16 First Days of Homeschool Celebration

Yup, this is our 16th year of homeschool
-day one.

I survived with all my fingers and toes intact!

I wasn't so sure how today was going to go...as when we were bundling every one's curriculum for the year the night before our big opening day, my Knight and I were growing faint. 
We started the day however without any casualties
and only one case of whining about an assignment
(note: 9 year old son suddenly doesn't want to write short stories).

 We finished the day singing "Happy First Day to you" (sung to the tune of Happy birthday).

It was a fabulous hit and made the teacher (moi) endeared to every one's heart
(note: the three year old Ethiopian princess can be bribed with sugar).  

The delightful red frosting was scoffed up over the summer from Aldi's at 25 cents a jar, so you will probably be seeing red and blue Fourth of July frosting for months to come.
(note: make more cake and come up with more songs to keep the morale high in school).

 Here are the faces that will grace our homeschool,
that we named 16 years ago as "Growing along Together.
 ...well, except for the oldest who is now in college, but still graces us with her loveliness.
(and as she got me started in this homeschooling 16 years ago....
well she is included in today's snaps too!)

our homeschool graduate...

13 years of homeschool for her..

and she is on the Dean's List at college 

(note to self, relax you are doing fine teaching your children).

our 11th grader...

working harder than ever!

The one who will hit the piano to unwind after a long day of hard studies.

our 6th/7th grader...

her second year of homeschool. Last year she completed from K- grade 6!

(can you say Halleluyah that we got that much done in one year).

I never taught English as a second (third) language,

but all things are possible with Christ who strengthens us!

Guess the sky is the limit with this Ethiopian daughter.

our 7th grader...

eager to learn and happy to homeschool next to her Ethiopian sister/best friend.

4th grade it is...
she is careful and hard working.  

This year we are going to work a bit extra with speech.

4rth grader too...

this boy is fast...need to get extra work to keep him busy.

(and work on writing more short stories)

3rd grader at large.  

Quick to get concepts and able to leap small buildings in a single bound.

AND...

 

my 3 year old preschooler.

Candle licker and proud of it.

Always happy to sing, puzzle it up, entertain, correct her siblings,

snack, pray and move heaven to earth,

occasionally she slows down long enough to work at school.

"Happy First Day to YOU!"