...that I would find myself choking on clouds of cologne and Axe body spray wafting from the body of my 10 year old, who suddenly cares a great deal about how he looks and smells :lol:. At age 10???!!!??? [though it sounds like I should be grateful to not have the stinky-boy problem I'm reading so much about on this thread]

This was really, really helpful, BugsMama. Thank you so much for the explanation of the games! The LOE Web site doesn't have many samples, so I feel like I've been flying blind. Now I know that I really want to buy the games book! But I'll either just buy two decks of cards OR make them myself. Thanks again! Christina

That's a bummer! It sounds like a lot of people have just bought copies of ULOE, not knowing that the second edition is coming out. What a shame! Thanks for sharing your experience with LOE and the games/cards. That is the part I am leaning toward getting since AAS is working great for us. I want the LOE games book and card decks...but more than $50 w/shipping for that set is SO much $$ to me! Ds knows the AAS Level 1 phonograms (we start Level 2 in August), but I was thinking review couldn't hurt and the spelling games sound really fun. He loves the games in RightStart Math, and this strikes me as similar. Sigh. For now, I'll keep drooling and dreaming... Christina

You might have a point, Crimson Wife, though the post linked to below was quite interesting. Maybe her revelation about English being morpho phonemic (sp??) is why she did a new edition? That link was super helpful, crazyforlatin--thanks for posting it! I'll definitely wait the two weeks now!! Christina

On the off chance that someone here has the inside scoop, does anyone know what will be new/different in the second edition of Uncovering the Logic of English by Denise Eide? I was checking it out on Amazon, thinking I might order the book, when I saw this: http://www.amazon.com/Uncovering-Logic-English-Common-Sense-Approach/dp/1936706210/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341435284&sr=1-2&keywords=uncovering+the+logic+of+english Apparently, the second edition of the book comes out in about two weeks. Trying to decide if it's worth waiting a few weeks for the latest and greatest... Christina

Hmmm. I know you can hit the edit button in the bottom right-hand corner of a post you created, so you could at least change the wording. But I don't think you can delete something once you have posted it. I'm pretty new around here myself, so I could be wrong on this... Anyway, have a great day and best of luck tracking down AAS! It's a popular one that goes very quickly used, but if you are persistent, you'll find it. I scored AAS levels 2 and 3 last year from two different people, in case that gives you hope. Christina

Yay! I'm glad it looks good to you--and that they have it at your library! I know it was a bit off topic from your original post, but I figured it couldn't hurt to share. I know how tough cooking GF/DF can be, especially for kids. Hope it works great for you! Christina

Sorry to bum you out, but this isn't the right spot to place "want to buy" messages. If you scroll down on the main forum page to the For Sale board and go to the "want to buy" page, that's the right spot for this post. Christina

I know the GF/DF diet can be a challenge, especially for kiddos. In case this helps, the cookbook below made all the difference for me as the primary cook around here (with a GF/DF hubby): http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Isaiah-Gluten-Free-Dairy-Free-Delicious/dp/1606521659/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341356832&sr=1-1&keywords=cooking+for+isaiah It has a ton of excellent recipes and most are kid friendly. They are pretty easy to prepare and are delicious. I cannot emphasize enough how much easier this has made my GF/DF cooking! Now we can all eat the same meals and the boys don't even realize what they are eating is GF/DF!! HTH, Christina

This!! I don't post a ton but apparently I spend way too much of my awake time on this site or thinking about this site b/c I checked it A LOT yesterday. I don't have any FB or e-mails for people on here, and I was surprised to find myself having WTM Withdrawal!! I found myself feeling isolated from Homeschool Land (which is apparently how I think about this site:001_huh:). Do I sound like a Smurf or something? Or just a mom who needs to find more IRL homeschool friends...:glare: Christina

AprilMay--somewhere in one of the LOE threads, someone said they thought LOE was comparable to levels 1-4 in AAS (real helpful, I know, but I'm sure I read it around here somewhere!). That is part of why I started to think I should just get the games book instead of switching programs. I think we need AAS for how incremental it is. True, it will add up over time to get through level 6 or 7, but I've already got AAS levels 1-3 (and I found levels 2 and 3 used) versus starting over with LOE at $200+ right now! happycc--I read somewhere in another thread that LOE moves really fast. That is part of why I'm thinking we'll stick with AAS in spite of my fascination with LOE :tongue_smilie:. They are supposed to be working on other levels for LOE, so some day, they may have something comparable to AAS in terms of being more incremental. But it'll probably be too late for us.

Congrats on taking the plunge, Kyle! Now you have to do a post once you receive everything, telling us all about it so the rest of us can live vicariously!! Christina

I had something similar happen last week!! A mom of a boy from my son's baseball team was bringing her son over to play with ds. She'd never been here before. I spent several hours over several days tidying up, vacuuming, mopping the kitchen floor, dusting. The house needed it anyway, but let's be honest: I was doing it b/c she'd never been here and I thought she might want the Grand Tour ;). Well, she never got beyond the front door! I invited her in but her younger ds was in the car. So I had a nice clean house for nothing :glare:. Oh, and I wore favorite clothes instead of my "no one's going to see me today so who cares how I look?" clothes, if that helps. Apparently, I don't get out much these days either! Feel better, Impish?? Christina

Thanks for doing that legwork for everyone, AprilMay, and for letting us know why LOE isn't coming up on searches, no matter what we do! Re: your line above about just buying the games book, that is what I'm leaning toward. I think it makes sense. It will be the least disruptive to ds and will be much cheaper, too! Thanks! Christina

