Fall colors are at their peak here in Door County, WI. Around every corner you will find the surprise of a blazing red Maple or a bright yellow Oak. I find myself gazing out the windows mid-day catching glimpses of the squirrels stashing away their treasures for winter, and geese flying in the classic “V” formation as they head south, just a few months before we make our trek south.

Every year around this time the newness of the homeschool year wears off. The kids’ sticker charts have lost their novelty and they would rather not complete their work than get a candy or a prize. I find myself losing patience because the two big kids don’t have the same eagerness that they had just a month ago. Schoolwork becomes harder, the days become shorter and everyone becomes crabby.

Then I remember… this is why we homeschool. We don’t have to get stuck in monotony. The days don’t have to drag on. I have the power to create how our days look. Sometimes it is easy to forget what a privilege it is to homeschool. It’s easy to get wrapped up in tasks and projects and the never-ending chores that come with having 4 kids home all day.

These days, when I find myself getting impatient, grumpy, or stressed it is a reminder that just as the seasons aren’t going to stop and wait for me, my kids aren’t stop growing up and I’d better soak in the moments. I ease up on the kids, make them come outside and catch falling leaves, pretend to be a tourist and take cheesy pictures in the town square, rake leaves and jump in them, play with our chickens, drink hot cocoa, and have a fire in the fireplace just because.