I'm so surprised! I assumed that feb-roo-ary was correct and have been saying it that way on purpose for a long time. I learned not to trust my parents' pronunciations as a child -- libary, far (fire), warsh, etc. I learned about the first "r" in February by misspelling it in a spelling bee in elementary school! Several of us in a row missed it!

I use HST and like it! I'm in a state that doesn't require any reporting, and so I can't help much there. Actually, I can't help much anyway because I have only invested enough time to learn how to do what I needed -- easily print out daily assignment sheets for my kids. I have our subjects entered into the Weekly Planner, and it increments the lessons or page numbers for me (if applicable). At some point, I'll begin to enter grades, but I know how my kids are doing and no one is asking for the grades. :rolleyes: So, not much help! However, I can say that I do like it, and I preferred it to the other homeschool record keeping programs that were available at the time. (I tried 2 others and checked into another.) Surprisingly, HST was also the least expensive, even paying for the deluxe version.

Let us know how it turns out! :D

I originally had a typo in this line that may have affected the meaning ("need" instead of "knead!") If you've been letting the machine knead for 8 minutes after putting in the last of the flour, maybe it is your yeast. :confused: Here's something that came up when I googled "testing yeast": http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/yeast_test.asp You like the avatar? I'm not sure -- it's one that dd snapped outside, and I'm squinting. Thanks though! :) ETA: Don't give up!!

Beth, did you get your bread to work? I'm probably not experienced enough to troubleshoot, but mine is working with the Bosch. Maybe it would help if I told you what I do (?). First, I use either Kristy Bell's recipe for 5 loaves or, more often, Marilyn Moll's Hand Method for 2 loaves (+ 1 little loaf). When I use Marilyn's recipe, I use the hand method's measurements (only) and still use the Bosch with Kristy Bell's order and procedure. One modification that Kristy Bell told me was to let the machine knead for 8 minutes instead of the 6 that is written in her recipe. I haven't tried sponging or a 2nd rise -- Kristy Bell's recipe doesn't say to do either of these, and it's always worked without them! I don't measure the flour and this was one of the things that was most intimidating to me! You may not need this info, but, just in case, I add flour with the mixer running on low until the dough cleans the sides (and a bit of the bottom) of the bowl. Then, I set a timer for 8 minutes and walk away. Once it's finished, I immediately take out the dough, shape it, and let it rise once before baking. I hope you get it figured out! I really like using the Bosch!

I plan a list of meals for each week and choose from the list each day (and if I lose my list, I'm truly lost!) Most lunches are leftovers from the previous night's dinner. This means that lunch is easy most days and that I make sure we like the dinner meals enough to have them twice. (Dh comes home for lunch most days and is fine with this too!) I have to make myself do this, but it really helps: I make a list of meals and my grocery list while waiting for my kids during piano lessons on Thursdays. Then, I go to the store on Friday mornings after dropping my older kids off at co-op. I try to plan a good mix of very easy meals (especially for Wed. nights before church), reasonably quick meals (for most nights), and maybe a couple that are a bit more time-consuming for variety. I have a friend who just opens the pantry and gets creative every night -- way too stressful for me!

We enjoyed FIAR at that age! You could always add more reading from your lists too.

Thanks guys. It seems like there should be a way to use something like this questionnaire for online class assignments. The teacher would receive the answers, and it seems like it would be easier to grade. However, I don't know if this would actually be feasible for online classes, and I was curious whether others used something similar. In my case, my teacher was flexible and will allow me to type the answers on a separate sheet if I'd like -- so I feel much better!

I'm taking a Latin class (for myself) and am a little frustrated with the way we have to submit assignments and tests. These are emailed to us as a Word document, but they are formatted for printing and hand-writing answers on blank lines. We are required to type our answers, and so I've been removing the lines (which is tedious and often messes up the other formatting, which then has to be fixed) and typing in my answers. (Sigh.) It just seems to make the assignments take twice as long. Dh suggests making text boxes in each spot instead, but this doesn't seem any better. I've emailed the instructor to ask if we can submit answers (numbered) on a separate sheet, but I'm not very hopeful. I'm wondering how other online classes handle these. I've seen online questionnaire forms with boxes for typing in answers and wonder if other classes use something like this instead.

Thanks!! I'll check into these links. I appreciate the help!

