Checking Things Off the To-Do List

With the calendar switching over to July, our break from school is dwindling. Our official ‘back-to-school’ start date is Monday, July 29th. It seems early, but that gives us some rest from the heat, a chance to take some decent breaks throughout the year, and be done with school toward the beginning of May 2014.

ACK!! That means I need to pull it all together in the next few weeks!

Have you figured out your start date for school yet?

Last week I spent some time planning for the upcoming year, reorganizing parts of the school room, and working on a few projects around the house. Add in some time to relax and have fun – and well, this summer has been jam packed busy.

One home project was to finish up the photo shelves in our dining room. After my hubby so meticulously leveled the shelves, I only waited close to TWO MONTHS to order prints to put in the frames {sigh}.

In one of the frames is our Summer Fun list {you can peek at our list here}. We’re using a vis-a-vis marker to check off things when we finish them. We definitely won’t have them all done by the time we start school, but summer isn’t over until September, right? {grins}

Reading for MY Brain

One of my goals for the year was to read 12 non-fiction books during 2013 {see my full list here}. I have to admit that I’m rather giddy to have finished 7 books on the list so far, While cleaning out my nightstand {yet again}, I came across the book Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids that I immediately picked up and added to my list. It’s a book that my hubby and I are hoping to read together along with Beyond Ordinary {a marriage book}.

Books I did finish this month – The Five Love Languages of Children and A Praying Life – both are books I would recommend!

Some Sponsor Thanks for the Month

I absolutely love being able to share giveaways with you all and have a few coming up this month for you all as well that you’ll love – so stay tuned! We SO appreciate the following companies – be sure to stop by their sites and check them out.

Teach Them Diligently Marketplace will be traveling the US this summer to nine different cities. This marketplace 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.

Home Art Studio is a K-5 home art program for families that features projects designed to increase students’ love and appreciation of the visual arts. The Home Art Studio program will enhance a child’s ability to problem-solve, think creatively, and truly see the world around them. The art projects students will complete are designed to illustrate the elements and principles of art in an age-appropriate way.

The What We Believe series from Apologia is a Bible-based curriculum to help children learn how to use scripture as a lens through which to view the world around them. Featuring engaging stories, creative notebooking, and fun activities, this four-part series is presented in a conversational style that makes the study of God’s Word exciting and memorable.

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.

Friends and Heroes reaches a new generation of media-savvy children with important stories of the Bible in a format they love – TV. Thrilling adventures stories in hand-drawn animation place stunning computer-animated Bible stories in a vivid historical context. The Friends and Heroes project includes 39 episodes with curriculum resources available for homeschoolers, churches and Christian schools.

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!

Reader’s Favorite Posts from June 2013

Curious to see what others have been reading this past month? Below is a list of the ten most visited posts for the month of June 2013:

1. Printables from A to Z
2. ABC Bible Verse Flashcards
3. Organizing Homeschool Paperwork
4. Preschool Chore Charts
5. Reading Challenge Charts
6. Our Chore System and Chore Chart Printables
7. Calendar Notebook Binder Printables
8. Our Weekly Workbox System
9. Book Report Form and Reading Log
10. How to Homeschool Multiple Ages

What is the ONE thing that you have to do this month to get ready for school – or are you not worrying about it til the last minute? {grins}