Class planning and a fun conference

So far this week has been busier than usual.  I am (last minute) preparing some classes to teach for our homeschool co-op beginning next week, and  mentally creating a checklist of all the other to-do's on my list.

It's just one of those weeks.

I feel a little weary right now, but I know it will soon past the moment I knock some of the class planning out of the way.  I am creating this curric from scratch, as many of us do when there just aren't any other resources available on the topic that fits our particular situation.  Fingers crossed, I am hoping that I cross all the t's and dot all the i's before the start of our first day of co-op...at the very least, I want to have an idea of what can technologically work, and what can't , and have a back up plan.  Uh oh...where did the relaxed me go?  (..come back...)

And if you're wondering what I mean by "co-op", it's simply a group (large group, in our case!) of homeschooling parent teachers and our kids, who get together on a regular basis (weekly for us) to offer enrichment classes for our children.    We parents take turns teaching the kids K-12 and rotate on a block schedule basis each hour.  Most of the kids I know, especially NyGirl, loves it with a passion.  It's like her favorite time of the week!  It's where she meets up with her friends in a classroom environment and gets to take "fun classes", as she would describe.  I also enjoy the time chatting with other homeschooling parents.  It gives me a nice break away from the monotony of the week...AND I get to meet new people and make new friends, which I love.

And this weekend we just got in from Atlanta.  It was, seriously, the most awesome homeschool conference experience I have ever had...and not because the conference was so great (though it was pretty good, admittedly)...but because I had LOTS of help with the kids.  My husband was so gracious and let me have a full day of workshops and seminars while he kept the kids for me.  They attended only one, first thing Friday morning, and after that couldn't sit through any others.  And...it was just as I had anticipated.  Two year olds don't sit in conference meetings all day long.  Just won't happen.

So, I went to workshop after workshop, met with my family for lunch, and went back down to the curriculum hall to see if there was anything I wanted.  I didn't buy much-- no curriculum, in fact, since I have more than adequate to cover us for the school year.  But I did find some fun things the girls would enjoy, like a set of Glue Dots, and an antique 1800's paper dolls set for NyGirl.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, we attended the Southeast Homeschool Expo.  We actually missed the one in our state, so this one was the next closest.  I will have to write about our times there in another post when I get a free moment.

Well...on to another day and week of planning for my upcoming co-op class.  Hopefully by next week I should be all done with it and can finally breathe.  Will let you know how that goes...