Five More Years

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I hinted in my post about 2022 in review that we have five more years with the kids before they both go to college. Actually, it is five years with the youngest. The oldest is in ninth grade, which means we only have three more years with him at home. I am not counting the next semester.

Christmas tree with gifts

Our 2022 Christmas tree with some of the gifts for the kids

When our oldest was eight years old, I wrote a post about having him at home for 10 more years. I re-read it recently and smiled. He is 15 now. Where have the last seven years gone? Continue reading »


Registering for the New School Year

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In Tennessee, one must register to homeschool either with an umbrella school or with the local public school system. Umbrella schools typically cost around $50-$110, while the Superintendent’s Office is free. Some umbrella schools will ask you to test with them once a year. The public school will only make you test in 5th, 7th, and 9th grades.

Painting Clocks

The kids painted seven wooden clocks for newly remodeled rooms at Zoder’s Inn and Suites.

Our umbrella school is Berean Christian School in Knoxville. We can register by mail because we have been with them for at least three years and do not have a rising Kindergarten student. Continue reading »


Lessons from the Twentieth Week

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The most important lesson for me this week was this: we can fit 20 weeks in the first semester. I am glad I have been keeping track with the blog. This leaves us with 16 weeks for the second semester.

Girl with loom

Our daughter with her bracelet-making loom

When you are a homeschool educator, you make your own schedule. It helps to have a rule of thumb to divide and conquer the academic year. I knew we needed at least 150 days before our annual standardized test in mid-March. Now I know this also means 20 weeks before Christmas break. Continue reading »