Friday, June 22, 2012

Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with the Over-Worked Postman

I'm just going to be honest right up front. We didn't get a thing done this week. What we did was answer the door. Open a box. Answer the door. Open the box. Answer the door. Open a box. Over and over.

It was our most favorite time of the year. Box Day!  Or Box week, to be more accurate. I finally ordered our curriculum for next year.

First, and foremost, I'd like to give a shout out to all the companies that I ordered from. Each and every one of them sent me a confirmation email detailing my order, notified me of shipping and included tracking links, and got my orders to me in under a week. Not to mention that the boxes contained packing lists.  After last year's curriculum fiasco, that started with a shipping nightmare, I really appreciate good customer service.

So to Sonlight, Timberdoodle, Math-U-See, Christian Book Distributors, The Critical Thinking Company, and Joy Center of Learning...you rock! I'll gladly throw my money your way again.

But our poor postman. Nine boxes. He had to get out of that truck nine times. The poor dear. Well only eight times, as Mr. Fed Ex brought the Sonlight box. (And he got off easy because that was only 20 lbs this year.) And thank you Mr. Postman for not trying to shove them in our teeny, tiny little box for once. Your effort to walk up our drive in this heat is appreciated.

The most important box was, of course, the Sonlight box. It is always, hands-down, our favorite arrival because 40 pounds of books goes over big when you have three book-aholics in the house. Except that this year the box was only 20 pounds.

It was a little light this time around because we weren't ordering a full core this time. Mackenzie is going to finish up Core F, Eastern Hemisphere. It's so fascinatingly awesome that we've been taking our time with it and savoring the learning. Not to mention adding in Review Crew items.  I imagine she'll be done with it by January or February so we'll get a 40 pounder then.

So what was in the box? Well we updated core p 4/5 for Kayleigh. Ours is seven years old so we thought we'd update it for her since she'll basically be using Mackenzie's hand-me-down curriculum for the rest of her life. It's the least we could do. She was so excited with her books. She already has a favorite and has been taking it every where and "reading" it. Bless her precious little heart.

All Mackenzie got was Artistic Pursuits since she won't be taking art at our co-op next year. (She wants to take dance lessons again and something had to give. Although if that ankle doesn't start behaving she'll be sitting in a chair doing nothing. Ugh!) Mackenzie was particularly thrilled with the drawstring tote meant for her art supplies. It now houses library books.

In other boxes...We ordered our Math-U-See, Apologia Swimming Creatures w/experiment kit, Word Roots, Growing with Grammar. We're trying Institute for Excellence in Writing this year and Life of Fred. Mackenzie was over the moon for the Life of Fred books. Actually my husband and I were enjoying them too. LOL I think they'll go well with her Math-U-See.

Kayleigh also got a few things from Timberdoodle: Purpllinkers for letter fun, Language Lessons for Little Ones (I saw it over at Delightful Learning and had to have it lol), and a cute little math book from The Critical Thinking Co.

I was going to do a detailed list of next year's curriculum with this post but I've changed my mind. I need to watch Whale Wars now. LOL

I don't even know why. It irritates me. I don't want to see the whales slaughtered but the ridiculousness and hypocrisy of the Sea Shepherds infuriates me and makes me root for the whalers every time. Seriously. If only they wouldn't kill the poor whales I could stop feeling badly about that. I might have to go donate some money to a save the whales program not run by nut buckets.

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17 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh it sounds like heaven at your house... especially the Sonlight box!!!

Our poor UPS man really gets a workout with me. I'm forever ordering books from Amazon, so usually 3 times each week he makes the long walk up the driveway and sidewalk to my front door. The dog doesn't even bark at him anymore, how sad is that??

Have fun! and... thanks for linking!

Modest Mama said...

I love curriculum arrivals at our house! It's like Christmas!!!

Patty said...

Our Fed-ex guy loves us - with our orders for homeschool and online shopping, he usually waits around to tell us thanks for keeping his job secure! Enjoy the new books!

we are using Sonlight core B+C this year for the first time. I am already thinking it'll take us way more than just one year! I'm glad to read that you felt comfortable working slowly through it and letting it soak in. Check out our blog as I attempt to add some notebooking and projects to it! www.cominguproses.webs.com

B. Martin said...

Curriculum arriving is as good as Christmas! We love, OK I love, when those boxes come rolling in!

Joelle said...

I envy you. Love these kind of days too. Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy too many curriculum, sigh.
I love the pics of your kids hugging the books. Too cute!

Unknown said...

What a fun week! Looks like our Box Day won't be happening until mid to late August. It's hard to wait! And so close to when we start back! But we won't know about Jake until 8/1 (and I'll save a boat-load of shipping if I order all the curriculum at once). Jake? Although he's only going into 8th grade, we're applying for 9th grade acceptance to a new charter high school in the city that focuses on technology, math and sciences. They only accept 80 freshman...and we have some worries, but overall it looks like an AWESOME opportunity for him. (It'll be weird not having him home though!)

So, any suggestions for growing book lovers? Sam DOES NOT want to read!

Kirsten @ homeschool discoveries said...

So fun! I love boxes of books! And stacks of them and bags of them...LOL! I end up spreading my purchases out and trying to buy used for lots of things..so I don't get the thrill of one box week...but lots of little pkgs over a few months is fun too!

Pebblekeeper ~ Angie said...

Nut Buckets. Ha ha ha. It makes it hard to stand for people who are standing for something who are so angry and well weird. ;) We have had a few deliveries this week - and it thrills my heart to see the boys jumping up and down to take turns grabbing the box from the mail man with glee. They do know that's their school work right? Yep, That's why they are delighted!

Amy B said...

That sounds like a wonderful week! I love our sonlight box, but I don't think we are getting one this year. :(. And, I didn't know about the Joy of... website. I need to go check that out right now.

Mary said...

Oh, how I love boxes of books arriving in the mail!!

Melissa said...

love, love box day or days at our house too :)

Kym said...

Glad you had some very happy girls on Box Day(s)! Kennady was thrilled to get an Artistic Pursuits book for next school year too, she can hardly wait.

Luke Holzmann said...

Happy Box Day ...er... Week! [smile]

~Luke

Shanna said...

Oh, we are getting ready to order all of our curriculum ourselves and considering, we are starting back to school the 2nd week of July, I'm seriously hoping it only takes a week to get to me. :/

And I'm absolutely jealous....a Sonlight box!!

Sara @ Embracing Destiny said...

Jealous! ;0) I was just looking at the Sonlight website. I know it would work for my girls, but unfortunately it doesn't work for our budget right now. Love, love, love those books!

I had fun just reading this post and seeing those happy faces over BOOKS! Awesome job, Mama! You are doing something right when they get that excited over curricula!

I'll be back to read the post of everything you'll be using this year!

Jennifer said...

This reminds me of the song "brown paper packages tied up in string... these are a few of my favorite things."

It is fun to receive packages, and it looks like an interesting year planned for your girls.

A Learning Journey said...

Alyssa loves Artistic Pursuits hopefully she/they will to. I love how excited they are all about getting curriculum. That's exactly how I am when something new arrives. I am like a kid on Christmas Day.

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