Happy Summer!!!

WHEW!!!! We finally made it to SUMMERTIME!!!! Our school year is complete, reviews are done, and the pool is beckoning!!!!!:)
Of course, when the summer heat kicks in, as it simply MUST in Maryland, we will spend a few weeks on a mini-mester of literature, art, and probably math. My plan is to have the kids do their lit reading and math lessons in the am, before heading to the club, then bring them home exhausted from working out, swimming with friends, and making sand castles. I figure some cool showers, a light meal and a little time spent on art projects or follow up worksheets and vocab for lit would work out well for the late hot evenings....Then they can go out and play as the evening cools and the sun dips below the horizon....
Fot lit, I have chosen "Romeo and Juliet" for Skye, "My Side of the Mountain" for Jordan, and "James and the Giant Peach" for Dakota. Julian will be reading some various readers that he's collected in recent months. For math, we will be entering algebra this year-yippee!!! We will be continuing right along with Math U See for everyone this year:)
I plan to spend the next few weeks getting ultimately organized. Recent remodeling/redecorating/refurnishing of the house has left us with 5 massive bins of books right smack in the middle of the living room!!!!! I plan to create a "library closet" in the huge closet off the upper level hallway, as well as GET RID of many things-there is at least one full bins of books and school products for kids under 7, and we have no use. I have curriculum piled up-most already used with an older child-that can easily be reused for the younger boys, and I want to be sure it gets used. I don't think we will be buying much for this new school year.....I managed to get the next two math programs from a Math U See clearance sale for cheapo:) I am thinking that my upcoming school budget will include a hefty purchase of Rosetta Stone Homeschool Spanish, as well as guitar lessons, kung fu, basketball and swimming.
The biggest news is that Skye is officially starting highschool this fall! I don't know how we got here, but suddenly, BOOM, highschool! We have officially completed9 years of homeschoolinng, not including pre-schooly stuff. I cannot believe it!!!! I think about all the reasons and excuses I have heard over the last 14 years for "others" not homeschooling though they "want to".....need for two incomes, no patience, no husband/family support, no time, too many kids, unruly kids.....needless to say, as a single fulltime workinng mom with little support and four children, there is just no reason or excuse!!! If you want something, HAVE IT:)
Every reviewer has attempted to get my oldest into school....One asked "how will you meet boys?" (believe, me, not an issue!!! jeez!) Another wants her to "experience" highschool....Excuse me, but seriously, that's an "experience" that is simply NOT needed....(my daughter has counted at least 6 pregnant teens within a two court neighborhood)...no need..........
Hopefully I will be able to blog more....David, as well as some carefully planned worked shifts, have made it possible for me to free my schedule a little bit, spend more time with the kids, more time doing school, and more time focusing on my life and the family...David is AWESOME:)