Wow I don't even know where to begin.  We have had to do alot of adjusting and tweaking of our routine, curriculm and preceptions.  I think my biggest hinderince right now is ME!   I often forget my main goal of homeschooling is allowing Josiah the freedom to learn at his pace and his style.  I have found that when I push my pace and my style of learning we get no where.  I have also found that even though I love our curriculm (MFW) I don't think it is the best for Josiah.  I will of course use it this year with him and re evaluate this summer.  I can see Bailie having a wonderful time with this curriculm though.  I can say that Josiah is learning new things every week, if not every day so that tells me that homeschooling is successful.  I have to cut him some slack since he goes to 3 different therapies for an hour each week.  That's alot of work!

Josiah is progressing nicely.  After much prayer and consult with Josiah's physician and other medical doctors we decided to try Josiah on Daytrana because of his poor attention span and inability to focus.  I have researched, prayed, and looked at other avenues for over 2 years now and finally conceded that we should give it a try.  It really has done wonders for him.  He is accomplishing so much more in his therapies as well as at home.  Today he actually drew a face for the first time every!  Complete with nose, ears, mouth, and hair.  It brought tears to both his therapist and myself to see this.  He has come so far in such a short amount of time.

Bailie is also doing wonderful.  Although I don't work with her as much as I would like she just thrives to learn.  She really enjoys writing letters.  I hope to start encouraging her to be more independent about her "homework".  She is very capable of doing things by herself but insist that I "help" her.  I know it is normal, especially since I HAVE to help her brother.  I know she only wants the same attention that I need to give to him but I also want her to have the power to do it herself.

We take this one day at a time.  Like most people we have some really good days, some really bad days, and for the most part good days.

Well I have been successfully working/schooling both children for about an hour a day.  Right now we are not doing a set curriculm but just going over the basics until after Labor Day.  I will start Josiah with MFW curriculm starting then and Bailie I am not sure about yet.  She loves to learn but does seem to get tired of sitting at the table quickly so I think I will give her more time.  After all she is only 3 1/2....LOL

My main struggle right now is pulling Josiah and I out of our negative cycle.  He is a master of redirection when he does not want to do something.  His latest is closing his eyes and completely tuning me out.  Talk about seeing red!  I have got to find a way to make it enjoyable for both of us.  I want him to enjoy the one on one that he has with me but yet understand that sometimes we need to do things that are not so fun.

Something a friend of my said really has stuck with me.  She homeschools her children and is now in the last 4 years of schooling....

"Don't get through your days somehow.  Get through them triumphantly"   

I don't know how I manage to get off track so easily some times.  We seem to sail along for a couple of weeks and then something happens that takes the wind right out of that sail and we just stop. 

I have to remind myself that I started this process a year early to give time for adjusting.  I know there will still be some tweaking that needs to be done down the line.  Josiah and Bailie are still young and not yet "school age" so I guess I can cut myself some slack.

Bailie loves to do puzzles right now.  She will do them over and over again.  Worksheets are also at the top of her list. 

Josiah loves to do games on the computer.  I swear that is going to be the easiest way to teach him.  He can find his way into way to many places but he manages to get exactly where he wants to be.

*My goal for next week is to work with each at least 30 minutes a day.