I am so kicking myself right now. I had to run out and its trash night I saw a PERFECT huge cabinet with shelves and doors I could childlock to keep my busy 2 year old out of. My trash NEVER gets picked up before 11am I got home around 10 and it was picked up already. it would of been GREAT storage :( I do plan on at least getting all the bags of random junk out today. trying to set mini goals so I don't overwhelm myself.

My dh works 3rd shift (and has worked it on and off the better part of the last 10 years) with his current job he works 3rd shift 3-4 nights a week and he works 1-2 days 3 to 11. Its honestly not a bad set up. He goes to the gym sometimes after his shift and gets home around 9am then (the gym is at his work) Our plan is he gets home between 8am-9am and he can supervise the kids getting up, making beds, eating breakfast etc. then we will do a family bible lesson then he goes up stairs and goes to bed around 10:30 and he rejoins us at dinner time. He is off Thursday & Friday so we will use those days to hit the hard subjects that he is good with (like grammar which I stink at) and to do some fun science experiments and such. It's not ideal by any means but it works out well,I am not a morning person at all an its nice knowing that he can get the kids going on routines while I slowly get up. I am not currently schooling but I have schooled my oldest when he was on this shift and it was really great at that time he would stay up until noon and do more than 1/2 of her schooling with her while I ran errands or did household chores. Good luck to you guys :001_smile: ETA: as far as keep the kids quite once my dh has been asleep for about 1/2 hour he is out aside from an explosion or me slapping the crud out of him nothing wakes him up. The master bedroom is on the 1st floor so he sleeps in the one of the kids rooms so we dont have to worry too much.

I do like those I looked at them at IKEA, then I visited a friend and in her school room hung on the wall she had a shoe holder She had all the mom only stuff up high and little toddler stuff at the bottom and in the middle she had stuff for the older kids out of toddler reach. I really liked the idea. I would likely cut it in 1/2 because my toddler would make too much mess with anything low enough for her to reach.

My 5 yr old is in Kindy at a pvt Christian school. I have been impressed with her reading and feel she is really taking off. I think though that I shouldn't be so impressed because what she is reading isn't much of a challenge. She gets a weekly reader from school this week was "get wet" its really just loads of repetition. I can get wet, can Joe get in, Joe is wet. Can the dog get wet? yada yada and she LOVES to read Dick and Jane (again loads of repetition). She is proud and I am very proud too but I wonder how much she is actually reading and how much is just memorization. how much should she actually be reading at this point? I am looking at some of our first grade stuff for next year and thinking no way is she nearly ready for some of this. I have Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons but the first 10 or so lessons we have done have been to easy/boring for her. I plan to do FIAR with her but a lot of the books seem pretty advanced. She has 2 terms left at her school and I don't know how much more she will learn by the years end. I just want to have a good idea of where she should be now and if she will be ready for FIAR next year.

Thanks Paula :)

prepaid phones are pretty cheap I think mine was $14 at walmart it does do talk and text but I think you can have features blocked.

I am far from a veteran so I can only share my plans for my first grader next year. Reading, 100 easy lessons, FIAR Vol 1 & 2 LA- FLL Math- MEP and random things I toss together. Not sure about the 100 easy lessons, it seems a little to slow for her just having done a few lessons together. She is a pretty decent reader (I think) for being 1/2 way through kindy. hard to gage where she will be next year.

I'll play. before pics are not happening just picture a room with a billion boxes, bags and broken down furniture that dh hasn't fixed. somewhere under that are some computers. this was my office at one point but I haven't used that room since I got my laptop last march. I have a lot to do in their but I am not schooling anyone atm so its not a huge deal. After I haul all the junk out I can start fresh. dh did make some nice built in shelves in their for me last year so that will be nice to actually use them. this will take me much longer than a week. my main goal is to be done by June lol. As of right now I am just storing homeschool stuff in the living room for next year.

Try Donna young, or its fairly easy to make your own in word. I have made a ton in word just trying to figure out which ones to use I am a bit of a schedule/chart making junkie lol

This has been a nightmare. My lefty will be 8th grade next year she prints well but her cursive is so sloppy. I don't really want to buy anything but was hoping maybe someone could point me to a website or even tell me how they helped their lefty's have better cursive.

Nope not far at all I friends who attend church in Ybor city! I used to love the Gasperilla (sp?) parades and such.

I grew up in Pinellas county, Seminole/Largo/Maderia beach area should of known you'd be here :tongue_smilie:lol

Funny. Do people always ask you Why? lol I get it all the time. I was actually born here but moved to FL when I was 5 then moved back up here to be close to family. What area are you in here in PA? I am looking for homeschool groups/ play groups.

I didn't see anywhere to formally introduce myself. figured the general board was good enough. My name is Michelle, I am married to a wonderful, insane, funny, supportive hubby who keeps me on my toes. I have 4 amazing daughters ages 2, 5 (kindy), 9 (3rd grade) & 12 (7th grade) I have homeschooled, public schooled, cyber schooled and private schooled. Never really found my way. My girls are finishing this year in private school and we will homeschool next year and go as long as we see fit. It took me a long time to get to this place of confidence that we can homeschool my husband is super supportive which is awesome. Aside from schooling I volunteer in various ministries, I love to bake, craft, knit, blog & graphic arts. I am a small time wahm doing graphics and selling craft items. My husband works in security prior to that he was a chef. We live in PA and have been here about 8 years. prior to that we lived in FL. I miss the warmth and the beach. I have been a sahm/wahm since I became preggy with my 5 year old. Putting 3 kids in day care just wasn't going to work. When I did work I was an opthalmic technician and volunteered working it children who where visually impaired. I miss it some but staying home with my kids is so rewarding and such a short season I want to enjoy it as long as possible. I will likely ask a million questions and look forward to "meeting" new friends.