We've had a lot of successful and really "foody" meals from Budgetbytes.com. Hillbillyhousewife has some good comfort eats.

Do you have any family members or friends who don't support homeschooling? We have good friends of ours who we've known for well over a decade. Our children are relatively close in age. When we made the choice to homeschool it was at first a temporary choice during a transition. We found our kids were thriving and decided to make it permanent the friends were supportive during the temporary phase but not now. They have said some slightly rude things. about homeschoolers in general and then add "oh but not you guys". Have asked if we were ever going to put the kids in "real" school etc. I should add that DH and I have very supportive families of homeschooling. His father and step mother homeschooled some of their grandchildren who they had custody of for a period of time. My mother is very supportive and wishes she had homeschooled her own kids. My father is supportive and DH's mother who is a wonderful woman at first was apprehensive but 5 yrs in is a loud and proud supporter of homeschooling. In my own family one of my SILs and a Cousin also homeschool there children. We are still able to socialize with our friends who aren't supportive but we do avoid bringing up in convo anything homeschool related.

Some great advices. Thanks everyone!

So my question or rather ramble of a question is as followed with background. My husband's father was raised in a conservative Jewish family that kept kosher. My fil married a non-Jewish woman and their children (Dh and his brothers) were raised in a secular environment celebrating and honoring some Jewish holidays and cooking family favorite foods. My fil is originally from Poland. I was raised in a evangelical Christian family however my maternal great grandmother was Jewish. We would like to explore more Jewish traditions and holidays with our children and raise them with some cultural identity. Dh identifies as a Secular or Humanists Jew. I'm currently reading "What is a Jew?" by Rabbi Morris N. Kertzer. Where would you start? The nearest synagogue is 2 hours away.

I have never ordered from an online optic shop like Zenni optical or Costal eyewear. I'd like to get some opinions and other online options. Our health ins. only covers up to a certain amount on one pair of glasses every other year. I just got a new RX for everyday ware and for reading glasses. I ordered via our ins a new pair of everyday wear as that will get the heaviest use but I also need to order a pair of reading glasses and a pair of sunglasses. Additionally my youngest DD will need a new RX next month. Last year we just paid out of pocket 2 pairs from walmart. We have coverage for one pair from ins. This year so I will order one pair using ins. but I'd like to order a second pair either online or at walmart/lenscrafters etc. And lastly my husband needs new glasses. One pair will be paid via ins. and a pair of safety glasses will be paid via his job but he would also like to get a pair of sunglasses. Thanks!

Done Drop off one kid and pick up a friend's kid and drop off kids to a field trip (did ya follow that) at Odark7am Go to store and pick up a few items To do Drop off paper work to a friend Piano lesson pick up kid and her friend from field trip take care of chickens dishes put clothes away clean living room clean kitchen make dinner make bed clean homeschooling room edge one side of the driveway grassy area.

To do: Straighten out homeschooling room Cook dinner menu plan for the week make copies for DD1 L.A. Finish journaling about past homeschool week Done Finish knitting headband for DD2

Broad A which is how my husband also pronounces it. We both grew up in New England. However where we live in the PACNW I hear short a used more often.

108 in Eastern Wa.

My oldest DD just had a growth spurt and needs all the basics for the fall. We normally thrift all year long the next size up but since she was hitting 12 and we didn't know what a growth spurt would do we didn't this year. It's been a good 5-6 years since I've had to do a large clothing shop for a kiddo. We'll be checking out goodwill and other thrift shops but also the department store.

Trade some curriculum with a friend Organize yardsale bin. Tackle the last remaining part of the homeschool room Clean Living room Vacuum living room, hallway, kitchen, bathroom (we have hardwood floors) Inventory a section of the pantry (Pasta) and catalog it on a spread sheet Keep Laundry going. Have kids vacuum family room Have kids clean family room bathroom Have dd1 do a math lesson Listen to DD2 read aloud for 15 mins. knit/crochet package off items to mail out on Monday. Wrap gifts for a gift swap this weekend.

We do a "no spend week" every couple of months. During that time we do minimal driving so I usually schedule it on a week we don't have appts and try not to do it during busy sports weeks/co-op weeks etc. No grocery shopping that week, if we run out of something we get creative. No eating out and no purchases.

We use to live in an area with really great thrift stores. We moved to the farming/rural part of our state several years ago and while we live in the largest city for 60miles our thrift stores just don't have a great selection they are also over priced for what they have in my opinion from what we use to purchase. So whenever we visit my MIL who lives near some awesome thrift stores I check them out and keep a list of wants and needs. Whenever we go on a trip/field trip to another town I check out where their thrift stores are and I bring my list. My kids don't have an expectation of getting a toy whenever we go to a thrift store, Instead I direct them to the books. I will gladly pay 50cents-$1.50 on a book.

