Gearing Up for High School (And by the way, we're still here...)

What?!  A new Karmamatopoeia post?  I know, crazy, right?  

We're still here, still homeschooling, and I still need to be three people to do it all as well as I'd like, but I'm determined to get back to my long-neglected blog.  I've missed the regular journaling, I've missed having a record of our school activities, and I've really, really missed keeping up with all my blog buddies! 

 Summer daisies in full bloom

I'm setting an intention here.  (That's a new thing I'm working on--setting intentions.)  Watch for more posts and we'll see how well it goes, but my intention is to revive this blog and post, oh, let's say once a week.

So here's our super-quick update.  2013 was rough.  I will be honest.  Life was stressful, work was intense and home was very neglected.  It was enough to drive a person who struggles mightily with perfectionist tendencies over the edge (not that I know anyone like that.)

 Nature hike discovery: dragonfly emerging from nymph stage

So we're starting the 2014 school year "behind schedule."  And also ahead of schedule.  We didn't finish our math curriculum, we only read half of our book list, etc.  But the kiddos also learned very important lessons about independent learning, being responsible for themselves, and picking up the slack when Mom and Dad are overwhelmed.  Good life lessons.  

We can always catch up in academics.  Or not--the world won't end if we don't finish that book list!

Feeding lorikeets at the zoo

Daughter Super will officially start 9th grade soon, and son Dude is technically in 7th but he's all over the map academically and will likely do much of Super's 9th grade curriculum with her.  

The kids have always preferred to school together, even though their styles are very different.  Girl wants silence, boy wants music.  Girl hyperfocuses and hates distractions, boy jumps up every few minutes and walks around humming and thinking (yet somehow always manages to complete his work before I'm ready for the next thing.)  

I can't convince them to do different things at different times or to do their work in different rooms--they absolutely insist on sitting together and working together even while driving each other crazy!  

Home-grown mint makes delightful mint lemonade

I'm spending the next few days finalizing our official high school plans.  Most of it is in my head but not on paper, virtual or otherwise, and I really like to see things written down, even if it's constantly getting revised.  I'm a planner.  Plans make me feel secure.  I'm working on the other half of that equation, which is being flexible and letting go of plans when life intervenes.  

 Independence day celebration with friends, food, and fireworks

We'll start school soon, maybe even this week if the kids' social schedule will allow a couple of days of "book work" as we call it.  Dude has been pestering me to get started--he tells me he's had a nice, long break with plenty of swimming, playing video games, and watching stupid videos on YouTube, and is ready to get back to academics.  That's my boy!

Hope you are all having a great summer (or winter, for you southern hemisphere homeschoolers.)  I can't wait to visit your blogs and catch up with your latest adventures!