A new year...

Today marks the first day of our 2nd year of homeschooling.  I can't believe it's been a year already.  I am excited about how the kids have grown.  Physically, emotionally, spiritually...  We have eased up dramatically on "academics" and have been following a relaxed/eclectic philosophy of homeschooling.  Concentrating on love of God and character development right now. 

I answer questions all day long.  Some pertain to deeper questions such as, "Will we have our bodies in heaven?" or "How come the yolk in our chicken egg is darker than the ones from the store?" to the not so deep, such as "Hey Mom, what's for breakfast?"

We continue to go to the library about once a week.  The kids are learning how to look up a book they want, put it on hold and where to pick it up when we receive the email signaling the book has arrived.  They are also beginning to figure out the shelving system.  I just found out that our head librarian is a homeschooler too.  Pretty cool.  

The older three kids participated in an Advent production at our church this Christmas season.  They got dressed up in costumes and sang songs.  One of the weekends, Tanner even recited Luke 2:8-16 for the congregation at both services!  He practiced so much he had the verses memorized and read them beautifully. 

I have started keeping track of the books that Tanner is reading and the ones we read together.  We recently read Holes by Louis Sachar.  I had seen the movie years earlier, but had read a review on the book so we ordered it from the library.  We LOVED it!  Finished it in a couple days.  It gave us the opportunity to talk about friendship, loyalty, giving your word, racism, slavery, racial laws that used to be in place and much more.  All from one book.  Fantastic!

I am trying to focus on the positive and all the accomplishments we've had this past year.  Unfortunately, I have been bad about keeping track or writing things down.  We've had the most amazing conversations, but I tell you what:  If I don't write them down... 

SO!  One of my goals for this new year is to be more diligent about writing things down.  Which technically is what this blog is supposed to be for...