OH, The Hours I Have Invested

As the new school year approaches I find that it is necessary to finish up much of the planning that needs to take place. I also still look at a room that has gone unpainted, unfinished, unprepared for school. Normally that is not a big deal but I really want the school mess to leave my kitchen and have its own permanent location.  I know that many use their kitchen and living room but I find that it makes for more clutter than I want at the end of my day.  I want to keep projects out so they can be easily accessed and completed. I have the additional space, which many lack, so why not use it?

If you follow my blog you already know that the stringent guidelines of my SCCCHE co-op did not fit well with my values as a Christian.  Apparently there are groups of Christians who do not recall that old saying of What Would Jesus Do.  With that said there is another coop that is forming in our area. I am excited as it is a homeschool coop for all who homeschool.  Can you imagine that we would all some how be able to come together with the diversity of our families and get along?  The distance is further but the time to drive there is the same. We will be gathering on Thursdays and have several parent lead classes scheduled. It is not a huge offering like we had at Master's Lyceum but it took years for ML to grow like it did. BTW Master's Lyceum is taking a hiatus this fall.  I am not sure what all took place but the SCCCHE Master's Lyceum apparently had some theft issues and lack of people to help set up and clean up.  That of course is the rumor as I have understood it but I am sure it is accurate.  I know many who did not do their fair share to help ML be all it could be.  Then again it is possible they too felt left out by the leadership team who had it all together.  OK>>>>I am really getting petty now but it is how I feel and is how I was treated.  I can leave it in the past but that does not mean I have never discuss it when looking forward to the new coop and how different it will be.

I am going to conduct two Magic School Bus Science classes. It is an easy class as all material is available publically online all I had to do was to determine which week I was doing each lesson.  The other class is more of a challenge. I wanted to do a life skills class that I am calling Money, Maps and Measurements.  I have all sorts of plans in my head but cannot get it onto the paper well and the map resources are proving to be more  complicated than I originally thought.  I do believe it is time for me to do a huge road trip and gather maps.

Other items being planned are our St. Louis Zoo Homeschool Classes.  We are signed up for the three in the fall. They will be the second Monday of the month.  We have placed on our calendar the Magic House Homeschool Days which are the first Mondays of the month from October to February.  Traditionally, the Missouri History Museum has program as well on the third Monday of the month.  Hummmm, it looks as if we will only be in our regular homeschool environment three days per week. No wonder children love to be homeschooled.

I am going to continue our KTM routine and fit it in with our Monday programs.  It seems that my MM&M class will conflict with a class Grace wants to attend at co-op so I will conduct the lesson for her and Faith.  Call it a practice run. 

Our purchases this year for curriculum material was only $46.00.  I really overbought last year but with all the medical issues of Owen and myself we did not work ahead as I had planned. Either way we are fine as the girls have a good, solid academic base to build on this year.  It is funny that our school cost is so small. In the local news are more and more reports of the rising cost of school enrollment, book rental, and activity fees.  I have said it for years.  It is cheaper to homeschool than to public school. 

As for Owen, he is doing remarkable well. Since he received his pacemaker life has had a huge change for us.  As a matter of fact, Kelley is going to take on a part-time job.  The cost of living keeps going up around here and they find that an additional $300 per month or so would be of great help.  She will not be working in her degree field but will be in a happy environment, doing a job that should lift your heart as you do it.  Owen is doing well enough that he will go to nursery during the co-op as Kelley's job requires every Thursday and Friday. 

Grace did find the perfect donkey for her birthday but we ended up getting two of them and Faith is going to give it a shot at training it and taking care of it.  I have found a sweet little bunny for Faith when the classroom is finished. She will be very surprised.

Well, I will be off for now. As the year kicks off I will be able to blog more about what we are doing again. Keep your eyes opened for wonderful experiences to be shared.


Oh yes, I almost forgot. I get more readers when I post a picture.  This picture was Faith several years ago. It was Grace's second day at kindergarten in public school. She didn't understand the first day but the second day she had it all figured out.