Day One

We started our first day with a pancake breakfast. Adam helped me fix the pancakes and then I read the first chapter of John as the boys ate. They're reading that for Sunday school and we're going to save our Bible study to do as a family when Daddy is home in the evenings. I wanted the boys to take a little break while I found some breakfast (not crazy about pancakes) but Adam was so excited to get started, he worked four pages in his math book... well, parts of four pages. They were all review from last year so I told him to just skip around and touch on everything. Ryan did the same thing with his Math book later in the day and I helped Evan do several pages in his Math book, too. We skipped the beginning b/c it was counting objects and jumped right to the addition. Evan's brain is much faster than his hand and he was getting frustrated with his lack of writing skills. With Mommy doing the writing, he zipped through a ton of pages. But, right now, he's practicing his numbers in a notebook. I didn't even tell him to do that!

After Math, we did Lesson 1 in Mystery of History. I think we're really going to enjoy this book! Today's lesson was on Creation which isn't exactly new material for my guys but we'll get to some new stuff next week. The boys then dispersed to do their independent reading while Evan read to me from his A Beka reader. I didn't have the library books I wanted the boys to read so I told them they could read a book of their choosing for 30 minutes. Ryan chose Geronimo Stilton and read for over an hour until he finished the whole book! I even reminded him when he'd passed the 30 minute mark but he just kept reading! And, he remembered to wear his glasses without being reminded!

At this point, we only had Spelling and Language left to do and I was thinking that I hadn't planned enough. They were working independently and getting finished so fast!! What was *I* going to do all day??? Good thing I've got a new first grader! Evan and I worked through page after page of his Language book. It was all short vowel sounds and really too easy for him. But I think it's good to build his confidence and we did a LOT so he'll get up to his ability level soon and then we'll slow down.

While Matthew took his nap, Adam and Ryan and I did a lesson from Sequential Spelling. We never did finish the Level I book last year, so we're still working on that. Then we started Winston Grammar. I LOVE it. The boys love it. It was fun and great for fidgety boys or any kinesthetic or visual learner.

And then we were done. Evan didn't get to do his handwriting today. I was supposed to make the letter pieces for Handwriting Without Tears and I haven't done it yet. They sell the wooden letter pieces but I didn't want to spend an extra $30 on those. There's a pattern in the book and I'm going to make the pieces out of foamboard or felt or something.

Matthew is king of the potty! He has been diaperless all day except for his nap. He hasn't peed in the floor yet and he woke up dry from his nap! Way too easy! I will say that the only thing I'm doing different from the other three is PRAYING. I never prayed about potty training before but God really does care about every aspect of our lives. Ask for help! If He can create the whole world, He can certainly potty train a 2 year old! :)