Thursday, October 31, 2013

End of School and Start of School

We had a great school year last year. I especially loved Mia's pre-school because she loved it so much and was happy there. She spent MWF from 9-1 there while I worked or taught yoga. It worked out great for both of us. Here we are celebrating mother's day.


 We did an end of pre-school field trip to bear creek nature center. I had a lot of fun having this one on one time with Mia.
 Field day at TCA is a lot of fun for the kids. I'm not sure what he is supposed to be, but he's happy.
 The kids love the playground at the school. I think they love playing on it after school because they can't do what they want during recess. TCA is really, really ridiculously strict.
 Starting school! Justin is starting 2nd grade with Miss Shike. 
 Ashley started 6th grade with Mr. Walters. Luckily, 6th grade is still in elementary school. Phew.
 Katelyn started 4th grade with Mrs. Rogers, which is who Ashley had.
 The first day of school was a mad rush because we were not used to waking up early and getting out of the door with a new baby is never easy. But we managed. It was weird to send them all off. I think they missed Liam more then they missed me.
Mia started afternoon kindergarten with Mrs. Kistler. She is really the cutest kindergartener. She was so excited to go to school like the bigger kids. I'm happy I still get her in the mornings. She started school already knowing how to read and comfortable with all her phonograms, so she is a teacher's dream. 

It really has been a great school year so far. We missed a lot of school with trips planned in September, but the kids did a great job keeping up with their school work and sticking with their schedules. It's busy for me to have them all come home at 3:30 with different projects and homework to do and lunches to unpack and I enjoy spending time with each one of them on their stuff. It's amazing how quickly they are learning and progressing. We struggle with hating school, which is driving me crazy. I finally had to take homeschooling off the table for Katelyn, but she still asks/screams at me to homeschool her frequently. I wish school were less time away from home. I enjoy the break from the kids, but if they came home around 1:00 I'd be happy. I feel like by the time we have finished school work, snacked, and changed that it's time for dinner and bed. It's just a little too busy, perhaps. I've figured out how to stagger bedtimes so I can get some individual time with each child, but I never feel like I am giving enough and I feel like I'm stretched a little too thin. I love having half days on Fridays with them to get a little more family time in. 

Our school schedule is wake Ashley up at 6:30 to practice the piano. Wake the other kids up at 7. Make and eat breakfast while we read scriptures. Pack lunches, make beds, get dressed, etc. and then leave for school by 7:50. Mia goes to school at 12:00. It's crazy and I hate sending them off to school feeling chaotic, so I actually enjoy the 7 minute drive to school to just sit and be with them. So...so far so good at school.

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