2022 Goals

The last time I did a "goals" post was January of 2019.  Since many of my goals included getting with other people to keep relationships strong, the whole pandemic thing kind of blew me right out of the water.  This year I'll set more goals around the house I guess.

I think this year I'll focus a great deal on purging, downsizing and simplifying.  I'm not trying to be a downer, but after wrapping up several family members lives (after their deaths) over the last few years, I'm just feeling like I don't want to leave a bunch of clutter for someone else to deal with.

1.  Purge Christmas decor . I used to really like Christmas decorating, but that's not the case anymore.  I've got lots of things I've not put out in years, and likely never will, so it's time to get rid of it.  I also like decorative cookie tins, and have an abundance of those as well.  I'll likely get rid of many of those, and use the remaining ones to use to give cookies this next Christmas.  Goal date: January 31, 2022

2. Purge old receipts & records.  We've been married over 20 years, and in addition to our married tax records, I also have my own records from the 80's & 90's.   Goal date: January 31, 2022

3. Purge china hutch.  I have collected teapots and teacups for years, most of those sit in the china cabinet collecting dust.  I also have lots of serving platters and other miscellaneous entertaining pieces that I rarely if ever use.  Goal date:  February 28, 2022

4.  Purge scrapbook stash.  Now that the kids are older, I just don't scrapbook that much.  I mostly do their birthdays, vacation and any holidays that I remember to take photos of.  I don't enjoy scrapbooking that much anymore, honestly.   Goal date: March 31, 2022.

5. Purge children's books.  We've done a lot of reading over the years, and we've got a lot of books to show for it.  I'll keep some of the classics to pass on to grandkids (in the very far off future).  The rest will go into the purge pile.  Goal date:  April 30, 2022.

6. Purge homeschool curriculum.  We are getting ready to move into our last year of homeschooling, so anything that is in the stash needs to either be used in the coming year or ready to head to the used curriculum sale pile.  Our local used curriculum sale is sometime in May, so this one has a bit less wiggle room in completion time.  Goal date:  April 30, 2022

7. Yard sale - time to get rid of all the purging items!   Some items (scrapbooking, homeschooling) will be listed online.  I may do FB marketplace for some of the collectibles, but most items will go the way of the yard sale followed by donation.  Goal date:  May 31, 2022

Those are my big to do items for the year.  There's still the typical lose weight, spring clean, plant the garden and work on the flower beds as well.   

Planning for the New Year

I'm a planner by nature. I can be spontaneous, but I prefer to at least have a bit of a framework as a guide.    I keep a family planner on my desk.  I prefer the Amy Knapp planner, because it has a convenient place for my daily menu and a place for my shopping list, all detachable. As you can see in the photo below, it's spiral bound and I can open it up flat for a 2 page look, but typically have it open to the dated side, and it has a POCKET in the front!!! I also keep an updated pocket calendar with important appointments on it in my purse so I can schedule appointments while out without double booking.   I find, that when I write things down they are FAR more likely to happen than if it's just on my mental checklist.  Here's how I planned the upcoming year.

I sat down with a little notebook and jotted down the big things I want to get done in 2020.  Most of the items on this list are things that will be done as time permits, but not necessarily assigned a certain date.  Some of the items on that list are include painting the front doors and shutters, purge the children's books from years gone by, take a group painting class and go to a live performance at one of the local theaters, to name a few.  I pick a general month for some of those items, for example painting the doors/shutters will most likely happen in March/April after it warms up, but before it gets too hot since that side of the house gets the full afternoon sun.

Next, I looked at things I'd want to do on a monthly basis.  This list will sound odd to some, but it includes visiting my brother, the in-laws and my best friend, and lunch with my other best friend.   I noticed this year that it doesn't take long for the weeks to turn into months and suddenly you've gone a long time without seeing the people who matter because of the busy-ness of life.   Texting and email are great, but face to face time over a cup of coffee is better, even if it's only a short visit.  

Then I looked at things I need to get done on a weekly basis and made another list.  Some of those are pretty routine, like menu planning and grocery shopping.   Then there are things like weight loss check in and painting my nails.  I used to get my nails done at a salon every payday, back in the day.  That's not in my budget at the moment, but I can still paint my own nails on the weekend, right?  But if I don't write it down, it'll fall to the side while I take care of the things that have to be done.

Lastly, I looked at the daily tasks that need to get done.  Bible study, prayer, exercise and intermittent fasting are all on this list.   It's the daily tasks that create habits, habits create the right scenarios and preparation time.  

