Posted in General

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 was our first day of school.  Anna and Breanna started 4th grade in public school. When I went to pick them up, I was so anxious to hear about their day.  I had to wait in line for 30 mins. to get up to where they were waiting for pick up.  That was one long line of loving moms and dads waiting to hear about their kid's first day of school.    They got in the car and they were very excited.  They both loved their teachers and had made a couple of friends.  They started telling me about their day.  I was so relieved that it had gone well and that they loved it.  I wish the honeymoon period could last forever. 

I started homeschool with Joseph and Emily.  I am so excited about our curriculum this year.  We are using Rod and Staff Math and I absolutely love it.  I wish I had used it from the get-go with all of my kids.  It is very simplified and yet thorough and teaches with mastery in mind, which is in keeping with my overall educational philosophy.

We are using Easy Grammar, Spelling Power, good living books and vocabulary for Language Arts. 

For history and science, we are using The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer, Streams of Civilization by Christian Liberty Press and The New Answers Book by Ken Ham.  We are combining ancient history, archaeology and creation science and doing a thorough study of World History from Creation to the beginning of the Renaissance this year.

Last year, we did an independent study, Robinson type, literature based program.  We read good books which included history and Science, wrote essays and did Saxon math.  Joseph also went through an entire Abeka text book on American History and read and answered all of the questions in Christian Nature Readers (750 pages of Science!). 

They were so bored with working independently and so I decided to do more instructional teaching this year.  It interferes with my work day, but they really love it and sooner or later I will get into the swing of things and get more work done along with it all. 

Today is their first day of homeschool PE which is at a local rec. center.  We are very excited.  They get to be with friends for awhile and I actually get to sit and visit with other moms.  YAY...    I mean, as a mom, I like a little bit of positive socializing too, so I certainly understand why my kids crave it. 

I am looking for somewhere here in Sapulpa where Emily can do some acting.  She is just dying to get on the stage.  Joseph is doing Boy Scouts.  Then the kids will have Awanas every Weds.  We will try to arrange park day or play dates on Fridays.  Emily goes to church with her dad on Sundays.

Well, I will post some pix and things later.  I have to get these kids up for school.