These are the Best Days

One of the things I'm enjoying right now is having time for some of those simple things that often get pushed to the side.  For me, having a schedule is freeing.  By sticking to it we get right down to work, which means we get more done in less time and we can fit in a few extras - things we know are worthwhile and good but otherwise don't always make time for - like nature journaling, walks, games, or having friends over.

I simplified our schedule by cutting out a few subjects that just weren't that important to us.  Now we can spend more time focusing on what we really need and want to learn. 

And a hard decision - but perhaps the best one this year - has been to limit the number of away-from-home commitments.  In the past we have participated in many wonderful  learning opportunities.  But although we enjoyed them, it did cause some stress.  We had to cut our mornings short, gulp down a quick lunch, and rush out the door on a regular basis.  And while we hope to take advantage of some of those things again sometime, for now we are opting out. 

 We're just as busy as ever, but it's a more relaxed sort of busy.  And we can choose to go out - or not - as it suits us. 

And I am just so thankful for my older kids.  Although I have assigned them time with the little ones in the past, this is the first year that I have been able to have them take responsibility to the extent that I can work  all morning with the younger ones without having to pause to deal with a dirty diaper or some other more-or-less urgent matter. 

All this is what I meant when I mentioned in my last post that I was feeling on top of things.  I certainly don't 'have it all together.'  Far from it!  And I'm not nearly as organized as many other homeschooling moms that I know.  I haven't developed any wonderful lesson plans or long lists of goals for each child.  Some day I may have time for that, too.  I'm just thankful for what we have now. 

Lately I've been thinking, "These are the best days."  Our family is young enough that all our children are still home with us.  Our youngest is still a baby (sort of, but I can't say that for much longer). We have little ones to keep us laughing and big ones to laugh with.  What more could we want?