With my handy-dandy list in place.  I then took out my new journal and began to transfer the information in a tidy and concise manner.   I added a page for January and listed out my tasks for the month, followed by pages for each week, again with each task.   I love to check things off my list, so writing these "trivial" things down keeps me focused and ensures that they get done as the list gets checked off.   Call me OCD, but that's how I roll.

So there you have it, my 2020 attempt to keep myself in line.  Are you a planner like me, a fly by the seat of your pants gal, or somewhere in the middle of the road?

Give Them Opportunities

Children are often looked at as a blank canvas, just waiting for someone to come along and add some color and design and direction.   I guess that's true to a certain extent, but my personal theory is that children have lots of great things already on the inside of them, and our job as parents and homeschoolers is to draw that greatness out.  Giving children opportunities to try new things is a great tool for drawing out greatness.

I'm certainly no expert in child development, but I do have some experience both with being a child many moons ago, and with having raised a few kids.   I've taken my role as a mother and educator very seriously and while I've certainly made mistakes along the way, I  do feel like I've done a relatively good job.

By giving your child/children opportunities to try new things, they get to see what they are good at and what things spark their interests, and what things all but bring them to tears.   My youngest child, who is naturally gifted for ballet hated the competition and nastiness that go hand in hand with dance, but she loves jiu-jitsu and the sense of community she has found. My oldest who always hated making crafts has found that she's a gifted artist and has won several art competitions.

Giving children opportunities does not mean you have to break the bank.  We've lived on a single income the last 16+ years, so I understand budgets and having more month than money at times.   I've spent a great deal of time researching activities, events, classes and ways to make things happen for my kids, so here's a brief list of ideas.

Free activities.  The local library is a great resource for free classes.  Churches also typically offer free vacation Bible school during the summer months.  Likewise, many churches are now offering sports (Upwards for example) and other activities to the community.  Sometimes it's free, sometimes there's a fee, but you can always ask for financial assistance if you truly need it.

Scholarships.  I've found that many summer camps offer scholarships for families with low income.  We're not broke, but living on one income is a stretch and if we qualify for a scholarship, I'm not too proud to accept it.   We've received scholarships for local college programs, history camps and even summer camp.

Barter.  My girls took ballet lessons for 8 years, and I paid for it by bartering my administrative skills/bookkeeping skills in exchange for lessons.  Once they tired of ballet, it turned into a small monthly income that covers the cost of some of their other activities.

Homeschool moms/dads.   I've found that there are always homeschool parents who have skills I don't, and who are willing to share their skill for a small fee, or just to be a mentor.  Both girls took piano lessons for several years for a tiny amount of money this way.  Likewise, see what skill set you have that might benefit others; art, sewing, woodworking etc.

Volunteer.   If you look around your area, you will find lots of volunteer opportunities.  Things like delivering food for Meals on Wheels, visiting nursing homes, shoveling snow for the elderly and walking dogs as the animal shelter can help children learn compassion, and also help draw out those natural care giver's.  Olivia has been volunteering at a farm for just short of a year now, and I truly am floored at how much she enjoys the work, the animals and being outside.

Clubs.  4-H offers a wide variety of clubs for little to no money at all.  Scouting, Trail Life and American Heritage Girls, Bright Lights, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Civil Air Patrol are just a few options that give. 

Recreations League Sports.   While these are typically not free, fees are usually affordable and it gives kids exposure to various sports and coaching styles.   Who knows, you may have the next Tim Tebow in your family.

Product Reviews.   Ok, so this one is more on you the parent, however, I've found that working for product review organizations has allowed us to use homeschool curriculum that would never have been in our budget.  It's exposed us to lots of products we didn't know existed.  Reviewing also gave me a larger knowledge base that I could in turn share with those in my circle of influence when they needed input on trying to find specific products for specific needs.

Let them help you.  While this sounds easy enough, sometimes it's hard to take twice as long to get something done with "help".  However, there's much to be said for working together.   Lindsey is an accomplished cook/baker because I let her help.  Olivia has a great appreciation for quality craftsmanship and the texture of woods because she has helped my husband in his workshop.

