The Days Are Just Packed!

I have survived the first month of homeschooling for the 2014/15 school year. This has included working 3/4 time, Tutoring Foundations, hosting a weekly co-op at our house, Science Club, managing on-line classes and trying to keep ahead of the eating machines that live here.
Along with exhausting, it's been mostly fun.

Master's Class Abstract Art- and photo-bomber. LOVE how totally different they all are. Don't I have a class of cuties!

We are having a blast with our CC Master's Class. I think (hope) most of them will go for Memory Masters. They are sharp and exuberant kids, ready with answers, ready to help each other and eager to learn. CC Community Days continue to be a high light of our week, despite the number of bags we carry into the building on CC mornings (2 backpacks, my work computer and bag, lunch, Essentials and Tutoring supplies). To date, we manage to haul everything back out that we pack in. I check the clock and work to keep crisp 30 minute segments and the 2 1/2 hours each week FLY by!

Essentials is going along smoothly. The added memory work and chart copy-work has been a new dimension as it is "un-homework" like enough, but absolutely essential to get done. The years that we've invested doing diagramming have been well worth it and the kid are making connections (an infinitive doesn't count as a verb!) that I love to see. I am too. For this recovered grammar-phobe, that is big news.

Then, there is homework due on Mondays for Learning Labs, due on Thursday for Poetry and Bio and Science Club. Lots of stuff "due" each week. It's been an adjustment, because it's all different places and people and if there is one thing my kids hate with a passion, it is to be unprepared.
Still, this week, we managed to totally change the desk areas (Dr. Dh took over Cub's old room -the small-ish bedroom in our big old house- Cub took a larger bedroom, connected to the walk-up ttic and then we totally re-did the office space on the first floor. Iow, our living space has been largely determined by our office space. The good news is that I have a functional office space.

The Apple Orchard trip included some great biology information, along with an apple tasting-ohlala! From Regents to Honey Crisps, my apple eating man-child (ds 14) was in his glory. This is the kid who goes through about 5# of apples a week, single-handedly; he kept right close to the tasting baskets! Above are some of the more judicious apple eaters of the bunch. 

In our weekly co-op classes are Biology Lab, Grammar of Poetry and Middle East Studies. We are also taking field trips every fourth week and they've been awesome. Last week we visited the local police department and this week, due to weather, we visited a local orchard. Our local apple grower had a ton of terrific information to share with our group of biology students and it was a wonderful field trip, despite the crazy cold blowing prairie winds.

Somewhat reluctant model, Caleb, and orchard owner, Mr. M, demonstrate how to pick apples without bruising them. 

The kids have started Learning Labs with Bridgeway Academy this fall. Chemistry Lab and Architecture with Brick Building. Add in Science Club ('cause we don't have enough science and besides, Margy is teaching it so we had to be there) and our days are just packed. Literally.

How is your year going so far?

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