Home Again, Home Again {but no more laundry, please}

Home is a lovely place to be – might I just say? Our family had a WONDERFUL month of May and an amazing vacation time together, but there is something extra special about being home in your own bed and having a normal routine {or maybe that’s just me}. The suitcases are all finally unpacked and stored. Phew.

The laundry – not as much fun.

Incidentally, I celebrated my 40th birthday this past month {yes, I am freely admitting it} and need to say that my husband ROCKS. He surprised me with some beautiful flowers and a party with a group of our friends, making it a fun night that will be remembered for a long time to come. It’s not often that I publicly thank him – but he definitely surprised me {I love you MUCH, Rick!}.

This week the two of us are headed to the Home Educator’s of Virginia homeschool conference for some browsing and purchasing the last bit of curriculum that is needed for next year. We are both excited to sit in on some workshops and get refueled for the upcoming school year. This is one of my favorite weekends each year mainly because it really re-energizes us and gets us EXCITED about all that is to come {and I LOVE it when my hubby attends with me!}.

I may {or may not be} feeling a little overwhelmed that our oldest will be in the SEVENTH GRADE this next year. Gulp. Can someone please explain to me how the time has gone by so quickly? We are {this} close to high school!!

We have a few school odds and ends to wrap up over the next little bit,  because I strongly dislike things being ‘unfinished’ {grins}. A few science lessons remaining to work on together, lots of LEGO fun to be had, and with summer looming on the horizon, there are plenty of art lessons to keep us busy when the days are too warm. BUT – testing is over, and that is a huge relief.

Tell me I’m not alone on the need to finish {most} everything…pretty please?

After this weekend, I’m pulling out my Weekly Homeschool Planner and starting to map out our upcoming school year: setting goals, choosing homeschool curriculum, and roughly planning our school days.

Have you already started planning for next year? How far ahead do you like to plan before you start?

Coming Up in May and a Thanks to the Following Sponsors

Stay tuned for the Curriculum Clean Out that starts Monday, June 3rd!! There will be curriculum giveaways linked up from all over and some guaranteed ones that you won’t want to miss!

This month I’ll also be hosting a few fun giveaways of my own and am so excited to share them with you! {but I can’t share who they are yet!!}.

We SO appreciate the following companies – be sure to stop by their sites and check them out. There’s a little something for everyone to look at.

 

Teach Them Diligently Marketplace is a totally new concept in homeschool events coming to 9 cities in the summer of 2014.  It will feature an incredible selection of curriculum and educational materials in a manner that will allow you to compare them side by side to help you choose what is best for your family.  Find out more at www.teachthemdiligentlymarketplace.com.

Maestro Classics features stories set to classical music for children and families. Award winning musicians and storytellers will entertain and captivate their audience, while teaching children about classical music. Don’t miss the free curriculum guides to go with the Maestro Classics CDs!

WriteShop offers quality, parent-approved writing resources for all ages, helping new and veteran homeschoolers alike teach writing with confidence. Engaging, step-by-step lessons provide students with the building blocks of the writing process—pre-writing, brainstorming, drafting, and revising—and help you edit and evaluate their work.

ShatterPoint Entertainment – Bible stories told through the eyes of LEGO characters. Relive the 10 Plagues of Egypt, 40 Years of Wandering, and the Battle of Jericho like you’ve never seen them before! Films made by our family for your family.

The Compassion Bloggers are traveling to Nicaragua from June 18th to 22nd and would love to have you follow along {I know I will!}. See the work of Compassion International through the eyes of several bloggers and get a glimpse at how you can make the difference in the life of a child in Nicaragua.

Favorite Posts from May 2013

Curious to see what others have been reading this last month? Below is a list of the ten most visited posts over the last month:

1. Printables from A to Z
2. ABC Bible Verse Flashcards
3. Preschool Chore Charts
4. Organizing Homeschool Paperwork
5. How to Plan Your Homeschool Day
6. Our Chore System and Chore Chart Printables
7. How to Homeschool on a Limited Budget
8. Our Weekly Workbox System
9. Book Report Form and Reading Log
10. Three Letter Word Card Printables