We've done the Complete-A-Sketch here - maybe the first two books? (You used to buy a physical book, but then they moved to selling a CD from which you print yourself.) I really liked them; my ds did too -- although when he was done, he was done and it wasn't something he continued to pursue. I got them for him in late elementary because he needed fine motor opportunities that weren't creative drawing or handwriting. The sketches in the set were nicely paced and well done. I'd like my other kids to each do at least one set of them, just for the exposure. I think they're a great introduction to technical drawing and blueprints if that's the area of interest. I'm not familiar with any other resources, though I think that maybe Landry Academy has an architecture class?

You can't leave us hanging -- you must share! Titles, reader?

Thank you -- it sounds like it would be worth trying here.

Could you tell me a bit more about that Indigo Teen Dreams CD? I'm very interested in it for one of my kids who has a difficulty time getting to sleep. Would you be able to say how compatible or not it is with a Christian worldview?

I followed the instruction in the link in this thread -- even bought the flaxseed oil -- and was very pleased with my results. It's a winter project, though!

That's definitely the mature, reasonable approach. :-) It will mean requesting them and waiting a bit before I fill in that slot for the year. But buying books via "buy it now" is just so much easier and lazier than doing actual lesson-planning or pre-reading...

LOL! I think secretly that's why I posted, asking for help. I don't know if I'm more afraid that the book I loved so well *was* an abridged version and my kid will be bored stiff if I get the original, thinking it was what I read; or that I'll get a re-telling and find it hopelessly dumbed-down and all the magic gone...

Oh, this looks GREAT! I hadn't heard of it before -- linking it to my ds right now. And THANK YOU for your review. I really appreciate non-compensated reviews. I weight them differently than *provided for review purposes* reviews. :-)

I have no idea what edition I read when I was a kid, just that I loved it. Now I'm trying to schedule it into our school year and trying to find a copy to purchase online. I could get a free Kindle copy (probably scanned), but my middle-grade student doesn't like reading from e-readers. I can get Coville's re-telling, with color illustrations (which would be a good thing), quite easily and very afforadably from Amazon. Or there's the Ilustrated Junior Library version. Any experience with any of these, or opinions?

If ivory isn't light enough to brighten up the room, I'd be hard pressed to say what color might except a golden-y butter yellow as mentioned upthread. Other than that, I'd probably look to better/creative lighting.

Is there room on the empty wall for a freestanding cabinet with tall hanging space (like for clothing)? Might be useful all around in a kitchen with limited storage, if it would fit.

Double post

Thank you! I'm excited to check this out - it sounds like it would be a hit here, especially with me, with the projects that can be completed in the book.

Here's one I've bookmarked, but haven't yet tried: http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/2015/07/blueberry-pie.html

My DD is signed up for his drawing course. They look fabulous - I'm excited to see how the semester goes. As to credit for your DD, fine arts is the first and easiest thought, but because she'll learn Maya in that course, I'd say you could count it as computer science instead if you really needed to. Just depends, really, on what she needs. It seems pretty typical for schools to want to see a full credit of "fine arts" whether it be art, music, theater... If she'll max out or exceed that with other art courses, maybe use it as a computer science elective instead. If it's important to highlight the drawing aspect (for an art school, say), count it for art. The only thing I'd shy away from is counting it as "science." Make sure her sciences are covered with the traditional biology, chemistry...

bump

Kinda of in keeping with the suggestion to go cabin camping, see if there's a place near you where you can spend the night in a tree house. Has anyone mentioned a star-gazing event? Find a group that has telescopes set up, or plan to wake up and go out when there's a meteor shower or something else interesting going on in the night sky. Be cheesy and pick out stars for each other!

It does seem odd to me. Honestly, and I don't mean to sound paranoid, I'd be looking for corroboration of his story -- not from any sense that HE was covering anything up, but that I'd be concerned that (again, don't mean to sound paranoid) someone had tried to do him harm, drugged him, etc. Does he have a friend who was at the camp who'd know, "yes, I remember him falling out of bed..." or an adult who'd know if he'd gotten cut earlier in the day?

112. I milk that Prime free shipping for all its worth! I buy lots of books and gifts from Amazon, but a lot of my orders are recurring Subscribe and Save -- our coffee (monthly), for example, and my shampoo (once a year). Feel better? :-)

I've never heard of Do Not Disturb mode. I turn the volume off in church; is that the same thing? I do find it annoying when my phone chirps that someone has sent me a text in the middle of the night. It wakes me up and then I have trouble getting back to sleep. And I guess I find it odd that the onus is on me to change my settings (and then remember to change them back - I can easily imagine forgetting all day) rather than on the sender's to abide by normally accepted "contact" hours.

It's nice that there is that option. Super helpful -- thanks! This is actually a more accurate description of my son than "regular" -- just a little more unwieldy for an OP, and I guess in my mind "bright" and "unmotivated" kinda average out to ... regular. LOL! The parenting lesson I have learned (the hard way) in the last year is that anything AP or honors or advanced needs to be my ds's choice and not mine, because when I choose, things go poorly. And TBH, he won't choose to do any more work than he has to. So I'm pretty sure he wouldn't do honors. But he will be 10th grade and his math is solid. What a great testimonial! Thanks!

Good to know. Thanks! We're considering either precalculus or physics.

That's awesome -- and in the end much more valuable. Kudos to them!

That's helpful info -- thanks! But I note in your siggie that your 14-year old "regular" boys are in Lukeion's Latin III and Greek II, as well as French and... :-) I'm not sure your idea of "regular" and mine are the same! (My son has taken Mr. Barr's classes -- I can't imagine him taking classes from Mr. Barr and Mrs. Barr at the same time; that's a *lot* of work.)

I see lots of positive things here about Derek Owens classes. But I'm wondering what kind of students are the target audience. Will "regular" students fit in and have the potential to do well, or is the target audience advanced or very advanced students? Thanks!