Homeschooling Q & A ... Part 3 and a Glimpse of Summer

Today is a 2-for-1 special here at Mercy Days! Being as how the summer is being true to it's reputation and flying by, I figured I should at least record a glimpse or two of what we've been so busy doing.

But first, I'll answer an easy question from my previous Q & A series (I like to say, "series" like I am the sort of person who writes a "series"). HA! It would do some of you good to know me in real life because the collision of appearance and reality would really make you feel good about yourself ;)

Anyhow.

The question from the comments was, "What would I have done differently my first year of homeschooling, now that I am a seasoned veteran?".

I love to approach things like this imagining the whole situation with hindsight and hope that I don't come away discouraged or regretful. With marriage and parenting I must say that usually hindsight leaves me feeling a might regretful and wishing I had grown in grace sooner but that is never the right approach. I know that the grace came from living through the experience and God giving it to me as I needed it.

Same with my first year of homeschooling.

I don't regret anything but if I could tell myself one thing it would be to relax and enjoy the ride ... and just a few more for good measure:

• Get up earlier and go to bed sooner. (Note to self: Do this now)
• Choose a writing & math curriculum that is both rigorous AND one that you love to teach because rigorous alone will get you nowhere fast.
• On the subject of writing, I would write more. If there is anything I plan on doing differently with the younger set, it would be to write more (journal, letters, stories, etc.).
• Spend a great deal of time before the Lord in prayer and study and don't rely on yourself for all the answers and especially for all the strength. (Another to self for the here and now)

Honestly, that's about it. I truly do love doing this and I am already itching with desire for planning our AMERICAN HISTORY EXTRAVAGANZA for the year 2010-2011. Sam and the girls will all be studying the same time period and several of our friends will too. I hope to plan as many field trips as possible since we live in the mecca of American History. I would also love to meet up about twice a month with our elementary set of friends and do a hands-on project that goes with our study for those weeks.

Now for the Crazy Ol' Summer of 2010!

• We had 30 days of visitors from the end of May through the month of July:

Gigi & Papaw Smith - May

Papa Voiles - June

The Fergusons - June

The Jollys - June till July 4th

• Emma had her dance recital.
• Sam lost a second tooth and his baseball team won the championship!
• Clara started crawling, pulling up to stand, says, "Mama, Da-Da, Bye-Bye" and blows a mean raspberry.
• Hannah is racking up the babysitting hours and loves it! She also saved up her own money to buy her very own DSLR Nikon camera.
• Benjamin is talking a blue streak, weighs a whopping 40 lbs, and is still quite possibly the cutest child that ever walked the earth.
• We went to the Great Wolf Lodge.

And while the Jolly's were here we went to:

• Kings Dominion
• Jamestown
• Yorktown
• Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Food Lion, Kroger, and Martin's cause we like to eat!
• Inflation Nation
• The pool
• Toy Story 3
• My early b-day dinner
• Fireworks

And we ain't done ...

• Baseball practice
• Vacation Bible School
• Sam's piano recital
• HEAV convention!
• Church picnic
• My early b-day dinner with friends :)

Deep breath ...

• The pool some more
• And the pool for swimming lessons each night this week and the next
• Free summer movie (Space Chimps ... ya'll that movie is funny!)
• Drama camp for the girls every day for two weeks ... production week next week with shows on Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night.

We have a bit more planned and while this is busier than I like to keep our summer days we are blessed and have made precious memories with family and friends! Uploading pics will take me forever so here is a slideshow instead ...

*After clicking "play" arrow, click bottom right (four arrows) click to expand ... description in top right of page.