I currently have a 4th grader and my 3rd grader does 4th grade work, here's the current plan and next year's plan (since she'll be 4th grade technically then). Current: Math--R&S 4 Grammar--R&S 4 Writing--WW3/CW Aesop B Latin--First Form (just started after doing half of LC II) Spelling--R&S 5 from time to time, or studied dictation AO Year 3 for lit, composers, poets, artists History--VP MA/Ren/Ref and books from AO, WTM, VP Bible for Children from CAP Next: Math--R&S 5 Grammar--R&S 5 Writing--WWE4/CW Aesop B then start Homer A Latin--First Form AO Year 4 for literature, composers, poets, artists, Shakespeare, and Plutarch History--VP Explorers to 1815 and books from AO, WTM, VP MP States and Capitals Bible for Children from CAP Science--Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry (?)/The Elements **Possible art class, starting piano lessons, sewing lessons...as the budget and time allow**

If I'm going to run, first thing in the morning so I get outside before it warms up and don't put it off. But for weights somedays I lift during nap/rest time right after lunch (kids' lunch, I eat after lifting), or in the evening after they're in bed or while dh is getting them ready for bed. It works out. :)

I'm on my third time through 1st grade and I'm pleased with what we've used so far. Math--Rod and Staff starting in Kindergarten with level 1 Reading--Ordinary Parents' Guide and Explode the Code then lots and lots of good books. Writing--copywork, oral then written narrations, dictation, (WWE and Charlotte Mason methods for these). I use Memoria Press copybooks and choose my own selections. GD Italic for handwriting and then New American Cur I also use First Language Lessons 1-2 and then start Rod and Staff Grammar in 3rd grade along with CW Aesop A for imitative writing practice. And then I love AO for everything else in those years. :) I don't think there are many programs that do all-in-one well at this age. Skills in reading and writing can be so varied or if a grammar program is strong it may be weak in writing. I suppose if I were telling a mom *one* program that covered everything pretty well for LA I'd say use the Peace Hill Press FLL and WWE materials after OPG.

We're planning to use Rod and Staff Grammar, finish WWE 4 and follow WTM 5th grade writing recommendations. We also do Charlotte Mason-style narrations, copywork, dictations and we plan to continue those.

That one works for me. :D

Well I'm a huge fan of the work of Andrew Kern at the Circe Institute. I've had the opportunity to attend two conferences and I own almost all of the CDs from the past 8 (?) years of conferences. My favorite talks are not "homeschool" specific necessarily, they're more broadly about literature, the liberal arts, goodness, truth, beauty, order, knowledge, the nature of a child, freedom...rich, wonderful ideas. The speakers are all approaching education from a distinctly Christian perspective, but they come from a variety of traditions--Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian.... My favorite speakers are Andrew Kern, John Hodges, James Daniels, Ken Myers (of Mars Hill Audio), Gene Veith, Vigen Guroian, probably a few I'm just not thinking of right now. Andrew Pudewa has some talks available through Circe as well. http://www.circeinstitute.org

Ours is a 3 and the community rating is 5 stars. The one rated a 9 not far from here has a 4 star community rating. You'd think they'd be happier they don't have a 3! :P

Chili Colorado is a new favorite of ours, I do the stew meat in the crock then do the rest in a skillet, but here's one recipe that's all crock. http://stefaniescookingspot.blogspot.com/2010/10/crock-pot-chili-colorado.html I also do a pork or beef roast shredded with green chiles, salsa, cumin, etc. and the carb eaters have that on tortillas as tacos or burritos and I have mine over lettuce with guac and cheese. Chicken curry can be pretty low carb, you could do that with your chicken breasts, then add in tomato paste, curry powder, onions, etc. Like this but skip the raisins: http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-chicken-curry-21401 And then have it without rice, or I suppose you could rice cauliflower...

I don't know if this is nationwide. But this is similar to CC but, IMO, looks like a richer philosophy. http://www.aquinaslearning.com

Seems like it's just a good thing that there's someone running a business that employs others in this economy. And that there's someone making enough money to give to charities and such.

Thanks for that link, Sharon. I bookmarked it to read more closely later. I'm in Austin too, so I find this discussion pretty relevant. Foodies abound. :)

I think it's possible for those who are "foodies" by definition or obsessed with only the most perfect foods to be gluttons as well. They've elevated food and the pleasure they get from preparing and eating it to a place of idolatry. It is not just the excessive eating any more than lust is only possible if it's an addiction to porn. Rebecca DeYoung's "Glittering Vices" is an excellent treatment of the Seven Deadly Sins. http://www.amazon.com/Glittering-Vices-Seven-Deadly-Remedies/dp/1587432323 Here's the chapter on Gluttony from Google Books: Go to Contents then "Feeding Your Face, Starving Your Heart" http://books.google.com/books?id=iGqK65RGGkIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=glittering+vices+gluttony+chapter&source=bl&ots=8xJ968LAIr&sig=aSQbBMtyqr_e_0uj7tnlqohWNKM&hl=en&ei=X6VeTZmBPYG8lQfv6J2aDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false

There seems to be an assumption that overweight = glutton and thin/fit = non-glutton that I think one has to be careful about. You can have thin people who binge, overeat, make food an idol just as you can have overweight people with a right relationship toward food.

