I've considered a "Lego-only" vacuum. It might go well in that room!

FLL and WWE, yes. SOTW yes, more or less. I don't know what SW is. You certainly don't have to do that, though. This year (fourth), I've decided to intersperse other things with WWE and stretch it out. We are a bit "ahead" in FLL, but I have a couple things waiting for that time slot. We will finish the SOTW cycle, though.

I bring home a lot of the SOTW books and strew them around. Ds compulsively reads everything, dd usually skims. I try to pick our read-alouds from those lists. Occasionally I will highlight a book and we read it or I strongly suggest they read it. Fundamentally, though, I view them as extra books, over and above the lesson materials, so if we never did any of them it would (theoretically) not be a big deal.

Perhaps not worthy of a task, but he could make a "picassohead" if his tablet supports flash, and if it doesn't that might be a whole 'nother topic spin-off.

We are. DH just left on a business trip, if we didn't start we would sit around and starve. School gives us routine that includes food.

Neat idea! Lots of goods suggestions, too. What about downloading Duolingo and spending sometime working on a foreign language. App shopping itself would be an experience, perhaps point out costs and hidden costs. Down the road you may want to check out Makey Makey as an extension to the tablet.

That was normal here. Last year my then third graders couldn't spell anywhere close to their reading level. We've been doing spelling three times a week since first grade (although I regret those first two years somewhat). I feel like this year spelling has really stated to carry over to writing and become easier overall.

So, maybe "yes" to The Kid (Charlie Chaplin) and "no" to "E.T."? Farrar posted a link to a list of 50 pop culture movies from, ahem, Entertainment Weekly that I have been cherry-picking from. You have different criteria, but may find something useful there. Wish I could link, sorry. (Thanks, Farrar!)

Lamb's wool dusting the high corners and edges is an occasional core for my 5yo. Partly because it is cute to see her trying to control that crazy thing when it is extended.

I love the day-pack I got there. We don't use it a lot, but it always makes me smile. Check the sale and clearance ranks, otherwise you'll get another check next year!

I've been reading the Vegan Lunchbox cookbook from the library. We're not vegan, but that is an easy modification. :-) I think there is a website. Otherwise, I'm not much help, one of the contributing factors for my continuing to homeschool!

Another option might be to look around for something interesting to alternate weeks with. My 4th graders were getting burned out on WWE4 and I am not in a rush to start WWS in 5th, so I've started swelling in occasional weeks of Kilgallon or free writing. I don't have any specific suggestions for first grade, sorry, but perhaps you could find something different from WWE that would appeal to you and your student. My plan is to stretch WWE 4 to a year and a half and then do something similar with WWS, using my students's responses to set the pace. Good luck!

I think it just sounds like a life-lesson for them. This was what they thought they wanted, what every kid thinks they want. Next year they will probably be happy to wait. Maybe they will spend their morning making you cinnamon rolls!

No kidding! I've been toying with making my own Larry, but trying to get all the parts to work together would probably require a co-op which always brings me back to this thread...

Okay, who has a great system for storing all this stock? Do you freeze it in 1 cup-sized pucks, or 4 cups at a time, or? Do you freeze it in containers and then move the bricks to storage bags? Particular containers or whatever you have on hand? If your broth gets gelatinous, do you divide that up? I'm intrigued by making a whole chicken once a week, especially in the cold months.

No, don't remove the rind. I just had that discussion with my 5yo this morning. By the time we were done with lunch she decided she had "developed an appreciation for the rind."

I don't completely understand their concern sometimes, either. I mean, are they worried on my behalf that someone is going to, say, break into my WTM account and leave a bunch of imposter comments? Or hack my CurrClick account and order a bunch of things during "Dollar Days"?

You could fill the stockings with cheaper things each year and wean then off. Although, I'm usually excited to see my post-it supply topped off...

We do 2 to 2½ hours in the morning: math (1hr), writing, grammar, spelling (3x wk), piano practice, either Latin or Spanish. After lunch another hour or so: either history or science and the other foreign language, occasionally Amer. history. More piano later in the day.

One of my local groceries sometimes sells "you-pick" 6 packs, so I'm sure you could buy just one, although it would throw everyone for a tizzy and you would surely have to get help from a manager. Secondly, back in the dark, pre-internet days, my parents were doing a DIY remodel and throwing away very heavy garbage bags of plaster. In order to convince the garbage men to do their jobs with a sunny disposition, they would perch a six-pack on the top of the pile. It was popular! You might be able to do something similar with a "5-pack". :-)

Yes. There is a new website, also. I haven't looked at it, but the idea was to add comments and links to the lessons.

Oh. Well, then put on a good, tight hat, because I think you have to take the "head explosion" possibility seriously. It is a bear to clean up.

With that age split I have two separate read-aloud times. However, if you don't want that, I second Btervet's suggestion if wordy picture books, then transition to short chapter books with lots of pictures - Ivy & Bean, Dodsworth, a Cynthia Rylant series, Nate the Great, Frog and Toad, Arnold Lobel books, Underpants on my Head, etc. Short, humorous chapters with high picture content. You may find you can read the whole book in one sitting.

What about just going presenting what (little?) she has and then discussing what the grade would be in different situations, along with how embarrassing it is too not have completed the work. Then she can finish in her own time without affecting the entire group? Plus that way you don'thave to carry all that frustration, you can unload it as disappointment.

Great! So glad to hear everyone is doing well!