It's actually gone down here this past week (south central PA). It was hovering right at $3.99 for regular for a while, with a few pricier places hitting $4.00, and then this past week, it was about $3.89. We were out Wednesday in a nearby town, and I thought it was $3.89. Then when we passed that same place a couple of hours later, and it said $3.83. I'll take what I can get!

I want to use some of the selections from Tales from Shakespeare next year with my 4th grader, with the 1st grader listening a bit too. What tales have your children enjoyed?

:lol: Love this!

I am seriously considering an e-reader. If I tell you more about what I want it to do, can you advise me as to which one would be a good option? -I don't care about brand. Cheap and functional enough to meet my needs is fine with me. -I want the eInk. (Don't know if the cheapest ones have that or not.) -I don't think I need either WiFi OR 3G. I want to put a cord into it and hook it up to my computer at home and download things that way, same as I do all the time with audio stuff on my mp3 player. -I don't need it to do e-mail or web surfing or audio. Just e-books/documents. -Public library usage may be optional. I can see why it might be helpful and don't necessarily want to lock myself out of it, even if it's not something I anticipate using in the very immediate future. Do you need WiFi/3G to use the public library stuff? -I'm not very likely to go to a brick-and-mortar store for freebies. -Color? I don't know. -I want it to do .pdf files so I can download or scan knitting patterns and use the e-reader instead of propping open a book. It would be nice if it could do .doc files too (looks like the Nook Color does but not the regular Nook.) -I want it mostly to use for books that I'd otherwise have to read on the computer or print out, often things I read aloud to the kids for school, as it would be much easier to hold an e-reader than a book or binder while squishing myself, a newborn, and a toddler into a rocking chair (which is how it looks much of the time). What else might I want to consider? And how reasonable is it to buy used for an e-reader?

Depending on my mood, and the person, I might list my own (fairly decent) credentials. I might also say that I took "math for elementary school teachers" in college and was appalled at how many of those adults could not do the basic math -- I'm pretty sure I can do better than that. :) (This year, I could also point to DD's scores on a standardized test as proof that I have at least enough skills to teach elementary school.) But I think I'd prefer to say, "Actually, I have a little piece of paper from the Commonwealth of PA [or the State of MD, for the middle one] that *does* certify me to teach her." IOW, the birth certificate states that I'm the mother, and being the mother makes me the expert on *my* child.

5 am is a little early on a regular basis, but if they were trying to beat rain, it's understandable occasionally. My DH works in construction too, and though he's no longer on a field crew very often (he's their designer), he is usually at the office by 6-6:30, and the field crews are starting then as well. In the winter, that gets them home before dark, and in the summer, it lets them get a lot done before the heat. (Man, I remember those days -- he was always so hot and sweaty and exhausted. And dirty. And banged up.) They would abide by any local noise ordinances, though, and they'd try to be respectful in a residential area, but sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do, especially if it was a long winter/wet spring. Delaying the job completion means delaying billing the client and therefore delaying paying the crew. (Quite frankly, I'd be far less annoyed by construction vehicles just doing their jobs than I am by our neighbor who leaves at 4:30 for work and who insists upon blowing his horn every single time he leaves. Why??)

Just from barnesandnoble.com? (Sorry if I am being dense -- the whole e-book thing is a bit overwhelming to me.) Oh wow indeed! Thanks for checking on that! I assume I could also scan parts of my paper books into my computer and then put them on the e-reader? That would make it so much easier when following a tricky kitting pattern so that I don't have to hold the book open. I don't think an e-reader will replace real books for me, but it sounds like they could be very helpful in a lot of ways. I think one is going on my Christmas wishlist. :)

What a great post -- thanks for sharing it! Your process sounds very similar to my own. :)

I have Only the Tears Remain, by Alex W. Bealer, on my list for next year, but I have not read it yet. (I think the recommendation came from Guest Hollow.) Thanks for posting the thread -- if our library doesn't have that one, I appreciate the other suggestions too.

I guess it depends on what you mean by curriculum. I haven't written my own history text, but I do write my own plans, using a variety of resources. This year, we based things around SOTW2 and Our Island Story, so I put together my own plans around those. It takes time, but it has been worth it to us so far.

I used the suggestions for a Book of Centuries from simplycharlottemason.com. I don't have a space for a timeline either.

I really need to take some pics, but I have a desk for my stuff, which is where I keep the schoolbooks and resources. We also have a small desk tucked into a nook for our DD (her request -- she is easily distracted), a table (with accompanying shelves and cabinet) for art stuff, and a table with two chairs at it for the boys. And some shelves for puzzles and CDs. And a reading chair.

Okay, now, if one wanted to get the Yesterday's Classics for free, how do you do that? Do you just download from Project Gutenberg or copy and paste from mainlesson.com? Can the Kindle/Nook/etc. do PDFs? (This is my other reason for wanting one; if it would do PDFs, it would be easier for knitting patterns.) (Sorry for the slight thread hijack.)

I'm a planner, even though I know it will not go exactly according to my plan. I have a general idea of what I want to cover, how many days it should take, etc. I've also left plenty of flexibility so that we can skip days as needed, or take more or less time with a topic if needed. Like, our history plans look to take about 145 days, which leaves plenty of time to spend more time on certain topics, or to do things related to government and civics during our history block time, or whatever. I do find that I need to reevaluate every so often throughout the year too.

Oh, I totally hear you. It is so hard to see them move out of the baby stage! My first baby is almost as tall as me now. My second baby, who was the cuddliest little guy ever (seriously velcro child -- wouldn't get off of my lap until he was two), can tie his own shoes now and looks like a young man. And my current baby looks like a BOY now, not a baby. Harumph. Even having another baby coming doesn't really help. :) (How about a crisis pregnancy center for the clothes and gear? Save your favorite outfits, and let the other stuff bless a new mom.)

