• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Townsend House

Cultivate Simplicity in your Home and Homeschool

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Video
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact

TH

A New Year’s Eve Reflection and Looking Ahead to the New Year

*I had planned to post
this on New Year’s Eve, alas sickness took hold of our home, and instead we are
posting it now!
The year 2015 has come to a close.  What an amazing year!  I always love to sit down and reflect on the
previous year on New Year’s Eve.  There
is something so incredibly satisfying to go through a list of questions for me
and really think about all the important parts of the year.  It isn’t always the good stuff either, there
can be plenty of challenges and struggles as well, but it is nice to have that time
to reflect, to look ahead, to plan, to dream. 
It is one of my favorite parts of the year!


Over the past year, one thing that I have recognized about myself is my love of
the change of seasons.  Any excuse to sit
down and look at what is working, re-evaluate, know what is not working,
reflect, plan, look ahead, I love.

New Year’s Eve obviously fits those parameters.
Typically I use the questions that Tsh provides from The Art of Simple.  I think that
these questions are specific enough to get my mind going, and open ended enough
so that I can sit and write for quite a while about my reflections and
experiences.  It is a lovely keepsake to
have as well.  I enjoy sitting down and
reading through previous years’ reflections periodically – typically when I am
trying to decide if I should get rid of journals or keep them while I am going
through a big purge of my home!
This past year has seen a lot of changes.  We went from an infant at the beginning of
the year, to a full-fledged toddler at the end of the year, one who is quite
mischievous no matter how sweet she seems! 
I have seen Emma and Jack both excel at the school work we are doing,
and see passions in them for specific subjects that I haven’t seen before. 

We had an incredibly long winter, think snow in April!  It was bitterly cold, and while we had a ton
of snow, it was too cold for my kids to stay outside for too long, if at
all.  That meant a lot of indoor time.  This probably explains why I was able to read
so many books at the beginning of the year, but as soon as the weather turned
to a bit of warmth, I was outside enjoying it, and not reading.
This spring we celebrated Emma’s 7th
birthday.  It seemed like a significant
milestone.  She is growing into such a
little lady, and I love to see how her interests line up with what mine were
when I was little.  Fashion, design,
drawing, reading, My Little Ponies, a few of her favorite things.  It is also amazing to see her love for Lucy,
and what a helper she is.

The summer of 2015 was a little different for me.  This was the first year since we moved into
this house 9 years ago that I did not plant a garden. 

That may not seem very significant, but it was in my eyes.
I started this blog with the ideas of self-sufficiency, food
security, and local eating as pretty big themes, having a garden helped with
those themes.  Not having a garden, well,
it may sound silly, but I felt a little lost!

Don’t get me wrong, the whole “no weeding” thing was
awesome, but not having the option to go outside and grab whatever was in the
garden for lunch, or to see the kids sitting in the middle of the garden eating
all of my peas straight from the pods, or having green beans for dilly beans,
and not one fresh from the garden tomato – that hurt!
Instead I frequented the co-op downtown, which the
kids love, and I was happy to be fortunate and have another local option.





This summer I started my YouTube channel.  I haven’t really talked much about it here,
just posting videos sometimes, but it is something I have been enjoying
immensely.  I hope you will join me over
there!

August 3rd marked the official start of our
homeschool year.  We technically school
all year, and take breaks where we need to, but our new books and curriculum
officially started at the beginning of August.  I got my first *Erin Condren Teacher Planner because this was also the first year I decided to piece my own curriculum together.

Jack had a milestone birthday – 5 – and we had a big party
for him.  




It was complete with bounce house and
a little train the kids could all ride on. 
It was probably the hottest day of the year, at least it seemed that way
in our shade free yard.  I have loved to
see how Jack has taken ahold of video as his medium of choice – definitely his
father’s son.  He loves chess, drawing,
putting together new worlds with LEGO and Super Mario figures, creating stories,
stop motion videos.  It is fun to watch
him develop.  He and Lucy share a special
bond.  It is fun to see him in both the
little brother and big brother roles.

