totally foreign concept to DH. He seems okay with elementary but not higher. He can't let go of the accepted standards of the upper grades like the social ones-prom-banquets-sports teams....I think he still has the lingering "weird" kids thing in the back of his mind. Granted there is a family in DSs scout troop that is..well....weird and they homeschool. But like I told him, the parents don't come across like social maniacs so I think they are a bit odd all on their own-kwim? I am hoping that when he sees how well DD #2 does 1st-5th that he will agree that keeping them out of PS is okay. They all do scouts and another activity(girls do competitive dance and boys do travel soccer), plus we go to church and live in a large neighborhood. Not a chance that they will be socially odd.

do you have chair rail that you could break up one of the rooms? We have 9 foot ceilings, lots of windows, and chair rail in the downstairs so it really breaks up the rooms visually. I do love red as well but have trouble seeing 2 different shades. Do you have paint samples that you could post?

I so tune commercials out that I saw the darn thing and never knew what it was about! Duh.

this thread is really helping me! I am so stressed about getting stuff done in the next 5 months b/c DS will go to middle school. I can see that a week or 2 to just get used to the routine and being together is not going to hurt. I would like to just take him a few places like DC to hit some museums and spend time with him.

3rd grade for all so far was the year they really drilled them

We are lucky b/c our power comes from the main road in town where everything is underground. Our road itself is practically cleared but the main roads in town are terrible!!! Apparently many of the main roads heading north in VA are still in bad shape. They cancelled school Mon & Tues so far but with 5-8 inches coming Tuesday night there is no way we will go back this week. Then we move on to a week of late openings b/c of refreezing every night-ugh. It would be so much easier if they were all homeschooled right now!

does anyone get any? are they worth the $$?

The funny thing is that I just pulled DS (11) out of school but with the snow we have yet to have a "school day". The girls will finish public where they are so DD #2 won't start 1st grade with me until next year. AND now DD #1 (9) tells me she doesn't want to go to middle school or HS! I just feel so overwhelmed b/c I want to get my feet under me and get the show on the road but with 30 inches of snow it will be impossible to get anything done until the other kids are out of here!!! Anyway, I think DH will just defer to my judgement ultimately once he sees how well things are going(fingers crossed tightly here). It REALLY makes me mad that DDs friend told her that she was going to be behind in middle school if she is home for 5th grade next year. I know that HAD to be what she heard at home and her mom is one of my best friends! This is also the friend that asked me if I was going to get wierd......sigh:confused:

:lurk5:I have been asking about the same thing. I see that SOS has spanish and was going to look into it for my kids. I don't know any spanish so there would be a real learning curve for me.

He just feels that they won't be social enough if they don't go to regular middle and high school. He just doesn't know anything else so I am trying to explain to him that the more I read WTM the more I see that they can and WILL excel if I follow the approach and they take college courses while still in HS. I do worry about the traditional things like Prom, sports,clubs...that they won't be in if we keep them home. I dont know if he thinks WTM is weird but I feel like if I start that way that you really need to stay with it all the way.

What you like!!! Sometimes we defer to DSs egg allergy and get an ice cream cake as well so he can eat it too. I would prefer this: Heaven - white chocolate cake with Raspberry Filling & White Chocolate Icing it is TDF!!!

"we" were done at 4.....or at least he was. Here we are with 6 and I claim ignorance on how that happened!:D

with me using the classical approach with DD 1-12th and her not attending public. I feel like if I really dig in and use the WTM method that it would be a waste if we are going to put her in public middle and high school. Thoughts?

Kitchen is dark red and most of the main level is medium gold. master bath is light blue but I am going to repaint sage here shortly and the kids bathrooms are mickey mouse colors and the other is totally not done! Will be bright pink/green to go with the towels and stuff we got.

no one???

Here is the ultimate cheater recipe! Microwave 4 med potatoes meanwhile cook up chopped bacon-like 6 slices Mince 1 small onion and cook in about 6 cups of milk( more if you want more soup) and cook til the onions are soft. Heres the cheat-add 1 package of loaded baked potatoe mashed potatoe mix(Idahoan makes it) or I use some other kind like cheese and sourcream-then thicken to your liking by adding more milk or plain potato flakes-add salt and pepper to tasete-chop the cooked potatoes into cubes and throw in with cooked bacon pieces-Voila! Lowfat depending on the milk and takes like 20 minutes tops!

I am considering this for DD next year (1st gr) and for DS who has had too much time between spanish 1 to go straight on to spanish 2 in highschool. They are about $67 per course. ANy thoughts? It was this or Discovery streaming

here's my 2 cents for whatever it is worth. I really feel that women need higher education BUT I don't feel that they all need to use it. I always wanted a career and to teach. Did that for 6 years and then number 3 came along and I said to myself, "why?" Teachers make piddly and it is not worth the effort compared to the time you invest. Here I am years later and I feel at peace with being a SAHM. What is wrong with that job? Why is it taboo to want to be a mom when you grow up? It isn't an easy job by any means! I want to raise my girls to understand that they can have careers if they choose but that their children need to be their first job. I am proud to be taking on the task of HSing my kids and love being in control of what they are learning (to a degree). We can easily live on DHs salary and I am thankful for him being where he is in his career.

can you post a link? I want to see what everyone does during the day/week/year. I want to get my feet under me to hit the ground running after the snow melts and the "school" kids clear out!!

I want to start my DD next year on a Spanish program and continue it through 5th grade. My hopes are to get her really far ahead so that if she takes it in middle school(if she even goes to middle school) that she will breeze through. I see that SOS has different levels of Spanish. What do you use/rec?

I dont need anything too crazy extravagant but something decent to look at onion cells and stuff. Where do you guys get your science stuff?

I often feel this way. Almost lonely in a house of 8 people. I think our culture has turned us into people that feel the need to be "doing" all the time and we have trouble just "being". We are always looking for the next thing to conquer. I do a really silly list thing when I get this way. I schedule my household tasks like I would a job list and then try to stay on that schedule during the day to avoid dullness. You can also look into meal planning-like doing to huge cooking day and then you don't have to cook for a full month. If you need cooking inspiration get the movie Julie and Julia and that will give you a nudge!

I drove my brother's one time-NEVER again. It was like driving a tomb on wheels. No visibility at all.

Use milk instead of water and add 1 extra egg. Then put in freezer for a few hours and crumb coat(dirty ice..whatever you call it) then let sit overnight and frost again in morning and finish decorating.

I get typically $1500 worth of food/household for $1000 or less every month with coupons. On the really good weeks I get up to 10 newspapers. I organize in a plastic file thing I got at Wal-mart. Easy to do.