our first day of school

When the schools around here start, I like to give us a week of it just being back to us.  We have a constant stream of kids at our house during the summer, so the week school starts for them feels so quiet.  I usually take that time to organize the school book shelves and order any last minute things I need to buy to get us started.

I did all of that last week in preparation for this week, because we had our first day back yesterday.  I'll do a day in the life type post here soon, but we are relaxed around here and the first week back at it looks different each year.  Flexibility is key, because lately, things have been crazy around here.

I woke them up at eight thirty and they came down for breakfast and coffee (the bigs drink coffee and don't usually want food).  We sat at the table and had a little pep talk about what this year would look like for them, we got a game plan for what needed to be done that morning and we prayed.  Then, Graham and Drew had to leave and go do something for Todd at work, so it was just Jonah and Noah at home.

See what I mean?  Flexibility.

We went through their subjects, did some reviews and they started by doing geography and vocabulary for grammar.  They also took the time to clean off all of the shelf that their books are on, making it neater, getting rid of the old work and some of the things they no longer use, and they got their notebooks all organized and ready to hold all the work they'll do this year.

We use three ring binders and notebooks for all the school work.  They don't write in anything because I'd have to buy two of everything for them, so I make copies.  That way I can either sell it or give it away when they're finished with it.

They only did those three things yesterday and today they'll jump back in, full force.  Also for today, I plan on taking them to the library to get books to read.  They'll be reading a lot more this year, for school, and for pleasure.  I'd like for them to have two books going at all times, but Graham and Drew nixed that and said that would make them crazy, so I guess it's just required stuff for them.

I am appalled to say that they do not love to read.  They will read, because I make them, but none of them are ever chomping at the bit in wait for the next book.  Only Drew will occasionally be like that, like when he read the Divergent series and when he started the Harry Potter series.  They are NOT my children, apparently.

Graham and Drew came home and ate lunch, and did their work.  I'm not sure what they did, if you want to know the truth, but they were upstairs and quiet for about three hours, so I'm trusting them that they got some more of the difficult things out of the way.

This morning I will get them all started and then I'm leaving to go meet a couple of friends and pray.  Usually, I don't leave while they're busy.  I like to be around in case they have questions or need help, but I do trust them to get done the things they need to get done and to just move on if they get hung up on something, coming back to it later.

All day yesterday I kept thinking to myself, I should take a picture....but then I never did.  I did, though, take a picture of THIS when the mail ran yesterday.

These make me so happy.  I love these pens.  They are Flair felt tip pens and they don't bleed through too much.  I like to have fun pens around because, honestly, sometimes that makes the school work more fun.  Why use boring pencils, when Mom has a million colored pens laying around?  They don't use them for math or writing, but they like to use them for vocabulary, or social studies.

I use them to write out the scripture plan I do each day.

Well.  We need to get a move on this day, so I'll stop for now.  Thanks for reading!  Love to all.