What is really important.....

We are still living a post-Ike life. Things are not completely back to normal yet....too many folks recovering their homes and lives. I am still not back to work and not sure when I'll be heading back. Our department will be the first to restart operations.....women keep having babies....but I'm not sure when I will return. This is the longest break from work that I've had since the births of my children. I miss working with those babies and I miss my co-workers! Looking forward to getting back into a normal routine and balance for my life....

This "hurrication" has given me the time to evaluate this year with Sam and to figure out what is really important for us to do this year. I had originally planned to start AO year 1 in January with Sam giving him some time to mature. I instead just jumped in after his birthday in June....some of the AO reading are really not working for us and some of our non-AO reading are working really well.

One of my major goals for Sam this year is for him to gain confidence with oral narrations. The books that are helping toward that goal and will remain in the daily rotations are...

-Paddle to the Sea
-Just So Stories by Kipling
- Christian Liberty Science Reader book 1.
-Story of the World when read at home

Books that are stretching him in his narration ability and will remain on our weekly rotation are...
-James Herriot Treasury for Children
-Among the Meadow People by Pierson
-D'Aulaire books
-Burgess Bird Book

Books that are causing frustrations for either of us and will be dropped from our schedule are....

-Fifty Famous Stories Retold
- Tales from Shakespeare
-Story of the World with the co-op.

I will probably not add Fifty Famous Stories back into our reading rotations but instead keep it for a reader when he gets older. Tales from Shakespeare will probably be added back next year.

Our history Co-op deserves special attention. He loves the interactions with other children but finds a hour long class to be tedious. He would prefer to have the time to play with friends and I think that is important so instead of a class we will seek out park days with friends.

Another goal is to keep a workable schedule for our day. To say that this has been a challenge for the last few month is a understatement! But here is our current schedule....

Starting at 9am... we work through

Math-U-See
Poetry reading
Speech work
Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 1
Copybook or HWT
History 2xper week/ Geography 1x per week/ Bible 1x per week

( if we take a break we do it now)

Reading*
Literature readings
Spelling with AAS book 1
Artistic Pursuit Book 1 2x per week/ Reason for Science 2x per week.
ETC online as wanted #

* reading instruction has been fine tuned. We have completely dropped 100 Easy lessons. We are now doing CM style reading lessons using the booklets that came with LLATL blue. This is working better for Sam then using just Treadwell's readers.

# Homeschoolers Buyers Co-op had a deal for Explode the Code online and we are trying it out. This is just for fun and not a daily requirement. He usually does 6-9 lessons 3-5 x per week and has almost completed the equivalent to the first book in just a few weeks. He is enjoying it and it is a good easy review.

The best part of our schedule is DAILY OUTSIDE TIME!!!! We can now spend several hours a day outside again. The temperature is a comfortable mid-80s and the mosquitos are semi- undercontrolled. We've missed our outside time!