I know there was a mother here (Homeschooling6?) who combined Adventures with AS1 and then ECC with CATW. Her perspective was that she had all the best of both worlds and supported two great companies in the bargain. I think she used MFW as her spine and supplemented in WP stuff. I can see that working with ECC, and it's an approach I might use myself... but that's far in the future for me.

Personally, I have been buying the whole programs (even when I could find the books at the library) because I am TERRIBLE about making timely library visits. But that's just me. I think you have to *know yourself* and make your decision that way. Keep in mind you could buy some of your books from half.com and then resell them the same way when finished. On the other hand, if you buy the partial program and then find that you don't do well with the library plan, you could STILL get the remaining books from half.com. Siloam's suggestion about notebooking will work with other programs, but not AC1, because the Time Travelers is an all inclusive purchase: Spine, Activities, and Notebooking/Lapbooking all in one.

We got ours in 9 days, but I would imagine it might be longer as more people file and the system gets flooded.

If a Biblical focus for science and history is of utmost importance to you, I would stick with MFW or go with Heart of Dakota. If you try MFW Adventures and find the science isn't working for you it would be pretty easy to add WinterPromise Shoot & Sprout/Buzz & Bite or Animals and Their Worlds which are young earth creationist for many resources. I have never had any problem with the WP instructor guide as far as ease of implementation, as the previous poster did. (It's making me want to look at a MFW guide to see what I'm missing!) It's a grid- Days 1-4 across the top and names of resources down the side. You go down the column and check off each item as you complete it. Easy peasy.

I'm an ISTJ, though my S is pretty weak (11%). I found this on personalitypage.com With that in mind, my Introvert really believes kids learn better outside a huge group setting. I have the dedicated strength of mind to follow through with my teaching and strong opinions about the way my children should be educated. My high standards for behavior would never fit a ps mold. Since I was hs'd myself, the "tradition" fits our home, and peaceful living and security? What better way to ensure those than to hs? Similarly, it would be a big change for me to consider outside schooling for my kiddos since hs has been the way to go for extended family for a generation, and I hate change. I am sometimes known as a "walking dictionary", so the I have the resources to do a great job teaching my kids. Probably because I'm a bit insensitive to dh's ambivalence about hs'ing, I am insistent that we continue on this course. Natural leader? Prefers to work alone? Yup, hs is perfect for me. The "j" part comes out in my choices of well-structure school programs. I can make and follow a routine pretty well. I'm unskilled in keeping house though.

Oh, goody! I'm a Queen Bee now too. It just goes to show how addicted to this place I have become. What is the next step after Queen Bee? Does anyone know?

I don't plan to introduce this slang to my family and I am hoping the cousins will keep their mouths shut.

We believe the Holy Spirit can speak audibly to the believer. We have no problem accepting Joan of Arc's experiences at face value.

I actually like the name Charles, and the nickname Charlie, but it doesn't "match" with our last name according to my weird brain. Too many C's and L's and S's.

Yes! I'm still in the all-boy mommy club. I don't mind Peter Pumpkin Eater.

The thing is, most good names are TAKEN because we have a huge and close knit peer group (not to mention family- we have a Blaine, a David, a Jeremiah, many Josephs and Benjamins). Isaiah and Elijah are both TAKEN. Dh thinks names like Wesley and Martin are wimpy. I like Peter better than Charles, which is what dh was wanting before. We both like Robert, but it is SIL's recently deceased father's name so we want to honor her right to use it one day. Dh doesn't want a name that starts with A for no earthly reason I understand. I don't want a name that starts with J because dh, ds and I all start with J, but younger ds doesn't, so that would be awkward in my weird brain to have 4 Js and something else. I've spent hours on baby name websites, but I'm having difficulty motivating dh to give the topic any time and energy, besides to dismiss all my suggestions. And to suggest off the wall things like Ebenezer, Charles Xavier, or Angelina before we knew the gender.

A cheap and easy way to include a younger child in any geography/cultures study is Galloping the Globe. My jury is still out on CATW. I think we will just take one year at a time and see how the Lord leads with regard to that program. Who knows, it may even be improved more in the third edition. (This year they use Our World instead of How People Live).

