School of McGladreys in Session.

We started homeschool this week with the kiddos - Sissy started kindergarten, Jude first grade and Samuel third. I know I am making the right choice by keeping my kids home this year, but I'm not going to lie - it's very hard. I didn't actually think educating three kids at the same time would be easy, but I thought it would be easier. I will be praying through what ways I can be pulling back (Samuel's curriculum this year feels like way too much, well, curriculum). That being said, it is always really cool to see my kids blossom in academics. It's also cool to custom fit their education to their needs. Today, I shaved off a book from Samuel's schedule, saved Sissy's handwriting for another day and handed the dreaded Singapore math over to my compliant husband - for the rest of the year. Then when Samuel had only a couple of subjects left and everyone was pure chaos, I threw caution to the wind and headed to the climb park to burn their energy. We'll call that phys. ed for the day. I'm learning that I have to pray through each day and be ok letting things go some days and upping things/subjects other days. We are trying out a 4 day school schedule and seeing how it works. Here are some pictures.

While the olders were schooling, Boss was stealing Colin and my breakfast.

This kid wakes up so grumpy - I will look forward to the day that he grows out of that. He will, right?

Boss also sat on the tractor while the others were schooling. Colin is watering our newly budding winter garden - I'm so excited!

Here is Jude doing his pattern blocks.

This is his photo for the first day of school that will be forever memorialized in his scrapbook :)

Samuel starts each school day with his Bible memorization and readings.

Samuel's first day of school photo - it was afternoon when I took it, so terrible shadowy light...

Sissy loved cutting ever so carefully around her number of the day. She loves school!

Here's her school photo.

She also did coloring and gluing - both of which she also loved. I started her on handwriting letters - she "writes" onto a tray of salt. Tactile stuff is pretty important for this age, I hear.

Sissy is currently doing a month of gymnastics in West Linn. She loved it!

Salt tray.