It's time to start researching school plans for next year!

What I learned this year:

• I need to stop worrying about challenging Kayleigh and have some fun with her!
• It is possible to "do school" with a toddlers in the house--that's what pack-n-plays are for! William and Gracie are old enough to entertain themselves with markers and crayons, but Abbi gets to play in the pack-n-play for about 30-45 minutes while we have preschool.
• My desire to keep Kayleigh advancing is simply that, MY desire and totally a pride thing. She's cool with just the preschool that we do and reading her books at rest time.
  
• William just might be reading by the end of next year...I truly thought he would be closer to five or even six, but he might surprise me....not that I intend to teach him to read by the end of next year, just keeping an open mind.
  
• I would love to find a couple homeschooling families to get together with on a weekly or biweekly basis. Kayleigh loves being around older kids, especially boys, plus it would give us adults some grown-up time and people to bounce ideas off of.
• I can plan curriculum, I just really don't want to need to.
• There's more, I just can't think of it right now!

With these things in mind, I think I have decided on the PLAN for next year. Notice the word "plan"; while, I intend to do the following, things beyond my control could arise to change said plan...nothing is set in stone till the purchases are made, and even then there's some wiggle room!

Right now, I am still planning to homeschool Kayleigh for kindergarten and will use My Father's World Kindergarten (MFWK) program along with Five in a Row. I struggled with the MFWK choice because the reading instruction is way below Kayleigh's current reading level, but I am realizing that while she reads at a 2nd grade level, she's not developmentally ready for 1st or 2nd grade Language Art materials, and I have noticed some gaps in certain skill sets. Plus, there are things outside of academics that I would like to have the time to focus on, like piano lessons and everyday life skills, so if next year is review for her, I'm okay with that.

As it looks right now, I will have my two kids plus two, possible three others. I need to check with one of my families to see what their plans are for next year. If it goes like I think it will, I'll have Kayleigh and Tre (both 5 by the end of Oct), and William and one other (either a 2 or 3 year old). MFWK will be perfect, since Kayleigh and Tre can do the full program together and William and the other will be able to join in on some of the activities. Not to mention, I'll be able to buy all that I need, including the Pre-K set from MFW for under $400, and that's if I buy new.

Well, this long and probably not very interesting to most of you!