17 days to go!

We are in the home stretch for our school year. As of today there are 17 days left. Boy, this has been quite a year. I was thinking yesterday how lucky we were this past year. We actually made it through the entire curriculum that I purchased. I tend to be a bargain shopper, which means that everything that can be re-used, will be. I save all of the stuff I didn't use or wasn't written in to use again (mainly this is Suzy's stuff getting saved for Ian). So I usually end up only spending 4-5 hundred dollars a year for both kids! I buy most of my purchases between now and the end of July. Then once we start next year, I'll pick up other things that I don't immediately need (second semester classes).
I am still amazed at how quickly my kids grasp their lessons. I guess there is something to be said for the one-on-one teaching that homeschoolers enjoy. I love the flexibility of teaching at home too. The kids have a desk in each of their rooms and they are at the point now that they just go to the lesson plans that I write out for them a week at a time and "do" their work. If they aren't sure of something, or if they are getting a new concept introduced to them, they come to me and we go over it.
Then I check everything that they did and go over any mistakes. It really isn't as hard of a job than most people think. Don't get me wrong, in the beginning it was a lot tougher since the kids were basically blank slates that needed to learn everything. But it was a natural progression from being a mom teaching the kids to being a teacher.
On another note, Suzy just got accepted to another "club". She is a soprano singer on the pre-teen worship team. The junior high schoolers meet on Tuesday nights. It's a 5 hour a week commitment. She is thrilled! I have to say, she is a talented young lady. And she has guts too! I love to sing, but would never have the nerve to get up on a stage and sing solos in front of dozens of near strangers every week!
Well, I guess this has turned a bit into a pat-myself-on-the-back session...sorry all!