Back to Homeschool 2014-2015

Long time, no blog.  But I'm back!!  This past year I have been terrible about blogging, but I'm back at it! We use this as our yearly family album - it's so easy to just post pictures here, where friends and family can stay up to date, and then simply print it out at the end of the year.   Here is a link to print your blog into a beautiful family album.   I'm afraid posting to Facebook has taken away from blogging since it is so quick and simple - but it's not as easy to archive and go back and look for certain pictures or events we want to revisit. Back when Punkin was little, I was a big scrapbooker! Of course there is ZERO time for that these days, so this blog will serve as our more modern technical and digital approach to keeping our memories all in one place.

Just to update - Punkin is a Sophmore in college this year - we miss her so much, she is six hours away.  She is doing great, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Psychology.  Banana started HIGH SCHOOL this year - that just doesn't even seem possible.  And my Boo is in third grade this year, and is taking a year off of our wonderful classical christian school to homeschool for a year.  She has been asking and how can I say no? I just love homeschooling.  I'm really looking forward to soaking up these fleeting days of girlhood with my last little girl.  So this week was our first week Back to Homeschool!! I plan on doing a "Week in Review" here to keep myself motivated and encouraged.  It worked really well last time we homeschooled, and the girls LOVE looking back on these pictures.

 Boo made a fun flap book on the first day describing her goals for the year and what she hopes to learn and do. 

 Brushing up on her math facts...

 Since there is just one little homeschooler this year, we didn't transform the basement into a school room again.  We just have a simple desk in our dining room where most of our work takes place.  

On our first day Boo said one of the best parts of homeschooling is NOT having to ask to go to the bathroom - I agree!! 

 We are in LOVE with our self-paced online history program from Veritas Press.  She can't WAIT to do history everyday. I highly recommend it! 

Here is a peek at most of our curriculum.  I usually get lots of questions regarding our curriculum choices so I thought I would put it all here in one place.  You're welcome! :) 

Shurley English Level 3

Purposeful Design Science

Latin for Children

Veritas Press History - New Testament, Greece and Rome

Legends and Leagues East - Geography 

Veritas Press Bible - Judges to Kings

Saxon Math 5/4

Institute for Excellence in Writing - Bible Heroes

Daily Grams

Building Thinking Skills - Critical Thinking

Words are Wonderful - Vocabulary

Mastering Spelling

A Reason for Handwriting

Veritas Press Literature - a huge selection of wonderful books!!

Our first week went really really well.  Boo is just a little sponge and soaks up anything and everything I throw at her.  She is a motivated self-starting learner so it makes this job of homeschooling so simple and enjoyable.  She LOVES to read and I just can't wait to explore all these wonderful books with her this year.  Most of our curriculum is based on the same thing she would be doing at our school, so next year or so when she goes back - she will be right where she should be - or maybe even ahead! It's so nice for her to be able to move at her own pace - one of the great benefits of learning at home.   Here's to a great homeschool year!!