August Already!

So it's August. And I've decided it's official: I'm going to Homeschool Rach for 4th grade and do some preschool work with Gabs. I know it seems like a big undertaking but I have been wanting to do this for the past few years and now we are in a great commnity where there is a lot of support and a lot of great programs.

I will be using the ABeka Academy program and Math U See. I'm really excited. I ordered some fun history and science books and so yeah, I think it's going to be a great year! ABeka has online streaminig of lectures. They have previews and so the teachers look great! We are also going to do Rosetta Stone Spanish. It feels so good to take education into my hands. (Who knew I was such a control freak?!) But I'm excited about the history lessons and the science projects. The group we are with here has a sewing class where the woman has 4 sewing machines, so I am going to get Rach in that.

I will be able to have Rach watch a short lecture video while I go over letters and other preschool teaching moments with Gabi. On another blog, confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot, she has an excel spreadsheet of their daily/weekly calendar. So I have that now and so each week I will have it put up so that the girls can see what we are going to be working on. I also like the workboxes she talks about and I will wait for the curriculum I ordered to come in the mail so that I can make plans with the workboxes.

I know Jake will be getting more active, I am loving it! I know that we will have to all be flexible, but I really see this system working pretty good! Also, there are good free apps that Kev has on his phone like memory and flashcards that Gabs like to do, so we can have her doing that when Rach is doing something with me. Rach is full of ideas and wants to do things like make bread like the pioneers (not in the bread machine, lol!) and so it is great to have her ideas and into this as well. She also has met lots of friends at church. She has Heidi, Alexia and Melanie. It is awesome! Prayers were sure answered for us!! I hope the girls can stay close and enjoy each other at church. I wonder what our callings will be when we get them, I was thinking Primary because it's so big. But yeah, I used to be able to see Rach's interactions with the other kids in her Primary class in Rocklin, and here I haven't been able to see how she is with the kids, but she comes home happy and fine. In Rocklin there was already a clique. I think Brushy Creek ward is nice because there are a lot of commings and goings and so the kids lose that clique stuff.

I'm excited we will be here in the Fall, when Kev is done with APX so we can do things around here that we didn't get the chance to do last year. We plan to go to SeaWorld and see the bats and stuff as part of science field trips.

Last night we had dinner with our new friends, the Carlssons. They are from Sweden and so it is very interesting to talk to them. We met them at our other apartment complex as our apartments faced each other and we'd be at the pool around the same time. They are only here until February for Richard's work, and then they go back. We are really looking forward to getting to know them more! I will have to upload some pictures of the kids playing later! It was funny because before they came over for dinner, Rachael was wondering how they would play with their 3 year old, Alfred, because he only speaks Swedish. But we discovered (I told her this would happen) that "kids play" is the international language! I think the kids had a great time! I made lemon-pepper talapia, ceasar salad, fruit salad, wild rice and rolls. And Eva brought a yummy sticky chocolate cake with fresh figs and raspberries and whipped cream. Yum!

Eva has inspired me to get more caught up on our blog! So here I am, back in action. Nothing too eventful has been happening. Just Kev works long hours, but is making the moola to pay off debt, so that is great! We miss him though, since he works 6 days. Also, it's fun to be in the same complex as Lisa, Erik and Kyson. It's nice the cousins get to play and us adults get to get closer.

Until next time!