I purchase most of my pantry staples from Azure as well as many frozen foods. I try to buy only hardy produce that can withstand the trip from Oregon to Oklahoma. We've had a few instances where our delivery was delayed and more tender things like peaches or berries were overripe or moldy. Azure has always been very good about crediting me back if something arrives in less than stellar condition. Lana

I just saw some Kumon algebra books on Zulily. They were listed at 6-8 grade but maybe they would work for your son. Lana

My dds (age 7 and 9) love the Ever After High books, but they are most definitely twaddle. I'm okay with twaddle, but I do have a minor issue with some of the dialogue in the books. The characters frequently say "Oh my godmother" which bothers me because it's used in the same sense that OMG would be, and OMG is not a phrase used or allowed in our household. Lana

I bought and used the experiment kit for grammar stage Earth Science and Astronomy this year and felt it was worth it. Science tends to not get done around here if I have to hunt down supplies and preplan for the lesson. I went ahead and bought the kit for next year's chemistry as well. My only complaint is that many of the experiments don't specify the quantity to use. We had an experiment earlier this year that used epsom salts and string to grow stalactites and stalagmites. I used the entire package of epsom salts in the kit, only to discover that we were to use epsom salts again this week to grow crystals. However, this is more a complaint against the Janice VanCleave books that the experiments are pulled from, not against the kit itself. Lana

We're going to be doing Treasured Conversations and The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever. I had originally planned to do CAP W&R Fable and Narrative 1, but after looking at it, I think it will not have enough guidance for my dd. I will probably save W&R for 5th grade instead. Lana

West side of OKC here. Our sirens went off probably 5-6 times last night, but nothing came near us. Lots and lots of rain and high winds. Road is closed due to floods a mile south of where I live, but no other problems close to me. Lana

Mind telling which part of Oklahoma? I'm in the OKC area and want to know if I need to keep my eye out for this guy! Lana

FYI, Dollar Thrifty is owned by Hertz. My dh works for Hertz. We get a decent discount, but occasionally we still rent from other companies. Hertz caters more to the frequent business travelers. Enterprise, Avis, etc. tend to cater more to the tourist demographic. Lana

Hmm, I think we are in the same FB group! CoC, right? Nice to "see" you here too! Lana

The church I attend has about 600 members. We have the following ministries for outreach: -private Christian school (beginning next year) -prison ministry -clothing pantry -food pantry -weekly low-cost lunch for high school juniors and seniors -parenting classes for the community -toy give away at Christmas for needy families -community garden -allow many groups to use our building and property for activities (meetings,elections, sports practice, etc) -vacation bible school -provide back to school supplies for underprivileged -youth groups for k-12th grade -marriage counseling on a "pay what you can" basis -foster parent support group -mental illness support group Our church tries to build relationship with people by meeting their physical needs first. Only then can we begin to build spiritual relationships and lead them to Christ. Lana

No one's suggested Bunnicula yet?! :D Lana

If you are looking for classic science fiction, what about Isaac Asimov's short stories? I don't know if they would be appropriate for a struggling reader, but I remember reading "Rain, Rain, Go Away" around age 12 and enjoying it. Another possibility might be "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson or "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton. Lana

My kids' voice teacher copies sheet music to put in a binder for them. I find it hard to turn the pages when they are in slick, glossy page protectors. Maybe if they were in matte page protectors it would be easier to grab and flip the page quickly. Lana

Thank you for all the insight. You have all been very helpful! Lana

Thank you, that was very helpful! Simpler dictation would probably be helpful for her to build proficiency. I think we'll go with Fable! One other question - could a 2nd grader who likes to write handle it? Lana

Which level would you choose for a 4th grader who has completed 3 years of FLL and WWE? My dd9 has done okay with WWE, although I usually have to prompt her with additional questions when she is narrating. Would Fable be too easy? I think she would enjoy either the fables or the parables, so no big concerns about interest level. Thanks! Lana

Oh, I forgot about Trail Guide! I think our coop already has the materials for that one, so that would definitely make my life easier! I haven't heard of the Barefoot Meandering. Have you used it? What did you like/dislike about it? Thanks for the suggestions and keep 'em coming! Lana

I'm researching curriculum for next year's co-op offerings. We're planning on US Geography / State Study for a combined 4th/5th grade class. What would be a fun US Geography curriculum? Ideally it would be easy for the teacher to implement, the planning committee writes the syllabus and assembles any materials/supplies for the class. The class will be 12 weeks long, broken into 2 6-week sessions. Hit me with your best suggestions! Thanks, Lana

I'm looking at NOEO Chemistry Level 2 for my rising 4th grader. It is a mix between classical method and Charlotte Mason. It uses a reference book for the spine but has several living books to read along with it. It uses several of the Young Scientist kits for experiments. It is written from a Christian perspective, so if you want more secular, you might look at Elemental Science. We are using the Earth Science/Astronomy level this year and I have been pretty pleased with it. Lana

If you want something a little smaller, I use the Garmin 220. I haven't used all its bells and whistles, but I think it would satisfy your needs. The only downside I've found is that it does not have a setting for bicycling. Lana

I designed a "Letter of the Week" curriculum for our coop's preschool class. Each week focuses on a letter, we talk about things that start with that letter, and learn what sound the letter makes. We do a bible story, another fun read-aloud, and have a snack. We make a letter craft (gluing things that start with the letter) and I try to incorporate some sort of motor skills activity so the kids aren't sitting the whole time. If time and attention spans permit, we do another fun activity related to the letter of the week. Pinterest has been very helpful for crafts, and I've also used quite a bit from Confessions of a Homeschooler. I've had to revamp my lesson plans this year, as I have mostly young 3 year olds. In years past, the class has been for 3-5 years old, so I've had some who were ready to begin tracing letters and cutting. This year we added a separate K4 class, which really changed the dynamic of what the preschool class is able to do! This past week we did the letter R. So we read about Rebekah at the well, had raisins for a snack, glued ribbons on the letter R, and made a rainbow by gluing Froot Loops cereal on a paper plate. I also planned to do ribbon dancing, but we ran out of time. Lana

My first grader is supplementing FLL with Evan Moor's Grammar and Punctuation and also Language Fundamentals. The grammar rule or mechanic is explained very simply and she is able to complete the pages entirely independently. Lana

The carotid arteries carry blood to the brain. My money is on this being the cause of the mental issues. I have seen this exact scenario with both of my grandmothers. Both regained some mental faculties after the arteries were stented. Lana

I'm looking at NOEO science for next year. I will have a 4th grader and a 2nd grader. We've done Elemental ESA this year, which has been okay, although I haven't been as consistent in getting it done as I would like. I'd like to keep the kids together for science, but wondering if Level 1 would be too easy for my 4th grader. Any suggestions? Lana

Ugh, I hate to say that the representative who authored the bill is my representative. I like his beliefs in most other regards, but he has really missed the mark on this one. I highly doubt the bill will make it out of committee, based on the HUGE outcry I have seen in my area. I haven't seen anyone speaking up in favor of this bill. Lana