Sunday, August 30, 2009

1st Day of 20th Year of Homeschooling

This is the first day of my 20th year of homeschooling. I deserve tenure.

This is, by far, our most unusual First Day of School. Our books are in hold baggage, it was God we didn't bring them in our suitcases or they'd be gone. We're in the TLF....but not really. Mike is working nights this week and so needs to sleep during the day. This is always a challenge as a homeschool family; incredibly more difficult in the TLF. We determined to take school on the road this week...and I'm still not sure if housekeeping, neighbors, kids etc of others will cooperate to let Mike sleep back at the TLF. I have been awaken for 3 days at 5 a.m. by someone above us moving tables, chairs and running from one end to the other of their apartment...and I've thanked God that our exception to live on base was turned down; this could be common for three years. LOL

We're focusing on Japanese Culture and Language this month....and drill...lots of drill. The kids are also working on Language Arts - writing to be exact.

Jared will do Year 2 Unit 4 and Year 3 in TOG, Algebra, Biology, Computer Skills - Word I think, Logic/Debate, Japanese Culture, Japanese 1 and we're thinking of either Blogging 101 or Web Publishing...not sure which. He'll also have weights and whatever else we decide to do. LOL They've changed the TOG website again and I can't find the list of high school credits earned for each year. I wonder how many hours I spend each year searching for this file. ::snort::


Leaving the house for our first day of school 2009/2010
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The day began with Jared and I discussing the options....cobble Tapestry of Grace together or relax, make the most of our time on base and explore Japan. He'll decide. I think he'll do a bit of TOG and focus on Japanese Culture until we unpack our books. He was really looking forward to studying the Revolutionary Period in depth and we can't find many of the books we need at the base library. I think this will be the telling factor. I also think he's got way more hours earned towards a credit in Japanese Culture (Social History) than he realizes.
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Meanwhile, the others kids are excited to DRIVE to school. ::snort::
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Breakfast at Cafe Mokeuteki
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Littles "play" at drills at the library
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Middles help find more books on Japan at the library
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Playing math games at the Weasel's Den
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Lunch at the Weasel's Den - Jared left with a few books to read at the library
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Recess
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We read up in the tree house...the highlight of the kids' day was watching mom slide down from the tree house
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About 2:30 lots of pre-school kids began to arrive at the Den. We'll have to get more work done earlier tomorrow....and I'm going to go buy a small cooler so we can bring a lunch with us and not have to buy it out. I hate to do that as we have 3 coolers in our shipment...but I'm tired of wondering if food has been out to long.

I'm tired.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

16 comments:

Romany said...

WELL DONE!!!

It must be really difficult trying to do school out of the TLF.

Do you have a move-in date for your house yet?

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

The base inspection for the subdvision is scheduled for 30 Sept. Mike plans to move us in 1 Oct....not sure when our things will arrive as there will be 12 families all wanting to get their things at the same time.

Jared said...

wow...I look like a hater in all of those pictures. oh well..school was good

Anonymous said...

Hey kids.... One foto missing of your 1st day of school..... mom sliding down the slide. :):):)

Sis: sounds like you all made the 1st day of school one to be remembered forever. :) Congrats! But of course it is to be expected that you would make something hard a success.... after all you are my daughter.

Stacia looks like she is in her realm being in school (so soon) :)

Sometime this week hope to get another box off to you all.

love/prayers --- Mom T

Deja said...

Congratulations my HOMESCHOOL WARHORSE friend on beginning your 20th year of homeschooling. Just think, only about 14 more to go... years, that is.

Julie Zesch said...

Okay, you're first day of school looks way more impressive than ours was. Looks like ya'll had a wonderful day and made it all work with Mike sleeping. Blessings to you all and congrats on your 20 years of home schooling. Wow!!!!

Anonymous said...

This is my first visit here. Who can resist checking in on a "starting my 20th year" post? Congrats and yippee to you! I'm starting my 17th year this year.

I enjoyed my time here. I have to say, I love this "the world is round" thing... seeing comments already dated 1 September is kind of cool. :)

God bless you!

Anonymous said...

Sis:

Saved the best until last and Dad woke up.

We both just want to say CONGRATULATIONS on a job done oh so well. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!! & OF THE HELP MIKE HAS BEEN ALSO.

Your kids speak loud and clear as to the good things of home schooling. Wow, 4 in college, well rounded and on their way to making their influence known in this current adult world.

1 following close behind and doing real good as far as I can see. Can't believe he will be out of school when you all return to the States. Watch out Washington, DC here HE comes!!!

THEN the other 3 are so special. They are such inspirations as to what home schooling is about. Can't wait to see what direction the Lord takes them.

Then there is the last one.... she is such a go getter that she wants to beso active in school already. how neat.

Sis by the time the next 14 years pass you will be a super teacher +++++++++++++++++++++++++++.

Again, CONGRATS ON 20 YEARS WELL SPENT WITH YOUR KIDS AND THEIR EDUCATION!!

If you were here we'd have a party.

love/prayers --- Dad/Mom

Jamin said...

Yeah, I was thinking that I had better email you or something when I saw you in those pictures, Jared!

Congrats on the 20th! Too bad I didn't flunk a year so I could celeb with yall. lol

Darshia said...

Congratulations! Work well done w/4 in college and more in training! That looked like a fun way to start and celebrate. Good job G children and Mom on your flexibility.

Mama Teaching 3 said...

I know I haven't commented much, but I have been following along with you guys! :) What adventures you have had. ;) I love the school on the road day. :)

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Humph....I should have been given a party instead of keeping kids quiet all week.....this I will have to think about. Maybe I'll do a spa day at the Onsens.....

Debbie said...

Wow, what a fun way to start off the new school year, although I'm sure not what you had in mind.

We won't start until the PI children go to school...too hard to have some working and some not. This will be the latest we have ever started. Trying not to focus on the negative here and enjoy these last wonderful days of summer.

Krista said...

Hi,

Are internet stopped working for a couple of days so sorry about the silence.

Do you remeber when they did the exercises at Malstrom and Dad would have the evening shifts. I remeber it very fondly we went downtown and to lots of parks. And we ate at that one restruant downtown where they made the miner dinners (kind of like hot pockets)...

Wild Homeschool Family said...

That treehouse looks so fun.

Cynthia said...

Congrats on 20 years. We're starting our 16th year. And, don't EVEN get me started with TOG... I'm again so completely irritated with them. They've got some HUGE blunders in the Year 2 redesign.... book page #s that go beyond the # of pages in said book.. discrepancies in reading assignments between ver 1 and ver 2or 1st and 2nd printing or whatever they want to call it. I'm pretty sure our co-op will not use TOG as it's core next year. I think we will strictly go with a chronological timeline and let everyone use whatever curriculum they want to use! Even though that would be difficult, it would be less time consumming than trying to deal with TOG customer service all the time.