Swirling thoughts...

So. Normally, around this time of year I start getting all gung ho about the coming school year and trying to plan out my curricula and schedule. I print out this free dowload (that I love and appreciate!) and get to work. I love the organization of it all. ;)

But, this year, I'm having a problem. With Noah starting at CEC in the fall and, thereby, following a "normal" academic year schedule, I'm not sure what to do for our homeschooling schedule with Asher & Micah. Do I follow the CEC schedule or stick with our "six weeks on, one or two weeks off" routine or something else entirely?

Right now, I'm in the "just let all the thoughts swirl around in my head" stage. Here's what I've got:

- Follow the CEC schedule. This one seems like the most straight-forward. It would enable us to be all on the same page. But. I worry that the summer break will be longer than I want. And, as the teacher for Asher and Micah, I worry that I will want those weeks off throughout the year for planning and everything else. We all really value our periodic weeks off, as that has worked beautifully for us.

- Follow our "normal" homeschool schedule. It works for us. But. How will that work with boys doing different things...with the inevitable complaints about "why do they get time off?" and "why doesn't he have summer schoolwork?" And it would obviously mess with any vacation planning. And if we're all on different schedules, would that equate to less "off" time altogether (since I would still be "on" to help with whichever boys are doing schoolwork)?

- Do something else entirely. What would this be? Really. I'm open to suggestions. ;)

Also. Should I stagger the starting dates so that I can help Noah more with the inevitable transition to being in school? Or will that just lead to a longer transition period altogether as I'll then need to add the younger two to the mix?

Sigh.

Swirly, swirly, swirly... ;)

In case you were wondering...

...I bought the sandals. ;) 

(Wore them today and they were lovely.)

Blessed

(This photo was taken earlier in the week, during a rare moment of photographic cooperation, lol.)

Happy Easter to you all! Nothing big happening here today, as we did much of our spring celebrating already. ;) We did enjoy a lovely afternoon with friends yesterday...gathered sixteen kids together for an egg hunt then lots of playing at the park and visiting. So blessed!

Ten (random thoughts) on Tuesday

1. Why is fall the only season with an extra name? (asked whilst working on a spelling list that included the word "autumn")

2. FYI, Noah finished his placement testing for this fall and scored pretty much exactly where I'd have placed him. Whew. We now wait until May to meet with his academic advisor to determine class schedule.

3. Some animal plummeted off my roof outside my bedroom window this morning. Honest. It was odd. Nathan didn't believe me until I took him outside and we found a flurry of dove feathers beneath our window. No body, though. Weird. (Our current theory is that the dove was chased/scared off the roof by the family of squirrels that likes to play tag above our bedroom, suffered some loss of feathers but recovered and flew away. Either that or a neighborhood cat had a really good morning, lol.)

4. For the record, I stayed up and watched the beginning of the lunar eclipse last night, but not the whole thing. I was tired. ;) Didn't even mention it to the boys...but don't feel too badly because we've done this before.

5. If I go buy the pair of sandals I've been eyeing, it's going to snow again, right?

6. Does that mean maybe I should buy a pair of boots instead? ;)

7. Don't suppose anyone wants to come tackle re-landscaping my yard for me? ;) Not looking for anything fancy...it's just boring and could use some work...work that no one in our house really wants to do, lol.

8. It's actually not the easiest thing to "google" how to spell "googol" (the math term). ;) (Yes, a boy asked.)

9. Micah's latest money-making idea is to write a book of haikus and self-publish. (We studied haiku poems last week and he declared himself "addicted.") I'll let you know when that's done so y'all can buy one. ;)

10. Is it just me or does anyone else feel like life's been on fast forward lately? Oy. Spring always gets busy. (And it's not even that we've had too heavy a load of activities...much, lol...just lots of little things taking up room in my head and needing attention. I'm sure you understand.) 

Ridiculously

Even though it's Monday and there's snow on the ground still from yesterday (argh), feeling pretty ridiculously happy today. :) Here's why:

1. Our last JOAD tournament of the (October-April) season was yesterday down in Denver. Due to scheduling conflicts (Noah's age group was scheduled for the morning session which conflicted with Noah sleeping, lol), Noah opted not to compete this time. He's pretty happy with how he finished the last tournament in March and wanted to end his season on that note...which satisfied him and meant I didn't have to try to wake him up at 6 am or spend the entire day at the tournament (as Micah's age group was scheduled for the afternoon session). Happy.

2. This meant it was just Micah and me, so we had a little mother-son time. Happy.

3. While we were down there, we also managed to meet up with friends for lunch. Happy.

4. Micah's been really working hard toward this tournament, even knowing that he likely wouldn't score as well as he has in the past. He got a new release two weeks ago and has been practicing extra to adjust to the new form/style. He was very dedicated and determined but managed to remember that it's an adjustment and keep his expectations in line. Truly, even a couple of the other parents noticed how much less frustrated he was at this tournament. Happy.

5. And he won his division:

(Yes, yes, technically he was again the only one in his division, lol.)

6. And because it was the state championship (and he had participated in the required number of previous tournaments to qualify for state), he also got the state champion title and belt buckle. He was pretty...happy.

7. And that means that the JOAD season is almost officially over! (Just have our team potluck and awards stuff yet...) Which means a good freeing up of my weekly schedule. (We'll still practice somewhat regularly, as Micah won't let us not, but now it's more flexible by far.) HAPPY.