Starting the count down to back to school

     August is right around the corner, and I have all my curriculum for this coming up year, but somehow I don't feel as "set" as I have in years past.  I guess part of the reason is that I am comfortable enough with homeschooling now, that I haven't spent the entire summer researching and planning.  Still, I keep feeling like there is something that needs to be done before we start school in a couple of weeks. 
     Anna is entering the 3rd grade this year.  I sometimes wonder if I'll have the stamina to keep going through middle school and high school.  I think every year I wonder if I have what it takes to teach, but I always make it through the year, loving every bit of it.  It helps that Anna is easy to teach, and she likes doing school.  I want to always keep it that way.  Right now she feels she is good at every subject, and that school is fun.  Not that we don't have those days.  You know, the ones where you've explained something fifty bazillion times, your child is crying, and you're right on the verge of melting into tears as well. But thankfully those are few and far between.  Very thankfully. 
     Some new things we are going to be doing this year are Rod and Staff English and Spelling.  English is not my strong suit.  I was never actually taught English, so I will be learning along side her.   I like what I've seen of it, and it looks like it wont be hard to teach.  The spelling is pretty similar to what we used last year, so I don't think that will be much of a transition. 
     Another new for us, is that she will be doing science along with nature studies.  We will be going through the book Science Lab in a Supermarket. I was all set on using Apologia science this year, until I looked through this book.  It's engaging, funny, and it teaches you about stuff you see and use every day.  She has learned a surprising amount about the natural world just through observation and nature studies, so I think this book will be great compliment to that.  I am also so very happy that it's only $10 on my Kindle. 
     All in all I''m excited about this new year.  I just hope I can remember what it is that I need to do!