Summer... Summer... Summertime....

As previously confessed here on this blog, we do NOT take a real summer break. In Mrs. Kastner's Klass we just keep plugging along almost ALL summer, occasionally taking a few weeks off in August. "Sooooooo," you might ask, "what do you DO all summer then?"

Math

1. Math: We finish our math curriculum. Some homeschoolers just get through as much of the book as they can in a school year. I (the QUINTESSENTIAL penny-pincher) prefer to work cover-to-cover, getting EVERY cent out of the curriculum I purchased. So we finish our math books. Often I allow them to take off on their own working at their own pace once summer comes. (Noah POUNDS it trying to finish because he knows that means more time to play Xbox once he finishes Math. Jeremiah just takes his time. Elijah has to be forcibly encouraged to do ANYTHING even Math which he is GREAT at.) Once they are done with their Math books that is one less school task they have to complete each day (until fall comes and bring a brand new book... hee hee hee!). 

Reading

2. Reading: We always have to keep on reading.  This year I started a summer reading program. I gave the older two boys a "Summer Reading List" filled with classic books I had recently stocked my library with (from the $1 section at Target!  OHHHHH do I get GREAT deals there!).  They both just finished Oliver Twist and are now independently taking on The Jungle Book (Noah) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Jeremiah). I gave Elijah and Hannah blank lists to fill in a specified number of books they read this summer. I will admit that I had to offer a monetary reward (well actually it is Gamestop $$$ for the boys and Barbie $$$ for the princess), but for the FIRST time ever, I have caught BOTH of my older boys doing the Jami/Jodi (walking around the house while still reading a book). I welled up with a tear in my good eye!

Fun Fonix

3. Mechanics: This is what I call the bare bones things they need to keep up on in the summer. All my kids pretty much ROCK at math; therefore, this is typically something in the language arts family. (The irony of this fact is NOT lost on me.... the former Grammar Teacher with the English minor.... but my boys just do NOT enjoy reading, spelling, grammar, etc... *sigh*) This summer Noah and Jeremiah are pounding away at some spelling while Elijah and Hannah are doing some phonics work.


4. Bible: We never stop teaching the Word either. We are currently reviewing several passages of scripture we have memorized over the past few years while we take a walk through the Bible. In fact last week, I found a GREAT book for this purpose.... before we were just kinda doing it on our own... this book helped us get a framework to work from.

5. Martial Arts: John is still working to start his Christian Martial Arts ministry Rising Sons Martial Arts. He is using a form of Martial Arts called, Christjitsu. Our 4 kiddos and 1 neighbor kid are his cornerstones. They haven't done Christjitsu since before we went to Georgia as they train outdoors and the heat has been pretty dangerous lately, but typically they do Christjitsu 2x per week.


6. FUN STUFF: We keep on learning through fun stuff in the summer too. Our trip to Georgia to see my brother graduate from basic training was FILLED with learning adventures:  


*first airplane ride for Elijah & Hannah
*first terminal train and monorail ride for many 
*first getting separated in the airport and watching mommy BREAKDOWN in front of tons of people as well
*the graduation ceremony was CHOCK FULL of history and instruction

Tanisha & Dustin took the kids to the Zoo. 

We are also SOON planning trips to the museum and the domes now that mommy finally got her new driver's license (worst DMV photo EVER! I'd rather go to jail then show a cop my ID!)


So anyways.... before you start feeling too bad for those poor Kastner Kids who have to go to school ALL summer long, remember that a lot of what they do in the summer is FUN too (yesterday I read on FB: reading is like dreaming with your eyes open!) and don't forget that all year long the Kastner Kids get to go to school in their pajamas!

Stay cool everybody! 

SUCH a DORK!

I full well know what a dork I am... No one in their RIGHT mind should get THIS excited about school supplies, curriculum, lesson plans.... However this time of year ALWAYS takes me back.... to a time when I got paid to do what I love to do... See right now

1. I have one job where I get paid... period.
2. I have another job where I get paid to do what I like to do...
3.  and I have one job where I don't get paid to do what I love to do...

But when I was a teacher, I got to do what I LOVED to do. I got to plan lessons, impart knowledge, see that light bulb of comprehension go on above a child's head.... and I got PAID (although not very much) to do it!  AWESOME!  This time of year always takes me back a little!

Alas, I digress...

I know how dorky it is to get THIS excited about things like this:

*two weeks ago I bought expensive zipper binders for the boys. 
I searched and searched for JUST the right ones. I needed a 3-ring binder part for their dividers (can I get a WITNESS??? who was in my 6th grade class?  remember the BINDERS???? my kids do them too!!!!)  I also needed file sections for 1.) work to be completed 2.) work to be graded 3.) work to be filed. I found them... paid $10 each for them (nearly puked at the price but rationalized, "They should last more than one year, right???") this was a BIG purchase for me and I hemmed and hawed and loved EVERY minute of picking those binders!

*at least once a week ALL SUMMER LONG I visit the A Beka site...



refill my shopping cart with the books I'm gonna buy... Then hop on over to ChristianBook.com to virtually shop for our math curriculum....

Tomorrow I get to click PURCHASE on my orders.  I'm seriously so excited I'm not sure how I'll sleep tonight!

*I wait with anxious anticipation of the first day of "traditional" school then I wait a few more days... and I CHARGE to Walmart list in hand and snatch up all the clearance school supplies I can fit in my cart.  LOVE IT!  Can't wait for it!

Also, first week of school planning is under way!!!!  It's gonna be a first week of school CELEBRATION like the Kastners have never seen before!

1. Each child gets to pick a favorite meal to be consumed during the first week.
2. The first day we have a CAKE to celebrate.
3. Fireworks!  Last year we did FIREWORKS to celebrate the end of the first day of school... think we'll do those again.
4. Presents!!!!  We're having presents this year!'
(I'm sure there will be more hoopla!  I have over a week still to come up with more crazy ideas! so stay tuned)

9 MORE DAYS!!!!!!