Thank you all so much for your feedback. I'm wanting to keep it as simple as possible while fulfilling what is legally required. I'm gathering that finding the right evaluator is key. I've looked at some pages with listings for them and I'll admit to being a tad bit frightened of the evaluators who have loads of classroom experience but no homeschooling experience.

I've got 3 elementary, a middle schooler and two preschoolers. We keep it pretty simple. Mornings are spent with my older two working independently while I bounce between my other two school aged kids and my twins demanding I read ALL the books to them. Then we have a little outside time (hopefully) before lunch. After lunch is clean up, family hour (aka morning time) where my twins are trained to stay on a mat They are not quiet. At. All. Next is quiet reading hour and "nap time" for my twins. I spend half of this time with my oldest and half that time with my next oldest. And then that's it. Done. Computer, piano, and crafts as they choose or what not. Last year was much much harder. Seriously. I spent a good 8 months on the verge of a nervous breakdown. We did the 3rs plus books last year and are doing only slightly more than that this year. We didn't even have much of a morning time last year, but it's gotten sooo much better

What do YOU put in your portfolio? I've read about the log, samples, attendance etc, but I'm very interested in what/how many samples are put in by different families. Bonus points if you homeschool in a way that uses a lot of oral narration and discussion rather than producing work sheets for every subject. (This is where the whole samples thing loses me)

It's fine. . .but it is a textbook. Lots of information but dry like nobody's business. My current 7th grader used it in 5th grade. He did fine with it at the time but we're talking ZERO retention long term. My favorite part of those abeka history books is the pretty map section in the back. I have all of the elementary ones and think they do make a great reference.

Yes! That is so my daughter. If it's impersonal, she just has no interest or retention. She knows a LOT of history from historical fiction and diary style books that she's read over the years, but school time. . .NOPE. I really think she might like that Thank you all for you input an suggestions! I'm going to compile lists of ideas and submit them to dd to let her choose. There's a used curriculum sale around here next month. I think we'll go and see if anything there is inspiring to her as well! OR if she'd just rather git r done. . .that's fine too.

Thank you! I'm really open to anything. I'd like to have a list of several options for each missing subject to show dd and then let her choose.

This is the plan I'm working on for next year. 1st and 3rd graders -CLE math and LA (their own levels) -interest lead studies together with library books. This is just continuing what we've done this year. My 2nd grader started the year with RS's Social Studies book and Abeka science. He hated the social studies book and was bored silly with the science. (I like upper levels of Abeka science for the record) We scrapped that and have been picking topics and putting on oodles of books on hold. I like it. It's low stress for me and they get a lot more out of it. 6th grader -CLE math -IEW either theme book or SICC-B (she's an EXCELLENT writer) -RS Bible 8th grader -CLE Alg 1 -IEW either theme book or SICC-B -RS Bible -CLE's Changing Frontiers -Apologia Physical Science There will be art projects, piano, maybe some greek latin word root study, and lots of reading both independently and as a family. My girls like to cook and my boys like to build things in the garage. I'm happy with the "extras" BUT I have a huge gaping holes to plan. I have no grammar chosen for my 6th and 8th graders (who have both burnt out on CLE's LA), and I'm at a total loss on science and social studies/history for my 6th grader. She hates those subjects and I'm trying to find a path that will cover those bases with the least amount of anxiety possible for her. In contrast to my oldest, she is definitely a whole to parts learner. BUT she cannot handle open ended assignments. I couldn't just say, "research world war 2".She needs clear expectations of what she needs to accomplish each day. Does that make sense? Any ideas here especially for my upcoming 6th grader? She's an INFJ if that helps.

CLE. CLE. CLE. Without question.

I have noticed that almost no one here mentions CLP's program. Thank you for the feedback. 10-15 minutes is great. :)

My 8 year old who will be in 3rd grade next year needs a spelling program. His older siblings haven't needed that but HE does. It needs to be fairly independent. I think I've lowered it down to Rod and Staff's program or CLP's Spelling program. Which would you pick and why?

If you ever find that "Just Right" please share! Finding that perfect balance in grammar has been driving me bonkers for years!

