Do you need the flashcards as well? If so, where do you get them? Thanks!

I am so unsure about what to use for history next year. In 1st grade we started SOTW which my dd liked fine. She didn't complain but she wasn't excited per se either. We only made it about 3/4 of the way before we started HOD Beyond. In HOD we studied American history and the book selections were a huge hit!!! That took us through around Dec (halfway to 2nd grade). I had planned on doing the next HOD guide, Bigger but wanted to wait until this fall (beginning of 3rd grade) to start so we have been doing Portraits of American Girlhood as a fun in between. It has also been a hit. I started looking at the Bigger guide and it schedules another year of American HIstory. I just don't know if I want to do another year of AH. I like the Bigger guide but by the time I change and supplement I have butchered it up so much it seems like the only thing I would be following exactly as written is the history and read aloud selections. Should I stick with it since I already have it, should I switch back to SOTW and if I do which book should I start with or should we just read books about history because my girls LOVE read alouds, especially biography type stories! They have such a love of history right now I don't want to squash it. Did any of this make sense??

Thanks! Free is my favorte price!!

Probably a long shot because it is not very common but does anybody have this or know of anybody who has this? I was recently diagnosed with it but there is very little info. out there about it. Dr. wasn't a lot of help either except to say to come back when the pain was severe enough and they would give cortisone shots. Just curious! Thanks!!

Most of the time they spend close to an hour on a lesson especially if it involves paint. The shortest amount of time they have ever spent on a lesson was about 20 min. It is not uncommon for them to walk away from it and come back hours later and add more detail.

My girls do a new lesson on Fridays and I just put all the materials in the middle of the table and hand my dd8 the remote control:) Once they have done a lesson they can redo it anytime during their free time they just can't do new lessons until Fridays. The have redone so many of the lessons and I love how easy it is. While they are doing art I am usually catching up on laundry.

My 2nd grade DD is doing: History - Lots of read alouds/historical fiction/biographies etc. Science - she takes an outside class and we do a nature study Math - Miquon and MM2 Art - Atlier Reading - We just read to each other Spelling - R&S 2 Music - piano lessons LA - Growing With Grammar 2, WWE1 Song School Latin The bulk of our school time seems to be math and read alouds b/c they are her two favorite things.

My girls are going to their last AWANA meeting tonight and I want to do something for the teachers because they have been awesome but can't think of a good idea. Between the two of them their are 6 different teachers and since I waited till the last minute I only have a few hours to pull something together. Any ideas that won't break the bank?

We are going to Williamsburg for a week and we plan on eating out once or twice but the rest of the time we will make our meals. We are staying at a condo so we will have a full kitchen but will be packing lunches and snacks to take out and about with us. Does anybody have travel go to snacks and lunch ideas? Thanks!

My 2nd grade DD struggles with spelling. We are doing R & S Spelling Grade 2, which most people seem to do in first grade, but it is still challenging for her. It seems to be working better than AAS did but I am not sure what our week should look like. She is doing the 2 workbook pages and 2 pages of the phonics book and she reads over the words a few times everyday. On Friday I call out the words to her and she typically still gets 4-5 wrong. Does this mean she is lacking visual memory? What is a typical R&S Spelling week supposed to look like. I used to have her write the words she missed 3-4 times each but that didn't seem to help at all. Am I missing an important step? Any advice?

Is anyone else using YNAB (You Need A Budget)? I signed up for a free trial and joined in on a free webinar last night and it looks awesome. I love that you are assigning all of your money a job and only working with the money you have. Would love to hear thoughts if anyone has used this and success stories would be great too :hurray:

I have never bought any of there stuff. Do you have any recommendations for a 3rd grader? Thanks!

Wwill be ordering level 2 as well because level 1 was a hit!

We have Atelier Art and HAS. My girls prefer Atelier for sure even though I agree it looks outdated and the teacher can sound a little dull. They love it and often ask to go back and revisit the lessons they have already done. I was really hoping they would like HAS better because of the price but I will be buying the next level of Atelier.

We will start K in the fall. Handwriting - A Reason For Handwriting Math - SM - Essentials Phonics - Explode the Code Reading - Reading Made Easy and me reading lots of picture books Bible - Bible Study Guide For All Ages Plenty of time to cut, color, glue and free play. She almost always sits in (usually colors) during older sisters history, chapter books, Latin, and science but she doesn't have too. I think she likes feeling like a big girl like her sister!!

I am trying to improve my sleep and have decided to buy room darkening shades. Does anybody have any recommendations?

This is what helped me http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2011/06/four-secrets-to-thick-creamy-yogurt-every-time.html

I LOVE this show!!!! I had planned on just watching an episode one Sat. morning but ended up watching all 13 episodes in 2 days :willy_nilly: Highly recommend!

They are a big hit with my 2 girls as well, especially my 7 year old. She has 5 of them and just recently put the next couple on her birthday wish list. They are silly but I don't mind watching them with the girls and I like how they handle the "tricky" questions.

Misty, Oh I get it. I was hoping there was a secret salt bed bug killing deal that I didn't know about :laugh: I will chceck out Kingsmill Resort. Thanks for the recommendation!!!

I checked the beg bug registry website and then read the hotel reviews. Misty, what does salt do? I haven't heard this before but would like to know more :001_smile:

in Williamsburg VA and CAN'T seem to find one that has not had bed bugs reported!!! Those stupid things are taking over :crying: Anybody have any recommendations?

My girls want a pet but my youngest is pretty much allergic to anything with fur. Someone recently gave us a 20 gallon tank and most of the stuff to go with it. It looks like the only thing we would need to get is a stand and the fish. My mom is telling me not to do it because they are such a pain to clean ect. I have never had fish so I have no idea how to take care of one or what is involved. So, fish or no fish and if we get fish what kind of fish. The good thing is my girls have no idea we are even considering it:)

So far so good! Our school days are much better than last year! My 2nd graders attitude is so much better this year! My only complaint is not being able to fit in some of the fun extras because I overscheduled our outside activities.

Great advice. I am bookmarking this so I can come back and read on a hard day.