My dd9 takes an art class and they begin each child with grid drawing. It has really improved her drawing skills! Whether you decide to buy a book or make your own grids, I would recommend it. Mona Brookes' "Drawing With Children" is a good resource as well.:)

We actually do a lot of sports related things anything from organized Little League to ice skating with our co-op. Does jumping from couch to couch count as PE? Then we could include that as well.:o

Thanks for the feedback! It helps to know that I am not "way off" here.:)

This is not meant to sound hostile but I know it will. In strict muslim countries, i.e. Saudi Arabia, ones we do lots of "talking" with, muslims who leave islam are killed. Women and Christians living in those countries are severly oppressed but not usually killed unless caught proselytizing or accused of some crime against sharia law. So I think there is a significant level of difference between how Obama may be perceived by some over some of the other candidates. Again, not meant to be inflammatory, but I just don't think the majority of our country really gets it. We are not electing a homecoming king, we need a seasoned leader for these troubled times.

Thanks, great website!

My dd9 has an October birthday, so she will technically be a 4th grader next year but some things are 5th, but I am holding off on some logic. Saxon 6/5 R & S 5 grammar Spelling Workout F Attends an IEW writing class weekly Biblioplan 1850-present (SOTW 4) God's Design for Science: Physics Mindbenders and Red Herrings Prima Latina Rosetta Stone Spanish level 1 Piano lessons Attends a two hour art class weekly Swimming/ other PE class weekly

I just saw that in a post and it was Hilarious!!:D

The only thing I use the teacher's guide for is giving the kids oral spelling tests with the warm-up and final test sentences listed in the guide. I guess we also use the review multiple choice tests in there too.

I have been attempting to begin Prima Latina for the past one and a half years. I need an accountability partner to check and see if we have done our lesson each week!!:o

My dd9 is 75% the way through 5/4 and it was a lot of review in the beginning. But now she is challenged at about the right level. Lots of multiplication and division and other new concepts to keep her thinking. I really think Saxon has been a good program. :)

I have it all in 3 ring binders according to subject. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it, maybe until I can see and feel the high school diploma:D!

I know lots of kids who have gone through YWAM DTS (Discipleship Training School) and then the outreach to different parts of the world. I think it is a great experience for young adults to go see what is out there, share the gospel, see how God can use them in other cultures. I wouldn't agree with all that YWAM stands for but it certainly doesn't have a bad reputation among the evangelical community as far as I know.

We have used Biblioplan for three years and I am planning on continuing with the fourth year next year. Love it. Don't try to do everything on each day or you will go crazy. We read everything, skip Kingfisher often as my oldest is 9. We do the SOTW activity sheets while I am reading aloud. We've found most books at the library or purchased some from Rainbow. We spend about 30-40 minutes 3x per week.:)

I don't understand the star thing. According to the FAQ section a one star means dismal. So what does no stars mean? How do we vote?:(

I would love to see all of my kids go out of the country at some point on mission trips, but that is a different ballgame. If you have reservations about it then don't do it.

Praying. Psalm 46

Our state department of education awards "report cards" to the schools. Maybe your state has something similar?

Definitely float in the lake! If it is anything like the Dead Sea it should work!:D

I have a boy, but my girls actually do more daring things on the fort than he does! At least you said the snow was mushy where you are, right? It is rock solid here.:)

My dh and I play on a Coed league. It is funny how the older we get, the more protective gear we add! I chipped one of my elbows last year so I added elbow pads. Many players wear hockey helmets but I will probably add that after a sound concussion. We have special shoes that help us run on ice. The ball is smaller than a soccer ball and the brooms are now aluminum with a wedge end instead of bristles. If you look on Youtube and search "broomball" you will get an idea of what it actually looks like. Funnest game I ever played!:D

Maybe exposing them to others who do not have a lot will make them more thankful for what they have, and thankful for eachother. We regularly participate in a program called Feed My Starving Children to pack food for kids around the world who are basically dying of starvation. It has somewhat curbed the whining in our house associated with food or the lack of it anyway. We also volunteer tutoring Somalis in English and many of them have very little. It is good to get kids into places where they can see how others live. Volunteer at a soup kitchen for awhile or start buying toys for underprivileged kids and let your kids pick them out and wrap them and distribute them. Just a couple of ideas.

Just wondering:).

At least it is probably warm in Tennessee! It is gray AND cold here! Time for a trip to Cabela's. Do you have those? Lots of taxidermied animals, an aquarium, outdoor gear to look at, boats to climb on, and a shooting gallery, who could ask for anything more? Do you have a local conservatory? I think that is great mid-winter as I can pretend I am somewhere in the tropics! :rolleyes:

I started out as an Equine Studies major and eventually I ended up becoming a veterinarian. If your daughter wants versatility I would say go to vet school. She can then go into practice, teaching, research, any number of disciplines and still afford to have her own horses. It is a great part-time profession if she ever decides she wants to stay home with children or start a different horse related business. :D