fix everything” 😅

Hey Reader,

Feature Story: SOS - Shiney Object Syndrome

This is usually the time of year where it starts.

You see something new for homeschool…

and your brain goes:

👉 “Ooooh that looks good…”
👉 “Wait, maybe we should do that next year…”
👉 “This could fix everything…”

And before you even realize it…

you’re clicking, saving, opening tabs…

collecting ideas from all over the place.

(We’ve all done it 😅)
It’s not a bad thing.
It just means you care.


But the problem isn’t the ideas.
It’s that they’re scattered.

So instead of your brain feeling clear…
it feels like it’s trying to hold 20 different possibilities at once.

What actually helps?

NOT stopping the search.

Just starting in one, curated spot to reduce the overwhelm.

And that’s exactly why I wanted to share this with you today.

It’s here.

A Simplified Year’s 5th Annual Curated Collection just opened—and I’m really excited for you to see this.

Because instead of pulling ideas from 20 different places…
this gives you one place to explore what’s out there.


Inside, you’ll find a really rich collection of resources that cover your entire homeschool year—

things like:

Language Arts, Literature, History, Science, Math, Geography, Art, Music, Foreign Language, Nature Study, and more.


It spans Pre-K through high school and works across different styles—whether you lean Charlotte Mason, Classical, eclectic, or somewhere in between.


And everything inside was created by experienced homeschool moms and educators who actually understand what your days look like.


So instead of guessing what might work…

you’re starting with resources that have already been thoughtfully put together.

And the best part?

The whole collection is $14.

If you grab it before May 8th, there’s also an early bonus with extra discounts to all the shops inside—which is a really nice add-on if you end up loving something and want more.

Count down to 2026-05-09T06:45:00.000Z

The collection is only available through May 15th, so you’ve got a little time to look through it…

but this is one of those things that’s easiest to take advantage of early.

I’ll show you exactly how I’d approach it below, in our tools section, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. 💛


THIS WEEK’S FEATURE TOOL

A Simplified Year

This just opened today, and it’s one of the most helpful resources I’ve seen for this exact season.

Here’s exactly how I’d use it:

Scroll through the resources.
Don’t overthink it.
Just look for ONE thing that makes you think:

👉 “Oh… that would actually make next year easier.”

Write that one down.
And if it feels like a clear yes?
Grab it.

The whole collection is just $14, so it’s an easy way to give yourself a solid starting point without overcomplicating things.

And if you pick it up before May 8th, you’ll also get the bonus coupon book with extra discounts to everything inside—which is really helpful if you end up loving a few things.


COMMUNITY BOARD

Come Meet with Me

How to Start Homeschooling in Oregon without the Overwhelm

FREE

If you’ve been thinking about homeschooling in Oregon (or have a friend who is thinking about it) but aren’t sure where to start, this is a really helpful place to begin.

This free training walks you through exactly what you need to know—how to get started, what’s required in Oregon, and how to move forward with confidence instead of second-guessing every step.

Oregon Park Meetup Days

FREE

If you’re local to the Portland area and have been wanting to meet other homeschoolers near you, I’d love for you to come join us.

We’re meeting:

👉 Tuesdays in Wilsonville
👉 Wednesdays in Hillsboro

These are super low-key.

No pressure.
No need to have anything figured out.
Just come as you are and let the kids play.

If you want the schedule and reminders, you can grab all the details here:

👉 Get the Meetups Details

I’d love to see you there. 💛


Washington Homeschool Organization In-Person Workshop Conference
July 18, 2026
Federal Way, WA

This one-day conference brings homeschool families together for practical workshops, encouragement, and connection with other parents walking the same path.

I’ll be leading a session called:

Let’s Calm the Chaos and Create a Calm, Doable Homeschool Routine
If your homeschool days feel reactive or overwhelming, this workshop will help you reset your approach and build a routine that actually works for your family.

Learn more or register here


Brave Heart Free Mind Conference
📍 Wilsonville, OR
📅 September 19, 2026

This is one of those spaces that feels different.

Not about doing more or fixing yourself—but about coming back to who you already are underneath the weight of everything you’ve been carrying.

I’ll be speaking at this event, and if you’ve been feeling even the smallest pull toward something deeper… I want to invite you into this room.

Because sometimes what we need isn’t another plan—

It’s space to reconnect with ourselves.

👉 Learn more or save your seat here

Early bird pricing ends June 30th.


SICK CORNER 🤒


What “school” looked like here this week when sickness hit

Some weeks are not the weeks for ambitious plans.

This week, sickness worked its way through our house, and instead of trying to force our normal routine, we shifted into “keep learning alive without burning everyone out” mode.

And honestly? There was still a lot of learning happening.


📺 1. Use the TV strategically

We watched documentaries and history videos together.

The boys learned about Attila the Hun and Árpád, heard about the country of Hungary for the first time, and learned about the Danube River and Budapest.

That absolutely counts as social studies.

Not every learning moment has to happen at a table.


🏗️ 2. Let them build and create

My boys built:

  • LEGO cities
  • paper Minecraft towns
  • and this road/building set we’ve had for EIGHT years now.

And yes — Amazon still sells it (click here). We actually bought a second set because it still gets played with constantly.

Building is science.
Problem solving is science.
Design is science.

Kids do not need worksheets to learn how things work.


📚 3. Read what they actually want to read

This was a huge reading week here.

My 6-year-old had every edition of Dog Man spread across the floor and proudly told me he could read some of the words.

Another one of my boys finished a challenging read because he got so pulled into the story: Bruchko.

That counts.

Reading is reading.

And on hard days, interest and momentum matter more than perfectly curated assignments.


Some days are for deep work.
Some days are for survival and keeping curiosity alive.

Both matter. 💛


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