a new year

Well, we started school on Monday, sort of a slow start to the year with math, reading, handwriting and history.  Classical Conversations starts tomorrow, so things will pick up from here.  I have to confess, I am having a really hard time jumping back into the routine of school this year.  I keep trying to tell myself that it is because I am a "veteran" (this is our 5th year), and I don't really need to spend all that time prepping and planning that I have not gotten my act together, but the reality is, I just don't feel like it.  Partly because I am tired of hearing about how awful life is for a certain (to remain unnamed) child to have to do a few hours of school work each day, and the "I can't do it"s from another.  And partly because of my own stubborn/selfishness.  I even looked up tuition costs for the nearest Christian school today... not that it is even remotely possible that we would send our kids there.  Last year CC was my lifeblood as far as keeping my motivated and having a long term vision for our homeschooling, so I am sure that getting back into it will give me the boost I need, academically speaking, and taking my eyes off myself and putting them back on God will give my heart what it needs to get this school year off on the right foot.

Enough of my pity party, lets get on to this years lineup!

Our core curriculum:
*Classical Conversations Foundations program for Regan, Micah, Max and Tallulah
*Classical Conversations Essentials program for Regan

Math:
*Saxon 1: Tallulah
*Saxon 2: Max
*Saxon 3: Micah
*Saxon 5/4 with Dive DVDs: Regan (Has anyone used the DIVE dvd's?  If so, what to you think of them- I am hoping that it helps her to be a bit more independent in math this year.)

Reading:
*I am hoping to do Sonlights American History reading curriculum (D + E) for Regan and Micah to compliment what we are studying in CC, but so far have not been able to order the books yet.
*Bob Books and other easy readers from the library for Max and Tallulah

Grammar and writing:
Since Regan will be doing Essentials  and will be using the Institute for Excellence in Writing I am hoping to adapt what she is learning and use it with the other kids too.
I may still do First Language Lessons 1 with Max and Lu, just because we enjoyed it so much the first time around.
I also have a book call The Sentence Family that I may use as well to introduce/reinforce the parts of speech.

History:
We are using Beautiful Feet Books' Early American History (Elementary) program to supplement what we learn at CC.   We started this week and I am really liking it.  The kids give it mixed reviews (the older ones, who complain about everything, are not crazy about it).  They really loved Story of the World last year, which we will eventually come back to, but I though this would be fun for the younger ones.

Handwriting:
I really dropped the ball on this one last year, so we've gone back to our original handwriting curriculum this year, Handwriting Without Tears.  K for Tallulah, 1st for Max, Cursive for Micah.  Regan is using an A Reason for Handwriting book that we already had and working on cursive as well.

Electives:
We are still hoping to work our way through the first level of French (Rosetta Stone) this year.  I am almost done with level one, but the kids still have a ways to go.
I've signed the three older kids up for a Homeschool PE class at the Y that meets twice a week and Tallulah will be taking a ballet class as the Y as well.

That petty much sums it up, I think!  Here is to another great year of homeschooling :)