My dh and ds love the name Peter. I sort of like it, but worry that it might cause teasing. (I have a brother with that middle name and he had some teasing about it meaning the male private part). I'd love the Hive's input!

I'm an ISTJ, and I understand exactly what you're saying here. I looked at an old test, and I'm not as strongly S as I used to be. The old test said 63% preference. Today's said only 12%.

I have a second grader and a K4 so I can't answer your poll.

I take synthroid and as long as I keep my dose properly adjusted through regular blood tests (6 months-1 year unless pregnant), it makes a big difference in my energy level, outlook and ability to exercise and manage my weight. My doctor tells me a low thyroid level will increase blood sugar and cholesterol as well.

That's a great idea! I plan to use Hideaways for my younger ds when the older is doing WP's Quest for the Ancient World and Quest for the Middle Ages. Using some of the SL materials would give me a bit more for the little guy (I plan to wait for the last half of Hideaways until we do Sea and Sky or something).

In my effort to be brief, I probably did "sell MFW short". I was just giving what I remembered as my impressions of why I didn't choose MFW at the time I was choosing, a couple of years ago. The books that appeared "dry" to me were more the history books than the science. You're probably right that Adventures was the one I noticed the connections between the names of Jesus and the science, the integration of Bible with science in that unit study approach seemed to be perhaps to be a bit contrived. The biggest drawback for me with MFW, despite the many protests of MFW users that "You don't HAVE to use the book basket suggestions, the programs are COMPLETE as sold", I just wouldn't feel comfortable without using the book basket appropriately. And I know me, I *wouldn't*. We used a bit of Galloping the Globe this year (similar book basket type approach) and by the end I had totally fallen on my face with the library trips. We were simply using GTG, the craft books from ECC, and the core books I bought for GTG, plus some Discovery streaming videos. I realize that MFW is a much beloved curriculum company and it was not my intention to offend MFW users. I was simply stating why, for me, I chose a different company. "Light" in science is a relative term. My little fella happens to be sciency. We did WP Animals and Their Worlds for first grade. This year we're doing WP World Around Me science and IT feels light. I'm adding some Singapore workbooks and some Usborne books, and we'll be doing BJU Science 3 when he finishes those. Next year we'll continue with BJU science while also doing a more advanced zoology/habitats study. I also have some And God Created Science project books and am considering buying some kits from Target for more labs. I'm just never satisfied with any science, so it's hard for science to seem like "enough" in that perspective.

I was homeschooled for grades 9-12.

Just because ya'all are mentioning conventions so much... I don't think WP ever goes to conventions (small family business issue again). They *are* having a retreat in Nashville this year, April 16-19, with an "open day" on Saturday for only $20 for people who want to take in just that part of the retreat. (I'm doing the whole she-bang, WP groupie that I am!) I still giggle over that definition.

I agree, let her do what she loves. Maybe CLE Learning to Read? That way it wouldn't be the same ETC 3 her brother is finishing.

BJU Math K WinterPromise LA Basic K WinterPromise Animals and Their Worlds God Made Music K

We love WinterPromise here. We've never had a shipping issue (though we did wait a bit on a new release Craft Kit last year... I was expecting to wait on that). My favorite aspects of WP: 1) can combine large age ranges 2) visually appealing books, nonfiction and fiction titles 3) uses video suggestions and websites 4) provides hands on opportunities 5) notebooking and timeline study are scheduled and figures/sheets sold to correspond with the study 6) reasonable amount of reading to do each week (less than SL I think) 7) sometimes science is integrated: Quest for Middle Ages, Adventures in the Sea and Sky Reasons I chose WP over other providers: SL: Proliferation of historical fiction, particularly emotionally wrenching books, hard schedule to keep up. MFW: science portion looked "light", a bit contrived, some of the books used looked dry, and I would feel like a failure if I didn't use the book basket recommendations well, and I know I wouldn't. HOD: I don't want to teach a different level for each child. Science looked "light." Some of the CLP texts used didn't appeal to me.

Please, please, please share the chocolate cake recipe.