First Day of School - 2009

Truth be told, our first day of school wasn't all that great. In a perfect world we wouldn't have started when we did. My time was still quite divided with a couple of big projects I wasn't finished with and my head wasn't totally in gear with school, but we had to start when my husband was available for our first-day-of-school tradition - going out to eat for breakfast! Since we had last eaten at Denny's they changed their menu and the one thing two of our boys had their heart set on was no longer offered. Shortly before this picture was taken, they were both in tears! One of them said, "I thought this was supposed to be fun."

*Sigh*


Aren't so many moments like that? Less than perfect. Yet they are moments in time, capturing memories, together as a family. So, start we did. The bad morning was largely redeemed by our afternoon activity ~ once again making cookie dough maps of the United States! (Detailed directions for how we make, bake and decorate cookie dough maps is here. ) Our history curriculum, Tapestry of Grace, always suggests a salt dough or cookie dough map at the beginning of the year to review geographical terms, and it has become something our family looks forward to each year!


About to pour on yellow sprinkles for the desert regions (a new and improved feature since last year!).


A little too much 'great lakes' on the mouth.....





These ones smooshed out alot more than last year's versions, but they tasted just as good! And after two years in a row we REALLY know where the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers are!



(well, everyone but Little Man, whose Mississippi River looks like a straight dash from Canada to the Gulf!)


Lastly we read a few pages of our science book for this year, "Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day" and then made our ocean boxes. We will add clay ocean creatures to these boxes all year long.


See the little sea sponge in each ocean box below?

And so our first day came to an end. We took Tuesday off so I could finish up some other projects, had school Wednesday, took Thursday off to go to a writing class with Andrew Pudewa of IEW, and had school Friday. And this is a whole new week with my head more in the game! Despite our shaky start, I am so thankful for the privilege of learning with my children at home. I'm thankful I can be busy educating my children and not having to be busy working elsewhere. I'm thankful to still have a home! God is indeed very good.