Homeschool Share is wonderful. It is primarily literature-based unit studies, but there are some unit study themes available too. If you love books, I think you will enjoy this website (and it is all FREE!).

I am interested in both programs for my kids...just not sure how to use them. :confused: Ds(8) is reading fairly well (he reads chapter books, like Boxcar Children), but we have never used a spelling program. I have always liked the looks of All About Spelling. Is this something I can still use at this point? If so, how exactly do I use it for an 8 year old? I think I start at level 1 and work up, correct? Dd (4.5) will be starting K next year and I need a reading program for her. This year, we are doing the ETC primers and she goes to a preschool program two days per week. I do not want to continue on with ETC. I love the looks of All About Reading, but if I purchase AAS for ds, should I just some how incorporate that into teaching dd to read? Am I even correct in thinking that others have used AAS for phonics instruction? I guess I am worried about overspending if I don't have to. Thoughts? Thanks! :)

Alrighty then...I will continue on with our animal studies! Thanks everyone for the suggestions. If anyone else has thoughts on this, I am open to hearing them. :)

My ds (just turned 8) loves animals. I mean he LOVES animals!!! He has been obsessed with all things animals since birth and I think he actually knows way more than I do about them (thank you very much, Netflix)! On to my question...this year, he is doing Apologia Zoology I (Flying Creatures) for science. He actually does this at a friend's house (my friend kept him while I worked), so I haven't done any of the book with him. Next year, I will be doing science with him, so I was looking around at my options. Instead of moving forward with Apologia II (Swimming Creatures), I thought that it might be nice to try a completely different program (NOEO? Something else?) and focus on a different area of science, like chemistry. When I mentioned this to ds today (big mistake!), he freaked out. He really, really wants to continue with Apologia and he HAS to move on to Swimming Creatures. My question is...how much will this affect him? Is it better for him to spend time learning about things that he is passionate about or at this age, should he be exposed to many different areas of science? I can actually see the benefits to both. If you were me, what would you do next year?

OP here! Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions. I am currently looking up and reading about each of these programs...I am sure I will find the right one for us.

With my ds (8), I used lots of things (ETC, Progressive Phonics, Happy Phonics). However, I think dd would do better with a phonics program. Any suggestions? (I have been thinking about All About Reading or maybe just use All About Spelling??? I have no idea, actually. :))

:seeya: Me!

Thanks everyone! I went ahead and cooked the chicken and we had it for dinner. So far, so good! No one is sick yet ;)

:lol: The chicken was very cold. I had just purchased it from the store and it had a 20 minute ride in the trunk of my very cold car (it's in the 30s). I immediately put the chicken in the crock pot, poured refrigerated chicken broth on it and covered it upon returning home.

I put chicken breasts in the crock pot and covered them with cold (refrigerated) chicken broth. Two and a half hours later, I realized that I didn't plug the crock pot in (however the coffee grinder was plugged in:rolleyes:). I checked the chicken and it was 60 degrees. Would you still cook and eat it?

Thanks so much! I will check that out.

Ds (almost 8) has always been sensitive about some things - he doesn't like having his nails trimmed, a trip to the barber used to send him to orbit and he is quite the picky eater. Ever since he started losing his baby teeth, brushing teeth has become an issue for him. He says that his new, permanent teeth hurt. I took him to the dentist to have them checked out and the dentist says he is fine. He recommended that ds use toothpaste for sensitive teeth, but that has never happened as ds hates the taste (he will only use one very specific kind of kids toothpaste). Ds doesn't do a good job of brushing his teeth and I have now given myself the job of doing it every night for him (which always ends in tears). Any suggestions? I love my sensitive boy but sometimes I just don't know what to do with him!!!

We had this two weeks ago. Dd became ill on Monday, was fine on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, she became a little bit sick again. She was fine on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, I sent her to preschool and then she spent the night at my parents', as I was out of town for work. She became ill again that night. Of course, 48 hours later my dad caught it as well. I had NO idea she was still contagious when I sent her to preschool/my parents' house. I would have never sent her if I had known. Unfortunately, schools only require kids to be well for 24 hours before coming back to class. Its no wonder this nasty virus keeps being passed around! Long story short...I think I'd stay home.

One word - Pinterest!!!

With our only teenage babysitter, her parents dropped her off at our house and then we took her home at the end of the evening. Worked for us!

I'm so sorry. :grouphug: And I will pray for the little girl and her family who just lost their sweet baby. :grouphug:

I will admit that I am one of those that has been buying ultra-pasteurized organic milk, thinking I was doing the right thing. I have never seen organic milk that is NOT ultra-pasteurized in the store and I don't have raw milk available. Can someone tell me what I should do? :confused:

Well since my dh is out of town, it is just the two kiddos and me. On the day I was the sickest my 7 year old fed my 4 year old all three meals - leftover pancakes, pb&j, and cheese, crackers & carrots. I was quite proud of him. We haven't eaten real food (not even pasta!) all week.

Well it looks like dh may not come home this weekend since it is likely he'd just catch our stomach flu. Sigh...I can't wait to get back to normal life. This has been one stinky week (literally).

Dd woke up Monday morning throwing up. Although I tried my best (lots of hand washing) I woke up with it on Wednesday. I practically quarantined myself, only used paper towels, cleaned the bathroom after each use...anything and everything I could think of to prevent spreading my germs. Yet here I am, early Friday morning, sitting with ds as he gets sick :( Dh works out of town and will be home later this evening. Is there any chance he won't catch this stomach flu? What kind of cleaning should I do? I am honestly considering telling him to not come home. :( ETA: And what is up with the stomach flu always hitting at night? Dd started at 3:30am, almost exactly 48 hours later mine started and then again almost exactly 48 hours later ds got it. The middle of the night every time!

:iagree: THIS!!!

I am rather new here myself and I don't post frequently. I never understand these types of responses! Sometimes posters have been lurking here for a long time and they may feel as if they already "know" everyone. Sometimes people just feel that they need a safe place to work through what is going on in their lives. Is it truly wrong of them to come here and ask a question? :confused:

Ds has a Valentine's Day party tomorrow at an indoor inflatable play center (or as I like to call it - That Jumpy Place). Dd woke up in the middle of the night last night throwing up. She threw up all morning and then acted fine the rest of the day. After going to bed tonight, she threw up again (this time projectile vomiting!). Right now she is sleeping. So far, ds and I feel fine. My mom has offered to take him to his party tomorrow. Of course he has been exposed to dd's stomach bug (although I tried to keep them separated and had him wash his hands frequently). Should I let my mom take him tomorrow or would it be better to keep him home? ETA: Part of the reason I'm even question this is that a homeschooling friend watches ds two days a week while I work and she was supposed to have him tomorrow (she was taking him to the party). My friend is going out of town later in the week and when I told her today that dd was sick, she decided that she doesn't want to have ds tomorrow, just in case he gets sick. I agreed with her, as I understand how frustrating it is to plan a trip out of town, only to have someone get sick. However, if I send ds with my mom, he will still be at the play place with her kids (and others). I guess I was just questioning myself about this...I would hate to make anyone sick!

I agree with everything you said, except for my kids, they would lose ALL tv for a week (all electronics actually!). And :grouphug: for you...this parenting thing is tough, isn't it?

Very cool!!!