First Day 2011!

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. - Psalms 115:1"

I'm sitting here at the computer with a pack of hot tamales (my candy of choice), a Diet Coke and with joy in my heart.  We just finished our first official day of school and it went really well.  I was reminded of the scripture above-- I attribute the good day to the Lord's grace and mercy!


 Yup, there are kinks to be worked out---so far nothing major.  I also had a minute of panic because I thought I just forgot to order a science curriculum.  Then, I remembered Bud is going to have a Science class at the Enrichment Co-op we attend.  So with that class, Classical Conversations's science memory work and experiments and read aloud topical books---science is covered.  Whew---I thought I dropped the ball when my son asked 'When is science?'


I also got a chuckle when we were going over our CC timeline cards:


Bud challenged a Veritas Press card wording on the back because on the 4th day of Creation it only listed the Earth, Moon and Stars.  He said 'it should also say the planets' in a matter of fact tone.  Hey don't leave out the planets with my 'all things solar system' boy.

He ran in and hugged me this morning with such excitement and enthusiasm---here's his excited face!

Bud!

Sweet Sissy

Technically--still just toddling around and joining in here or there--but he wanted to hold it;)

Making their Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees

Little Bear was not too happy that Bud was trying to take over his puzzle.  

Finally---time to figure it out on his own.

A copy of our morning board this week.  We have open spaces for next week when we start Raising Rock Stars Preschool.

Bud wanted to copy the correct spelling of all the months---fine with me!

After finishing one whole craft Sis wanted to do another tree.  But, she wanted to use pink paint.  Unfortunately, the paint pack we bought had no pink.  So color mixing  it was.   She loves that!

A simple sensory tray.  Rice with alphabet foam letters and other things like spoons for scooping and cars for driving in the rice:) 

Right before nap, I caught Sis on camera teaching her baby dolls...so sweet!

She's getting so big!

Couch time---one of the things Bud has been looking forward to for months.  In lieu of naps, he can bring books, papers, supplies, quiet toys on the couch and there he stays for an hour and half--with soft worship music going on in the background, pillows on the other side of the couch to encourage a snooze or two.

It's a light week so I am just trying to establish no TV until 4pm  a routine.  I credit having a 'trial run' of sorts last year to really helping work out the logistics of this year.  It was helpful to have gone through MFW K and learn more about how my children like to learn and where the trouble spots in the day can be.  

Some things I learned today:

My husband is pretty awesome.  He set up both my the Math and All About Spelling tubs/curriculum.  So they were just open and go for me today.  He cleaned the kitchen, made breakfast, made my coffee (he doesn't drink the stuff) and had Bible Time with the kids this morning before work.  I say that is pretty amazing!

Bud still looooves Math---CLE is really working well for us.

Sissy still looooves arts and crafts.  'Oooh goody crafts' is what she said after reading our story of the day.  

Little Bear almost knows all of his ABC's and sounds for them.   I am so impressed with him.   His two 'summer school' teachers (aka Bud and Sissy) have been teaching him alot. 

Circle Time needs to always have action rhymes or some type 'get up and move' part to it. I have little ones here folks.

Bud doesn't like copywork if it doesn't have a point to it or a sentence.  Rows and rows of practicing one letter is like trying to serve him vinegar or something.

The JBQ folder (Junior Bible Quiz) has made it into the Green Box and I find that he pulls out his folder with questions throughout the day.

The Green Box is a a place I fill with pages from different workbooks that I want him to work on, books, trio or lego manuals with instructions to build one thing of his choice, stencils and blank paper pad, and other fun activities.  He gets to work on what's in the Green Box during any down time or time when I am working specifically with Bear and Sis.   It worked really well today.  

Do not have Bear and Sis sit so close to each other during Sensory Tub time unless I want to find rice, pasta and other 'tub' stuff all over the house.

For housekeeping and thus sanity sake, I need to work hard on returning materials back to the proper place when I'm done.  They can quickly overtake the kitchen island, couch, etc. 

All About Spelling is pretty awesome!

I can't wait until next week when we really start up with B4FIAR for the Little and our first week of both Co-op and Classical Conversations.

Thanks for dropping by!!


Linking up to:
Weekly Wrap Up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers 
Preschool Post @ Homeschool Creations