Usually, not always...

I was inspired by this blog post I saw the other day to make my own "usually, not always" list. I'm finding so much freedom in homeschooling. Yesterday I over-heard a group of ladies discussing how you know if you are really doing enough homeschooling. I will admit that the thought has crept into my head a few times, because we sure seem to be having a lot of fun (and fun could not possibly equal learning, right?). However, I'm not stressing if we are doing enough. Life happens, opportunities arise, and if we want/can/are able, I love to experience new adventures and not be bound to school all day, every day. We are still on track to finish all curriculum "on time" (which is my self-imposed schedule, so really, "on time" means little to nothing). When my kids grow up, I won't regret that on October 31st, 2014 we didn't do any school work. I might regret not having fun, happy memories though. So...

• We usually, not always, start school at 9 each day. I don't think we started on time once this week.
• We usually, not always, do school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. We skipped Friday this week because we were too busy having fun and going around town to gather free goodies, running necessary errands, attending a church festival, and dinner with friends.
• We usually, not always, go to a co-op on Thursday's from 9-12. We only went 10-12 this week.
• We usually, not always, do All About Spelling at least twice a week. We didn't do it once this week.
• We usually, not always, finish school by 3 each day. Wednesday we didn't finish until 3:40.
• I usually, not always, go thrift shopping at least once a week. I didn't go at all this week.
• I usually, not always, drink Diet Dr. Pepper every day. Who am I kidding? I do always drink Diet Dr. Pepper every day. 

Each week I make each girl a grid of each of their lessons for each day of the week to be completed. Guess what? We didn't check off all the boxes this week. That's okay. This Sunday when I make the grids for next week I will simply move the uncompleted assignments over and we will pick up where we left off. But you know what we did do? We spent a lot of time together. We cleaned the house (with a clear island to prove it), we caught up on laundry, we cooked, and we had a whole lot of fun. Little E read more this week than she ever has before (I still am having a hard time believing my Little E is READING). T told me her favorite subject was reading, H was excited to begin the second book in the Circle C Adventures series, and MK did great with all her work this week without complaint. I call that a successful week.