I did a homemade accordion style timeline last year, using file folders as seen here: http://jennilynn9.blogspot.com/2008/07/file-folder-timeline.html This one is Early Amer history, and the pages I made are here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/2992275/Primary-Level-Timeline-for-Early-American-History

I would do WP with both. You can always supplement with library books for dd.

Yes, and I am positive that Ace is adequate for a good basic education.

You can get them anywhere. Often if you find one on Amazon, the rest will pop up on the bottom of the page as "People who bought this also bought:" The WinterPromise yahoo group ladies are usually pretty good about answering specifics for a limited number of books, but nobody will answer "Will anybody type in all the authors or ISBN numbers for LA XYZ" because that's just lazy ;). The yahoo group is here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WinterPromiseFamilies/join For the LA 1, the first semester books are often Step Into Reading Step 3 books, so if you search the title plus Step Into Reading, they come up quickly.

I LOVE the readers, but wouldn't spend money for the schedule. If you read the books in chronological order one chapter per day, you should be close to the schedule anyway.

I graduated a year early. I didn't plan to do so until partway through my junior year. Naturally, it became a three-year cram program. For me it was a great choice, and I was 17.5 when I graduated anyway because I have a December birthday.

American Story 1 is a four day schedule, so if there is something in SL 3 you just HAVE TO add, you surely could do so. (We did Naya Nuki instead of Birchbark House, that's a SL3 book which is also used in American Crossing). We added a couple of other books, but not much. (Viking Adventure by Clyde Robert Bulla was one, Little House in the Big Woods was another).

Usually, for me, pregnancy is a maintaining time and nursing is a losing time. With Gabriel, I gained 26 lb of which 21 are already gone, and he is 2 weeks old. My arms look smaller than they did prepregnancy. I know by the time I go to my 6 week checkup I will be back to my prepregnancy weight. However, I started my pregnancy 45 lb overweight not 20 or 30.

Definitely check out BJU Press Math! It is very colorful, reflects the NCTM standards, teaches math concepts rather than just processes, addresses problem solving well, uses manipulatives appropriately, and is just plain FUN while still being a very solid program, all the way from K-12.

All of our vehicles' A/C and our home A/C have needed servicing this year. I guess at least the timing on that can be somewhat weather related. (After all, A/c tends not to need servicing in the winter). :D

My choice from that list would be GTG. That's because AW is actually VERY full on its own.

I put my oldest ds on a twin size bed at 18 months or so. I'd lie beside him until he fell asleep. His bedtime was early enough that I *didn't* fall asleep. Sometimes it took a while, but soon he got used to it and it was quicker. His brother slept in a crib in his brother's room from the time he was 4 months old, so that was no issue. (I did still nurse him to sleep/sleepy in the recliner until he was past 2 though). Could you try rocking him to sleep (or sleepy)? Have you read the No-Cry TODDLER Sleep Solution? I haven't but would if I were having toddler sleep issues as it worked great with my ds.

I have heard that BJU history is very fun, from a friend who used it this year. We are going to do BJU science and that looks very fun too. You could always do BJU history and whatever science (I'm not sure how fun R&S is...), even one of WP's fun science programs which are scheduled only two days per week. The one we did last year was pretty light. Then in the time you save, do fun read alouds and projects like baking cookies with your kids.

What I did when I taught Amish school and used these was to do half a story each day, along with one work book page. Spelling only took about 15 min per day, 4 days per week and we did writing and grammar alternately. It shouldn't take *that* long for your ds to do a Pathway workbook page... Is he bored with it and dawdling as a result? You could always do the vocab page orally.

I can't compare because I have never used MFW. I just want to let you all know that ALL of the activities in WP are a "buffet" from which you are supposed to pick and choose which ones fit your family. (None are specifically *required*, though it is recommended that you do a variety, not just paper crafts or just websites, KWIM?). With that said, there are a couple of themes (Children Around the World and Hideaways in History) which would be more parent intensive on the activities than the others. American Crossing probably fits in the same category for parent intensiveness too, from what I have heard. The themes I have used, Animals and Their Worlds and American Story 1, were very realisitic in terms of difficulty for the activities.

I usually say something like, "I'm sorry I offended you." or "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings." That part is true. The words or action which caused the offense or hurt feelings, I may not be sorry for. For example, there are moral and ethical beliefs I have which offend people. I am not sorry I hold those moral and ethical beliefs. The expression of them may offend someone, and then I might apologize for the offense, but never for the beliefs. I might choose to attend Friend B's party. Friend A, who had also invited me the same day, might have her feelings hurt. I would apologize for hurting her feelings, but not for attending Friend B's party, because it is my choice where to attend. I would never intentionally hurt Friend A, but if my choosing another friend over her hurts her, I would apologize for the hurt she feels.

What about doing Bigger at half pace, spending two years on it? Would your younger ds be ready for Preparing at the end of two years? Just another idea. I wouldn't recommend WP for you because of the expense.

He's only six. Let him quit.

ooo, that doesn't sound fun. Hope you can get it all sorted out soon.

Here are a couple of ideas: Instead of working in your old materials over the summer, go ahead and start CLE now. That will give you time to go slowly if needed until the kids are sort of up to par. For the student you think might be ready for the next level, go ahead and order LU 301 for that subject. If the child can successfully complete LU 301, then the remainder of level 300 should work okay (because LU 301 is a review of level 200).

I had this a lot between my second and third baby births. Googling it made me think it might be endometriosis? Because it was just a nuisance and not painful I never did anything about it.

Magic Treehouse and Amelia Bedelia sounds like LA1. Be aware that only the readers are linked to the animal study. Coincidentally, Right into Reading 2 also has lots of animal type assignments (reading/comprehension, etc). There is no creative narration/writing prompt for the Animals study because there is such a lot of notebooking included in the theme.

The previous poster is spot on. WP LA works really well for my ds because he is right on grade level for written language skills but well ahead of his age level for reading ability. In my experience, kids do tend to soar in reading before written language, so the program probably works pretty well for many students.

The new AS1 spends more time on the Colonial days and the American Revolution, which is why there are so many new resources in those eras. The new spine also has a lot less text, so there is time to add those titles with the one-per-week American Story: 100 True Tales.

Nobody has used this program yet because it is new this year. HOWEVER, it is just parts of the Animals and Their Worlds theme, from the 2nd and Up set. It would be just fine for your 2nd grader.