This is a great thread. :) Here are some other ideas: Science: Christian Liberty Nature Readers. Summarize or narrate and do notebook pages. History: Library Books by time period. Christian Liberty Press History Books Comprehensive Language Arts (for those who like one book and being done with it): Spectrum Language Arts. I think this includes grammar and writing. Spelling: Choose words from the dictionary. Reading: Library Books of child's choice. If not reading, I would pick up Alpha Phonics used on one of the used curriculum sites. Grammar: Scott Foresman has a free online grammar and writing curriculum for elementary grades. I seem to have lost my book mark for it.:001_huh: Perhaps someone else here has it. Or you could possibly find it by Google. Writing: Included in the free Scott Foresman curriculum.

Thanks for the great replies so far. :) I have been reading these boards for quite a while, although I don't post a lot. I plan to save some of these responses and refer to them as I plan. I do plan to continue with my research and we will not start TWTM until the new school year. She will then be in fifth grade. I know most people here tweak TWTM , and that is my plan also. I will definitely try to fashion it to suit myself and my dd. Now that I am more secure and confident in homeschooling, I feel better about TWTM. I know that I can pick and choose and not be bound by what the book recommends. I have been reading about the curriculums that everyone uses and have found some new things I never heard of. If anyone else wants to share how they do TWTM, I would love to hear. Thanks again.

I am considering classical homeschooling with my dd who is 9 yo and will be finishing up 4th grade. She has been homeschooled from the start, but not with a classical approach. She is an excellent and voracious reader and very good with grammar and loves to write. I read TWTM a couple of years ago, but was overwhelmes, and did not implement it.:tongue_smilie: Now that she is a little older, and I am a more experienced and confident homeschool mom, I would like to try it. Can you share with me how you implement TWTM in your family? Do you tweak it? Do you use different materials than what is recommended? I would love as much input as possible.:bigear: I am having a great time researching.:)

Yeah, I heard the same thing at an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church we used to attend. They have the belief that drinking any alcohol is a sin, so they go back and say the Bible wine was really grape juice. One sermon I heard on the topic was the largest stretching of scripture I had heard in a long time.:glare: Wine makes sense, grape juice doesn't.

Well, I have just one child. However, I have never really thought of it as having just once chance to "get it right." :) Even if I had a half dozen children, each of them would be unique individuals, and what I thought was a great homeschool plan for the first, could be a failure with the next. What I was sure was a loser curriculum for one child, would be just the ticket for another. As for costs, I don't justify anything. No matter how many children are homeschooled, money spent is an investment. Each child is worth it. That said, I don't spend anywhere near $500. I buy most of our books used. It also helps that I remain open minded and flexible about what I am willing to use each year. That really helps when I attend the local used curriculum sales. :) I take advantage of great deals I find there.

I have been going through the same thing. :glare: How about taking a class of some sort? I was actually considering starting college with a goal of being a nurse, and I am almost 39.:001_huh: Now I am not so sure about the whole college thing, but I may find some sort of local class to take. I need to have an interest and get out of the house. I suggest finding a class or hobby to get you out of the house and spend some time doing something for yourself.

I just bought this today and printed the next few weeks' pages and put them in my binder. So far I think I will really like it. I did switch around the day to pay bills and the sweeping the porch day. I had already planned to sweep the porch today. It's fun to check things off.:)

I am a definite carbaholic and have lost 25 pounds since June by following Atkins. So the answer is yes.:) Atkins is difficult during the first couple of weeks because your body is adjusting. I tried two other times before this and quit after day three. This time I stuck it out and I am glad I did. Are you doing Atkins right now? How long have you been doing it? Try checking out this site. www.lowcarbfriends.com There is a lot of good info and support there.

Try this site. I go there a lot and there are a good amount of recipies. www.lowcarbfriends.com HTH

Thanks a lot. I am going to check it out.

I think Sarah Palin did fairly well considering that expectations seemed so low. Biden did really well and I was more impressed with him. I had never really heard him speak before and I think he did very well. His experience showed and he knew what he was talking about and came across as knowledgable about the issues. I try so hard to be open minded about Sarah Palin. After all I am a registered Republican. But, the winking at the camera, the "doggone it, you betcha, Joe Six Pack, Hockey Mom" stuff just irks me. Also, I haven't heard concrete plans from her or John McCain of what they actually plan to do or how they plan to do it. I tried, really I did.:001_huh: I have been undecided until now, but this Chrisian, moderate Republican is leaning more toward Obama/ Biden. Just don't tell everyone in my church and homeschool group. :lol:

I don't get to go as much as I would like. My best estimate is that I only go a few times a year. Last week dd wanted to go to a little thrift shop close to our home. Normally I don't like it, but I decided to go. I got three pairs of jeans for myself for a total of $8.00. One is a cute pair of Gap jeans with flair legs. Dd thinks it's great that her mom is wearing jeans like that. :001_smile: I also found a pair of jeans for dd. Now that winter is coming, I want to get out and look for some winter clothes for dd.

