First Day of (home)School: Year 2

Today's ending feels very accomplished.  I've struggled for about a month, wondering if I'm "prepared" enough or if I *really* think I can do this, but everytime that negative voice says, "you can't" I pray and combat it with a resounding "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

And we did!  The next week or so will be all about finding our groove, so in the meantime we are doing EVERYTHING.  Which meant the longest homeschool day we've had so far, but it was still great.  We had a recess and an afternoon quiet time.

The day started with the girls getting up at 8 and eating breakfast.  I didn't get a picture this year, I was too busy being sure laundry was put in and the school table was cleared off. 

At about 8:30 they were dressed and ready to go.  The first task was to get the itty-bitties schooled.  Which looks like this:

We read a couple stories and then we go over the stuff on the walls, which consists of colors, alphabet, animals, etc.  I really like this structure because 1. I am absolutely sure to go over it.  Other days it doesn't necessarily happen, although it's great intention.  and 2. Violet and Corbin are much more likely to leave GraceAnne and I alone if they've been paid special attention to first thing.

Corbin will be 2 in December and knows several colors already.  Not the least of which is "PEENK!"  hehe



Then we got on with GraceAnne's schooling which includes bible study, handwriting, history, reading, writing, math, geography and this year we've added Spanish.  Today we definitely did too much, but like I said before, that's for stream-lining.  Part of what's amazing about homeschooling is the fact that we can look at GraceAnne's handwriting and decide that she has fabulous penmanship and doesn't need a formal handwriting lesson.  She writes daily, so it won't be a detriment to her.  I love how personal we can be and how intimately I get to know her through this journey.

She found her reader to be a little tough and she was getting frustrated this afternoon.  She really wasn't doing bad at all, but then I reminded her that it is a 4th grade reader and that it had to be in order to challenge her and that I was so proud of her.  She smiled and kept on reading after that.

After she finished her Spanish lesson (God love Rosetta Stone!) I got to take her to get a haircut.  She ended up going shorter than she originally thought she would and getting bangs cut again.  She is growing up so fast!

While we were there, the hair dresser asked, "are you liking school" and GraceAnne nearly hopped of the chair with the biggest smile you ever saw and said, "I LOVE IT!"  The woman seemed surprised and said, "that's great!" and looked at me, amazed.  I told her GraceAnne is homeschooled and she might have needed to pick her jaw up off the ground.  Her face got a little squinty and she said, "Do YOU *love* it?"  And I smiled and said quite truly, "It's tough, but I adore it."

On the way home, GraceAnne and I picked up pizza and soda in glass bottles as a celebratory dinner on the porch.  The family time was nice and the weather here the last 2 days has been heaven-sent after our 60+ days over 100 this summer.  Tonight everyone was bathed and smelled so yummy as we all curled up on the couch to read bedtime stories.  Baby Bliss, I tell you.

Not every day is this good.  I know that surely we will have rough days, but this was a glorious first one and I'm so happy to share it.  I'm so excited at how smart my little ones are.  After having 4, I have to say that it's nothing we've done, but we have been blessed with these smart children.  They all learn so differently and they are all so smart in different areas and they are just different, period.  I am the same old momma with the same old tricks, so I'm grateful for these sweet thangs and the chance to teach them.

Hope the first day of school at your house was just as awesome :)  Love and miss you all!

P.S.  The kids aren't the only ones who learn...Violet taught me this afternoon about an "EAT-A-GATOR."  It starts with an A.  ;)