Starting School!

 Today was our first day of official school for this school year. We had thought we would start yesterday which is the typical school starting day here in MN but the boys got invited to a birthday party (another homeschooler) and so I decided to put it off one more day and while the boys were at the birthday party the girls and I went to my parents where we helped can tomatoes, pick and put up broccoli (and now I have a bunch in my freezer!) and Mara also helped Grandpa fix fence and pick apples.

Anyway.... Today was the day to start school. We started out our day as we normally do with a good breakfast (made today by Mara) and then reading a chapter in the Bible (Psalms right now) and a chapter in a science book. We did some of our bible memory work (We currently recite Hebrews 11 and the book of James each morning) but that got cut short a little because we had to take Mara to an eye appointment.

After the eye appointment we went to the library. Going to the library is a normal thing for us (Aaron was afraid my readers might think it was unusual since I took a picture of them with their books) but I thought it was a very fitting thing to do on our first day of school as so much of our learning comes from materials found at our library. We always get lots of books ranging from just for fun to history to science to DIY and much more. We also enjoy nature videos/DVDs now and then.

 After coming home the kids did their Math (Saxon for everyone this year - I just like those books) and Megan and Aaron read to me and did some writing and the three older ones all did Spelling. We are trying new spelling books this year (not ACE any longer) for Mara I bought Wordly Wise and the boys are doing some workbooks that were given to me from my Mom. I think we are all pretty happy with this switch. It cuts out quite a bit of busy work, is a much cheaper option and I think will still get the job done just fine. I was behind in getting the older 2's English ordered for the year (It will be ACE) so they are skipping out on that for the moment. For the younger two I am going to use a book by Karen Andreola but it doesn't have to be done everyday so I didn't do it yet today.

After lunch we did our reading together. I read a chapter in the book of Job, a chapter in a book about Australia (We just finished up reading about each country in Africa and now are starting on Oceania) which we just picked up at the library, a portion from the Constitution book, a story in a old time farm book that we are going through (A bunch of neat true stories from old time farming - it does much of teaching the value of hard work - a good lesson to learn) and then a chapter (or 2?) in Little Britches by Ralph Moody. Little Britches is one I have read before to the kids but it is a great book (though I do skip over a few swear words here and there) that teaches not only history from the early 1900's in Colorado but also teaches a lot about character, honesty and again the value of hard work.

  Our morning and afternoon reading times are not just done in the school year but something we do pretty consistently year round. My kids and I both love those times of me reading to them (and then Ken reads them a story at night which they also enjoy). Yesterday when we were away from home we missed our afternoon reading and nap/rest time (though the girls and I did have a rest time at my parents) and when we got home after 5 pm the boys were quite disappointed to find out that we weren't going to do it that day. They were tired and they really wanted me to read but I rather needed to make supper.

 Tonight we had church which we always enjoy and are encouraged by.

It was a good day... How was yours?

If you are homeschooling how has the start of year gone for you?
Thanks for reading my ramblings!