I will be watching this mainly for affirmation to what I've already changed in my family's diet. We don't eat processed sugar and only get our "sugar" from fruit and an occassional treat of maple syrup or honey - both real and locally produced. It has made a HUGE difference in our lives. I had chronic bronchitis, but haven't had an episode since last June. I used to not be able to run more than a few minutes, but have now run several 5Ks and am training for a triathlon. My husband and I both dropped 45 lbs, and my pre-teen dd has slimmed down to a very healthy weight. My other two were already pretty skinny so now I have to make sure they are getting enough calories! Also, all of our complexions cleared up including the teen and pre-teen! We will never go back. We feel great. It is just hard when we do things at church or co-op because we are so odd. LOL! But, few can argue with us since the changes are so dramatic and obvious. Now I am always packing natural applesauce, whole fruit fruit strips, nuts, seeds, carrots, etc. to give my kids for snacks when everyone else is being given cookies and cupcakes. My kids don't mind anymore. They love the fun active parents they have now instead of the sickly ones we were a year ago.

I have in-laws who love to "trick" people at meals. They will "reveal" after we've eaten what the game-meat of the night was, and I hate that. I now always ask because there are types that I really can't handle and I want to know so I can eat more veggies and less of the main dish. I don't think you can assume they agree with the "all meat is equal" mentality. I would be put-off if I was eating beef stew that wasn't beef. Call it what it is.

I have used Little Hearts, Beyond, Preparing, CTC, and the new guide Rev2Rev over the last couple of years. (I came from a more classical and then textbook philosophies trying to find what I really wanted.) I fought hard to not want to try HOD :lol: but relented and dove in. I couldn't be more pleased. It has been a fantastic two years and I wish my oldest could have done the earlier guides. As for Bigger, that is the next guide I am doing so I can't speak of that specifically, but I have friends doing it and I love what I am seeing from their kids' work. So yes, it is as good as it looks. Oh, and about the 4 day thing, the older guides (Preparing and up) are 4 days, but Beyond is 5. I just look at day 5 and sprinkle those activities throughout the week so all of my kids are just doing 4 days and that has worked well.

I would him give up to $1000, but I would not co-sign. If he has a job, he should be able to get a loan, especially if he has $1000 plus the value of the wrecked car to put toward it.

I have done the research, and I would rather risk the small amount of radiation and catch the tumor early than not have the tests and catch it too late. My BFF died of breast cancer and even though I don't really have risk factors, I got my first mammo at 35, again at 40, and will get one every other year from this point on. If I my mother had breast cancer, I wouldn't hesitate getting a regular mammo.

My answers are in green. We did Preparing last year, so some of this is my best recollection. I have one in Beyond, one in CTC and one in Rev2Rev this year.

Thank you for sharing this. I don't watch TV in the mornings so I hadn't heard this. I sent my own teen the link because I remember doing the helium balloon thing as a kid. I never knew it was dangerous! I do wonder if one difference is that she breathed it directly from the pressurized tank instead of a balloon. Sad story nonetheless.

My son is 13 and LOVES LOVES LOVES Exploration Education - Advanced. It has sparked an interest in electronics, electricity and physics. He has never been a "science" guy before but he can't get enough of this. A friend's daughter is also doing it and she too is very happy with it. I am surprised by some of the other comments. I think you would definitely want to do the Advanced level.

My dd is using Rod and Staff Math 2nd grade and is doing borrowing/carrying twice - 3 digits + 3 digits, fractions 1/2 1/3, and 1/4, money, time, measurements, etc. Most of this is new from first grade.

We do that! I got a piece of "all thread" (metal bar), looped some chain around each end and hang it from the rafters in my utility room so the kids can just pull, cut and go! I love it.

We counted the Animal Kingdom and Epcot days. We went to Epcot 2x during our trip. One we focused on the technology/science things, the next time on the countries-geography the kids did all of the Kidcot thing and got their mask stamped. We also went to the beach one day and I wrote it down as a field trip to follow up on our ocean study that we did prior to going. (We went to Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom too but those were just fun.) Enjoy your trip!

There are 6 DVDs in the 4th edition Pre-Algebra.

I bought Pre-Alg and Alg 1 student, DVDs, teacher, and solutions manuals this summer from Amazon using those ISBNs that nynyny just posted, so they are still out there (the older editions.) We've been very happy with them. I think the newer editions are going to run high.

