mills academy, party of six
We stretched it out as long as possible.
With carefree days at the pool,
Our favorite fun spots with friends,
Good times at the park,
Learning around the house,
Army men stuffed animal wars,
Documenting the coolest things ever,
And just soaking it all in.
For as long as we possibly could.
But it was time.
Here’s to finding our passions,
Learning with our best friends,
And appreciating just how much we’ve grown.
Two more will be joining the ranks with us this year, sporting bedheads and pajamas, in our own little schoolroom. Mills Academy, party of five…uh I mean six.
No matter what your school looks like this year, we’re praying for a wonderful season and growth together. Blessings to you for a safe, happy and healthy school year!
{Addendum: Even in those moments of duking it out over the homework/reading/algebra/insert-whatever-here} Because we all for sure, have those days, too. Lots of those days. ;} We’re with you!
What does your school look like this year? What do you love the most? We want to know what your season looks like, from empty nesters to preschool beginnings… public school, private school, charter school magnet school, boarding school, homeschool… We’re in your corner, thinking of you, and we’d love to hear.
Cheers {raises triple shot espresso monster coffee} to another wonderfully terrible amazingly challenging but ultimately rewarding year!
Homeschooling 3rd, 5th and 7th grades. Yikes! I’m REALLY hoping I remember pre-algebra!
HA! I wouldn’t remember it at all! ;}
We are starting another year of homeschool next week. 3rd and 2nd grade 🙂 So this week I am prep mode. I am hoping researching our history and science will get me excited to teach since they are my favorite subjects. We have really been enjoying summer!
They are super fun to teach. LOVE it. What curriculum are you using?
RightStart, First Language Lessons, All About Spelling, Handwriting without tears, and I make up my own science and history 🙂
That’s awesome! I love hearing what other people use! Maybe I’ll be brave enough to step out one day haha!
We start homeschool next Tuesday – 4th grade!!! BRING IT!!! I spent time over the weekend prepping – have minor things to prep now and the awesome 4th grader is PUMPED!!!
Awesome! Yeah… I thought it would feel like pulling teeth this morning, and it actually went really smoothly. I felt like I was back in my element! ;} Yay for fresh starts!
We have a 3rd grader and a 1st grader, both are in public school and are starting their 3rd week already. I almost have the morning routine down, maybe in a couple more weeks we will actually get out of the house on time!!
WOW! 3 weeks already… That’s crazy! Where did the summer go? Though I must say we are so ready for fall weather. Props to you for gittinerdone! That alone deserves it’s own category for celebration!
Next week we start Pre-k for my 2-year-old at the University I work for, Marshall University. (Anyone remember We Are… Marshall with Matthew Mcconaughey? That would be my Alma Mater and employer!) She is deaf and has bilateral Cochlear Implants. It’s a very small pre-k specifically designed for deaf/hard of hearing children and the teacher is the speech therapist she’s had since 8 months old. We are SOO blessed to have this amazing resource so close to home!!!
And my 6-year-old will be starting 1st grade next week and we are Homeschooling Wish us luck!!! 😮
Make that homeschooling for the first time! It cut off part of my comment. Thanks so much for your input and advice and free printables Ashley! You were one of the reasons I was confident about tackling this new journey! God Bless!
Awe Katie! You can do this! I am so proud and happy for you! I know that is quite the balancing act with working too but oh so great for you and your fam. And what an amazing resource to have for your little one. That’s incredible. YAY We Are Marshall! We love that movie. In other news, can Matthew Mcconaughey {less slightly creepy version circa 2002} be my coworker? Did I just say that out loud? Nope. I wrote it. Need more coffee.
We are heading into our second year of homeschool with much more confidence than last year! We have an 8th grader, 6th grader, and one in kindergarten. We are giving ourselves till the end of August to really focus on getting organized for the new year. Felt a little pressure to start now, but then I remembered flexibility for our busy family is one of the reasons (among many others) we decided to do this!! We have learned so much about each other this last year, I can honestly say I am much more excited than scared year. I’m glad to be past the doubt that we are making the right decision. Love your blog…very inspiring, thanks for sharing your adventures!
Very true and amen! I feel the same way and love kind of feeling like a bit of a veteran this year ;} Jamin and I were looking at the calendar and realized we will be out of town for two weeks this fall so we needed to get to it – and that’s the only reason. I wanted to stretch it out a llllleeeeeeettttle longer ;}
Three kids in public school (9th, 6th and 2nd grade )and my 4 yr old at home. Today is 1st day back here in Tx. Savoring my last year with kids at home during the day. I went to the gym today for the first time in years (with little one in tow). Finally feeling like I have time/energy to work on myself!!! So excited for this new year!!!!
