Hi !

Do you ever get the slumps? You know, that feeling where you're wondering why you're working so hard, is all this really worth it? Usually, the slumps hit me around February, probably because of the weather in the PNW that time of year is really crummy.

Well, the last couple of years, since we've been traveling and pretty much living in a perpetual summer, I haven't gotten the February slumps. Maybe it's because I'm due for them, maybe it's all the back-to-school excitement that my family doesn't participate in (we homeschool year-round), but I'm finding myself in the middle of them now.

What do you do when the slumps hit you? I try to take a step back and focus on what really matters to me. This is my kids and my husband; everything else can take a backseat. Time out in nature, walks, and a bit of extra sleep (who's ever heard of that?!?) often help, too.

My family has been working on learning Spanish lately. We started some a couple of years ago before we spent the winter right by the border to Mexico, but we didn't keep up with it. This time, I'm determined that we stick with it, so I've been finding more resources for us to use.

The only board game I've found so far is RoadScholar's Play and Learn Spanish (unfortunately, the company is no more). I'm sure there are others out there, though. We're also using Duolingo, Mango (our library got us free access! Check if yours does, too!), and I'm excited for us to start lessons on italki. Our teacher is a native Spanish speaker with excellent English, so I'm hopeful he'll be able to help steer us in the right direction. Something we've struggled with is Latin American vs Madrid Spanish (warning: Play and Learn Spanish uses Madrid Spanish!). There's enough overlap that resources can still be helpful, but it can get confusing.

Do you have any resources you love for learning Spanish? (Of course, the best thing, I know, is immersion. We're planning to spend next winter near Mexico again, so we should get more real-life practice soon.)

I'm currently working on a new unit study on (Western) music, and while I am really excited about it, it will probably be a little while before it's done. However, I don't want to leave you hanging without anything to start your year off with, so I'm giving you a code to get my Logic Unit Study for only $5! This unit study covers history, English/Language Arts (ELA), philosophy, logical fallacies, science, and more! There are even 4 different games included with your access! Use code AUGNEWS24 to get $10 off this unit study, but only for the next couple of days.

I hope you and your family are having an amazing summer (or winter, if you're in the southern hemisphere) and getting all the games and travel your heart desires! Until next time,

Happy Gaming!

~Ashley

Gypsy Gameschooler

P.S. I'm about to go live in the Homeschool Quest with Amelia DeField and some other homeschooling parents to talk about socialization! If you have questions about that ever-present socialization question, be sure to come check it out. The recording will only be available for a few days.