:banghead:We have a Toshiba laptop. The power button is blue and I can push on it and it will blink orange and blue. The screen is completely black.....no sound will come from the machine. I was using it and the screen went black.....I thought maybe since I was not plugged into power that the battery was low but it usually gives you a beeping signal that you need to plug back in and that didn't happen. I can't get it to do anything.....Any ideas?

I wear the same 3 pairs of jeans all winter and love when summer hits so I can wear my shorts. I usually wear t-shirts and sweatshirts....I can buy men's so the sleeves are long enough. Of course I would love to have some pretty clothes that fit......I'm finding that buying a nice shirt is impossible. I'm so broad through the shoulders that nothing fits even if the sleeves are short. Oh well, I guess there is no dress code for homeschooling. Now, if I had to go to work in an office I'd be in trouble. And shoes are another horrible problem.....I love to go barefoot! (size 12N)

6'2" StacyWithFourRugrats, how long is your inseam. I can't find pants anywhere, I'm getting ready to order from Landsend because I can get my 36" inseam.

My oldest will be in 9th grade next year and I have a dear friend who told me to start a 4 year plan. So I've been working on one....it is not complete but I think it's a decent start. English (Writing, Literature, Grammar, Vocabulary) 9th grade: Jensen's Format Writing Lightning Lit Vocab from Classical Roots Jensen's Grammar and Punctuation 10th grade: 11th grade: 12th grade: She will also read a lot(it is her favorite thing to do).....I'm working on putting a book list together from different sources. Math 9th grade: Saxon Algebra 2 10th grade: Saxon Advanced Math 11th grade: Saxon Advanced Math/Saxon Calculus 12th grade: Saxon Calculus/Abeka Consumer Math (I'm assuming my dd will take more than one year to finish Advanced Math and we may not get very far in the Calculus. This is just what I would like to see. I'm also going to have her do Aleks during the summer.) Science 9th grade: Apologia Physical Science 10th grade: Apologia Biology 11th grade: Apologia Chemistry 12th grade: Apologia Physics or Anatomy History 9th grade: Geography: Abeka + Around the World in 180 Days 10th grade: World History: I'm thinking Notgrass?? 11th grade: American History: ?????? 12th grade: Government: Abeka or Notgrass Electives Physical Education Health Foreign Lang. - We are leaning toward Spanish Driver's Ed Bible Art Music Home Ec. Computers Photography Logic Drama Speech Worldviews Business/Accounting Shop/Drafting/Auto We will do one credit of English, History, Science and Math every year and add 2-3 electives. She also takes piano lessons, is involved in 4-H and takes a homeschool PE class once a week. We have access to speech and drama classes if she chooses to do those electives. As I look back on this, I think I have a lot of planning to do this summer! Best wishes on your homeschooling journey!:001_smile:

Also, we now have started the essay portion and I can't believe the improvement.......I have given her 2 1/2 days to write a 5 paragraph essay........It actually was organized and with a few of my suggestions her final draft was great. Of course this is compared to what she could do 6 months ago, which was a disorganized paragraph with much complaining and usually tears. I was beginning to think she would never learn to write anything. Jensens Format Writing has helped us tremendously!

writing programs Don't know if I can help much but will give you a little bit of my experience with my 13yo dd. She also has no interest in writing, spelling is better but not great and she always has her nose in a book. I always thought that because she was such an excellent reader that the writing would get easier sooner or later. Well, at the start of this year (8th grade) we started with Put that in Writing 1. We made it through the 1st 12 weeks and it just wasn't what I hoped it would be. For us it was too much picking apart sentences and not enough teaching her how to write a decent paragraph. After Christmas I ordered Jensen's Format Writing. It is simple and straightforward. For my reluctant writer it has been terrific. She can finally sit and write a decent paragraph in a few minutes with no tears! We are just starting the essay portion so hopefully that will go well. Also, I started doing Spelling Power with her and her spelling has improved quit a bit. I can't tell you anything about the other writing curriculums because we have never used them, Jensens is cheap compared to some, you might want to look into it. Hope this helps some!

I'm 2nd generation.....both of my parents went and graduated from college. My dh is the 1st college graduate on his father's side of the family and it is a big family. He has around 70 cousins on that side alone.

Banana Cake and Carrot Cake (I'm going to try Ree's recipe, it is new on her website)

I have decided to do Geography, World History, American History, Gov't/Economics for our 1st dd's 4 years of high school. I am trying to put together a list of books to read. We are using Abeka's Geography which is a semester course and I would like to make it a year course. Any suggestions for literature would be appreciated.

I tried everything for my dd and this simple book has fixed it all. I have a horrible time teaching how to write and she had a horrible time learning to write. Jensen's Format Writing has worked for us.

Thanks

My dd will be in 9th grade next year. She is finishing up Saxon Algebra 1 and will continue with Saxon Algebra 2 in the fall. I would like her to do something over the summer probably 2 - 3 times a week. Any suggestions? Thanks!

EATING! Why, oh, why can't I be good at losing weight?? :crying:

I graduated at 17 in PS. My children even if they have a full 12 years of education will graduate at 17yo.

