Hey Everyone!! I'm in the Salem/Keizer area and am doing Info Mtgs for Classical Conversations.(CC) This will be our fourth year, coming up, and we are excited to be doing Info Mtgs and Open Houses so you can see how CC would work for your family. If you're interested pm me; I'll email you all the Information. We meet the first Thursday night of each month for our Info Mtgs in Feb, Mar, and Apr. and we'll do Open Houses in Feb and Mar for our younger and older kids program, and Open Houses for only the Challenge Program(older kids) in Apr. Then we do a Mock Day in July if we have spots open... If you're interested... just let me know :) Thanks! http://classicalconversations.com

Is there anyone there that can have the kids while you're there?? If so, I might take them. (Aunts or whatever..) If not, I wouldn't. (Is she really in a place where she can enjoy visits??? that'd be the ONLY reason I'd waver on that.) School... I'd call it an emergency "medical leave" type thing and put that on the last of my list..... That wouldn't enter into my thoughts :) Hoping everything turns out well!!

For phonics, I would do something like Spell To Write and Read. I'd just do it all together. For us, I just started with all the phonics cards... I'd do one or two each day..... you can see if they are getting them. I would just have them do the phonics orally. You can have them draw out the letters in the air, or sand, if you want to practice writing, too. I wouldn't be set on teaching them to write, unless they are already really writing on their own, basically wanting to write... (Like... if you let them... would they just choose to draw with no captions.... ) If they want to write... great... then I'd do the cursive I mention below. (it's actually easier, developmentally, to do cursive first...) I really like the "cursive first" approach, and the 3rd grade Handwriting Without Tears is a great book to get. I think it's easier to teach "correct" letters if starting with something the child realizes they need to learn. You would need a Teacher's guide and 2 or 3 student workbooks. If you choose to print, the Handwriting Without Tears printing is easy and simple to teach. Both cursive and print Teacher's books give great modeling for HOW to teach them to hold their pencil.... and how to form letters correctly. You can also do a ton of reading. Teaching to cooperate, follow instructions, lost of reading to them.... well... that's what I'd do :) I'm not sure how long you've had them... But really bonding would be my #1 "subject".... Congratulations on this step for your family!!!! (Oh yes, Teacher's supplies should include, but are not limited... to Yummy Dark Chocolate in big quantities :))

Prayers for you and your g-daughter and the rest of the family :)

Do you have other children, too? How old are they? (if you do :)) Seriously, if things are going well, have you considered keeping their routine till the end of the year? Or, you're just wanting to take them out mid-year and get things rolling?? :)

I'd love to go to a HS conference about HOW to educate classically, instead of WHY we should be afraid of public school. I get it... I understand the spiritual and academic reasons. I don't believe that all or even perhaps most homeschoolers have a better education. I'm not scared of public schools. I want to home educate because of all the good reasons you can educate your children... with your standards... both spiritually and academically... when you do it yourself. I want to do it because home education works, not to make a statement... or because I can't show my children more than one side to things. Not because I'm scared of a particular person or group of persons... in another social setting. Rather than hide from darkness, I want to see the light of home education. I'd love to be at a Classical Education Conference, preferably with a Christian slant. :)

Well, looks like a good phase to me!!! And... in prep for another gbaby and... Hawaii... Enjoy the next step!! (Sorry for missing your goats, though :( )

So happy you got him there!! That's some serious driving.... Really good that you took it seriously..... Makes you remember how precious life is... again :) Hugs for you :)

That made me laugh!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Just a typo..... just a brain freeze... can't be serious ;) Maybe she could toot toot math... just not spelling ;)

So sorry :(

It's how old you are... minus 5... by Sept 1st. There are some states that are different... but for an April Birthday.. that'll work :)

Happy to hear that!! :)

The only thing that I think I am/would be willing to do... is shave:) I'm too tired for much else :) I kinda have small feet :) But that's just me :) I put make-up on.... kinda... and I brush my teeth and hair... oh yes... my biggest sacrifice.... is that I try to use henna in my hair... because it's turning grey. I won't be 40 till Sept. I'm too young for grey!! :)

Raw meat for the dog.... And... I bought some stuff at the specialty pet store to sprinkle on top... just to make me feel better... So, I feed him for about $1.00 a day.... which... he's suppose to be around 65 lbs... (oops... let him gain a bit too much... he's on his way back down :) That's where I see you might save a bit of money... Depends on how much your dog weighs... to what you would spend/save :) At least probably a little less $$$ and more healthy ;) I'm surprised you can do it for the amount you are..... I have 2 adults... and 2 or 3 kids... (depending on the week) I don't wanna know how much I'm spending right now... and I've been not feeling well for a few weeks... so more Baja Fresh than I'll admit :)