Once a Month Cooking or Batch freezer cooking. We've got about 300 wraps/burritos in the freezer now: Beef+Bean+rice and cheese, ranch chicken+rice+white bean+ bacon and cheese, Bean, salsa, rice and cheese, plus breakfast burritos. DH takes them to work, kids eat them for lunch, we have them for quick dinners on busy failure to plan a meal nights. Unplug all appliances not in use. I know this sound trivial but it works, coffee pot, tea kettle, lamps etc. Turn off lights when not in a room I made our own laundry detergent for year. A grocery store in our area was going out of business and I purchased fels napatha, washing soda and borax at about 70% off retail once we ran out I re-evaluated how far I got with our home made laundry vs uses SUN laundry detergent with a coupon and found that using SUN with a coupon this time around was cheaper. Don't be brand loyal Only use coupons when it makes sense too. Like my local grocery store just sent me a $10 off your next $50 in store purchase, I plan to coupon the heck out of that trip and make the saving really last. Find out if your electricity company uses peak hours/rates and if they do then try and use larger more energy use items during off peak times. Dish washer, clothes dryer, washing machine, vacuum, rug shampooer. Buy in bulk but ONLY on items you know your family will actually use. No point in stocking up on 79 cans of tuna at 45cents a can if no one but you likes tuna (I ended up giving a bunch to a family friend who's family really loved tuna casserole). Think beyond just food for buying in bulk. I have a Sally's beauty card. Several times a year they have gallon shampoo and conditioner on sale for around $4-$5 for card members. I usually stock up a years worth. Ditch the Costco card. A lot of people over spend at Costco. Instead hitch a ride with a friend who is a member a few times a year.

I've got 2001 friends selling them... okay maybe not that many but a lot. I purchased one package because it was Dr. Who and my daughters and I love that show. I haven't actually tried them yet.

To Do: Unpack from weekend trip . Keep laundry going PUT AWAY LAUNDRY Clean main bathroom have kids clean their bathroom have kids vacuum family room check on chickens Do dishes Work on organizing/cleaning homeschool/craft room drink copious amounts of coffee Have dd1 do a lesson of math Have dd2 read aloud to me.

Done: Folded and put away 1 load of laundry Dishes swim lessons read 5 chapters of current read aloud to DD2 To Do: Go to the bank Go to the Farmers Market Clean out Chicken coop (DH normally does this but He has been very busy with work and a Musical he is in) ICK! Vacuum Family room Make Up guest room Menu Plan Have DD1 Try on Bride's Maid Dress Knit read a chapter of my book Work with DD1 on organizing her room

Oh and another thing We do read aloud books that are a few grade levels ahead. She also listens to audio books that are at a 3rd grade or higher reading level. Additionally she is taking part in a co-op class that is based on the American Girl Doll books and will be read those, listen to them, and encouraged to read them herself as well.

My younger dd is a rising 3rd grader. She had some vision issues due to a severe astigmatism just before she turned 6 and we spent much of 1st grade re-learning what letters actually look like in comparison to how they sound. It's been a long journey and she has shown a lot of progress. We've had some reading testing done by an independent specialist. Based on those tests her reading level is around 1st grade 6mos but her compression read and being read to is 4th and 8th grade respectfully. She is also a very good natural speller but hesitates in writing stories because she lacks confidence in her ability. Last year we used: Hooked on Phonics Gr 1 Level 2, Grade 2 level 1 and Grade 2 level 2. MCP Phonics Grade 2 FLL Grade 2 without the dictation/writing portion Steckly Vaughn Poetry Comprehension Grade 2 2/3 of the way through the year we added Rocket Phonics (took the place of Hooked on Phonics since we finished early) Daily Grams Grade 2 (Not Easy Grammar full curriculum just the daily worksheet) Based on some recommendations we've decided to use Logic of English with manuscript (we'll tackle cursive later down the road). Covers Spelling Covers some Grammar Continue with Daily Grams Grade 2 and then move on to grade 3. And then do a poetry unit since her favorite part of FLL has always been the poetry memorization. Using Steckly Vaughn Grade 3 and additionally writing poems ***Edit since I hit send to fast. Would you add in FLL3 or hold off on that. Or just use the poetry memorization portion and definitions of what parts of speech are portion (something she has also always enjoyed)

My younger dd is a rising 3rd grader. She had some vision issues due to a severe astigmatism just before she turned 6 and we spent much of 1st grade re-learning what letters actually look like in comparison to how they sound. It's been a long journey and she has shown a lot of progress. We've had some reading testing done by an independent specialist. Based on those tests her reading level is around 1st grade 6mos but her compression read and being read to is 4th and 8th grade respectfully. She is also a very good natural speller but hesitates in writing stories because she lacks confidence in her ability. Last year we used: Hooked on Phonics Gr 1 Level 2, Grade 2 level 1 and Grade 2 level 2. MCP Phonics Grade 2 FLL Grade 2 without the dictation/writing portion Steckly Vaughn Poetry Comprehension Grade 2 2/3 of the way through the year we added Rocket Phonics (took the place of Hooked on Phonics since we finished early) Daily Grams Grade 2 (Not Easy Grammar full curriculum just the daily worksheet) Based on some recommendations we've decided to use Logic of English with manuscript (we'll tackle cursive later down the road). Continue with Daily Grams Grade 2 and then move on to grade 3. And then do a poetry unit since her favorite part of FLL has always been the poetry memorization.

Good Morning! Done: Animals tended Swim Lessons DD2 reading out loud to me DD2 Read out loud to Cleaned the stove and oven Got side track by tiding the livingroom that I rearranged it. The kids and I like it. We'll see what DH says when he get home. Moving on to the rest of the list To Do: Fold three loads of laundry Sweep Kitchen Mop Kitchen Dishes Dust living room Sweep living room vacuum living room make beds work on homeschooling room knit read my book exercise for 45 mins Watch my daughter's play Wash two loads of laundry

I'd choose calvert over K12.

Thank you!

We have had 2 ikea beds. The first one we did buy their mattress and with 3mos went and purchased a regular box spring and mattress top. The second bed we just purchased the frame and a mattress from a mattress store.

Another nurse here. NEVER NEVER NEVER okay to sleep at work. You need to file a complaint. I hope your kiddo improves and that the nurses act with professionalism and compassion that is the hallmark of this profession.