Our homeschool schedule usually begins in early August so that we can be done in early May. We like it that when spring fever hits, we don’t have to be stuck behind math books, but can instead be working outside in the garden or playing ball in the yard.
So, do you know what this week is? It’s the beginning of the end of our school year! Each of the boys just have a few small assignments to finish up, and then they can officially stop learning for a few months. HA! Assignments from books may be finished, but I love that the learning never stops! In fact, we’ve got book lists and project lists already in the works.
Among all the other great things I could tell you about our school year, we’ve had a wonderful year of studying American History. WOW have we learned a lot! (By we, I totally mean me because I am much more knowledgeable about how our country has become what it is.) (I do think that the boys learned a thing or two as well.)
But now, we’re excited to have a more flexible schedule, to be able spend more time outside, to have more time to play games and to be goofy.
Not that we really need more time to be goofy. Really. We do that pretty well on a regular basis, even while we’re thinking of the best adverbs to fit a sentence. (You don’t want me to share examples.)
And so, let the lazy days of summer, which are anything but lazy, begin. Once again, I thank God for another wonderful year of learning with our boys.
(Our oldest will be a 9th grader next year. I’m choking on my muffin.)
What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!
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Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Kris Mays says
Lord have mercy. I am freaking out about my daughter being in 7th!
April Smith says
I am grateful that my entire family and I are safe and sheltered, and came through the deadly storms with nothing more than a broken water heater…and I will, with God’s help, remember that with every cold shower and pan of boiled water!!! Thank you Jesus!
Lisa@HappyinDoleValley says
Our family is praying for all the tornado victims! Go to Bradrick.org for an opportunity to donate to families that pretty much lost it all; one family in particular who lost their husband & father. So sad. ~Lisa
Katie @ Riddlelove says
Goodness gracious, I think I’m more ready to put away the schoolbooks than the kids. Spring fever is in full force! I like your plan. We are doing lots of hands-on, working with our hands, outside learning. Don’t you just love the freedom of year-round, painless learning homeschooling offers? :)
Kari says
Well, I hesitate to tell you this because you might turn it back on me in a “few” years but, another way to say 9th grade is “freshman in high school.” No, no, I don’t think I’m going to tell you that. It would also mean that my very first nephew, the one who made me an aunt for the very first time, is going into high 9th school grade. No, I’d rather not think about that! (Awfully proud of that kid, er, young man.)
Nancy @ Real Food Allergy Free says
I just posted about my cousins new baby. Isn’t he beautiful?
-Nancy @ Real Food Allerg Free
Kara Nutt says
So grateful for my online community.
Looking forward to homeschooling my children.
I’m freaking out that my son is turning 4 on Sunday, can’t imagine him as a teenager! Lord Help me!
Lana says
Christian teenagers are such a joy! After I realized that with our oldest I couldn’t wait for them all to get to that age!
Michelle MacNeil says
Hi Laura,
I am a mom of three :) I am looking into homeschooling my oldest 2, prayerfully, this next school year! I was just wondering if you could share what curriculum you use and how you feel it works for your family? I am really stumped on what to do. I have been looking heavily into Sonlight and I think it will be awesome, but I am trying to get some pointers and even some feedback on other ones. I hope I am not asking too much? :/
Thank you so much for sharing your blog, insights and helpful recipes and tips! I love reading your blog! God Bless, Michelle M.
Laura says
Michelle – if/when you have time, go back and read through all my posts in the HomeSchool Hubbub category here on my blog: https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/category/homeschool-hubbub
That will answer many of your questions I think!
Pary Moppins says
Thanks for hosting and reminding us all to be thankful in all things.
Lori says
I am SO grateful that I have learned to take rebuke! I know that sounds strange but it has made
Life so much easier with my relationships because I don’t always have to be right and I can learn from others. It makes me a better person.
Rebecca Miller says
I love that! Thanks for the reminder.
Missy Bennett says
I’m a slow learner sometimes, but I’m so grateful that the Lord has been patient with me! I am finally learning to embrace “interruptions” as His top priorities for my day!
Jessica Bish says
as much as I am terrifed to go down this route of homeschooling that is one thing I am looking forward to. Teaching them in way outside of books and programs. The everyday living things….. Blessings to you!
Janet says
Ahhh! A ninth grader! I am going to have a Kindergartener in the fall!
McKinsey says
We are about to be finished too in another week! I am going to do “light school” on monday and tuesday throughout the summer. this will simply be a math and phonics sheet. We also read alot so that never goes away! Weekly library trips are a must lol. But the garden, camping, church camp and my mom’s pool will keeps us plenty busy!
Debbie says
We are finishing school this week also. We will do some school throughout the summer, too. We are looking forward to a fun, full summer of activities before hitting the books again in August. Have a terrific summer!!!!
Lisa@HappyinDoleValley says
Ok ladies, I’ve graduated three and have two still at home (ages 12 and 10 yrs.). The three oldest are all married (no grandbabies — yet). Sigh. Time flies! Enjoy them while you can!
Today I’m sharing a recipe inspired by one here on Laura’s blog and expressing my appreciation for all the wisdom I find here. Thanks, Laura!
