School is in Session

Pop open the champagne because school has begun!

I have a first grader.

I have a 5th grader.

I have a high school freshman!

The boys started homeschool loosely on August 21.  It was really unorganized, which is completely atypical Brooke fashion.  That morning at 9am I went to the basement and un-boxed Super E's curriculum.  And since it was last used by Super C 3 years ago, I had no clue if we were missing anything to the core curriculum considering we moved, we lend books out, etc, some get damaged during the school year, etc.  Plus, I found a spelling program that we had never used before, so I had to review that to see if it would work for my spelling-challenged 5th grader.  We had to play the day by ear because we would never know when Quiet Tiger might act up, need an intervention and interrupt our school day.  And she did act up.  Sigh.  I knew it wouldn't be easy with her in the house.  [It's nearly impossible.]  To add to our first day of school chaos, the eclipse happened and we had heavy cloud cover and even a brief thunderstorm that morning, so we watched for over an hour on NASA TV.  Day 1 of school and we were already behind.  Good gosh.  Not a good way to start the year.  Later that week I had to go into the office too when Jay's assistant took some paid leave, so that meant a day of just the boys catching up, while dealing with the Quiet Tiger Tornado all by themselves.  But we pressed on and we already have 2 weeks of homeschool under our belt.

Quiet Tiger started public school today.  And allow me 1 brief rant:  I fear this year is going to SUCK because the peeing and pooping in her pants began 1 week before school even started.  My 7 year old child has been wearing a diaper daily since then, and yes, she has filled it!  I feel utterly hopeless when it comes to this child.  Eleven more years of this crap.  Thanks for letting me rant!

The boys and I took today to have 1 final day of summer fun since a good 12 weeks of their summer was consumed by hell therapy for their sister.  I got Quiet Tiger on the bus, took Jay to pick up his car (his car was being repaired by his office over the weekend), came home to get the boys and whisked them off to an amazing morning of archery in a nearby town.  For 2 hours all 3 of us learned the basics from an expert and had time to shoot on our own.  IT WAS AWESOME!  I believe we have found our sport!  Even I loved it and want a bow of my own (birthday and Christmas coming up -- HINT HINT)!  We had a quick lunch out and I promised the boys some time searching local resale shops for used Nerf guns before getting home by 4:30 for the school bus to drop the girl off after school.  The bus was over 30 minutes late!  I get that the bus drivers are getting used to routes and numbers of riders, but sheesh!  Had my neighbor Lisa not been with me waiting for her child, I would have been calling the bus company and letting them have it!

The rest of this week I'll be in the office again, so that's a big monkey wrench in our week.  Even though we only have 2 weeks of homeschool done, the boys get this week off.  It's just easier that way for all of us.  High school curriculum is more involved for Super C, and Super E still needs someone to teach him his curriculum and I can't let that fall on Super C's shoulders like last year with all he has on his plate.  They don't have to stress getting school done on their own and I don't have to stress trying to find time to get it done after a full day in the office.  So, 1 week off already.  They'll enjoy the quiet, I think!

Here's hoping for a great school year!  Prayers appreciated!