Fall brought with it the first year for Emma to play field
hockey, which she really enjoyed, and I enjoyed watching her!  It also marked the start of a new venture
with a homeschool co-op. 
While we haven’t belonged to the co-op for all that long,
there are definitely great bonds that have already been made, and it is
wonderful to find a support system as we move into the first year of reporting
to the state for homeschooling.  It is
nice to have other moms to bounce ideas off of, and also to have those extra
classes that I wouldn’t be doing at home! 
I mean, they take a LEGO class, how fun is that!




I took part in the 31 Days  challenge in October again this year.  This year, my topic was self-care and I think that we all had a great time exploring this topic that seems to be ignored for a lot of women!

We celebrated Lucy’s first birthday, which was a fun
milestone.  I had forgotten how much a
baby changes that first year.  She has
been an incredibly easy baby, sleeping well, not crabby most of the time, and genuinely
happy.  She doesn’t like it when the kids
go off to their rooms to play while she is downstairs, and she will stand at
the gate and yell for them until they come down to see her.  We realized that this first year has
completely flown by.  It seems as though
every month ends faster than the last one. 

Overall, it has been a wonderful year.  There have been challenges, there always are,
but I am choosing to think and reflect on the positive. 
I am excited about what 2016 will bring, and can’t wait to
share with you some of my goals for the New Year.

What was your favorite
memory from 2015?
  



*Get $10 off your first purchase when you sign up for an account through my Erin Condren Affiliate Link

You may also enjoy:

  • How to Choose a Word of the YearHow to Choose a Word of the Year
  • A Reflection on the Past Year and Looking Ahead to the New YearA Reflection on the Past Year and Looking Ahead to the New Year
  • Long Range Goals and How to Plan for the New YearLong Range Goals and How to Plan for the New Year
  • DITL of a Homeschooling Mama with Three LittlesDITL of a Homeschooling Mama with Three Littles
Share
Pin
Tweet

26 Comments

Are you ready to cultivate simplicity in your home and homeschool?

Start with my easy guide to organize your homeschool curriculum.

Previous Post: « Thanksgiving Prep!
Next Post: Welcome to a Brand New Year of Loving Life! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Debbie says

    January 6, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    I just found your blog at A Bowl Full of Lemons and enjoyed reading your memories of 2015. I am excited to read through your blog to learn more about you and your family.

    Reply
  2. Ana Cristina Marino says

    January 5, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    It seems like you had a great year and congratulations on your YouTube Channel. My favorite memory for 2015 was getting to spend time with my family from Venezuela who live there and came to Miami for vacations.

    Reply
  3. Jam Jar Gill (from jamjargill.com) says

    January 5, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    Love the recap 🙂 And the photo in matching jammies at the end 🙂 Your local co-op looks awesome too – tons of organic produce locally is a real treat. Wishing you all the best for a very happy and health 2016. Oh and thanks for the link to the questions – super handy – might just use them too 🙂

    Reply
  4. nicole says

    January 5, 2016 at 1:50 am

    I would love to plan a garden. One day.

    Reply
  5. Yona Williams says

    January 5, 2016 at 12:38 am

    Wow, you had a really nice-looking garden – so much larger than I ever attempted. I can imagine how it must have felt to miss this past year. My favorite memories of 2015 were probably my trips to Michigan throughout the year – we drove there 3 times.

    Reply
  6. Jessica Abegg says

    January 4, 2016 at 6:18 pm

    Love this! I'm glad to hear that your 2015 was so enjoyable! Granted, time seems to go by whether we enjoyed it or not, but it does sound like you're more than aware of this and take full advantage! Being busy doing things is always nice, but taking time to stop and look around is important – as evidenced by your photos!
    2015 in my part of the world wasn't nearly as noteworthy, and certainly nothing to be proud of – just means that much more has to be put into 2016 so it doesn't just pass by!

    Reply
  7. blythe32 says

    January 4, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    2015 was not a good year for my family, but I do have a couple of good memories, including going on a fun summer trip with my niece and nephew. They always make life fun. Thanks for sharing your year in review.

