Life returns to Normal

I can't believe it is already 5 days into the new year. I don't have much to show for it except a slightly cleaner house. I spent New Years day cleaning my closet and bedroom. Since we don't have a garage or any storage shed my space ends up looking like a storage facility. So to took a bunch of stuff out rearrange it and got rid of a bunch and now have a nicer organized room that doesn't look quite as much like a bed stuffed into a storage locker.

My kids have had a great time playing with their legos and playmobil toys. I have even had them practice piano and do chores (I even made a new chore chart) each day before they get some wii/movie/computer game time. But honestly school has been far from my mind and the idea of having to get back into the swing of things has me a bit daunted.  I haven't been spending much of any time planning much for the next for months of school. We may end up winging it a bit.

I can't say school was top priority through most of December. The holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas and even into the New Year and Ian's birthday always seem like such a good time to just snuggle into our warm house and listen to audio books, play board games and such. Who wants to study latin or do grammar exercises when there are treats to bake and games to play and books to read?!

But Monday coming means we need to get more serious. Ian and Sophie are starting some online classes. I was ambitious for my kids and signed them up for 5 classes. Three for Sophie and two for Ian. Sophie is taking a Literature class, a spanish class, and one about composers. Ian is taking Art and Geography.  We are going for a more rigorous schedule this time, hoping to ease Sophie into more online school. I have a feeling I may be turning more of her schooling over to online type classes in the future. This surprises me since I really do enjoy teaching my kids and I am very particular about what I want them exposed to but at the same time I feel like it is a good change for them to have more instruction coming from other sources. I am taking a more helping role rather than the actual teaching role. With younger ones that require my attention also I have been having such a hard time filling their needs while keeping up with what Sophie needs as well.   Ian is also becoming much more of an independent worker too. While Henry needs me to keep him on task and walk him through a lot. Molly just wants to play dolls or tea party or read her a story. She just wants attention. So we are going to give this a try and see how it works. Hopefully everyone can get what they need.



It will be nice to get back into a normal schedule again. We have been, getting up late, staying in pajamas until late in the day, and then not getting much accomplished except play the last few weeks. It is good to have a little time off but it is always nice to be back on a schedule.