Starting School

We 'loosely' started back to school this past week.  Piano lessons started up so we had daily practice to accomplish.  The boys also worked on their math and we all gathered for read alouds.  Our focus is ancient history this year so our read aloud books will focus on this time period, except for the 'adventure/boy' we read.  Right now we are reading The Storybook Bible, A Child's History of the World, The Victor's Guide to the Bible, The Word Came With Power and Robinson Crusoe.

This week we'll pick up grammar, writing and Nutrition.  Then next week we'll start our Classical Conversations class and will be fully up and going with our school schedule.  It's tough leaving the lazy days of summer behind, but I certainly do better with a good schedule so hopefully I'll have a productive fall.

The boys also start their soccer/football skills class on Tuesdays this week.  The only other activity we are looking to put them in is Cub Scouts.  Tegan really wants to finish out his Webelo badge and get the Arrow of Light so he can take that with him to Boy Scouts.  Their are many packs that meet around here so I think we are just going to have to visit them and see which one fits us best.

The boys' birthdays are all coming up so when all I can think of is our plans for getting school off on the right foot all they can think about are their plans for their birthdays.  However, it seems to have been simplified this year (somewhat).  I made an offer that I'm hoping we can keep since they all took me up on it.  They have all decided they don't want a physical present from us or a party of any sort, just their family birthday dinner.  So, instead of the typical party and festivities and instead of a big present from Mommy and Daddy they all want to go back to Eugene for a week.  It would cost about the same as their party and presents so we think we'll do this for them.  It's just a matter of working out the time and then scheduling that with all our friends back there.  I think I'm just as excited as they are about their birthday presents and I LOVE the fact that there is no party planning this year.  That would just be too much for me after everything we've done in the past 4 months.