Now, I will admonish you to use wisdom.  Don't over schedule your kids.  Don't expect them to excel at every single thing they try...heck don't even expect them to always like the things they try.   Make sure programs are reputable, and that they don't go against your Biblical beliefs (or force beliefs you don't adhere to).     Listen to your gut, if you just have that nagging feeling that somethings not right about an instructor or location, don't dismiss it, you have that intuition for a reason.    When kids are young don't just leave them anywhere with just anyone; stay, observe, volunteer to help.   Regardless of your child's age, ask questions both of leaders and of your kids.    My kids are 16 and 14 and I still attend classes/practices or randomly show up at events to be in the know.

Give them room to grow, and boundaries to protect them during their growth.

Preparing for High School

Let me start off by giving the disclaimer "I'm not an expert, but this is what has worked for me."  Ok?  That takes the pressure off me to solve all of your homeschool high school woes, yet still gives me an opening to share.   Here we go!

Know your child.   Each child is different, and you need to have an understanding of where your student is and where they are heading.   Not everyone will go to college, for that matter, not everyone SHOULD go to college.   Determine if you need to prepare them for college, trade school, military or going directly into the work force.

Prepare Accordingly.  Based on the information you have from above, begin to plan out an overall view of their high school time.  If you aren't 100% sure about college, but you want to have your student ready "just in case", then take a look at your state or local school districts graduation requirements.  This will give you a good  baseline to what classes are generally expected for graduation.  You can then tailor your plan to fit your child's interests, while keeping college preparation in the realm of possibility.

If you know that your student is college bound, then check college requirements at their preferred school(s) and make sure you get all of the required classes covered.   Again, looking at your state or local school district's graduation information will show you what an "advanced" or "AP"  diploma would require, and this again is a good baseline to make sure your student is competitive academically when applying to colleges.

For trade school, or going directly into the work force, begin looking at your local options first.   Some areas will allow homeschooled students to attend the vocational technical schools.   Apprenticeships are also a great opportunity, and often are paid positions.    If there is nothing locally that suits your needs, then go to our friend the internet and do research, research and more research.   There are more options than you can imagine out there, but sometimes you have to do some digging to find the right one.

Realize that consumer math and business math are great options for high school.   Don't make yourself crazy with high end academics if you know your student isn't going to need it.   Also, realize if later in life they suddenly decide they want to further their education, they can do classes on their own, online or at community college.

Make a general outline.    Don't make yourself crazy by trying to pick out all four years worth of curriculum at one time.  Do figure out what classes you want/need your student to take each year.   Donna Young has great, free resources on her website for this.   Or you can just write it on notebook paper and go from there.

Talk to your student.   Allow your student to have some input into what curriculum picks are made, and how their schedule will look.   You may find that they would prefer block scheduling over an all year routine; or perhaps they have found that they prefer a certain learning method over the standard textbook.   Use the four years of high school to help your student become more independent and take more ownership in their schedule.  This will make the transition after high school a great deal easier.

Document everything.    A simple spiral notebook can be a great help here.   Keep track of extra curricular activities, awards, reading log and curriculum vendor information.    Basically this notebook will be a history of your students high school career.   Write it down now, because you will forget, trust me.    This will help you create transcripts, complete college applications and even job applications.

Transcripts.    This one word strikes fear into the heart of many a homeschooling parent, and it shouldn't.    If you're documenting things as you go (see above) it makes transcripts much easier.   However if you still are worried about pulling it all together into something usable, there are several great online option.   I use My Home School Grades to track everything, then with a click of the button   I have a transcript printed.

Testing.   PSAT, SAT...the dreaded "testing" is another area that causes panic in some parents.   College Board online gives you all the info you need to prepare, deadlines for registering, and get your students test results.

Lastly, remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.   You do not have to do everything today.  But, remember the easiest way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.   The smaller the bite, the easier it is to digest...likewise don't wait to the week before college applications are due and try pulling it all together out of your magic hat. 

Concurrent Enrollment for High School Students

If you have a high school student, you may want to look into the benefits of dual (or concurrent) enrollment at your local community colleges.   Typically this applies to students in their junior and senior year of high school.   Rules and regulations may vary by state, and possibly by school; however, here are a few things to think about.

Community colleges often have guaranteed enrollment programs with 4 year colleges. What this means is that if your student graduates a 2 year program, they are guaranteed transfer to select 4 year colleges.   In theory, your student could graduate high school and college with an associates degree and transfer into a 4 year college as a junior, at age 18.

Pros:
The biggest pro, of course would be getting a head start on college, while still being in the comfort zone of home.

