Well, this is also true, in another way of thinking. I remember the pastor at my grandma's church saying every Sunday, "Now we come to you for God's tithe and your offering." So I personally always try to give an offering to missionaries in addition to our customary tithe to our local church. I *do* also live generously, as we've been blessed.

Agreeing! They wouldn't have intentionally rejected you.

Ours is in my signature.

Tithing is a pretty widespread practice. That is the way pastors and churches are financed. Ten families x one-tenth of each family's income = a pastor who makes an average of the amount earned by the ten parishioners. (Naturally most churches have way more than 10 families, but there are also church buildings to build and finance utilities.) The scriptures teach that the first tenth of our income belongs to God. So we don't consider it "ours" at all. We also don't believe that if we send our tenth to Pat Robertson we'll get a windfall.

Winners: WinterPromise LA1 God Made Music 1 WinterPromise Animals and Their Worlds Pentime Handwriting About Three Workbooks Losers: Modern Curriculum Press Math (we're switching to BJU) I Can Do All Things Art (this might have been good if we had the DVDs). Promising to be a winner after two weeks: WinterPromise I'm Ready to Learn Preschool R&S ABC preschool workbooks Jury is out: Galloping the Globe... I think ds will love it, but I'm not sure I'm up to the constant library trips and figuring out our schedule. Good thing I'm only using it as a supplement! Have in my closet and can't wait to start: WinterPromise American Story 1 World Around Me science from WP Bob Jones University Math 2

Gotta love that Little Critter. That's the character who turned my ds into a joyful fluent reader, as well. (In the Easy Reader section, not the regular Mercer Mayer picture books).

Actually, cornopean is not a troll, at least not in the "just here for the giggles" meaning. I have been on another forum with him for months. He's annoying, but not a troll. And cornopean, if you're reading, I suggest you remove identifying info from your blog. It's a pretty hard thing to remember sometimes. I should send folks to my blog to make sure my particulars aren't absentmindedly posted. I don't mind folks knowing my general area, but don't necessarily want them to know my phone number.

Here's a happy note: WinterPromise offers everything printed out and organized as a separate pack if you want this done for you (transparency overlays, cool papers, etc).

Most people would call BJU a mastery style program. Unlike Saxon, CLE, Horizons and Abeka, it has you concentrate on one concept for a whole chapter/unit before moving on. BJU and Singapore are alike in this style of presentation. I do realize that Key to and probably MUS spend longer on one operation.

We just finished WinterPromise Animals and Their Worlds and will begin WinterPromise World Around Me on June 30 (I have been sneaking peeks and it looks like a blast).

WinterPromise LA R&S ABC Preschool books God Made Music

ITA with this. There's a developmental milestone at play here and there's no reason to rush it, just as we don't rush crawling, walking and potty training when we trust a child's instincts.

ITA with Pamela H.

I am so excited to hear this about BJUP math. I have switched to that publisher for math, hopefully for the long haul.

WinterPromise American Story 1 WinterPromise World Around Me science WinterPromise Language Arts 2 Bob Jones University Math 2 God Made Music 2

so fine and thin it would never provide even one sweater for a midget.

We loved God Made Music for first grade. If I had known about it for K I would have used it then.

Me, too... PM please! Does it have gem stones in the title?

How many of them went by their middle name? Mine both did. Harold George... Robert Blaine..... Great uncles were: Ralph, Wilfred, Clyde, Paul, Carl.

I have this *all.the.time*, but not just for kids playdates, but *my* "friends" as well. I have decided that most people are just not hospitable. I think people tend to be more worried about the condition of their house than I am (I'm tremendously laid back), so I just decided to be the hospitable generous one. I know the feeling, though.

I found this link very helpful: http://www.squidoo.com/homeschooltimelines I haven't made ours yet, but I plan to make an accordion folded timeline using file folders as background. I will start off with a large span on a single sheet, then move to 10 year increments during the Revolution (this is to be an American History Timeline). I am planning to use colored paper to coordinate the different time periods.

Grandmothers: Rachel and Susan Great Aunts: Lucille, Ruth, Carol, Louise, Dorothy, Nellie, Chelnissa (Nissie), Margie, Elizabeth (went by Bushy, I swear it's true), Alda. My great grandmothers were: Lena, Clara..... You're right, most of these you don't hear any more.

Yes. I wore my late grandmother's spring jacket for a long time. I still have her keyring on my keychain. I remember putting my hands in the pockets of her jacket when I was in college and feeling like I was sitting on her lap. (tearing up now just typing that). And I'm not a sentimental person, most of the time.

Traditionally our bday parties have always been a big family party with all of the twelve dozen (well, one dozen anyway) cousins. However, my SIL had a girly party for my niece this year so I think we will do a boy party for ds. We are inviting his Sunday School and hs enrichment class classmates (boys). Realize that children will be more and less sociable based on personality as well. I was always a loner and I *went* to school. I think it's more lonely to be alone in a crowd than to be companionable with one or two friends.

Wow, what an awesome resource! A new page to check weekly.