Considering buying a playset for the kids. I don't want to spend a ton of money, but I want one that will last and that is safe. Does anyone have any recs for one that fits that criteria? :D

It looks like #41 on the page the pp linked.

Me too, JC! If my van didn't have a flat, I'd probably make some excuse as to why I have to head out your way, LOL!

Those are great ideas! I do have Sutclif's versions and think I will just have her read those. She can write the written responses based on those chapters and probably be able to do the essay. I think she would enjoy being more "creative". My dh also suggested having her read one of the ancient tragedies to "fill in" the time. Thanks, all!

We are "behind" in our curriculum. Not extremely behind, but enough. And today, being a rough and rainy day, motivation is, well, lacking. I feel like curling up under my covers, shutting out the world and crying myself to sleep. The kids are fighting, dd14 is getting all hormonal on me, and I can't send anyone outside b/c of the rain! There is a nail in one of the tire's of my van, I noticed on the way home from an appt. this morning. I should be grateful I made it home, right? Dh and I are "at odds" for reasons I won't get into. I feel like a failure in so many areas of my life. I'm struggling with what to do with ds13 next year (ps or continue hsing...dh wants to send him to ps and I'm not so sure) and wondering if I am doing enough with my dd14 (9th grade). My stomach is tied up in knots and I just feel like crying most of the time. It's stress...and it's close to that time of the month. I'm not sure why I'm posting except perhaps to just vent to "somebody". Thanks for listening.

Yes, there is that. :tongue_smilie: Well, doing 2 guides really isn't that bad, but it does take planning. If your oldest is doing RtR, which is designed to be mostly independent, that would free you up to do Preparing with dd. IMO, your 4yo doesn't HAVE to do a separate guide just yet. It's nice to have something separate for the littles, but if time is an issue, really just some read-aloud time, the 3Rs and you're good, kwim?

It sounds like you really like HOD but also want to be together in your studies. Which is more important to you? I can't tell you to just do Preparing b/c just b/c I say it (or somebody else does) if it doesn't "fit" or you don't want to do it...it won't get done. KWIM? And even if it does get done, you won't have much fun. HOD shouldn't be a drudgery. That is what LHFHG became for me...a drudgery...something to just get done and check off. So I dropped it! Will your oldest do RtR completely on his own? Will you read-aloud any of the history? Your dd could just sit in on some of the readings and notebook at her own skill level. If you go with God's Design and use the Apol. Astron., she could easily follow along as well and just do activities, again, at her own level. Apol. has lapbooks to go along with the Exploring Creation series that she could do. And God's Design is suitable for a 9yo, IMO. And, of course, she would do math, la, etc. at her own level anyway. Make sense? I think you could make it work, but it would take some planning and tweaking. :D

Dd14 is struggling with the Lit component of AHL right now. She is a great reader and an avid reader. But she is struggling through Homer right now. And I have to be totally honest...I don't think it is a battle I want to fight right now. I hated reading Homer's Iliad. The Odyssey was a bit more palatable, but not much. So, please help me figure out how to fill in the "hole" that this will leave in her studies. I think I will have her read "The Children's Homer", but that won't take her the entire 10 weeks she has left in which Homer is scheduled. Any suggestions for other Ancient Lit. for her to read? I'm adding in "Jump In" for writing for a while b/c she needs the practice anyway. Thanks for any suggestions.

:grouphug: My heart hurts for you right now. I'm lifting you in prayer. :grouphug:

Katrina, can you remind me what HOD programs you are running? More importantly...:grouphug: to you and prayers. On any number of occasions (hmmm...like yesterday :glare:) I could have very well written your post! Except, add a few olders to my plate, including a 9th grader whom I fear is NOT doing enough daily and whom I fear I am neglecting. :D Okay, so you have already received some wonderful advice and encouragement from ladies far wiser than I. I'd like to try and help you work with what you have (HOD) if I can, but only if you want. Make sense? At this age, like other PPs have said, the 3 Rs and Bible are the most important...all the rest is gravy. If you are overwhelmed, try to take a step back and just focus on those for a while and read some good books together. Have you ever looked into FIAR? Anyway, don't want to give you something else to look at.

No coupon codes thus far. HOD just started offering discounted shipping after a certain price is reached and free shipping at another level. I'm not certain what that is (maybe $500 for free s/h?), to be honest as I've never ordered directly from HOD.

Just wanted to offer you a big :grouphug: and tell you that you are NOT (may I repeat that?), NOT a failure as a mother. Some babies/toddlers just a more difficult time than others falling asleep and staying asleep. I wish I had some great advice for you. Sometimes when they leave the security of that crib, it is a difficult transition. Do you and dh takes turns getting up with her? Does she take regular naps during the day? (that does help) And, sometimes a nap too late in the day throws off the sleep schedule. A regular routine at night could also help (bath, book, tuck in, etc.). But, all of this you probably know and already do. Hang in there! Hope you can get a nap today!

