Feeling Fallish

With school starting, the temperature cooling off, and the days getting shorter and shorter it is really starting to feel like fall around here.  Fall has always seemed like a fresh start to me.  Probably a "school year" mentality, but it's just how it feels to me.  So many things have changed over this last summer, but I feel like things are looking better than they have in quite some time.  I am starting some new things that are exciting.  They make me nervous, but still exciting.  The kids will be starting back up some of the activities we put on hold this summer as well.  Before we know it the holidays will be here and that for me is a very happy time!  I am so thankful and happy for this fresh start.

Week 1: In the Beginning

Our very first week of the 2012-2013 school year is complete.  It is actually quite the accomplished feeling.  Judging by the way that things went this week I really don't have much to adjust so far.  I actually think we accomplished quite a bit for just one week and a first one at that.

Our new Bible curriculum was a huge hit.  I thought it would be fitting to start the beginning of the year off talking about the beginning of time.  Chiggie kept busy with Bible memorization and journaling while the younger ones really enjoyed making their first lapbook. 

They spent a little time each day coloring and matching facts and then at the end of the week put together their book.  I was impressed with how they turned out.  They are all looking forward to starting another one next week.

In science we are all studying Anatomy and Physiology together.  This week was mostly an introduction talking about the history of the subject.  They all drew a diagram of a cell, which went amazingly well for the little ones, and then we mummified an apple.

 We weren't really sure what to expect, but one apple was left in a bowl uncovered while the other was left in a bowl covered with baking soda and salt.  We left them this way for several days to see how they would turn out.

lll

 
Today we unveiled the covered apple and it was so neat to see how it had mummified.  The skin almost felt like leather and it was completely dehydrated.  The girls really thought it was weird.


 


This year I decided to do a "home ec" style unit with Chiggie.  This quarter she is baking.  This covers everything from kitchen safety and washing dishes to making several goodies from scratch.  Her first project was peanut butter cookies.

All I can say is yum.  She is a natural.  She said this was one of her favorite activities this week.  I love that we have time for stuff like this.

Midge really enjoys math.  She loves to use manipulative's which is not something the older girls really ever got into.  I love her excitement it tends to be contagious.

This guy is just plain cute.  He has his uncooperative moments but for the most part he has rolled right along with the flow and adjusted to our new routine. 

Tea has become a voracious reader.  She read two full novels this week and begged me to take her back to the library for more.  She works so efficiently it can be hard to keep her busy enough.

I really don't think Boo could get any happier.  She is just so thrilled to be more involved this year.  She is a sponge and is catching on very quickly!  I love teaching her and can't imagine doing it any other way.

This year we added art to our weekly regimen.  It was something I really felt we missed out on last year.  Today they did their first project, which was a painting using patterns and dots.  I was so impressed with how they turned out!  I think we have some pretty talented kiddos.  I'm so glad to have our first week under our belts.  We have so much fun planned for this year and it's only just begun!

Yawn

Why does it seem like it's midnight already?  Today seemed like such a long day.  Chiggie stayed at the church last night for a youth lock-in.  When I said she could go I really didn't take into account the fact that I would have to get up at 6:30, and wake the others, to pick her up in the morning.  Lucky her, she got to come home and get right into bed.  Everyone else was of course up and going 100 mph.  Well, everyone but me I suppose.  The good news is we are one day shy of being one week into our new school year.  It's been a good week and I'm excited to share tomorrow, what we've been up to!

So Far, So Good

We are cruising through our first week of school and I must say, so far, so good.  Even the weather outside seems unusually "fall-ish" this week.  I think that has helped with starting so early.  It would be much harder to be inside doing book work if it was beautiful and warm out. 

Tonight I took the girls swimming, which just might become an every Tuesday night thing.  It was so nice and quiet.  We were the only ones there.  They swam for almost two hours while I read a book I've been wanting to read for a while.  The King stayed home with Buster who is at such a busy age that it would be much more difficult to bring him along.  It was nice to just relax a bit while they played.  At this rate I think the 2012-2013 school year is going to be a great one!

First Day of School 2012!

Tomorrow....gulp

 Tomorrow is the first day of our second full year homeschooling.  I think we are all pretty excited about it.  It's a chance for a routine to re-enter our lives, something that has been sorely missed around here.  I spent some time yesterday finalizing the details.  I organized our books and the kids' drawers.  Tomorrow will be more of an orientation type day.  We will work our way slowly through our schedule and see how things will work.  Most of this week will probably go that way.  Here's to a year full of learning, family, and fun!

Fitting it all In

It's crunch time around here and that's a bit of an understatement.  I am famous for waiting until the last minute and have lived up to that reputation this time.  It's already Friday and I have much left to do.  In some ways I feel like we are rushing away summer.  As I walk through the stores the Halloween stuff is out and their is a fall atmosphere.  It's only August 17th.  I miss when summer ended after Labor Day. 

I haven't decided when we will take the pool down.  I don't want to rush that either, we could have a lot more warm weather left.  On the other hand as the leaves begin to fall I really don't want that mess to clean up day after day.  I was so surprised last night when it was nearly dark just after eight.  This is definitely the summer that got away......

Hamster Wheel

The past few weeks I have literally felt like I was running in a hamster wheel.  A lot of effort with no real progress.  Things are looking up though.  We are all excited to be starting school on Monday.  I am as prepared as I am going to get.  I ordered our last couple of downloads today and printed out the next two weeks worth of lessons for history.  This year I have decided to only plan for two weeks at a time.  It just gives us more flexibility that way.

Today I mowed our very long lawn and picked some weeds that were really getting out of control.  Buster loves to help and he watered the rose bushes for me after all the weeding.  He is getting so big and just gets cuter and cuter everyday.  I am glad he is older this year.  His participation in school will be very minimal, but he surprises me with his vocabulary and knowledge all the time.  He sings his ABC's and I don't think there is anything more adorable.



The kids have been busy finishing up summer.  They have played outside so much that being inside more next week will almost be weird.  Tomorrow I will post some pictures of our school area for this year and hopefully as the week continues our curriculum and some of the ideas I have.  It's nice to have something to look back on.

Vacation Bible School

This week is our Church's VBS.  It's really exciting for several reasons.  We haven't had one for a couple of years first of all.  The kids have all really been looking forward to it.  Costumes also add to the excitement.  Everyone from the volunteers to the pre-schoolers are dressing up in "Jesus" era clothing.  Then there's the marketplace, which is normally our sanctuary, but has been transformed into multiple shops for the kids to make things in.  Today was a lot of fun and I tomorrow should be even better with all of the kinks worked out. 

Glorious Day!

Today Chiggie was baptized!  I am so proud and happy for her.  This is something she had been talking about for a long time, so to see if finally play out was amazing.  We gave her a new Bible as a gift and I she really loved that.  The King did the baptism which made it just that much more special.  Congrats Chiggie on choosing this path for your life!

Happy August

I know, I know that was so 4 days ago, but better late than never I suppose.  I am surprisingly quite excited that is now August.  The official "back to school" month for many.  We've kept busy with our summer schedule and added in the county fair yesterday.  The kids enjoyed bump and jumps, riding ponies, and making crafts.  It's been really nice for the King to have 3 day weekends.  Fridays always end up feeling like Saturdays.  Next week is our church's VBS which promises to be insanely busy.  We will be gone each day from 8-12:30.  I am praying for a peaceful week!