I'm not sure if it matters, but from other threads I've seen, a lot of people get the tenth edition, the one with all the bricks on the cover.

Yes to the low carb and cutting out sugar. That, with exercise, should help a lot. I will say that for me, being on BCP has helped a lot with anxiety and depression. But you can always start with diet and exercise first and see how much of a difference that makes before trying BCP.

My two oldest sons really enjoyed Mover of Men and Mountains about LeTourneau. They read it over and over again. I think it meets your criteria.

How about numbness? If you have fibromyalgia, do you experience this? Is it usually extremities or anywhere? Thanks.

When I want to fast track with TT, I give my kid the chapter quizzes until we get to one he has trouble with. This has worked pretty well for us.

I will end up being a SAHW because I married a farmer, and it just goes with the territory. :)

My foot pain is very random. Sometimes it's the ankle, sometimes the bones along the top of the foot going to the toes. Sometimes big toe joint. It moves all over. I have had full thyroid panels done, and I have them done every 6 months. My thyroid numbers are not in the ideal range, but I really don't think any of my symptoms are because of it. I know that sounds odd, but I've been on Synthroid for a good nine months at a time, had optimal numbers and not felt ANY better. I also don't have any anti-TPO or whatever it's called that would indicate Hashi's. The only thing that's helped me feel better so far is birth control pills, and that was for the PCOS. So, it's all a big weird mystery... For those of you who have fibromyalgia, do you ever get random sore throats? I've had that for a few years, and I've seen it listed as a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, which also overlaps a lot with fibro, but I don't fit the criteria for the amount of fatigue for CFS.

Thank you for the replies. Sounds like it's a possibility. I have not been tested with the tender points, but when I try it on myself, many of them hurt. Also, I am slightly hypothyroid and have been on trials of Synthroid in the past. These pains in my hands began while I was on it and my thyroid numbers were good. I also have PCOS so there might be some overlap of symptoms happening. ETA: Oh yeah, I also have no joint swelling at all.

I don't know if I have fibro but I'm starting to consider it as a possibility. I have the fatigue, the IBS and the widespread tenderness, but my question is about the pain. My pain doesn't seem to match the usual fibro pain. It started a year ago in my hands and fingers. Then I started having some in my feet. Currently, my feet often get stiff and the pain is still in my hands, fingers and wrists. My one thumb joint hurts all the time when I use it but the rest is random and moves around. I thought small joint pain was more of a rheumatoid arthritis thing. Could it be fibromyalgia? Blood tests are still clear aside from very slightly elevated CRP. Or maybe it's just impossible to know at this point.

My goal is exact wording for dictations but there are occasions where I make exceptions. As for narrations, if I think a sentence sounds awkward (I run into this a lot with my 8yo), I try to make suggestions without actually spelling it out: "Ok, you can't use the word 'and' to start this sentence. What should we say instead?" That kind of thing.

I am also considering switching to key word-type outlines. So far we've always done sentence ones, but I am wondering if key words would make it simpler/easier. We do already outline from science and history books (R&S history, God's Design science mostly). The other thing here is that he's only in 5th grade but he's been doing one-level outlines for more than a year, so I am trying to bump him up to two levels a year early. Maybe that is also part of the issue. Thanks for suggestions!

What is your favourite resource for your logic stage kids to outline from? I am having trouble finding something well organized enough to work for my 10yo. If I give him the lessons on outlining from R&S English, he finds them very easy. I also have the Remedia Outlining book that has been recommended here in the past, and I think he would find that very easy as well. But when I have him outline from a textbook, for whatever reason he finds it difficult. So right now I'm blaming the texts. So... all that to ask... has anyone found a good text to outline from? What do you use?

My son will probably do: R&S English 3 LLATL Orange R&S spelling 4 TT 4 WWE 4 Canadian geography Adventures with atoms and molecules Medieval history with siblings Cursive practice if needed Art, Bible memory work and piano lessons

Mine will likely be doing: TT Pre-Algebra, unless he somehow tests into Algebra 1 LLATL Gray, CLE Reading 8 WTM writing across curriculum The Fallacy Detective + Thinking Toolbox Apologia Physical Medieval history with the rest of us

These are my plans so far: TT 6 LLATL tan, Pathway Reading 6 Spelling workout F WTM writing Logic Lift-off Apologia Zoology 3 World geography (homemade and very basic) Medieval history with siblings Getting Started with French if he doesn't finish it this year L'art de Lire 2 Piano lessons, Bible memory, art

I'm thinking my son will do: English (lit and composition) Algebra 2 Astronomy Medieval history Phys Ed (hockey and swimming) And possibly some type of computer programming or something, depending on where he ends up this year.

I think your Tiner idea is a good one. In my world, the simplest way to get science done independently is to have them read something and then write a narration about it (I also include drawings with the narrations). Experiments are fun if they are simple enough to do alone, and if they want to but I don't think they're absolutely necessary. I use this method with lots of different books: Tiner, God's Design, Apologia.

I sort of do this with writing and I know others do, too. I say "sort of" because I don't make it up myself; I base what I have my kids do off of SWB's writing philosophy, which can be found in her audio lectures or WTM book or in the sample pages of WWE. So instead of purchasing a writing curriculum, I have my kids narrate, outline, copy, dictate, etc. as she describes. I haven't sent any kids to college yet, but so far I think this has worked really well. In fact, I have actually tried some writing curriculum with my oldest and they just don't work for him, whereas this approach does, so that is one major reason I stick with it. I have also done this with handwriting. You don't *need* a pretty handwriting book to teach kids letters. You can just show them how and have them copy your example. I'm not sure I would feel very confident doing this with any other subject though, unless I had access to a good library.

I've gone through a few. Started with R&S, then tried CTGE, bought Easy Grammar but never used it, also own PLL/ILL, but I think we have finally settled on LLATL for middle grades. I think what I've learned is that I really like R&S up until about 5th grade, and to do it a year behind, then switch to LLATL for 6th-8th. I think. :)

I use Joy of Handwriting cursive and I really like it.

Thank you!

Could someone recommend a good learning to draw book that is in a workbook format? This would be for 10 and 8yo boys. Something very simple. I've been looking at The Big Yellow Drawing Book. Thanks for any ideas!

Master Books has a couple of courses that might interest you: Intro to Astronomy and Astronomy & Meteorology. There is also Signs and Seasons, which I think most people use for high school, but probably could work for 8th.

I once uploaded this one to Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aBU1lOOW91r1691x2VSWszm4wRvjEMQFfoYBcCXLNdc/edit?usp=sharing

Every year we do a huge fruit platter with fruit dip (grapes, pineapple, bananas, honeydew, cantaloupe, etc.). Also crackers and havarti, and this year the boys want some chips, too, so I'm doing ripple chips with onion dip.