Hi all,

Wow, this summer is blasting by. We in the northwest have had record breaking heat, and unfortunately we don't have AC. So, b/c I work nights, my wonderful DH bought me one...online b/c retailers were out. HOpefully it will come on THursday, just in time for the weather to go to 75*. Wow, let's see, we have done quite a bit this summer in addition to sticking w/ our Sonlight 3, which I have been going through w/ DD and DS for almost 2 years. I got the Story of the World for this next year. Found them at basement bargain prices, and then can resell on Ebay for more, yea! The kiddos finally got done with their core subjects, math, reading and spelling by July 1. Some HS for 180days. I like to feel like we have really gotten to a stopping point. Usually we con't through mid June each year. I am concerned about starting some awesome private HS classes on Mondays starting mid September. I work til 7:30am on Monday after 12 hours through the night, and the classes for both kiddos begin at 9am-3. DD has 5 classes, DS has 2. Needless to say a parent must be on campus, which is great, but feel I need a bit more rest before I can do that. We will see how it goes the first few weeks. My DH said he would ask his boss if he could not come in to work until 11:30am, which would allow me a couple hours sleep. The Lord knows whats going on, and Grace is the word today. Our pastor had a wonderful word of encouragement about grace today. I worked til 7:30a then went to 9am service. Thankfully my patients tonight are pretty self sufficient! If you want to check out the awesome word on grace from Pastor Judah Smith, go to www.thecity.org, and download the latest podcast.. My goals this year for my 3rd and 5th graders are Drawing class, band, writing,  Spanish, Bible, and then at home science, math, history. If you have suggestions for being more awake after 36 hours of night shift on the weekend, Iduring the week,  would love ideas! My goals are lofty, as I work. But again, it isn't my works that will get our family through, its God's grace for this season in our life. My DS and DD are awesome! And our training has paid off during this time of work for me. Now, when I come home on Mondays from my last shift, I go to bed and they have their list to work on...piano, writing, reading, math. And when I get up we fit in some Sonlight. Do you just love Sonlight? I do. I don't want to go to another history curriculum, but would like to get more simplistic. I got the Story of the World for this next year, when ever we finish SOnlight 3. I so don't want to sell my Sonlight. I have cores 1-3, and b/c my DS is younger read him Detectives in Togas, or Harry Huggins. Sonlights books are keepers for sure, but am running out of space. I have a friend who has teens and does 1-2 core SOnlights at a time. This season is not the right time for that. We have done a road trip to N. Idaho, to give my 80Year old Father in Law a new Boxer pup. He loves it a ton; as we do our 5 year Boxer. We go to Hawaii the 2nd week of September. It will be nice to have a week off work, and will try to get the kids involved in what we will be doing for that week. I would love to hear your curriculum choices and/or your triumph of grace for these weeks prior to school beginning. This is a great group of people. Love to connect and see how grace has touched your life. Blessings to overflow. J