School Starts!!

School started here on Monday. Well, actually Thursday since we had a field trip and then did a lapbook on that trip over the next few days, but we started schooling here on Monday---so we officially have a 2nd grader and a pre-schooler.

It is going great and so far the transition has not been bad for any of us. We just finished up school a few weeks ago though since we got behind with the move. We have a new room to do school it and it is working out better than I could have ever imagined!!! I really believe that is a gift from God. I had everything planned out before moving here and knew exactly what was going where and what I needed out of each room. The "morning room" I had no idea with though. It didn't bother me, and up until now it has been a catch all and craft room area.

When it occurred to me that it be a full blown school room though, I got super excited about that and about school in general. Now that it is done it is so awesome and a huge gift from God and I am so thankful!!!


Lucy loved doing the lapbook (she is looking at it here). I was so excited to just recently learn about lapbooking, and can't wait to do many more with the girls! They are a fabulous way to do a unit study and use as a reference tool and review. They are neat to look at and show to others as well, so they are awesome and will be a great addition to our homeschool curriculum!!!

There you can see the lapbook a bit better. There are several different kinds of mini books inside, that are educational/informative. We incorporated pictures from our trip as well.

There is our school room. It has fabulous natural light from all the windows and the floor is linoleum so it is moppable!! We decoupaged a world map and the US presidents to the table (we have had that table forever and Mike was so ready to get rid of it---amazing what some paint can do though!!). We have all their supplies right there, or in the craft table that is not shown in this picture (that is an old kitchen cart with storage, a place for paper towels, a magazine rack, and great work space), and a book case with all their school books. We still use the chalk board I painted on the wall in the kitchen/living room area and it all is working very well. I can be in the kitchen working there while the kids do school (well Lucy anyway, I have to be there for Clara, but Lucy is self sufficient).

I decided to do things a little different for Lucy too to give her more "control". I put all the work we need to get through in a week in a folder and then give that to her at the beginning of the week. She can do as much or as little as she wants per day knowing that if she does less she will have more to do the rest of the week, but if she does more she has less to do. We can even get days off if she wants to work extra---it is up to her. So, we are learning time management. So, far (again, this is just the first week), she is ahead of where she needs to be and is doing great with it. She got her folder out to pick her work before we even did the pledge and prayer this morning and was ready to go.