I used it for the first time this year. Overall a good program, easy to use and has most of the things I look for. Most important was that I could use it with my Mac - when is someone finally going to make one for us?! I was very worried about using an online program, much prefer to have it nice and safe on my hard drive, but found that it worked well. It has a lot of nice features, like auto calculating and entering lesson plans (you make a template and tell it what lesson or page numbers to start with, how many at a time, and when to end), the move day and skip day features, and many more. It's very versatile, and you can edit and tweek almost everything that you enter. Good for me, because I end up changing things around as we get going and realize that some things don't work quite like I'd like them to. I did take the extra step this year of printing out all the reports (coursework, report cards, etc) and filing them. I am in the process now of deleting last years plans so that this years won't take forever and a day to load up. A couple of minor issues: Once in a while the site will glitch and give you an error message or freeze up, doesn't happen as much now that I've switched browsers from Safari to Firefox. Also, the program doesn't automatically calculate the report card grades. Good in some ways, but I'm lazy:tongue_smilie: and didn't like the extra step of calculating and entering them myself. On a different note, since it's an online program you need to be somewhere with internet access to use it. Normally not an issue, but I like to do a lot of my planning while the kids are outside or at the pool, so that means I end up using paper and pencil to jot down my notes and then transfer them over to the computer later. Sorry for the long post. HTH

I've used it, and really liked it. Easy to implement, lots of maps and coloring pages, uses SOTW, CHOW, and the Kingfisher and Usborne encylopedias (if I remember right). I'd probably still be using it, except that my kids ages required me to go with a different plan. In fact, I had it out the other night looking at it, and thinking that I was going to pull stuff from it to go with my other curriculum this year. HTH

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! Looks like after I get back from our VBS meeting this evening I've got some good ideas to check out. I knew the Hive would come through!

I just got a letter from my Community Bible Study that they don't have enough teachers for the children's program, so the can't offer the elementary and high school classes! :crying:I'm so upset...not only was that our bible class (and boy was it excellent! we learned so much), but we made lots of friends there and now we won't see them nearly as often. Anyway, now I'm frantically trying to find a Bible study that doesn't offer its own interpretation of the Scripture, but just leads you through a reading with some thought/content questions. I'd prefer to cover one book of the Bible at a time, in some depth. Of course, cross referencing to other verses for clarity is fine. I'll be doing this with a 1st and 4th grader, possibly with my 9th as well....and have no idea even where to start looking! To be frank - I just feel like kicking and screaming....CBS was my favorite part of the week, and I am so upset that we can't attend this year! I feel like a two year old stamping my foot and saying "but I want it":glare: So I'm turning to the Hive Mind. I've gotten so much other good advice and curriculum ideas from here, I figure someone out there knows of a CBS like home bible study. Thanks for letting me rant - and thanks in advance for any suggestions the collective wisdom herein comes up with.

just sent you an email. Sound like fun! Thanks for getting this going.

I'm so glad my hubby talked me into it (I'm cheap:D). I now have my calendar, contacts, notes, with me all the time and can sync them with my computer so everything agrees without constant retyping and re-entering. I also like the screen layout. I had a pda years ago and never used it because I couldn't see everything the way I wanted to. And even though I thought I'd never use it, i find that the internet access is soooooooo useful! Of course, now I want the new one. :glare: I heard a rumor that it has GPS!

It's been awhile since I've read these....but I remember thinking that it didn't seem so much like "magic" as more just an understanding of kids and unique approach to training. I'm sure there is some magic type stuff in there, probably like Mary Poppins. FWIW, I really think these are books everyone should read. Gentle, humorous examples of common childhood behaviors and attitudes with silly remedies. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is one of my favorites - both when I was a child and as my children grow. not to hijack, but does anyone remember the learn to sew book by Mrs. Piggle Wiggle? Any ideas on where I can find it?

:iagree: I also use the Abeka series. I've been very happy with it, and (more importantly) my kids also enjoy it.

