I think your post states what I mean more clearly. I hope I didn't sound condescending either, I'd just like to hear the benefits others have found and need to evaluate if I have missed something - I have 6 children and my oldest, an avid reader, is in 7th grade.

I noticed a lot of people are using CLE reading. I've never actually used a specific reading curriculum. My children read books. Is there something I am missing? Why do you use CLE reading or any other program?

I was only wondering about Math. I didn't know the diagnostic test was online. I will probably start him at 106.

Can you go straight to CLE grade 2 or do you need to back up a few workbooks?

I'm not sure what I'll do then. College classes are what I am, at this time, planning for my oldest when she gets to be a Jr. in high school (age). Here, tuition is free (for high school age children) and the you only have to pay for the books. What I am thinking is that it will be a good transition between completely at home to the real world or at least the future college world which she may be going into. I am not ruling out high school for the last 2 years; however, high school is not exactly real life... We have 6 children and do not have extra income so I will be encouraging my children to live at home and work while they are getting a transfer degree at community college. I haven't been there yet, it's just my current line of thinking.

I loved Rod and Staff but had a coup and ditched that (along with Saxon math). The kids are happier. Growing with Grammer is just a better fit with my gang.

Dh would only let it go like 5 minutes with the heat broken. He likes to be comfortable.

Don't even THINK of worrying about it until January 1st. It's in the rule book - if you have 2 or more children under the age of 5 you may not, except in dire circumstances homeschool in the month of December. (dire circumstances being the older/olders are getting on your nerves and need something productive to do) What are the school kids doing right now anyway? Making non-holiday specific pinecone reindeer? How old is child #1? Is there anywork on the new house that you can do? Or you can be like me and start some work there in DH's sight. Then he can take over when he sees I'm a) making a mess or b) not doing it his way. (love those first born overacheivers!)

I've looked at several websites and I can't find La Vie En Rose sheet music for the violin. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thank you!

WHITE AND NERDY My favorite M.C. is Escher Weird Al is the only rapper I can get down with, dawg.

I do have 6 kids too and they went to school for a semester. I felt like I never saw them. After school was sports, ballet, homework times 4 children, occasionally dinner. And then the getting up early in the morning. And while I didn't at that time ask my olders to watch my then infant and 3 year old, I didn't realize how entertained the babies were just by having the other kids around. My plan was to clean up the house and pack and sort to move while the kids were at school. I didn't get anything done. What about a babysitter one day a week? One thing, ditch school until after Christmas. Christmas is a lot of work. What is the point of having Christmas break AFTER Christmas when all the work is before Christmas. Focus on getting things cleaned, sorted, donated. Start the first few days getting yourself up at a certain time, than when you can swing that, get the kids up at a certain time and then clean for a few hours and then HAVE FUN TOGETHER FOR A FEW HOURS. And maybe some screen time. Alternate between big kid fun and little kid fun. Be silly. Make memories. Love your children. Those are things *I* need to work on, too!

I just watched Fred Claus and I have a cousin that acts quite a bit like Fred so it cracked me up. Eloise at Christmastime We'll be watching the a video of the Nutcracker. I love, love Tchaikovsky. A Christmas Carol How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ANIMATED VERSION) Mickey's Christmas Carol The usuals: White Christmas (have to see Sisters, Sisters and Vera tap dance 100 miles per hour!). It's a Wonderful Life, all the Rankin-Bass puppet shows, A Christmas Story, Holiday Inn, Charlie Brown Christmas, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Miracle on 34th Street, Bishop's Wife (not the Whitney Houston version). There's one with John Boy called The Christmas Box. And I don't think my children have ever seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation but I just ordered it from the library. My husband would probably say Gremlins is a Christmas Classic. Where we be without the 80s? Somehow I just don't think homeschooling was quite the same in the 70s! Ha. Polar Express, Blizzard. I don't think my children have seen Home Alone or Elf. I just ordered Elf, too. I should make them watch Ernest Saves Christmas (ha ha). Ok, library has it, ordered that, too. Great thread. I'm not doing much decorating this year but we've have lots of Christmas Movies to watch!

I was just there the other day. I'm plus size so in my size there was only grandma-wear but the misses sizes had quite a bit of cute stuff. Also agreeing with Macys being a possibility. If you are size 14ish you could find some fun stuff at Lane Bryant. Most regular size people avoid shopping plus size stores so you can find great deals on size 14 and 16 clothing. Ross or TJ Maxx? I'm super anti-grandma clothing but have found cute adult appropriate clothing at Ross. Thrift stores? Dress clothes are usually in excellent condition because people don't wear them much. I love thrift stores. I get most of my kids clothing from thrift stores and yard sales and someone told me the other day that my children always look like Catalog Children. I don't fit most thrift store clothing, otherwise I'd have a sizable second hand wardrobe also.

If you are or were using Growing with Grammar, where did you or will you go next? What do you plan on using for high school? We did use Rod and Staff but suffered burn out. I have a 7th grader. I'm debating on GWG 8 when it comes out. Maybe I should just pick a different program and stick with that through the remainder of middle school and high school?

Childhood obesity makes me so sad. We don't have a perfect diet, but so far my children have maintained an average weight. I have one child that would love to eat carbs non-stop all day, every day. I try to focus on food groups with this child: "You've had enough from the breads/cereals group, you need to have dairy or a vegetables because you need variety get all your vitamins." As for WIC - in my state we are allowed to get V8 in addition to the fruit juices. I generally always get V8 and I use it when I make stew.

That on the Patty Duke show that Patty and Cathy were double cousins? Is that why they looked so much alike...

Do you have more than one user account on your computer? You just run the software from a different user account. Kid A uses the main account. Log off user, Kid B uses Kid B account. If you aren't already set up with more than one account on your computer - to add an account click: Start - settings - control panel - user accounts. As far as reusing on a different computer, you can install the software twice with the original code. After that you have to call the company to get a new activation code. I have my kids on 4 separate computers this year so I had to do some reconfiguring and then calling. When you try to activate online with a non-working code the screen will give you a phone number to call. Don't call the number yet. Go back and click the "activate by phone option." Then you'll be given a password/pin number (in red) that you read to the customer service rep. The rep then reads you your new activation number. I didn't know about the pin/password when I called so I felt kinda' dorky.

My children have done several lessons and are going to continue. The are getting some vocabulary in and getting used to hearing the words spoken. I need to get them speaking the language. We have several hispanic neighbors, hopefully they can help us with pronunciation because I do not speak the language and can't even roll my Rs. We are not uberly academic at our house and my children do not mind the program so it is a keeper for us.

The materials from the National Bible Bee?

How often do you attend your co-op? Are you trying to do these classes in addition to your regular at-home course work?

I have 6/5 hardcover school book and the homeschool solutions manual and they match. I think I found a word problem where they used different wording but the same numbers.

See that's why kids should homeschool and live in the country - so their outdoor dogs get enough attention...

There is no way I could sign a paper that specifically stated a dog could NOT be an outdoors dog. We moved from the country to town and while we've been dog owners in the past, we have no desire to have a dog in town because we feel a dog wouldn't have enough freedom. Of course, I'm feeling bad for my kids, too, being in town, and the lack of run and play freedom.

There is a large market for used name brand shoes/boots. I buy used shoes all the time.

A business math, life skills, accounting type course?