Kindergarten Homeschool: An Update

Maddy with her finished product at her pottery field trip!

Well, we have been plugging away doing school this semester, and we are drawing to an end with just 2 weeks left until Christmas break!! We are looking forward to it!
Homeschooling has presented a lot of challenges and hurdles to get over and learn to deal with this year. Last year, we were doing preschool, so we weren't on such a demand to get 180 days of school in, certain subjects completed, and fit in other things as well. I have definitely felt the demands of being a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom. This year, it definitely takes up a lot more time to get all of Maddy's schoolwork done, and with her being so young and learning almost everything for the first time, it takes a lot of one-on-one teaching. This makes it demanding because Judah doesn't really like both of our attention being taken away and him being left to fend for himself. So it has been a challenge to get her school done, keep up with the house, keep Judah occupied and spend special time with him, and be pregnant at the same time!! I know many women have done it, but it is a new thing for me, so I have just been trying to deal with issues that come up and make things as doable as possible.
Tad did work second shift and was able to watch Judah while Maddy and I did school, but he recently switched to first shift, so I have had to make some adjustments to how we do school. I have also learned that we have been pretty busy this year, and school is a huge priority and takes up our whole morning. I chose to not be on the steering committee for MOPS for this year, but still wanted to go to MOPS. This has proved to be a little much. I love the time that I get to spend there meeting new moms, having some time away from the kids for a time, and getting to relax and do mommy things. But it is just one extra thing in our schedule that is kind of unnecessary at this point. With our homeschool group, swim lessons, Wednesday night church, Sunday morning church, and art/science homeschool classes on Fridays, we are pretty busy! So any time off that we get is a plus. Any time that we can spend the morning, or the whole day at home is nice for getting things done and getting all our school done in one sitting!
So anyways, I guess I could go on and on about what I have learned this year, and how we are coping with life plus homeschooling, but for now, I will leave it at that, and leave you with a few pictures...

Maddy working on a Fall painting craft at home!

Working on Christmas presents with our homeschool group!

Finished product! A candle holder!

At Leonardo's in her art/science class!