Our School Year

School looked very different for us this year as we made some adjustments and changes last year. We switched all the kids to video teaching and sent LB to preschool for the year. I am happy to say at the end of the year that this year was awesome and I am so happy with the changes we made! I feel like each kid did such a good job this year and learned so much! I was able to bounce back and forth easily to help kids where they needed it instead of feeling like I was responsible to make sure all 3 kids in all 3 grades learned everything they needed to know! 

We actually finished our school year very early this year at the beginning of April and we have been enjoying a nice long break. We are still doing some science this summer and I have started another year of preschool with LB.  I am so proud of how hard each of our kids worked and how far they have come! We did it! Another year of homeschool accomplished!

Malachi completed 3rd grade this year. He has always been a great student and this year was no different. 3rd grade was a huge increase in work load for this kid this year and he handled it all so good! I am most proud of how far he came in math, he has struggled a bit with that subject but this year as math really picked up speed he was able to keep pace and actually did a really great job! Malachi is a sponge, so much of what he learns he retains so well. He memorized a whole chapter of the Bible this year, and already remembers more random facts in history than I ever remembered! He is a great student!  I cannot even believe I will have a 4th grader next year!

Nicknames: Mal
How old are you? 9
What is your favorite color? yellow
What is your favorite animal? lion 
What is your favorite book? Diary of a Whimpy Kid
What is your favorite TV show?  Ninjago
What is your favorite movie? Diary of a Whimpy Kid
What is your favorite song? Uptown Funk
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti 
What is your favorite drink? Orange High C 
What is your favorite breakfast food? waffles 
What is your favorite snack? granola bars 
What is your favorite outfit? Polos 
What is your favorite game? Disney Infinity
What is your favorite toy? Legos
Who is your best friend? Eli
What is your favorite thing to do? Play Outside
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Jump on the trampoline 
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 
What do you like to take to bed with you? Elmo
Where is your favorite place to go? Bowling
What is your favorite restaurant?  In N Out
Where do you want to go on vacation? Disneyland 
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Fireman

What is your favorite part of school? Language

What is your least favorite part of school? Math

This year was awesome for Eli! He is still the child who would rather do anything but school, but he came so far this year, especially with a brand new 2nd grade curriculum that actually kept pace with 3rd grade work in a lot of ways.  I am so proud of his perseverance.  He came so far in his writing and spelling skills which have been a weak spot for him (and lets be honest, who enjoys those subjects). He is so fast and good with his math skills and did awesome in reading this year.  I know next year as he conquers a brand new 3rd grade curriculum he will do well too! 

Nicknames: Eli
How old are you? 8
What is your favorite color? red 
What is your favorite animal? monkeys 
What is your favorite book? I like all the books I read
What is your favorite TV show? Minecraft Storymode
What is your favorite movie? Lion King
What is your favorite song? I don't have one
What is your favorite food? bananas
What is your favorite drink? strawberry high c
What is your favorite breakfast food? bacon and eggs
What is your favorite snack? cheese sticks 
What is your favorite outfit? spiderman shirts
What is your favorite game? Minecraft
What is your favorite toy? Legos
Who is your best friend? Malachi
What is your favorite thing to do? Play
What is your favorite thing to do outside? swing 
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 
What do you like to take to bed with you? Lion and Groot
Where is your favorite place to go? Pietro's
What is your favorite restaurant?  Pietro's
Where do you want to go on vacation? DisneyWorld 
What do you want to be when you grow up? Construction Worker

What is your favorite part of school? Math

What is your least favorite part of school? Writing

Sabrina had an amazing 1st grade year! She is the one child who I can pretty much set up with her videos and walk away and know that she will do every last thing her teachers ask of her. She loves school and has the most beautiful cursive handwriting already! I am most proud of how far she came in her reading and spelling skills, reading was something that came really slow for her over her preschool and kindergarten years but you could never tell now because she is such a good reader! It really is true that every kid hits that milestone at a different place but once it clicks, it clicks! She is a smart cookie and I know is going to do great in 2nd grade! 

Nicknames: Bina
How old are you? 7
What is your favorite color? Pink and Purple 
What is your favorite animal? Poodles 
What is your favorite book? I don't know
What is your favorite TV show?  Lego Friends 
What is your favorite movie? The New Aladdin
What is your favorite song?  The Songs from Aladdin
What is your favorite food? Chili
What is your favorite drink?  Coke or Sprite 
What is your favorite breakfast food? Lucky Charms 
What is your favorite snack? Granola Bars
What is your favorite outfit? I don't know 
What is your favorite game? Disney Infinity
What is your favorite toy? Fingerlings or Calico Critters
Who is your best friend? Natalee
What is your favorite thing to do? Play Games
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play on the swing set 
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you? Poodle
Where is your favorite place to go? McDonalds
What is your favorite restaurant?  McDonalds
Where do you want to go on vacation? Disneyland 
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Dog Rescuer

What is your favorite part of school?  Phonics

What is your least favorite part of school? Math

And last and not least we have LB! Sending her to a wonderful preschool was so very good for her and I am so happy with the decision we made for her! Those preschool socialization skills were such a big deal for her! She also started on a great preschool foundation with all those basic skills needed for kindergarten readiness. We knew it was likely with her summer birthday that she would need another year of preschool after this and that is what we plan on doing but I do have to say as I have started another year of preschool at home with her that there are a lot of things that she already knows from her time at school so I do feel that this second year of preschool will be a breeze and really just solidify those concepts in her brain! 

Nicknames: LB
How old are you? 4 1/2
What is your favorite color? orange 
What is your favorite animal? tigers and shep 
What is your favorite book? Daniel Tiger
What is your favorite TV show?  Goldie and Bear 
What is your favorite movie? Aladdin
What is your favorite song? The Hot Dog Song
What is your favorite food? meatballs and noodles
What is your favorite drink? lemonaid 
What is your favorite breakfast food? eggs 
What is your favorite snack? oreos
What is your favorite outfit? a dress 
What is your favorite game? Minecraft
What is your favorite toy? Goldie and Bear
Who is your best friend? Maddox
What is your favorite thing to do? Birthday Parties
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play on the swing set 
What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
What do you like to take to bed with you? Sleep Cap and pink blanket
Where is your favorite place to go? Wendy's and McDonalds
What is your favorite restaurant?  Panda Express
Where do you want to go on vacation? See a Mountain 
What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor

What is your favorite part of school? Snack Time

What is your least favorite part of school? Praying Time

I am so thrilled to be done with another year of school! It really does feel like such an accomplishment for our whole family when we are done. Not much will look different for us when we start back up. Malachi will be in 4th grade and I've heard that it is a very challenging year but I know he will do great, Eli will be in 3rd with a brand new edition of 3rd grade, Sabrina will face 2nd grade, all continuing with video lessons. I will be working with LB this next year at home on preschool. Since we started early (her choice) we may start some kindergarten if she finishes up preschool early.  I am really happy with the path we have chosen this year and feel great clarity that we are on the right path for our family.  We would typically start the next school year in July but a lot of Eli's new curriculum is on back order until the end of July but we will get started just as soon as it all arrives!