So far DS11 is signed up for a week of Boy Scout Camp in OR, both kids are signed up for a huge carnival of a VBS (full-day day camp) courtesy of their grandparents, and DD7 is signed up for another VBS with her bestie (1/2 days). DS wants to take a babysitting class and DD wants to go to tennis camp and soccer camp and would also like to do a month of TKD. Both would like to get a membership to the local rockclimbing gym as well. I want free time so I may let them each do one more thing, but that's it.

DD is generally awake when I get home from the gym. DS is another story. He gets up when he is told to get up. I open his door, flip on the light, and tell him, "It's time to get up." The big dog then vacates his bed and DS writhes around for 2-3 minutes and then stumbles into the living room.

The private school where my MIL works does this if they haven't had to use up their snow day allotment for the year. I think it's fantastic!

DS will be a 6th grader next year. We are finiishing CLE500 and I've noticed that many people switch programs at this point. Why? And what transition would be smoothest? Thanks..

Now I just have to commit to a day. :)

I go to the gym in the morning, but same concept. I eat when I get home. If I eat before I exercise I feel ill.

DS is a Tenderfoot and working on Orienteering and Camping. This weekend he went to a workshop and earned Radio and Electronics. DD is in American Heritage Girls and we as a group are working on Young Meteorologist. She also just earned Pet Care and is working on Zoology.

Thank you for the advice and commiseration. I need to find a way to shake things up. I can't change my geographical location or my house. The only change I could make to work is more hours, not less. Sometimes that yellow bus looks awfully nice when it drives by my house twice/day.... but that isn't up for discussion again for at least a few more months. I'm committed to my Scout leadership positions at least until next school year. So it has to be something to do with my free time. I may also consider using one day/wk for "field trips" with the kids until summer vacation just so that I can manage to make it until June.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have a lot to think about. I love the idea of co-op classes but... Lori D is probably right. Juggling HS and work and a co-op might just push me over the edge. My husband is with the kids while I'm at work. We share teaching responsibilities but he often has to work on those days and the kids end up reading or doing workbook pages rather than what was actually planned. He definitely would not be able to commit to taking them to a co-op or class and he is definitely not going to go to a homeschool activity (because he is not comfortable being the only man with all of the moms). I don't know any of the other moms well enough to ask them to take the kids, but I could try to host something and see if we could make some connections that way. I am not aware of any co-op'ish things in our area other than Classical Conversations and a public school-run "homeschool connect" program, neither of which interest me for various reasons. Maybe I could try organizing some field trips within our homeschool group to get to know some of the other families. Maybe the kids could make some connections that way.

Does anyone else ever feel like this? I have a huge wanderlust. The happiest I have ever been was my mid-20's. Single. No responsibilities beyond myself. Worked a contract job where I got to move (not just to a different job but to a different state) every 3 months. Everything I owned fit in my suitcases. Now I'm married. 3 kids. Morgage. 2 dogs. Homeschooling. Part-time job out of the house. Own a business on the side. Boy Scout leader. American Heritage Girls leader. Commitments everywhere. Same old stuff day in and day out. Bored. Restless. Stagnating. What can I do to change how I perceive my life? I'm grateful for what I have but at the same time it is slowly sucking the life out of me.

I would like to start one for my kids, 7 and 11. DD7 asks to go to "real school" at least once/wk and DS11 just needs something different. Neither of the kids have friends (although a few acquaintances) that homeschool and I think it would be good for them to feel like they are a part of something. I am part of a local HS'ing group but am not connected because they seem to schedule their activities on the days that I work. Because of the age discrepancy, I'm thinking that something like art might work but quite honestly I am the worst about even doing art, let alone leading a co-op. What other subjects would work with a 4-yr age gap? And how do I go about putting a group together? Any other thoughts are appreciated.

I reuse gift bags. If I have to buy something, I buy a reusable shopping bag (Toys R Us, JoAnn's and other stores have cute ones for $1-2 which is about the same price as buying a paper one).

My neighbor is raising her grandchildren. She recently withdrew her 1st grader from PS because things weren't going well for him. He is bright (reads at 5th grade level, does 2nd grade math), but has behavior issues at school that they simply do not see at home. She enrolled him in a local PS-linked co-op of sorts but they don't plan to use it again next year because co-op is switching to a more classroom-style set up (due to changes in ALE regulations) and he doesn't do well in that setting. She has been doing research about kids that are "gifted and talented" flavored with hyperactivity and now she feels like she really doesn't know what to do. She plans to keep him in the co-op for the rest of the school year and then bring him home for 2nd grade. She is trying to find teachable moments outside of curriculum but for next year she is hoping to design a curriculum that keeps him engaged. She is concerned about keeping him on track for success later on and she does not feel she is equipped to unschool. I realize he may be bored vs. hyperactive. I have asked her a series of questions RE: bored vs. hyperactive, goals for the 2nd grade year, secular vs. religious curriculum, subjects beyond the 3 R's, and whether or not he likes to read to help guide the options I present to her and am waiting to hear back from her What suggestions do you have for her?

