Ready, set, homeschool!

We've decided to homeschool year round this year.  I know a lot of families do this, so I thought we'd try it.  It actually makes plenty of sense to me since it's not a secret how much kids lose during summer vacation and the first quarter is catching up and review from the previous grade. 

Well, I decided on curriculum...FINALLY!  I really stressed about it, which I guess is kind of silly.  I mean, it's not like they aren't learning.  They are constantly learning, whether or not I'm teaching them what I want.  This week we went to Ripley's Believe it Or Not Museum in Branson, Dixie Stampede and Silver Dollar City.  All places of learning, and fun.  If it's fun does that mean you aren't learning?  hmm  And we listened to very fun math songs on learning the times tables, Beethoven's Wig classical music for kids, Dr. Suess books and Story of the World on the way up and back, and they watched Little Einsteins.  All I considered school on the road. 

But back to curriculum...

I ordered Sonlight this week.  I'm soo soo excited.  I decided to get the Part 2 for the two older kids because we are finishing up the first half of World History, so we will be going straight into this.  I'm excited for the readers to read along at their reading level with the history.  I also got some handwriting and sequential spelling from Sonlight.  I will also be starting at the same time (being around mid-May) Rod and Staff's English for their grade levels, and continuing with Math U See and A Beka combined.  I may need to find a writing program for Rebecca (I have to see more what English will be like) and hope to get them on a typing program too.  We also use the elementary Apologia Science (but I supplement reading A Beka texts and may supplement with Sonlight too, still undecided, but science is soo fun and everywhere!)

I also realized that Savannah needs more attention, so I went ahead and ordered her the Sonlight Kindergarten Newcomer package.  It has everything from science, language, readiness skills, the readers and history (more like world cultures) and handwriting.  So she's set, and if it takes us a couple years, that's fine because she's only 4.  But I don't think it will take that long.  Will keep posted on that.  But I'm really excited to have direction for reading. 

I will probably continue supplementing with Story of the World just because I like it.  So, I find myself doubling up on subjects, but I think that's just fine!  What's amazing to me is their retention!  And my own learning!  Today on the way home we were listening about Alexander the Great.  Then Ed and I started having this conversation about the 7 wonders of the World, and how Alexander died (poisoned?  Sounded like).  Funny.  Cool.  Fun.  It's all about the kids...ok, not really.

I know a lot of people don't even use many materials or even buy much curriculum because they are so talented at coming up with it by themselves or don't want to spend the money, and again a bit more talented then me. I felt I just needed a bit more direction, yet with flexibility. I feel like I was already doing a "Well-Trained Mind" approach, turned into "Sonlightish" but I feel good with these decisions that we've made for our family, so I hope it works out well. I think worry comes more from my background having attended public school. When I talk with others who were themselves homeschooled and turned out great, they are much more relaxed. They will pick it up.  We all learn...everyday.