Thanks for all the fun ideas! :)

Just curious if we're missing out on anything. :drool: Is there anything really cool and fun you suggest?

That's so awesome!!!! Congrats!! :D

Wanted to bump for newbies and those getting their new year planned!! :D

Thanks! I'm gonna go read it right now!

Thanks to all of you for sharing your goals!! They're awesome!! :D

That's wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing this with me!! Very inspiring!! :D So much to ponder!!

Thank you all for your responses!!

More specifically...your teenager? And say your child makes his or her own money and can buy it themselves. Do you let them do that? Do you limit how much you will let them buy/drink? Just wondering how others compare to what dh and I allow and don't allow for our kiddos. ETA: Or any sodas for that matter?

Wow! That's a LOT of glue sticks!!! :lol:

Do you set yearly goals for your kids? If so, would you mind sharing them, along with what grade level the goals are for? I'm very curious to see what others goals are. I have never actually sat down and written out goals for my kids before (I know! I know!), but this year I am. I'm excited! I think this will be a good year for us!! :001_smile:

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I'll just get one book then and copy the few pages that need it. Very helpful!! And good idea on highlighting directions!! I'll probably need to do that for my boys as well!! :tongue_smilie: They aren't the greatest at following directions sometimes!!

Please? Anyone? :D I looked at the samples online and they didn't *appear* to be consumable but I wanted to double check before I click buy! Thanks!!

Is it consumable? I'm about to place my order and was wondering if I need to order 1 or 2 workbooks for the 2 kids that will be using it. Thanks a bunch for the help!

Thanks a bunch for your input! I did outline his four year plan. He'll be doing about 7-8 credits a year. About 5 whole credits and and about 3-4 electives a year (just depending on if they are half or whole whole credit). Then starting in 11th he will take cc courses for dual enrollment. I will see what else I can get to add to Live Mocha for the spanish grammar. Thanks!!

We have a Ford Explorer with the 3rd row. It seats 7. Then we got 3 foster kids...so we added a GMC Yukon XL. It seats 8 people. I love my Explorer, but I also love my Yukon!! The Explorer is better on gas, but we have no choice when we all go somewhere and have to take the Yukon! Both are great vehicles, we haven't had any issues with either one. The Explorer is over 7 years old and has over 100,000 miles on it, too.

I have very curly hair! This book here has done wonders for my hair! She even has a chapter on kids curls!! Some of the basic principles are, NO shampoo! Get a botanical conditioner and just use that. Use it to massage the scalp clean, then run water through to rinse out the dirt. Next, take some more conditioner and run through the hair. Using your fingers to gently *comb* it as well. Don't rinse this time. Use a soft microfiber towel to dry gently. Apply non-alchohol gel, and VIOLA!! Beautiful curls!! Get a spray bottle and put some water mixed with the botanical conditioner and use that to spray the bed head in the mornings. HTH!!! BTW-she is so darn adorable!!! Wish I had a curly headed little girl!!! =) :D

Just wondering if this looks pretty well rounded for my soon to be 9th grader. I just want to add that he is by NO means an academically driven young man. He's very much a hands on-fix things kinda boy (he gets that from his dad :001_smile:). He does really enjoy reading, though. His spelling is atrocious, as well as his writing skills (he gets that from his dad, too). :001_smile: He's going to finish up BP Ancients for History/bible/literature (gonna have him go more in depth, and have him work on a few really good writing assignments to go with it.) We will start on World History whenever he finishes that. R&S English or BJU- I'm actually leaning towards R&S even though ds really, really dislikes R&S. Spelling workout, along with AAS a couple days a week WWS??? Saxon Algebra I Apologia Biology Spanish I- I think I'll have him do Live Mocha online Electives: A drawing course (1/2 credit; 1st semester), Health; I'm thinking A Beka's (1/2 credit 2nd semester), Home repair & maintance; dad is going to teach him basic things in home repair around the house throughout the year (1/2 credit; 1st semester) & Life Skills; I'll have him help me with things like menus, shopping, prepping meals, laundry, etc. As well as, dad will teach him basic car repair and maintance. (1/2 credit; 2nd semester). So, what do you think? Am I missing anything? TIA!!

:bigear:

Relax!! Have fun! Don't expect it to be a *perfect* day. Try to start a little low key and build up to doing more each day the next few weeks! :001_smile: I hope you guys have a fabulous day tomorrow!! Don't be nervous! It'll be fun!! :001_smile: Best wishes for you guys!!

THIS, right here!! I know this wasn't directed to me, but thank you anyways!! :001_smile: That was very encouraging and comforting for me since we are giving up 2 of our placements.

My responses are in blue above!! :001_smile:

Such tough decisions! I totally understand! I currently have 3 foster kids, so I totally GET what you mean by log notes, home visits, etc. My 3 are from 2 different families. I have the 23mo old that is by himself and the 4 & 5 yo are brothers. It's a LOT! We've had 23mo for 11 months and the brothers for about 10 months. Do you feel like you can make it work for both? My boys are annoyed by the 4 & 5 yo regularly. :tongue_smilie: It was a lot for us, too, as we got them right after we started our school year this past year. So I went from just homeschooling my 3 boys.. to homeschooling my 3 boys *and* having 3 kids under 5. BIG adjustment in our household. Now with all that being said, we've known for a while now that the 2 brothers aren't a good fit for our family long term...as in adoption. It was hard for me to admit that at first. I felt so guilty, and still do at times, but I'm learning that it is OK! CPS told us that they would start to look for a new family for them (one that is going to adopt them). We ended up giving our official 30 day notice a couple of weeks ago on them. We want them to be able to adapt to a new home for a few weeks and then be able to start school at their new school. We didn't want them to start school here then move to a new family and a new school in the middle of the year. They also have 4 other siblings in other foster homes and we live an hour from them, so we thought it would be better if they were closer to them. It has been a really, really tough decision. But in our hearts we know it is the right move. I hate to do it, but at the same time I know it's best for our family. I don't really feel like I've given you anything that can be of help in your situation, but I wanted to share our experience. Follow your hearts and what you are feeling called to do, and what you feel is best for your family. It's a tough choice, but do know that it is OKAY if you can't make it work with both kiddos. If you can make it work with both kids then that's great, too. What lucky little guys to have you for their foster parents, whether it be short term or long term! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I'll be praying for you as you guys make your decision. PM me if you need anything!! And let me know what you decide. Many blessings!! :grouphug: ETA: I wanted to add that we didn't give our notice just because they annoyed our older boys at times. I was afraid that I might have made it sound that way. I just can't say everything that has gone on with their case, and those are the reasons why we have given our notice and decided that they aren't a good long term fit for us. My boys have actually come a long way in learning how to deal with them and their "annoying-ness!!" I think they would be just as annoyed if they were their bio brothers!! =P They have just had to learn to deal with different kids who have come from a different background then they have. It will be hard for all of us to say "bye." =(

Thanks so much! I had hoped to go to convention last month to get a look see at both of them, but I wasn't able to. This particular ds is also a very reluctant writer. I was already planning to buy WWS1 for my other ds, so maybe I should consider him doing it as well.

We have done Rod & Staff in the past and ds hates it! Maybe I'll pull it out and give it another look...who knows!