Good point about bored vs. hyperactive. My son acted out in PS because he was bored, and for anyone who knows him that is a very strange thing indeed. I have sent her an email with your pointed questions and hope to hear from her today so I can post the answers. Thanks! I will cross-post the question. I have a son who reads at a higher level but does not enjoy reading so I understand pefectly what you are saying. I will ask her if he enjoys it. And mastery for math sounds like the ticket for sure. I will post again when I hear back from her. Thank you!

My neighbor is raising her grandchildren. She recently withdrew her 1st grader from PS because things weren't going well for him. He is bright (reads at 5th grade level, does 2nd grade math), but has behavior issues at school that they simply do not see at home. She enrolled him in a local PS-linked co-op of sorts but they don't plan to use it again next year because co-op is switching to a more classroom-style set up (due to changes in ALE regulations) and he doesn't do well in that setting. She has been doing research about kids that are "gifted and talented" flavored with hyperactivity and now she feels like she really doesn't know what to do. She is hoping to design a curriculum that keeps him engaged. She is concerned about keeping him on track for success later on. What suggestions do you have for her?

I'm looking for something for my 5th grader that is not too "wordy." He is a visual-spatial/kinesthetic learner and struggles with riddles and stories because he gets "lost" in all of the verbage. I was thinking of trying Building Thinking Skills Level 2 but am open to other suggestions.

I'm probably the odd-man-out on this but we just have fun. We are usually done with school by mid-June and don't start until mid-September. I pick up extra hours at work covering vacations and the kids hang out with DH, play with friends, go to various camps, hang out at the lake, and go on fun day trips. We have lots of visitors and we take them all over the state. Occasionally we may play an educational game or watch a DVD/Netflix with some redeeming educational properties but there is nothing structured. I love summer. It's the only time of year that I really enjoy living in the Pacific Northwest.

I'm a physical therapist and work in a clinic 20 hrs (2 days)/wk. DH and I own an IT company and he teaches and works from home on the days I'm in the clinic. On the days I'm home, I teach and work for our business as well (i.e. answer the phone, set up appts, run errands, deal with the books).

We don't have an Aldi's anywhere in the state. I don't shop at WalMart primarily because it is further from my house than WinCo and Grocery Outlet and their prices are just as good if not better. If I drive all the way to WalMart, I might as well drive another 10 minutes to the Commissary (DH is retired military). I use Bountiful Baskets for fresh produce. We have a local farm stand that has good prices on produce if I need something specific and meats. I shop Grocery Outlet and WinCo for everything else.

Oh no! I have met Kay and she is truly every bit as wonderful in person as she is on the boards. I pray that she and her family are finding the support and love that they need. Life is just not fair.

I'm watching it right now. It's a great episode. I LOVE Stephan!

I grew up on a farm in WI (0-18 yrs) and then moved away for college and never went back. I met DH who was in the Army and we moved around and travelled a lot. We ended up in WA courtesy of Uncle Sam and when DH retired we stayed because I had a good job, we were close to the Base and VA, and DH was in school. Now our reasons for being here have changed but I don't think either of us feels like we are "home." I don't even know where "home" is, but WA is not it.

So what do you do to make a place feel like home? Is it your house? I hate my house. Is it friends? Belonging to certain groups? I can't change the weather (would that I could) so that's out. Does anyone have suggestions?

I prefer change. I like to move. So maybe feeling at home isn't even my issue. Maybe it's not even that I don't feel at home here so much as the fact that I feel stuck. I've always said that if I can't go to the grocery store without running into someone I know, it's time to leave. Well, it's been time to leave for about 13 years by that standard. (I find that happens after about 2 years in a place). In the past, I might have just moved across town to a different apartment but we have been in our house for 12 years. When I haven't been able to physically pack up and move, I have changed jobs. I can't do either right now and I'm feeling like a trapped animal. I have lived in WI, MN, SC, NC, GA, TX, CO, CA, and WA. I grew up in WI and always have a soft spot for the farm but I can't imagine moving back there. I really liked CO and TX but I'm not sure that is the answer either. I know I don't want to stay here in WA.... I have work acquaintances and a handful of friends but no one I would feel compelled to come back and visit if I were to move. I actually only have 3 friends that I ever feel compelled to see and none of them live here. I don't know what would make me feel more at home here and I don't see me getting to move any time soon so I need to find something to change before I go completely crazy.

I've never felt "at home" anywhere but where I grew up. I'm not talking about just the house. I'm talking about everything: the house, the geographical area, the people, the culture, etc. I've lived in over 40 different houses, apartments, and dorm rooms in my life. I've called 9 different states "home." I've been in my current state for over 15 years and in my current house for over 12. I still don't feel like this is "home." Does anyone else feel like this? What am I doing wrong?