long time

I know I haven't posted in awhile. Its busy here!

We are getting ready for the school year. I'm finishing up buying our curriculum. We are returning to Sonlight this year. We used it several years ago and I wish we would have stayed with it. This year we will be using Core 5 for Donya and Sarah and Core 3 for Sophia and Samuel. For those of you that don't know the core # (5, 3 etc..) does not mean that is the grade level. The Core # is a range of recommended ages. For example Core 5 is recommended for ages 10-13 and grades 5-8. However typically people use a core lower than their child's age/grade because Sonlight is advanced and some children just are not ready for some of the content. Example: even though core 5 says it's recommended for ages 10-13 most people that have taught it say that in their opinion its not appropriate for a 10 year old. Many people use it for high school level. Core 5 by the way is Eastern Hemisphere.

Core three is American History. Core 3 is recommended for ages 8-11 and grades 3,4, and 5. In the younger elementary years it is not unusual for a younger sibling to join in on an older sibling's core. Samuel will be 8 about half way thru the school year and I know he might not "get" all the books we read but as long as he is listening and getting most of it, I'm ok with it. One of our main focuses this year will be to improve his reading. He has spent years listening in while we've read the Little house series, The Hobbit, The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe series, Jesus Freaks, Voice of the Martyrs, Pilgrims Progress, etc....all well above his level but I think it prepares him.

Anyway, we have some news...No we're not pregnant or adopting (yet). We are hosting an exchange student from Beijing, China. She is 15 and will arrive here on 8/9 at 8:15pm.

I've posted some updated pics and some pics of our Sonlight books.

Blessings
Lesa