Don't know if I can help much but will give you a little bit of my experience with my 13yo dd. She also has no interest in writing, spelling is better but not great and she always has her nose in a book. I always thought that because she was such an excellent reader that the writing would get easier sooner or later. Well, at the start of this year (8th grade) we started with Put that in Writing 1. We made it through the 1st 12 weeks and it just wasn't what I hoped it would be. For us it was too much picking apart sentences and not enough teaching her how to write a decent paragraph. After Christmas I ordered Jensen's Format Writing. It is simple and straightforward. For my reluctant writer it has been terrific. She can finally sit and write a decent paragraph in a few minutes with no tears! We are just starting the essay portion so hopefully that will go well. Also, I started doing Spelling Power with her and her spelling has improved quit a bit. I can't tell you anything about the other writing curriculums because we have never used them, Jensens is cheap compared to some, you might want to look into it. Hope this helps some!

We do sealants.......at our dentist they clean the tooth and then seal the molars. All of my dc have inherited my deep crevices in my molars. This has help with cavities.....they don't have any yet! Sometimes the sealant falls out and they have to do it again. That has happened twice. Our insurance also pays for it, so for us it works great!

I have oh, so many reasons but I found this (maybe even on this board, can't remember): Why do you home educate your children? If they learn their ABCs, can read 600 words per minute, and can write with perfect penmanship, but have not been shown how to communicate with the Designer of all language, they have not been educated. If they can deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with their stunning logic, but have not been instructed in God's wisdom, they have not been educated. If they read Shakespeare and John Locke and can discuss their writings with keen insight, but have not read the greatest of all books -- the Bible -- and have no knowledge of its personal importance, they have not been educated. If they have memorized addition facts, multiplication tables, and chemical formulas, but have never been disciplined to hide God's Word in their hearts, they have not been educated. If they can explain the law of gravity and Einstein's theory of relativity, but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One Who orders our universe, they have not been educated. If they can classify animals by their family, genus and species, and can write a lengthy scientific paper that wins an award, but have not been introduced to the Maker's purpose for all creation, they have not been educated. If they can recite the Gettysburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution, but have not been informed of the hand of God in the history of our country, they have not been educated. If they can play the piano, the violin, six other instruments, and can write music that moves men to tears, but have not been taught to listen to the Director of the universe and worship Him, they have not been educated. If they can run cross-country races, star in basketball and do 100 push-ups without stopping, but have never been shown how to bend their spirit to do God's will, they have not been educated. If they can identify a Picasso, describe the style of da Vinci, and even paint a portrait that earns an A+, but have not learned that all harmony and beauty comes from a relationship with God, they have not been educated. If they were to graduate with a perfect 4.0 and were accepted at the best university with a full scholarship, but have not been guided into a career of God's choosing, they have not been educated. If they become good citizens, voting at each election and fighting for what is moral and right, but have not been told of (or believe) the sinfulness of man and his hopelessness without Christ, they have not been educated. However, if one day they see the world as God sees it, and come to know Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify God by fulfilling His purpose for them, THEN THEY HAVE BEEN EDUCATED! - - Carolyn Caines :)

My 5th grade dd is finishing her 6th grade Abeka book and I will have her take the Saxon placement test. (On the website for free). I did this with her older sister and she went from 6th grade Abeka (in 6th grade) to Saxon Algebra 1/2 in 7th grade. It worked out great!

My first experience with hardwood was when we moved into the house we currently live in. It has been 2 years and yes we have some small scratches but I love my hardwood. I just wish it were everywhere and not just in the kitchen/dining/hallways/entry areas. It is easy to clean....the kids can do it. And when it is clean, it is clean!!!!:)

My parents allowed my sister to have an 17 yo "friend" when she was 13. She was not allowed to date....well, this relationship went on "innocently" until she was allowed to date @ 16. He was 20 and in college. He came home every weekend to date her, sent her flowers, etc.... My sis married this man just after her 19th birthday. He was 23. Their married life was a joke. She was in college, he was out and had a job. Now that he finally "had" her, he ignored her. He went to bars with his friends.....She stayed home and studied. She cleaned, cooked, did the laundry, and studied some more...He went out with his friends and slept in every weekend because he had had too much to drink the night before. Their marriage ended in less than 4 years. IMHO, stop the relationship....she is too young and what does an 18 yo see in a 13 yo?!? BTW, I think it sounds like you are handling things well, but from my experience I'd be afraid.

Coverting is not hard if you write it down. This is what we do.....memorize the prefixes in this order: kilo, hecto, deca, unit, deci, cent, milli. Now if you have 3.2 decaliters and need to change it to centililers, write down 3.2 under the deca and count 3 units to centi. Move the decimal point 3 places to the right. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more.

That is all we own, so my children learn to type on the laptop. They are all doing marvelous. My dd (11 and 13yo) type between 40 & 60 WPM. They have been typing for 2 and 4 years. My ds who just started last fall, is typing 15 WPM. He is just learning the numbers and has been using Typing Instructor. The laptop is working fine for us.

We are thinking about taking a vacation to SD. I know there is lots to do. Where would you stay? What would you see? We are thinking about camping.

We had a ped once that questioned my dd about her friends. She asked her the same question about her friends in about 5 different ways. I decided not to say anything to her because the dd she picked will talk to anyone. She continued to tell her about her friends at church, her friends in the neighborhood, her friends on her sports team, her cousins, her friends at Grandmas house, etc..... It was so funny....the ped couldn't get her to shut up!! Needless to say we found someone different for the next illness!:)