Spring Break

Today was the second day of spring break.  My sweet little guy (nicknamed Bruiser at church because of his stocky physique) is in a church preschool, but I homeschool my sweet girl (I lovingly refer to her as Boo or Boo Girl).  All breaks from school are usually really nice.  They are a break from our normal routine at home and a break in our regularly scheduled activities outside the home.  Some of this is very welcome and some of it, well, not so much.  Yesterday, we took the day off and went to Stone Mountain.  We were there from about 11:30 until 9:30.  It was an amazing time!  The kids and I were wiped out and we all slept in this morning.  Rather than getting right to my list of things to accomplish for the day, I decided to take a shower then poke around on Facebook for a while.  BIG mistake.  The shower was necessary.  Facebook, on the other hand...I mentioned addictions in my first post.  Facebook is a place I can really waste a lot of time without even realizing it.  I hopped off and on for most of the remainder of the morning and during the early afternoon.  I wasted enough time that I was not going to be able to recover any time to do school work today.  With all of the extra breaks due to the snow and Bruiser being sick for a week in January as well, we are using spring break to make up some of the time Boo and I missed.  Typically it is too difficult for me to get in a solid school day with her when Bruiser is home since I don't usually have to factor him into our school day.

Interestingly enough, I watched as my teacher friends threw posts on Facebook today showcasing all that they had accomplished...before lunch.  I'd barely gotten a shower before lunch.  Actually, we were eating breakfast not too long before most were probably eating lunch.  Our lunchtime today occurred at a time that would have been more suitable for a mid-afternoon snack.  Around 2:00, Boo and I decided that instead of trying to cram in our school day, she would read independently and I would read to her, but our school day will be moved to Saturday.  We focused on getting some of the cleaning done around the house that has been neglected.  I love being laid back and relaxed with my kids during school breaks.  However, the absence of our normal schedule made me a little too relaxed today.

We will keep up with most of our normal curriculum through the summer, but I planned to end our official 180 days of school the first week of June.  One reason I enjoy homeschooling is the flexibility it provides.  I have an entire year to do 180 days of academic curriculum.  I like that I have choices for curriculum.  In fact, I have too many options and it's sometimes frustrating.  It's like your first trip to the Cheesecake Factory and they give you that ridiculous menu with endless options.  Everything sounds amazing and you wish you could have a sampling of your top 5 choices before you place your order.  Mix in the fact that your child's academic career is at stake and it's enough to make anyone go mad. 

I always say that I take one year at a time with school choices.  I've been weighing different options for curriculum for next year since February.  Spring break signals to me that I need to close in on my schooling decisions for next year.  Should Bruiser homeschool as well?  Should Boo move to a different environment outside the home?  Should we continue homeschooling and use the same curriculum source or continue researching publishers?  My reasons for homeschooling constantly morph and I sometimes wonder if a more traditional environment might be on the horizon for us.  So, tonight I attended the parent informational meeting for the Cherokee Charter Academy scheduled to open this fall.  I've filled out an application for both children.  The deadline is April 15 and they will hold a lottery to determine who will be chosen to attend the charter school.  There are over 2000 applicants already and just under 800 slots available at the school.  Clearly there are many families excited that there are additional options for school.  Now that I've thrown my hat into that ring, I'll be making some lists over the next week weighing the pros and cons of all of the options I have in front of me.  Thank goodness I'm actively seeking clarity and guidance from the Father already.  I'll be praying for direction and peace for the decision we make.

In case you're interested, below is today's menu for me.  If you'd like the recipes, just let me know!

Breakfast: Same as yesterday

Lunch:  Mediterranean Pasta

Dinner: Red Bell Peppers Stuffed with Mediterranean Spiced Quinoa, Broccoli

Snacks:  Banana, Orange, 6 Dried Dates, and a Trader Joe's Fruit and Fiber Bar

Total Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS Today = 29