This week has marked our first "official" week back to school. If you ask many homeschooling parents they will tell you that the learning never really ends though. So far this week, we have been on schedule, completed our work and even had time for a field trip of sorts.

Yesterday was great, a day for all of the homeschoolers to get together, a chance for the kids to see each other and for the moms to reconnect. Share the latest and greatest finds and plan for the year. We had a few new to home school moms. All with that same look that I had last year. The one that says " can I do this" , "am I covering everything", "will I screw this up". I was able to pass along the same advice I received. It will all be fine, just breath and remember that nothing is permanent if something that you are trying doesn't work don't be afraid to change it. Now at the time this didn't help a lot but now some time later I realize that it was true.

One of our main topics of discussion was what everyone was using, where do we find our resources etc. So I thought I would link up some of my favorites here:

Resources -

http://www.freelyeducate.com/

Reading - Tommy Tales Reading -http://www.learningpage.com/pages/ewe_books/ewebooks_printable.html

Spelling - Spell by Color - http://mysite.verizon.net/jetted4/spelling.htm
Handwriting – CurrClick – downloaded handwriting packets

Classic Science - Life Science - http://www.eequalsmcq.com/ClassicScienceLife.htm

Americas Heritage an adventure in Liberty - http://americanheritage.org/AHEF_Elementary_Binder_08_National_2008.pdf

I have purchased the Full Curriculum books From Brain Quest as well as Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills

Worksheets and Lesson Plans:

http://www.learningpage.com/

http://www.learningpage.com/free_pages/ewe_preview.html

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/series/the_chronicles_of_narnia



Planning and Tracking:

http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=2174&it=1

http://www.themasterplanner.com/

http://www.vertex42.com/calendars/academic-calendar.html

http://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com

Many people say change is good. Others would rather die than make a change. Change can mean adventure or it can mean disappointment. I believe that change is inevitable. Everything changes, nothing stays the same. I feel like I have been in a perpetual state of change for a while. Changes in myself, changes in my family and changes in our situation. One of the first major changes was deciding to remove the twins from public school and becoming a homeschooling family. We started last February and continued through June. I can say with a large amount of surprise and much delight that thing went way better than I expected. We became casualties of a bad economy and dwindling job force and after barely hanging on for 6 months my husband was let go from his job. So now we are anticipating more changes, we are job hunting and possibly relocating, which will bring its own set of changes. Being somewhere new far away from where we've been for the last 15 years. Leaving friends and most importantly our "Patchwork" family behind. Figuring out how to survive with out my best friend and the kidlets who are like my own. Trying to meet the new changes as an adventure and not a fate worse than death. There are advantages to moving. Finding a stable good paying job in this economy is a miracle in itself. Being in a climate that is not nearly as hot and dreadful as here. The kids are excited about possibly having their first winter with snow. Meeting new people. Being closer to family and spending more time with their Grandmother who has stage 4 cancer and enjoying the time they have left with her. There are always going to be changes and it doesn't matter if we welcome them or not the are inevitable after all.

So this week we will be returning to school with a fresh routine and new outlook. Hubby will be traveling for his interview and we will be hoping that this will be the change we need most. My biggest change will be how I greet the changes not with fear or dread but with peace and calm knowing that how I handle the change sets the tone for everyone else. I will keep telling every one that "it will all be fine", "everything will work out" and "the only thing that matters is that we are all in this together". And once I have built their confidence, calmed their fears and soothed their souls, I will retreat to my quiet place and go about convincing myself of the same thing.

You never know what lies beyond the doorway if you do not open it and walk through it.