    Reply
  8. jillconyers says

    January 4, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Self care is an awesome focus for a challenge! One of my favorite moments was completing certification to be a personal trainer. And my son graduating from HS. That's a favorite too!

    Reply
  9. The Coastie Wife says

    January 4, 2016 at 6:31 am

    It looks like you had such a great year! I can't pick just one memory from my year because we went on a lot of awesome trips and did a lot of cool things in 2015!

    Reply
  10. Kaylene Outnumbered says

    January 4, 2016 at 5:17 am

    I love taking time to reflect on the year and look forward to the next year. It looks like you had a wonderful 2016!

    Reply
  11. NatePD says

    January 4, 2016 at 4:40 am

    You had a great 2015 and I wish you all the best in your jorney in 2016! XO

    Reply
  12. Eileen Kelly says

    January 4, 2016 at 2:06 am

    You have a beautiful family and I enjoyed your recap of 2015. So many wonderful things, looking forward to reading about 2016

    Reply
  13. ana de jesus says

    January 4, 2016 at 12:00 am

    Well done for beginning your vlogging journey. I look forward to seeing what the rest of 2015 brings to you lovely!

    Reply
  14. Deb Clem-Buckert says

    January 3, 2016 at 6:16 pm

    Good for you for vlogging. I've been scared to start. Maybe I need to look into it. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  15. Jenn Peters says

    January 3, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Sounds like a great year you had! I've been wanting to try out a co-op too. Maybe that will be a goal for this year 🙂 And I love the planner, just got my first and have been decking it out!

    Reply
  16. Monroe Bishop says

    January 3, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Beautiful 2015 reflection, such great memories. Cant wait to read about 2016. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  17. Ochalina Blog says

    January 3, 2016 at 11:34 am

    This is a lovely way to look back life in year 2015, and seems like you had wonderful one.My most memories was road trip around Europe and start my blog.

    Reply
  18. Dear Anaaa says

    January 3, 2016 at 7:37 am

    I am so in love with how you looked back in the year and did a quick over view. Such a good way to look back years in advance and remember all the great memories.

    My favorite memory was finishing up my 3rd year of uni and going onto my 4th! It was hard but well worth it!

    I am wishing you and your family a great 2016!

    Ana (dearanaaa.com)

    Reply
  19. Paula says

    January 3, 2016 at 6:53 am

    My favorite part of the year was spending time with my son. It was very special getting to take him to see the rhinos in San Diego. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  20. Jannine Pampu says

    January 3, 2016 at 4:33 am

    Sounds like you've had a great year filled with love and progressing forward, I wish you all the best for 2016! I've had a jam packed year full of achievements and great memories with friends over the year. I'm excited for the year to come!

    Reply
  21. Liz says

    January 2, 2016 at 11:28 pm

    Awesome post! Even though my blog isn't "personally" focused, this post has got me the wheels spinning. I'm thinking I could easily write a post about all of the things I learned in 2015 and how it changed the way I work.

    Hope you're feeling better soon. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Sarah Koves says

    January 2, 2016 at 11:18 pm

    I bought an Erin Crondren last January, but only used it until July- I did get it on sale, but my Google Calendar works so much better for me. My mother is a fabulous gardener, so I always get her fresh produce as I do not have a green thumb- I have the opposite-whatever that is

    Reply
  23. Wow Di says

    January 2, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    wow great yearly recap, sounds busy but fun! I too didn't plant a garden this year as I had too much going on, but looking forward to at least doing tomatoes this year. Like you I have dreams of self sufficiency but it's a lot of work along with everything else.
    Have a great 2016!

    Reply
  24. Lisa Tummers says

    January 2, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    You had an amazing year! I understand feeling lost without a garden, but I love that you didn't let it stop you – you just found a co-op as a great substitute! We homeschool, too, although my kids are older now. I think it's so fun and customizable – you have a LEGO class, and one of my high schoolers is taking Auto Tech complete with an internship with a local mechanic. Love that these things are possibilities for our kids!

