Oh, I love remembering the Big Moment when it all started, when what was an ordinary day became one of the most wonderful days of my life. And yes, it goes so fast! Happy Birthday to your dd.

We're going through the Bright Lights book with our 2 oldest dds and I see some good results. It's very biblical and conservative (if that's what you are looking for). Aside from that we just pray a lot with our oldest (who sounds like your dd) and do a lot of stopping her, pointing out how she said something, and having her try again...and again...and again...

:iagree: See, I've found my boys to be easier from the get-go! Maybe God will bless me with a few more boys in the future to give me a better balance/perspective but for now I can't say that boys are harder at any point. What I can say is that they are tons of fun, just like my girls. ;)

Oh no...oh no. I am so sorry, so very sorry. :(

Is your test the water or dye one? The dye through the tubes was not fun for me either time but the water one was no problem - not even slight cramping. Definitely take a painkiller beforehand either way just in case. The good thing is that the test is quick and if your doctor is gentle it shouldn't be that bad.

We're finishing up the God's Design series and have enjoyed it. The reading is short enough that the dc can outline their lessons without being overwhelmed yet I feel there is enough "meat" without being too much. The experiments are OK but I supplemented with Evan Moore books. What I liked were the Taking It Further sections; we sit together and talk about what is presented. I like that there are review questions as well as quizzes, too. It's funny because I'm actually going to use Apologia 1 & 2 this coming year just for something different! Now I'm worried I won't like it!

We're finishing up 7th grade and I feel mostly good about what we did, yet will make changes for the next "set" who comes through. Would you include logic? If so, when and what? I did not include logic this year but will begin next year. Since middle school also hit me like a ton of bricks, I limited the amount of material/subjects so I could focus on doing a better job with fewer subjects. What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science? We used God's Design Plants/Animals/Human Body. I went too light with science in the years before 7th so determined to really push it this year and will continue to do so. This was our most successful year and I wish I'd been more focused in the past. We're switching to Apologia in 8th, something I also wish I'd begun earlier. What would you consider most important in studying history and literature? Does the curriculum you chose support this and if so what are you using? We're slowly working our way through U.S. history and finished up through the Civil War this year. I use History Pockets plus lots of historical fiction which works great for us. My main focus in 8th grade will be world geography and the rest of U.S. history. I want the dc to have a solid grasp of world geography before we begin world history in 9th grade. Literature we used LL7 which I thought was a good program. It introduced literary elements just enough without overkill and I was pleasantly surprised at how much my dc enjoyed the variety of reading/writing exercises. Which math programs support your ideas for middle school math? This I struggled with big time. We used ChalkDust PreAlgebra yet I now realize there was not enough constant review so when I take my next "set" through I will also use Mixed Skills in Math for daily review. What about Latin, other languages? This was our first year to focus on Latin and it went very well. We used English From the Roots Up and I can tell how much the dc learned as they are doing their vocabulary. Now the challenge is to find a good program/book to help them retain what they've learned. Lastly, what are your goals in regards to writing? Which programs support your goals? Writing was a big focus for us, particulary note-taking and outlining. I had them outline their science chapter (thankfully it was very short, one reason I chose the book I did) as well as their History. LL7 gave them a lot of creative writing opportunities so I made sure we focused on persuasive and expository writing as well as a separate subject. I used Comprehensive Composition for my guide and just made my own assignments as I had not found any writing program I really liked. One other thing I am glad I did was have my dc go through a good vocabulary program. We used Pathways 6th grade vocabulary which I used for their spelling and writing (they had to write a paragraph/sentences using their vocab. words each week). We did an intense grammar study this year, too. Next year will be review.

We don't, but then we don't do baskets/eggs/bunnies, either. For us it's all about the Resurrection and nothing else. ;)

One thing about waiting to see what happens...if an ectopic is caught early enough the tube might be able to be spared rather than removed. Had my idiot OB listened to me tell him a week before emergency surgery that I had an ectopic, had he ordered my hcg levels as STAT and not dragged his feet, I might have my fallopian tube left. :( There are so many tests that can monitor and diagnose an ectopic pregnancy now and save the tube, I personally would never advise a woman to "wait and see". This thread makes me cry all over again even thought it's been 7.5 years.

