We spent about $80 on the mini fridge, but it is multi purpose. We have a mid size Berkey for a family of 8. We fill it once or twice a day by transferring the water into the mini.fridge or making a gallon of tea, etc. We use about 4 gallons a day. Most of it is cold(drinking straight from the fridge water), but some like the water to make iced tea or coffee straight from the Berkey. You can buy a water cooler for a 5 gallon jug for $150. For us, I chose to buy the mini fridge/Berkey instead because it solved the issue of opening the big fridge 5000 times a day. How do you buy wine?:)

I know you said no Berkey. But We have a Berkey that we use to fill a Pur container for a mini fridge. There is no filter on the Pur. It was just the narrowest container we could find. We keep the kids' snacks(and a few bottles of wine) in that fridge too. It saves the big fridge from being opened 5000 times a day. You could stack the Berkey on top of the Mini fridge and rotate. We have a routine now and never run out of filtered water.

I get bored too. I'm on year 12 with 11 more to go! So, I change things like history and science each year. And read alouds. I am the one who needs to keep it fresh. I am planning a human body schedule for ds11, making my own Ancient History schedule inspired by other schedules, planning dd14's electives for freshman year. Tweeking some stuff I didn't love the first(or 5th!) time through. That makes me happy and keeps me busy all summer. I do work part time for a break(7-9 hours a week) and I have 2 highschoolers and a college graduate who love to discuss hard things that keep me on my toes.:)

I am lucky enough to have a hubby who can do that if I ask.(I hate using powertools) If you don't hate it, You can do it yourself! The great thing about a bookcase, it's just a box.:) So, cut straight pieces, nail together, and then paint for a clean look! If you don't want to, how about something like a modular set?

Something like that would drive me crazy to look at/worry about kids playing by. Are you prepared to put $$ to it right away instead of money for other things? We are finishing a remodel like what you describe. Cerca 1975. Very good shape, but in need of complete remodel. Some things have come up though during the process that we did not anticipate. That always happens. In our area, you would need a landfill permit to just fill it in and you would not get it(really no one does.) You would have to have the concrete removed and filled in with clean fill. Any house with a pool(inground) was immediately crossed off our list when we were house hunting. I did not wish to funnel money for remodeling into pool upkeep. Also, I work some and the kids stay home. I trust them, but they are not above error. I would worry about them while I was at work/not at home. Definitely matters how much extra money you have to devote to pool upkeep.

My middle school(grade 7-8) make plans and then just whoever shows up, shows up! They choose a movie, fast food, mall, etc. Rides are mostly their own parents or it's their own responsibility to coordinate that. DD will often ask if I can give a friend or 2 a ride. That way, she at least knows there will be 3 of them at any outing. If there are boys, there must be at least another girl there. I mean, it's not like a birthday party where you have to pay ahead or anything. ETA: If I am dropping off at a person's house, I will give the mom a quick text to confirm.:) Sometimes kids don't communicate well.:)

I like The Good and Beautiful handwriting books.(downloads)

Just contact TT. They were SO accommodating! It just didn't work for us.

from 7 Sisters and BiblioPlan?

I can only find a few things I might like this year. So, I probably won't buy this year. I might change my mind if there are coupon codes for the publishers given after purchasing. There are other things I want to buy from a few of the publishers. Are there coupon codes?(to be clear, I am not asking for the codes, just if they are given.) Thanks!

I don't remember. It was a LONG time ago! We ended up supplementing with Lial's to finish out Alg 2. Khan is a great option.

I asked this TT even offered the lessons to us free. But, as I recall, they were not like the 1st few chapters. They were mid book after other concepts had been introduced. So, we could not use them because he did not understand the terminology and the review problems in the lessons.

I find the spices in general to be very similar to Penzey's. Sorry, I don't use the fajita seasoning. I love Sunny Spain and Ratattouille(sp?) Seasoning. I use that all the time.

I saw it at the theater. I loved it. We bought it on DVD and I feel like so much was lost from the big screen?? I knew ahead of time that it was not a true story. Only loosely based on real events/real people.

I use LA for preK-grade 2 and like it. The upper grades are not a good fit. I haven't figured out how to use the science. I have a few units. I think there is a unit that is free. You could check that out. Definitely not secular.

THANK YOU! Well, what I meant by "light" was not much output. She loves, loves, LOVES to read! She said she wants to start as soon as APs are done. 🙂 And she has felt too bogged down with English this year. She has done a ton of analysis. I like your ideas of alternate output for grading. She is sad that she has "missed" so many must reads.(in her mind, Ha) I told her I would read with her and discuss. Well, I will try! I am not opposed to cutting some books if we run out of time and we will group them at the end. Yes, I agree we need a little more organization with our list. Grouping books together on theme is a great idea. I never thought of that. She asked to read The Jungle. She has always meant to and it didn't happen. I agree about Uncle Tom's Cabin, but I'm still glad I read it. Can't believe she hasn't read P&P! I haven't read War of the Worlds. But, we have it. That's why it made the list. I will consider switching it out for another Wells. Diversity-yes, I agree. I will look at your suggestions!

She has read a lot of Am Lit. Some books did not happen. Here is the list we made. What do you think? Pride and Prejudice Little Women Man in the High Castle The Great Gatsby Frankenstein Of Mice and Men The Scarlet Letter The Pearl Uncle Tom's Cabin Sir Gawain Death of A Salesman Fahrenheit 451 The War of the Worlds The Glass Menagerie Wuthering Heights The Bell Jar The Awakening For Whom the Bell Tolls The Old Man And the Sea Macbeth Dracula The Jungle A Raisin in the Sun What kind of output? She's a little old for a book report. LOL

Igniting Your Writing

Thanks! I do have several that I used with my first kid. This kid has already read the books that go with the sets.

Thanks! I have the Movies as Literature curriculum I should dig out!

This is what she said she wanted today! Just an assortment that fell through the cracks! I LOVE your list, Kathy! We have only read 1 of those. And when she saw her sister(grade 8) reading The Great Gatsby this year, she was jealous!

DD17 is taking AP Eng Lang this year. She wants a light English year(she will be taking AP Physics C and AP Calc BC), so we will be doing a homegrown class. So, I was thinking some class around a Great Courses series? She wants a literature-rich class, as this year was focused more on writing and she misses her Sonlight years.:) Any ideas?She has already read the "ancients" and only has patience for a little Shakespeare. She has read some British Lit.

I have severe hand eczema. I use Method hand and dish soap.

Please do let us know. I would love to do one international trip with my kids. Honestly, I am super confident in booking trips in the US, but TERRIFIED to book something to/in another country. I would love all the guidance I could get!

We bought furniture for his first apartment.