    Reply
  25. Lucy's Cruelty Free Beauty and Living says

    January 2, 2016 at 6:02 pm

    That was quite a year! Sometimes I wish I had been able to homeschool my children in the elementary ages…I also love reading about your food co-op experience. I have thought about joining a newly developed one in my area.

    Reply
  26. Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says

    January 2, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    What a wonderful year you had! The kids are amazing and what a great way to look back and remember all you've accomplished. My favorite memory was our annual trip to Cape Cod. Things slow down there, we step away from social media and just reconnect. Happy 2016!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Are you ready to cultivate simplicity in your home and homeschool?

Start with my easy guide to organize your homeschool curriculum.

Currently Reading



Latest on Instagram

townsendhouse1

Heather @ Townsend House
We got our first tiny egg! Many more to come 🥰 We got our first tiny egg! Many more to come 🥰

#homeschool #homeschooling #chickens #homestead #homesteading #growyourown #localfood #locavore
An @erincondren unboxing! I am sharing how I use t An @erincondren unboxing! I am sharing how I use time blocking in my daily planner as well as how I set up our family command center, and the best sketchbooks for my kids. 

See the full video at the link in my profile!

How do you like to organize your family calendar?

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmomlife #organizeallthethings #erincondren #eca5dailyduo #ecsquad #family #familyorganization #familycommandcenter #homeschoolplanner #homeschoolplanning
We went back to *homeschool* shopping last week! D We went back to *homeschool* shopping last week! Don't forget to grab your Target circle discount for 15% off your total purchase of school/cleaning/storage supplies for the homeschool year. I have all the info on how to verify as a teacher in the video at the link in my profile.

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolsupplies #homeschoolmom #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolshopping #backtoschool
As we think about getting back to homeschool, I ha As we think about getting back to homeschool, I have been researching @studydotcom a lot. They offer options for your homeschooler to earn college credit while in high school, and I am thinking about this for my high schooler. 

I also really like all of the options to supplement our homeschool curriculum with their video lessons and study guides. I think this is going to be a huge help as we move through high school! 

They have options for kindergarten through college, so really something for everyone!

Get 30% off your first 3 months with my code TownsendHouse

#affiliate #sponsored #Studydotcom #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolmiddleschool
Getting the homeschool cart ready for our 1st full Getting the homeschool cart ready for our 1st full day of school next week has been hanging over my head. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was able to fit on my cart for our 1st term of the new homeschool year. You can see my cart clean-out and organization at the link in my profile 😊 Do you use 3-tier carts in your homeschool?

#homeschool #homeschooling #sonlight #sonlightstories #sonlight230 #bravewriter #bravelearner #bravewriterlifestyle #bravelearnerlifestyle #homeschoolmom #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolplanner #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolinghighschool #highschoolcurriculum #curriculum #charlottemason #interestled #bookstagram #books
A little #gardentour 😊 #garden2022 Early girl A little #gardentour 😊

#garden2022
Early girl Tomatoes
Bell Peppers
Spaghetti squash
Romas
Pie pumpkins
Kale

Not pictured - potatoes, green beans (that are being decimated by slugs), watermelon, garlic, corn, cukes (dying due to an unknown pest), jalapeños 

#gardening #growyourownfood #food #localfood #locavore #homeschool #homeschoolmom #homestead #homesteading
I am finally done organizing our homeschool space I am finally done organizing our homeschool space for the new homeschool year! I have a tour that you can find at the link in my profile.

Do you have your homeschool spaces all ready for the new homeschool year?

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolroom #homeschoolroomtour #homeschoolorganization #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolplanner #sonlight #sonlightstories #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolmiddleschool
Happy 4th of July!!! Happy 4th of July!!!
I love to get out in the garden every morning! Thi I love to get out in the garden every morning! Things seem to be growing well, although I definitely have some pests to contend with...

#eatlocal #garden #gardening #2022garden #growyourownfood #growyourown #homeschool #homeschooling #homestead #homesteading
My Brave Writer choices for 2022-2023! You can fin My Brave Writer choices for 2022-2023! You can find the video and how I combine Brave Writer with our other language arts curriculum at the link in my profile.