Your student can begin to expand his horizons and grow academically and socially, with the safety net of still being at home.

Students can use their college classes for high school credit.   One class, twice the return, that’s a good investment!

Academic advisors can help students to get the classes that are needed to get them into their 4 year school of choice.

Cons:
Students must be high school graduates in order to apply for financial aid. You would be footing the bill for these two years of concurrent enrollment.

Students cannot take “developmental math” while concurrently enrolled.   A student should be proficient in Algebra II before taking the college placement exam, and equally their language arts/composition needs to be pretty firm.   A student placing lower than Algebra II would need to develop their math skills through their homeschooling, not by taking Algebra II during dual enrollment.

Community colleges also offer several types of degrees/programs.   Associate of Arts & Science as well as Associate of Science Degrees are typically transfer oriented programs.   Associate of Applied Science Degrees are typically “go to work” degrees.   There are also career study certificates, diplomas, and continued education certificates.

Like with any other thing, dual enrollment is not a one size fits all scenario. Make sure your student is emotionally and socially mature enough to handle college at an early age.   If your student isn’t ready for college at 16, don’t sweat it, don’t push it and don’t treat it as a failure.   College will be there if and when your child is ready.

Hey Mama! Print Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017 (TOS Review)

Hello, my name is Joesette and I am a planning addict, snicker. The folks at The Old Schoolhouse have helped feed my addiction by having me review their Hey Mama! Print Schoolhouse Planner 2016-2017.     While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, I love all things planning and this lovely planner just feeds into that personality trait.

I love that the planner is spiral bound, allowing me to either have a two page spread showing, or one page, depending on what I'm working on.   Another big plus for me is that there is a , separate one page yearly calendar for 2016, 2017 and 2018 and they run back to back.   I can easily look at the year and flip to the next page to see the following year without having to go all over the place to find it.

Other features include:

• two page monthly calendar layout (July 2016-May 2017)
• monthly notes section (prior to the 2 page calendar)
• monthly "Hey Mama" encouragement pages
• 36 weekly lesson plan pages (2 page layout)
• monthly goals (educational, spiritual, physical, financial, life skills, etc.)
• semester goals (educational, spiritual, physical, financial, life skills, etc.)
• yearly goals (educational, spiritual, physical, financial, life skills, etc.)
• attendance charts- 180 days
• book reading logs
• curriculum planning sheets
• homeschool contact list (name, address, phone, email)
• various educational helps (ex. writing prompts, invention timeline, states and capital cities, etc.)
• transcript guidelines
• transcript form
• skills checklist
• other courses list (co-op etc.)

I like the rustic look of this year's planner.   There are little "Hey Mama" encouragement posts as well as little informational blurbs, with photos, throughout that  have little snippets about items used "back in the old days".   I especially liked the one about the cast iron skillet, as that is still what I use today in my kitchen.

With having all of these tools together in one place (especially the yearly calendars) I was able to quickly schedule my 6 weeks on, 1 week off plan for the upcoming school year.   I was then able to flip to the monthly calendars and fill in start/end dates as well as birthdays, vacation days etc.   Within about 30 minutes I had our 2016-2017 roughed out and then was able to start looking at lesson plans and the like.

Admittedly, I didn't DO our lesson plans yet, because we're just starting to wrap up this school year and my brain just needs a breather.  I also need to get some of my things to do list done before talking new lesson plans.   That will come in the sweltering days of July, when it's too hot to go outside.   Picture it in your mind, me-the planner-cold sweet tea.   Pure heaven I tell ya!

If you live in the U.S., you can get a printed copy for $19, including shipping, by using coupon code  CREWCODE at checkout.  The coupon is good through July 15.

To read other TOS Crew members reviews, click here.

Looking At High School Differently

We are quickly approaching the high school years.   I know a lot of people look at homeschooling high school with much fear and trepidation, and a great deal of that is brought on by trying to compete with the public school system.   To be honest, I've gotten sucked into that a bit as well. However, in recent weeks I've been rethinking my position somewhat.

Like all parents, I want my children to be well prepared to be successful in their career choices.  What I don't want is for my kids to get pigeonholed into a "career" that carries a stigma of success, while they are miserable in it.   I want them to be able to do what they love, and have peace knowing that it's ok.

There truly are some people who know from a very young age what they want to be when they grow up.  However, I think most teens, and even adults if they are honest, want to try life, experience a few things and then see what's a good fit.   Not everyone is bound for college or the white collar world.  Some people truly love working with their hands, getting dirty and coming home physically tired at the end of the day....and there's nothing shameful about that.

