We don't consume consumables. We make copies in our home. It is probably illegal, but I am not loosing sleep about it. Do what you want to do with it.

I would order the adult ones and make sure they are adjustable. The best goggles to get have a elastic strap that you can adjust.

This is huge information for me. I have the original edition of WTM and I have always thought the narrations were supposed to be summaries. We are just starting with homeschooling this year so hearing this may change the way we go about it. SOTW is in the mail so, I don't have a physical copy yet, does it explain how to do the narrations? Should I get the latest edition of WTM? Now, it's bothering me that I may have out of date/unclear information.

I think doing WTM is the ideal for us and it is the structure we are following, but it is not the bible when it comes to specific curriculum we are using. I believe in reading original source books that coincide with our 4 year history and science cycle. This year we are using Nancy Larson Science 1 (which is life science) because it is pretty open and go and requires little prep work/supply hunting while still getting into some meaty stuff. This is exactly what we need while I finish the last couple semesters or my BSN. Phonics for Reading and Writing by Bonnie Dettmer is not in WTM either, but it is the most thorough and intensive teacher direct program I have seen and is very much in the vein of classical education. We are using SOTW which is by SWB and supplementing with Usbourne because I have heard such wonderful things about SOTW and have also heard that Usbourne tends to be very dry and uninteresting to the little ones. For our extracurriculars we do take liberties and go outside what would be tradition classical education because I think there is great value in allowing a child to develop their creativity by pursing activities that appeal to them. Having a well rounded childhood (that involves having a childhood) is a big one for us. If you search around on the WTM site SWB talks about how she was much more flexible with education than it came across in the book because the publisher wanted them to include schedules and times for everything to make it more accessible.

I disagree with the rest. In WTM Susan emphasizes that starting at the beginning in history is crucial regardless of the child's age. Granted we are only just starting SOTW 1 with our first this year, but I really agree with Susan's point about history is a story and it makes more sense when you start from the beginning.

Thanks for the input! It is nice to know I am not the only person trying to do this while also being a student myself :D. I will definitely check out those art different curriculums because I do want something that teaches concepts and techniques related to art instead of just crafts. I am very excited about the Nancy Larson curriculum being a science major myself it looks like the best one for the least amount of prep work which for our schedule is going to be important. Please keep the excellent info coming! I am a total sponge right now :bigear:

So, long story short I am finishing up my BSN and the plan was that we would start HS when I was finished and we would have a K and a 2nd grader. Well just yesterday, after a series of mostly uninteresting events, we decided that we are going to start homeschooling this year with our oldest in 1st grade. I am a mix of completely excited and terrified/overwhelmed. I have had a rough idea of what I wanted to do and the curriculum I've wanted to use for awhile, but I spent the majority of today researching and reading about lots of different options and approaches. This is what I have come up with so far: Math - Saxon grade 1 Science - Nancy Larson Science 1 (has anyone used this? thoughts?) History - Story of the World Vol. 1 with activity book (Should I get the test booklet? I have heard mixed things) supplementing with Usborne (do I need to the Kingfisher too?) English - Phonics for Reading and Spelling by Bonnie Dettmer Reading together for 30 minutes and having him read level appropriate books for another 30 minutes Extra curricular - Soccer and dance (style yet to be determined) How does this sound? Because of my schedule, I am hoping to do the bulk of school T-Th with light days Mon and Fri. Does that seem feasible? Also, does anyone have any information on good art or music curriculum? Any input is greatly appreciated. Like I said, I am so excited to do this, but equally overwhelmed.

The Family by Robert Andrews It is brilliant

Oh and to address a previous comment Ford only made Quests previous to 2004

We have an '05 Nissan Quest and completely LOVE it! It is the roomiest mini-van I have ever been in. The dash is very simple and for our year the safety rating is very good. The one complaint I have with it is that it seems to have an excessively large turning radius.

