My third grader and I (along with her first-grade brother and preK sister) have been using American Revolution for Kids. I used SOTW3 (taking out a few chapters) until we got to the revolution and now the kids and I are spending 3 months on the Revolution. Once we've worked through the book linked above, we'll go back to SOTW3.

My husband's brother, an Army Ranger, has had his for over a year (or, at least that's when he got his first pair). He swears by them - and this is a guy who runs MILES every day. They are very odd looking at first, but now that I'm used to seeing them, I want some, too!

I was in law school, 3rd year. I was running back and forth between the law library (where I worked) and the break room (where the club I was president of was having a bake sale) and noticed a large number of students in the TV room, so I stopped in to see what was happening. A few minutes later, my husband walked in, and within 10 minutes most of the law school students and some profs were in the room, too. As we all stood there watching in disbelief, announcements came stating classes were canceled. DH and I went back to our apartment and watched the news with some friends for HOURS. I'll spend this anniversary trying to explain to my children why I get upset every year on 9/11 and look at pictures of collapsed buildings.

I'm teaching Chemistry to my 7, 5, and 3 year olds using Elemental Science and all of them are enjoying it!

A local sanitation pick-up company has an electronics dump drive twice a year. They take everything from kitchen appliances to computers. My husband removes the hard drives before we "donate."

We are!!! We're doing the Historic Triangle, then heading off to Roanoke Island. Even our 3 year old is excited! (We're studying the time period right now and I am constantly telling our 3 year old that she'll get to see the things we're discussing.)

Oooh! I've got mine up now, too!

We just did that same experiment (with rock salt) 2 weeks ago. Fun! To answer your question, I found this link.

Sigh, I have just listened to some of the worst excuse for music ever! Stop listening. well crap Better than sick crap.

Of course, everyone has an opinion,so I'll throw in mine. I demand feed and don't put my babies on a schedule either. That said, for the first 3 to 4 weeks, I do feed baby every 2 hours. It's exhausting, but do your best. Your baby will probably fall asleep during feedings. Just try to keep her on for 20 minutes. I always found that setting a timer helped me a lot - and, in all honesty, there were times when I would fall asleep, too. As for the soreness, do 2 things every time you put the baby on a breast: (1) make sure baby's mouth is open wide as you are putting her on (I actually say, "Open wide!" and (2) make sure you are belly to belly (unless doing the football hold) and nose to breast. Also use Lanolin on your nipples. A little tenderness is normal until you "toughen up" some, but pain and/or bleeding is not. Use the kellymom.com another poster listed. Most of all, good luck!

Take advantage of your captive audience at meal times: if you are doing anything like history, science, or religious studies, I've found that at meal times, I can read and everyone else listens (because their mouths are full)! Also, if your 2 yo has a nap time, use that time to work with your older child. (Although, I treasure nap/rest time at my home because that's actually a small slot of precious time for ME.) Make a work/play station for your younger child... a child-friendly corner of your school area where she can "work" near you and your older child. When my now 3 1/2 y.o. was 2, I would do school with her first. I would read her books and we would talk about them. I would give her some paper and ask her to draw things (circles, squares, her name, the Pythagorean theorem - LOL) and I'd praise her work, then tell her that she could take a break and I'd do more work with her later. Either she would forget about later or I would read her another book if "later" came. [Now I need to bookmark my response so I can remember to do these things when my youngest is 2.]

I just happened to remember (as I sit here in court) that Linda's site would be updated soon because she's cutting down on her stock. I just went to the link to her site and - POOF! - it is no longer there! Michele, I think we need to start roving our local library sales!

I think it is a bit excessive, especially since they've had showers before. If you're able to go, then do so. Perhaps instead of buying something from the registry, you can instead give them cards letting them know you'd be happy to provide a meal for them and their families once the babies are born. I know I appreciated the food people brought me when I had newborns!

I will... oh, wait... I am! I'm the mom who makes all the kids wait their turn, whether or not they are mine. I'm the mom who makes sure kids aren't running over other kids, whether or not they are mine. [i also tend to be the one who makes snarky comments to my husband about other parents allowing their kids to behave like monsters within earshot of those other parents. That's just my little corner of passive-aggressive bliss.]

Laminator (I laminate everything to make it wipe-erase) Removable wall poster putty - I like posters, but I change them often Old calendars - I've found so many uses for old calendar pictures

A couple of days ago, I blogged about some apps I use for homeschooling - not educational apps, more planning/organizing types of apps.

It's up! (Kids dressed up for the end of the summer reading program.)

Speaking from recent experience (I have a 5 month old, along with kids who are 3, 5, and 7)... If you have strong readers, have them do a lot of independent reading to go along with history/science. I have recently started my 7 y.o. on giving oral presentations and simple book reports on what she's been reading for history. (That way, I can check her grammar and spelling, I know if she's understanding and retaining what she's read, and we get some free entertainment!) I always do our history, science, and religion readings during meals - they're all together and quiet (because they're chewing). If you've got to do individual instruction, just have the other kids busy doing something. I've done A LOT of school with the baby in my lap, or in a swing or bouncer nearby. You'll learn to adapt! Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!

I hope the Roswell thing is true - I'm always pulling for the REALLY NICE aliens (not the scary, destroying the earth, "take me to your leader" type of aliens, though). I must be tightly wrapped today! :lol:

Yes, I do think it is a bit ridiculous for a seller to ask full price for used curriculum - if they are stating that it is used - however, if someone else is foolish enough to buy it at the price, then "way to go, seller." As a buyer of used curriculum, I rely on my own research to determine what is a good price. If someone lists something at a price that is too high, then it probably won't sell, and that's the seller's loss. Don't sweat it...just don't buy it! That said, if they're misrepresenting the condition, that's just wrong.

I've been through the baby food phase three times before, but this is my first time trying my hand at making baby food. Any good book recommendations? Thanks!:001_smile:

I'm going to be cutting out several chapters of both SOTW3 and SOTW4 and focusing more on the American Revolution and the Civil War. In addition to SOTW3, I'll be using American Revolution for Kids. Instead of using the SOTW3 chapter on the American Revolution, I'll be spending 2-3 months using American Revolution for Kids (roughly 2 to 3 weeks per chapter of that book; there are 7 or 8 chapters). I don't yet know what I'll use for SOTW4.

You and your little one will be in my thoughts and prayers!

I can't stand predictable, insipid love stories... so, anything by Nicholas Sparks is out of the question for me - for that matter, so are most romantic comedies (anything starring Drew Barrymore; Jennifer Aniston (except for Office Space, loved that one; etc.). As for Titanic, it still drives me crazy that, at the end, the old Rose threw the diamond back into the sea. Hello? What about the poor guy she just told her miserable life story to? His life's work has been spent searching for that stupid rock, she knows it, then just tosses it into the ocean with a "eee" sound. Nope. Hate it! I, however, can't get enough of war flicks (Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, etc.), mob movies (Goodfellas, Godfather trilogy), and Cohen brothers' movies (Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, etc.).

I'm not really an introvert, but I am a homebody. I work part-time and the kids have a nanny who comes to the house 3 days a week (and one of those days each week, her friend and the friend's little girl come over to play). My kids have friends at church and my oldest is in Brownies (which I can't stand - the troop is awful, but I keep her in as a bit of a social outlet). The hard thing for me is that because of my job, I'm left with four days a week for homeschooling. Many Saturdays, we're doing activities as a family. And Sundays, we don't get started until 2:00 in the afternoon because we're involved with church in the morning. I can't sacrifice any more time for home school groups. That, and I just enjoy being at home!