...and it begins

That moment you've waited for. The excitement building. The days drawing ever so slowly shorter. Yes. You can hear it coming. The abundant, internal orchestra that rings in her mind: curricula, lesson plans, and unit studies! 

It seldom starts at all. In fact, if you are like me, you are constantly searching out the best curricula, signing up for all the other homeschool blogs and oh my goodness -- the FREEBIES they offer! 

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We are blessed to live in a state that does not require specific curriculum programs. And living on a tight budget makes it sometimes a very daunting task in trying to get the best for the least amount of money. So I spend countless hours digging through websites for samples, freebies and other offers, combining them with books from the local library, online media and other resources to offer my children the best of what they need to know. 

Our system is simple: Read it, write it, math it, and apply it in life. Each day, the kids work on a variety of material and just a little bit of 'busy work' to keep them interested. But none of that comes without the tune of hard work on my part. 
Today alone, I've found various sources to incorporate into the upcoming school year. And I constantly have to apply my own brakes to keep from planning 'too much'. 

But what is too much? I ask myself this question daily. And the answer is always the same. Too much is just right. Because you never know when a unit study might need a random worksheet, a field trip, or a library day to make the learning that much stronger. 
As I close, I will leave you with this tidbit of advice: do what works for you. Bloggers like myself often claim to have found the 'perfect curricula, the perfect schedule, the perfect way...' but I must be brutally honest: What works for one, might not work for another. Your level of perfection is just as you feel. 

Happy planning!