I think Oak Meadow would be a good choice. They are quite basic at the high school level. You can choose the online support and the student submits work to a teacher, etc. They are also accredited and provide transcripts. They only require three years of math and two of the options are Consumer Math and Bookkeeping so those and Algebra I would cover it. I'll link the list of required classes. Scroll down and it says which books are used as well. (On the Environmental Science I believe it should read Holt not Holy. :)) http://www.oakmeadow.com/school/courses.htm

Phonics - Hooked on Phonics Handwriting - We just pick up workbooks. (B&N, Borders, Target, school supply stores) We also do quite a bit of copywork. Spelling - Sequential Spelling (Also copywork and dictation in Classical Writing) Grammar - First Language Lessons 1/2, Michael Clay Thompson's grammar and vocabulary and Good English (free on Google books) Writing - Classical Writing and Michael Clay Thompson's writing (I also have Put That in Writing on the shelf in case I feel like we need it.)

I'd say yes. I wouldn't see any problem with it unless dh didn't have the time or we couldn't afford to spend the money.

I agree. I think if there are soul mates - there are many, many possible soul mates for each person. I love my dh very much, but I am complete even without him. And while love brings a great deal of joy and comfort (not to mention good fun) to our home - we both agree that it is trust and respect that hold it together. :)

Link to Prufrock Press From this link you can click on examples to all of the books mentioned. http://www.prufrock.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=472

Dd5 asks everyone to call her Princess. She learned to spell it and puts it at the top of all of her papers. She signs any cards or letters that way too. She will often say that is her name when someone asks. Most of the time, ds3 is the only one in our home that actually calls her that, but he does it faithfully. I've never heard him call her by her name. She has identified with Princess for at least the past year. Ds3 says his name is Person. I have no idea how this came about, but he is very adamant about that being his name. He used to insist on being called Person and would only respond to that name. Now he will respond to his own name but always introduces himself as Person. When he first learned to talk he would go by his own name, but he has been on Person for a good year. I have completely given up explaining to people we don't know well, so there are any number of people around town and elsewhere that actually think I named my children Princess and Person. :D My husband can't stand it, but I like the independence they show in choosing a name that is somehow meaningful and sticking with it. Of course, I call them both by their given names. :)

We gave up our family vacation last month. We had planned a week of swimming, skiing, boating, sleeping and just relaxing on an island in south Florida (we already live in Florida, but it is at least 10-15 degrees cooler in northern Florida. :D) We couldn't justify the cost of gas in taking two cars and a boat. Both the truck and the boat get terrible gas mileage. This was just before the gas prices started to drop. Plus the cost of eating out and the bits of money spent here and there anytime one goes on vacation that really seems to add up in the end. I do feel bad for dh. He doesn't get another week off until July when he gets the joy of spending the week with my family up north and going to a wedding (not high on his list of enjoyable vacation activities.) We are fairly frugal in all other areas already, so we haven't changed anything else.

I didn't really like the English program. It is rather "light" and offers very little in the way of explanations. There is no real writing instruction and many of the assignments focus on creative writing. British punctuation and spelling are also a bit different so you have to watch for that in the grammar sections. I do really like their language programs. We struggled a bit with the layout of Latin Prep so switched to SYRWTL Latin and that is going great. I currently use: So You Really Want to Learn Latin I So You Really Want to Learn French I I intend to continue both programs. I also own So You Really Want to Learn Spanish I and hope to start that next year.

It could be a boy thing. My ds seems "younger" to me in a lot of ways than the girls did at his age. I don't know whether he will be ready to begin Lollipop Logic in K or not. But, even though I start a bit earlier, you and I are both on the same sequence by 3rd grade. I have found with my two older dds, I can't move through the program any faster than I have it scheduled. Even though it only works out to one lesson per week, the lessons get too advanced to move any faster.

