Waterworks...

Okay, so I have a confession......

wait for iiiiiiiit....... (In my best Shawn Spencer impersonation...)


I am having one of the most relaxing weeks with my family. Obviously, that means that anything for next school year has been put on the back burner. However, just in case you think I have quit teaching during this time, I say: "Nay, nay!" We are officially in swim school and my baby girl who is turning 3 in a couple of days is learning how to swim! She is so much like her sisters and seems to really enjoy the water. I have bought her a swim suit with floats in it and she has been doing well. She is learning to kick although most of the time it is more of a frog kick than a scissor kick! :) In fact, she will say "ribbet, ribbet!" LOL My niece who is 4 is also learning how to swim so there is a lot of clapping and squealing going on out there! So far, we have not gotten any strange looks from the neighbors. Of course, it probably helps that they are at Disney World or Sea World. It is like we have the block to ourselves! Woohoo!

It got me thinking on how I learned to swim and to be honest, I can't remember! My husband learned to swim when his Dad threw him out in the middle of the pool. Of course, he almost drowned, LITERALLY! So, he was a little pool-shy for a while after that. Do you remember how you learned to swim? 

Fun in the Sun and Curriculum Planning!

So, this week my husband has a conference in Central Florida, Orlando to be exact! Since my brother-in-law and my father have to attend this same conference (we are surrounded by preachers! LOL) my family has rented a house close-by with a game room, pool, etc... While the men are making serious decisions and taking part in all day meetings, the ladies and children have an entire week to relax in the pool, eat, shop a bit, eat a little more, and play a few games. Yes, it is a tough job but someone has to do it! We can't very well take children into those all-important meetings! ;)  And... yes, I brought my stretchy pants! The gym will be there when I get back!

We arrived yesterday and the house is FANTASTIC! Five bedrooms and four bathrooms so there is plenty of room to stretch out. The best part is it is cheaper to go together on this big house than on a tiny box of a hotel room! It's a win-win!

This is our last hoorah before getting school back into gear. For homeschoolers, it is a bit different than traditional schools. For a homeschool teacher, we must choose curriculum for the year, plan out the calendars, create the lesson plans, and set up the space. So, there is really a lot to do but totally worth it! I love the fact that I have control over the curriculum rather than having to use what someone else thinks is effective. Over the past few years, we have used the A Beka curriculum with the videos. I loved watching some of the great techniques these teachers offered. This school also keeps the girls' records and they receive progress reports as well as report cards throughout the year. As a new homeschooling family, this was great for us. However, I am looking to do a few changes this year. While we will use some of the curriculum from A Beka, I will be branching out to use a few different things. I am really seeking to match curriculum with my girls' learning styles. With the growth of homeschooling, many of the main curriculum distributors that are used in the classroom offer homeschool packets. :) So, while we are having some fun in the sun, I will be finishing up my research on the books for next year. I will be sure to share when I get it figured out. There are a lot of great options! Do you know of any you would like to share? Comment below!

Hope you are having a fantastic day!