I'd like something where I can enter items I'd like to have on flashcards and the program will flash me. :) I'm thinking of this for myself for Latin, but it might work for the kids too. ("Free" would be nice too!) If there's nothing like this, I suppose I'd settle for a free, easy way to make printable flash cards (but then there'd be all that cutting....):rolleyes: Know of anything?

I asked this same question a little before the board change. Mary Engelbreit's and Sylvia Long's were both highly recommended. We checked these out from the library and also requested The Real Mother Goose (which we still haven't received). My dd absolutely loves Mary Engelbreit's, and I've now ordered it from Amazon!

Thanks! You guys have given me some good ideas.

Chic flicks! I don't know how it is for adults, but when my dd broke her arm, it was very painful (with any tiny movement) for about 3 days. During that time, having her watch videos was very helpful for keeping her mind off of it!

Having been a straight-A student who was able to get through most of school without thinking deeply, I'm wanting more for my children. What are some things, IYHO, that make the difference in shaping a child that enjoys thinking and knows how to think deeply? (Lots of reading and discussing that reading? Poetry??)

Just having trouble fitting everything in and wondering how you guys do it. :) Any tips? What works for you?

Our dc are supposed to be ready for bed at 8:00, and then they can stay up reading in their beds until 9:00.

Just a quick comment here to say that we're doing both too. Dd began Latin in 3rd (and is now in 5th), and we added EG1 for all three of us this year when ds reached 3rd grade. I'll probably wait until he is in 5th to add Latin to his Greek. I was wondering the other day which I'd begin first with my toddler when it's time. Dd suggested Latin first, but ds was sure it should be Greek!

Here's a link to a post at CAP where Karen Moore writes about the new Latin program: http://www.classicalsubjects.com/capbb/viewtopic.php?t=112 . It's an old post from April 2007, but it's detailed. profmom (who hasn't used LFC but will consider the new program for the fall.)

Hi Beth! I had ordered a few seminar tapes separately, but I did end up ordering Year 2 Redesign before the price change!

Thanks guys! I appreciate the suggestions! BTW, I probably shouldn't have said "elderly" for a 73-year-old. He's really not much older than dh's dad, but there is so much difference in their physical abilities. Thanks again!

One of the things I thought I was learning is that we can finish our core subjects + instrument practice with both kids by lunch if I get us started and try to keep us basically on-track with our MOTH schedule. Well, one day last week, the kids and I spent 2 hours sitting in the living room in morning that ended up including Bible, history, reading some of The Children's Homer (which we are currently reading in the afternoons), and lots and lots of conversation interspersed throughout (but no math, LA, etc.) We had such a great time together!! I'm not sure how yet, but we've got to do this more often! Also, here's something I'm thinking about after hearing Marcia Somerville say it on a CD this weekend: Our children won't remember how we homeschooled (methods, texts, etc.) as much as they'll remember who we were as we homeschooled. Hmmm....

I spent some time talking (listening mostly, actually) with my neighbor this morning. He's a 73-year-old retired geologist/professor who has had a 2nd stroke (and already had diabetes). He is now legally blind. He can see in places but has areas that are blind (looking to the left, for example). He feels useless and cries about his situation at times. He hates that he can't drive, read the paper, or submit any more articles/studies to geology journals. I listened and tried to encourage him that God wasn't finished with him yet. His wife has had cancer in her back and has a pump for pain medicine. She goes through times when she has to stay in bed and then times when she can drive and go to the grocery store. Their daughter lives with them, thankfully, but she works until 5 M-F. Our schedule is full with homeschooling, activities, and responsibilities, but I'd like to help them in some way. He recently decided to get out of the house and took off down the street. Dd saw him and was able to tell his dw when she came out asking. The only thing I can think of that we could do is see if he'd like to go on walks with us sometimes. We don't go on walks now, but maybe we should start?? Any other ideas?? I'm not sure his dw is a "kid person," KWIM? Neither one of them really talk to my dc -- they prefer to talk to dh or me when we are out. I have no experience with elderly people. My parents had me when they were young (and so they are still healthy and relatively young), and I've never been around older people. I would appreciate any suggestions that you might have!

Thanks for asking, Debbie! I'll be looking at the links too! I'm on a 2nd foam pillow that needs to be replaced because it's flattened. I bought them both at a chiropractor's office for $40 each several years ago. (I've needed a new one for awhile and haven't known where to look.) BTW, what I have is not "memory foam." I have one of those too, but it seems to sink in too far when I'm using it. :confused:

Wonderful! I'll do it then! Less work for dinner tonight! Thanks!