I am praying very much for you and have been. I didn't put it in my siggie but I've lost 8 precious little ones so you have been very much on my heart. :grouphug:

I use Explode the Code A,B,C, then move to McGuffey's Primer. I use Phonics Pathways for word lists as we encounter each sound in the Primer. I've tried other programs and found that McGuffey's is tried and true, at least for us.

We absolutely loved "Stop the Train!" (on CD, though, not tape) when we were studying Westward Expansion. I'd not done anything like that before and wish there were more good books on tape/CD like that.

I would bet your dd realizes this and that is ammunition for her. Whatever you do, do with confidence (at least outwardly), calmness, and consistency. Those 3 things will show your dd that you are in control both of yourself and the situation (even if inside you are feeling anything but in control). my13yo is told, "Stop, try that again." many times during the day. It definitely serves as a training technique to show them that they are speaking disrespectfully. I have found that if I hug her or put my hand gently on her in a loving way, her heart responds better than if I simply tell her to try her words again. A smile also works wonders, even if I want to frown at her. Well, I've told all of my dc that they are never too old to be spanked. If their behavior is that bad, if they have crossed every line and not responded to my correction, then yes, I will and have spanked. The last time I spanked my 12yod was about a month ago (before that it had been many months) and she just was horrible to me and her siblings. I warned her that she was headed for a spanking, she could not get her self-control, I spanked her and watched a total transformation happen. It wasn't a shallow change or short-lived one, either. It was as if she saw that there was a boundary, she crossed it, and I helped her come back in that boundary. Again, I highly recommend the Bright Lights books for moms/daughters to go through together. We have several girls who will be doing it with us so there will be accountability. lol, maybe there should be a forum for moms going through the preteen/early teen girl stage?

some may disagree, but I would drive her friends home as soon as they arrived or have their parents take them home. If my dd (or my ds's) gave me attitude like that I would nail that issue right then and there. She says you are treating her like a child and she just proved that she IS a child and throwing a tantrum is unacceptable, period. The issue in this situation is a lack of respect for you and that gets dealt with seriously around here. It's hard for them and for us, isn't it? We have to be ready at all times to respond and deal with things, hopefully in the right way. Keep us posted as to how this goes with your dd!

I have found the Bright Lights book to be marvelous with my just-turned 13yodd. It addresses heart issues in a beautiful way. I highly recommend it.

I used cheap manual pumps for my first 7 babies but with this last one scored one off of Craigslist for $100. It was worth every penny! I have bags and bags of expressed milk! I can't believe I never had a pump like this before. So yeah for you!! lol, I'm ready for another LO myself. Ready to do it all over again. :)

I was thinking the same thing. We discipline our dc by use of training, correction and punishment; those 3 things make up "discipline".

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but here's what we do: We do the Jesse Tree - a tradition usually done at Xmas yet we do it now so as to set the stage for Jesus' coming to earth and subsequent death/resurrection. On Good Friday we read the story of the crucifixion and play Don Francisco's song - very, very sober time. Sunday is the best! Before the kids wake up we place speakers in the hallway then play Don Francisco's "He's Alive!" LOUD! They wake up to the awesome message that Christ is risen! We gather in the living room and play one more of DF's songs, then pray and sing "Christ the Lord is Risen Today". We wear all white to church as a symbol of our sins being washed white as snow and take a family picture. Definitely not "traditional" so again I'm not sure my input will be helpful. But it gets me excited for April. :001_smile:

Me, too! Not that I would have wanted to actually work as a nurse but I would have loved having the experience to use on my kids. I would not have wasted 5.5 years on a degree on elementary education, would never have gotten a special education degree (total waste). I wish I'd gone for the health/food and nutrition degree as majors instead of minors.

