A New School Year Begins

As is tradition we started school this week since Brett started going back full time for meetings! Students start next week for him. 

I did the bulk of my prep work throughout the summer and only had a a handful of work to do last minute.  I, as always, underestimated the amount of time I would need, and also underestimated what I would be capable of 2 weeks after having a baby. 

Our first week this year hasn't been ideal, or even close!  In fact at the end of Day 1 I was quite serious in my appeal to my husband when I asked if we could maybe hire both a tutor and a nanny.  It was *that* good of a day.  Oh dear! My poor husband. He and I had a meeting the evening of the first day and re-thought my approach for this year.  The rest of the week has been getting better and better each day.  Today (day 4) is a little bit of an exception since I had a big day and evening yesterday and had to take my 3 week postpartum self to bed because I clearly had overdone things.  Ugh.  I did get a chance to work with the kiddos who need me before I called it quits for the day so that's good. 

So, without further ado....the obligatory "back to school" photos:

 I'm not doing any formal anything with Isabella this year or next year.  She is sporting a backwards dress-up dress in the above picture.  She's been doing a good job of just going along with whatever we're doing.  She's part of "Ora Time" and our read aloud every day, but beyond that she just plays. When she asks to do school I hand her a piece of paper and a pair of scissors and tell her to cut. 

 Marciana is quite easily the brightest little one we have.  She is always thinking (and always expressing whatever it is that she's thinking).  Last year she taught herself all the numbers and letters and started sounding out words.  With my "Kindergarteners" I usually just focus on teaching how to read and basic math skills.  However, this one always wants to be "doing school" so she's doing science with us and history when she feels like it. 

 Felicity is plugging away where she left off last year.  I'll write more about this later, but the short story is that she's clearly not at "grade level" (whatever that means).  She's making great progress already this year.  I think this will be the year she really takes off.

Veronica has grown so much over the summer.  She is mostly doing independent work, only joins me for a little science this year.  She's a list-checker-offer and a rule follower, which is awesome, except for when the pages assigned for her history reading don't line up with the book!  Oops.

Gianna is just a fraction shorter than Emma. If we hadn't switched to a virtual charter school (more on that later) a few years ago she would be in 8th grade, but alas, she has a February birthday so the grade level for her age it is.  She'll be taking clarinet this year and Brett will still teach her piano. She's ready to be "farmed out", but Brett is having too much fun with her.

Emma is loving her classes this year so far. She especially is enjoying the British Literature course she's doing. It starts with Beowulf so if she's already liking it I'll consider that a bonus (not a favorite story of mine) She'll start orchestra in a couple of weeks.  She made the top youth orchestra this year and will be playing piccolo and flute. 

We all laughed when I took these pictures because I'm pretty sure every year Aidan makes the same silly face, and every year I tell him I'm going to post it. 

That's better. A big junior this year! We've recently started discussing future plans which is a bit surreal as I sit and snuggle a newborn, trying to wrap my mind around my first baby leaving home. Aidan has his driver's permit and will hopefully get his last driving time in and take his test soon.  We are really in no hurry to have him drive (or to pay for insurance).

And then there's Ephraem. Although he's as sweet as can be and we all love him dearly, he's not the happiest baby we've had.  We're still figuring each other out and I know we'll get into a good routine soon.