I guess my main issue is this. My dh and I have been through some major stress the past three years (major job pay cut, lost job, move 1000 miles, another job loss, new job) and semi-major stress for the past 6 (adoption of a child with RAD type problems that got worked through, two more than minor surgeries for adopted kid, two major surgeries for bio kid). Now oldest ds is dealing with more medical issues that require multiple trips to new doctors. I'm tired. I have thought almost daily to put everyone in school just so I could breathe which means I would have to deal more proactively with my dd's ADHD issues instead of keeping lessons short so she gets a lot of active time. I'm looking to simplify without compromising. I'm a pretty intense homeschooler and it's hard for me to let stuff go. I guess I just want less parts and more richness.

I have the sleepy 15 year old also. He gets up at around 8/ 8:30 and starts working unshowered in his room. I will not be around him if he's not showered. I don't need to look at an over 6 ft man child in ratty pajamas with breath and stink to sink a ship. He's pretty much independent in his schoolwork. I wouldn't try to get him down to do anything with the rest of us before 10 am. The pediatrician (who's a homeschool dad) mentioned that if teens are sleeping to 11/ 12 every day, this may be an indicator of depression.

Good point. I guess I'm a little tired of the history running the whole show. I have nothing against learning history, but maybe I'm looking for something that has good literature just because it's good not because it fits into the sequence of history that you are studying. For example, Sonlight in the early years doesn't have history driving the literature. Literature is there just because there are such good stories for younger learners. As they get into the older years, everything has to match. You learn about the civil war and there's a read aloud literature book that reflects that learning and a book that your children read also talking about the civil war. I guess that's not horrible all in all, but maybe I'm looking to separate them a little more and read good books because they're good, not because they match up with the history sequence. I'm not ditching writing or other subjects. I'm just trying to maybe have literature drive the rest of the curriculum not history.

Ah yes...February. It snuck up on me this year. We moved to a warmer for us climate and the weather has not been in the arctic freeze category so it hasn't felt as much like winter. I will give myself my own advice. "Wait for spring and then decide..."

Does anyone remember the Circe institute discussion from years (?) back? There was something that resonated in me with that. I want to give my children beauty and richness in their learning. I just don't know how to implement that without driving myself crazy.

Yes - it does sound very anti-curriculum and if I knew I had it in me to keep with that, I would do it. I just know myself too much and my tendencies. It's a lot (think running uphill) harder for me to go without a curriculum. I like to be able to coast a bit and a pre-planned curriculum does that for me. I guess I'm just longing for something different and richer than what we're currently experiencing.

I've been homeschooling a while and know that if I don't have a set plan in place (basically a curriculum/ plan that someone else thought up for me), I don't get it done. I admire people who can go with the flow and pull together this marvelous plan that works great. That's just not me. My fallback this year has been Sonlight. It's the closest I've been able to get to something like I want. Basically, I want my children to love books right now. My two youngest have great imaginations and I want to encourage that. I would love to just focus on reading good literature and memorizing poetry for a year. But, due to my flakey nature about plans, I know I won't accomplish it unless I have a written plan. It's my accountability. And no, writing one myself doesn't work either. Sigh. So, is there a way to ditch history and just focus on good books? Is there such a curriculum?

I went from 76 to Algebra 1/2 with my 2nd ds and will go from 76 to 87 with my 3rd ds. I want to give him the option of an additional year of pre-algebra in case he needs it.

We moved from a cozy one level ranch to a two story with completed basement with a layout much like you describe (cross country move - not preference). Even as an introvert, I did like the cozier space. The basement was enough of a separation of kids when I needed some peace. I have to admit though, being able to separate children into different zones on the same level during homeschooling has done wonders for the bickering. If I could afford it, I would go back to a ranch again with cozier space.

This is a decent bread. It tastes better toasted and in grilled cheese sandwiches. It has the texture of a pound cake though. The best tasting most looks like bread is the gluten free bread at Costco but that doesn't help you much. http://betterbatter.org/southern-style-white-bread

My ds #2 was 10 before he stopped wetting the bed, ds #3 was the wonder child and potty trained with everything at 3 years old. My dd was 8. This is why they make "Goodnights". I figured me sleeping through the night and him sleeping through the night was worth the expense. We are done with pull ups/ goodnights. Happy day!

My ds did Potter's school Narnia class in 7th grade and English 2 in 8th. I was very impressed with both classes. There was a whole quarter in the English 2 class that the writing portion focused on poetry. Each student had to have a poetry portfolio with a number of different types of poems. They also had to have a oral report on a specific poet with a power point presentation. My son even decided that he liked poetry a bit after that. It didn't come from me - I am poetry adverse and skipped poetry in every curriculum I taught.