Yay! Excited for you!
Awww-love summer days with my crew. And you almost make me miss our homeschooling years. 😉
They are fun, aren’t they? ;}
Starting our 15th year homeschooling next week! 7th grade, 4th grade, and 2nd grade, and the oldest started back to college today. Enjoying having the UPS man home on vacation with us this week!
FIFTEENTH!? Wow! – enjoy that vacay!
We took our kids out of our local public school last Christmas, homeschooled them for 6 months (and survived) and now they are going to a charter Montessori school next week. We are all nervous/excited for this year! My thoughts will be with you as well as you start off the new year. 🙂
I hope it goes just great for all of you, Catherine!
I have been homeschooling for 20 years, and my youngest of 6 kids is 9 years old and in the fourth grade. I also am teaching my 15 year old daughter who is in 10th grade and my 12 year old daughter who is in 7th grade. We have graduated 3 kids, and I also keep my 4 year old granddaughter everyday and we are doing preschool with her.
It has become a way of life for us. It is a joy to learn together daily, and even on the really hard days, I know that the daily walking alongside my children, getting to disciple them as we walk together through life has established a firm foundation for my kids. You cannot get these years back, once they are gone, and they fly by! My oldest is 25 this year and a dad!
I am cheering you all on! You can do this! You will never regret this time you are investing in their lives!
Blessings!
If there are levels out there for veterans of homeschooling, you win the platinum star of amazingness. ;} So true – I told Jamin the other day that I won’t look back and say, Man. I really wish I’d painted that wall another color. But I will say I am so glad that I had this season with them, and I already know I would have regretted not taking that chance last year. We have a big project we’re about to take on and he offered to teach the kids – just him. While I’m sure there will be days like that, I was all, NOPE. I won’t give that up. I love it too much.
Party of six is counting the dog, right? Just double-checking — I thought I remembered “party of five” being how you announced your last pregnancy.
HAHAHAHA! I thought NOTHING of that when I put Chloe up there! ;} Nope. Just Chloe. ;}
What curriculum did you end up going with? Have a wonderful school year!!!
We’ve got one daughter in 2nd grade at a private school and one still at home. I’m really looking forward to getting updates on your school year! I’ve been feeling the tug on my heart to homeschool for some time now. I’m praying about it and know that He will provide the way if I take the leap of faith. I, too, work mainly from home and love to see others out there showing that it is possible. It’s sounds silly to say that I’m not what I would think of as the stereotypical homeschool type since there are so many different reasons why people make the choice and what a typical homeschooling day looks like can vary so much. I think that’s fantastic and encouraging. I love the idea of our family bucking the system and doing the whole schooling thing our own way. What an adventure… I hope you have a wonderful year and cherish these days of learning together. You have a precious family!
Joy – I found this comment today, and kinda needed the reminder. I’ve never seen myself as the homeschooling type, either. I once scoffed at it, actually. God has a fabulous sense of humor. It’s been a rocky start with our middle, and it just is what it is right now. So thank you. ;}
your classroom is wonderful! i love all of the details: the chairs, the rug, the lighting. i would have loved to go to school in a place like that as a kid.
best of luck to you as you start this new year!
Thanks so much, Ashley!
I love that your kids are in their jammies for their first day of school pictures. It is entirely possible that I’m trying to talk my kids in wearing shorts and robes and holding a glass of milk for their very first homeschool first day pictures, a la The Dude. We’ll see. So excited to try this out! Also, I’m pretty sure I need the notebook paper rug. Where did you get it?
That’s the best idea for a first day picture I’ve ever heard!!! Love The Dude. Thought I’d let you know that I’ve seen that notebook paper rug at Land of Nod: http://m.landofnod.com/all-kids-rugs/kids-rugs/composition-rug/f13781. I’m longing for it too!
Hello! I found your blog by chance while I was looking for Blue Willow Home & Farm. What an awesome post and place to visit. Looking forward to reading your blog. I don’t think we are far from each other. We’re CA transplants as of last year to Union Springs.
Wow what a change from California! I hope you’re enjoying the south! ;}
Where oh where is that wonderful rug from?!?!
Hey Ashley! It’s from Land of Nod, and we have all our sources for this space, here! ;}