We do Vocabulary from Classical Roots and I really like it. I've actually learned a few words lol!

If we're going off of top ten favorites, I'd have to say they're relatively close but maybe there are a few genres in there... it tempts me to go through and try to decide my top ten :lol: . Needless to say, they're all Korean. :lol: However, if one were to go through my entire playlist, it would be a bit more varied. Still mostly Korean, but lots of different styles in there.

This is so funny to me. The garage is a garage, who cares if the floor gets dirty? :lol: :lol: I park in it every day, all the time, no matter what.

We normally start the first Monday of August - last year that was August 1st. If we feel like it, we'll start that last day of July this year, if not, we'll do the 7th. I find this date totally normal and can't imagine waiting another month to start lol. :D We get out the beginning of May, so we are bored and ready to get back to it when August gets here!

Thanks!

...but NOT your average recommendations. I'm trying to think of a few different topics, and I honestly don't need many books per topic, or even more than one. But what I want is for them to be books that are not fiction (we will be covering all the classics and all that in school) and are addressing something current, or at least relatively so. This was spurred on by reading in a book that a family had their teens read one book on Christian living per summer. But I want to tweak that (a lot lol) and include more things that are social justice related, or other things along those lines. So. Any ideas?

*edited!

I used to get Pink tons of the J.Khaki brand from Belk. I also bought a pair from Primary (online) for halloween (she was charmander - we needed all solid orange lol) and those seem to be holding up well, too. Her J.K. ones she wears for years. Not sure she's hard on clothes, but that's my $.02. :)

Filed a couple weeks ago, got our refund last night/today. No special plans.

I voted Other. Because honestly, they weren't particularly useful, BUT - and this is 100% EXACTLY WHY I used them with all 3 of my kids after diapers/before underwear - They are SO. FREAKING. EASY. A million times easier to change a pullup real quick than a diaper. So. That's my $.02.

I've not used any spelling 'curriculum' for years. Honestly, we don't really pay attention to it as a separate subject at all. My kids have done no differently on their spelling in other work than they did when we did do a spelling curriculum (which was maybe the first year or two that we homeschooled, at least 4 years ago). I've found them to be completely unnecessary.

Hmm... well, thankfully, I haven't really had to deal with this sort of thing, but I don't really ever think I'll have to, either. My grandparents have a few things they've kept for sentimental value, but mostly they aren't attached to 'things' at all (they sold all their furniture several years ago when my grandfather retired and bought new when they got to their new house in another city), so none of that would be any big deal. They also have the mindset of minimizing - she doesn't collect little things, they haven't held onto a bunch of stuff from my great-grandmother's passing, etc. They're from the midwest. I'm from the midwest. We don't really have strong attachments to objects, apparently, lol. And my grandpa will be 80 this year, so they're sort of in the age group the article is talking about, I think. I also think the idea in the article is interesting - that how much something is worth matters somehow. For me, many things in our home were hand me downs from random people and places in our lives and we have them for purely functional reasons. I have no attachment to them, but if I were going through the house and really liked an end table more than my current end table, I'd take it. Not because of any monetary value, but just because I want to fill my home with things that I enjoy. But I wouldn't feel like I had to take anything, either. I also think the thing about the books is sad, not because of any sentimental reasoning, but because books, duh :D :lol: . Obviously, that depends on the book, I guess. So yeah, if it's all crap no one should want it. But I do love having shelves full of (good) books. :) I know that there are certain things I'm getting, and they are things I'm happy about. An old quilt my great-great-grandmother made. A picture of a camel (it's seriously the funniest picture, and I grew up with this thing and just have always loved it... :D ). Etc.

I loved the GA Aquarium! We went a few years ago... well, maybe it was more than a few at this point. :) But it was absolutely beautiful. Like you, we love to just sit and watch. It's all so calm and peaceful. I could sit in some of those rooms and just watch for hours. I've been to the TN aquarium as a teenager. I remember it being nice but older. I don't remember much else. I've not been to the National Aquarium. A friend of mine who used to live there strongly recommends not going there lol, so I've not been too tempted to check it out.

My oldest will be in 8th. This year it's a lot of continuing what we're already doing. Foreign Language: Japanese (Irasshai) - continued from this year Grammar: I'm thinking Hake right now. Reading list from TWTM + additional books from the reading suggestions Logic: Discovery of Deduction Math: finish pre-algebra and start Algebra 1. I'm still on the fence on which Algebra he'll be doing. Civics: Uncle Sam and You (Notgrass) History: WTM 8th grade history Science: Apologia Physical Science Vocabulary: Vocabulary from Classical Roots C&D Writing: WWS 2 Bible: The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study, Book 4 When he turns 14 (about a year from now lol), he'll be old enough to do some of the classes at the clay shop here, which I think he'll enjoy. He'll have 4 extracurriculars at co-op, too - this year the 8th graders had Woodworking, Current Events, Art, and P.E.. I'm assuming it will be similar.