Very Cool... Makes me wanna salvage some of the wool from when I did soakers for my son :)

That's funny!!!! Might not be funny to get that card though... But after... the story would be worth it ;)

Really beautiful; I'm so happy for you!! (ok, and a tad bit jealous of how lovely it is.... I have some old fir beneath my feet right now... I'm telling you... it doesn't look like that!!:))

If I were you, I think I'd claim him as my miracle baby..... forever!! I can't imagine the medical progress that has happened to allow such a little one to live what seems like will be an incredibly normal life!! I'm so happy for you and your whole family!!! He really is just the picture of what could be for so many others... as advances get even better. What a great start to the New Year!! :)

Well, I've heard the Ecce R...whatever one is the one that most closely lines up with the National Latin Test... :)

This :) I'm trying to figure out where I should locate our co-op. We have a wide demographic that we serve. Right now, it's closer to me, but we have to move due to growing too big for the church building. It's a Classical Conversations group. This will be our 4th year.... I've mapquested to see where all the families are from... to see if I can keep it central, but it's almost impossible... as "Central" is a pretty big span... and would land directly in the middle of Salem. That would mean "downtown" churches, and I haven't found one willing, big enough, with a place for the children to play. It's a half day+ lunch place for some... some stay all day. You need somewhere to let off steam :) I already love Trader Joe's... I love the organic for a good price... the jam.... the fruits and veggies.. and really... I don't think I'll justify going over there... just to shop. The town I live in is kinda off on it's own... and I rarely leave. The people the farthest families will be 50 minutes... because they live 10-15 minutes out farther than me...... Many families would be about that same time as me.... and about what they drive now... just a different direction. I really love just everyone in our group, and even though I feel like we'll find new families too... I don't want to lose anyone..... :( Course, if I didn't care about the Challenge program (the older kids) I could have it right down the street from me, probably... at my own church... well.. I think I could..... (dream) but then I'd lose some friends... because they have older kids.... Harder to find Tutors/teachers... and students... for the older grades... I HATE decisions!!!! I'm always second guessing myself!!

Remember that you can get an anti-viral shot. Doctors forget to offer them... weigh the risks.... as the spots scab and heal.... keep them oiled up to avoid scars..... I did a witches brew of Neem oil (very good oil!!) jojoba oil, apricot kernal... I think?? EOs like lavendar and lemon whatever... I looked up online... and my son... who had a horrible case.... came out with maybe one or two little teeny scars... Also, remember... that every time you're around the chx pox... it's great.... as long as it doesn't give you shingles... because it builds your immunities... Also, I think it was here that I saw that you can get a shot if you start to get the shingles...... I think it was on here that I read about that... There are symptoms..... that someone here talked about recognizing.... and they were "gonna get shingles" symptoms... I think they found them in some medical book :) Good Luck!! I'd rather get the real thing.... than the vaccine... anyday :)

Well, that made me start saying "My minimum for the night is x number of dollars..." and My minimum fee per hour is $$$$ and I'll sit for all your kids or just one... for that price... :) (Before I agreed to go) I pay our daughter $4 - $5 an hour... older $6 an hour..... but I don't have to pay often.... (thank goodness:))

That's awesome... Homeschooling and Patrick Henry can use some good advertisement :)

Co-op Once a week... 35 minutes from home....1.5 miles from Trader Joe's or.... 20 minutes... with nothing to shop for around there.... So, basically, I'm trying to decide if I'd rather get to shop each week at Trader Joe's..... and drive 35 minutes to the co-op... or drive 20 minutes... with absolutely nothing to shop for after..... (except for farm fresh eggs.. maybe :)) I absolutely LOVE Trader Joe's and there's a new one coming into South Salem... where I have NOTHING to drive for... but if I was driving to co-op each week... that'd be shopping day... at the end... OR, I could realize I won't be going to Trader Joe's except occasionally... and just drive 20 minutes... to co-op and then come home. (This location is out in the "country") I'm the one who will basically get to make the decision... along with a few other people... and... well.... I'm just wondering which I'd prefer... Which would you prefer... There are no weather factors to consider.... And it's from Sept-Apr each year. :)