I have made tentative plans and changed them about 20 times so far, but here are my current thoughts. Please note they are written in jello. 8th grader CLE Algebra Finish IEW SWI B and begin SICC-B RS Spelling (maybe) RS Bible Uncle Sam and You Apologia Physical Science Grammar = ??????????? 6th grader CLE math Finish IEW SWI b and beginn SICC-b RS Spelling RS Bible Uncle Sam and You Abeka Science (probably) Grammar = ?????????? 3rd grader CLE math Pentime RS Eng and Spelling Abeka Science and Nature Reader CHOW?? 1st grader CLE math Pentime WWE 1 ???? Lots of library books Twin 4 year olds Maybe start them on RS ABC series if they're interested. They may not be as they currently have zero interest in coloring or learning to write anything. CLE math Abeka Science

I vote 2. Stay put and take vacations if it will make your kids happy. And I get where you're coming from. I grew up in a military family. We stayed put quite a bit so the oldest ones could finish high school without being uprooted. Then later we stayed put so I could finish school while my dad was stationed in Puerto Rico for a couple years. He came home to visit. We went there to visit. It was fine. Really. ;)

My only experience with Rod and Staff English was when my oldest was in 3rd grade. Since then we've done grammar every year either with CLE or CTGE, can we jump back into RS next year at grade level, or would we need to back up a grade? (ie can my son do RS English 8 in 8th grade or should he back up and do 7th grade level)

I am ISXJ and am also too stubborn to outsource. Or perhaps my budget is too stubborn. . . . But yes I can see myself in the ISTJ and the ISFJ. I. Love. Checking. Boxes.

No school room here and I don't think it would work. My school age boys are very sensory sensitive and are not able to think at all if there are other things/noises while they're working. My 7 year old works on a table in my room (downstairs), 13 year old in his own room, and my girls who are oblivious to everything around them work at the table while the twinnies run amuck.

These are my thoughts exactly. Keep bumping her bedtime earlier and earlier until she's able to get up without major meltdown issues. I'm not a morning person, so I get that. But 10 is just really really late! I drag my kids out of bed shortly before 8 (except for my toddlers and my 11 year old who is one of those crazy morning people). Then we all get to be grumpy together for awhile. All I have to say to my 13 year old is, "8:45.. . . 8:30.. . . . .8:15" and he will get his butt up. Nothing worse for him than sending him to bed earlier. ;)

My 2nd grader is/was doing it this year. It's the only thing he's said he truly hates. It's pretty dry, so I won't be using it for any of my others.

I have a 5th grader who just turned 11. She spends about 30 minutes on her own doing math (CLE) and 15 to 20 minutes going over it with me later.

The Great Turkey Walk - an easy read but fun and all are enjoying it The Book of the Dun Cow - picked it up at Andrew Pudewa's suggestion. IMO a very weird book

Bless you! I was looking for the site earlier this week!

I have 4 readers that all learned to read before they could write much of anything. My two littlest ones have a language delay and can't hold a pencil correctly yet but are capable of reading some short words. So for us, the answer to that has been yes.

Yep, we're there too. My oldest was plugging along, but it just became ridiculous. We're completely dropping formal grammar for the rest of the year to give all our attention to writing (SWI-B from IEW). In retrospect, we spent far too much time on grammar and not enough on writing. I even knew it at the time, but didn't know how to remedy it and stay consistent. Next year we're going to continue with IEW and pick up Easy Grammar Plus for my two older ones.

CLE Math Writing with Ease Pentime SOTW Any Let's Read and Find Out and Magic School Bus books that your library has. Do the experiments if child has any interest. Skip them if they don't. Tons of books from the library Crayons, Watercolors, colored pencils, scissors, and lots of paper Phonics Pathways

I feel a bit like a broken record mentioning this again and again, but English Lessons Through Literature may fit what you're looking for. This is the site- http://barefootmeandering.com/site/lessons-through-literature/eltl/ Good samples at Amazon (cheaper at rainbowresource) - http://www.amazon.com/English-Lessons-Through-Literature-Level/dp/150017694X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452304157&sr=8-1&keywords=english+lessons+through+literature+5