We overlap and do them over two years. Lollipop Logic - K Primarily Logic - 1 and 2 Logic Safari 1 - 1 and 2 Logic Countdown - 3 and 4 Logic Safari 2 - 3 and 4 Logic Liftoff - 5 and 6 Logic Safari 3 - 5 and 6 Orbiting with Logic - 7

Both programs are recommended for Year 5 and up. SYRWTL Latin moves faster and goes a bit further. It also lacks the humor of the Latin Prep series. Personally, we prefer the layout of SYRWTL Latin. :)

We will be using El Español Fácil (The Easy Spanish) next year. It has an independent learner track and a more teacher intensive track (or you can combine the two.) I can't really recommend it, as I haven't used it. I do have The Easy French, Jr. (for younger children.) I really like the program and am looking forward to using the Spanish next year. I'm hoping they will add a level 2 before we finish level 1! I'll link the samples page. http://www.theeasyspanish.com/sample.html

I have an older set, but I used it to teach both dd10 and dd8. I am currently using it for dd5 and she is doing just fine. I will begin it again with ds3, maybe next year. I really can't compare it to anything else. It was the first thing I purchased. It has worked quite well for me so I've never looked at any other materials. I've never used the cassettes. I do use the booklets, the readers, the flashcards, etc. The only other thing I have used is the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVDs for the younger two children.

I have a Dolciani Pre-Algebra (actually called Pre-Algebra) from 1970. The first unit is on set theory. I think it will work fine as an intro to the 60's Dolciani Algebra I and II.

Brother - Navy (Iraq) Sister in Law - Navy (Iraq) Aunt - Navy (Vietnam) Uncle - Navy (Vietnam) Grandfather - Army (WWII)

My children play outside alone. We live very rurally so there are no other children. We don't have any fencing, but they stick to the yard. I keep windows and doors open and check on them every five to ten minutes if the little ones are out or every fifteen minutes or so if only the older two are out. We have a couple of acres. Our rule is one older child per younger child. So the older two can play outside alone, but the younger two must have an older child outside (not that the older child is expected to baby-sit, but just as an extra set of eyes and someone who could get to the child more quickly if needed.) We moved here when the older two had just turned 9 and 7. Before that, we lived in a neighborhood, in a home on a corner with no fence and they were not allowed to play outside alone.

Saxon Math (K-3) Singapore Primary Math Hooked On Phonics First Language Lessons (1/2)

My two favorite books are: How to Read a Book - Adler Study is Hard Work - Armstrong

I think it is a great idea as well. When I spent a summer in Germany 20 years ago, the local grocery charged for bags - most people brought their own. :)

I thought I would mention it because I had never heard of a Kid's Marathon before this week and I think it is a great idea. Somehow I received information on one in St. Louis - maybe through a homeschool loop?? It sounded great, so I checked locally and sure enough Gainesville is having a Kid's Marathon in February! You register your child(ren) online (or send in a form) and print out a log sheet. The child runs 25 miles at home (usually in 1 mile runs - but whatever works for the child) and then comes to the race to do the final 1.2 miles. It is like a fun run with t-shirts and medals for all of the finishers. This seems so much better than the standard fun run because it requires consistent running from the child over a period of time. The St. Louis run has an UltraMarathon for 6th grade and up that requires the child to run 50 miles at home and a 5K on race day. I am going to lobby for adding the UltraMarathon in Gainesville next year. :D In case anyone is in the Gainesville, FL area - registration is free until November 15th and then $5.00 per child. (I think the one in St. Louis is free as well.)

I just purchased Easy French Jr. It says Grades K-3. It just arrived a couple of days ago, so I haven't had a chance to read through the whole thing, but I really like the look of it. I'm going to use it for a 3rd grader that needs to ease into things like foreign languages -- otherwise she becomes easily overwhelmed. I haven't decided whether to begin right away or wait until after Christmas. Here is the sample link. http://www.theeasyfrench.com/sample.html

I give used to anyone I know well enough to say "I'm so glad I found that book used at ________" after he/she has opened the package.

There is a book called Powers of Ten. I don't know if it is a program of any sort.

This was my first time voting in a rural area. We have 5 precincts for the county. I walked right in. I voted electronically in the last two elections and before that with those chits that you punch. When they handed me a ballot and an ink pen I was at a loss. I actually didn't know anyone voted (on election day) using a pen and paper. I guess it is like an absentee ballot. I'm sure everyone was laughing as I left. But everyone was very nice and helpful. They gave the kids candy while they were waiting. I was the 235th voter at 11:30.

Thanks!!