What did you learn today?

One of the questions you'll often hear around our dinner table is "How was your day?"  Pretty basic, I know.  It's probably the most common among dinner table questions.  Often, Eric follows that up by asking, "What did you learn today?"  That question has never felt quite so threatening to me as it has lately, since we started homeschooling.

Sandra's usual response has been something to the effect of, "Nothing...it's still review."  While this is true to some extent, I am confident she's learning something new here and there.  It just doesn't feel like learning b/c it's not super challenging.  So here we are in week six of this little experiment and I'm second guessing myself...again.  I looked back over the math she'll be learning this year to discover it doesn't include multiplication.  What?!  She was doing beginning multiplication at the end of first grade last year.  Shouldn't she be learning that now?  Do I trust the curriculum I'm using...or do I switch to something else?  Granted, there are definitely new things she'll be learning in math and it's a different approach than they were taking at her school last year...but am I teaching the right things?  Are we on track?

So on Monday, a new math concept was introduced.  This has been the first time the rubber has really met the road for Sandra.  And for me.  She's never learned how to carry numbers...and she didn't get it right away.  We labored through it anyway; and though she began to understand the technique, she really didn't get the concept.  Until the next day.  Then by yesterday, she really began to understand.  You know how I know?  Because she was able to explain it to Eric during dinner when he asked if she learned anything new.  So rewarding for her.  So affirming for me.

Surrender.  Trust.  Obey.  Persevere.  These are only some of the things I'm continuing to learn.  Same song, different verse, I guess.

Sardines!

Well, last week held adventure for us, as our van battery died.  Twice.  I won't bore you with the saga that ensued on Thursday.  Let's just say my morning didn't go as planned.  After being assured that our battery and alternator were fine (by "the professionals"), it died again on Saturday morning.  That resulted in 48+ hours in the shop (since 24 of those hours fell over a Sunday) and more altered plans.  In case you ever wondered, this is why people with four-door sedans upgrade their vehicles when they have more than one or two kids.

I'm not sure what those faces are about...but the kids did learn what sardines are.  So maybe they're fish faces?  And I learned how to get three kids still long enough to take a picture!

There.  That one is a bit better.  :)  Needless to say, we were all happy to have our (not always so) trusty ol' van back on Monday evening...with a new battery, nonetheless.

Four Weeks Down...

Well...here we are at the end of four weeks of homeschooling.  Four weeks!  Time is not going any slower with Sandra at home, I'll tell you that much.  I can't believe it's been four weeks!  One thing I have noticed, though, is that I feel like I'm in some sort of time continuum.  I never quite realized how much Sandra's school schedule defined my sense of time.  I think the remedy to this, though, will be our fall schedule...which more or less started this week.  Reuben is in preschool Tuesday and Thursday mornings and my Women's Bible Study meets Wed. mornings...so that should give us some week-day orientation.  Sandra's art class starts in a couple weeks.

School continues to go well.  I'm beginning to feel more at ease with our system.  My mom asked me if I had the "perfect public school option" available right now, would I send Sandra there.  I had to tell her no.  It wouldn't solve the driving force of why we decided to embark on this adventure in the first place - which is the school schedule.  This has been a much better fit for our pace of life right now - and for that, I'm thankful.

Not to be Forgotten...

Reuben started his second year of preschool today!  One of his teachers is our two-doors-down neighbor and at least half the class is comprised of friends from last year.  So he had no problem feeling right at home.  Here are a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment.

In typical Reuben form, he wanted to make a funny face.  And refused a "normal" picture until I took this one.

I thought he had it out of his system...

...but no - he didn't.  :)

What a ham!  It was simply amazing how much more productive I was today.  Simply.  Amazing.  I thought home schooling would wear me out.  Don't get me wrong...it's definitely stretching me and I often find myself exhausted.  But to tell you the truth...I think it's the toddlers who wear me out!!