Oh, no! That sounds terrible. I have no advice, but I do offer sympathy. Bugs of any sort....blech. :grouphug:

We used Saxon early on. The drill and kill....the endless repetition....made me NUTS. Math Mammoth is great. There is the grade level curriculum and you can purchase separate units if your child needs extra help. I will agree that with the early grades there is not enough space and there are a lot of problems on one page. I believe I remember reading that Grade 1 had been updated to give more space, but you'd have to double check that.

I second IEW. They have the PAL writing or you could jump into one of the other themed programs. You could also purchase TWSS and choose passages to outline yourself. (I would recommend getting TWSS anyway to get a good grasp of the program.) Writeshop also publishes a Primary writing program for grades k-3. It focuses on writing as a process. Brainstorming...making...lists...turning those into paragraphs....proofreading...etc.) HTH,

I have used both as well. I by far like Real Science as well. Although you do have to gather the materials, my children enjoyed Real Science much better.

Santa Clarita

That's too funny! We have twin boys that are named David & Jonathan. David doesn't like to be called anything but David. Jonathan goes by Jonny though.

We are using K12 this year, too. I am not crazy about the math either. It jumps around and doesn't spend enough time on many topics. I have the kids do the online portion for the explanations and then I choose a topic from Math Mammoth to cover the objective. I don't know why they changed the math so much just to add an online component. You only have to teach to the objective. So I look at and make sure I'm covering it and mark it complete.

My oldest DS is 9...almost 10. He has struggled academically since the get go. We are finally making progress in math with a combination of MUS and Touchmath. It gives him several strategies to try when working on math independently. Silly as it may sound he really loves doing math on the big whiteboard. So the first MUS worksheet for each lesson we go over on the whiteboard....along with the first cumulative review sheet for each lesson as well. This allows him to work with the manipulatives in MUS, but also gives him a chance to use the touch points taught in MUS as well. The two programs match up very well and have been very easy to do together. We tried Rightstart for awhile, but it was honestly a nightmare for us. Plus, my son (all of them now...b/c since I started using it with my oldest son, his brothers have wanted to do it, too) has made so much progress. A note on Touchmath. It is very expensive, but you can watch the videos on their site and get the gist on how to teach it. The only reason why I have purchased the kits is b/c we use a charter that gives us school funds to spend on the vendors of our choice. I personally wouldn't spend the money, if I had to purchase it myself. You could also purchase just the workbook sets which are not nearly as expensive. HTH,

Usually, the Army will let spouses come home for the birth of child. It depends on the circumstances though. They do that b/c deployments are usually 12 months, plus training months before the deployment. I don't know exactly what the policies are, but I do know that most of the time they do try to get you home for the birth of child or a death in the immediate family. I gave birth to our twins while my husband was in Iraq. He wasn't able to come home b/c it during the initial invasion. He received a Red Cross message that our boys were born. It was kind of a bummer b/c I really wanted him there. Its one of those things you know is a possibility when you are in the military though. We were fortunate though and he has been here for all of the other births of our kids.

This is so TRUE! We did the same thing a few years ago and had the exact same result. Public school was a nightmare for us.....and I ended up picking every little sniffle they brought home as well. You would think it would have taken at least a little stress off, but honestly it was really more stressful. Plus, I missed the time I didn't get to spend with them and the time I did spend with felt like constant frustration and just not happy times.

I've wanted to post something similar for the last few days. Please don't think that depression is trivial...its is very REAL and very debilitating. I honestly wouldn't have said those words a few years before I had my first bout of depression. I would have normally said that people just need to "suck it up and deal", and then I was slammed with depression on top of several chronic illnesses (lupus, fibromyalgia, autoimmune hypothyroidism, & migraines). I didn't get out of bed...I didn't leave the house....I lost interest in EVERYTHING. It was one of the horrible things I have ever experienced. I truly feel for you....it is a tough thing to deal with. It seems like this year has been really tough for a lot of people. I know when I get stressed....I get sick....I "flare". We moved in March across the country. My DH lost his job right after we moved, but was able to find another significantly higher paying position (praise Jesus) within 2 weeks. It just seems like since we moved, it has been tons of little things. My four boys (ages 9, 8, 8, & 7) have been particularly testy and frustrating. I feel like every day is a constant battle with them. We joined a charter school when we moved that allows us to choose our own curriculum (as long as its secular) and we have meetings with our very laid back Educational Specialist once a month. In return, we get an $8000 stipend to spend each year. Even though we have been able to order all sorts of awesome things....from games to awesome science, history, and art kits.....the boys have been so rebellious, its been hard to get anything done and I feel like I'm drowning in work and we're always behind. Not to mention I thought this semester would be a good time for me to finish the last year of my bachelors. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I hope that you find the right combination of medications/support that will give some relief. Being a mama is tough work and you don't usually see immediate results with all the hard work you do. I think this totally contributes to the depression cycle and makes it worse. Keep your chin up! :)

http://www.padfield.com/downloads/curriculum.html I like this one, too. I don't know if this is the one you wanted. I think its more for upper elementary aged kiddos.

