2 Month Check-up......

Our 2nd month of school is nearly done. Time to reflect and tweak what needs tweaking:

• I usually start with the basics each day, but I have been surprising the kids with our "subject of the day" first thing sometimes.  It has been a much needed change of pace for us.  Who doesn't want to start their day off with studying about bats for "Science Wednesday" instead of waiting until after lunch? I know, right?!  Changing the order of how you do things is kinda refreshing.
• Having my kids do a book report a week has been great for me, and painful for them....or at least some moan and groan.  It has been a goal of mine to have my oldest to do better at finishing books from the library instead of reading a bit from like 10 different books.  I have been letting them read a book of their choice one week and them I get to pick the next book the following week.  It is working so far.  Yay.
• We stink at singing a hymn a week.
• Our devotionals have been hit and miss.
• We are doing great at history, geography, AND science this year.  The school years when I was either pregnant or just had a baby, these subjects have not been done as well as I would have liked, so I feel very good about how things are going this year!
• I love having geography with my homeschooling buddy and her boys once a month. We watch a short video about the country we picked, the kids share something they learned that was interesting to them, AND we eat food from that country.  It has been super fun! This is the only co-op we are doing this year and I am ok with that. :)
• I have felt more relaxed and feel good about how we have been spending our days.  I know some homeschoolers do more than we do.  I know some probably do less.  But, we shouldn't compare ourselves, should we?  It never is a positive thing. Improve where we need to but take note of all the good we are doing, right?
• I joined www.cleverdragons.com for Seth and www.alwaysicecream.com for the girls.  The price was right and it has given them something fun AND educational to do on the computer when I need them to do something independent for a bit.  I gotta change a diaper or clean up the mushed up playdough sometime during our school day! Ha!
• Sasha's spelling is getting better and better and I am so glad.  She has struggled and feels badly about it.  I got her an electronic dictionary and that has helped.  We are doing regular spelling tests, journal writing, and notebooking which have all helped her a ton.  Way to go, Sasha!!

I am looking forward to the holiday season and hope we get lots of snow!!!