This crazy thing happened last fall.
We were making excellent progress through school and Mommy wondered, “How can I make us really over-extended for the winter and Mommy wondered, “How can I enhance their learning experiences?”
So I added skating for 8 weeks, and co op for 10 weeks.  Co op actually takes 13 weeks to complete because of all the seasonal breaks.  And the skating and co op only overlapped for four weeks. 
I offered to teach an art class.  And it filled up with 16 students in the first day.  The offerings turned out to be not so robust for my boys; they needed to take a study hall for their first period.  Marie and Tabitha chose to take a NYS history class, my art class, and gym.  Like the boys, they get to be together for all of their classes.
Johanna and Katriel only get to take gym together.  I am a helper in there, which is good because it is a little over Katriel’s head.  From there Johanna has science and chorus, and Katriel has Play-Doh class and a music class that I attend with her.  By the end of week, Katriel was referring to her music class as “Bah, bah, bah class” because we sing songs that go – “bah, bah, bah.”

This fun day came about in two ways.
First – we live about half a mile from a small farm market which offers produce-picking much of the year, and some fall activities in season.  We pass by it with tremendous frequency and the kids often ask if we can go see it.  Well, on our way somewhere is NEVER a good time to stop, nor is on the way home.  And once it is out of sight, it is out of mind.  Last year, on what was the LAST day of their season, it dawned on me that my girls in particular, have had almost ZERO exposure to fall activities.  I loaded them in the car and we went up the road.  It was cold, desolate, and they had a good time.  I decided that the upcoming year I would make every effort to get them to a fall-fun-farm market thingy.
As soon as I saw such a field trip offered with our homeschool group I jumped on it.
Second – we have some friends we NEVER get to see.  We live just far enough apart that it really requires an effort to get together.  As this activity was somewhat out their way it dawned on me to see if they were available.
They were. 
And we had a blast.
I left the boys at home to do school work.  Nan joined us.  It was cool, but not cold.  Bright sunshine.  Moderate wind.  And – no one got hurt.

 
 
 




 
We were SO tired when we got home.  It was a great kind of tired!

I remember when I was one of the new homeschool moms having conversations with other new homeschool moms.  Many talked about setting up a room of their house as a homeschool room.  We never had the luxury of doing that.  Some rearranged bedrooms, and others transformed dining rooms.  We just piled up the school buckets in the dining room and had at it.
Now – some TEN years into our homeschool journey and I am tickled to report that we don’t have a homeschool room.  We have a homeschool house.
Johanna worked on her workbook in her bedroom, while Katriel played nearby.

I found Stewart reading under the bunk bed (the sun was shining under the far end illuminating the pages of his book.)  And I caught the rare moment Nigel was actually sitting at his table and not doing his work on the floor!
 
Marie utilized the dining room table.  While Tab reclined in the basement. 
 
I can’t remember now which one I called in to work with me at the table in my bedroom.  I love all the industry and how we enjoy every bit of the space God has given us.

So – As I sat to do work out of our “Maps, Charts and Graphs” books with Nigel and Marie I was pained to see the subjects of the lessons.

Mt. Rushmore…. and Yellowstone National Park.

Click the links to be reminded of my pain…

For the first time in FIVE years, I was not anxious about starting our homeschool year.
I’d like to claim that 10 years of homeschooling, I can see how faithful God is and I know that He will provide for our school. 
But, I’m not sure that I can attribute it all to my spiritual growth.
I am not pregnant, nor do we have a small baby in the house.
We have a CD-ROM curriculum for Stewart’s math, thus freeing up a lot of time for me.
Stewart is also taking English at the community college, freeing up time for me.
We do not have any speech therapy this year.  And while she was such a great person to invite into our home, it did make my days choppier.
The oldest three are VERY independent, and Tab is getting there.
Katriel and Hanny are playing really well together these days.






And they all had REALLY great attitudes. 
It was a VERY EXCELLENT start to the year.  Praise the LORD!