Welcome to Kindergarten

 A couple of weeks before school was about to start, Garrett kept asked Ella if she knew who her teacher was going to be in school.  It was funny to hear her.  UHHHH!  I don't know.    It is hard for her to understand the concept of school other than being at home.  She was too little to remember "school" when the boys went to public school.  She has been very excited about Kindergarten. 

Every morning we start with devotion, breakfast, brush, bed, responsibilities, and then family devotion. Ella has chores now that she has to do as well.  To begin our family devotion time, we first have a jam session.  We turn the music up loud and sing praises to our God.  Wow is this fun.  As a family we are studying catechism.  These are simple questions and answers that teaches and develops a biblical knowledge which in turns develops into their Christian worldview.  Very interesting conversations with this.  We also begin our day with Manners Made Easy. There is a verse from the bible to back up the manners that are expected of kids. 

My favorite part is prayers.  We all hold hands and each child prays.  Youngest to oldest.  I smile with joy to hear the hearts of my children each morning. 

Ella sat with me yesterday during family devotion time

Onto Calendar, Weather Graph, Explode the Code, and Story time with Seth.  Nothing like learning when you are teaching someone else.  After this they play for awhile until I am finished with Garrett.

Time for Saxon Math, Making Words, and Hooked On Phonics.  She is actually "reading" a few books.  Way to go Ella.  She is beginning to recognize words.  So cool to teach a kid to read.  A few frustrations come as well but to hear all the hard work finally pay off  - - is incredible.

Journal time with Garrett  while I work with Seth.  Boy do they have a fun time.  The noise that come from this couch during journal time. 

Then a little read aloud with mom.  We are taking a book then pulling out SS, Science, Art, Language Art Elements.  The program is called Five In a Row.  It is a whole language approach to learning.

So Ella is well on her way to figuring out this school thing.  The hardest part is getting her up and not wearing her PJ's.  I still consider her "little" but oh she is far more than that -she informs us she is "big" now that

she is 5. 

I will post some of her big 5 year old photo session next.

Happy 2011-2012 school year for Ella