I'd go for the Kindle and get the Yesterday's Classics books, either free or as a bundle. I normally do like real books, but when I get stuff from free sources, I'd sure love to be able to put them on a Kindle (if that's possible), rather than print them out -- that adds up in price quickly, and binders are bulky. Plus, with a newborn coming and a toddler who likes to sit in my lap, a Kindle would be way easier to handle than a book. For the kids, though, I'd probably opt for books.

Yes, this. I've told my children that it's perfectly acceptable to give their grade when asked about school. Sometimes they don't want to go into the whole discussion about being homeschooled, and even though the grade number has no bearing on their actual academic levels, simply stating it is a convenient way to avoid any further discussion, if they choose.

I agree with this. One of my biggest complaints about my own education is that I wasn't pushed enough and was allowed to coast, getting top grades with minimal work. It's a lot harder to develop a work ethic as an adult than to learn it gradually throughout life. I don't feel that I have unreasonable expectations for my children wrt what they can do, but I also don't feel that they know what they don't know, and I think gently nudging or pushing them is helpful to them. I see how they feel about themselves when they work through a new skill and really own it, and I think that is good for them. My oldest is at the age where most skills have come pretty easily to her so far, but now she finds herself having to work at things -- she has to think about her math, she needs to slow down and take her time to improve her handwriting, she needs encouragement to finish a book, etc. I think she benefits when I provide some gentle pushing to meet those goals.

DD9 read The Fellowship of the Ring to herself last summer, which appears to be at an 8th grade level, according to some sites. I'm sure there are things in it she didn't fully understand, but she was able to understand and enjoy the plot. She had no problems with decoding the text, anyway.

I think something for each month sounds pretty cool! I tend to correspond our literature with our history studies. If we find ourselves lacking a family read aloud, and there isn't something that will work well with our current history era, we'll just pick something that looks good, usually some good classic.

I keep a list with our science and history plans, each book slotted into the right time period or topic. Then when we read the book, it goes into the appropriate list, of which I have two. One is a list of picture-type books that were specifically chosen for history, science, art, music, etc., as well as larger books from which we used small excerpts. For those, I just record title. The other is a spreadsheet that is for chapter books only; for those I record title, author, when it was completed, series if applicable, and who read it (DD on her own, or us as a family [which includes audio books], and eventually DS1). I like having the greater detail for the chapter books, plus it makes it easier to determine if DD's read a book for the first time, or if she's reread it. At the end of the year, I put all the titles from both lists into one big list, along with any reference materials and textbooks we used, and that's what goes to the school district. (I do not include random picture books DD reads, unless they're applicable to one of our main school topics; our book list is plenty long as it is, so I do not think that extra bit of work is necessary.) If I wanted, it would be very easy to add another section to my spreadsheet for subject/topic/time period, or for type of book (chapter, picture, reference, etc.).

LOL! I grew up in NW PA, and our good friends had a dairy farm. Then I moved to a place where factory farmed chickens are in abundance. There is simply no contest between the two. Cows smell healthy and earthy to me; caged chickens stink. Btw, how is the Daniel Boone homestead? Interesting? It's on our list to visit, but it's a little bit of a hike, so I only want to do it if it's worth the drive.

Wow. Uh, gee, glad it was a cap gun -- small consolation there. This was very poorly conceived. Once again, children (or teens in this case) aren't treated as being worthy of respect. They told the parents that it was a drill, so that they wouldn't answer their children's calls (which is garbage -- if some guy was shooting a gun around my children's school, I'd sure as heck want to hear from my child!), which does show some respect for the parents, not wanting them to freak out. But nobody cares that the kids were freaked out?? And we wonder why we can't get kids to respect authority/adults? I especially feel for the child whose name was used -- smart kid, to flee! (Though, really, what did they think the kid would do -- walk up to the gunman and shake his hand??)

It depends on the birth center. Some are just a fancy name for the birthing wing of a hospital, and they may not be labor plan friendly, may still be very interventionist, etc. A freestanding birth center, otoh, might or might not be right next to a hospital, and it's going to vary depending on the midwives who staff it. I had my first baby at one of those, and it was a lot like having a homebirth in someone else's house. Oxygen was available if needed (but tucked out of sight), and the MWs could do certain drugs (not epidurals, but certain injectibles if needed); the ambulance was on speed dial, and the hospital was down the street. My second baby was a planned homebirth, and there was no difference between what those MWs had on hand/could do vs. the MWs from the birth center for #1; the MW who attended DS1's birth did have oxygen, and a hospital was just a few minutes away. I am so sorry for those of you who have lost babies -- it sounds like the worst kind of pain, and nobody should ever have to go through that. :( My SIL had full prenatal care with an OB, the standard tests and ultrasounds, etc., and one of her babies still died in utero at 36 weeks, due to a knot in the cord that was never detected at all. Such a completely unfair and terrible loss. It did affect us all very heavily with subsequent pregnancies, though in completely different ways, and she and I made the choices that were right for each of us.

My DD is finishing up third grade and reads well above third-grade level; she was reading fluently at 4, chapter books at 5. I was the same way myself, as was my DH. My sister, otoh, didn't learn to read fluently until she was a little older (6, maybe?), but my mom kept lists of what we were reading, and we were both reading the same books in third grade. So I can see why they say that about third grade. (My DS1 is 6, finishing kindergarten, and just starting to read on his own; I don't think he's quite up to first grade level yet. We'll see what he can read by third grade though.)