I would recommend getting your RN or at least checking to see what LPN positions are in your area. I am currently in nursing school getting my BSN in an area with 2 very large hospitals. The hospitals in my area recently eliminated all their LPN positions and several smaller facilities have done the same thing. I know a few LPNs who are having to work as CNAs just to have jobs. All that said, you may live in an area that employs a lot of LPNs. With a starting pay of $25-30/hr it's hard to argue with an RN. ;)

Ummm... to say that that comment doesn't belong on a family show is pretty shocking. Her and Portia got married when it was legal in California. It's unfair to say that you like someone and say they're great and then say the kind of family they have is unacceptable. I am disappointed that my family missed that last night. I think it would have been a wonderful opportunity to speak with my children about tolerance and God's love for all people and conversely the bigotry that our country is slowly, but surely overcoming.

They say that bacteria from the toilet can travel in a 5 foot radius when you flush. In my family we all (except the 4 year old) shut the lid before we flush. I also keep our toothbrushes in a cabinet so they are not exposed to airborne particles. As far as the health of her kids vs the health of your kids... Different people have different immune systems and responses not to mention lifestyle factors. I have actually be seeing research lately that has shown having a very sterile home prevents children from developing the immune system they need because they have such limited exposure to bacteria.

They maybe very religious, but clearly not in the know about medical terminology. :lol:

I have been thinking about making these as well. I am interested to hear what people say.

And another thing, I don't think it's fair to force her to ruin the look of her suit by wearing boy/board shorts as an alternative to shaving. Perhaps this idea should be presented to her as an alternative to hair removal, but not a be all end all solution.

Ha ha ha ha! :lol: Well, I think there is something very "fun" about being "in it together" with others, especially your children. Regardless of the momentary sting it is a fun way to have a joint experience.

If they are going to tax things that contribute to public health issues (i.e. alcohol and cigarettes) then empty calories should be taxed, too. I heard this was going to happen, but never heard it officially did. Is soda on there, too? That I think contributes more to obesity than candy because honestly more people drink multiple sodas a day rather than candy bars.

I have the best luck at Nordstrom Rack. You have to go occasionally so, you can catch your size, but I routinely get Le Mystere bras for $30 and less (they are usually $60-$90). They also have many other wonderful brands.

I agree. I would tell her that she isn't forced to do anything about it, but that it is part of swimsuit season and might be in her best interest. It might be a fun idea to schedule a mother-daughter bikini wax at a salon for her first time. That way you guys are in it together and get to have a bonding moment and maybe go out for lunch afterward. The estitician can also give her pointers on home maintenance.

The flat irons that work with the least amount of damage tend to be pretty spendy. I bought mine for about $75 3 years ago on Overstock.com and it is still going strong after frequent use and being dropped/knocked off the counter many many times. I would suggest looking on that site. You could probably find a reasonably priced middle of the road one. Also, try some beauty supply stores in your area. They tend to carry a wide variety of prices and will be able to assist in recommending one for your hair type.

There are a lot of sites like this popping up. Some contain more accurate info than others. The only one I can think of off hand is 123people.com My info on that site is more accurate than on the spokeo.com Then with all the facebook privacy issues... The internet has been kind of a scary place to be.

Ha ha ha! I too keep a tidy home, but the few times I have seen that show it has sent me into a cleaning frenzy.

Eating whole healthy foods and dieting are two very different things. When you are talking about weight loss/gain, it really doesn't matter what you eat all that matters is that your calories out is greater than your calories in. You can make everything from scratch and eat exclusively organic whole foods and gain weight. If your concern is weight loss then counting calories is something you should do regardless of your eating habits. The good news is it is much easier to eat less when the foods you are eating are nutrient dense.

I am someone whom is super arts and theatre minded, but we love LOVED London. Paris was nice, but a little disappointing to be honest. It was very dirty and french men really objectify foreign women on a grand scale, specifically blonds and redheads. I think when we go back our goals are to spend more time outside of the big cities and experiencing what it is like to live in the country really immersing our selves in the local culture. I have heard of wonderful village based program in Italy in which you pay x amount of dollars to spend a few hours with different families and share a meal. This is something we definitely want to do the next time we cross the Atlantic. Good luck with your travels.