A is for Apple

For over a year now our family has been thinking, praying and researching the idea of homeschooling. We have many different reasons for considering this as an option for our family. While we aren't 100% certain this is the direction we will take for our children's entire education, we feel led right now to at least give it a trial run. We have even considered a co-op program once the kids are actually in grade school. This is a type of program where they would go to a school for 1-2 days a week and then complete the rest of their school week at home. Because of his birthday (which is TODAY!!) Landon won't actually start kindergarten until the fall of 2013. So, I have been working on some preschool curriculum to start doing at home. Landon and I started on Monday and have completed our first week. He is really enjoying it and always asks to "play" more school once it's over for the day. Just in the short time I've been working on curriculum and actually starting with Landon, I've realized that this could possibly be one of the hardest things I ever do as a parent. I know everyone has their own ideas about homeschooling or home schooled children. And to be quite honest if you had asked me before I had children if I would ever home school my answer would have been a definite no. However, the Lord has been placing some new things on our hearts about our role as parents. Please understand that this is a very personal decision and not one we feel is best for everyone. If you would like to read more about some of our thoughts and ideas behind this decision, I will direct you to THIS page. I hate to steal someone elses post, but these seem to be many of our exact thoughts, just said much more eloquently than I could say it. Each week will be based around a letter, a bible story and a memory verse.  This week we worked on the letter "A", our bible verse was, "As for God, his way is perfect." Psalms 18:30 and our story was Adam and Eve. Here is a glimpse at our first week.

 Daddy joined us on this particular day...

 We made airplane cookies...

 Landon chose yellow icing for the cookies...

 Taking a break to eat some of the supplies... 

 This particular day we each got our cameras and went outside to look for things that look like the letter A.

Below are Landon's pictures. He actually had 2 more that somehow got erased. One was from a street sign with an A on it. The other was actually a picture of a satellite dish on top of a house. He pointed out that it looked like a little "a". I thought that was a pretty good one!

Computer time...

 Landon's very first family drawing...

 Our playroom has turned into part school room...