Hitting the Road (Is that even legal ?!?!)

While most people seem to have kicked off their 'official' school year already, we are delayed a little bit :o) Our school room is a few weeks shy of being completed, but that is not the only reason we are pushing things to September. On Saturday, the kids and I (and my Dad, who is so wonderfully caring and generous - he is flying out to Georgia tonight so that he can drive with me!) are heading up to Chicago for the second time this summer. However, Chicago is not our final destination! We will spend one day in Chicago with my parents, and then my mom and the kids and I will drive up to North Dakota! (Yes, I'm crazy. I'm okay with it.)
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While on the road, I have some things for Hunter to do, most of them revolving around geography. We have a map on which he will trace our route through all the different states, and each time we hit a new state, he will read some information on that state and tell the rest of the passengers in the car.
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I am very much looking forward to spending this time with my son. I am grateful for the quality time he will spend with his grandparents and great-grandparents, learning lessons and experiencing things he would have to miss out on if he were not home schooled. I try not to dog on the public schools (heck, I'm a public school teacher by trade), but it makes me a little bit ill to think of my son sitting at a desk from 8am to 3pm every day, while so much life is happening outside those walls! Because Hunter isn't sick, I would not legally be able to take him out of school for the two week period he would miss. But because we've been blessed and called to home school, we have a very special freedom that I am pleased as punch to take full advantage of in the next two weeks!
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Here's to time with family, time with our elders, time to explore this beautiful country God has blessed us with, and the time and freedom to grow outside of cinder blocks and in the fullness of the life we've been given!
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Stay Tuned!

We're Back!!

Since my last blog, we have moved - again - this time to Northeast Georgia! We are settling into our first (owned) home, and loving it! The crown jewel of this house was an 819sqf unfinished basement, which we have poured our hearts and souls into this summer. The basement now consists of a beautifully tiled full bathroom, a large media room and bar (who's ready for some FOOTBALL??), and best of all, a BEAUTIFUL school room!

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We are still putting the finishing touches on the basement, but we will be ready to start school after Labor Day weekend. For now, I wanted to revive my blog (which WILL be updated every Friday during the school year, with notes about the curricula we are using), and participate in the "Not Back to School" blog hop! During the month of August at 'Heart of the Matter Online', bloggers can post links to their pages about a different topic each week.

This week, the topic is curriculum, and lucky us - the UPS man delivered a big ol' box of school goodies from Rainbow Resource today!

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For Hunter's first grade year, we are going all in on the classical method of homeschooling. Back in May, I read "The Well Trained Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer, and I was hooked! I will do a post next week with regards to method itself. As for this year's curriculum:

Language Arts:

- Spelling: Spelling Power

- Grammar: First Language Lessons

- Writing: Writing With Ease (vol. 1)

- Reading: Whatever he likes!

Math:

- MUS Alpha/Beta: Hunter ended his Kindergarten year halfway through the Alpha book, so we will be picking up where he left off, and moving on to Beta when he's ready

Science:

- Apologia Science, "Exploring Creation With Astronomy"

Social Studies:

- Story of the World, Vol. 1

Art:

- We are involved with the home school group at our military base. Hunter will be participating in an hour-long art class every Wednesday afternoon (I am VERY pleased to outsource painting this year :o)

Music:

- Later this fall, we will be purchasing a piano. When we do that, I will begin teaching Hunter how to read music and play the piano.

I think that's it! Of course, we are including all kinds of wonderful literature and reference books revolving around the history topics - this year it's ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. I am so excited about this year. There are many new things happening, such as reporting to the state, and having attendance and instruction time requirements, but that is all part of the adventure, and I can't wait to begin. Welcome, First Grade, we've been waiting for you!!