back to school

We started school Monday. Sort of.
I thought I'd be waiting a bit longer after the baby was born to get started but it turns out we are a much happier family when we have a little structure and routine to our days. It was time.
I decided to ease into it slowly keeping the expectations low to avoid frustration. I didn't really care what we did as long as we were working on having a "school day" mindset.


Instead of waking up and turning on cartoons, the kids found encouraging first day of school notes and treats at the table. A friendly reminder that this day would be different but good.
I made cinnamon rolls and had an extra cup of coffee while we read from Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing. It was peaceful. We haven't had such a peaceful morning together in a long time.


Tristan worked at some math lessons on his own while the girls sat down to reading lessons with me.
There was no mad rush to get out the door. No lost shoes to find. No scramble to remember lunches and folders and backpacks (We saved that madness for today: the first day of Classical Conversations. I honestly think a whole day of homeschooling my kids is easier than ten minutes of getting them into a car.)
Also no one brushed their hair.


We probably should have brushed some hair. (And I'm pretty sure Kate's shirt was on backwards but at least we made it out of pajamas that day.)
Thankfully the littlest student in the class spent the day looking pretty much like this...

When he did get fussy it was more like this...

And so our school year began. We did something school-like anyway. I may not have it all together but we're doing something. And one day at a time we will keep doing some things until suddenly, as in years before, we will find ourselves at the end of another calendar wondering where the days went but having miraculously accomplished all we set out to do. Or so we hope.