Using FB as ablog....

I realize Ive been using Facebook as my blog instead of my blog so, I'm going to work on changing that.

I wanted to link my FB post from yesterday.

https://www.facebook.com/annemarieanderson01/posts/10151668428421615

After said post, we all went on a gorgeous bike ride that ended with all of us dressed in gauze & ingesting ibuprofen ;).

Rigorous curriculum

Anderson Academy Hits All Time High Enrollment!

Ok, so, it's only been 6 months since my last post.   I have a quiet morning where I'm awake early enough to do a blog post, my Bible study and text a friend because, why just have a quiet morning? 

 So, I've been asked, "How is Hauteschooling(I'm going to trademark this so don't run out and do it first, k?) going? "  quite a bit lately so, I figured I'd post.  I have no idea how it's going :-).
I figure I'll be able to evaluate that in 20 years and if my kiddos aren't in prison and they are making the world a better place than how they found it, SUCCESS!  If they land in prison, they'll be safer behind bars, because they'll have to answer to ME when they get out, for all of this crazytown time and energy I spent constructing this homeschool life thing that I never thought I would do.  I could have been working this hard for CREDENTIALS for cryin' out loud! or MONEY!  You get the idea.  It's a spiritual road we're on as well, (Ask me.  You'll believe it.  Or, at least you'll let me believe it) so, all is not lost for sure. 

To sum up and wander all over the place... here goes (sorry Kate - grammar may suffer pains):

We had a wonderful summer that was peppered with some very tragic life events.  Our community lost a dear friend in the neighborhood and he and his family are always close to my heart and mind and in our prayers.  Also, a dear, dear friend has been re-diagnosed with breast cancer and she and her family are daily in our hearts and thoughts as well.

The kids enjoyed swim team, piano and gymnastics.  I did NOTHING for school except for Kumon.  Well, ok, so that isn't nothing, it is Kumon.  It's every day.   However, it felt like nothing compared to the rigor that we were used to.  It was wonderful, and we seemed to occupy our time with things that were fun and summer-ish.

In May, I scheduled a teacher appreciation getaway with a fellow hauteschooler.  She and I just got away to Vail for 24 hours, yet it felt like a decade.  We saved our pennies and had NO SCHEDULE.  Our travelocity just fell in synch (a God thing- ask me - you'll believe it - or, at least you'll let me believe it) and we just happened upon a spa, a restaurant, slept in till 10.  Got to breakfast by 11am.  aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.

It was so emotional watching Grant go through his ADORABLE preschool graduation at Cherry Hills Christian School.  Wow.  He had been there for three years.  More than 1/2 his life.  That is amazing.  The teachers there, Ms. Erin, Ms Sandy, Ms Brueker, Ms. Connor - all transformational in his development and love.  Now, he's in my (God's) hands - yikes.

The kids were enrolled in theater camp after swim team ended, for three weeks, with a big production at the end.  I was BLOWN AWAY!  It was through Rocky Mountain Theater Camp for Kids and I have never seen anything more put together (and yet w/o caddy competitiveness) in my life.  The director seemed to know a LOT about herding cats AND teaching a professional level of production with 5-8 year olds.  We are DEFINITELY doing that again next summer.

We then went to a family camp in August at Trail West in Buena Vista.  Another Anderson tradition begun.  What an incredibly fulfilling week.  Spiritually.  Emotionally.  Physically.  I had no idea what I packed, and it didn't matter.  We were just happy as pigs and could do as much or as little as we wanted.  So great to just be the 4 of us with a bunch of strangers enjoying the outdoors.  Kids so distracted by running in the trees they'd wet their pants.  Now, isn't that a great testimony to a good time?

The school year was fast approaching and I switched to a Classical Education Curriculum (insert minor panic attacks).  I had the kids go through academic assessments and both were on target, if not ahead of grade level.  Grant continues to prove cognitively gifted (99.9%) and Ginger incredibly so at reading comprehension and problem solving/relationship assessment.

