School. . .

Every year it gets a little harder to make the transition from work to school. We were busier than we've ever been over the summer and school was the farthest thing from my mind. I usually make a plan by mid-August, gathering my materials and making a color coded Excel file listing every book and subject we'll be studying and finding a way to fit it all in. August came and went and I hadn't made a spreadsheet much less ordered any of our materials. I don't even try to start until after Labor Day, but I start to really feel the pressure when everyone else goes off to school. I told the kids that the Tuesday after Labor Day would absolutely be our first day of school. With or without the spreadsheet, we had to start. Tuesday came and Gloria didn't have any books so we spent school day #1 shopping for books and then she went to Melanie's house to learn Home-Ec. And I worked. I told the kids that Wednesday would absolutely be our first day of school. Wednesday came and we found we needed supplies. Lots of supplies. School day #2 was spent shopping for supplies. And then I worked. I told the kids that we ABSOLUTELY had to start school on Thursday. And we did.
We managed to fit in History, Math, PE, Science and Reading before we went to Nampa Nights so I could work. (Only Nampa Nights isn't really work!)


Once we get the ball rolling, it gets easier. I enjoy teaching the kids and letting them teach me. It's just a matter of taking that first step as we ease our way back into school.


Last year, as a Sophomore, Zach took Biology. He really enjoyed it and read the text and did most of the experiments on his own. Except for the dissections. I hated Biology when I was in High School so I found one excuse after another to put off buying the things he would need to complete his course. I knew I would have to face this at the beginning of the year so we could move on to Chemistry. Here is our lovely bag of specimens. . . :


They really couldn't make it any easier for us with everything we need right inside a neat little box. . .

Zach gathered more sharp objects, just in case. . . (Don't worry, we didn't actually use the pizza cutter. . . )


Over the next couple of weeks, we'll dissect most of our little creatures but we started out nice and easy with the earthworm. . .

Unfortunately the earthworm was at the bottom of the bag. . .

Ewwww. . .

The worm looked pretty harmless. . .

We had to get in the right frame of mind before we could begin cutting so Zach turned on Weird Al's "Like A Surgeon". . .

And then we cut open the worm!! And pinned down his sides!!

Ewwww. . .

It wasn't as bad as I thought and I think I'll be ready to help him tackle the frog next week. I'll do anything to put off Chemistry . . .