Kicking Off the School Year

As this blog kicks off with its first genuine post, it's got me thinking about beginnings. Our family started the school year yesterday with a pancake breakfast followed immediately by a mile run. Needless to say, some of us looked like this by the time we got around to math:

But after a few wrinkles got ironed out ("Mom, the answer key you put in my box last night isn't there anymore." "Hey Mom, if they're both doing schoolwork out here, how am I going to practice piano?") the day went pretty well. My mom has this new system of organization that she got at the homeschool conference last week. Here is our new and improved school schedule:

But who wants to think about school? Most of you are probably trying to get the most out of your last few days of freedom. So what else began yesterday?

Well...

In 1538 Bogotá, Colombia was founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. According to Wikipedia, Bogotá is not only the capital, but the largest and most populous city in that country.

In 1845 the Russian Geographical Society was founded in Saint Petersburg.

In 1926 New York's Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim English Channel. Her time was fourteen hours, thirty-nine minutes.

In 1961 the first case of motion sickness in space was reported.

In 1996 NASA announced that life may have existed on Mars.

Interested in learning more? I found this information on historyorb.com.

What about you? Have you started school yet? Are there any traditions your family keeps, such as taking a photo or having a special breakfast? I'd love to hear from you!