We are still getting used to our "new" routine (which is really just our old routine in a new place) and the days are flying by right now. We've had appointments all over town- speech therapy, occupational therapy, sports physicals, filing our intent to homeschool, and a dozen other things.
Leila and Sarah started gymnastics last month. They are having so much fun! But this means that we make a mad rush to fix hair and find leotards every Tuesday afternoon in the middle of nap time and school time. Somehow we have been making it work though. Organized chaos, I tell you.
We started gardening in our new backyard. Because we have plenty of space, I built a big raised bed that can be shaded in the hot summer months and covered on the cold nights. It's already planting season here, with days in the upper 60s. (That brief snow that greeted us in December was a fluke it seems... although there's still snow on the mountains outside our back door.) We should soon be enjoying tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, onions, sugar snap peas, greens, watermelon, sunflower seeds and various herbs.
The big kids have been studying hard. We don't have a school room (or play room or office) in this house, so we've had to get really creative with space. Our school area is actually a little alcove right off of the dining room. I'm going to be asking for suggestions for organizing small spaces, I promise.
We have our share of really rough days and there are times when homeschooling feels more like a chore than a blessing. There have been a few days when I have strongly considered sticking a backpack on Matthew and tossing him out the door when the school bus comes by... I don't think anyone would notice one extra kid. Fortunately, he wrote this note (guilt trip, maybe?) so that I won't do that. It's working so far...
Ignore the Christmas wreath because Jason took this picture last month and what-the-heck-is-it-really-February-already?!