We are using Words and Their Stories through Homeschool Buyers Coop. We have used Wordly Wise for several years, but I wanted to change things up a bit and have a computer based one. I loved that I could have them take a test to find out what level they are at so I can adequately place them. I have my kids each do 2 words a day, but because of the way the program is set up, they end up learning more words because of the original word, so I feel they really get a lot of bang for their time. Go to the HSPC site and you can see samples. https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_hsbc_epp_order&Itemid=960&c=1

I would call and ask if the prescription had to be mixed or if it was pre-bottled. It they had to mix it, you should buy it. If not, explain it to the pharmacist and see if they can re-shelve the unused script. I also have a good relationship with my pharmacist and I wouldn't jeopardize that. My pharmacist, because he knew the age and size of my dd, recommended I not fill a script once and called my doctor to discuss a different, safer med for her! She wasn't even with me, but he knew us well enough to know which child it was for and that it could have bad results her. I wouldn't skip out on buying a med from him that he had to mix and then throw away because I could save a $.

We are using Chalkdust as well. I didn't feel TT was enough for the type of higher ed my son will likely pursue. We are very pleased with Chalkdust.

It is definitely good for 8th grade and up. I personally think there are a lot of better books to read for history at the 5th grade level. Save the AAH for an upper level and enjoy some of the great books now.

I would stick with the standard. My 8th grader is using the Advanced for his high school Physical Science credit (with some additional reading selections from the Apologia P.S. text.) He is VERY techie and most things come easy, but the Advanced level projects can be tricky to get just right and the lab sheets require some higher level thinking. While he is getting an A- in the course, he does have to work at keeping the terms and concepts straight. I love the program! BTW, someone mentioned the elementary level. It is too simple for even my 2nd grade dd, so don't go that route. I think it would be a great K-1 program

My daughter had very similar symptoms for nearly 3 years. I took her off all MSG, all nitrates, yeast, and all corn syrup and it cleared up very quickly. She has had a much more natural diet and has not had another occurance in 6 months, so her stomach issues were diet related. We ate very healthy before, but I have to be uber-viligant in reading labels now, but it is worth it.

FLL and then R&S when we hit 3rd grade. Best of both worlds that way. R&S 2nd grade is over kill.

Your post reminded me to return some things I had due at an out of town library! I called and thankfully only owed $1.20, but yikes, it would have added up fast. I once had a $44 fine and that was painful. I now have a designated library basket and the due dates written on the calendars and the print off of titles on the bulletin board. I run into trouble when I use various other libraries so I need to tweak my system a little for those. (My local library has a 4 week check out, but the next town over only has a 2 week.)

The original Kindle ($79) does not have a touch screen, but it does not have an audiobook capability. The Kindle Keyboard ($139) does not have a touch screen either, but it does have the audio capability and is 3G. I would definitely get a Kindle though so you can share content.

I guess it would take 8 hours because Bob will sit back with his i-phone while Sally complains for 2 hours about Bob not helping her before she finally just gets fed up and does it by herself. :lol:

We were at a store at the mall and my 7yo daughter bought some hair pretties with her birthday money. The total was $6.77. Thankfully there was no one in line behind us because it took her some time to fidget with her little wallet, but she took out a 5, a 1, and then dumped her small amount of change on the counter. She looked at me nervously and asked what the amount was again. I told her and she looked at her change and pushed 3 quarters toward the clerk, and then paused and pushed 2 pennies over, and then looked at me to see if she had done it right. I winked at her and nodded. As she was putting the rest of her coins back in her purse, the clerk leaned over and said, "How old are you?" My dd replied that she was 7. The clerk then said, "I don't know who's teaching you math, but they are doing a very good job. I have a lot of teens in here and they just shove their money and handfuls of coins at me and tell me to take what I need because they can't count money. Don't schools use that paper coin money and stuff anymore? Why can't kids count money? Drives me crazy. Anyway, I am very impressed with you young lady." :D My dd thanked her and walked out of the store with a huge smile on her face. While it wasn't the hardest math/money problem, the fact that she did it and under the pressure of someone watching made it something to be proud of. Thanks for listening to my mommy brag. I sometimes take for granted what we are teaching them really does show itself in real life. LOL! (And I resisted telling the clerk that we use REAL money to teach money skills, not cut out paper money. LOL!!!)

My kids read mine more than I do too! My 7yo is hooked on the Thorton Burgess books (free!) and I love that.