{photos by Joy Erb}
We’re back with another Day in the Life, this time from Joy Erb. John and Joy Erb are a Track B family in their 8th year at SLOCA, with four kids in the program: Katie (UMS), Austin (LMS on B4), Cameron (Primary), and Colton (Jr. K). You can imagine how busy life is for this big family, and here’s a taste of one of their homeschool days:
A Home-School Day at the Erb House/Car:
Wednesday September 17, 2014
6:45 – Austin (11) wakes up and begins to get ready for his school day on B4.
7:00 – Alarm goes off, and I roll out of bed. A quick splash of water on my face, a quick prayer and I throw on some workout clothes.
7:30 – Austin's lunch is made, backpack packed, and B4 TO-DO list reviewed. Katie(13), Cameron(7) and Colton(4) are still snoozing…
8:00 – Austin leaves for school with the carpool – YAY for carpools!!! Little boys and Katie wander out and eat cereal.
8:30 – We all jump in the car and zip over to the orthodontist while Katie gets adjusted and I sit in the car reading to the boys. Cam also reads aloud to Colton and me from a book we checked out at the SLOCA library.
(In case you missed it, click here to read last week’s blog post where Joy talks about our SLOCA library!)
9:00 – Back home for an hour, Katie works independently on history journal while I check Cameron's morning jobs (make bad, get dressed, pick up room). So simple, yet there is always something that is forgotten. After that Cameron listens to Story of the World on CD and colors. I overhear Cameron saying to Colton, “Mom want us to do paper dolls.” “Humpf,” is the response. 30 minutes later I spy the finished product, nicely done. I guess they didn't mind after all. 
10:00 – Back in the car to run Katie over to tennis lessons. This time I've packed a bag with Cameron's grammar, phonics, and spelling books. We meet another SLOCA family at the courts. We both spend about 30 minutes in the car doing school, and then it's recess at the park! Moms chat while everybody plays. Ahhhhh….. 
11:00 – Back home for more work. Katie does Algebra homework, asking a few questions along the way. Cameron sits down to trace the Hagia Sophia, one of his favorite ways to “draw.” I don't mind, since it builds hand strength and makes for a nice journal entry. Colton asks for some beans to put his lego guys into.
I read Marguerite Makes a Book to the little boys and we whip up some egg white as a paint base. Saffron flakes make a wonderful yellow, while shredded carrots stuffed into a sock squeeze out a bright orange tint.
The excitement builds as they use their homemade paints on paper. We pack up our paints in prep for a fun outing.
1:45 – Jump in the car and head to SLO.
2:00 – Drop Katie off at violin.
2:30 – Pick up Austin at SLOCA. Return library books and check out new ones.
2:45 – Pick up Katie from violin. Head to a friend's house for a homeschool party! – making a color wheel with paint made out of weird stuff. (Way to go Mr. Kinnear!)
(There’s a blog post on this too, written by another SLOCA mom – did you catch this Magical Moment last week?)
3:00 – More fun socializing with moms as the boys do their art project and littles play at the water table outside.
4:00 – Back at home Katie finishes science journal, latin and logic. I pencil down a narration of the Byzantine Empire from Cameron, reminding him of what he heard earlier. (We really should do the narration right after the reading!) Copywork is completed and glued into the journal.
5:00 – Cameron sits down to work on math before dinner, because if you don't work…. you don't eat.
5:30 – Daddy comes home early from work! Leftover chicken soup is served.
6:00 – Katie and I leave for SLO – youth group for her and a Youth Symphony parent meeting for me.
9:15 – We return home to a less that orderly house, but enjoy the sight of Daddy asleep in the boys’ bunk bed.
So fun, Joy! There are some great ideas here for getting things done even on a busy day, and your love of learning shines through it all. Thank you for sharing a day with us!