 While I do want my kids to have the best possible education, I don't want them wasting valuable years cramming math formula's into their brains and hating every minute of it, just to never need to use that information in real life.   I do want them to have opportunities that will broaden their knowledge base and open new doors.

I've been muddling this around in my head for the last few weeks.   I've been trying to decide if I want to follow the "force feed them higher education" route, or if I want to give them liberty to pursue passions, or at least minor interests without squelching their interest.   In my muddling, I stumbled across this interesting article about a law making it's way through the Virginia General Assembly.

Interestingly enough, back in high school (and yes it was public school) there was more than one path to success.   There was the "advanced diploma" path that included the higher maths, foreign language and chemistry with a lab.   Then there was the "standard diploma" which meant you took the regular classes (language arts, biology, basic math) and then you either went to vocational/technical school for a trade, or took shop, home economics and general studies.

Do you want to know a secret?  I've never had "higher math", not even pre-algebra.  Shocking right?   Instead, I took the business classes that were offered, including shorthand (gasp), typing, business math and the like.  For the six years following graduation I did various jobs, before deciding to go to business college.   I graduated the top of the class, landed a job with the largest civil engineering firm on the east coast, working my way up from receptionist to office administrator...and I loved it.

I say all that to say this, I don't know that at 12 or 13 my child (either of them) has the slightest clue about her future.  I certainly don't have it all figured out either.   What I do know, is that if  I equip her with the desire to learn and grow, and give her room to spread her wings she'll figure it out.  If I force feed her facts, formulas and figures and make her doubt her abilities, she'll flounder and settle for whatever life hands her.

That's not acceptable as far as I'm concerned.    What does that mean, and look like in reality?   I don't know, truthfully.  It may mean that we cram a lot of academics into 9th and 10th grade and then allow for more exploration in 11th and 12th.   It may mean the opposite, or perhaps it'll be more relaxed all four years?

I'll spend some time praying about it, and consulting with the husband, and perusing the options available.   My curriculum picks for the upcoming year may be a bit late this year.   Time will tell I guess.

What about you?   Are you in the more academically strenuous high school camp, or the more delight driven or do you land somewhere in the middle like me?

FREE "Hey Mama" Schoolhouse Planner

FREE for ONE WEEK ONLY:

 The $29 HEY MAMA Planner is 100% off!

Come get it - no credit card needed. Share this with friends and family and anyone interested in home and family encouragement. It's the 2015-2016 Hey Mama Planner. Cost: $0 until Jan 18th when it reverts back to full price.


 

Middle of the Year Evaluations

The middle of your academic year is a good time to start evaluating where you are, and where your want to be at the end of the year.   Be honest, and realistic with your goals for the rest of the year.

Likewise, this is a great time to start making notes of weak areas you see in your children’s education.   This doesn’t mean start picking them or YOU apart for any short comings.   But you do need to pay attention and see if there are any gaps.    Spotting areas that need work is easier than you might think.

Listen to your kids.     Lindsey is great with telling time.  However, I’ve noticed she’s been having a harder time with her math because it’s asking her things like “If it’s 3pm in Anchorage, AK what time is it in Nashville, TN?”   Telling time isn’t the issue,  not knowing the state abbreviations IS the issue.   We need to focus more on geography.

Olivia loves history and writing reports. I find that if I give her a creative writing assignment that involves anything to do with history she’ll turn in a 6 page report. Handwriting a 6 page report for her takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r!!   She needs to learn to type.

Listen to your husband.  If he says “I told Jimmy to double recipe and he was lost”  listen to him.   He’s not an emotionally tied to the things you’re pouring yourself into and he can see it more objectively.  Sometimes kids know how to do the work on paper, but we need to teach them how to apply what they’ve learned to real life.

Listen to your gut instinct. Nobody knows your child as well as you do. Even if they have “passed” the course, you know if they really understand the material well enough to move on. Don’t fall into the trap of “pushing them through” when they need to review or redo. I’m sounding a bit Seussical there, huh?

Remedial work, retaking a class or even backing up a grade (or more) is not a sign that you or your child can’t do this homeschooling thing. Rather, it’s a sign that you have their best interest in mind, and are brave enough to say we need to back up and punt.

