everything but the long denim skirt

So this happened Monday:

You guys, how? I got so excited that I named our homeschool. hashtagnerdiesthomeschoolmomever. I know! I never ever thought I would be in this place. I mean really, I never.

I'm you sure you didn't either what with my going on and on about how homeschooling isn't  in my nature and I just don't see myself as a "homeschooling mom" at all AT ALL? But then...

Mike's family does this great thing when we are all together where they ask our family prayer intentions and back at the beginning of the summer the main intention for me was "homeschooling". That's all I gave them, but God knows my heart and knew that what I meant was "that Ana will stop being so negative about homeschooling, that Ana will embrace it and even maybe get excited about it, that Ana's heart will change toward the idea of homeschooling". You know how sometimes you say you'll pray for someone and then you forget and don't.... uh, right me neither ;) Anyways, that does not happen with his parents (or mine for that matter), when they say they will pray for you, they are ON it and I am attributing my sudden enthusiasm and excitement over this homeschooling year to their prayers 100%.

Please, pretty pretty please fellow older homeschooling moms I am begging you not to tell me that this is how every mom feels at the beginning of the year until you burn out half way through. PLEASE!! Even if it is, which I'm sure it is. I have firmly resolved not to read any "homeschool burn out" blog posts at all this year because I can't take any negativity, or else I will need to curl up and cry in a corner. I'm just a wee bit of a sensitive soul these days.

We are using Mother of Divine Grace First Grade Syllabus , though I did not enroll us this year. I happened to be using most of the various curriculum that they suggest and felt like I need someone else spelling my lesson plans out for this year since I am fairly un-confident and so new at this. And here's some more:

Kindergarten Phonics , Handwriting and Math (which is all I did with Naomi in Kindergarten and all I'll do with Bernadette, she listens in on our cateshesis and, well, everything else):

First grade Language Arts , Handwriting , and Spelling:

First grade Math and Science :

First grade "Geography" (which is not extensive at all and we will use the globe and map a bunch too) and History (with this fab Activity Book ):

First Grade Catechesis(we will probably also use the Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism , but I bought it and can't find it now and they go to catechesis once a week so.... maybe we won't use it at all)

I am a tad dependent on these books because I have not learned the art-- that I feel like most homeschooling moms have down-- of making learning a part of life. I really really like a structured routine and I really really  like being able to cross lessons off that we've done to be able to say we are DOING it, but I am sure I will look back on myself in a few years and laugh at how anal I was. Go ahead and laugh more experienced homeschool moms, you have definitely earned it.

Seriously, I do not know how I am even going to keep doing it, and how I will get through tomorrow and the next day (ultra screamy, needy toddler while trying to do school be craaaayzaaay!), but I look to you moms of older ones as my hope and you give me confidence that it CAN be done (I'm looking at you Kelly, Christy, Susan! AND KENDRA! AND DWIJA! AND CARI!! -- I knew I was forgetting some big ones).

The school time itself is going great, no push back so far from the girls, they are loving the lessons they're doing, which I am considering a win and hoping that as we go the 3-year-old will adjust and learn to not have my 100% attention every hour of every day like she's had all summer.

So there you have it, I feel all legit because we have books and I took pictures and I promise never to blog about it again (right!)

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