Where has the summer gone?

Since my last post, we have knocked down the wall to the garage and added five rooms to the house (well, when it's done we'll have added five rooms); Elizabeth has grown into a rolly polly, noisy five month old; Asher has begun to speak as plainly as Gabe; Gabriel has discovered a preference for wearing swim trunks (because then he doesn't have to wear underwear); Nathaniel has learned to write his name, count to ten unassisted, and has turned five; while Micaela has learned to find passages of scripture on her own. We've also had Nathaniel and Asher's birthday party- a pinebox derby in our backyard! The summer flowers have come and mostly gone without any attention from us. Our garden produced pitifully from lack of attention- but we have five new rooms, a new fence, a new septic tank, a smooth derby track to donate to our church Awanas, and a new baby, so we weren't exactly lazy :) I've thrown a bridal shower for one sister and seen another get married. And finally, we've done three weeks of school.

I've decided I can't go this long without updating. I miss recording all the sweet and funny things they do- as well as all the stinky rotten messes they make :) I've been disappointed because I don't have that many photos to share, but I need to journal anyway, so that we won't forget. I'll add pictures later when it's not so frustrating.

Anyway, where we are now...
Micaela is a couple of weeks away from finishing our second grade grammar book. When she's done we will take a few weeks to review the definitions of and uses of the parts of speech, and then we'll begin English for the Thoughtful Child (because I have it). She's doing scripture searches, handwriting, and spelling daily. She's covering 1st grade math again using Math U See, and I can see that she's doing better remembering facts. She completes her own assignment chart daily which I think is great!

Nathaniel is steadily working through the Rod and Staff Preschool ABC series; he does handwriting and phonics work daily, and he's working in the Math U See Primer. Nathaniel is meticulous. His handwriting (tracing) is almost always smooth and neat, and when he finally wrote his name for the very first time, it was completely legible. He did it by himself, and then brought it to me. I was so impressed! Nathaniel also colors daily. He's attempting to color every single page in every coloring book we have- yes, he goes in order. Everything he does takes FOREVER, but it's done pretty well!

We are studying botany (the Young Explorer's series) and currently doing experiments in a light hut. We are also using Tapestry of Grace. We picked up history where we left off last spring when Elizabeth was new and the wall coming down made such a mess. This week we're learning about Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic age, and Hanukkah (Year One, Unit 3 Week 27). We are loving all the books which I'm reading aloud to Nathaniel and Gabriel AFTER Micaela has read them. She likes to "sneak into the history books." We also love all the craft ideas which I'm happy to say I'm actually using! Also I love the ease of switching between levels. Sometimes Micaela does the Upper Grammar level because I think she'd enjoy it, and it's so nice that it's available for use without having to think much about it. I also love all the background information for the teacher.

We have settled nicely into a routine. Get up, get dressed, clean room (kitchen for me), eat breakfast, clean up, and start school between 7:30 and 8:30. I thought logging 4 and 1/2 hours honestly would be difficult with a kindergartner and a first grader, but it's really easy. We've been cleaning up school fairly consistently around 2:30 (sometimes later for Micaela because she likes to dilly dally). Then they play or watch a movie while I rest a little before I make dinner. I guess I'm still tired from having Elizabeth, but for whatever reason- I just can't make it through the day if I don't rest.

Well that's enough for today, I've got to run now because breakfast, rooms, and school are all late already!