NOT back to school.....

As of today, all three of the counties in the Jacksonville area are back on school. Although we, as homeschoolers, have no obligation to follow the school calendar, I kind of thought I should make the official annoucement at our house: "We are back on school as of Monday (this past one)" as I think my boys always adapt better when they know what to expect. So our first week back to school went something like this:

Monday: Get to know our classmates=normal day at home

Tuesday: Science field trip: Spent the day at the beach

Wednesday: Geography: worked on a State Map and Mind-Puzzle Book about the state of Montana (we want to move there, so thought it would be interesting for all of us)

Thursday: PE: Went to Tunnelz-n-Tumblez, which is a local place that has a HUGE indoor play area (like what you see at McD's or Burger King) and Laser Tag. We have our 3rd-5th grade boys Get-to-together for our homeschool co-op, plus siblings, there. About 30 children in all attended. Chandler played Laser Tag for about 4 hours straight, and Cooper just ran until he couldn't run anymore on the play structure. Max hung out by me most of the time.

Friday: Teacher work day..no school!

So it was a fun first week! Seriously though, we will gradually move into doing more school work as we get into September. Cooper starts preschool the week after Labor Day, so once he goes, Chandler and I will start working more. Cooper will be gone from 8:45a-12:15 M-F....already I miss him and am starting to regret signing him up. But on the other hand, I know he will have a blast and it will be good for him AND Chandler to have a break from each other.

Now is also the time when we start to sign up for all of the different activities. Jacksonville has such a large homeschooling community, there are SO many activity options to choose from, as many businesses will create special classes just for homeschoolers, as well as there are the other classes that are normally out there to choose from. PE classes, choir, band, art, cooking, science, chess, language, you name it, we could do it. I personally have a tendency to want to sign up for EVERYTHING as it all sounds fun! But then I have to reign myself in and remember that when we end up having to "run" everyday, we tend to get cranky so it is better to just pick and choose what Chandler REALLY wants to do, and pass on the others. Plus we need time to be at home to do our school work!! As of now, Chandler's schedule looks like he will be doing fall baseball, which is one evening practice and weekend games, Tuesday afternoon: a digital photography class, Thursday afternoon: a theater set building class, and Friday mornings, our weekly co-op where he will participate in P.E. and American Boys Club (kind of like Cub Scouts, but more bible-based). Plus we will have field trips thrown in there certain days with our homeschool group. Cooper will be doing preschool and starts soccer next Monday, so that will be one evening a week and then weekend games. Poor Max, he just gets put in the car and goes where we take him. He is happy as long as we bring snacks!

Whew, I am tired already just looking at that schedule. Oh well, 15 years from now, they will be out and about with no time for me and I will look back and wish I had all these things to do, right?