We drink a lot of juice and tea...We buy paper towels and mostly organic foods...I usually shop at Whole Foods, BJs and Wegmans, and I go to a health food store for bread...I buy raw milk in the next state over (it is illegal here), so it costs us $4 for half a gallon...We also get take out sometimes and eat pizza a couple of times a month...I buy a mix of fresh and frozen veggies...

I had the opportunity to go once...I really enjoyed it...I went for the speakers...I met SWB, Andrew Kern, Jim Weiss, Martin Cothran, Andrew Pudewa, Christopher Perrin, MCT, and so many others... I wish I could go again this year, but they are too far from me, and we can't afford to travel at this point...I really wish I could go...

I have been looking at how much money we spend on food for our family of 5...I know this has been talked about on the Hive, but I can't find any of the old posts and really need realistic advice... After looking back through our expenses, I discovered that we have been spending about $350 a week on food ($1400 a month)...We really need to budget better, as my boys medical expenses are increasing...I have a son with epilepsy, and another who has breathing problems at times and has already spent time in the hospital twice during 2014...My boys also play baseball, and I would hate to have to stop them because we can't afford it...I don't know if I need to realize that that is just the cost of feeding a family, or if we can make it spending less... What I want to know is if it is realistically possible to spend much less than that a month?...$1000 would be ideal, but I don't know if I can cut $100 a week out of the food budget... So tell me, is $1000 a month possible or not?...I know it will vary by family, but I would love to hear from people who make it happen, or realize that would never work for them...It is helps to know, we have 3 boys, ages 14, 10, and 8, my husband and myself...All are homeschooled, so the boys and I are home during the day... Thank you to anyone who answers...I appreciate your advice...

Maybe the minority, maybe not...I agree with you, and I only like a post if I agree with what was said or it was funny, never based on who is posting...Most people, I think, tend to agree with certain posters on certain subjects though...So it may look like people are just agreeing with certain posters, but in reality, they just agree on certain topics...

It depends...If it is the first snowfall of a storm and nice, fluffy snow then yes because my boys love to play in the snow...If it is slushy, not good to play in snow then no...If it snows more than one day, no...But that first day of good snow is for playing outdoors...

Wait, I think the same thing just happened to me!...I just went and checked the chocolate covered pomegranates I just bought and it says the same thing yours says...Is it Brookside?

I'm sure some people might not like it, but I love the like button...I missed it terribly when it was gone that time...It is like an "agree" button to me, and I like knowing who agrees with what...That info is very informative to me... I never feel compelled to like or rather "agree" with anyone's posts...

No, I am not competitive at all...It is often a source of jokes in my house...I really don't care if someone is better than me at things...I don't know if it is good or bad, but I am just not competitive...

I am not sure what your lifestyle would be called, but I wish I could live it :-)...I think almost everything you mentioned above would be hard for us to do financially...

You guys are killing me...I live on the east coast and can't go that far... I met Andrew Kern, Christopher Perrin and Martin Cothran at a conference once...I would love to go to another conference...

I started 1st grade at 7 with my boys...If I could do it again, I would still have started K at age 6, but I would have done a little more...They could have been better prepared for 1st grade... I still wouldn't start at 5 though...

They actually have both versions on the website...You can order the slower pace or the original pace... I am not familar with Dancing Bears, but if your son can read Little Bear, even with a little help, you would be fine to do MP 1st grade core...The books in 1st grade are read with the child, they read aloud to you, or you go back and forth...

I will have a third grader next year, and he will continue with Memoria Press...He will do the original 3rd grade core...Right now I am not planning any substitutions...

If you don't want to send them, don't do it...At least don't do it now...Try and switch some things up with how you are schooling now and get through the rest of this year...Assess how you feel about it when the year is over... There are plenty of people who put their kids in school and never look back because it was the right decision for them...There are also plenty of people who put their kids in school and regret it...You want to make a good decision, and I don't think taking until the fall to be sure will make a huge difference for them in the big scheme of things at their ages...But the extra time may be what you need to feel good about your decision...

This...I can't remember the last time I noticed a man noticing me...I don't pay a lot of attention to people around me, so I would never notice something like that...I usually wear jeans or long skirts and don't think my style of dress would attract anyone not transplanted from either the 70s or early 1900s 😉

We use these now, and this is my advice if you do use them... - Go over vocabulary with them before they read the section, especially for grades 6 and below... - For the younger grades (3 or 4 and below), discuss the questions, formulate an answer together and then have them write the answer in the book in a complete sentence... - Do not write every answer in every book because that is a lot of writing... I like the guides, they just work better when done with the child and not given as a workbook to complete and then have you check...That is fine sometimes with the questions, but vocab should definitely be discussed... We are using the guides this year and plan to continue with them next year...

This...I know it is not a book with illustrations, but this Jim Weiss CD is fantastic...It is a favorite here...Even if you do find a lovely book, this version of King Arthur and his Knights is not to be missed 😊

I missed 6 and so did DH...

I first heard of the Eastern Orthodox Church last year...I became Orthodox this past April, along with my husband and three boys...I was a very active member of the non- denominational church my husband and I use to belong to for 16 years before becoming Orthodox...My husband was there for 20 years (we met there)...Then I heard of and studied about Orthodoxy...And so did my husband... Hey, you never know :001_smile:

:iagree: This...

That's really cool :-)

Yes, the exact same thing just happened to me...I didn't realize it was an old thread until I saw Kalanamak's post... It made think of her and miss her presence here...

I don't start K here until 6 years old, so I have never done formal lessons with a 5 year old...They absorb so much more at 6 so I don't bother with it...

With your homeschool that is...What are you trying to do?...How will you know if your efforts are successful? I am really thinking about these things...Homeschool is tougher than I imagined it would be, and I feel like I am shooting for something I am not even clear about... So what are you trying to accomplish?...What does success look like to you? Thanks in advance to all who reply :)

:grouphug: I am tired of not doing anything well either, so I also have no advice just :grouphug: ...Just know you are not alone...