#bravewriter #bravelearner #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolmiddleschool #homeschoolmom #homeschoolcurriculum
A walk through my flower gardens! They need a ser A walk through my flower gardens!  They need a serious weeding, but the flowers are pretty 😊

#garden #flowers #flowersmakemehappy #garden2022 #2022garden
I have my 7th grade homeschool curriculum choices I have my 7th grade homeschool curriculum choices up! You can see them at the link in my profile.

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolcurriculum #mainestudies #bravewriter #bravelearner #bravewriterlifestyle #bravelearnerlifestyle #homeschoolmom #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolplanner #middleschool 
 #wildandfreechildren #charlottemason #interestled #bookstagram #books
I can't wait to hear how the dance was for these b I can't wait to hear how the dance was for these beauties!
When I was choosing curriculum for this coming yea When I was choosing curriculum for this coming year I thought I was totally on top of things, just to realize when I was laying everything out that I totally forgot to get science for my 7th grader. 🤦🏼‍♀️

We chatted a bit about what he wanted to do, and what he decidedly DID NOT want to do, and we came up with the #scienceunlocked kits from @homesciencetools 

I am sharing an unboxing of the four kits we chose as well as my first thoughts. 
You can find the video at the link in my profile.

I think that it is going to be a great science year for him! 

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolscience #homeschoolmiddleschool #projectbasedhomeschooling #interestledlearning #homeschoolmom #homeschoolcurriculum
I'm starting to share my 2022-2023 Homeschool Curr I'm starting to share my 2022-2023 Homeschool Curriculum picks. First up, my 9th grader! You can find out what we are using by clicking the link in my profile.

#homeschool #homeschooling #sonlight #sonlightstories #sonlight230 #bravewriter #bravelearner #bravewriterlifestyle #bravelearnerlifestyle #homeschoolmom #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolplanner #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolinghighschool #highschoolcurriculum #curriculum #charlottemason #interestled #bookstagram #books
#sponsored @kiwico_inc crates are a great way to i #sponsored @kiwico_inc crates are a great way to integrate interest-led learning in your homeschool. Find out how we use them at the link in my profile!

#kiwico #steam #stem #homeschool #homeschooling #interestledlearning
Jack and I have a lot of planting in our future! T Jack and I have a lot of planting in our future! This doesn't even include all of the seeds we have...Why is it so hard to say no to lots of plants?  Also, not entirely sure where we will put it all 🤣

#growyourown #localfood #slowfood #homesteading #homesteadhomeschooling #homeschool #homeschooling #garden #gardening #2022garden
My irises are showing up! White lilacs are also bl My irises are showing up! White lilacs are also blooming 🥰

#garden #2022garden #flowers #flowersmakemehappy
I am super excited to share the new Erin Condren T I am super excited to share the new Erin Condren Teacher Planners with you guys! I have been using the coiled teacher planner since 2015 and it is super functional for me. If you are interested in seeing the new planners that go on sale next week, you can find my videos at the link in my profile!

#ecsquad #erincondren #ectlp #ectp #homeschool #homeschoolplanner #homeschooling #homeschoolplanner #homeschoolmom #plannercommunity #teacherplanner
#ad 5 reasons we are STILL using @teachingtextbook #ad 5 reasons we are STILL using @teachingtextbooks for our homeschool math - it might not be why you think!
Find the video here - https://youtu.be/Q03_6jtpxa4
Find the corresponding blog post here - https://www.townsend-house.com/teaching-textbooks-6/
Get your FREE TRIAL here - https://u.teachingtextbooks.com/Free_Trial_HL41422

#homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolmath #homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolingteens #homeschoolcurriculum #math #mathcurriculum #homeschoolmom #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolplanner #middleschool #elementaryschool #highschool
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

what can i help you find?

Are you ready to cultivate simplicity in your home and homeschool?
Start with my easy guide to organize your homeschool curriculum.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
  • Contact
  • Index

Copyright © 2022 · Heather · Townsend House · All Rights Reserved

Share
Pin
Tweet