Summer gives us opportunities ... it affords us a break from our normal routine and allows us to take on new challenges, new books, new schedules, etc. I had a conversation yesterday with a friend whose children go to a christian private school - she spoke about how much she loved having her kids home for the summer and did not want to share them with anyone. We both saw the irony in that I have the opposite feeling during the summer - the kids and I spend all year together around a school table and I feel like summer is our time to do our own thing.
A few of the opportunities we have this summer include ...Devin and Lexi an opportunity to attend Winshape's Camp C3.
Ava Mae an opportunity to spend one week at gymnastics camp. (the same week Lexi and Devin are doing C3, affording me a week to myself)
Lexi an opportunity to try out being a mother's helper.
Ava Mae an opportunity to attend a week at ballet camp, with Lexi as one of the camp helpers.
Devin an opportunity to play baseball on an All Stars tournament team.
Me an opportunity to teach a 3 day American Girl Doll Camp in June and a 1 day Princess Camp in July.
The kids an opportunity to have water balloon fights, pool days, sleepovers and picnics with friends we do not get to see, as much as we'd like, during the school year.
Devin an opportunity to earn a PS3 by working his way through the whole bible using a 365 day devotional and quadrupling the number of devotions he does in one day.
Me an opportunity to read something other than books that go along with our curriculum, bible study or homeschool.
The kids and I an opportunity to volunteer during a vacation bible school at our old church.
Wow ... so many opportunities ... so little time!!
Last night was Devin's RA (Royal Ambassadors) Award Ceremony ... we enjoyed a great dinner and then each boy was announced and the pins, patches and medals they were receiving.
We are so proud of Devin for earning his Gold Medal for Bible Verse Memory. In the last two years Devin has memorized 75 Bible Verses. Devin also earned 2 bars, 3 stars, his advancement pin and his athletic patch. Way to go Devin!!A big thank you goes out to Devin's RA Leaders - 3 great guys who Devin really enjoys seeing each week.
On Tuesday night I attended an End of the Year Tea for homeschool moms. It was a wonderful evening chatting over great tasting tea and scones. We talked about our school years, laughed and cried over stories that were shared and dreamed of the plans our summer and new school years held.At the end of the evening we were asked to see one of the co-leaders of our group before leaving - I was given a letter I will cherish forever from my husband - sweet words of encouragement and thanks! I will keep this letter at our school table next year and pull it out whenever I am having a rough day.
It always amazes me how quickly our school year seems to just fly by. It is like our school year begins, I blink, and it is Christmas. Then, before I know it, Spring is upon us and as May begins we are done. Yesterday I began the process of organizing and packing up all of our school work from this year. Though our year did not start off as planned I feel like we really finished well. We work hard during our school year - during the past 9 months we only took one full week off and that was for our trip to Disney. Our reward - finishing school on April 30th!Devin tests next Monday and Tuesday at the site the kids take classes on Fridays during our school year. We are finishing up this week working through our second test prep book. I know at this point, he knows what he knows, no sense in cramming anything we did not learn throughout the school year. We reviewed a few things early on which we did not go in depth with yet in the areas of social studies and grammar but, I began to feel like anything more than that and I would be doing exactly what the public school system does "teaching for the test". So, this week, we are just focusing on test taking techniques. I will be glad to have this behind us! No worrying during the summer months about scheduling testing.Lexi has moved into her summer schedule which Devin will begin after testing. For Lexi, her work for the summer includes a summer review book (which includes math, phonics and grammar), journaling, reading and she will continue tutoring on weeks she is not in camp or on vacation.Ava Mae also has a summer review book but, I will not push it. She will just begin Kindergarten this Fall. Right now Ava goes in and out of periods where she wants to do school.
I am hoping by tomorrow to have a nice neat school area again ... as of today it is a mess of papers, books, and boxes - all in neat stacks. Three months from now our new school year will begin again so, for now, I will enjoy our break.
Yesterday I turned 39 and began my last year of being able to say I am in my 30's. I had a great day celebrating with family and friends and received some wonderful gifts! I know that God uses days like these to remind me how blessed I am!Some highlights from the day included - Devin dedicating his baseball game to me, dinner out with our good friends (The Ford's), and a concert performed by my husband and kids.