We just finished R & S 2. For us, it was a perfect fit. Not too much, not too little. Some days, there was a lot of writing, so we just did half verbally, and half on paper.

Here is the link. http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-9-Cup-Food-Processor-Whip/dp/B000TTEIQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1274991803&sr=8-1

I just ordered one, and realized I didn't do any research. I'm hoping they work well. Does anyone have one and like it?

I didn't mean to imply that phonics is the only way. I'm sure whole language is better for some children. I meant that phonics works better for more children. My 8 year old reads above grade level, so phonics certainly worked for her.

I don't have a side by side, but I know people complain about the freezer. It's just to narrow. We bought a new fridge 3 years ago, and I really wanted to French doors with the freezer on the bottom, but we couldn't afford it. They look so classy.

I have a friend with a degree in early childhood education. When I mentioned to her I was going to homeschool she said go to with whole language. That's what the college she went to taught, and it was superior to phonics. She went on and on about how great whole language was. Phonics doesn't work because too many words don't follow the rules, blah blah blah. Luckily, I had already made up my mind to use phonics, regardless of what she said. This was probably 5 years ago, and now we both have children who are in 2nd grade. Well, a few months ago, she was complaining how our local school system didn't have a strong enough phonics program. They still use primarily whole language, and now she can see how much more sense phonics makes. Of course, I wanted to say "I told you so", but I kept my mouth shut.

I was once excused because I had small children at home. I think it's one of the situations that the court waits and sees how many people need to be excused. If they have enough for a jury pool, then they would excuse a SAHM. Likewise, if they were more pressing matters (according to the court, that is), then it may be harder to get an excuse for being a SAHM.

I agree with the other posts. My girls have taken swimming lessons at 2 different pools and parents are NOT allowed. You can watch from outside the fence, but parents aren't even allowed on the deck.

I heard about Well Trained Mind several years ago, but decided it wasn't the direction I wanted to go. Well, unit studies totally flopped, so a few months ago I remembered Well Trained Mind, and thought I would check out the site. I had no idea the forums were so active. I'm not truly a classical homeschooler, but I'm always looking for inspiration.

I usually start off with a spoon, but eventually resort to using my hands.

I love it. I have gotten several MFW books, R & S English, ARFH K, BJU math TM, plus lots fiction books that I enjoy. I don't know if you can transfer in a booklist. I don't spend a lot of time. Adding books to your wish list and posting books to swap can take awhile. I just pop on every morning to check my account. They also send emails when someone has requested a book from you or when a wish on your wish list can be fulfilled. I highly recommend it.

If you could find someone who sells Mary Kay, they may give you a free makeover. This would be a good way to test out some products. I think it is better than a Clinique counter because generally, in a mall, the lighting is terrible. I like Clinique products, but I prefer Estee Lauder. I switched to Mary Kay exclusively several years ago. If you know someone who sells Avon, they may have some free samples you could try.

I taught preschool for 4 years. If a child can't read by the time they start K, it has nothing to do with laziness or indifferent parents. Sometimes a child just isn't ready. I knew the parents of the students, and I know most of them worked with their children. Yes, I know I'm preaching to the choir here. My DD5 is not ready to read, she just isn't. I've been working with her for 2 years. I have a friend whose little boy had a tutor in K because he was "so far behind". It was either that, or put him in a remedial class.

For us, there are no real benefits to standardized tests. It's just one more thing to pay for and add to the "to do" list. I'm in a non-reporting state, so standardized testing isn't something I have to do. Maybe as my children get older, I will change my mind, but for right now, they would serve no real purpose.

I have a bagless and I love it. It has much more suction than my previous bagged version. It seems to do a much better job actually getting the dirt out of the carpet. I take the canister to the trashcan in the garage to empty it. I vacuum everyday, and empty the canister frequently. This seems to cut down on the amount of accumulated dust in the canister. I also try to use a fairly empty trashcan, this also seems to cut down on the impending dust cloud. DH blows the entire thing out with his air compressor, and this really cleans it. We have a HEPA filter in ours. Anyway, a bagless works for me.

I use the same one as Texas T. It is very simple. I agree, I don't know if it is accurate. But, I think it gives some guidance.

Here is the one I use. http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/060899.htm I don't know if it is accurate, but it is very simple to use.

I went from Horizons 2 to BJU 3, and I love it. We're still in the workbook stage, so I don't what the textbook is like. It does have puzzles, which DD loves. The BJU lessons are shorter, and the TM is much better. It provides lot of ideas on how to teach a specific topic. I've even gotten BJU TM's through Paperback Swap. My K'er is doing BJU instead of Horizons, even though I still had the Horizons TM.

I don't have any sites to add, but I found some new sites to visit. These will certainly keep me busy for awhile. Thanks.

I would agree they are waiting to send you the newest catalog. I couldn't imagine downloading it. It would take forever. I always have a highlighter in hand when I look through it and mark everything I want. I love looking through it.

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm generally not very clever with user names, so thanks for the compliment.

Hi, I've been homeschooling for 3 years, and I have 2 daughters. I have been lurking on WTM, but decided to take the plunge and join. I'm not a pure classical homeschooler, but I do like the Charlotte Mason approach. Hoping to get a lot of good advice. :)