The only one I haven't seen mentioned is Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell. It may have saved my children's life :D

Also know that if you go with a machine like a Viking, you can trade up with that machine as you get more money. Tell us what kind of sewing you want to do and we can help you with what stitches you will need. Also, it you are going to be selling any clothes, you need an overlock machine or people won't buy them.

Go for either a Singer or a Brother. Both are easy and hold up pretty well.

I have the Nutrimill as well and love it.

I only have my 1st and 2nd graders answer the questions orally and tell me what they learned. I don't have time to write it down and frankly I have never had a child want to go back and read their narration so why bother? After they can write, they write down their narration and do just fine.

We live in Fuquay Varina, NC and moved here a little over a year ago. It's a very easy state to homeschool in and there are co-ops and support groups everywhere. I'm in a support group at Pleasent Grove Baptist Church in Fuquay Varina and a lot of the moms go to a big co-op here in town. We also have some members of our church that go to North Raleigh Christian Academy. The public schools in Cary, Holly Springs and Fuquay Varina all seem very nice and I do know teens in all of them (from our church). If you have any direct questions on any of them I can ask around for you. Just message me.

Hits: Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space (although we are only using the Earth part) Apologia Astronomy R&S Grammar multiple levels Abeka Phonics (it works for us and my kids are great readers because of it :D) Abeka Reading, Spelling and Writing (cursive) OK but not great: SOTW 2

I did mine for the 2nd week in a row. This is a record for me LOL I even added pictures! I might get the hang of this before too long. I'm enjoying reading all the blogs! http://rabbitinclass.blogspot.com/

These books were just coming out as my oldest daughter was going through that age group and she did enjoy reading them. We didn't JUST use them, but we used it with the outlining of the Kingfisher and all the required reading. It helped her put it all together.

My daughter sounds a lot like your yours. I would go over the lesson, do the oral exercises and then the writen and later....NOTHING! However, I noticed that just because she couldn't tell me what they were called, she could find them by asking questions as she did the work. She is going into book 6 now and while she still has to review the names of things from time to time, she understands how to write well and has wonderful grammar.

Oh I can't WAIT to try your Pumpkin Spice Latte! Sounds like you had a great week.

I can, but only because we are in R&S 5 :D However, my daughter seems to pick them out pretty well as long as she asked her helping questions. Like For the sentence "The doughnuts smelled delicious." She starts by asked what smelled delicious? The doughnuts. Then she says what did the doughnuts do? The smelled. And then she says the doughnuts smelled what? delicious.

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers :D

I started one today :D Sounds like fun! http://rabbitinclass.blogspot.com/

We use Abeka phonics up through 2nd grade. However, we don't do FLL or another spelling program. We use Letters and Sounds, Abeka Spelling and the Language book. We use the complete program just because it flows together. The readers, spelling list, letters and sounds...they all go with what we just learned. So we learn the special sound for ea. I know our spelling list coming up has ea words. I know her l&s book will work with ea. I know her readers are going to focus on the special sound of ea. After 2nd grade they are strong enough to change out of it into Rod and Staff and be just fine. For us, the complete Phonics program of Abeka works :D