I have been thinking a lot about this lately. There are numerous things that I already do to save money, but I could do so much more. In my area, there are at least three used homeschool book sales each spring. I always go to them and stock up on curriculum and books. I could just use whatever I find at those sales instead of buying new. The prices are usually very cheap. I have the Ruth Beechick "You Can Teach Your Child Successfully Grades 4-8". I could use that method for a few years with library books and books from used sales and thrift shops. I don't own a copy of TWTM, but I have checked it out of the library and read it a few times.:) I would like to know what is different about the first edition and how it might help in homeschooling for less money. I am very intrigued.:confused: Also, I could buy inexpensive workbook like the Spectrum series for language arts and perhaps geography. I would need something a bit more thorough for math because it is our weaker subject. We could also unschool, which I am seriously considering anyway.:001_smile: Or there is the Charlotte Mason method. I don't use a lot of the free resources online because I have dial up and it is so time consuming. I believe I can do just as well with finding free and cheap resources in the ways I mentioned.

I must have missed McCain giving an amount for his tax cuts for every family. I did record the debate, so I will watch it again and see if I can find that. I recall Obama mentioning his $1000.00 tax credit.

Well, as an undecided voter, I did not watch with an interest in one candidate or the other "winning". I wanted to hear what each had to say reagarding issues. From past experience I know that each party says that their candidate of choice is the winner. :) I voted "unclear" because I think they both did well in many ways. Obama came out strongly in some ways as did McCain. I am glad I watched because it is helping me in my decision. One question I had was answered and I don't have to wonder about it any longer.

Yes, I am watching and think I have already had one of my questions answered. I am listening and recording so I can watch again later if I care to.

Yes, I am struggling. I have been voting for 20 years and this is the first year that I feel this way.:confused: I,too, am a Christian and am torn. On one Christian forum I was basically told I was "crazy' for even considering Obama. :001_huh: Yep, crazy me-actually taking time to research both candidates who are running for President. I am watching the debates with interest right now. I have a mind of my own that God gave me, and I think I will use it. Even if it means I go against the grain. :D

That's a very interesting article. Thanks for posting.:) I am one of those people with serious reservations about Palin and I don't usually talk about it IRL or online. I am obviously one of the very few who feel this way. BTW, I am a registered Republican, and an undecided voter.

Thanks for posting that. It's very interesting. I do consider myself conservative and am a registered Republican. However, lately I have become more moderate as I realize that I agree with some issues from both parties. Both parties also have stands that I disagree with. So, for the first time since I began to vote at the age of 18, I am undecided.:001_huh: I always enjoy hearing why some would vote for Obama when they normally would vote the other candidate. I do like some of his plans and ideas. Thanks again for posting this.

My dd prefers to read to herself. In a way it makes it hard for us to use a real book approach/narration/notebooking etc because I don't know what exactly she has read. Due to that, this year we are doing worktexts. Next year we may go to real books and I will have to find a way to make it work. She loves to write, so written summaries may work.

Yep, had to start my 9 year old dd on deodorant a few months ago. Sounds normal. If I recall, I was about the same age when I began to need deodorant also.

Coming in late here. My main goal for dd is for her to be a keeper at home, helpmeet and all around great homeschool mom to my grandchildren. College is a possibility, but we will encourge Christian college. I am not at all raising her to be career driven/oriented.

I have an upcoming fourth grader also. For me, I would just do the LLATL and leave out the other language arts items since LLATL is meant to be inclusive. However, I get stressed out by trying to do too many things , so that's just me.;) Looks good. For my fourth grader I am considering: (not that you asked LOL) Rod and Staff or Bob Jones English ACE Math-this is fairly definite since we've been using it all along and it works. Christian Liberty Press American History-the fifth grade book. Already have this. Just heard about A Child's Geography. I will look into this further. Science-This is the most unknown. Will be considering- Rod and Staff, Apologia Land Creatures, Considering God's Creation

Yes, I used this with my dd when she was in K. It's a good , solid workbook style math curriculum. Not colorful, not splashy or exciting, but solid. If I recall, it teaches number recogniton and they learn to write the numbers. It also does contain a lot of addition and subtraction practice. Lots. I think it is a bit of overkill for K. I skipped quite a bit if I thought it was too much or if she already "got it". HTH

Wow, you're all so smart.:001_smile: I try to be frugal, but need to improve. Things I do: 1. I get most of my and dd's clothing from a local church with a clothing closet ministry for free. We also donate items to them. Other clothing comes from thrift shops or clearance sales. 2. We use Tracfones and do not have a cell phone contract. We don't talk on them a lot, so it works out better to just buy time as needed. 3. I get most of my homeschool items at local used curriculum sales. 4. I use less than recommended amount of laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. 5. We have dial up internet. This is actually due to living in a rural area and not being able to get high speed, but it does save money. 6. I try to stretch meal ingredients.