Has anyone ever done the EEME online lessons without doing the monthly subscription? Is there somewhere you can buy the components used in the lessons for cheaper?

My 11 year old son wants to purchase a kindle. I am wanting to load it up with free Kindle books. I can do a lot of classics and G.A. Henty books, but I'm pretty sure there are other authors I may be missing. Any suggestions?

http://awesomejelly.com/the-saran-wrap-ball-christmas-party-game-is-a-seriously-good-time/

I remember in college some geeky guys sitting in this small little room about the size of a closet glued to their large computer screens. I asked my friend what they were doing. She said they were looking on the "World Wide Web". Yes, this was my first knowledge of the world wide web. My senior year in college. I remember having to learn a bit of code to type an email to my friend at another college who didn't even have her name as her address - just a bunch of numbers. I also remember playing ghosts in the graveyard during long summer nights. It had to be dark in order to play well. Now, as an adult, I realize how late it has to be before it gets really dark in the summertime. I was under 10 playing games with the neighborhood children well after 9 pm.

I have found a little more interest (for me) with Sonlight over MFW ECC. With ECC, it was the same every other week. It is the same routine for every country you study for the whole year. My son was fine with it, but when the second semester started, I figured out a plan to zip through the rest of the curriculum because I was getting so bored with the same exact routine -reading the same books, doing similar activities, week after week. You could easily do ECC for cheaper using something like Galloping the Globe. The book basket saves ECC in my opinion.

My sister sent me all of her kindle book collection through something called "we transfer". I currently have 800+ books. Let's just say she's a woman of few hobbies, and is a D.I.N.K. person.

Kindle Paperwhite? That was my "Wish" this year. New fancy boots - not the snow boot variety?

We had a nightmare with our state exchange. I entered all the information only to be told an error message. I kept trying and kept getting an error message. Then I get something by email that told me the whole family qualified for Medicaid due to income (unemployed at the time). Apparently, something went through without my knowledge. A month later, I get a letter telling me that my husband and I were on a very expensive plan that apparently went through the error message which I never signed up for. So, we had two insurance plans. I tried to cancel very expensive insurance because we were covered elsewhere. I canceled. Meanwhile, their computers felt I really should want expensive insurance plan so they re-enrolled us under dh's name automatically without any indication that we wanted this and sent us a new bill. Finally we got that cancelled. So, we move because dh got a job in another state and I cancelled the state healthcare. This was April. I JUST got a letter stating that we no longer qualified and that my state insurance would be cancelled November 30. This was despite numerous calls making sure we were cancelled and being assured that we were. This whole system is a complete mess!

Audio books - read alouds and history. For science - nature and science videos. I supplement with nature videos that relate to whatever we're learning and that seems to be the thing that they remember most.

We did it for first grade a while back. Ds did just fine. He was reading at that point and could write letters easily.

The blankets that are called "Sherpa" blankets. They are awesome! SO warm and cozy. It's velour type on the outside and looks like sheep wool (but isn't) on the inside.

Yes -this--Having lived in southern Minnesota for 17 years, we just couldn't do it anymore. The year we had a whole month of below zero temperatures did it in for us. My dh was commuting on roads declared by the governor to be hazardous to life. Every product to melt ice couldn't work in the extreme temperature swing we found ourselves in. We moved to a more temperate winter. We still get snow, but it melts by the next week. SAD is a real thing. February was pretty tough. It was like everyone you met was in a grumpy mood. I agree with the others, take a month long vacation in January or February before you make the move. And, having visited Duluth (which is closer to Canada) in mid- April of the freezing year, 75% or so of Lake Superior was frozen solid - still. Even Duluth in June wasn't very warm. Cold can be very cold and very draining.

In our small town, they would let groups of people wanting to raise money offer to bag your groceries (this was a you bag it store). Cheerleaders, Volleyball teams, mom's groups, mission trip groups... You name it, they were there offering to bag your groceries for "free"/ a small donation would be appreciated! On those days, I dreaded going to check out because I was always approached with the inevitable, "Would you like your groceries bagged?" Introvert nightmare! I'm a little particular about some things and honestly like to do it myself. I never carry cash and ALWAYS felt guilty that I should let them bag for the dollar in change I had somewhere piled on the bottom of my purse. Store bell ringers also evoke the same feelings. Even store clerks welcoming me to the store - asking me if I need anything. I am why internet shopping was invented. The introverted shopping experience.