Feltboard stories have been hits with my 3yo!

Thank you; that is very helpful. So I only need the Instructor Text if I want to choose my own copywork/dictation? If I buy the workbook that you linked to, I don't need the instructor text after all? I thought I needed both, so great! (Dumb question about copyrights. If I buy the PDF version of the workbook, am I allowed to use it for my daughter and then later for my sons?)

Usually until it's really worn out, or I really hate it. I'm not hard on clothes. I have a shirt that I bought about twelve years ago; I wear it frequently, and it's one of my favorites. It is just now starting to show a bit of fraying, so its days are limited, but I will be sad to see it go. Today, I am wearing a shirt that is at least seven years old, and it may be a tiny bit faded, but not too badly. It's far from on its last legs. It's a thick Lands' End knit and has held up very well (have not noticed that about their more recent items, though).

Depends on the book, and the kids. Sometimes I do stop to explain something, or to summarize a lengthy and confusing paragraph. I think it's good for them to hear language and sentence structure that is above their own reading levels, but I also don't want them to be confused. Sometimes it can be a little frustrating, but it's worth it. (DH spent a lot of time stopping to explain The Hobbit to then-4yo DS1, but in return, DS1 loved it and did indeed understand the story.)

Based on recommendations, I think I am going to do WWE with my 5th grader next year. I'm probably going to try level 4 with her, and if it's too much, we'll go slowly, or we'll drop back to level 3. But while her creative skills are great, I think she needs the help with organizing and composing. I've been looking at the sample pages online, but I still have a few questions. So, I need the big parent guide and the individual workbook, right? Do I need the student pages too? How many days a week is it designed to be used? I should expect to spend a fair amount of time with her on this, correct? It's not so much self-taught? I know there are reading selections for each lesson. Will it also work to coordinate it with history, so that her practice exercises are also history narrations, or is that not feasible? Just wondering.

I'm planning on doing SOTW1/Ancients with my 5th and 2nd graders next year. We have the Activity Guide, and it looks like it has lots of great supplemental stuff in it. I'm figuring on about a chapter a week, maybe two weeks if they're really into some of it. We will plan to do history about three times a week (one day is co-op/educational games/catch-up day, and the other day, I use for doing geography, civics, other social studies related stuff, but we can do projects on that day too). My kids don't really like coloring books very much, and my budget is pretty limited anyway, so most of our supplements will be from the library. For US history this year, I generally read the spine chapter and/or a chapter from a good novel aloud, and then on other days, we read corresponding picture books so that my littler ones get something out of it all too. Additionally, my oldest often has independent supplemental reading. We have been using the sheets from History Scribe, and that seems to work well, so we'll probably continue something like that. I'm also looking at using WWE4 for my 5th grader, so maybe we can incorporate that into history narrations as well (not sure; that's a different thread). So, what are your favorite picture books and harder novels/good non-fiction books for this time period? Specifically, things that aren't listed in the AG.

My main rule is "no light sabers/swords/noisy toys in the schoolroom during school hours." Too distracting. (3yo can bring quiet toys in, but the playroom is right next to the schoolroom, so he can play with noisier toys in there without being too far away.) My other rule is, "if I'm talking, you should not be," with regard to readalouds. I'm happy to read aloud to them, but they either have to be quiet, or leave the room. I also routinely find myself saying, "Yes, he's cute, but you still need to do your work" with regards to the tiny brother who is usually in my lap. Lessons often are interrupted to cover him with kisses. But that isn't really a problem; I'd rather foster sibling love over academics. :)

We love the BW CDs here! I know zero about classical music but was determined to teach at least something to my kids. Sure, they know the silly lyrics, but I think those also helped the pieces stand out to them. (And it doesn't hurt that they also learned the kings and queens of England because of one of the songs.) For *me,* things like BW act as a gateway to appreciating classical music. :) My kids also really love Susan Hammond's Classical Kids series -- Beethoven Lives Upstairs, etc. They're not as silly as the BW, and they include several pieces by each composer. I like how the music is in the background, and they use different pieces to highlight different moods in the story. And the kids get a bit of biographical information too, which helps them understand the composer's perspective. (Also, the one that is a simple version of Mozart's The Magic Flute made the basic plot of TMF accessible to them, and then DD went through a stage where she was comparing various singers' versions of The Queen of the Night on youtube, so that was not, IMO, a bad thing.)

LOL! We did the jello-and-candy-cell model earlier in the year, and it was a hit. It did help them remember the functions of the various cell parts. (I just read about the mummifying chicken project in the SOTW1 AG last night, and DH and I were laughing about it -- we think they might actually enjoy that one.) I go back and forth about projects. In theory, I like them and think they are an interesting way to add a dimension to a lesson, to make it more relevant, to break up any monotony of reading/narrating, to give them a sense of what life was like in a particular time period. In practice, it depends. A lot of the history project books seem, to me, well, silly. We tend to like stuff like games or recipes from various time periods, but with a lot of stuff, the kids want the real thing instead. They want to do a real historic craft, not an imitation. However, I'm looking forward to the SOTW1 AG next year, because we have not studied anything about ancient history yet, and I think the projects will be fun. If we get to them, that is; I'm not great about getting to them.

