today

I was sitting here

in our schoolroom

(I really did JUST take these pictures)

listening to the sound of Legos dumping out upstairs…

And I happened to see my blog on a tab in Firefox and decided to blog. The kids were only supposed to be on a 10 minute break, but it is at 15 and climbing… oh well.

I have not done a homeschool post in a LONG time… and I should expound on this post I did a while ago cause I really didn’t explain myself well.

In March, I took a side job as the Administrative Assistant to the State Manager of our homeschool community. At the end of May, this same State Manager (who happens to be a member of our local community) called me and asked me if I would consider being the Director of our community as the current Director (also a good friend) wanted to move into our Jr/Sr High program as a Challenge B Director. I was speechless. I had planned on being a tutor this year – but this was new… but I said yes.

It has been quite fun – although a lot of work over the summer since we more than doubled in size in our state (from 7 to 17 communities) and I was trying to wrap my mind around what being a Director is all about. We had Family Practicums and conference calls and meetings. These are both paid positions – so it is nice to bring in some extra money. It is awesome that both positions expect that my kids are involved and most of it can be done at home on my own schedule (= up very late at night)

As a Director, I am in charge of bringing families in to the program, collecting tuition and fees, purchasing, organizing and providing supplies for the Art and Science we do each week, hiring contracted tutors, finding and building a relationship with the facility we meet at, and making sure the program is run as it is supposed to be. There are 4 directors in our community – I run the 4–12 y/o programs which are called ‘Foundations’ and ‘Essentials’, and 3 other directors run the 12-18 y/o programs called ‘Challenge’. The corporate team in NC provides SO much support and guidance and a standard operating procedure that really sets the stage for all we do. But as we all know – rules and guidelines are one thing – people provide the exceptions to every rule.

Our community started on September 6. I have 23 families in my two areas of the program – a total of 49 kids, 22 of which overlap into the second level of our program. It has been a very busy start to the year. I am already thinking ahead to next year as I know it will be so much smoother; things that were hard this year wont be next year cause I will have a CLUE of what I am doing.

At home, things are off to a good start. We are studying American History this year – FUN FUN FUN!

We are also doing a Human Anatomy unit – this nurse-mama is really excited about that! We have learned about skin – you should have heard Ryan explain how we get goose-bumps to Leroy over dinner. It was priceless.

We are working on making it to the Library once a week and it has been really fun to get books about whatever we are studying that week. And going once a week helps ensure that we do not accrue late fees – 15c a day for 20 books adds up QUICK!

Nate is not fully reading yet – but he is writing A LOT.

Picture #1 – Written to my parents when they came to visit after their cruise to Alaska. It says “Why did you go to Alaska? Nathan” and “Wrote by Ryan and Nathan – Welcome home”

#2 – “I love my family – Nathan [Slemmer]" He knows how to spell his last name; I think that is why he didn’t finish writing – he realized he had spelled it wrong. Funny dude.

Well – the natives are restless. The 10 minute break is going on an hour now… and now it is time for lunch.

I hate lunch.

Jenn