First day of school, 2013

This year we started school a little early, the last full week of August.  Normally we wait until after Labor Day...sometimes MUCH after...but I did the math and decided to start in August so we would be done with school the first week of May.  (We school 4 quarters of 8 weeks each, with a week break in the fall and spring, and 2 weeks over Christmas.)  May is just SO hard for me to be cooped up indoors trying to get school done, when there's a garden just begging to be planted!  So we'll try this new schedule out.  I have a feeling I'll like it.

I work with Mariposa (grade 2) for about 1.5
hours in the morning, and maybe some catch-up
in the afternoons.

James has more independent work this year, and less time
with mom, but I still get in about 1.5 hours in the morning
with my oldest son.

Bunny is almost all independent, AND she teaches preschool
to Gemma for 1/2 hour each morning.  She is amazing!

One of these days I'll post my school plans in
detail.  This is one of my tools to keep me on track.

Guess what we did on our first day of school...took a field trip of course!!!  The state fair was calling our names and we answered loudly.  The kids love seeing the animals, then the exhibits, and finally, the rides!!  My favorite parts are the quilts and dinnertime (we pack sandwiches and eat in the garden exhibit area).

Each year we barely overlap with the cousins' visit
(they go earlier in the day and we go later).

Gem and Seddy were too short to ride the ferris wheel. :o(

Ok, my REAL favorite part of the fair: the annual "Eating
of the Elephant Ear!"  (we decided that next year, we'll
need to buy TWO....)

I thought Erica would like this.  :o)