Have to say I'm not celebrating either.....but they did play well! Maybe the Pens will win it next year:D

Have you thought about just using Saxon as a guideline, and teaching the concepts the way you want? You know, following the lesson schedule, but just using your words, not the script? I also love Saxon, and really needed the script the first couple of years, while I gained some confidence. Now though, I usually just glance it over and wing it. As long as my dc are learning the concepts in the lesson (I do feel that it is a very thorough program), I feel no need to follow the script. I also don't do all the examples in the lesson if my dc get it - they just get bored and start goofing off. It sounds like you do the meeting portion separately from the lesson. Is that correct? Could you try doing the meeting while you get out their current worksheets and glance over the lesson one more time? Then quickly go over the "answers" to the meeting questions and do the counting. Towards the end of the year, I've been known to skip large portions of the meeting. Right now, for example, we've dropped all the calendar and clock portions - they get it already!:)- and we just do the coins and skip counting twice a week for some review. One other idea - I notice that they will quite often split a concept into 2 lessons - for instance subtraction of 3 digit numbers - and I just combine the two into one and teach them together. It works for my dc because they get the concept (usually) and don't always need the concrete to abstract (money to numbers) approach. I love Saxon, and I love the way they take everything slowly so that if your dc struggle with a concept they have time to get it, but I don't feel obliged to hold my kids to the slower pace if they understand. Hope this helps!

We'll be doing 4th and 1st.

No advice, but lots of :grouphug:. I got comments like that all through my teen years, and now my almost 14yod is going through it. She comes home from dance class, sunday school, youth group, etc. talking about how everyone says she looks anorexic. She's 5'5" and 90 lbs - yes, very thin. However, that does not give people the right to pull up her shirt, poke her belly and make rude comments! We've made it clear to her that she is built the way God intended, and that others are just jealous, but still.....I have to wonder what this is doing to her self esteem. Sometimes I think that the parents who teach manners and respect for others are becoming an endangered species.

The cat's official names are : Pounce de Lion (can you believe NO ONE gets this name?), Princess and O'Riley. However, we tend to call them by nick-nac names (as my eldest used to say:lol:), so they are really Pouncer, Princess, and Orange. We named the dog in hopes that he would live up to his name, but sadly, Sherlock isn't quite as bright as his namesake.

Well, since money is no object, I'd have to say a house that comes complete with a dedicated, fully stocked (labs, reading nooks, computer center, bookshelves, desks, closets, *sigh and drool*) schoolroom and a big, fenced in backyard that I can send the kids out into for PE. Someday.....

:lol::rofl::smilielol5: I feel this way all to often! I've always said I'd make a good hermit:D My kids know the first rule around here - Don't get between Mom and her coffee. It's closely followed by the second rule - Don't ask Mom for anything until she's had her coffee.:D You've made my day, Thanks!

I don't have any help, just wanted to say that I'd love to know also. My kids took the Stanford 10's last year and this year, and trying to figure out what they mean is a challenge.

I'll be there.....Don't know if I'll be brave enough to introduce myself, but I'll be there!

That's me!!!! I'm so excited...I thought I was the only one to do this, and that it was a little odd. It's like I'm transported into the period and place of the story (and usually wind up being one of the characters). It's funny/frustrating, because dh can never figure out why, if I'm in the middle of reading a book, I don't hear anything going on around me. It's because I'm not *here*, I'm wherever the book is. On the plus side, it doesn't take me long to finish:D. TV has nothing on it!

Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bon Jovi

I was in the same boat, and sold a couple of items that way. Of course, I then spent way too much time here, so my posts are up now;). I would be cautious though. I'm honest, too, and believe most people are.....but some aren't.

I use Art with a Purpose ArtPacs. They are sold by grade level, and do what I need. They are also easy!

sure, we tithe, but not because we think it will get us something. The whole prosperity gospel really bothers me. God never promises to give you scads of money. People seem to like to take the word blessing to mean cash, but it is often much more intangible, and much more rewarding.

Nope - that's what these boards and the google feature on the internet are for! Not to mention the hundreds of bookmarks I have:D

and I didn't just eat the *entire bag* of boston baked beans (the peanut candy). Nope.

:D That's funny - is he related to my parents and in-laws? Seems like every time one of them visits.....something breaks! I've started wondering if we are just very careful, or if they are just very destructive:tongue_smilie:.