And So It Begins

Today was our first day of Home Schooling. I had a big workbook that we were doing the past two weeks to get us through until the Big Box of Homeschooling Stuff arrived. I figured we might as well start on a Monday so we could figure out our schedule for the week. Today we did a little bit of everything. We ended up working for three hours. He goes to school for seven hours a day, but he's only in the core classes for four hours a day and that includes getting prepared time and cleaning up time for the next class, bathroom breaks and going in between classes. So, I figure he really only has about 3 1/2 hours of real class time adn that still doesn't allow for questions, interuptions, etc. I know some days will take longer and some les time. We ended with Science today and it was more time consuming and involved, so I think we might do several days worth of Science at a time and spread everything out over the rest of the days. I opened his Math Book to the first page and guess what the first problem was? 6 + 5 = ?. Seriously? He is in the 6th GRADE! So, we skipped up to Page 105 to Fractions and we seem to be more on track to where he was in school. I may need to find a more advanced book once we get to the end of this one! I also need a Social Studies Curriculum because the one that came is all about Asia and Europe. They were studying Civil War - WWII in school, so I'd prefer to stick with that era. Besides, we live in the heart of lots of Civil War Battlefields and other historical things that we can use for examples. I am not going to Asia! ;o)

We sat in the floor of the living room at the coffee table this morning doing his work. I am not geting any younger and getting up and down from the floor got old really quick. We should be using the kithcen table, but that is covered in recent yard sale and thrifting treasures, the Christmas Card project, Swap Making and other projects that must remain untouched. (Isn't that what a kitchen table is supposed to be used for?) So, I decided to go to Wal-Mart and look for a card table to use. We found a card table for $33.76 and padded chairs for $19.76 each. So, $74.00 for a table and two chairs. But wait! What's that on the end? With a Rollback sign above it? A table and set of four padded chairs for $36.74! Cha-ching! So, now we have a "school" area that will come up and go down each night. Now we know when school starts and school ends. (And, yes, I made him add it all up and figure out how much we saved. Math!)

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I received my Sweet Sister Swap from Laura today.
She made this sweet little garland out of snowmen and snowflakes for me. It is so sweet! I decorate my bathroom all in snowmen, so it will go perfectly in there. It is laying on top of a "Magic Scarf". It really is magic! It's a hat, it's a scarf, it's a hat/scarf combo, it's a poncho, it's a little of everything! Cool! Or should I say, "Warm!".
She also included a wonderful sivler Christmas Bracelet which I love. (I cannot believe I didn't turn the photo before I posted it. How lame-O can I get? Forgive me?)
She also made this fabulous glittered "To:" and "From:" tags for my Christmas gifts. Some are too pretty to gift, so they will go in my scrapbooking and paper goods stash. I love it all - Thank you Laura!

Laura has a love of all things cupcake, so I have tried to send her lots of cupcake themed goodies. For her garland, I made paper cupcakes and "frosted" them with sugary looking glitter. Then I added sparkly red, blue and green letters to make it say, "Merry Cupcakes!" Yeah, I know, it doesn't make sense, but I thought it was cute. She said she liked it too. She has it in her kitchen for the Holidays and then she will move it to her sewing room. I made the "MERRY" seperate from the "CUPCAKES" so she could just hang up the "CUPCAKES" banner the rest of the year. If I would have taken a photo, I would post it. Seriously, I will be glad when my brain returns to full power.

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And a Christmas photo to complete the post.
I did this by turning off the flash and then moving the camera in slow circles until the shutter went off. I think it looks fun and magical.