Surprise! The FedEx truck is here!

I was not expecting the curriculum today, so when we saw a FedEx truck pull in the drive we all got excited! This was our first box day, so we didn't know what to expect when we opened our box. My son pulled out each item 1 by 1 and made a pile. I said STOP! I have to take a picture for Sonlight.


First Box Day Books

After that, they opened the books immediately and started asking me questions and wanting me to read everything to them. We even called daddy who is a pastor at the 1st Baptist Church down the road from our house, and told him to hurry home and see all our books. My husband walked in and said wow that's a lot of stuff!

He started looking through all the books and saying oh i love the Boxcar children, oh I remember reading this a kid, etc. This made the kids more excited because their daddy read all of these.


Excited to Start School

We enjoyed our first Box Day and look forward to many many more!

--
Holly M.

Box Day, Box Night, Box Morning!

Standing on the Box

We knew the box was coming, we got pictures of the kids standing on it, we opened it and the boys helped me check off everything on our packing slip. Then we settled in to read a few books. I made it clear to the boys (almost 4 and almost 5) that they would be allowed to look at everything for one day, and then I would pack it all away until the fall. Throughout the day, we read several books in between the times that the boys went outside to play in the sunshine. As they played, I looked through the books myself.


Checking the Contents

After the boys went to bed, I continued to read. I had been reading the first few pages of each book, but when I got to The Apple and The Arrow I couldn't put it down! I intently read from start to finish. The last sentence read, "Switzerland was born." What a story! I had know idea! Though I got straight A's in a private Christian School, I don't really know anything about history. My classmates were lazy, my history teachers were lazy, and somehow I knew how to study for a test and forget. Anyway, I was so excited to learn something from my sons' kindergarten history, and it wasn't even borning! All I wanted to do afterward was research more about the birth of Switzerland! My husband, who loves history, saw my excitement and congratulated me on doing a great job picking out home school curriculum. When I went to bed, I closed up the box, but left it sitting on the table.


Reading Together

5:43 the next morning my alarm went off, time to get ready for church.
The house was quiet, I stumbled down the hall, thinking I was the only person awake, and what do I see? My two boys sitting silently on the couch looking at the books! I had to laugh and grab my camera! Those kids are usually at their loudest when they first wake up, but instead they looked at me and said, "Will you please read to us?" Of course, I rubbed my eyes, smiled, and said, "Yes, but not for too long." Needles to say, we were a few minutes late for church that morning...


Absorbed in the Story

~Brianna L.
Kindergarten with LA and Readers 1

We Can't Wait! Start Now!

My very first box day was in late June 2002. I was waiting for "a box"
from Sonlight containing what is now called P4/5. I had NO idea what was in store for me. I am a planner, and we were going to start preschool with our oldest child (4) in September. I wanted to get all the books organized, on the shelf and figure out what I was doing. I thought three months was long enough to do that, considering I had a toddler and newborn to care for as well.

Well, guess what? School began on July 5. There was no way I was going to let those books "just sit there." They demanded to be opened and enjoyed. So that is what we did. It started our family tradition of beginning the new school year on the Monday after July 4.

We've now had 7 more Core Box Days, with smaller ones in between. Each one is met with anticipation, excitement and rejoicing.

~Sarah W.

Box Day in Pictures

Here is the much-awaited box

Last Wednesday, after checking a certain shipping confirmation email, I did not spend all morning peeking out the front door waiting for the FedEx man. Nope, not me! Ok, who am I fooling? Of course I did! And the old adage about the pot boiling goes the same for the FedEx truck - it didn't come until mid-afternoon! Oh, the torture!

Ready more here.

-Erin

Our PreK adventure begins...

I've been waiting for this day for almost an entire year...and it has officially begun! Abby has fallen in love with all of her "school" books.


Abby checking out one of her new books.

Read more here.

-Alli