So, time to revamp the classroom.  I am fully committed.  Last year, Ginger was using a file cabinet as a desk and we didn't change a thing about what used to be Ryan's office.  In early August, I got a wild hair and, after finding old paint in the garage, the dark 70's wood-paneled built-in bookshelves were painted white and my Dad's antique desk was relocated to the family room.  I resolved to navigate IKEA successfully (more major panic attack) for supplies and purchased clearance desks from Crate and Barrel.  I removed the dark plush rug and replaced it with a white shag and big floor pillows.  My desk is a beautiful glass top on top of a white base and our swivel chairs are black and white.  Very modern, bright - LOVE IT!  I even made a sign with the Anderson Academy crest to make it official.

2 months in, working our tails off.  I am struggling a bit (constantly tweaking), because of our schedule.  I am in three different studies for my own enrichment and theirs (believe me, you would yourself if you had these two in your hands),  Ginger takes ballet downtown 4 times a week (1st year in The Nutcracker) and I want Grant to have his own thing (he has soccer, but it's not really engaging).  So, when Ryan wakes up this morning, unbeknownst to him yet, I'm going to chat about Grant going to Jiu Jitsu Mondays, Weds and Thursdays and even Saturdays when he doesn't have a conflicting soccer game.  That way, I can drop him off and Ryan can pick him up and he's not coming downtown with me three days a week.  I am just feeling for the poor kid having to wait with us at the restaurant around the way.

I am also really divided about pulling out of a morning activity next semester - but I want the kids to just have a down day where they are not rushing around and yet aren't bored.  I want one day where we just do school in the morning and then we play.  That's still up for discussion.  I refuse to give up our CBS Bible study.  That I know.

The kids are in the Options program through Cherry Creek School District - which I love - I think that is still a great thing, until we get into a Classical Conversations Community (group that meets once a week doing the same curriculum I am).  They go to art and science at the neighborhood school, Carl Sandburg, then piano at the neighborhood teacher's house - it's a hilarious circus of an education.

I love the hybrid of public/private/homeschool/athletics.  The kids get exposed to a LOT of different situations that they never would have exposure to otherwise.  In any given week, the kids are in the urban environment, rural, purely homeschooled kiddos, neighborhood friends, adults, babies, church, unschoolers, earthers (read: Boulderites), grandparents, etc.

We have so many people in the kids' lives on a consistent basis, I hope that this schedule printout gives some a better idea of how often the kids are with the same friends, to really build that ever-important "socialization" piece I keep hearing about.  Mommy time is anytime during "school" that I'm freaking out and need a break - all day Friday is M-I-N-E.  Also, hubbs has sponsored many mommy vacations (ie silent retreat, trips to NYC, etc).

I think what I have to surrender more and more is what other people think.  I do admit though, I'm grateful for feedback (postitive and otherwise) - I need to keep in check the why behind what I'm doing, and aim for the balance.
To answer the most common feedback:
"So, when are your kids around other kids?"  (every day)
"You need a break from each other (that's why you look so tired)."  (The rest of a laborer is sweet and, we do get breaks from each other)
"How long are you really going to DO this?!?!?!"  ( I don't know)

I know those conversations happen with everyone.  No matter what the situation.  Other people mean well, but sometimes words are tougher to overcome when you have such high stakes - so much weight on your shoulders - with anything you are doing.


Things I haven't done well:  getting to the gym, getting to the gym, getting to the gym.
Balancing fun time with Grant.
Ginger has decided to take a back seat to her brother's enthusiasm in answering questions and settling in to "getting by" - but, the good news is, I can address that now, instead of her slipping unnoticed through the cracks, in the back of the classroom.  There IS no back of the classroom.

Miracles I've seen this year:
I still see God in all of this. (Ask me.  You'll believe it.  Or, at least you'll let me believe it)
I see more God in my son and daughter. (Ask me.  You'll believe it. Or, at least you'll let me believe it)
Grant and Ginger becoming better and better friends.
I haven't died.
The kids haven't died.
I haven't had any wine for lunch.


What I need:  To get to the gym :-).  Find my gluteus muscles again, so I can walk like a normal person.  Finish my real estate website/app thing.  Make another app for homeschooling. Get to the gym.