You can be offended and get all huffy, or you can just laugh and admit it's a little true…  
oh oh.

I'll take any advice anyone wants to offer… 
7 Tips to Improve Your Homeschool (and Life)

Something to think about… 
Slowing Down, Speaking Less

And another something to think about… 
i am soul

The one I haven't stopped thinking about since I read it… 
when you're trying to get your priorities straight

Well, I know I'm a little late getting around to it, but I'm finally ready to talk about school!

This of course would be the first day picture. Everyone was fresh and bright and ready for action.

Trust me, the enthusiasm took a dive quickly.

This is the first year in our homeschooling experience that we have had a rough transition phase from summer to school time.  The first couple of weeks I honestly didn't think any of us were going to survive.  But it's getting better now.  We're figuring out a good routine and getting used to having actual structure in our day again, and it's a good thing.

So, in our house this year we have a 3rd grader, a 1st grader, and a 3 year old teacher's helper.

My utmost goal for school this year was to combine as many subjects as I reasonably could for both girls; basically to avoid teaching two completely separate lesson plans every day.  That about killed me last year.

Of course some subjects have to be grade specific, but there are many that can be shared. For this year everyone is working together for history, science, art, music, and all read-aloud books are chosen with everyone in mind.  So far it's been really great.  They help each other remember what they're learning, and I don't have the constant struggle of finding extra hours in the day to teach everything twice, not to mention trying to prevent countless interruptions from the ones who were not being taught.

For our curriculum  we have always mainly used My Father's World, which we do enjoy.  I decided for our shared subjects to try some different things out this year though, and so far we are really excited about all of them.

First our music text for the year.  We are all loving this book.  I am enjoying learning the hymns with the girls, and I think it's such a wonderful thing for them to have in their little memories.  Our My Father's World lesson plans for this year include an introduction to classical music & orchestra instruments, so I figure between the two we are getting very well rounded music lessons.

This is our main read-aloud book that I am SO excited about. It's a great collection of classic literature, poetry and contemporary kids lit all grouped by "character" categories.  We are all enjoying it.

One big switch we made this year was science.  We've always studied science in a unit study kind of method.  A couple weeks on planets, a couple weeks on oceans…this and that all year long with lots of random experiments thrown in.  The kids always enjoyed it, and I know they learned things, but it always felt a little too hodge-podgey  for my OCD personality.

This year we are trying out one of the Apologia Science texts.  They take the approach of focusing on ONE topic for the entire year.  The thing that really drew me to this is Miss A has developed a serious obsession with birds, and the first of their three year zoology series is all about birds.  So it was just perfect.  I already feel like we've learned so much, and the biggest shock of all… I am actually enjoying science time.  This a new and very pleasant development in my life.  Only took twenty-nine years to find out I could enjoy it!

So, these are all of the new things we're testing out this year.  So far all of them are feeling like a good fit.

A couple of other things we really love…

I bought this Mighty Mind set for Miss A when she was about three, and it has been a great thing.  All the girls enjoy it.

And the other favorite…

This GeoSafari belonged to my sisters and I when we were being homeschooled.  Still works great and they think it's kind of like a video game so it's a great learning tool.

I love all of the fun things I get to explore and learn along with my girls as I teach them.  I know homeschooling doesn't appeal to everyone, but for me it really is probably one of my most favorite things. I love it. I love getting to spend this time with them and watch them learn and share their excitement when we finally figure something out.  I'm so thankful I get to do this.  So thankful.

This room is the heart of that man who knows not the grace of God.  The dust is his first sin and the vice that is in him.  He that swept first is the Law, but she who made the floor moist is The Book which tells Good News to Man.  Now as soon as you saw the first of these sweep, the dust did so fly that the room could not be made clean by him; this is to show you that the law as it works does not cleanse the heart from sin, but gives strength to sin, so as to rouse it up in the soul.  
Then you next saw the maid come in to lay the dust; so is sin made clean and laid low by faith in The Book.

-John Bunyan
Pilgrim's Progress

*The girls and I have started reading this book recently.  I'm not sure how much they understand….or even how much I understand!  But there are these word pictures scattered throughout that illustrate truth so perfectly.

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor- it is the gift of God.
-Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

I don't know if it's because of circumstances I've experienced, or if it's just me and my not-quite-normal personality, but I don't dread birthdays.

Well, in a small way I do dread the hype of birthdays.  Making a single day a really big deal leaves me feeling like it just has to be perfect.  Which of course leads to disappointment because no day is perfect.  

I've found that the more average my birth- day is, the more I enjoy it.

But back to my lack of dread.  I don't mind getting older.  I don't look at it as a negative thing.  To be honest, I get really excited about it.  I'm sure I'll hit some point where I don't feel this way anymore, but I kind of hope not.

I've come to view birthdays as an accomplishment. And more importantly, a gift. Every year is one more I've been given with my family, one more I've enjoyed with friends, one more I've had the opportunity to grow in my love for the Lord.

I don't always make the most of the years I'm given.  But I'm trying harder.

Like last year I started my place to be thankful.

It was kind of a challenge for myself.  Could I do it? Could I stick with it every day for a year? Could I get past my attitudes and feelings and look for joy every day?

And now I've done it. By grace alone, I did it.  And I don't want to stop. It's become such a sweet thing for me.  

I'm so thankful for this last year.  Thankful doesn't even feel like enough.  I literally feel like I'm bursting with gratitude.

I know I'll have an annoying day, and that feeling will pass. But right now I'm just going to savor it.  Because it's wonderful.  

It's a great feeling to have at the start of another year. And I have to write about it now, so I will remember it when a bad day comes.

Each year is a gift, and with God's help I will do everything I can to enjoy it.

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
 They shall still bear fruit in old age; 
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
 To declare that the Lord is upright; 
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 
-Psalm 92:13-15