I've started to blog many times, but have not had time to finish. Let's hope this one sticks.

We had a delightful summer! We didn't do a lot of the things we talked about doing, but still, the days were full and pleasant and many memories were made. Margaret swam day and night the first two months of summer, and the boys played basketball the last month or so. We ran, swam, skied, canoed rivers, jumped waves in the gulf, hosted parties, took road trips, made crafty things, checked out hundreds of books from the library, hosted the cousins for nearly a month of the summer, played, prayed, and worshipped.

School started for us this week. Brian and I are really trying to be organized this year and keep a step or two ahead of the kids. We also attempted to simplify things and step out away from a curriculum for some things. So far things have gone well. Again, we're only in day 4, but I'm optimistic that this year will be better than last.

Here's a run-down of our day:

I get out at 6 to run every morning, four miles most morning's, six on wednesday. I'll probably cut back after I run my marathon in October. Brian runs with the kids in our neighborhood a couple of times a week.
Bible: we read and do memory work. This week our verse is 1 Peter 4:16.
Math: the kids are doing Abeka - Margaret Algebra 1, Samuel 6th grade, William 5th grade, and John 3rd.
Poetry: we're memorizing Shakespeare's All The World's A Stage.
Spelling: I'm not using spelling books this year, but instead and creating my own list each week from our history, science, and art studies. Everyone studies the same words. This has made life so much easier for me!
Grammar: everyone is using Abeka. Margaret is in Grammar II, Samuel and William are both in the 6th grade book, and John uses various
Abeka materials that span 1st to 4th grade.
Creative writing: I'm using a site with daily writing prompts right now.
Literature: this isn't my ideal, but right now Margaret and Samuel are using some literature textbooks, Margaret - English literature, Samuel - world literature. I just have William reading Cricket magazine, and John picks a
book off the shelf to read each day.
Art: this is my favorite subject! I have an American architecture text that were using and we're learning the principal styles of American domestic architecture. The kids have so enjoyed it! They already seem to have an interest in houses like Brian and I. I could really see Margaret being an architect with her interest in math and her incredible artistic ability.bon art were also going to study/create our own illuminated lettering to go along with where we are in our history studies.
History: I combined everyone into one class this year, and we're studying world history. We're starting where Samuel and Margaret left off last year, right at the beginning of the Renaissance.
Science: as with history, I decided to haver everyone work from the same text. We're using the Abeka physical science as our guide and branching out from there. Some of the stuff will be a little too much for William and John (who am i kidding, some of it's too hard for me! when we read about ridiculous notation this week, I was like "huh?"), but we have so many other books and resources, i think I can bring it down to their level and make it interesting for them.
I guess that about covers it. We have not arranged anything for music. Frankly just don't see where we'd fit it in.

Dang, I thought I already publishes this. Must make blogging a priority.

It's Sunday evening now. We've had a nice weekend full of socializing. We went to Central Market Friday night and listened to a jazz quartet. That was pleasant. We worked all day Saturday and in the evening had three neighborhood families from church over. Lots of kids, lots of food, good beer, good conversation. This morning we made it to the early service, then came home and hung out here for the day. Thomas brought his kids by in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day with us. He gave me an Apple tv thing for my birthday. I don't quite understand how it works, but I think we'll get alot of use out of it. He and the kids went to church with us tonight for the monthly dinner thing we do. That was different. A good different. Maybe they'll start coming regularly.

I'm beat. I was supposed to run 17 plus miles this morning, but I've pushed it over until tomorrow so I'd better get some rest.

Until next time.....which better not be a month from now!