Keeping Up With The Corcorans: Spring At Our Home

Spring is in full gear right now. Although I would tend to say it feels more like summer than spring outside right now. But the wind is fierce and the tornadoes are frequent and the allergies are awful, so it must be springtime in Oklahoma!

We are having a great time enjoying the weather this week. Last Friday, the kids finished their schoolwork for the year! This is the first time in the history of our homeschool that we have finished so quickly and thoroughly. Usually we go until we can't bear it anymore and end up skipping the last chapter or so of books. But not this year. The kids literally finished every page of their books. So we are taking a one month break from school before we start next year's curriculum. (We are on a year round schedule at our homeschool. Oh and I keep saying "our homeschool" because I have yet to think of a nifty name for our school--you know, one that I would be proud to put on report cards and transcripts some day. If you have any ideas, let me know!)

I think the reason we did so well this year was because this was the first year ever that I didn't have someone new added to our school. Either through adoption or just kids getting old enough for school, I've always added more each year. But this year, I still had just 4 kids in school. Next year I will add Bella, but something tells me the transition will be easier with her than it was with the other kids who weren't used to my rules, etc.

As a reward for finishing on time, we bought the kids a trampoline. Yesterday the kids probably jumped for three straight hours, and the only reason they came off was because dinner was ready. It wore them out. They jumped this morning as well, and the only reason I am able to type this blog right now is because they are all napping or resting in bed. Yay!

Our new trampoline!

Liliana said, "I know I look weird mom, but this outfit keeps the bugs off me!" Whatever floats your boat, I guess!

Last night some severe storms started coming our way, and the meteorologists were saying the wind could get up to 80mph so we were a little concerned about our new trampoline still being in our backyard in the morning. Especially after Gary England said that you know it's spring in Oklahoma when you see trampolines flying in the sky. So my sweet, handy hubby went outside at 11pm to anchor that baby to the ground. After a call to one of my Eagle scout brothers to help us figure out which knot to use, he went out to tie it down. And it is still in our backyard today! (Thanks Blake!)

Springtime in Oklahoma also means the coming of one of the highlights of my year--the homeschool convention! It always brings such refreshment to me and our family's vision for our children. And I have to admit, it's like Christmas going through all the new textbooks! At the homeschool convention there are hundreds or maybe thousands of like-minded people there with you, and it's nice to have that encouragement. This year, Voddie Baucham is speaking and doing some workshops, so I am super pumped. And this year Curtis and I got a hotel room downtown by the convention center, so we get to be away for the whole weekend (with Silas, of course!) Not that I am counting down the days or anything, but it's only 3 more days until the convention!!! Okay, I guess I am counting....

And then Miss Bella (aka Babalooloo, Pinkie Pie, or Bella-rella) is having her 5th birthday on Thursday. Seriously, where did my baby go, and who is this fiercely independent, highly spirited kindergartner?! I'll post more after her birthday.