My 3rd grader next year will be my last one! So it's all old hat lol. :lol: :D Bible: probably a Bible study from Queen Homeschool Grammar: Language Lessons for the Elementary Child Vol 1 (from Queen, also) Reading: assigned reading from the reading suggestions in TWTM Writing: Writing With Ease 1 History: SOTW 3 Math: MUS Gamma Science: WTM 3rd grade chemistry And that's it! Well, maybe I'll throw in Zaner Bloser Handwriting to review her cursive from this year, but I'm not sure yet. I don't plan art or music, and she'll likely have those at co-op, anyway, along with 2 other extracurriculars. This year it's art, music, geography, and P.E. So I'm guessing it'll be similar.

Yay!!! I've been waiting for these lol... My middle kid will be in 6th next year. Our plans: Bible: Not sure yet. Planning on trying to find something that is not 'Bible study'-ish, if that makes sense. I'll know it when I find it lol. :D Grammar: Language Lessons for the Secondary Child Vol. 2 (from Queen Homeschool) Writing: CAP Chreia & Proverb Reading list from TWTM + additional books from the other book lists in there History: WTM 6th grade history Logic: James Madison Critical Thinking Math: MUS Zeta Science: Tossing around a few book ideas, but I know we'll be spending the year focusing on robotics and engineering. The books I'm currently thinking (but will need to see in person to decide for sure): The Robot Book, Make: Electronics, and The Art of Construction. We'll see, other stuff will pop up as well. That's pretty much it. I don't plan things like art & music. He'll have 4 extracurricular classes at co-op, too. This year the 6th graders have Current Events, Art, Woodworking, and P.E., so I'm guessing it will be similar to that. 6th grade feels familiar to me now lol. Then again, my oldest is going into 8th grade, and that feels like more of what we're already doing, so that doesn't feel unfamiliar, either. :)

Ok, now that I've actually gone through and read all the responses, I think a lot of my post above is probably moot. :lol: Oh, well. :D In regard to organized 'groups', I often mention the FB group but there is no official 'group' other than on FB. If that makes sense. There are a few different co-ops around and all that, but in general many of the local homeschoolers are on that page just for random offerings that may go out on there. In regard to co-ops, I stay away from all things academic. It never fits with what I am doing. Or one class will but the rest won't and it's a waste of a day, so we don't do it. I have no interest in doing it. The co-op we are a part of is actually still called the Mennonite co-op, though I think maybe only one lady who is there is Mennonite any more. Also, it's pretty low-commitment - we meet twice a month from October to March. We have maybe 10 families in it. Pink (2nd grade) has art, music, P.E., and geography class. Astro (5th grade) has Current Events, art, P.E., and robotics. Link (7th) has art, current events, P.E., and woodworking. Anyway, I stay away from co-ops that have a high commitment (once a week - no way!) or are academic in nature. I actually stay away from academics pretty much as a whole, when it comes to 'group' events. I stick to fun extracurricular stuff, because those are the things that I think are fun as a group. I'm also very 'if I want it, and it doesn't exist, I'll create it' in thinking. That's where it all starts.

All I would add is that no one should feel like they need to do anything for the homeschooling community. Every person who homeschools has only the responsibility for what goes on in their own homeschool. You do you (in the general sense). As I said before, if I didn't think it was super fun, I wouldn't do it.

Disclaimer: I have not yet had a 17 year old. I'm only speaking from when I was a 17 year old, 17 years ago. :lol: I didn't have a specific curfew. It always varied by what we were planning on doing, and with me keeping my grandparents aware of where I was. Movie at 7 or 8? Ok, call if you decide to go somewhere after. I call after, say we're heading Plank (our local dive restaurant that was seriously disgusting if you saw it during the day :lol: - but hey, it's where we all were!) and she's like, Ok, be home at 11/12 usually. Somewhere in there. At least an hour or two after my calling her. If I decided to go out (to the same place lol) after closing shift at work (weekends/summers - she was stricter during the week), it was later because it started later. I didn't have a curfew on prom night because they weren't expecting me home. A friend was having a huge campout/party at her house all night afterwards. However, I ended up bored out of my mind, so I left at 3. :lol: Anyway, I've always kind of figured we'd do a sort of a situational thing like what they did. I think DH's parents were similar, and if not, I think he'll go along with my plan anyway. :lol: :lol: :lol: :D