Uh oh, now I'm enabling other peoples' curriculum addictions along with mine!! :tongue_smilie:

Now I feel silly--I should have figured that out! Don't worry, Merry--you had AALP in your post re: their newsletter. Someone else mentioned the AAL site and I couldn't figure out what the reference was (www.aal.com took me to some financial planning site :001_huh:). I'll check out the right site and see what they've got. Thanks much! Christina

Thank you for all of these ideas, Merry! I can't see blogs from this computer but I'll check out your links ASAP. This thread has helped me to figure out that it really is the games I'm drawn to, and I'm grateful for your links/ideas so I can stay with what works (AAS) but add in some extra fun for ds! Thanks for the feedback, warneral. I'd never considered that I could piece together a bunch of games from online until several people sent me som great links. I'm going to start there before I fork over $$ for the games book. Maybe I won't need to buy it at all! Christina

Thanks for the suggestions, but can you please tell me what the AAL site is?? It's not ringing a bell for me. Apparently I only thought I was making progress in memorizing the gajillions of acronyms in Homeschool Land :glare:. Christina

Oh oh oh, that is a wonderful idea!! I could buy the book but use the AAS phonogram cards we've already got! I didn't realize that you make your own cards for the spelling games anyway. That'll save me $20 plus shipping, so double thank you! And maybe I won't even need the LOE book! Thank you, nansk, for sharing these links. This is where I realize what a newbie I am. Did it even occur to me that I could dig around and find games for phonograms and spelling online instead of spending $$ on a book? DUH. Sure didn't! Thanks so much! Christina

Sorry I can't make your day and sell you AAS 2 :lol:. Glad to know you are past level 3 and still happy. It took us FOREVER to get through level 1 (more than a year) but ds is not a natural speller, so we took our time and I made sure it was sticking. It's cool b/c he's proud of the words he can spell now, so I think it was worth the time it took. Best of luck tracking down level 2! BTW, this is the first thread I've started that has EVER made it past page 1! C

Gentlemommy--I was just guessing about the games only covering the first 26 phonograms. That was based on nothing, so don't get disappointed yet. What deerforest says below seems to indicate that the games book looks like it'll work alongside AAS. Don't know what you are using for spelling, but maybe it could work for you, too, then! That is super, super helpful, deerforest! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the games book! I think their site has three games total for samples, which just isn't enough! It is going to add up to get the games book and two card decks ($35, I think??) but I wonder if that might scratch my itch for LOE yet keep us on track with the program that's already working? And I'd save like $100 over the whole Essentials set! Hubby will be so pleased! Thanks again! C

Do you have a tracker on my computer, Writerdaddy, so you know what I've been doing for the past year? I have so many items on my Amazon wish list it's ridiculous. And I've added so many curricula to carts, just to see how much the total would be...:D I appreciate your "sit on your hands" advice. And I will try to implement it, though it does make typing difficult. Snicker. Sorry, couldn't resist. I think part of what draws me with LOE is having the grammar integrated. But I'll try to take your advice and wait... Sorry I got you thinking about LOE again!! Christina

You made me laugh out loud, for real:lol:!! Too funny. I know how tough it can be to snag AAS used, so I'm sorry you are down a level! Thank you, Black Midori, for reminding me that AAS is a great program and I shouldn't ditch it just b/c a new one has surfaced. We're only 1 1/2 years into HSing, and I think I am too easily seduced by new stuff when I see so many people talking about how great a program is. Thanks for reinforcing this. Um, am I starting to see a trend here? Everyone is saying to stay with what is working...and that is exactly what I needed to hear! So we stick with AAS (sorry black midori) but can anyone weigh in a little bit about the LOE games? Could they work as a fun supplement to AAS??? Thanks everyone!! Christina

For the record, this is my first ever multi-quote message. Here goes: Thanks for encouraging me to stick with AAS...and sorry I got you started on another shiny new curriculum!!:tongue_smilie: Don't know if I should hope that you hate it to save your $$ or hope you love it and use it for the long term!! Thanks for the info! I haven't heard any bad things about LOE yet, but that doesn't mean I'm supposed to jump ship, tempting as it is. Thank you for reminding me of that. One thing I thought of was maybe staying with AAS for this year but watching what develops with LOE in terms of what other levels/products they put out. Then I can assess how AAS goes for the year and possibly switch to LOE for the year after next. deerforest: Do you have an opinion on the games book? Might it be something I could buy separately and use with AAS to supplement/make some of the learning more fun? I can't tell how similar the phonograms are (sounds like there are two or four more in LOE?) and can't find many samples of the games to tell if that would work or if the games primarily help you learn the first 26 phonograms, which ds knows well. If that's the case, the LOE game book wouldn't help us. Thanks for any further input you've got! Without a convention to attend (I had to work during the one in Denver this month) and with few samples available, I feel like I'm flying blind!! Christina

LOE stands for Logic of English. It's a fairly new language arts program that seems to help you teach reading by better understanding spelling. It also integrates grammar. It is based on Orton-Gillingham (sp?) so it has cards for the phonograms and games to cement learning them. But only one level of LOE is available right now: Essentials, which can be used for remediation from 8 year olds through adults (or used over a longer period for youngers). Disclaimer: This is all what I've gleaned from posts and surfing the LOE Web site, so I may be totally wrong about any or all of the above information:tongue_smilie:. Christina