And We're Off!

Not yet. But I'm working on it. We start school in a couple of weeks. The kids say they aren't very happy about it, but I can tell our easy, lazy, boring summer has started to take a toll on them. We are creatures of habit. We like having a schedule of events. We may not always follow that schedule, but we like to have it.

I sat down and put our lesson plan together. Thankfully, that went well. I always start with our together stuff. That means I'm making one plan for three subjects. We do all the same activities and worksheets. If there is something that I think the baby may have problems with, we try first. She is one smart cookie. Sometimes the activity is below the big girl's level, but that just means an easier day for her. I started planning like gang busters until I realized a couple of things. I don't have a dance schedule. I'm not sure when we're dancing, so that will help me decide which days are easier than others. I also don't have our co-op schedule yet. I'm not sure when we start and how many people are going to be in the co-op. Travel time cuts in to our schedule quite a bit. I erased alot (thank goodness for pencils) and started again. I even cut us some slack like I said I was going to. Science and history we'll do for three days instead if four.

I need to put the baby's portfolio together from last year. I have all the stuff, and it's mostly seperated. It's just the actual sit down and do it. I have the boy's and big girl's done, but I needed those for evaluations. The baby isn't ready for that. We don't even have to sign her up for homeschooling until this year. That is one of the last holdouts for being done with last year. Once that's done, it's a clean slate. Then there's the buying of new school supplies. That actually means more ink for the printers, copy paper, and new dry erase markers. There are some other things in there as well. The most important is a printer that is Windows 7 compatible. The big girl's math is on disc this year, and I loaded it on my lap top. I have no way to print it. I could put the stuff on the desk top, but that limits my computer accessibility. Yeah, that won't happen.

I have three piles of books in the middle of my living room floor. I cleared off my book shelf of old curriculum. I'm taking it down to trade in at a new teacher store in a neighboring town. They give you credit for your stuff to use in their store. I'm going some time this week to check them out. One thing keeping me from the teacher store now is the stuff I want that I can't afford, or don't want to spend the money on. Credit is a good thing. Maybe I can finally get some of those posters I've been wanting.

The second pile of books is the keep pile. I don't have room for them. When I cleaned off the book shelf, I also cleaned off what we don't read or don't need. I still don't have room. Arrgh! We love good books in this house. I saw the big girl pilfering things out of the "get rid of these" pile, which is pile number three. She put them back after she got busted hiding one. Twice. Sometimes, she reminds me so much of someone. Who does she remind me of? Oh, yeah, me. These books were gifted to us from another family cleaning off their shelves. Good grief, we know some reading people. The majority of them stay. The rest of them go to the park, then the book store. If I can get them there, and not leave them in a pile in my living room floor. I still need to get the clothes donated that I cleaned out 6 months ago.

The boy has lost two teeth this summer. So has the baby. The baby's is her two front teeth. I love that look. I'll get a picture to post. She said she's been pushing her adult tooth back up so she'll have the front ones gone at the same time. Mission accomplished. You have to love it when a plan comes together.

That's the update, folks. Right now, it just doesn't get any better.

Have a great day.