I have brought baked pasta dishes (with meatballs, meat sauce, or sausage), because they freeze and reheat well. I also bring banana or zucchini bread. Sauteed green beans (with or without walnuts added) reheat nicely too. When DS3 was born, a friend brought several items, which were all delicious, but the main one was a chicken corn pie. It reheated very nicely, and we all LOVED it, especially the kids!

I have and like a variety of carriers, at different ages and stages, and for different things. -Moby -- newborns. Nice and poppable. Not the most supportive after a while, for me. I use mine only occasionally with my 18-pound 6-month-old, only when I want to pre-tie it and pop him in during rainy weather. -Woven wrap (Storchenwiege, BBSlen, Didymos) -- expensive, but beautiful, and very supportive. Really great for a slightly older baby for long periods of time. I use mine frequently around the house, front and back carries, and for long wearing times out of the house. Less poppable for the most secure carry, but it's worth the extra time to tie it for the comfort. (If we're doing several quick errands, sometimes I'll just hold the baby instead of messing with the wrap.) Great for sun protection for the baby, though they can be warm. -Ergo -- I like it for back carries sometimes when the baby hits about 17 pounds and can splay the legs. Quick, no bulk, no ties, has a hood that comes up for sleeping. Dads often like these. If you're short, it can be hard to get it tight enough on the arms; you need to wear it very low on the hips. I don't care for the Ergo for front carries, but I like it for hiking, airports, places where I don't want stuff dragging on the ground or getting caught, and when I need quick. A wrap wrapped well is more comfortable for me, but the Ergo is pleasantly reasonable. -Ring Sling -- great for nursing in public, newborns, quick errands, short carries with toddlers. Hurts my back with bigger babies/toddlers after very long. Can put it on one-handed. SleepingBaby is a great brand. -Mei tai, like Kozy -- (Kozy is owned by a very sweet homeschooling mama.) I really love my Kozy and would recommend it. For me, personally, it's not really the best of any of my carriers for any one thing -- it's not as cool for hot weather as a ring sling but not as hot as a woven wrap. Not as fast as a sling or Ergo but faster than a wrap. Not as comfortable as a good wrap job but more comfortable than a ring sling. Not my favorite for a back carry but makes a comfortable front carry. Love the pocket -- great for when I just need to bring keys and library card. If I was going to recommend just one to meet the most needs (wow, that would be so hard), I think this would be it.

What is different about the homeschool version vs. the regular? Thanks -- that is helpful to know exactly what I need. :)

Considering trying Saxon 7/6 for my daughter; I think its approach might be a good fit for her. I just can't seem to figure out if I need the regular Saxon book, or if I want the homeschool version. Regardless of which book I choose, I need a test booklet, and answer keys for both the tests and the problems in the main book, right?

I vote for reading when you can and adding some interesting educational videos (and maybe computer games) when needed, especially if you're in a state that will balk if you don't mention doing *something* related to science and history. I'd let everything else go. I am so sorry about your MIL.

Sandbox, one of those hand-operated diggers Sticks Swingset -- climbing rope, swings, slide, platform for fort More sticks Playhouse Even more sticks Trees, old stone wall, old barn, big hill, rocks, logs, woods Here's a new idea -- sticks! Tent/teepee/fort Build a sunflower house Ride-on vehicles, bikes, trikes, scooters Cars and trucks Balls Nature equipment -- bags, journals, bug collecting paraphernelia, net Space to plant flowers/their own garden Wagon Pogo balls Sprinkler/hose/sprayer Bubbles Chalk Paintbrushes with water (great for little ones) Remote control car Roller skates Big metal dump truck that can be loaded and unloaded Dress-up clothes, whatever other pretend play props they haul out there -- pioneer gear, Star Wars lightsabers/blasters, Davy Crockett-esque guns Soccer ball/goal And a few more sticks on top of all of that

Bell peppers! They are pretty easy to grow and maintain (from the little I've done, anyway), and they are crazy expensive to buy in the stores during the winter. They freeze well.

I think I would buy one car that was good on gas mileage for now, and then determine who uses which car based on who's going where and when. Sometimes maybe it will make more sense for the kids to use your SUV and for you to use the new car, if they're going a short distance, and you need to go a longer one. (This is what DH and I do -- we have three vehicles and live 10+ miles from anywhere, so we figure out who needs to go the greatest distance and who needs to tote the most kids.) I'd have the kids contribute toward gas, insurance, and maintenance as feasible, based on how much they use it and for what purpose. I would also probably plan, if possible, to buy a second vehicle in a year or two, especially if all of them are attending college several miles from home. (And/or look for rideshares!)