Calvary Chapel has a large amount of coloring pages and activities for bible study. It looks like they have changed their site around since the last time I was on there. http://www.calvarycurriculum.com/childrens-curriculum-ot.php#Genesis-Exodus That links to the Genesis-Exodus Curriculum. They have stuff for the entire Bible though. HTH, Andrea

My sons are very close in age. I had one son, had twins 15-months-later, and then had another 11 months after the twins were born. We had four in diapers. While the twins were difficult in regards to getting used to nursing two....basically doing everything twice....my oldest son was by far the hardest as he had colic for 8 months. We were both miserable as I was pregnant with twins, had a child with colic, and a husband that was deployed in the middle of war zone. Now that they are older (9, 8, 8, and 7), it is much easier. Once they can bathe, feed, and go to the bathroom themselves, life is much easier. Now its just sibling rivalry, but they mostly play together well and love each other. I think every pregnancy and child is different, twins or not. Boys so far, have been a lot more difficult for me to raise, probably because I have three sisters and NO experience with how boys operate at a young age. I asked my husband many times, "What is wrong with them?". Lol....I've come to accept that they are just different and special in their own ways.

I would be one hot mama...........but only because that man makes me swoon. I have a secret crush on him.....well its not really a secret. My DH knows and doesn't understand why I think the hottest man on earth is Josh Groban. To each his own.....:)

I am having the worst time lately with diagnosing myself over the internet with all sorts of uncurable diseases. From HIV, cancer, and now ALS. I thought it was getting better, but the other day I googled something and ALS came up, so now of course I'm obsessed with feelings that I could have this now, too. I have lupus and have had vague neurological symptoms lately. Tingling and pins and needles sensations in my legs, dizziness, fatigue, etc. I've seen the neurologist and his initial examination was good. Now I waiting to have an MRI and EMG done later this month by the neurologist. I had these same tests done two years ago and everything was fine. Why do I become so distraught over these things? It is really making me feel crazy! What has helped you if you suffer from health anxiety? For now I have a script for Xanax which is helping, but what about long term? Thanks!

I shop at Trader Joes every week and live on the west coast. We love their organic yogurt, hummus, pesto, cereals, all most all the produce, and meats. You absolutely must eat the DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS....they are divine. Their prices are very good, except for meats. You can almost always find cheaper fresh and deli meats at Costco. However, their prices on just about everything else are very good.

This site looks great. I just signed up and my username is....wait for it...... eight_gregorys .

You may want to have her thyroid checked. That was the only symptom my dd 13 had when she was diagnosed a few months ago. Her TSH was 22 and shewas positive for the thyroid antibodies. Since starting treatment her hair has started to grow back. There are many reasons why hair will fall out. I just thought I'd throw this out there just in case.

We are a family of 8. We live in Southern California and I keep our AC/heat set at 70 degrees all year. Our home is around 2000 square feet and our bill runs between $250 & $325. I know I could probably lower our bill, but my husband and I both like the house cool. Our dryer is gas so that isn't included in the electric bill. Our gas bills aren't terribly expensive though....around $40 in summer and more in winter. They balance out though and the total is between $300 and $400 for gas and electric.

Oh, dear. I can't imagine feeling chronically disappointed with my child. I do think that children may or may not meet your expectations, but if they don't I wouldn't think there was necessarily something wrong with them. I would question what in the world was wrong with me if I felt that way about my own child. Everyone has a right to feel how they choose, but I can't understand this at all.

You can go to the k12 store and see what comes with each subject package. It also has the scope and sequence and a sample lesson. https://ecomm.k12.com/ecommerce/public/index.xhtml HTH,

I can totally relate. Constant chatter all the time....especially from my boys who are very close in age and are constantly in competition over everything. My dh took the boys camping this weekend and I couldn't believe how quiet it was around the house. It started to weird me out a little about midnight Saturday night. I hope that you get some peace and quiet soon.....I know it can be nerve wracking.

Meant when we were military DH deployment to Kuwait 2002 Discovered pregnant two weeks after he left (already had a 4 yo and toddler) Found out it was twins a month later DH is part of initial invasion in Iraq (2003) DH misses birth of children and finally comes home when they are three months old Have 5th child DH gets out of the military Move to CA 5 months later I was involuntarily mobilized (I left the army when the twins were born as we had 4 children at the time and my mobilization would have been impossible.) DH has to quit job and become stay at home dad b/c daycare for the children was going to be $3500/per month I spend months doing training to deploy, go to Iraq and six months in become very sick. Doctors accuse me of faking sickness. (I'm not sure how you can fake your kidneys slowing shutting down, but that was the accusation.) Diagnosed by with Systemic Lupus with kidney involvement Medievacced out of country after their attempts to stablize me were unsuccessful. Waited for medical board review. Began the long road of counseling needed for me to reacclimate to being home and deal with the junk from Iraq. Found out I was pregnant again/review board cancelled. Forced to stay in NC while family was in CA. Army would not pay for family to move to NC. Spent our entire savings and sold much of our belongings to move family to NC. (Medical board took 3 1/2 years.) Had severe complications during pregnancy. Daughter born 2 months early. (Although perfect and had no significant issues.) Severe post-partum depression. Therapy, anti-depressants, near end of my marriage. It was a crazy couple of years. The good news is my disease is in remission. The army retired me with a very good disability percentage so my family and I have free healthcare and decent dental insurance as well. DH appreciates what I do being a SAHM, more than ever. We finally moved back to California a few months ago. DH lost his job shortly after we moved. (He worked from home, so he didn't have to change jobs when we moved.) Within a week of losing his job, he is offered another position with a 40% salary increase. So the crazy fiasco worked out in our benefit. God is good....life is crazy.

I have four in various levels of AAS. Unless you are planning to teach them at the same time, then you only need one kit. I would recommend working with them one and one, if they are not working at the same level. You can try to combine them, if they are close enough in ability. We started from the beginning and progressed each at their own speed. For us it works, but it is a lot of work. HTH,