Oh, boy, I've tried so many schedules! Just when I think I've found "it", things change. Right now I've put together a routine that seems to be working very well, dc like it (yeah!). Hope this makes sense: 6:45 Everyone up, make beds, help w/breakfast 7:00 Breakfast 7:20 Grooming, clean up 7:40 Exercise, devotion 8:00 Homechores and music (older 5); "littles" w/Mom doing Preschool/K (8 & 6yo do reading during this time after chores) 9:00 Vocabulary (older 3), Spelling (middle 2), hang out together (last 2) 9:15 Snack and recess (usually a run down the street) 9:30 Grammar & Latin/Greek (older 3); younger 4 watch educational show 10:00 Math (5 older dc); 4 & 6yo on computer 11:00 Lunch prep (one older dc makes lunch, next 2 in line are paired up with 4yo, 2yo and baby, 8 & 6yo do Writing w/Mom) 11:30 Lunch 11:50 Clean up, free time 12:15 Bible/Awana 12:30 Literature (Mom reads to little ones, older dc do independent reading) 1:00 Science (littles down for nap) 1:30 History 2:00 Writing 2:30 snack 2:45 Art/Music appreciation/Piano/Drama 3:30 Homework or free time Hope this helped a bit! It makes more sense when seen in spreadsheet format. What I aimed for was to give time to the littles first thing because I found they were the first thing I would let go of if my day wasn't going as planned. This way I pretty much start my day off by giving them the time they need instead of whatever I have "left over" at the end of my day or snippets along the way. I have also been able to "block" the 3 older dc and the next 2dc together as far as schoolwork goes so I am only teaching a few levels. By putting Science, History, etc. in the afternoon I can take more time, be more relaxed instead of rushing through as I would in the morning; if we go over, no big deal.

I did not supplement it and regret it now. I found a Math Skills book today at Barnes & Noble that is great review and will use that over the summer, probably use it w/CD with the next "set" of dc coming through. As for Algebra, I don't know yet if we will stick with CD. If I decide to use it again I will definitely supplement, even if I have to make my own review pages.

We used Singapore by itself and it was OK, however with my next set of kids coming through I will supplement with Horizons as a daily practice. Singapore is fabolous for mastery and I love the bar-method taught, however I felt that the lack of daily review was not good. I'm finding the same thing now with Chalkdust PreAlgebra - great for mastery, not so great on the review. We love Horizons and I think it would work very well with Singapore.

My results were almost exactly like yours, I also have a goiter but no doctor has been the least bit concerned about it. Please, would you let me know if you get more info about this? I've lost 8 babies and if it is thyroid related and something I can get treated I need to know! Miscarriages hurt so much. :(

We did a morning party that worked great! On a Saturday morning I picked up my dd's friends and took them to breakfast. It was actually fairly cheap because the place we went has wagon wheel pancakes (they are seriously HUGE!) so I only had to order 5 and that fed all 7 girls. We came to my house afterwards for presents and craft (flower pot painting and planting a flower in), then I took the girls home. The party was done by 10:30 so we had the rest of the day as a family. The other party we always like is going swimming at the YMCA with snack at a restaurant afterwards.

Absolutely. We had to sign a slew of papers before going through IVF as to the # of embryos and all that. It was very clear what was to be done, what our decisions would be, etc. As for making it unlawful, I'm looking at my 10-week old IVF miracle baby right now and can't imagine her not being here. I also can't imagine anyone telling me that we can't use IVF to conceive because it is against the law. It is no one else's business, period. There are many things that I'm OK with being legislated but not in the area of reproduction - natural or otherwise. It breaks my heart to think of IVF embryos being destroyed and wish there was a way to ease the cost of "adopting" them. We looked into the Snowflake program and it was a cool 8K just to get started, the actual implantation process wasn't even included in that cost. We paid less for our own IVF than we would have going through the Snowflake program.