Ahem... Back to School Post???

Well, the kiddos went back to school, um, a while ago but because I am so lame busy...

I am just now posting!

 

It was SO hard for me the kids to say good-bye to summer 

and hello to school once again

but those last few days before the first Monday of the first official day of the 2012/13 school year...

 we did it up!

 

We met dear Angie and her fabulous boys at the neighborhood dock

 

and jumped

I tell ya, that dock has been the hit of the summer and ...

it is free!

 

 

Gotta love that

That last Sunday night, I tried my best to hang on to summer with pancakes and bacon for breakfast 

 

 

and...

 

some really yummy fresh fruits and veggies for dinner

We ended the day with a visit from friends 

 

 

riding some bikes 

 

 

and taking the dogs for a walk

 

 

and then off to bed to rest up for the first day of 1st grade, 4th grade, 7th grade and (gulp) high school.

The girls were excited and just the teeniest bit apprehensive about starting first grade.

They are still in the same class this year

which helps Em just as much as it does Lizzie

Those 2 can argue with the best of them but oh my are they close.

They really draw comfort from each other and that...

Well, that is just the coolest thing ever!

Caleb and I are homeschooling again this year but have switched up curriculum.  

This is last year - BJU

and this is this year - I call it, the "help me Jennifer I have no clue what I am doing" curriculum- heh

BIG difference and so far

so good!

My sweet friend, Jennifer helped me to pull this together for Caleb.  Seeing as how money is tight, we just could not afford BJU and I felt like it was a bit too structured for Caleb last year.  I mean this is how I would find him most days as he watched his videos

He had a hard time sitting through them and then sitting down to work, so I decided to try something a bit less structured which would have sent me right over the edge last year but now, you know because I am an ole homeschooling veteran and all (chuckle), I can handle less structure - I think.

We are doing Wordly Wise (2 or 3 times a week), Abeka Read and Think (2 or 3 times a week), Saxon Math (everyday), Growing with Grammer (everyday), Bible devotionals plus an online Bible study for kids (everyday) and some very simple Science readers (about 4 times a week).  I also fill in with some dry erase boards once or twice a week that help him with his cursive writing.

He has also started going to a home schooling school once a week for World Studies and PE and...

he loves it!  My sweet friend Jennifer (yep, the one who saved me this year) is his teacher for World Studies.  She takes him and brings him home.  She ROCKS!

My sweet, funny Charlie started 7th grade this year!

Whenever I look at this child, this is who I see...

and while he still puts a smile on my face every time I think about him,

he is not so little anymore....

Charlie was not very happy about going back to the same school he attended last year but as soon as we got to the orientation, he was strutting around like big man on campus and all was right in Charlie land.

Christian, oh my Christian, my first highschooler...

Christian's birthday is coming up next month so I will wait to tell the amazing story of how prayers were answered and once again, the Lord provided!

Suffice it to say

We are very proud of our first highschooler and while it is very different, we seem to be surviving - so far!!!

 

Yep, this summer, like every summer, I went into the new school year, kicking and screaming but I have to admit, it has been ok and we are once again back into the school/soccer routine, and routine, for me, is good.

 

Waking up at 5:30 in the morning, however, is NOT.  This is how you will find me most nights around midnight...

 

 

and just think, only 162 more days to go... yawn:)