Weeks 2 and 3 combined....

It's like BOGO free. Who doesn't love that?!

School has been progressing very nicely. I love starting early so I've got lots of time to work out the kinks. Figure out what will and won't work with each kid.

 For example I decided not to have Ava continue with the S.O.S. Spanish. It's just proving too difficult for her. The grade recommendation is 3rd-6th....as a 3rd grader she fits within their parameters but she was already struggling to keep up after only 2 lessons. So I've dropped it from her schedule and we'll pick it up when she's a bit older.

 That's the beauty of homeschooling if something isn't working you can just put it away and give your kid a chance to mature or scrap it entirely and try something new. Like typing. Typing Instructor is new to our homeschool and they are both doing exceeding well with it. I myself am enjoying them in the headphones.

 She's cute AND it's quiet..... what's not to love???

Devlin in 6th grade is doing very well with the Spanish. Maybe next year I'll move him into a classroom setting at YMV.

Devlin is also enjoying his switch to Teaching Textbooks.

Here he is doing the daily book work. Once that's completed he enters his answers into the computer which grades it for him. He has 2 attempts before he's considered wrong and even then the computer will show him step by step how to do the problem so he can figure out where he lost his way...

He's done fantastic so far. I'm really glad I switched from Horizons :)


Science continues to be a favorite subject. We spent some time last week doing a mini co-op with our friends who are also doing Apologia's Swimming Creatures. We got to go make a mess at their house! I loved it!

One of the things scheduled was to begin an Ocean Box (diorama) I was pleasantly surprised that Devlin wanted in on that. Here they are with Stage One boxes....they will add creatures to them as we go along.

This week we started studying whales. In addition to our notebooking....

we also went on the computer and listened to some whale songs....they thought that was "cool"

I would find it "cool" if Devlin would clean off his desk.

Sonlight LA continues to annoy. The workload is in no way suitable for 6th grade even with their suggested addition of Grammar Ace. I had to run out Tuesday and pick up Wordly Wise. He is less than thrilled. As am I, but for different reasons. He's tickled to death that he can breeze through LA because the assignments are so easy. I'm pissed that I was forced to buy something that isn't suitable for his grade level. When I found out we were going to be forced to purchase LA along with the Core I asked if the LA would span the grades the way the Core was designed to do...I never got a clear answer and now I know why. Adding the LA to the Cores made them more grade specific and I think that's too bad....before they did that History wasn't really grade specific. Now that the LA is included, which is so obviously not for a 6th grader, the Core sold as usable for 4th-6th grade it really isn't, it's for 4th grade. What a terrible sentence that was. I'm going to leave it like that and blame Sonlight's LA.

Here he is doing his spelling. He's doing 4 different workbooks for LA...bless his heart.

Ava and I continue our adventures in First Language Lessons 3. It's like this program was written just for her. They always know the right little thing to add to keep her interest and invariably it's artistic in nature. She loves nothing more than drawing a picture....

She's also read so many books in the past 2 weeks that I have lost count. It's at least 8.

When she's not reading she's painting....

or practicing soccer....well trying to anyway....so far it's been standing around either in the rain or waiting for the rain.

I still hate the dread Moccasin Trail. Devlin however continues to be completely enamored by all things Indian related. He's convinced he 'counted coup' in his video game and he's taken to practicing his piano like a squaw...

I'm so proud.

Being home has given them some down time and they are back to playing with each other more. This week Ava inspired Devlin to try some water colors

Looking good my son.

We got a membership to the Virginia Living Museum today that I'm hopeful will enhance our aquatic studies. We went today as a family and had a splendid time. Here they are pretending to behave for the camera.

I'm so thankful the God has allowed me to school my children at home. I would sorely miss them if they were away at school all day. They are 2 of the coolest people I know and it's great to be able to watch them learn about...well....everything.