First Day of School

The first thing I wanted to do once we had our own place, was get a bookshelf and a table and start school! Our homeschool over the past nine months or more - between preparing for the big leave and then the traveling - was, um, not hard-core on scholastics. We did the best we could, but we had to leave a lot of leeway for a lot of things. So, we focused on Bible first and foremost, and tried desperately to squeeze in the three R's when we could. For the short term, I felt that was fine, because besides the fact that they were "ahead" anyway, they were also getting in cultural experience and practical living skills what no school could ever teach them.

However, we knew it was not a good set- up long term. So, our first priorities were a bookshelf and a table, and praise the Lord, we were able (after MUCH searching) to find them at different used furniture stores. We organized the books and I then spent a week developing a schedule for us (for the first time - yay!) using this book: Managers of Their Homes. I have always been scared of schedules (although always maintaining some kind of routine), but we were at a point that I felt it was *essential* to be able to accomplish everything God has called us to in this place, both in the training of our children, and in reaching out beyond our home together. So, we started on Monday and our first week went really well! The kids were/ are excited and I am too! I love teaching them. Not a single day has been glitch-free, and never does it go perfectly or exactly according to schedule, but I feel we are on the right track! Thank you Lord!
And, as is customary for our family, we started with "First Day of School Pictures".
Above is Joshua, my big THIRD grader!
And below is Dominique, my sweet FIRST grader:
Here is Israel, hot-stuff preschooler:
And Johann, whose main subject this year is learning how to sit still for a half an hour at a time and not ruin school time for the rest of the family. :-) He is learning well!! We also read books, learn colors, numbers and other normal toddler subjects. Isn't he cute? I can hardly believe he will be TWO years old next month!!!!
My studly little men:
We have been looking at old family pictures lately, and Joshua and Dominique thought it would be fun to "imitate" some old shots. Compare here the new to the "old". :-)