I couldn't even finish reading the post.. i was so disgusted..

I just requested The History of the Medieval World from the library, to educate myself a bit before starting SOTW2 in August. I also plan to reread Deconstructing Penguins-it's a great book. I will be looking at some of the other suggestions on this thread!

We will be there this summer too! Although we are not campers..anyone have hotel suggestions for outside the park :bigear:?

I just found out about generic ink about a year ago, and I've found no quality differences at all. Thinking about all that money we spent on name brand ink makes me feel a little ill....

Band Director at a local High School

My library cuts us off at $10, and we have come very close! My kids now are in charge of checking their own cards on the morning of library day, and paying any fines if necessary. Not as many fines anymore..;)

I have a daughter in 4th grade who is using WWE3. This is our first year homeschooling and she had absolutely no experience with narration/dictation. (We completed WWE2 the first half of the year). My 2nd grade daughter is using WWE2.

Matilda by roald dahl. We also just watched Hugo Cabret last weekend.

McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm: Three Tall Tales by Sid Fleischman

Giant batches of pancakes for the freezer?

We use it, but only two days a week. We do days 1 and 2 the first day, and days 3/4 on the second. I originally didn't get the workbook, but after a while decided it would be so much easier with it. I think you could easily do it over the summer. For example, once or twice a week you could do one reading/narration activity and one dictation from a workbook or your own source.

Well that's the first I've heard of it, and I do try to stay up on these things. If it is, then I think it's great news! Monsanto needs to be destroyed, for so many reasons. Thanks for the link.

Not sure if this has been mentioned.. but we turn down the water heater to the lowest setting. Still gets plenty hot enough (we like hot showers). Usually there are multiple settings so you can slowly adjust down. Also, unplug all appliances! Even little ones like the coffee maker. Lastly, gifts always blow the budget, we had a very handmade christmas this year (I have hidden the sewing machine because I just can't look at it for a while).

I don't know if you've found anyone yet, but my daughter is turning 10 in a few weeks and she would love a pen pal! We are in MA, and it sounds like they have a lot of similar interests.

I agree to start by reading any book by Michael Pollan, also Marion Nestle has some great reads. The number one way to start eating healthier is to eliminate processed foods. It can be overwhelming, definitely take it one step at a time.

We start with a morning board, which he loves. His 2nd grade sister helps. It includes stuff like calendar, weather, etc. We decided to go this route because his sisters did that in K (at a private school). I got inspiration for creating it from some homeschool blogs. You can see pictures of it here.

:bigear: you are describing my daughter exactly! Would love to hear more suggestions.

My youngest is starting K, but it is our first year of homeschooling all three. Plan to start in August, just have a few more curriculum choices to make!

We use the extra reading suggestions and activity ideas. For us, it is almost as important as the book itself. Since we are new homeschoolers, I find the questions/answers/narration sections helpful as well. However with a bit of effort, you could certainly research similar extras.

I agree, easy to use without.

No texting here either! We just have tracfones (with no voicemail) It drives our families crazy!

Love this book and author. She has another called Real Food for mother and baby.

Mine are 9,7,5. They love being read to, and I don't ever plan to stop!

Last week I finished The New Normal by David Wann, a book about sustainable living. This week I will read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, my book club book.

I use instant yeast, which never has to be proofed , just add it to the recipe. I buy it at a restaurant supply store, I can't remember the brand. I store it in the freezer, where it lasts indefinitely. I leave my bread dough out for the first rise as long as I need, coming back to it at my convenience. Occasionally I leave it in the refrigerator overnight. However once you have shaped the loaves you need to keep an eye out. If they over rise at that point they will collapse as they bake.