This Week At Home, 2012, No. 31, First Week of School

Little notes written to remember each precious day....

Black Eyed Susans at a park. 

Monday...

As I already wrote, today was the beginning of our new school year.  It's a highly significant year for us as we are now in high school for better or worse.  I actually think it is going to be for the better.  Although, lingering doubts can rise to the surface, especially when I discover that I don't want to use one of our curriculum choices on day one! 

I am grateful to have a young man who loves to learn.  He has set up a website on a server in his room that can be accessed from any computer on our local network, which he also set up long ago.  This website will document his work.  I can check in and leave him notes.  He will write all his assignments there.  It's pretty neat.  He also set it up so I can print off things.  I love his attitude towards high school.  You can read more about that here.   

As for the younger two in our little school, they jumped back into our lessons with great eagerness.  I am not naive to think these attitudes will last more than a day.  *grins*  But, I do appreciate them for today.  We did our wonderful  Sonlight reading and I forgot, like I do every year, that the first day or two always leaves me with a strained voice from all the talking I have to do on a school day! 

5th grader! 

Tuesday...

Our lessons seemed to go a bit faster today.  We had the goal to finish and then go swimming with friends.  Unfortunately, our friends' mother canceled due to having a cold, so we went to my mom's pool.  They are in CO on a little vacation, but I know where to find the pool key.  :-)  The swim was just what we needed on such a hot day.  (Oh, this heat is not giving up!)

Frisbee golf outing. 

Wednesday...

We were up early to go to the bakery before school.  I bought them treats to celebrate the first week of school.  I would not have normally gone on a school day, nor bought them treats, but we are out of bread again and flour, too!

Today's high broke another record at 98 degrees.  There is supposed to be rain and cooler air coming tomorrow.  I sure hope so!  We hibernated this afternoon. We also took some time to tidy the house, which gets over looked all too easily.  I think we are starting to feel tired from all our lessons.  Math took longer today and we (when I say we, I mean the younger two and myself) made more errors.  The reality of the every day nature of school is sinking in.  

7th grader! 

Thursday...

OK, I admit it.  We took a little longer to get into our books today.  But the great news is that the reason is that it stormed all night!  We all woke up around midnight and again at 3AM.  At that point, I was awake and could not get back to sleep until after 4AM.  This rain was worth it though.  We got 2.5 inches over night!!!  Add that to the 1.5 we got over the weekend and we are on our way to drought relief.  Although the last I heard we needed more than 8 inches to make up the deficit.  So, I let the kids sleep in a little bit.  I would have too, except I like to have breakfast with Jeff every day.  The temperature will still be warm today, in the upper 80's, but I don't mind so much since it won't be a record high day.  I wish we could nap this afternoon, but after lessons we will go get some groceries. Tonight is also back to karate!
 

Deciding just how far that next hole is. 

Friday...

Fridays are going to be our library and bakery day, plus get ready for small group each week in August.  We are going to have a lighter school day, finishing up any holes from the week.  Amazingly enough, we did not let the house fall into ruins during our school week.  Maybe it was the fact that I knew we'd have to dig ourselves out on Friday before our small group came over.  Even the laundry was kept in check.  Not to brag on myself, but perhaps I am finally getting my act together? 

I thank you, if you've hung in here this long with this post.  I realize this week is not very exciting to write or read about.  I do feel as if we showed up on Monday prepared to sprint through a marathon and now we have the hard work of pacing ourselves through the next 176 days!  This happens every year, so I am prepared.  The weekend will go a long way in helping us catch our stride. 

This weekend we are celebrating extended family birthdays, weed whacking around the yard, tidying up in the garage a little, and participating in Sunday school kick off for the new school year.

Hope you have a great weekend! 

Jenn