Busy, Busy, Busy...

Well, I don't have time to post pictures for this week, but thought I would just do an update on what is going on in our busy lives :-)

We started back to school this week after a two week break. The break was needed and was filled with family, friends, and fun! As we started back to school, we made a few adjustments to make things go smoother :-) Or so that is the hope and plan! We used a program called Home School Tracker for two years. It worked perfectly with our curriculum as we used Bob Jones Homesat. This year we had to let the Bob Jones curriculum go to the way side as we just didn't have the funds to continue. So, we chose many curriculums, it just depended on the subject. We saw the changes coming from a far distance, so we were able to research and find what we thought would work best for us. Anyway... all that to say that the kiddo's were asking for "those papers" that they used to have. So I had my work cut out for me to get all the lesson plans into Home School Tracker for each of our subjects and then to print them off for all five children. I was not happy with just the curriculum this time, so I took it a step further and added their chores and activities into the Tracker program. So now each week they will get the page telling of schoolwork to finish, along with a page telling of chores and activities that are taking place for the week.

These papers coming from the Home School Tracker program are a great way to organize your life AND your children's lives :-) It takes a lot off of me, I don't have to say did you brush your teeth, what about your dirty clothes basket, did you get that page done in Math, etc. They look to their papers on Monday of each week and just go get things done. Obviously, I still need to keep Griffin going and help him... Brekyn gets a little help, but they are all doing well!!

As for the activities. This week started us off on a roller coaster... We are looking to have a lot of fellowship and fun in this second semester of school! Along with our daily schoolwork and housework... we have started up a co-op class with our local homeschool group, TEECH. We meet with them one afternoon every week. Our topic is The Human Body!! We also started attending a Gym Class each week that takes place right after band lessons. This is also once a week.

Another thing on the agenda... I had this crazy thought about re-joining our IL Homeschool Support group for their spring Friday School classes. I really miss so many of those wonderful ladies and families!! I have had those homeschool burnout thoughts and the attitudes that follow this year and I think I just need more support and leaders than what are here in our southeastern portion of Iowa. So, after talking to Ed, praying and then asking the children what their thoughts were. It was unanimous that we should re-join SVCHE!! I am so excited about this!! We are headed there this week for a gym day just to get re-aquanted again and meet the many new families that have joined over the past 4 years since we have been gone.

This all works great for our family as daddy's job is 45 minutes away and in the direction of the IL group. So we will travel all together, take daddy to work, enjoy the day with the homeschool group, and then pick daddy back up at work. God is so good and I feel like he is totally in this!

As with the many questions on "how long do you plan to homeschool", the answer remains the same for this situation. We take it one year at a time. We are homeschooling this year... not sure what next year will bring! The same goes with the IL group... we are joining them all this semester, not sure what next semester will bring :-)

Thanks for visiting and learning a bit more about our busy, busy, busy lives :-)
God Bless!!