If we finish up FLL 4 this year in 5th, would it make sense to start Hake 6th next year? I'd like to transition them into something more independent. (FLL has been perfect for us up to this point.)

Black bean tacos with avocado and sour cream Spaghetti with meat sauce and spinach baked chicken meatballs and spaghetti rice and beans quesadillas and beans

We are supposed to fly out of VA that morning. I don't think it's going to happen.

We drove when we moved from Utah to Virginia and it was great! I would not have put our dog on a plane. Check out Doubletree hotels. They are pet friendly and usually fairly reasonable. I would definitely drive! Plan some fun things along the way!

Hey Aspen, My friend used to run the unschooler Yahoo board. She just moved to D.C. So I'm not sure who runs it now. It was a great place to meet people, even though we didn't unschool. Other than that, we didn't really find another group where we totally fit. Maybe you could start one? ;) My experience with the local Yahoo groups in my area (South Jordan) was that they were extremely conservative and there wasn't a good space for our family. Natalie

Lessons- in the water every time. Team- never, ever in the water.

Reading Eggs and Dreambox.com are excellent.

Ugh! We are almost through the 2nd chapter and I'm thinking of throwing in the towel. I just don't like how it is set up. I find myself frequently confused. I don't feel like there is enough hand holding for us. I'm thinking of shelving Latin Prep and switching to Lively Latin. The samples seem a little more straight forward and more engaging for my kiddos. I didn't think I wanted to deal with all the printing, but now I'm thinking it's more our style. Maybe Latin Prep would be better for 6th or 7th after they have a more gentle introduction?? Any thoughts?

Yay! I'm glad he likes it. We love it.

One of my DDs needs the review, which is why we use CLE. If I only had my other DD, we could use something else, maybe. I wouldn't ask them to do another program on top of CLE though. That's a lot of math! If he doesn't need the review, just skip it.

I think you'll like FLL. My 5th graders are still finishing up FLL 3 and it's far more than anything they are teaching in school now. How sad.

Another suggestion for Dreambox!!! I think it would be perfect for your situation.

Once he starts learning spelling patterns and reading enough to have seen words several times, he should get it. He's just spelling phonetically and generalizing.

No IDs needed. TSA asks them their names.

I was a teacher and have a M.Ed., so I don't get much flack from my family. I hold the higher ground in any argument they want to make because I can say, "Actually, IN school, they would be x, y, z." My sister was a teacher and now stays home with her kids. I don't know if she really cares or thinks too deeply about it all. :) My father-in-law was a high school teacher and my in-laws have been super supportive. Being a teacher gave me a "free pass" in many regards. I get questioned less. However, as my girls are getting older, I am starting to get asked when "they are going back." So, we'll see what the next few years bring. Interestingly enough, my teacher friends have been most supportive of my decision. It's my non-teacher friends that usually have all the socialization questions.

Pancakes from the hillbilly housewife website. We love them!

:iagree: Haha! I LOVE this!

My girls share extremely well, so sometimes a family will get one more expensive gift (like this year someone got them a snap circuits kit). But for run of the mill birthday party gifts? Separate. They don't have to be the same. My girls each take a gift if they are invited to a single child's birthday.

I'd go to San Diego again. Go to the zoo, hang out in old town, go to the beach (it should be warm enough to at least play). It would be a fun vacation and not too far away to be such a hassle.

The only compromise I can think of is going OUT for dinner somewhere. Maybe.

No way! Unless these are people you won't get to see for a very long time...no way!!!

Absolutely not. But, I do want to live close enough to them so they can easily visit.

I'm sorry. We've been at this for 5 years with my mom and it's still not better. I hate it and I have just reigned myself to the fact that when we are with my mom, I will be made into the wicked witch and leave feeling like she thinks I'm a horrible parent while she makes it all about her and "how hard she's trying." I'm so sick of it and I'm just glad my kids are older now. It's so disappointing. My advice- you can't change her, but you can set firmer boundaries about the amount of time she is with your family. Do it.

Not a lot at all. We weren't allowed to watch it during the week, then we were out and about on weekends. We did get to watch it if we were sick. I remember watching a lot of Mickey Mouse Club, then 90210 in jr. High.

I have an hour with my 5th grade Girl Scouts tomorrow. We are learning about energy conservation and we just started. The activities in the journey books are pretty lame. Next week a rep from the power company is coming to speak with us. Does anyone have an idea of what I can do tomorrow? It really could be anything related to energy. Any favorite things you've done??? Thanks for you help!!