What day are we on?

What day are we on?  Oh yeah... I don't know!  LOL  And you know what?  That's okay!

It's December 1st.  We are on week three of homeschooling.  Why can't I tell you what day we are on? Because we take time off here and there but add stuff on the weekends, etc, etc, etc.  We are doing "relaxed homeschooling."  It means we are working on stuff every day.  But not rigid and strict in our schedule.  And again, that's okay.

Yesterday I began a unit on Advent I got from Homeschooled Kids.  It was $8 and covers SO much!  It covers our pre-reading and vocabulary skills.  It is a jumpstart for some of our math.  It's great for art projects, and above all, teaching my kids about advent!  We made a paper chain last night with our family with names and causes on the back of each chain.  Each night we will take a chain off and pray for that person or cause.  I will read a reading at dinner every night when we light our advent wreath.  The kids will learn Christmas Carols from this unit too!  There's one for every day!  I'm making a folder of them so we can visit them regularly and learn the lyrics to our favorites!  It also offers recipes for cooking which is also science and math!  I will do some of them, but not all. 

Some great things I've already learned in the last couple weeks.  This WORKS for us.  At least so far.  The kids are set up to do Starfall on the computer.  They have math and phonics programs on the iPad.  20 minutes on Starfall or the iPad give me time to make my bed.  Or sweep the floors.  Or eat breakfast!  Or catch up with a friend!

We've been working with clay for Christmas presents.  GREAT fine motor skills that will improve their writing!  They almost BEG for clay every day!  I'm running out!  I need to go get more in favorite colors.  :)

I've had time to knit and crochet!  Austin wants to learn how to weave!  Talk about teaching the 'fine arts'! 

Yesterday it rained.  I made magic rain bubbles for them!  Tomorrow it's going to rain again.  I plan on a rain walk so we can get soaking wet and jump into a warm tub when we get home!  We will talk about the science of rain and how things are different when it rains! 

We put up our Christmas tree yesterday.  It was joyful to watch the kids clump all the ornaments together.  And it was okay that they didn't go to bed until the Hallmark movie was over at 9pm instead of shuffling them off to bed at 8 because it was a school night! 

I've found them in the kitchen with me more and more.  And they are pretty good at helping and measuring and doing final touches on things. 

Overall, I'm loving homeschooling so far.  The kids are better behaved and more focused on their learning without fighting and whining over it.