here are some awana verses: http://www.awana.org/about/default.aspx?id=163 How about psalms:1, 37, 121,51, 150 to start---or any of your favorites Is 61 How about verses that speak of Lenten themes: Is 53, the Sanctus is the triumphant entry, etc here's another set of suggested beginner memory verses http://prayerfoundation.org/memory_verses_000_index.htm on the same site, here is an order for service, that is very similar to a Catholic Mass (in regard to the order, not necessarily all doctrine) . It lists scriptural references for parts of services, responses, etc and also lists of psalms, scriptures etc. http://prayerfoundation.org/dailyoffice/worship_service.htm hts

assuredly informed it was octopi. Spelling bees and all. :) Now what really bugs me is when people use "they" instead of "he, she, "he/she", or even "he or she" when referring to a single antecedent just to avoid the gender issue (or perhaps out of ignorance).

my grandma/mom's traditional beans and rice 1 pound bag of red beans (or any variety) soaked overnight. Drain in morning Put in crock pot with 6-8 c water (more or less depending on how soupy you like), 1 chopped large chopped onion, lots of chopped garlic; bay leaf optional:1/2-1 pound ham pieces or sausage--spicy or not-- cook all day. salt and pepper to taste options: serve with vinaigrette or Tabasco or salsa or add tomato(fresh or canned chopped) and green pepper,(or jalapeno) last 30-min to hour of cooking. basic brown rice 1:2 brown rice to water. put both in a covered pot. bring to boil. simmer 45 min. Remove from heat, leave covered 10 min. (mom and grandma would never have used brown rice :), but I do

I noticed the diagramming exercises in the sample pages....How much English grammar is covered as compared to LC1/LC2? thanks

http://books.google.com/books?id=JzIXAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR3&dq=primary+language+lessons&as_brr=1&client=firefox-a&cd=3#v=onepage&q=primary%20language%20lessons&f=false

classical music/composer; hymn; folk song rotation like amblesideonline.org in addition to your wee sing songs. ??? Maybe some hand made percussion instruments (drums, water in glasses, etc.) or hand bells. P and K? I'd keep it simple and fun.

I agree with Staples and Target suggestions. Great deals for 1, 3, 5, 10, 50, 99 cents.

http://abookintime.com/

checked to see if there was a rock and mineral club that hosts a show in your locale? We have picked up sets containing 10-20 different kinds of rocks/minerals labeled and everything for under $2, and there were also deals for buying more complete sets for scout badges... things like that, including buying particular specimens of varying prices if you are a real rock collector. Also a good spot to look for them is at museum gift shops, as they are often in clearance bins. hth...I just couldn't bring myself to pay all that money for rock collections at school/science supply places. Now over the past couple of years going to rock and mineral shows and museum shops, we have a GREAT collection for a very small financial investment.

quote from 100 top picks ...by Cathy Duffy "Of particular note is the religious perspective. This series is Christian, and it does a surprisingly good job of fairly presenting both the Protestant and Catholic perspectives. Even in the Renaissance and Reformation volume, we read about the good and bad from both sides." hth

why has it been suggested that using first form II (not out yet) is preferred over going right into Henle when finished with LCII?

does anyone have a CBD code? TIA

do you like Apologia or Abeka or something else? We are a science-oriented family, and kids show apptitude in this area. They do well with either self-teaching or teacher led resources. We have been using texts/resources books as suppliments to nature/living book studies/sciencee biographies/experiments/notebooking approaches and this has been working well. Opinion?TIA

the geography titles on oldfashionededucation.com, materambilis.org, amblesideonline.org? I've found some good geography living book titles on these. http://www.abookintime.com/ some of these are by country, too. Also do you have Michelle Miller's through the ages? It has books arranged geographically as well.

I like either Penney Gardner nine-note or/and sweet pipes instruction books. here's a nice a beginner recorder http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find/925638743?within=N%253D5100%2526Ne%253D5100%2526action%253DSearch&Ntk=keywords&Ntt=baroque+recorder&action=Search&N=0&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

There is so many really great books out there... but here are some other websites that might give you ideas/inspiration you haven't seen them yet, some are more unit studish tanglewoodeducation.com; oldfashioneducation.com; materambilis.org; simplycharlottemason.com http://elizabethfoss.com/elizabethfoss/serendipity/; the blogs of http://amblesideclassical.blogspot.com/ and http://triviumacademy.blogspot.com/ some people like the way my father's world combines ideas.... hth

dropping our inventors biography book "I" just can't get into it---kids are neutral about it.

