Summer Vacation

Last week I reached my breaking point. There wasn't any one particular thing or event that caused it--just the stresses of life that keep piling on top of each other. The pile got higher and higher---and finally came crashing down. So I made an executive decision---no more school until the fall!

For the past 17 months I have been homeschooling Miss L, pretty much non-stop. We didn't have a summer break last year. We've taken off time for the holidays and birthdays and some time when Baby C was born. But even then, I'd sneak in some phonics or some workbook stuff. I had planned on taking the summer off this year, but not until the normal school break--mid June to late August. But I just couldn't handle another day of it.

We have been on "summer vacation" for only two days---and it has been heavenly. In the past when we've had time off from school, we've been traveling, or I've done record keeping or researched curriculum. And I always had this guilty thought in the back of my mind, telling me that we should keep moving forward with school. I've never really shoved school aside completely, until this week. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I cannot believe the amount of time I have...and the energy I have (even being sick). And I cannot believe how wonderful it has been. I have had time to play with each of my children, cook a healthy dinner, and even do a little deep cleaning. I've had time to lay down in the middle of the day while the younger ones are taking naps--even if it's just for 15 minutes. I have had virtually NO WHINING from Miss A, which is an absolute miracle. And at the end of the day I don't feel guilty for not doing this or that--because I've had time to do it! I could go on and on. It has been so wonderful.

So now what? Let me tell ya, life is so much easier with four when you don't add the dimension of home schooling. I might even be tempted to forget it all together--except that our neighborhood school is ranked 4 out of 10. Yuck. And I think my husband would have a heart-attack if I said I wanted to send our girls to public school. :) So I guess I'll stick it out for another year until we move to AZ, and see what happens then. But let me tell you---I'm gonna ENJOY MY SUMMER VACATION!!!!