Nursed dd through ds's pg and ds through dd2's pg. No problems. Dd 2 was early and low birth weight, but it was a placenta issue so nothing to do with nursing.

No. Only the house sitters can use the pool.

I started in 3rd grade.

3 months in Europe for tons of super awesome field trips! Really, I'd love to just "unschool" for a year and just do math and have them read and write about everything we are doing and travel all across the US and Europe.

Shinyhappypeople, Our dd's sound like twins! My dd almost 10 has been crazy for science/medicine since I don't know when. It's increased each year. This year alone she did a ton of self directed dissections and some at the science center. She LOVES chemistry and is constantly growing, experimenting, building something science related and on her microscope. She vacillates between research science and a medical degree. I could see her going the 6 yr plan or even the medical science degree. I've been compiling research and am trying to make available as much opportunities to explore this before high school when everything begins to count and she will need a plan.

You've had great advice so far. My only thought is how long will this friendship with such parenting differences. I have had friends I just can't deal with for long since we do things so differently and parenting is such a huge part of who I am right now. These aren't a few discrepancies in philosophies, these are major approach differences. It will only get worse I'm afraid, these are feral children.

Setting aside yet ANOTHER schoolroom. We always end up back in our huge kitchen, but I really want to avoid that this year. I get distracted by chores and interrupted too many times. Banning all electronics except a CD player during schooltime. DD will do typing instruction on her own time and I will study and plan if everyone "happens" to be occupied. Stocking a KIndy area for dd2 to keep her included and occupied longer. Succumbing to a 9-3 schedule. With 3 hsing and an infant, we'll take more breaks and the day will just be longer. Working super hard 4 days a week again and not scheduling anything, but fun stuff on Friday. Taking a shorter break at Christmas. Having everything super organized! Putting dd 1 in charge of breakfast while ds and I get chores going so we are finished with chores, breakfast and bible reading by 9.

I would ask. We go to our teachers house, but he has a grand piano and is only 10 minutes away. We have an hr an 15 minute block now which will increase to an hour and a half in August. In a few years dd2 may begin lessons and I might at that point ask for in home, but then again his piano is sooo much nicer:) If I were you I would have in home. Having that many children to cart back and forth would not work for me either.

Yes! We are looking at a move to Munich in a few years.

Can anyone recommend a good german curriculum for a 2nd and 5th grader to use? Thanks!

I thought it looked great, but the sticker price is too much. We went with EH's Mapping the World with Art and I'm so thrilled with my preview of it thus far. I'm complementing the study with the game Where in the World? and two card games (Africa, Asia) from World Wise. I bought all the games on sale so our total geography curriculum was around $55.

Dd1 was a I'm fertile next week so let's have dtd everyday for 7 days so I have no clue which time took:) Ds I was charting and when my temp went up we dtd so I know the 48 hours in which he was conceived. Dd2 followed the 5 days before O method to have another girl. So I know it was at least 4-5 days. Dd3 felt ov pains on a Sunday afternoon and didn't dtd until Tues morning. I thought I already o'd but obviously not. I was sure she would be a boy.

Do it! Why is something nice stalkerish? You are also FRIENDS, not just neighbors. I think it's so sweet and fun and shows how excited you are for them to have a great trip and you want to somehow help it start out well.

I've thought of you as well and so glad you are doing this well. Prayers for continued support. :grouphug:

We have a netted trampoline. My 3 can be on it together, but when friends are over only 2 at a time. We also have an inground pool that is fenced and locked and our kids do not swim unattended.

Math and WWE and WWS Art and History rotation every other day. Piano is still weekly. We will do a little over 2 hours of work a day. Read alouds and I'm doing MP's Kindy books with the will be 5 yr old.

It depends on your definition of ALL. We usually school year round and if what I want to do doesn't get done during the year then I work it into the summer. I also only feel like the Math, Grammar, Writing, and reading books are the most important subjects. If these are covered daily, I'm happy. My dd has also worked through Science this year because that's her passion. We are going into year 6 of hsing and I feel like the routine is down with the older 2. This was our year: Math Grammar Spelling-independent Writing Handwriting-independent Science-independent Reading books and field trips Summer will consist of finishing the art program and History along with Math and daily writing. We also have weekly piano lessons, music history dads, etc. I like school to be done by lunch so that they can pursue their other interests. This is why a block schedule of subjects work for us.

My ds will be a 2nd grader WWE2 MM2 R & S grammar and spelling and cursive With big sis: SOTW 4 with Winter Promise American Cultures Drawing the world with art Apologia Anatomy Piano and Soccer

My dh makes 3x's our areas avg income, but we bought a house that is exacly the median home price. I think we are over 400%.

Lots of transplants from the northeast in my area, lots of biz, family friendly, pro homeschooling, just great. Our 5 bed, 2700 sqft, pool and 500 sqft seperate office run us $1100 a month and ins incl:)

Well my dh was the bullet:) His parents married in October and he was born in February. He's V-Day baby and I joke all the time he was a love child. His parents will celebrate 45 yrs this year. My bio dad got my mom pg and then got my half sister's 16 yr old gf pg. We're 8 months apart. He was "forced" to marry her. They divorced 20 yrs later. My grandparents were shotgun, but they'd dated for yeas and he was the love of her life.

It's a mixture of facilitating and teaching. We've been doing lots of basics this year which I do "teach." I have some open and go, but if i'm there going over it, facilitating, it's less gradng. I only grade tests, etc. Because I know they are getting it.

We are using games to go add to MTWA. I found two really cool card games to go along with "where in the world?"

We have a game called "Where in the World." We also have geography card games I just picked up. I think we will add Ellen McHenry's map program and do these on Fridays. The kids also have geography apps they play on the iPad.

Faith, I broke my ankle in 2 places, tore tendons, bruised for almost a year. My Dad, a sports nut, said it was a bad sprain and so I had to heal without any medical treatment. At 37, I finally had X-rays done to confirm what I knew. The ortho said running for me would impact my body as if I was double my weight. I had OT, but my flexibility made it impossible for them to do much. They gave me the special ortho inserts. I would say be careful.