Well, I just checked over the list I made nearly a month ago and I have completed every item except two. I just need to organize my school planning notebook and finish writing academic goals for my children. Our books and supplies have been ordered and are arriving daily via the mail and UPS. 

As you can see, we've picked some classics for Literature (a class I lead with Adalia, Judah and Tilly). To the right you see my inbox. Completed work will be placed there so I don't forget to check it. In fact, my inbox is full right now since Tilly couldn't wait another day to begin school.

I had several people ask about school boxes for my younger children. I couldn't answer before since I hadn't purchased them yet. These boxes were bought at Office Max. I believe they are called A Very Useful Box…or something like that. These are big enough to fit my four youngest students: books, colored pencils, an activity or two, etc. These shelves are in our dining room right behind our table. In years past we've kept everyone's school books in magazine holders on these shelves. The problem was, our dining room is so crowed it caused constant conflict: bumping into people, constantly trying to squeeze behind somone to grab your book, shuffling around, the shelf was too crowded, etc. Now my little ones can just grab their entire box when our school day begins and put it away when they are finished. I will be able to fill the boxes with their assignments and a project or game or puzzle for the day.

So where did all of our school books go then?

Into our living room. Adalia, Judah, Tilly, Enoch and Kalina each have a slot on this shelf in our living room. I chose white binders this year since I have to stare at them all day. I like the unifomity. It makes it look a bit less cluttered. 

Now to answer some of the questions that came in. 

Rebecca asked:  how will I be able to homeschool AND care for a very busy two year old boy AND be pregnant at the same time AND find a way to lead my four year old along the journey, even though she is not quite ready (or willing) to formally learn??

When mine were this little (with the oldest only seven) we didn't do a lot of formal "school". We read tons (and I mean tons of books). Fiction, math, history, science. We read about animals and seasons and shapes and farms and space and other cultures. You get the idea. We baked homemade bread and made playdough. Did did art projects and build things out of blocks and boxes and books. We exlpored any topic that caught our interest. I realize this isn't everyone's style, but it worked for us and those children are now high school age doing just fine.

Christy (who has just little ones) asked: The school books arrived and now I am feeling a bit overwhelmed…How do I get started? Any advice would help.

My advice here would be to start with only one subject at a time. Take a week or two to ease them into the school routine. We always start with a read aloud (and yes, even my teens still love this). Gather them around read a story (or two or three) then do one activity. Work on reading while your little ones nap. After you feel like you have this routine down, add in a second activity or subject. No reason to start everything on the same day…

{Thank you, thank you to everyone who commented on the photos posted yesterday. It really helps to hear what other people think/feel/see when they view an image. I think I am going to print all three and hand them together on my wall…}