Well I'd have to say this last week went pretty well! We took in several activities including the waterpark with a bunch of homeschooling friends, the farmers market on Saturday, visiting several pet stores and purchasing a new lizard.

Our new leapord gecko "Alex"

As for my to do list, I did awesome!  We chose our homeschool name the day we started our blog last Wednesday so we already had two items off the list by the time we posted the list of seven. 

#1 - Choose a school name - GLOW is an acronym for "God leads our way".  I found it on a homeschooling site and loved it. The kids were all ok with it too so that was quick. 

#2 - Create a blog - Creating a blog was easy.  We all sat down, chose a few colours and made our first post.  Now we just need readers!

#3 - Plan a crafternoon  - almost done!  I have a craft planned and date chosen and later today I will invite friends through a fb event.  Check back the 14th of September to get the DIY and check out the pics from our very first "Crafternoon".

#4 /#5- Curriculum/Scheduling - My family is sitting down every evening after supper and going over the next days events including outings, chores, meals and school work.  We also let "dad" know all our accomplishments we made earlier that day.  I have also signed the kids up for horseback riding lessons, created accounts on Khan Academy (for our math) and started back with "100 Easy Lessons" with the boys and Zoe is reading "Zooborns".  For writing we are practicing penmanship by choosing words or letters that need improvement.  We also decided to sign up for golf lessons in the spring, and "Afternoon Adventures" a homeschooling gym class held at the YMCA once a week.

#6 - Involving the kids - I ended up switching this task to "be more involved".  I put my cell phone on ignore for a large part of the week and made a conscious effort at being present in all our activities. I have a difficult time putting my kids, our homeschooling, house cleaning, and my personal goals ahead of others.  I don't do this intentionally - I just think that if a client "needs" something this morning I might as well get it done, we can always do our family stuff  in the afternoon, then I get a call to watch someone's kid(s) and I think we could do a little school work this evening, we have plenty of time.  And I end up putting off our to do's for an entire week.  Then my stomach starts to knot cause I'm so behind and then I try to play catch up and run myself ragged by staying up late and still never being able to get where I want to be. This year is going to be different.  My clients will have to give me notice (at least a week), I will only babysit when there is an emergency, and we will not be answering calls or responding to emails in the morning while we are "at school".  The doorbell is already unplugged and the phones will have to go on mute.

#7 - Purchase a new book for myself - I really wanted to purchase a "homeschooling" book but ended up a little short in the $ department.  I ended up choosing a "Clean Eating" magazine at the supermarket check out so I could still feel like I completed this task. 

My goals for next week are going to be a little different.  I assumed that if I blogged once a week it would be easier on me but in hind site I think I'd rather break it up.  I'm going to post every other day (possibly everyday) instead and try to stick to just one topic.  I think it will make for lighter reading and shorter intervals at the pc for me.

Check back on Friday - I'll let you know how the home school kick off party went that we are hosting tonight.  Only 43 people coming over due to our park bbq being rained out.  Should be a blast!

Where's Veda?

I'm doing quite well with my list from last Wednesday but I'll tell you all about that in my next post  - I still have 2 days left to complete it ;). 

All during the day the kids have been in and out of the house.  My parents who live at the same property (separate suite) were out gardening and doing other yard work so the kids would go see them in the yard and sometimes pop into their place for a quick a visit.  Around 5:00 Scott (my hubby) gets home from work and was wondering where Veda (3 yrs old) was.  Well she's with the other kids of course - in the yard!  So I went out to check.  She wasn't in the back yard with Zoe, Nanny and Papa, she hadn't gone to the neighbors yard with her brothers, where could she be?  By now panic starts to set in.  She was really tired, maybe she headed upstairs for a nap - nope not there either.  Now I'm really panicking, Scott hops in the car to drive around the block and I'm dialing 911.  At this point I'm feeling like I'm the worst mother on the planet - why wasn't she at my side? why are the baby locks on my knobs so useless?  why don't my kids listen?  While I'm on the phone the kids, Scott, my parents, the neighbors (kids and adults) are all searching for Veda.  As I'm giving the description I hear,  "I've found her!"  She had gone into my parents suite and wedged herself under a chair and behind a flower pot in their front entry.  While in her cozy little spot she had fallen asleep - hence the reason she did not answer when I shouted her name only 2 feet away while searching for her a few minutes before.  The police officer that came out did not seem as happy as I was.  Thank God she's safe!  I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.  Give your little one's an extra hug tonight - I know I will! 

Where's Waldo Veda?

Happy New Year! (I mean School Year)

Fall feels like New Year's to me.  I have a list of resolutions a mile long and start to feel chest pains while thinking of how I'm going to fit it all in.  Every year I promise myself that this year is going to be different, I'm going to stay on track, be more organized, come close to finishing my daily goals or at least be able to find my daily list in the stack of papers on my desk.  What I am doing differently this year than past years is creating accountability.  For excersising I have joined a fitness class, and for school I have this blog.  My commitment is to create a blog post once per week going over what we are doing. what we have accomplished and what we're planning  for the next week.

This weeks goals:  1) Choose a school name.
   (for school)          2) Create a Blog
                                3) Plan a "crafternoon" for September with other homeschooling families.
                                4) Schedule my weekday and weekend activities for next week.
                                5) Make a curriculum ....should only take a week right? ;)
                                6) Involve my kids wherever possible.
                                7) Purchase a new book for myself (I'm looking at one by John Holt)


I am limiting myself to 7 goals per week for now to see how it goes.  If I find that I have completed everything on my list I may add a few more for next week.