Back to School 2023

2023 Marked the beginning of our 5th year of homeschooling! I can't believe it's been so long! You'd read that and you might think I am seasoned mother who has all my ducks in a row. Not so! Each new baby throws our routine for a loop (no two babies are quite alike, outrageous, I know). This year both of the boys are officially doing lessons and that has thrown me for a loop too! But It's been good. We always have a little back to school picnic. We were running out of time before we needed to actually start school so we just had it one Sunday evening in our yard. But I took 'back to school pictures' of each of the kids and Leland gave them each a blessing and we discussed our theme and goals for this school year. 

This year our theme is The Family is Central to the Creator's Plan. Taken from The Family Proclamation which we are memorizing as a family this school year. 

This year Esther is in 4th grade. She is using TGTB level 4 for math and I'm having her and Adele both do level 2 for language arts. Esther was a little upset to be doing "second grade work" but I assured her it would be easy for her and she has been happy with that. It has simplified my life immensely to have them on the same level so we can do it together. 

Adele is in 2nd Grade and is also doing 2nd grade math with TGTB. Both girls use dash into learning for handwriting. Esther is learning cursive and Adele has just started learning D'Nealian. 

Esther takes piano lessons from a wonderful lady just down the street and she has improved so much since starting with this new teacher. 

Adele, Israel and Julian are on their second year of Let's Play Music. They all love it and they've been learning tons as well.

Julian and Israel are both in Kindergarten this year. Israel is learning to read with the Dash into Reading books. This was how Adele learned to read and it seems to be working for Israel too. Julian is still working on getting his letter sounds down and once he does I think we will slowly start moving through All About Reading level one. Both boys are using TGTB Kindergarten Math and have been loving it.

For science we are using Brighter Day Press for a nature curriculum. We are doing a nature school again this year with different friends from before. It's been a great experience!

For history we are using Story of the World. I've been trying so very hard to stick with it. I bought the CDs so we could listen in the car since we do a lot of driving each week. That part has been going well, but I always get behind with the projects and activities that go along with each week. But we've been doing more than ever before so I'm calling it a win, 

Both girls are doing typing using BBC mat typing which is free online and has been really good for them. 

The girls have also been learning Spanish, but I need to find some new curriculum for them that they can do on their own. 

Julian was in OT and Speech for the first semester this school year. It was so much driving and not very helpful for him so I took him out right before Christmas. It was such a relief. He is going to start virtual speech therapy here in a couple weeks and  I Think it will be a much better fit for our family. 

I think that is everything we are doing this year. I might sign the kids up for more extra curriculars during the summer, but for the school year I need us to actually be home to get school done. Being busy is absolutely awful for me so I have to keep our schedule very open to save my sanity. I think they thrive with having lots of down time. If I ever feel like we need more socialization there are SO many groups around us with meet ups almost every day of the week. 

School generally takes from 9-11:30 each morning and then the kids have the rest of the day free. They love to pursue art and reading and legos and magnatiles and imaginative play and exploring the fields around us and so many things during the afternoon. We are definitely never bored around here. 

I love that I get to homeschool and stay home with the kids. It is such a great blessing for all of us. It is definitely hard at times. At times I fantasize about how wonderful everything would be if only they were all at school 7 hours a day. But in the end I wouldn't trade it. We have more good days than bad and I know I will forever look back on this time of teaching them and learning with them as some of the happiest days of my life.