I think life science is way more important in grammar stage than physics/chem. Your outline is in place; you know enough to deviate if need be. Yes, your children will be prepared for high school. Like everyone said, wonder, observation, writing and math skills are what is really needed for high school science. However, we are big science/nature people, and I LOVE planning science. and honestly, mine have enough self interest and do enough nature study that if I never did anything formally, I think they'd be fine, but we all enjoy the formal study too, so it's not a heavy weight or busy work for them or me.....Probably this is your situation, too. I am laughing because I recently looked at your blog--and you have chosen many of the exact books I have. So yes :), I think it's great.....Really, though you want the stucture of your 4 year plan? by all means enjoy. You seem sensitive enough to adapt when/if your kids need it. We ended up spending more time on a topic because we wanted to, so I just rearranged my planning map topics to adjust. And if you find you are not savoring a topic long enough, it's always ok to change the route a little. And yes, I think you can easily use a text in 7-8 if you need to "cover" what a traditional school does. Every seventh-eight grade book that I've looked at covers every topic in the two years. But if you keep to this plan, I think your children would be more than ready for Biology I come ninth grade, with or without 7-8 survey texts. Enjoy your planning, enjoy your teaching, enjoy your learning, and enjoy your children, too:)

Meshing that is--but you have to remember the manner in which you implement your approaches. For instance-- alot of styles uses living books (lcc, neo classical, prinicipal, some unit studies, cm)--your priorites and method of implementation have more to do with it what you call it, or how you blend what you appreciate in varying apporaches --are you creating an atmosphere of learning, where relationship with the knowledge is building up the heart and mind of the student? Whether or not you teach early grammar/latin has less to do with "doing a cm approach" (I am not being a purist here:)) than respecting the child's developmental readiness, interest, abilities, attention span, showing how it relates to real life, avoiding busywork and bad habits, etc, etc, while you teach any subject. Keeping the wonder alive and providing the tools, skills, time to ponder and explore and factual information to establish that wonder into something with a substance and depth, as well as teaching the skills to interact with the world in beauty, responsibility and nobility of character is key for a cm-ish education, imo. And I think that mattters more than whether your actual day to day looks more like ambleside/materambilis/simplycharlottemason/andreola/levison/reallearning/twtm/lcc/etc.

is it enough for you? What are your goals for Language Arts? What are your priorities? Are you immersing the children in well written/spoken language? Is your locale filled with poor grammar and/or pronounciation ? Do you use copy/work dication? Do you address grammar problems informally when they arise? Do you study grammar via a forgin language as well? Do you consider formal grammar purely a language arts subject or a logic/critical thinking skill exercise as well? Do you want to teach spelling during composition activities or as as separate activity? These answers will help you decide. We've use these with great sucess and enjoyment--however we do do formal grammar work, because we actually enjoy it (a lot, all of us:)) That being said, I think it wouold be enough for us to use by itself. ILL, in particular is full of thought provoking, beauty dwelling, heart/mind expanding writing prompts. My children respond really well to the assignments. The grammar assignments are purely review for us (but like I said, sometime we do grammar just for fun). As to your state testing, I cannot speak to that--I am assuming CLE (have not seen it in real life) requires more than the state standards? If it is an issue: There are plenty of inexpensive grammar workbooks around bookstores, Wal-mart, sams, etc you could pick up and work once in awhile if you are really worried. Or do a few lessons from CLE when you feel you need it. Or combine the two in a way that serves your/your children's needs, being careful not to do too much. Other non-textbook-y, gentle programs that include grammar are Writing Tales and KISS hth

as for new baby, death, food ministries Any ideas other than casseroles, pasta, chili (you know, the usuals:) )

Which do you like and why.Have had great sucess with MP products, we'll finishing LCII soon. Planned on going onto Henle, but people have been suggesting the other.(however these people have not tried either, nor aready to yet....)

The book Drawing on the Right side of the Brain does have a workbook. I probably wouldn't use it below age 12 or so, but DWC has the same approach/style. Maybe you could look at it, and see if it suits your purposes.

I could have written your post a few years ago. I really like DWC, had the lessons plans, understood it, but never was consistant with it.. What has worked is just using the techniques in DWC--types of lines, circles/dots, overlapping etc and just have the kids start by coping other artwork. Things like Dover's "stain-glass" coloring books have nice lines to copy. Maybe some favorite illustrators likeTomie DePaola, etc or fun greeting cards. It's a good start. The Lamb's book of art (samples linked below: also available from amazon) might be worth looking at There are also more samples at publisher's site http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=981013&netp_id=465536&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=781014&netp_id=223715&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

any suggestions? Tae-bo, step, low impact, cardio/strength mix are fine. No yoga or pilates, please. The last pilates I did had so much artsy videography I couldn't tell what it was I was suppossed to be doing, kwim? I want something that includes an abdominal workout. I would not like it so choreographed that i have to watch it several times before I can do it, but I generally don't have a problem learning or doing a routine. Does this sound like anything you can think of? TIA