10 Reasons I'm Excited About Next School Year

I am joining IHomeschool's Network 10 in 10 (a 10 week series). This week's 10 in 10 is, 10 reasons I'm excited about next school year.

1. School Supplies ~ I love school and office supplies, especially when they are on sale.
2. Organizing the School Room ~ We don't actually have a room, which makes organizing key to a successful year. The children need to know what they are responsible for each day and a place to put supplies when they've finished.
3. A New Curriculum ~ Last year we used a computer based curriculum and I am so excited to switch to a Unit Study this year.
4. Field Trips ~ We are studying American History, so we are planning some great field trips. We are in a fabulous, historical area.
5. Homeschooling Only ~ Last year I burned up the road and our wallet going to co-op and classes. Not this year.
6. I'm Teaching ~ In the past, We have picked curriculums where the children are self-taught. This year, I can keep them on track by teaching them each day.
7. Electives ~ I have planned more time for Art, Projects and Science Experiments, the Fun Stuff.
8. 4 Day Week ~ I can adjust my schedule, this year, to a four day school week instead of five.
9. Read Alouds ~ I didn't make reading to my children a priority last year, because they fell behind in their school work. I love the bond that reading brings between my children and I. 
10. April, 2013 ~ We will be finished in April, instead of June! Hurray!

This is my Top 10 list for this week. Join me each Tuesday for my new Top 10.

7-11 Day is on Wednesday ~ Free Slurpees

7-Eleven is offering free 7.11-oz slurpees on July 11, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. We went in May for the special, so I guess we will just have to go back to our friendly, neighborhood 7-11 again. We love this treat!

Dress Like A Cow and Get Free Chick-fil-A

On July 13, 2012, if you stop by Chick-fil-A dressed like a cow, you’ll get a free meal at Chick-fil-A.
If you’re too chicken to dress from head-to-toe like a cow, you can wear anything cow-related and you’ll get a free entree.
There are a bunch of pictures posted here from readers who dressed up like cows if you need ideas or inspiration for your costume. We have done it every year, but not fully dressed head to toe. I'm going to see what I can come up with this year and post pics. My older children say they are too old, but we'll see ; )

Thing To Do # 12 ~ Flip His Own Pancake

If you're going to learn to flip pancakes, all by yourself, your Mom might as well make it special ; ) I used a normal, just add water mix and added a little extra water to make it runnier. I just freehanded the pouring from a bowl, but I have seen people use recycled ketchup bottles or other bottles to squirt the ABC's

I stood him on his stool, next to the griddle, and told him to wait for the bubbles. It didn't take long and they were ready to flip. He slid the spatula all the way under his letter "K", to make sure all the edges were loose and FLIP. My little man is learning how to cook. When he was finished, he added maple syrup and some blueberries to the pancakes and Enjoyed.

Blueberry Picking

I love this season, all the fresh fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, Blackberries and Cherries are in season. We are pulling up beans, squash and cucumbers everyday.

We have had a heatwave on the East Coast but we were all home this fine Sat. morn and my husband decided this would be the perfect day to go Blueberry picking. Woooh! It was 85 when we left at 9:30 and it was only going to get hotter.

We get there and everyone gets a bucket. Our motto is "Many hands make light work" so we thought we would get in and get out with tons of berries. 10 minutes later, "Mom, are we done yet" says my preschooler. "Mom, can you get me some water", "Mom, I'm really hot, can we go". We gave him water, propped him up under some shade and gave him a bucket. "Here honey, pick these berries right here around you." We weren't there for much longer but we had a great, sweaty, time and made a new memory. 

It's Hot! We need a Model!

Wow! It's Hot.
When it's hot my children don't want to go outside, so they're spending a little too much time together in close quarters. I got an email from Michaels and Hobby Lobby for their holiday coupons and now I know what I'm going to get...plastic models. My older boys got a Step 2 model that needs to be glued and painted. My preschooler gets a Step 1, they are Snap Tite, snap together. Hindsight, I should have gotten a larger model to work with, this one had smaller pieces. He had some trouble, a few lost pieces, but I didn't mind helping him finish. It will keep my older boys busy for hours. : )

Birthday on a Budget ~ The Cake

It's all about the Cake! This is an ice cream cake we bought, I have yet to try and make an ice cream cake. 

One summer, when my children were smaller, I was looking for a little hobby, something to look forward to and get me out of the house. I decided to take the Wilton Cake Decorating Course. It would save a lot of money to make the cakes, for all of my little ones, myself. I loved the 1st course, then took the 2nd, then the 3rd. I made a little business for myself, but it was very stressful with all the little fingers that could possibly go into the cake I just made for someone.

 I will show you you how to do your own transfer onto a cake, of any character, from your coloring book.

Vacation In The Outer Banks

I love a vacation. We came back well rested and had a great time. My husbands philosophy about vacationing is, Do what you can't do at home, so we spent a lot of time on the beach. We went to 2 of the 3 lighthouses and just drove by the Bodie Island lighthouse that is being renovated. Then, we took a Ferry ride to Ocracoke Island to hear the Legend of Blackbeard (my children are suckers for hearing a good, mysterious tale). Finally, we went fishing and ate some great seafood and treats.

Vacation Tips for Preschoolers: Have a bag of entertainment
                                                 A working dvd player with good movies
                                                 A video game system with fun games
                                                 A cookie sheet with magnetic letters, paper dolls or car cut-outs
                                                 Busy Bag
                                                 Crayons and Coloring pages
                                               
(Cookie Sheet Template coming soon)