Back To School!

I've always taken pictures of Kristen on her first day back to school. Usually with a new back pack and new clothes, and new shoes. This year the pictures look a little different!

School started for us on Monday 20th August, but we are doing the K12 program this year, which is a virtual school online, that you do from home. It's kinda like homeschooling but a lot of the lessons are online, with a lot of teacher support. I still wanted to take pictures of Kiki's first day, but instead of new clothes, she was still in her 'wolf night shirt', and instead of a backpack, she carried 'Cecil The Computer' Monster, that I knit for her ;-) (it's from a book called Knitted Monsters) . . . .

Yes, we have been doing our school work in pj's this week, and it's been fun ;-) I am sitting with Kristen for all of her lessons so my day is pretty full. I'm her 'Learning Coach' and I help her prepare for the lessons, get the books she needs, supplies that she might need for Science and Art. It's like I have a full time job now!! Once we move I will have to get a schedule set up where she can do some lessons on her own, while I do housework and laundry etc. 

So, speaking of when we move - we are hoping to close on the house on Monday morning. If we don't sign the papers that day and get the keys, we will be in a hotel room for the night!! I will be off line from Sunday night until Wednesday afternoon, when hopefully we will have cable installed at our new home. Until then. . . . .  

Updates

I can't imagine anyone is still checking in here, but I know my sister still checks every day! I just skyped with her today and she told me that :-) So, for Nenna, I'm posting some pictures and giving a little update to the rest of you that might check in to tell you where we are with the house etc.

This past week Kristen and I got out a little, we went to a Wildlife Experience museum that is literally just down the street to us. We spent a good few hours there and I took a few pictures with my phone because I hadn't taken the camera.

Just yesterday we went to a local alpaca farm. I treated myself to a skein of alpaca yarn (in pink, which I intend to knit a pair of cozy winter socks for me) and Kristen got to pet the alpacas. There were lots of baby ones too. I took a couple of videos on the camera too but they will probably take forever to load (it's such a slow internet connection in this house), so I will just post pictures.

So, update on the house, we found a house not long after I last posted, put an offer in on it, and we are hoping to close on August 27th. I am counting the days til we can be in our own home and have our own furniture and belongings delivered. Life has been pretty stressful the past few weeks, I think the puppy is what caused most of it, but things are settling down. Bindi is doing good, it's just that Boo is still scared of her and growls if she tries to go near him. It doesn't help that she doesn't just walk up to him, but bounds towards him like any puppy would, wanting to play and frolic!! Hopefully he will get more used to her over time.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, but Kristen has opted to be homeschooled this year! We have registered her with K12 - COVA which is Colorado Virtual Academy. Its an online public school and she will do most of her work on the computer along with some studying in text books. I will be spending a lot of time "helping" her, my title is 'Learning Coach'. It's up to me to get her lessons ready, set schedules etc and log her attendance online. We have a lot of support online too and she will be assigned a home room teacher. It will be a learning experience for us all, and might be the only year we do it. I have a feeling Kristen might want to go to school next year so she can meet more friends. We will get to meet other kids and families this year doing the K12 program, but perhaps not as quickly as you would if you were in a school every day. 

If Kristen decides she likes learning at home then I will ofcourse let her continue it. I love the idea of her being home (SAFE) with me every day ;-)  And when the snow comes, we plan on doing lessons in our pjs, cozy at home with some hot chocolate, watching the snow fall. 

Ok, that's my quick update, while Kristen and Jason are out at Petsmart taking Bindi for yet another shot! I think we still have a few more before she's finished with them all. I'm sure I'll be back on here much more once we all have computers. Right now we only have one, and Jason uses it a lot and Kristen plays on it whenever she can. It doesn't leave much time for me to get on, so I usually just sit and knit. 

Oh, before I go, here is a picture of the house we are buying.

A few of the views out back, some zoomed way in so you can see the mountains!! I can't imagine this all covered in snow in the winter, but I can't wait to see it (neither can Kristen) :-)