It Starts!
I spent today planning the next four months of my daily activities down to the fifteen minute mark. If that doesn't sound like fun, then you must not be a homeschooler. Actually, I'm in no way to be confused with a fun homeschooler (like Shez, whose kids get to do really cool stuff). I'm a school-at-home homeschooler and as such, I'm rather boring. This means that I try to duplicate what is a pretty rigid "school environment" in our house, 7:30-2:00, at a desk (with breaks, don't worry), homework (if the work is not done during the school day), snack, lunch, recess, etc. This also means that I am no fun, except when I get animated talking about Algebra, or pre-Algebraic math and cool science things, or diagramming confusion. Then I can be fun. Of course, this is solely my opinion.
When we had 2 students in our exclusive private school, American Classical Academy (do you see the "A is A" in our logo, or is it too subtle?), we built a warm and colorful school room onto our house complete with a specially designed 4' square chalk/write-on/wipe-off board (chalk to satisfy the History teacher, write-on/wipe-off to satisfy everyone else, 4' square to balance the huge painting of a nekkid Howard Roark on the opposite wall - not so subtle and always a hit with the homeschooling kids and their mothers, by the way). 
When our enrollment decreased by 50% 22 months ago, we found the space too big to heat for just the one student. Now we work, back to back in a tiny loft library space with our desk chairs in a constant battle for best position. Oddly, even under these circumstances, I am looking forward to beginning again on Wednesday.
When we had 2 students in our exclusive private school, American Classical Academy (do you see the "A is A" in our logo, or is it too subtle?), we built a warm and colorful school room onto our house complete with a specially designed 4' square chalk/write-on/wipe-off board (chalk to satisfy the History teacher, write-on/wipe-off to satisfy everyone else, 4' square to balance the huge painting of a nekkid Howard Roark on the opposite wall - not so subtle and always a hit with the homeschooling kids and their mothers, by the way). 
When our enrollment decreased by 50% 22 months ago, we found the space too big to heat for just the one student. Now we work, back to back in a tiny loft library space with our desk chairs in a constant battle for best position. Oddly, even under these circumstances, I am looking forward to beginning again on Wednesday. In any case, while I seem to be unable or unwilling to read, digest, and write on any matter of importance these days, at least I can still recognize good writing on important issues. In that light, I happily send you to The Obsolescence of the Fifth Column by Stephen.
Comments
Love the logo!
Anyway, I'm in the same psychological position as you, although our school starts tomorrow. And we're having their best homeschooling friends over tomorrow afternoon.
Hope you have a great year!
I have to make a tight schedule otherwise things will fall apart in the second hour, let alone by second month.
7:30-12 is truly the work period (with lunch in there before history at 11:30). After that we have things like art, chorus, writing co-op (the latter two of which are rather like controlled play dates with her best friends) and anything that else that needs to get done or seems interesting.
Here's to our kids finding the tremendous satisfaction and joy that comes from real understanding!
I think an extended visit from grandparents can be quite an education. Have a great time. And don't worry about Hanna. (I finally figured out who Hanna was. I really need to watch the news more often.)