Back to School!

So we've been "back to school" now for 4 weeks! We have been having a lot of fun so far. Zora's favorite subject is History & Geography. We just finished a unit on ancient Mesopotamia and this week we started a unit on ancient Egypt. She also still loves to read, read, read! She got so many new wonderful books for her birthday and she is very excited about them. The Wingerter family got her some Magic Tree House books which she loves and the Voss family got her several Boxcar Children books. As soon as she finishes one book she picks out another one to start.

Lily has also started school with us this year. In the past we always did school work while Lily napped, but now that she has outgrown her nap we have work for her to do too! Our main goals for her this year are to learn to recognize all the letters of the alphabet, their sounds, and hopefully begin reading some small words. We are also working on our numbers, introducing tiny bits of Spanish, and coloring within the lines. So far she is doing a great job! Her attention span is very short so she does a little work, then plays a little, then comes back for more "homework". She's so cute because every day she gets so excited and begs for "more homework, Mommy". Today she wrote her name completely by herself!!!

We have also started a very exciting new adventure with our homeschooling... we've joined a co-op! Zora is now in classes with 7 other homeschooled children, and the moms are taking turns teaching different extra-curricular subjects. We have completed two weeks so far and Zora is loving it! Right now she is taking Speech, Psychology and Computer Programming. In October the classes with be Spanish, Art and Science Lab.

And speaking of art, I have to brag about Zora just a bit... she has two pieces of artwork on display at Gilcrease Museum! She made this one out of watercolor and sponges...

The Windmill

This one is colored pencil... The Fishing Boat

Her artwork was put on display August 18th and will be there until September 13th.

Another change in our school schedule this year is their extra-curricular activity. As much as they loved ballet and tap dancing, they decided to try something new - gymnastics! They had their first lesson on Monday and did a fantastic job!

Ready to start

Practicing "the big finish" pose

Cartwheels!
Backward on the balance beam

Lily learns "the scoop" on the balance beam

These last two pics aren't school related, but I just have to post them because the girls love it so much! Joel has been slowly building a 4 wheeler and he's got it running. He gave them a few rides on it around the yard, but I wouldn't let him take them in the street or very far until they got helmets. He bought them the cutest pink camo helmet! It makes me laugh to see them in it because it squeezes their chubby little cheeks and makes their heads look huge compared to the rest of their bodies! Their my own personal little bobble-heads :)

Lily rides with Daddy

Zora rides with Daddy

I'll leave you with this thought. My friend Elisabeth got me a little plaque for my birthday that I absolutely love because it says exactly what I feel about our homeschool.

"While we teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."