As head of household, dh gets the final say/vote. Even if I hate it. Even if I disagree. True submission would require me keeping my mouth shut and cheerfully supporting him. But I'm not there yet. So I brood. And I argue. And I let him know I am NOT happy. I'm working on it. But I'm not there yet. :glare:

:grouphug: That happened with my first. So devastating. Praying for her! I'm so sorry.

Are most of his friends in ps? My dd5 and ds8 have recently been asking when they get to go to "real" school. I just say, "We homeschool. We don't go to ps like your friends do but it is still real school." Neither have ever been to a ps but their older siblings have. They talk about it like it was a "privilege" that the older kids got and they didn't! :glare: Try not to take it personally (which is what we instinctively do). It's tough. I have my ds12 desperate to go back to ps and it is tearing me apart. But in my case...he has been there and knows the difference and STILL wants to go back instead of being home! :glare: I have the same thoughts of, "what if I did x differently or added y into his day or...", but I don't think either of those things would help. He wants to be with his friends. All day. Every day. It's normal but not what is best for him. Your ds5 just wants what all his friends have. Kind of like a new toy, kwim? :grouphug: It's so hard! But you can do it!:D

I think that HOD's philosophy with reading/spelling is that by daily usage and practice the student will learn correct spellings. Instead of learning rules and trying to apply them HOD uses the spelling lists and copywork in Beyond and Bigger w/ dictation as well. I see that there are spelling "patterns" that are listed but nothing specifically "taught" to the child in the guide, kwim? I could be totally wrong since I'm fairly new to HOD myself but we are using Preparing and there is no mention of using a separate spelling program other than the dictation and copywork exercises. If you want something more rules-based I would suggest All About Spelling (AAS) or Phonics Road (PR). I think AAS would go well with HOD w/out being overkill while PR might end up being just that...overkill...esp. in the upper levels. This is where I am finding myself now...how to use HOD and PR together w/out it being too much LA. Ugh.

I did go ahead and purchase it. Now to find the time to READ it and IMPLEMENT it!

Well, I don't know exactly what I think I would be missing. I do LOVE HOD and want to stick with it long term, esp. now that Carrie is working on hs guides. :D It is a good fit for my boys (although they still hate school...at least this is tolerable for them). I think I might hold on to level 1 for the spelling for right now and see if I can sell Level 2. Thanks!

I am in a quandry and hoping somebody here might help me figure it out. I am using HOD and really love it...all of it. Before HOD, I started using PR with ds8 and ds9. I also love PR, but it is time consuming. I've been trying to do both this year and failing miserably although I keep plugging away. :D I find it so much easier to just do what is in the HOD for LA instead of doing PR. Next year I will have 3 guides going (Beyond, Bigger and RtR) plus my 3yo and highschooler. As we advance in PR, it DOES consume more and more time. Again, I find it easier to just do what is in each HOD. The next piece of this puzzle is this: I am out of funds in my homeschool budget and still need curriculum for my highschooler. I could, *gulp*, sell PR 1 & 2 and make close to what I need for her curriculum and still be okay in the LA category using the HOD guides. But, I get this sick feeling in my tummy about selling PR! Help me, please? :D

Praying! :grouphug:

The pictures on each flashcard correspond to each "topic" presented in the lesson. For example, "A" Apple, "S" Sun, "M" Moon, "L" Leaf, "O" Octopus, etc. Does that make sense? So, the short answer is yes, the MFW flashcards would be helpful to have b/c they reinforce each lesson. However, if money were an issues, you could make do w/out them. OR...you could make your own.

:grouphug: Lisa. Please don't beat yourself up. I've had a rough year as well and we will certainly be schooling until mid-July at least. Your children probably haven't suffered as much as you think. They have learned things this year...maybe just in a different way. Or, they have learned more life lessons that are just as important as academics, IMHO. :grouphug:

Praying for you and the little one. Congrats! And :iagree: with all the others...please be seen by somebody. It could be nothing, but when bleeding is coupled with back pain this early in a pregnancy...just please go get checked out. :grouphug:

LHTH is a very simple program...simple as in not a lot of time or prep. An hour tops. I am starting Beyond with my dd5 and ds8 next week (after ditching LHFHG b/c it was a bit below their level). Aaaaanyway, I love HOD and it makes teaching soooo much easier for me. I LOVE to plan but it's the implementation that gets me so....HOD works very well. EASY to implement. Have you looked at the placement chart over at the HOD website for your 9yo? I am using Preparing this year with my ds12, ds11 and ds9 and it is challenging. In fact, I had to drop back to Bigger with ds9 using the extentions when necessary. I think if you focused on your 7yo and 9yo (using the appropriate HOD guides) and let the 4yo sit in on the readings and do LHTH when time allows, you would be okay. You would be surprised how much the 4yo will learn/pick up just by listening in.

To hide at the neighbor's house. :D