Blessings,
~Lisa@HappyinDoleValley
Lana says
I have graduated all 5 of mine. Our youngest is 20. What a blessing it was to have them home with me for 23 years. We do have 2 grandsons and are expecting a granddaughter in July. There is nothing in this world like being a Nana!
Amanda says
I’m thankful that I started blogging and have that to record our memories, since I never kept up with the baby books!
Jessica Nunemaker says
I’m grateful that the lilacs are blooming! What a long, long winter.
I’m grateful for winning the Mom Central Grant.
I’m also grateful that next year marks the beginning of our homeschool journey! Kindergarten (dum dum dum).
It’s been quite a year so far.
Staci Brown says
I am thankful for a husband who is allowing me to quit my job in three weeks to be home with our children.
Dawn(One Faithful Mom) says
If there was a “love” button here, I’d be clicking it right now!!
Randi says
I absolutely can not bring myself to get rid of books! I love them! I’ve got a bookcase in my dining room that I couldn’t even fit all of my books on, so now I also have a bookcase in my bedroom. :)
Crystal @ Intentional Homemaker says
What a long winter we’ve had! Now Spring is finally here, and we can get outside and enjoy the sunshine!
Jenae says
I really enjoy reading your posts and have tried a few recipes. Our homeschool year runs early June to early to mid March each year. My children really enjoy the outdoors, but do not really like the hot, sticky southern summers. It is a blessing to be able to adjust our schedules to be able to enjoy God’s creation during a cooler time of the year.
Brit @MomAnswersWithBrit.com says
I’m thankful for the scripture that God has given us. Whenever we has trials when can lean on the scripture for guidance. I just wrote a post of my blog about dealing with worry, and the asnwer God gives us in His word.
http://momanswerswithbrit.com/?p=313
Lisa@HappyinDoleValley says
Also sharing about our incredible weekend at the Christian Heritage Homeschool Conference this past weekend! God is so good!
Amy says
YAY for the end of the school year! We usually start school in June. We do school work during the summer in the afternoons when it’s to hot and stick to play outside during the day. We were able to be done with school before our youngest was born 5 weeks ago. Now we are gearing up to start our 2011-2012 school year in a month or so. Our oldest has asked if he can just start school now. I really think that this will begin the year round school for us.
Christen says
Hi Laura,
I have really appreciated your blog! There are a number of recipes especially that I have quickly made our favorites for our family:) I was actually writing to ask if you have a good website or template or something of that sort that would be good for planning a school year with. I want to start preparing for preschool and kindergarten for my oldest and I haven’t the faintest idea where to begin and how to make sure that I teach him all that he needs to know! Many of the moms I know who homeschool take curriculum from all different sources but that still doesn’t help me to know exactly what I am to be teaching and the best way to set up our year to make sure that I hit all those important things. Any wisdom or resources that you could pass on would be greatly appreciated!
Lana says
I am so grateful for the Lord’s hand of protection on our oldest son, wife who is 29 weeks pregnant and 1 and 2 year old grandsons. They live outside of Birmingham and even though there was destruction all around them they were spared property damage and personal injury. They were without power for 92 hours but even they were grateful that it was only a long power outage. I have seen real growth in them in just this week since the storm and their realization of what could have happened had God allowed.
Pamela says
We’ve tried a new schedule this year….year-round! I’ve loved it. Nine week quarters with breaks about 3-4 weeks long. So we’ll school until the 2nd week in July and then start again August 1st! BUT…we are taking a late “spring break” vacation next week for a few days to go camping at a lake nearby. Can’t wait for time away and then gear down for the rest of this quarter before starting our new year in August. We will have TWO ninth graders!! YIKES!! Choking on my muffin, too :)
D says
Today I am thankful that I am finally getting a “new to us” gas range. Mine quite almost 2 months ago and feeding a crew without an oven is not easy. Today we were finally able to find a used one and my DH will bring it home tonight:)
Erika says
We have two weeks left in Core 4… words cannot express how grateful I am for this amazing education that I am getting to experience WITH my children. I thank God daily for sending me on this grand adventure- and also for the wonderful curriculum that makes it so easy for me.
Will you be moving on to Core 5 as well? As much as I’ve loved the Am. History, I am beyond excited to learn about a part of the world that I don’t know very well.
Dawn(One Faithful Mom) says
I, too, am thankful that summer vacation is upon us! I am very grateful for my husband’s hard work. He is an air conditioning specialist here in SC, where the summers easily hover between 90-100* for the months of June, July, and August. He has to work in attics that are 145*, while the kids and I hang out at the beach or at home.
Very thankful for the good school year we had this year, and the progress we made!
Elizabeth says
I know how you feel about summer almost being here! I’m in college (graduating in December!) and this was my last full time semester. I am ready for a flexible, laid back summer.
mamaT says
i’m so grateful for my wonderful husband!
Jessica says
What American History curriculum have you used?
Laura@HeavenlyHomemakers says
This year we used Sonlight 8 for our 8th grader and Sonlight Intro to American History part 2 for our 3rd and 5th graders.
Lois @ Tenderherb says
We have so much to be grateful for!!! More then we even care to realize so often. My little boy turned 6 yesterday. Where oh where is time going??