Similar stuff going on here. For my dd, I think it's an attention issue. I work with my daughter one-on-one. When I see dd making a mistake, I stop her and ask questions that help her think about what she is doing. You have a large family and that might not be doable. We use R&S. Sometimes we do odds or evens when dd is overwhelmed by the amount of problems. When she sees a page full of problems, she shuts down.

Sorry, I don't. I recently gave it to a neighbor. Good luck finding one!

From the e-mail: Free Dickens book in DecemberOur Christmas gift to you: a beautiful red leather-bound edition of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. If you haven't yet read it, here's your chance. Wouldn't this make a great Christmas gift?!Automatically shipped with any order of $20 or more.

Memoria Press Free shipping all week Free calendar this week Orders of $20+ ... Free leather bound A Christmas Carol (all month)

Congratulations and enjoy! :)

We are so fortunate. Up until this year, 12yo had only one friend in the neighborhood and play was sporadic. This summer 12yo made a few more friends and the four of them now play together every afternoon for 2-3 hours after school is over. I also have dd in swimming lessons a couple of afternoons a week. Apparently friends and social opportunities made the difference. Last year was rough, but this year she has been much more content to be at home. Being an introvert, I didn't realize how much 12yo needed to be with other kids her age.

12 hours in a car makes for a long day. New books made the return trip easier for the three people crammed in the back seat. Always, always check the weather when you know you have to drive through the mountains because it is nerve wracking to run into a snow storm without the proper equipment. Unexpected snow makes the trip back home even longer. After the stress of finding a sitter for my pet chickens, renting a car, and spending two days in the car, I'm pretty sure I want to stay home next year. I enjoyed spending time with family, but I really would like to relax a little and enjoy the holiday.

I've enjoyed reading this discussion. Some good points have been made. Earlier I stated that we try not to focus on what grade 12yo is in. If people really want to know, we say 7th. I forgot that the local educational service district did ask for a grade level. I purposely waited until she was seven to register her as a first grader to give her extra wiggle room. I guess I did technically hold her back a year. On paper and for testing purposes she is in 6th grade. To keep her from feeling different than her peers, we tell people that she is in 7th. On an everyday basis, we use whatever curriculum she needs.

We don't do grades here. When asked, I tell people my daughter is the same age as a child in 7th grade. We work at dd's level. Example, dd is going through R&S English 6. The number on the outside of the book doesn't matter. A grade number is just a label. DD was a late bloomer, so I might suggest we work together an extra year. That is something I won't know until she is closer to 18.

Thank you! This is so helpful since we only know one person who owns a Fit and he is single. We live in the valley, so we rarely have snow. If it snows, I stay home. The 5 1/2 mile drive to town is a flat two-lane highway (55 mph). That will help with mileage. The car salesman gave us a demo of the folding seats. The Fit seems to be the contortionist of cars. ;)

If anyone has experience with driving/owning a Honda Fit, I would appreciate hearing the pros and cons. This is my first experience shopping for a new car. I've loved our 1994 Dodge Caravan, but it is dying a slow death. We live 5 1/2 miles out of town and drive in at least once a day, so we need good gas mileage. I also want to be able to go visit my sister (12 hour drive) without worrying about breaking down in the middle of nowhere. For safety reasons, I want a new car. DH can't stand the thought of buying a new car but has agreed (I'm going through perimenopause and he's trying to keep the peace ;) ). If I know DH, he will buy the cheapest car he can find. With our record - we've owned the Caravan for 17 years - I have a feeling this might be my first and last new car purchase ever which makes the process a bit stressful. I was sure I wanted a Toyota Prius because of the great gas mileage (50 mpg). Today we test drove both a Prius and Fit (32 mpg). I was surprised that the Fit had so much more leg room in the back seat. I'm trying to keep my passengers in mind since I have three kids still at home (12, 16, and 19). There isn't really room for three people to fit in the back seat comfortably for a long trip, but we would rarely all be in the car at the same time. I'm feeling a bit silly that leg room seems to winning out over better gas mileage.

I don't consider myself to be a successful homeschooler. When my youngest was 9 1/2 years old she had few reading and math skills. It isn't something I'm proud of. Being the parent I accept responsibility though I have to say the child had me fooled. She was much more capable than I realized at the time. Three years later she loves reading Percy Jackson and is working through R&S Math 6 and English 6. Yes, she was a late bloomer, but she also needed me to be a consistent homeschool parent. Even with our background, I'm surprised that a 13yo has tested at a first grade level. Poor kid!

Wish I had some good advice. October is a rough month (weather and time change) and I don't have any littles. Hang in there! :grouphug:

I don't think this is what you are looking for but I thought I would throw it out there. My Student Logbook These are designed for students but I use one for myself. I make a word document with possible lessons and then record in the logbook what we actually do. Instead of check marks in the boxes, I write in lesson numbers, page numbers, or the general topic covered that day. I use the opposite blank page to make more detailed notes.

Which subject?

I really don't know what I am. I consider myself an introvert. I find social situations draining. But once you get me out of the house, I love talking to people. A little too much. But I would rather stay home in the first place. There is a picture of a person crouching and hissing in a hamster ball. That is me when I haven't had enough down time. BTW, I loathe meetings! I suffer from "meetingitis" which is one of the main reasons I no longer attend church.

I just remembered this resource. The "free library loan" won't help since you aren't in Oregon, but the lists of books will give you a possible starting point. Agriculture in the Classroom Free Loan Library Animals Careers Foods and Nutrition and more .... I bet other University Ag departments will have similar lists.

Not books but ... FFA lessons/resources for elementary age students. https://www.ffa.org/FFAResources/ffalearn/pals/Pages/default.aspx https://www.ffa.org/FFAResources/ffalearn/foodforamerica/Pages/default.aspx Edited to add: Looked through a few and these are definitely geared towards the classroom.

I'm not farmer "material," but I do have backyard chickens which I adore. In my opinion owning a few backyard chickens is a great way to get your feet wet. My granddaughter is six years old and with some supervision she has taken care of rabbits and chickens. The rabbits have not been as resilient as the chickens which is why I think chickens are better to start with. Just an FYI. If his passion continues to be farming, Rod & Staff publishers tend toward stories about farming families. Their math books have word/reading problems in each lesson that often deal with farming and/or building (cooking and sewing too). One of my daughters used to complain bitterly when she had to solve problems about the amount of feed a hog needed in order to gain a certain amount of weight. She would argue that she had no plan to be a farmer so why did she need to know that stuff. I would tease her that she was going to grow up to marry a hog farmer. ;) Rod & Staff's 3rd grade science book also has lessons that focus on farming. If you look at the table of contents you'll see a few (seedtime and harvest, Farming Provides for Many of Our Needs) There are also a few lessons related to farming in their 3rd grade social studies book.

Thank you, Jean! https://www.youtube.com/user/MrZoller edited to add another link: http://misterzoller.wordpress.com/

No lights = don't knock If I run out of candy, I post a sign on the door. "Sorry, we're out of candy." I close the drapes and also turn off as many indoor lights as possible.

Adding more hugs for you. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Wishing you peace.

Thanks for sharing, Laura. I've never seen anything like it.

We love having people of ALL ages trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. We live in former military housing 5.5 miles out of the city. It has been fun watching the neighborhood kids grow up. IMO, busy teens (trick-or-treating) are less likely to get into mischief (egging houses, etc.)

Thanks for the support and suggestions. It gives me an "I can do this!" attitude.