Just joining in with the others that are like - wow! A hatchet-throwing group???!! :lol: :D I read a book once that talked about this - that front porches were the place to be at one time in history, after dinner or whatever, and people would socialize and all that. But then the back deck became the new thing, which were less accessible, and everyone's yard was soon fenced in, and slowly, over time, we migrated into our own little house and stayed there. It's a little overdramatic, but I can definitely see the merit of that viewpoint. I'm inclined to believe that it does have something to do with it. Ok this is just awesome. Granted, my boys wouldn't probably love wearing tiaras. But it's still awesome. :D I already commented once but I just had to come back because today after co-op we headed over to my best friend's house. I wanted some ice cream so I grabbed the nearly-full quart or whatever it is they sell now of cookies and cream out of my freezer when we stopped by to drop all our stuff off at home and let the dog out. When I got there she was there and her 2 kids as well as the other 2 who had come home with her were all outside roaming the block - mine joined them without even coming in - and she was like, 'I want some pretzels! So let's make some pretzels!' and we were throwing together pretzel bites and standing in the kitchen and kids were in and out and playing video games and capture the flag and all sorts of things - and it was just great. I'm so thankful that I have someone we share that kind of relationship with. This spring we joked that she and her kids lived at my house while we were preparing for field day. :lol: We'd sit for hours painting signs and listening to kpop while the kids were, once again, in and out and around. If we got hungry we'd scrounge something up out of the freezer or order pizza. These things just make me so happy. :) And I'm also really lucky to have family that is much like this, as well. My grandparents have, in their active retirement years, relaxed a little; nothing will ever change my grandma's neatness :lol: , but for family gatherings it's all very relaxed. The kids and I were there for Thanksgiving and it's all laid back, board games, eat some, play some, etc. My ILs are also extremely laid back about these things - on Christmas we do finger foods. It's all we've done for the last... oh, gosh... 10 years? Or more? I know the tradition was started since I joined, so at least in the last 15 years sometime. But anytime, year round, we're always comfortable walking in, kicking off our shoes, and finding food. They're the same when they are here; sometimes they ask us to have the 'get together' at our house because we have more for the younger kids to do outside (playset, trampoline, etc - while they have more for the older ones, in the form of woods and a creek lol) and we're all just really low-key. The boys' birthday parties are usually phone calls or texts a couple days before - 'Hey, we're going to have some pizza, cake, whatever, on Friday night for Link's birthday - bring the boys over!' Life like this makes me happy. I want it to only be this way and even better. :) <3

I don't have a ton of time, so I kind of just skimmed the other responses - sorry! And I'll try to be brief, too (lol). First off, hospitality =/= entertaining. A lot of times, in American culture (from what I've seen), that is forgotten and the two are considered the same thing. Entertaining - I can do it if I have to, but try not to. Mainly because it's a lot of hassle. I don't know that I've ever really tried to 'entertain', and I don't really have any plans to change that. Hospitality - I like this MUCH better. I want my home to be a place that is open. I want people to feel comfortable. As it is, I don't feel panic or anything that my house needs to be clean or perfect at all times, and I don't worry about stuff like that if someone drops by. I would love for people to drop by more often, I'm working on them. :D :lol: My Gma was not particularly hospitable. She was nice, and all that, but she was someone who worried about making sure her house was clean and neat and all that. Then she'd apologize to someone who came in because 'it's a mess' and there was literally, like, one newspaper on the floor next to the couch where she'd been reading it. :lol: :rolleyes: So the culture I grew up in was no different than what I hear a lot of people talking about here. And actually, IRL I see much more of a trend toward hospitality than not.

It's SO good. I went and saw it with a friend the other night. I probably won't take the kids to the theater to see it, but we will watch it at home when it comes out.

Well, I've never reminded them. When they were super little (like before they picked their own clothes/dressed themselves, etc, which they started doing around age 2-3), it was just part of the routine of getting ready to go. Once they were past that young age, it was their job to remember. There should be no need whatsoever for me to remind my boys (11 and almost 13) to wear a coat or jacket. If they walk outside and have forgotten it, and want to go back in and get it, I'll wait for them (aka I won't leave without them lol or make them go without). If they choose not to wear one, or if they stand there undecided, I'll ask if they want to just take it and leave it in the van. We also have blankets in the van. I don't really remind Pink (age 7.5), either. Today I did, I guess, but she was also standing there saying 'am I forgetting something?' and I said 'Did you want to wear a jacket?' By my boys' ages, pretty much everything like this is at their discretion. ETA: It is funny, though, because we don't live where it's particularly cold, so they boys only just started taking changes of clothes for after swimming in the afternoons. Also, I don't remind them of things, but DH will. And I'll think of random things - my kids ask to spend pretty much every weekend at their grandparents' house (other cousins, too - we have several the same age). And tonight, for the first time ever, I texted the boys at like 9:30 and was like 'You guys don't use a space heater there, right?' and Astro (11) is like, 'A What? Space heater?' and I'm like, 'You know, the ones you can plug into the wall and turn on.' He's like, 'Oh, no, we don't use anything like that. Why?' and I'm like, 'Just checking! Don't use one!' :lol: because just tonight, randomly, I thought about the fact that it used to get a little chilly in those basement bedrooms where they sleep, and the fact that space heaters are a fire hazard, and so I just HAD TO KNOW. :lol: Ah, moms. Gotta love us. ;)

No. Not so far in my life, anyway.

:iagree: Same here. . :) The one I found really weird was our local coffee shop. I'm hearing now that apparently they are paid servers wages - neither I or most of the people I know have ever thought to tip the people making our coffee!!! I thought that was really weird/unusual. And unfortunate. Oh, well, I don't go there because the coffee sucks, anyway. :P :lol: