In the beginning...{school}

"Oh wow, new Crayons. Cool." :)

Our second week of school has been just as wonderful as the first.
Did you count? 10 boxes of books and DVDs. And lots of sorting to do. Oh how I love new books. So exciting. And how I love school supplies.

Every year, I promise myself I'm going to start earlier. Our books arrived just on time...to start school mid-August. Ready or not. :) I truly love our curriculum. We've been using BJ books for many years and every year, I love them even more.

The hardest part with any school year, I think, is getting ready for the first day. Joel jumped in this year as I was rushing around two days before. He made a trip to St*ples and did something we should have done a long time ago. He handed over the disks and they printed out the materials we needed...10 cents per copy...and so worth it. He came home and immediately, like an assembly line, we punched holes and placed them in binders. One happy mom, I tell ya. :)

Ms. Alaina sporting her new 'skinny jeans.' Nothing cuter.

Loving her new books.
And the little guys navigate from room to room, always finding something interesting.

This time, cars...all red, lined in a row. Go figure. Counting. Colors. Yep, school. :)

Speaking of school...the little guys will officially start homeschool- preschool in September. I needed to get the older ones going and get the little ones curriculum organized.



Hudson is not waiting on me. Nope. He grabbed a pencil and paper one day, and just started writing letters that he really hasn't officially learned. It's so very cute. He sends me letters and reads them to me, making it up as he reads. Such a story teller. Love him.

Four of our kiddos out of six are left handed. Hudson, I thought he was. I think he is. He does the switch-a-roo...back and forth...changing hands. And what's so amazing about that is that his writing is the same on either side. He cuts with scissors with his left hand and switches back and forth while writing and eating. I noticed he kicks with his left foot...and his right. A good thing. So, my guess, he is a lefty...like the majority in our house.

Sometimes we do school in the basement...
Sometimes in our bedrooms...
And sometimes in the treehouse...

A few changes have been made this year. Daddy has taken on a bigger role with the older two and oh my, what a change. I'm not sure exactly what he promised them or if he threatened them... but it's working. :)

As I've mentioned many times, Joel B is a homeschool mom's dream child. He's up early, stays on task, and gets his work done. Does his chores. Helps me with lunch. And actually a pretty smart little guy.

The kid could ask for anything, as far as homeschool 'wants' and I would probably get it for him.


Oh yeah, he did ask for the world and well, he's happy. He got a brand new flat screen tv, a new dvd player...and wanted to do school in his room. He's collected his own 'toys'...ipod touch...and docking station...with chore money. Did I mention he is normally completely done with his work before NOON?!!

So he stays outside a lot, enjoying the weather... and doing his favorite thing....and now wearing neon soccer shoes.

Zachary also celebrating 'cause we finished the day early! {Can you believe this? Pretty good,huh. Both of them have been wanting to learn gymnastics so they can do flips when they score....or entertain their mom.}


Every day is an adventure. People ask me all. the. time, "How do you do it?"


I respond, "One day at a time. One minute at a time."


One hug at a time. :)