Yes, that. My first set of prefolds went through my DD, my niece, partly my first son (I also used some homemade fitteds with him), a friend's baby, my second son, and my other nice -- 5.5 kids! -- before being finally worn out too much to use. I paid $60 dollars for those diapers, so at $10 for each kid, that's pretty good for diapering for the first 3-6 months. Yes, there was some water cost involved, but it was pretty negligible in with all the other laundry I do. (And with my third and fourth babies, we have well water anyway, so there's not a direct increase in water, though slightly in electricity, and I suppose somewhere in the longevity of the well/pump.)

We school year round and take breaks as necessary, but we usually have a fairly light June, due to other things (like ballet recital week) going on. We officially promote everyone and have the "first day" excitement in early July, as our school district lets us start counting our days as of July 1. If I changed grades over at some other time during the year, I'd just tell the district the child was in whatever grade he/she was in at the time of reporting. (When my evaluator does our evaluation in the spring, she writes whatever grade I tell her, and based on that, she notes whether I need to include testing results or not.)

We love Getting Started With Latin and are considering GSW Spanish as well! For one thing, GSWL is inexpensive, which was attractive to me for just starting out. Second, it's oral, no writing, which I also wanted for when we started it with our 6 and 9yo's. Third, I really love its incremental approach, where just one thing is taught each time, and then there is plenty of review. Now, that being said, I started it with both of my older children, and we ended up losing the 6yo along the way. He wasn't a fluent reader, and he couldn't keep up with his older sister (who, in all fairness, is very good at memorizing things, and this book matches her very, very well). I think he could do it if I worked with him one-on-one, but a, my time for that is limited (and I use it for the most important stuff, like math, writing, and reading), and b, he doesn't seem bothered by not learning it yet. I can start it again with him in a year or two, and he'll fly through it, I think. I am also liking the idea of using GSW Spanish as a whole family thing, around the dinner table. As for which to do, Latin vs. Spanish, I don't know. Spanish would be more useful as a spoken language. We started with Latin because DD really wanted to learn Latin and French, so we are doing those now and may add something eles later.

We've used cloth with all four babies. I used disposables a handful of times when DD was a baby but haven't used them at all since she was six or so months old. The boys have only ever worn cloth.

Date, as in going out, alone, just the two of us, no kids -- not very often. That has happened exactly four times in the past decade. Date, as in going out without any big kids, just a nursing infant -- still not very often, but we did go out for a few fancy meals when it was just us and our first baby, and we did just go to a movie a few weeks ago with only the baby. We would do stuff like that more often if we had sitters available regularly. We don't really have the money to pay sitters, but when my parents were here at New Year's and offered to keep the three big kids so we could see a movie, we took that opportunity and enjoyed it. It was nice to see a movie that the kids might not enjoy, and on the big screen (and it was nice to have just one little baby around, to focus on him a bit). If family lived closer, I might even get to the point where I'd leave a baby for a few hours, but IDK. Date, as in doing something together, without the kids? That, we do. We used to play board games; these days, we watch movies or TV-on-DVD together, but it's just us (and occasionally the baby), and we chat or comment as we watch. Sometimes we have dessert or snacks that are just for us, too. :)

Do you have other family members who have Verizon and could share a plan with you? It's very cheap to add another line to a plan, and then you share all of the minutes, but calls to other Verizon members are unlimited and don't count toward the minutes.

Maybe someone else in PA could enlighten me a bit here. My child is indeed considered to be a part of our local school district, because of how the law works, right? So the SD does indeed receive funding for her? Is that right? If that is indeed the case, then yes, I think she should be allowed to participate in sports, activities, speech therapy, classes, even breakfast and lunch -- basically, whatever services she could receive if she attended there daily. If they get to count her in their unit count and get money for her, then essentially, they're making money from her being homeschooled -- an allocation is given for her seat on a bus or in a classroom, and they're not having to pay out for it (and they sure aren't giving it back to me, and what they have to pay someone to oversee the homeschoolers isn't making up for what they'd have to spend if they taught her every day). As long as they receive money for her and feel that they have the right to oversee us, I feel that I have the right to pick and choose whatever services of theirs I want to use. If that's not the case, and they don't receive specific funding for her, then no, I don't think the school should HAVE to allow her to participate in any of that, even though state law allows for it. I pay taxes, not because my child is part of the SD, but because I own property in the SD; the same is true of the elderly gentleman down the road. If my child wasn't considered to be part of the SD, and they didn't receive funding for that child, I would feel that a) they did not have the right to oversee me or require anything from me beyond a simple letter stating that my child would not attend their school, and b) I did not have the right to use their services. I would certainly understand if they chose to allow me to use their services (especially if my child would be an asset to their sports team or band or something), at my own personal cost; that does not seem unreasonable to me. Why should they have to provide services for my child if they don't get to count her in their numbers and receive funding for her? As to why a SD might allow it if they didn't have to, especially at the parents' personal cost, well, it seems to me that it would be a win-win for the SD. They get the chance to have a good athlete on a team, they look good to the community at large by being gracious, and they're not responsible for the student's grades and deportment outside of the team.

I believe it is partly because a lot of low-carb plans focus on eating real, whole foods, and yogurt naturally has fat, but mainly because the fat helps carry the flavor and helps fill you up so that you are satiated longer.