Upcoming Events:
Opening Social: Monday, September 12, 6:30-8:30 pm at Lakeview Park in Nampa, by the airplane (and a flock of pink, plastic flamingos!)
A great way for everyone to spend FHE, dinner and park play, and getting to know other homeschooling families!
DHSA will provide hot dogs and buns, please bring a potluck item to share, and lawn chairs/picnic blanket. RSVP by commenting on our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1964561683770557/ Don’t forget your Box Tops for Education!
Mothers’ Meetings: To those of your new to DHSA, Mothers’ Meetings are a monthly opportunity to leave the kids at home with dad (or with a sitter) and get to know other homeschooling mamas, be inspired, share ideas, and fellowship each other on our homeschooling journeys! (Babes in arms are always welcome.) These meetings are hosted by members, in their homes (or other accommodating spaces). If you would like to host a Mothers’ Meeting this school year, please contact our Vice President, Christie Crook, at 208-604-2950.
September Mothers’ Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 20th, at 6:30 pm at Macy Huberty’s home: 1500 N. Black Cat Rd. in Meridian.
To kick off this “school year,” we want to get to know you! Come join us for friendship, conversation, support, and let us know what you’re most excited about this school season!
(Please tell me you find this meme as hilarious as I do!)
October Mothers’ Meeting: Thursday, October 13th, 7pm, at Amanda Cook’s home in Middleton (address to be provided as we get closer to the date.)
We will talk about all things holiday related—Come share your favorite holiday traditions, foods, books, etc! you know, to kick off the fall/winter holiday season. Merry Thanksoween!
Middleton is a bit of a drive for many of us, but totally worth it! Don’t be afraid to carpool (it’s always more fun to drive with friends, anyway---I plan on cranking up some utterly singable tunes for my own version of carpool karaoke, for anyone interested in harmonizing riding with me!—Marissa)
November Mothers’ Retreat: November 10-12, 2016 in McCall!
Save the date!!!! A beautiful cabin has been booked in McCall for Nov 10-12 for a relaxing, invigorating mom retreat. The cost is $175 for both nights and includes yummy food and lodging, treats, and great company. There is also a hot tub. Space is limited, and will be filled on a first come basis. A $100 deposit will hold your spot (non-refundable unless you find someone to fill your spot). The remaining $75 can be paid anytime before Nov 1. Nursing babies are welcome, but no older children.
Retreats saved my sanity as new homeschool mom. Having a few days away from being a wife and mother and just being "me" while visiting with other women who "get it" filled my cup and helped me be a better wife and mother. Many of my best ideas and resources came from conversations at retreats. Many of my best friends are people I have met or really got to know on retreats.
I'm looking forward to making new friends and renewing old friendships. Hope you can join us!!!!!
My paypal address is janetcox123@gmail.com (just make sure you message me if your name isn't clear from your paypal account.) or my address is Janet Cox, 1300 Lake Lowell Ave., Nampa, ID 83686
A Note from the (co-) President, Marissa Pineda:
Not gonna lie, DHSA got me through my very first, ugly months of homeschooling like nothing else. I was introduced to DHSA through a friend who started homeschooling just a year before I did, and it was her lifeline as well. When my husband and I jumped into homeschooling, we were met with skepticism from our extended families, neighbors, and church. DHSA Mothers’ Meetings saved my sanity and bolstered my confidence.
At Mothers’ Meetings, I met amazing women who “got it.” I never had to explain myself or my reasons for wanting to educate my kids at home. We met to exchange ideas, share our “Aha!” moments, and even to cry on each other and bounce around solutions to homeschool frustrations and travails. They showed me I could succeed, that there was no “one right way” to do ANYTHING, that relationships are always more important than busting through curriculum, and that it’s okay to be me, and do my own thing.
Through DHSA sponsored activities and parties, my kids met and played with other kids, made friends, and got to see that we weren’t the only “weird” ones NOT attending public school.
DHSA opened up a resource-rich world I never knew existed—I met families who were passionate about all kinds of things. I found women who let me join their co-ops, classes, field trips, and other events they put together. Some were “sanctioned” DHSA events, but many were just put together by moms who wanted to do fun stuff with their kids and invited me to get involved or tag along. I found mentors and friends, and so did my kids. WE FOUND OUR PEOPLE.
The great thing about DHSA as an organization is that it is volunteer led and volunteer run. It is really just made up of women and families willing to SHOW UP and make things happen, and there is space for everyone at our table. If you want to be in, you can be in. This year, our first board meeting was held in August and was open to anyone who wanted to help plan our mothers’ meetings and determine our focus for the year. We had a good sized group of women show up with ideas and talents and interests and needs to launch us into the 2016/2017 season!
Over DHSA’s 20-ish year history, membership has gone from a tightly-knit handful of families, eagerly anticipating the pages-long monthly newsletter to come in the mail and meeting in each others’ homes once a month, to a group of nearly 400 members (and counting!), connecting daily on our Facebook group and in real life. Awesome! We are a huge group now, with resources and relationships at our fingertips! How exciting!
More than anything, as DHSA grows, I want to see it continue as a community that directly supports and encourages homeschool mothers and families through meaningful personal interactions at Mothers’ Meetings and uplifting give-and-take through our Facebook group and blog. It is easy to get busy and overwhelmed with our lives and responsibilities and forget that we thrive when we take the time to nourish ourselves with friendship and spark inspiration through sharing ideas. DHSA is here for you! Come find your people!
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