And that hour of exercise 6 days a week *maintains* the weight loss, it's not enough to continue weight loss necessarily. I think if you're able to workout hard enough to create the deficit necessary to lose 1-2 lbs a week (so a deficit of 7000 calories based on calories in/calories out). You have to already be a certain level of fitness to workout at that intensity. If you're talking to someone more than 50 lbs overweight whose insulin is fighting them to let them *burn fat* for energy it's just a different situation. That's what jplain is saying. There is no energy for exercise.

Thank you for continuing to encourage people to read Taubes' research and rethink their paradigm for weight loss, jplain. I think those with 10-15 lbs of vanity weight to lose perhaps can't really understand what it means to have 50, 75, or 100+ lbs to lose and honestly not have success with "eating less, moving more". And how their bodies work against them to eat less and move more by slowing down metabolisms or draining them of energy. It's so much more complex than the calorie going in being efficiently burned through exercise. I've finally had success with my own lifelong weight struggles, losing more than 50 lbs so far over the past 9 months and gaining the energy to exercise intensely. And it has been through learning to control my insulin and blood sugar by eating a low carb diet.

I did some of the fairy tale retellings in high school--like this one: http://www.amazon.com/True-Story-Three-Little-Pigs/dp/0140544518/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1297479312&sr=8-4 or this one: http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Prince-Continued-Picture-Puffin/dp/014054285X/ref=pd_sim_b_3 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is great for that too.

I'm also surprised he lumped Rod and Staff with Abeka and BJ as an expensive curriculum. More expensive then free, sure.

Add the authors of Classical Writing to the list too. Leigh Bortins of CC The author of Lively Latin is a homeschooling mother, yes? Sheesh. :glare:

I played on a Bach Strad all through high school and it was good enough quality for college band/orchestra if I had continued (switched to French Horn and borrowed one of the university's). You're probably okay with the Strad for the foreseeable future. I think I moved up to a better quality trumpet (started on a basic Conn I think) in 8th grade.

We opted to use the book like a workbook in 3rd and they just wrote in the book. This year for 4th they're doing the work on notebooks. But that would have been too much last year. :001_smile:

I eat low carb. And have done Atkins in the past, though now my eating is more "clean eating" with with more liberal fat and fewer grains. It probably looks a lot like Atkins later stages. I feel amazing with sugar and refined grains out of my diet and with liberal additions of good fats and plenty of protein. I've lost about 50 lbs since May eating this way. Gary Taubes new book "Why We Get Fat" is a great book for those who think a lower carb eating way of life might work for them.

We use R&S for grammar and math. Keep in mind it's written for a classroom and there is enough practice and drill for several students in a class setting. Did anyone mention that yet? We are just now halfway through our math book, but we do 4 day weeks here and we'll just go into summer until we're done. Or I'll look through the next book and see what will be covered again and not finish. :) In grammar I often combine two similar lessons. So if there are two chapters talking about plurals, we'll go over both and then do the worksheet that covers both. We're less than halfway through the grammar book, cause we don't get to it everyday and get grammar in other places so I don't sweat it.

I'll be attending the Circe Conference in Arlington this summer. It's not specifically a homeschool conference, but it's a rich, inspiring, challenging time for classical, Christian educators. http://circeinstitute.com/conference/

We are one of just four families that I know of who homeschool in a church of 600+ attenders. There are three private, classical/CM schools that many people send their children too. All excellent choices, one is a University Model, so those families sort of straddle the hs/private school worlds. And our church has many, *many* young families with children not yet school-aged, but I don't think homeschooling is on the radar of most of the young moms I've spoken with. It's not a negative place to be, but it can be a little lonely. Primarily because friendships between families more naturally form around where children go to school. So it has been much harder for my kids to really get to know the kids their ages here and Sunday is really the only opportunity. Many of those kids just already have their friendships established with schoolmates. But I have not felt unsupported in any way for my choice. There are a few "older moms" who did homeschool and they are truly Titus 2 women and share their wisdom and experience and encourage those few of us opting to educate our children ourselves. But I still deeply miss my former church where the majority of us were homeschoolers and our children had deep friendships as well. It was a small church though and I miss it for its intimate size as well.

I'm a fellow inhabitant in this land. And may be a partial preterist. It's been so long since I thought about it. :lol: