I am one of those people who, no matter how old I am, gets excited at the start of the school year. I think I actually preferred shopping for paper, pens, pencils, and folders more than new clothes as a kid. I feel the same way as an adult, maybe even more so with all the changes and excitement this year will bring. My youngest child is starting kindergarten, my only girl is going into first grade, my two middle boys will be starting a new homeschool adventure, and my oldest will spend the school year with his dad (yes, yes, my oldest has a different dad) in Michigan, attending a brand new tech academy that is by invitation only. So much change, but so much to anticipate!!
Since the decision was made to homeschool, I have been immersed in reading and exploring curriculums. My two youngest will start public school on August 8, but I will not start the boys until after Labor Day because of a vacation we will be taking. That's probably a good thing because it will give me a little more time to get organized. This past Friday I began compiling a list of resources for homeschooling that are located nearby. What an awesome area we live in for interactive learning! I have found Farmer's Markets, CSA's (which I plan to join), pick-your-own-eggs dairy farms, animal farms, mountain hikes, local desert life parks, huge zoos, an incredible library in Glendale that sits on a historic farm, a huge aquarium, The Phoenix Children's Museum, and Biosphere! If you are local to me and would like the Word Document, feel free to comment.
One thing I know for certain is that I want a small garden for the kids to tend to. They are such a great learning tool, and very rewarding. I found this tutorial to build a raised bed garden, which is perfect for us because of the hard desert rock and clay that sits on the South side of our home. I have been getting our seeds from Seeds of Change. They have a stand at our local Sprouts grocery store and have an incredible selection of produce and heirloom seeds.
On a public school note, Ty has a doctor appointment (and dreaded booster shots) this Tuesday and his official kindergarten enrollment following that. Maybe after the shots, kindergarten won't seem so bad. I have been LOVING the Wendolonia blog and have been reading the heck out of it for school lunch ideas. Another reason I love the idea of homeschool is because I am admittedly a food geek and love my kids to have delicious, organic, healthy food. School lunch does not supply this type of meal and I felt very limited by sack lunches last year. I was also bothered by the lack of food actually consumed by many of the kids during lunch and found myself having lunch in the cafeteria with the kids quite regularly to make sure they ate well. I will still try to have lunch at least once a week with Stella and Ty this year, as I really enjoy it and it makes their day special. The blog I linked to works around a bento box meal and is equal parts aesthetically interesting and deliciously healthy.
Overall I have great feeling for the school year and cannot wait to go buy some pencils and paper. :)
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