Alyssa's First Day Of School

Isn't she gorgeous?!?  One of our rules this year is that we have to do her hair every day, which is something she has never let me do, even when she was a toddler.  But we made it four days in a row last week - a lifetime record!  Lately when I look at how beautiful she is or how tall she is getting, or watch her take care of Rebecca I think, "Who allowed her to grow up so fast?"

We've been having home school since Ethan started Kindergarten, but today is Alyssa's first day at MCP (Mid-Columbia Partnership). She has been beyond excited.  This year she's taking "Type To Learn," "Greek and Roman Mythology," and "P.E."  She's also going to participate in Destination Imagination on Thursday afternoons.  We opted for a short schedule at MCP this year, because of the FULL schedule she has at home. On top of her core curriculum classes, she has soccer two nights a week and ballet two nights a week.  Add to that what I am doing: taking Ethan to and picking him up from school, taking care of Rebecca, keeping up with the laundry and the dishes, etc., and you end up with a pretty full schedule.  We're busy, but at least we're not going crazy...yet.

Just after Ethan started Kindergarten Brian and I thought very seriously about sending Alyssa to public school this year.  One big reason is that it would make my life a lot easier, but we were also thinking that she might need a few more opportunities to make friends.  We thought long and hard - well, actually short and hard, because we had to decide fast - and we came to the conclusion that between MCP, ballet, and soccer, she'll have some good social interaction, and that because of MCP and K12, she has the opportunity for a better education by keeping her at home.  My sister gave me some good advice to just take it year by year.  I would love to home school the kids for their whole Kindergarten through High School careers, but there may come a time when sending them to public school will be a better opportunity for them.  We'll just have to see each year.

And for those of you wondering, because you probably are...Why are we sending Ethan to Kindergarten?  There are many reasons, actually.  For one, Kindergarten is fun!  Kindergarten teaches social and classroom rules.  The students learn how to listen to a teacher, how to respect others, how to take care of a classroom, how to be responsible with their homework.  So many things! And the biggest one of all: Ethan loves it!  It would make me sad to not have him at home, but we might end up sending him to school indefinitely.  I guess that's another thing we'll have to think about each year.  His personality was made for school.  He loves the structure and the work. 

Anyway, things are pretty busy over here, but we're enjoying it all - or maybe everything except the laundry...and the dishes.