We began our tenth year of homeschooling a few weeks ago.  We started when my oldest was going into 2nd grade and his younger brother was beginning kindergarten.  I look back upon that first year with such fond memories.  Oh the fun we had while we learned.  We all still remember our first unit study on airplanes, and even still know some of the vocabulary and parts of an airplane.  School just seemed fun with 2 small boys and their younger sister who took long, long afternoon naps so we could do such fun learning adventures.

Fast forward 10 years and the fun seems about gone.  We now have 4 students doing "serious" school and one toddler.  By the time it seems we get all our subjects in, we are all frazzled and uptight, me especially.  I want to go back to the fun school.  But, I don't really know how to get back, what with laundry and housekeeping and cooking and cleaning and algebra 2 and 2 highschoolers.

Any suggestions?  I could do unit studies with my 10 and 7 year old daughters- they would absolutely love that.  But, I don't know that I can spare the time to prepare and do the unit as it needs to be done while still helping the high school boys and taking care of the baby.

Sometimes I can overwhelm myself with my thoughts.

Elizabeth