Don't you just love those first day of school photos everyone posts on Facebook?  I sure do!!  I love seeing those smiling faces as kids wait for their bus or have their picture taken with their new teacher or whatever.  Kids in their brand new school clothes with their new backpacks grinning from ear to ear as they excitedly wait to embark on a new year of school proud to be one more grade ahead.  I even have homeschool friends who have their kids also take first day of school pics and it is so fun to see.  I decided to take a first day of school picture of my kids today as it is our first day of school.  My oldest, Sierra, who starts HIGH SCHOOL today refused (we homeschool, our uniforms are pajamas, and bed head...I understand her reluctance) and my son did this above picture (yes, it was staged).  

The first day of school at the Kozlowski Christian School of Excellence was a good one.  Daniel, who started 3rd grade today, is having a light week as we do not yet have all his curriculum (I will get the rest on Wednesday so next week will be a full week).  He got frustrated with handwriting which we are practicing our printing a bit before diving into cursive.  He is  a perfectionist and a lefty, so it is harder for him to follow my directions on how to do certain things when he is a lefty while I am a righty.  I told him he knows how to write the letters, he just needs to let himself not be perfect (he is comparing his letters to the computer generated samples on his practice sheet).  He had to work on letting that go.

School comes very easy for Daniel.  He has a pretty good grasp of his multiplication facts, but summer was long and so this week we are just practicing those facts with fun games.  Today, we did this leprechaun multiplication game I found on the internet.  He was very skeptical about playing math games...he's a facts kind of guy...he loves doing math and so games are not necessary.  In the end, though, he found this game quite fun as he tried collecting as many coins as possible.  As I figured, he got just about every math fact right.

Sierra started high school today.  I told her multiple times throughout these last couple days that this year, school would be tough.  She never really gave it much thought...until today when she realized just how tough it would be.  Unlike Daniel, she is hitting the ground running and there is no room for putting off tasks for tomorrow.  We are locking down on her school as she prepares for the possibility of college.  Already she has been faced with challenges that makes her "brain want to explode" and we are already making changes as necessary.  All in all it has been a good day for her except when....

...a certain cat tries to impede the learning process.  Here she is lying on Sierra's desk while Sierra tries to do her history.  We call her our school mascot...she loves when school is in session because we are all in one place together...her domain...the school room...her favorite room in the house.

This year promises to be a banner year for both kids.  We already have plans for lots of outings outside the home...field trips and social gatherings.  We have positive attitudes.  We are confident in the curriculum choices as well as our game plan for the year.  

Here's to the 2013-2014 school year.  Here's to having lots of good things to report on here...and maybe some bad reports to share as well.  Stay tuned!

The end of the school year...the sound of excited kids as they gain a freedom from schoolwork....the sound of my own sigh as I realize I, too, have gained freedom...You gotta love summer!!  But with all of these great things, there tends to be a loss of balance.  You might find yourself in a whirlwind of activities or you might find yourself with a house full of "bored" kids.  Without a set direction for each day, life can feel off kilter.  At first, it feels great, but by the end of summer, you can almost feel excited to get back on schedule....to get balanced.  The kids will whine and complain.  The daily battle to get school done will commence.  The memories of a fun summer spent doing fun activities like going to the pool, the beach, hanging with friends and (for my daughter at least) a trip to Europe will make for lots of daydreams and a tough road to reality, but somehow all of this works towards a place of balance and peace.

For us, school starts in a week and a half.  Last summer, I had school planned out by mid-summer.  I had the WHOLE year planned.  I learned a lesson then as life steps in and turns things upside down and my year plan went out the window.  This summer, I have done a little planning here and there and even now, things pop up that cause me to need to re-work things.  I am in the unique position this year of planning for my 3rd grader and my 9th grader...I have a kid starting high school...no pressure.

I have organized our school space.  As I look around at what will be my kids and my home for the next several months, I pat myself on the back for a job well done and I can feel the scales tipping more towards a balance.  As I slowly get curriculum in, I work on getting it sorted out for whatever student it is for.  I am in a constant state of planning, making lists, and, as the first day of school draws closer, a constant state of panic.  I panic at the fear that it will not all get done...but I also feel that balance tipping more and more on the other side as it gets more and more balance.  Math planned....scales even out a bit more.....grammar done....a bit more.  

This summer has been a fantastic one filled with great memories for both my kids.  My son got to spend a week with his best friend at the beach.  My daughter went to Europe with our church.  We met up with friends, saw many movies, lots of kids running up and down my stairs, trips for ice cream, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, trips to the pool, etc.  As fun as it has been...I am ready to get back to real life.  I am ready to get back to schedules and order.  In a week and a half, school resumes at the Kozlowski Christian School of Excellence.  BRING.  IT.  ON.