Field trips, and my stuff came...

A friend of mine and fellow home schooling mom has been going NUTS lately putting together field trips for the upcoming fall. I admire her enthusiasm and hopefully I will catch it, but I can't see much beyond next week, never mind next month! There's one going on that involves some corn mazes...those are a blast! The boys should love that. Our home school support group is going to an apple orchard next month, too, and I always look forward to those. Much as I hate to see summer end, I love autumn.
Our first week of prep work is going very well. The guys are pretty into doing their practice workbooks and even Littlest Boo has almost finished his tracing book! I will incorporate some unit studies into our field trips and put that into the notebooks we're going to start. That reminds me I need to get some of those clear plastic page protectors.... BUT! my goodies came yesterday! Well, some of them. But I've got some real cool highlighters and pens and stuff sitting here on my desk! Time to organize the actual home school supplies. Reading "The Organized Homeschooler" wouldn't hurt any, either....

It has begun!

Officially began our "pre-" school work today. Had the boys work on their Summer Skills books for some review. A couple of weeks of that and then we dive in with the real thing. The key is to keep it fresh and the enthusiasm going!! It can wane very quickly. Despite the insane price of gas these days I expect we'll do a fair amount of traveling to Keene to stay in touch with our support group. I've begun the task of organization today, also. The files need to be neat and up-to-date so things can quickly be put in their proper place, and all the supplies need some tweaking as well. I'm supposed to be getting a big box of stuff from Staples, I believe it is, with all sorts of goodies for the school year. Can't wait for that to arrive. I love art and office supplies!....silly, perhaps, but I do. :)

Steam fogs my head!

Man!...it's been HOT here this summer! We've had dew points that rival those of Florida, only here in NH you don't necessarily find A/C everywhere so it's pretty miserable. I find myself in a bit of a fog lately, drifting through the days in a lazy summer kind of way. I hate to rush it but summer is fading quickly - there are even a few rogue maples starting to show some color. I've got to get my home school act together!!
We're taking a more relaxed approach this year. Partly because we'll be busy with house projects, but also so we can just take it a bit easier. I'm working with 2 kids this year, so that will be something new to adjust to.
I'm making sure I make time for ME this summer....back in June I put all the home school books away and broke out some purely recreational reading! I read E. Hoekstra's "Be Still" and found that to be food for my soul. I'm now working on a book called "Honest Dogs" about the Yukon Quest sled dog race; almost done and it's been a fun ride. Next up will be "Shiloh Autumn" by the Thoenes. If my timing is right I'll be working on that while we're all relaxing at the beach next month!
All for tonight....!

First post

Hey!...here I am finally posting to the Web for all the World to see. As a writer it's something I like to do anyway. As a mom, it's time to myself. As a home schooler, it's a place to share as well as vent!
We are mere weeks from the start of the new school year and I'm so unprepared. Seem to have lost my vision over the summer, and so far I haven't been able to find it again. A friend of mine long ago used to joke that she had "lost her marbles," so one year for Christmas I gave her a little velvet bag of marbles. Now she has no excuse! I wish someone would hand me a little velvet bag full of vision. Or inspiration...SOMEthing.
Kind of funny to sit and write this, knowing that it will be read by total strangers and close friends alike. For those who know me, kind of makes you want to check back frequently to see if I mention you, huh?!! Congratulations, Guip, on being the very first! :)
Signing off for tonight...