We started back to school this week for year 17! I am going to try incredibly hard to come and pen a post each Friday night this year. I have missed being able to look back on how far the kids have come each week and throughout the year. I am still wrapping my head around the fact that I just have my two youngest learning at home.
It's always a bit of a challenge starting the year off mid-August because McKenzie's gymnastics summer schedule is still in full swing, but we make it work with the slow start. Fall practice starts at the end of the month and Micah also starts his Fall baseball training the first week of September. I love and crave routine! The kids thrive on it as well so I look forward to everything falling into place to give us a daily rhythm in the next few weeks.
This year we have added back in our Morning Time Recitations, that we refer to as MTR. If you want to know what we're using and how we do it let me know and I'll write up a post. For this school year we are focusing on the Catechism, Proverbs, and Manners. The Catechism is a review for McKenzie and an introduction for Micah. It will take us two years to get through all of the questions as we go week by week. Micah will get it again fully when he reaches Sonlight Core 200 as it is apart of the Bible portion of the HBL. We also incorporated World Watch News this year during our MTR and it has been really great!
McKenzie started her two week "Are you Ready for Algebra 2" prep course. The teacher is super and I am proud that McKenzie is in fact ready for Algebra 2 to start at the end of the month. Since the majority of Micah's courses are online he only has to complete MTR, Bible, Cursive Handwriting, free reading for 45 minutes, and History until the end of the month. He also does a lesson of German on DuoLingo each day. 
*please excuse her table...it has since been cleared off and the books/supplies put away*
Speaking of German...we (Mikayla, McKenzie, Micah, and I) are learning German on DuoLingo. German is so foreign to me...Spanish is so much easier to speak and comprehend but my brain is finally starting to get the hang of it. Hopefully by December we can bring back our Foreign Language day where we only speak German as much as possible. I did this when the older girls were doing Spanish lessons.
I think we have come up with a solution for McKenzie to continue driving. Her being petite in stature initially caused an issue because she could not safely see the road. With a little bit of finagling we have come up with a plan and she is back on the road.
Our Micah man has been in weekly swimming lessons for the last 5 weeks with The British Swim Club. His Boy Scout Troop does a lot of water adventures and I want him to be comfortable in the water as well as knowing how to swim and save himself. In fact, he needs to know how to swim to rank up for his next rank as well as being classified as a "Swimmer" for summer camp. His goal is to get that classification next May. I like that this is a year-round indoor program and the classes are limited to 4 students. For the first 4 weeks it was just him and a little girl so he has gotten focused attention. So proud of the progress he has made and looking forward to him moving up through the levels to reach his goal.
Next week we take Montana to University! Wow...I can't believe we are dropping off another child to University! My dining room has been taken over with all things dorm room. Thankfully we have items that Mikayla has been able to pass down to minimize costs...except the dorm fridge. I am still a bit salty about that (IYKYK) so just know we have secured a new refrigerator that will be saved for McKenzie in 3 short years. Montana has had her last pre-University meeting with the USDA. We need to knock out a headshot photo this weekend or early next week and then she will be all set for move in day. That's it for now. I will do my best to showcase what we have accomplished each week, even if it is just posting a few pictures.
Until next time friends!
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