No answers for you, but we're in the exact same position--rising 6th grader, turns 11 in July, very comfortable with math (we've been using SM and she really excels at mental math). I'm posting to follow the thread! A little OT--I just spent a year teaching part-time at a local technical college that is using a self-paced, online program for their learning support (remedial) students in math, English, and reading. Students are required to attend class, but they work at their own pace and test when they feel they're ready. They must score a minimum amount on a pretest to skip a chapter, or on a post test to continue to the next chapter, and they must complete a certain number of chapters before the end of the semester. The program provides videos, loads of practice problems, and practice quizzes and tests. The instructors were available to help students as they had questions they couldn't answer themselves with the online resources, and to encourage them and keep them on track. I was fascinated to see how different each students' needs were. The program was flexible enough to allow students to explore what worked best for them--watch videos first, skip videos or use only as needed, target the practice problems most needed, or work every single problem. And I really enjoyed watching students figure out as the semester progressed, what clicked for them. All that to say...I think that with a program like AoPS, you'll find that one approach works better for one student, and another approach for others, and the same student might even need to vary their approach as time goes on. I'm looking forward to the flexibility provided by AoPS! Watching this thread for more input...

We generally use the IP at least a half level--usually a whole level--below where my kids are in the regular program. So my dd finishing up 5A is only in 4A IP. My dd in 3B is still finishing up the 1 IP (she's not as math-oriented as her sister). I want them to be able to focus on the process of problem solving rather than getting bogged down trying to apply skills they've only recently learned. By holding back on the IP level, it lets them practice skills they've been using for a while in a new context with a challenging problem to solve. I see the IP as a way to encourage thinking outside the box with a new type of problem, while reviewing and applying skills they've known for a while.

We use this system for our pool, but they also have a version for hot tubs: http://www.ecosmarte.com/ It's a copper ion sanitation system, so doesn't use any chlorine whatsoever. Copper ions are completely safe to your body and the environment, and the system is very easy to maintain once you get it going right--it took us a season to get it figured out, but we had the added complications that our pool had not been well taken care of by the previous owners, and we had no prior experience of owning a pool. We're very happy with the system--there's no icky chemical smell, the water stays crystal clear, we don't have to work hard to keep it nice, and it's so much safer and more comfortable. ETA: If you do end up using EcoSmarte, would you PM me and let me give you my contact info so you can tell them I referred you? They have a referral program to get free replacement copper bars when a current customer refers a new customer. I don't know if it works with the hot tub system, but it's worth a try. :) Thanks!

:iagree: This one works best for me, except I never tried it with cinnamon before. Hmmmm.... :)

It's never too late to start! LOL My oldest was already 9 before I started writing these things down. My grandmother, who is about to turn 90, has the most amazing memory for things people--especially the kids--have done or said over the decades. I want to have those special stories to tell my great-grandkids some day!

I recently bought this recipe box: http://www.fancyframesboutique.com/item_308/Woodcut-Owl-Recipe-Box.htm and put blank, colored index cards in it. The label on the box is "[Lastname] Kids Quotes", and any time one of my kids says something funny or precious or memorable, I write it down and file it behind that child's name. I also bought a similar box for my sister when her twins were born. My girls have already fallen in love with reading the quotes on a regular basis. I hope this will be a valued keepsake for our family for many years to come!

Our kids are almost the exact same age as yours...baby DS turns 1 in less than 2 weeks! We've been slowly backing off some, and I'll start weaning in earnest come March (I have a trip in April and need to be done by then). I'm looking forward to more freedom, but also really sad to leave this phase behind! I've been pg or nursing for 7 1/2 of the past 10 years...

My little guy isn't as big as yours...he's not yet 1. But we had a round of ongoing diarrhea last month...lasted for about 2 weeks. Turns out, it was from a new baby food I was giving him that had tofu in it (which doesn't set well on my tummy, either). We stopped feeding that particular food to him, and the diarrhea went away within 2 days. I mention it in case your little guy has recently eaten a lot of tofu. I figured, if you're careful about what you eat in avoiding processed foods, then tofu could be on your menu. HTH! :)

:iagree: I haven't read the book, either, but I have met the author at a homeschooling convention a few years ago. He seems to be a nice guy, a great dad (from what I saw of his interaction with his son, who was with him), and is incredibly supportive of homeschooling. Like the pp, my DH often gets the short end of the stick, since I'm pouring myself into my kids all day long. I agree--I think the title is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but also helps to connect with dads. If a dad isn't making sacrifices for his kids' homeschooling, then something's not right. And there's nothing wrong with admitting that it's tough on dads, too.

These have been my faves lately, too. Female vocalist with the same flavor of music would be Kari Jobe--love! I've also recently discovered Enter the Worship Circle. They have a nice, folksy, upbeat sound. I'm hooked on Pandora, LOL...

I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. We had a couple of m/c's in 2010, and it was the hardest thing I ever faced (even harder than the very difficult childhood I had). A couple of books that helped me, and are written on a child's level so would be appropriate to read for your children: http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Please-Dont-Cry-Heaven/dp/159052151X/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1326838379&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.com/Tear-Soup-Pat-Schweibert/dp/0961519762/ref=pd_sim_b_33 And another one a friend of mine and I went through together, since we both had a m/c at about the same time: http://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Child-I-Never-Knew/dp/0310227771/ref=pd_sim_b_3 I personally feel it's important to be honest with the kids. You don't have to tell them *every*thing, but what you do tell them should be true. We had a 2nd m/c soon after the 1st, and I never told them about that one. But we didn't try to cover up the actual loss when they knew about the pg already. I'm really, really sorry for what you're going through. Lots of hugs...

My now 4th-grader started doing reading them independently last year and it worked well. She doesn't do any of the other stuff, but I do supplement the book with readers more on her grade level. That way she's getting the information from multiple sources on multiple levels. I think the other readers help her understand the Apologia material better. My kids are supposed to "impress me" each day with something they've learned. DD9 often chooses something out of her science books that she has read on her own. She loves animal science anyway, so the Zoo books seem to be a pretty good fit for her. I plan on starting my now 2nd-grader reading them with me in the next month or so, then she'll start reading them on her own, probably, this summer.

We're doing B/C and E this year (with a PK'er playing nearby and working around the baby's naps). It's actually going pretty well. We just started the 4th grader on Core E, and we're not to the point yet of getting a full week's work done in one calendar week. But that seems to be the norm for us. We'll spend several weeks out of sync with the calendar, then able to easily make up for it at the end when we get it all figured out. We have a robust program overall with all of the supplements I've added in. If it weren't for (too many??) supplements and being restricted to the baby's nap times for the meaty part of our schooltime, doing 2 Cores would be a breeze, LOL!

I had teeth pulled when I was a kid bc of overcrowding. Now my DD9 is having a similar problem. Her dentist/orthodontist (he does all of it) said they used to treat overcrowding that way, but not so much anymore. He would rather not pull teeth if possible. He said the crowding looks bad now, but it will encourage her jaw to grow larger to accomodate. When she's older, he says we can use braces then to straighten things out. In the meantime, we're supposed to be extra careful with cleaning all the tight spaces. I know from experience that this guy tends to be quick on the draw to recommend interventions, so when he says "wait", I definitely take his advice. HTH!

They are not consumable. I've been using them for my girls, will have them for my boys, and eventually for my grandkids. :)