Our first day of school was Monday, August 10th!

We started the day with our first day of school traditions – a special breakfast, opening up gifts of new school supplies, and a first day photo in front of the pie safe in our school room!

Breakfast was yummy!

We had chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice!

The kiddos were excited, but sleepy!

It will take them a week or two to get used to our new schedule!

I love taking their first day of school photos!

It is so neat to look back and see how much they have grown!

Here’s our line up this year!

Eliza Claire, 8 years old, 3rd grade.

Tate Owen, just turned 9 years old, 3rd grade.

Lane Stevan, 12 years old, 7th grade.

Yes, those are really his feet, as huge as they are!

Chad will be joining our school days in September and starting his junior year!

We had an amazing first week last week.

The mama and teacher of this crew has learned over the years to lower her expectations of the first day/week of school!

Expectations ALWAYS bite!

We enjoy our rhythm, each other, and learning together at our own chosen pace!

Here we are reviewing times tables!

Five minutes each day and they master them quick!

The kiddos filled out a “passport application” and a “check” to pay for it – because we are taking a trip around the world this year and studying many countries and their cultures!

Read aloud time is a FAVORITE.

This a a great book, by the way!

Someone asked Tate over the weekend what his favorite part of school is.

He told them Read and Think (which is reading comprehension).

You wouldn’t think that would be his answer based on this photo!

This is what concentration looks like!!

Can I just shout a praise to the Lord for how this precious boy has mastered a second language, writing, and reading – all at his “supposed-to-be” grade level in the few years he has been home?!

This is not lost on us!!

I believe we have always started our school year the second week of August except for one year.

We are ready by mid-August to get back to our routine and structure!

More than ever, I think, this year!

Blake and I are excited to see the growth in these kiddos this year – spiritually, physically and eductionally!

School year 2020-2021, here we go!!