School Days

We started Homeschool: year two on August 20, 2012. It took a little encouraging to get started but we did eventually get started and had a great first day, even a pretty good first week. But, this year has been full of triumphs that seem to be nearly outnumbered by pitfalls. Which translates to more days than I had hoped of me wanting to pull my hair out, wanting to give up, wanting to enroll Jett in school asap! But, when I take a step back, I realize the pitfalls, for the most part, are mine. My pride, my temper, my disorganization, my lack of focus on the God who led us into this journey. It took me our entire first semester to realize I had let my priorities get jumbled and out of whack. The more I drift off of the path and choose my own, the worse our days will become. Jett is learning from me and too often it is the behaviors and attitudes that are unkind, unjust, lacking in love and grace, easily angered, quick to speak, slow to listen. It saddens me to type this, makes my heart break, and the tears fall as I imagine what a different semester it could have been had I been focused on the reason we took this homeschool journey and on the God who placed us there. So, as we are starting back to school, I am praying for God to keep me focused...

The Fall was not all gloomy and I was not always cranky. We did somehow manage to sneak in a little fun and these are just a few of the highlights from the first half of this school year:

I love how ecstatic Jett is for his first day of school shot- very unimpressed with me 

and, I think, slightly embarrassed that Mom had him stand 

on the front porch and take a first day of school photo.

 I treasure this photo. 

He is growing up so fast, but when I see this picture, 

I know he is still my little boy. 

This was Jett and Jack's first Sunday in the All-Stars wing at Trinity. They were babies at 620 and toddlers when we moved in here. But they have flown through the 3s, 4s, PK, and K classes and have promoted to the other side. They were both so excited for this day! They couldn't wait to play video games, build with legos, and meet up with some of their "older" friends! And, while they are having more fun than we can imagine, they are also learning God's Word and learning how it translates to their life, even now. 

Lessons and Learning 

We are currently working through
 Classical Conversations Cycle One
 for our History, English, Latin, Science, and scripture memory. 

I am continually amazed at the amount of information Jett has crammed into his young brain.
 But, I am most amazed at his ability to recall this information at the drop of a hat. 

So far, we have memorized the 10 Commandments, the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, the Greek and Roman Gods, the Classifications of Living Things, The 5 Kingdoms, Invertebrates, Vertebrates. We have studied Creation, Mesopotamia, The Fertile Crescent, The Rise and Fall of Rome, the Byzantine Empire, 

the Heian Government, and more. 

We have mapped out the locations in the ancient world that we have studied,
 including the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

 Jett's still got the skip-counting blues and can't get the tunes outta his head. 

We have had a couple of nature hikes, learned about osmosis, 

learned how Spiders hear with their legs, and even dissected a crayfish! 

We also tried to throw in a little reading, spelling, and math along the way. 

Our favorite read so far is Oliver Twist. 

 School Day Visit! He was our favorite tourist:)

 Possibly, my favorite lesson!

Nature Walk Journal

Love the intense concentration on his face. 

Really, the tongue is key to getting the new stuff to stick. 

First Day of CC

everyone's favorite part- Lunch!

7 Wonders of the Ancient World Project- 

We made a replica of the Great Pyramids at Giza out of sugar cubes. 

 

 CC Field Trip to the Omniplex 

(still can't call it the Science Museum- it just doesn't sound right)

Science Live! 

We all had so much fun at Science Live- lots of loud noises, 

crazy chemicals, and even liquid nitrogen. 

We also met or rather forced this photo op with Nick Collison from

 the Thunder by the jungle gym. 

Our kids were pumped. He, obviously was not as enthused:)

cell membrances, osmosis, semi-permeablility, eggs, vinegar, corn syrup- oh my! 

very cool and so worth the 2 weeks of jars full of malformed, stinky eggs hanging around the house.

Tin Whistles: the Patience Building Instrument

Money Money- and more Money!

School Pictures! I loved these pictures. The photographer was great with all of the kids, the weather was perfect, the sun was out just enough, and these cuties' little spirits were truly captured. 

As we focus on renewal and fresh starts this month, I am determined to let this verse guide me each day:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2