Don’t listen to everyone else.   Just because another homeschooling family is doing three co-ops, speaking fluently in Latin and have 2 kids on the junior Olympics team, it doesn’t mean you need to do that.  It also doesn’t mean that you have failed.  It means they are NOT YOU.  This is ok, you are ok, and your kids will be ok.

Next year will be here soon enough.  Jot down a few notes and be creative in how you can address those areas. 

Homeschool Planet–Product Review

The planning monster inside of me is in pure heaven with Homeschool Planet.   Don’t let the name fool you though, this online planner isn’t just for homeschool records.  It can be used for homeschool, housework, church, sports and much more.

With Homeschool Planet, you can put all of your homeschool planning (including assignments and lesson plans), family commitments and appointments all in one easily accessible place.   There are several color backgrounds you can pick from and set up takes only a few minutes.  Making changes to family profiles, events & classes are quick with lot of variations of scheduling to choose from.

A Few of My Favorite Features:
~Individualized personal profile per family member.
~Color coded activities
~To Do List
~Shopping List
~Local Weather
~School Year & Vacation Days
~Printable Weekly Calendar
~Email reminders (you pick the frequency)

Pros:   I love that I can color coordinate activities so I can easily look and see what thing is happening just by the color.  I also love that you can quickly edit or delete an activity. You can access your account through your home computer, smart phone or tablet.

Cons:   On more than one occasion after having put a lot of data in, I’ve gotten an error message that says the website cannot recover, and data may be lost.  Even a few of my saved things have been lost at that point.   I’ve learned to work in smaller amounts, but personally I find that truly annoying, I want to put everything in when I’m working and be done.

Customer Service:   The folks at Homeschool Planet are amazingly quick at getting back to you, and fixing issues pretty quickly.   Information is backed up regularly and they can restore you to a certain point in the case of a major malfunction (like you left it on and your 2 year old just started hitting buttons and deleted everything).  This did NOT happen to me, as I don’t have a  2-year old, just an example, grins.

You can give Homeschool Planet a whirl, by signing up for their FREE 30 day free trial.    Once you see how great Homeschool Planet is, you can choose to pay $65/year, or $6.95/monthly depending on which works best for your budget.

To read more reviews by our team, click here.

 

Our Schedule for 2014-2015

Yes, the planner in me MUST have some sort of game plan in mind.  It’s just makes me feel better to have a schedule in place, even if we stray from it on occasion.

Our overall schedule is a 6 weeks on, 1 week off.  I looked at where I wanted us to end for the holidays and counted backwards to find our starting date of August 18.  By the time we break for Thanksgiving, we’ll have completed 12 weeks of our school year.

Bible, language arts, Latin and math will take place Monday – Friday.  Monday and Wednesdays will be science days, with Tuesday and Thursday being history days.   Friday will be art and poetry and tea time.

This is where the planning gets a bit sketchy for me.  We’ve typically done all of our lessons other than math together.  That has worked well for us, but since Olivia is “middle school” this year, I want to focus on getting her more independent and also not always be expecting Lindsey to keep up with a 2 grade level gap.   You can see my curriculum choices here, although Latin was not included when I originally wrote that article.

	Olivia	Lindsey
9:00am	Bible	Bible
9:15am	LLATL/Writing	Writing/LLATL
10:00am	Math	Math
11:00 am	Latin	Latin
noon	Lunch	Lunch
1:00-3:00pm	Science/History	Science/History
3-until	Free Time	Free Time

I’ll adjust the schedule once we get into it and see how things flow.   I want to allow for those bigger chunks of time for science and history so we can get more in depth in those to areas.   I’ve always tried to have all of our school work done by lunch time, but I feel like I’m rushing the kids too much and I want to focus more on the learning than the checking it off the things to do list this year.

Extra Curricular:

Awana:  Olivia finished up the Awana program at church last year.   Lindsey could go for 2 more years, but has decided she’d rather attend church with the family at our new church.  This will be the first time in 8 years that we aren’t participating in Awana!

Ballet:  Both girls are moving to three nights a week in ballet.   They are in different classes/levels so this means we’ll be at ballet  every evening Monday through Friday.   My goal is to drop them off at ballet and spend that 1 hour each day walking.

Piano:  Lindsey will continue with her weekly piano lessons and Olivia will continue with her DVD piano lessons.

Activity Day:  We will continue to attend this once a month event. 

This is the general, rough plan for our year.  I’m sure it’ll be adjusted more than once, but at least I have some sense of where we are headed, and at what time!