Wow, the seasons of life are flying by!

I am sitting here typing this post while my two ninth graders work on their morning bookwork.

Two students.

TWO.

It is my very first time to have only two children home with me since Addie Mae was born 28 years ago!!

As usual, we started back to “school” in mid August by doing bookwork in the mornings.

I was VERY excited to get back to some kind of rhythm, even though we really did not succeed very well at that until after Chad’s wedding and Labor Day.

I worked for several hours one afternoon to get ready for our school year.

It always involves cleaning our office closet, and then also preparing some of the children’s bookwork.

We still took our traditional first day of school photos, of course!

Here is my line-up!

TATE OWEN, 15 years old, ninth grade

ELIZA CLAIRE, 14 years old, ninth grade

We have a really nice rhythm to our school days, and we are settling in to our school year now, including our afternoon/evening activities that have all started back up after Labor Day.

I wake Tate and Eliza at 7:30 every morning, and they get ready before coming to breakfast.

I still make a hot breakfast most days, and make enough so our working guys, Blake and Lane, can use the leftovers.

(Blake and Lane both leave for work before Tate and Eliza are up each morning.)

A first day of school tradition is an elevated breakfast and a few school supplies as a gift.

We did not have any need for new notebooks, pens, pencils and such, so instead I decided to upgrade Tate and Eliza’s tablet cases because their old ones were dirty, worn out, and meant for younger children.

I also found them each a really cute mug because we like to drink hot tea and hot cocoa during read aloud time each day.

The gifts were a hit!

After breakfast we do our daily jobs, including caring for our animals and gardens.

Then Tate and Eliza have their personal Bible time before we meet up to start our bookwork.

We start with memory work, our Bible study and prayer time, before tackling Math next.

After Math, they work on their grammar and writing books.

Then I read and teach Science to them.

We end our bookwork with our History read aloud, which lasts about 30 minutes or so, depending on how into the story we are!

We have been using Audible for our read aloud sometimes too, which makes it very nice that I can listen along with them.

I do still love to read aloud to any of my children and grandchildren, so I will choose books as often as Audible for sure!

After our bookwork is done for the day, Eliza heads to start her violin practice.

She usually gets one hour of her hour and a half daily practice done before lunch is ready.

After lunch she is still taking piano lessons on line, and has piano Monday-Thursday from 12:30-1:15.

Eliza LOVES her music studies, and it is a big priority in our home over other things!

When Eliza starts her music practices/studies, Tate works on his gardens, in the kitchen, or on a culinary curriculum that he is working through.

Tate also started taking voice lessons in September.

We are very excited about that!!

He has a deep, beautiful voice!

Both Tate and Eliza still love to read as well.

Tate and Eliza both work for our local library.

Lane worked there in high school too!

Tate and Eliza both have paid positions there doing librarian duties and also running some after school programs.

I LOVE the opportunities they have been given!

We also spend some afternoons running to appointments – orthodontist, chiropractor, haircuts, and such.

Our days are full and I am a literal uber driver!!

It is so very sweet to see prayers and plans come to fruition for these two.

I agonized a bit over our plans for this year!!

I want to finish strong!

Life is not the way it was when I had a house full of children to homeschool and care for – so our year this year took much thought and prayer.

I love how the Lord has met me along the way and helped me decide our curriculum, schedule, and activities.

God is so good!!

Our double caboose is in ninth grade!!

Only four more years of school for them!

It goes so fast!!!

I am hanging on tight and enjoying every minute.

So grateful for these two enthusiastic, joyful, easy to teach besties of mine!!

School year 2026-2027, let’s do this!!!