Our new year has begun. I have all my supplies necessary to begin. We visited Ikea and got a new desk and shelf unit that allows for me to be super organized, which I need for flow. We have three stations set up, one for computer, one for art, one for mixed media. We also got a new big soft rug for happy feet and hands as they play in our school area. I feel so excited and we have had a great start to our week. Each day has 3-5 subjects, and I'm blending curriculum and other materials to make a fuller experience for us. We ordered science and math materials from Delta Education. We are ordering more art supplies for our needle felting fall project and other art/craft projects. We have a friend coming in every Monday starting mid-September doing a theatrical/drama class with the kids and Ethan will start music lessons in September as well as Tae Kwon Do. Avery will not be going to ECFE's day program but will attend their Monday evening program with either Ryan or myself. Nahni has her own little table with two chairs and while we did our workbooks today she laid on her belly looking at her books. It was so cute.

I am delighted to have a good start to our new year. I am delighted to have enough funding to make our schooling fuller, more hands-on and fun (and doable). I am honored to have my children want to school with me. I do not feel stressed by this opportunity and am glad I've been at it for four years. It gets better with every year.

Avery is doing kindergarten level work, Ethan 1st-3rd grade depending on the subject. Nahni is absorbing and dancing with us.

Over the summer Ethan's reading light went on and he's reading up a storm. It's awesome to see his progress and this will help me considerable this year.

Out trip to Minneapolis was wonderful. We visited Como Zoo and enjoyed all the very active and lovely animals. We loved the giant lilly pads outside. We swam three times and no one drowned. It wasn't a big pool but we had fun. Ryan and the kids rode the light rail from the city center into the mega mall while Nahni and I enjoyed Ikea. Then we visited the fish at the Underwater world and finished our experience with a long and wonderful visit at the science museum. It was a busy but fantastic time. I am so glad we survived with smiles.

Next week we visit Itasca State Park. We'll get the camping trailer ready next week and make sure we're good to go every other way. I love Itasca and am so excited for the kids to meet the ancient ones in the woods and to dance in the head waters. It will be magical!

Mahalo

Mid-August Already

Time is indeed rushing past as the speed of August, a month that seems to disappear even before it begins.

Today we deepened into the exploration of the mississippi waterways. We colored the states that touch the river and talked about where the river begins. We will deepen into the adventure through our book, the Might Minn over the next few weeks before our visit to Itasca.

This week we'll chart the flow of the mississippi in Minnesota and note where we'll cross it on our upcoming trip.

Today Ethan began writing a bionicle book. It's great. He's also creating illustrations that indicate a storyline developing from still images. Like a jedi attacking a droid. Ethan is constantly building and because of his hands-on approach to learning I'm ordering science kits that are all about hands-on learning methods to understand the subject. Each kit has several activities and comes with all the materials needed and in its own little storage box. Nutshell kits from Delta Education.
I haven't enrolled Avery into ECFE's preschool and don't know if I will. She comes home from the wonderful Wednesday activities all ornery but she has fun. I know she will do fine without attending the ECFE program but we can still make the final decision before the end of August.

I'll be getting a new desk this week at Ikea during our trip. I will have 25 cubbies for organization, which I desperately need for our craft materials and paperwork and homeschool materials in general, and a desk that can be used by three people at the same time including computer usage. I am SO excited. I am an organizational nut. I need everything in a space, labeled if possible, and easily accessible. Flow. Sometimes flow takes effort to get it there but once it's there, whee!

It's time to get back into the flow beyond the mind-suck computer screen. Blessings!