School schmool

Today was the big day. Well, a big day. Okay, a big day for us anyway.

It was back to school. Or for some little 4 year olds, it was their very first day.



Here's my big girl. Garsh her hair is getting long! I might start calling her Rapunzel. Or I might not. Anywho, she's 10. She loves history. Not so good at math. She still loves horses but now loves softball also. Books are a permanent fixture in her hands, which is okay with me, except that I have to start screening books a lot more thoroughly. When, oh when will a good, wholesome book review website pop up?
She is just the sweetest thing ever.


This is the boy. He's 9. His hair isn't so long. This is how he usually likes to fix it, although he had a mohawk for church yesterday. If this boy had a choice he'd do art projects all day long. He is pretty well rounded in most other subjects. He doesn't really enjoy one more than another but he's not terrible at any one of them...well, I take that back. We're working on spelling. I've been told that homeschoolers are notoriously bad spellers. Yep. I'd agree.
He's my little buddy and I like that he's a momma's boy.



This little gem is the 4 year old that informed me that I would be teaching her to read this year.
She was an absolute delight this morning as she kept asking for more work...more school! She's a pretty smart little cookie so I don't think we'll have any problems in the learning department. Now, the discipline department is another story. It is getting better though and we're hearing a lot more of, "Yes, ma'am," and "Yes, sir," instead of WAAAH! This girl keeps me laughing all the day long. She's my little girlfriend.


For curriculum this year we're using (for the older kids):

Abeka for Language Arts
Abeka for Math
Apologia's Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day for Science (last year we did Flying Creatures)
History, geography, and social studies will be a combination of unit studies that I put together, and these activity books
For art we have The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions 2. I also get Family Fun magazine. There are several resources online and the library that I will pull from.
Music - the older kids will be starting piano lessons in Sept. I am also looking into some good CD's to buy to teach them hymns.
Bible will be done by daddy (wahoo!)
I also have some random materials that we will be shoving down their throats. Things like cooking, sign language, The Book of Virtues, and The Moral Compass, among other things.
Did I miss anything?


Now, for preschool, I have lots of random things that I'll have her using that have been handed down to me. I also remember some of the things the older kids did while in a private preschool. So, basically I'm going to wing it this year. I do have some of these books (partially used) by Rod and Staff that I love and will be using.


Do you have any other great suggestions?