Yes I am still alive

One month in and so much for carefully documenting each and every precious moment of my wonderful homeschooling experience.  I don’t mean to sound too cliché but I am so very very busy.   I feel as though I haven’t had much time at all to get all the things done that I am required to do, much less dither around on a self indulgent blog.  I had so hoped to record every difficulty, every frustration, each and every agonizing argument over school work, alas that has not come to pass.   Truth be told- we have been remarkable drama free.  For the most part, the kids have been on task and motivated, they have undertaken the activities and shuttling around in the van with ease (if not a wee bit too much enthusiasm as they tend to get a bit loud in the van) and for the most part I have managed to be flexible enough to roll with the inevitable changes that have derailed my carefully structured days.  In fact this week, I blew off academics two days in a row.  One was my birthday and one we just were to busy with filed trips, and gym and looking for Halloween costumes.  (We are headed off an a Halloween Camping weekend up at Jellystone Park in PA.  It is always so strange to go and get all the Trick-or-Treating done and then return home and still have weeks to go until everyone else catches up.

But we are doing surprisingly well.  I have been saying that I am actually having fun.  It seems I am repeating my experiences with parenting.  Something I figured I would have to endure and (to my delight)I find out how fun and rewarding it is.  Don't’ get me wrong, I have my moments, and evening is still tough but we are all getting along well and I think the kids are actually enjoying themselves as well.  There is less fighting and moodiness and they seem more relaxed and happier.  The honeymoon is waning and they do complain a bit more about the work but I continue to work on my flexibility and thy to remember that its OK if we change plans, drop an assignment or take a divergent path- that is why we decided to homeschool and we might as well enjoy the path we’ve chosen.  Last week a neighbor was taking down a tree so we went out on the driveway, set up chairs, and proceeded to eat lunch outside and discuss the wonders of pulleys and hydraulics, chainsaws and weight of limbs, back cuts and safety harnesses.  After the tree was all down we went over and counted rings and looked a the insect infestation.  I scrapped my other science lesson and we were all the better for it.