We're BACK!!!!!

So, We are officaly homeschooling again. Forrest (now 16) is enrolled full time at the local community college. He is in the Bio Science program. this will be for his jr and possibly, senior year of highschool. So far he seems to be really enjoying it. His plan from there is to possibly find a five year masters program and go on to medical school. another option is Colby College which has an amazing scholarship program for Maine Residents. but, plenty of time to make these decisions.

Gaynor(13) is working on Thinkwell Algebra online. he really loves this program and it is very affordable. it is also the same program the Johns Hopkins center for talented youth program uses, at a fraction of the cost. Gaynor also earned a scholarship to take a course of his choice at the local university through the CTY program. He is very excited and looking into Biology. other than that he is working on Chemistry with a lab (High School Chemistry in your Home) French I (Rosetta Stone Homeschool), for LA he is working on a story about dragons and a rigorous spelling program to prep for this year's spelling bee. He is really hoping to get to the state level again. I on the other hand am not sure if I can handle the stress again! i think for history we are going to work with liberty kids again. something easy and laid back with his other more intense course work. Gaynor is super easy to teach at home. very motivated and self led. quite a change from his older brother. He seems to have eased right into homeschooling again after an entire year of public school. he does miss his friends and his teachers but i am sure he will be seeing plenty of both in this small community.

Harland (7)is doing much better this year (so far). it has been much less of a struggle to get him to do "work". we are working with the Oak Meadow 6th grade curriculum with adjustments to make the writing more age appropriate. i guess basically we have just adjusted the expectations to what he is capable of. He seems to love the content in both the Basic Life Science and the Ancient History curriculum. I love that nothing is graded and it is very much hands on. Today he is learning about the Scientific Method. He went outside to collect items from nature and used different observation techniques to recall as much as he can about the items. He is now sketching them in his science journal. I know he is engaged as he has barely noticed that his little brother has been watching "clash of the dinosaurs" with out him and this is one of his favorites. His reading is quite remarkable. He has finally realized that books are as good (or maybe even better) than television. He has a special book light to read in his bed at night and comes down each morning excited to tell me what world he went to. He is currently reading the Charlie Bone Series and we are reading Guardians of Gahoule together. He has also been reading aloud to me from the Bones Poems book.

Indigo(4) is deep into the world of imaginary play. lately it has been a lot of dinosaurs and trucks. he does occasionally ask to do school work. I have a Brain Quest work book that he works in. He keeps telling me he wants to learn to read! so when he is interested, we do letters and sounds but i have no interest in pushing this. he is so young!
I think I am much more laid back this year too. After sending my boys to public school last year I quickly realized just how far ahead they are! So now, no more stressing out. We do 1-4 hours of "school work" per day, never more and sometimes less. We take Friday through Sunday off, and we treat all aspects of life as education! In fact, Harland is going to Auntie's house to learn all about bull frogs and their environment, hands on, mostly by catching and observing! While I don't think unschooling is right for our family, I do very much understand the importance of free time to explore interests and just hang out! My boys appreciate it as well.

I have been trying to make some order of our small house. We brought everything here from our storage unit and there just is not enough room in a 1ooo sq ft house for six people two dogs, and a whole lot of stuff! So I am just weeding out a little at a time. We still only have one car which is good, and bad. It has been a challenge for me, but not having to spend that money has been great.

In other news, Our family had quite an adventure in small business this summer. Mike and Forrest made and sold Devil Sticks (Juggling sticks) at the local summer festivals. I joined them doing Henna tattoos. It was a good time and we made a little money too. I am currently back working at the Cafe. The owner, a good friend, has broken her foot and is unable to work. So I am filling in as needed. I actually really love it. Going in early, alone,and cranking the pop music while I bake all the morning pastries, bread, quiche and soup. Then opening and talking with customers. It is a nice break from being home full time. The money doesn't hurt either. I am also taking an Adult Hip-Hop class. Soooo FUN! It has been a long time since I have done something by myself just for fun and it is awesome! I highly recommend it.

I, unfortunately, will be blogging with out pictures for a while. My old camera has finally died for good and I am saving for a new one. I know it's not the same but it shouldn't be too long. Did I mention how happy I am to have my boys back home with me? Since we have gotten back into a routine, they are all getting along so much better and the stress level and fighting has gone way down. Seems like it would be the opposite, but they really do enjoy each other's company when they are together. This alone makes it all worth it. I may not feel this way come mid February however!
So how about all of you, are you easing back into a fall routine? Any one homeschooling? tell me what you have going on!!

SEESOFAR.......

Our first week of having Harland back at home has not gone exactly as planned. I got the flu! Bleck! Seriously awful! Luckily Mike was around to do......everything, as i could barely get out of bed. There has been a little more tv time than i would like to admitt. However, all they will watch is Dinosaur documentaries and Liberty Kids....so at least it's educational. I am finally feeling better today and have decided to allow the boys to have some "decompression time". Just time to do whatever. I have discussed with Harland the things I would like him to work on and made tools available so that he can go ahead with it if he so chooses. He did want to do a dino-color by numbers math sheet today. He loves them, weird, I know. Yesterday we cleaned and organized their room. Harland was a huge help and we made up a rhyme to help them keep it clean. I can't share it with you, because my 16 year old poetry expert has critiqued it and well, it's not good. The point is, the littles love it and it may help. So shhhhh Forrest!

I am working on making room for all that is in our storage unit so we can stop paying for it. At that point I will have all of my school and Art supplies back at the house. I am most looking forward to our Wet-on-wet water coloring and hand work.

Forrest has been so much happier since he left public school. That being said, he doesn't seeem to want to work on Chemistry or Geometry. This is where I feel so torn. He is super bright! Not super motivated, at least not in these text book subjects. A part of me really wants to just let him run with what he is doing. Currently he goes to Advanced Bio-tech, every other day for a half day, He has nordic ski practice 5 days a week. He is on an amazing poetry writing kick, he truly has a gift( I know I'm his mom but still) He is also working on a blog and a short story. He has been making devil sticks or juggling sticks, with his dad to sell. He has plans to learn to make steam bent taboggans with a local artist. He is reading lots of basket weaving books and researching materials and He is making plans for an herb garden to make herbal medicines using a wonderful book he found. He volunteers for the local Recreation department maintaining their little ice rink. Oh and he just participated in a poetry out loud contest. He is truly doing so much but i still worry. He has high hopes for a competitive college. He also has two more years. I think I just need to relax. Any school would be lucky to have him, he is an amazing young man. I guess I need to follow my heart and trust my child. It is just sometimes easier said than done.

Gaynor is still in public, per his choice. I wish he would come home. for so many reasons, but that is another topic for another time

Indigo.......his behavior has changed DRASTICALLY since I left my job to be home with him full time. Thank GOD! now I can keep him....ha ha! he was really out of control and miserable and I knew in my heart all along what he needed. Financially it was a horrible decision as Mike has not yet found work, but honestly, we are still a happier family. The money will work out.

On a side note....is that not the craziest wall paper you have ever seen??? It has boats and trains and Victorian houses on it. So weird. Obviously not much work has been done to our new house, money is super tight, we will get there eventually.