Homeschooling 2011-2012

We began our school year last Monday.  I, for one, and my kids are glad to have some daily structure back in our lives.  The summer was GREAT, and it was a time to re-charge, but we were ready to hit the ground running.

We use Sonlight Curriculum as our base.  We love it!  We did try other things, have looked at other things throughout the years, but always land back at Sonlight.

This is just a glimpse of last week, just so you don't think I'm sitting on my laurels doing nothing.  

This is the Instructor's Guide (tells me what to do every day) for my 4th grader, my 8th grader and my sophomore.  I have one doing American History, one doing World History, and one doing Church History.  

Think we will learn anything this year? ;).

These are just the books we were reading LAST WEEK.

Here's a picture of what's to come this year:

ABOVE: This is what she is reading for Church History.

ABOVE: This is what he is reading for World History.

This is what she is reading for American History.  It's a two-year study.  Actually, she is half way through the top picture because we did that last year and she will finish up the other half and start the bottom shelf.

Oh yeah, there are a few extra classes being taken with some other homeschoolers at other locations.

Somewhere in the middle we throw in extra-curriculars and athletics.  

And I wonder why I was tired last May?

State Fair

Last week when we went to the Colt's Training Practice we finished that day off with a trip to the state fair.  It was such a great day!  My favorite fair food:  grilled corn dipped in dripping butter.  My favorite next food:  hand dipped ice cream from the dairy barn.

Two rides I have zero desire to ever ride:  the ferris wheel and the drop zone.

It was a horrible, devastating event that happened here a week and a half ago.  So many lives were changed by the collapsing of the stage rigging prior to the Sugarland concert.  Our hearts continue to hurt for the people who have lost loved ones, who were injured, or who are dealing with the trauma of being in the middle of it all.

Colt's Training Practice

About thirty minutes away the Colt's have their training practice.  You don't have to pay admission, you only pay to park.  So, before training practice was completely over the kids and I went up and watched on Wednesday.  It was really fun.  Only about 200 or so people showed up and you could stand right at the side of the field.

Adam Vinateri - kicker

Coach Jim Caldwell

Both of these are Pierre Garcon (I don't know how to make squiggly lines)

We had heard that afterwards the players would come sign autographs, but this day only two of them did, and much to the disappointment of my number one #44 fan (that would be Dallas Clark), #44 didn't come sign autographs that day.  But I took pictures just for her.

Black and White

Sisters or cousins?

Cousins but could be sisters.

Happy Anniversary!

I have had the best example of lasting marriage a gal and her siblings could ever ask for.  I have been blessed with Godly parents who have weathered the highs and lows, had experiences that were irreplaceable and loved each other (and us) unconditionally through everything.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Extraordinary

 Beautiful sunsets are not a rarity where I camp, they are a specialty and frequently extraordinary.  

Must Save ......

Jason (my sister's husband) or the camera?  You decide :)

okay, okay - I'll tell you ......

We chose ........

I Have Been Mocked.

I am with my family on vacation.  I have my husband and kids, my parents, my sister and her family, my brother and his wife, and cousins and an uncle.  It's a great vacation.  It's terrific being with them.  But they are mocking me.  Seriously.  Because I have done such a lousy job keeping up with my blog, they are making fun of me.  So this is for you Don and Margaret.

These are ten and very-close-to-ten year old cousins.  It's my nephew and my daughter.  They are best of friends.  Aren't they sweet?  No, really, aren't they?

Dear Family,  Are you Satisfied?  Love, Me :)